The Dackel Princess

Guarantees & Warranties

There are three things I seem to have a lot of trouble with. Bed pillows, laptop computers and coffee makers. It seems like there is some grand scheme to keep me from being able to buy one that lasts past the warranty!

The other day the coffee maker went. I mean literally, it stopped working. It’s the second one I have had of that model, and since they only last right up until the warranty expires, I will not be getting another Cuisine-Art one. I liked the features, but I also would like a machine that lasts longer than 1 year or two.

My problem with pillows is that they get flat too fast. I bought a nice one a month ago, but it is already flat. There is no guarantee about the fluffiness of ones pillow, so it is a lose, lose.

The whole laptop problem I solved by buying the extended warranty package. and so far, so good.

But I do need to get that new coffee maker tomorrow. The old, back-up one really makes lousy coffee!

What I Did Last Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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This weekend was the time that I went down and saw my Mom, for what will be the last time in this world. She is very close to death now, and as various members of the family have come to see her and share the love. It’s all she wanted in the end. To see her great grandchildren, grandchildren and daughters one more time. To feel that the karma was all right with us. To grab one last memory before she goes.

She told my sister on Sunday that she is ready now. Her body is painfully full of cancer, and she can no longer move. She is ready to go to the next level.

I catch my breath. A sob is just suck in my throat. As much as I want her released from the pain, I just cannot imagine her not being a phone call away.

After all these years arguing with her, and making up and trying again, now she will die and there will be no tomorrows.

She is the last of her generation. The others have gone. My wish for her now is peace. Peace and to be free from the pain of this terrible thing called cancer.

Now we must wait. She must wait. I hope that God is merciful and brings her peacefully home.

We Never Really Say Good-Bye

My Mom is fading very fast. Saturday I had to say goodbye to her, as I know this is the last time I will see her in this life. I held her hand, kissed her face and brow, and spoke gentle words of love. I reminded her that even if we don’t see each other, we will live on in each others hearts and souls!

Keep a song of joy inside your heart
Even though the time has come for us to part
We’ll be together soon and time will fly
Cause we never really say goodbye

Don’t forget the love we shared today
Sweet memories to keep us warm along the way
I’ll hold you in my heart so don’t you cry
Cause we never really say goodbye

Time may come between us
But it doesn’t mean a thing
You know we’ll be together in our dreams
And so tonight, my friend, sleep tight

And keep a song of joy inside your heart
Even though the time has come for us to part
We’ll be together soon and time will fly
Cause we never really say goodbye,
We never really say goodbye

Our Visit

Today, after another drive through torrential downpours, we arrived to see my Mom at Hospice. My cousin, Janet was with me and thankfully she did the driving for me. Even with her at the wheel, we had to drive 50-55 miles an hour as the rain was so heavy and ponded in the road!

Mom was thrilled to see us, and delighted with the slide show of her past.

But I noticed early on, as did my cousin, that the spark is out of my mother’s eyes. She is merely waiting for the good Lord to take her home.

Since she has entered Hospice, we expect that she will not be with us too many more weeks. If that.

Around three o’clock, Janet and I left to go and check in at the hotel. Little did my mother know that we were also meeting up with Savannah and Mandy!

Imagine her delight when they walked in and my mother saw them!

Aug 09 13 015

Savannah was her usual wonderful, charming self and she entertained us all. What a little darling!

Mom watched her play.

And enjoyed her beautiful smiles and curls!

Later at the hotel, Janet sat reading to Savannah.

Running

This morning I had planned a quiet day. It was also heart-worm/flea/tick day too for the dogs. I went to get their medications out and I had everything except the heart-worm pill for Fritz!

So, I called the Veterinarian, and headed to her office. I had just enough time, literally, to drive over and back so I got to my physical therapy appointment for my foot. After that, I went to get the mail, and by then it was after lunchtime and I was so hungry I went to McDonald’s and bought two Southwest Salads.

I came home, had lunch, cleaned it up and worked on making the Mixed Moon Glow Pickles with Hubby.

Once those were cooked, canned and processed, I sat down for a few minutes, before I had to pack my clothing and stuff for my trip today (Friday) to Connecticut to see my Mother and my sister.

Mom has officially entered Hospice Care and it is just a matter of time. They moved her to a private room now, and she was crying. I think it’s because she is scared.

How I wish that this passing could have been more peaceful for her. Somehow, it does not seem right that someone has to suffer with cancer and the fear of dying.

I’m actually sitting still right now, and yet I still feel like I am running. Maybe because I know this is the last time I will see my Mom alive. This is good bye.

Me, Mom & Mel a few years ago.

Heavenly Peach Jam

4 lb. peaches skinned and mashed
7 c. sugar
2 oranges juiced, 1 orange skin chopped fine
1 small jar maraschino cherries, cherries halved
1 box Sure-Jell

Once again the photo is courtesy of my cousin, Janet Spering Laurencelle!

Peel peaches; remove pits. Mash peaches; place in large sauce pan. Add sugar; mix thoroughly. Peel orange; cut rind of 1 orange into very thin slices (or use food processor). Squeeze juice from both oranges; remove seeds. Add orange rind and orange juice to peach mixture. Add cherries. Let rest overnight.
Bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes. Add Sure-Jell; boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly until jam begins to jell.. Ladle into sterilized jars, cover with sterilized lids and set to cool.

Yields about 9 (12 ounce) jelly jars.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. The first week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week…what’s one thing you could do this week to qualify as a participant?

Yesterday I took half an hour and wiped the counter tops in the kitchen, spread a pretty table cloth on the kitchen table, and cleared a spot for the dog cookies on the shelf!

2. It’s also National Peach Month…peach pie, peach cobbler, or please pour me a Bellini? What’s your peach pleasure?

Heavenly Peach Jam! I will once again be making it. It is a lovely jam with maraschino cherries and thick chunks of peaches. (Recipe follows tomorrow)

3. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Agree or disagree…explain.

Disagree. I have had a very scary life, mostly because of things beyond my control. No, for me it is to live life each day and find peace in it!

4. What’s your favorite household chore? Yes-you have to name one.

I love to cook…most of the time! By cook I do not mean bake, I mean prepare a nice dinner for Hubby, me, family!

5. Fodors recently listed (what they’ve dubbed) the ten most beautiful sunset spots in America. Click here to read more and see the pretty pictures, but this is their list:

Four Seasons in Miami FL, Gay Head in Martha’s Vineyard MA, Mallory Square in Key West Florida.

Have you seen the sun set from any of these spots?

Yes, I have seen sunset from the three spots above. Of those, Key West was spectacular.

If you could choose to watch the sun set this weekend from one spot on the Fodors List, which would you choose?

Hawaii.

Where was the prettiest sunset you’ve ever seen?

In my own front yard.

6. What’s your favorite or most used app? If you don’t use apps how about your favorite or most visited website?

Why Dackel Princess, of course!!! I also use Facebook a lot.

7. We’ve recently passed the halfway mark for 2013…write a seven word sentence that sums up your year thus far.

Many surgeries, nice to be cancer free!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I’m going down with my cousin, Janet to see my Mom this weekend. I have the slides all scanned in and cleaned up. I am so happy I can show her these. She is fading fast, and I know that she is not long for this world.

Here is Mom and me with Daisy. In the basket is Daisy litter of kittens. I guess I was destined to be an animal lover!

Memories

I had an idea to look for some of the kids that were in The Sound of Music with me. I couldn’t fine them, but, I found the brother of one of the girls. I wrote to him, hoping to be able to send his sister copies of the slides.

He wrote right back to me to let me know that she had passed away a couple of years ago in an automobile accident. But, he would love to see the pictures!

I sat right down and sent them off. You see it dawned on me that if someone contacted me and offered me pictures of Katie, I would be desperate to see them!

I think that’s the hardest thing after you lose a loved one. The pictures stop.

I hope today, that I was able to bring some happiness and peace to her brother.

You see, pictures do bring back all the love in our hearts and the good memories that we have.

What I Did This Past Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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I’m still working on the scanning, but I have good news! Yesterday I could not find the slides from the community theater’s production of The Sound of Music that both Mel and I were in! I was almost flipping out, but Janet told me to chill, and that she knew they would turn up.

This morning, about the time I had totally given up, I moved a box and there they were! Oh, Mom will be so thrilled to see them!

So I spent all day scanning slides, and working to organize them. Tonight (Sunday) I want to crop, and clean them up.

Here are a few to look at just so you can see how cute Mel and I were back in 1966.

That’s me. The little one on the left. I was the youngest cast member in the play. I played Gretel. I had just started first grade and my Mom helped me learn all my lines by reading them to me and having me memorize them. Songs were easy. In that way, I was like a little parrot!

Here I am singing a solo! I look back and I wonder how I was ever brave enough to sing in front of all of those people! I don’t remember being frightened, it was all a great adventure!

This is me with the woman who played Maria. Jane, (her real name) was a wonderful lady. She was friends with my family and always took time out with us kids. We all loved her!

Here is Melodie playing Louisa. She was in the second cast of kids. In the line at the far left, the young boy was named Timmy. He was my sister’s good friend and mine as well. Shortly after the Sound of Music, Timmy was ice skating at a pond in back of his house, when he fell through. His mother saw him and tried to help, but sadly, they both perished. My sister named her youngest son after him.

Dear Melodie, and Burke (who played Captain Von Trapp)

Well,hope everyone has a good Monday. It’s back to scanning for me!

Mom continues to get worse. I feel like I am under the gun to get this slide show done for her to see when Janet and I go down on Friday.

Lobstah & Steamahs

I was sitting around scanning in old slides, when my cousin sent me a message. What was I doing? Nothing much.

The next thing I knew we were planning an adventure. A summer dinner of Lobster, steamers, corn on the cob, potato salad, and my Moon Glow Pickles.

I was busy cooking, but Janet managed these pictures of our wonderful meal!

All lined up!

All set, with melted butter!

Waiting for theirs.

Even dackels need their lobster!

This was a nice, relaxed visit, and the food sure was great! Thank you Janet & Dave! As is with most good things, their visit was too short, but on Friday Janet and I are going off on an adventure!

All for now. It’s late and this girl had better get to bed! Happy Sunday, everyone!