My Elegant Lawn Services

     With the last few years and the downturn of the economy, the talk of the town is how to cut unnecessary expenses. Like all households in the USA, we also looked at our monthly expenditures to see what is a "need" and what is a "want". 

Growing up, we lived in a corner house with many trees along the sidewalk. Corner property means lots of grass to mow, lots of leaves to rake up and lots of snow to shovel. With 4 kids in the family, there was an endless supply of hands to help out. There was something to be done outside no matter what season it was. On Saturdays, there was hardly a chance to sleep in. The wake up call was, "Rise and Shine!Yard work awaits!" All hands on deck, there was rakes, shovels, garbage cans, trashbags to be used. The occasional break would be if I found an earthworm in the dirt. In that case, I would run inside, rinse it off and feed it to my turtle. Fresh meat!

I bought this house from my Dad more than a decade ago. While moving back felt like wearing an old pair of jeans again, I knew we would face the inevitable yard work that awaited. Being that both my husband and I work, we decided that we could indulge and splurge in hiring a lawn service company. Of course, it would just be the basic grass cutting and bushes trimming. No need for flower planting, or any ornamental this and that. Goodness, it didn't even include snow removal. 

As my kids grew older, they would sometimes catch me looking at them wistfully. Maybe they think I'm reminiscing when they were sweet little rosebuds? Nope, I'm sizing them up to see when they'll be old enough to do lawn work! 

Last year, unrelated to the economic downturn, I became unhappy with the lawn company. D's Elegant lawn Services, they called themselves. One week, I came home to my lawn trimmed but bushes left scraggly. I called them up to complain. Excuses after excuses, promises after promises. The week after, the bushes were trimmed...but one side was noticeably shorter.I even sent them a picture titled "My Un-Elegant Bushes".

After calls and multiple emails, things were still not satisfying so I decided to bite the bullet and sever the relationship with D's Elegant Lawn Services. Ready or not, time for la familia to step up to the plate and batter up! 

Jackson, my rugged, manly-man husband volunteers to do the lawn with our son. Ok, I'll be inside cheering you on! After about an hour of yelling, whining, ordering around, and overall unhappiness, the 2 men retreat to the comforts of the indoors. My son, into his room sulking, my husband, into the kitchen.

J: Honey, can see you see what this is?,  lifting up his shirt. Do you think it's a rash? I'm all itchy and my skin feels irritated.

I take a look,
Me: You look fine. How's the lawn looking?

J:  No, no, look here... you don't think it's a rash?

Me: Nope, it's just you scratching. How's the lawn working out?

J: Really, this doesn't look like a rash? Is it infected or something?

Me: Honey, we don't have poison ivy, we don't have poison oak. You're just reacting to a little grass that got blown under your shirt. No rash, no irritation and definitely no infection. But if you keep up the scratching, it will become a rash, be irritated and get infected. Go take a shower.

J: OK, can you check on Harrison and do some damage control?

"Uhhhh...how's the lawn?" No answer." And why the need for damage control?"

I go into Harrison's room. 

Me:What's the matter, Son?

H: Daddy keeps yelling at me to move the wire.

Me: Well, you do have to move the cord or else it'll be cut by the mower.

H: He doesn't have to yell so loudly at me.
Me: Was it because the lawn mower was really loud?

H: Maybe.

Me: You'll feel better after a shower too. No need to be all irritated and itchy.

 After a few rough starts, I'm proud to say that they've gotten it down to a science. King's Elegant Lawn Services work like a well-oiled machine. Less than 20 minutes and the lawn is buzz cut like a newly recruited Marine. 

Bushes are another thing. 

J: Our bushes are too high.

Me: They're fine the way they are.

J: We need to get a bush trimmer and get these lower.

Me: Leave them alone. Shoulder height is fine.

J: I'll go to Home Depot tomorrow. 

A week later, the bushes are waist high and looking really really scraggly. It looks like Godzilla had a field day at the salad bar. Pitiful. 

Me: Jackson, what happened?

J: Things needed to be beat back. I found a lot of insects and crawly things in the bushes. They tried to get me so I had to beat them back into submission.

Me: As in spiders? Spiders are our friends. They keep the insect population under control. 

J: Ohhh..... 

Great, not only are my bushes really looking bad, but the ecosystem could be in for a tilt. 

Now that the kids are off for Election Day, they have to fill 4 big black trash bags full of leaves today.

Kids: Are we being paid for this?

Me: Excuse me?

Kids: You know. Daddy says that if we do work outside the house, we will be paid.

Me: I think he meant when you finish school and get a regular job. 

Kids: Not as in raking leaves?

Me: No

Kids: Are you sure? That's what Daddy says.

Me: Do you see Daddy here? No he's not. Mommy's here and she says that doing the leaves is part of being called a family. Here's your bags to fill. See you later. 

2 hours and a snack break later.....

DING DONG!

Me: Yes? 

Kids: Allison and Harrison's Elegant Lawn Services is finished with your yard, ma'am. Ready for inspection. Are we good enough to be hired? 

Me: As in keep you as part of the family? Yep!

Kids: Horray!
Lesson learned! 

OK.... Hand it Over!

Here's another of my monthly dental articles that I write for the Japanese newspaper.
Quite fitting for October Halloween season!

OK, Hand it Over!

In the United States, every year, Halloween is celebrated on October 31^st. This holiday is an old one that started out honoring the dead.  Nowadays, it’s full of costumes, games, scary story-telling and of course, candy, candy, and more candy! Halloween is quite the dentist’s nightmare.

I remember that as a little kid my friends and I would run around the neighborhood ringing doorbell after doorbell. We would go to the houses that gave out a lot of candy twice!  There was so much candy collected that it would last me for the whole year. It would be 2 shopping bags full of candy, gum, chocolates or other sweets. My brother, sisters and I would pour everything out on the living room floor and separate them into piles. Chocolates in one pile, gum in another pile, candy in another pile, and of course, there was the “trading” pile.  The trading pile could be traded with someone else for something you liked more. There was rarely a “throw away” pile.

Now, years later, as a mother with 2 kids, I’ve noticed that the amount of candy collected for Halloween has sharply decreased. Thank goodness!  Although my poor kids will never know the joys in seeing the mountains of candy I sorted through every year! As a dentist, I know that it’s impossible to have parents ban ALL Halloween candy collections and watch the sad faces of their children as they see their goodies poured into the garbage can.  There IS a solution to keep everyone happy.

Last year, I told my kids I would go through their Halloween collections first to see if everything was safe to eat. You can never be too careful these days! I also wanted to toss out the “undesirable” goodies from a dentist’s point of view. My kids made a face and called me the “Halloween Police”.  They can call me whatever they want to but when they came through the door, I was there with my hand out. “OK, Hand it over!” It was either hand over the bags or the bags go into the trash. They obediently handed over their bags. 

So here’s a list to keep everyone happy:

BAD…..Gummy candies, sticky and chewy taffy, even dried fruits are more difficult for saliva to wash away. They get stuck between teeth and can cause cavities there.

BAD….. Sour candies are highly acidic and can break down the enamel quickly.

BAD….. It’s best to avoid anything too overly sugary. More sugar, more cavities formed.

GOOD…. Sugar-free candy or lollipops make it on this list. These don’t contain sugar and can stimulate saliva which prevents a dry mouth. Dry mouths tend to have more plaque which can lead to more cavities.

GOOD…. Sugar-free gum (my all time favorite!) can actually prevent cavities by helping to dislodge food particles from in between the teeth. It also helps prevent cavities by increasing saliva production to neutralize the acids in the mouth.

GOOD…. Dark chocolates are also on this list.  They wash away from the teeth easily and in some studies, are found to be good for the heart and lower blood pressure.

As I went through my kids’ bag of Halloween candy, I made a “Mommy pile”. When they protested, I told them, “If you’re going to call me the Halloween Police, I need to be paid for my hard work!”  Needless to say, I’m now called the “Halloween Mafia”!

I Think I Have ADD...

Lately, I've been suspecting that I have a touch of ADD, (Attention Deficit Disorder).
This morning I'm off from work. Like every day I'm at home by myself, I have a mental list of things I need to do before the rest of the troops come home.
But looking back at the events this morning made me realize that I've only done a few things on my list.
Here's how it went....

Daily Bible reading.
Verse of the Day.... A really nice one, Isaiah 41:10.
Went on to my Bible devotional reading plan. ("Parenting", which has gone on WAY longer than I anticipated because I've been bad and skipped some days. This should've ended back in May. <sigh>)
Maybe if I did a shorter one? Let's see what else they have... "Thankfulness". Oh, that's an appropriately good one! I wanted to do a new blog post on that topic!  I'll start that one too. Only 7 days on this plan. It'll give me a sense of accomplishment as well as a great way to start the day!

Share Verse of the Day on Facebook...
Check Facebook friends to see what they're up to...
See some cute and inspiring photos, (click on like, jot down some comments etc,)...
Check on Facebook alerts...Oooo, some people like the verse of the day! Yup, one of my favs as well!

Might as well check email while I'm on...
Oh, need to "help some friends with their 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader' questions"!
Answer some correctly, totally flunk out of other questions.
Delete some spam, pay some bills online, play some more "Smarter Than a 5th Grader" questions...
Alrighty, I need to actually get out of bed now!

Brush teeth, Awwww, Harrison left me a message on my mirror! Still foggy after morning showers, grab phone and snap a photo. Wait a minute, let me check to see if it's dry erase marker or Sharpie.
Good, dry erase marker.
Notice my grays are totally showing in mirror.Yikes.

Grab the hair color and cover the gray roots...I've been meaning to do this for weeks. It only takes 10 minutes but I hadn't gotten around to doing it.
No time, wonder why?
Hop into the shower! Shower, scrub the tiles while I'm in there...
Hop out, notice the sink looks less than desirable too, scrub that..
Hey,looking down,  next time I need to do a load of laundry with the bathmats too....

Take laundry downstairs, do a load, fold the load that's in the dryer...
Refill the all purpose cleaner spray bottle in the bathroom, empty out dehumidifier.
Put away clothes from the dryer.

Remember that I want to write a blog post about being Being Always Thankful...
See Wendy's photo of chicken stew on her blog, http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/2009/05/chicken-stew.html
Jot down grocery list for chicken stew....Lookie here, another soy sauce chicken one I wanted to try! Jot down ingredients for that one.

Check the fridge for leftovers.... Do I REALLY need to go grocery shopping? My MIL is not here so my family is not as picky about dinners. They're thankful for anything these days... I love looking at recipes but the actual task is daunting!
Throw away some yucky things from the fridge, put baby carrot sticks closer to the front so kids will eat them first.

Finally get to brush my teeth. Dog is looking up at me. Clean her pee papers, give her clean water and food, review tricks... Dog is happy now.

What time is it now? Got to get posting on my blog before lunchtime. Half a day is almost gone and what have I done? Seems like a lot of running around and jumping from task to task....

I know what I need! I need to have a check off list! That way, I can visualize the list and be on top of things! Let me grab a piece of scrap paper... Hey, this pile of papers should've been in the recycling pile!
Ok, let me clear up my desk before doing the list and continuing this post...... What was I writing about? ADD?!

GAZPACHO....the recipe that lasts...and lasts...and lasts...

Now that August is officially here , there's no mistaking the dog days of summer are on us in full swing. A sure sign of NYC summers is the oppressing heat and humidity. I was at my wits end last week when I remembered that years ago, when I was backpacking through Europe with my friend, Amy, we discovered .....GAZPACHO in Spain!  It was so refreshing and delicious that I was salivating already tapping on the keyboard searching for a recipe. All of them more or less involve cucumbers, tomato juice, tomatoes, red peppers, olive oil, vinegar, a random onion, and a blender. The ratios are not important. I guess it depends on your taste. Sometimes, I would see a chili pepper in the recipes too.  I jotted down the ingredients and realized to my dismay that the only thing I had at home was the blender.

"OK, children, off to the supermarket!"
"What are we getting?"
"Ingredients for gazpacho!"
"Wha's dat?"
"It's a cold Spanish veggie soup for the summer. It's really good, you'll love it! Vamanos a la supermercado!"

1/2 an hour later, ingredients on the counter top, we started. Of course, in my mind, everyone will fall in love with my gazpacho and I won't have enough of it. So while I was at the supermarket, I decided.... Let's double the ingredients for a double batch!! It just wouldn't feel right if everyone gulped it down in mass quantities and poor mother,who slaved away on the blender, didn't get any.

The 2 kids helped wash, chop and load the veggies into the blender.  I heard heavenly angels singing when I poured out of the blended mixture into various containers. This was not just glorified V8, This was something for the senses that brought back fond memories of a hot and dusty day, 2 buddies sitting by the sidewalk sipping gazpacho in Barcelona! My memories were abruptly jolted when the kids asked if they could taste it. No! It needs to be in the fridge overnight so the flavor really comes out. Popped it into the fridge. 1 large pitcher, 2 plastic quart containers, 1 cup.

After a night of chilling in the fridge, everyone was excited.
"Can we have some for dinner?"
"No, let's have it after dinner.... you know, sorta like a treat!"

Everyone had 2 cups of gazpacho! Delicious!! It felt even better knowing that I was having a daily dose of veggies! Goodness, this must be at least 4 servings of veggies!!  Even better!

The next day.... Who wants some gazpacho?
Kids: OK! it was really good yesterday!
Husband: No thanks. I think it gave me the runs.

The following day.... Who wants some gazpacho?
Kid #2: Oh, OK, I'll have some...
Me: Hello!? Anyone else?
Kid #1: Oh, alright, I'll have a little bit.
Me: Anyone else??
Husband: No thanks....

The next day.... Who wants some gazpacho?
Kids: Not really....
Me: You better get in the kitchen here and have some. I don't want to hear that I never cook anything! There's only a bit left, help me finish it off.
Husband: No thanks.
Me: Aren't you done with your runs? I don't think it was the gazpacho. Everyone else is fine.
Husband: Don't want to take the chance.
Me: Fine, be like that.

The next day.... Gazpacho, anyone?
Kids:......
Husband:.......
I know they were all within earshot of me in the kitchen but all I heard were crickets chirping...
Me: FINE, I'LL HAVE SOME MYSELF! (drinking a cup)

The last day of the Gazpacho....
What's the point of asking, they won't want any anyway. I'm getting tired of drinking it but I don't want to waste any of my hard work. Hmmmm.... wonder how it'll taste with a splash of OJ? Let's make it extra healthy with a flavor twist!
TOTAL BAD IDEA!  Tastes and smells like vomit. The last 2 cups of gazpacho went down the drain promptly.

Maybe I'll try again next summer, with a smaller batch....

My Husband is Afraid of Me!

This is the latest newspaper article I wrote for the Japanese newspaper:

A few weeks ago, there was a story that made it to the headlines of the internet. A female dentist who was dumped recently by her boyfriend was paid an unexpected visit by him. He was experiencing a severe toothache. The story goes on to say that she agreed to treat him but during treatment, gave him a strong drug and while he was unaware, extracted all his teeth. He woke up all bandaged up, in pain and toothless.

This story eventually proved to be totally false but it still touched a nerve with the public who fear the dentist.

My husband is no exception.
We've been best friends since high school and we started dating when I was in dental school but I never knew his anxiety of being in the dental chair.

The first time I was going to treat him, as the chair went back, he turned to me and said, "I'd like to apologize for anything I've done in the past to upset you. I'd also like to apologize in advance for anything in the future that may upset you. I'd also like to apologize for anything I've done that I'm not aware of that made you upset."

It was only then that I realized that this man in my chair; this man who've I've agreed to share my life with was totally afraid of me! Me, not as his wife, but ME, as the dentist!

Unfortunately, his fear of the dentist is shared by many. Luckily, there are now medications that can ease your anxiety while in the dental chair. You take a small pill when you arrive 1 hour before your appointment. You relax, read a book or take a nap. After you're relaxed enough, your dental treatment will begin. You won't be asleep but you'll still be able to answer my questions and carry on a conversation. It simply takes the edge off your nervousness.

Of course, my husband said that all in fun but it still makes me realize that there are people out there that avoid the dentist. Don't be embarrassed and as my husband can tell you, I'm really not scary at all and you can certainly keep all your teeth!

Earth Day 2012

I've forgotten about Earth Day this year until inevitably, notices and homework brings attention to something that should be in the back of our minds everyday.

"Mommy, I have a project due this Friday about Earth Day 2012".
"OK, so do it!" 

I had seen her toting around an old empty pint-sized milk carton from her school lunch a few days ago. She's always doing some crafty project on her own so I didn't think anything of it. Mind you, it was filled with soil that was dug out of Grandma's potted plants at home. Convenience of having a MIL who loves having plants around the house. Soil source on demand.

"I need your help"
"What do you mean?", I ask suspiciously.
"Just a little help. I'm done with the major part."
"What's left to do?"
"I have to write about it."
I look at the dirt in the milk carton. "What's there to write about? It's dirt."
"Mommy, be serious.! If I didn't really need your help, I would do it by myself!"

I'm sensing a desperate cry for Mother to redo her project because it failed. 
"OK,What is the project on?"
"I'm supposed to reuse something and turn it into something good for the earth. I'm planting seeds in this used milk carton. But the seeds didn't survive."
"That's OK, you can't expect seeds to sprout in just 4 days."
"But I think the seeds died. I put too much water in and I think they drowned."
"Oh...."

Well, thank goodness it's spring and we have a lot of weeds growing in our garden! Those helicopter things that fly down from the trees outside...free seeds!! And they're hardy as heck! Once they take root, ain't much you can do to beat them back except pull 'em out which is exactly what we'll be doing. Earth Day project / garden weeding project! Let's go!


We also decided to use empty egg shells instead of the milk carton. Much more biodegradable than a milk carton!


I had just used some eggs that morning for breakfast so I had her dig the half shells out of the garbage. I know, I know, totally nasty but necessary! 

Honey, please scrub your hands down while you're washing the egg shells...


We went out to the yard to search for seedlings.(By the way, mosquitoes are out already. I was bitten on the arm.) The hunt would've been pretty boring except that during the walk around the yard, I surprised a neighborhood cat eating a bird. MAJOR YUCK FACTOR! Much worse than retrieving egg shells from the kitchen garbage can.  Thank goodness the cat was scared off and the bird was dead. It sat a few yards away eyeing me. Of course, who was left to dispose of deceased, beheaded bird?? Obviously, yours truly. I left the stray feathers blowing in the wind. Enough is enough. They'll decompose by themselves or more likely, blow into someone else's yard.... 


With 6 seedlings in the soil, in the egg shells, in the bio-degradable cardboard egg carton, I must say, it looks pretty decent! 


I found out that egg shells are good for the soil in that they are almost 90% calcium carbonate. The calcium can be used as a nutrient by the plant. The pH of the soil is also regulated. Crushed up egg shells around just-planted seedlings can also keep away slugs and snails because they don't like crawling over the shells. Painful for little slug feet, I guess. Crushed up egg shells also help aerate the soil, keeping it healthy and helps with water retention for delicate seedlings. WHO KNEW?!


As I hunted for seedlings. I'm thinking that maybe I should have done an experiment on how long does it take for a dead bird to decompose in the yard. Time lapse photos? Nah. I'm not going to take the project to that level.

Pretty good for "Round II"  of the Earth Day project 2012!


Egg as food  ->  Egg shell as seedling pod  -> Egg shell as part of compost! 
Mother  -> Brain storming source  ->  Earth Day project saver!

 

Stop Zapping Me!!

In response to recent buzz in the news about dental x-rays linked to brain tumors, here's my latest article published in the Japanese newspaper:

 I Don't Want To Take Anymore X-rays, Doc!

 

Recently there has been a lot of talk in the news about dental x-rays and the link to brain tumors. You’re probably saying, “A-ha! I knew it! There had to be something those dentists are not telling us! I don’t understand why they keep zapping us.”

While dental x-rays are often seen as somewhat of an annoyance to patients, it is very valuable in helping dentists detect and treat oral health problems at the earliest stages. I know, I know, the films are bulky and we have this big heavy apron on you but there is a reason for the torture.

So why exactly are we taking x-rays or what are we looking for? One of my patients said, “Why do I need x-rays? Can’t you just look around or poke around with that sharp pointy thing?” Many oral diseases cannot be detected only by a visual or physical exam alone. We are looking for cavities between your teeth, gum disease or more specifically bone loss, infections under the bone, or certain tumors. We don’t have Superman’s x-ray vision so these things cannot be seen with our eyes.

How often these dental x-rays should be taken depends on your oral health condition, age, risk factors and signs or symptoms you’re experiencing.  You should only get dental x-rays when necessary and only when they are necessary.

Nowadays, there are many ways to protect you from harmful radiation. The doses of radiation are lower today than it was 2 decades ago.

That big heavy apron that we put on you?  That’s a lead shield to protect the rest of your body. That hard thing we velcro around your neck? That’s a thyroid shield to protect your thyroid. Those bulky films?  Those are digital x-ray sensors. Digital x-rays require 80-90% less radiation than regular x-rays.

When your dentist takes x-rays, they should be read, reviewed and compared to your previous x-rays or conditions in your mouth along with the intraoral exam. Your dentist should also explain to you what they are looking for and what they’ve found afterwards.

With proper dental x-rays, your dentist can treat you in the best, most comprehensive, most conservative way possible. Most cavities, gum disease, infections or certain tumors won’t be detected by a patient until much later on.

In other words, “DON’T PANIC, DON’T STOP SEEING THE DENTIST”.

Have your dentist explain everything to you. They’ll be glad to!

A Death In Our Family

It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that there has been a sudden death in our family.

Jerry has been a part of our family for 3 years now. We adopted him when his original family gave him up. There were just too many siblings for them to take care of. He was the most energetic one so they gave up on him.

Once in our family though, Jerry's energy was viewed only as him having an unlimited curiosity and a thirst for exploring his surroundings. We saw him as a boundless happy youngster and he never failed to put a smile on our faces when we saw his bright eyes sparkle with joy. He was always neat and clean, and for the most part, quiet as a mouse.

Jerry loved taking naps during the daytime but unfortunately, that only translated to awake time during the evening hours. Allison sometimes said that Jerry kept making noises and running around at night. He didn't sleep near our room so I didn't notice the ruckus. Although he loved daytime napping, Jerry was never nasty when you woke him up to play. He would often sit with Allison on her desk when she did homework.

Jerry lived a full life of 3 years with us. As you can probably guess now, Jerry is not a person but a gerbil. We still consider him as part of our family. 

There is only one thing left to do now. WHO WILL DISPOSE OF JERRY???

Allison? ......She claims that she is too heartbroken to even look at his cage. Hmmmm. Really, now.

Harrison?........ He claims that it's really not technically HIS pet and most of the time, Allison doesn't even let him play with Jerry, so why does he have to do the deed? I see his point.

Mother? Are you serious? Why do I have to be stuck being the one to search out a small cardboard box, fill it with fluffy tissue, position the deceased rodent so it looks like he's in eternal rest, and place a tissue on him like a blankie? Do I have to go out by myself to the yard to dig a deep enough hole to place said rodent in so racoons or neighborhood cats don't dig him up and have a meal? Can't imagine Jerry parts spread all over my front lawn. And besides, I've already packed away one of Harrison's previous hamsters. The other one was never found in the house. Makes me wonder sometimes...

I was tapping away on my blog when Allison came up to me.
She said brightly, "I got someone to do it for me."
"Who?" I asked. There was only 2 people she could've finagled to do it for her. Harrison, by bribery, or.....
"Baba." We both said at the same time. 
Hmmmm. As I recall, I did hear her dialing the phone a few moments ago.

Somehow, dead rodent duty is always delegated to the dads. You want to be the man of the house? You want to be king of the castle? You want to be head of the household? Well, there are just some things you need to do then. And being pet mortician and grave digger is one of them. Good luck, and remember to sanitize your hands before you come back in for dinner. And when you sit down for dinner, your family will look at you with adoring misty eyes and acknowledge that once again, Daddy pulls through for the family. 
RIP, Jerry.  <sniff, sniff> There will never be another.

Do You Love Your Dog?

Here is the latest article I wrote for Japanese newspaper. I write a monthly column for 2 Japanese newspapers. My hygienist translates them for me to Japanese. This is dedicated for all my friends who have dogs and love their dogs!

February was National Pet Dental Health Month. We all love our dogs and their wet, sloppy kisses, but honestly, sometimes their breath is enough to knock over an elephant!

About 80% of all dogs have some type of gum disease by age 3 and smaller dogs tend to be more prone to this than bigger dogs.  Taking your dog to the vet to have their teeth cleaned may involve putting them to sleep and in addition to being pricey, can have serious consequences for certain dogs.  If your dog is not healthy, or if your dog is very small, or if your dog has had bad reactions to the drugs, it may be inappropriate or even dangerous for your dog to be put to sleep for a simple teeth cleaning.  It's easier and less expensive to keep dental problems even before they even start.  Here are 6 tips for keeping your dog's breath from knocking you over every time they greet you in the morning with doggie lick and a "Hhh-hhh-hhh-how are you!" 


Tooth Brushing:  You can find doggie toothbrushes and doggie toothpaste in most pet supplies stores.  The doggie toothpaste doesn't contain fluoride and is usually meat flavored as it is a flavor appealing to most dogs. The younger you start with your dog, the better they will cooperate.


Crunchy Foods:  Most dogs will prefer moist dog food or human foods over boring dry crunchy dog food but the dry kibble will not stick to your dog's teeth as much. The crunching and scrapping will tend to clean the plaque of your dog's teeth as well.  

Healthy Treats:  Like with people, eating healthy treats such as fresh apples or raw carrots will clean your dog's teeth.  Commercial dental treats for dogs will also work to help prevent future dental problems.  "Greenies" are a big brand marketed towards preventing doggie bad breath.


Dental Rinses:  While it may be hard to teach your dog to gargle with mouthwash, there are dental rinses to squirt in their mouths, add to their water or wipe onto their teeth.  



Avoid Very Hard Chew Toys:  Some dogs really love to gnaw hard bones or toys as this is a natural behavior for dogs but dogs can break their teeth chewing on very hard things.  


Good Dental Toys:  There are many good dental dog toys available on the market.  Dog toys that have ropes will actually clean or floss their teeth.  Puzzle toys may also have bumps or nubs on them that help clean your dog's teeth as they are gnawing on them to get the treat inside.

My own dog is a 4 lb Pomeranian who thinks she is a 90 lb Chow Chow.  When I got her, the owner told me that Poms are prone to gum disease.  "Not to worry," I thought,  "I'm a dentist, I can take care of that!"   The next day, I went to the pet store and bought a doggie toothbrush and tube of doggie toothpaste.  I set her on the closed toilet seat and put some toothpaste on the toothbrush.  She eyed me suspiciously as I approached her. She sniffed the toothpaste with interest.   I opened her mouth but even before I could get the toothbrush in, she exploded in an angry ball of fur and teeth.  Thank goodness I've learned to become quick at avoiding teeth closing down on my fingers but I almost lost an arm!  After I caught my breath and gave her an angry stare, I approached her again.  One must never give up, they say.  I showed her the toothbrush and she lifted her lips to show me her teeth.  Now that I have a good look at her teeth from a distance, I could clearly see that her teeth are fine the way they are.  We came to a joint decision that she'll keep her teeth the way they are and I'll keep my digits.  I'll stick with the top 5 list as mentioned above, (...,minus the teeth brushing tip!)


Five years later, she loves raw carrots, apples, and "Greenie" dental treats.  When I ask her, "Do you want a Greenie?"  she'll do all her tricks in rapid succession in anticipation of gettting the treat.  I still have my fingers and the doggie toothbrush has long been retired and is now being  used to clean around the faucets in my bathroom. 

 

Put On Some Kalon to Impress My G Friend

I was checking on the status of my Cozi Calendar when I came across this entry for Valentine's Day.....

"Put on some kalon to impress my g friend"

This was entered as an "All Day" event to be done on Feb 14th by my 11 year old son.

I almost had a cross between a heart attack and a laughing fit!
 Mind you, he's barely 11....
Wasn't it just last year that he was up late writing Valentine's Day cards for his whole class so that no one would be left out? since when does his Valentine's Day attention get singled out to one specific female person??

Just yesterday, he gave me a paper plate project that was made in school for Valentine's Day.
On it, he taped his computer class project that said, "Happy Valentine's Day Mommy! I love you! I love you because now you cook as well as Grandma but you don't get the recipes from the TV like her, you learned it from Cooking Mama on the Wii.  Love your one and only son, xoxoxoxoxoxo times 1000000000000!"

Doesn't it kinda boil down to what matters to an 11 year old boy? where and when is their next meal coming from and their excitement for life is always to the nth degree.

But back to this g-friend business...... G friend??!! What G friend?!?!?!

I discreetly ask him, "So.... what are you doing for Valentine's Day tomorrow?"
"I don't know, I don't have a girlfriend anymore," he said sadly.
I was relieved and curious at the same time. "What happened?" I asked.
"She likes someone else now." Poor thing, heartbreak can be tough!  *me, sighing with relief!*
I put my arms around his small shoulders. "Don't worry, girls can be like that sometimes."
"OK, Mommy. But that's just not very nice of her though." (Live and learn, son, live and learn!)

I was tapping away on my computer later when he came up to me, hugged me and said brightly, "Happy Valentine's Day, Mommy! You're the best, I love you!" He handed me a stretchy bracelet with bright pink beads that spell out "M-O-M" and with hearts.

Future girlfriends, let me tell you, this stretchy bracelet will always be more precious than any piece of jewelry from Tiffany's or any dozen long-stemmed roses!

Until the time he has a "real" girlfriend, I will cherish his homemade cards from school. Future girlfriends will get fancy Hallmark cards with mushy sentimental poems that are already printed on the inside but I will get his unabashed unfettered love affirmations surrounded by painted macaroni and paper lace doilies.

On the other hand.... I will be sniffing him tomorrow when I give him a hug as he leaves for school......

F is for.....

OK, so I'm a good couple of weeks into my F-Diet and the power walking.....
What can I say ......
F is for...... Failing? 

Between Christmas, New Year's, and Chinese New Year's, not only have I fallen off the F-Diet wagon, but honey, that wagon has long gone past me on the road.
F is for.... Fallen off the wagon?
The weather has not been helpful either.  
F is for.....Freezing temperatures?

I had an visit with my cardiologist the other week. (Yes, I've gotten more used to calling him "my cardiologist". Although it's a relationship I want to end soon so we can't be that amiable!)  He says I'm doing OK but wants me to get more into it. Yes, Sir, Dr Cardiologist, Sir! I know it's for my own good. I'll take it more seriously.

One thing I've noticed is that I've become really good at justifying foods to include in my F-Diet. You see, I've told a lot of people about my F-Diet hoping they'll hold me accountable. 

 During Christmas dinner....
"Hey, that's not part of your F-Diet!" someone says as I reach for a thin slice of pie.
"F is for ......Flaky crusts!!", I politely remind him.
"No it's not!"

During New Year's dinner....
"Hey, that's not part of your F-Diet!" someone else says as I make a motion towards the dessert plate.
"F is for........Fresh whipped cream?", I venture.
"No it's not!"

During Chinese New Year dinner.....
"Hey, that's not part of your F-Diet!" This time, it was 2 people who said it at the same time as I looked in anticipation when the ice cream was brought out. OK, already, Bobbsey twins!
"F is for......Frozen Freezy treaties?", I say weakly.
"No it's not!" they retort in stereo...

By this time, I know exactly how a 2 year old feels when everyone tells them "No-no!" all the time.
But thank you, everyone for holding me accountable and not backing down on my committment!
Because I realize that....

Finally......F is for .........FRIENDS! 
 I look FORWARD  to the day when I can say,
"FINALLY FREE OF THE F-DIET!"
Hoping it'll become more of a lifestyle change for me in the FUTURE.

My Love-Hate Relationship

I have a love-hate relationship with cooking.

While I love to read cooking blogs (Table for 2 or more...)www.wendyinkk.blogspot.com and recently taken to watching cooking videos of Fabio Viviani when he shows up on my yahoo.com front page; (Ciao Chow!...Fabio, love the accent! and love how you make it seem so easy!); I absolutely cannot, repeat...CANNOT cook for beans. It's amazing when I watch someone create a whole meal out of scratch. I don't mean heating up leftovers in the microwave, I mean seriously cooking. Fabio can make a dish of chicken piccata marsala out of a bland pile of chicken breasts and mushrooms. Unreal.

I think that in every family, there should be one person that is a fab cook. In our family, it's my younger sister. I don't know where she gets the skills from. It's almost like she's got "the touch"! I don't even remember when she got interested in all this kitchen stuff. The earliest I remember is back when she was in college, she took a class that was called something like, "The Science of Cooking". I didn't even know there was a science to it. I always thought it was more like an art!  Who knew??
It was only a few years ago that I realized that in order to measure a cup of flour and a cup of water, it was not even the same cup!! A cup is a cup, is it not? Hmmm. Again, who knew??
For Christmas, she had requested a KitchenAid countertop mixer. At first I was relieved to hear that it wasn't the latest Coach bag that she wanted. Until I went to look for this mixer in question and found out it was over $400. WHAT?! Well, she IS my little sister and she IS one of my food sources.... Gotta keep the goodies coming my way.... Merry Christmas and some Happy New Cookies!!

My cooking skills are akin to survival skills. If I wasn't married with 2 kids, I could be sustained by microwave popcorn and cereal everyday. Food is just not a big thing with me. While I totally appreciate a homecooked meal, I cannot bring myself to spend so much time with the prep work....did I mention I'm also not good at it? I will totally clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes if you'll do all the cooking.

One thing I only recently learned to cook is rice. You may say, rice? Really? Aren't you Chinese? Don't you eat rice on a regular basis? Yes, but being Chinese doesn't mean I like to eat rice. One of my aunts absolutely has to eat rice everyday. Otherwise, she would complain that she didn't have any "Fan Chi"......Rice energy.  Hmmm. Maybe that's what I'm missing out on.

My MIL, (mother in law) cooks rice with a pressure cooker. She swears by it and is such a pro at it. She adds the raw rice, some water, closes it, turns on the flame and within a few minutes, the pressure pot starts tiking and hissing. She times it instinctively and turns off the flame at a set time. Lets it cool down and boom, bam, pow.... instant perfect fluffy rice! Amazing.

When she went to Cali to visit my BIL's family (brother in law), my son, at that time was about 6 years old, started crying. I thought he was upset that Nai Nai was going away. I went to comfort him and told him that Nai Nai would return soon enough. If he misses her so much, he could always call her on the phone.
"No," he said, tearfully, "It's because you don't know how to cook rice and I won't have any until she returns!"  That would always go down in my record books as an embarrassing moment for mother. I didn't know what to say. Speechless......For crying out loud, I couldn't even provide for my own children!

It was then that I decided to ask her how to cook rice.
She was rather shocked. "If you don't know how to use the pressure cooker, you can always use the stovetop."
"Ummm. I don't know how to do that either."
"How about the electric rice cooker?"
"Errrr, not that either."
"Well, how DO you cook rice when I'm not here?"
"I don't. I don't like rice so I don't cook any."
"Hmmmm..." She was pensive.
I could just picture her thinking I was depriving her fav son of a necessary food staple. Did he marry the right girl?? Was I a fit mother to raise her grandchildren??Am I a failure as a DIL??
She gave me verbal directions on how to use her pressure cooker, the one she took with her when she immigrated from Taiwan more than 3 decades ago. (who knows if America has pressure cookers?)  She told me to be careful with the rubber gasket. "Don't break the seal. I don't know where to get another nowadays."  Ok, Mom, will do.

Easy enough. A few days after she left, I gave it a tentative try. Unfortunately, I totally forgot the directions. I only remembered how to measure the rice and water. How many minutes do I have to listen to the tik-tik-tik and the hissing? I had visions of the whole thing shooting up my kitchen ceiling like Old Faithful!
I didn't want to embarrass myself and call her but how to cook the rice for my poor deprived child? I was determined to be a providing mother. Reluctantly, I called her sister to ask. Thank goodness she knew how to cook rice that way too. Phew! Saved! .....Although a few days later, MIL called me and asked how the rice cooking was going. Her sister had a few laughs about my rice-cooking phone call to her.Gee, so much for being discrete!

So now that I got the rice cooking down pat, I was happily experimenting with all sorts of rice combos. My fav is fried rice surprise. Leftover rice, leftover anything chopped up and stir-fried in. The first time I made it, my kids were totally impressed. I was puffed up with pride. Yes, mother cooks! Who knew?? I was over the top with eyes misty from happiness when my daughter said, "So where did you learn this? from Cooking Mama Nintendo DS?" Hmmmm...Note to self....  that'll be $100 deducted from your portion in my will Sweet Child....

More on my cooking experiments.... I mean, experiences later!