All a Part of this Nutritious Breakfast

This is one of my favorite breakfasts - Trader Joe’s Blueberry Muesli. As I enjoyed a bowl late this morning I looked over to see my dog saunter over toward his bowl and breakfast along with me.

I have a golden retriever. He’s nine and a half. Dogs of the breed have a notoriously long puppyhood; Bode is no exception. He was irrationally exuberant for nine years. Since his last birthday he’s slowed down considerably. He is bouncy at times, but less inclined to climb the stairs and much less passionate about breakfast than he was in his salad days.

We crated him at night for the first year of his life. The highlight of those days was watching him BOLT out of the crate in the morning, ravenous for human contact and food, glorious food. I could never get the food into the bowl fast enough for him so the routine was to fill his bowls first and then open the crate. He would scramble across the wood floors with astounding speed and complete lack of control (think Bambi on ice but at warp speed), dive into his kibble and wolf it down. For entertainment I timed him. I don’t remember the records he set now, but they were unbelievable - like sub 10-seconds unbelievable - and more than once I had to perform the Heimlich maneuver to unclog his gullet.

It’s said that dogs and their owners share similar personality traits. It's true of Bode and me where breakfast is concerned. Before I had kids I used to wake with such gusto for breakfast. It was decidedly my favorite meal of the day. How could a meal be more wondermous when the choices range from French toast with maple and coconut syrups on one hand and a scrumptious savory scramble on the other. Or cereal! Even the lowly bowl of cereal, piled up with sliced almonds and fresh blueberries would put a smile on my face as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

I still love breakfast, but I don’t always get around to eating it before 11. I no longer wake up thinking about it - that happens later, after coffee, after the kids are off to school, after I’ve gotten some exercise. That’s when I remember - Breakfast! Yes! Breakfast! What’s for breakfast?