Category: My Life

Monday, was a pretty good day. Despite the rain, which we really do need, I found that some previously unfinished things in my life were attended to.

I was contacted via text message that I had two packages waiting for me at the Post Office. One was my pills that I take each night, and the other was a package of items I’d ordered some time ago, which came from China.

I was perplexed when I saw the writing on the package. It was written in Chinese! Well, lucky me! I have a cousin who speaks and writes fluent Chinese! I snapped a picture and sent it to her and she translated it for me. How cool is that? Thanks, Cousin!

I’m made a Perdue Chicken in a roasting bag yesterday for Easter. There was no crunchie skin, but the chicken meat was tender and juicy. After dinner, I boned the chicken and put the bones in the crockpot and began the 24 hour cooking of the bones. That gives you the best-tasting stock!

For dinner, we’re having the Chicken and Cabbage Soup recipe I made up. It is so good and very low in points.

Since I was out getting the mail I also got a few groceries before coming safely home. Almost everyone wears masks now. I did see one thing that puzzled me. A woman was wearing a mask and with her was her daughter, about 10 years old. And the daughter had no mask! Where is the sense in that?

The Grocery Store workers were now wearing gloves and masks. That made me feel good. Not because I think they would make me sick, but for their own safety.

I have had a terrible time downloading a program onto the new laptop. I have been working on it for such a long time. Weeks! Well, I did a search on Windows Explorer looking for all the files associated with this program. I deleted them all, and then took a deep breath and did a 100% clean install. And guess what? It worked!

My computer Guru, Brad, told me that I should start at the beginning of a problem. Ask on a search who has had the problem? Then if all else fails, do a clean install, like I finally did.

One more thing Brad always said was to believe in myself. And I do. It seems the more I work at computer problems, the better I get at solving them.

Happy Tuesday!

Monday was a good day. Due to Jack’s medication arriving at the Post Office, I found myself suiting up, hat, mask, gloves, etc, and going out. I figured that I shouldn’t waste the trip so I made a list for groceries and went and got those as well.

I didn’t see one person I knew, which was a bit of a bummer, still, it felt nice to be outside and driving around.

Through all of this craziness, I have had one constant, one little lover-man by my side.

My Arnie. Jack teased that I am being stalked, as Arnie follows me all over the house. I think he somehow senses my feelings and has become my emotional support dog! He is an amazing little dog.

I’ve been cooking quite a bit and enjoying that. And today I spent about 4 hours reprogramming my computer. Here is what happened.

I downloaded a program to help me with font size and it came with a little bonus. After finding the Virus, I tried to just make it all work and well, it was simply easier to reset the machine.

The new machine, a Dell is nice in so many ways. But it is taking me time to set it up just right. I am nearly there. I have one more program to install and then I am done.

Tell te what you are doing to pass the extra time you have at home? Cleaning closets, working on projects? Cooking? Or watching TV?

Have a great Tuesday Everyone!.

I have watched the news and the briefings from the CDC and the two Scientists working on the Corona Virus. It made me nervous when I listened to and also read at the rapid rate it was hitting Europe and now us here in the USA. This is not good.

I have tried to remain cheerful, and not allow this to get to me, but today it did get to me and I found myself in tears.

I miss my grandchildren and my daughter. I miss going to WW and seeing my friends. I miss running down to the grocery store on a whim, with no real list of things to get, just to look around.

I miss smiling at people. I miss joking around with people. I miss my life.

They announced tonight that we will be in quarantine at least until the end of April. But that was also presented as a time when they hope we can get back to our lives. It may not be…

We have to reach the peak of all of this before we can even think about getting back to living.

There is nothing any of us can do except to take care of ourselves and wait it out. But yes, I am sad, and yes I am finding it difficult to not be depressed.

Oh, Good Morning! You know, it is somewhat difficult to write my blog right now. Many of my stories are observations on life. However, right now, there is not a whole lot going on here at “Casa Dackel Princess”, which leaves me without much to write about.

I could complain about being cooped up and the lack of being able to go here and there, and see the people I love and care about. But quite honestly, I’m sort of afraid to be out for any length of time.

All that being said I thought I would scan in a couple of recently found, old pictures.

I got a rather large box of pictures from my Mom when she passed. I was so surprised by a few of them. I hadn’t seen them in years, and some I’d never seen at all. So, here is one, and the story behind it.

Here I am at the age of almost four years old. About six weeks before my fourth birthday. I remember the day before not being very hungry and not feeling well. I recall waking in the night with such pain that I couldn’t stand up straight. I walked to my parent’s room and woke them.

They thought I must have eaten too much junk but then Mom touched me and realized I had a fever. She jumped out of bed and tried to lay me down where she had been.

Dad woke, and he tried to get me to lie flat and when he did my knees came up and hit him in the face.

I guess they must have called the doctor and soon I was in the car with both of them racing towards Falmouth Hospital. And a very funny thing happened. Dad was so upset he turned to go to Highfield Theater instead of the turn to go to the Hospital! I recall my Mom chastizing him for the mistake.

Now it gets fuzzy for me after that. I recall the way the Ether Stunk. I recall trying to push the mask away and then nothing.

My memories of that time include feeling very sick after. They kept offering me things to drink, and I refused. They called my Mom and she said to offer me a cup of tea. They did and I said, “Yes please”.

I recall watching Captain Kangaroo through the bars of my cot.  I also recall my sister sneaking in to visit me. She and I are so close and she was frantic. I love that she snuck in to see me!

I also recall my Mom giving me most of my birthday gifts early. Especially the one toy I had wanted, “Digger the Dog”.

As you can see, I am truly, THAT OLD, when a toy like that only cost $4.99!

I also recall that my Mom was worried I would be scarred for life, and when she pulled back the sheets to see the bandage, there was simply a band-aid on the site!

I also remember that when I got home I slipped going up the stairs and fell down probably three steps and cut my finger just a little. Imagine my poor mother when I yelled to her, “I’m bleeding” after she heard me fall.

So that is the story of my appendectomy. Just a wee thing I was. And all these years later, I’m not sure I can even locate the scar.

A long time ago, when I was just a little girl, I lived in a time when we did not have to worry about letting our kids go out and play.

My Mom would finish feeding us breakfast in the summer and then shoo us outside to play. After my sister, brother and Uncle had taught me to ride my trusty Schwinn Bicycle, I would often take off to go see my little part of the world.

We lived near a beautiful beach, Surf Drive Beach. I’d grown up there, learning to swim, and becoming aware that no matter what, the Ocean would always be calling my name.

Me, about 8 or 9 years old with my kittens.

During the summer months, the trusty Lifeguards would blow their whistles if you ventured off onto the Jetties. But during the offseason, I would ride my bike to the beach and walk out on the Jetties to enjoy the sounds, the smell and the peace of the Sea.

Me at Surf Drive Beach. Still, my spiritual home.

I felt so free there. With no creature around except the Seagulls, the Hermit Crabs and the gentle lap of the ocean water against the boulders that shaped the Baby Pool.

I would sit there and turn my face toward the sky, feeling the sun beating down upon my face. I could taste the salt on my lips. For me, this was Heaven on Earth.

I would stay there until I started to feel hungry and then I would ride the five minutes it took me, back to our home. Mom would have sandwiches ready along with Kool-Aid, the popular kiddie drink of the 1960s. Occasionally it would be Hawaiian Punch or milk, but for some reason, Mom was a Kool-Aid gal.

After lunch, we were shown the door again and told to come home when the Bell rang. Mom had a big old Bell she would ring, alerting us that dinner would soon be served.

At times the Ocean would call me, but quite often I would ride my bike around town. I would ride to the Falmouth Harbor and check out the different boats. I would often see the fishermen bringing in their catch. So long ago, when Falmouth still had a big fishing community.

I loved to ride up and down Main Street. I knew most of the local merchants and if I saw them, I would give them a wave.

Sometimes when I would get home for dinner, Mom would tell me that Mrs. So&So had seen me out on my bike.

I loved the feel of the sunshine on my face and the wind in my hair. It was only much later that I realized that I had been given a great gift. I grew up on Cape Cod, in the 1960s before the year-round crowds and it was back when children had so much freedom.

I would arrive at home around 5 o’clock and would hear the bell gong announcing that it was time to come in. My bike would go in the back yard, I would come in, wash up and Mom would have the dinner on our table. Dad was usually there. (He was a Summertime Police Dispatcher, during those months. We brought his supper to him at the Station on a tin pie plate covered with foil.) Also at the table were my sister, Melodie, and brother Dickie. Mom was a great cook, and she varied her meals. My favorite was her Lasagna or American Chop Suey. She also made the very best Boston Baked Beans. Dinner time was family time as we all caught up on our day.

Baths were taken, TV watched and then I would climb into my bed. My sheets felt like cool cream. Soft and comforting.

I never had trouble falling asleep, probably because I never sat down during the entire day. I explored, I enjoyed, and I appreciated all that was around me.

Nobska Lighthouse, Falmouth, Massachusetts.

A little glimpse into what growing up on Cape Cod in the 1960s was like for me.