Dackel Princess

TBT: Growing Up On Cape Cod

I grew in Falmouth on Cape Cod and my summers were always full of sun, sea, and soft, cool, cotton sheets after a long day at the beach.

My childhood dog, Beagle, Baby.

The Raft at Surf Drive Beach.

I swam almost before I could walk, dreamed of magical kingdoms, built castles in the sand, and lay on my towel watching the clouds drift by in the afternoon. I remember thinking that time went so slowly as I lay there, that things would always be like that.

I ran barefoot all summer long through the sweet grass, and the scent of lilacs and roses and the ocean were always there. (Or so it seemed)

The feel of salt on my skin, the taste of it on my lips, and the laughter in the air, as I climbed the jetties along the Surf Drive Beach.

I’m the one in the darker blue bathing suit and the tough look on my face!

When I didn’t walk to the beach, I rode my trusty Schwinn Bike all over town.

Fireflies, cookouts on the grill, and marshmallows too. Telling stories in the dark, movies at the drive-in, and ice cream cones at Dairy Queen!

Popcycles and root beer floats, fried clams, and frozen Milkyway bars. Lobster and butter, and strawberry shortcakes at the church festival.

Sunshine and happiness, visiting with relatives who flocked to our house and the beach. Summers are full of some of the best memories of my life!

Wow! Busy!

Tuesday was my big day to grocery shop. I got up early, made coffee and breakfast, and was out the door by 7:45.

It was a lovely day, so I drove the back roads to Plymouth, New Hampshire to go to Market Basket. Which, in my opinion, is the best grocery store in our area.

I arrived just after 8:00 and started my shopping. The shelves were fully stocked, and there were nearly no other shoppers in there with me! How wonderful!

I got to the Deli and got the deli-meats that Jack wanted, did all the isles, and then hit the frozen food and produce sections. I was in line to check out at 9:20 and back in Meredith by 10 AM!

I picked up the mail and then drove home. The next part of my day was just starting as I sorted through all the groceries placing some in the deep freeze, some cans on the shelves, and the rest up the cellar stairs and into the kitchen. I was done with that part by 11:15, and then I was onto making a salad for lunch.

Just as I was set to sit down and eat, Jack announced his hunger so I quickly fixed his lunch before sitting down to enjoy my own. And enjoy I did!

The rest of my day was spent doing laundry and cooking dinner before finally being done at 7:45 PM. What a long day. But, all in all, a good day too!

The Power of Music

The TV was on and Jack sat down after dinner and suddenly the news was on. It was terrible, horrible news, and I found myself shaking. A man was being mugged and beaten in the street. It brought my own mugging, right back to my heart and soul.

So I sat down at my computer, put my headphones on, and turned on the music of my youth!

It is still too soon to go to bed, so writing this and listening to Freddie Mercury & Queen, or The Alan Parsons Project or Pilot, helped to calm me.

It’s funny really. When I was a teenager and life was complicated and I wanted to check out, I would go up to my room and do this. Only back then it was with my record player.

Ah yes. The healing powers of musical tunes. How lucky we are to have them to use to escape.

The Weekend Wrap August 17th

The weekend seemed to fly by, even though I kind of checked out for the weekend. I’d pulled a muscle in my back and it was tender, so I worked on stretching and resting it. It’s Sunday night now, and I think it is somewhat better.

Poor Jack has eaten so much fish lately, that I decided to cook different meals for him. But I’ve been almost craving fish and I have indulged myself.

I’ve also watched quite a few movies. Not that I sit here with popcorn, but I have them on while I am doing things like making meals and chopping up vegetables for salads.

“Red” with Bruce Willis, “The Family Stone” with Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Rachel McAdams, “Sully” with Tom Hanks, and the last two Harry Potter movies.

I also sat stitch ripping a mask that I had ordered, that came and was sewn so poorly. I know that once I pin and sew this, I will have a very adorable wire-haired dachshund mask.

Laundry will be done today (Monday) and I am also planning on sewing a few things, so that will keep me happily busy.

And The Survey Says…

I picked up the latest copy of a magazine that I really enjoy. In fact, I used to subscribe to it because I liked the news and recipes and fashion. As a subscriber, I got a reduced price and a few bonuses along the way.

Anyway, I picked up the latest issue and started to turn page after page after page. There were many nice recipes, new fashions, and of course advertisements. Then I hit page 52 and my world was shattered. The column was about what to eat in your 20s, 30s, & 40s. (No mention of your 50s, 60, 70s, etc)

In your twenties, you should be eating eggs, vegetables, chicken, coconut water, Greek yogurt, and quinoa. In your thirties, you should be eating oatmeal, nuts, tuna, edamame, avocado, and lentils. In your forties, you should be eating ginger, cherries, salmon, kale, extra virgin olive oil, and green tea.

But I’m in my sixties! What am I supposed to be eating? Or is it that after you turn fifty it’s all over anyway, so you might as well give up!

I thought about this for a while and actually started to feel bad, then my phone rang and it was a man doing a survey for our local electric company. Now I love my electric company, they do a good job, (the rates are bad, but heck they are bad everywhere!) and they’re very friendly when I need them. So I answered his survey. At the very end, he asked how old I was. Now, what on earth does my age have to do with the electrical current?

You know, my age never bothered me until I read the article, but today I was actually feeling old. I told him how old I was and why I was feeling bad about it. He laughed and then said, “It’s okay, that’s young! I’m 68!”

After that, I felt better and went about my day.

At least Weight Watchers has helped to give me guidelines to follow about the foods to eat to make you healthy.

But between the magazine and the electric company survey, I sort of felt tremendously over the hill!

The Beginnings

Looking back, May 2005 was when I started writing Dackel Princess. Sometimes I like to go back and read my thoughts. It’s been a lot of fun. We all have my cousin, Janet to blame, as she got me into writing, 15 years ago! And even though I have not been as diligent in the last year, I am going to try to be better about keeping my blog up and running. So, here is what I wrote that first day.

As this is the opening day of The Dackel Princess, I would like to welcome everyone to my site! As I write, spring is upon us here in the mountains of New Hampshire. With temperatures in the high 70’s, my apple trees are starting to blossom and the trees on the hill are starting to leaf out. It is so beautiful!

All three dogs have been running around in the yard this morning. Currently, the two dachsies are taking their second nap of the day, (more like one long, long nap) and Fritz is outside asleep on the patio. His favorite spot to be. Me? I’m sitting in front of my computer trying to figure out a new bit of software. So here’s to the first entry! With many more to come!!!

This is Shubi!

June 29 008

Baby Greta!

Fritz

Shubi was my very first wire-haired dachshund. She was the love of my life, and I was so grateful for each day we shared. She was with me for ten years before going to Rainbow Bridge. Far too short a time here on earth.

Yes, that is Greta as a baby. Greta grew to “marry” her “husband” Bernie and give us 10 beautiful pups. Two of which are my Arnie and Anneliese. But there she is, just two months old. I still miss that girl.

And Fritz. The most wonderful white shepherd that we have ever had. Gentle, kind, and fiercely loyal, who was with us twelve years and left so very quickly to go to Rainbow Bridge. Our Lili is his niece. She looks a lot like her uncle, but there is a somewhat wild side to Lili that Fritz did not have. Both were/are as gentle as you could hope to find in a German Shepherd.

Anyway, the part in Blue was the original entry. This is the rest of the story. Imagine, 15 years writing their stories and my own? It’s been fun!

The Friday Five ~ August 14th

What a great week it was for me. Probably the best I have had since Covid-19 came to call. So without further ado, here is this week’s Friday Five!

1. On Tuesday I got the call I had hoped for. After going through Arnie’s illness, nearly losing him, and the big bill, I was thrilled to learn that the Pharmaceutical Company will be paying for all of Arnie’s care.

Either way, Arnie was getting treatment. In fact, when he got sick, I didn’t realize that the drug companies guarantee their vaccines. It’s a nice gift to my pocketbook.
It has been so hot! I am thankful that we have air conditioning. Even the dogs are not enjoying this heat! They are perfectly happy to chill out and take naps on and off all day long!
I am reading a book written by a former High School Classmate of mine. It deals with his life-altering car accident, his death, and rebirth. It is fascinating to me, as the places he writes about are the places I know because I grew up in that town. The book is called “Pen, Paper, Prayer” written by James P. Holmes. Well done Jim!

4. I think I have pretty much tackled my mouse problem as I have had empty traps these last three days. I will keep setting them out though because mice tend to wander in as the weather gets cold.

5. Cooking this week has been a thrill. We’ve eaten Lobsters and stir-fried vegetables and chicken, and the best avocados! Also wonderful fresh salads and corn on the cob. Summers are great when you have so many fresh foods to choose from!

Lucky Sisters

When I was born many years ago, my mother became quite ill. Her thyroid quit on her and depression set in. Imagine having a brand new baby and being in the throes of depression?

My grandmother came to care for her daughter and the family, but a son-in-law, two other children, and a new baby presented her with a lot to do.

I was a sweet baby, but let’s face it, I was a 9 pound-plus baby who liked to eat, even back then.

Thus, my five and a half-year-old sister became my mother. She changed diapers, fed me my bottle, and cooed at me and lulled me to sleep.

It took my mother a long time to recover, and by the time she was stable on thyroid medication, I had bonded with my sister.

When I would fall and have a boo-boo I wanted Mel. If I woke in the night with a bad dream, I wanted Mel. I think, looking back, it must have been hard for my mother to see that her baby, didn’t come running to her.

But you see, I was very lucky. Melodie was the best thing that ever happened to me.

My Mom suffered from deep depression most of the remainder of her life. The dark moods often came when I would need a mother the most, and for me, Melodie was always there.

I joke with her kids that I was her first child, but in reality, I really was. She would give me baths, read to me, and calm my fears and pains. She even snuck into the hospital to see me, when at age four I had my appendix out.

I have not seen her since Christmas. Although we talk on the phone every day. In fact, if life gets crazy and I don’t call, she worries! And if I don’t hear from her, I also get concerned.

Sometimes if you are lucky, and your birth mother cannot be there for you, due to illness or perhaps they were young and unable to care for you, another woman will step in and fill that role.

For me, it was my sister, Melodie. Young as she was, she stepped up to the plate. She loves with her whole heart and she loves deeply. How fortunate I have been to have her in my life.

I love you, Melodie!

A Really Great Day

Tuesday the 11th was a very full day indeed! And it was all good. After months of mostly bad news in the world, today, in my little corner of the world The good news kept on coming!

I got up and weighed in.

I finally have lost 50 pounds! I have shared with you my battle with my weight and to get to this milestone made my entire day! And that was at 5:45 AM!

Feeling happier than a girl should on a hot and sticky Tuesday, I was sitting in my chair anticipating going to the grocery store and Post Office when the phone rang.

It was my Veterinarian. He wanted to tell me that Arnie’s blood tests had come back showing a rise in his titers four times that of a healthy dog. This test showed that Arnie did have Leptospirosis with no doubts about the diagnosis!

Arnie is better now, thank goodness, I caught it quickly and he got the care that he needed!

The Vet had spoken with the Pharmaceutical Company and they have agreed to pay all of Arnie’s bills for treatment! I faxed the bill to them and hopefully, they will send me a check quickly!

Then I set about changing sheets and doing work around the house. I knew the third part of my day would be upon me soon and I was looking forward to it.

Then this guy came to call. It was so hot here that he simply sat on my patio table for a long time. I grabbed my Olympus Camera and started snapping. Here is the very best shot of the bunch. Isn’t he handsome?

Why Jimmeney Crickett!

(Actually a Grasshopper)

My own picture!

I decreed that I would have a Scotch after I lost the first 25 pounds. Then after I lost 50 pounds I would have another Scotch. So today was the day I got to enjoy 1 fine Glenlivet Scotch. Oh, it tasted so very good!

So Tuesday was a very good day! I am so grateful for all of it. Some days you just feel better about life than others. Today was that day!

Monday, Monday

Monday started quite early. Not in a bad way. I heard Lili at the bedroom door and once she woke me up, other parts of me also woke and I knew it was time to get up!

I jumped into the shower and that just felt so good, my recommended way to start a Monday morning, and then I was off to the kitchen to turn on the coffee and then walk the dogs.

I fed the hounds and then did my least favorite job. I went down to the basement to check the Mouse-Taps. Of the four I lay down, one was sprung. To date, I have gotten 5 mice! Yay!

I am doing this in an environmentally way. I bait the trap with peanut butter and the bodies are returned to the field where our Eagles, Hawks, and other predators come for a snack.

And since the only thing these little “meeces” have eaten is peanut butter, they are safe for all wildlife.

I am happy!

It is terribly hot here today, and from what they say, it will be like this all week. My plan is to have a low key this week and enjoy the air conditioning!

I did venture out to the Post Office to get our mail, as I had an Amazon delivery which included a new dish rack to dry my hand-washed dishes in the sink. My old one (over 35 years old!) finally disintegrated and I was in need. It was not easy to find one that fit inside my twin sinks, but eventually, I did, and it is now installed.

Ah yes. It’s the little things in life that make us happy, isn’t it?