The Dackel Princess

Sweetness Comes In Many Forms

Hubby went off to buy some essentials the other day, and when he came back he had gotten squeaky toys for the three dachshunds. They love them!

Arnie got some sort of raccoon animal that for about six hours went squeak, squeak, squeak! Greta got a big bow tie that although she liked it at first, she is mostly ignoring now, and Annaliese got a little red snowflake that also squeaks.

As I mentioned, Arnie has already de-squeaked his toy, Greta became bored with hers and Anneliese…well, she cares for that toy like she would a puppy. She carries it around the house, never squeaks too hard, and if you ask her where her toy is, she will run about until she finds it, and then bring it to her bed, where she promptly lays down on it! How different these fury beasts are!

It’s How I Say Yum!

I was sitting here today thinking about one of my favorite foods. Peanut butter! Smooth or crunchy, their is nothing like the incredible deliciousness of that salty, sweet taste of peanuts!

My first recollection of peanut butter was when Mom would make peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches! Oh be still my heart! There is nothing quite like a PB & Fluff sandwich!

I carried one of these in my lunch bag many times when I went to school as a youth. I never complained about it either. How could one complain about perfection. Especially when one could eat it with a cold carton of fresh milk!

A few times I had peanut butter with grape jelly. Now that’s my second favorite way to eat peanut butter. Store bought grape jelly is good, but later in my life when I learned to make my own Concord Grape Jelly, I learned what true nirvana was!

Yes, peanut butter is good with just about everything. Including things like banana!

That was Elvis Presley’s favorite way to eat peanut butter, and granted, in a pinch I’ve been known to eat it that way too.

Always served of course, with a glass of fresh, cold milk!

The Cold That Will Not Leave

During the time that I have been fighting this cold/bronchitis/pneumonia, I have slept and awoken at strange times.

Sometimes in the middle of the night I’ve been coughing so hard that I wake up and cannot get back to sleep. So I turn on the TV to watch something, and I have discovered something I long ago suspected, but wasn’t quite sure of.

There is nothing on the TV in the middle of the night! I click around and around and nothing at all!

I have watched documentaries on frogs, reruns of the Tonight show and even Conan O’Brien, who I really can’t stand, but at 2 AM, it’s any port in the storm!

Fritz loves it. He enjoys the TV and will actually jump around the bedroom while I click through the channels. The dackels are never bothered!

I was awake coughing so much Tuesday night, that I kept falling asleep during the day on Wednesday. I just have felt so run down and so tired.

And I wonder how much longer until I feel well? Have you ever had a virus that seemed to go on and on?

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What’s one thing you learned in September?

How truly loved I am. Going through my mother’s death and funeral, I found my family surrounding me with love and support. Even my little Savannah knows who I am, and shows me so much love. And since I have been sick, Hubby has stepped up and taken very good care of me.

2. Acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, yellow squash, zucchini squash, or blech! hold the squash… what’s your favorite squash? What’s your favorite way to prepare your favorite squash?

Butternut squash. I peel it, cut it into cubes, boil until tender, drain, mash with butter, brown sugar and a little cinnamon. Yum!

3. The older I get the__more sleep I need.

4. What’s your favorite television theme song ever?

5. What do you wish you’d spent more time doing five years ago?

Paying attention to keeping my weight off. Unfortunately, I didn’t and now I am back to where I was! (**groan**)

6. What item do you most need (or want) to add to your wardrobe this fall?

A comfortable pain of jeans.

7. On October 2, 1950 the Peanuts cartoon was introduced to the world. What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?

Always has been snoopy!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Well folks we are coming in on three weeks that I have been sick. I think I am a little better today…finally…but I sure have a long way to go!

I was thinking about things that are creepy crawly this morning. A friend had written about the fact that down under in Australia, as they begin having their spring, snakes are starting to emerge from their winter hiding places.

Now I don’t mind spiders or bugs. A fly swatter or rag in my hand is simple death to any of those unlucky suckers that think they are going to make my house their home! I can even deal with moles who are ruining my lawn, by grabbing a shovel and…well…putting them out of their misery!

But snakes? Well, no. I do not do snakes. In fact poisonous or not, I am simply terrified of them. I’m not sure why, but when I see them I am frozen with fear, as I scream my lungs out!

Looking back, their was a time I worked on an apple farm and I was out in the orchard putting fertilizer around the trees. Hubby’s white German shepherd, Britta was playing around the trees while I worked.

Well this good size snake slithered across my work boot and I froze and started to scream! Britta came running, grabbed the snake, snapped it’s neck, killing it instantly, before laying it at my feet!

I swear she was smiling, as she wagged her tail! I patted her and told her what a good doggy she was.

Years later I found a snake in our yard here in the Lakes Region. It was Easter, and I came right in and got my camera and Greta, as she loves snakes.

Unfortunately the snake was camera shy, but that didn’t stop Greta!

Happy Birthday, Uschi

Today is the birthday of my best friend, Uschi! Oh how I wish she lived just down the street and I could bake her a special cake and bring it over, with a bottle of champagne, and celebrate the day of her birth!

Friendship

There’s a miracle of Friendship
that dwells within the heart,
And you don’t know how it happens
or where it gets its start…
But the happiness it brings you
always gives a special lift,
And you realize that Friendship
Is God’s most perfect gift.
-Jean Kyler McManus-

So Happy Birthday, my dearest friend and sister!

Autumn Is Here

At ten past eleven this morning, the whistles blew and the first foliage train of year went by our house! From now until the first of November, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and some Mondays, the foliage train comes past our house, and then returns three hours later.

Today there were six cars full of happy tourists, who had traveled far and wide, to see New England at it’s finest and brightest.

Today was a perfect day for it! We had bright sunshine and clear skies, and our leaves are turning those marvelous colors of reds, oranges, yellow, and flaming coral.

Well the dackels love to get in the window and bark their little doggy brains out! I make sure to never have them outside when the trains come. The dackels are silly creatures who would want to chase the train! Fritz on the other-hand is happy to run back and forth in the yard, happily frolicking as the train goes past.

So Autumn is here and hopefully the weather will remain nice, so the leaves will last. They are just so beautiful and seeing them makes me smile!

Greta

On Friday morning while we sat drinking our coffee, Greta began shaking her head. It’s almost like a tremble, and I remember when she first did it I thought perhaps she was having a seizure.

After x-rays and exams, a few years ago, it was determined that she has a weird disc in her neck. I’ve seen it many times, but Hubby never had, until Friday.

I made sure he was able to watch her for a minute, and I could see the fear immediately come into his eyes.

I explained that what you need to do if this happens is carefully pick her up and put her gently down, and have her walk. Then the head shaking disappears.

He was pleasantly surprised to see the entire scenario. It’s sort of funny because Greta will be 10 years old in March, but Hubby has never seen her do this.

Of course she didn’t develop the weird neck disc until she was about 5 years old and slipped off the sofa.

But now he knows what it is, and what to do should it occur on his watch.

Hubby remarked that he believes that Greta knows what is happening and that she understands that I am making her well when I pick her up and get her walking. I would love to believe that this is the case.

There are times I would love it if I could have conversations with the dogs where they actually answer me back. How cool would that be!

Bulleting My Thoughts

I’ll be off to the doctor today at one o’clock. I woke on Thursday sick all over again. And quite frankly, I am sick of being sick! This has got to end!
Hubby got me one of my favorite vegetables yesterday and I am cooking it for dinner Thursday night. It is rutabaga! How many of you know this vegetable and like it?

I cook mine by peeling it, cutting into cubes and boiling until soft, then mashing with salt, pepper and butter!
It’s been a while since I have had any because the price was a dollar a pound! Crazy. This week it was on sale for 59 cents a pound.
I have started wearing my turtlenecks again. Autumn is here!
I have started a new book. “The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty. It is quite gripping and I am only in the first chapter!
I go back to the Plastic Surgeon on Monday. I can see where I still need work done, but we will see what he says.
Please pray for my recovery before then!
Hubby is picking apples now every day. Oh, they sure do taste good!
I think this weekend I will clean my closet out leaving just a few short sleeve shirts inside and packing up the rest for next year.
I need to break out some of my sweaters and get ready for cooler temperatures!
Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Poor Hubby

Hubby went off to a doctor’s appointment today and he offered to do the grocery shopping on his way home. So, I prepared a typed, detailed list, complete with coupons, of everything we needed.

Living up here in the wilds of New Hampshire, means our closest discounted grocery store is about 30 miles from our home. Getting reasonably priced groceries is not that easy.

He called at 4 pm and told me he was done with the doctors, and on his way back. Not too much time passed before I got another call and he told me he was just arriving at the grocery store.

I started to calculate when he would get home, I guessed probably about 6:30 pm. 7 o’clock arrived, then 7:30 and no Hubby. I wanted to call, but I worried about calling his cell phone when he is driving in the dark.

Finally at 8 o’clock he called. I figured he was on his way home by then, but he was still in the last store.

What a long day for him, and I am so grateful. Although I am so much better I’m still not up to being out and about in the world.

I have leftover lasagna for his dinner, or almost anything else he could want (except a steak). At this time of the night I’ll be putting away the groceries and then going to bed!