The Dackel Princess

The Friday Five

Usually, I begin writing the Friday Five lamenting on how fast time is slipping by. This week I will start by saying that I am once again in the land of the living! After 4 weeks of illness, I am on the mend thanks to antibiotics, an inhaler and a cough pill that has helped me control the cough while my lungs got rid of the congestion. So without further ado, here is this week’s Friday Five.

Before going to the doctor I was fretting about Christmas. Gifts especially. So I sat down with my laptop computer and watched the deals and sales and found just the right things for everyone. Aside from one small gift, I am done with my shopping. I have missed going out and being immersed in Christmas music, but actually I think this is much healthier for me in the long run!
During my convalescence, certain things began to nag at me. Case in point, a kitchen cabinet hinge that was broken and the door was literally hanging there. It made me crazy. So since I was cruising Amazon.com, I went looking for our cabinet door hinge. And I found it! It arrived and the cabinet hinge was replaced and now once again, works correctly! Yes, I am proud of my do-it-yourself skills!
I refuse to go out to any store shopping right now. I have never really been a germaphobe, but being so sick for so long has me cringing in terror every time I hear someone cough or sneeze! So shopping online has been my thing.

My daughter’s back yard lighted tree in the snow they got last week. I borrowed her picture! Thanks, Mandy!
I have pretty much finished writing Christmas cards and now the biggest thing on my list is to wrap all the gifts that have been arriving via USPS and UPS. Fortunately, I am a Christmas Wrapping Paper hoarder, so all I need to do is sit down and wrap!
One good thing about shopping at Amazon is that I have gotten credits to use in the Music Download store. Can we all say Christmas Carols? I have been able to find my favorite songs by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and The Carpenters. And a few others as well. And because of these credits, the music has been free! Merry Christmas to me!

So gentle readers, I hope this weekend finds you enjoying the season and having a warm and wonderful time!

Heath & Happiness

On Wednesday I woke up feeling a little better! Thank you antibiotics! After breakfast, I grabbed a box in the attic and brought it down. Inside was our completely decorated and lit Christmas tree from last year. It’s only a small one, but the glowing lights make me feel happy!

I have an artificial wreath for the front door and that went up too. I won’t be doing a lot of decorating, but at least I have a few things up.

It’s nice to be feeling better, finally, and to see the beautiful lights from my tree.

Happy Thursday!

Not So Good News

Well, on Monday I was so ill that I broke down and drove myself to the doctor. Since I am worried about passing this along to Jack, I left him at home and drove myself.

The doctor did a full exam and Xrays and pronounced me a bit crazy to have stayed home sick for 4 weeks before getting in to see him.

The diagnosis is that although he’s sure it probably started as the flu, I now have Pneumonia. Yes, and a pretty bad case of it.

I was chastised and sent home with three prescriptions. An antibiotic, a pill for the cough, and an inhaler.

I was so exhausted after my trip out, that I came home and went almost immediately to bed.

I can tell all the medications are trying to work, but I am wiped out and coughing up a lung or two.

So, I will keep warm, keep drinking my tea and hopefully, I will be on my feet again soon. Meanwhile, almost all my Christmas shopping has been done online! I am really happy about that!

Happy 13th Birthday, Anneliese and Arnie!

Thirteen years ago, in the early morning hours, Greta went into labor. I was so excited to welcome her first litter of puppies, and I sat with her as she began the long journey to motherhood.

A few hours later, Arnie, Anneliese and three of their sisters made their debut.

This was the start of something neither Jack or I had ever experienced. Having two pups, brother and sister, from the moment of their birth, for their entire life.

It’s pretty amazing. Watching these two grow and emerge as two sweet, yet very different pups.

We knew we were keeping Anneliese. I loved the look of her and felt that she would carry on the Dackel Princess line, in her time. She had a great nose (scent wise), and such personality and spunk!

Arnie, who is so sweet, loving and laid back. Here he is at a month old. A handsome boy then and now.

Arnie was actually sold to a woman from New York State. On the day she was due to pick him up, she called and canceled as her life was falling apart. She explained it all to me on the phone. I listened and gently told her she needed this dog. But she said no.

Arnie was 12 weeks old and I was really crazy about him. So was Jack and so was our young neighbor Emily. He was due to leave on that Saturday and by Monday morning we knew that Arnie was staying with us.

Here they are the first year of their life together. Best friends always.

Below is a short montage of their life together, with us. I feel so blessed to have had these two pups in my life every single day of their life. In many ways, although Greta was their biological Mom, I have been their forever Mom all these years. And now that Greta has passed away, her children help me to not miss her too much.

They both are one of my life’s greatest blessings. The years of faithful love and companionship are truly priceless.

Christmas Past

Recently, I read a story a man had written where he fussed and fumed about his father never buying him any good Christmas gift. Well, I shook my head in disbelief.

You see, my Dad was a really busy man. He taught school 5 days a week, he taught piano after school to so many of the kids I went to school with. He also played the organ at the local Congregational Church, was the director of the Senior and Junior Choirs and also directed the Handbell Choir. Each year Dad directed a Christmas Carol sing on our town’s Village Green. Not to mention playing the organ for many weddings and funerals.

So each year Dad would go down to the local Pharmacy or 7/11 Grocery Store, whichever was open on Christmas morning and did his Christmas Shopping for us.

Here I am, at the age of 12, on Christmas Morning with the gifts that Dad got for me. Notecards, a horoscope book, hat and gloves, a little kitty and two dolls.

I wish I could sit down with that man who complained and tell him how lucky I feel that my Dad went out before I woke on Christmas to get these things for me. He did it every year. Sometimes I got life-saver candies, sometimes some Christmas candy. Sometimes chapsticks. Sometimes a teen magazine. But he shopped on his own and bought these things for me all by himself.

My Dad did the very best he could, all on his own, and I feel like I was pretty lucky!

Mom did the big shopping. And it was pretty good too. Mom also cooked the best Christmas breakfasts and Christmas dinners. She was a traditional Mum.

But all in all, looking back now, I think I was pretty blessed all around. I didn’t have to have my Dad buy me the world to show me that he loved me. His Christmas Day shopping sprees mean more to me now than he will ever know.

Score One For Me!

On Saturday I was keeping busy finishing up a few Christmas things, and I was planning dinner from early in the day.

Jack had purchased a wonderful roast beef and I decided to make a Herb Crusted Roast Beef. I’d found this recipe way back in 2006 and I’ve been cooking roasts like this ever since.

Well, I’m still moving slowly and I took care to follow the recipe exactly and I also tossed some potatoes in a roasting dish into the oven at the same time, and in the end, I had the perfect roast and fabulous roasted potatoes!

Well, not only did Jack and I enjoy the meal, but all three dogs were going crazy!

It made me feel good to have a cooking triumph after burning the taco’s the other day!

Chamomille Tea

On Thursday I decided to drown this darn cough. I started in the morning gargling saltwater and then began drinking copious amounts of Chamomille Tea with honey.

I woke on Friday feeling a little better and so I started the regimen again. Saltwater gargling, and then Chamomille Tea with honey. All-day long.

I think it must be working because I am finally starting to sound like myself.

I did a little laundry, and then vacuumed the kitchen. Then I began washing down countertops. I love Clorox Wipes that are Coconut scented.

I worked for a while, and then when I started to feel a little tired I sat down and drank another cup of tea.

So I am slowly getting back to the land of the living!

The Friday Five

I know I say this often, but where the heck is the time going? Here we are on the first Friday of December, we’ve had our first big snowstorm, and Christmas shopping has begun. AT least Cyber-Shopping for me! Crazy isn’t it? Well, here are this week’s Friday Five.

Although I am feeling so much better I have Laryngitis and still have a cough. I am so sick of not being 100%. There is so much I want to do and places I want to go! Be gone throat illness!
I am back to making most meals. even though I don’t have much of an appetite. I burnt the taco shells tonight, so something tells me my cooking skills are rusty!
I needed to go out today to get the mail and some groceries, and the two dachshunds wanted to go. Well it was chilly and they both acted cold, so I put their little sweaters on. Goodness, they looked adorable. They also enjoyed their car ride.
I have not seen the kids since my birthday due to this dratted flu! The last time I was down Savi came into my room in the morning and we had the nicest cuddle!
I can hardly wait to see Savi and Quinn again!
This weekend I really need to do some housework! It’s been a while since I ran the vacuum around and mopped a floor. I also need to disinfect every shelf I can. It sounds like fun! Not!

Have a great weekend everyone!

TBT: Grandchildren

Christmas is nearly here. It’s funny, but now I almost forget what the holidays were like before my grandchildren!

Here are Savannah and me. Savi was six months old.

Here is Quinn at his first Christmas. Nine months old and running all around!

It’s wonderful to watch them and celebrate with them and share in their joy! I really do love Christmas!

Being An Oma!

On Facebook, there has been a Meme to show photos of what it is like in the life of being a Grandmother/Nana/Oma.

I’ve enjoyed digging out pictures of me with the kids and posting them. One thing that sort of dawned on me was how much I enjoy playing with my grandchildren.

Sometimes we act silly and dress up. Sometimes we make funny faces and take pictures. Sometimes we just do goofy stuff. But always, when we are together we have fun.

My grandmothers were much older than me. They were already wearing old lady orthopedic shoes and one of my grandmothers died when I was in the third grade. Sadly, I have very few memories of her.

My other grandmother lived until I was 26, but she was fairly proper. Oh, I adored her, but I never would have asked her to play dolls or dress up with me. She was kind of beyond that.

So with Savi and Quinn, I try to just simply play with them. Make them laugh, or say silly things or make those silly faces.

Oh, what a blessing it is to me to have these two children! They make me smile and laugh and every day I am thankful.

I love being an Oma!