The older I get, the less I enjoy the 4th of July. This year was especially tough trying to protect Miko from firework anxiety with his heart condition and worrying about fires with it being so dry and in a bad drought already this year. Miko hates fireworks, hates them. So we usually end up staying home with him comforting him. This year we got anit-anxiety medication also because of his heart condition and it helped a lot for Friday and Saturday nights when had a few early celebrations in the neighborhood. But multiple doses of it were no match for the unholy warzone our neighborhood became last night! Poor guy, we did everything – closed up the house, cranked the AC, turned up the TV, fans, white noise – but he was still a wreck and I had messes to clean up this morning. Luckily he seems to be okay today and back to enjoying lazy time at home.
It turns out sealing the house was a good thing for us too because a neighbor setting off illegal fireworks started a brush fire in open farm space behind our house. I found out about it on social media after fire crews put it out and found the burn marks uncomfortably close to our back fence this morning. Ugh! I would have been a wreck too if I knew that was going on. That makes the second grass fire experience in a week, we were almost evacuated at work when brush fires behind the building escalated quickly. It’s barely July, it’s gonna be a long summer here!
I have been trying to get out on runs when it’s not too hot and take in the scenery including playing otters, sunsets, and grazing sheep.
And trying to eat well. I grabbed takeout from Pho Vegan Asian Cuisine one night, more simple stir fries, and salad with fresh ginger miso dressing.
I found a new plant-based dressing to try, Green Garden Blue Cheese and it’s wonderful – the best vegan blue cheese dressing we have tried so far.
There has also been delicious spaghetti and great family gathering meal of salad, Beyond Meat Sausage, and pesto pasta with vegan parm for the 4th.
Today I enjoyed the extra day off by meeting my sisters at Rev Wine for a late vegan lunch and thankful this place is getting back to normal and still have amazing vegan options on the menu such as the Vegan Charcuterie plate with Miyoko’s cheese, Buffalo Cauliflower, and excellent Mediterranean Salad.
It was nice to get some outdoor time and relax before heading back to work tomorrow. Yeah, back to work, I’m ready for that, I think. Lets get to the list short first.
Sad but true, I’m right there with you. I adored the fireworks as a kid, but now it’s just torture for the dogs. Better yet, this year I was dog sitting for a friend, so I had two terrified little nutcases to contend with. Sigh…
That charcuterie plate looks AMAZING though. What I would give for one of those!