What Were We Thinking???

We did not wake up Saturday and know that we were going to have a new puppy by the end of the day. We did not.

We already have a dog and a hedgehog. Over the years, we've had a snake, many birds, a cat, frogs, hermit crabs, and many fish. We are, obviously, pet people, so we knew what we were getting into. And did we want to get into that again? The house training, the "stop chewing on that" training, the "sit" and "heel" training. What about fleas? When we held that puppy in our arms did any of that matter?


Let me try to explain how such a thing might just sneak up on you--About a year ago, I told B that when his older brother, J, left for college, he could get his very own puppy. The reasoning was that he would have 4 years at home without any sibilngs. It sounded reasonable and it still does because it's about 5 years away.


Then, J started asking for a puppy. (He sometimes gets a one-track mind and is very focused on whatever ambition is his focus.) He did research and came up with this plan--The dog for us was a miniature poodle, smaller than a standard and larger than a toy. This dog would not shed, and would not make us sneeze (that's why our Australian Shepherd is an outside dog). J would train it and since poodles are the second smartest breed, that part would be easy. AND--He would help pay for it.


We thought his plan was very nice and well-thought out. Then he started asking for the puppy now. So he could have some time with it before college started (in 5 years). He's very good at planting seeds. We have always answered the kids queries with "It sounds nice," "Maybe one day," or the famous, "We'll see."


Then yesterday. It began like any normal Saturday. Some of the kids had fundraising projects for summer camps, some of us had errands to run, and the yard needed a mow and trim. Then I ran an errand right out on the main street right by our house. And there it was on the side of the road. An SUV with the back open and a sign "Mini Poodles for Sale." Just like that, the opportunity had dropped in our laps. We drove by a couple of times, held spontaneous family councils to negotiate and list pros and cons.

You kind of know that when there's that much conversation about it, it's bound to happen. As parents, we couldn't change the subject or get around it any longer. We drove by and stopped and picked one out. A cute little boy that the kids named "Ray." They named him after the heroic lightening bug in "Princess and the Frog."


We love our new li'l Ray and last night we celebrated with a pile of Beignets that C made. Yum!

Paula Deen's French Quarter Beignets

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups bread flour
1/4 cup shortening
Nonstick spray
Oil, for deep-frying
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions
Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.


Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours. (we put it in a warm oven for 20 minutes)

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.