The Dackel Princess

1. What are three words you would use to describe your 2011?

Happy, Fruitful, Loving.

2. Do you like shrimp? What’s your favorite way to have it prepared?

I love shrimp. I don’t think I really have a favorite way to eat it, but I do know that Shrimp Fra Diavolo and I do not agree, but almost any other way is terrific!

3. Is your house de-Christmased? If so when did you tackle that job? If not, when will the decorations come down?

Not yet, but by the end of the week, I will have taken it all down. My tree is a big job. Since I use an artificial tree, I have to take it down, section by section. First the tinsel and garlands, (I reuse tinsel), then the ornaments, then the lights then the sections of the tree. It’s a big job!

4. Do you like to watch scary movies?

Nope, not at all. Real life is scary enough!

5. ice skating~sledding~skiing~snowboarding~of the four listed which wintertime activity do you most enjoy?

I have enjoyed all but snowboarding, in my life. At different times, of course. I skated and sledded as a child, and now snow ski.

6. Did you have a childhood hideout? Describe it.

Up until I turned 10, I could hide in the upper branches of a tree in our yard. I often hid there to escape. We moved and after that I would take off to my Grandma’s house. I always felt safe hiding there.

7. What’s a place or space that motivates you?

The kitchen. I love cooking and trying new things, so when I am in there, I simply love it! Just call me Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray or even…Julia Child!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Well, the New Year has begun and now I need to pack away the Christmas things, and attack my home with my resolution to clean and organize! Since the house has swallowed a few things, I am determined to get it all organized and ‘find’ these things. After all, if I don’t, no one else will.

Friday I went to get my hair done. I was a nervous wreck! Not about getting my hair done, but because it had started to snow. Slowly, at first and then as the morning went on, the snow fell at a slightly alarming rate! I do not like to drive in snow or ice. Yes, I am a real chicken, which I think, makes me a smart driver…don’t go out if you do not have to, but today was my hair stylist appointment! Short of a hurricane blowing in, I wasn’t about to miss this.

The roads were pretty slippery on the way over to Margarita’s Salon, but I stuck the Jeep in 4-wheel drive and drove slowly. I made it in plenty of time, and even had a chance to eat lunch before she started to work on me.

It’s wild, you know, my hair had grown a full half an inch in 5 weeks! I was amazed. I thought perhaps I would just have my locks dipped into the fountain of youth, and not trimmed, but after speaking with the ladies in the salon I decided to go for it and continue flirting with the slightly shorter hair style.

By the time we finished, the salting trucks had run down the road and the surface was nice and clear. I spoke with Hubby who told me he’d not gone to get the mail after he skied, so I stopped and picked it up. Nothing earth moving, mostly just ads.

Then I came home and Hubby needed the magnifier and I could not find it. I’d moved everything during Christmas and since I still have all my decorations out, I could not find it. After nearly an hour I gave up and went out to our camper and got the second one. I know Hubby isn’t happy, but I also know I will find the other one when I put everything away and get things back in order.

However, it always upsets me when I can’t find things. So another resolution is to ORGANIZE!!!!! Which is tough, when you are basically not an organized person!

Oh well, there is much about me that is great! The Lord must have felt I could get by without the organization gene!

Happy New Year to all of you!!! And…here we go!

1. Wait, wait The New Year is here and we have many days to fill with joy.
2. No doubt about it, I am sure things about me are a little different.
3. In addition, I would like to thank everyone for making the last twelve months so wonderful.
4. Help yourself, and feel at home, is the way we do it here!
5. At the end of the year, I like to look back at all that has been and then look ahead to all I can see ahead of me.
6. My grand-baby is one of the things I’m looking forward to in 2012.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a warm fire in the hearth, tomorrow my plans include getting a few things for New Years Eve and Sunday, I want to watch parades and make a nice brunch!

This is the New Year addition where I tell you all the things I am hoping to accomplish. In recent years I have been pretty successful, and I am hoping that 2012 will continue along those lines. So, here we go.

1. I need to get back on track with Weight Watchers and diligently journal what foods I am eating and how much.
2. Move more, We have been deluged with rain for most of November and December, and my little ski area has only opened about 2 days. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will get some snow and I can ski.
3. Of course we do have a stationary bike in the basement and a stair stepper, so on those icy days, I can go down there, and work out a little.
4. I’ve been thinking of doing Yoga too. I’ve heard it is great for arthritis.
5. I’d like to grow my hair back out some. People were kind when I got it cut, but after the novelty wore off and it started to grow, people told me how nice it looks…longer!
6. I would like to concentrate on one closet a month. I want to empty it, organize and then put things away.
7. I plan to put the Christmas decorations away in well marked boxes that have been organized. I don’t want to be missing my tree topper next year.
8. I would like to go for a walk every day. Be it short or long. A walk.
9. I would like to read one book per month. This means not messing around on the computer as much in the evenings.
10. I would like to spend time with Mandy and the baby and share in her happiness!
11. I cannot believe I will be a Grammy in June!!!
12. I want to see a few movies, maybe one per month in the theaters. (Should there be any good ones come out.)
13. Last but not least, I want to really enjoy my upcoming vacation with Hubby. We’re planning some really exciting things, like my first swim with Dolphins!