... and back again

Last night, Primrose asked me if I liked having crazy Sadey around. (I had described how I left two chocolates in the rear corner of the counter in the evening and later the next day I noticed that there was only one. Chocolate, in case you don't know, is a real poison for dogs. Just one example of the vigilance required!) I told her the truth: adding Henry, then Sadey to my home has added a lot of work for me. The day is often more difficult because of them. But, tell me one thing in life that feels rewarding and great that is not difficult! I love having the two pooches, despite the hardships that came with adopting two rescue dogs that are active, often fearful, and yes -- sometimes nuts! 

Nevertheless, it was nice to wake up and not rush out in the cold weather to be dragged by a forceful dog who doesn't know how to walk on a leash! You appreciate such small luxuries when they aren't part of your everyday!

I look outside. I lived in New York, Manhattan no less, for nearly ten years of my life so I should not be surprised by these stacked homes, one on top of another, next to more structures with equally stacked homes and yet, when I see them now, it seems so overwhelming...

 

 

 

I Uber over to the young family's home in time for breakfast. They sweetly waited for me, even though I dont get there until after 9 -- hours, I'm sure, after their get up and get moving time!

My focus is on the girls: they play with their mice... 

 

 

 

... and I fit in another Uno game (or two) with Primrose -- we're now up to 8 wins to the girl, 4 for me!

 

 

 

And then it's time to head out to lunch.

My daughter wants to try out a place where she can reliably get pierogi for a future school event. A friend of Polish background recommended Jolly Inn -- apparently an institution in Chicago's Polish community. 

The place is large and it serves an all-you-can-eat buffet of Polish foods. Three types of pierogi, sure, but these are just a small fraction of everything there. Meats that I did not even examine. Potatoes prepared variously, many types of cabbage -- both in raw salad form and in the traditional hunters stew. Fish, barley and mushroom soup, chicken noodle soup, blintzes, fried apple pancakes, potato pancakes, kielbasa, you name it, they have it. Here's just a small sample:

(bigos -- a cabbage stew -- not just one)

(pierogi -- potato, cabbage and mushroom, meat)

(salads: cabbage, beets, cucumbers...)

(kids' interest in the dessert selection? high.)

(my plate)

 

The staff all speak Polish and that's the language of choice as you enter. Our waitress is young: she came to Chicago just a couple of years ago, to visit her grandfather (the rest of the family is back in Poland). She liked it, she stayed. But many of the others are Polish only by virtue of having Polish-American parents. Yet they all speak Polish perfectly and of course I got chastised for never teaching my own kids Polish. (Notably, both daughters are doing online lessons in the language.)

The food? Well, it's old Poland. Stuff that was prepared in many kitchens when I was growing up (if there were meats available in the store -- not at all a given). It was so very strange for me to be immersed in it all again, with this very American family of mine. Yes, my daughter has been to Poland with me. Twice in fact. But it was to visit almost as a tourist. I'd kept my Polishness to myself most of the time. And now here we are...

(she liked the jello dessert)

 

 

(they both liked the applesauce...) 

 

It was, as always, so very sad to leave them all. The drive back is in a way easier, because I lose myself in processing the beautiful weekend. The hours just fly. [And at home, I quickly book my next Chicago trip. Not until April but hey, that's next month because today we start in on March. The month of spring!]

 

I drop off my bags and drive to Camp K9 to pick up the two pooches. How were they? I suppose you could break up the answer to a before and after. Their report card was great! Ate a lot, "sweet and loving," played well, shared a kennel without issue. But though they had time on Saturday at the Camp "daycare," meaning play time with other dogs, today they only had 20 minutes of doggie frolic. Hmmm... that wont be enough for them. I do understand that Sunday does not offer hours of "daycare"  play, but still, I'm going to have two wild dogs at home if they spent the day basically in the kennel. 

Should I take them to the dog park? 

The obvious answer is "no, I should not." Henry still barks at some people, up close and personal. Aren't I inviting trouble? 

 I drive past our nearby park. At sunset time, there aren't many people giving their pooches a good run. And the entryway is free of scary people. It would be so good for them...

And it is good for them. They run crazily, chasing mostly each other, playing with the gusto of two dogs with too much energy. 

Nonetheless, it wasn't the best idea I ever had. My pooches were too wound up, too thrilled with their freedom, too hyper. Henry found his barking targets and he added jumps to the mix. The people were understanding, but I was mortified. The dog park needs to hit a pause button. Such a shame...

 

 

On the upside, the pups had their exercise. After a raucous homecoming, a supper finished in five seconds, a few minutes chewing in separate quarters, they found their comfortable spots and settled down to a nice quiet rest. And I did too. Eventually. 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, I get serious about dog training. Spring resolutions! Because really, we're starting the season of new ideas and great transformations!

with so much love...