Spring

I'm celebrating the arrival of spring this week by 1) refusing to wear my jacket even though it's just as cold as it was last week and 2) putting strawberries on everything.... Hopefully the strawberries will ward off the spring cold I've probably earned by being stubborn about the coat. Someone today asked if I forgot my coat at home to which I replied "I'm Canadian, by all rights I should be wearing shorts today" and earned myself a laugh and one of those patented Irish looks. You know, the ones that say "Oh you're grand" to your face but on the inside say "crazy cow".

I've a feeling I also get looks like that for having a trained dog. Maple will do anything for her squeaky ball. In fact if you just stand there holding the ball she'll perform every trick that has ever earned her the ball. The dog culture here is a little different than back home. In Ireland dogs are allowed to be more doggy. Dogs are picked up after if they poop in the park, well sometimes anyways, but if they poop on the sidewalk no one picks up after them. It's gross. Oh and kids under 16 can't walk the following breeds:

• American pit bull terrier
• English bull terrier
• Staffordshire bull terrier
• Bull mastiff
• Dobermann pinscher
• German shepherd (Alsatian)
• Rhodesian ridgeback
• Rottweiler
• Japanese akita
• Japanese tosa
• Bandog....? A what? Here I looked it up for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandog

And all of those breeds have to walk on a short leash with a muzzle in public places. And I thought Ontario was tough on breed specific legislation.

Note: baby has fork...daddy doesn't

Anyways back to strawberries. I made a killer wannabe strawberry shortcake dessert tonight with *gasp* frozen puff pastry (oh the shame!) and loads of cream and berries. It was messily devoured in short order.