Dackel Princess

Letting Go…

Several things kept my mind busy today. This is good. My grandmother used to say “Maribeth, as long as you keep your mind busy, it won’t stop working”. Well Gram needn’t have worried. If anything, my brain tends to function overtime!

I woke with the concern that the pedigrees from Germany won’t arrive before the Zuchtschau next fall. A Zuchtschau is a German dog show. I brought Greta last year for her rating. You can read about it here and here.

Greta received the highest rating of excellent, and I was so proud. Now I will bring her babies and see how they do before the German judge. I am hoping that they will do as well as Greta. Oh, I am nervous already!

Anyway back to their German pedigrees. The dogs have already gotten their AKC pedigrees and registration numbers and now I await their German, (DTK) pedigrees. So I called our German breed warden and asked her what would happen if they did not arrive? She said not to worry she would email Germany and ask specifically to have them taken care of.

End of concern #1.

Then I was worried because as I was putting laundry away I turned to go out of the room and tripped over Arnie. I caught him with my sneaker and he squealed and made me feel terrible. I picked him up quickly and held him tight until he had forgotten his ills. However, the guilt was terrible for me!

Arnie.

Pretty much the end of concern #2, although I still feel bad.

Anneliese.

It was a great day weather wise, so we had the puppies out a lot. They played in the back yard and had such fun, that was until they ran around the side of the house and I had to chase after them! I managed to chase them back and all was well.

End of problem #3.

The day seemed to pick up then. I made nice salads with barbecued chicken on top for lunch, drove out to get the mail and pick up some repaired feet for the snow blower for Hubby, and came home and played with the puppies again.

The day is ending, the sun setting and I’m hoping I won’t be so worried when I wake up tomorrow. I know in the long run of life, everything takes care of itself. It’s just that I often have difficulty of letting go…..and letting God handle things.

#1000

First, before I write about our day, I must share that this is my 1000th entry on Dackel Princess. I have shared the good, the bad and I hope the funny with you, dear Reader’s. I also hope to share 1000 more. Although some of you might not appreciate that! Hihi!!

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Monday was a holiday here in America. Memorial Day. A day set aside to remember all the men and women who have given their lives in military service to our country. It’s a solemn day with parades and prayers. It is also the unofficial start to the summer.

Most families gather for a traditional barbecue. This year we invited my cousin Janet and her Dad, my Uncle George, and our friend Michelle. Emily also came over and joined us for dinner.

The day had dawned bright and sunny. The weather forecasters once again had blown their prediction of gloom and doom for the holiday. We had perfect weather here. 80 degrees, with a light wind and blue skies!

Janet, Uncle George and Michelle arrive about 12:15 and we set out a multitude of appetizers. Shrimp cocktail, chips and dips and Hummus. We sat around the table drinking, eating and laughing.

The two Emilys arrived to play with the pups and to see what we were up to. We really enjoy when the girls stop by and they enjoy playing with the pups!

We began to prepare for our cookout, which would consist of barbecued steak and chicken, corn on the cob, a tossed garden salad and a bean and mango salsa.

Hubby had started the grill and worked hard to cook the chicken and steak to perfection! I can report quite happily that he did a splendid job!

After dinner Janet and Michelle took her dogs for a walk while I cleaned up the kitchen and made some coffee to go with the cakes that Michelle brought with her. When they returned we sat down sipping our coffees and nibbling on the cake.

Picture courtesy of my cousin, Janet.

The day is done now and the doggies are asleep. Hubby and I are watching a Red Sox baseball game.

Yes folks, my 1000th post. It’s been easy to write. We relaxed, we enjoyed and we laughed. Another good day.

Planting Day 2007

Sunday was planting day here at the Dackel Princess House. Emily, the “Puppy Nanny”, came over to watch the dogs while Hubby and I planted the garden. This year I feel I have healthier plants (which I started from seed) and just about the correct number of plants for the size of the garden that we are working.

Hubby and I are a great team. He raked the dirt into hills and I planted my seedlings. I think this years garden is laid out even better and will be easier to maintain. It took us about one hour and thirty minutes to do this, but that really wasn’t too bad. I think all of our advance work on the garden helped to make today go quite smoothly.

It was nice and cool, and overcast. This made it ideal for working outside. Tonight neither one of us has a sunburn.

Once we were done planting, Hubby stood and hand watered the plants. We are due for rain tonight, and actually that would be a very good thing.

Hubby watering the garden.

After our gardening we had lunch and then headed to the store to stock up on food for the holiday on Monday. My cousin Janet is coming up with my Uncle George, and our friend Michelle.

Last night while sitting watching television, I realized that all three of the dachshunds had crawled into the chair with me. I whispered to Hubby to grab the camera and take a picture.

This is how we end most days. Fritz stretched out by the fire place, Hubby sitting in his chair and me with my three dachshunds cuddling in my chair!

It just doesn’t get any better than this!

When Love Comes To Call

How wonderful the last 24 hours have been! Or as I like to say, how good it is “when love comes to call”!

There are people in our lives that share special places in our hearts and whether we see them every day or every few weeks or even every few years, they are always right there. Special. Loved.

Friday our friends from Hubby’s flying days arrived during their cross country motorcycle trip! They have a beautiful BMW bike and a trailer with a little ventilated compartment for their faithful companion, a Lhasa Apso/poodle mix, Oliver.

They arrived here at 2 PM in their heavy bike clothes. I mention this because we had our first 90 degree day yesterday, and I know they were both cooked through! I brought them inside, gave Oliver a dish of water, and hydrated Tom and Dorene with some flavored water.

We sat in our kitchen with all 5 dogs sniffing each other and getting to know each other (all went well) and talked about life.

Tom and Dorene have known Hubby since 1966 when they were all based in Hong Kong, flying R&R flights for Pan Am. Over the years Tom and Hubby remained friends even sharing apartments near various airports.

When I came onto the scene, many people resented the difference in our ages, but they opened their arms and their hearts to me and a deep friendship was formed. I really adore them.

We have not seen them in a few years now, but it didn’t make a bit of difference. We took right up talking as though we had just seen each other yesterday. Have you ever noticed that it’s like that with some people?

They were so exhausted when they arrived that I told them that they had to stay, so they gladly accepted the invitation and they were our guests last night.

So, where did we go for dinner? Those of you who are regular readers will know that we went to Canoe! It was fabulous, as usual and we talked and ate and talked and ate some more!

When we were done we came home and played with all the dogs until 11 and then we all went to bed.

This morning I got up, made coffee and fresh muffins along with bacon, eggs, fruit and juice for our breakfast, and we helped them to pack up their bike. At 10 we bid them a fond farewell.

Oliver in his little trailer/crate. Getting ready in the second picture, and lastly, they’re off!

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At 12:15 my daughter, Amanda arrived. She brought with her a photo book of pictures she had taken of the puppies when she brought her younger sister up in January. It is the cutest thing.

Then we took off to another local restaurant for lunch. The Common Man restaurant was a delight. Hubby and I had French onion soup, and quiche, and Amanda had a lobster chowder and glazed chicken. Very nice!

We came back home and since there is a neat Craft Fair taking place locally, I thought perhaps this would be a nice opportunity to walk the puppies in a crowd and to spend some alone time with Mandy. I was right on both counts.

Mandy and I wandered around the fair, enjoying the breezy spring day and introducing the puppies to the world. Arnie was fine. He was friendly and warm and happy the entire time. He is such an amazing animal. When I think I might not have kept him….

Anneliese was a little more timid. The noises and the other animals made her just a little nervous at first. I assured her that all was fine and encouraged her to keep exploring. By the end of the walk she was doing much better.

So when my cousin Janet comes up on Monday we will take the pups over to the Craft Fair again for another walk. I just hope that the weather will remain sunny, warm and dry.

I really enjoy spending time with Mandy. I look at her and I see a truly amazing woman. I’m so proud to be her mother.

We came back to the house and sat outside watching the dogs play and Emily came by. She will come over tomorrow and help us plant the garden.

Mandy had to leave then and get back to her home. Maybe next time we get together we can go on a shopping spree! It’s been a while since we’ve done that.

Now I just have to make a little supper for Hubby.

Yes, at the end of a day, “when love has come to call”, you feel happy and warm and well loved!

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COLORFUL

Our late White Shepherd, Max at the sunset of his life.

May Magic Play

The puppies were playing in the back yard last night running around, tackling each other and I went and grabbed the camera. I hope you enjoy this Friday send off to the long, holiday weekend!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It’s All In A Day’s Work

Ever have one of those days where you wake up and are full of energy?

I know, I don’t have them very often either, but today I felt really good and really motivated! I fixed Hubby’s breakfast early, and before my second cup of coffee, I had stripped the bed, and started the laundry. I also began putting things away. Now this is truly a miracle. Quite often I will be looking at something, and a puppy will whine near the door and I drop what I am doing and rush out the door. When I return I completely forget what it is I have been doing or was holding and it sits in the exact same spot for…a while.

Today I was clearing shelves, putting magazines in the used bin, and I even got down and cleaned the fire place for the summer. By noon I’d gotten so much done that I was actually scaring myself.

Was I sick?

Now before you all think I am a total slob, let me tell you that I like to think of myself as a comfortably neat housekeeper. My home is always clean, but often has that lived in look.

The afternoon was so beautiful that I decided that this was a good time to re-pot my tomato plants. I grow my tomatoes in the green house. I grow them in large pots. So today I took the foot tall plants and put them in new pots with nice rich soil.

I sat down on the patio watching the puppies play with Greta and Fritz and drank a tall lemon water. They were still full of energy and racing around the back yard. It was about that time that I began to wind down, but dinner was still ahead of me.

Anneliese, Greta and Arnie in front of the Gala apple tree in our yard. That is our neighbor’s home in the background.

I tried a new recipe for Haddock (quite good actually) and then once the dishes were done and the puppies walked again, I found myself in a hot shower rinsing away all the dirt from my day.

I’ve got my dachshund pajamas on, the remote control all to myself because Hubby is at a meeting, and the makings of a beautiful sunset across the lake in the next hour to enjoy. What a great way to end this day.

See? I was right. The sunset was beautiful!

Turning The Garden

I decided to finish “turning the garden” myself today. I figured it was a bright sunny day, not too hot and I felt good.

How wrong I was about to become.

You see “turning the garden” does not mean that I have decided to switch ends for planting or anything really easy like that. “turning the garden” means using a pitch fork, stomping on it to get the forks in about 6 inched then lifting the wedge of dirt (and rocks) and turning it over. The first few stomps were actually pretty good. I felt strong, you know, like, “I am woman, hear me roar?”. But by the end of the first row I realized why I prefer to be known as the gentler sex. This is tough work.

Now I did not want Hubby to see me give up. He does enough around here, mowing the lawn, spraying the fruit trees and all, that I certainly don’t want him suggesting that he switch off one of those jobs with me. We all remember a year ago when he was laid up with his bad knees and I was doing all his work. Not a pretty sight!

I worked for 2 full hours. I did do the smart thing and stopped twice to down copious amounts of water. I also threw the ball for Fritz and checked on the dachshunds. Then I headed straight back to work. I was determined.

I have to tell you that you would be amazed at the size of the rocks I was pulling out of the ground.

When I think of the men and women who made homesteads here in the early 1800’s and had to do all this work like I am doing it right now, by hand, I have a real appreciation for what they did. I have a little garden, these people probably had a garden 5 times the size of the one I have. And if it didn’t do well, they were mighty hungry.

So the garden soil is “turned” and we raked it too, so now this weekend we will plant a row of corn and then, the last day of May I’ll be planting my seedlings.

My helper, Arnie.

Meanwhile, I can be found in a hot bath soaking away my aches.

Yep, I am woman, hear me croak!

Getting There

This morning I had appointments with two different doctors, whose offices are 10 miles apart. The first appointment was for 10:15 the second was for 11:45. I was not at all stressed because I believed that I would have plenty of time to drive the lovely country roads of New Hampshire from point A to point B.

I arrived at Doctor #1’s building right on time. The first problem I noted was that the elevator was broken, and his office is on the 5th floor! I climbed the stairs, huffing and puffing, but made it to his office before hyperventilating! I collapsed in a chair and sat waiting. Finally 15 minutes after my appointment he called my name. The appointment went smoothly, except I kept worrying that I would be late for the next appointment, so I had a lot of trouble thinking (not one of my strong points). I am so glad that I’d written all my questions down in advance

When the appointment was over, I raced down the stairs. The fact that I had 20 minutes to get down the stairs, get to my car, and drive the 10 miles to the other office seemed to light a fire under me. You see, there is also construction on the one road that goes between point A and point B!

I drove faster than usual (I am a granny driver) and made it to Doctor #2’s office, arriving right on time! I checked in and sat down. I waited and waited and waited. Doctor #2 was a half an hour late.

Somehow I could forgive him. You see, he is leaving his practice to work as an Emergency Room doctor, so he can spend more time with his children and wife. He’s been a wonderful general practitioner for us and we have enjoyed him not just as a doctor, but as a friend. We talked a lot about his life, his wife and kids, and what is truly valuable in life in general. When I left him we hugged and I told him that, should he ever start his own practice, I would be his first patient. Both Hubby and I really admire this young doctor.

When I got home Greta was waiting for me in the driveway. I walked up the steps and saw Hubby working on weeding the lawn. Fritz was playing with a ball, and then I saw two little puppies by the stone wall. I put my hands over my head and yelled, “Arnie, Arnie!!” And he came running full speed toward me. Then I called to Anneliese and she also came running! What a greeting.

Hubby and I worked turning the soil in the garden this afternoon and got about half way through. Besides growing fruit and vegetables here in New Hampshire, we grow a lot of rocks! More seem to surface every year. I hope to get the rest of the garden turned tomorrow and then do the corn planting this weekend. The vegetables will be transplanted on the last day of May.

The sun was shining all day, not a drop of rain. All is right in my world!

Sunday, Rain & Sun

Sunday was an odd day. It started with gray skies and hinted at some rain. Within an hour or two of our getting up the skies opened and we had torrential rain. In fact our rain gauge showed we got an inch of the wet stuff over the course of the day.

With the refrigerator nearly empty we decided to spend time stocking up. Now those of you that work during the week and shop on weekends know what it is like in the grocery stores on Saturday or Sunday. What a zoo! Frenzied parents, screaming exhausted children and shelves that don’t stay stocked very long.

I had my list, and we got in and got out of the stores as quickly as we could, but still it took us over two hours to get our errands done. As we drove back home, the rain stopped and when we pulled in I ran up the stairs and took the two puppies right out.

You see, in the last few days we have started to use the crate at night and during the day when we leave the house. We are finding that their house training is progressing much faster and the puppies actually let me sleep later in the morning.

Once we had some lunch and put the food away, we took all four dogs outside and let them run. Despite the gray skies it was a bit brighter and so I grabbed my camera for these pictures.

The back of our house.

Anneliese near our little stream.

Anneliese and Arnie playing near the Gala Apple tree.

Fritz in his favorite place.

Hubby pruning the grape arbor.

We watched the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3, had scallops for dinner and noticed that the long absent sun started to shine. Could this be the beginning of some nice weather for us? I’ve got my fingers crossed.