It’s that time of the year. Time to “Spring Forward” one hour. It means we will lose one hour of sleep, but it also means we will gain more daylight! And actually, it also means we are one day closer to it being spring!
Author: Dackel Princess
Giving Thanks
Today I went to see my retinal surgeon. I go every six months to make sure my retinas are okay, and have been seeing Dr. C. since that fateful day when my first retina detached in 2002. You can go here and read about the first detachment.
My second retina detached in 2009. You can read about that one here. Anyway, today was my 6 month check up with him. Today I planned to tell him some very important information.
You see in the years since I first met Dr. C. I have learned a lot about retinas, a lot about his work, and how for every success like mine there are just as many people who lose their vision. Some weeks are good weeks for him. Others are weeks when no matter what he does, people go blind.
Today when I arrived I spoke with his physicians assistant. I asked how his week was going? She said, it had been a tough one for him.
So, I took out my Savannah picture book, selected this picture, and waited.
When he came in, I told him, “I know that in your line of work, some days are good and some days are bad. I know you don’t always have the best outcomes. But I wanted to tell you that I thank God every day for giving you the gift to restore my vision. Every time I look at my granddaughter and see her beautiful face I feel so lucky. Thank you!”
He took the booklet from my hands and looked at each Savannah picture. Then he thanked me. He said he’d had a tough week.
I knew then that I’d picked the right time to thank him, in a very sincere way. I felt like at that moment, after all these years, we had become friends.
Teeth
On Wednesday I went to get my tooth ready for a crown. I had not anticipated such an ordeal, but it sure was. I was under the assumption that the worst was behind me. You know, the root canal and such, but the prepping for this crown on that tooth was brutal!
I have had root canals before, but not on a molar, and perhaps that is what caused the problem. The Endodontist did the root canal work, and then put a temporary closure on that. My own dentist had to grind down the tooth, make molds of it, etc, and then make a temporary tooth. The entire thing took from 11:10 AM until almost 12:30 PM!
My jaw is probably the most problematic. It does not handle being wide open for long periods of time. The actual jaw joint is really sore!
I came home and as the Novocaine wore off, I was in agony. I’d mentioned to the Dentist that I don’t do pain well, and his answer was, that I should take Motrin! Got to say, taking Motrin was like chewing a Gummy Bear. It did absolutely nothing for the pain!
So, here I am two day past the event, still hurting, and mostly eating soft foods. I hope by the end of the weekend I can be back to eating normal foods. I know I won’t be eating anything really chewy for a while, but at least normal meal foods.
On the bright side, this is really good for my diet!
TBT: Siblings
Here are my older brother and sister, Richard and Melodie. This picture was taken in front of our home on Clipper Lane, in Falmouth, Massachusetts. I was not even a glimmer in my parents eyes at this point. Arriving 5-1/2 years after my sister and 7-1/2 after my brother.
I’ve always loved these pictures of them, so adorable in their outfits, as they stood holding hands. They were best friends all of my brother’s life, until his untimely death at the age of 26 from cancer. We both still miss him very much.
Wednesday Hodgepodge
1. ‘In like a lion, out like a lamb’…does the first part of this saying describing March weather ring true where you live?
Oh yeah. In fact as I write we expect 4-6 more inches tomorrow!
2. March 4th is National Grammar Day. What common grammatical error bothers you the most?
There, their, they’re. That’s the one that makes me the craziest.
3. William Arthur Ward says- ‘The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.’ Which one are you?
I guess I am an optimist. I expect it will change. This surprises me, as I tend to think of myself as being a bit of a pessimist.
4. What’s something you need to ‘march forth and conquer’ this month?
My return to Weight Watchers. I have messed around all winter and it is time for me to crack down and get on track and stay there.
5. An ongoing debate around here…do you dust first, then vacuum or vacuum first, then dust? Of the two routine household chores, which do you dislike the least? How’s that for wording?
I hate to dust. It usually leaves me coughing and sneezing. Vacuuming is okay. I tend to vacuum first
6. According to thrilllist.com, the ten most photographed sites in the U.S.A. are- Cinderella’s Castle in Orlando, Southernmost House in Key West Florida, The Space Needle in Seattle, The Site of the Boston Massacre in Boston, The Bellagio Lake/fountains in Las Vegas, The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, Coit Tower in San Fransisco, The Art Institute of Chicago, Niagara Falls, and snagging the number one spot-The Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
How many on this list have you photographed? Which on the list would you most like to visit and photograph?
All but the Art Institute of Chicago and The Bellagio in Las Vegas. I’ve done my fair share of traveling.
7. Fifty years ago Monday (March 2, 1965) The Sound of Music premiered at the Rivoli Theatre in NYC. Have you seen the film? Do you own a copy? On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love it (or not)? Ten=best movie ever. If you’re a fan, what’s your favorite scene or song from the movie?
I love the Sound of Music! In fact back in 1966 I played Gretl in our Community Theaters production of the Sound of Music. Here I am, age 8 years old, and the youngest member of the cast.
It was a magical time for me, and even now, when I sing the songs, I get teary eyed. I know the words to every song and for me, I recall the men, women and children who were in the play with me. It was a wonderful group and I have only happy memories.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
My root canal went well, although I’ve had a sore jaw for most of the week. Thankfully, it is getting better. Today I go in and get fitted for the crown. And then this tooth problem will be a thing to put in the past!
Love Is In The Air
I think it must be the call of the wild.
I have three spayed female dogs in my home. Two are former mothers, but have been spayed for several years. Lili, of course, we had done right off in October, with hopes it would help her to calm down. One still hopes.
But Mr. Arnie is acting very strangely. Not so much with Lili, but with Greta and Anneliese. It started yesterday. Arnie began following Greta and Anneliese around putting his snout on their backs in a pathetically loving way.
Last night, while trying to go to sleep, he made his way around the bed, trying to snuggle with the two girls. I could hear them growl at him, in an attempt to get him to cut it out!
No, Arnie is not neutered. We have simply never had a problem with him that required us to neuter him.
But, this is worrying me a little. He is a bit on the thin side and well, I can only wonder how long his “loving” ways will continue.
Still, his cuddling them is cute, and as long as he doesn’t start to roam, I guess it’s OK. After all, it’s not like the girls will cooperate with him.
So, I can tell, Spring is in the air! Or at least Love!
Washing Machines!
After several weeks of having a washing machine that was slowly failing, Hubby and I spent all day Friday researching machines via the Internet and Consumer Reports. We pretty much settled on a top rated LG top loading machine. At first I was a little reluctant because I have had a front loader for a while. However, the reviews from actual users, gave this machine high marks.
On Saturday we went off to Lowes and looked at this machine as well as the front loader I had also read about. Frankly, I liked the top loader better and now, after running 4 loads of laundry, I can report, this machine is totally awesome!
It is quiet and the clothes come out CLEAN! Really, my old machine has been failing for sometime, I just was too crazy to admit it, and go and get a new one.
I guess I was overly attached to the old machine. I’d had it for nearly 16 years! Tonight, I must admit, I don’t even miss it! I know, I am a fickle woman!
I also must point out, that this is the fourth major appliance in less than a year. Yes, we bought all new appliances when we built the house and right now, the dryer is the last of the lot. I’m hoping it will last a wee bit longer.
So here I am, feeling fabulous about the purchase of an appliance. There is something so grown up about that, don’t you think?
Maribeth’s American Chop Suey
Somehow Hubby had never eaten American Chop Suey in his life. It was a staple for many of us growing up, so I decided that Hubby simply had to be introduced to this easy to make, and also easy to eat, comfort food!
Maribeth’s American Chop Suey
- 1 pound of hamburger
- 1/2 cup of green pepper
- 1/2 cup red pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced.
- 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce.
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Basil
- 12 ounces of elbow macaroni cooked (more or less. See how it is when you stir it in to the tomato mixture. You want it to be nice and moist, so you may not use all the elbow noodles.
Cooked chopped onion, green and red peppers in a little olive oil. Once that is softened, add the hamburger. Cook until the hamburger is no longer pink and all broken up. Mince the garlic and add to this in the pot. Add the seasoning, and the tomato sauce. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat. Add the cooked macaroni, and stir well. Place in greased casserole dish. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350* (F). Take out, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve. Yum.
Note: You can add more seasoning, salt or pepper to the sauce mixture. I always tell people to taste it to make sure it is to your liking.
This & That Friday
- The other day when I was driving down to meet up with my cousin and her sister’s in-law, I drove passed an obviously dead, and frozen creature on the side of the road. It was fierce looking and rather large. It haunted me all day, and once I was home I looked it up and this is what I found.
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This is a Fisher.
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Fishers (locally called fisher-cat, although they’re not related to cats nor do they eat a lot of cats) have long, slender bodies with muscular, short legs similar to their cousins — weasel, mink, marten, and otter. Their thick, grayish-brown to brownish-black glossy fur tends to be darker on females. White-tipped hairs on older fisher give a grizzled appearance. Fisher have strong claws for climbing and a long, bushy, black, tapered tail. Males average 4-12 pounds, about twice the size of females.
Don’t let their furry body fool you. Don’t let the cute fur fool you, these suckers have very sharp teeth and long toe nails and can kill an animal quickly by eviscerating it.
Occasionally they will go after a human, and have been known to seriously injure men, women and children!
- We have ice jams in our gutters. Hubby has started to break it up, but it is a tough job. Now I know what an ice pick is for!
- While driving home in a heavy snow storm I was driving slowly on the highway, when I witnessed another car go airborne and land on its roof! I later read that the driver was treated at a local hospital and released.
- I’ve become a “Blue Bloods” TV show fan! Hubby has watched it since day one, but it is on at 10 PM, and I am usually in bed.
- My mouth is doing well since the root canal. The discomfort I have is from the jaw being open for so long, and the gum tissue is also a little sore. But, I am doing well.
- I ordered earlobe cell phone hands free headsets. I ordered 4, and today they arrived. They were all broken! So, back they go. And yes, they were all made in China! Beware!
- I’ve been making lime gelatin, with pear halves and maraschino cherries. It makes a great low calorie dessert. It also makes me think of my youth, when at every Christmas, Mom would make this.
- Quiet weekend planned for us. I need to go out and look for a new washing machine. I know what I would like, I just have to find the right ($$$) one.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Throw Back Thursday: Baby MB
This weeks TBT are pictures of me at one and a half years old. I cannot believe that I am sitting still, as I have heard stories about me being a very active, climbing baby! In any case, here I am, in the front yard of our house on Clipper Lane in Falmouth.
And this one Dad took. I can see my hands are moving, so I know this picture was a real challenge for him!
