Dackel Princess

It’s Here!!!

Yes, the new laptop arrived at 4:15 yesterday afternoon! I ~~ripped~~ took the box from the DHL delivery man’s hands and carefully carried it into our home. My hands shook as I ~~tore~~ carefully opened the box! I took out all the wrapping and there it was, my midnight blue, Inspiron, loaded with Windows XP and all sorts of other goodies!!!

I quickly plugged her in (I’m still trying to think of a good name for her, but for now we are calling her Dackel) and turned her on. Oh sweet mother of God! The happiness I felt was almost more than I could take.

It was…..beautiful!!!

I spend last night getting my browser and email program installed, as well as moving over my bookmarks and address books. I left the major portion of my work (installing programs, etc) to do today. I had it all planned.

Get up, go food shopping. Stop and get potting soil and pots for my plants. Come home, make lunch eat, re-pot plants and then spend the rest of the day programming happily.

It didn’t exactly go as planned, as I have yet to figure out how to grocery shop in under an hour. Too much reading!

The plants got re-potted, the groceries got put away, and at about 3 PM I sat down (finally!) to work on personalizing my new laptop.

I’m still working on getting it all just right, give me a few more days and it will be 100% mine!!!

The Loons

I was sitting here with the window open, enjoying the light breeze that was coming off of the lake when I heard it. The call of the Loon. Yes, they have returned from their winter trip south to our lake here in New Hampshire!

You can go here and read a little about these wonderful birds, and if you scroll down to the bottom, look for the link that says “Distant Wail” and click on that. This is the call that we most often hear first thing in the morning or at the end of the day as the sun sets.

I’m not sure what it is about the Loon that sets my heart beating just a little faster, or causes me to feel a little lump in my throat when I hear their calls. Perhaps it is the reminder of the movie,

On Golden Pond, which was filmed nearby, that causes me to well up with emotion! There is no prettier spot than the actual, “Golden Pond”. Here is a picture that I took of Hubby and our dogs on top of Rattlesnake Mountain overlooking “Golden Pond” (Squam Lake).

Two of the most interesting facts about the Loons are that they mate for life. Should their partner be killed, they will live out their days alone. Also, once their young have hatched, they will carry them on their backs until they are old enough to swim along themselves. We have a wooden carving of a mother and her chick that we love.

So I am rejoicing at the return of the Loons to our lake, and I look forward to their appearance later this spring/summer with their chicks.

This & That On A Spring Weekend

We knew it had to end. This spell of beautiful weather that we have had. It’s not that it is cold (or snowing!) just gray and raining. However, that’s alright because the rain will help the plants I have outside to grow.

Most of my day has consisted of running up and down the stairs doing the laundry and then folding and putting the clothes away. I think all this stair climbing must be good for me, right?

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I’m not sure if I mentioned a recent experiment I made. I have heard for a while that portabello mushroom burgers were truly yummy and at 1 point per burger, were a good source of protein with a very low point count. So when I went to the grocery store, I found them and bought a pack. (Note to self: I should have read the label!)

First, I thought they tasted pretty awful. I mean, I love portabello mushrooms, but these were just plain terrible. The real fun began a few minutes after I finished off my attempt at “veggie living”. I started feeling sick. I wasn’t sure what could be wrong. Finally I called my sister and while we were talking I was reading the packaging for the “burgers” and discovered that they are primarily soy! Now both my sister and I are sensitive to soy anything! No wonder I felt bad. No more soy burgers for this girl!

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I’ve been going through my closet trying on clothes and mostly I am pleased. I am finding that I can fit nicely into my long forgotten size 10’s. It’s frustrating though because the other things that are smaller 10’s and 8’s are still incredibly tight. At least I have something to work towards!

I will have a nice donation for the local charity shop and hopefully this will help make room in my closet and dresser for some new clothes!

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I’ve started reading again! I know you all are probably not impressed, but for me this is BIG! You see, after nine eye operations and a few years of resting my eyes, they have recovered enough that I am actually able to read for several hours each night! I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is to be reading stories again. As long as the print isn’t too fine, I am good to go!

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I’ve heard that the new laptop should arrive here sometime on Tuesday! I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

And how was your weekend?

It’s Apple Blossom Time

It’s apple blossom time at the Dackel Princess house. When we woke this morning the blossoms were opening, the trees were a beautiful shade of pink and white and the bees merrily worked the trees. It was a nice day and the dogs all enjoyed running around in the back yard, while playing with the kids.

Anneliese

Kimmie with the dogs.

Hubby worked in the yard for a while, played with the dogs, and took a few pictures of the trees. It always makes me happy to see how content he is when he is working on them. His love of nature, of his orchard, is truly a beautiful thing.

I also love to watch him because of Fritz. Fritz will follow Hubby around the yard, sit and watch whatever it is that Hubby is doing and when Hubby moves to the next job, Fritz follows faithfully along. It’s the sort of thing that makes me smile.

Hubby took this picture today in the orchard. I love it because it shows his nicely planted trees along the back line of our property.

I also love this picture because it is one he took when thinking about his daughter. It is her birthday today. On the day she was born the apple blossoms were in full bloom too. What a lovely time of year to have a birthday!

Happy Birthday Jess!

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~Candy~

This is probably the best candy I have ever had. It is only available at Christmas, thus causing many people to hoard it and even to go through Peppermint Bark withdrawal after New Years!

It’s A Date!

Today when I got up, (well after Hubby) I looked at him and over my coffee asked, “Want to go to the City?”

He asked what I needed and I mumbled a few things, but mostly I just wanted to go out with him on a date! Since he is still on the lookout for a few more apple trees, he agreed. He also suggested that we stop in at the New Hampshire Historical Society Museum, and of course lunch at our favorite Chinese Buffet.

So we made sure that all the dogs were walked and then we headed south in the station wagon. It was not such a pretty day today, but we chatted as Hubby drove and it was so nice just to get out.

We got grapefruit at Sam’s Club, and picked up a few other items along the way. We stopped for lunch and we really enjoyed the meal.

The museum was interesting. There were portraits of famous New Hampshire people (such as Daniel Webster and Nathaniel Hawthorne) as well as several lovely landscapes, all centering on the White Mountains and the various Notches that take you through them. There was one that was so beautiful that I actually felt like I was walking through the woods there.

Soon we looked at our watches and realized that we needed to get home for the pups. So we said our good-byes to the museum and headed north. Half way home Hubby asked if it was okay if he stopped and bought two apple trees, a MacIntosh and a Honey Crisp. I smiled and said he should go for it.

So we have two more trees added to our ever growing orchard. We now have 13 varieties of apples, 4 varieties of cherries, 3 varieties of pears, 3 varieties of plums, 3 varieties of peaches and two varieties of grapes. All in all about 36 fruit trees! Yeah, it’s really beautiful in our yard right now!

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Another Wednesday In The Spring

I was up early today because after all Wednesday is Weight Watchers Day for me. I try to sleep until about 7:30, get up and shower and dress, make Hubby his breakfast, as I run out the door carrying my coffee and a piece of fruit. I mean, heaven forbid that I eat or drink anything until after I weigh in! I’ve even been known to weigh my clothes before selecting what to wear. (Insert loud laughter here, Please!)

Today I got up, went through the morning ritual, and headed to the next town for the meeting. I got there, and put my stuff down on my chair, took off my shoes and weighed in. I didn’t expect anything either way, but when she told me I’d lost another 2 pounds, I almost fell over! I have lost a total of 33 pounds!!! Yippee!!!

The meeting was fun and funny and when I left I felt happy and upbeat. I drove home along the country roads where the trees are blooming and the air is so clear that the mountains just stood out in the distance! Ah, such beauty!

When I arrived home I noticed that our own trees are blooming fast. Our peach trees are just the most beautiful trees right now with their full pink flowers and the plum trees with their dainty white ones.

The Elberta Peach tree.

A lovely Elberta Peach blossom.

Now a little further up the drive we have the Stanley Plum tree. Normally you would think about this plum as a Prune, but I make jam with it!

A huge bumble bee doing his job on the Stanley Plum tree.

The apple trees are just starting to open, and the cherry trees are past. The pear trees are not as full of blossoms as in past years, but I hope that we will have at least a few.

Since I keep my tomatoes in patio pots I am able to start them early and move them inside if the nights get too cold. You can see that they are really doing well so far.

I think I will really be happy when the garden and the trees begin to bear fruit and vegetables that we can eat. Diets are so much more fun when you can eat fresh produce!

And it doesn’t get any fresher than your own back yard!

The Wonder Of It All

It was a beautiful day today. A perfect day for a drive, and since we needed groceries and supplies, I left after breakfast for what turned into a full day of errands.

I bought food, paint, dog food and scrunchies.

(whoever invented the scrunchie to tie back a woman’s hair is a total genius!)

I also bought soaps. We belong to a consumer club where you can buy items in bulk, and so today was stock up day. I also put gas in my car. The tank was nearly empty and when I finished pumping the gas in I had spent $60.00! This is the most I have ever spent on gasoline at one time! I nearly fainted!

When I arrived home I found Hubby and all four dogs in the back yard. They all came running down to help me unload the car and each one greeted me with such love and happiness. Yes, it felt good to come home.

Due to a great sale at the grocery store I brought home two large lobsters for our dinner. I also made boiled new potatoes and fresh corn on the cob! Oh man, that was just great!

Hubby and the dogs have all fallen asleep as I sit here and write. The end of another beautiful day. Full of sunshine and blossoming fruit trees! Yes, spring is in the air and life is good.

Happy Days

I realized over the weekend that it takes very little to make me happy. Now I know Hubby is laughing as he reads this, but really, it is true. Some women need jewelry, some want expensive furniture, clothing, or the best of perfume and crystal. But truly, these are not things that make my world a happier place.

What does?

Children playing with the dogs.

Watching the kids snuggle up and find the same loving sweetness that I get from them.

A beautiful flower,

a breathtaking sunset, a sprout coming from the soil where I planted a seed the week before. These are the things that make me happy.

Of course I do have one weakness.

Computers!

You all probably remember that my laptop began falling apart around the first of the year. I sent it in for repair and they sent it back, broken and NOT REPAIRED! I sent it back again. Maribeth without her laptop computer is just a sad, sad sight.

Well, eventually the laptop arrived back and it was fixed for all of about fifteen minutes before the frame on the machine literally snapped like a dried up chicken bone and the hard drive began over heating.

I took the machine in to a local shop and discovered that the machine cannot be fixed! I began to back up my work every few days, and I just worried that the end would be coming soon. All the while trying to use a machine whose screen threatened to fall off at any moment.

Now this is where you get to hear all about my secret sin. Yes, I may not love expensive jewelry, or clothes or crystal, but I sure as heck love a good laptop!

For our anniversary Hubby asked what I would like and I demurred. There was nothing that I needed but a new laptop. He was a bit skeptical, as the machine appeared to still be running. However, by Mother’s Day this past weekend he could see that the machine was about to fall apart and he got a sale e-mail from Dell.

Yes folks, a new midnight blue, Dell laptop, is being built for yours truly and should be here in about a week!

“Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
Let us sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again!”

Springtime

Spring has come to the Dackel Princess homestead. Our fruit trees are budding up and right now our cherry and plum trees are bursting with flowers. It’s just so pretty to go out and walk around the yard, and see the trees filled with life. Flowers, bees and bright green leaves, after a long winter of skeletal shadows and snow drifts that went half way up the tree!

But spring is here!

The dogs love to be out amongst the trees and running through the grass. Thinking back over the winter, I fretted that I would ever see green grass again, and yet here we are!

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Mandy came up on Friday to celebrate both Hubby’s birthday and Mother’s Day with us. It was so great to have her come here and visit with us and the doggies. It never ceases to amazed me that the dogs remember her so well each time she is here. Greta especially just loves her Mandy!

Naturally we wanted to celebrate with a nice dinner at Canoe. It’s Mandy’s favorite restaurant too, so we went over for a nice leisurely meal.

When we arrived we saw that our favorite waiter, Andy, had returned to the staff and we were lucky enough to be seated in his area. We had the sweet and sour calamari, a bucket of mussels sauteed in garlic and white wine and a dip of artichokes and crab! I should have stopped there, but we all ordered meals, which we ended up bringing home with us! LOL! Once again we were not disappointed in anything that we ordered. Including the one order of molten chocolate cake for dessert. Mandy got that and Andy brought three forks so we all could try it! Wow! it was amazing!

All too quickly the night ended and Mandy had to drive home again. Hubby and I sat up for a while talking about our evening and how much we enjoyed it.

Yes, loved ones and springtime make a perfect package!