Dackel Princess

Lili’s Progress

You know, when Lili arrived at 8 weeks old, I was full of love and anticipation of a wonderful life together. Almost immediately, the poor baby started with her digestive problems and it made things very hard to deal with.

But we’ve made it through the last four months, fought for Lili’s health, worked on getting her food that didn’t make her sick, and house trained her.

We have spent every day working to train her to be polite and sociable, and she is doing remarkably well. She is growing, gaining weight, and best of all, we are becoming close friends.

Oh, she has her moments of wild puppy, craziness, but she is learning to listen, responds to our commands, and is starting to be much more gentle with the dackels.

I am praying that the rest of Lili’s story will be a healthful and happy one for her. She has a heart of gold and truly wants to be loved by us and by the dackels.

This & That

I’m thrilled to announce that I now have a new faucet in the kitchen, a new shower handle in my bathroom, and new toilet innards in my bathroom! I’m am high with the glory of these things!

And then I turned on my dishwasher and guess what? If you guessed that it is acting funky, then you would be correct. How long I can baby it and keep it going I do not know, but since I just went broke today I am not in any hurry to get another expensive device. Although I did see a dishwasher at Lowes for $299.00.

The new kitchen faucet is nice. I need to be careful though because it seems like the hot water is hotter than the old faucet. It must be something in the mixer valves.

Making a nice dinner tonight of butternut squash, baked potatoes and slowly simmered chicken and mushrooms!

A nice way to end the day!

Throw Back Thursday

This was taken the first day of eighth grade. I vaguely remember that dress. The hair? Oh yeah, I wanted to be Karen Carpenter so bad! That is why you can see the long hair and heavy bangs!

I loved eighth grade. We were the oldest class in the school. Mostly, we had great teachers with the exception of just a couple.

My Dad taught at this school. So for the three years I was in the Intermediate school, I not only had Dad as my music teacher, but I also rode to school with him every day and he made my lunch. Two slices of white bread, spread with margarine, two slices of American cheese. An apple and money for a carton of milk. God bless Dad. He had no imagination for packing our lunches, but every day, when we came down to the breakfast he made, there was our bag lunch.

At one time, everyone in town had our Dad for their music teacher. His teaching of square dancing is still legendary!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. It’s fall. Y’all. My favorite season of the year! What’s something you love to do this time of year that makes you feel it’s officially fall? And unrelated to that, do you ever say-‘y’all’?

I do say Y’all! LOL! I think the thing I do every year that makes me feel like it is officiaally fall is bake an apple pie. The smell, the taste! Oh my, apple pie!

2. When did you last have a falling out with someone? Has it been resolved?

Quite recently. And yes, I guess it is resolved, in that I do not with to pursue the situation further.

3. A song you love with the word ‘fall’ in it’s title?

4. What’s something you’ve recently let ‘fall by the wayside?’

Quite a bit actually. A new puppy tends to take up a lot of your time. A sick puppy, even more.

5. When did you last attend an event, read a book, watch a movie, try a new recipe, or visit a shop-town-tourist attraction that fell short of your expectations? In what way?

I was so excited to watch “Saving Mr. Banks” on HBO. It was all about the author who wrote Mary Poppins. The movie was okay, but when I looked up PL Travers I discovered she was actually quite an awful person who hurt many people in her life. I love Mary Poppins, but it’s too bad that her creator was such a crabby apple!

6. Describe a time you said or thought, ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

So often when I see my granddaughter with her mother. Savannah is so much like Mandy. It’s quite wonderful!

7. Was today better than yesterday? Why or why not?

For me personally. Not really. Had a migraine. In the grand sceme of things, yes. I’m a grandmother and it doesn’t get any better than this!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I think that I will be making my first apple pie of the season. I love the way they smell and the way they taste. Mmmmmmm!

Weekend Catch-Up

Hubby and I had a busy weekend. Between my doing laundry, cooking, finishing up the Concord Grape Jelly, and his apple picking and delivering, our days were filled.

After dinner, Hubby would fall asleep in his chair and come 9:30 PM, i was in bed and asleep! I wanted to nap, but with four dogs, that simply never happens.

Lili is doing okay. I almost have her weaned over to Wolf Cub Puppy food. She seems to like it and be doing well on it. Still, her EPI symptoms are still there, just not so severe.

I plan to take her in to the Vet again for a weight check, and I would also like to get more of the medication that stops her diarrhea problem. It does not cure it, but it helps her to be more comfortable.

She is growing, and gaining weight, and for that I am eternally grateful!

Throw Back Thursday

A former classmate of mine posted this picture of my second grade class last week on Facebook! I hadn’t seen this picture in years.

I am in the back row the fourth from the right. Head band, curly hair and big smile.

I loved my second grade teacher, Miss Norris. She was young and interested, and had a great way of taking the mundane and making it fun and exciting!

I look at these sweet innocent faces and I think how wonderful life was for these kids. This was, of course, before life happens and you find yourself challenged. One of my classmates, Rae-Ann (third from the left, top row) died of cancer. She was such a terrific person.

Ah yes. Life. Like John Lennon wrote “Before you cross the street, take my hand. Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. I’m celebrating a birthday this week so a question relating to aging feels appropriate. Douglas MacArthur is quoted as saying, ‘You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.” Would you agree? If not why not?

Actually that’s a pretty wise statement when you think about it. Especially the last segment. As young as your hope, as old as your despair. You see, I believe hope keeps us feeling young.

2. What remarkable feat, interesting piece of trivia, or historical event occurred on your birth day and month? Not necessarily in your birth-year, just the same date/same month.

1558 – Elizabeth I ascends English throne upon death of her half sister Mary “Bloody Mary”, Queen of England (1553-58), aged 42.

1928 – Boston Garden officially opens

1980 – John Lennon releases “Double Fantasy” album in UK.

3. Describe a time or circumstance where you wanted to ‘have your cake and eat it too.’

If I could have had the cancer removed from my face with no scars at all.

4. What’s something you do that makes you feel young? Something that makes you feel old?

Young? Going on vacation. When we cruise I do two things that bring me delight. The first is afternoon tea in the formal dining-room, where the waiters are dressed in crisp white shirts, black trousers and vests. Tea and goodies are served, just like when my grandma was alive. The other thing, is sitting on deck, or my balcony and reading.

Old? Every time I get up in the morning. I creak and groan and another day begins!

5. When did you last do something that was ‘a piece of cake’?

Last night. Hubby got home late and I whipped up a meal of tacos. He was so happy. And the fixing up part was a piece of cake.

6. Beef, wine, and cheese all improve with age. What’s something else you’d add to that list? (not necessarily food or beverage)

A good dog. I definitely appreciate a calmed down, older dog. Even though Lili is doing well on her special food and medication, I will so be glad when her puppiness is over.

7. If I were to have a giveaway when we hit Volume 200, what should I give away? By my calculations we’ll hit Volume 200 on November 26th, the day before Thanksgiving, which means whoever wins would have whatever it is in time for Christmas.

Something that says “Joyce”. Not the name, but something that whenever one looked at it, we would think of you.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I have had a piece of popcorn stuck in my front tooth since last Friday. At least I think that is what it is. I go today at 3 o’clock to see my dentist. I just want him to make it go away!

Autumn Is Here

Today was a busy day. Both Hubby and I had doctor’s appointments and shopping after. I needed to get Lili her special dog food and a few other things (like antibiotics for my sinus infection) and Hubby did the majority of the house hold shopping. He’s good at that.

The big news here is that Lili had her first normal poop! I know that is a pretty funny thing to celebrate, but it means that all the special food, special enzyme powders are working! Yay!

I went to see the 100 Foot Journey. Good movie. It was slow and steady and full of meaning. I actually think I will enjoy it more when it is on HBO and I can close caption it.

So all is well, and the dogs are great and it appears Autumn is here!

Another Lili Update

After weeks of not getting anywhere with Lili’s diet and malabsorption problem, she is finally starting to do well. She is no longer ravenously hungry (although she never turns down a meal) and her desire to chew all of the time.

She is actually becoming more pleasant to be around. She loves me. She follows me everywhere. All she needs is good nutrition, our love and lots of running time.

Oh yeah, now that she is feeling better, she wants to run and run. Fortunately, we have a large field behind the house, and Lili loves it.

It has been tough. I never had those sweet silly puppy days with her. I was so busy trying to keep her healthy, and that was so darn hard.

I am just so thankful that the diarrhea has gotten better and that she is utilizing her food. I know we have a long way to go until her food is balanced, but at least we are on the right road.

Oh yes, and as she feels better, her behavior has improved. I will be bringing her back to the dog trainer, for private lessons very soon.

Good Bye, Frank

A friend of mine died today. It wasn’t the usual girl friend, or contemporary friend. No, Frank was very special. He was like a Grandfather to me. He was 96. He was born of December 7th “Pearl Harbor Day” and died “September 11”. I wonder if he knew.

I first met Frank when we started to build our home 15 years ago. I learned quickly that Frank liked to watch everything going on, and he loved to listen. He was actually a man of few words.

Frank was part of the “Greatest Generation”. He fought in World War 2 and was in a German Prison for about a year. IT did not make him bitter. He was, who he was. A simple, proud man.

His much loved wife had passed long before we arrived here, so I never met her, but his eyes got all misty when he spoke of her.

I brought him cookies and cakes, and jellies and jams. Things I knew he didn’t have. He was always so happy and would shakily hug me.

He heard I was putting in a garden and he brought me seeds for purple beans. I have had them in my garden ever since. I always brought him some too, as he never seemed able to grow anything in his very shady yard.

The last time I saw him he was in a chair in his room at the nursing home. He had a blanket across his lap and his big screen TV next to him. It was on, while he slept.

I did wake him, just so he would know I was there, and then he drifted back off to sleep. It broke my heart.

I’m thankful for knowing this brave and unique man. God speed Frankie “Digger” Dunn. I will cherish your memory all the days of my life.

Frank B. “Digger” Dunn, 96, of Meredith, passed away at Forest View Manor in Meredith, NH on September 11, 2014.

Frank was born December 7, 1917 in Sanbomton, N.H. to Leon Dunn and Marie Maple Dunn. He has been a resident of Meredith since the age of 4.

Frank worked for Frank Prescott at Prescott Lumber for many years. After World War II, he had a small trucking company which hauled lumber for Diamond Match Company among others. He started the first backhoe business in Meredith in 1959. He did all the digging for the town at the time. He enjoyed his work and made many friends. Everyone knew “Digger”. He retired in the late 1980s.

Frank served in the Army in WWII From 1941-1945. He was a PFC in the 20th Combat Engineers and was in several invasions in the European theatre. He was captured by the Germans and was a Prisoner of War for about a year.

He married Patricia Pettengill on March 8, 1952 and she predeceased him on June 19, 1996. He was also predeceased by brothers Arthur and Lewis.

Frank is survived by his daughter, Patrice and her husband Harold; granddaughter, Jennifer and her husband, Matt, great granddaughter, Isabelle; great-grandson, Brayden, a niece and several nephews.