I’m getting ready for Hubby’s Melanoma sugery today. Kindle, MP3 player, cell phone. All packed and I am ready to roll.
By this time tomrrow, we will be back home and Hubby will be cancer free! Yay!
I knew this was Melanoma all along. But you know, doctors think they know everything! Finally his VA Dermatologist tested it, and sure enough, I was right!
Wish him luck!
1. “Summer is like childhood. It’s full of warm memories and gone too soon.”~Kellie Elmore Agree or disagree? Share something you loved about the summers of your childhood.
Agree. Now what did I love? A childhood memory? I loved cool crisp sheets on my sun kissed body. I loved the way the ocean softened my skin and the sun bleached my hair. I loved the way I always fell asleep exhausted from everything we did!
Melodie & Me.
2. Are you a fan of auto racing-NASCAR, Indy, Stock, Grand Prix, etc? Ever been to a race in person? Any desire to do this? Do you know a lot about cars? Do you notice particular makes and models when you’re out and about?
I’ve never been to a race despite the fact that Louden, NH Raceway is close by. I like watching from the comfort of my home.
3. What’s something you think is too serious to be joked about? Or do you think anything and everything is fair game?
I think people are too serious about most things. Right now I feel that Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza is nothing to joke about.
4. July 29th is National Lasagna Day. Are you a fan? Do you have a great recipe, and if so where did it come from? If given a choice would you choose a plate of lasagna or a plate of spaghetti?
I love lasagna! I love it more than I love spaghetti. I just kind of make it up as I go, with the exception of the zucchini lasagna that I make. You can go HERE and view my recipe.
5. What’s a simple pleasure you’d miss if it were not a regular part of your life?
My afternoon tea. It’s like a long held ritual, that I still keep. Growing up with my mother and grandmother, afternoon tea was a much loved rite of passage!
6. If you could be the CEO of any company, which would you choose?
An airline, and then I would fly all over the world, seeing my loved ones!
7. August is just around the bend…bid farewell to July in exactly seven words.
Family wedding was the best time yet!
8. Insert your own random thought here.
This past weekend I also saw my beautiful, smart, enchanting granddaughter, Savannah! She sang to me, talked to me and hugged me! She also asked about her Papa, who was, of course, home with the dogs.
Today was “Moon Glow Pickle Day”!
Yesterday Hubby and I:
Ingredients:
Put in large pot cover with water and soak overnight.
6 quarts cubed cucumbers (ripe and yellow)
(cut into quarters lengthwise, peel and scoop out seeds and cube)
3 large onions cubed
1/2 cup canning salt
2 green pappers chopped
2 red peppers chopped
This morning I:
drained and rinsed everything.
then added:
12 whole cloves
2 TBSP mustard seed
6 cups sugar
1 quart cider vinegar
1 tsp. Tumeric
Cook until medium soft and kind of transparent.
Pack in hot sterilized jars. Yield 10 pints.
My cousin Larry met the woman of his dreams and on Satursday they were married at The Cathedral of the Pines, in Ringe, New Hampshire. A totally beautiful place for a wedding provided the weather cooperated, and it did!
It was a perfect day for a perfect wedding. My cousin, Janet and her husband Dave, my sister Melodie and her husband, Ron and I, all witnessed the big day for our youngest baby brother/cousin!
Welcome Cindy! You have married into a truly wild and crazy family!
Me and my family! Love you all!!
Today would have been Fritz’s eleventh birthday! Sadly, he made it to March 3 of this year and quickly passed from this life to the next.
We have said this before, we have had wonderful White Shepherds, but Fritz is in a league of his own! He was quite simply the best White Shepherd we ever had!
He was gentle and kind with all that he met, and he loved the dackels and was their body guard.
Most of all, he loved his Daddy beyond words! Following him everywhere that he went.
If I called him, he came, and was always happily wagging his tail! He loved me and I adored him too!
I cannot tell you how much you are missed, Fritz. Your little grand-niece is adorable too. She is starting to settle down and I can see that with training she will be great!
For now, Rest In Peace, Dear Fritz!
Fritz from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.
Since today was such an eventful day, I thought I would sit down and write everything. I don’t often have such full days, and today has to be at the top.
I was up early and got ready for my appointment with my retinal surgeon. I even put on a little make up, as I realized I have known this man for 10 years. Ten very important years. If it weren’t for Dr. C. I would never have seen this:
And now two years later:
Anyway, The drive over was and hour and fortyfive minutes. Fortunately, the traffic was light, and I made the appointment on time.
Unfortunately the doctor was backed up. Or should I say the machine was. It is a 64 bit scanner for the retina, much like the 64 bit scanner using the CAT Scan Imaging.
Everything was great and once I remeniced with the doctor about the last ten years and I showed him Savannah. We all agreed that this was a gift.
The drive home was uneventful, and I picked up the mail and some groceries, before arriving back. All was quiet, which I always appreciate when when I am dealing with four dogs.
At 3:30 I left with Anneliese and Arnie to see the Vet. Anneliese needed her stitches out and she wanted to check both of them for their sneezing. They have a little virus, but nothing important.
Anyway, on the way over, I got to an intersection with two sets of traffic lights. I was going down a hill, when all of a sudden the car went dead! I went through a short trouble shooting session in my brain, but then said a quickie prayer.
“Dear Lord, please let me coast through the two lights, across the traffic and into the gas station!”
And I did! I couldn’t believe it. I know if I tried to recreate it, I would be unable to.
I drove home after the Vet visit, and when we got back, Anneliese was coming in and Greta came up to her. Well, Anneliese didn’t want her formerly stitched area sniffed and before I knew it we were in the middle of a dog fight! I kicked them apart and then Anneliese went back for more. I finally kicked them apart and grabbed Greta. That was when I saw the blood!
Yes, Anneliese had quite firmly bitten Greta. I held her paw with a clean towel until her bleeding stopped.
I whipped up dinner, cleaned it up quickly and I hope to get to bed by 9:30 as I am exhausted.
What a heck of a day!
Today is my sister, Melodie’s Sixtyfirst Birthday. She’s always been a very important person in my life, as well as my dearest sister!
It’s been both a tough and joyous year for her, with the loss of our mother, but she also has the greatest joy of watching her twin grandsons, Nolan and Gabriel grow, as well as her much loved Grandchildren, Abby, Taft and Luke.
Many people will never realize just how loved they are by Melodie. When she is in your life, you have a devoted family member or friend, who will do anything, and expect nothing more than a smile in return. My sister is a real gem!
Happy Birthday, Melodie!!! from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.
I wish for you a Happy Birthday, today, Mel and a wonderful year
On Saturday I cooked literally all day. By the time I finished and got the dishes in the dishwasher, it was 8:30 and this granny was feeling every one of her 55 years!
Hubby is happy with his Cabbage Soup, and the small batch of potato salad that I made, came out so well! Yum! I also made roasted zucchini at lunch and then sauteed zucchini at dinner. Not to mention the Swordfish, which I broiled!
Don’t get me wrong. Aside from the zucchini, which I am getting sick of, it was great to cook up so much of what I have grown and what I enjoy.
I woke on Sunday to hear that James Garner passed from this life to the next. He was one of my favorite actors, and coincidentally I had just watched “The Notebook” on Saturday. He was amazing. I hope he rests peacefully!
Sunday was slightly less stressful except that Anneliese started sneezing! She is the bigger of the three dackels. Arnie and Anneliese are also sneezing. Just not as much. Lili is fine.
Fortunately, I have an appointment with my Vet in the morning to take out Anneliese’s stitches, so I will have her check this out.
Happy Monday, Everyone!
There are times in my life, that I can think back to and the memory brings me a world of joy! Certaily the birth of my children, Mandy and Katie are at the top of my list.
I have to say that the birth of Mandy was probably more amazing and special than she knows. My mother, grandmother, and my ex-husband’s mother were all right outside the delivery room. My ex inside with me.
It was quite amazing that when Mandy took her first cry these three women heard it. Most especially, my Grandma Honey.
I remember a feeling, like no one had ever done this before. And it is amazing to me, how you fall, instantly and completly in love!
Isn’t it something when two people get together and make such a beautiful baby! I felt so blessed!
She was born five days before Christmas, at 9:15 in the morning. She weighed 8lbs and 13 ounces, and was 20 inches long. Such a miracle!
Then years later, Mandy presented me with a perfect little granddaughter, Savannah Rose.
And now Savannah is two and it just keeps getting better!
Growing up I was pretty much of a Tom-boy. I loved to climb trees, ride bikes, play in the dirt with Tonka Trucks and run around our neighborhood like a little street urchin.
I remember the day my mother had enough of trying to keep my hair snarl free, and she took her sheers and chopped off my hair into a very short pixie cut! (See, I was ahead of my time!)
But Grandma and Dad both didn’t like it, and so my hair was left to grow out.
Just before my fourth birthday, I was supposed to be a flower girl in a wedding, instead I got appendicitis! I was rushed to Falmouth Hospital and operated on.
I remember waking up in the night with terrible stomach pain! I made my way into my parent’s bedroom and I remember being laid on their bed. My legs were tight to my chest. When Dad tried to pull them down, they snapped up so fast I think I might even have hit him!
Off we drove to the hospital and my Dad drove the wrong way and ended up going to the Community Theater! Eventually we made it, and Dr. Wessling removed my appendix.
All I remember about all of that was, he was nice and the ether smelled terrible!
I remember looking through the bars of my hospital cot to watch “Captain Kangaroo” and “Bozo the Clown”. I think I was in the hospital for a week.
My sister was not allowed to come up. She was beside herself with worry! So, my parents thought it was wrong to keep us apart and they snuck her up to pediatrics so Melodie could see me.
I was given all sorts of presents while I was in the hospital. I think Digger the Dog was my favorite.
The only problem was, that by the time my birthday rolled around, I’d gotten all the gifts.
I remember coming home and going up the stairs to my room when I slipped on the steps and fell. I cried out to my mother, “Oh no! I’m bleeding!”
My poor mother came running, thinking my stitches had ruptured, only to find I had cut my finger!
Somehow Mom managed to make a party for my birthday a few weeks later in November. And magically, there were presents for me too.
All this from the earliest memories in my mind. I do admit to fact checking one part, but everything else was accurate.
Amazing what a three and a half year old can remember!