My Life – Page 14 – The Dackel Princess

New Moon

I woke up this morning and as I opened the door for the dogs to go outside, there was the most beautiful new moon! Ah, what beauty is around us, if only we take the time to look!

I poured my coffee and then coughed and coughed, making me glad that I have a doctor’s appointment today. Although I am doing so much better, there are certain parts of this illness I cannot shake! The cough is one part for sure.

So, since I am still coughing a lot and don’t have a lot of stamina, Jack offered to drive me. I’ll report in tomorrow with Dr. M’s findings.

Meanwhile…Have a wonderful day, filled with holiday cheer!

Cough, Hack, Wheeze!

Well, folks, I returned to the doctor because this pneumonia is not leaving me. After another full evaluation, the antibiotics were changed and I was put back on the pill for my cough. But I have to tell you, after 5 weeks I am really tired.

My only stop was at the Pharmacy to get the new prescriptions and then I came home to regroup.

While waiting for my prescriptions I wandered around the grocery store and picked up a few things. One thing was a chicken which I thought about cooking tonight (Monday) but it looks like I will be cooking it tomorrow as it is late and I have no appetite.

Despite not wanting to do much of anything, I had to wash the comforter on my bed. Anneliese wasn’t feeling well last night and well, laundry needed to be done!

I managed two loads of laundry and it is my hope that tomorrow I might get two more loads washed. Baby steps.

Just a little picture of my favorite Christmas ornament. A Chipmonk playing with a nutcracker. I am not sure why I like it so much. Just a wee bit of whimsy!

Not So Good News

Well, on Monday I was so ill that I broke down and drove myself to the doctor. Since I am worried about passing this along to Jack, I left him at home and drove myself.

The doctor did a full exam and Xrays and pronounced me a bit crazy to have stayed home sick for 4 weeks before getting in to see him.

The diagnosis is that although he’s sure it probably started as the flu, I now have Pneumonia. Yes, and a pretty bad case of it.

I was chastised and sent home with three prescriptions. An antibiotic, a pill for the cough, and an inhaler.

I was so exhausted after my trip out, that I came home and went almost immediately to bed.

I can tell all the medications are trying to work, but I am wiped out and coughing up a lung or two.

So, I will keep warm, keep drinking my tea and hopefully, I will be on my feet again soon. Meanwhile, almost all my Christmas shopping has been done online! I am really happy about that!

Christmas Past

Recently, I read a story a man had written where he fussed and fumed about his father never buying him any good Christmas gift. Well, I shook my head in disbelief.

You see, my Dad was a really busy man. He taught school 5 days a week, he taught piano after school to so many of the kids I went to school with. He also played the organ at the local Congregational Church, was the director of the Senior and Junior Choirs and also directed the Handbell Choir. Each year Dad directed a Christmas Carol sing on our town’s Village Green. Not to mention playing the organ for many weddings and funerals.

So each year Dad would go down to the local Pharmacy or 7/11 Grocery Store, whichever was open on Christmas morning and did his Christmas Shopping for us.

Here I am, at the age of 12, on Christmas Morning with the gifts that Dad got for me. Notecards, a horoscope book, hat and gloves, a little kitty and two dolls.

I wish I could sit down with that man who complained and tell him how lucky I feel that my Dad went out before I woke on Christmas to get these things for me. He did it every year. Sometimes I got life-saver candies, sometimes some Christmas candy. Sometimes chapsticks. Sometimes a teen magazine. But he shopped on his own and bought these things for me all by himself.

My Dad did the very best he could, all on his own, and I feel like I was pretty lucky!

Mom did the big shopping. And it was pretty good too. Mom also cooked the best Christmas breakfasts and Christmas dinners. She was a traditional Mum.

But all in all, looking back now, I think I was pretty blessed all around. I didn’t have to have my Dad buy me the world to show me that he loved me. His Christmas Day shopping sprees mean more to me now than he will ever know.

Score One For Me!

On Saturday I was keeping busy finishing up a few Christmas things, and I was planning dinner from early in the day.

Jack had purchased a wonderful roast beef and I decided to make a Herb Crusted Roast Beef. I’d found this recipe way back in 2006 and I’ve been cooking roasts like this ever since.

Well, I’m still moving slowly and I took care to follow the recipe exactly and I also tossed some potatoes in a roasting dish into the oven at the same time, and in the end, I had the perfect roast and fabulous roasted potatoes!

Well, not only did Jack and I enjoy the meal, but all three dogs were going crazy!

It made me feel good to have a cooking triumph after burning the taco’s the other day!

Chamomille Tea

On Thursday I decided to drown this darn cough. I started in the morning gargling saltwater and then began drinking copious amounts of Chamomille Tea with honey.

I woke on Friday feeling a little better and so I started the regimen again. Saltwater gargling, and then Chamomille Tea with honey. All-day long.

I think it must be working because I am finally starting to sound like myself.

I did a little laundry, and then vacuumed the kitchen. Then I began washing down countertops. I love Clorox Wipes that are Coconut scented.

I worked for a while, and then when I started to feel a little tired I sat down and drank another cup of tea.

So I am slowly getting back to the land of the living!

Getting Better

I fell asleep last night at about 8 o’clock and woke at 2 AM coughing. I took the cough syrup and fell back to sleep and made it all the way to 6 AM! This morning I am somewhat better. I still have almost no voice, and the cough is still there, just not as bad.

Because I felt a bit perkier, I took a much-needed shower and put on fresh pajamas. That felt very nice.

I even did my hair. Ever notice that when you have been in bed with a fever your hair gets all twisted and seems to stick out in all directions like you put your finger in a light socket! Yeah, that was me. My hair now looks and feels nice and clean!

So today I need to sit and chop some veggies, make the stuffing, and rest in between doing all of those things.

Jack told me he will peel and cut up the potatoes as well as prepare the pearl onions.

Jack has been really great during my illness. He’s fed the dogs and walked them, cleaned up the kitchen after he cooks a meal for himself and just allowed me to hibernate in my bed until this thing has moved on.

So, gentle readers, I am on the mend and I hope very soon to be back on my feet.

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels.

The Flu

Today I emerged from under the covers on my bed. My fever is down, which is great. Now if only I could get rid of the cough and the aches from this blasted Flu!

I wandered down to the laundry room and tossed in a load of clothes, and will try very hard to get two loads done.

I was supposed to host Thanksgiving with my cousins but had to cancel. My first thoughts were for them. I would not wish this Flu on anyone. It has totally kicked me in the A$$!

Next, I was not sure I could even cook a big meal. I’m as weak as a kitten and not up for too much.

Yesterday as Jack and I were talking he said we should go out for dinner. Ah, no! I would hate to give this to anyone.

But since our local grocery has turkeys for 39 cents a pound I told him to get a small one, and then he could help me with the preparations. I actually have butternut squash all mashed in my freezer. He can peel potatoes and he can also chop vegetables for the dressing. I actually bought turkey gravy when it was on sale, so I don’t need to think about that. I may have him pick up an apple pie.

I really hate being ill and forced to stay in bed and closed into the bedroom. But my fear that Jack could get this is too real, so I steer clear of him.

I did have the Flu shot, but from what I have been told there are a few strains of Flu that were not covered in this shot. And apparently I was somewhere where someone had this particular strain and I inherited it.

Bah! I hate being sick!

What To Do When You Are Sick

One thing that happens when you are ill and forced to stay in bed, is that you can binge-watch certain shows.

I have Amazon Prime plus certain networks and so yesterday while being stuck in bed I watched all sorts of shows.

I watched two BBC shows. One about Queen Victoria’s Grandchildren and the other one was about Princess Alice, the mother of the current Prince Philip of England. I’d read her biography and this show seemed to have been based on the book.

I also love the show “Chopped” where Chefs are given a basket of crazy ingredients.

Items that might be in a basket are like these.

There are four Chefs to start, and after each round, Appetizer, and Main Course a Chef, who did not meet expectations, is chopped. The last round, Dessert, determines who wins the ten thousand dollars, and is The Chopped Champion!

I went all the way back to Season One (there are like 34 or 38 Seasons!). It was fantastic! I love cooking shows and this one is amazing!

I managed tea and toast and some eggs last night, and by midnight my fever had broken and was back to normal.

I plan another quiet day today, with some crocheting, binge-TV-watching, and naps. But I am on the mend, and that is good!

Autumn Colds

On Tuesday I woke with a sore throat. Nothing too bad, but sore. A nuisance. I didn’t get dressed and I kind of sipped some chamomile tea with honey, hoping I would feel better.

By noontime, I was chilled and went to bed. I took my temperature and it was only slightly elevated. But I felt so sleepy.

At four o’clock my temperature was up well over 101 degrees. And as hot as I was, I felt chilled to the bone.

Since I am experienced with high fevers I sort of knew what was about to hit. At 2:00 AM my temperature hit 102.8!

I downed juice, Tylenol and more cough syrup, which probably explains my slightly sick stomach this morning.

My temperature is down and I am feeling slightly better. Enough so, so that I took a shower and changed my nightie.

I forced some toast into my body, and more water and juice, and in a bit, I will go back to bed for a nap.

My constant nurse has been Mr. Arnie Man. He quite literally never leaves my side. Even when I was in the shower he sat on the bath rug and waited for me. What a boy!

Now let the healing up begin! I simply detest Autumn colds!