Dackel Princess

Happy Birthday, Quinn!

My sweet grandson turns four years old today. It’s amazing how quickly time has gone.

I certainly remember before Quinn was born, but somehow it feels like he has always been with us.

My favorite picture of Quinn, right now.

Quinn is quite the little man now. So grown up and interested in everything. He is also amazingly interesting. At four years old he carries on long conversations that make perfect sense.

He loves life, Spiderman,

building things, making noises for his cars and airplanes and is so very much a boy! I smile just watching him!

One of the nicest things Quinn has ever said to me was that he had a great time hanging out with me! High praise from a four-year-old!

So here is a short montage of the best pictures of Quinn from birth, until last year. Due to my computer issues, I wasn’t able to make a new one, so I added some current pictures to this post. Oh yes, and the song? Well, who knew back in 1968 when I first heard this song, that one day I would have a grandson with the same name!

Happy Birthday, Quinn!

The Friday Five

The week flew by and now we are officially into March. Here are the five things occupying my mind as the week closes.

Arnie went in for his dental on Thursday. He lost three teeth. One was pretty bad, and I think it was causing him pain. It’s the reason I called for a dental cleaning. I simply had a gut feeling that he was in pain. Chalk one up for the old lady. Unfortunately, I was right.
On the way home from the Vets, Arnie howled the entire time. He also sat in my lap (Jack drove) and cuddled against me.
Currently, he is asleep next to me.
The VA called today about my colonoscopy. They wanted to be sure I was still going to do it? Yes. Was I nervous in any way? Yes. I told them about not wanting general anesthesia and they said they would relay that to the doctor and get back to me. I’m not being a baby, I just got really afraid when I didn’t wake up correctly the last time I had surgery.
It’s Frost Heave Season in New Hampshire.
For those of you that do not know about Frost Heaves, as soils freeze and thaw, ice layers can also form underground. The most common ice and soil feature that we see in New Hampshire is the ubiquitous Frost Heave. When water turns into ice, it expands. When it happens underground, it can cause the overlying material to lift upwards, which is known as a frost heave. Frost heaves can be strong enough to damage roads, bridges, buildings, foundations and railroad tracks. Today it was like trying to drive along the San Andreas Fault Line! OMG! It was a challenge to find parts of the road that were not heaved!
This weekend will be a busy one for me. I’ve got a ton of laundry to do, a house to clean and a little doggy boy to spoil and take care of.

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy it!

This & That March 5, 2020

Today Arnie is off to the Vets to have his teeth cleaned. He gets terrible tartar on his teeth, and after he has a dental they look so much better and his breath is manageable. For whatever reason, Arnie has always had tuna-breath!

They will also trim his nails for me, as his nails grow longer, faster than the girls do. He also hates to have them clipped.

I did very well again this week at WW.

But I found myself in an odd position. We are having a substitute leader that I have always liked and enjoyed, but the last few times she has filled in, she will ask questions and when I raise my hand, she will call on anyone else but me. Perhaps I am being overly sensitive about this, but today I felt like Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter books.

Hermione always knew the answers and yet Professor Snape refused to call on her because she was a know-it-all.

I just feel that I finally get it (understanding what to do to make the WW program work for you) but I was unable to share. A little frustrating.

After class, I came home and made lunch for Jack and me. Shortly after I was unlucky enough to get a headache. I decided to lie down in my bedroom to get rid of it. All I wanted was an hour of stretching out and resting.

First Jack let Anneliese in. He closed the door, and of course, Anneliese did not want to take a nap, so up I got! Next, the phone rang, and then I got a cramp in my foot and jumped off the bed! So much for a little nap. I gave up and got up and made myself a cup of tea.

Friday I go for bloodwork and to meet with the Anesthesiologist for my upcoming colonoscopy. They put me down for general anesthesia and I do not want that. I have a lot of trouble coming out of anesthesia, so twilight sleep is much better for me.

Happy Thursday!

Bath Time!

Tuesday was a bright sunny, warm day! Perfect. I always wait until a nice day to give the dackels their baths. This way they can lie by the door in the sun and dry off, without getting chilled.

Anneliese was the first one. I carefully washed her up, taking extra caution around her eyes. The last thing she needed was to get soap in her eyes.

Arnie was next and he shivered all through the bath. But he was actually easier to do. I finished up in no time and now they both are sparkling clean and smell wonderful. Best of all, their coats are soft, and I was able to strip the undercoat after they dried.

I really wanted to get this done before Thursday when Arnie goes in for his dental cleaning.

Now both are clean, at least for a while.

Laptop Woes

I woke up on Monday morning and started my day. It’s part of my morning routine to get my coffee, walk the dogs and then come in and check my email.

As I sat to look through my email, my laptop started doing weird things. It started to shut off all on its own, or disconnect from the Wifi. After the fourth or fifth time, I’d had it! Especially when attempting to do work on Dackel Princess. I’d be in the middle of something and then Bam! I would lose everything to the silly, stupid laptop!

When Jack got out of bed I told him that I want a new laptop. He started to hem and haw, but I told him to forget about it. He has had 2 laptops to my one. And I have had this current one since 2012. It is time for a new machine.

That being said, technology has changed. This found me reading and studying new gadgets and gizmos so I would know what I would need.

I decided that I needed to buy a machine to grow into. There are three Dell Computers that fit my needs at three different prices.

I need to toss out the top of the line, and probably the bottom and buy the middle. It needs to be soon as I believe that this problem will A. Drive me insane, and B. Eventually just plain die on me!

Wish me luck!

The Weekend Wrap

The weekend seemed to race by. Between laundry and cleaning, I didn’t find much time for crocheting.

I was also planning meals and cooking. There are days I cook two different dinner meals. I do this because if Jack ate the number of fish or turkey meals that I do, he would rebel. He’s a meat and potatoes man from way back.

I love to eat fish, I love to eat poultry and so I plan my meals around what WW would like to see me eat on the Green Plan.

It’s been nice and clear and cold this weekend. I love that. We’re actually due for much warmer weather, reminding me that Spring is around the corner. Yes!

Have a great week everyone!

7 Things I Love ~ March 1, 2020

Here are just a few things about Germany or from Germany that I love.

1. Shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, we went over to Berlin, Germany. The biggest thrill for me was climbing the Berlin Wall, without the fear of being shot! Yes, that struggling woman is me, being pulled up by Jack.

2. Here I am standing on top of The Wall, with The Brandenburg Gate (German: Brandenburger Tor) behind me. What a day that was! I loved it!!!

3. A few years later here I am standing where the Wall once was, with my dearest friend and sister in the soul, Uschi.

4. This was back in the early 1990’s. This is my friend’s Wire-haired dackel, the first and original Shubi. I spoke no Doggy German, and he understood no Doggy English, but it was love at first sight!

5. My darling Uschi and I enjoying some wonderful Greek food at our favorite Greek Restaurant in Berlin. We both had Gyros with ice-cold beers.

6. My darling Shubi. She was my first, sweetest, wire-haired dackel. She helped heal my heart and soul. What a loving girl. She was from Landshut, Germany.

7. Me with baby Greta. She was only 18 months here and already a little cuddle bug. Greta was from Rehden, Germany.

Happy March 2020!

This & That On Leap Year 2020

The other day when I did my grocery shopping, I stopped in and looked at some yarn. I love having busy work for my fingers and I was itching to start a new project.

I found the prettiest yarn, and in my mind, I knew what I wanted to do with it. So I made up the pattern in my head and then wrote it down and started.

The first time, I got three rows in and it was curling. So I ripped it out and started again. Nope, that wasn’t quite right. The third time was a home-run, and the project is progressing nicely! And once again, my hands are full.

Since this is for someone else, who I don’t believe reads my blog, but just might, I will say no more.

My laptop is acting funky. This weekend I plan to do a full backup of the hard drive, and then I plan to start looking at computers. Aside from Apple, does anyone have a Solid State Drive laptop that they love?

Believe it or not, it has been many years since I got a new one. This machine is a 2012 model.

I would like to really upgrade my system and get a really nice one. Fast, with good graphics and lots of memory!

Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the sunshine (if you can) wherever you are!

The Friday Five

The week flew by and although I wasn’t crazy busy, it certainly was a full week. It’s the last Friday of February, which also freaks me out. In any case, here is this week’s Friday Five.

It was my bi-yearly dental cleaning. I always have dental-anxiety due to a horrible dentist in my youth. My current dentist is very kind, but I still feel queazy when it’s my day to go in. I had no cavities, but my teeth in the back right have shifted causing me to have a pocket.

They showed me the neatest soft gum picks, which I absolutely love!
Wednesday was WW Class. I knew I had done well, but I wasn’t sure how well. I am not dieting, I have worked hard to change my lifestyle.
I am actually eating the foods that will help my liver problem as well as my slightly high cholesterol. If anyone tells you that losing weight is easy, they are not being honest. It takes time, strength and the ability to be honest with yourself at all times.
I am getting to be a real sleepyhead. It seems I cannot make it up past 9 PM. Two of my favorite shows are on at 9 o’clock and I’ve been falling asleep trying to stay up and watch them. Thankfully, “Homeland” shows the episode on Monday at 8 o’clock on Showtime and I can watch “This Is Us” on my computer the next morning. I do get up at 5 AM with the dogs, so I am thinking that has something to do with it. In another week our clocks go forward an hour, and then I should be better.
After looking at Arnie’s teeth it’s pretty clear he needs a dental as well! I called his Vet and made an appointment. He goes in next Thursday, March 5th. Yes, March the fifth. Can you believe it’s going to be March on Sunday?
I decided to try a “Sweet and Sour Tuna” for lunch. Well, I took one bite and really didn’t like it! I actually put it down the garbage disposal. Why eat (and record points) for something you do not like? I made some turkey breast along with my roasted eggplant and I was happy. Guess what’s for dinner tonight? A turkey tenderloin. LOL. Thank goodness I love turkey!

Well, everyone, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. It is supposed to be very cold here, but I have two things on my list. 1. Crocheting again and 2. laundry. You know you will never be lonely because you will always have laundry!

Koru

My life changed a few months ago. I was in the grocery store and I saw an Apple called “Koru”. Now I love apples anyway, so I decided to get a couple and try them.

I am over the moon in love with this apple. I probably eat two a day and they taste that good each time and for every bite! Yum!

Since Jack (AKA Apple Jack) knew nothing about this apple I decided to find out what I could about it. What type of apple was it related to? It certainly didn’t taste like anything I’d ever eaten.

So here we go. A little bit about my favorite Apple.

“Bringing KORU Apple to you is a story beginning with pure chance. From a little seedling, we have established an international commercial production over two decades. We hope you enjoy the journey…

Geoff Plunkett discovered Koru as a chance seedling in 1998 near Nelson, New Zealand. Plunkett and his family believed the seedling grew from an apple his wife’s mother threw into the garden. They began to be commercially available in 2013. Today, about 85% of the Koru apples in the US are imported from New Zealand. However, they also grow in the Northwest and Northeast of the United States. The number of Koru apples available to market has steadily grown over the past few years, as more people have discovered them. Some growers think it has the potential to have a larger presence on grocery shelves, much like the modern variety Honeycrisp.”

This week our local grocery store had a sale on Koru apples. I bought 10 pounds! (Remember, apples are heavy!)

So, give them a try. Their juicy, sweetness will win you over. At WW many of my Classmates have been convinced and were also going shopping to take advantage of the sale.