The Dackel Princess

Friday Fill-Ins

So…here we go!

1. Three things I must have on my Thanksgiving table: Chestnut Dressing, Cranberry/Orange Relish and mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes.

2. Today, after I make the turkey soup, I want to gather the dachshunds and get sacked out on the couch.

3. This is a weird day, with ice and snow and white gray skies.

4. I am longing to decorate the house for Christmas.

5. Oh, man, thankfully it’s a day where I can stay in.

6. I would like to perfect the art of delicious cooking.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to reading my book, tomorrow my plans include getting our tree down and start to decorate it and Sunday, I want to Finish decorating the tree and put the candles in our windows!

Friday Fill-Ins are sponsored by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

Thanksgiving Day!

Our Thanksgiving was quiet and unhurried. For me this was just a splendid way to spend the day. Usually I am rushing around trying to get everything done for guests and I don’t really enjoy the day. Yesterday, it was truly wonderful. We got up and after sipping some coffee Hubby and I worked together and made an apple pie. He is always such a help when I make a pie, that it is truly a joint effort.

After that I made a nice breakfast. Bacon, eggs, grits, and zucchini bread from our garden last summer. I took out a loaf of the bread I made and boy, was that good!

I spent a little time doing laundry, and Hubby worked on some leaves, while I stuffed the turkey and put it in the oven. Then, about every half an hour I basted the bird until 4 and a half hours later, it was done.

The squash was cooked, the potatoes cooked and mashed, the peas steamed the onions braised and the gravy made without one lump. I set the table with a dish of pickles and another of cranberry relish and set everything out for the meal.

I was true to my vow that I would measure my food carefully. I had thought about how to handle this for several weeks. I LOVE Thanksgiving. I LOVE the food! So, I really didn’t want to, not eat all my favorites. The answer was portion control. I got out my measuring cup set and used a quarter of a cup and had a quarter of a cup of mashed potatoes, squash, peas, stuffing and onions. I weighed the turkey, and had 2 ounces of that, and then 2 tablespoons of gravy on my turkey.

I ate with delight and enjoyed every bite that I had. Best of all, I was full after eating this plate of food. If I figured the entire meal correctly it all came out to about 10 points, including the sugar free apple pie that we made with a little fat free vanilla ice cream!

As we sat there allowing our bodies to start the digestion process, the dogs began to become friendly and vocal.

Notice who they go to for a treat?

Hubby is the real softy of the two of us.

All mouths on deck!

Anneliese is the most gentle of the pack.

Hubby is about to lose a finger!

We finally finished eating and doing the dishes about 5, and then the dogs wanted their dinner! Now there was something wrong with that picture. They got their crunchies, but not canned food.

I boned the turkey, and now the carcass is simmering in a pot on the stove. I’ll simmer those bones for a day until the broth is rich and delicious! Then it’ll be turkey soup time.

So, the day was a good one, and I’m happy I was able to stay on my eating plan too. It makes Thanksgiving that much better.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the USA. A day where we stop to give thanks for all that we have. Like the Pilgrims before us, our country continues to face many challenges, but I think many of my fellow Americans would agree, we are thankful for the love of our God, our family and our friends. So, here is a random list of 13 things I am thinking about this Thanksgiving.

1. Before I sit down to breakfast I need to bake an apple pie. Why so early? Well, I like freshly baked apple pie and the turkey we got will take about 4 and a half hours to cook! With one oven I am stuck baking the pie early.

2. I made the dressing yesterday, and have it chilling down. I will stuff Mr. Tom Turkey this morning and roast him slowly until he is perfectly cooked!

3. I peeled and diced the Yukon Gold Potatoes yesterday and they are soaking in a pot. Yukon Gold Potatoes make the best mashed potatoes!

4. I also peeled and chopped up the butternut squash. These were squash I grew in my garden this summer. Somehow, that makes them taste even better and more special.

5. I roasted the chestnuts and then shelled them. I am so happy that Julia Child wrote about the easy way to shell a chestnut. In the past I did it all wrong and ended up with sliced up fingers. This easy way, soaking them in boiling water for 20 minutes, putting a large X in the rounded part and then placing them on a roasting pan in a 400 (F) degree oven for 25 minutes. Cool, place all the chestnuts in a dishcloth and then crunch on the kitchen shelf. They almost peel themselves! Makes a great addition to the dressing.

6. I peeled 2 dozen pearl onions.

7. Then after I did all that preparation work for today’s dinner, I started to make dinner for last night.

8. The dogs began to demand to be fed, so I broke down and fed them 10 minutes early.

9. Just about the time dinner was ready, I kind of lost my appetite. All the preparation of food, just made the food look unappealing.

10. Finally I finished all the cooking and cleaned up and got to sit down in my recliner at 7:15 last night.

11. After three such busy day, I felt exhausted!

12. Oh yes, one more thing to mention…I lost a pound and a half at Weight Watchers on Wednesday!

13. To all my family and friends, here and abroad. May you enjoy the blessings of Thanksgiving. I know it is not a holiday for everyone, but I believe that the feeling of thankfulness that I feel in my heart and mind, for the ones that I love, is something shared universally.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. If you had known what they knew then, would you have boarded the Mayflower?

I would hope I would be that brave. I’d like to think so.

2. How far have you traveled on a boat and how do you feel about boats in general?

Hubby and I had a sailboat when we first married and we sailed from Miami, Florida to Maine and then back to Miami, Florida. We’ve also cruised from Puerto Rico through the Panama Canal to Mexico, and gone from Seattle to Alaska and back. We love the water, or at least Hubby does and I do when I have my seasickness patch on.

3. What traditions have you kept, acquired thru marriage, and/or tossed? If you’re single what are some of your family’s favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

Since we were older when we got married and I was already set in my ways, as far as what I cook and how I cook it, we pretty much just have had what I have always made. Hubby’s Mom did love her sage and summer savory dressing, so I do add those herbs to my stuffing so Hubby will feel comfortable with it, but…the main ingredient are the roasted chestnuts that is a family tradition of mine!

4. What time is dinner and how many will be round your table? And what is the one side dish you cannot do without on Thanksgiving day?

We usually eat about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Chestnut dressing is the side dish that I MUST have or it just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving. The other one is butternut squash prepared with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

This year it is just me and my Hubby for dinner. I still have gotten everything for a traditional turkey dinner, as I believe in being thankful for all that we have. Also, a Thanksgiving meal is my favorite!

Yes, I know it goes against all I believe in to ask for ‘just one’, but I made up for it by asking three questions here.

5. Have you ever used a fire extinguisher? Do tell….

No. So far I have never started a kitchen fire.

6. Tell about a situation that caused you dreadful trepidation and feet dragging, only to realize later it was a true blessing.

I am one of those people who tends to jump in feet first, so I haven’t had a lot of those moments. Perhaps it was going to my first Weight Watchers meeting three years ago. I just dreaded it so much. When I weighed in, I cried. However, Weight Watchers has been so good for me. It has taught me to control my food, that I am not the only one out there struggling and the beautiful, wonderful, people I have met have blessed my my life!

7. Baked, sweet, mashed, hash browned or french fried…which one’s your favorite?

Mashed Yukon Gold potatoes. The best hands down, and that is on our Thanksgiving menu too!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

As our Thanksgiving Day draws near in the USA, I am ever so grateful for a loving family, good friends and the sweetest dogs on earth. My life is not exactly as I had dreamed it would be, when I was a little girl, but I am blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Freedom

I spent the morning on Monday demonstrating in front of our State House. You see a man I know and think very highly of, is now in prison!

Why?

Well, the simple answer is that an overzealous District Attorney put him there, but the real reason is that he was home recovering from surgery and a woman trespassed on his property. When he asked her to leave, she became belligerent. Since he was startled he had his gun in his hand. In New Hampshire we have a right to bear arms. Especially in the middle of the woods, like where Ward’s home is!

The District Attorney said it was Criminal Threatening. She won her case after 4 long years and now he is in Prison.

You can follow this link and read a very accurate account on Ron Paul’s web site.

Here are some pictures from our event! I have put an arrow pointing to me, so you can see me protesting and freezing all at the same time!

Interestingly, they were putting up the state Christmas tree today! That was one big tree!

There were well over 100 people there from all across the state. It warmed my heart to see these people taking time out from their day to demonstrate for Ward’s release.

I protested because I do not believe that defending your house, property, family or self, is a crime. Please pray for my friend. He is a kind, good and gentle man, and would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. His wife and 4 children are great people and they are only hanging on because, like all of us, they believe in his innocence.

You see, if the government takes away our right to protect and defend our homes and families, then they might as well chuck out our Constitution!

God speed, Ward, we will keep working to bring you home to your family!

What I Did This Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend!

The weekend seemed to fly by. I still had Bogart for part of Saturday until his Mommy came to collect him. We all kissed his little face good-bye, and off he went.

Arnie and Greta settled down for a nap, and Hubby was busy doing some computer work. Fritz lay by his side. Soon Anneliese demanded to go outside, so I opened the door and off she flew! I grabbed my jacket, but she had disappeared! I called and called, I even got out the cookie bone can, but nothing.

My heart was in my throat, beating wildly and I started running around the house. As I got to the front yard, there she was, down our neighbors driveway near the ROAD!

I called to her and she looked at me, as if asking, “Where is my son, Bogart?”

I got her inside and gave her a rawhide bone to take her mind off of things. This did help, although she was checking out the crate where Bogey slept at night. It just broke my heart. To think, it has been a year and a half since he left, but she still knows that this is her baby!

On Sunday, I worked some more on Christmas Cards, and composing the annual Christmas Letter. The cards are going well, but Hubby and I are disagreeing on the composition of the letter and which pictures to include!

Fritz came in from his morning walk quite lame. I think he re-injured his ankle, the one that the horse stepped on. I have wrapped it with an ace bandage and we have kept him quiet all day.

Sunday night I have no plans at all with the exception of perhaps soaking in a tub. I’m tired and in need of a little quiet time.

Pups

The winds blew in about noontime, bringing with them cold dry air and darkening skies. Bogart left us shortly after that and suddenly we found our house was eerily quiet! We have four dogs of our own, but that one little guy sure livened things up! I’d really forgotten what having a young dog in the house was like.

You know, Arnie and Annelise will be four years old next month! FOUR YEARS OLD! I still can’t believe it, and yes…they are calm and quiet and have a certain amount of maturity, that they previously lacked.

Gone are the days when I had to run through our fields calling them because they’d taken off on me. Fritz and Greta are now senior dogs. They tend not to get in trouble too often. I say not too often because on Saturday when Hubby got home from the park with Fritz, Fritz jumped out of the car, sort of over Hubby’s head, leaving a big scratch mark on Hubby’s neck!

Greta can be bribed. The words “Cookie Bone” will bring her back, no matter how far she has roamed!

So, tonight the house is quiet. Arnie and Anneliese are chewing rawhide bones sitting next to me in my chair (gosh the bones smell truly yucky), and Greta is on the sofa asleep with Fritz having already retired to the bed room!

Hubby noted that Anneliese misses Bogart especially and he is right. After his departure, she looked for him for quite a while. He also noted that they all seem just plain bored with us.

If he starts talking about getting another dog I will simply go mad! That is, unless I get a fenced in yard! A young puppy with no fence means I’d be walking that little pup round the clock…again….and I’m kind of liking my grown up pup-a-roos!

For The Love Of Bogart

(And Arnie too!)

Currently we have five dogs. Later today, Bogart’s Mommy and Daddy will be coming to pick him up and whisk him off to his home. I am going to miss him. What a nice little guy he is. After the first 24 hours, where Arnie really had his nose out of joint, everything settled down and the gang started to really get along. There has not been one incident with any of the dogs, but there have been some really funny things happen.

Bogart

Bogart is a lick-er. And he loves to lick those he loves. He especially LOVES Fritz. Oh my goodness to watch the two of them is hilarious! Fritz will be sitting there and Bogey jumps up kissing his face with such love, and Fritz just accepts it.

If Fritz is outside and Bogart sees him through the door, he will stand at the door and lick the glass! He will also fuss and whine until we let Fritz back in.

Anneliese will sit cuddled up with Bogart, or if they are outside she will run after him, or he will run after her, but they are both moving fast, chasing each other!

Grandma Greta, also started playing around with Bogart. It seems he accepts that she is the Alpha Dog in the pack and so she has decided it is okay to play with him. Honest to goodness it is so cute to watch!

And then there is Arnie.

He still gives Bogart a wide berth, and I have seen that look in his eye that tells me that in some ways Arnie feels unloved. You know he enjoys being the only “boy” dog in the house, (read un-neutered) and since he has had to share the space with another “boy” he has felt very much like his place is being taken in the pack. I’ve spent a lot of time stroking Arnie and telling him it will be okay.

Bogey has adjusted quite well. I think he remembers the house, and well, there is no convincing me that he doesn’t remember Hubby and me. In fact when I get him up in the morning he just covers my face with kisses, and then he races to Hubby and greets him the same way when he gets up.

Yes, we’re going to miss Bogart when he leaves us. Perhaps he’ll come and visit again in the future.

Friday Fill-Ins

So…here we go!

1. Why does Christmas come so close to Thanksgiving? I mean, these great eating holidays are murder on my diet.

2.Before I die I want to see the world.

3. Thank you for all the blessings in my life, dear Lord.

4. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I love cooking all of my favorite dishes.

5. I am SO thankful that there is a God in Heaven.

6. I think we can be what ever or do what ever and become whom ever we make up our minds to be.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to putting up my feet and relaxing, tomorrow my plans include a trip to the grocery shop and Sunday, I want to read the newspaper and make my grocery list for Thanksgiving. It will only be Hubby and me, but I still plan to cook a full meal for the two of us, with all the trimmings!!

Friday Fill-Ins are sponsored by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

It Cold!

Although we do not have snow on the ground yet, tonight it really feels frosty and cold! During my trips to the great out of doors to walk the dogs, I have literally frozen my fanny off!

Anneliese likes to play a game where we go out and she sniffs around, but accomplishes nothing. A half an hour later, she demands to go out for a walk, and again, nothing!

It’s never really bothered me to go out after dark with the dogs until this year, when the bear and coyote went through the yard. Now I am so paranoid that I will run into them, that I get extremely stressed!

I’m hoping that they will all move on and I will stop finding their poopy calling cards on my lawn.

Until that time, I will continue to sing Christmas Carols, and children’s songs to scare off the preditors!