The Friday Five +One

The Friday Five

Another week has flown by. I remember being a kid and thinking that each day seemed so long, and the summers went by so slowly, and I remember feeling like I would never grow up! And here I am racing towards 60, and I look back and wonder where the heck the time has gone!

But for this week, here’s what’s been happening in my little corner of the world!

1. I saw my dentist at the beginning of the week. There is nothing major, but I do need some repair work done to the lower small teeth in the front. No cavities, but I’ve worn away the tooth edges on top of three teeth and they’ve been sensitive. So, the dentist will fill the tops of each of them and I should then be a lot more comfortable!

2. I’ve been watching my two favorite shows. Homeland and Roseanne. Homeland has really gone into some dark areas this year and although I have always loved Carrie, right now I do not understand her at all. I am enjoying the Roseanne reboot. Once again, Roseanne seems to be catching what it is like to be in the middle class, struggling for the very bread of life. But she also does this by showing a fierce loyalty towards your family. Your family may drive you insane, but in your mind and heart, you would throw yourself under a bus for them!

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3. I started my low fat, low cholesterol diet. I’ve been eating oatmeal each day, and berries, and lots of vegetables. Last night I cooked up chicken for dinner, with carrots and I think the change will also help get my weight on a tightly controlled scale. I’ve got to stop watching the Pioneer Woman, as she cooks almost everything with heaps of butter, tons of buttermilk, and so much of it is deep fried! I love it, but apparently it doesn’t love my arteries!

4. My hair stylist had a cancellation yesterday and she had me in. My hair had grown an entire inch in 5 weeks! We were talking and she asked how I’d done this? Well, better diet, and I am taking Biotin each day. I noticed that my hair grows faster, thicker and my nails also grow longer and stronger. It’s the Biotin, I tell you!

5. Lastly, I am off to babysit the kids next Saturday so that their Mommy and Daddy get to have some grown-up time. My plans are simple. I plan to get down on the floor, play Barbie Dolls, Lego’s, Dress-up, and anything else that those two beautiful babes want to play. I want to read books, and cook them their favorite foods and just plain have fun.

My Plus One this week, is the news that on Thursday I had another lesion removed. This one from my chest wall. It was quick and with the help of Novocain, mostly painless. I will get the results next week sometime. A few years ago, a Psychic told me that I would never again have cancer. So, I am hoping she is correct on that and that this is nothing at all to be worried about.

Have an awesome weekend everyone!!!

The Friday Five

The Friday Five

 

The week has flown by. I’ve actually accomplished so much, and I have been loyal to exercising every day. For the first time in well over a year I am feeling strong, healthy and well! So here are this week’s Friday Five.

  1. As mentioned above, I am exercising. A year ago after the infection, I was so weak that I could not walk more than a few steps in my driveway. I would come in and fall asleep. Now we are walking the full length of our driveway, and the full length of our street, and back again! All the while trying to keep up with Lili and Arnie!
  2. Today is bed changing day, laundry and I may even pull out the vacuum, (the big one!) and do the rugs and under the sofa, bed and mudroom. Or maybe not! (LOL)
  3. Wednesday we went grocery shopping for the holiday. Everything was on sale. We bought a small ham, a small boneless leg of lamb, and Prime Rib. All were under $5.99 a pound! In any case. I figured I would make the Ham on Sunday for Easter for Jack and me. However, at breakfast, Jack said that of the three he would rather have the Prime Rib for Easter.  No problem. Just a slight meal shift.
  4. Arnie suddenly became very picky about eating his food. Or should I say, he simply stopped eating. So we kept trying different foods until we found one with a good reputation and one he would eat. No small feat! It was pricey in the stores, but I checked with “CHEWY” and it was nearly half!  Arnie is now a very happy boy!
  5. As my week comes to an end, I am happy and content with the world around me. I am thankful for all the blessings in my life.

Happy Easter!

Beautiful Religious Easter Pictures (17)

The Friday Five

This week seemed to go rather slowly for me. I’m not sure why, I was actually pretty busy around the house, but I remember on Wednesday feeling like the week would never end!

It was a great week, and all was going well until Thursday. Then it went down hill for about three hours. Luckily, the craziness did not last, and by the time I sat down on Thursday night to write this, life had resumed at a happy, merry pace.

I can look back and laugh now, so when you read the list below, just laugh. It was a pain at the time, but I lived through it!

Now here we go!

  1. It started when we decided to go out for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant near our home. We’ve eaten there for ten years and have never had a bad meal. They usually have the best tea, and I always order Sesame Shrimp with Chinese Vegetables. I order that every time I go and I love it.
  2. Today when they placed the plate of food in front of me, I knew the Shrimp was bad. I could smell it! I thought I was imagining it, so I took one very small bite, and then spit it into my napkin. (In a very ladylike way!) No, it was spoilt!
  3. I called the waitress over and quietly explained to her what was happening. She didn’t know what to do, but after talking with another waiter, took my plate and offered me another meal. I ordered chicken and vegetables thinking this would be good, but it was horrible. I ate the white rice, finished my tea and set about leaving. The young waitress boxed up the food I hadn’t eaten and handed it to me. I should have left it.
  4. When we got home, I was carrying some groceries up the stairs along with the remains of the Chinese meal, when the container opened and spilled all over my coat, my pants, my shirt, and even got my socks! (The words of exasperation I used were not that of a lady!) I took off all my wet clothes in the laundry room and put them right in the wash! Fortunately I had clean, dry clothes right there that I could put on.
  5. Tonight Jack wanted some dinner, but I just scowled. I feel so over all food! I just want a nice hot mug of my grandmother’s warm milk and honey and a small pat of butter, before I go to bed. But because I am a good wife, I cooked Jack soup and made him up a plate of food to go with it.

So that was my wicked three hours, and in a few minutes I plan to go get my pajamas on, and get that mug of milk. The pups got me up at 5 this morning, and tonight I am one tired girl! But life is good and I am smiling again!

The Friday Five

This was another crazy busy week, with another wicked snow storm! I think the most interesting is that we had to go out the morning after the big snowfall, making me glad we had only gotten a foot of the cold, wet, white stuff! So here are the five things I am thinking about as the week comes to an end.

  1. Do any of you watch, “This is Us”? It’s my favorite show, and on Tuesday it was the last show of this season. I had to rewatch it so I could get all the small innuendos that were in the story-line.
  2. I watched a great program on National Geographic TV about Jane Goodall. She was the woman who has devoted her life to the study of Chimpanzees.
  3. As I said we had another big snow storm. We got close to 12 inches, but my daughter got more.
  4. This weekend I plan a nice quiet time. I want to wok on a few projects and just kick back a little.
  5. Next week is a busy week too. More snow is forecast, but best of all, next weekend I get to spend time with my daughter, granddaughter and grandson!

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The Friday Five

Computer Woes

Once again I am having computer difficulties. Jack offered to let me use his laptop to hunt down a new machine. So while I figure out what I want, and where to get it, I am also using his machine to update the blog. So, gentle readers, here are the Friday Five.

  1. Many people have told me to get an Apple Laptop. When I priced out, what I want in their machines, it was well over 3 thousand dollars. Should I spend 3 thousand dollars on anything right now, it would be a good vacation! So I’m not thinking Apple.
  2. There are several HP’s that I like, and I think we will take a ride to Staples, or BJ’s. I also think I may go to their web site and “build my own”.
  3. I was looking at computers on Amazon, but a lot of people complain about the fact that they feel they are getting refurbished machines and not new ones. I would ignore it if I read just one review like this, but it seems to be happening a lot.
  4. Aside from computer woes, I decided to deep clean my kitchen from the top down. It meant climbing ladders, and standing on the counter to wash the tops of cabinets, and really work to get the greasy film off the light fixtures. Well, the next day I could hardly move. You see, I have not worked my arms above my head, and in a washing motion in well over two years, due to my neck/spine problems, so yesterday I could hardly move! I took the day off to do laundry and this morning I feel much better.
  5. Tomorrow is Quinn’s birthday party. His actual birthday is March 7th, and that is when I will post his birthday montage. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the kids!

Well that’s it for Friday. I will try to “borrow” Jack’s laptop to add an entry to Dackel Princess each day. Hopefully, I will get my very own laptop soon.

The Friday Five

I am off for the first trip to my sister’s house in two years. We’ve gotten together other places, but not at her house. It is the weekend where we’re having the Memorial Service for my brother in-law’s Mom, and I really wanted to be there for that. But here are five more things I am thinking about.

  1. Jack took my car to the car wash and also checked all the fluid levels. I vacuumed and sprayed the car down with Fabreeze. It has the dusty, mid-winter smell.
  2. I have everything in the car accept my toiletry kit. Once I brush my teeth and do my hair, then that bag and my cellphone charger bag will get tossed in as well.
  3. The dogs are all depressed. They saw the suitcases come out, and they know I am leaving them. Jack will be here, but to them, there is nothing like Mommy.
  4. I put my “funeral” dress on today and the zipper broke. Not because it was under any stress, but just because it’s a crappy zipper. I shall wear pants and a pretty top to the service.
  5. I’m loving the new phone. I have it all set up for the trip. Yay!

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Friday Five

This has been a crazy busy week for me, and on top of the crazy business, my laptop once again, needs to be cleaned and updated. I start to type and the computer takes a moment or two before it shows me the letters. It’s been driving me mad, so I backed everything up, called my computer friend, Brad, and he is picking the laptop up on Thursday to clean her up. So, I am writing this on Wednesday night, so it will automatically post on Friday. Anyway, here goes…

  1. I finished up Mandy’s afghan and went about finding a new pattern so that I could work on my next one. I found a pattern I liked, and bought all the yarn for that.
  2. Now I had to decide what colors to use and what order to place them. There is a lot of thought that goes into making an afghan. Especially when it is for someone that you love.
  3. We went out for Valentine’s Day to one of our favorite places. They were offering Mussels in garlic, white wine and a cream sauce. Oh my goodness, they were wonderful! In fact the entire meal was, and I was so full, that I couldn’t eat dinner that night.
  4. On Wednesday we bought Lili a toy. Now you probably don’t think this is a big deal, but Lili is sort of the low man on the totem pole in our house, as far as dogs go. The dackels aren’t always kind, and they never share their toys. So, we bought her a new tug of war toy, and gave it to her. Well, you would think we had given her a million dollars. Not only does she love the toy, but I could see how happy it made her. It was so sweet!
  5. This weekend I plan to do laundry and crochet. And watch more of the Olympics. What’s happening in your world?

The Friday Five

The week just flew by. I was sort of down and out with a cold, and so the fact that from Monday until today I have pretty much kept in my pajamas and done nothing but sleep, crochet and marathon watched The Incredible Dr. Pol.

So, as the week closes out, these are the things I’ve been thinking about.

  1. Winter colds! Oh how I hate them. It wasn’t that I was particularly sick, but I was sneezing and coughing and was generally miserable. Thank goodness for good tissues and Hall’s Cough drops!
  2. This week we had two episodes of This is Us. Oh my goodness I cried almost the entire way through the Sunday night episode, and then again on Tuesday night. I still think this is one of the best shows on the TV right now. Probably because it evokes such emotions in me.
  3. We had another 10 inches of snow yesterday. Jack took the snow blower out Wednesday night and then again on Thursday afternoon. The snow is pretty, but really, I am so over winter!
  4. I am making great progress with Mandy’s afghan! It really is beautiful and is gets bigger and bigger I love how the variegated yarn has created it’s own color pattern through the afghan. I think maybe another month and it will be done. Possibly sooner.
  5. I’ll be going down to see my sister and attend her mother in-laws Memorial Service in two weeks. It will be so nice for us to be together during this time. We don’t get to see each other too often. Thank goodness for cell phones and unlimited calling!

The Friday Five

I seem to be list oriented this week, as we start the month of February. The first Friday of February, can you believe it?

I returned to Weight Watchers on Wednesday and here are my thoughts on getting back to taking care of my eating and my health.

  1. I returned to Class after nearly a year hiatus. Not because I wanted to be, but because 2017 was a tough health year for me I had lost quite a bit of weight, mostly because I could not eat.
  2. It was more than wonderful to see my old friends in Class. I got so many hugs, and so much love. If that isn’t encouraging, I don’t know what is. My main goal now is to finish losing the extra weight and to learn to make healthier choices!
  3. I stayed after class to learn about Weight Watchers new program. It sounds very good, but I have to tell you that my head is still swimming with all the information!
  4. I started out on Thursday morning, trying to make sense of this program. After lunch I felt a bit overwhelmed and also hungry. Now here is the deal, I had eaten a wonderful breakfast, and I spent time making a good lunch. There was no reason I should have been hungry, except you say “diet” to me and suddenly my mind thinks I’m starving!
  5. I’ve still got 19 points to use today, so I guess I will try to plan a normal dinner. I think chicken fajitas. I have steak fajitas for Jack. If I am lucky and this works well, by my birthday in November I will be at my goal weight.

The Friday Five

This week the Friday Five will center on my feelings about keeping Dackel Princess alive. I’ve been keeping her going since 2005!  It all started out during the Blog craze, where everyone was blogging. I was feeling frustrated having no where to share my thoughts about Shubi’s illness and my cousin Janet, and our friend Megan, suggested I start a blog. I tossed out several titles, and Megan like The Dackel Princess. And in May of 2005, Dackel Princess was born. So, here is The Friday Five for January 26th, 2018!

  1. Originally I wrote about Shubi. My very first dackel.

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My darling Shubi!

She had gotten sick in 2003 and I had no outlet for my feelings, as I watched her getting sicker and sicker with a disease called GME. (Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis (GME) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.) Shubi fought the disease valiantly, with monthly capsules of Chemotherapy, and high doses of Prednisone. Eventually I could see what the medications were doing to Shubi and I stopped them, and 2 years after her diagnosis, Shubi went to Rainbow Bridge.

2. When I learned Shubi was so ill and would not survive, I wrote to a friend in Germany telling her about it. She arranged for me to get a dackel from German Champions. After a phone call, where Jack used his best German, we arranged to go over in May of 2004 to get baby Greta.

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Baby Greta!

3. After Shubi’s death, we brought Greta to a German dog show where she got her rating. She was rated as Excellent! Then I found a German boy dog, who happened to live quite close to us here in New Hampshire and Greta became a mother December 10th, 2006 to five beautiful babies.

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Anneliese & Arnie when they were babies!

That was when Dackel Princess became a puppy blog. I wrote about the puppies and how they grew and of course Arnie and Anneliese stayed with me, and I wrote all about them. Anneliese’s puppies, and life amongst the hounds!

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4. But eventually I stopped breeding and then the grandchildren came and I began to write about them, my home, my love of cooking, traveling and photography.  Now I realize, that I may not be a dachshund, but because of my love for dackels, I am The Dackel Princess!

5. I’m not sure how much longer I will continue to write. I suppose as long as I have something to say. I love sharing my life, my thoughts, my recipes, with all of you. And I sure hope that you enjoy reading it.