Denis is a very lucky man.  That’s because I received a positive reply to my apologetic phone call and e mail to Urban Fare.  I’m very excited about it all, as I spoke to the bakery manager of the Yaletown store, and she’s already placed an order for this fall!  So, I have had to re-think my former position on Denis’ imminent demise.

I sent a letter to my relatives in Germany, and told them that photos of our visit would be forthcoming. Then today I got the sweetest e mail from one of the younger cousins, who is distantly related, but we don’t care.  My mom is an only child, so as I say to everyone, we’ll take all of the relatives we can get!

One of the dearest things I saw in Germany was a tiny cemetary for royal dogs.  It was part of the castle at Landsburg.  This is in a really beautiful part of southern Germany, and we strolled around on a lovely sunny day.  We toured the grounds of the castle, and after walking through a rose garden we came upon eight graves of the royal dogs.

We heard a lot of beautiful dog ownership stores from our relatives.  One of my mom’s cousins, Ursula, had a dachshund named Seppel.  She said when he was 14 he had become quite ill, and she knew his death was imminent.  On the morning of his last day, she said she woke up and had to search the whole house for him.  She said she found him under a buffet, tucked in the far corner.

Because she was unable to pull him out, and due to his labored breathing, she said that she lay on the floor as near to her dog as possible.  After a couple of hours, she said he breathed his last.  That’s just a small example of the incredible people our dear relatives are!

And speaking of breathing one’s last, I’ve had a terrible fight with compulsive eating.  It started innocently when a good friend told me about fat-free creamo.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?  I thought it had to be an oxymoron.  But I found it at Safeway, and it sadly started me on the road to hell.

You’d think that starting the day with fat-free creamo would lead one to a committed day of dieting, wouldn’t you?  Unfortunately, something inside me just snapped as I decided I was owed a whole bunch of calories.  Rationally, I knew I wasn’t, but who can understand the subconscious of the mentally deranged binge eater?

Maybe it was the incredulity at not having gained weight while in the land of the Wiener Schnitzel.  Whatever it is, I’m hoping the God of Willpower will make it stop.  And really, it’s just another example of mind over mind.  Just a few days ago I was wishing Denis ill, and now here I am, making him a delicious dinner of curried chicken.