My Life – Page 131 – The Dackel Princess

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!

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?

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!

Just A Little Thing

I had to go in for a little procedure today at the hospital. All went well and I am in good shape, but the anesthesia they used just knocked me on my backside! I can’t seem to really wake up. I slept a long time at the hospital, and once I got home and into my pajamas, I kept nodding off in my chair.

Arnie has been my constant companion since I got back and when I curled up in my chair and slept, he climbed up on the footrest of the chair and guarded me. Am I a lucky Mommy or what?

Before I went in I had showered and decided to blow my hair dry straight. So I’m asking which style do you prefer straight or curly?

The puppies behaved for Hubby and the other dogs as well. So I was able to rest and relax. I am glad, however, that this test is over!

So gentle readers, forgive me for the brevity of this post. I promise more pictures tomorrow of Baron and Baerbel.

Lazy Saturday

Saturday was truly a beautiful day. At least the morning was. Sunny skies, warm temperatures and a light breeze. It was just perfect for Hubby to be picking cherries (we have a ton) and for me to drive to Super Wal-Mart and buy dog food. Currently I am buying 4 different dog foods. A normal chopped food for Greta and Arnie. They both need good quality food right now. Poor Arnie lost weight during Greta’s heat because he refused to eat! And now Greta, with the possibility of being pregnant needs great food too. Then there is Fritz, who is the pickiest eater there is. He will only eat “Choice Cuts” and must have 1 entire can per day as he is a large dog and very active. Then there is Anneliese who is struggling to lose the baby weight from her recent pregnancy before the dog show in October. She must have a good quality diet food. Last but not least are the puppies who get special puppy food. I felt very conspicuous with that many cans of different food in my cart, but what can be done? They all must eat, right?

The local rescue shelter was having a “help us” drive. It is a no-kill shelter and they work through donations alone. Today they wanted just donations of food, kitty litter, paper towels, etc. Since I was feeling odd walking past with so many cans of food for my animals, I bought some paper towels for them. This will help with their clean up. I sure can relate to that after the last two months of puppy pandemonium!

I came home in time to get lunch for Hubby and send him off to a Parks & Recreation activity. He asked me to go, but right now I needed a few quiet moments. The puppies were asleep, the dackels resting and Fritz was waiting outside for his daddy to return. 1 entire hour of quiet! How lovely!

The pups went from frolicking crazy pups to passed out sleeping pups. It was very cute and I love it best when I can zoom in and snap pictures of their angelic sleeping faces!

Here is my favorite. Bogart. Asleep on the cool tiles.

And little Baerbel. Stretched out so nicely. I love this one too!

Am I ready to say good-bye? Probably not. Expect tears.

The Day After

The day after the 4th of July found me walking around in a daze. I somehow managed to keep up with the dogs and Hubby, but I wasn’t my usual almost perky self. In fact I guess I looked pretty bad because even Hubby asked me if I was tired. Gosh I remember when I was younger and even after an all night party, I still looked pretty good and could put in a full day’s work!

I made us a nice breakfast and we watched the Men’s Final at Wimbledon. It was exciting to watch this match of two incredible players, playing in 5 sets that almost never ended. In fact I made lunch during the match and we ate that before Roger Federer won. I was really happy that he did. He broke all the old records for most Grand Slam Titles Won!

It was also “bathe the puppy day” in the house and I was amazed that each of the pups really liked sitting in the sink in the warm water. I was able to clean them up and see that their tattoos all came out splendidly!

Makenna came over as promised and helped me! Here we are with Baerbel!

And Bogart

Another one of Bogey.

And here is one of Ali.

They sat in the sun (yes we actually had sunshine today) and even slept outside in the sun. It was such a nice day.

Tonight I am going to get my pajamas on, watch Jeff Dunham and Bill Engvall on Comedy Central and then hit the hay! It’s a great way to end the weekend!

What People Do In The Rain

I decided today to build an ark. I mean, with the rain falling constantly (now close to 2 inches in less than 24 hours!) and the fact that I am living in my rain boots, I figure the safest bet is to just build the darn ark and they will come.

Hubby and I decided to go out today to do our holiday shopping (the USA 4th of July Independence Day), and we brought Arnie with us. He was so glad to get out of his crate, where he has been living since Greta went into heat. He was an angel in the car and when we stopped for Chinese food, I smuggled some chicken out in a napkin to share with my little man. He now wants to go back for egg rolls! lol!

The stores were all mobbed and what normally takes an hour of isle shopping and checking out, took nearly 2 hours! However, we got everything we need and somehow managed to escape the grocery store without serious injury.

Upon arriving home, Hubby and I brought up the first load of bags and who was at our back door? Makenna! She came in to help us, and both she and Hubby stood looking into the puppy room with horrified expressions on their faces! I laughed and said, “Yep, that’s what I get up to every morning of every day! Four squirming pooping puppies!” I cleaned up their room and then Makenna played with them while I put the groceries away.

My sister took her grand kids to a museum today in Connecticut. What did they see? The skeleton of a dachshund! She took this picture for me! Thanks Mel!

I made a quick dinner, fed all the dogs and then soaked in a bath. Ah, I sure love to soak in a hot tub! Now there’s something funny…I complain about the rain and yet I go sit in a tub of water! Go figure!

OMG…More Rain

I have very little to write about except for the fact that we are having more rain. In fact I came home today and all I could smell was dog. You see, with 8 dogs inhabiting my house and all of them getting damp, all you can smell is wet dog. It made me crazy.

So I vacuumed. Then I got out the bucket and mop (again) and washed all the floors. I got the deodorizer and sprinkled the rugs, worked that in and then vacuumed those. Then I went around lighting scented candles. Poor Hubby must think I am feeling amorous as the family room has a bunch of lighted candles, usually reserved for romantic moments.

I closed all windows and doors and turned on the air conditioners in the hope that I could dry out the house. And after 2 hours I can report a drier house and a nicer smelling one.

The puppies decided that since today was just dark and gray they would snooze most of the day away.

Ali snoozing away.

Another angle of our little sweetie Ali.

She sure knows how to live!

They slept a good 75% of the day, and the rest of the time they were weeing and pooping on the newspapers. I must say that after going to my local recycling center for newspaper I now prefer The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for puppy papers. They are from good paper and absorb better than the local ones do. The New York Times is nice and large as well, covering more surface area.

**Note to future puppy owners….stock up on these two newspapers for house training. They work wonders! Not only are they large and absorbent, but the pups will have good reading while they are weeing!!!**

Now I would like to ask for you all to do whatever you can to stop the rain. We are simply getting soggy here and need a little sun to dry out.

Please!!!

Here We Go Again

Today Greta began giving off “the scent” that makes Arnie crazy. He’s been following her everywhere, and tonight he is barking, whining, and fussing like crazy. What this me3ans is that he will be spending the night in his crate, in the guest room with the door closed. I’m afraid after this he will need to be isolated from her until after she has been bred and is past her heat. It’s sad, really. I think Arnie would make a good Daddy. Just not with his mother or sister!

The puppies are all doing well and between raindrops we raced them out and let them play in the back yard. I was going to go for a walk with Arnie, but ended up having to come back home because it started to rain and I was getting soaking wet. Arnie liked it, but me? Not so much!

Here is a picture of Baerbel and Ali.

And here are the two boys. Baron and Bogart.

Hubby drove me out to shop late in the morning and besides food for us, food or the dogs and a few toys, we also bought Baerbel a collar. She was the only one who needed one. I found this adorable chocolate brown one with pink polka dots! She looks so cute in it!

Tomorrow we are supposed to start drying out. I sure hope so. I really want to have the pups out more and take Arnie for a long walk to work off some of his frustration!

Such is the love life of dogs!

Cherries and Puppy Dogs Part 2

This morning we needed to finish getting the nets on our cherry trees. Before Hubby would let me in our back yard he prepared me with eye protection of the most serious kind, and set Fritz to watch over me!

As you can see, I am truly protected…from myself!

Yes, I managed to assist Hubby without any further catastrophes! It’s terrible to possess this clumsiness gene! At least I have not passed it along to my daughter!

Meanwhile the puppies played on. They love the fact that they could be outside in their pen watching us, and playing with their toys and bones at the same time.

I love this picture because it shows Ali lying on her back completely relaxed while she plays. She often does this and you just want to reach out and give her a little belly rub! We couldn’t find a yellow collar for Bogart, so we put on a red one the other day when his new parents came to visit.

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Baerbel, Ali and Baron show you just how much they love those little Dingo Bones. Wow! All my dogs love them (except Fritz, who likes nothing bone-wise!).

Oh and just so you don’t think I have forgotten Anneliese, I snapped this picture today too. She is getting back to her normal self, and I am enjoying having her in my lap again, as well as cuddled up to my knees at night.

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Our schools close tomorrow for the summer and after that I imagine the kids will be here quite a bit playing with the pups until the go in early July. What will I do, what will I do, when the pups have gone?

Melli asked what Greta, Arnie and Anneliese and even Fritz are teaching the puppies. The biggest thing is they teach them socialization skills with other dogs. They learn what is acceptable and what isn’t. They learn to play, and to back off when they have made the adult dog a little angry. They learn to sniff and to play with the dog toys that we have. It’s a neat thing to watch.