Dackel Princess

Snow, Snow, Snow

It is cold. The forecast is for snow, just a little at first, but then so much snow it will knock my socks off!

Today, (Tuesday) I am driving myself about 55 miles to one of the largest Medical Centers in our state. I will be seeing two doctors. One is a fairly normal and routine visit, but I’ve been having a few little problems and want to get it taken care of quickly. So, this is an important appointment.

The second visit is with my Retinal Surgeon. This appointment is vital. I’ve had decreased vision in my right eye and I really need Dr. Wonderful to dilate my eyes and look deeply into them and see what he can see.

The appointment with Dr. Wonderful is so important that I will be driving myself, in a 4-wheel drive Jeep, in the snow, across the state, along twisting turning roads, to get there.

I have my fingers crossed that I can get over there, get through my appointments and get back before too much snow has fallen. I really do get nervous driving in the snow.

Meanwhile, It should be pretty. I guess there is an up-side to almost everything.

What I Did This 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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This entire weekend, I have worried about the weather. So far, most of the weather has gone south of here, and clobbered my sister! However this week, I have to be on the other side of the state on Tuesday, and guess what? They are forecasting a snow storm for my area on Tuesday! And it is on Tuesday that I need to drive across the state to see two of my doctors.

It’s quite difficult to get appointments with these two doctors, especially on the same day, and so unless we are under a state of emergency I am planning to go.

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Saturday was our date, where we went to see “The King’s Speech”. You can scroll down and read my review of the movie, but really, what a great movie.

Sunday, it was so cold. Hubby went out to ski, but I stayed home in order to do a few things like clean the kitchen, and plan our meals. I also want to build a fire in the hearth soon, so when Hubby comes home, he can relax in front of a hot fire while he has his lunch.

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The news from the local weather men is that Tuesday/Wednesday we will be having a big storm. They’re saying 20 inches of snow for my corner of the world. I’ve got my fingers crossed that it won’t be too bad.

It’s A Date!

Saturday found us going out to the movies for a date! With all the Oscar buzz about the movie “The King’s Speech” around, Hubby and I decided to go to see that, as they were playing it locally! We arrived a good 10 minutes before the film was set to start, which is usually filled with previews for upcoming movies, but the line was so long, I started to worry about actually getting in before the movie started.

We got our seats with just moments to spare, and the movie started right up. I knew the movie would be good, but I never expected it to be GREAT!

From the first moment until the closing credits, I was glued to the screen. The three major characters, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and Lionel Logue, played respectfully by, Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, were so believable, and brought me immediately into their story.

In fact, when we left the theater, we had more questions about that time in history, and immediately started doing research when we got home.

So if you’re looking to catch up on a movie and want a recommendation, “The King’s Speech” gets my vote as, perhaps, the best movie of the year. I will also go one further and say that Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter all deserve Oscars!

Feeling Lazy

I woke up on Friday morning feeling warm and happy. Perhaps you’ve had that feeling too. No alarm clocks blaring, no place that you absolutely have to be, or dogs insisting that you get up to tend to their needs.

You can just lie in bed, curled up under the sheets and blanket, cradling your pillow and revel in being relaxed and well rested.

I opened my eyes and moved. That is the signal to Anneliese that Mommy is awake and she did her commando crawl up from under the blankets to rain down kisses on my face!

Hubby and I sipped our coffee and had breakfast and knew that today we just didn’t have all that much to do, and so we just enjoyed the lazy morning.

We should all have more mornings like this. Mornings when we can just enjoy being with the ones we love, and taking the time we need for ourselves.

Yes there is much to be said for feeling deliciously lazy!

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill-Ins are sponsored by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

1. Up the creek.

2. This cold seems to be going around.

3. Coats and scarves, mittens and boots: and sometimes, even those aren’t enough to keep you warm.

4. I sure could use a nice back rub.

5. I’m thinking about the vegetable stir fry I’m making for dinner tonight.

6. I tend to be a little bit of a Hermit.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a fire in the hearth, tomorrow my plans include the usual laundry but this time I need to go out to the laundromat to do some heavy blankets and Sunday, I want to sip hot coffee, read the newspaper, and plan the week ahead!

I Did It!

On Thursday, while most of New England dug out from “The Great Blizzard of January 2011”, Hubby and I took off for the mountains to ski. Our little corner of paradise only got 4 inches of fluffy snow, which made for perfect skiing!

Now, my regular readers have been following my feelings of dread about skiing since my accident. I lost that sense that I could actually ski with little or no consequence, but when I fell, a few years back I really developed a fear of skiing. You can read about the ski accident HERE.

In fact I went through a few years of just plain not skiing at all. This year I thought, why not overcome this fear? The first day out in December I was a wreck, but today, it was all good.

I skied stiffly at first, but eventually loosened up, and in the end, actually learned a little about skiing through fresh snow! In fact I did 4 runs and was going to quit after the 5th, but I had a breakthrough and felt so happy that I actually went back up and skied a 6th run!

Yay Me!!!

Oh, I think I will always have a healthy respect for the dangers of skiing, and I will be very careful, but perhaps I can also enjoy the scenery, the fresh air and the exercise.

Speaking of exercise, oh yeah, I had a good workout today, and I’m feeling a bit sore tonight, but happily so!

Thursday Thirteen

This & That

1. We’ve had some really cold temperatures this week. I am all for snow, but I detest sub-zero temperatures!

2. I think I need to just sort of relax with my cooking. I keep trying to make a “great” dinner and although I am not failing, it hasn’t been as tasty as I would like.

3. Can you get addicted to “The Cooking Channel”? I swear, there is not a lot on regular TV and suddenly watching the cooking channel is fascinating!

4. Hubby helped me get a problem sorted out today and I am really grateful. It’s always nice to have your best friend on your side!

5. I went outside today and watched the dogs playing. They are all cute, but you know, Greta is so funny. She really gets into digging in the snow and you have to drag her inside or she would freeze to death.

6. See how she listens to her Daddy when he is directing her?

7. I watched the Oscar Nominations on Tuesday morning, and all I can say is, did any of the members of the Academy see any of the movies I did? Most notably snubbed was “The Town” which I think is Ben Affleck’s best performance!

8. So, what do you all think of Oprah’s new sister? She seems like a lovely lady. I know my sister is a real blessing, so I hope Oprah will feel, in time, that Patricia is a blessing to her.

9. With the cold air, brings dryness to my skin. What do you use to keep your skin hydrated and not itching?

10. After 5 washes, I finally got a grease stain out of my favorite, lovely, light gray pants! Yay, Tide!

11. I have a date with Hubby to see “The Kings Speech” this weekend! I’m so excited because I love Colin Firth!

12. A recent fabulous find, was Christmas lights, on sale, (clearance) for $1.50!

13. I know for some of you this would not be good news, but dinner tonight is bacon, onions and liver, with mashed potatoes and peas! This is one of my favorite meals!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Will you watch the Super Bowl? If so who will you root for? If you are outside the USA what is the ‘big deal sporting event’ in your own country?

Yes, Hubby and I will watch the Super Bowl.I can’t imagine not watching it, even though our teams aren’t involved.

2. Is ignorance bliss?

Never. You may think it is, temporarily, but in the end, no, the truth shall always set you free.

3. Which of the seven dwarfs are you? (and just in case your Disney is a little bit rusty, here they are-Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy)

Lately, Sneezy! Ah-chooo! But usually, Doc. I take care of everyone here at the Dackel Princess house!

4. When you are riding in the car with another couple how do you organize the seating? (Men up front? Women up front? Couples sit together?) And thanks to Lori at Mountain Woman at Heart for the question! Everyone go say hi to Lori.

Men up front, women in back. It usually happens that the people who want to talk together sit together.

5. What is beauty?

True beauty is seen in the goodness of ones soul. Or the sky at sunrise or sunset. It can be the first mewling cries of a newborn babe. True beauty, can often not been seen by the naked eye, but felt within, ones heart.

6. If someone asks you to bring an appetizer or a dessert to a party in their home, which would you choose?

Dessert. I love to cook sweet things, or bring a fruit salad that I’ve put together. It depends on how good or wicked I am feeling!

7. What is your crowd pleasing go-to appetizer?

7 layer Mexican Dip. You can go HERE and get the recipe.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I wanted to update you all on my fellow blogger, Joanne, who had a stroke back on the 11th of January. Our prayers are working, and I ask you to keep them coming. Joanne has a long road to go, but with our prayers, and God’s eternal love Joanne will be healed! You can go HERE and read what her husband has written about her progress.

It’s Freezing

On Monday morning when we woke up to an unbelievable minus 13 (f) degrees, I knew that I would spend the morning wrapped in my flannel jammies and long fleece bathrobe! I also knew that I would drink every drop of hot coffee that I could stomach (four) and keep as many dachshunds around me as possible (two).

The day did get a little better as the temperatures soared to +2, and we did have bright sunshine, but for the most part the dogs and I stayed put.

Hubby, being the brave and intrepid skier that he is, went out and skied 8 runs in the bitter cold! I am so proud of his accomplishment! (But personally think he is a little nuts!)

Monday night found the temperatures dropping again. It was already down to minus 2 (f) degrees at 8 o’clock in the evening, and I bet will come close to the low we had on Monday morning when we wake on Tuesday.

All I can say is, “So much for Global Warming!”

What I Did This 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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This weekend was a rather busy one for me and for Hubby. With the forecast on the TV for sub zero temperatures and a heavy snow storm mid-week, Hubby and I decided that we needed to be pro-active and go out and do all food shopping and get the gasoline for the snow blower and any other incidentals, like dog food that we may need.

What a good plan, we thought! However, as we got to the shopping areas, we saw that almost everyone else in the area, had the same idea! The grocery store was so full that there were only a few shopping carts available and people were pushing and shoving, which made me recall a line in the movie “Shirley Valentine” and I found myself giggling all the way through the store.

This is what Shirley Valentine said:

“I think sex is like supermarkets, you know, overrated. Just a lot of pushing and shoving and you still come out with very little at the end.”

That sure made the time in the supermarket go by faster, as I thought about those lines, and laughed and laughed.

Hubby then worked to clear away as much of the snow and ice as he could, while I worked on Sunday cooking a roast beef dinner, much like my Grandma Honey used to do. Grandma’s father was a Butcher, and she always could appreciate a good cut of meat!

Which is funny because although my husband wasn’t a meat cutter, he knows how to select a good cut of meat, and since I embraced Julia Child’s “Mastering The Art of French Cooking” I can cook one heck of a roast!

There was movie watching, football watching and building a fire in the hearth two days for me. I’m getting quite good at it.

Huh, looking at all we got done, I realize how busy we actually were! Well, good. I hate to be bored!

Have a good week every one!