Dackel Princess

The Friday Five

This week the Friday Five will center on my feelings about keeping Dackel Princess alive. I’ve been keeping her going since 2005! It all started out during the Blog craze, where everyone was blogging. I was feeling frustrated having no where to share my thoughts about Shubi’s illness and my cousin Janet, and our friend Megan, suggested I start a blog. I tossed out several titles, and Megan like The Dackel Princess. And in May of 2005, Dackel Princess was born. So, here is The Friday Five for January 26th, 2018!

Originally I wrote about Shubi. My very first dackel.

My darling Shubi!

She had gotten sick in 2003 and I had no outlet for my feelings, as I watched her getting sicker and sicker with a disease called GME. (Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis (GME) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.) Shubi fought the disease valiantly, with monthly capsules of Chemotherapy, and high doses of Prednisone. Eventually I could see what the medications were doing to Shubi and I stopped them, and 2 years after her diagnosis, Shubi went to Rainbow Bridge.

2. When I learned Shubi was so ill and would not survive, I wrote to a friend in Germany telling her about it. She arranged for me to get a dackel from German Champions. After a phone call, where Jack used his best German, we arranged to go over in May of 2004 to get baby Greta.

Baby Greta!

3. After Shubi’s death, we brought Greta to a German dog show where she got her rating. She was rated as Excellent! Then I found a German boy dog, who happened to live quite close to us here in New Hampshire and Greta became a mother December 10th, 2006 to five beautiful babies.

Anneliese & Arnie when they were babies!

That was when Dackel Princess became a puppy blog. I wrote about the puppies and how they grew and of course Arnie and Anneliese stayed with me, and I wrote all about them. Anneliese’s puppies, and life amongst the hounds!

4. But eventually I stopped breeding and then the grandchildren came and I began to write about them, my home, my love of cooking, traveling and photography. Now I realize, that I may not be a dachshund, but because of my love for dackels, I am The Dackel Princess!

5. I’m not sure how much longer I will continue to write. I suppose as long as I have something to say. I love sharing my life, my thoughts, my recipes, with all of you. And I sure hope that you enjoy reading it.

The Ice Age

Right now, The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is under about 3 inches of hard, thick, ice. It’s the kind of ice that prevents one from driving easily up ones driveway, or even from walking across the patio. Why even the poor dogs are having trouble. Lili went running out this morning and went to turn to go around the corner and her body kept going straight.

Greta went out, and the poor old girl kept slipping and falling. I just know that tonight she will be one very sore old lady.

Arnie and Anneliese seem to do a little better, as I have allowed their nails to grow out a bit just for this reason. Still they do not like this at all.

I watched the morning news with full attention, trying to ascertain when we might have a melt off. Unfortunately it does not look like any time soon.

Yesterday, it was amazingly beautiful, as the ice fell and turned our trees into ice castles. Today, well, not so much.

Still I like to remain positive, so what can I say about the “Ice Age” of the New Hampshire winter? Well should my freezer break down, I have plenty of room on my screened in porch to place my ice cream!

The Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. January 24th is National Compliment Day. Is it easy or not so easy for you to accept a compliment? Share a recent compliment you’ve given or received.

Not easy at all, although I am trying to learn how to graciously accept a compliment. Jack complimented my Prime Rib. See how impersonal that is? Those compliments I can take. Personal ones are more difficult.

2. Ten little things you are loving right now.

Grandchildren (always).
dachshunds
Lili
Jack
The Incredible Dr. Pol
The Pioneer Woman
Tissues with lotion
Chamomile Tea with honey
Long-underwear
my pillow

3. Would people describe you as a positive person? Do you see yourself that way? I read here a list/description of eight things positive people do differently-

Positive people find something to look forward to every day, they celebrate the small stuff, they’re kind, they stay busy, accept responsibility for their actions, forgive themselves, know when to move on, and resist comparisons

Which action on the list would you say you do regularly? Which action could you add to your life to give you a more positive outlook? If you’re a positive person, what’s something you do regularly that’s not on the list?

I have been trying very hard to become a positive person. Not easy for someone who is a half empty glass kinda gal. For the last year, I try to find at least one thing in each day that is wonderful! Even if it is Kleenex with lotion tissues!

4. Homemade chicken soup, beef stew, or a bowl of chili…what’s your pleasure on a cold winter’s day?

Chicken Soup. In fact, I think I should make some today!

5. The best part of my day is….

The first cup of coffee each morning, my first cup of tea in the afternoon and a delicious piece of fruit. Today it was a Maridol Papaya with a squeeze of lime!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

The last few weeks our weather has been, um, challenging. Very cold temperatures with snow, then we had a warm up with ice and now heavy rain. I’m not sure why this winter is getting me down so much, but it really is. Perhaps it is my lingering cold. I will be so happy when January and February are finished and we get into March and April, where the temperatures tend to moderate.

The Cold

What can I say about the start to my week? Not too much except that at 2 PM I lay down and took a nap. I felt tired and chilled and worried that the cold from hell was returning. I’m still feeling lousy tonight, and since there is nothing on TV I want to watch, I think I might just turn in early tonight.

The weird thing about this cold is, you just start to feel better, and WHAM, it comes back and hits you again. Jack has mentioned that he has felt the same way.

I have been taking multiple vitamins and Vitamin C and eating a lot of vegetables and drinking juices. But it doesn’t seem to matter what I do, the cold hangs on.

I truly am ready to feel better. I wish I could go outside and lie in the warm sunshine and feel the heat bake this cold out of me. Maybe if I dream about it, that will be enough. Because we all know that in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire right now the temperatures are still freezing.

Oh, to be able to jump on a plane and go to Florida or even down to my favorite Caribbean Island, Barbados! I just know all I need to do is escape the cold.

Weekend Wrap

The weekend seemed to rush by us, and I’m happy to report than we are both very nearly over our colds. Both of us had projects to do, and we actually got them done.

Our weather was good, and our temperatures actually warm. I simply cannot complain about that!

I cooked and did laundry, and Jack worked cleaning the ice from our driveway, and then on Sunday afternoon, we both watched the Patriots football game, and quite happily, they won!

I think my biggest grievance was watching the Patriots game and watching a Jacksonville Jaguar player hit a New England Patriots Player, injuring him. After a helmet-to-helmet collision with Jaguars safety Barry Church, deliberately injuring tight end Rob Gronkowski, “Gronk” had to exit the game. I saw it happen, and I leapt out of my chair screaming. Especially as I watched a a concussed Gronkowski stagger to his feet. I knew immediately that “Gronk” was done for the game.

The Patriots were not playing particularly well up until then, but it seemed the injury of their teammate spurred them on, and they came back to win!

But here I sit, Sunday night, and the weekend is just about over. I am finding that 2018 is flying by.

A Day In The Life

I woke on Saturday morning with a hankering for savory beef stew with fresh yeast rolls. I knew it would take all day, simmering slowly in my cast iron dutch oven, to make the stew, I set about cutting vegetables and getting them pre-cooked. Then I placed it all in my dutch oven, and put it in a 275 degree (Fahrenheit) oven to cook for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, I took the yeast rolls from the freezer and set them in my heavy cast iron frying pan, to thaw and rise. It took me about an hour to do all of this, but when I stood back and surveyed the food that would be dinner, I felt a certain amount of satisfaction.

Then I was onto my next chore. A few days ago I washed our bathroom curtains. After 20 years of washings and wearings, they simply fell apart. Holy Moly! I quickly found an almost identical replacement set and sent away for those. They arrived yesterday, and the first thing I noticed when I took them out of the package was that the lower panels were too long.

I admit, part of me wanted to ignore that and just put them up as it, but when I gave that a try, it looked stupid. So, I made a plan. I measured, I ironed seams and then got out my sewing machine and finished it up. When I hung the new curtains in the bathroom, I was so proud with the way they looked.

Meanwhile, dinner is nearly ready now. My yeast rolls, fell, but I have made a nice garden salad to have with the stew. One things for sure, we will be getting our share of vitamins with dinner.

Out & About!

Friday found Jack and I actually getting out and going shopping! He had a short doctor’s appointment for his feet (all is well!) and afterward we shopped for groceries, and then we did something we haven’t done in a few months…We went out to lunch!

It was somewhat cloudy during our drive, but still amazingly pretty. I thought this because I have been house bound since Christmas and today I finally felt like I could take a deep breath!

We found some great deals at the grocery store, and tomorrow I think I will cook a nice plump chicken for our dinner. At 99¢ a pound, what can I say, such a deal, and I love a good deal!

As we were putting things into the car, I looked at Jack and asked him if he felt like going to our favorite Chinese Buffet? He was game for it, and off we went. The owner was pleased to see us, as was our favorite waitress. Again, so nice to be out and about!

When we got home I raced up to put the dogs outside, and walked them around a bit, before coming back in. I’d just taken off my coat when I heard a crash and saw Jack starting to fall up the stairs. I raced to his side and grabbed him, saw that he had scraped the top of his head on the door frame, and once I got him to his feet, helped him to his recliner and got ice for his head.

I finished unloading the car, and made him rest. After about an hour he said he was feeling better. I was so glad. I thought I was the only person who can fall up the stairs like that. Apparently not.

Life is going on, and both Jack and I are feeling well.

That means…life is good.

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Friday Five

Another week has come and gone. It seems that January is flying by, and as I write, I wonder if all of 2018 will be like this? In any case, here are five things I am thinking of as the week closes and the weekend begins.

Finally Jack and I are recovering from out mid winter colds. It’s been a real monster and very hard to shake. In fact it has lasted almost 3 full weeks.
We are finally warming up a bit, after several weeks of below zero or single digit temperatures. In many ways, I am ready for Spring!
I have actually gotten some important house work done the last few days. I do what I’ve been told. Work for an hour and then take an hour off…It’s worked and in many ways it’s like Spring cleaning, without the warmer temperatures!
I made a great Prime Rib Roast the other night. It came out quite well, and today I will make a nice beef stew with some of the leftovers.
This weekend, my big plan is to get all the Christmas stuff together and get it put away for another year. I have wrapping paper I bought for 50 cents, and bags of bows for 25 cents! I also bought my Christmas cards because they were on sale, but also because I loved their antique style! So I am already for Christmas 2018

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and my your days be filled with fun things and good friends and family times!

Oh yes, and GO PATRIOTS!!!

A Little Tea

Growing up in my family, a cup of tea was probably the most important thing we shared. For me, our afternoon teas started almost before any of my actual memories do.

When I was not quite four years old, my appendix ruptured and after the surgery, my mother got a call from the nurses in the Pediatric Ward. Oh goodness, Maribeth is not drinking. They’d tried to offer me everything, and I refused.

“Offer her a cup of tea with two sugars and a little milk” my mother told them. So the nurse did and apparently I perked right up. Yes, me and my tea go back a long way.

All through my youth we drank tea in the afternoons. When I got home from school, while watching “Dark Shadows”, I would have a cup of tea and a few cookies. I sort of thought every one did, right?

When I was in 6th grade I moved in with my grandparents, and that’s when the real ritual began. I would go to school each day, and when I came home, after grandma’s soap opera was over, we would have our tea, some cookies and talk. I would tell them all about my day, school, what was happening, and what I thought. And Grandma, Papa and my Mom, always listened. When my sister was there, she joined us too.

When my grandmother got too old to leave her bed, and we knew her time was drawing near, we gathered our children together and had a tea party. Right there in her bedroom. It was the last time I saw her before she passed.

I continued the tradition of tea, with my Mom, my sister, my cousin, Janet and my own children. And when my Mom died, my sister had a tea party after her Memorial Service. Complete with beautiful tea cups and cookies. Mom would have loved it!

The other day I was watching Pioneer Woman on the Food Channel. Ree and her daughter, Paige were having a tea during the show. They had so much fun making up the treats to serve with it too. Eventually Ree asks her daughter how often she thinks they should do this? And her daughter smiles and says “Every day!”.

And that was when I started to cry. I suddenly missed all those afternoon teas we shared. I missed my Grandma, my Mom, Papa. Those moments, those sweet days have gone by. Aside from my sister, daughter, Mandy and cousin Janet, the people I shared those days with have gone too.

My love of tea, and of a few cookies or small finger sandwiches goes on. It’s my link to my past. I’m so very grateful to have it..

A Wild Boar

Back in February of 2009, I took Anneliese to Berlin, Germany for her first breeding, with a handsome German dackel, named Isagrim. In Boston, the airport workers thought Anneliese was very cute, in her little panties as I carried her through Logan Airport Security. (For those that do not know, when a dog is in heat they wear little panties, so they don’t get messy or make your home messy.) I spent a little over a week with my friend Uschi and her husband, and I was able to breed Anneliese twice before it was time to go home.

Now Anneliese is a very good little traveler. She remained very calm in the airports during transport, and on the aircraft, she was amazing, as she settled herself inside her little bag and fell asleep. She had no accidents in her bag, and when we reached Berlin, and cleared customs, We went right outside and she did her business right where she should.

It amazed me how she knew just what to do with Isagrim, in fact I admonished her to play a little hard to get with him, lest he think she was a loose woman! But the breeding went well, and then she had a few days to rest before we made our trip back to the states.

We left Berlin and headed back home on a direct flight from Berlin to JFK in New York. As we descended into New York, I was filling out the Customs Declaration form for the USA.

The form asks if you are traveling with any animal?

Yes.

What color is the animal?

On all of Anneliese’s papers it states quite clearly…”Wild Boar“. So, I wrote that down.

We landed and I walked through to the Customs Area where I was stopped and directed over to the Animal Import area. The Agent took my card and read it.

“Madam, I will need you to open this bag and show me the animal you are bringing in!” he commanded

And as I reached to unzip the bag, the Agent took three giant steps back! I wish you could have seen his face! He was terrified! Anneliese’s little head popped out and I could actually see the man start to breathe again.

You see the agent thought that “Wild Boar” was what was in the bag, not the actual color of the dog!

This is probably my favorite story about Anneliese, and possibly my best traveling dog story.