Author: Dackel Princess

The great vote is over now, and the town meetings are history. In the past, I have always cast my vote at election time, but this year, I was smack dab in the middle of all the political discourse in our town. Actually, as I stood in the 40 degree (F) weather with a stiff wind, I have to say that with the exception of one candidate, we all got along splendidly! No kidding. We joked, and laughed and talked about our love for our town. I can honestly say that I grew to truly like the people I stood with that day (with the exception of the “Bully”). These terrific people are the reason I love my town. Here is a picture of us as we campaigned. The “Bully” is there, but I will refrain from pointing him out. Just think pretty boy John Edwards.

I got to the Community Center at 6:45 AM that day and set up. I then went inside and cast my ballot. I felt proud to see my name on the ballot, at the same time it was a little surreal. I was Voter # 2 that day. We had a total of 941 people come to vote.

Hubby was a sweetheart. He brought me 2 thermoses of hot coffee, and Holly, one of the candidates went off to get lunch from McDonald’s for us all. I grew to really like her, and we talked almost all afternoon.

I stopped people and told them my name and what I was running for. I always shook their hands. I smiled, but it was an honest smile. I was happy to be there and happy to be running for office.

The other candidates teased me in a nice way, about greeting the voters. I have to admit, by the very end of the day, I almost didn’t know my name or what I was running for.

During the mid day, the sun was out and we all stayed warm, the tough part was the end of the day when the sun had set and the temperatures were falling. Then we all froze.

At 6:55 PM we went inside and waited until they ended the voting. Then we were able to go into the hall and wait for the machines to tabulate the ballots. I sat, thawing and listening to the moderator read the results. He read my name, said I received 905 votes and I felt such a surge of relief and pride!

I said my good-byes to my fellow candidates (The “Bully” was long gone, and he did not win his race either!), I hugged them and we all got in our cars and left.

When I got home I had some hot pot roast that I had thrown in the crock-pot at 6:30 in the morning. It was wonderfully hot and delicious! Hubby popped the cork on the champagne bottle and we celebrated my election!

At 9 PM I was in bed with all the dogs and my day had ended.

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Today I noted that a “Bob House” on our quickly thawing lake had fallen through. Another one is so close to open water it will probably go in overnight. If you look beyond the one “Bob House” you can see you can just make out the tip of the sinking “Bob House”!

I think we will have an early ice-out on the lake this year.

So, are you ready to play Plinko?

Definition of plink: “Plinking refers to informal target shooting done at non-traditional targets such as tin cans, glass bottles, and balloons filled with water.” Plinko is also a carnival game we play at Oneighty, but pot-luck shots fits this meme better, I think.

So here are your random plinko questions lined up in a row just like tin cans:

1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet? 10 years?

2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? No I stopped buying when I joined Weight Watchers.

3. Do you know how to ballroom dance? If not, would you like to? I would love to learn!

4. Were you a responsible child/teenager? I think so.

5. How many of this year’s Oscar-nominated movies did you see? None. They never get this far up in the woods. However, we are going to see Jeff Bridges movie on Friday.

6. If you’re going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself? Having blood drawn is no problem, but I don’t want to watch myself being stitched up and I didn’t watch the carpal tunnel surgery either.

7. What is your favorite day of the week and why? Sunday. Newspaper, coffee, relaxation!

8. Do you miss anyone right now? Yes. I miss my daughters.

9. Do hospitals make you queasy? No.

10. At which store would you like to max-out your credit card. Not that you ever would, you responsible person, you. Coldwater Creek!

11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items? Sometimes. Although I love a good deal.

12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels? I love eye contact, even if the news is bad. I will always look you straight in your eyes, so be prepared.

OK … ready, aim, PLINK and LINK!

I took a bath. I know, you are all glad that I finally climbed in the tub and washed my limbs, right? But you know, I think in America, at least, most people are in a hurry and so they shower and go most days. On Sunday, I put on some nice music, locked the doors (Hubby was out) turned off my cell phone, got a hot cup of chamomile tea, filled my tub up and sank in!

Oh how wonderful that felt! Hot water, all around me, while I slowly sipped my tea. I was on the verge of falling asleep right there in the tub, when I heard the pitter patter of little feet entering the bath room.

Yes, I had the great company of Arnie and Anneliese. They love it when I take a bath and come and visit me. I think part of them is really curious as to why I am happily sitting in a tub of water? So they come and see me each time.

Fritz figures the safest place for him is in the other room. He watches me, but from a ten foot distance. I’m sure he thinks he can outrun me if I decide to put him in the tub for a bath!

Greta sits on a bathmat across the room (the bathroom is actually pretty large) and usually takes a little nap while I’m relaxing.

Eventually I started to look like a dried up old prune and the water began to cool off, so I got out and toweled off and dressed.

I’ve just got to plan more tub time. It’s just the best way to relax!

After a week where I saw the bad side of a few people in my town and the surrounding area, at our local School Budget Meeting, today I was able to go out and just see the beauty around me. This was something that I really needed to do.

I took Anneliese and went to get the mail. Now on Saturday, almost everyone goes to pick up their mail in the late morning before the Post Office closes for the day. We saw so many wonderful people. Older neighbors and young families. I spoke to everyone I saw and I smiled. Boy, did that feel good!

My wonderful little town has not been so wonderful during this election period. There has been back stabbing, lying, cheating and empty, smiling, promises. I know, this is common in “Politics”, however it has not been the case in my sleepy little town, until this election. A woman who moved here just over a year ago has managed to take a group of people who had been working well together over the years, and has turned everyone against each other. She has also found her “John Edwards” pretty boy candidate, and gotten him in place to take over the school board, despite the fact that his wife is a teacher with a great deal of power in the system.

The pretty boy candidate is also a Bully. Yes, he is the Bully I served notice to the other day. I do not like liars, cheats and people who take advantage of others. This man and his crew are the epitome of small town evil. No joke.

Most of the week I was feeling very depressed about all of this. If you wondered why I was not writing much, this was it. I have just felt sick about all of this.

So today I needed to get out and walk around and speak to people and remind myself why I love this town and most of the people who live here.

I was not disappointed. They’re still here, the good people of my town. They are the ones who are born here, work here, live here and die here. They may not be the richest people, but they are good, hardworking people.

They are why, I am running for Library Trustee, and also why I have joined a community service club.

The other night I actually got up and spoke for the lower income families in my community, in front of over 500 people. Anyone who knows me, will tell you that is way out of my comfort zone. But I did it for the little children that I have worked with in this town, whose families have very little, and whose voices aren’t being heard right now. You simply have to keep taxes down, or these families will be forced out of our beautiful town.

I am all for good education, but not if it forces families out of our community.

Anyway, today was my day to fall in love with my town again and to find the goodness, and I was not disappointed. It was there, right where I knew it would be.

Home!

I have never been good with politics. I take things far too personally and I worry that people will not understand the true meaning of what I say or think. So, why am I running for office in my home town? Well, I guess because I really believe I can do a good job.

Tonight is a “Meet The Candidates” gathering. I need to go and shake a few hands, say hello and introduce myself to some of the people in this town that do not know me.

I have done my hair, put on full make-up and changed my clothing three times  (why did Hubby have to mention how big my hips looked in that first blouse?), until I was finally satisfied that I wouldn’t scare little children and the elderly.

I’m feeling very nervous, but I know that this is part of what one does during election times. My term will be for three years, so if I win, I won’t have to go through this again for a while.

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I’m back from the meeting. Basically, because I am running unopposed, all I had to do is stand up and wave! Window candy! LOL!!!

So I made it through tonight. All I need to do is make it through Tuesday, and I will be all set. Wish me luck!

I heard that the Weatherman from our New Hampshire television station (we only have one TV station in the state) was going to be giving a talk at a library in a town not too far from my own on Tuesday morning. I’ve always like Josh Judge, and he is the best forecaster that Channel 9 has. So, I planned to go to the gathering and listen to Josh give his program.

I got there early (because I am always early) and got a seat right down in the front. I wanted to be sure to see and hear everything. The room was large and as it turned out, I was glad that I had gotten there a little early, as the places filled up quickly and had I been seated in the rear of the room, I wouldn’t have been able to read the things on the screen which he demonstrated.

Josh has been in New Hampshire at our station since 2001. He has earned the “AMS Seal of Approval” (American Meteorological Society). The AMS has now created a NEW higher tier level of the seal called the “Certified Broadcast Meteorologist” and Josh is the only meteorologist in New Hampshire to have this.

I’ve always liked Josh’s on air personality, and I wasn’t disappointed when I met him in person. He is just as much of a New Englander as I am (this is good!) and has a wonderful way of communicating with people.

Josh explained how he prepares the forecast each day. How he gets information from around the state, and region and tries to make a good predication of the weather to come.

Then he explained about how he uses the “Blue Wall” where the weather information appears behind him.

The program is called a “Chroma Wall”. Channel 9 has a Blue one. This means that when they project the weather maps onto it, the computer looks for anything Blue, and broadcasts on that. So, no blue clothing for Josh at the station. But to show how it would work if he did wear blue he showed us this slide of him wearing a blue t-shirt.

The morning flew by and before I knew it he was done with his program. Josh has written a book called “Weather Facts and Fun” for kids at the second grade to fifth grade level. The book has been very popular here and I bought one and had him sign it for Makenna. I also asked if he would pose for a picture with me and he said yes!

Thank you Josh!