It is Passover and I am on Diet

 
TGIF !!

Good morning fur friends,

Happy Passover to those that are celebrating, it is a time when families get together to celebrate freedom, the story we read is from the Haggadah and tells the story of how Moses led the Jews out of Egypt from slavery.

This year it is especially special as we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, freedom for us with the vaccines. We hopefully will be able to go back to a normal life, what a great feeling to be able to hug our friends, see our family and celebrate the holidays together. I am getting my first vaccine today and I am really relieved.

There are many customs and foods we eat on this holiday plus for one week we do not eat bread, cookies or anything that rises when baking. It depends also on what country you come from as to what you can eat or cannot eat which is a long list and can be complicated sometimes.

In the very religious homes the women clean out the kitchen of all non Passover foods which they sell to their neighbors or burn, they have cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils for the Passover only, and before Passover starts they go around the house with a feather to make sure there are no breadcrumbs anywhere. Passover starts at sunset and all cooking is done before then and kept warm, there is no cooking done on Passover evening so that means loads of cooking and preparations beforehand.

The reading of the Haggadah can take up to 4 hours during which you drink 4 glasses of wine, and then when it is over you stuff yourself with food as you are starved.

My favorite food of course is the chicken soup with matzo balls yummm

It is a wonderful holiday as there is a lot of singing also and I remember growing up when my grandfather read the whole Haggadah in Yiddish not Hebrew which was very special.

So it is not easy to be on a diet LOL and I have put Layla on a diet as she is a couple of ounces overweight which I want her to lose. She is not a happy girl at all and stands at her plate moaning for food. Being a Jewish Mom it breaks my heart but her health comes first so have now divided her meals into three tiny ones to keep her happy. Treats have been halved also so the Brat as I call her now makes me feel guilty all the time with her moans LOL.

So Layla and I would love to wish all our friends Chag Sameach (חג שמח) which is Hebrew for Happy Holiday,

Be safe and take care

With a woof and love
from Layla

Happenings in the Layla Neighborhood

TGIF !!!!!!!!

Today in the Jewish Religion, and Mom being a Jewish Mom we start our New Year 5781 which means lots of yummy food so I am going to be very good all day to make sure I get some.


We are celebrating the Holiday at home as we are still on lock down, 6 months already so I am going to be doing some of the cooking here, not all as I am one person and Madam cannot eat some of the foods although she would love to.


Like most holidays in all religions there are traditional foods and I am going to share here the symbolic foods you will find on the table :
01. Apples and Honey : Honey symbolizes sweetness for the New Year and in the old days the Jews believed that apples held healing powers so we dip the apples into the honey.

02. Round Challah – Because the world is round and the round challah symbolizes the world.

03. Pomegranates – Symbolizes plentiful for the New Year

04. Fish Head – Symbolizes Head of the Year 

05. My favorite at the end of the meal is coffee with Honey Cake


In the Temple you will hear the Shofar which is a rams horn blown like a trumpet on the New Year (and other holidays). It has four sounds which the Rabbi says and the Shofar is blown with a specific sound.


Our New Year starts at sunset and ends the following day at sunset but only outside Israel do they celebrate two nights.


So that is what we are celebrating this weekend.

Other than that what is happening in the Layla Neighborhood let’s think LOL. Layla and I spent some time in the park this week, we had one good air day which was beautiful so we sat outdoors enjoying it and she was so happy to be out and seeing some other people and of course doggy friends. A friend of mine has just rescued a dog who is just the cutest and we got to meet her.

I have started part time dog sitting for a really cute little dog who Layla really likes so she now has a friend visiting which is good for her. His name is Baxter and he is a rescue and just adorable.  It is so great to be working again and hopefully more dogs will be needing dog sitters again.


On top of that I am finally doing something for me which I have wanted to do for years, I have started an online workshop to become a Domestic Violence Advocate, this means I will be finally able to give back and help those that are fortunate to get away like I did.

So as you can all see we are always busy here, life is good in our neighborhood and we want to wish everyone a Happy Healthy Sweet New Year.


With love from Layla 

שנה טובה ומתוקה

Thank you everyone



Dear Friends,


Friday has arrived plus it is a week before Thanksgiving and as Mom explained to me it is a time to thank people for many things, so my blog today is a letter thanking you all for everything.


01. My followers, thank you for sharing and reading my blog, listening to me complain, chat, laugh and hopefully keep you amused also with all my antics and adventures. 


02. Tropiclean – for helping Mom punish me when bathing me with your fruity smelling shampoos, your dental products which keep my teeth white and breath smelling good, the ear wash which keeps my ears clean,  I have to admit that although punishment I am a happy Tropiclean girl.

https://tropiclean.com/

03.  Raw Paws Pet Food – your treats are the best, the supplements give me lots of energy and keep me healthy, Mom says she is so happy giving them to me knowing that they are good for me.
The best of all is that your treats and other products are healthy for cats and dogs.  So cat owners please check them out.
We are reminding everyone that you have a 15% discount when shopping there with the coupon Layla15.

https://www.rawpawspetfood.com/Default.asp?sscid=51k3_szat

04. Restorative Botanicals – Mom says thanks for the delicious coffee laced with Hemp which keeps her calm but a special thanks for the amazing Hemp Oil which keeps me relaxed, the Balm that helps me with my itchiness which without these two products I would be driving Mom more nuts than she is.

https://www.restorativebotanicals.com/?rfsn=2263342.782237

05. A very special thanks to PAWS who give me a free bathing every month, help me in so many ways, you are one of the greatest organizations and without you I am not sure what Mom would do. http://www.shanti.org/programs-services/pets-are-wonderful-support/

06. A very very special thanks to Shalom Bayit for helping Mom get away from her toxic relationship and save my sister RIP Baby.  https://www.shalom-bayit.org/

07. A very special thank you to all those that rescue or foster the homeless pets, speak up for them and help wherever possible, you are all heroes and without you our lives would be hell. 

Last but not least, I want to woof thank you to Ali, Matthew, Alice, Robyn, Joanna, Amanda, Barbara, plus others who keep Mom sane, relaxed and that helps a lot as because of you she is not going crazy although she is a crazy dog mom.

And to Mom, you are a crazy worrying Jewish Mom who cooks my food, but I am so blessed to have been rescued by you, through thick and thin we have stuck together and you have made me who I am today, a happy healthy girl.


May everyone have a safe, happy Thanksgiving with your families, four or two legged and please do not forget that some foods are bad for us although I am sure they are yummy.


With love and licks Layla 



A letter to everyone

Good Morning friends,

We hope you are all safe and getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Our past weekend we stayed indoors as the air quality in San Francisco has been really poor due to the fires in Northern California. Our prayers and thoughts go out to all the victims, both two and four legged.

Before we start our thanks we would both like to thank all the first responders, non profit organizations and rescue organizations for the amazing work they have done this past year all over the world and now especially in California. Without all of your kindness, compassion and love the world would be a sad place as many of you show us all the time that there are good people in the world.

Layla has decided to thank those that have helped keep her happy and healthy this past year with this letter.

Dear Mom and friends,

As I get older, and you can call me a senior if you want but Mom remember you are one too I would love to thank all those that have helped Mom keep me healthy and happy, in so many ways.

01. PAWS – The mission of PAWS is to preserve, support and nurture the human-animal bond for those most vulnerable in our community. You have been amazing to us in so many ways and no words can express our gratitude for all you have done, not only for me but for so many other pets.

02. Pet Food Express – An amazing Pet Food Store with branches all over California. Your giving back to the community is amazing, and what many do not know is that with fires raging at the moment they are giving out free food and supplies to all fire victims including dog washes if they need them. Thank you and that is the reason I love shopping at your stores.

03. Shalom Bayit – who have helped Mom through thick and thin since she ran with my sister, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And now I must woof a special thanks also to :

01. Mom – you are the greatest. You put up with all my quirks. your patience and love is amazing even when I am naughty but most of all thank you for being a good Jewish Mom and cooking my dinners and baking my treats. I am very lucky to have been rescued by you and would not give you up for anything.

02. Tropiclean – Mom calls me a Tropiclean baby as she uses all their grooming products on me only.

Shampoos – the shampoos are fantastic and Mom uses on me the Papaya and Coconut all in one (shampoo and conditioner) so I always smell good after my bath.

Papaya Spray Mist – which keeps me refreshed and smelling good in between baths especially when I have rolled in something icky and smelly in the park.

Oxymed Products – When I have the itches then Mom turns to them to help sooth my skin and relieve me of the itches.

Dental Products – my teeth are pearly white as Mom puts in my water the water additive minty flavor so I have a minty breath plus she puts in my mouth in the morning and evening their gel to keep my teeth sparkling. We love these products as they are easy to administer and the results are awesome.

Ear Cleaning – I hate having my ears cleaned but let Mom do it and that way I get no infections as my ears are clean all the time.

Tearless Facial cleaner – Mom does wash my face at the end of each day so I am a pretty clean pampered pooch.

And the best part of Tropiclean is their dental chews which keep me busy when Mom is working and I know they help keep my teeth clean also.

If you want to see what amazing products they have this is their link.

Tropiclean

Tropiclean gave me some of their products for this thank you review.

03. I want to thank everyone else that have shared their products with us for reviews this year and made our lives easier in so many ways.

04. I want to thank all my aunts and uncles in the dog park for being ATM’s when it comes to treats, that is the highlight of my day.

And most important and before I go back to my morning sleep I would love to thank all my fur friends everywhere for following me on my blog with comments and discussions, you all are the greatest and make me smile every time.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, do not gobble up too much turkey and have a wonderful family day,

With a woof and love
Layla