The Dackel Princess

The Weekend Wrap ~ May 17th

My weekend was a tough one. I was feeling rather emotional, and in the end, I was tired and actually needed to take a nap on Sunday. Here’s what was happening.

Arnie is still unwell. I will be calling his Vet tomorrow to see what we can do. Part of me is really panic-stricken because I’m afraid Arnie is nearing the end of his life. My boy. My last link to Greta and the Dackel Princess Puppies. My heart is breaking.

Taxes. I bugged Jack until the middle of last week and finally, he started the taxes. He needed me to do some typing for him. We finished them on Saturday, printed them on Sunday, and I will mail them, registered mail tomorrow. May I just say that Tax Season is very stressful for me each year because Jack always wants the one thing I have not saved! This year, I did have it all, but the struggle was real.

Our Apple Trees are blooming beautifully. I managed to snap a few pictures! They really are beautiful!

I was not in the mood to blow out my hair today, so I embraced my curls. They’re still there and actually made my hair prep easier.

The week is a busy one, and should Arnie need Vet care, I will be driving out to our Vet’s. Whatever he needs.

Have a great week ahead!

The Friday Five ~ May 14th

The week has flown by, but quite honestly, I am wiped out. Arnie has been sick and I have been back and forth to the Vets, and then worried sick about him. At fourteen and a half years old, even a sneeze elicits panic in my heart and soul! Anyway, here is my Friday Five!

I made the best ever Pot Roast for Jack. Thankfully there are leftovers for him to eat so I can stick to my plan.
I lost six pounds this week on WW. I am thrilled, but I also know I need to be careful as it comes back far too quickly!
I am planning an overnight with my grands very soon. Quite honestly, it can’t be soon enough. I sure have missed them!
I am not sure if I mentioned that my Insurance Carrier refused to pay for my facial surgery last October. They claimed it was cosmetic despite the fact that three tumors were removed. I appealed the decision with 23 pages of supporting documentation. I heard back, that after reviewing the documents and the pictures of the three tumors, they had decided to pay! Well, happy days are here again!
I had lunch with several of my WW Ladies on Wednesday. We have decided to make this a monthly thing. It was so nice to relax and just chat away!

So that’s it this week. Please keep Arnie in your prayers. He is such a good boy and honestly, I am not sure what I will do if he takes a turn for the worst!

Meanwhile, have a great weekend!

TBT: Newborn Arnie

December 10, 2006. The day that Arnie and his four sisters were born. Such a handsome boy then and now.

He was a big boy. And a very happy puppy.

Now he is all grown up, in fact, an old man. But still handsome, still very sweet!

Sixteen Years

I noticed today that it is now sixteen years since I started to write Dackel Princess. Where has the time gone? I recall thinking that only three or four people would ever read me, and those people were all related to me.

Here is the LINK to the first entry I made all those years ago

However, over the years I have met so many great people as they found my blog. It really has been a thrill!

It all started with Shubi and then Greta and Fritz. My original three all those years ago.

Shubi, Greta, & Fritz

Shubi was at the end of her time with us, and Greta and Fritz were puppies! Time sure does fly when one is having fun! And these three were so much fun!

Of course, soon Greta took a husband and she brought to us, Arnie & Anneliese. Fritz went to Rainbow Bridge and we got his niece, Lili.

Arnie, Anneliese, & Lili

Of course, Anneliese left us in January, but there is still a lot of doggy love in this house!

During this time I also became an Oma! That is the best yet! Two beautiful and very special people named Savannah and Quinn came into my life. They are the loves of my life, along with my wonderful daughter, Mandy.

So in 16 years, so much has changed, but the love continues and the joy of sharing my life with my family, friends, and my pets continues. Each day presents an opportunity to find something new in life!

So Happy 16th Blogoversary to me!

The Weekend Wrap ~ May 10th

Despite the fact that it was Mother’s Day on Sunday, I decided that this weekend was not going to be wasted. I had far too much to do, so I got up on Saturday and started laundry. I’d gotten waylayed during the week and so I had an awful lot to do to catch up.

I ran up and downstairs, hung some clothes out, and folded and actually put the clean clothes away.

I cooked some nice meals, and I ate my share of melon and strawberries. Plain, but quite delicious!

Flowers and an assortment of teas from India arrived from my daughter. What a splendid surprise! While smelling the beautiful flowers I spent time tasting different teas. So far, they are all wonderful, but the Darjeeling is my favorite!

My Baltimore Orioles are back and so beautiful as they gather at the feeders.

My Brown Thrasher and my Norther Flicker made an appearance.

So the weekend really was a nice one. Quiet but nice.

Mother’s Day

I’m often torn about how to celebrate Mother’s Day. Many of the happiest times in my life revolved around being a mother to my two girls.

Yet, for thirty-six years there is a part of me that grieves on Mother’s Day for the daughter I lost.

Katie

But, God is good! He sent two beautiful children to my older daughter, Mandy and the three of them just rock my world. I feel like I am the luckiest!

Life is funny you know. I thought that my life was over thirty-six years ago, and now I feel like I am on the grandest trip of all, along with Mandy and her family!

I see the world in a whole new way. Through the eyes of my grandchildren.

Although my love will never end for Katie, and I shall never forget her or the way she was when she was alive and in our lives, I have been able to move forward and live again myself.

So on this Mother’s Day, I celebrate my own motherhood, but more than this, I celebrate my daughter’s Mother’s Day.

Mandy is a wonderful, caring, and gentle mother. She listens to her kids and adores them and I admire her so very much!

So, Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers. Be you biological, adoptive, or step. Mothers and their love come in all shapes and sizes.

Honesty

Ah, so you haven’t heard from me about my “Healthy Eating Plan” for a while. So I thought I would write and tell you a little bit about what has been going on.

A lot of people tell me that they over-eat when they are happy or sad, celebrating, or grieving. But you know, I am not really like that. If life is going along well, I find eating what I should is easy for me. Mostly because I really enjoy all the “good” foods, like vegetables, fish and poultry.

My problem is when I am grieving. Then I find all I want to eat are sweets, carbs, and sugar!

I’d been doing pretty well until my birthday in November. That’s when I allowed sugar back into my life. Never a good thing. Christmas came and New Years’ too.

Then, in January, Anneliese became very ill and I knew her time with me was limited. Even before she left me, I was grieving for her.

The day arrived and I drove her out to our Vets for the last time. I was alone with her that one last time, and then I held her while she left me, and I drove home, alone.

My eating became erratic and before I knew it, things with my diet were not going well.

My friend passed away on April first and I was still drowning myself with food.

Did it help? Not really, but for those moments when I was eating there was almost a calmness that came over me. Or so I thought.

Then I sat myself down and had a long talk with myself. Was this accomplishing anything? Was it really making me “happy“, or was this making my depression even worse?

I went grocery shopping. I bought fruit, vegetables, some fish and some poultry. I also did not buy any item that was over 1-2 points. Mostly I stayed in the Produce and Meat Section of the store, but I did shop for some frozen vegetables. I especially enjoy the riced cauliflower.

I’ve had a constant conversation with myself this week. Who can make this “Healthy Eating Plan” work? ME! Who can sabotage my efforts with this Plan? Also me. So at 62, I decided it was time to stop playing emotional games with food and hold myself accountable for what I was eating and doing with my life.

I really want to do this, and the only way to do it is, to be honest with myself and work every day to make myself healthy and well!

The Friday Five ~ May 7th

This week was a fairly busy one, so as I sit here writing, I can’t quite believe it is already Friday! So, here goes!

‘Tis the season for Auto Inspections. We have two cars, so we made appointments to bring them in. Both passed with flying colors and now that job is done for the year.
It was Jack’s Birthday and food was eaten. Good food! Sinful food! So the day after I hopped back on the WW wagon, and I am really working at getting back into the program. It is so easy to fall off the wagon. And not so easy to get back on.
I am off to the Veterinarians this morning with Arnie. Poor guy is still not feeling well. So I will bring a urine sample in, and they will do a complete senior doggy exam, complete with a blood draw and CBC. At 14 1/2 years old I worry so much about him. Regular check-ups are a must.
I discovered a great recipe. It for WW Eggplant & Vegetable Pizza. For all of 1 point! I made it on Wednesday and it was so good! Since I had leftover veggies I decided to have it again today.
We are finally having sunny weather. Not that it is too warm, but it sure is nice to see the sunshine! And after all that rain, everything is very green and the grass will soon need to be mowed.

Have a wonderful weekend, Everyone!

TBT: Cape Cod Summer Memories

Summer Memories

I grew in Falmouth on Cape Cod and my summers were always full of sun, sea, and soft, cool, cotton sheets after a long day at the beach. My sister Melodie is in the back on the left. I’m the bold one in the blue bikini!

I swam almost before I could walk, dreamed of magical kingdoms, built in the sand, and lay on my towel watching the clouds drift by in the afternoon. I remember thinking that time went so slowly as I lay there, that things would always be like that.

I ran barefoot all summer long through the sweet grass, and the scent of lilacs and roses and the ocean were always there. (Or so it seemed)

The feel of salt on my skin, the taste of it on my lips, and the laughter in the air, as I climbed the jetties along the Surf Drive Beach.

Melodie on the left and me at home on Clipper Lane. When I didn’t walk to the beach, I rode my trusty Schwinn Bike all over town.

Fireflies, cookouts on the grill at Goodwill Park, with marshmallows too. My Uncle George, cousin, Janet, and Aunt Betty with Grandma Honey.

Telling stories in the dark, movies at the drive-in, and ice cream cones at Dairy Queen!

Pop cycles and root beer floats, fried clams and frozen Milkyway bars. Lobster and butter, and strawberry shortcakes at the church festival.

At the Clam Shack in Falmouth.

Sunshine and happiness, visiting with relatives who flocked to our house and the beach. Summers are full of some of the best memories in my life!

Birthday Dinners

Tuesday was Jack’s Birthday and I sat and prepared a great grocery list to support all that I would need to cook him a special meal.

Ribeye Steak, Butter and Wine Poached Lobster Tails, Baked Potatoes, and Corn on the Cob (the first out of Florida to hit our markets). For dessert, Layered Sponge Cake with Whipped Cream and Strawberries!

The cake!

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Well, the dinner came out awesome! I popped the Champagne cork and served the meal. What a great meal!

There are no pictures due to the fact that we all but inhaled the meal! But I was able to find a picture of the cake online!