Posts tagged ‘pugs’

Mar 27

Jenna Rose And Some Baking

Well so much has been happening I haven’t posted in a while. My new normal has been much harder than I anticipated with regards to Percy and his health issues. The diabetes has ravaged his little body and he is now almost completely blind and very feeble. I can’t leave him unattended for fear he will fall and hurt himself and besides having to give him insulin every day the new challenges to keep him safe have been daunting. Work has also been very busy and I am having to try to arrange my schedule around caring for Percy and when I have to leave for more than an hour I have to hire a pet sitter, it gives me peace of mind knowing he is safe.

I had mentioned in a previous post that my dear friend had passed away suddenly from complications from diabetes. She was one of the founders of our Instagram pug group and had a little pug named Jenna Rose. When Irene passed her husband could not care for Jenna and Irene’s daughter could not take her either, it broke their hearts but for Jenna’s safety she could not have her in her home, you see she has two big German Shepherds that were not fond of Jenna. I was honored that Irene’s family asked me if I would adopt her, Jenna lived with Irene and her husband Pete in Bowler Wisconsin on a big property with lots of acreage and a population of 325 people in the town. Jenna’s adventure began last week when my friends, my pug family, selflessly devised a plan to get Jenna to Brooklyn, NY. It was a labor of love that spanned almost 1400 miles. In a nutshell Irene’s daughter’s (Misty) husband and her daughter loaded Jenna in a truck and drove her to Fairfield Ohio where they met Carrie, Jenna was handed to her and she drove her to Verona Pennsylvania where she met Corrine who took her to New Jersey where she met Mary and she drove Jenna to Brooklyn. Quite an ordeal and a big adventure for this little girl. She is 6 years old and the sweetest little pug you will ever meet. You have to understand how amazing this was, selfless people who gave of their time and all for love. You see we all were close friends of Irene and would do anything for her. We just wish we she were still with us!

Jenna Rose arrived on Saturday evening a country girl now living in the big city. It’s an adjustment for her and for Percy but they are both doing great. Things are starting to fall into place and I am beginning to adjust as well to everything. Jenna loves it here, she loves Percy and Percy is really starting to love her as well.

I have been cooking sporadically but nothing to speak of really. I did make brownies the other day, a recipe from the new cookbook Bravetart by Stella Parks, and they are awesome. I cannot post the recipe without permission, I’m sorry but if you are in the market for an amazing cookbook I highly recommend. I also made a cake and tried my hand at decorating, it’s something I have to work on but the cake turned out great and I think with some practice I could get fairly good at it. The problem with practice is who would eat all that cake, I would be as big as a house.

Percy and Jenna cheek to cheek

Brownies

chocolate cake with mascarpone buttercream

Once again I have 2 pugs, black and fawn, well apricot really just like Izzy and Nando. More to come….

Sep 18

65 Comments

Pugs Take NYC, Block Party And No Time To Cook

I haven’t really been cooking, at least not anything noteworthy or blog worthy. Yesterday Percy and I went into Manhattan for a big pug event, Pugs Take NYC, hundreds and hundreds of pugs converged on the big apple for a 2 day event. I volunteer for Pug Squad SOS and we held an auction/raffle to benefit Pug Nation Of Los Angeles and specifically Bella who needs surgery and a wheelchair. The kick off of the event was at Central Park moving to Times Square and ending up on Wall Street for the auction/raffle. I donated baked goods to the auction, a gift basket filled with home baked goodies for humans and pugs. The auction/raffle was Halloween themed and pugs came in costume, there was a costume contest and there were celebrity pugs there, the Pugdashians were all decked out. It was so nice meeting our Instagram friends, so many were there and travelled from other cities to come to the event. I think I was more thrilled than Mr. Percy but thats ok, he was a good sport and indulged me.

I also just have to say how horrible it is that some sick criminal (terrorist?) decided to place a bomb in a dumpster on a crowded street in NYC’s Chelsea neighborhood and 29 people were injured, thankfully no one died, cars were damaged, windows of nearby buildings were blown out. Police have surveillance video, hope they catch whoever did this, they found another bomb a few blocks away but thankfully were able to get it defused before it went off. A pipe bomb also exploded in New Jersey where a 5K charity race sponsored by the Marines was being run. What is wrong with people?

The Pugdashians, pug celebrities they are so over the top cute and well behaved

Percy does not like to be dressed or fussed with but I did manage to get a bow tie on him and he looked awfully cute. He literally layed on the step that faced the water (Brooklyn) and didn’t want to budge. When we finally got a car and headed back he kissed me almost the whole way home. He was one happy boy. He is a bit of a loner, curious at times but basically likes nothing more than laying on the bed or couch and resting, he’s a real homebody.

This coming Saturday, September 24th is our block association’s annual block party. It’s crunch time there is a lot to do coordinating everything. My days have been crazy busy, between work, the block party the auction (now past) hosting guests through air bnb and anything else that gets thrown in I just haven’t been cooking. I also still continue with the dietary changes and have been doing really well. I feel like I have to get into some sort of groove and post more regularly. I really don’t have too much on my plate today and am making crab cakes, will post the recipe sometime this week, they are really good. The weather here is starting to cool down and we get a sneak peek of the cool crisp Fall air from time to time. September and October in NYC can be a mixed bag weather wise. I so look forward to cooler temps, leaves changing color, apples, pumpkins and everything that Fall brings. Hoping that you all have a great week.

Feb 14

200 Comments

Exciting News- Meet Percy My Valentine

I have adopted a dog!!

A few weeks ago, I got an email from my good friend Emily, she and I have known each other for quite some time now, we met on Food52 where I have met and am friends with some amazing people. Well, Emily lives in DC with her husband T and two children, their cat Nutmeg and pug Percy, I follow her blog Em-i-lis, reading it every day it’s part of my morning routine. She is an amazing writer, a great cook and the sweetest person. In the email Em asked me if I would consider adopting her pug Percy, he is 10 years old and a real sweetheart but she just can’t give him the attention he needs with her busy life. I said yes, of course I would. After losing Izzy first and then Nando shortly after I was grief stricken but at the same time I needed some time to recover from the trauma of their deaths, I had always said that although I was not looking for another dog, at least not now, I thought that if the situation presents itself I will do it. So it did, and yesterday, Saturday February 13, they brought Percy to live with me in Brooklyn. There is once again a pug in my kitchen and I couldn’t be happier. I am grateful to Em for giving me this sweet gift and I know she will miss Percy but she can be certain that he has a good and loving home.

Got his greenie

Out for a walk

Made himself right at home

Fast asleep

Feb 5

6 Comments

The Pugs – Izzy and Nando

I think its about time that I introduce my two pugs, Izzy and Nando. They are the pugs in the kitchen. Izzy will be 11 years old in April and Nando turned 11, November 2011. My daughter brought Izzy to me when she was only 9 weeks old a few months after my other dog died. I was very upset and said I would never get another dog, my daughter knowing me and my love of animals decided I needed another dog so she came home with Izzy one day. I always had big dogs and was a little scared of such a tiny one, she seemed so fragile, long story short it didn’t take long for me to totally fall in love with her. I wanted Izzy to have a doggie friend, I feel its important they there is canine companionship. So I proceeded to start looking for a friend for Izzy, looking online on Pet Finders and rescue groups. I came across a Pug rescue group in Long Island and registered with them, my preference was a young adult dog since Izzy was just a puppy. They told me it would probably be a year or so since I was so specific about what I wanted. I had no preference regarding gender or color, I didn’t care, but age was a factor. Four days later I got a call, they said that they had just gotten a young pug who was left tied to a pole on a street in Long Island and they said he would be a good match as he was only about 10 months old. I immediately said yes, never saw a picture, it didn’t matter to me. They told me they would bring him to me as they needed to inspect my home. The next day he arrived, sweet Nando. Izzy instantly loved him as did I. They are best friends and do everything together.

Fast forward to December 2008, Nando was not doing well, he had always been so healthy and I was so worried, he exhibited all the classic symptoms of diabetes so I took him to the doctor who confirmed my fears. My local vet had me change his diet, I always cooked for my dogs, neither had ever had dog food but following the advice of the Vet I put Nando on dog food, a special formula. He became worse, even with the insulin I had to give him every day his blood sugar levels were very high. Only 2 months after he was diagnosed with diabetes he became blind. I felt that something had to change, he was going down hill fast so I did some extensive research and found an integrative Veterinarian about 60 miles from my home. This Veterinarian practice is quite well known and the founder has been on TV and has a weekly radio show. The first thing they did was take Nando off of the dog food, the first ingredient was corn, not good for a diabetic. I began making Nando’s food which consists of steamed skinless chicken breast and raw vegetables ground in the food processor, some plain non fat yogurt and a half tsp of cinnamon. He immediately started improving, its now been over 3 years. Nando amazes everyone, when we go for his check ups his blood work up is better than Izzy’s. He is still blind but gets around the house and goes for walks outside, he is slow, but manages to walk around the block and sometimes further. He is a fighter and never ceases to amaze me.