My Life – Page 127 – The Dackel Princess

I love Drugs!!!

All I can say is, thank you, Doxycycline! It seems that this is the wonder drug that is helping to make me well! I woke up this morning feeling so much better. That is after 3 doses of the drug! I was able to get a few things done. AND I actually want to get up and do something.

I admit to being a little bit nervous when I woke and felt better. Should I get back to life, or should I stay on my chair another day? I decided to go 50/50. I would do what I needed to do for a while, then sit down and rest for a few, then get back and do a little more.

Besides getting some laundry done, I also got out a few Christmas things, which just cheered me up! The first thing up was the little Christmas village that Mandy gave me a couple of years ago. I just love the two skaters twirling around, and I can also turn on the Christmas music if I want.

I also got my mantle decorations out with the cast of snowmen and Santas. My little Christmas tree with my mini dackel ornaments is up and my ceramic Christmas tree.

Then I stopped. I told myself it was time to get the jammies back on and kick back. I feel pretty good about what I have gotten done. Perhaps tomorrow I can actually do something like vacuum! That would be wonderful. Anyone living with a German Shepherd can appreciate this, I know!

Hubby and I also brought our suitcases down from the attic today and although we haven’t started to pack, they sit in the hallway and each time I pass them, I smile. 8 days and counting!!!

Soon I will be on the deck of our ship enjoying the warmth of the Caribbean!

By the way, anyone who would like the web site to watch our ship’s web cam, as we cruise around the Caribbean, let me know and I will send it along. I’m watching the ship right now, and enjoying it. It helps me dream of the warmth and the relaxation that Hubby and I will enjoy!

A Floral Surprise & Boredom Solved

I got a surprise today from far away! My best friend, Uschi sent me a bouquet of roses from Germany! They arrived just at the right moment to make me feel very happy and much loved!

Aren’t they beautiful?

Thank you so much Uschi!!!

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I do not do quiet well. In fact, aside from my 1 hour a day during the week when I watch “All My Children” on TV, I am usually puttering around keeping busy.

However, since the doctor has forbidden me to do much for a few days, I spent the day sitting, cuddling with dogs, and well, not doing much.

That is, until the idea hit me! Why not Christmas shop? All I needed was a computer, a credit card and the ability to make a list of people to buy for.

I found some great deals, and fabulous surprises for the ones I love. I didn’t get it all done, but I did get a lot of it done, and that made me very happy.

I also spoke to my house sitter and she is coming over on Friday to go over everything with Jack and I for the upcoming trip that we will go on in 9 days!

Hubby is doing the chest therapy for me, by pounding on my back to loosen the congestion in my lungs. Fritz and Arnie do not like that at all! They both come running and try to stop Hubby by using their noses. Ah, my wonderful boys!

Hubby went out and did the grocery shopping today and bought enough dog food for a month. We will not have to worry about them running out of food while we are gone. He also brought home the most wonderful swordfish ever and we enjoyed that.

Well, time to rest again and get well. I refuse to get any sicker and by tomorrow I want to be feeling a lot better!!!

The Mask!

I’ve always lived with the motto, “Never go out looking bad enough to upset old people and little children.”

Which is why today when I went back to see my doctor about the pneumonia, and I had to put on this:

Dec 1 09 001

I feared for anyone I might meet.

I actually had two people in my doctor’s office remember me. Now since they’ve only seen me with the mask, I’m thinking I must have memorable eyes or something!

I was sent on to the local hospital and while I sat waiting for my chest x-ray and blood tests, a little girl looked at her mother and said, “Look Mommy, a Pirate Lady!” I thought she was a very creative three year old.

I got the tests done and came home carrying a prescription for antibiotics. Hubby was a sweetheart and took the prescription out for me so I could sit down with the dogs and rest. Just to see what the dogs would do, I put my mask on for them.

Personally, I think that Arnie liked it because he didn’t want to leave me alone while I had it on! So what do you say, is it a good look for me?

Christmas Is Coming

Today is the last day of November. Can you believe that? After today, we have 31 days until the year 2009 is over! At times 2009 has felt like it would never end, and then on days like today, I feel like 2009 has flown by.

I wanted to get our Christmas letter done! Usually Hubby is in charge of that, but this year he has been so busy that he hasn’t had the time. So, what did I do? I wrote a letter, complete with pictures and sent it over to Hubby’s computer.

It did what I’d intended, spurring him into action to correct, organize and add his personal touch to it. I must say, he has a way with words, and the letter is complete! We have 3/4 of them printed up, and if you too want one, send me your complete name and address to: dackelprincess(at)metrocast.net

Printing these out is a bit of a challenge, so I sat doing that and on another computer I put in the movie “27 Dresses” and watched that. It made the time fly by and kept me well entertained. However, the time did go by, and eventually I had to stop to make dinner.

I got the cutest thank you note from my grand-nephew, Luke. He sent me the sweetest picture that he’d drawn to thank me for his birthday gift! I’m putting it up on my wall with Makenna’s picture. I also got school pictures of both of my grand-nephews. Wow, are they adorable! My niece and nephew also sent one of my older grand-nephew, Taft in his football uniform. I put all of these right up on my mantle so I can see them.

I got a text message from my sister, who is on vacation. She is having a great time and enjoying the sunshine.

Well, back to going over my Christmas Card list and checking it twice!

And The Wind Blew…

I woke to the sound of the wind roaring on Saturday morning. When I first came to I heard it, so I pulled the covers over my head and slept just a little longer.

After a bit, I got up with the dogs to let them out and found the 55 mile an hour winds scared the dogs enough so that they ran out, communed with nature and ran in again pretty quickly!

Hubby and I watched the last of the series “The Band of Brothers” and then mostly had a quiet day. I did pull out all the leftover turkey and the soup stock I’d made and put together a turkey soup for our dinner.

I also got out the Christmas Cards, sent Hubby a rough draft of our Christmas Letter, and then lost my energy and so my cards have not gotten even one address written on an envelope. Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

I did have a bright spot in my day! I got this picture of Anneliese’s daughter, Baerbel today with her little girl Eliza!

Now don’t those two look made for each other?

These are the pictures that make my days really good ones!

Tonight I think I will get my warm pajamas on, find a dackel that wants to cuddle and watch some sort of mindless TV movie.

The wind is still blowing and the dogs still just want to be inside with us. That’s actually a very nice thing.

“Come here, Greta! Let’s cuddle!”

Puppy Reports

The day after Thanksgiving often means madness and mayhem for people who want to rush out and get all their Christmas shopping done. I chose not to be crazy, so I slept in, and when I did drag myself out of bed, I leisurely sipped my coffee and read my email.

It was raining hard, and was quite chilly, in fact I had to practically kick the dogs out to get them to commune with nature when they woke up.

Hubby got up and put Anneliese out and then came back to the family room and sat down. I asked if Anneliese was in and he said, no, but that she would bark when she wanted to come in. Greta does that, not Anneliese or Arnie.

Needless to say when I got up and went to the door, there she was, my soaking wet baby! I scooped her up in a towel and dried her off, until the shaking stopped. Hubby still maintains the shaking was caused by my making such a fuss over her wetness!

Later in the morning I decided to call all of my puppy buyers to check on my little grand-puppies. I started with Calvin, whose family just adores him. Their other dog, a female blood hound, has adopted Calvin and he is now her baby! It was a great phone call and I felt happy for Calvin!

Next I called Curt’s new family to see if they’d changed their minds and wanted to bring him back? No chance of that! They are absolutely in love with the little guy and apparently he is very much at home with his new family. There are also dogs there and Curt is having a ball playing with them. I ended the conversation with a big smile on my face!

Then I called to check on Schnapps. I wondered how my little girl was doing. Well, she has taken over the house, stolen every one’s hearts and is quickly learning all sorts of new things. Her new Mommy is training her to sit and lie down and of course the usual house training that all puppies must go through. I was thrilled!

My last call was to Fenway and Wally’s new home to check on them. They are having the best time with the boys. They take them everywhere, play with them and even have Wally trained to bring the ball back when they toss it for them. I could hear how much these boys are loved and it made me feel so happy and warm.

Many of you have asked me how I can give up these furry little bundles with each litter? It’s not easy, because I grow to love them all so much, but…when I see and hear about how much they are loved in their new homes, then I know the work I have done is making someone else’s life better, happier and richer.

Knowing that, makes it all worthwhile for me.

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Once again, if anyone would like to exchange Christmas cards with me, I would just love it. Please send your full name, address to dackelprincess(at)metrocast.net and I will add you to my list!

Happy Thanksgiving

Let the eating begin!

Several people asked me to please post a few of the recipes for my Thanksgiving meal. Since I am a lover of food, and taste is everything I have searched over the course of many years to find these. Hubby has been helping me today with all of the preparation work and tomorrow he will help me with the actual cooking. I’m lucky to have him.

I was so busy today with each of the items you will see below, and now that dinner is done I am just plain beat! I plan to put my feet up watch a tiny bit of TV before heading to bed early. I still need to make my apple pie in the morning and get old Tom Turkey in the oven by 9 AM!

I am doing a Christmas card exchange this year. If anyone would like to join in please email me at: dackelprincess(at)metrocast.net with your full name and address and I will send you mine.

Happy Thanksgiving!

and Happy Anniversary to my sister Melodie and her husband Ron!

Thanksgiving Prep Work

Today Hubby drove me to buy all the fixings for our Thanksgiving meal. It was my first trip out since getting sick. I thought I was ready for it, but by the time we got home an hour and a half later, I was dragging.

But, we did get what we needed, including the freshest turkey that they had. With plump breasts and chubby thighs, our turkey looks like a chefs dream! We also bought the chestnuts for the dressing, the Yukon Gold Potatoes, some Pearl Onions, and fresh cranberries to make the cranberry relish with. Of course we will be eating our home grown butternut squash and an apple pie made with our own apples.

Oh I shiver in anticipation of our Thanksgiving meal! I’m not sure that anyone loves Thanksgiving as much as I do! It is simply the best. It was the first thing I learned to cook and I do cook it often. Of course you cannot always get the chestnuts. They seem to only be available in November and December.

When Nat King Cole sang about “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” he sure knew what he was singing about!

Wednesday we will do as much of the prep work as we can. Hubby is always such a help with peeling and chopping things. I’m so lucky to have him.

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In other news, I heard from Calvin’s new family and he is being well loved there. He has settled in and has a blood hound sister looking out for him and playing with him. I love it when my puppy buyers write and let me know how the little ones are doing. The house does seem oddly quiet now and we do miss them.

Preparing For Turkey Day!

Recipes have been read, lists have been made and the planning of our Thanksgiving meal is well underway. I’m still undecided about the pies. I am definitely making an apple pie, but I have been craving a pumpkin pie too, so I may make both!

One thing I am planning is our family’s traditional Chestnut Stuffing! Oh how I live for that! I’m not sure I mentioned that a couple of weeks ago I bought a few chestnuts, roasted them in the oven and just ate them. Oh my, they are so good!

I’m also going to make fresh cranberry relish this year. A friend gave me a recipe and will be making that.

Also on our menu will be mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, mashed candied butternut squash, peas, gravy, bread and butter pickles, and some sort of table bread or rolls.

I love cooking and baking and I’m looking forward to doing all of this. Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year!

In fact the family legend is that I was born a week early just so I could get my turkey dinner!

That sure sounds like me!

A Thing Of The Past

I woke to absolute quietness, which in turn made me think that something was amiss. After all, the puppies are never this quiet unless they are getting into to something they shouldn’t, like the night they escaped the puppy room.

Sleepily, I pulled on my robe and slippers and headed out to check, and there I saw it…an empty puppy room!

Consciously I knew they were gone, but in those first moments of wakefulness, I had totally forgotten. I smiled a sad smile, and turned and made the coffee.

Later, as I poured my first cup, I looked over at the vacant room, and in my minds eye, I could see those beautiful brown eyed babies watching me.

It’s always like this, the first few days after all the puppies have gone. Hubby and I were growing dangerously close to Curt, and we both admit to missing him quite a bit today.

Meanwhile, I have scrubbed the room, repainted a few spots and late this afternoon returned the table and bench to their rightful places, and rehung our jackets on the wall pegs. I have pretty much erased all the signs of puppies in there.

All of this made me feel tired, so after I finished putting things away, I made some tea and then sat down to relax.

Yes, this granny can relax until next summer when I do it all over again with Anneliese!