Dackel Princess

Life

I’ll be 54 years old next month. I have known the biggest joys in life, as well as the deepest woes. My life has always kind of reminded me of a Soap Opera. People used to say that nothing like the things that happened on “All My Children” could possibly happen in “real” life, but I’m here to tell you that it’s true. Life is as crazy and unexpected, and busy, just like “All My Children” used to be.

I miss my Soap Opera. “All My Children” helped me believe that I wasn’t in this world alone. No matter how crazy my life got, I could always escape it for one hour a day, with that wonderful Soap.

Life is a funny thing. I have called it the great equalizer. You see, as good and true as you try to be in your life, bad things will happen, to good people.

My friend, the one I mentioned last week is very ill. She has cancer and will need chemo or radiation or both. Her type of cancer is a really bad one. I know. Last summer I lost a High School Classmate to this same disease.

I was 19 when my brother died of Cancer. He was not quite 27. He was quite literally filled with Cancer.

Over the years far more friends and relatives have been diagnosed with cancer. Most recently my cousin Janet, who showed the world just how to kick Cancer’s Butt!

I have lost people in my life to untimely death. Like my daughter, Katie who was only 6 years old. I have seen them suffer, and I ask myself, why?

But then, I have also known the greatest joy!

I have watched my own daughters born, I have just become a grandmother! Life is so good, when all is well, and my people are happy and healthy.

I’ve run on the beach, body surfed in the waves and felt the wind blow in my hair. I have been married twice and had 2 beautiful weddings. I have believed in love and I still do.

I have known the gentleness of a dogs love, and watched puppies come to life and grow.

Yet, I have also seen how things can all change on a moments notice. Just like on the Soap Operas. I really don’t like this at all.

So now, as I watch yet another young, beautiful, person struggle with Cancer, I need to catch my breath and get ready to help her through this time.

Life isn’t a bed of roses. However if we are lucky enough, we will be able to know the great loves and joys to compensate for the sadness.

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. I hope I can get down to see Savannah and Mandy soon.
2. What to do when life throws you lemons, may well determine how your life turns out.
3. Boy I sure did enjoy spending last Friday with Mandy and Savannah, and then Saturday with Janet, Dave and Ralphy. Being with my family is the best!.
4. Remind me to call my friend tomorrow. I have a few secrets to tell her!.
5. What does the dog want at the door? Is that Squirrel back again?
6. It makes me happy when I know that my family and friends are all in good health.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to I would like to go out and see Argo at the movies, tomorrow my plans include the usual weekend laundry and Sunday, I want to cook a nice roast chicken!

The Earth Moved!

At 7:13 PM Tuesday Night, we had an earthquake!
We were watching a rerun of NCIS LA at that moment.
I could hear a roar in the distance, which I thought was a train.
A second later, it sounded like the train was coming through the house.
The walls shook.
The dogs jumped up and barked!
I jumped up, terrified!
I asked Hubby what it was?
He said he was sure it was an earthquake! Originally it was called 4.6 on the Richter Scale.

We live approximately 45 miles from the epicenter.
It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt longer!
I’m still upset, even though they lowered the measurement to a 4.0!
Guess that’s why I don’t live near an active fault line!

Or do I?

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Noah Webster was born this week back in 1758….besides the online version, do you own a dictionary? Do you ever use the hardback copy or is your hunt for a definition strictly online these days?

Although we have several hardback dictionaries, including a German dictionary, I find I do not use them anymore. I use Google. Isn’t that terrible?

2. Should public schools ban Halloween celebrations? What about other holiday celebrations currently under fire?

You know, I cannot begin to say how much these celebrations meant to me as a young girl! Also watching my children in the Halloween costumes or doing their Christmas Show. If parents do not wish their children to participate in these fun activities, keep them home that day! But do not deprive my child (grand-child) of all that fun!

3. What’s your favorite ‘dog’ movie?

Hachi. I cry like a baby when I watch it. Since I have dogs, I understand the love and loyalty.

4. When were you last somewhere you’d describe as ‘too quiet’?

No where. I love quiet. I crave quiet! So anytime I can find any level of quiet, I am on cloud nine!

5. Are you a neat cook or a messy cook? In other words do you clean as you go or make a big mess and then deal with it later?

I am a very messy cook and I tend to clean afterward, which is not a great thing. I dislike disaster kitchens, but I seem to create them when I cook.

6. Did you hear about Felix Baumgartner, the skydiver who broke the sound barrier via parachute? Was your first thought COOL! or was your first thought CRAZY! Are you adventurous?

I am not adventurous at all. I think at one time in my life I was. When I thought that no harm would ever come to me. After my car accident, I decided that life was simply too short and bad things did happen to good people. As far as Felix Baumgartner, well, it was interesting, but a little crazy. I did not watch, just in case it all went wrong!

7. What’s not a word but should be?

Cutie-patootie. Love the two word phrase, but it is not in the dictionary. Try explaining that to a foreign speaker!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

A dear friend of mine is quite ill. We are not sure of a definite diagnoses yet, but she is very, very, ill. Please stop now, take a moment and send a healing prayer to Heaven for her.

Friends

On Monday, our long awaited guests arrived! I’d done the cleaning and I had made a nice potato salad, and rolled some delicious deli meats, and when I laid out the table, I was prouder than Julia Child at her first self cooked dinner party!

Hubby knew Howard and Petra much better than I do, as he worked with them both, years ago, with Pan Am. I’d met them once or twice and hadn’t seen them since 2000.

I’d been so nervous about their coming to the house. You want to know why? Because although I am happy living with imperfection, and comfortable amongst the chaos, with my Hubby and four wonderful pups, I am often convinced that no one else could appreciate that.

How wrong I was! Guess what? Petra had owned a miniature wirehaired dackel when she lived in Germany. Not only did she fall in love with my three terrors, but she liked the big guy, Fritzi too!

While Hubby showed them around the yard, I laid the table. The centerpiece of the meal was Baked French Onion Soup! All in all, lunch was also a hit, and after I tidied up after, we jumped in the car for a ride around our hometown and then a drive over to a local old fashioned General Store. I love going there.

We returned late in the afternoon, and pretty much had to say our goodbyes, as they needed to get back to the city before it got dark.

I’ve simply got to relax and not be so hard on myself. I’ve got to stop worrying so much and just be myself. I hope they will be back next summer!

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!

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All I can say is WOW! This past weekend was so full, I’m not sure I could have fit in another thing! I’ll start on Friday and go from there.

As you know, I got to go down and visit with Mandy & Savannah. I always love those days because Savannah is just so darn cute, and each time I go down, there is something new to witness. This last time it was her smiling and reaching out for things. I just love to see her smile at me, but most of all, I love to see that special smile that is reserved only for her Mom! Mandy & Savannah just have that certain Mom & Daughter chemistry that is so beautiful to witness!

I loved going to the Pediatrician’s Office with them, and then lunch afterward was great! We had a Caprese Salad and Mandy had Lasagna and I had Gyros! Then we did a little shopping, which is always fun for this Grandma!

The drive home for me was fine. I usually talk to my friend, Gail or to my sister, and that makes the trip go very fast! If they aren’t around, then I turn up the volume and listen to some great music!

Saturday I was up early and got ready to meet my cousin down at the local Craft Fair. She brought her boyfriend, Dave and their Grandson, Ralphie with them. I was worried he would be bored at the Fair, but that 4 year old actually had more energy than I did! What fun!

While they were off taking a foliage train ride, I made a Sauerbraten, with all the fixings, and when they got back we sat down to dinner. We also watched the first Harry Potter movie on the HD TV and even they had to admit how much fun it was to see the movie in High Definition!

On Sunday I decided that like the good Lord, I needed to rest. I had planned to watch some movies, and not do too much. Ah yes. Some lazy me time!

Then the phone rang!

Remember a week ago we had people who had called and wanted to come by and I had a nervous breakdown, because I would never get the house clean in time?

If you have guessed that the phone call was from them, you would be right. They will be here tomorrow for lunch!

So I madly began to clean. I have most of it done, and then I had to decide what to serve for luncheon. Well, that was when I decided I was not going to stress about the cleaning.

So, onto the menu. After much hemming and hawing, we’re serving Baked French Onion Soup, a Caprese Salad, My Potato Salad, Assorted Cold Cuts, Breads, and Hubby’s German Cucumber Salad.

If I am lucky, I will get Hubby help me make an apple pie, but we may run out of time. Not sure.

So, as you can see, my weekend turned into a jam packed wild weekend!

And the week ahead, is going to be just as busy!

Fall

Saturday dawned bright, and COLD! It was the day of the local Craft Fair, and my cousin Janet and her boyfriend, Dave, and his grandson, Ralphie came up to go with me. It was really big this year and had many exhibitors. I just love walking around, even though I didn’t buy a thing!

We even saw an enormous Great Dane! As you can see he made four year old Ralphie look extremely small!

This dog, was such a sweetie pie. So good with every person that he came in contact with. Ah, but then, Great Danes really are just big babies! I had one many years ago, and she was such a sweet dog. Smart as a whip and gentle. Yes, truly a gentle giant!

While Janet, Dave & Ralphie took a train ride to see all the pretty colorful leaves, I stayed at home and cooked a Sauerbraten for our dinner. Everyone came back and had the roast, as well as an apple crisp I’d tossed together.

Now I am exhausted and in need of sleep. So, off I will go, to get my beauty rest!

Savannah Age 4-1/2 months

On Friday morning I headed down to see Mandy and Savannah. Oh, how I just love these visits with my girls! It is so wonderful to see how Savannah is changing each time I go for a visit!

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Friday she went to the Pediatrician for her check up and vaccinations. She was 18 and a quarter pounds (or 8.31 kg). She is now 25 inches long (or 63.5 cm). She is one happy, healthy, baby girl!

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After her visit to the pediatrician and her shots, she was exhausted and just crashed out! We stopped and had a light lunch, and Savannah slept through the entire thing.

You know, when I look into that beautiful face, I realize how blessed we are to have Savannah with us.

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. If I could make the rules, chocolate would have no calories!.
2. When I am old and wise, I shall think of all I have known, and give thanks for the blessings in this life.
3. Why not enjoy the day as it is? Life is too short to wait for the perfect day.
4. Soon thankfully, I will be another year older.
5. Wow! I think about where I was a year ago. I knew I would be a Grandma, but now I have Savannah and life is even better than I thought.
6. You said let’s go for a ride, and I grabbed my coat and we were off.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to making a quick dinner when I get back from Mandy’s house, tomorrow my plans include going to a Craft Fair downtown and Sunday, I want to kick back and relax!

Thursday Thirteen

I really dislike rainy days in the Autumn. Especially when the rain comes with fog!
It seems like the Autumn is going very quickly.
There are a ton of leaves now residing on the ground. It’s a carpet of color!
Yesterday Hubby and I did our shopping.
We make lists, so that we only go every ten days, and can get everything done at one time.
With the price of gasoline right now $3.74 a gallon, we simply cannot go for a luxury ride any more.
A few years ago, when gas was well under $2.00 a gallon, we often took rides, just for the heck of it.
I will be voting this year in the hopes that my vote will help for a financial recovery for our country.
It sort of makes me mad that in the last few years the wild spending means that my infant grand-daughter, already owes $50,000.00 in taxes!
I will be happy when the next month is over and the election is behind us.
I’m tired of the TV Commercials, the phone polls, and mailings.
It’s chilly tonight.
Think I’ll make a fire in the hearth!