My Life – Page 20 – The Dackel Princess

Getting Ready For Christmas

We woke on Friday morning to heavy downpours of rain. The rain did not just come in the morning, but it has simply poured all day long, and into the evening. And I’m watching the weather on the TV and he is saying we will have rain well into tomorrow. Ugh!

I was wrapping the last few presents when I got to the watch I’d gotten for Savannah. I decided to set the watch for her, and I discovered it is defective! So, the watch is going back and I think I may slip out to Walmart and see if I can replace it tomorrow.

I am still doing well on my healthy eating plan! I am currently thirteen pounds down.

My stress about this is that Tuesday is Christmas! There are things I want to eat. But I don’t want to mess myself up. I thought, okay, I will take a one meal hiatus from the plan. Just dinnertime at Mandy’s. Then I go right back on the wagon.

It’s the only thing that makes sense. Christmas is special. I want that taste of German Stollen. I would love a sip of wine. Or perhaps a Scotch!

Nothing else is stressing me, just the darn food. Food stresses me. Especially when I am really trying to drop a few pounds.

And here is a very funny thing. My fingernails are beautiful.

I plan to give myself a little manicure on Sunday. Now I am hoping and praying between now and then that I don’t break one. Really they are so lovely!

A woman’s vanity, I know.

Enjoy your Christmas preparations and parties and foods. And here’s to a good toast along the way as well. A fine Scotch perhaps!

This & That

I had so much to do on Monday and I found myself kind of running in circles, despite my desire for a quiet day. I have an appointment today (Tuesday) for Arnie to go see the doctor, and I may call and bring Anneliese too, as she hasn’t felt well today either. Having brother and sister senior dogs is tough on a Dog Mommy’s heart!

About 4 o’clock in the afternoon I lay down on the sofa and fell asleep for about an hour. Oh, wonderful naps. I love them.

I used to tease my Dad about going in and taking a nap like this, but quite honestly, I think I could become a devote napper if I gave it my all!

The winds have changed and we are once again heading for the deep cold of winter. Our days are short and dark with only a very short segment of sunshine today.

In just a few more days it will be my daughter’s birthday! That’s one of the happiest days of my life! Tune in on Thursday to read and to see what I have done to celebrate her birth!

Wish me luck with Arnie! I sure hope that his lumps are nothing!

Positive Things

It was a very good week this week as far as my weight loss goes. I started really working at it, the day after Thanksgiving. I have not cheated or fallen off the wagon once. And currently, I am eleven pounds down! I am quite proud of this accomplishment.

I also went and had my hair done today. Now I did not have it cut at all. Just the rotten roots retouched. I will go back just before our trip to Disney and have it shaped then, but for right now, I am in it to grow out my hair!

She blew it out, so I am sans tight curls, but simply have waves. I really like it!

Simple Saturday

It was another super busy day on Friday. My day started before sunrise. I’ve been waking between 4-5 AM each day and I’ve been unable to get back to sleep. Oh well, I’ve been really productive and in many ways I’ve been enjoying the two hours, sipping coffee, in the dark, before the world stirs.

I do need to try to work my way out of this new habit, however, as usually this time of the year finds me happily, almost hibernating.

I’ve continued to wrap gifts, and I’ve been using my iPod to sing while I am doing this. Oddly enough, I’m not singing Christmas Carols, but rock hits from the 1970’s! It keeps me moving right along.

My healthy eating plan is going well and I’m eating better than I have in many years. I am actually fitting back in a pair of jeans and feeling pretty good about it!

Jack and I have doctor’s appointments on Monday and we need to catch a quick lunch. He was all for going out for Chinese food, but I told him that I just couldn’t. We’ve found a new place to try where they have great, fresh, salads.

I am going to lose this weight, I am determined!

It’s A Wrap

This past weekend I really kicked back and relaxed a lot. This doesn’t mean I did not accomplish things, but more that I took breaks in between my projects. As you know from yesterday’s post, I put up our little Christmas tree, but I also got out the Christmas Cards, and currently, I am up to the letter M. on the list.

I did a little shopping online for Christmas, cooked several meals, and wrote a few things.

I watched “Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet”, And another Veterinary show, but I cannot recall the name. It’s about Vets in Florida that specialize in rare animals. I even watched “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and a football game. The New England Patriots vs the Jets. The Pat’s won!

I backed up all my files on the laptop, and on Dackel Princess. I am ready to start a new year!

And best of all, I started thinking and working on my vacation to Disney with Mandy, Matt, the kids and Matt’s Mom in January! I’ll be at Disney for several days, and then I’m going to rent a car and go see some friends and family. I cannot think of any place else I would rather be than Florida in January!

I am literally counting down the days! It won’t be long now!

No More Sugar

Thanksgiving always does this to me. I spent all of today trying to figure out what day it was. It could be the age thing, but honestly, this is a problem that has plagued me all my life.

I decided to kick back a little and evaluate the last few weeks of wild eating that I have been enjoying! It was time to face the music after weighing in on my bathroom scale. I could hear the Wicked Witch of the West laughing her evil laugh when the scale screamed, “Tilt”!

At first, I thought I would start my diet tomorrow. You know how that goes. You keep putting it off and then you’ve gained ten more pounds.

So while waiting for Jack to awaken, I read half the Atkins Diet book, found a web page with menus. So here I sit, on Friday at 6 PM and I am going through sugar withdrawal!

Oh I hate sugar! No, I love sugar! Oh darn, sugar is like crack to me and the only way to control it is to cut it out of my diet altogether.

But the first few days are the toughest and I am not feeling too happy right now! Grrrrrrrr!

My Life, The Wonder Of It

There were so many special moments during our trip. There was a lot of talking, laughing and sharing. I looked at these three women, my sister, my daughter, and my cousin, and I realized how blessed we are to have each other. These are the women in my life that ground me, love me, and are there for me. Best of all, not only are we family, but we are friends!

Look at your life, and ask yourself how many people in your life are you good around just being yourself, can joke with, and not worry about what the other person is thinking at that moment? You can just be your whacky self and find acceptance!

We really enjoyed every moment, and no none of us gambled at all, although I kept seeing people walking around carrying flat screened TV’s only to learn they were holiday gifts for the High Rollers! Hmmm, perhaps there is a calling for me after all. Ha! I have never played cards well, and so I do not play. I did see an old-fashioned slot machine, and I was tempted but did not succumb.

As Sunday ended and I climbed into my bed, I didn’t want to take off my Queen of the Day tiara, but I did, and although I am not wearing it now, in my mind I know it is still there!

The next morning, we went to this great restaurant for breakfast. “Hash House A-Go-Go”! It was really fabulous, with country casual decor and an old fashioned diner-type menu.

I’d heard that their pancakes were amazing and decided to order the banana, brown sugar pancake. Mel got scrambled eggs and bacon, Janet got corned beef hash, and eggs and Amanda got eggs, and bacon. Mandy was good and ate her own food. Mel, Janet and I were all eating off each other’s plates. It’s been like that since the beginning of time, and so it goes! Take a look at this pancake!

I have to tell you that this pancake was amazing! I love banana pancakes and this was like nothing I had ever had! It was so much better!

As we were waiting I snapped this picture of Janet. She looked so beautiful and happy! Check out her pretty nails too!

My beautiful sister with bunny ears! We love to joke around doing stuff like this!

Here is the view from our room at Mohegan Sun!

Yes, that white stuff is snow!

Our time at Mohegan Sun ended all too soon. Melodie needed to get back to her life, just down the road in Connecticut, Mandy needed to get to work for a meeting, and Janet was assigned the task of driving me to Mandy’s house to get my car.

The best part of the end of our trip was the ride from the Casino up to Mandy’s Office, where the three of us were able to rehash all that had gone on.

Then after we dropped off Mandy, Janet and I were able to chit chat about things that were happening and talked about Thanksgiving, which will be spent at Mandy’s House.

My three lovelies! How lucky I am!

Being Kidnapped

On Sunday, November 18th, I was instructed to arrive at Mandy’s House at 8:30 AM. I was also instructed to pack some dressy clothes for the evening and a bathing suit.

Odd combination, I thought, and a few weeks back when a friend of Mandy’s asked if I was doing anything special for my sixtieth Birthday, I mentioned the instructions.

“Oh, it sounds like a trip to the Wolf Cub Lodge”, and so I thought we would go and play in the indoor water parks with the children.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at Mandy’s at exactly 8:29 AM and found her loading the car and telling the kids goodbye. I kissed Savannah and high fived Quinn and off we drove.

We drove down the highway and she said she had to stop at her office. I was excited to see where she works, even though it was Sunday. We pulled into the parking lot and there was exactly one car on the whole lot. And as we drew closer out popped my cousin, Janet!

Amanda’s car came to a stop and I jumped out and ran to hug my much-loved cousin!

She grabbed her case, and tossed it into Mandy’s car and off we went. I was chattering to Janet and not paying attention, but I remember thinking that we were heading into Boston for some interesting overnight there.

I talked and talked, because that’s what I do and the next time I looked at the road, we were in Worcester, MA! Absolutely the opposite direction from Boston.

I watched a little more thinking we were going to a Deli I love in Connecticut! However, we passed on by.

Then I saw a sign for Mohegan Sun. I knew that was a giant Native American Casino, and I was a little confused because I don’t gamble.

We pulled up to the Valet and unloaded the car, and slowly walked into the Lobby. I stood looking around at all the crowded splendor and then I saw her. My sister, Melodie! Waiting for us, for me! How lucky am I?

We immediately hit the Spa, as our room wasn’t ready yet, and I was stripped down, put in a soft robe with a crown, a Magic Wand, s shot glass proclaiming my 60-ness, and a button announcing to all, it was my 60th Birthday!

First up for me was an hour long full body massage! Oh my goodness! Having never had a full body massage before, I felt it was amazing, and so relaxing! Time seemed to stand still and then it was over!

Next up was my mani/pedi. I enjoy those, and picked out a pink sparkly polish!

After that was a very late lunch and finally, our room was ready and we went upstairs to settle in. We had a suite of rooms with two bedrooms, a living room, and two baths. I could get used to this!

I showered and did my hair and lamented at the difficulty of doing your hair when wearing a tiara. I wonder if the Queen and Princess Kate have special hair stylists to help them? I sort of decided that I would just have to make do.

I wore my tiara to dinner and my button too. People smiled at me and wished me a Happy Birthday, and a few times they were kind and told me I didn’t look 60 at all. Yes, true kindness!

We had dinner at Bobby Flays and they had the most amazing food! We all enjoyed our meals but agreed that my stuffed eggs were better than Bobby’s.

Bobby Flays Stuffed Egg.

After dinner, we went to this fantastic Bar for a drink and to enjoy the atmosphere. It was an amazing place.

It was so much fun and such a cool view!

This was all beamed onto the ceiling, but it was so realistic!

My darling daughter, Amanda and me. How can I ever explain to you what a special woman my daughter is? She planned all of this, never let on and surprised me in every way. She loves me unconditionally and embraces my wackiness! I am so lucky, and she is such a blessing!

Tomorrow I will let you know what happened after the cocktails, but this is all for tonight!

Kidnapped!

On Sunday morning I was kidnapped by my daughter. An amazing day was in store, with one surprise after another!

When I get home tomorrow I will fill you in on our very special trip!

Thank You!

I have to say a big thank you to all who contacted me yesterday, both here and on Facebook, to wish me a Happy Birthday.

I received phone calls, and cards and flowers! What an awesome way to turn 60!

Today I am off to Mandy’s house so she can kidnap me and celebrate my birthday with her. I was given a list of things to pack and a time to be at her house. I know nothing else, but I will report in later.

Thank you again!