Dackel Princess

Friday Five

It’s been a busy week, but as we come to the end, here are the top 5 things I am thinking about.

This morning Anneliese was chewing on her belly. Upon examination, I saw that she was having some of the dry skin issues that she has had in the past. So, I got out her moisture rich medicated shampoo and gave her a good soapy bath. While I was up to my elbows in bubbles, I bathed Arnie and Greta too. Grouchy old Greta was not amused!
I had some great pork ribs to cook, so this afternoon I slow cooked them and then finished them off in the rotisserie oven. I will not torment you telling you how fabulous they were, but oh my goodness!!!!
I ordered a jumbo size box of Twinings English Breakfast tea from Amazon. I love this tea, (bags individually wrapped) but when I buy it in the grocery store it is quite literally the most expensive tea there. I got a huge break on Amazon and I am thrilled!
I saw the cutest Vera Bradley pocketbook on Tuesday. Now I am trying to track it down to a discounted price. I hate to pay full price for anything!
I went shopping for a new mattress. I found one I love made by Sealy. Made in the USA. I have to tell you, I must have gotten on top of at least a hundred mattresses. I actually felt like the Princess, in the story, The Princess and the Pea. There are so many really bad mattresses out there!

TBT: The Eyes Have It!

My TBT this week looks back to right after Christmas 2002. Two days after Christmas my retina detached in my left eye.

It was quite an ordeal, and I needed several surgeries to repair the damage. A few years later the right eye retina detached and my doctor, Dr. C. repaired that one too.

Things have been going on nicely now for a few years, until last June when I got the stye on my right eyelid. Next week, I will be going in to have it removed.

The young surgeon who will do this surgery, said my eye will be swollen, bruised and hurt like heck. Okay, I can handle it. After all, I have gone through worse in my life.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. In two or three sentences tell us what Veteran’s Day means to you?

Grateful to all the men and women who have served our country. Also grateful that my Veteran Hubby came home alive from Vietnam.

2. What’s your favorite film with a patriotic theme woven into the storyline?

Patton. George C. Scott! Fabulous, fantastic move. The acting was superb!

3. Flu shot-yes or no? If you answered no, do you plan to get a flu shot? If not, why not? Have you ever had the flu?

Okay. I got the flu shot and all was well. Then it was recommended that I get the Prevnar 13 pneumonia shot. It did not hurt immediately, but oh my goodness, it’s a week ago and I have so much pain in the arm and shoulder.

Yes I have had the flu. The first year Hubby and I got married, he was off flying for Pan Am, and I was at home,running a high fever, and praying for death! (Not really!) I was so sick. After that I recovered, I have gotten a flu shot every year.

4. I’ve seen lots of people posting pictures of their Christmas trees up and decorated. Many stores have had Christmas on display since well before Halloween. Red cups are back at Starbucks, sans the holiday decor, and that has some people up in arms. What are your thoughts on all the holiday ruckus this second week of November?

Too soon to think about Christmas. I’m thinking Thanksgiving. (Although I admit to buying a Christmas gift today!)

5. What ‘critter’ are you most afraid of encountering unexpectedly? Why that one?

A Fisher.

Fisher is the common name for a largely arboreal, North American carnivorous mammal, Martes pennanti, of the marten genus (Martes) and weasel family (Mustelidae), characterized by a long body with short legs, dark fur, long and bushy tail, five toes with retractable claws on each foot, long and tapered muzzle, and low, rounded ears. The fisher is agile in trees and has a slender body that allows it to pursue prey into hollow trees or burrows in the ground. Despite its name, this animal seldom eats fish; the name may originate from the French word fichet, which referred to the pelt of a European polecat. In some regions, the fisher is known as a pekan, derived from its name in the Abenaki language. It also is known as fisher-cat. Martes pennanti is found in forested areas of northern North America.

With its speed and agility, the fisher is a remarkable predator that captures a wide diversity of prey: Rabbits, hares, squirrels, mice, grouse, and so forth. Even the well-protected porcupine is captured by the fisher, using a unique technique designed to tire the porcupine until the fisher can kill the large quilled rodent.

6. Do you like building things? What’s the last thing you ‘built’?

My garden fence, and pea plant fence.

7. In keeping with this month’s theme of gratitude…what are you most grateful for that brings beauty to your daily life?

My family. All of them. From Hubby to my newest grand-niece, and everyone in between!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

First, my eye doctor saw that my optic nerve does not look good. Although my eye pressure is ok, he believes I am having trouble with my optic nerve. He said it is showing damage. So I will be seeing a specialist in January for evaluation.

He also didn’t like the stye on my right eyelid.I saw the special surgeon who handles these things and next Wednesday I will be getting it operated on.

Fiftieth Anniversary Of The Northeast Blackout!

The Northeast blackout of 1965 was a significant disruption in the supply of electricity on Tuesday, November 9, 1965, affecting parts of Ontario in Canada and Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Vermont in the United States. Over 30 million people and 80,000 square miles (207,000 km2) were left without electricity for up to 13 hours.

The cause of the failure was human error that happened days before the blackout. Maintenance personnel incorrectly set a protective relay on one of the transmission lines between the Niagara generating station Sir Adam Beck Station No. 2 in Queenston, Ontario. The safety relay, which was to trip if the current exceeded the capacity of the transmission line, was set too low.

I was coming up on my 7th birthday. I recall this pretty clearly. Mom had just finished making dinner (Dad always wanted to eat early, as he often had rehearsals or work at night), and she put it all on the table and bam, the lights went out.

My Dad was called in (he was an Auxiliary Police Officer) and we got the candles out. My Cape Cod friends know, you must always have a supply of candles. The power goes out down there, at the drop of a hat!

Anyway, they were talking about the fact that it has been 50 years, and I suddenly felt really old! I remember that. I was there. Fifty years! Yeah, now that is a long time ago.

Okay, I’m facing it. In a week I will be 57 years old. That’s, well, past midlife. I charging full steam into Senior Citizen territory!

Autumn Winds Are Blowing…

We woke to cold temperatures and fierce winds on Sunday morning. Do you know what that means in New Hampshire at this time of year?

Close your eyes and picture this (after you read this, of course).

The wind blows wildly through the trees. Any and all of the beautiful burnt orange leaves are ripped from the trees, swirl around and land both on our patio, and our driveway. About the only good thing from today’s high winds were that all the leaves in the front yard were blown into the back!

I can once again see my neighbors house. All summer long, the fruit trees, were full with leaves and fruit, now sit barren. Across the lake (the photo above) you can see that almost all the Autumn foliage is gone.

It looked very much like it was snowing leaves! I stopped what I was doing at the moment and just watched them fall and swirl and settle.

Our temperatures have dropped even lower, reminding us that winter is on the way. I closed my eyes and remembered the sunshine and warmth of the summer. Gone for yet another year.

Yes, Autumn is nearly over. Soon, far too soon I am afraid, snow will fall, and once again we will be in full winter mode.

Boots, hats, gloves and down parkas!

Katie

I think when you lose a child, as we lost Katie, birthdays can be somewhat melancholy. I remember the day she was born as being one of the happiest days in my life. And each year, I think on that day and smile. But Katie is gone. She’s been gone for thirty years. The last birthday we celebrated together was her 6th birthday. I will never forget that day, and even after all these years, I miss her in a way that only another parent who has lost their child can understand. You go on. You live your life, but the sadness is always there.

Happy Birthday, my darling daughter, Kathleen. I love you still and you are forever in my heart!

Friday Five

It’s the end of another week. It’s been a busy one, but here are the top five things I am thinking about.

I got the Prevnar 13 vaccine for pneumonia. Since my diagnosis with inflammatory arthritis, we’re taking every precaution to keep me well. Including the vaccines I need.
The shot didn’t hurt at all when I got it, but in an hour the arm hurt like crazy!
I’ve been living on baked apples!

Well, not really, living on them, but I have been making them every night for dessert! It’s the benefit of having all these apple trees in our yard!
The air conditioners are all out of the windows for another season. Boy, am I going to miss the low hum of that machine. I sleep so well when the air conditioner is humming along!
I cannot believe that Thanksgiving it just a few weeks away, then Christmas, and then the New Year! This year has just flown by!

TBT: Dogs We Have Loved

This weeks Throw Back Thursday features my beloved Shubi our first wirehaired dachshund, and our white shepherd, Max.

We brought Shubi home from Bavaria, Germany to Max when he was about 5 years old. He immediately adopted her, and the two were best friends.

The mighty Max!

Me with Shubi in the motorcoach. She loved to travel, almost always in my lap!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Besides Thanksgiving, something you’re looking forward to on your November calendar?

My Birthday!

It’s coming up quickly. This is #57! I am looking forward to this because, I think we should celebrate any and all of our birthdays! Life is so good, and if we embrace it, and love it, then we should celebrate our time in it!

2. If I gave you a thank you card right now who would you send it to and why?

My granddaughter, Savannah! Why? Because every day she makes me happy and proud and I feel her love. Last week when we had that day and night together, it was so very special!

3. Of the breads listed, which one’s your favorite…bagel, cinnamon, sourdough, garlic, banana, biscuit, pita, Naan, or plain old fashioned white bread?

Okay, it’s a tie between banana and cinnamon, although I also love sour dough. Basically if you take flour, eggs, yeast and any sort of flavoring, I’m there. I am a carbohydrate junkie!

4. What’s something you have in abundance? Is that a good thing?

Apples. Our trees are so full this year and because our Autumn was so late, we are still harvesting them. In life, I am blessed to have so much love around me.

5. November 5th is National Love Your Red Hair Day. Are there any redheads in your family? Who’s your favorite redhead?

Yes. My daughter Katie had the most beautiful red hair. It was thick and curly. I miss it very much.

6. The travel website Busbud recently calculated the most Instagrammed spot in every state. Go here to see what made the list where you live. Are you happy with your state’s #1? If not what do you think should be the most photographed spot in your state? Have you snapped a photo there? If you live outside the USA answer as it relates to your state, city or province.

They say it is the White Mountains. Yes, we have taken pictures there. Here is a picture I took .

7. I’m going to try to have something related to gratitude in this spot each week during the month of November. Here’s this week’s question-

What’s something you’ve learned about yourself this year that you’re grateful for?

The importance of being a true and loving self. I have stopped worrying if I am a true and loving person, and just have been.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Tomorrow is another weigh in at Weight Watchers. I’ve had a good week and been diligent weighing and measuring everything. I hope it pays off!

Good-Bye, Dear Friend

Monday found me in deep reflection as my husband’s childhood friend, passed from this world to the next. Ted had a very bad heart and had suffered for years with medical problems. His heart finally gave out and before any of us could say good-bye, he was gone.

Ted was a gentle soul. I met him early on, when Hubby and I became engaged. He was not just a brilliant mind, but had a beautiful heart.

Way back, when computers hit the market for ordinary people like you and me, I was afraid to use them. Ted got me set up with an email, and then each day he would write me, sending me things to do on the computer.

His patience kept me going until I was finally pretty good using the machine. That was way back in the days of our old IBM, dial-up and a slowness on the Internet, that we all accepted, but would drive me insane now.

Ted and I could sit and talk for hours during his visits to our home. The fishing trips that he and hubby took to the great North Woods of New Hampshire are legendary.

Back when we had a motor-coach, Ted would come up from New York, and the two would drive up to Pittsburgh, New Hampshire to go fishing. One time they conned me to come along to cook for them. It rained so hard, that eventually I left to come home. I went and bought a beautiful 2 pound lobster. I was thrilled that I would have this treat after all that rain! A while later I got a call, they were headed home. Rain and no fish meant they were bored, wet and tired! I raced to the store and bought two more lobsters, but the secret was out. As we sat eating these big boys, Hubby and Ted teased me unmercifully! This memory brings only smiles!

Oh, how I will miss this wonderful man. In the last years of his life he didn’t get up here, but he was always just a Skype call away. I talked to him a couple of months ago and he was telling me all about his son, his life partner, Barbara, step daughters and grandchildren. He felt very much at peace with his family and his life.

I hope, dear Ted, that you have found a wonderful spot in Heaven. A place where all your illnesses are healed and only happiness surrounds you.

I shall miss you!