Dackel Princess

The Wednesday Medley

We’re joining Terri at Your Friend From Florida

1. Let’s talk about film scores/songs. What is the first one that you thought about when you saw today’s subject?

The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Music.

Perhaps because I played Gretel in the Community Theater production as a child.

2. Do you remember the first movie you ever saw on the “big screen”? Would you tell us about it?

Goodness, I don’t really recall. I do remember seeing Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music early on in my life. I’m sure there were other’s but at the age of 60, the others seem insignificant.

3. Who is your favorite female movie star? Who is your favorite male movie star? Go ahead and list more than one if you must.

Favorite Female Movie Star: I loved Katherine Hepburn and Vivian Leigh. But I also love Meryl Streep. I swear that woman can do anything. I also enjoy, Diane Keaton and Allison Janney. For a Male Movie Star: Clint Eastwood and Jack Nicholson. Others I like are Tom Hanks and Matt Damon. There is a long list on both sides, really.

4. How about those old black & white movies! Which one do you always stop and watch, even just a little, when channel surfing?

It’s A Wonderful Life.

5. Is there a movie quote that makes you laugh or one that you repeat often in life that you can share with us? Will, we know what movie it comes from without you telling us?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! And I sing the rest of the quoted song!

6. Please share something random about your week with us.

Off to see my granddaughter!

It’s All In The Family

I started looking at family pictures recently and when I saw this picture of my Grandfather Prussman’s sister, Katchen, I was blown away at the family resemblance with both my mother and me.

This is Katchen at about 4-5 years old. She had chestnut brown hair and big brown eyes. She was Papa’s baby sister and he adored her. She was born in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany, came to Boston as a child, married and tragically died in the Influenza Epidemic of 1918.

This is my Mom. Light brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a simple and sweet expression. Much like her Aunt Katchen. Mom was a shy woman, although many people would disagree with this. She volunteered for everything and she tried very hard to make people happy with her cooking and her way of welcoming people into her home.

And this is me. Lighter brown hair, and dark brown eyes. Papa often mentioned his sister Katchen to me, telling me that I had chocolate brown eyes just like his sister, and Grandma Honey remarked that I looked very much like her. I never thought about this until I held the three pictures together and I saw the familial link.

Since I never met Katchen I can only wonder about what she was like. She was best friends with my grandmother and very close until Katchen’s rather untimely death. I imagine that Katchen must have been a lot of fun since Grandma was.

Monday Morning

I woke up this morning, listening to the whistling wind. I also felt cold as I lay in bed under my sheets, blankets, and comforter! Brrrrr!

I took a deep breath, and then I got out of bed, put on my slippers and a robe, and headed to the door. I admit I was dreading opening the door because the last two morning, Lili had been sick and I’d had to deal with poop before my first cup of coffee.

Today, I slowly opened the door to find a very happy Lili, no poop and after walking the dogs briefly in the 26 degrees, snowy weather, I had my first cup of coffee!

Now, I mention the icy cold temperatures, and snow, because this seems to be Mother Natures, April Fools Day joke on us! I mean, really, April 1st and winter weather? Ugh!

I’ve been having some computer issues, and this one is beyond me. I used to not worry, and just call a great guy and computer magician, Brad, but he has gone onto bigger and better things. So, today, I will have to call a new person and arrange a housecall. Ugh!

Otherwise, it’s just another Monday morning! Have a great day!

A Word Or Two…

Back in 2005, I started to write Dackel Princess. When I started to write, I think I did it because everyone else was doing it. I wanted to join in.

I never thought, in my wildest dreams that fourteen years later I would still be writing.

For many years I wrote about the dogs, the puppies, and the recipes I loved the most.

Shubi, the original Dackel Princess and me in 2005.

Then, I started to write about my life. My grandchildren, my feelings about everything under the sun, and not only the wonders of life, but of the struggles too

Most of my Blog friends from fourteen years ago have long since stopped writing. And yet I go on. Mostly because I still feel I have things to share.

I realized that I had a lot to say about many different things. My loves, my life, my fears, and my happiness. And fourteen years later, I have a nearly complete journal of these years of my life.

I read that Queen Victoria wrote diaries and journals throughout her life, filling 122 volumes. It is estimated that she wrote over two thousand words a day!

I will never reach that lofty level, but I do like to sit down and write about the world according to “The Dackel Princess.”

The Joys Of Owning A Dog!

Being a pet owner is mostly a joyous and wonderful thing. However, there are mornings when I wake up and the first thing I must deal with is, what I’d like to term a doggy disaster!

So it was today, when I got up, opened my bedroom door, and was assaulted with the smell that every owner dreads. Poop!

Apparently, Lili was ill in the night. I am so careful what I feed her, but she must have gotten into something that did not agree with her because there was poop on the rug near my door. There was poop on the rug near the outside door. There was poop in the hallway, and poop on the kitchen floor.

It was one giant (Think German Shepherd size!), mess!

So, I went around getting up everything I could with paper towels, I washed down the places I could with a mop, and then took the throw rug to the basement and tossed it into the wash.

When I came back upstairs I got out the carpet cleaner, made especially for dog messes (yes, they make these), and I cleaned the carpet by my bedroom door.

I did all this before coffee!

After I had everything washed and cleaned, I sat down at the computer to write about all of this, and for some reason, that I still cannot fathom, my computer did not instantly connect to my Wifi and I had to go through a repair process.

Seriously, I was tempted to say the heck with it all and go back to bed!

After that, I finally had my first cup of coffee.

A Beautiful Day

Yesterday Jack and I had appointments at the VA. Nothing wildly important, just the usual.

The great part of that was that we got to go out for a ride on a beautiful sunny day! The sky was blue, the temperatures had warmed to the mid-fifties and there was no wind. I mean, it was just one of those glorious Spring days that we all live for during the bitter cold, winter months up here.

There was a lot of snow-melt in the yard and I think we are down to about a foot of icy snow. However, we do have a few places that have melted down to the bare ground!

When I was out with the dogs, I could see places where the wild turkeys had dropped ornamental apples that freeze on the trees during the winter but provide great food for them in both the Fall and the Spring.

I could also hear the songs of the returning birds from the South. As we live in a densely wooded area, we have quite the harmonious tunes of bird song.

I Feel Sick!

On Tuesday life was going pretty well. I got up, made coffee, drank several cups and proceeded to start a project of catching up on my filing.

All was going well until about 11:45 AM when I started to feel ill. At first, it was nothing much, but within an hour I was in terrible pain. I thought it was a UTI and all I needed was antibiotics. In fact, I have some leftovers and I almost self-medicated, but I held off.

Good thing. As the day wore on I felt worse and worse. E-gads! I wondered if I had a kidney stone. Honestly, I felt like I was giving birth to a Rhinoceros!

We got a test to see if I had a UTI, and yes I did. So, I decided I would go to the Walk-in Clinic on Wednesday morning before WW. And it’s a good thing I did.

I was up bright and early on Wednesday, went to the walk-in and was their first patient of the day.

It turned out I have a UTI that had backed up to the kidneys. Talk about pain.

So, they started me with a very strong antibiotic and sent me home with orders to drink, rest and drink some more! And not adult beverages either.

I’m resting, drinking, and taking my medication and I hope I will get well quickly. I really hate being sick!

Spring Is On The Way!

Today was an interesting day for me. I woke to bright sunshine, no clouds in the sky and despite it remaining cool, this sparkling day reminded me that Spring is on its the way.

When I was outside with the dogs, I could hear birds singing, which means that some of them have returned from their winter in the South.

Oh yes, we still have snow in the yard. About a foot or so in most places, and yet 2-4 feet where the snow was pushed into snowbanks.

Our Lake is still frozen, but the news reported that Fish & Game wants all the Bob Houses off the lakes by this weekend. There are many places around the area, where they have had ice outs and open water.

But real Spring is right around the corner and I can hardly wait!

It’s Mud Season!

We have many seasons here in New Hampshire. We just entered another one. I guess you could call it Pre-Spring or Mud Season.

We still have two feet of snow in our yard, but there are places where melting snow and streams have caused the dreaded mud puddles!

And Miss Lili, all 80 pounds of fluffy whiteness, went out and rolled and frolicked in it today. She came back to the house after being out in the yard with Jack and she was COVERED!

What’s a doggy Mama to do?

Well, I went down to our basement where we have a hose and a floor drain in our garage, and I hosed down the dog! She dislikes this so much, but somehow today, she knew she had messed up and didn’t fuss too much. OMG!

Weekend Wrap

Well, this weekend sped by and I was busy cleaning and cooking. The usual 60-year-old housewife stuff. But I’m glad the laundry is done, the beef stew is made and the Greek Salad dressing is done.

I watched Savannah in her play, “Jungle Book Kids” and got to have lunch with my family. All fun!

Savi in the play.

Savannah and her two grandmothers!

Me and my girl!

Savannah was great in her play and we all enjoyed watching her.

Our weather was splendid. Lots of sunshine and warmer temperatures! Yay! Finally a little taste of Spring!

Happy Monday!