BonBon and I face ice from one end of the property to the other.  Today we were able to walk all the way out to Heritage Woods before she started holding her paws up as if to tell me they were freezing.  We came back in and  I decided to lie on the floor to stretch out.  I can no longer do "supermans" at all.  I did figure out how to do them in the water at the pool.  Again, some of those muscles don't respond like they should.  Spending time on the floor does have benefits for "press ups and the dead bug" BonBon loves that because it means she gets extra training treats for doing her "tricks".

Anyway, I made soup using a recipe found on epicurious (Laura, I think you would like this site), a web site that indexes recipes from various magazines.  Anyway, this easy soup includes some of those vegetables the cashiers at the grocery store need help identifying.  Leeks, turnips, garlic, salt and pepper chicken stock (I make my own to avoid some of the additives).  I used four leeks saute' in minimal olive oil, the the garlic, chop up the turnips and add with the stock.  Once the veggies are soft, I sprinkle it with a parm cheese (the good kind).  Yum!  Try the moroccan chicken pot pie on that web site but double the spices.  Very good.  There is minimal crust - one on the top.

As you can see, life in Akron is very rough these days.   There is a plan to have a reception for Walter's friends by invitation only.  That's a bit disappointing for me but Summa (the hospital) is planning a memorial service sometime soon.  The reception will be at Vaccaro's Restaurant (Steve, Judith and I think Hannah have been there).   My plan initially was to avoid the reception all together......  We are also having discussion about where his ashes should go.  Again I initially agreed to have them here at my condo but had some different ideas recently.   I'd like to take them to a spot we often walked.  You may know about the Cuyahoga Vally Park System that Representative Seiberling worked so hard to include the portion that runs through the valley into Akron, Penisula, Bath.  We walked in one particular section with the dog where the path includes a bridge over a pond with turtles, frogs, fish and birds.  The heron have nests in that area now.   We always sited all kinds of birds and saw a beaver building a dam about a mile down the trail.  That trail now joins Akron through the Valley to Penisula and into Cleveland.  Szalay's Farms expanded their fruit and vegetable market to include bottled water and quick snacks for the families riding their bikes or hiking through the area.    I wonder what it would take for me to be able to walk that again.  Now there's a goal!   Do ya suppose it's time for a three wheeled vehicle?

Aunt Louise