Valkyrie!

VALKYRIE IS GRADUATING! 

Actually she's going for in home training, but either way in two weeks she'll be a working guide! Usually Guide Dogs for the Blind has their students come to either their Oregon or California campus to complete 2 weeks of training with their new dog partners, but sometimes that can't work for the student generally because of a mobility problem or something similar. So the dog and a trainer from Guide Dogs goes to them. In this case Valkyrie will be traveling to Austin, TX to start her new life with her partner. I can tell you how proud I am! I also can't tell you how sad I am. The only chance I would have to see her before she leaves is over Thanksgiving break (this week), but I'm still at school in New York for the next three weeks. I'm sending Mom to see her and take pictures and things, but it's still very upsetting not to be able to say goodbye to the puppy that I was with almost constantly for a year. I'm just hoping that her partner will want to keep in touch. I'm still so torn with the conflicting emotions of immense pride and sorrow that I don't really know what to do with myself. All I know for sure is that she is going to be amazing. How do I know that? Well apart from the fact that I raised her a friend told me that a couple of weeks ago she was selected to demonstrate intelligent disobedience at the Fall Luncheon which is one of the big Oregon fundraisers that Guide Dogs puts on. Also, in the email I received telling me that Valkyrie was graduating my CFR mentioned that only dogs that are considered "bomb proof" (dogs that can handle everything and anything) go to do in home training because it would be very difficult to switch them out.

So with Valkyrie graduating and no new guide puppies in sight for the next three years the name of the blog should change a bit as not to mislead people. Let me know what you think of the change. I think it isn't drastic enough to displease anyone.

In the next edition: College life in all it's crazyness. Although the next edition might not come out until after I'm home on break.

This blog is supposed to be about guide puppies, isn't it?

I just realized I haven't written much about Valkyrie recently so here's a hodge podge of what's been going on with her. For the past few months she's been on food protocol for being slightly nervous about heavy traffic. She shows her nervousness by racing ahead so she's been getting food for being right beside me with her coat next to my leg and the leash loose. She's been doing really well at it and I think she'll soon be ready to come off food protocol. 

She had her second evaluation back in the middle of May and our CFR is pleased with her progress.

She's had some fun outings to two different farmers markets recently and before I leave in August I want to take her to the Portland Art Museum and the Lan Su Chinese Garden (if they allow her, I haven't asked yet). Maybe I'll get to take her to Saturday Market, but I'm not sure about that one. I want to take her to Ashland with me too. I wish I could be taking her to my summer biology class, but I have lab in the middle of the day and while we aren't doing anything too gross you never know what's been spilled before that she might lie in. I've been trying to get more pictures of her on outings since I don't have many and outings are a big part of being a guide puppy. 

Here she is at the Hillsdale Farmers Market. I always feel a tiny warm glow when we walk past these signs.

She's trying to convince me that my lunch should be her lunch too.

Her first birthday was last Sunday (post coming soon), and she still hasn't come in heat which is odd but not unheard of. 

Right now she's at a puppysitters, her second puppysit of June, because I'll away. I wanted to take her with me, but a trip that had been overnight has turned into a three day production. I think she would handle it with flying colors, but I wouldn't. So she's staying home. 

And here's a cute, if yellow, picture of Kelsa too.

May 19th: a favorite place

For people who aren't familiar with Portland there's a place called Pioneer Courthouse Square which as been described by many as Portland's living room. Along the sidewalks next to the courthouse across from the square are fountains and statues of deer (pictured), bears, ducks, and otters. These are at least for me a symbolic reminder of Portland's connection to the natural world even in the middle of the largest city in the state.

This is the good picture of Valkyrie by the statues.

Photo a day for the month of May

My Mom found a photo a day thing for May where it suggest something you could take a picture of each day. I started almost a week late, but I'm going to try to keep up with it for the rest of the month. But before that I have more puppy pictures!

Valkyrie and I went to the park today

She always bites her lip when she's excited or really interested in something

She loves to flip the Nyla-ring over her head

The faces Kelsa makes here are priceless

My happy boy

And now a cat exploring a cup

Cooking (mostly): Coconut Rice Pilaf

Happy Saturday everyone! It's been a long week, nothing new happened but it felt longer than usual. What did I do this week besides school?

Well I did some of this...

And took pictures of theses...

And that's about it.

So here's the recipe for the delicious food pictured above. I don't have enough good things to say about this, the creamy rich coconut milk, the little bit of chew to the Quorn, and the tang of the pineapple blend beautifully. Best of all anyone can enjoy this meal, it is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan. This is suddenly much more important to me as of last week, because I decided not to eat gluten or dairy for the next month to see whether it would help my digestion.

Recipe adapted from Budget Bytes

1.5 cup jasmine rice
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk
2/3 cup water
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
A little bit of olive oil
1 medium onion
1/2 a bag (probably about 4 oz.) Frozen peas
about 10 baby carrots diced
about 1/2 a bag (probably 4 oz. as well) Quorn chik'n tenders
1 can (15 oz.) pineapple, drained

To make the coconut rice put rice, coconut milk, water, and garlic in a pot and stir to combine. Cover and put on high heat until it boils, immediately after it boils turn the heat down to warm (or the lowest setting). Keep the lit on and cook the rice on warm for 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil on a skillet on high heat. Thinly slice the onions and saute until the onions are nice and caramelized then add the carrots, peas, and Quorn. When the carrots are tender add the pineapple and cook until everything is nice and warm.

Combine the rice and vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle with soy or tamari sauce if you like, it's great with or without.