Dackel Princess

This & That ~ April 28

Monday dawned rainy and cold. Thank goodness it was not snowing! Our trees all have buds on them and heavy snow would kill the fruit to come.

I watched “Homeland’s” series end episode and all I will say is wow! Once again, the writing and the acting was amazing! Still, it is very sad, because now the show is over and I can only visit the characters in reruns.

To occupy myself today I whipped out a bunch of vegetables and the hamburger and Italian sausage and made Jack a wonderful rich Spaghetti sauce.

I do this by making a really big batch, and then freezing a container for another meal.

Naturally, there is laundry to do and dogs to feed and walk, and people to catch up with. So far, we’ve been lucky and our friends and family have remained well.

I downloaded the book “The Descendants” onto my tablet and I think I will read that again. It’s an easy read and I love the lessons learned in the story.

Anneliese is doing so much better.

They switched her to Bactrim Chewable antibiotics and this seems to have taken control of the infection. She is once again bouncing around like a puppy!

Aside from all that, life is quiet and calm and there really is not much happening. I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy!

French Onion Chicken Bake

This French Onion Chicken Bake is so easy to make and delicious. A seasoned chicken breast smothered in French Onion Soup and topped with shredded Mozzarella (or Grueye) cheese.

Ingredients:
6 (4 oz.) chicken breasts, raw
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
2 tbsp canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled & sliced
1 (10 oz.) can French Onion Soup ( I use Progresso)
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella (or Gruyere)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet pan (or cast-iron skillet) add oil.
Add sliced onions. Saute the onions in oil until softened and translucent.
When onions become soft, place onions on a plate and set aside.
Using the same skillet, add a little more oil.
Season each chicken breast with paprika, garlic powder, and seasoned salt.
Place seasoned chicken breasts into prepared skillet.
Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium-high, on both sides or until chicken breasts are golden brown.
Add onions back into the skillet with the chicken breasts.
Pour in the can of French Onion Soup.
Simmer the chicken and onions in the soup for 2-3 minutes-this will allow the soup to caramelize the chicken.
If using a cast-iron skillet top each chicken breast with cheese. (otherwise-transfer chicken, onions, and sauce into an oven-safe baking dish and top with the cheese.)
Place skillet or baking dish in a preheated oven.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday B-Litter

Today is the Eleventh Birthday of Anneliese’s 4 babies. Bogart, Baerbel, Baron, and Ali (Birgit).

This was Anneliese’s only litter. What a beautiful and good Mama she was to her babies.

They grew quickly and you can see how chubby they became.

And before I knew it they left to go to their new homes. This was such a fun time in my house.

So Happy Birthday to our B-Babies!

Savannah’s Point of View

The other day I was video chatting with my granddaughter, Savannah. In our conversation, the subject of my Harry Potter Scar came up. I told Savannah, who was just a baby when that all happened, that she was the only one who looked at me and didn’t see my terrible scars.

Before the plastic repairs and now.

“Wow,” she said. “You looked cool!”

It’s funny. children do not see the limitations that we see during times like that. I felt so hideous and disfigured, but Savi could only see in her wonderful imagination the sort of make-up one uses at Halloween or dressing up.

This is from 2013. She didn’t even notice my face. Just my heart.

I remember back then after my surgeries feeling so terribly ugly. But the sight of my smiling granddaughter helped me through that time.

Savi asked me, “What was wrong with your face?”

I explained about the skin cancer and how they had to remove it. But how lucky I am, because I am completely well now.

How blessed I am to have this sweet girl in my life. She sure helps keep everything in perspective for me.

The Friday Five ~ April 23

This week was an odd one. My days seemed to blend together until I wasn’t sure what day it actually was. Ah well, somehow I muddled through. So without further delay, here is this week’s Friday Five!

I got a few little things done, that I’d been putting off. I did a thorough decalcification of the Coffee Maker, cleaned the fridge, and made a trip to the Recycling Center to get rid of the trash.
Arnie was playing with his ears in such a way that I knew he had an infection! Now wirehaired dackels tend to have pretty bushy ears inside if you don’t keep up with them, (bad me) so I needed to trim the hair in his ears, and then clean them and he is on a week’s worth of drops to get rid of the infection!
My birds are returning from their trip south. Some of them, like the Cardinals and Woodpeckers, just have been happy to have their suet and seed.
Once again, watching them delights me.
I watched an old movie called “The Descendants” with George Clooney and Shailene Woodley.
What a fabulous movie, set in Hawaii and all filmed on location. The story is one that really touches me. And both the movie and the book were great!
Today I am planning to cook another roast chicken. This particular chicken, produced by Perdue, is cooked in an oven bag with wonderful spices. After I will bone it, cook the bones with some vegetables, and make my own stock. After that, I am making my Chicken and Cabbage Soup!

And what will you be doing this weekend?

The Blue Screen of Death!

On Wednesday, in the middle of an online WW Meeting, suddenly, and without warning, I got The Blue Screen of Death on my brand new laptop! It would not shut down, told me, using a sad face emoji that there was a problem, and I waited and waited until finally, it shut down.

I turned it back on. All was well. Well, sort of. I looked up The Blue Screen of Death and I was told that if possible, I should wipe the hard drive and start again, as it could be that there was a conflict with a program that had been installed.

I looked at my files and I realized that One Drive had gone berserk and downloaded files from the cloud, over and over again.

Taking charge, I backed up the files I wanted on the laptop after the wipe, and then, after crossing my fingers and holding my breath, I did a full system wipe and cleaning. The laptop was like it had been when it first arrived.

Systematically I went through the procedure of reloading it. Which included shutting off all access to One Drive!

I have just two things left to do, download a file from Dell and then install the one program that caused me a lot of grief before, Adobe Elements 2018. A favorite program, but a real bear to install!

On the bright side, I have continued to learn and relearn all sorts of computer programming tricks. Connecting via Wifi, my printers, was easy, as was getting my computer back into our home network. This is all big for me. I think it means that I am not so old that my brain is unable to retain new things.

So today I will finish up the installs and enjoy going to another online WW Meeting. I just hope that The Blue Screen of Death does not join me again!

The Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What’s something you resolved to do this year? Have you done it?

Actually, yes I have. Sitting in my chair just after Christmas, looking at pictures of myself, I really felt bad. I was so unhappy with what I saw and how I felt.

So on New Year’s Eve, I went to the WW App and started their “Green Program” diet. I was worried I would fail, but each day I became more and more steadfast and determined. As of today, I have now lost 34 pounds!

2. Where do you go to find quietude?

I’m not sure that I actually have one place. I certainly have places that I escape to. I love to go to my hometown on Cape Cod, and just sit at Surf Drive Beach.

Me a few years ago at Surf Drive Beach.

April and October are my favorite times there because the tourists are not around.

3. A friend asked this question on her Facebook page and said I could borrow it for the Hodgepodge…you’re only allowed to buy 5 things at the grocery store, and all must start with the first letter of your first name. Whatcha’ buying?

Marinated chicken
Macoun Apples
Moussaka
Meat
Mandarin oranges

4. The television show Survivor, the Gloria Gaynor song ‘I Will Survive’, survival mode, the survival of the fittest…pick one and discuss.

I guess I have felt like I’ve been in “Survival Mode”. Making lists to be sure I have food to eat, bills paid. I’ve had all three dogs to the Vets, as they all chose this time to have one thing after another go wrong. All are on the mend, but I could have gotten along much better if they’d all remained healthy.

5. Share a favorite quote or saying about strength.

“She Stood In The Storm, & When The Wind Did Not Blow Her Way, She Adjusted Her Sails” -Elizabeth Edwards

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I’ve learned a lot during the quarantining of our country. I miss my family. I miss smiling at people. I miss waking up in the morning at my daughter’s home and having my two precious grandchildren climb into bed and cuddle with me.

I miss cook-outs and pool swims and playing with legos and coloring books.

There is so much in our day to day lives that we take for granted. I won’t take these blessings for granted ever again.

What’s the most important thing in life? Love, family, friends, being together.

When this is all over, we will be together again.

It’s All About ~ Staying Safe

Monday morning dawned early and bright. I woke in a very good mood since I had planned out the systematic attack of all my duties for the day!

I walked the dogs, put out the bird feeders and then made my banana pancake. Have I mentioned my banana pancake? It’s so good and made with one mashed up banana, a little vanilla, 1/4 cup of egg whites and a teaspoon of Splenda. I mixed it all together and poured it into a preheated frying pan, that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray. OMG! So good!

After that, I pulled my two-tone hair into a little pony-tale and then put a kerchief on my head.

I packed up the car with the week’s recyclables and put on my country version of a Hazmat Suit, and off I went to get everything accomplished.

The Recycling Center was nearly deserted, so I breezed through and got it all deposited in the proper areas.

I came back to the car, removing my gloves and placing them in my trash bag. I then used hand sanitizer and drove the few miles to my local grocery store, where I carefully went through the shop, buying all we would need for the next 10 days. It was not cheap, but I try hard to plan everything out so I do not need to go out during the week.

As soon as I left the store I took off my gloves, deposited them in the trash, and used my hand sanitizer. (I left my mask on the entire time)

I drove to the Post Office and picked up a week’s worth of mail. Once again I removed my gloves as I have been shown and deposited them in the trash. I then got out my Clorox wipes and wiped off the door handle, steering wheel, my hands, and the keys.

Coming home, I did my usual removal of clothes in the basement and showering before moving the food in and taking care to make sure it was properly handled

And I looked at the clock and it was 12:15 and I had managed to get it all done early! And I was exhausted! However, I felt pretty good about having accomplished so much, safely, in such a short time.

It brightened my spirits because I have started to feel like we will actually make it through this very scary time.

I’ve also learned that I am one tough cookie who can handle just about anything, and find my way through.

The Weekend Wrap

Our Sunday was a pretty nice one. It was sunny and warm (65 degrees) and Jack was able to work outside on our patio replacing cement blocks.

Before

Going strong cleaning and placing new blocks.

Cement is wonderful, but after over 20 years, and more snow than one could imagine, the blocks have all but disinterested. In fact, some actually have fallen apart.

The birds came to the feeders and gorged themselves. Even the birds who are reluctant to been seen like our Cardinals showed up to fill their bellies!

I cooked, and I watched “Blue Bloods” and I gave Arnie an ear trim and cleaning. He has such a heavy coat and his ears were outrageously overgrown!

I got our laundry done and two loads of it I hung outside. I just love the way things smell after drying in the wind!

I have planned my morning tomorrow to go to the recycling center, the grocery store, and the Post Office. I have quite a long list of food items to get. My Hazmat Suit is standing by, as are my hat and mask and gloves.

I also plan to come in and shower as soon as I get home, and then wipe down my groceries and put them away.

Such is a Hermit’s life!

Loons

I was walking the dogs tonight, as I now normally do because of the bears and coyotes when I hear the most wonderful, welcoming sound! The call of our Loons! They’re back and they are calling to each other. I just love the call of the Loon. They are beautiful birds. The Loons or divers are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia.

I found this on Youtube. It shows the beautiful Loons as well as allowing you to hear them.

The rest of our day was as they have all been since this all began. A little computer ~~fun~~ work, meal preparation, and TV watching.

My next foray out to the shops, etc will be on Monday. I am making up a good list and I hope I can get it all at one time.