A Busy Wednesday!

Wednesday was a strange day. It started early with Greta getting me up for a visit to the great out doors. I had toyed with the thought of going back to bed, but then I knew I had Weight Watchers and so I decided to catch up on my email and shower before leaving at 8 o’clock for class.

Class went well, with me shedding one and a half pounds this week. I think I can safely say that I am back in the groove after losing it shortly after my father died. It’s not that I completely fell off the wagon, but I just wasn’t able to do the things I needed to do to be successful. Over the last week, I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to and it felt good and easy.

Coming home I found my little mother waddling around. I decided that today would be a good day to set up the puppy room. I placed the little baby pool in the room, placed a nice blanket in there, and two waterproofed pads. Anneliese and Arnie immediately came to see what the fuss was all about, and eventually Greta did too.

Later in the day Hubby brought in some peaches from our trees. There is enough to make a few batches of Heavenly Jam (peach jam). So late this afternoon we peeled and pitted the peaches and added all the ingredients. Now it must set overnight before we cook it all down and actually make the jam.

I had a dental visit today to repair a broken tooth and filling. All I can say is that after the Novocaine wore off it was painful. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.

Just one more day until we find out how many babies Greta has in there! I sure am excited!

Okay, It Works, But…

I went in today and got my eyes examined for glasses. Wow, my left eye is worse than I thought. Once the Optician finished prescribing the lenses I went out and selected frames for them.

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It works. I mean, I will be able to see and once again, everything from the standpoint of my vision, will be good. But, gosh darn it, I detest glasses. I guess these will look okay, but I really do prefer myself without them.

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However, I really like being able to see, so once they arrive (in about a week), I know I will be happily wearing them. Until then I will brood and make faces and torment myself knowing I will be in these glasses for a while, perhaps forever.

But, at least I can see!

Puppies, Kickers and Eyes

Monday was the first day I really could feel the puppies inside of Greta moving. There is one pup on the left side who is just kicking the heck out of her! A few days ago I could feel butterfly wings when I touched her. Today I felt a football kicker!

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It’s the most amazing thing ever. I am so excited, but with Greta there is also  a little bit of nervousness. You see, her last litter she had to have a cesarean birth and although it all went well, it also scared me. I love Greta more than anything, and I worry.

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We will be having x-rays done on the 21st of August to be sure that all is well with her, that there are many puppies and not just one big one, and that she can deliver them naturally. Perhaps I will relax a little bit more after that.

Greta is so big and getting bigger by the moment! I almost look forward to waking up with her in the morning just so I can check out her expanding belly!

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Meanwhile, I will be going tomorrow to be fit for glasses. Since my second cataract surgery I have not had to wear glasses. This was so wonderful for me after a lifetime of glasses and/or contact lenses. However, with the advancing problem of scar tissue on my left eye, the doctor feels that I should get glasses to assist my right eye. You see, the left one has been losing vision and the right one is doing all the work. By using glasses I will ease the burden on the right eye.

I freely admit that I am just vain enough to not want to wear glasses. But I am “pulling up my boot straps”, (now there’s an idiom for you) and going in tomorrow for the exam and the fitting. I will post once I actually have the glasses in about a week or so.

It is Hot, Humid & Hazy here today. I have had the air conditioners on all day and Greta is most comfortable inside stretched out on the floor or my chair. It will be like this most of the week.

Excitement!

Excitement!!!

Today the pedigrees for Anneliese’s litter arrived from Germany! Now I need to sign them over and send them to all my buyers and then my paper work for that litter will be done. I actually will see Bogey tomorrow and so I can bring his pedigree with me and give it to his Daddy! (I promise to take pictures!)

I saw my retinal surgeon today and things have stabilized for now and I can wait a bit longer until I need to have surgery. Good thing. Greta is due in three and a half weeks and then I’ll be busy for a couple of months!

It was quite a lovely day today and just perfect for driving across the state for my appointment. The drive across was great, but driving back, with dilated eyes proved to be a bit of a challenge. But I stopped and got a Latte and I was good to go.

Saturday is the Workshop I’ve mentioned before. I will learn more about training puppies to track and also meet new people from my area of the country who use dogs to find wounded game. This should be lots of fun and very interesting.

A Little Lobster, Anyone?

Sunday, Gail and I decided to do the Outlet Mall. I strapped on my comfortable walking shoes, and easy off and on clothes (quick change for trying on new things) and off we went. It was a cloudy day with a forecast of rain, so the place was mobbed! I found a good spot to park, and off we went. “Jockey”, “Liz Claiborne”, “Jones New York”, and “Easy Spirit” shoe stores. I was careful, thoughtful and got some very good deals!

By noon we were feeling tired and needed a place to sit down, so we went over to a Chinese Restaurant and ordered our meals. They were so yummy, and the green tea, hot and delicious!

After lunch we stopped at one more shop and then drove over to my favorite grocery store. Gail had hinted that she would love to have more Lobster, and when we saw this sign:

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(taken with my handy, dandy little Canon Powershot)

I knew we were destined for boiled lobsters for our dinner!

I’m resting up a bit now before I tackle those ferocious beasts! You know it’s is so difficult to wrestle them into the pot! (lol!) I’m also cooking zucchini and summer squash from our garden.

The latest Greta news is, she has cut down on how much she can actually eat at a meal, so I will have to feed her a couple of times a day so she gets all that she needs. Usually Greta is a fierce eater and could devour an entire cow! However, now that she has growing babies there isn’t the room in her stomach.

Have a great week everyone!

The Adventure

Thursday we decided to go out for an adventure. I was a bit reluctant because it was pouring rain and as dark as it is at dusk, but what the heck, we had nothing else to do so….

We hopped into our Jeep. Hubby was driving, Gail sitting in the passenger seat and me in the back. After all, I’d seen this route over the mountains before.

We drove along and all was well. We talked and joked and life was good.

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But the rain kept coming down. Hard. We watched the streams rising and the road become flooded with water.

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We reached the first wonderful waterfall, and found it gushing with the overflow from the days rain. In the last 8 days we have had 6 inches of rain!

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As pretty as it was, it was doing bad things to the road and Hubby had to zigzag down the road to keep away from the giant puddles! Hubby and Gail were fine, but in the back seat I started to feel bad. In fact I grabbed a dog walking (poop) bag and held it, ready to get physically ill at any moment.

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We reached the next waterfall and it really was beautiful, but I was dying in the back. I prayed to be released from this torture!

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As we got to the end of the mountain pass, we noticed something was wrong with our old Jeep. The temperature gauge went sky high. So Hubby pulled into the first gas station, and as he carefully  lifted off the cap to the radiator, out bubbled the scalding water!

Hubby filled it with cold water hoping it was just a leak or something but it turned out that when the water pump failed it ultimately froze up and threw the belt for the power steering and fan, thus making the Jeep un-drivable! We were stuck at the gas station!!!

We called AAA and requested a tow. They told us it would be 30-45 minutes before a tow truck could come and take Hubby and the Jeep to our home. We looked around and saw a pizza restaurant! Eureka!

So we went over, carrying our umbrellas and ordered lunch. I ordered 1/2 an eggplant pizza, Gail got a half a vegetarian pizza and Hubby got a meatball sub.

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We no sooner sat down than the tow truck driver arrived and Hubby left to work with him. I got Hubby’s sub, and ran out, carrying my umbrella, and took it to him. Then I returned to have my pizza with Gail.

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Oh it was so good!!!

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Now once we ate the pizza we needed to fill time. We shopped at a local store, and then did what every other sane individual does, we went for a Latte at Dunkin’ Donuts!

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I have to tell you that in the rain, and the cold the hot Lattes were so delicious! We sat talking and sipping until my cell phone rang and it was Hubby. Where were we now? We told him, and before we knew it, he was driving into the parking lot to pick us up.

Dunkin’ Donuts has saved me more than once when I found myself in need of a hot cup of something wonderful!

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Once he picked us up, we stopped to buy important things…..Dog Food! Then we drove home and rescued our little lovelies!

Hubby will need to replace the water pump, fan belt and who knows what else. Hopefully, he can get it done soon as this is his off road vehicle, and my winter car.

The day ended with a steak meal, complete with baked potatoes and fresh green beans from our garden. All and all a good meal and a great way to end an adventurous day!

Catching Up

Life has been so full lately that I wanted to quickly catch you up before I get caught up in my next round of activities.

Last weekend I worked at the local Greek Festival. This is my third year working selling goodies there. As I have for the last two years I worked selling Lemon, Fig and Raspberry bars and Apple Turnovers. Previously I have had help with this, but this year it was just me.

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Yes I was busier than a one armed wallpaper hanger!

But, I love it and I enjoyed selling all my goodies. They literally flew off of the table. Technically the festival wasn’t due to start until 10 AM, but at 9:15 people were lining up for the Greek and home baked goodies!

Just after the noon hour Hubby and Gail arrived and got in line for the lunch that is served each year. Hubby got an actual luncheon of 1/2 a chicken with Greek spices, a Greek salad and stuffed grape leaves.

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I had pastichio, grape leaves, and a Greek salad. I also washed it all down with an ice cold, beer! Oh, did that taste good.

Gail had pretty much what I did. It was a fabulous lunch!

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Soon the kids began to do their Greek folk dancing, all dolled up in their Greek costumes. They were so cute and I enjoyed watching them a lot.

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What a blast! I can hardly wait until next year!

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Then there was Greta’s appointment with Dr. N. where we found out she was pregnant. Here she is being examined. What a perfect little patient she is!

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Me with my friend and their technician, Dori.

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I’m so excited about Greta and her litter and I can hardly wait for her puppies to come. Oh well, September 1st will come soon enough!!!

This & That Sunday

Today was spent watching the Harry Potter series of movies. Gail and I decided to do this in preparation for going to see the new Harry Potter film tomorrow.

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Now we are all up to date and ready to face “The Half Blood Prince”! It was so much fun watching them all, seeing the kids grow and change, and actually their acting improved. I still miss Richard Harris as Dumbledor, but I enjoy all the other characters so much. (The good ones anyway!)

It was also Fritz’s birthday, and I got him a  piece of cake and a candle and sang Happy Birthday. Now here is the funny part. He is so picky that he wouldn’t eat Angel-food Cake!  The dackels liked it and ate the piece quickly, but my buddy Fritz turned up his nose.

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Then as we sat watching the films (do you still call a DVD a film?) Greta cuddled up to me and with her two paws, held my hand. Isn’t that adorable?

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I talked to Baron’s new owner, Mike to check in with him, and Baron is doing well. I hope to hear how Baerbel is soon. Bogey and Ali are great! When I get pictures I will post them for you.

So, Sunday is nearly over and tomorrow brings a movie day and laundry too. Happy Monday everyone!

Friday Happenings

Today, the first post puppy day, we did something wonderful. We made cherry jelly! About 10 days ago we picked the ripe cherries from our trees. We’d eaten a bunch, sold a bunch and had saved a gallon to do something with. Two days ago I cooked the cherries down and made the cherry juice, and today I took the juice, some sugar and pectin and made the jelly. Would it be good? I wasn’t sure.

I followed the recipe in the post below and crossed my fingers.

I needn’t have worried. It turned out really well. We had enough left over to pour into a little dish and set aside for breakfast tomorrow, but we all tasted today and WOW it was awesome.

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I heard news that Baerbel had landed at LAX and was now a California girl! I got the cutest picture via my cell phone of Baerbel standing in front of the LAX Welcome sign! Too cute!

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My best friend from childhood, Gail is here visiting. She helped me with the jelly and the dogs also find it quite wonderful that their Auntie Gail is here visiting them. They don’t seem to understand that Auntie Gail is actually here to see me!

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Saturday is the local Greekl Festival that I always work at. My neighbor is a member of the church and I like to volunteer and work with her. I’ll take some pictures and post them on Sunday!

Happy Saturday everyone!!!

Ankle Socks & Sneakers

Today was one heck of a day. Hubby and I shopped for food, vacuumed the house, fed, walked and played with our dogs and the puppy, and cooked a gallon of cherries so we could make cherry juice for cherry jelly. Gosh the list doesn’t “look” that long, but trust me, it was.

The day was dark and rainy, so it actually was a perfect day to do all of these things. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything, however, because of the rain the dogs all were feeling stir crazy.

It’s only a week now until we learn for certain if Greta is pregnant. I’m pretty sure she is, but it will be nice to hear, then the planning can begin.

It’s funny. I was looking at the picture I posted the other day of me with my sister, Janet and Larry and Tracy. Now here is the funny part. You will notice that everyone is either in bare feet, or flip-flops and there I am with my white ankle socks and sneakers and in a dress. Why is this funny?

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Well possibly because it is how I dress today. Especially the socks and sneakers. I guess some things never change. What a weird kid I was and an equally weird adult!

All I can say is “Help, Clinton and Stacy” from TLC’s “What Not To Wear”. They could be my last hope!