Farewell, Shelby

Shelby came to live with us about a year and a half ago. As our son's no. 2 dog, she had been Hemi's sidekick and a fun part of the family for a dozen years before. Always energetic and full of joy, Shelby was the perfect dog. Walking, chasing tennis balls, lounging around the house and yard patiently when all the rest of us were too busy to play, she was a delightful addition to our household.

In February, when we brought home a new little Yorkie puppy named Quinn, we had a few concerns. Not to worry. She and Shelby were equally curious and enthusiastic about each other. It didn't take long for them to become fast friends and playmates, despite the 13-year difference in their ages. (Remember, in dog years that's 91 years.)

Shelby even taught Quinn how to chase tennis balls - which of course are too large for a Yorkie. But Quinn didn't know that, so the two of them romped joyfully in pursuit of the bouncing balls. Quinn even learned to bring them back, a fine point that Shelby was always fuzzy on. For her you needed at least two balls to play - one for her to drop when you threw the other.

I didn't realize just how much Shelby had brought into our lives until she died last Monday. We knew she wasn't 100% well, but more from the vet's blood tests than anything else. Even on Sunday she was chasing Quinn around, hogging the toys, just generally being Shelby. What a good friend! We'll miss her.  

A little about the traditional web

Just a snippet of evidence that we're doing our part to maintain the balance of nature here in our little corner of paradise. 'Tis just slightly post-Halloween, so this spider is arguably still in season. He/she/it has definitely found a reliable spot for grazing, and doesn't appear to have missed many meals!

My part in this whole thing? Well, I'm just glad the light bulb hasn't needed changing in a while. With a little luck, it'll last a bit longer, too - perhaps until the snow flies and our resident spider has retreated to a warmer spot.

Three Quickies: No. 1 - I love you, honey

For years we've kept a small bear-shaped bottle of honey in the corner cabinet. And every year as the temperature drops - and after we haven't used much honey over the summer months - it has turned from clear amber to a cloudy, congealed, unappealing blob. I should note the corner cabinet is on an outside wall...

This year the thought occurred to me that perhaps this change wasn't as terminal as we usually imagined. Low and behold, when I went to www.suebee.com, as the label suggests, I found an interesting bit of information in the FAQs: Honey is supersaturated with sugar and naturally crystallizes over time. And that process is hastened by a drop in temperature. Aha!

In fact, the experts say, when the temperature drops to about 65 degrees Fahrenheit - which it regularly does in our home in the cooler months, and remember this is on an outside wall so it goes even a bit lower - the crystallization process accelerates. So that explains how we got here. But what to do?

Well, that's the really cool part - the crystallization is reversible. Just heat a pot of water, they say, then set the honey in it and wait until it ... de-crystallizes?

We tried it, and it looked like it was working! But I'm not as patient as I should be, I guess. Rather than taking it off the heat and letting it sit while the crystallization reversed itself, I kept the pot on the heat.

Ever notice the warning to not microwave the bottle of honey? It turns out many of the containers are PET, or PETE, plastic. And that stuff doesn't take well to microwaving. Or, as became evident, to serious heating of the contact variety, either.

Suffice it to say our bear-shaped bottle now has a rolly kind of bottom. The honey is fine - clear again and tasty as ever. But instead of just setting it on the shelf in the cabinet (we've switched to keeping it in a cabinet on an inside wall), I now have to make sure it's propped up in the corner. But that's a very small concession to make to have our honey back.

NEXT: The secret of the dry-erase markers.