The Dackel Princess

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.

A Fresh Cup

Well, we knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of time.

In the last 3 years Kitchen Aid has replaced our coffee maker, which was under warranty, 3 times. Each time the machine died, it was well under the one year warranty, and a new one was sent to us. This machine made good coffee, and we liked it. However, we didn’t like the fact that it would only work for 6-9 months and then it would go kaput!

The last time it died we talked it over and decided that “when” it died again, we would simply begin the hunt for a new coffee maker. The trouble is, we like a lot of coffee, and always buy a 14 cup coffee maker. Those are hard to find, at least a good one is.

Since the exchange of pots always took a little time, we went out to Walmart and got a $25.00 Black and Decker Coffee Maker. The only trouble is, it only makes 12 cups.

Now the good news is, this cheapo pot, actually makes a fairly decent cup of coffee. I told Jack that I didn’t mind making two pots of coffee if needed, but I was tired of paying big bucks for machines that died in under a year.

So for now we are drinking coffee made in the cheapo pot, and actually enjoying it. I’m not in any hurry to rush out, spend a lot of money for a pot that gives us just two more cups. Maybe we have reached a time in our lives when we don’t need all that much coffee. Or maybe we are just tired of trying to find just the right pot!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What does/did Halloween look like at your house this year? Did you decorate? Pick pumpkins? Carve pumpkins? Expect trick or treaters? Wear a costume to a party or event? Make a costume? Feel glad you didn’t have to come up with a costume? Cook a Halloween themed treat? Eat all the leftover candy?

I did absolutely nothing for Halloween. Both Jack and I have had the flu, so we just let it slide. Now we can look forward to Thanksgiving!

2. What are you waiting for? Elaborate

Right this second? Well, I’m waiting for Jack to get up. He was up in the night coughing, so he is sleeping in today to catch up.

3. Do you wish you were friendlier, braver, more creative, more athletic, or something else? Explain.

Probably more athletic. I admit, I am a couch potato. I really have to kick myself in the butt to get up and exercise. And I really need to do more of that to get my strength back.

4. When it comes time to paint are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone? What was the last paint job completed at your house? What room most needs painting now? How do you feel about wallpaper?

I used to do all our painting and but since the cervical spine fusion, I cannot do it. I love wallpaper, Jack and I actually wallpapered two rooms in our old farm house years ago. It was so pretty, but at this point I like the clean fresh look of paint. The last paint job was in my bathroom, but after 17 years, the entire house needs to be painted!

5. What is one specific thing you felt gratitude for in the month of October?

Just one? I feel grateful for the time I spent with my grandchildren, daughter, sister and cousin. Time spent with people that you love, is probably the greatest gift in life.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I’ve decided that the house needs de-cluttering. I was talking to Jack about it last night, and I think over the winter the two of us will work on this. How did we get all of this junk?

My Spooky Encounter

I had an spooky thing happen to me today.

I’d ordered a small wallet/purse last week, in hopes I could lighten the load on my shoulders/neck and spine. It was so pretty, and even though it was a little pricey, I felt it was worth saving myself the discomfort of carrying a larger bag.

Well, I opened the box and sat down to transfer my stuff from my old purse to this new one. I started to take out the paper stuffing and I unzipped the inner pocket.

That’s when I found a bunch of personal papers from a woman named Ruth. She is 75 and lives in Charlotte, NC. The papers were her email and passwords, her eye glass prescription, and her United Healthcare Card. I tried to call her on the phone, but a recording announced that the number was no longer in service.

I stared at the papers and Jack and I talked. Did we think she had passed away? Had her family returned the pocketbook, without checking the pockets? The purse appeared to be in good shape, no nicks, scuff marks or any indication it had been used. But there were these papers…

I felt very unsettled. This was not a cheap bag. Did I really want to use a bag that possibly had been returned and maybe was the bag of a deceased woman?

Maybe it’s because today is Halloween, but I decided to return the bag to Amazon for a refund. After all, Christmas is coming, and I can use the money when I order Christmas gifts.

What would you have done? Am I being silly? Let me know what you think!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What’s surprised you most about your life or life in general?

I think the thing that surprised me the most about life, is how incredibly fast time goes by. It seems like just the other day I was 10 years old and I felt like time was dragging on, and nothing very interesting ever happened. Now, every day, the hours fly by, and here I am, almost 59 years old, and I know in the blink of an eye, I will soon be considered a real Senior Citizen.

2. Sweet potato fries, sweet potato casserole, a baked sweet potato, a bowl of butternut squash soup, a caramel apple or a slice of pumpkin pie…you have to order one thing on this list right now. Which one do you go for?

Pumpkin Pie. Not really in the mood for anything else.

3. What’s a famous book set in your home state? Have you read it? On a scale of 1-5 (5 is fantastic) how many stars does it rate?

“Our Town”. Our Town was first produced and published in 1938 to wide acclaim. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of life in the small village of Grover’s Corners, an allegorical representation of all life, has become a classic. It is Thornton Wilder’s most renowned and most frequently performed play. Definitely 5 stars!

4. There are 60 days until Christmas…have you started your shopping? How do you stay organized for the holidays?

I certainly have started my shopping. I decided to start looking around online, and I’m amazed at the good deals and how many items I have already purchased.

5. October 26th is National Tennessee Day. Have you ever lived or spent any time in Tennessee? Yes! Is this a state you’d like to visit one day? The top rated tourist attractions in Tennessee are-

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (Gatlinburg area),Yes

Elvis’s Graceland (Memphis), Yes

Birth of the Music Biz (Memphis and Nashville), Memphis yes, Nashville, no.

Dollywood (Pigeon Forge), Surprisingly, Yes!

Tennessee’s Military Heritage (many battlefields), No

The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson’s home), No.

The Parthenon (Nashville), Oak Ridge American Museum of Science and Energy, No

Chattagnooa and the Tennessee Valley Railroad, Yes.

Downtown Knoxville, No

Lookout Mountain, Yes.

The Titanic Museum (Pigeon Forge), The Museum of Appalachia (Clinton), and The Lost Sea Adventure (Sweetwater) No

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It will be two weeks on Saturday since the Flu came to call. I am doing better, but Jack has been very ill. He finally saw his Primary Care doctor today, and she loaded him up with medications. I just hope that both of us get over this thing soon.

Ode To My Toads

Well, it happened. This past week my beloved Toads went into hibernation for the winter. We’d had a few cold, cold mornings, and with the shorter days, it signals the time when the Toads hibernate.

American toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool with shallow water in which to breed, to gather their water suppliers in times of drought or as a routine, and for their early development. They also require dense patches of vegetation, for cover and hunting grounds. Given these two things and a supply of insects for food, American toads can live almost everywhere, ranging from forests to flat grassland.

Adult toads are mostly nocturnal, although juveniles are often abroad by day. When it rains, these toads will become active and can be observed eating robustly, worms and insects leaving their burrows and walking in front of an opportunist toad. These toads are ‘creatures of habit’ once they have a certain area they prefer to live within an acre of wooded forest with water in proximity for soaking, a home with cool ledges and window wells; they commonly seek cover in burrows, under boardwalks, flat stones, boards, logs, wood piles, or other cover. Our stone walls are perfect, and our creek as well.

When cold weather comes, these toads dig backwards and bury themselves in the dirt of their summer homes, or they may choose another site in which to hibernate. Their diet includes crickets, meal worms, earthworms, ants, spiders, slugs, centipedes, moths, and other small invertebrates. Some of these toads have been known to live over 30 years.

One of my Toads, I swear, has been living here for at least 5 years. And this year when I would talk to him, he would move his body toward my voice. He never tried to leap away in fear.

But now all three Toads have disappeared. Gone to bed for the winter. I will really miss them! Until next summer!

This & That From NH

Yesterday, despite still feeling under the weather, I managed to do three loads of laundry. I also did the dishes, and cooked a supper meal of red cabbage, and weisswurst. And for dessert, the last of the apple crisp.

Today I would love to change my sheets, and perhaps make another apple crisp. But changing the bed and getting in a shower, may be all I get done. Slow and steady!

A week ago (the last time I was out and about), the foliage was nice, but nothing to write home about. Today I can see across the lake, that the trees are gorgeous. And a few of my own trees are lovely as well. Wish I felt well enough to go for a ride.

The Hobo Railroad train went by here yesterday on an unscheduled run. The train goes from here to Plymouth, New Hampshire and back. It passes by our house at 11:10 AM and returns at 3:15 PM. Needless to say, I make sure the dogs are in. Today and tomorrow will be the last trains of the year. After this they will move the cars and engines up to Lincoln, NH for the winter.

I’ve been having some problems with the commenting on Dackel Princess. Once you are done reading this, could you take a moment and leave a comment? This will help my friend, Megan as she tries to find the broken link.

Thank You! And have a wonderful weekend!