The Dackel Princess

Christmas Dreaming

Here we are the seventeenth of December, and we have bright green grass in our back yard. It is, starting to get seasonably cold, but we have no real snow scheduled from now until Christmas, so it looks like a non-white Christmas this year.

I do miss it, and yet it makes getting around that much easier for me. And we do know that Santa Claus and his Reindeer can handle any sort of weather. Still, I’m a sucker for freshly falling snow.

I have three days of party’s that I am planning here. Christmas Eve will be Hubby and me, and a pot of yummy fondue. Christmas Day is also Hubby and me and the pups, and I’m doing Prime Rib! The day after Christmas, Mandy, Matt, Janet and Dave are coming and I’m cooking a big turkey and all the fixings!

I know it is a lot of cooking, but I LOVE it! Having my family all around me, just makes me so happy.

And then I day dream about my new grand baby and I think about next year. Oh what fun that will be!

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Sleigh bells ring Are you listening.

2. It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees, I used to love real trees until I realized I’m allergic. Now it’s my faithful artificial tree!

3. You’re a mean one all the men and women who are stealing from people this year! We have a terrible increase of thefts here in New Hampshire. There is no good reason to steal from your fellow man…ever.

4. Father Christmas loves the children.

5. Silent night that song brings tears to my eyes.

6. All I want for Christmas is perhaps a cover for my Kindle Fire!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a warm fire in my hearth, tomorrow my plans include spending the day with my baby…Mandy, going Christmas shopping and Sunday, I want to clean my kitchen and wrap the presents I have. Also make my grocery list for next week.

I Have Never Heard!

The last few time I have dried clothes in the dryer, I have come up with these stains on my clothing. Not all of it, and not every piece, but enough that I was getting concerned.

So, how do you clean a dryer?

That was my big question. Fortunately, my friend, Gail called em and I asked her. She, it turned out, has had this problem before and she was able to guide me through the cleaning process.

Get a bottle of Goo-Gone. Which I already had.
Spray a paper towel and have it lie on the shelf parts of the drier and in my case I also sprayed this on the back, where I could see the brown grime.
Walk away for 20 minutes.
Come back and wipe it down with clean clothes.
Take wet clothes and a bucket of warm water and keep wiping until all the soap is out of the dryer.
Take some old kitchen rags and wet them, ring them out and toss in the dryer.
Tada! Done!!!

I am so pleased with the results and will probably need to do this every six months. The machine is 13 years old and just not working as well as it should, and yes, it definitely needed a good cleaning.

Thursday Thirteen

Wednesday, was a slightly strange day. Here are the things that made it both good and weird, all at the same time!

I went to Weight Watchers and lost a pound. Yay!
My goal during the holidays is to stay as close to the weight I am right now. After January first I will once again go into full diet mode.
Today after class, three of us went to breakfast to celebrate my friend, Carol’s birthday! I did not eat like a Weight Watcher, but then, it was so late I ended up not eating lunch.
After not being able to find our Christmas Tree’s lighted star, for the top of the tree, I decided after class and brunch, to go looking for one. I had no luck at all. They were all cheesy looking and expensive!
So, I came home and decided to look around once again.
I went through a box, that I personally had emptied of ornaments….and there it was!!!

I’m learning all sorts of things on the Kindle Fire. One think I am struggling with is installing the Adobe Flash Player. Perhaps it can’t be done?
I have learned how to bookmark thinks and how to hook it up to WiFi. It was so cool to see Dackel Princess in the Kindle Fire!
It’s a fairly cold and damp night. I asked Hubby to light a fire in the hearth.
Oh it is wonderful and has finally warmed my hands and feet.
Wish you could all see the dackels. They are scattered about the room enjoying the fire, as much as me!
I’m starting to plan both Christmas dinner and the day after when Mandy and Matt come up.
One thing I know for sure..on Christmas I am making pumpkin pie! I love it and haven’t had it in years! I’ll make apple crisp too…for Hubby and Mandy and Matt. Yep. I’m the only one who likes pumpkin pie!

Have a great Thursday!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate?

No. I decorate our kitchen/family room. That’s where we live.

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why?

Norway. Because I have friends there I would like to meet.

3. What does the word faith mean to you?

Believing in something you can’t necessarily see, but knowing is out there. Whether it be God’s love, my family’s love or the things I believe.

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day…what day and age would you choose?

Childhood? I think, perhaps the day I changed schools in fourth grade. I was so traumatized and that started a vicious cycle of self doubt, and so much fear. I wish my mother had been gentle with me that day and helped me.

5. When did you last have ‘punch’? If it’s not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe.

A couple of years ago when we had friends with kids over. My recipe is simple. Orange Sherbet and Ginger Ale.

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts?

Sadly, no. We no longer do that. But once the baby comes, I know Santa will be stopping at my daughter’s home!

7. What takes your breath away?

Today my Kindle Fire arrived! After opening the packing, and the inner box, I held the kindle in my shaking hands! Today, that is what took my breath away! lol

In real life, the days my daughters were born and I first beheld their perfect faces! I was just telling Hubby about that today. As I looked at Mandy for the first time, my heart skipped a beat and took my breath away! Such beauty!!!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Do you know how in October or even November, Christmas seems such a long way off, and then the next thing you know, CHRISTMAS IS HERE! Mandy and I are meeting up this weekend for a little mother-daughter time and some shopping. I sure am looking forward to that!

Peppermint Bark

No one tells you when you taste your first bite of Peppermint Bark that it is addicting. It really is, you know, and it’s a terrible thing. Today I watched as several women ran into the store I was in and immediately went to the Peppermint Bark and started loading up their carts. I could see their shaking hands and trembling lips.

You can only buy this at Christmas time.

The bottom is a thick layer of dark chocolate. The next layer is white chocolate, and then there is peppermint stick candy sprinkled all over the top. Oh yeah, this stuff is more addicting than anyone even knows!

I bought myself a small box, years ago, and as I got to the car and tore open the plastic wrapper! I sat there and broke off a small piece of the Peppermint Bark and shoved it into my mouth, the chocolate smeared on my lips and fingers! Heaven!

The joy! Oh the wild happiness I felt. A rush of sheer delight shot through my body. It’s that feeling that makes you want more!!!

I think the candy companies all know that this could really become a problem, which is why they only make it at Christmas.

If they made it year round, well, they would have to open clinics for Peppermint Bark Rehab!

As it is, New Years is really tough candy wise.

Of course I have not had even a piece of Peppermint Bark since I joined Weight Watchers. They tell you that if you find one food that you are simply helpless against, then do not go near it.

Needless to say, when I am in a store, and I spot the Peppermint Bark, I walk quickly the other way!

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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As you read yesterday, my weekend was a busy one. I’d hoped to get the Christmas tree up, but as I was putting on lights, I noticed that half the lights were out. I tried the next set, and those had the same weird problem. So on Monday, I will go get two new strings of lights.

I wrapped and packaged up my over seas packages. Very late, I know, but better a little later, than never.

So tomorrow in the morning I will go to the Post Office fist, and then the dollar store for some cheap lights.

Since I basically wrote everything yesterday, I will leave you with this picture of Arnie on my chair, sitting in his dish, which he has brought to me!

Have a great Monday Everyone!

Reflections

On Thursday Hubby and I were out getting groceries and shopping, and we got to Market Basket, when we saw a green car near by. Inside sat Fritz’s twin! We went over and studied this dog, and he truly was Fritz’s doppelganger! He never barked at us either. It was almost as if he knew us!

Friday saw my friend, Barbie come up for the afternoon. I took her to a wonderful coffee shop near my home, where they make soups, salads and quiches, right there, and it all tastes wonderful! We both had the salmon chowder, and turkey sandwich! After that we headed off to do a little Christmas shopping.

Friday night was a Christmas Party given by friends here in town. I wish I’d taken my camera, so I could share the scene. The house was filled with Christmas trees and decorations and the food was splendid! I think Hubby and I saw everyone we know in town. What a fun evening we had.

Saturday was the birthday of Arnie and Anneliese, and we just spent the day playing with them, as well as working on our Christmas Card/letter. I wrote the cards, and Hubby printed up the letters. Now at ten minutes past nine on Saturday night all the Christmas cards are done!

I am hoping on Sunday to get our tree up and have Hubby help me with the lights. Then I can decorate it. I will let you know.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Happy Fifth Birthday, Arnie & Anneliese

Born five years ago and placed in my hands, five beautiful puppies. Three went to wonderful new homes, but Arnie and Anneliese stayed behind and became my babies! They are the sweetest dogs I have ever had, and even though they are now five, I still refer to them as puppies, and I also refer to them as “the twins”, even though they aren’t technically twins.

So my little lovelies, Happy Birthday. It truly does seem like just the other day that you were born!

Friday Fill-Ins

Anyone in the holiday spirit? I’m getting there. So…here we go!

1. As I neared the end of the path, I could see the bright lights of Christmas decorating the town.

2. My computer and the infamous Christmas letter we write is what I’m reading right now. It’s full of all the latest news.

3. I didn’t start out this way, but time, and love and helped make me the person I am.

4. There is nothing I want this year for Christmas. To tell the truth, Mandy and Matt and the baby all healthy and happy are the best gift of all!

5. The best way to celebrate Christmas, is with those you love.

6. This is the reason I am so happy these days!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a little party at a friends house, tomorrow my plans include truly, I would like to get the laundry done and Sunday, I want to work on and finish writing out my Christmas cards!