Happiness

Many things have been happening in the last few weeks, keeping me on my toes. I’m still slightly wobbly, but I’m going forward nonetheless.

My daughter gets the award for going above and beyond. Savi was in a musical play in Derry. Right now, I am not driving too far. The vertigo won’t allow it.

485844556_10237054559605349_8262007796461427939_nMandy and Savi!

So Amanda drove from Windham, NH, to Meredith, NH, and picked me up. Then we went to Derry for the play, and afterward she drove me home again. It was a long day and a lot of driving for my girl, but it was worth it. Savi was great, and I really enjoyed the entire day!

Messenger_creation_F1359196-43FF-4097-9EB8-65F8854E4D0BSavi and her Oma!

Not only did I see Savi, but I got to see Quinn and their three dogs.

492137991_10237519611311351_5101757777316505700_nQuinn!

I’ve been doing PT for my vertigo. It hasn’t done much, but since the MRI was good, I must wait until I can see an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist.

My sister and brother-in-law came up, and we worked on clearing the house again. We are close to being done, but I need to work on my closets, which have become slightly disorganized. (Melodie, do not tell Ron!)

My cousins, Janet and Dave, came up on Saturday, and we went to T-Bones for dinner. We all had a great meal. I love it there! Janet had a fusion salad. Dave had wings and ribs. I asked if I could get warm plain lobster served with butter. It was spectacular!

After that, we saw Juston McInney at the Colonial Theater in Laconia. He is a New England boy, and he was wicked funny. His routine was all about the stuff we think about and that happens. He is a nice guy.

0b42a1f8-fb6e-4053-83af-5798e33a76f5The next morning, we dropped Heidi off with her groomer, Madison, and had breakfast at George’s. Needless to say, when Heidi returned, she was beautiful!

499887385_10163278021976499_4901003248829408629_nAfter weeks of rain and cloudy skies, we finally have sunshine! It is also supposed to be over 70 degrees today!

After watching my driveway deteriorate this spring, I have signed a contract to have the entire thing redone. After 25 years, it is time!

2025-05-19-11-28-57-759Boulders are coming up.

2025-05-19-11-33-40-726My very own San Andreas Fault!

After all, this is the Granite State! Life goes on.

2025-03-20-19-11-49-285

New England Humor

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about New Englanders…

Forget Rednecks ….

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t work there, you live in New England.

If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in New England.

If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in New England.

If Vacation means going anywhere south of New York City for the weekend, you live in New England.

If you measure distance in hours, you live in New England.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in New England.

If you have switched from ‘heat’ to ‘A/C’ on the same day and back again, you live in New England.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England.

If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked, you live in New England.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in New England.

If you design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in New England.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph you’re going 80 and everybody is passing you, you live in New England.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in New England.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in New England.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England.

If you find 10 degrees ‘a little chilly’, you live in New England.

If there’s a Dunkin Donuts on every corner, you live in New England.

If you think everyone else has a funny accent, you live in New England.

If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your New England friends, you live or have lived in New England.

Sig file for Dackel

Let’s Party!

After 32+ years of marriage, I have been buying some new kitchenware. My daughter had a Pampered Chef Party earlier this year, her cousin had one this Spring and now it’s time for me to have one of my own.

For those who are not familiar with Pampered Chef, they sell wonderful cookware, utensils, and bakeware. I’ve slowly been buying things, and what I have gotten has been really good quality.

Anyway, I will be sending out invitations via Facebook. Should you wish to join in the fun, and take a peek at what Pampered Chef has, send me a message in FB Messenger, and if we are not already friends, Friend me.

You can also send me your email address. My email address can be found in the side-bar.

So, tomorrow I will be setting up the page with the Online Host, James. He is such a nice man and makes these parties very fun.

As Tropical Storm Fay approaches, I am tucked safely in. Let the rain fall!

Stay happy, healthy, and dry!

32216247197_26de197829_o copy

Old & Wise

Yesterday was one of those weird days. The dogs were restless, Jack was restless and so was I. So, what does this make our house? Yeah, rather unsettled.

I tried to get preoccupied with a project. I’ll plan a great meal. And when I went to the fridge I realized I needed to use up a few things, so last night’s dinner was all leftovers.

Okay, I’ll listen to some music. So I put some on, and then I wondered about the actual band behind the music.

We’re going back to 1995 and the band was “The Alan Parson’s Project”. Now back then I wasn’t such a big fan, but my former husband was. So I knew a lot of their songs, but absolutely nothing about the people involved.

Well, via Wikki I learned a lot and one thing I learned was that a Bass player I have enjoyed for years, David Paton, was one of the founding members of this group.

Now I started following David when he was again, the founding member and lead singer of the group “Pilot”. For us here in the USA their biggest hit was “Magic”. And although I love that song, my favorite, jump out of my seat and dance song is “You’re My Number 1”.

I digress.

There was a lot to learn about “The Alan Parson’s Project” and I went back and was able to get the MP3 versions of some older albums, with great songs.

Sadly the man who wrote most of the music and lyrics, Eric Woolfson, died in 2009. But these beautiful pieces linger on.

Here is my favorite. Sung in a live performance by David Paton.

Enjoy!

32216247197_26de197829_o copy

Homophones? Who Knew!

I have certain words that drive me insane! Mostly because although they sound the same, they do not necessarily mean the same things.

Take Yay, Yea, and Yeah.

You pronounce yay in the same way you pronounce yea, which makes these two words homophones—indistinguishable when spoken and easily confused when written. They have different meanings, though. While yea is the word we sometimes use for yesyay is the word we use to express joy, approval, or excitement.

The origins of yay are difficult to pin down—some sources say it came from yeah, others say it came from yea.

Yeah: in modern times is a less formal way to say yes. But good old YAY! Still is solely used to express happiness and joy!

There is also the problem of Their, There, and They’re.

Their: is the possessive case of the pronoun they, as in “They left their cell phones at home.”

There: is an adverb that means “in or at that place,” as in “She is there now.” In this sense, there is essentially the opposite of here. There is also used as a pronoun introducing a sentence or clause, as in “There is still hope.”

They’re: is a contraction of the words they and are, as in “They’re mastering the differences between these homophones!”

I do so love playing with the English language. I know I make so many mistakes, and when I look up to find answers, I hope I will retain what I learned.

dackie

And an English Professor once told me I was an “over-explanation-pointer” when I write! Imagine that!!!

 

Tennis

Has anyone else been watching the French Open Tennis Tournament?

I have, as I love to watch these magnificent players and their on-court mastery of the game.

What I have not appreciated is NBC-Sports! Now here is the deal. I do subscribe to NBC-Sports on my Satellite package, but for some reason, my Amazon Prime did not give me the option of watching without subscribing through them.

So, in the middle of a tense match between Nishikori and Paire, yesterday, they suddenly cut off the feed after a trial period.

I will need to go back in and try to figure it out, but yesterday I was just steaming mad! Fortunately, night fell on Paris and the game was called and I got up this morning and I am watching it on The Tennis Channel Premier, which I do subscribe to through Amazon.

tennis 1

You see I love tennis. I tried in my youth to learn how to play, but I was depressingly bad, so I gave up. Now, I don’t think it would be good because of all the Titanium in my body holding it together.

But oh, I can watch, and enjoy, and cheer for my favorite players! I look forward to the major tournaments every year!

A New Smart Phone

After three years, I went in today to buy a new Cell Phone. I’d been thinking about getting an Iphone, but as I talked to the sales person, and tried the different phones I ended up getting, the Samsung Galaxy S8. It has a 14 megapixel camera on both sides, and is fairly easy to use, because my last cell phone was a Galaxy S5.

I came home, charged the cell phone up and then worked setting it up for use. I figure by the weekend, I will be all set, although right now, I am still a little scrambled as I set things up.

I immediately ordered a cute Otter Box for it, and it will be here on Thursday. And then I will be settled with the new phone.

It is certainly thinner and lighter. I will feel so much better when the Otter Box arrives and I know she is protected.

When was the last time you got a new cell phone? And what are you using an Android or an Iphone? Pro’s? Cons?.

El Jimador

I have lived in this area for 16 years, and we have yet to find a local Mexican Restaurant that was any good. That was, until last night.

When we arrived at El Jimador, the parking lot was full and as we were shown to our seat, I glanced at what people were eating. It all looked good!

20588_829820047065767_8882375526155504882_n

Four of us went and each of us ordered a wonderful meal. My husband started off his meal with Sopa De Pollo, a wonderful chicken soup! We all tasted it and declared it marvelous!

Between us we ordered a Taco Salad, Steak Fajitas, Chile Relleno, a Tamale, Enchilada and a Beef Burrito. The portions were more than generous, and we brought home what was leftover for our lunch tomorrow.

The décor was nice, the staff was friendly and efficient, and we can hardly wait to go back. It is so nice when you find these places right in your back yard!

Monday Happenings!

July 15 13 004

Monday found us roaming around central New Hampshire going to the Kokopelli Store and then having lunch a one of our favorite places. We’re been enjoying “Canoe” for years. Their sweet and sour calamari and mussels in white wine and garlic are amazing.

Kokopelli has been revered since at least the time of the Hohokam, Yuman, and Ancestral Pueblo peoples. The first known images of him appear on Hohokam pottery dated to sometime between 750 and 850 AD.

Kokopelli may have originally been a representation of ancient Aztec traders, known as pochtecas, who may have traveled to this region from northern Mesoamerica.

Their store has many beautiful items and it was like going into an Indian Museum!

July 15 13 005

Here I am with my darling friend, and sister in soul, Candy. She was my dearest friend in Florida, and our friendship has continued throughout our lives.

July 15 13 006

We saw this woman in the lake with her little Chihuahua doggy. They floated around and the pup just loved it!

Mount Chocorua.

July 15 13 007

This is Mount Chocorua. At an elevation of 3,490 feet (1,064 m) it is the easternmost peak of the Sandwich Range. Mount Chocorua’s bare summit can be seen from almost every direction and can be identified from many points throughout central New Hampshire and western Maine.

July 15 13 001

Candy has made a friend for life! Greta! Greta also adores DeVere, and is currently all cuddled up to him, as I write!