Category: My Life

Ah yes. I woke early on my birthday and got myself all washed up, hair done, and make up as well. I was feeling good.

I know the numbers are adding up, but it doesn’t matter when your family is around you. I had called a local restaurant that we all love and made reservations. Hubby and I got there early so I could make sure it was all set up. Hubby teased me, because I am always early, and my cousin is always late! lol

But soon everyone arrived and there we were all together enjoying some champagne and some delicious food! After we ate, I opened up my gifts, with Savannah helping me, of course!

Opening dachshund book ends. Savannah helped!

Listening to a card that Savannah made for me. Telling me Happy Birthday and love you!

Me with my daughter, Mandy.

I loved all of my gifts!

Having a nice Cappuccino.

The newlyweds, Dave & Janet.

All too soon, the luncheon ended and it was time to go home. Savannah’s Daddy Matt, picked her up and carried her to the car. You can see, she looks a lot like her Daddy!

Yes, today November 17th, is my birthday. It’s my 55th birthday! Wow! I don’t feel older, but there it is! So, I broke out pictures of me through the years, and those closest to me, and made up this short montage.

My Birthday Montage from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

I hope you enjoy it!

On Monday I went down to have my surgery. As I was preparing for the surgery to start, Dr. P. came in and we started to talk. I told him about the man in Dunkin’ Donuts who thought I was cute and tried to pick me up. You can read about that HERE. Well Dr. P. sat there with the biggest grin on his face. You see, the fact that his work has given me back my faith in myself and made me happy, meant the world to him.

The surgery took about an hour, and then Hubby and I drove back to New Hampshire, stopping to get Fritz dog food, and have a free Veteran’s dinner at Chili’s! I also got a free dessert because of it being my birthday on Sunday. Not bad.

For now though, I need to take my glasses off and rest. My eyebrow really is sore and I need to rest it.

Today finds me on my way to Boston for another facial surgery. If this is not the last, it is perhaps the next to the last surgery. I am so close to being pain free and looking like myself again.

Because it is Veteran’s Day, everything is closed and my doggy sitter isn’t teaching, so she will be here to puppy sit!

I am feeling relief more than anything else these days. Being able to look in the mirror and see me, helps so much.

So what if I am slightly battle worn. At least I am winning and although I will not be perfect, I am becoming a reasonable facsimile of the woman I was before all this started.

Before and now.

I’m getting there!

My birthday is coming up pretty soon, so I thought I would jot down all my vital details from the early days.

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1. I was Born November 17, 1958

2. At 12:01 PM I was born ready for lunch!
3. I was born in Wareham, Massachusetts. At that time it was the closest hospital to Cape Cod where we lived.
4. I weighed in at 9 pounds and 1 ounce! I know, this is big!
5. I was 21 inches long. I think this is average.
6. My mother was in labor for about 5 hours, but says it wasn’t bad. Of course back then they knocked you out so her memories are more of the nice sleep she had than of actually delivering me.
7. I was born a few days early. This is due to my intense love of turkey and the fact that I was hoping for my first turkey dinner. I didn’t get it for an entire year!
8. I had white blond fuzz on my head and very dark eyes that quickly turned brown.
9. If I’d been a boy my name would have been David Arthur. Needless to say, I am happy to be a girl.
10. My grandmother was already down taking care of my brother and sister, but my Aunt Betty and Uncle George drove down with Janet to see the new baby.
11. My mother stayed in the hospital until just before Thanksgiving. Back then they gave you almost a week to “recover” from giving birth.
12. My sister was thrilled with my arrival. She wanted a little sister. She was 5 and 1/4 years old, and I was her living doll.
13. My middle name is Jewel, which I have always thought was pretty strange. Then again, I have never met anyone with this name, except a dog.

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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As you all know, this was the weekend that we turn our clocks back in the USA. Some people think this is wonderful. You know, the ones without children and animals. Their little internal clocks go off and all they want is to wake you up and be fed and most of all, they want your company, so I get up early, still at a loss for sleep.

Maybe tonight the dogs will sleep better and let me get just a little bit more sleep in.

We removed the window air conditioners on Sunday. In many ways, it is depressing too. It means we are finally accepting the fact that the warm weather is over until next spring.

As I write it is 32 degrees (f) and getting colder. I was just outside with Anneliese and all I could think about was the need to break out my heavy hat and gloves! Not to mention my winter coat!

I hope you all are adjusting to the change of time and seasons. Have a great week, everyone!

Suddenly it is late Autumn!

I woke up on Saturday to below freezing temperatures and a brisk wind. The skies were gray and it just had that look about it.

I now need my fall jacket on when I go outside, as well as my hat and gloves. I’ve also added a warm blanket to my side of the bed to keep me and the dackels warm.

We’ve had three fires in the hearth, and I’ve worn my heavy bathrobe the last week in the morning.

Yes, we’re on the cusp of the seasons changing from summer to winter.

The clocks fall back next Saturday and then we count the days down to the winter solstice and the darkest days of our year.

I don’t mind this time of year, really. After all my birthday is next month. And I will be 55. I don’t feel that is tremendously old, but I am thrilled that many places give you a senior citizen discount!

I am all for free coffee, or saving 25 cents on my Chinese Buffet meal.

There are benefits of age! lol!

I stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts to get a coffee on my way to the retinal surgeon’s office on Wednesday and I was in line. The man at the counter (another patron) said, “you can come up next to me, I won’t bite!”

I laughed, smiled and came up and said, “promise?”

So, I’m standing there and he’s sort of looking my way and he says, “what are you making for dinner tonight?”

I said, “Well if I get home early, I hope to make lasagna.”

He smiled at me and said in such a nice voice, “Think there would be enough for me?”

I smiled and (hopefully I was super nice) said, that there probably would be, but my husband might not think it was a good thing for me to bring home a date!

I have to tell you all, this man made my day!!!!! He thought I was pretty!!!!!

Now I know many of my family and friends have told me I look wonderful. However, inside I felt that perhaps they were being kind because they all love me.

But here was this man, who didn’t know me at all, and he was flirting with me because he thought I was pretty!

It made me realize that I needed to rethink my self image! I am doing great. Dr. P. is one heck of a plastic surgeon and I am coming back to the woman I was before this all started.

I’m no longer the “Elephant Woman“!

Monday went by at a flying pace. I was up long before Hubby and drank three cups of coffee before he emerged from our bedroom cocoon!

I made a lovely breakfast for him  and then he started working on some paperwork he needs to get done.

So while he sat at the kitchen table writing, I busied myself folding laundry, cleaning our bedroom, and then I decided to clean out my two bathroom vanity drawers.

I know! What is this sudden spurt of cleaning I have been doing? I’m not one of those super neat people, and yet lately I want to get it all cleaned up in here. I guess it’s because I know that soon it will get very cold and we will have to shut up the house for the winter.

In fact on Thursday I want Hubby to help me get the window air conditioners out of the windows and put away for another year.

I also need to do my science project to clear my bathroom vanity drain. I love having long hair, but my drain sure doesn’t!

I’m off to my retinal surgeon today. It’s my six month check up. I don’t expect anything dramatic. Just a routine appointment where I will be given a clean bill of health for my eyes!