Random Dozen

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart “go-to” meal to fix in a pinch?

meatloaf

Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes and peas.

2. What is one item you won’t leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)

My inhaler, for obvious reasons.
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3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?

Germany! Natürlich!
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4. Share one factoid of your family’s history.

My grandfather arrived on Ellis Island from Germany, when he was only 9 years old. After clearing customs, he and his father traveled to Boston to join other family members. He met my grandmother when they were children, and knew right away that she was going to be his wife!
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Frederick & Mary, my grandparents. They were married for well over 60 years!

5. Complete this sentence:

Once upon a time I ….was a little girl growing up in Falmouth, Massachusetts. My sister and I would wash dishes after each meal, with me standing on a chair to wash or dry them. We always took turns. Melodie would tell me stories while we worked, and I would say to her ‘Don’t start the story by saying Once Upon A Time’, and she would say okay, and then she would start the story saying “Once Upon A Time”!!! And we would both laugh and laugh!!!”
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6. If you could win a one year’s supply of anything, what would it be?

Real Costa Rican, Pea Bean Coffee! I could never tire of that!
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7. “One quirky thing you may not know about me is ….”

This is a hard one. I think I am pretty much an open book. Perhaps, that I like to get into my pajamas as soon as I get the dinner dishes done, even if it is really early!
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I just like to be comfortable!

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?

There is a place nearby that has $1.00 ice cream cones.
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The flavors are yummy and the 1 scoop is more than enough!

9. “One thing that always makes me laugh is ….”

The dackels. They really are something else.
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Whether it is my three or their puppies, or even other wire-haired dackels I have known in life. I call the wires the “Clowns of the Dog World”!

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?

Stay true to the WW Plan when I go to an Awards Banquet tonight. I know I can eat fish, a salad and vegetables, but I need to avoid the dessert…Cannoli!
MB April

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?

I would hope that perhaps a nice word, or a kind gesture would help.

12. What is one thing you’re looking forward to soon?

Going to Germany with Anneliese to breed her to Isegrim!
The couple
I will also have the added bonus of staying with my best friend, Uschi and her family and spending many hours visiting with her.

cheers to success

Sunsets

I was amazingly busy today. In fact between all my running around doing errands and Hubby working, we didn’t actually meet to catch up with each other until early evening. Since Hubby retired back in 1998 I have gotten used to the sameness of our days. Meals made at certain times, errands run together, so it is quite odd to be back in a relationship where he is working full time and I am keeping the home fires burning.

It feels strange and at times a little lonely. Lonely until I look around and realize I am surrounded by 4 happy and healthy dogs.

Today was also a beautiful day. The temperatures soared to the upper 70’s and the sun shone and there was almost no wind at all. Just perfect.

Hubby got home and I served up the dinner, and after we ate I looked out the front window and saw this.

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The pictures help to convey the beauty, but really it is hard to get the bright colors, isn’t it? Still, the sun continued to go down and the sunset just got prettier and prettier.

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Until finally, the brightest fiery red blazed across the sky.

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It somehow seemed the perfect way to end this day

Lob-stah!

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day! The sun shone, the skies were bright, bright blue, without even a cloud. Although it was windy, I simply did not care because everything else made it so lovely.

Hubby had to go in to work, and so I decided to do the grocery shopping, get dog food, and check out a few items on my want list.

The groceries were fun because I had the new MP3 player to keep me company. I simply danced my way through the grocery store. I refrained from singing as I know how bad people sound when they sing while their ears are plugged up. Even the best singer cannot hold a tune when they can’t hear themselves.

On my way home, while I enjoyed the clear air and the scene before me. Mountains and fields. I suddenly realized how hungry I was and how late it was getting. I swung the car into McDonald’s and got a salad for a quick lunch.

It felt good to just eat something quickly, so that when I was done, I could put the groceries away and play with the dogs a bit.

I also planted the peas in the garden and watered the seeds. Hubby instructed me to get this done today before he left for work. Mission accomplished!

To reward myself for all of this work, I bought Lobsters at the grocery store for dinner, along with corn on the cob and potatoes for baking! Of course it doesn’t hurt when the beautiful Maine Lobsters are only $4.99 a pound!

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This great picture is thanks to my cousin Janet.

Let’s see, what is my favorite food? Dark yummy chocolate or Lobster? That is a tough one folks. I’ve been leaning toward Lobster lately!

The weekend is over and a new week is starting. A busy week too. I have a few things going on, that I will share with you all very soon!

Until then, Happy Monday everyone!!!

A Year Ago, A Year Later

Looking back to last year, I was busy helping Anneliese take care of her babies. They were about three and a half weeks old and the apples of my eye!

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Yes, that is me a year ago with Anneliese’s last litter!

Now here I am a year later. I’m waiting for Anneliese to hurry up and go into heat, and every day she looks at me and just laughs.

I have her bag packed, all the paper work I need ready, and my suitcase is ready to be packed at a moments notice. The excitement is building and I can hardly wait to be on our way.

I would like it if the Volcano would just stop spewing ash around Europe, so that the flights won’t be canceled, and we can get over and back without a problem. Let us all just keep our fingers crossed!

Oh, I can hardly wait to see Anneliese and Isegrim’s first baby born from this litter! This one was pretty cute, don’t you think?

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Getting Ready

I’ve been working hard to load my new MP3Player. Oh I love this new toy! Wow! Currently I have downloaded over 250 songs! I didn’t realize that I had that many on my computer, nor did I realize I actually know the words to those songs! Like old friends. I know all the words.

My friend Gail, in Delaware, got me this great device to celebrate Mother’s Day. Gail is one of my oldest and dearest friends, and I cannot tell her how much I appreciate this wonderful gift! Woo-hoo!

I’ve had so much fun downloading the music and then checking it out to make sure it actually works. I swear that the sound is better than when I use my B*** speakers here in the family room. Call me  “in love” with this wonderful device.

So the MP3 Player is loaded and I am ready to go. Too bad Anneliese isn’t cooperating! She is due to go into heat any day, and I am ready when she is!

Friday Fil-ins

Friday Fill Ins

#176

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And…here we go!

1. I just had my first sip of coffee.
2. Love is the answer.
3. The third sentence on the 7th page of the book I’m reading:Traudl Junge entered Hitler’s orbit by chance. (I’m reading the book “Until The Final Hour, Hitler’s Last Secretary”)
4. Puppies, kitties and babies, tickles my fancy.
5. I was walking down the street yesterday when a car drove by and beeped. It was a friend I hadn’t seen in a while.
6. Happiness and good times makes me laugh!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to reading and loading my new MP3 player, tomorrow my plans include reading and grocery shopping and Sunday, I want to re-pot some of my plants!

My Wednesday

Hubby has been working quite a bit lately, so today I decided I would help him out. Usually he does the lawn mowing, but the grass was starting to look like an overgrown field, so I got out the lawn mower (the small one, not one of the good, self propelled mowers. It does have an engine and all, but requires brute strength to push it!), and worked for one and a half hours in the back yard. Our back yard is lovely, but I’d forgotten that it is all on a hill. Or at least most of it is.

I stopped for water, and to tie my hair back, and then I got back to work. I was still mowing along when Hubby arrived home. I finished the row I was doing, and then shut down the machine and went in to talk with him.

Now any man reading this blog should understand that in this situation, a heartfelt thank you should instantly come from your mouth, so the little woman, who has just mowed a large chunk of the lawn will feel appreciated!

I’d gotten a small fence for my garden. Arnie and Anneliese keep going into the garden to eat dirt,  so I decided to fence it off. Hubby helped me with that and now the little beast’s cannot get in there! This is great, as after eating the dirt outside they come in and throw it up!

While Hubby finished the lawn, I roasted some salmon, made some rice and cooked the asparagus. Once the meal was done and the dishes were in the dishwasher, I literally collapsed in my chair with Greta!

So this has been one of my busier days and I am actually looking forward to going to bed. Under the covers where I can relax with my little dackels and go to sleep!

The end of another busy day at the Dackel Princess Ranch!

Random Dozen

Hosted by Linda.

1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!

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This is my High School graduation picture. I suppose what I remember most was studying very hard and taking extra classes so I could graduate a year ahead of time. I was crazy in love with my High School sweetheart and we actually married half way through Senior year. And no, I wasn’t pregnant, we just wanted to be together. In fact Mandy was born the day after our first anniversary.

2. What is one “emergency use” item you keep in your vehicle at all times?

Kleenex and my GPS. I have allergies and a very poor sense of direction!

3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar?

None on the calendar so far. We do have graduation parties when we graduate. One with our family and then one with our friends.

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood.

It is the most awesome experience in life, as you discover that you can love someone so completely!

5. What was the last thing you broke?

The nozzle on my garden hose!

6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily?

Four+ a day. I go bananas! Then there are the few other days that I get none at all!

7. Do you like to shop by catalog?

Not so much now. I do like on-line shopping though.

8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a “his job,” a “her job” or “his/her job” or “that’s why we have teenagers” job?

His job. I do the inside work, he does the outside work! When he was still working full time, I mowed the lawn. Big job!

9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home?

The family room. I need new furniture and the room needs to be painted.

10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line?

Mostly on-line, although I still subscribe to a newspaper.

11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

I have faith. Yes.

12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

Doing the right things.

Happy 5th Blogoversary To Me!!

Five years ago, my cousin Janet, encouraged me to start my blog. With the help of one of her friends, we put together the art work, and chose the domain name and Dackel Princess was born.

Dackel Princess came from my deep love of my wire-haired dachshund, Shubi. She was my first wire-haired dachshund, my constant companion and best friend.

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Although Shubi was not what the judges would call beautiful and perfect, in my eyes she was all that a mother could want.

Blogaversary from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Over the years I have shared my dogs, my family, and my life with you all. Funny how that worked. The first day I started to write, I believed that no one but my cousin and sister would read my blog. Now 5 years later I have found so many friends from around the world who read my blog, and share my life.

I’ve learned so much sharing my life and reading other blogs, where people share their lives with us. Even though there is a difference of location and culture, basically we are the same. We love our families, our children and our pets. We fret over our homes, our cars and our jobs.

I love my blog and I look forward to many more years writing away on Dackel Princess. I think, Shubi would be proud to know she started all this.