Dackel Princess

Laughter in the Rain

Like so many summer days here in New England, our day started with sunshine and bright blue skies. But rather quickly, about 1 o’clock, the skies grew dark, the wind picked up and we had drenching rains. For about ten minutes! Then the sun shone and life was good.

I recalled growing up on Cape Cod. That type of weather was very common in the summer.

I remember being on the beach, with the sun shining, and all of a sudden a brief downpour would come. Tourists would be yelling and scrambling for their cars, grabbing their beach chairs and coolers, and I recall sitting there, in the rain, watching it all go by me.

I recall the song by Neil Sedaka, Laughter in the Rain, and thinking that this is how I felt, most of the time when caught in the summer rain. No worries, no cares. Just happiness in the warmth of the rain.

I wonder now, all these years later, why I lost that wonderful sense of adventure. When a summer rainstorm didn’t thrill me anymore? And I cannot recall.

All I know is, at sixty years old, I am so glad to have discovered summer rainstorms once again.

Oh, how I love the rainy days and the happy way I feel inside!

(Sorry Neil, I had to steal that wonderful phrase!)

Orange Coffee

Did you ever have one of those mornings when, despite sleeping well and heavily, you only half wake up?

Such was the case for me this morning. I was still groggy as I got out of bed, and walked to the kitchen and turned on the coffee maker, as I always do. The dogs were in a hurry to get out, so I systematically let each one out as I do each day.

I came in, filled the suet feeders for the birds, and Lili and I went back out to hang them. All was going well.

I came back in, gave the dogs their breakfasts, cleaned up the bird seed mess on the counter, and then, as I listened to the beeps on the coffee maker telling me that the coffee was ready, I went over and pulled out my coffee mug.

I added my Splenda and poured the coffee into my cup. Mmmmm! I went over to the fridge and pulled out my creamer and went back to my mug and started to pour.

Orange!

Oh, My, God! Orange Juice! Only a few drops went in. But what a screw-up! I had three choices. Drink my coffee with the slight addition of the orange juice, dump the coffee and start again, or add a little cream, with the orange juice, and suck it up and drink it.

Since I have been married to the cheapest Scotsman on Earth for 31 years, I have also become, ah, thrifty! I opted for the last one. Why waste a perfectly good cup of coffee over a little bit of orange juice?

Well, I grimaced and groaned and then took a sip. Oh sheesh, I really should dump it, I thought, but ah well, I can get through one cup!

I did make it, but the residual problem I encountered is not worth it. Somehow the orange taste hasn’t left my mouth despite two more cups of perfectly made coffee.

So, this is how I started my Saturday morning. Walking the dogs, feeding the birds and drinking orange coffee!

The Friday Five

This week seemed to go by very fast. I’ve been amazingly productive and I have found so much joy this week, I am all smiles! So here goes with this weeks list!

I think one of the best things was spending part of Tuesday with my grandchildren, and going out to dinner with Mandy, Matt, and both kids. It was Savannah’s last day of First Grade and so we celebrated her accomplishment! She did so well in her first year of Public School, and I am so proud of her!
Little Quinn had an accident and fell and sliced his head open. Apparently, it was quite a bloody mess, and he wore his stitch and band-aide as a badge of courage! He is one tough cookie.
I had my first Physical Therapy Session and begin actual treatment next week. I expect to be slightly the worse for wear during the initial stages, but I am excited by the prospect of getting the pain under control.
My Bird Feeders are providing me with such joy. I even got my windows clean and sparkling so I can take a picture and also see out clearly.
A tiny Downey Woodpecker at the feeder.
Despite the fact that I promised no more gardens, I have some patio pots with tomatoes, peppers, basil, rosemary, and thyme that I am growing. Nothing too much, just a small number and just right.

So that’s my week and what a nice week it was. Enjoy your weekend one and all!

It’s All About…

In the last few weeks, I have been thinking a lot about the whole weight loss journey that I have been on for the better part of eleven years. I have had times when I found great success, but it cost me a great deal as far as what I wanted to eat and what I could. Like a petulant child, I wanted what I wanted and points be damned.

However, very recently, I started to look inward at the long term effects of being overweight, at the kinds of food I was putting into my body, and how I could achieve a healthier weight, without missing out on the things I like and enjoy.

It’s called balance.

So, I memorized the zero point foods and I stopped counting points. I mean, I knew how many points I could have in a day, but I tried to plan, enjoy and live with the foods I loved.

Of course, this made me look at my food preparation, what things to eat, and how I could balance the foods in my life.

Diced chicken sauteed with onions, peppers, and mushrooms, served with riced cauliflower with peas and carrots!

Fruits and vegetables have become good friends! Fish and Chicken are in my fridge and freezer, awaiting preparation.

Sauteed zucchini, summer squash, onions, peppers, and mushrooms, with a piece of broiled swordfish.

Every day, I have considered what I wanted to accomplish. If I feel hungry, I drink. I know what I am eating has filled me up, so it isn’t real hunger, but just casual, mindless, eating.

I’m doing well. I’m doing better than expected. And I feel very relaxed about it all. I like the direction this new attitude is taking me.

I feel no pressure to count points, and I also do not feel under pressure to lose X Pounds by X Month. It’s slow and steady and I do not feel anxious about it all.

This is the first positive freedom I have felt about my weight ever. I have been so hung up on either losing or gaining that I was coming to really hate my body. Oh, how cruel we can be to ourselves.

So, this new attitude, has me happy and smiling and enjoying life! And loving my body once again.

So remember, in the end, it’s all about balance and loving your imperfect self!

My Life Right Now

After a couple of years, I finally am enrolled in a good physical therapy program to treat my neck and shoulder pain, which is a continuing problem since my spinal surgery. For all this time, I just thought I could cope. You know, the good old stiff upper lip!

However, I gave up earlier this year and asked for help. I went through x-rays, doctors appointments, and today was my Physical Therapy Evaluation. I was twisted and turned and measured and bent and a plan of action have been laid out. I am hopeful for the first time in a very long time.

I go back in one week to begin the treatments and then we will go from there.

Meanwhile, the birds are feasting and my new Bird Book arrived. I am just thrilled with my new hobby!

Glimpses of Spring

I think this has to be one of the wettest Springs I can recall. In any case, flowering shrubs are finally blossoming, and so I went out and took this picture of our home. One Snowball Bush isn’t quite as healthy as the other, but otherwise, it’s not looking too bad out there.

The Azalias and Snowball Bushes are simply lovely to look at, and I clipped some Lilacs to bring inside.

I am truly amazed at the number of birds looking for a free meal in my yard! And I am in Heaven. I must admit to having a big grin on my face as I watch them out the windows.

I have even ordered a Bird Book identifying the back yard birds of New Hampshire and Vermont. It is written by a man who takes all his own pictures. I will let you know how it is once it arrives.

Anneliese has worried me for a few days as she been fussing and not happy. I’ve been worried. But today she is like her old self. Perhaps she missed me a lot and was just making me pay for my time away from her.

Have a great week!

Feed The Birds

After rescuing the cute Woodpecker earlier this Spring, I noticed during a shopping trip to an Odds & Ends Store Bird Suet and Woodpecker Suet Treats. Well, that got me started and I bought two to bring home and put out for my ever-growing list of birds.

When we first moved in here I had started to feed the birds, until they began cleaning off our fruit trees. Then I thought they could fend for themselves, as they appeared to be doing very well indeed!

But now, we are no longer working the trees and well, the poor things might go hungry! (Not!) So out my Shepherds Staff Poles, and onto them, the suet treats.

Not the best picture, but that is Woddy hanging on to taste the suet treat! I blame the lack of clarity on the window screen!

At first, not one bird noticed them, but by late afternoon we had quite a few. At dusk, I will need to bring them in for the night so Mrs. Bear does not stop by, and then return them in the morning. I am so into this art of nature. I wish I could say the same for Jack, but he could really care less.

Ah well, I am doing this for me. Well, for me and the birds.

Happy Sunday!

Life’s Adventures

Coming home found me doing all the things that had not gotten done in my absence. I spent the day doing laundry, hanging it out to dry and going to the grocery store.

The weather was lovely and surprisingly, the traffic was not too bad. It’s actually Motorcycle week here, but I suspect the beautiful weather had the motorcyclists were all down at Weirs Beach or at some other lakeside venue.

It felt good to be home again, and Jack teased that I seemed happier. I told him that a week away had recharged my batteries! Just what the doctor ordered.

Certainly, all the dogs are happy with my return. As I wandered from room to room cleaning and changing sheets, I had three little beings following me! Here is Mr. Arnie and I all cuddled up!

I desperately need a manicure, but I think I will have to do it myself. My nails are so long (I cannot believe I wrote that!), and I need to shorten them before I break them working around the house!

Happy Thursday!

The Friday Five

The start of the week found me at the beach, and the end of the week found me at home. In between, I filled my days with lots of good stuff.

I’m so lucky that despite a sprained ankle, I did a lot on vacation. I managed to get to see my elderly cousin and have lunch with her. Her health has not been good, so this was a very nice visit that we had!
I got to eat lunch on the beach in the rain! Now trust me, there were people that ran inside when the raindrops fell, but it was 90 degrees and the gentle rain felt nice on my skin.
Forget any sort of good hair pictures during my trip. It was over 90 degrees Fahrenheit each day, with 70+% humidity. I looked like Bozo the clown! It matters not. It was nice and relaxing and I had a great time.
Beware of Seatmates on Airplanes who are facing Federal charges for crimes we all know he committed. I was so surprised to see this man and tried to sneak a selfie, but alas, I was not able to.
How wonderful to have doggies that missed me and welcomed me home! I sure missed them and I know they missed me.

Thinking of Katie

11/8/78 – 6/19/85

I had a lovely daughter, named Kathleen “Katie” Alynne. She was my youngest daughter and quite amazing. She was six and a half when an impaired (stoned) driver, hit my car and killed her. She actually lived until June 19th, but she never regained consciousness after they pulled her from the car. So in my mind and my heart, the 13th is the day that she left us.

You never get over losing a child. But you learn to go on, and to make a new life for yourself. But on days like today, I like to remind everyone that once long ago, lived a beautiful little girl named Katie!

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This is so beautiful. I was crying by the second line, Written by Henry Scott Holland (27 January 1847 – 17 March 1918) was Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford.

I miss you each day, Katie.