The Dackel Princess

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Do you like chili? Red or white? Beans or no beans? Spice or no spice? Toppings?

I make an awesome chili. Red beans, hamburger and just the right blend of spices. Do I like chili? Not really, but I love to make it.

2. Red~Orange~Gold…your favorite fall color?

Around here the leaves turn almost a coral color red and that is my favorite fall color.

3. Who did you idolize when you were growing up?

I loved Karen Carpenter. I loved her voice and how easy she made it look to sing such sad love songs.

4. When was the last time you did something ‘arts and craftsy’? Share please.

My sister is the talented one in the family. I don’t really do crafts anymore. The inventiveness I have seems to be with my cooking and writing.

5. What’s a place that makes you really nervous?

Any crowded gathering. I do not do well in crowds. They quite literally terrify me and I get so nervous and remain alert and stiff. Last time I traveled without Hubby I remained on the cell phone with him until they closed the door of the plane and we started to taxi. I’ve only been to one concert, as it was nearly impossible for me to be in that kind of crowd. I chalk it up to the fact that I was crushed in a car once for about 45 minutes, under a truck. I guess that’ll do it to you.

6. Horse back riding…yay or nay (neigh?)

I have ridden, but it has been may years. I love horses though, and think they are extremely smart.

7. What is your favorite cliche?

“Sometimes chickens, sometimes feathers” It sort of means sometimes you get what you want and sometimes you don’t. Like last night I made a shrimp stir fry and everything said that it should have been delicious, but it was terrible. So I told Hubby, “Sometimes chickens, sometimes feathers”.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Do you ever have nights when you have no idea what to make for dinner? That’s me, tonight. It has to be something easy, because I won’t get in until 6 PM and I need to eat quickly, so I won’t weigh in heavy at Weight Watchers. Maybe I’ll cook a steak and potato and some broccoli.

Love In The Afternoon

So this is the last week that my favorite Soap Opera “All My Children” will be on the air. There are rumors that it will be on the Internet, but I am not sure it will be the same. There is also a rumor that it will become a weekly show, and that is also in the category of, not the same.

I’ve watched it from the beginning. I have seen some really bad acting and some really good acting. Over the years some story lines were a little crazy, but some pulled at my heart and touched me in ways that no other medium could.

Daytime Soaps provided a vast learning area for many actors and actresses. Imagine producing 5 one hour episodes a week, week after week, 52 weeks a year!

When I was a new mother and suffering from sleep deprivation and postpartum depression, the Soaps were my getaway. As the baby grew, and would go down for a nap, that hour was my time to escape into the world of high fashion, fabulous hair styles, and designer shoes, while I sat in jeans and t-shirts, covered in baby spew!

When I lost my daughter and found my reality was too much to cope with, the Soaps allowed me to escape again, to a place where I didn’t have to feel anything in my own life.

The writing was almost always good, and when they did on location shooting, it was exciting and new for those of us at home.

I will forever remember “Love In The Afternoon”!

So, ABC TV, I won’t be watching your afternoon TV programs anymore. You’ll be lucky if I tune in any of your programs in the evening. We do not need another talk show. I do realize that TV has changed, but, you had a great thing going and your kid geniuses don’t know what most people do. Those of us who followed “All My Children” for 40 years would have followed for another 40, but we won’t be following just another talk show. We have a hundred plus channels of shows to chose from, plus 24-7 movie channels commercial free.

To all who worked on, “All My children” thank you for all you did to make my afternoons full, all these years. To Susan Lucci, I will miss Erica Kane, and the life you brought to her!

And to Agnes Nixon who developed “All My Children” thank you for all these wonderful years! Agnes wrote a poem at the beginning of All My Children”. I reads;

The Great and the Least,
The Rich and the Poor,
The Weak and the Strong,
In Sickness and in Health,
In Joy and Sorrow,
In Tragedy and Triumph,
You are ALL MY CHILDREN

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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The weekend found me busy around the house. Somehow the Autumn temperatures and somewhat darker skies, put me in the mood to clean surfaces. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen, the bathroom, and yes, I even took everything out of the fridge, washed it all down with disinfectant, and checked all the labels for expiration dates! Hubby was amazed (as I am not a big fan of completely cleaning the fridge like that), but it was long overdue, and now I am ready to go grocery shopping on Wednesday.

I did laundry, changed the sheets on my bed, vacuumed and even washed the floors in the kitchen. Because the kitchen was so clean, I cooked two wonderful dinner meals, Grilled chicken one night and braised pork the next.

I also wrote my five page report and got it sent out via email. I worked most of Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning on that.

I did see two movies on HBO, “Hereafter”, which I still recommend, and “The Switch” with Jennifer Aniston and Justin Bateman. It’s a really cute fluffy chick flick. “Hereafter” is more intense, and an intriguing movie.

The weekend ended with me taking a long hot bath after dinner.

Dust Pitbulls

The other day Hubby pointed out that there was a piece of foam rubber on the carpet. He picked it up and did an examination. Where had this come from? The great mystery began.

He looked all over the place, convinced that the dackels were shredding something important like their little beds. I, however knew the real problem.

It was my recliner chair.

The poor thing is 11 years old, and literally falling apart. Two springs have fallen out, as well as various amounts of stuffing, but until now, no actual foam rubber.

So yesterday, when Hubby was outside the dackels and I broke out the vacuum and decided to get under the recliner. Now this is tough because the chair is very big and very heavy, but what I did was tip it on it’s back so I could see under it.

Oh my goodness! I didn’t just find dust bunnies, but a dust “Pitbull”, as well as plenty of foam rubber.

I vacuumed quickly, afraid that the dust pitbulls would jump out and get me! The dackels barked at them and I gasped at their size.

Unfortunately this means that I really do need to get a new chair, and I love my chair! It’s a chair and a half and I can sit here with all three dackels. They do not make my chair any more. *SOB*

The company now makes “pleather” ones. You know “pleather” = fake leather.

Anyway, Hubby and I will need to start shopping now so I can find something I like before I sit down in the chair and hit the floor.

Funny how attached we become to our favorite chairs.

Pet Names

Over the years Hubby and I have had many animals. He has never been so inclined, but since he has been hanging around with me, he has started to nick-name our animals.

When I was growing up, my mother would give our dogs long silly grandiose names, like Lorelei Siren of the Rhine, who I nicknamed Laurie, and a beautiful dog named Amber, that I named Bushie. Call me gifted in renaming animals, but once I get to know them, I usually rename them, or nick-name them, even if I am the one who named them originally.

When I married Hubby he had two animals. Rex (a fabulous white shepherd) and Dottie (the cutest barn cat ever) Let’s face it, with those names there were no other names I could call them, right? Well, Rex became Buddy and he always came when I called him this. Dottie was too much of a snob to be renamed.

Then after Rex, we got another white shepherd, Max, Sir Maxamillion Von Terrors. We called him Maxi, Bud-boy, or Mr. Budarino.

And then came Fritz. Baron Friedrick Von Surefiire. And he is called Fritz, Fritzi, or Bud.

The dackels are fun. Greta came to us from Germany and her Kennel name was Xochil Vom Geestmoor. Yeah, like I was going to live with that. While we were still in Germany she became Greta, and then Greta Garbo, and over time Miss Garbo! Greta is definitely a dog with an attitude!

Arnie was born and I liked Arnold for his professional name, and he settled in being called Arnie, but as he grew he became Arnie Man or Mr. Arnie Man! This makes me laugh, because like his mother he has an attitude, and has taken over under our coffee table, which has now become the man-cave!

Anneliese’s name is just my favorite. It is so sweet and beautiful, just like her. But over time she also got a nick-name. Lisa.

So, have you nick-named your animals? Do you have a pet name for your pet? Do tell!!

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. Why do I seem to be falling down so much lately?.

2. There have been times I wanted to go, but I have so much to stay for.

3. By far the most important part of my life, is my loving family.

4. Proud American.

5. But when the going gets tough, the tough, make jelly!.

6. Happiness has been with me for the longest time. How lucky I am!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to having the grape jelling made and in jars, tomorrow my plans include taking my blankets to the laundromat to wash and Sunday, I want to catch up on a few housework things and take a nap too!

Rainbows

I just woke up and looked outside and there is a rainbow outside. We really do not see too many up here, but down on Cape Cod, where I grew up, we saw them a lot.

I’ve always loved them. There is something so mystical and magical about them. Especially because they last such a short time, and yet their beauty has inspired so many songs, poems and dreams.

As much as I love rainbows, I don’t think I have ever seen one in a dream. Just in person, which makes me feel that I much be totally devoid of magical imagination! lol!

In some ways this rainbow happened on a morning after I dreamt of a few people that are no longer with me. So perhaps my affinity for rainbows does have something to do with dreams.

I’ll be posting the Friday Fill-Ins later in the day.

Thursday Thirteen

Scav Sat

It’s time for Autumn’s harvest. Here are 13 things that I love about the Autumn months.

The changing colors of the leaves from green and soft, to red, yellow, orange, brown and crisp beneath your feet.
The shortened days, which spell hibernation for the squirrels, chipmunks and bears.
I also like the shortened days because I also like to hibernate in the winter, with warms mugs of tea, and my soft squishy bathrobe.
The first crisp, dry days of fall, when the air just smells so fresh.
Sweaters. Oh I love sweaters. They are absolutely like being cuddled!
Soups and stews! I love to cook them in either my crock pot or Dutch oven. Then you can smell them through the entire house!
Having a fire in my own hearth. Sitting here in my family room, watching the flames lap the logs.
Hot chocolate! Need I say more?
A fresh, crisp, Macintosh apple! Yum!

Making applesauce. I always make my own and then freeze at least two big batches to have all through the winter.

Pumpkin pie! I know that everyone loves apple pies at Thanksgiving, but my favorite has always been pumpkin!
Jackets. I love a mid-weight jacket. A lot of places keep their buildings cold and I Iove to have a jacket to wear.
Seeing my breath for the first time, when I go out with the dogs in the morning. That could be on Friday!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What do you do at the first sign of a cold? Will you get a flu shot this year?

I’m the Queen of Denial! LOL!

I do drink lots of juice and ginger ale, and chicken noodle soup. Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. To me, that is what I want when I’m feeling bad.

I have already had my flu shot. Did you know they are vaccinating for three separate strains of flu this year? It’s all in one shot, but apparently they expect a bad year.

2. What advice can you give about how to conquer fear?

Take a deep breath, and just go forward. Things will come in your life and there is nothing you can do to stop it. So get a grip and go forward and don’t look back! (Of course, I fall apart afterward, but I do get through the actual event.)

3. Share two good things about your life right now.

Mandy and Matt’s engagement, and the fact that we have had such a large peach crop!

4. A hot fall fashion trend in 2011 is a return to sixties style…tunics with pants, shift dresses, pencil skirts, cinched waists, bold prints, high necklines and short lengths to name a few. How does this fashion trend fit with your wardrobe and personal sense of style?

I tend to live in a vacuum. Unless I have somewhere to go, I don’t really shop. So, I will wear my cords and jeans, and sweaters and just be comfortable.

5. Were you involved in scouting as a kid? How about as an adult?

As a kid, yes. But when we moved when I was in fourth grade to a new school, I quit Scouts.

6. Apple, pear, plum, pumpkin…your favorite fall flavor?

To snack on, apple. But I simply love pies, and my favorite is pumpkin.

7. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher?

Patience and organizational skills. My niece, Jinny is an Elementary School teacher, and she also has a great love for kids.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

The apples are starting to come in, and once we have enough Macintosh and Cortland’s, we will be making apple sauce. I’m nearly out of my frozen apple sauce and really need to put some up. There is nothing like homemade applesauce in the Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer!

Bedtime

Last night, as I lay trying to sleep, three little dackels endeavored to push me out of bed. With their paws on my back, and their faces pressing there too, I nearly fell on the floor a few times. I must say that I’m getting very good as sleeping half awake! It’s either that or I will end up on the floor in a shocked heap!

Why do I let them sleep with us? Well, it goes back a long way. Here is the story, and I swear it is true!

Fifteen years ago, we were in Bavaria visiting our friends. Their dackel, Shubi, a handsome wire-haired dachshund, had recently been hit by a car and killed. We were all saddened, and their house was eerily quiet. I said, in my sympathy, that we should both get dackels!

Then Hubby and I went off to shop for socks because I had forgotten to pack them (he still taunts me about this), and when we returned, Otto had found an add for dackels in nearby Landshut. He had called and made an appointment for the next day.

We drove to Frau Lansinger’s house and we entered her kitchen and there in a basket by the stove were four small dackels. I looked down and immediately I knew I had found my puppy! She looked right up at me and I swear she smiled. I picked her up, and I knew…Magic!!!

So we paid Frau Lansinger, and I wrapped the puppy in a blanket and our friends bought her brother, and we headed back to their home.

The little puppies were a delight. We joke and teased about what to call them, and Hubby looked at me and said that it simply had to be Shubi! So Shubi she was, and her brother was named Toni.

The first night away from their mother, we put them together in a little box, but when everyone had gone to sleep I snuck them in the bed with us.

“No, no” said Hubby, who returned them to their box. And so it remained while we were there.

Eventually we left to come back to the USA, and bring our little puppy home.

We flew from Munich to Atlanta and the to Florida, where we were living at the time. It was a long day for a baby dog, but she did surprisingly well in her little carry on.

When we reached our home in Florida, Hubby once again insisted that we put Shubi in a box to sleep. But from the corner of our room I could hear her soft, pitiful cries. I said nothing, but my heart was breaking.

Finally Hubby got up and picked up Shubi and brought her into bed with us…where she remained for the rest of her life.

Needless to say, when Greta came and then the two puppies, Arnie and Anneliese, they all joined us, too.

We do draw the line at Fritz coming into bed with us, although during a bad storm last week he jumped right up between us.

So you see, gentle readers, my husband is a real softie when it comes to our dogs, and you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way!