My Life – Page 74 – The Dackel Princess

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. How many students were in your high school graduating class? Did you know most, if not all of them?

Two hundred something and yes, I knew almost all. Not on a really personal level, but I knew names and faces.

2. What was the last thing you photographed?

My granddaughter, Savannah Rose and her Mom, my daughter, Amanda!

3. Pickles-love ’em or loathe ’em? If its love what’s something you eat that needs a pickle?

Like ’em. I do like a nice kosher dill, but I am not a big pickle person. This is strange because I make pickles!

4. What’s a stereotype you seem to perpetuate without meaning to?

Not really sure. If I was blond, then it would be the dumb blond thing, but honestly, I can’t think of anything.

5. Ever been horse back riding? If so is it something you enjoy? If not, do you have any interest? Did you watch the Kentucky Derby? Will you be watching the last leg of the Triple Crown this weekend?

I love to watch the races and I have been riding, back when I was a child. I’ve always loved horses!

6. What’s your favorite ‘wedding’ movie?

“27 Dresses”! I loved that. I thought it was very funny. “Bridesmaids” was funny too, but a little too dark for me.

7. What is one ‘tourist attraction’ in the USA that you’d like to see in person?

Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. I am fortunate enough to have visited many other of the USA’s tourist attractions! But look forward to this…Someday!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

This has been such a wonderful week for me. Watching my daughter become a mother was absolutely the best thing ever. I remember the day she was born, and it doesn’t seem so long ago. Now here she is, a new mother, herself. How wonderful this is! I was looking at pictures and I noticed that Mandy and her daughter look very much alike. It just made me smile. What do you think?

Mandy and me on the left and Miss Savannah Rose on the right.

Sleep

Yesterday, I was exhausted! I got everything done that I need to do, re:laundry, cleaning, getting my car in to the shop, and getting Hubby to fix my GPS. I made dinner, and after cleaning it up, collapsed into my chair and before I knew it I was ready for bed.

I slept for almost 12 hours!

I know I needed the sleep and now I am feeling so much better! Even if I forgot to write today’s post!

I’ll be back to my usual self soon, so please be patient!

A Weekend Of Mixed Emotions

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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The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even for ever more.

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My weekend was full with a wide variety of things both marvelously happy and heartbreakingly sad.

With the birth of dearest Savannah, our world is now full of a sweet bright light! She is a gentle soul, a good sleeper, and the apple of her parent’s eyes, as well as her grandparent’s! Mandy is a natural mother and so good and calm with the baby. Matt is a good Papa Bear and very protective. I think the most heart warming thing was watching Mandy’s grandmother hold her only great-grandchild in her arms! That was true beauty!

Everyone is so happy to see her that we have banded together to fill her world with love! It’s a wonderful thing!

But just as our Savannah entered the world, our friends called to let us know that their 48 year old daughter has died from ovarian cancer. A wonderful young woman, with two small children, and a church filled with loving family and friends to say farewell.

I saw the face of her mother, my friend, and my heart broke for her. Her father, also looked terribly stricken as he tried to keep the family together, and my heart ached for him as well.

You see, this week and weekend was the best of times and some quite sad times too.

Bye-Bye

I’ve heard it said that grandchildren are the very best. That it is different from having your own children, but in so many ways, even better.

How is it possible, to open ones eyes one day and see a little bundle of joy, your daughter’s child, and absolutely, positively, fall in love!

Savannah Rose is an amazing, beautiful, sweet, perfect little girl! I look into her eyes and see the start of a wonderful life for her, and for her parents! Also for us, her grandparents.

Of course, all too soon, it was time for me to drive home, and get back to Hubby and to my puppy dogs. I must say, they were all happy to see me and this also made me feel good. However, I admit to feeling a real twinge of unhappiness when I had to say my good-byes to Mandy and Savannah.

The Day After

Today I spent the day with my daughter and her daughter! Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it? Mandy is a natural. I know that she is still a bit under the weather from her c-section, but I am so proud of her! She just knew everything she needed to do, and didn’t need anyone telling her what to do.

I loved watching them, and oh, I tried so hard to be quiet and just watch, but I’m afraid I took too many pictures!

I couldn’t help myself! She is a real beauty and I just wanted to document her beauty!

By the end of the day, both Mandy and Savannah were exhausted. Looking back, I think they both could have used a good long nap in the late morning or early afternoon. Tomorrow is my last visit, and I will keep it brief. But I sure will miss both of them and Matt!

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. Hallelujah! Savannah is Here!!!!
2. Right now, holding my grand-daughter is where I wanna be!
3. When I was walking the dog this morning, I saw a handful of goose feathers in the road and I thought uh-oh, no pate (lol).
4. The sun came up and that’s how I knew it was time to head south to be there for Savannah’s birth.
5. What were once vices are now little gems..
6. A fried egg sandwich is what I’ve been having for breakfast lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to visiting with my daughter and then my cousin, tomorrow my plans include more baby time and then home to Hubby and Sunday, I want to collapse!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What can the average citizen do to honor a military veteran and/or those currently serving?

My husband is a Veteran and I am so thankful that he came home from the War in Vietnam. No one honored him at the time. In fact they called him names and the men that served so bravely, were spit upon.

Several years ago I started doing something that was hard for me at first because I was always close to tears. When I saw a man or woman in fatigues flying home or having a casual meal with their comrades, I would go over and thank them for their service to our country. I have seen elderly men who served in WW II with their battle ship’s cap on and I also will go over to them and thank them. With each handshake, each smile, it got easier for me not to cry. I cannot even begin to tell you how happy and surprised these men and women are.

One man asked why I was doing this. I stopped mid shake and responded, “You see that man over there? That’s my husband. When he came home from Vietnam, no one said Thank-You.”

The young man turned and walked over to Hubby and shook his hand and thanked him! Hubby was so touched.

2. Besides a flag what is something you own that is red, white and blue?

A dish set that my cousin Janet gave me a few years ago.

3. Does love really conquer all?

No. But it sure helps a lot.

4. Strawberry shortcake or blueberry pie?

Strawberry Shortcake!

5. Do you share personal stuff with your hairdresser?

Oh yes, we are very good friends. I have gone in on bad days and cried my eyes out, and even called her to share good news!

6. Does money lead to selfishness?

It can, if one is not grounded.

7. What piece of furniture in your home most needs replacing or refinishing?

My mattress! It is older than it should be and lumpier than all get out. The next thing to get replaced is that silly, lumpy, thing!

8. Insert your own random here.

June is nearly here, and with that, time to spend with Mandy, the arrival of my granddaughter, and tending to the garden, Hubby and the pooches!

What I Did This Past Weekend

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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It was a big weekend here in the States. It was Memorial Day Weekend, during which time we remember all those men and women who have given their lives for our freedom. There are parades and flags are put out at the graves of Military men and women.

Memorial Day is also the unofficial start to the summer season here in New England. Our temperatures have warmed, and the ground has thawed and many people, like me, plant their gardens.

I somehow don’t recall it being this difficult to rake the dirt, set up the little fence and prepare the garden for planting. In the past I have gotten in there, and planted and not thought much about it. This year, I can feel it in several key areas of my body.

Knee, Shoulder, and Back!

Now what does this tell me? That at 53, I am not 23 any longer, and things will ache when used in ways that I do not normally use them.

I have now gotten the pea lines tied, and the peas actually planted and tomorrow Hubby will help me do the actual planting of vegetables. Then I am done.

Until the first weeding!

Meanwhile, I went to the Craft Fair, that I wrote about yesterday and had a great time. I got some infused balsamic vinegar (lemon) and I have my chicken breasts marinating for tonight. I hope they are terrific!

My daughter’s due date for Savannah Rose is approaching, and we are all on pins and needles! I now sleep with my cell phone so I can get the call which will find me on the road to the hospital!

One Jury Duty I was released from because they settled the matter out of court. My next Jury Duty will be heard after June 1st and I am hopeful that it will be settled out of court.

Greta was outside with me for most of the afternoon and she was so good. She used to roam away, but in her old age, she stays close and often brings her ball to play with me, while I work.

Lastly, a friend of mine from High School passed away. He was a fun, warm and wonderful man. In High School he made me laugh and we exchanged wicked jokes! He had an older son and grandchild a lovely wife, and two younger children. I feel so sad for them all. It wasn’t fair to any of them, to lose this wonderful man. I just hate Cancer!

Friday Fill-Ins

Friday Fill-Ins are sponsored by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

And…here we go!

1. These three words describe my significant other (or dog, cat, baby, grandchild, best friend!): thoughtful, hardworking, dedicated!
2. My daughter is a delight!
3. Oh, how I adore my family, doggies and friends.
4. It’s amazing how much fun waiting for something can be if one takes time to be friendly.
5. Inevitably, I will grow my hair out, and once again be able to tuck it back into a pony tail when I am working.
6. My girls (Mel, Mandy, Janet, Uschi and Gail) are people who never cease to encourage me.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to soaking in my bathtub, tomorrow my plans include going to a craft fair with my cousin Janet and Sunday, I want to finish all my laundry and prepare for the week ahead!

Thursday Thirteen

The Legal List

After two long days sitting, waiting in the Court House, for the trial I was supposed to hear, the Prosecution and Defense plead the charges out, so I never got to hear one piece of testimony or render a decision.

At the end of the day today the Judge came in and thanked us for our service. I mean, we were there, and would have done our job if we had been needed. Then he spoke to us for a bit and answered all our questions, or at least the ones that he could.

If you get a Jury Summons…go. You can be held in contempt and put in jail if you blow it off.
Not everyone who gets a summons actually serves on a Jury.
You can even be sitting in the Jury Box during the selection process and have a Lawyer throw you off during Voir dire.
There is a lot of sitting around when you are on Jury Duty.
If you are lucky, the people on the panel with you will get along with you and the others.
I have to say, the Court House Staff, Deputies and Sheriffs were all so nice. They did the best that they could to keep us happy and informed. One Deputy joked that he was our Deputy and would take a bullet for us! lol!
I’d intended to catch up on my reading, but these were really good people on the Jury Panel, and in the end, we shared stories about our lives, New Hampshire and told jokes and funny stories.
The weather was pouring rain one minute (during the drive) and then bright, sunny, and hot the next.
The holding area for us was in a room where the air conditioner was broken!
I kept drinking cold water…
You guessed it. I had to keep asking to go to the ladies room. How embarrassing.
One more trial next week, then I hope I am done. I could still be called on June 4th for another Jury or two.
Then after this, I am free for three years! Yay!