By the numbers!

1. It was a picture perfect day here in New Hampshire. Sunny skies, moderate temperatures and clear air. Perfect!
2. A friend called and asked me out to lunch at the last minute.
3. This was perfect as it got me thinking about other things.
4. I did some additional planting in the garden. A few plants died when I put them in, so today we filled in with a few more cucumbers and summer squash.
5. I’m sure I will live to regret this additional planting. I always have too much!
6. But I share. I pack up bags of produce and deliver it around!
7. I even caught up by paying bills and getting everything mailed!
8. I was trying to figure out how to get our computers to talk to each other.
9. After a couple of hours, I finally did!!! Yay me!!!
10. Tomorrow I am going to the hospital where the first plastic surgeon operated on me.
11. I am just so upset. You see I learned that I did not need to have my forehead carved up and tomorrow I plan to make the hospital aware.
12. It’s supposed to be a good day, and I have made up two new CD’s to listen to.
13. Yes, a relaxing trip, will be a pleasant trip!

The only problem is, after they cleaned my teeth my face started to throb! I can only image what Friday will bring!

When I got back home, Hubby had errands he wanted to do, so I tagged along in order to buy the dogs canned food and other perishable items for us to have in the house.

Then, finding no other TV program on (but news) and wanting to fill the air with something positive, I grabbed my copy of “Mama Mia” popped it into the DVD player, and have it on. I just love the music!

Hubby is working on the trees now that the rain has stopped and it is dead calm. I told him to go ahead as I am not really hungry for dinner, so off he went on his tractor.

Gosh how he loves that thing! Best gift I have ever given him, I think!!!

Just three weeks and I will be going in for the next surgery.

As much as I can hardly wait for this, I am also really nervous!

Deep breath! It will all be good!!!

The vacuum whirred, and sucked up the dog hair and dust, and I was about half way through when I noticed that the family room curtains need a serious washing!

I got them down, and started the process of laundry, dusting, and meals. I was thrilled with my productivity!

The house is in pieces all around me, as I clean, when Hubby walks in with our new neighbor! Ugh! I talked to him for a while, and then, mercifully they went back outside and I could get back to my work!

I even got to wash the dog beds and blankets, for which Anneliese was very grateful and Fritz turned up his nose! He like his blankets smelly, I guess!

As I write, I have only the valences left to do, and the rest of the house is looking really great! I told Hubby that we would have a dinner of leftovers, and make things easy for me. Tomorrow I’m making a herb crusted roast beef.

This confirms what I have thought for a while. When seriously stressed, I either am frozen with inactivity, or I clean! Much better for all when I clean!

This really is a pretty house! lol!!!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

***************

Friday and Saturday’s posts pretty much fill you in on those days. Sunday, however, was a special day.

I woke at a nice time. Eight o’clock. Since it was Father’s Day, I made Hubby French Toast for his breakfast, before throwing on my clothes.

You see the morning news said the first half of the day would be nice, and then we would have rain.

My friend, Carolyn has a summer job as a Lake Host, so I wanted to take Greta out for a walk and go down for a visit.

Well, Greta is simply hysterical to watch during these outings! She struts her stuff as she walks, and she even lifts her back leg to wee!

When we got to the boat access she wanted a drink, and so I walked her down, but a wave came in and she jumped back a foot! She did this several times, with us laughing at her, before she realized that the lake wouldn’t get her!

On our way home we saw a cute little girl with her parents. Greta was so happy. But this adorable little child didn’t even want to pat Greta. She looked terrified! “I’m afraid of dogs”, she said. I tried to quietly tempt her, but she was truly afraid, and her parents did nothing to help her.

How sad!

I told her we would walk by again, and maybe next time she would feel a little braver. She smiled. I sure hope that is the case. I hate to see kids not have a relationship with an animal. It teaches them so much about love.

The day ended with the man who cuts the field behind our house slicing up our hose. It’s been so wet this year and sadly, he waited too long to cut, so with the hay at 6 feet his machine slid a bit and chopped up the hose.

Hubby is not amused!

Happy Monday!

I bought bubble gum the other day and stuck it in the stone wall. I’d read that this will get rid of chipmunk and squirrels, and so far, they have not been eating my garden. I will let you know how that goes.

Mom is in Yale Hospital, and they have her on antibiotics, as she seems to have pneumonia too. They’re managing her pain, and she is very weak. I asked her if she wanted me to come down now and she said she would rather wait until her birthday next week. I told her if she changes her mind to let me know.

Hubby has been busy with his trees thinning fruit. We have an abundant crop this year, and we have learned by bitter experiences that it is better to thin, than to have a fruit tree (particularly peaches) torn asunder!

Saturday was also a picture perfect day. Sunny, warm, but not too hot. A gentle breeze and dry air. If it was like this all summer, I would be a happy girl!

]]> http://www.dackelprincess.com/?feed=rss2&p=3398 http://www.dackelprincess.com/?p=3397 http://www.dackelprincess.com/?p=3397#comments Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:04:47 +0000 Dackel Princess http://www.dackelprincess.com/?p=3397 My mom is sick. She is, in fact, dying of cancer. Mel and I have known for a while, but we didn’t want to tell her because, well, it’s hard to tell someone, especially your mother, that they are dying of cancer.

She learned, a few days ago that not only does she have liver cancer, but that it has spread to her lungs.

I hated for her to know this. You see a long time ago, back in 1977 my brother became ill, and a year and a day later he died from cancer. (Lymphoma)

Mom took care of him all that year. Through chemotherapy and radiation. Back then, treatments were brutal and Mom watched her son suffer and then pass away.

I think this is why I really didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her scared. I did not want her to recall those last days with my brother and then fear for herself.

But in the end, she had to be told. And maybe in some ways it is kinder. She understands the pain, and no longer allows people to put her off about getting pain relief.

(She actually had a nurse tell her that she needed to “learn to get along” with the pain pills she had! Yes, I would like to pop that woman in the nose!)

My relationship with my Mom has always been “different”. I’ve spent a large part of my life arguing with her about really stupid stuff. And now…I just don’t want the anger, I want her to be pain free.

We don’t think it will be long. She is back in the hospital right now and I am thinking she may have to go into hospice care.

It stinks.

She is the last of her generation. When she is gone, well, then we will be the elders of the family.

If there is one wish that I have for her, it would be this…I pray that she does not suffer, and that when she passes, all the family will be there to greet her!

I did not get to wash the cabinets in the kitchen, or go through the two boxes of junk from the motor-coach. I didn’t get to do some writing I need to do, or pay bills. Heaven forbid!

I did plant the last eggplants, peppers and started on the pea strings, but pathetically, I only got two stings in before the rain started. Oh heck, actually the rain wasn’t that bad, but my back sure was!

I did go out to get a prescription for Hubby. Now this sounds pretty easy and straight forward, right? Well, Hubby is diabetic, and his supplies should be covered by Medicare, but suddenly it was all screwed up! Apparently this is happening everywhere.

The nice Pharmacist told me he would get it all straightened out, and at 7 PM he called to tell me that he finally did!

The dishes are done, and the dogs are sleepy, and I finished making my bed with crisp sheets and a freshly laundered blanket!

Good Nite All!

1. I went to see the plastic surgeon specialist on Wednesday.
2. Dr. P. is an extremely well educated and studied Australian.
3. He came to the USA in 1989 and began working at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
4. I loved his easy mannerisms and smiles.
5. I really felt relaxed.
6. He explained he would not have done a forehead flap to cover my nose.
7. He would have used a graft from another area.
8. Currently my skin graft has developed a lot of scar tissue.
9. So, the current plan is to slowly remove the scar tissue little by little, until a normal nose is shaped.
10. Since I also have nerve damage in my forehead, I will need surgery on that as well.
11. The nerve there will need to be buried.
12. If that does not work, then I will join the botox set as they attempt to kill the nerve ending there.
13. Tonight I feel hopeful, happy and I know, I will sleep well tonight.

1. What do you think makes a good dad?

A person who listens to their child, spends time with them, teaches them to love and respect other people, and helps them to see the world with new eyes.

2. What’s something you learned from your own father?

It’s kind of a joke. Punctuality. Or being overly punctual. Growing up we all learned to be ready to leave 10 minutes before we were supposed to because Dad was a nervous wreck about leaving on time and arriving on time. Thus, to this day, I must leave early (there might be traffic!) and I am almost always early!

3. It’s your birthday-what kind of cake will we be having?

Okay I love a double fudge chocolate cake with white frosting. I love that! Chocolate is the best isn’t it? But chocolate cake and frosting is almost too much, unless the frosting is chocolate ganache.

4. When you’re faced with a big decision are you more of a go with your gut type of person, or are you someone who reasons it all out, weighing the pros and cons?

I’m a gut girl. Sometimes there is a lot to consider, but you know your gut instinct often is correct.

5. June is National Dairy Month. What’s your favorite dairy item? Most often purchased dairy item?

It’s a tie between Weight Watchers frozen cookies and cream bars and yogurt, which I eat every day.

6. Explorer Jacques Cousteau was born on June 11, 1910….what’s something you’ve recently discovered or something you’d like to explore?

Hubby and I would love to explore Alaska. There are cruise tours that take you around on a train in Alaska to see the back woods beauty, and then the cruise to see the glaciers!

7. Are you typical of your generation?

No, I think I was born about ten years too early.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I decided to try this format of questions and answers this week. The questions are all in color and my answers are in plain black fonts. This way I’m not highlighting and I don’t have to keep changing the color. What do you think?

I think what worries me the most is that I will get in there and he will look at my face and tell me that there is nothing he can do and I will always look like this.

The stranger I see in the mirror!

It’s an odd feeling when you have something like this happen on your face. Inside you still feel like the same person, but then you catch site of yourself as you pass by a mirror or in a store window, or even when you are backing up your car.

The startling feeling inside causes you to catch your breath. To wonder who that stranger is.

I always thought that I never gave my face much thought. I never wore make-up and always felt that a smile was my best feature. A window to my soul.

Had I lost all my teeth I could always get dentures, but the scars of the surgery have made me more than aware of the fact, (that I am slowly coming to terms with), that my best days (face wise) are behind me.

Oh I hope so much that this doctor looks at me and says he can make me at least pretty. Someone who can walk around in the world, without people staring with a startled look at me.

It happened again today as I shopped. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. I smiled and kept walking. I wonder, what do these people think? How can they be so cruel?

My one favor to ask of all of you out there, if you see someone like me walking around, smile at them! You will simply make their day!!!