Dackel Princess

The Good & The Frustrating…

It was a productive day, just a bit frustrating.

It started with me bathing all three dachshunds with a new shampoo. Mmmmm. Smelled good, and now they all smell good. Emily helped me to dry them all off and then she snuggled Arnie for a while.

My big goal, after that was to get a four foot rigid kiddie pool for the pups. I wanted to get it now so they could play in it during the coming heat wave, but I also want to get this pool now for use next year when Greta has her next litter. This plastic pool would be so easy to keep clean and would literally grow with the pups.

I called Wal-$@*! which is about 15 miles from here and asked if they had this pool. “Sure!” I was reassured and so I set off to pick it up. When I arrived I found NO POOLS!!! Surely this was a mistake. I asked to see the manager who apologized and then assured me that another Wal-$@*! had it. This was another 10 miles. So off I went. When I got there…you guessed it. No pools!!!

I decided it was not my day and didn’t even bother to get upset. I bought myself an electric curler set and then I called Hubby and asked if he wanted anything from that end of town and he wanted two bottles of Scotch that were on sale. Not a problem, but oh do I wish I could drink. After a day like this I could use a stiff scotch!

I arrived home and was greeted by four loving dogs and one grateful husband. I got kisses from all and then sat down to rest. I was tired.

Of course pups and Hubby alike needed to be fed. Steaks, for us, and the usual for the doggies. Now we are all happy and cuddling and I am ending the day with a nice German coffee. What a treat!

Loon Mountain Hike

It was a bright and beautiful, early summer day here in Central New Hampshire. A cold front had moved through on Friday, leaving the air crisp and clean. We’d decided some days ago to go to Loon Mountain with the dogs (minus Greta who is still in heat) and ride the trams up to the top, have lunch and then hike down.

I was a little nervous about this hike because of my knee, but I didn’t hesitate as June in the mountains is a glorious time.

My only worry was Fritz.

I love that dog like no other, but…he is terrible in the car and on a leash. He jumps and howls and generally makes himself a pest for all around. I have taken him to “doggy reform school” and when I used the chain collar he listens quite well, but I hate the choke collar.

On the ride up we had Emily and the two pups, and Fritz and Hubby and myself. Em’s parents and their dog rode in another car. Fritz was, his usual terrible self! I kept threatening him with bodily ejection from the car. Somehow we made it to Loon and began unpacking the car and getting our backpacks and hiking sticks out.

Em and I took the pups in the first goldola,

her parents and Kodiak, their dog, in the next. Then poor Hubby in the last gondola with Fritz.

I imagined the chaos erupting in that gondola, but when we got to the top I was delighted to learn that Fritz had actually enjoyed the ride!

We poked around, got some lunch at the “Summit Canteen”, and then about the time we were due to start hiking down, Hubby lost the hold on Fritz’s leash. Fritz took off and headed back to the gondola and jumped into the open door! Em’s Dad ran after him and grabbed him and got him out before we had to watch him disappear down the mountain!

The scenery was so beautiful. I wish I could have had you all with us. The Lupines were in full bloom painting the mountyainsides with white and purple.

It was so much fun to walk down the very slopes that we ski in the winter. How different they look with emerald green grass and the trees completely leafed out.

I did pretty well, but about half way down the old knee gave out and I was forced to put on the knee brace. Now to accomplish this we had to scoot the guys ahead and Em’s Mom helped protect my modesty so I could slip off my jeans, put on the brace and then get myself all together again. I did it without missing a beat!

I used two hiking poles (wish they’d been crutches!) and got down the mountain. Then I just wanted to rest. Everyone but Arnie and me rode up the mountain again, but this time they all rode down on the gondola. The funniest sight all day was watching Fritz come back into the gondola loading area. I was hoping to capture that imagine, but a little boy was holding Arnie and I couldn’t get my camera out.

So tonight I am sitting in my chair with my knee pillow comforting Greta, who, of course is feeling sad at having been left behind.

The question is, will Hubby and I be able to move tomorrow?

The sunset Saturday night across the lake.

Saturday Scavenger Photo

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SHINY

This is the glacier at the end of Tracy Arm in Alaska. Shiny, and truly the most naturally beautiful thing I have ever seen.

To my best friend and favorite cousin!

Go wish her some love!!!!

Kids, Dogs and Love

One of our little neighborhood girls came by. Our house is now the place where the kids come. They play with the dogs, help me with cooking or the gardening, but most of all, I think they come to talk.

Today Jacqui came by. She was feeling angry at her Mom for restricting her on playing on the trampoline before it was properly set up. I listened intently to all she said before I offered my words of wisdom. (Or what seems like wisdom to a 10 year old.)

I explained how much her mother loves her and would not want her to fall and break a leg or arm or worse yet to be killed. I told her how mothers always try to do their best to protect their kids.

She looked up at Katie’s picture and I explained that sometimes you can’t even do that, but at least Katie and I had spoken only words of love before the accident.

She was calmer when she left and I hope tonight when she kisses her mother goodnight there will be some real affection and understanding between them.

Meanwhile, the pups just get to be more and more fun. Arnie is nearly as big as Greta, while Anneliese remains petite. It is so hard to believe that they weighed the same at birth!

Hubby took this great picture of the three dachsies this morning while they watched the early morning activities on the lake.

Arnie, Anneliese and Greta

Yes, between the love from our dogs and for them as well, and the children of our neighborhood who seem to find their way to our home, and the love that exists between us, life is good.

Thursday Thirteen #45

The Definitions of Dieting
Or Why Diets Are So Tough…

1. Salads I know I will be eating a salad at least once per day. Don’t get me wrong. I like salad, but I don’t like to eat them ALL the time.

2. Lean meats. Mostly I eat lean meats anyway. But I sure do like my juicy hamburgers!

3. Fish. I, of course, like the expensive stuff, like Lobster, Shrimp and Crab. I will simply have to learn to love Scrod and Haddock.

4. Water. Well, until I discovered Dasani and Fruit-2-O waters I really had trouble drinking that much water. Now I can get down enough water to make the diet work.

5. I will miss my chocolate! I love chocolate so much. I have often said that should we find the world would end tomorrow I would get as much dark chocolate as possible and every bottle of Tokai and go out with a smile on my face!

6. I will miss my cheap bread. Nothing like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wonder bread. This diet requires whole wheat/whole grain bread. I somehow doubt that my PB&J will taste the same on that!

7. Exercise. Shoot. I wish I could miss that. But alas, I know I need to get out there and start walking with the puppies. I still maintain that exercise is a 4 letter word not to be uttered in mixed company! LOL

8. Sugar Free Jello-O. Yeah, that’ll be my “treat”. Now Jello never did it for me as a kid, and now I’m supposed to be all happy because I can eat the sugar free stuff twice a day!

9. Vegetables. Well, I do like a lot of veggies and my garden will be producing in about a month. I am so looking forward to that!

10. I will spend time trying new recipes. Perhaps I can actually find some new skinny recipes that taste good. If I do, I will share it with you all.

11. Ever notice how the diet recipes all start with a vegetable? Why not chocolate?

12. I plan to keep a diary on my computer of my weight, what I eat and the pounds lost.

13. When I weigh close to my goal weight I shall share it all with you. For now, knowing I am pleasingly plump will have to suffice. LOL

Are We There Yet??

Have you all seen the Garmin Navigation commercial on TV? The one where the husband and wife are arguing about her reading of the map and then suddenly she balls it up and throws it out of the car? Then the basketball player (whose name I cannot recall), hands them a Garmin GPS and they punch in a few numbers and all is well.

This has happened to Hubby and me more times than I care to admit, (The map arguments) so, for Father’s Day I bought him the “World’s Easiest Navigational Tool!”

I sort of looked it over, figured out how to type in an address and thought I probably had it figured out.

Well, let’s just say, the 78 page users guide should have tipped me off. No sooner had we gotten in the car then the argument began. Basically he thought I should know how to use it, and I thought that since he was used to operating glass cockpit airplanes then an automobile GPS should be nothing.

Well, we were both wrong. This thing is truly mind boggling for a first time user. You can be sure that we will be reading and testing it out before our trip to Canada and to DC later this year.

Do you know why I got this “wonder”? Because I simply am “map reading challenged” when I am in a moving vehicle. My brain doesn’t work that fast. I usually say stuff like, “Oh yeah, that last exit 7 miles ago? That’s the one we wanted.”

I will be studying…..I wonder if there will be a quiz before the Canada trip?

Pssssssst! Don’t say anything, but Arnie hasn’t had an accident since I did all the painting in the puppy room. I picked up all the newspaper and never put them back down! And I think…he could be…TRAINED!!!!

Paint, Dirt and A Little Nap

Today I finished the painting, ironed and put the curtains up in that room.

I also, weeded the garden (or more precisely we cultivated the garden, but that’s about the same thing) and I worked out with both puppies so that they start to learn to walk in a circle for their presentation to the German judge in the fall. I came in, feeling exhausted and dehydrated and sat down to an iced coffee. Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Then I glanced over and saw this:

Now, doesn’t she look comfy?

Sunday Aches & Pains

The day started earlier than usual because of my aches. I got up and started moving, with hope that I would loosen up. Ha! All I did was ache some more. I am nearly done with the [painting and the room looks good. Stay tuned for some pictures later in the week.

Once I was done with that, Emily came over and I was talked into having a cookout here at 1 PM. I had hot-dogs and I had just made potato salad, so I just needed some hamburgers and rolls and I was good to go. I also made my “Double Chocolate Pie” and Wow was that a good dessert for a summer day. (see recipe below).

Now I am sitting tired and almost ready for bed. I think I will sleep like Sleeping Beauty. I am that tired!