Biking weekend, tragedy at the dog park and 2 recipes

Biking weekend - it was the totally perfect weekend for biking.  We met at the State Capitol again and headed through the city to LSU.  We lunched at VooDoo BBQ which has the best BBQ sauces.  They have a Crystal Mango Vinegar Sauce to die for.  I had the chicken Caesar since I am REALLY trying to lose weight.  And Frank had the Graveyard Platter with Sausage and Brisket and VooDoo Greens and Gris Gris Corn Grits.  Or something like that.  It was Greens and the corn pudding I think, so maybe it was the Gris Gris Greens and Corn Pudding.  I love the corn pudding.

Mike the LSU Tiger was playing and running around in his huge exhibit.  

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And Dan found a fabulous old dying oak tree on the edge of campus.  We visited the tree, it was dying of environmental causes.  I guess there used to be a lot of these ancient oaks in this area and this is the last old guy.

It was a rough start on Sunday morning.  Dan and Amber forgot about Daylight Savings Time and were “late”, or so to speak.  But it was fine because my bike was having issues with the brakes on the front since Frank took it apart, against my better judgment.  And he worked on that for a bit until Dan arrived, whereupon he figured out how to fix it as they were pulling up.  Carrie’s chain came off during the ride when she rode down a big bump like a curb.  And we lost her one time on the levee when her hat blew off on a downhill run.  I hit 35 mph on one of the downhills so she was going at a good clip when she had to stop and go back for it.

  The water in the Mississippi River was really high.  You could see the water on the batture which is usually very dry and green.  Beyond the  trees is the actual river.  And you can se a yellow tug pushing a string of barges that contain cars for the steel mills upriver.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog Park Tragedy – Well, not really a tragedy, just the Idiot Child.  In the afternoon I got doggy friends Valerie and her Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Joel with her Shiba Inu and Border Collie and Dee with her Borzoi and my two bassets and headed to the dog park.  And DiNozzo the Idiot Basset ran, literally for 1 1/2 hours straight.  He barked every other step in that “bark bark howl” they have.  Totally embarrassing and irritating to not be able to catch your dog.  Of course he didn’t recognize his name, and he has no Come Command, and he was so into chasing every dog there that he was totally oblivious to me anyway.  When we wanted to leave it actually took 18 people to catch that stupid dog.  Chloe the Smelly Basset was the official Park Greeter. She smoozed with every single person who walked through the gate.  Not interested in the dogs, but only the people. 

Well, DiNozzo the Idiot Basset tore his front foot pad straight off at some point and I didn’t even know it until we got home.  So now he is in a dog boot and on rest.  Yeah, like he rests.  All the people there were totally amazed that a basset was so fast.  And so energetic.  Yep, mine.  Only mine.

Two Recipes – Great food.  Home made Won Ton Soup with real won tons and Quinoa.  That is

   Pronounced Keen-wah.  I had to look it up.  A grain, low calorie and full of protein.  My kinda grain.  Take a close look at it.

 

 

 

 

 

I cooked the quinoa, and then sautéed a celery stalk, a couple of small carrots, a green onion and three small stalks of broccoli in sesame oil and a butter pat.  Then I combined them into a delicious lunch.  And at nearly 4 PM I am neither hungry nor stuffed.  I feel light!  And I did work out this morning!  So I am expecting to be at least 10 or maybe even 15 lbs lighter by tonight.

I can’t find where I put the won ton recipe so that will have to be a later post.  Sorry, your mouth was probably watering for that one, huh.

glen