The Dackel Princess

Thanksgiving 2017

Wednesday I woke up, sipped my coffee and went over a list of everything I wanted to get done the day before Thanksgiving. I admit, looking at it was a little daunting. But I got my handy Henckel knife, and started chopping up the vegetables for the stuffing, and one by one, I check off the items on my list, until at 6 PM in the evening, I was finally done. Exhausted, but done!

As I chopped and cooked and did dishes and then cooked some more (~~three,~~ four full dishwasher loads) I started thinking about my Mom. For years and years Mom cooked Thanksgiving for our extended family. Gram and Uncle Betty used to help her, but mostly she did the work on her own. Just like me. Here are some of the things I made.

My famous Chestnut Stuffing.

My Apple Crisp.

Pumpkin Pie.

Mince Tart.

I’m using almost all of her recipes now, and as I was doing my cooking, I could almost feel Mom around me. It made me think of the movie “Julie & Julia”. Julie could feel Julia when she cooked and today I could feel Mom while I cooked. And the nice part is, everything came out really well. At least so far.

Tomorrow my biggest jobs will be cooking the turkey, the squash and the potatoes. Aside from that everything is pretty much done and ready to go.

I’m pretty tired tonight (Wednesday) so I’ll be in bed by 9 o’clock! After all, in the morning I am up to stuff and get that pretty 15 pound bird into the oven!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Tradition…how tightly do you cling to tradition when it comes to holiday gatherings and celebrations? For instance do you always do the cooking, never eat at home, always go to grandma’s, never miss the parade, always watch football, never change the menu, always eat at 2 PM, etc.? Have you ever celebrated Christmas or Thanksgiving away from hearth, home, and family? How did that feel?

I really am a traditionalist. I love to cook and I love certain things, like Chestnut Stuffing. As a child we always went to my home. I mean, the family would meet up and my Mom did the cooking. She was a pro. I have been out to restaurants a couple of times, but didn’t really like that. It lacked the personal touch. I’ve also been over seas in places that did not celebrate Thanksgiving and I felt a real loss. I think one of the strangest Thanksgivings was when we took a cruise. Oh they had most of the things you would associate with Thanksgiving, but somehow it lost something in translation.

2. Help…is it easy for you to ask for help or are you a do-it-yourselfer? How is that a good/bad thing?

It’s terribly hard for me to ask for help. It has been all my life. Even during times when I really needed help. This year with the surgery and Staph infection, I finally learned how to ask for help. It’s still hard, but I have learned that at times you need to ask and then be grateful in return.

3. Abundance…what is there an abundance of in your kitchen?

Right now? Eggs and butter. That’s because tomorrow is baking and cooking day. I’m making pumpkin and mince pies and apple crisp. I’m also making Chestnut Dressing, and of course there will be roasted butternut squash, mashed potatoes and of course the gravy!

4. Name…the smallest thing you’re thankful for? the biggest?

The smallest things are often the biggest things and the biggest things the smallest. I am thankful for the health and wonder of my daughter and grandchildren. I am also thankful for Jack’s return to health and I am ever so thankful that I beat the Staph infection, so I am here to enjoy life with these people. I know I didn’t actually answer the question, but I think you all understand.

5. Key…What do you think is the key to living a more grateful life?

Take nothing and no one for granted. To look for the positive things in life and to be present in the here and now.

6. State your own random thought here.

I am so pleased that this year I am well enough to be back in the kitchen cooking away. I have printed up all my recipes, and have each item planned out as to preparation and cook time. Tomorrow I will also put the leaves in the table and start the process of setting that up. Oh, the excitement is building!

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Everyone!

My Birthday & Getting Ready For Turkey Day!

Life has been wonderfully, happily, busy. My birthday was the nicest I have had in a while, as I spent it first with Jack, and then the next day with Mandy, Matt and the children. My cousin’s Janet and David, also came, which just made the day even more special! Mandy and Matt worked really hard to make a lunch of shrimp corn chowder, and grilled chicken and steak tips. Also salads and wonderful, big, baked potatoes! And of course, my favorite chocolate cake with butter cream frosting.

But the best of all, was that I got to spend the day with Mandy, Matt and their kids. Savannah is now five and a half years old and incredibly grown up. I remember thinking that I could hardly wait for her to grow up so we could have real conversations. She tells me wonderful stories about her life and what she likes to do. She just lost her first tooth and proudly smiled all day to show me!

She enjoys dancing, singing and playing. Oh yes, and she likes dressing in dresses every day. She really is a girlie, girl!

Our darling Quinn is growing so fast. He will be 2 in March, and I feel like he is way ahead already. Physically he runs, jumps, and plays with toys that require manual dexterity with his hands. His vocabulary is broadening, and he speaks pretty clearly. And probably the most important thing about Quinn, is that he has a fabulous sense of humor! During dessert, he wanted to feed me my birthday cake. Oh yeah, when this kid smiles and laughs, my heart melts!

Sunday, Jack and I just hung out and did really productive things like take a nap. It’s funny how it goes, but the closer I get to sixty, the more I find that a one hour nap recharges my batteries.

Monday was the day. Shopping for Thanksgiving. We took our time getting things together for our trip to the grocery store, and headed out about 11:30. We entered the grocery store and the first thing we saw was real German Marzipan Stollen! Two boxes immediately flew into my cart and on we went!

They had beautiful fresh turkey’s for 89¢ a pound. We flipped them around until Jack found a 14 pound bird that had nice full breasts! As I am a while meat fan this is crucial! I also got extra turkey necks so I can make my own home-made gravy! I got my chestnuts. Real, uncooked, chestnuts. I will soften the shell, then roast them in the oven and then peel. These little gems will be added to my stuffing!

Vegetables and potatoes jumped into my cart, and before I knew it, I’d filled the grocery trolley with all my Thanksgiving food, while visions of recipes danced in my head.

We drove our car up, around, and behind our house to unload all the food. Neither Jack or I could have handled the number of trips up and down the stairs to unload the car. This worked, and the groceries got put away!

Today I start Physical Therapy on my neck and Wednesday is my cooking day. Pies and stuffing will be made, and potatoes and butternut squash peeled and chopped.

That’ll make Thursday that much easier for the Cook…Me!

It’s That Time Of The Year!

Today I turn 59 years old, as another year has passed and another birthday is upon me! Isn’t that great? I love having birthdays and I don’t even mind the fact that the number immediately following my name keeps climbing. You know, if there was ever a newspaper article written about me it would say, “Maribeth, The Dackel Princess, age 59…” No, it’s just fine that the number keeps gaining on me. I don’t mind at all!

As today is the day I am celebrating my life, I wanted to share with you all a short montage of me and the people in my life that make my life full and wonderful.

Thanks for watching!

Thursday Thirteen

I haven’t done this in a long time, but I thought it would be fun to do a Thursday Thirteen about me, on this, the day before my 59th birthday! So here goes. Thirteen things about me!

I was born in Wareham, Massachusetts. Mom said it was a bitter cold day, but nice and sunny. I weighed in at 9 lbs and 1 ounce, and was 23 inches long. Mom swears I nearly killed her.
I was blessed to have a brother, Dickie, who was 7 years older and a sister, Melodie, who is 5 and a half years older. When we were really young we did a lot of things together. One time we rented a cart, where two people peddle and the three of us drove all over town. Many of our parents friends were amazed to see us actually wanting to spend time together.
When I was 8 years old I played Gretl in the Sound of Music. That was a big time in my life. I learned my lines with my Mom helping me. I found it actually quite easy as I had a fairly decent memory. I also love to sing and the Sound of Music songs were simply the best. Looking back I think it was this time in the community theater that gave me so much confidence.
The first time, I married young, and had two beautiful daughter before I turned 20! Despite the fact that the marriage didn’t last, at least I can say that we have remained friends.
My daughters were the best thing that ever happened to me. Giving birth to them, raising them, and watching them grow, are at the top of my list of all time most fabulous things!
Seeing Mandy grow in her life and have her own children, and a successful career also makes me feel very happy for her. My daughter is the most amazing woman. I am so proud of her!
Finding Jack and having a successful second marriage also has brought great happiness and a lot of adventure and love. It also helped me believe that love can find you the second time around,
Becoming a grandmother is the best thing ever. I remember holding Savannah for the very first time. Oh the joy that welled up inside me, cannot be described. Looking in to that beautiful little face, It was as if I had known her all of my life. Even now, five years since her birth, I still feel as though Savannah has always been with us. And my love just keeps growing and growing.
The same could be said about Quinn. I held him just a couple of hours after he was born and the moment I held him I knew, that he, like Savannah, had captured my heart and each time I see him, my heart grows a little more.
You know, that is the thing. Those two little ones, have a place in my heart and soul that I didn’t even know existed! Oh yes, being an Oma, a grandmother, is just the best.
I am also blessed with the fact that I am best friends with both my sister, Melodie and cousin, Janet. I have literally known them all my life and cannot recall a time when they were not there. These women love me unconditionally and this is a wonderful thing.
I also have met several women that have become sisters by choice. These women are always there for me and I am blessed. You know who you are! I also have made friends with several men who are like brothers. Especially my brother in-law, Ron. I have known him since I was 8 years old and the night of my car accident, he sat with me in ICU. My other “brothers”, also know who they are and I thank you all!
I love my dackels! I first saw a wire-haired dachshund when I went to Germany with Jack to meet his dear friends. They had one, named Shubi and it was love at first sight. I knew then that I had to have one and I dreamt of breeding them. I did not know then that I would breed Greta and keep two of her babies. Raising a brother and sister from the same litter has been one of the most interesting and loving parts of my life.

Life Right Now

I woke this morning to a dusting of snow. Very pretty, couldn’t get much better, until I glanced out my window and saw this:

Quite an amazing morning sky. As I sipped my coffee, I felt that this was a great way to start my day despite the fact that it was 6:45 AM!

The hounds were restless this morning, so I thought it was best to get up and take them out.

After a month of plugged up ears, my Primary Care doctor has referred me to and Ear, Nose & Throat doctor. I wonder how long it will take to get an appointment with them.

This is a happily busy week ahead for us. We have appointments all over the place, my 59th birthday is Friday and we are celebrating on Saturday with Mandy, Matt and the kids.

You know, no one ever tells you how wonderful being a grandmother is. I couldn’t possibly imagine loving any children as much as I loved my own, but this whole grandmother thing, is…WOW! When I see those little faces, smiling up at me, when I feel their arms around me, with the best hugs a woman can ever get, I feel like I have one the best Lottery ever!

I also know I would do anything, go anywhere, to help out my grandchildren anyway I can! They have me totally wrapped around their fingers! And in the very best of ways.

You see, I really like my grandchildren. They are sweet, nice, and kind little people and the way their parents are raising them, I just know they will become incredible human beings.

Okay, enough with the grandmother bragging!

As my friends on Facebook know, Greta is not doing so well. She has a urinary tract infection, as well as geriatric problems with her hind end. We’ve started her on antibiotics, continuing the Metacam (anti-inflammatory/pain reliever, and keeping her comfortable. But very soon, I am afraid, Greta will be going to Rainbow Bridge.

Well, time for me to do my wifely duties and make breakfast! Have a wonderful day!:

God Bless Our Veterans

I am grateful to all the men and women who have served our country. Also grateful that my Veteran Husband, Jack came home alive from Vietnam.

A very young Jack.

Hubby served in the early 1960s in the Army. He was a fixed-wing pilot on the Otter and the Caribou Aircraft.

Here is Jack with his Army Aviator friend, Jim. They’ve been friends all these years.

This group of men had flown Otters and Caribou aircraft during their time in service to our country. This museum had a beautiful Caribou aircraft for all to see.

Now, in Jack’s later years, it is Jack and I going through his Agent Orange Health problems. We’ll get through it. I am just so grateful that Jack made it back. If he hadn’t I never would have known him or had him in my life.

The last thirty years have been good ones for us. And on this Veteran’s Day, I am so grateful to have my Veteran sitting next to me at home.

God Bless the Men & Women of the Military. I thank them all for their service.

Happy Birthday Katie ~ Always

This would have been Katie’s 39th Birthday. It seems so strange to me when I think about it because when I see her in my mind, she is forever six years old.

But I wanted to remember her, on this special day. For her birth was one of the happiest days of my life. I miss her so much, and I think I always will. I can still hear her voice, and see her bright shining smile.

So Happy Birthday, my little Angel. I miss you, and love you, and think of you every moment of every day.

In Memory of Katie from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Here, There, & Everywhere!

I raced around on Monday, as I had two appointments, both incredibly important and yet very close together. The first was with my hair stylist. What can I say? Almost any women will tell you that their monthly meetings with the hair stylist is at the top of their list of important things to do. And so it was with me. High noon!

My stylist worked feverishly fast, but some things take time, and I was out the door at 1:30 PM, headed to my next appointment, which was with my Primary Care Doctor. I raced to that, through the rain and fog, and was only 5 minutes late. Good thing he was running late too!

Since recovering from the flu, (and yes, he said it was the flu) I have one ear that is totally stopped up. Not infected, but the Eustachian Tube in my left ear is blocked. Giving me poor hearing and an altered state of understanding what people are saying to me. After all the probing, I now have an ear ache, which is just thrilling, (Not!).

So for now I am on two different nasal sprays, and if I am not better by Friday and appointment will be made with the Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors.

Meanwhile, as promised I went into the formal living room, and removed 4 boxes and actually threw out three things, and set aside a large bag of clothes to go to the charity shop! A great start!

Weekend Wrap

This last weekend I found myself starting to get back into the swing of things. I made the most awesome Apple Crisp, did some housework, and worked on some crocheting that I am doing. Friends stopped by to pick some apples, and help Jack in the yard with Autumn cleanup. And today, for the first time since September, Jack and I are driving to the closest Market Basket and doing a big shopping.

This coming week, I would like to take part of each day, to work de-cluttering part of one room, each day. I plan to start in the formal living room. It’s the living room we have, but honest to goodness, never use. I would like to get all the junk out of there, get it all vacuumed and dusted and then close the door. After that, the formal dining room is on our list. And if you guessed that we never use this room either, you would be right. But I want it de-cluttered and vacuumed and dusted and clean.

The third room to work on is the office. Mostly because I can see the contents of the living room and the dining room, ending up there. Then it will be time for me to make the big decision about what gets thrown out.

Over the winter Jack and I want to clean the basement and get it all organized too. Both of us figure it is just time to de-clutter and get the house in order.

Next spring I would like to get the inside of the house painted and so all this cleaning has a purpose.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.