Dackel Princess

Anneliese’s Babies

I received a wonderful Christmas card today from the family who now owns Baerbel. It was a photo card showing her with her children, Alexander and Eliza, and then two other pictures showing her with Grandpa after she helped locate his deer, and the last with her brother Baron after they did some tracking together back in September!

I am always so happy to get cards and pictures of my babies.

I watched each and every one of Anneliese’s babies make their way into this world. My hands were the first to hold them. I raised them loving them with my whole heart and then…before I knew it, they were off to start their new lives.

Did that ever go fast! Right after Christmas they will be 8 months old! Now they are proper dogs, training to become helpers for their owners and others, and best of all their work takes them out into the woods where they can run and exercise and enjoy life.

All of Anneliese’s pups seem to have a great nose for tracking, and I am so pleased that all of them are being trained. I have watched dogs train with their owners to become trackers. The relationship between dog and owner is truly a wonderful thing. I feel so blessed to breed these wonderful dogs.

Snow….

I slept amazingly well on Saturday night. Sometime around 4 o’clock I heard the telltale sign that we’d had a good snowfall. I heard a snowplow truck go down the road below our home. I recall smiling, as I snuggled with the dackels and Hubby and fell back to sleep.

When I woke at 7:30 I grabbed the camera so when I let the dackels out I could take some pictures. They were so happy to see snow. Especially the girls!

Left to right are Anneliese, Arnie and Greta.

The girls played and played, but Arnie soon got pretty wet and headed back toward the door.

There is a certain excitement that comes with the first substantial snowfall. I feel it and so do the pups. Last night I stood outside before I went to bed, in the snow. I just stood alone as the snow fell all around me and I listened to the silence! If you have never seen snow, or been around it you will not know what I am writing about. But when the snow has covered the ground and it is snowing heavily the snow dampens the sounds around you. So when you stand in your yard, alone all you can hear is the most wonderful silence in the world.

Later in the morning I decided to take all four dogs out for a little romp in the snow. Fritz is so good, as he never leaves your side, or if he does, he comes right back when you call. At six years old he is a great dog!

The three dackels were excited and trotted right up our driveway. Suddenly Anneliese saw something by the edge of the woods, and off she ran.

We all made it back on the driveway and walked along a little bit more. Then I called for them to come back and as you can see, only three of them listened. Yes, Anneliese was off chasing snow bunnies, I think!

So once the three dogs were up near the house I turned to find Anneliese. That was pretty easy. She was coming back through the woods, looking very much like the mighty huntress that she is!

She followed me up to the house.

We found Arnie at the door waiting for us, looking just a little cold!

Hubby had started a fire in the hearth so we all came in and enjoyed the warmth. Between the snow, the fire, and going out to the Town Christmas party I really felt in the holiday spirit!

Tis The Season!

Saturday was a big day. I went to the Library Open House in the morning. That was so much fun. I saw so many people I know and enjoyed the morning. Once I was done with that I went over to the Post Office and look what I found!

This was from my friend in Paraguay, Betty. Back in November she had a contest and I won! Today my surprises arrived. I knew about the book, but not about the lovely table scarf! Actually it is so beautiful I may just hand it up on a wall so I can see it all the time. Really it is lovely and the picture does not do it justice! Thank you so much, Betty! This is so wonderful! I will let everyone know when I will be cooking one of the recipes and then I will post about it.

Meanwhile, back to Christmas. Later in the afternoon Altrusa was sponsoring a Festival of Trees. Afterthe event, the Christmas trees are auctioned off to benefit local charities. So I went to show my support. It was marvelous. Local area organizations and businesses decorated each Christmas tree. Then the money is used to help the poor in our area during the holidays. I added some more of my Christmas decorations at the start and then at the end, you can see that it is snowing!

Tonight I am pretty wiped out, but in a good way. It’s days like today, when I meet people and see their smiles and can smile back, that make me feel very happy in my life.

Decorations

I wanted to share some of my Christmas decorations with you. Needless to say, they have mostly dackels in them. In any case, here they are.

I love Drugs!!!

All I can say is, thank you, Doxycycline! It seems that this is the wonder drug that is helping to make me well! I woke up this morning feeling so much better. That is after 3 doses of the drug! I was able to get a few things done. AND I actually want to get up and do something.

I admit to being a little bit nervous when I woke and felt better. Should I get back to life, or should I stay on my chair another day? I decided to go 50/50. I would do what I needed to do for a while, then sit down and rest for a few, then get back and do a little more.

Besides getting some laundry done, I also got out a few Christmas things, which just cheered me up! The first thing up was the little Christmas village that Mandy gave me a couple of years ago. I just love the two skaters twirling around, and I can also turn on the Christmas music if I want.

I also got my mantle decorations out with the cast of snowmen and Santas. My little Christmas tree with my mini dackel ornaments is up and my ceramic Christmas tree.

Then I stopped. I told myself it was time to get the jammies back on and kick back. I feel pretty good about what I have gotten done. Perhaps tomorrow I can actually do something like vacuum! That would be wonderful. Anyone living with a German Shepherd can appreciate this, I know!

Hubby and I also brought our suitcases down from the attic today and although we haven’t started to pack, they sit in the hallway and each time I pass them, I smile. 8 days and counting!!!

Soon I will be on the deck of our ship enjoying the warmth of the Caribbean!

By the way, anyone who would like the web site to watch our ship’s web cam, as we cruise around the Caribbean, let me know and I will send it along. I’m watching the ship right now, and enjoying it. It helps me dream of the warmth and the relaxation that Hubby and I will enjoy!

A Floral Surprise & Boredom Solved

I got a surprise today from far away! My best friend, Uschi sent me a bouquet of roses from Germany! They arrived just at the right moment to make me feel very happy and much loved!

Aren’t they beautiful?

Thank you so much Uschi!!!

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I do not do quiet well. In fact, aside from my 1 hour a day during the week when I watch “All My Children” on TV, I am usually puttering around keeping busy.

However, since the doctor has forbidden me to do much for a few days, I spent the day sitting, cuddling with dogs, and well, not doing much.

That is, until the idea hit me! Why not Christmas shop? All I needed was a computer, a credit card and the ability to make a list of people to buy for.

I found some great deals, and fabulous surprises for the ones I love. I didn’t get it all done, but I did get a lot of it done, and that made me very happy.

I also spoke to my house sitter and she is coming over on Friday to go over everything with Jack and I for the upcoming trip that we will go on in 9 days!

Hubby is doing the chest therapy for me, by pounding on my back to loosen the congestion in my lungs. Fritz and Arnie do not like that at all! They both come running and try to stop Hubby by using their noses. Ah, my wonderful boys!

Hubby went out and did the grocery shopping today and bought enough dog food for a month. We will not have to worry about them running out of food while we are gone. He also brought home the most wonderful swordfish ever and we enjoyed that.

Well, time to rest again and get well. I refuse to get any sicker and by tomorrow I want to be feeling a lot better!!!

The Mask!

I’ve always lived with the motto, “Never go out looking bad enough to upset old people and little children.”

Which is why today when I went back to see my doctor about the pneumonia, and I had to put on this:

Dec 1 09 001

I feared for anyone I might meet.

I actually had two people in my doctor’s office remember me. Now since they’ve only seen me with the mask, I’m thinking I must have memorable eyes or something!

I was sent on to the local hospital and while I sat waiting for my chest x-ray and blood tests, a little girl looked at her mother and said, “Look Mommy, a Pirate Lady!” I thought she was a very creative three year old.

I got the tests done and came home carrying a prescription for antibiotics. Hubby was a sweetheart and took the prescription out for me so I could sit down with the dogs and rest. Just to see what the dogs would do, I put my mask on for them.

Personally, I think that Arnie liked it because he didn’t want to leave me alone while I had it on! So what do you say, is it a good look for me?

Christmas Preparations

I was incredible today! Really incredible. I finished printing all the Christmas letters, corrected and printed up a new address book and printed up Christmas address labels too. Once I was done with all of that, I brought it all out to the kitchen table and put everything down in neat, sorted piles.

I was so happy to get to that point that I immediately sat down and started writing, addressing, stamping, and putting labels on. I worked for about an hour until dinnertime. Once I was done serving up a delicious Yankee Pot Roast, with onions, celery, carrots and potatoes, eating it and then cleaning it all up, I wasn’t really in the mood to sit back down and work on the cards. So they will have to sit like this until tomorrow.

I will get to work right after breakfast and will spend most of the day writing. I love to write the cards and I love sharing good wishes during this time of the year.

I also love to get cards. Do you know what I do with them? As each Christmas card arrives I take it and decorate the doors in our family room. It gives me such a warm feeling looking at them all during the month.

I’ve got to get out a few things to decorate the house with tomorrow. Just a few things. I was going to put up the tree, but since we are going to be away for 11 days and the dogs will be here with the house sitters, I’m thinking it just might be easier for them not to have to deal with a tree and four dogs! However, I do want some decorations up, so I’ll have to get a few things down from the attic.

Yeah, I love Christmas!

Christmas Is Coming

Today is the last day of November. Can you believe that? After today, we have 31 days until the year 2009 is over! At times 2009 has felt like it would never end, and then on days like today, I feel like 2009 has flown by.

I wanted to get our Christmas letter done! Usually Hubby is in charge of that, but this year he has been so busy that he hasn’t had the time. So, what did I do? I wrote a letter, complete with pictures and sent it over to Hubby’s computer.

It did what I’d intended, spurring him into action to correct, organize and add his personal touch to it. I must say, he has a way with words, and the letter is complete! We have 3/4 of them printed up, and if you too want one, send me your complete name and address to: dackelprincess(at)metrocast.net

Printing these out is a bit of a challenge, so I sat doing that and on another computer I put in the movie “27 Dresses” and watched that. It made the time fly by and kept me well entertained. However, the time did go by, and eventually I had to stop to make dinner.

I got the cutest thank you note from my grand-nephew, Luke. He sent me the sweetest picture that he’d drawn to thank me for his birthday gift! I’m putting it up on my wall with Makenna’s picture. I also got school pictures of both of my grand-nephews. Wow, are they adorable! My niece and nephew also sent one of my older grand-nephew, Taft in his football uniform. I put all of these right up on my mantle so I can see them.

I got a text message from my sister, who is on vacation. She is having a great time and enjoying the sunshine.

Well, back to going over my Christmas Card list and checking it twice!

And The Wind Blew…

I woke to the sound of the wind roaring on Saturday morning. When I first came to I heard it, so I pulled the covers over my head and slept just a little longer.

After a bit, I got up with the dogs to let them out and found the 55 mile an hour winds scared the dogs enough so that they ran out, communed with nature and ran in again pretty quickly!

Hubby and I watched the last of the series “The Band of Brothers” and then mostly had a quiet day. I did pull out all the leftover turkey and the soup stock I’d made and put together a turkey soup for our dinner.

I also got out the Christmas Cards, sent Hubby a rough draft of our Christmas Letter, and then lost my energy and so my cards have not gotten even one address written on an envelope. Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

I did have a bright spot in my day! I got this picture of Anneliese’s daughter, Baerbel today with her little girl Eliza!

Now don’t those two look made for each other?

These are the pictures that make my days really good ones!

Tonight I think I will get my warm pajamas on, find a dackel that wants to cuddle and watch some sort of mindless TV movie.

The wind is still blowing and the dogs still just want to be inside with us. That’s actually a very nice thing.

“Come here, Greta! Let’s cuddle!”