pm2 - yes, even a 'failed' dog from Dog Guides is pretty amazing. The socialization they get during their puppyhood time in a foster home is invaluable - and something you can't replicate with your own dog. The Dog Guide puppies go EVERYWHERE with the foster 'parents' e.g. in stores, restaurants, offices; at all sorts of public events and public places, etc. etc. The foster process is designed to expose them as many new things as possible, as well as give them basic obedience training, so nothing bothers them and they are calm in unfamiliar places. One of Cole's issues is that he is still a bit too excitable and overly friendly (wants to jump up on people!) so he still needs training in that regard. He's still basically a puppy - he'll be 2 years old on the 27th of this month. When he first came he wasn't walking nicely on leash so we used the training collar combination that Dog Guides uses when the dogs are in training - a Halti combined with a martingale (the one with a loop of chain under the throat - not a full chain collar.) The leash gets attached to both collars - instant easy walking with none of the snaky, evasive manoeuvres you often see with dogs on a Halti collar alone. I'd never seen collars used like that until we started volunteering at Dog Guides. Cole now walks nicely (most of the time!) with just the martingale collar. This is what the arrangement looks like: If you're ever having trouble getting a dog to walk nicely on leash, try this arrangement! Dog Guides breeds their own dogs - although some are donated by breeders too. Cole is a miniature poodle although I think they may crossbreed the different sizes of poodles as there are some standards that are smaller than normal and some minatures that are larger than usual. They use a smaller one than Cole for a lot of HED but I think they're a bit bigger than 'toy' size so may be a cross with a miniature (?) If you love dogs, it's a fabulous place to volunteer! As for accomodating the dogs in the garden.... The main thing is to accomodate their need to patrol territory and explore and play so they aren't bored when outside! The path network in the backyard has paths along the side fences and near the back fence. Because of the 'wet corner' the back path does not follow the back fence and there is a short (6") iron fence (just a cheapie ornamental thing) along the edge of the 'wet corner' bed to keep them out of the mud in the spring - they recognize it as a barrier and stay out. On the NW side of the back fence there is a small bank against the fence so the path runs at the base of the bank and the plantings are tough enough there so they aren't damanged when the dogs visit with the neighbours' two through the fence... :-) traffic patterns considered in layout: neater version of layout: Callie doesn't dig - but Cole has started to excavate one place just off the patio recently! So we need to train him not to do that! Callie's breed does indeed include Cairn terriers in the mix - see link.... Noodle sounds sweet - pictures...? Do you still make her cookies? Cole eats commercial dog food - and we make the dog cookies in small training-treat size pieces to use when working on training (which is constant at his age....) thyme - we were posting at the same time.... thank you - and back at you re the gardens - I always enjoy seeing yours (especially the fall color pictures which have inspired me to pay more attention to that here....) This post was edited by woodyoak on Thu, Aug 8, 13 at 17:44

I love pan fried noodles. The first couple of times I made them, I didn't know to rinse them in cold water after I boiled and drained them and they were just a big ball of noodles all stuck together. Now I just boil, drain, rinse well and drop in a pan of hot oil. Doesn't take long. now you've got me wanting chinese food. LOL

The Boiardi family operated their facility about 10 miles from here. They used the business name Boy-ar-dee which is how their real name is pronounced. The family lived in a lovely home in the small town. They were then purchased by American Home Foods and are today owned by ConAgra Foods. I think that their product line has changed. The company operated a " store" where local folks could by their products. These items were quite popular, but we never ate them. My mother used to buy a boxed pizza mix called Appian Way, We loved it because it was the ONLY pizza that we had access to, Pizza "parlors" did not exist here.

The closest PF Changs to me is at the airport, but I won't be going to the airport to eat unless I am flying. I will look for it the next time I am at LAX, however. In Los Angeles County, the best Chinese restaurants are in Monterey Park, and the last one I went to gave us the bill written all in Chinese. Chinatown here has some mediocre restaurants, and so I don't go to them unless I am in Chinatown to pick someone up at the bus station. I do like Chinese food, and there used to be a good Szechuan restaurant down the street from me in Venice, and we went there often because it was walking distance - about two blocks. We have a much better selection of Japanese restaurants here than Chinese, as there is a large Japanese population on the West Side. We also have a lot of Japanese markets - much more than we have of Chinese markets. For Korean food, we go to Koreatown. When I lived in San Francisco, the worst Chinese restaurants were in Chinatown, as they catered to tourists, and the best were in the Avenues, around Clement Street. Where I grew up in Texas (Temple) there were good Chinese restaurants. The town was started by the Santa Fe Railroad and some Chinese workers stayed there after the railroad was built in 1881. Temple TX was a junction of the railroad from Houston, and one branch went north to Chicago and the other branch went west to Los Angeles. The Santa Fe Railroad also built a hospital in Temple.