Category: My Life

This morning I made breakfast and then started to get ready for my shower and the phone rang. It was my friend, Laurie. She wanted to go off for a girls day with me. So I quickly showered and dressed and drove over to pick her up. We drove to the Outlet Stores to enjoy shopping for bargains.

The weather here was perfect, 70 degrees, sunny and with a light breeze. Just right for walking around the open air mall  shopping.

I bought four shirts to wear at the Reunion and a cute knit jacket. All things were 40-70% off the original price. There is nothing better than shopping to lift one’s spirits.

We ate out at Pizzeria Uno. They have a lunch special of soup and a small pizza. We split this and it was okay. Not crazy about the pizza, but, well, it was okay.

We returned to our town, and I dropped her off at her place before returning home.

Hubby was so busy caring for one of the apple trees that lost two large branches. Greta met me in the drive, and the dogs inside the house were really glad to see me.

All in all, it was a perfect day!

I thought Sunday would be my slow day, but it turned into being a crazy, busy day. I planned to do a load or two of laundry, which turned into 5 loads. This included the changing of sheets on the bed, and washing the duvet cover the dackels sleep on.

I was so good, washing, drying, folding up the laundry and…I even put it all away! I had leftover lasagna for dinner, and I thought I might catch my breath at the end of the day.

However, Hubby brought in Concord Grapes and thought we should at least make the juice, which we can freeze, to make jelly with this winter.

So, we cleaned the grapes, mashed them up and cooked them until they were soft. They are now in a jelly bag draining into a large pot until the morning.

The worst part is, I still have a ton of stuff to do this week. Things that can’t be put off. I wish it were all the fun things in life, but unfortunately, more laundry, packing, and grocery shopping for the hounds!

Oh yes, and I start Physical Therapy on my finger and hand. I’d hoped to avoid that, but the finger is not healing and is actually quite painful.

The good news is, I know the Therapist and he is really good. So I know in no time at all, my finger and hand will be all better!

Once again, thanks to Megan for getting the WordPress part of Dackel Princess up and running.

Have a great week everyone!

So, yesterday I woke up and got an email from a friend in Germany, telling me that Dackel Princess was broken.

I quickly checked the site, then called the service where I store her, and sure enough, Dackel Princess was broken.

The fact is, it’s been 6 years since I did anything to the site. By anything, I mean no upgrade to the system frame work. Truth be told, it’s time to get the latest version of WordPress and go from there.

So my Web Maven, Megan, will be working on the upgrade over the weekend, and then she and I are going to put our heads together and do a redesign in the next few weeks. New colors, new header, etc.

Meanwhile, I am glad to be up and running again! It’s such a helpless feeling to have the Blog down, and not know what to do to get her back up and running!

Thanks Megan!

Way back, in 1989, Hubby and I were living in Germany. Berlin, Germany to be exact. We had leased a flat from another pilot, and I went about keeping house, while Hubby flew his day charters out of West Berlin. Yes, this was before the Berlin Wall fell, and living in West Berlin, was like living in an Island. The Wall surrounded our part of the city, and going in or out required a plane ticket or going through the East German Check points.

Anyway, I often wrote during this time, and since I did not have a laptop computer, I wrote in my notebook, with a pen.

I wasn’t there too long before my Bic ran out of ink. (Yes, I was doing a lot of writing.) So, I went down to the KaDeWe, and went to their stationary department to get a pen.

KaDeWe, the amazing German Department Store in the heart of the city, was close to our apartment. I looked around the department and my eyes fixed on the most beautiful of pens!

The Lamy Econ ballpoint pen.

Yes, I was in love. The pen fit my hand just right, and my fingers never spasmed, as the shaft was thicker and more comfortable.

I loved my Lamy pen, and I never went anywhere without it.

Then in 1999, we were building this house, and one day I must have tucked the pen into the notebook I was using, because, my Lamy became lost.

Flash forward to 2015. I was cleaning out a closet, and there was a notebook I had often used, way back when. I opened the binding, and there, carefully placed, was my Lamy pen!

It still worked, and I went online to see if i could get refills, and sure enough, I can, through Amazon.com!

I am once again a happy lady, with my sweet pen!

Did you ever have something like this happen?

I have so many pears, and so many peaches, that I have been trying to use them in cooking. The peaches, I have already made into four batches of Jam, and today I made Peach Muffins. I thought they came out well, but Hubby said that they had something missing. Perhaps more Peaches? I do not know. I’m thinking of making a peach pie, but again, I shall see where the spirit moves me.

The pears are a different story. Tomorrow I have to use them up, and right now I am thinking about making Pear Jam. I found this great old recipe for that and I think I am game! The pears are all set to go, all I have to do is cook the Jam up and then can it.

Today we reached an uncomfortable 94 degrees! The humidity was also high, reminding me, why I left Florida and moved back home to New England, except this kind of weather, really reminds me of my time there.

For some unknown reason, my hand has been bothering me. It woke me in the night and I had to use a heating pad wrapped around my hand to ease the pain. I’ve also used ice, but it seems swollen to me, and I am slightly worried about it. Perhaps I will leave a message for my doctor about it tomorrow.

Today was Heartworm and Flea and Tick day. Lili was the only one who was reluctant, but in the end, the job was done. The dackels are quite good, but then again, they are older and know that their cooperation is always rewarded with a cookie!

I have a turkey thawing in the fridge, and after I cook it, I will make soup, and also freeze up some sliced turkey. That makes for quick meals!

Life can sometimes be a little crazy. Today was one of those days. It wasn’t that it was bad, it was more that I was really busy from the moment my feet hit the floor until, well, I sat down to write this post.

I made the third (and thankfully better) batch of Heavenly Jam. It took quite a bit of cooking time, which meant standing over a hot stove. But this batch seemed to come out better.

After that I began the rather arduous task of peeling and cutting up the cucumbers, onions and peppers for a half batch of Moon Glow Pickles. Tomorrow I will can it.

I then pronounced that dinner would be leftovers, as I simply couldn’t face preparing another meal tonight.

Yesterday I tried a new recipe for Wiener Schnitzel and it was less than great. It was edible, but that was about all you could say about it.

I have also been trying to get the house whipped into shape, and I am failing miserably. I need about three days of doing nothing but making trips to the recycling center with JUNK! Maybe that should be a week! But I think sometimes, just getting started is the hardest part.

Although the garden did not live up to my expectations, it has produced a fair number of cukes and beans. Oh yes, and also eggplant. The tomatoes are starting to come in, and spaghetti sauces will be made.

Tuesday afternoon, I get my stitches out. Two neat stitches just under my middle finger on the right hand. I had the bandage off to shower, and it looks great. I expect that once the stitches are out, it will be easier to do my physical therapy.

As it is, I have really come a long way. I can almost open my fingers up perfectly straight, and I no longer wake with that finger locked. Really, the hand isn’t just good, but great!

I managed to can 9 half pints of Heavenly Peach Jam! It tasted so good! After that I sat down and did half of the prep work for another batch.

I cooked  our meals, hand washed a ton of pots and pans, and got it all done by 7:30. But, I do admit to being tired tonight.

We’re having a tremendous heat-wave here in New Hampshire. Actually I think it is all over the USA. And currently, there is no end in sight.

I love the new vacuum and plan to get it out on Wednesday and completely do the house. Miss Lili is just one giant shedding machine!

So, I am doing pretty well. I  am finding it inconvenient more than anything. As long as I keep the hand quiet and not used, it’s okay. One thing is for sure, I am glad it’s over.

Today I actually walked Lili, made my coffee and got refills, dressed myself, answered email, and made my own lunch. All with my left hand, but still I am proud.

I am so happy that the surgery is over and from here on out, it’s only going to get better!