Nothing better than homemade

Homemade Pesto!!

I needed to whip up something quick and easy for dinner so pesto with orzo it was with chicken and balsamic.  Turned out delicious and all my kitchen helpers thought so as well.  Odie is certainly the kitchen manager but the rest of the gang will hang out, especially for taste testing.  Yum!!

Odus always gets the first lick.  There are perks to being the oldest.

Luna always follows.  She is clumsy and quite pushy - hence the blurry photo.

Ecco is third.  She is always acting as if she will never get anything.  Her eyeballs bulge and she looks at you with worry as if she will always be left out.  Only later did I find out she had stolen the original bag the chicken came in out of the garbage can.  Lesson number one:  whenever your pack of dogs are begging and one is missing, they are up to no good.  Ecco was discovered in the backyard looking over her prize with contentment and then proceeded to guard her treasure.  Oh well - I still love her.

Lastly is my sweet pea, IO.  We affectionately refer to her as sweet potato or Tires (don't ask   - that one is all Charles and it stuck).  She is always the last and the most gentle little creature.  She is surely going to heaven one day.

The King Throne

We bought a new bed for the dogs to have around the house.  We don't really need a new bed but this was too good to pass.  We already have a dog bed in every room in the house but when I spotted this gem for fifteen dollars I knew I had to have it.  The only dog who has claimed the bed thus far has been Odie.  It's perfectly positioned in front of the food container and gives him ample opportunity to watch the action of the other dogs who run between the backyard and the front room of the house.  Odie is a self-proclaimed referee of the house and likes to maintain order between him and the women of the house.

Charles, my husband, is not fond of the bed or the fabric.  It certainly is not something he would have chosen for the house, except to hide in a closet should there be a bed emergency.  There's not much to do now as Odie has declared this bed as his throne.  Sorry honey, but the bed is staying.

Meet Odie

This is Odus. He is the first dog in our animal family and is affectionately known as Bubby, Kitchen Manager, and Oedipus Rex because of his strong attachment to his 'mom.'

He was found as a puppy (we could only guess at his age due to the amount of tick infestations on his body and little frame) in a dumpster behind a karate studio. He came with a box but no name, collar, or family. We have raised him from about six months of age to a now handsome four-and-a-half-year-old.

While also holding the title of most handsome dog in our family, he is also known for being the most expensive. We have lived through a number of eye surgeries, skin problems, and most recently, toenail issues. Sadly in times when money is tight, we refer to him as our canine investment.

His hobbies include rubbing on every piece of furniture and wall in the house, taste testing most recipes in the kitchen (not including bad food for dogs such as onions, grapes, etc.), sleeping, taking clothes off of his stuffed animals, and playing with the garden hose.

He has three sisters, two German Shepherd mixes and a three-legged Rottweiler/Doberman mix. He also has four bird siblings, although he has never met them due to obvious bird-obsession issues that he cannot overcome.

He can be a little harsh with new people (as is his Shar-pei way) but in the end, is the most loyal dog we have ever known.