Dackel Princess

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!)

TBT: Anneliese & Me

This was Anneliese’s first and only litter of puppies. They were born on April 26, 2009. Two boys and two girls. Anneliese was a great mother. Here we are in the little kiddie pool that was her whelping box!

Lili To The Rescue

I don’t often write about Lili. She is sort of one of the forgotten ones when it comes to stories from the home.

However, today Lili once again reminded us just why she is so remarkable and fabulous!

After alerting us yesterday to the Fire Department in our driveway due to our neighbor’s yardman having flipped his lawnmower and nearly starting a fire, I knew that Lili was on alert for all problems.

Today at lunchtime, I went out with the three dogs for their noontime walk. No sooner had we gotten outside than I saw Arnie run quickly to the left barking wildly! Lili followed and her stride can only be described as the full paced run of a greyhound on the track!

You see this mutt-dog from next door, who is about Lili’s size was heading straight for Arnie! Not in a friendly way either! Lili chased that dog right out of our yard!

Now Anneliese was barking, and Arnie was barking and Lili was pacing back and forth just daring that dog to come back in her yard! I was screaming at the dog to go home, and also calling my dogs to come here.

Anneliese was on a leash, so she was fine, and the dog did go home, and Lili came right back. Mr. Arnie was marking our lawn so the dog would know that this was his place! Then he also came in!

It’s sort of funny though. Lili is not a dog that strives to stand out. Yet, she is there for so many important moments. And in her way, she is the bravest, the most protective dog we have ever had.

The Wall

Our wall claimed another victim today. Let me explain.

A few years ago, Jack was recovering from surgery and we hired a young man to mow our lawn. He’d just gotten a new rider super mower and he was on our sidehill when he got too close to the edge and he flipped the mower over and actually landed right side up! No harm to him or his machine.

Two days ago, Jack came in because our rider mower was sliding down the hill and he thought he should use the Highlander to pull it back up. Since I am of sound mind and rather a large body, I suggested that I stand on the mower on the uphill side and lean. It was just the right amount of weight so that the wheels could dig in and we backed our mower uphill! Yay!

The sidehill in the winter.

Today, Lili started pacing and making a fuss. She just would not settle down. Then I heard that Beep, Beep, Beep of a large vehicle backing up. I sprung to my bedroom window and saw a firetruck backing up my driveway and a lawnmower looking like it was on fire!

Well, our neighbor’s yardman had flipped at the end of our wall and ended up jumping off the mower as it plunged into the drive!

Fortunately, no person or mower was damaged! But it happened again.

I’ve always hated that wall. It’s the same wall that Greta fell off of the last week of her life. and ever since we moved in here I have wanted a fence or something to keep me and the pups from going over. I think, in the end, it will be something I will not miss when I finally sell this place and move on.

Meanwhile, the Chipmunks and Squirrels love the wall and make their home there. Oh well, call me a naturalist for providing a home for the little animals!

The Weekend Wrap

It was a rather strange weekend. I actually got quite a bit done. Since we moved into this house we have had a row of boxes on the back wall of the garage. I started going through them!

I found clothing from long, long, ago. In fact, I have not worn these things in over 35 years! I remembered them, and some did not exactly bring back good memories.

Since I had not seen them, or used them, in all this time, I put them in a giant trash bag and off they went on Sunday to the Recycling Center!

I also found odds and ends from Jack’s mother’s house and I kept just a couple of things, but the majority also went to the Recycling Center!

Laundry was done, beds were changed and meals prepared. The usual day to day things.

On Saturday, as I sat eating my breakfast, I looked outside to the bird feeder and there sat the most beautiful male Cardinal I have ever seen! He sat there gazing in the window at me, and I reached for my cell phone to try for a picture, but Lili moved and off Mr. Cardinal flew!

Sunday morning, at breakfast, Mr. Baltimore Oriole came and he also sat nicely for a visit. I suspect he is the one in the picture above and below. He has been here all summer enjoying the goodies I put out for the birds.

This weekend also saw both Lili and Arnie snuggling up to me at every possible moment. Not together mind you, but it seems they are taking turns.

I’m still reading and enjoying my book. There are 405 pages to read in this hardcover book! But it is so well written and researched that I am still reading with joy!

Happy Monday!