The Dackel Princess

The Wonders of Grandchildren

I had the pleasure of having my grandchildren for a few days. What a wonderful adventure. I learned so much more about each of them and was able to thoroughly enjoy the wonderful ages that they are. One is fully conversational now and the other tells wonderful stories with words that far surpass the actual age that he is.

Savannah was incredibly interested in me. She asked me about my previous marriage, what her mother was like as a little girl, and did I love dogs as much as she did? I could see the wheels turning in her head about what to ask me next.

I gave her simple answers for now. The only thing I corrected her about was when she asked if I was sick when I divorced her other grandfather. I told her no, but I was very sad. She asked then if I had loved him and I said yes.

She wanted to know how many years I was married to my former husband and then wanted to know how long I’ve been married to Papa Jack? 11 years the first time and 31 years to Papa Jack! She was amazed that Papa Jack and I had been married that long. I guess 31 years seems like a very long time to a seven-year-old!

Quinn is at the age where his imagination is running wild. He told me stories where he was the Super Hero with big strong muscles! He is extremely well-spoken for a three-year-old and his vocabulary is amazing! He wants to tell jokes, although he hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it. Still, I must say Quinn’s laugh is infectious! And I found myself really laughing with him!

It was nice to see that the kids felt at home with us here so that spending a couple of nights was easy for them. Both slept well and ate well, and played well. So the entire experience was a real success!

I hope we can do it again really soon!

A Memory – Arnie

This Post I wrote nine years ago today. I was telling Savi and Quinn the story and read them this post and we all laughed. So I decided to share it with you all again. I think I was a better writer back then, or perhaps I took more time. In any case, it’s inspired me to do better with my future posts! So, without further ado, here is a post about the amazing Arnie.

***************

This morning Hubby had to go off to help a friend with some logging on his property. He packed a bag of snacks in case he got hungry, and called Fritz to his side, then with Arnie watching his every move, opened the door to go. Arnie slipped by him and raced down the stairs in hopeful anticipation, that he too, would be included in the outing!

“Arnie!” Hubby called to him. “You come back up here right now!”

Slowly, Arnie made his way back up the stairs and sat down next to my feet. Hubby reached down and patted him, but Arnie was not invited to go.

Fritz and Hubby left and Arnie raced into our bedroom, which overlooks the driveway. He jumped up onto the steamer chest that’s in front of the window and put his front paws on the air conditioner and watched!

Aug 27 001

He whined and cried as he watched them get into the Jeep.

Before they started to drive up the road.

Eventually, I got him to hop down and keep me company as I went about my chores around the house.

Two days ago, I wore my favorite pair of dangle earrings. They’re golden hearts, and I love the sheer simplicity of the workmanship. In fact, I love them so much that I bought my cousin Janet the same earrings in silver. She loves them too. At her father’s Memorial Service we both wore these earrings without knowing that the other would wear them.

Anyway, I was tired the night I took them off and I put them on the table between our two chairs in the family room and promptly forgot them when I went off to bed. The next day, I went to get them and there was only ONE earring!!!

I searched high, I searched low. I went through the garbage, I checked pockets of my clothes. I looked under books, under phones, and under the laptop computers. Nothing. I spent several hours looking, even eying the four dogs, wondering if they had swallowed it!

Today, resigned to the fact that the earring was gone I went back to the shop I got them at to see if they had the same pair. They didn’t but offered to try and find them for me.

I came home, feeling quite sad but, well it is only a thing and things can be replaced eventually and so I should not dwell.

The phone rang and I answered and while speaking to my neighbor, I looked down at Arnie, who was tucked under the table. He had his stuffed soccer ball under there and sticking out of the ball was something shiny!

I jumped down and grabbed the ball and there it was! My other earring!!!

There are a few theories as to what happened.

Arnie found it when he was walking around and stuck it into his ball so it wouldn’t get lost.
Arnie likes women’s jewelry!
Arnie brought his soccer ball up into my chair when I was in bed and while toying with the ball, got it close enough to the earring to hook it into the ball.

In any event, I am thrilled to have my earrings reunited! They really are my favorite pair to wear when I want to dress up.

Aug 27 010

So Arnie can sleep wherever he wants tonight, and there will be a nice piece of steak in his food dish too!

Arnie, my hero!!!

Monday Musings

On Monday I figured I would bring the two grandchildren with me as I did my errands. I never thought too much about it. After all, I raised two kids who were closer in age than Savi and Quinn. So it should be a breeze with these two.

Well, mostly it was. But I worried a bit in parking lots and at the beach and at the Post Office. But, I managed with a great deal of joy in my heart. Especially at the beach. They loved that, and we are in fact going back tomorrow to swim.

I very seldom go down to Waukewan Lake Beach, (Say, like never), but it was really wonderful to be there and watch the kids swim. Tomorrow I will actually put on my swimsuit and go in too! Of all the things we did today, being at the Lake Beach made them the happiest.

I also must tell you about my darling grandson Quinn. He is three years old. And as we talked today I found out that we were having one of those conversations that any adult will lose. It goes like this.

“Quinn, be careful of Anneliese because she is pretty much blind”

“Why?”

Well because her eyes got a disease and she can’t see too well now.”

“Why?”

“Because she is very old.”

“Why?”

And so it went until I was ready to laugh!

I need to get the kids ready for bed now and then get myself in bed early too. 5 AM comes awfully early!

Pictures Say It All

I’m going to let these pictures say it all. They are having a good time and so am I!

And so are the dogs!

Grandchildren Are Great!

I think one of the greatest joys in my life is certainly my two grandchildren. With Savannah and Quinn, I get absolute, unconditional love. They bring me such joy! So when my daughter, Mandy asked if I could watch them while their Day Care/Camp was off I said yes! They will arrive in the afternoon.

Now I have planned meals and drinks and snacks and activities. I have books to read, Legos to play with, and coloring books to color. And I have every known color of Crayola Crayons.

I am thrilled with this visit and I feel like the luckiest Oma in the entire world!

The Friday Five

It was a somewhat crazy week this past week. I did get some things accomplished, but not as much as I would have liked. Still, as I sat down to write this today I realized just how quickly September is coming upon us. So as the summer winds down here is my Friday Five!

Anneliese is doing pretty well. At least she is not in pain. The doctor says she has a very dim, cloudy vision. She also will navigate better in the day as opposed to the dark night. But she is happy, has several spots around the kitchen and family room where she likes to nap and enjoy life.
After waiting part of the summer to get the upper portion of the driveway regraded, it was finally done. The next day, after a rain, a large portion of the ledge pack had washed away. I’m furious! The owner of the company that did the work is coming tonight. I hope he will fix the workers errors. I am quite upset about this!
Jack had a little fall last night and thankfully he did not hurt himself. I had gone to bed when I heard a great crash! I leaped out of bed and came into the family room to find him on the floor. He said his legs gave out when he stood up after sitting for a while. I helped him up and made sure he was okay before heading back to bed. He is okay today, just a slightly sore shoulder.
The sunset was just spectacular tonight. I was out with the dogs and snapped a few pictures.
I think I have Jack interested in Downton Abbey. That’s great because he will be interested to go to the movies with me when it arrives here in my little town!

Happenings

After WW on Wednesday (I stayed the same), I came home and did some cooking for Jack. I like to do some make ahead meals for him as it makes my fish nights easier. It’s not that he doesn’t like fish, but he doesn’t want to eat it as often as I do.

Chunky Tomato, Sausage, Meatball and Basil Sauce

On the stovetop today was a chunky sausage, basil and vegetable spaghetti sauce, and vegetable beef soup. Both came out well and half of each is frozen for last-minute meals.

I also watched three episodes of Downton Abbey, which brought me up to where my sister is with her viewing. Now we can talk and not give things away.

It’s not long now until the movie comes out!

This & That

It was incredibly hot and humid today. The kind of day that one expects thunderstorms, or should I say one hopes for them. We had many things to do today and by late afternoon I felt like a wet dishrag.

In the morning I was doing some cooking and prep work. I’m glad I did that because tonight I am too tired to cook, so we are having repurposed food!

Anneliese’s eye is doing so much better. Not that she is out of the woods, but I am thinking that some healing has taken place. She seems happier and in less pain.

By the end of the day, a migraine had found its way into my head. All I wanted was the coolness of the air conditioning and some quiet.

I found out today that I actually have two Downy Woodpeckers! They’re my favorite. Anyway, one was in the back yard and one in the front yard at the feeders! I am so lucky!

They are so small and beautiful. I could watch them for hours!

Lobster Fest 2019

Today my cousins Janet and Larry, and Janet’s husband Dave came up for our annual Lobster Fest. They stopped to pick up the Lobster, steamers and corn all fresh from the sea and the garden, on their way up here and they arrived by 10 o’clock.

I’d been cleaning and puttering all morning and I’d managed to set the table, put out the dishes and I got the pots we would need too.

The Lobsters before being cooked!

When Dave and I unpacked the loot, we worked together deciding which lobsters to cook in which pot and when and where to cook the corn and steamers. For those who do not know, Steamers are Clams.

My cousin Janet took this picture of Dave and me after we put everything we had cooked on the table!

Dave and I cook so well together. Since we had 5 pots that all needed full flame on the burners, we did a bit of juggling and in about 40 minutes (By this time it was about 12:45) we served up the luncheon. If anyone left here feeling hungry, it was their own fault.

I took this one of my plate.

We each had a two-pound Lobster, Corn on the Cob, Steamers, and Potato Salad. I never really appreciated the size of a two-pound Lobster until I found myself unable to finish mine!

Janet took this picture of her two-pound Lobster! Just look at that sucker!

I cleaned the rest of my Lobster, and the rest of Jack’s Lobster and we have enough for a nice meal tomorrow. I really must be getting old if I am unable to finish my Lobster!

My homemade potato salad with eggs. A real hit today!

One really great thing about cooking the meal with Dave was that at the end of the meal, Janet washed all the cooking pots. I managed to get all the other dishes into the dishwasher, but all those pots! She made quick work of them, and she told me that she really likes washing dishes. I’m thankful. At this point in the day, I was getting pretty tired.

So Lobster Fest 2019 is over and a success! I love eating Lobster, but more than that, I love getting together with my family! Thanks, Janet, Dave, and Larry!

Around the House

On Saturday the driveway man came to add more stone and ledge pack to the upper part of the driveway. The nice man worked half the day yesterday and all day today getting the driveway just right.

The lower portion of the drive is paved, but the upper portion was not done due to frost heave possibilities and in the winter tar would ice up badly, where ledge pack (compressed dirt) gives you a better surface.

The last time we had this done was 2008. So actually the surface lasted a long time. Then, like everywhere in New Hampshire, we grew a boulder in our driveway. Below you will see Lili standing next to it. It’s amazingly huge! But as I have said before, we grow ’em big here in New Hampshire!

As you can see, that is one big rock! I also want to brag a little about Lili. As we walked up our 500-foot driveway, she was barking at a neighborhood dog (who was on a lead) I called to Lili, telling her to “Come Here” and shock up shock, she came right to my side! That is something new. How it happened I am not sure. Perhaps she finally understands what I am saying.

When I got back to the house I remembered talking about our rather dangerous wall and the drop. Below is a picture I took. Once again Lili is my model.

I’m still watching Downton Abbey and loving every minute. I was speaking to my sister today and I mentioned how much our mother would have loved this. Our grandmother too. So when I watch, I pretend they are watching with me.