Dackel Princess

Fall Back For Fun!

Sunday was a fun day! I do not usually say that on the Sundays after the clocks change, but today was different.

I woke up at 6 AM which was actually 7 AM. I turned on the coffee, and then I grabbed my robe, hat, gloves, and coat, and walked the dogs. It was still pretty windy, and now the cold had set in. 27 degrees! Brrrrrr!

I got myself cleaned up, did my hair, put on a little make-up and was out of the house by 7:45.

I had to stop and tank up the Highlander, and then I proceeded to pretty much fly down the road to South Nashua where the closest Trader Joe’s is. I wanted to get there first because I was looking for a certain item, and last year they sold out the first few days of November.

As soon as I got into the store I went right to the area where they keep the item I was interested in. I turned the corner, and there it was!

They had three boxes of Stollen with Marzipan (a personal favorite from childhood!) and I quickly snached all three of them. I saw the manager and asked him if there were more. He told me that the Stollen came in on November first and those were the last three boxes!

I recall last year I went in around Thanksgiving and they were sold out. I’d decided that since I was going to be in the area…and a good thing I was. Not only did I get what I wanted, but the sale price was perfect too! I’m still floating on clouds!

Next, I went to find the Nurnberger Lebkuchen. I love these. Many people like sugar cookies at Christmas. Not me. I was raised eating these German delights! Aunt Hedwig made them, Grandma made them and so did Mom, although these weren’t her favorites.

When I checked out of the store I was walking on air. All these things are packaged to remain fresh until Christmas and I am so very happy!

Next, I drove over to the LL Bean Outlet. I’d hoped to find something for me, but there was nothing. However, they did have two beautiful shirts for Jack. So, I bought them for him!

After that, I stopped at a place called The Christmas Tree Shop and I purchased napkins for the Thanksgiving table. They are cute with a spray of Thanksgiving flowers on them and a turkey. A little hokey, I know, but they are nicely made and will be pretty on the table.

About 11:30 I started to feel very hungry and I looked around for something to eat. I saw a Chinese Buffet and so my car steered me into that. It was an amazing place with an abundance of food. They had 10 steam tables with food. Honestly, it anyone left there hungry it was their own fault.

After that, I drove over to the High School where they were having the Play. The place was huge! I looked around trying to decide where I should park. Needless to say, I parked in a really bad spot and walked a lot to get in. No kidding. And might I just add that whoever designed this parking lot is a moron!

I found the auditorium, and eventually got in and located seats, Mandy and Matt and his folks all showed up right after, as well as some of Mandy’s and Savi’s friends.

The play was “101 Dalmation’s Kids”. They all did a great job and it was a lot of fun to watch them.

This is Savannah’s headshot for the cast roll. I swear their photographer is very good. They always get such cute pictures of the kids. I love this one because it shows all of her lost teeth!

All too soon the day down south ended and I needed to hit the road and head home. There wasn’t much traffic and I made great time. Best of all I got in before the sun set.

It was a wonderful day and I must say that I really enjoyed myself, and Savannah was truly wonderful!

Another Rainy Day!

Our day was warmish, (55 degrees) but rainy and windy and it left us feeling like we wanted to simply hibernate. However, it was recycling day and Jack had me gather everything to go to the dump.

The Highlander was loaded up and off Jack went. Poor Arnie was so disappointed, but the car was full with nary a spot for Mr. Arnie.

While Jack was gone two interesting things occurred. First, we had about 10 mini rail cars go down the track. Twice a year these little vehicles all gather to ride the rails. Here is what these mini rail cars look like. Have you seen them?

It was fun to watch them all speed down the tracks. They’ll go pretty far north, spend the night at one of the hotels along the way and then return tomorrow.

After that the dogs let me know that we had a flock of Hen turkeys in the yard. I didn’t see a Tom, but I admit, I loved seeing them all as they fed on the grass, leaves, and grains in the yard.

This got me thinking about Thanksgiving, and I started looking at recipes for the big day. I plan to cook a traditional meal that day, But I want to choose recipes that are easy to cook. One thing I am thinking about doing it to cook the butternut squash the day before and have it in a casserole to be reheated in the oven. Since I always prepare the stuffing the day before, making the butternut squash that day will be a breeze.

I rewatched “The Blind Side” on HBO. What a great movie. Sandra Bullock stars in it, and she is so good. The movie also has a great message. Just do it. Help someone, for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do. It’s what the Tuohy Family did and they found that love multiplies and is color blind.

I cooked a nice dinner, did some laundry, and got everything set for tomorrow. I sure am looking forward to Savannah’s play.

My Life, Or Something Like It

Have you ever noticed how you make all these great plans and then a few things happen and everything gets rearranged?

This week I had Anneliese into the Vets about her left eye. We will bring her over to Portsmouth, NH on Wednesday afternoon to see a Canine Ophthalmologist.

It’s sort of strange but Jack has known this man since he was a baby. Jack flew with his father way back in the day, for Pan American World Airways. I am hopeful that he can help Anneliese. She may not have much vision left in that eye, but if he can at least save it, that will be good. I will not entertain the worst case scenarios. Anneliese will be just fine. I know it.

I was due to spend the night down at Mandy’s after watching both of Savannah’s plays. Sadly both Quinn and Matt are sick, so it just wouldn’t be a good idea. I’ll meet up with them for the 2:00 performance and then drive home.

I may actually go down early so I can do a little Christmas shopping. But I will have to see how that all works out.

As much as I have claimed that I am not nervous about the biopsy, I admit, I am. I was worried about a few things last night and my brain clicked on about the biopsy and at 2:00 AM I was wide awake. I could not get back to sleep.

After an hour I put on a movie that I know so well, that I don’t have to follow it. I close my eyes and I let the music carry me away. Usually, I am asleep after about 10-15 minutes.

I will be very glad when we are past Thursday next week and cruising toward the weekend. I plan to go to a few Christmas Bazaars and also relax.

But for right now, I need to put one foot in front of another, relax and try to remember that it will all be okay. It’s just that my middle name is worry-wart!

Today, Saturday, my only plan is a little housework and then this afternoon while it rains like crazy, I plan to sit and crochet. Savannah keeps asking me about her blanket.

I hope you all have a marvelous weekend!

The Friday Five

The week really flew by for me, due to the fact that I was busy every day! I love that. Here’s what’s happening.

I took Anneliese to the Vets. They’re concerned about the swelling and discoloration in her eye. A trip to a Canine Ophthalmologist is in the near future. Meanwhile, she is on drops and medications. We will take her in as soon as possible.
.I got my hair done and I love it. It is different than usual, although I am still growing it out. See picture in the right sidebar.
I had two teeth fixed this week. They both needed repair of old fillings. I had been in dental pain for a couple of months. As I said Anbesol was my constant friend. Today I had hot coffee and then cold yogurt, and I wasn’t crying!
Today is laundry day and kicking back and getting Jack and the pups ready for my overnight on Sunday!
This weekend is Savannah’s Community Theater production of 101 Dalmations! I can hardly wait to watch her in the show!

That’s it for the last week of October and the first couple of days of November! Have a great weekend, Everyone!

The Thursday Thirteen

Since I have not done a Thursday Thirteen list in a while, I thought what better way to start the month of November than with a Thursday Thirteen list of things that will be happening this month.

Today I need to take Miss Anneliese into the Vets in the morning. Her left eye is badly clouded over. Not with a cataract, but something else. Her eye also appears swollen and I am more than just a little concerned.
I finally get my hair done today after waiting a month and a half. It was just one of those things where time slipped by and I kept running out of time. Today I will get my hair dipped in the fountain of youth, and then have a nice shaping. I can hardly wait!
I was sitting here typing up my list waiting for my TV show to start. Suddenly the channel changed. I looked up. I changed it back. Continued typing and the channel changed again. Only this time it changed and changed and…..I got up and looked over at a seemingly harmless Jack, asleep in his chair, holding his remote and in his sleep, he was changing the channel. Jack was relieved of his remote control! He woke briefly, and then fell back asleep!
Sunday, of course, the clocks fall back. That is my favorite time of year and I wish the time would just stay there all year long.

5. Sunday also finds me going down to see Savannah in the Community Theater play of 101 Dalmations. Savannah loves being in these plays and she always asks to audition. I am so proud of her. She also works hard on her lines and learning all the songs. I am going for both shows, spending the night and then heading home after I get Savi on the bus in the morning.

6. Tuesday I go in for my facial biopsy. It’s a good size area and so they want to biopsy two places. More than likely it is just scar tissue, but I will be glad when the biopsy is over and we know for sure. Jack has an appointment the same day and his is right after mine, with the same doctor for a few places he is having problems with. Yes, we love our Dermatologist!

7. Tuesday is also “This is Us”. My favorite show and I hate to miss an episode. I’m a little unhappy that next week’s episode will be preempted, due to the mid-term elections. Ugh!

8. Wednesday is WW of course and so I always try to block out that time. I really enjoy the meetings and they do help. Plus I get to spend time with my friends. We have a luncheon planned to celebrate my friend’s birthday and mine. We were born eight days apart, the same year, so we are both turning sixty!

9. There are Christmas Bazaars coming up locally and I am looking forward to those. The one at the Catholic Church is amazing and I plan to go to that one.

10. Of course, my birthday will be coming right up, and I have a nice meal out with Jack planned, as well as a shopping spree at Talbots!

11. My daughter, Mandy has also given me a list of things to pack and a time to be at her house the day after my birthday! I do not know what she has planned for my sixtieth Birthday Celebration, but I’m guessing it will be fun!

12. Thanksgiving will be upon us early this year, on November 22 and it looks like it will be just Jack and me, although I am hoping my cousin and her husband will join us. It’s okay, I love to cook Thanksgiving meals, and the leftovers are awesome!

13. Lastly, there is a German Christmas Market the last day of the month and I am really looking forward to going to that with my cousin.

So that’s the month of November and I am sure a few other things will pop up. It’s always a busy month and then boom, December will be upon us and all the wonderful Christmas Craziness!

The Wednesday Medley

It is all about Halloween!

This week I am starting to follow Terri at Your Friend From Florida, for The Wednesday Medley!

Happy Halloween to you all! I hope the day is nice and warm and dry, so all the witches and goblins can go out trick-or-treating and not freeze and get soaked. A few years back we actually had snow!

1. You’re in a horror movie. Are you the final person left, the first to die, the comic relief, the skeptic, the smart one, or the killer?

Oh, I am the comic relief. Or at least I would hope. I have worked hard all my life to make people laugh.

2. While watching scary movies, are you the person who yells at the characters, the person with their eyes covered the whole time or the person who falls asleep?

Probably fall asleep. When I was young, these movies terrified me, but now, ho-hum. Time for a nap!

3. If you were dared to spend the night in a “haunted house”, would you do it?

Sure. I like spirits and I think it would be fun! It would be especially fun if my cousin Janet, and my sister Melodie, were with me!

4. Favorite horror monster or villain?

Oh goodness, that is hard. I’m not really into that genre. I guess the Wicked Witch of the West!

A relative of mine, I’m sure!

5. Favorite horror or Halloween-themed song?

6. Tell us something random about your week.

I went out yesterday to do a little browsing. I wanted to buy a new chair for the family room, along with a small sofa. Now I must tell you, I have not shopped for furniture for a very long time. I was shocked at the prices!

I came home feeling rather defeated, but then I had an idea. We have a sectional sofa in our formal living room. That room is pretty much a catch-all room and I told Jack that I thought it was time to move the sectional into the family room.

We now have a formal guest room all set aside, so we don’t need to keep the sectional (which also has a queen size hide-a-bed) in the room we never use. So as soon as we can get some help to move the furniture, the sectional will come out here and this used furniture I will give away to anyone who wants it!

This & That Tuesday

The Sauerbraten was brined for the last few days. Early this afternoon, I turned the oven on a low temperature and started to cook it. The house is filled with the yummy scent of spicy Sauerbraten slowly cooking. I even went out and got a small bag of gingersnaps, so I could crumble a few into the gravy I will make from the juices.

Of course, this is a perfect day to do this. The rain is falling and it is cold and feels raw. So a wonderful Sauerbraten with mashed potatoes, red cabbage, and peas, is just what the doctor ordered to take the chill away!

Speaking of chill. I was correct when I reported that I’d broken the code with the new thermostats! It’s actually easy, once you understand certain things. Like setting an on for the heat and an off. The biggest problem is, that’s not the language used in either the instruction booklet or their online Youtube video! I just sort of stumbled upon it.

I hope you all will check out my new Comment button to the left of each entry! I am thrilled with that and I hope to hear from more of you over time.

A View From The Cheap Seats!

My day actually started at 12:15 AM, or thereabouts. I woke feeling thirsty and after getting a drink flipped on the TV to get the Red Sox score. I quite literally got to watch the last three outs of the game, which found the Red Sox winning! 9-6!!!

I watched the hilarious movements of Red Sox pitcher, Craig Kimbrel. He has this ritualistic series of movements he goes through before each pitch! Still, watching him pitch was amazing. He was so icily calm!

So, there I was, feeling elated by this win, with no one but Mr. Arnie Man to share it with. And at that time of night, Arnie isn’t a baseball fan!

By the time we woke on Sunday, it was another gray rainy day here in New Hampshire. We’ve been having a lot of those lately. It was also another cold day with the highs only getting up to 42 degrees.

Our colors are still out there, but it is definitely past peak. Still, I can look out my window and see orange and yellow and some reds. Nice. In just a few short weeks our trees will be bare and will resemble skeletons against the winter skies.

I think the rest of the northern hemisphere had their clocks change last night. Ours do not change until next weekend. I wish they would just abolish the whole time change. It messes me up. It also messes up the dogs. What do you think?

Until my Web Designer gets my Comment Button installed (I hope this weekend!) in order to leave a Comment, just click on the Title of the todays Post and it will take you to the Comment Page. One day it will all be fixed and I will be sooooo happy!

Saturday Morning

On Saturday we had our first snowfall. I woke early, and it was cloudy but dry. I enjoyed my first cup of coffee, (isn’t that the best thing ever?), watched the news and checked my email.

Jack got up, and we had our breakfast. It was then that I looked out and realized that the first flakes of the season were falling and sticking to the ground!

I did not feel like going out into this mess, but Jack convinced me that we needed to go. So, I put on my winter coat and hat, called to Arnie and off the three of us went.

It was the usual Saturday morning stops. Post Office, Grocery Store, and Liquor Store to get some Brandy and a Lottery Ticket.

I never used to buy Lottery Tickets, but int he last few weeks I’ve been thinking I would like to prove to God that I could really handle winning that much money. So far I have won nothing, but a girl can dream, right?

I also prepped the Sauerbraten for Monday or Tuesday. It must soak in its marinade for a few days and then it will be perfect for a good meal or two. I love cooking Sauerbraten because it brings back memories of my grandmother, mother and times my family spent together around the table exclaiming about the perfection of the meal! Yes, Sauerbraten is a very good thing!

I napped again today, but I feel I am winning the battle against this little cold I have. No fever or anything, just feeling stuffy and tired. So, I decided to listen to my body and slow down!

Have a great Sunday, Everyone!

Pretty Day For A Ride

Friday Jack drove me to Portsmouth for my doctor’s appointment. All was perfect and after that, as we were driving back (It takes about an hour each way), Jack pulled into an unknown Mexican Restaurant (unknown to us), and we had lunch.

I had a great Taco Salad and Jack joined me. It was so delicious! It was also huge! By the time we were done, I was completely filled up. Our sweet waitress asked if we wanted dessert. I looked at the menu and noted that they had Flan. This is one of Jack’s favorites. He asked how much it was and there were no prices. So he said no, maybe another time.

The waitress disappeared to cash us out and returned with a Flan for Jack and me to share and enjoy! And it sure was wonderful.

Needless to say, the waitress got a good tip!

When we got home I fed the dogs, and was sitting in my chair and I felt so tired and chilled. So I lay down on the sofa with Arnie and slept for an hour and a half. I still feel tired now. I think I am fighting off a little cold.

It was a pretty day for a drive though, and we had almost completely open roads. We noted the snow-covered peaks of the Ossipee Range and the Waterville Valley ski area, which we can see from Meredith. Yes, as I have been writing, winter is just around the corner.

Oh, one thing, until my Web Designer gets my Comment Button installed (I hope this weekend!) in order to leave a Comment, just click on the Title of the days Post and it will take you to the Comment Page. One day it will all be fixed and I will be sooooo happy!