Dackel Princess

What I Did This Past Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

***************

Friday and Saturday’s posts pretty much fill you in on those days. Sunday, however, was a special day.

I woke at a nice time. Eight o’clock. Since it was Father’s Day, I made Hubby French Toast for his breakfast, before throwing on my clothes.

You see the morning news said the first half of the day would be nice, and then we would have rain.

My friend, Carolyn has a summer job as a Lake Host, so I wanted to take Greta out for a walk and go down for a visit.

Well, Greta is simply hysterical to watch during these outings! She struts her stuff as she walks, and she even lifts her back leg to wee!

When we got to the boat access she wanted a drink, and so I walked her down, but a wave came in and she jumped back a foot! She did this several times, with us laughing at her, before she realized that the lake wouldn’t get her!

On our way home we saw a cute little girl with her parents. Greta was so happy. But this adorable little child didn’t even want to pat Greta. She looked terrified! “I’m afraid of dogs”, she said. I tried to quietly tempt her, but she was truly afraid, and her parents did nothing to help her.

How sad!

I told her we would walk by again, and maybe next time she would feel a little braver. She smiled. I sure hope that is the case. I hate to see kids not have a relationship with an animal. It teaches them so much about love.

The day ended with the man who cuts the field behind our house slicing up our hose. It’s been so wet this year and sadly, he waited too long to cut, so with the hay at 6 feet his machine slid a bit and chopped up the hose.

Hubby is not amused!

Happy Monday!

Lovely Saturday

Today was a pretty good day, as far as getting things done. I managed laundry, watering the garden, and I’d gotten a little fence that matches the three sides I already have, so this morning I actually installed the fourth side, thus keeping the dackels out of my garden once and for all.

I bought bubble gum the other day and stuck it in the stone wall. I’d read that this will get rid of chipmunk and squirrels, and so far, they have not been eating my garden. I will let you know how that goes.

Mom is in Yale Hospital, and they have her on antibiotics, as she seems to have pneumonia too. They’re managing her pain, and she is very weak. I asked her if she wanted me to come down now and she said she would rather wait until her birthday next week. I told her if she changes her mind to let me know.

Hubby has been busy with his trees thinning fruit. We have an abundant crop this year, and we have learned by bitter experiences that it is better to thin, than to have a fruit tree (particularly peaches) torn asunder!

Saturday was also a picture perfect day. Sunny, warm, but not too hot. A gentle breeze and dry air. If it was like this all summer, I would be a happy girl!

My Mom

My mom is sick. She is, in fact, dying of cancer. Mel and I have known for a while, but we didn’t want to tell her because, well, it’s hard to tell someone, especially your mother, that they are dying of cancer.

She learned, a few days ago that not only does she have liver cancer, but that it has spread to her lungs.

I hated for her to know this. You see a long time ago, back in 1977 my brother became ill, and a year and a day later he died from cancer. (Lymphoma)

Mom took care of him all that year. Through chemotherapy and radiation. Back then, treatments were brutal and Mom watched her son suffer and then pass away.

I think this is why I really didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her scared. I did not want her to recall those last days with my brother and then fear for herself.

But in the end, she had to be told. And maybe in some ways it is kinder. She understands the pain, and no longer allows people to put her off about getting pain relief.

(She actually had a nurse tell her that she needed to “learn to get along” with the pain pills she had! Yes, I would like to pop that woman in the nose!)

My relationship with my Mom has always been “different”. I’ve spent a large part of my life arguing with her about really stupid stuff. And now…I just don’t want the anger, I want her to be pain free.

We don’t think it will be long. She is back in the hospital right now and I am thinking she may have to go into hospice care.

It stinks.

She is the last of her generation. When she is gone, well, then we will be the elders of the family.

If there is one wish that I have for her, it would be this…I pray that she does not suffer, and that when she passes, all the family will be there to greet her!

What A Crazy Day

On Thursday I just couldn’t seem to catch a break! I woke up early, and thought I would have a great start on things, but it just seemed like I was walking in molasses. I did two loads of laundry. Good. I made three meals today. Good. I managed to feed the dogs. Great.

I did not get to wash the cabinets in the kitchen, or go through the two boxes of junk from the motor-coach. I didn’t get to do some writing I need to do, or pay bills. Heaven forbid!

I did plant the last eggplants, peppers and started on the pea strings, but pathetically, I only got two stings in before the rain started. Oh heck, actually the rain wasn’t that bad, but my back sure was!

I did go out to get a prescription for Hubby. Now this sounds pretty easy and straight forward, right? Well, Hubby is diabetic, and his supplies should be covered by Medicare, but suddenly it was all screwed up! Apparently this is happening everywhere.

The nice Pharmacist told me he would get it all straightened out, and at 7 PM he called to tell me that he finally did!

The dishes are done, and the dogs are sleepy, and I finished making my bed with crisp sheets and a freshly laundered blanket!

Good Nite All!

Thursday Thirteen

I went to see the plastic surgeon specialist on Wednesday.
Dr. P. is an extremely well educated and studied Australian.
He came to the USA in 1989 and began working at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
I loved his easy mannerisms and smiles.
I really felt relaxed.
He explained he would not have done a forehead flap to cover my nose.
He would have used a graft from another area.
Currently my skin graft has developed a lot of scar tissue.
So, the current plan is to slowly remove the scar tissue little by little, until a normal nose is shaped.
Since I also have nerve damage in my forehead, I will need surgery on that as well.
The nerve there will need to be buried.
If that does not work, then I will join the botox set as they attempt to kill the nerve ending there.
Tonight I feel hopeful, happy and I know, I will sleep well tonight.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What do you think makes a good dad?

A person who listens to their child, spends time with them, teaches them to love and respect other people, and helps them to see the world with new eyes.

2. What’s something you learned from your own father?

It’s kind of a joke. Punctuality. Or being overly punctual. Growing up we all learned to be ready to leave 10 minutes before we were supposed to because Dad was a nervous wreck about leaving on time and arriving on time. Thus, to this day, I must leave early (there might be traffic!) and I am almost always early!

3. It’s your birthday-what kind of cake will we be having?

Okay I love a double fudge chocolate cake with white frosting. I love that! Chocolate is the best isn’t it? But chocolate cake and frosting is almost too much, unless the frosting is chocolate ganache.

4. When you’re faced with a big decision are you more of a go with your gut type of person, or are you someone who reasons it all out, weighing the pros and cons?

I’m a gut girl. Sometimes there is a lot to consider, but you know your gut instinct often is correct.

5. June is National Dairy Month. What’s your favorite dairy item? Most often purchased dairy item?

It’s a tie between Weight Watchers frozen cookies and cream bars and yogurt, which I eat every day.

6. Explorer Jacques Cousteau was born on June 11, 1910….what’s something you’ve recently discovered or something you’d like to explore?

Hubby and I would love to explore Alaska. There are cruise tours that take you around on a train in Alaska to see the back woods beauty, and then the cruise to see the glaciers!

7. Are you typical of your generation?

No, I think I was born about ten years too early.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I decided to try this format of questions and answers this week. The questions are all in color and my answers are in plain black fonts. This way I’m not highlighting and I don’t have to keep changing the color. What do you think?

My Hope…

I’m starting to get nervous about my appointment with the plastic surgical specialist on Wednesday. I know he is a nice man. A friend uses him as her doctor. I know he does good work on fixing faces after cancer surgery. Again, I have seen his work.

I think what worries me the most is that I will get in there and he will look at my face and tell me that there is nothing he can do and I will always look like this.

The stranger I see in the mirror!

It’s an odd feeling when you have something like this happen on your face. Inside you still feel like the same person, but then you catch site of yourself as you pass by a mirror or in a store window, or even when you are backing up your car.

The startling feeling inside causes you to catch your breath. To wonder who that stranger is.

I always thought that I never gave my face much thought. I never wore make-up and always felt that a smile was my best feature. A window to my soul.

Had I lost all my teeth I could always get dentures, but the scars of the surgery have made me more than aware of the fact, (that I am slowly coming to terms with), that my best days (face wise) are behind me.

Oh I hope so much that this doctor looks at me and says he can make me at least pretty. Someone who can walk around in the world, without people staring with a startled look at me.

It happened again today as I shopped. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. I smiled and kept walking. I wonder, what do these people think? How can they be so cruel?

My one favor to ask of all of you out there, if you see someone like me walking around, smile at them! You will simply make their day!!!

What I Did This Past Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

***************

The weekend was a strange one. A bit emotional with the departure of our camper (see yesterday’s post) and a lot of work, as I am washing things and either putting them away, storing them, or getting them ready for the recycling center.

The day started early for me on Sunday. I woke up feeling very groggy and stuffed up. My head also was not on a comfy pillow either. It was on…..Greta’s belly! And…she was snoring! It made me start to giggle, so I quietly got up and took the dogs out so Hubby could sleep.

I’ve been getting all my paperwork together for my second opinion with the plastic surgeon specialist on Wednesday. Mandy and I are going together. I’m glad she will be with me.

I saw that The Little River Band was going to be at our local venue “The Flying Monkey”. When I researched it I discovered that none of the original members are with the band. This a licensed band to use their names and sing their songs.

I bought their Greatest Hits album instead!

I tried to make Sunday a bit of a quiet day for me as well. Life has been a bit complicated and also stressful, and I needed the time to regroup. Did I find that? Not really. In fact I’ve been feeling very tired and wrung out!

I guess this tells me I need an early bedtime tonight (Sunday).

Happy Monday Everyone!

Building Memories

On Saturday I started to sort through the last items that came off the camper. I also went out today and walked around the cement pad we had poured for the camper. We’d done it the first year we were here.

We put our hand prints in the wet cement, and our initials.

We had two dogs then. Our old White German Shepherd, Max.

These are his prints.

And the love of our lives, and many others, Shubi.

These are Shubi’s little paw prints.

We loved having their foot prints in the cement. It somehow blessed this land that we had decided to call home.

Shubi and Max.

Today, for the first time in many years, I saw their prints, and our hands and remembered all those years ago. I smiled, I cried a little and then was thankful for all that Hubby and I have now, and the four dogs we are blessed to share our life with, but also thankful for the dogs we have known in the past.

Me with my Shubi in the camper.

“And oh how the years go by
And oh how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh, we cry
As the years go by”

Lyrics by: JENNINGS/CLIMIE

Bye, Bye

Back in 1998 Hubby and I bought a camper to use to see the country. We took many awesome trips across the country, up into the back woods of New Hampshire, and while we built our home, we actually lived in it.

The camper was so comfortable. We outfitted it with blankets and pillows, and dishes and great pots and pans, and a gas oven, and microwave convection oven, Basically, this camper was better equipped than some apartments I have lived in!

So for 15 years we have enjoyed the camper until recently. We had stopped using it, and it was time to sell it.

Hubby was reluctant, but this was the summer I wanted to get things moved around. I wanted our old pick-up sold, the camper sold and gone and then I wanted to organize and lighten our load.

It’s a sad time too, as we look back and recall all the happy times we had in the camper. But, to everything there is a beginning and an end.

So, good bye camper. It was a blast!