Part 3: DELIGHTS

The new family member charms

Easily everyone’s sweetheart. That’s Burt, my grandson Eliott’s new pet dog, a 2-year-old mix-bred Terrier and Lhasa Apso.  Actually, I’m not sure about the dog’s full lineage. If a Cairn Terrier, Burt’s breed originated in the Scottish Highlands.  If a Lhasa Apso, his breed came from Tibet.  But whatever it is, this I know, he immediately grabbed my heart.  I’m sure he grabbed my grandson’s and his parents’ hearts, too.  

It is so endearing to see Eliott and Burt hit it off immediately from the first day the dog was brought home.  I suspect, it was that way at the rescue center when the two just met.  On facetime, I see Burt quietly following his new buddy around.  I read up about terriers.  One remarkable characteristic they have is their natural fondness for kids.  On the other hand, the Lhasa Apso dog is a great family companion.  Burt fawns on Eliott.  When the dog realizes his buddy is not in the room, he ambles from room to room, looking for him.  This is not without saying that my grandson has fast developed an affinity for his very first pet dog. 

Welcoming the new member of the family (photo courtesy of Eliott’s family)

I never had a pet dog myself, though my daughter has adopted German Shepherds over the past 20 years. Sounds of scampering paws on her home’s wooden floor are common.  I enjoy these dogs vicariously – and to them, I’m Grandmama. Whenever I facetime with my daughter, she calls them to say, Grandmama is here!  And they scuttle to the screen with wide grins from ear to ear.  To Eliott’s Burt, I am Lola.  And whenever I’m on facetime with my grandson, or watch him practice his piano lessons, I spot Burt waiting patiently under the piano or sprawled comfortably on the floor beside the piano bench – and Burt looks at me with his gorgeous very large and rounded dark eyes.  Such delights, these wonderful pet dogs!

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Ensamada  

Very popular breakfast or snack food.  Ensamada is a fine textured fluffy bread usually baked in a swirl and topped with light butter and sugar.  When you break open the ensamada, you’ll detect a subtle fragrance from the fluff, which further whets the appetite. Definitely a favorite of mine.  My sister convinced me (like I need convincing) to order from her husband’s work colleague whose hobby outside of his draftsman work is baking.  So I did, two dozens of ensamadas, one dozen glazed with butter and drizzled sugar on top, the other without the topping.

When the delivery came, guess what!  I received four dozens instead.  How could I possibly eat them all?  No, I’m not complaining.  Simple solution – my refrigerator has been invaded by ensamadas.  They last for weeks.  That day I received them, I ate four.  Simply delicious.

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Doubling my shopping list  

I went to Costco this morning.  As my practice, I carried a list and ended up buying double the number of items.  But that also meant taking more time checking the aisles for any interesting commodity. What was not initially planned was coming home with a large chunk of thick salmon and a package of smoked salmon pieces.  You can tell, I love salmon!  What I also love but controlled myself from getting the big pre-cooked crabs.  That was a struggle, not picking up the package and dropping it in my cart.  Promising myself, I moved ahead with the resolve to get them for Thanksgiving.  The turkey may not like it – there’ll be another center piece at the table.

The unexpected highlight of my Costco trip, however, was the hotdog sandwich.  Definitely starved at past noon, I decided on a Polish hotdog oversized for its bun.  Immediately upon arriving home, I gobbled up the sandwich – so scrumptious.  Hotdog sandwich never tasted so delicious as it did today.  Quite a delight! 

You know how we love to play with acronyms.  More popular these days are: PPP for Payroll Protection Program; PPE for Personal Protective Equipment; BFF for best friend forever.  I even coined my own for this website, BBL for Babyboomerlola.

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The comfort of PPF 

You know how we love to play with acronyms.  Popular these days are: PPP for Payroll Protection Program; PPE for Personal Protective Equipment; BFF for best friend forever.  I even coined my own for this website, BBL for Babyboomerlola.

Recently, I came up with PPF – for Provider, Protector Forever.  The acronym pertains to no one else but God.  This developed  in my conversation with friends on a social network.,  We were decrying the upheavals happening in the world – storms, earthquakes, economic downturns, COVID, and on and on and on.  We concluded that the bottom line of all these is that, we can and should continue to trust God who is in absolute control.  And God truly cares.  That’s how PPF came forth.  Yes, keep trusting our Provider, Protector Forever! 

I shall always have my PPF – that feels good to say!

Linda P. Jacob