The Dackel Princess

The Friday Five ~ December 30th 2022

Here we are the last Friday Five of the year. It seems that the older I get the faster time is flying by me. So, here we go!

I got all the wrapping done, loaded my car, and drove to my daughter’s house. I’m not sure who was more excited on Christmas morning. Me or the kids.
Heidi was a good girl and did not have one accident at my daughter’s home! Call me happy.Over the last year if Heidi gets excited she wee’s just a little. Those days appear to be over now!
I was lucky with my travels. On the way down I think I saw a dozen cars. Mostly, I just moved right along. The same coming home.
This year I did not go out for any after-Christmas sales. Just not in the mood.
I think this weekend I will put away all my Christmas items. Time to clean up, dust, and get the house back to normal.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Merry Christmas

Wherever you are, or what time zone you may be in, I wish you and yours, a very Merry Christmas.

My bags are packed and the presents too. I have also packed Heidi’s bag as she is coming with me.

Dear little Heidi leapt off my chair last night and hurt her back paw. I rested her today and she is worlds better. Of course, due to the frigid temperatures, (5-10 degrees F most of the day) she did not want to go out until she put her cape on. And she loves that fleece and leather cape and has refused all attempts to have me take it off.

Heidi and I leave early tomorrow for Mandy’s house. It will be wonderful to spend Christmas with Mandy and her little family!

So here’s to Christmas and all the joy the day brings!

Happy Birthday Amanda!

Today is my daughter’s birthday. A special day for her, but in the beginning, it was a very special day for her father and me.

Me & Amanda

Amanda was the first child born to us. She was healthy and happy and amazingly beautiful! We both immediately fell in love with our girl.

Amanda made me a mother and as I took care of her I realized that as each day went by, she was teaching me so much. It continues to this day.

She was a bright and alert baby, who seemed to grow up very quickly. Always sweet and loving, yet determined to set the world on fire.

Whatever she sets her mind to, she accomplishes, but perhaps her greatest accomplishment is the fact that she is a wonderful mother to her two kids and their 2 dogs and a cat!

Savannah & Amanda.
Quinn and Amanda.

I am so proud of the woman she has become. She is a self-made woman who continues to tackle challenges that many would run from.

So on this, special birthday, I wish her, good health, much happiness, and the fulfillment of all her dreams.

I love you so much, Amanda!

The Friday Five ~ Harry & Meghan

I was making an appointment for Heidi to go in for a grooming, and the woman said, yes next week on the 19th. The 19th? Is December really almost gone? Oh well, here is this week’s Friday Five.

I will start with having watched Harry and Meghan’s little docu-drama. I recall many years ago some said to me that if I wanted to have a good life, a life where people did not see me as a victim, then I had to stop playing that part. Meaning, keep your private things private and for goodness sake get along. Neither Meghan or Harry did this.
I fear that Harry has the worst case of sibling rivalry, and Meghan will never get over the fact she will never be Queen despite the fact that she came this close to telling Harry she hates his brother.
After several years of not seeing their children’s pictures, apparently, if you pay them millions of dollars they will show you. Cute kids
I did find inconsistencies in what they had said in previous interviews. (Hello Oprah) so I am unsure. I watch Judge Judy all the time and she says, “Just tell the absolute truth and you will never have to worry.”
I wish them nothing but the best. But now that they have had their say, it is my hope that they will stop doing things to make trouble. They can easily go off and live happily ever after in the mansion. Meanwhile, I just filled my oil tank to the tune of $974.00. If we are lucky it will last 6-8 weeks. This is not something H and M need to worry about, I am sure.

So that’s the Friday Five. All about Harry and Meghan from my point of view. I am not a professional, and these opinions are strictly from my observations.

Happy Heavenly 16th Birthday ~ Arnie & Anneliese

Sixteen years ago, Jack got up in the morning and I told him that I thought that Greta would be having her puppies soon. He examined her and said, he thought he could get a few runs in skiing, but to call if things got going, and off he went!

Greta right before giving birth. She was huge!

Greta looked at me, with eyes that related to me just how miserable her contractions were, and I knew that things were getting close.

Then, all of a sudden, things just sort of stopped. Then started again, and this went on for about an hour. I called the Vet. and I brought her in for an exam.

It was, of course, a Sunday, and so my Vet. had to get his staff to come in and assist in the Ceasean delivery. You see, we had one very large baby and then 4 “normal” sized ones. That was the day that Arnie and Anneliese were born.

I called Jack, who had just gotten up to the slopes, and he turned around and came home, and made their birth!

Arnie was the only boy, and Anneliese was born squealing loudly! I didn’t know then, which puppy I would want to keep, and I certainly never expected to keep 2, especially a male dog, as I had never been a boy dog fan, but I digress…

That was December 10th and by Christmas, I knew Anneliese was going to be my forever puppy girl, and two months later Arnie was rejected by the people who’d wanted to buy him. The woman’s life fell apart following a divorce, her daughter had run off with her boyfriend, and the woman lost her job. I told her she needed this friend, but she declined and he remained, forever with us.

Anneliese and Arnie as babies!

Now I couldn’t imagine life without my two little A-Litter Puppies. I call them “The Twins” even though they aren’t, and if they are outside I will call them “Puppies” and they will both turn their heads and run toward me!

Anneliese went on to have her own babies, and “Uncle Arnie” babysat and helped his sister out with them. It was just so cute!

And in life, they were the very best of friends. When I look back having sibling puppies it was one of the best things I have ever done, even if it was absolutely by accident!

All three, Mommy Greta and Annelise, and Arnie made it to their 14th birthdays. Having these fabulous friends was incredible. When Arnie passed three months before his 15th birthday I was crushed.

But here we are. Heidi is home and she has brought me such love and joy!

Happy Birthday to my Dackel Princess puppies. Knowing you was simply marvelous!
Anneliese, Arnie, Greta, and in front is our dear old Fritz.

The Friday Five December 9th

Well, here we are the end of another week. in just 21 days the year 2022 will end and we will start 2023. I am hoping and wondering what the New Year will bring. So let me give you this week’s Friday Five!

It’s now official. I have finished Christmas shopping for my family! I am so happy. I worry and fret about the gifts and making them happy.
Today I was returning some wonderful Merrell Winter Boots. For as long as I can remember I have worn a solid 10. Today I felt like the ugly step-mother in Cinderella who was trying to shove her foot into the glass slipper and could not. So, back they went.
I brought Heidi with me when I went to return the boots at the UPS drop off point, and I carried her in. First I think my girl is getting a little chunky, but when she saw my friend she was so excited she wee-wee’d all down the front of my coat and troussers.
This meant as soon as I got home, both Heidi and I had to shower and my winter coat went into the wash.
This weekend I have planned to watch Christmas movies while I wrap presents. I found the best wrapping paper. Santa flying through the air being pulled by a team of dachshunds! So very cute.

So that is the week that was. I am thrilled with gratitude that members of my family are feeling better after contracting Pneumonia and Covid.

Christmas is coming and I am really psyched!

The Friday Five ~ December 2nd

Here we are, December 2nd! Just a few more weeks until Christmas and then we bid 2022 adieu. So here we go. Our first Friday Five of December 2022!

I saw the most lovely Christmas Cactus at the grocery store. It was so beautiful that I had to bring it home.
Currently, all the buds are opening and I am enjoying it even more!
Heidi has this new game. She likes to sit close to my laptop computer and touch the screen with her nose, thus throwing off whatever I am writing about. Heidi is a little imp!
Tomorrow I will begin doing my Christmas cards. I’m not doing a letter, I will just write small personal notes inside each one. As it is, I am sending out fewer and fewer.
I have decorated for Christmas in a small way. I used to go the whole hog, but now I have a small tree and some decorations.
Lastly, I bet I will work all weekend on the cards, laundry, and some cooking. Jack has said I can cook anything, just not turkey!

3 AM ~ Really?

There are some things you absolutely must do with both a light and your glasses on. And so it was at 3:00 this morning after I had been outside walking the dogs.

At 3 AM I am really still in sleepy land. However, my darling Lili, who has been very nervous this week, woke both Heidi and me. I pulled myself out of my cozy nest of blankets and got on my coat, hat and gloves, and off we went so both dogs could commune with nature.

I flipped on the lights and the three of us ventured out in the thirty-degree, snowy, windy, weather. The first thing I noticed was that my lighter winter coat simply was not cutting it and I was freezing. Even my hat and gloves were not keeping me very warm. So as I stood there waiting I was urging them to hurry up.

When we came in, I rushed to give them each a little cookie, and then I raced back to my blankets. I’d hoped to fall right back to sleep, but then I heard noises from the kitchen and knew I needed to check it all out.

In the pale glow of the night lite, I saw two forms that worried me. With no glasses on and no strong light, the blobs resembled dead mice. I live in the country and at this time of year, a field mouse or two will try to gain entry to escape the cold. But there was no way I was touching anything without bright lights and glasses and gloves.

As I returned to the scene of the crime in the kitchen wearing glasses, and gloves and turning on the lights, I noticed immediately that both blobs were clusters of dried leaves that had blown into the house when I went out and then came back in. I laughed, picked it all up, and returned to my blankets.

All I wanted at this point was to go back to sleep, but Heidi and Lili wanted to play and Heidi was racing back and forth playing with Lili. So, I turned on my laptop, the morning news and here I sit at 4:23 AM writing about the mice that weren’t!

Today I will need to go out and get the mail, and it is my hope to start writing my Christmas cards.

And let me just say that as I close this at 4:30 AM, both dogs have gone back to sleep and it is once again quiet. It’s my hope that I can get back to sleep too!

The Friday Five ~ November 25th

This week was a very busy one. I worked all day and fell asleep early in the evening and managed a few naps too. In the end, the turkey was wonderful and it made all the prep work worth it. So, here goes.

Monday I drove home from my daughter’s home. I’d gone down on Sunday to watch, “The Wizard of Oz” starring my two grandchildren! This was six-year-old Quinn’s first play. He played Toto and can I just say nothing is cuter than a six-year-old in a puppy suit?
He did a great job and I felt so very proud of him!
Savi had several parts with solos. She played the Coroner who declares the Wicked Witch of the East dead!
She has a beautiful voice and I was so proud of her. She has been acting in plays since she was about 5 years old.
I had a chance to visit with my daughter and Matt’s Mom before and after the play, and both Heidi and I enjoyed spending the night. Monday morning we were up early, said goodbye to the kids as they left on the bus, and on the way home I stopped for last-minute groceries and gas.
Then the work began. I cooked all day Tuesday, and Wednesday, thinking that this would make Thursday easier. I was like a cat on a hot tin roof. By the evening, after two sets of dishes, I collapsed in my chair. Just around nine o’clock, Jack wanted dinner. I swear I wanted to scream. I made him soup and a sandwich. I then walked the two doggy girls and went to sleep.
There was sadness for us this Thanksgiving. The day before I was watching our local news when I saw our old farmhouse.
(It was the cover on the New Hampshire calendar in 1993)

I quickly turned up the volume and listened to the story. There was a fatal shooting there. It was later on that I learned that the man who purchased the Farm from us was the victim. He lived there alone as his family has passed away. We don’t know all the particulars yet, but it appears that the perpetrator was looking for a car and guns. Sadly the 83-year-old man trusted someone he should not have.

I lived there for several years after marrying Jack. I loved it there. The home was very old but had such character. It was built in the early 1800s this was really historical and quaint.

So, sadly this man has died, but thankfully police captured the culprit very quickly.

Today is make the soup day and clean out my pantry. I also watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” which is a reminder to me that as tough as life gets it is always wonderful.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

The quick and easy way!

1 Can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Orange Jell-o
Seedless Orange
Orange Juice
Orange Zest

In a saucepan, add the entire can of whole-berry cranberry sauce. Slice the orange, and use only the pulp sections of the orange. (peel away any white flesh.) Chop up and add to the cranberry sauce. Cut up the orange peel and run it in your food processor to make zest. Add 1 – 2 tbs to saucepan. Add approximately 1/8 – 1/4 cup of orange juice. Add one packet of sugar-free orange jello gelatin to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, and then pour into a serving dish. Cover and chill.