The Dackel Princess

This & That

It was incredibly hot and humid today. The kind of day that one expects thunderstorms, or should I say one hopes for them. We had many things to do today and by late afternoon I felt like a wet dishrag.

In the morning I was doing some cooking and prep work. I’m glad I did that because tonight I am too tired to cook, so we are having repurposed food!

Anneliese’s eye is doing so much better. Not that she is out of the woods, but I am thinking that some healing has taken place. She seems happier and in less pain.

By the end of the day, a migraine had found its way into my head. All I wanted was the coolness of the air conditioning and some quiet.

I found out today that I actually have two Downy Woodpeckers! They’re my favorite. Anyway, one was in the back yard and one in the front yard at the feeders! I am so lucky!

They are so small and beautiful. I could watch them for hours!

Lobster Fest 2019

Today my cousins Janet and Larry, and Janet’s husband Dave came up for our annual Lobster Fest. They stopped to pick up the Lobster, steamers and corn all fresh from the sea and the garden, on their way up here and they arrived by 10 o’clock.

I’d been cleaning and puttering all morning and I’d managed to set the table, put out the dishes and I got the pots we would need too.

The Lobsters before being cooked!

When Dave and I unpacked the loot, we worked together deciding which lobsters to cook in which pot and when and where to cook the corn and steamers. For those who do not know, Steamers are Clams.

My cousin Janet took this picture of Dave and me after we put everything we had cooked on the table!

Dave and I cook so well together. Since we had 5 pots that all needed full flame on the burners, we did a bit of juggling and in about 40 minutes (By this time it was about 12:45) we served up the luncheon. If anyone left here feeling hungry, it was their own fault.

I took this one of my plate.

We each had a two-pound Lobster, Corn on the Cob, Steamers, and Potato Salad. I never really appreciated the size of a two-pound Lobster until I found myself unable to finish mine!

Janet took this picture of her two-pound Lobster! Just look at that sucker!

I cleaned the rest of my Lobster, and the rest of Jack’s Lobster and we have enough for a nice meal tomorrow. I really must be getting old if I am unable to finish my Lobster!

My homemade potato salad with eggs. A real hit today!

One really great thing about cooking the meal with Dave was that at the end of the meal, Janet washed all the cooking pots. I managed to get all the other dishes into the dishwasher, but all those pots! She made quick work of them, and she told me that she really likes washing dishes. I’m thankful. At this point in the day, I was getting pretty tired.

So Lobster Fest 2019 is over and a success! I love eating Lobster, but more than that, I love getting together with my family! Thanks, Janet, Dave, and Larry!

Around the House

On Saturday the driveway man came to add more stone and ledge pack to the upper part of the driveway. The nice man worked half the day yesterday and all day today getting the driveway just right.

The lower portion of the drive is paved, but the upper portion was not done due to frost heave possibilities and in the winter tar would ice up badly, where ledge pack (compressed dirt) gives you a better surface.

The last time we had this done was 2008. So actually the surface lasted a long time. Then, like everywhere in New Hampshire, we grew a boulder in our driveway. Below you will see Lili standing next to it. It’s amazingly huge! But as I have said before, we grow ’em big here in New Hampshire!

As you can see, that is one big rock! I also want to brag a little about Lili. As we walked up our 500-foot driveway, she was barking at a neighborhood dog (who was on a lead) I called to Lili, telling her to “Come Here” and shock up shock, she came right to my side! That is something new. How it happened I am not sure. Perhaps she finally understands what I am saying.

When I got back to the house I remembered talking about our rather dangerous wall and the drop. Below is a picture I took. Once again Lili is my model.

I’m still watching Downton Abbey and loving every minute. I was speaking to my sister today and I mentioned how much our mother would have loved this. Our grandmother too. So when I watch, I pretend they are watching with me.

The Friday Five

Well, here we are again. The end of another week! This week seemed to fly by. Between Anneliese and traveling around, it appeared I did not have enough time to get things completed as I went through the days.

But I did get many things done and so here is this weeks list of the most memorable moments.

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Anneliese has definitely taken up a lot of my time this week. Today she seems more comfortable. I got all her little dog bedding together and washed it all up. As soon as I put it all back together, she hopped right in!
I went to WW Class this week on Wednesday morning. I knew I had done well, but I was really surprised by the three and a half-pound weight loss! Let’s just say, Yay for me!
I found three thick cutworms on my tomato plant. Yesterday my plant was beautiful, today I noticed that the plant was severely defoliated!
After much searching there they were! Three big, fat, ugly cutworms! Tomato worms (A.K.A. cutworms) love to snack on tomatoes and tomato plants! Tomato worms, or more specifically cutworms, gobble up stems of tomato seedlings. They work mostly at night to do their damage.
Yesterday I decided to go through Jack’s closet. You see he had more shoes than Imelda Marcos, and since he can no longer wear any of them due to his toe amputation, it was time to get rid of them. We have almost new shoes that I will bring to St. Vincent to donate and then there are two bags to go to the recycling center. But it is wonderful to be able to step into his closet again!
It’s Lobster Fest this weekend! My cousin Janet, her husband Dave and my other cousin, and Janet’s brother, Larry will be coming up for our annual feast! I can hardly wait!!!

I’m still binge-watching Downton Abbey and enjoying every moment! I want to be all ready for when the movie comes out this fall. What a great show!

A Scary Event

Well, we brought Anneliese into the Canine Ophthalmologist and her right eye is actually worse than her left eye. She is in a precarious state with these Corneal Ulcers, but I will give her the ointment for her eyes and keep her as quiet as I can. And hopefully, we will have some healing.

The ride home waws rather eventful, as we had a road rage incident with a burly truck driver.

We were in a line of traffic on Route 11. The truck in front of us was bothering Jack because he couldn’t see, and all he wanted to do was pass and get by him.

Bad idea.

Finally, he started to pass and I told him not to because on the other side of the road the traffic was closing in fast, and the truck driver sped up and came on the passenger side of the car trying to almost push us into oncoming traffic.

This is an example of the truck that nearly ended our lives today!

I could see the truck driver’s angry face. I was scared and screaming. I felt I was going to die.

Somehow we made it into our lane, and disaster was averted. But the truck followed us all the way from Rochester until Alton.

A police car started following us and so at a scenic pull-off, we pulled off. That’s when the trucker pulled in, tried to block us into the pull off. The trucker jumped out of his truck and came toward our car! I told Jack not to open the window or get out of the car. I told him to drive away.

The trucker smashed his fist on the driver’s side window and windshield! (It did not break, thank God!) I was screaming again.

He followed us for a long time and I was telling Jack that if he followed us to Meredith, we needed to drive to the Police Station. But the truck did pull off.
I am feeling terrified. I am so scared this trucker will look up our plate number and find our address.

This guy was furious and a maniac!!!

I went to the New Hampshire State site and looked up the Law for this incident. It clearly stated that the truck driver was at fault. In the Law, it says, if a car starts to pass you, you are to back off and pull closer to the right side of the road to make the pass easier for the passing car.

And then to follow us and try to destroy the glass windows on our car, well, that is under the heading of road rage.

The truck was a simple yellow boxed van truck and I couldn’t make out the license plate. Oh, how I wish I had!

So by the time we got home, I was feeling pretty stressed out. I did have a chance to make dinner and clean it up before collapsing in my chair with Arnie and watching another episode of Downton Abbey.

This & That

Tuesday found me racing all around. I had Anneliese to the local Vet, and that was a good visit. Anneliese does have an infection, but she also has problems in her ‘good’ eye which will require us to bring her to the Canine Ophthalmologist. This we will do today.

I had also found some lumps on Anneliese’s body and I was concerned. Once again, my wonderful Vet talked with me and I was able to accept the fact that at this time in Anneliese’s life, we are doing things to keep her comfortable.

She is not gaining weight, despite the fact that I am feeding her twice a day, a little more than I was. She also gets treats whenever. She is living her best life now! With nothing held back for a rainy day.

It’s sort of funny that by being with my friend in her last days on this earth, she taught me how to accept the things that I cannot change, and to bring happiness to a situation, where one could get bogged down quite easily with the negative.

Anneliese has no idea that she is unwell. Yes, her eyes are a concern, and we will get her diagnosed and get her medication so that she feels no pain. I already walk her on a leash for the most part, but we also take her out and let her run in the yard. Yes, enjoying and living her best life.

I was talking with a woman at the Vet’s office today. She was asking about Anneliese and how long I had had her. I smiled and said, “All of her life.”

Birth.

For the moment she drew breath, I was there loving her. I saw her eyes open, I saw her first steps, and I was there for her litter of puppies.

Me with baby Anneliese. She was 3 months old.

How blessed I have been. Twelve and a half years. And if I am very lucky, I will have even more time with this very special little girl.

Anneliese’s Eye

I usually write Dackel Princess in the evening, the night before posting. But last night I was so upset and worried about Anneliese that I could not write. Her good eye seems to have a problem. And I am scared to death that she may lose that eye altogether.

This morning she really is no better and I will have to take her into the Vet and have the eye looked at. I will start locally and then bring her to the specialist if it is anything more than an infection. (Which I am pretty sure it is).

I just wonder at times, why this sweet little girl has had to meet so many challenges in her life. Somehow it just doesn’t seem fair to me.

Please keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer for Anneliese and her wellbeing.

The Weekend Wrap August 11, 2019

I was fairly busy over the weekend. I saw so many of my dearest loved ones, but I also found myself driving all over the State of New Hampshire to accomplish all this.

Usually, I do not mind driving around, and actually, the road conditions have improved and the weather was beautiful, but I passed by a fatal accident and that was upsetting.

I had a wonderful time with my sister and cousins as we celebrated my cousin, Rikki’s marriage to her Joe. What a wonderful man he is. I sat across from him at the luncheon and we talked and talked. I immediately felt very comfortable with him.

We all agreed that this was so much fun and we need to arrange these get-togethers more often.

Bottom Row: Joe, Rikki, Janet, & her husband, Dave. Top Row: Me, my sister, Melodie, and her husband Ron.

After the luncheon, I was off to my daughter’s home to babysit the children +1. Savi had a friend over for the night. This was great and we had a lot of fun!

Savannah!

I read stories to the kids, as well as poetry from a book that my Mom used to read to me. Savannah really enjoyed that. She told me how much she liked the poems and the sound of my voice while I read them.

Quinn and Freya!

Savi and Sydney watching a children’s movie!

I drove home early on Sunday and spent the day spoiling Jack and the pups. They all had missed me, which was very nice.

After lunch, I continued my binge-watching of Downton Abbey. I just love this show! How am I the only person in the world who missed it when it was on PBS? Well, it is nice to binge-watch as I can go at my own speed.

So the weekend is over and I am happy and tired. It will be an early bedtime for sure!

The Buck Stops Here

Or in my case the cookie!

Since things have been busy this summer, I have found it really difficult to stay on a healthy eating plan.

I got a rude awakening at WW Class on Wednesday and I decided that I am not happy where I am weight-wise, so it’s time to take control and get back on track.

If you have never had a weight problem I think it would be hard to understand. I find it hard to cut back and avoid the foods that bring me joy. (Like Fresh Whole Belly Clams, fried in a delicious batter!) I know, however, that this is what I must do.

Being over sixty now is also a challenge to weight loss. It just doesn’t come off the way it once did!

I hate to be counting points every time I put something in my mouth, but honestly, it’s the only way I am going to conquer this!

I’m also an emotional eater. If something upsets me or I start feeling depressed, I find myself reaching for a cookie, chips, chocolate, etc.

Obviously, that is the wrong thing to do and it has only increased my unhappiness as I have watched the numbers on the scale go up and up!

So it’s back to writing everything down and trying to get a handle on my weight. Oh, to be 16 again, when I could miss a few meals and get back to the weight where my clothes fit!

Like that is going to happen! Ha!

The Friday Five!

Here we are, at the end of another week. It’s been a good one with many positive things happening. So, here we go.

This week I went back to the doctor who evaluated my neck and shoulder problems and sent me to PT. He is really pleased with my progress and wants me to continue with PT for a few more months. I am so encouraged. I am feeling better and moving better too!
Our EZ Pass transmitters were dying. Well, one was quite literally dead and the other was close. It had been close to 20 years since we got them. The old office was in a trailer off the highway. The new office was out by Concord Airport. And the office was quite nice. I am thankful for WAZE. I never would have found the office without it!
I watched a really good movie today. It is called “Still Mine”.
It’s about an elderly couple fighting against local authorities in rural New Brunswick, Canada to build their final home. James Cromwell, and Geneviève Bujold star in it. This movie has such heart and soul to it. Put it on your must-see list. You will not be sorry.
I went to WW Class on Wednesday with renewed determination. I’ve really been struggling this summer, but today, I managed to grocery shop and when I was overcome with hunger, I bit into a wonderful Honeycrisp Apple! I truly savored every bite!
I will be seeing my sister and our closest cousins on Saturday. We do not come from a large family so there are just five of us left and I am hoping this will be the first of many get-togethers. Saturday we are celebrating my cousin Erica’s marriage to her Joe! We’re all so happy for them!

So that is the week that was. Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy your summer! (Or winter if you are down-under!)