Dackel Princess

Snow/Sleet/Ice/Rain

I woke up on Sunday and looked out of the window. I could see the snow had piled up on one of the cars and it looked like 6 or so inches.

I stopped, still in my pajamas, and put on my winter boots. After all, Lili hates to wait while I do this, once she sees me first thing in the morning!

I grabbed my parka, hat and gloves and Lili met me at the door. We took one step out the door and our feet crunched through the icy layer on top of the snow.

Lili was kind of freaking out, as she had never experienced this kind of weather event. I had to stomp around the back yard, until enough of the snow/ice mixture was broken up, so she could do her business.

Everything was an icy/snowy/watery mess! I was trying to let Hubby sleep, but he somehow knew he needed to get up and have breakfast so he could break out his old Gravely snow blower/lawn mower. I swear to God, that thing is older than I am, although he says it is not. Still….

He spent nearly all day working on the driveway, and stairs, as well as the area for the dackels to do their business. Lili may not like it, but she can certainly handle 6 inches of snow!

So the day has been full of sloppiness, wetness and work. The best part…watching the dogs deal with and play in the snow! So much fun!

New Years and Friendly Faces

Is anyone else, sort of having trouble, regulating your celebration clock? I mean Christmas Eve was on a Wednesday. Christmas Day on Thursday, Then we had what felt like a long weekend.

New Years rolled around, and New Years Eve was also on a Wednesday, with New Years Day being Thursday. So both weekends I went around feeling like Monday should be right around the corner, but today was Saturday, all day long.

It’s not that I mind. But, it just feels strange.

The New Year began, and I’ve wanted to get started on all my resolutions, but it just doesn’t quite feel like we started a New Year. Does that make sense?

Meanwhile, today there was a knock on my door. There stood Jacqui! She is one of my kids. You see when we moved here 15 years ago, I sort of collected kids from the neighborhood. They came to learn to cook, to play with the dogs, to make stews, jams and jellies. Two of the little ones we even taught to read.

Well, Jacqui is all grown up and will be graduating from school in June. It was wonderful to see her! Here is a picture from when Jacqui was a little girl, with baby Anneliese!

Lili The Lovely

When we brought Lili home, in very short order, it all went to hell! She was sick, she chewed everything and she was not what one would call, a sweet dog. In fact there were times I was not sure Lili was really meant to be with us.

I did get her spayed in October. And I had her tested for an illness that my Vet assured me she had. In fact, I had been treating her for this illness for several months with special food and medication.

All the tests came back normal. There was nothing seriously wrong with Lili. Had my Vet explored things with more interest, I expect we would have found a puppy who was having trouble adjusting to her food. Or the water, or almost anything else.

I do feel badly that I didn’t question the Vet more. I should have. Darn it! Yet somehow, we have made it through the bad parts, and we are starting to see the real Lili.

It started two days after Christmas. She just seemed to ‘settle’. She no longer pulls on the leash, and in the house, she comes when I call her. In fact, most of the time she is my shadow, following me all over the house. I still must leash her when I take her out, as she has discovered the CAT next door.

I am going to return to obedience class and hopefully she will respond and do well. She wants to please me, and I think if I can just teach her, she’ll get it and make us both happy.

Lili age nine and a half months old.

Her tummy is completely normal. I have weaned her off the medication the Vet said she needed. And she is doing splendidly!

And she is becoming the loving, beautiful girl I had hoped for! Yes, she is still a puppy, and she gets into mischief, but finally things are getting better!

Time

Here we are. The New Year, 2015. All I can say is; where the heck did 2014 go? It seems like it flew by for me. I think the biggest change this year was Savannah going from being a toddler to being a little girl!

There is something magical about my little granddaughter. She is happy and interested in everything, bright and full of love! She is quite a blessing!

I’ve heard other grandparents exclaim about these things happening, but until this year, I didn’t fully understand. Even now I find it difficult to put my feelings into words!

I think that I won’t mind the passage of time, while I am watching my granddaughter grow up. Watching and listening to her, and it just brings a smile to my face.

Meanwhile, I am Day 1 back on the Weight Watchers program. This year I want to just do it. I’ve been kidding myself long enough. It’s time to work hard and take this weight off.

I was cleaning my room and I found a picture taken 6 years ago when I turned 50.

I was at goal, looked wonderful and best of all, I felt really good about myself.

I want that back again! Updates to follow!

To One & All

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Share a favorite moment from your Christmas holiday celebration.

Watching Savannah open her gifts. She was so sweet and focused and it was fabulous to see her interest in each gift. She also played with each gift for quite a while before we mentioned oping another.

2. What would you say has been the biggest news event during your life so far?

Personal or world wide? World wide, 9/11. That event will haunt us all for the rest of our lives.

3. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2015 is Marsala. What say you-like or no like? Would I find this color anywhere in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade to either?

I do like the color and I actually have a room which is painted very closely to this color.

4. Would you rather meet your ancestors or your great grandchildren? Explain why.

My great grandchildren. Because they are, our future!

5. Share one life lesson learned in 2014?

Love between man and beast is not always instant or easy. I’ve always gotten dogs and there was an instant love. With Lili, I know she loves me, as she follows me everywhere, but she was sick so much the first few months and it made it very hard to bond. She is doing better, and I finally feel like I m making headway with her.

6. What was your best or favorite purchase made in 2014?

I got Savi a little doll nursery set. She started using it right away. It’s adorable. Hubby got her a dancing Minnie Mouse and she uses the doll set with Minnie.

7. What is one thing you’re looking forward to in the new year?

Right now I have no plans. I think I need to put on my thinking cap and do some planning!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We had a wonderful time with Mel, Ron, Janet and Dave at our sister/cousin Christmas Party. The food was good, the company better and we all enjoyed the Yankee Swap!

Christmas 2014

Christmas was a wonderful thing this year. It was Savannah’s third Christmas, and the first one where she was really into Santa Claus, and PRESENTS! However, I must mention that Savi was really sweet. She really appreciated each and every gift that she was given.

Savannah wearing her Princess Elsa hat, complete with her braid!

Savannah also loved her dolls, the high chair for the dolls, and the tea and cupcake set that she got. (I think that was from her other grandparents)

I gave her the nursery set for the dolls and Hubby gave her the dancing Minnie Mouse!

I really loved watching her open and play with all of her toys. I have to admit that she could have cared less about the clothes I gave her, but heck, kids always need clothes!

This was also the first year that the whole family got together. Mandy and Matt opened up their new home to all of us and it was wonderful!

Making new memories, in Mandy’s new home!

Merry Christmas To All!

Christmas Eve

Here I am wrapping like crazy, all the treasures I have gotten over the last year, for my family. I’m only half way done. So much more to do tomorrow.

But as I wrapped I began to think about Christmas’s past. In my youth and teen years. Mom always made sure we had things under the tree. But when we got into our teen years something wonderful happened.

Dad, who had previously not known what to get us, did his mad dash to the Pharmacy. There he would shop and get us his gifts to us. Dolls, life savers, crossword puzzles, chap stick, funny hats, books, etc.

Here I am at age age 12.

All these years later, I look back and I realize how wonderfully special this was. No, Dad didn’t spend a lot of money, and almost no time, but he did, every year go out and buy me gifts just from him.

Most of you know, Dad was a music teacher. At Christmas he played concerts with the schools, the churches, and even on the local village green.

I didn’t know it then, but I do now. I was a lucky girl. My Dad loved me and showed me the only way he knew how.

Happy Birthday, Mandy!

Today is my daughter, Mandy’s birthday. The day she was born was so magical for her father and me. We were amazed that our love had made one so small, so perfect, so amazing. Now all these years later, sharing her life, watching her as a mother, I am even more amazed at my beautiful daughter. If I wasn’t her mother, I would still want to be her friend.

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!