Dackel Princess

TBT: My Sister & Me

I have so many pictures of my sister and me, but this week I thought I would share one of my favorites. This was taken when I was in 5th grade and my sister was a Sophmore in High School. Back then I was still shorter than my sister but soon grew to be much taller than her.

I remember how much I loved that brown dress. It was the height of fashion in the late 1960’s and I felt so grown up in it. I also recall that it fit me for such a short time as this was the year that I grew several inches and started to get my adult body. But oh, looking back at this picture, I can easily recall how lovely I felt!

My sister’s dress never fit me. She is so slender and her body frame is so petite compared to mine. I loved it and we usually did wear each other’s clothes, but this beautiful dress just never fit me. Even now, Mel is slightly built, and when we compare our wrists, hers is tiny and mine is quite large.

It’s also interesting to note that at that time we did not look too much alike. However, in our twenties, we looked like twins. Now as we enter our golden years, we have gone back to being quite individual.

The one thing that has never changed from the time when we were very little until now is our deep and abiding love for each other. How very blessed we are to have each other.

Love you so much Mel!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. They say you learn something new every day. What did you learn yesterday?

That Dackel Princess Blog is slightly broken (comment section) and I am not swift enough to actually fix it! It looks like I will have to hire someone who understands code to go in and reinstall my comment section. This all stems back to 2016 when my blog was hacked by a porn site!

2. Have you ever had a now or never moment? Elaborate.

Yes, and it’s not easy. About 6 weeks ago I started a new way of eating. I will not call it a diet, but my cholesterol numbers are higher than is good for “a woman of my age” and this requires a change in how I eat. That is not easy for me, because I love to cook and love to eat and most of my specialties are not cholesterol friendly!

3. April 25th is National Telephone Day. Do you still have a landline or have you gone mobile only? When you receive a text message do you respond immediately? Last time you turned your phone off? In two or three sentences share with us a story/memory/incident from your childhood (or something current if that’s too hard) where the telephone is featured.

Yes, we do still have a landline. I think I probably always will. It’s not horribly expensive and the battery doesn’t die. I leave my cell phone in the other room at night. I do not want to be awakened by it going off for whatever reason. Now, a story about the phone from my childhood? Well, this is a good one and completely true. My grandmother had a three-minute egg timer by her phone and a piece of paper. She would enter each long distance call on the paper and the time. Now Grandma never talked over 3 minutes to anyone back then. She told me once that if you couldn’t say what you needed to in 3 minutes, I should write a letter!

4. Close call, at someone’s beck and call, call the shots, call a meeting, call it quits, call in sick, call on the carpet, wake up call…which call have you ‘heard’ recently? Explain.

I tease my husband all the time that I am at his beck and call. There is no rest for the weary!

5. What subject do you wish you’d paid more attention to in school?

I think I wish I had paid more attention in my English class. I try very hard to write correctly, but I catch myself making sloppy mistakes. I also wish I had learned a language. French, Spanish, and Latin were offered, but I wish I had learned to speak German.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Today is another leftovers day! That’s a good thing because as much as I love to cook, I also enjoy a night off. Tonight’s the night!

Also, we had Ice Out on our small lake last night while we were eating dinner. Once again our lake is open, and alive for the Spring and Summer!

Our Lake

I gazed out my window all day on Monday. Our temperatures soared into the upper 60’s and I literally watched the ice on the lake get thinner and thinner. It’s strange how the ice goes from a white color to a hazy dirty white color, to a grey and now to an almost translucent blue color. It’s then that you know that ice out is just days or perhaps hours away.

I’ve heard that ice out on Lake Winnipesaukee is still some days away, but ice out on our smaller, Lake Waukewan, is so close. I almost expect to wake up in the morning and find that the ice fairies have come and cleared it all.

I love our Lake. I love all the action I see on it during all four seasons. Summers find swimmers, boaters, and people fishing. Spring and Autumn find boaters enjoying either the first clear waters of the season or the last clear water before the ice sets in. Winters are perhaps my favorite, as the ice comes along slowly before the hard thick ice sets in. Then we have a plethora of activity, from ice fishing to skating, to snowmobiling. So much to do on this wonderful lake of ours.

The sun shone brightly today as well. Not a cloud in the sky all day and as the sun set on Monday night, and the moon rose, I could see every star in the sky.

A perfect ending to a nearly perfect Spring Day

Home

On Friday I leave to go home. I know that sounds funny to many of you, but in my mind, in my heart, Falmouth will always be home.

It’s where I took my first steps, learned to laugh, to love, to swim, to ride a bike. It’s where I had my first room all to myself, and where I learned to love animals of all kinds (Except, of course, mice and snakes!).

Falmouth is where I go to recharge my batteries. It’s where I go to sit on the beach and feel the wind in my hair and smell the sweet salty air.

Falmouth is where I gave birth to my two daughters. Where they both were Baptized. In fact, it’s where I was Baptized. And it’s where I got married, both times.

I love Falmouth because it was there that I learned to be a singer, an actress, a ham! (In the theatrical sense!)

I hiked the trails, walked the beaches, and climbed trees. I skated at the local ice rink. I had my first ever kiss there. I didn’t realize it then, but I was so lucky to grow up in such a place. Falmouth in the 1960’s was safe, fun and a loving place to bring up a family. I played all over my neighborhood, in relative freedom. No one worried about their kids being out playing back then. We just went and made sure to be home by supper time.

I’m staying in a motel that I used to walk past on my way to school. I don’t recall how many times I turned to look at it on my way to or from school. But I do recall thinking that one day I wanted to stay there. Now, all these years later, it’s where I want to stay and I do! And, it is just as special as I knew it would be!

So, off I go. Home to Falmouth. To relive a few memories, to close my eyes and to remember all those from my past. And most of all, to feel the ocean melt away the tensions in my soul. It’s like taking a deep breath and as you exhale feeling all the worry melt away.

My Little Guy, Arnie!

Arnie and I ran errands on Saturday. I needed to go to the grocery store, the Post Office, and the Liquor Store. Arnie loves to go for a ride, and at the Liquor Store he gets put on a leash and goes in.

A wonderful woman named Rebecca works there, and she adores Arnie and Arnie adores her! Today she was sitting on the floor and did not see us come in. The next thing Rebecca knew, Arnie ran up and danced around her. It was adorable!

Arnie is such good company when I go out. Sometimes I will go into a store, waving bye-bye to him, and then when I come out I see his sweet face peering out the window just waiting for me.

He sure is a special boy and I am so lucky to have him!

Lamb Paprikash

Olive Oil
1 cup sliced green pepper
1 cup sliced red pepper
2 large onions sliced
3 lbs lamb, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 tbs sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tbs salt
1-14 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth (or a bit more if needed)
sour cream
Parsley

Heat oil, add onions and peppers and saute until soft.

Remove the onions and peppers and add a little more olive oil.
Toss lamb chunks in flour and add to pot.
Brown meat.
Add beef broth, both paprika’s, salt and return onion and peppers to the pot.
Add tomatoes, and cover, simmer on low (or in a 300-degree oven in a dutch oven) for 2 hours.
Correct seasoning and serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.
Top with sour cream and parsley. Great with a side salad and crusty bread.

The Friday Five

Well, here we are. Another week has gone by and Friday is upon us! I don’t know about you, but this week flew by for me! Perhaps because I was so busy, having accomplished a lot of Spring Cleaning (even if Spring refuses to arrive!), and a trip to Portsmouth as well. Yes, it’s a long drive down and back, but I just love Portsmouth, NH!

It is once again snowing, and as I count down the hours to the end of my week, here are 5 things that have been on my mind.

Sunday we had three inches of heavy, slushy snow, that sort of turned to ice. What a mess! The good thing about Springtime snow (and I use the term Springtime loosely), is that it melts fairly quickly. Such was the case, but not until after my beautiful white shepherd, Lili became a massive muddy mess!
The first tick of the season made its way into our house. It was just a little before their first dose of flea and tick medication (May 1st) so I decided to start the medication early and will do flea and tick medications on the 18th of each month.
I had gotten a ham a week ago and got it out only to discover it was a spiral cut ham. Ugh! I cooked it as best I could and it came out terrible. So dry. I know a lot of people like them, but this was too lean and being pre-sliced just worked against it. No more pre-sliced hams for me.
Thursday found me roasting eggplant for my lunch. I love eggplant, and roasting it up for lunch, is one of my favorite things to do.
One more week and I will be going to Cape Cod with my cousin, Janet and my sister, Melodie. I love our trips to Falmouth and our walks down Memory lane. This time we decided to go to two different restaurants. Please say a little prayer for good weather while we are there.

Janet, Mel, and me!

TBT: My Dackels

Here is a picture taken back in 2007 of Greta and her 5 month old puppies, Arnie and Anneliese, as they looked out the window at our lake. Please note that on April 23, 2007, the lake was already free of ice, and the trees had the first leaves on them. Currently, our lake is still iced in, and our trees are bare. We are also due for snow!

But back in 2007, Spring had arrived and the window was wide open allowing the warm, fresh air to come into our house!

The dogs shown are left to right, Arnie, Anneliese, and Greta

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Three things on your spring bucket list? If you don’t have an actual list that’s fine, pretend you do.

I want to tackle our basement. It isn’t just a Spring project, but more like an All Summer project! I also want to go through my kitchen drawers and lighten the load, and actually today is clean my closet day!

2. Where do you find rest? What restores your soul? When was the last time you did whatever it was you answered here?

The Ocean calms me and restores my soul. I was down to Cape Cod last September. I will be going down in two weeks to spend a weekend and breath in the air and (hopefully the sunshine) and walk the beaches and feel the calm of the shore.

3. April is National Celery Month. Who knew? Do you like celery? What’s your favorite dish made with celery? On a veggie and dip platter which would you reach for first-carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes?

I like celery and I cook with it all the time, but I hate that it gets caught in my teeth! I LOVE carrots, so if given a choice, I would go for them on a veggie platter!

4. I read here eight things to do before 8 am to make your day less hectic-Start one load of laundry, drink water, empty the dishwasher, read your Bible, know what you’re having for dinner, get dressed, brain dump (two lists-one what you’re thankful for and one what’s weighing on your mind), and after the brain dump make your to-list for the day

How many of these are you currently doing? Which one do you think would help the most if you added it to your early morning routine?

I usually jump into my clothes, start the coffee, walk the dogs, toss in a load of laundry, and dinner was actually planned last night. (Ham)

5. Describe the view from your window.

It’s a foggy, rainy, morning, with three inches of slushy snow from yesterday’s storm on the ground. The trees are bare, and a few hungry, daredevil birds are braving the rain and keep flying by my window.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I really need to get a few things done around the house this morning. This means, shutting off the computer and putting some music on in my bedroom and just concentrating and doing it. I’ve been so busy lately that my closet has become a slight disaster. So…. after clearing up breakfast, I am off to my room to clean the closet! Ugh! (Mission accomplished!)

The Me I Want To Be

In the last few years I have really thought a lot about my relationships. I wondered how the world would view me after extensive facial surgery. Would people see the scars? What would they think? I was really bothered by how I looked until recently.

You see, when I walked in the door of my daughter’s home, two wonderful children came running toward me, with their arms outstretched calling my name, quite happily!

Oma!

It dawned on me then, that they do not see my scars. They see my heart. They only know me as I am today, and their unconditional love is such a gift.

I am my own worst critic. I get close to my mirror and I see every stitch mark, every scar, and for the longest time I felt like I was not myself at all. I did not feel pretty, I did not feel happy and I was so critical about myself.

Why do we do that? Why do we judge our book (face) by the lines, or scars, or imperfections that we see there? Does it make a difference as to what is in our hearts?

My grandmother told me once, when I was a young and somewhat conceited teen, that I may be beautiful now (age 15) but that as one grew older, and went through life, if you were not a good, kind, person in your heart, it would show on the outside. Goodness and kindness lie within.

So this face I have now, although not the one I had at the age of 15, is just fine. My daughter and grandchildren love me, and they know my kind heart and my great love for them.

As I have wandered through my life these last few years I have tried to concentrate on being the best me I can be. I have stopped staring in the mirror, and when I do my hair or make-up, I try to embrace the woman I find in the mirror. She has worked so hard to repair her soul after falling down, so many times.

Be kind, be loving, and stretch out your arms to those you love. In the end, life is so very good!