My Life – Page 32 – The Dackel Princess

Faith

Ah, you know, they say when the cat’s away…Well in this case, while I have been recovering, some Rotter, hacked my darling, Dackel Princess.

I shouldn’t be surprised. I have neglected my site and instead of sharing my crazy thoughts, and ideas, I have been silent.

Although what I will tell you about this whole neck surgery will make you go “EEEK” I want you to know that I have learned a big lesson.

In life, most of the time, all you really have is yourself to get you through things. Suck it up buttercup, life goes on.

But, if you are lucky, and loving, you might just find a daughter, son, grandchild or friend to be there for you.

Don’t give up and keep on working, to make your life better.

Even if you feel like you are totally lost and alone, there is a tomorrow, and right now I plan to do what my Grandma told me.

“Get yourself a strong rope, tie a giant knot in the end, and then hang on, Sweetie!”

Life is tough, but you can do it! Have faith in yourself and in God!

A Funny Thing Happened…

So I was driving home after seeing Mandy, Matt and the kids. I was feeling tired and decided not to go shopping, but to just head home.

I was on rte 93, when I heard my cell phone ring. It was Jack and I answered it. But my earpiece was not hooked tightly and I was talking to him holding the phone, but decided to pull off the road to plug it all in.

Big mistake. Just as I did this a police car turned on their blue light and pulled right behind me.

I told Jack that I was being stopped and put the phone between the two seats. I opened my window, and I had two State Policemen on either side of my car. (I admit to feeling really intimidated. But I must say, in all of my years of driving I have never been stopped or even gotten a parking ticket).

I was asked why I pulled over, and I told them that my cell phone rang with my husband calling, and I wanted to answer to make sure he was okay, (Hubby is 78 years old!), but since I knew I needed to be hands free, I pulled over.

So, while one of the officers ran my license and registration, the other officer lectured me about cell phones in vehicles.

Quite honestly, I wanted to cry. Growing up, my dad worked as a summer police officer on Cape Cod. Every morning we listened to all the things that had gone on during his shift. I always felt that getting any sort of ticket or getting in any sort of trouble with the law, was just not how I wanted to live my life. I really have never wanted to let my Dad down.

Dad has been gone for a long time now, but the feeling of leading a good life, one to be proud of has not left me.

So, I was stopped, and lectured, but was not given a ticket or warning. I was so relieved. I really believe in our laws and I even thanked the officers, sincerely, for their concern.

Bite of an Apple?

I have always been a purist. What does that mean? Well, I always thought I would stick with Microsoft and PC products, as I never wanted to get into a situation where all my programs became useless.

So when replacing laptops or desktops’s, I always opt for a Windows based system. Which has been fine, up until the last item on my “items I use daily” list broke with no hope of getting better.

It was my MP3 Player. A 12 year old Sony, that I could work without looking, and had all the features I needed 12 years ago. My best friend, Gail gave it to me, and that was one of her best gifts, aside of her friendship, of course!

Anyway, after 12 years, they do not make my model of MP3 Player. I ordered a really cheap one from Amazon, and it was so terrible, after 1 day I sent it back!

I went on You Tube and typed in Review of Best MP3 Players. A whole bunch came up. Mostly they were telling people what not to buy, but over and over, the new Ipod Nano, got raving reviews!

So, yesterday I went down to my daughter’s and we drove over to the Rockingham Mall, to The Apple Store. It was the first time I have stepped into one of Apple’s Stores. And I was very impressed!

A nice girl took my name, and guided us to a small table of Ipads where children were sitting playing games on the machines. Savannah sat right down and started playing. I went over to a wall of Apple products and found the Nano I wanted.

A man with Apple came over and said, “Are you just waiting now to check out?” I told him I was and he hailed another agent to help me.

Brad came over and quickly checked me out and answered a few questions. When he learned I use a PC at home he said I should be sure to Update my Itunes, before I even plug the Nano in.

We finished and after getting my car at Mandy’s and driving home, I updated the Itunes program and then downloaded my music to the Nano.

Then, when all was said and done, I turned on the Nano and listened to one of my favorite songs, (easy to find), and the sound was amazing!

I can officially say, I have gone to the “Dark Side” and now, for the very first time, own a superior Apple product!

Autumn Preserving

After a summer filled with sunshine and very little rain, the last two days have been gray, foggy and sort of yucky. It’s not exactly raining, but it’s not the sort of weather that makes you want to go out and play in the sun. Even the dogs would rather sleep in their little beds, rather than go outside.

Thursday, I saw a friend of mine. She has a cottage that she and her husband go to on a lake each summer. We try to grab lunch here or there, when she is home to do laundry, but it’s been a crazy summer, and we just haven’t synced our schedules, and it was so nice to see her.

Also on my agenda the next few days is one last batch of Moon Glow Pickles and be done with it! After all, quite soon, apples will need to be sauced and grapes pressed for jelly.

I picked up some food prep gloves when I was out yesterday, as the deep slice in my finger (let’s just say, I was thinking stitches on Wednesday, after my knife accident!) will preclude me from getting that finger in any sort of pickling juice, or jelly!

So, the weekend will be busy, and I will need to re-organize the freezer so I can store all the apple sauce! It’s never dull when you can and freeze the foods you grow.

I’m Still Here

I am alive. This may sound like a common and usual thing to most. but I must tell you that the last 26 hours have been very rough.

I have an auto-immune disease that can strike at any moment. Yesterday, at 5 AM I woke with shaking chills. They were so bad, I could hardly stand. I also was so cold that no matter how many blankets I had on, the shaking did not stop. I got up briefly, as I was determined to get the thermometer. I had to know what my temperature was. At first it was 101.2 Two hours later it was up to 102.8 (F).

I felt weak as a kitten and every part of my body ached, as though I had been in a boxing ring with Mohamed Ali!

I shivered, I slept, I tried to keep drinking. Arnie and Greta never left my side, as I huddled in bed, with the drone of the TV in the background for company.

By dinnertime, my temperature had begun to drop. I managed a bowl of good old Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup, crackers and more aspirin!

This morning I woke and my temperature is down to 99.8. So I am doing well. One more day in my pajamas and I’ll be back to normal.

It is a strange thing, this auto-immune disease. It can strike at any time and although a fever is almost always involved, there are times other symptoms come along with it. It’s like a bad case of the flu,

This time it was just the fever and weakness. Hubby pitched in, went to get my ginger ale, made me soup and fed the dogs.

I think today will be spent in my pajamas again. By tomorrow I should be on my feet and doing much better.

The Reunion – The Big Event!

The Saturday night of our Reunion, was a perfect night for it. It was hot, a little humid, and one of those nights that was made for outdoor partying. There was a tent (in case of rain), and the event was held at a classmates house. The yard was huge and gave all of us a place to roam around talking and joking with each other.

Think back to your High School days. You are in your teens, hormones are raging, and you are insecure and convinced that no one really knows you, or likes you and you are a vat full of insecurities! Well, flash forward, 40 years. It’s amazing how many people remembered me. How many people recalled nice things about me, and how much fun we all still can have together.

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Oh, to go back and tell that teenage me, that life is good and everything would be okay. And that these people, did like me, did care. I guess the blessing of middle age, is getting together with your classmates and seeing that we all still have a great time together.

Several members of our class, who had missed the first 35 years worth of reunions, attended this time. It was so good to see them and catch up with their lives. My hats are off to the planners, the people who spent their day setting up and to the caterers. Everything was fabulous!!!

I volunteered to help with the planning of the next reunion. Five years will go by in the blink of an eye! In some ways I can hardly wait, but in other ways, I look forward to slowly watching my grandchildren grow up! Just think Savannah will be 9 in five years, and Quinn will be 5!

Luck

Did I tell you what happened during my trip to Falmouth?

I was on Route 24 and it was pretty empty of traffic. The truck ahead was going a little slow, so I passed him. (I normally don’t pass, I just kind of hang in there, but he was going very slowly)

Anyway, just as the rear end of my car passed his cab, I heard and felt a tremendous explosion! I looked in the rear view mirror and both the truck’s front tires had blown!

The driver was holding the truck steady and decelerating on the truck’s wheel rims! Rubber flew all over the road and out the sides. There were sparks from the rims.

I suddenly realized if I had been behind him or next to him, my car would have been severely damaged and I could have been injured.

Then I told my phone to call home, I felt like I was losing it! I started telling hubby what had happened and then I had a panic attack and started hyperventilating. Hubby told me to pull over and he talked me down.

Later I was speaking to a friend at the reunion, and she said she thought I’d had a PTSD flashback to the car accident I had in 1985. I do not remember the accident, as I was knocked unconscious, but apparently my subconscious does remember and so did my body. It was such a terrible thing.

When I began to think normally about it all, I realized what our Veterans must go through. Imagine having a flashback to things that happened in battle? Certainly my car accident had been horrific, but I had never had an uncontrollable response like that before. I’d never even considered it, until I heard the explosion and felt it shake my car.

One more thing. I have to hand it to this Big Rig driver. He did an amazing job holding that truck straight until he could safely pull off the road. That was an amazingly skilled driver! My hats off to you, wherever you may be!

Friday Five

This weeks Friday Five has me looking back, over the years, at all the time spent with members of the graduating class, at Falmouth High School in 1976.

I was born at the mid point of November in 1958. Back then you had to have turned 5 by the first week of that month, or they held you out a year. I had gone to Mrs. Marshall’s Nursery School with so many of my classmates, yet when school started, I was held out a year! Talk about miserable. I could read some and write and when all my friends went to school I was at home.
The following year I did start school, and really, I had a blast with the kids in my grade and as we went forward, I settled in, but I also managed to keep track of the grade ahead of me.
In High School, I fell in love with a classmate in the next class. We became inseparable. Like Frick and Frack. My only problem was that we wanted to get married, but I would have another year left of school. So, that summer between my Sophomore and Junior year, I took four courses at Summer School in order to have all the credits I needed to skip ahead a grade. I actually loved Summer School, and I think I learned more. I had wonderful teachers, and class size was just a few kids in each class. At the end of the Summer of 1975, I entered school as a member of the Class of 1976. Right back where I belonged!
My first husband and I married that December, and recently I learned that we caused quite the scandal, as my sister was told we “had” to get married. This made me laugh like crazy because although I did get pregnant a few months later, Mandy was born the day after our first wedding anniversary!
So many of these men and women, I have known well, since I was a baby, and many more became friends through Drama Club or the band. But for me, in the end, graduating with the Class of 1976 was just right!

Falmouth, Oh Falmouth

No matter how old I get, or how long I live in another place in this world, Falmouth, Massachusetts will always be my home.

It’s funny because growing up on Cape Cod, I just thought everyone had the ocean at their back door to be their own magical play ground.

I grew up in a house a mere five minute walk to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Surf Drive Beach. My mother claims I could swim before I could walk, and that from the moment I met the ocean, something calming happened to me.

I know I loved being at the beach. Mom would pack a cooler with drinks, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Fluff sandwiches and chips. By the time we sat to eat the sandwiches, they were always a little sandy, but you know, I just didn’t care.

There were days the sun failed us, and I would swim anyway, until my lips were blue and Mom would drag me out. And the days it rained…I know I was unhappy because the very best spot in the world was either on the towel by the shore or in the water!

So my sister and I drove by our old house on Clipper Lane, and noted Mom’s Lilacs are all gone now. We drove to the end of the lane, and the fence I hit with my bike (when I was learning how to ride a two wheeler) was still there. I teased Mel that she really should have taught me how to use the brakes as well as ride my blue Schwinn Bike!

We drove along Surf Drive from Falmouth to Woods Hole. Some things have changed, but there is this amazing Cape Cod style home, with graying shingles and blue trim and shudders. All around this house were flower beds and a little further down the hill was a small pond. This house has been just the same all of my 57 years! It quite literally took my breath away!

There was also Nobska Lighthouse. I recall the sound of it’s fog horns, during my youth. I would lie in bed at the end of my day, as the fog rolled in, and listen to the deep groan of the horn.

You must get the feeling that I love Falmouth very much and that I always will. It is home. It is where I was married (both times) and where my babies were born.

Yes, how lucky I was, to grow up where the grass was always green, the ocean always welcoming, and the sand always felt warm against my skin.

The Week Ahead

This week will be slightly crazy for me. I have appointments nearly every day, and aside from getting my hair done, most of the appointments are not for pleasure. Ah well, they’re all necessary, and at least one of the appointments requires a long drive across the state, along a beautiful route. So, I guess that’s something.

After having short hair now for 2 months, I have decided to keep it this way. I like the ease of styling it, and at this point in my life, I’m sort of done with long curly hair and happy to have it short and cute!

It’s funny, when I was babysitting Savannah, she asked me if I was going to grow my hair out. I told her no, I was going to cut it again. “Oh Oma, you should have your hair long like me!” As much as I would like to please Savi, Oma has reached the point of wanting things to just be easy.

I blanched and froze 10 pounds of zucchini and summer squash, and 5 pounds of green beans. And today, with a little help from Hubby, I will be making Bread and Butter pickles. All of this will taste great in January! But, oh Lord, this is a lot of work.