I was hoping that Four Foods on Friday would be about pies this week since it is Pi Day, but I think I’m the only math geek in the crowd.

1. What’s your favorite fruit and how do you like to eat it?

I love watermelon, but I rarely buy it because it is so messy. My mom always used to cut watermelon outside on the patio table and then hose the whole thing off. Come to think of it, she probably hosed us down after eating watermelon, too.

2. What is the one spice in your kitchen you use more than any other?

Probably garlic salt. I put it on meat and veggies, in tomato juice, and make lots of garlic bread.

3. Pudding. Instant, stovetop or premade?

Premade. I hate the skin that homemade pudding gets on top. Ick.

4. Share a recipe using potatoes.

The only potatoes we eat are the ones that come wrapped in plastic and you stick in the microwave for three minutes. I never really think to add a potato dish to dinner, but my mom does make a killer pierogi casserole for family meals.

Since I am the wife of a former combat medic, I feel like I should know the difference between Army Uniforms – Military Uniforms, but all I know is that Mike has a blue uniform, a green uniform, and fatigues hanging in the closet. BDU, ACU, and ABU sound like fraternities to me, but pay attention, because we’re going to learn the difference!

ACU is the army combat uniform, which uses the UCP, or universal camoflage pattern, which blends, green, tan, and grey to provide cover in desert and urban environments. The ACU replaced the BDU, or battle dress uniform, in 2007 The army is very strict about not starching ACU’s becuase it affects the durability of the fabric.

ABU is the airman battle uniform, which is the ACU of the Air Force, and should be completely replace the BDU by 2011. They started issuing the new uniform to enlisted trainees in 2007.

No matter what uniform is required, the US Patriot Store has it, and they sell direct to goverment agencies around the world. Now that my husband is no longer in the Army, he puchases his EMT supplies from US Patriot because they sell the equipment he likes and uses most.

I also thought it was interesting to note that US Partiot Store is not only a veteran owned company, it is a woman owned company!

I’ve only been back in Chicago for two weeks, so I’m still familiarizing myself with the news stations. Particularly the meteorologist, because we all know that Chicago weather is crazy.

All of the familiar faces are there. Andy Avalos, Steve Baskerville and Tom Skilling, but there’s a new meteorologist in town, and she may be the perfect person for the job. Amy Freeze is the chief meteorologist on Fox 32 and even has her own website, Freeze Front.

That’s like being a vet named Dr. Barker, or a dentist named Dr. Les Plack, or a lawyers named Dewey, Chetham, and Howe. Amy Freeze had no choice but go be a weather girl.

We are one of those couples. We dress our dog up, buy him treats from the dog bakery, and take him on vacation with us. Well, we want to take him on vacation with us. Usually, we have to book him a night in the local doggie hotel because we have difficulty finding pet friendly hotels that will welcome our little wiener dog with open arms. The dog hotel isn’t anything to scoff at, but it’s just not the same as being together.

Thanks to OfficialPetHotels.com, Ollie can now be nestled between us when we lay down to relax on our next trip. Their database contains over 10,000 pet friendly hotels all over the country, which makes for easy traveling. A did a quick search for our hometown of Chicago, and found out that the Palmer House Hilton even accepts pets overnight!

Not only will you be able to find a hotel where you whole family can stay, and yes, pets are family, there’s even a list of tips for traveling with your pets. Some of which I would have never thought of!

• Locate emergency veterinary clinics in the area
• Feed your pet ice cubes to keep them hydrated
• Make sure your pet has tags with your destination information

Everybody pray for Mister Floyd!

My dad is taking him to the vet as we speak for a possible broken leg. Poor little guy didn’t make it up onto the bed when he jumped!

My mom said he’s all wrapped up in his bed like it’s a little stretcher and had to be carried out to the car.

So sad!

EDIT: Good news. Mister Floyd has a bruised shoulder, but no broken bones. We visited this evening, and took him a special doggie treat, and he seems to be recuperating nicely.