I’m waiting…

I’m waiting. Not patiently either. Just waiting.

What am I waiting for?

Greta to go into heat. It could be any day now and then the real excitement begins. The breeding (yes, we will use Bernie again. He was such a good Papa to the pups and made beautiful babies!) and then counting down the days until the puppies arrive!

Every day I get up and look at Greta. Does she look like she is retaining fluid? Is she acting a little PMS-ish? Is she being quieter than usual?

I’m telling you, it’s driving me nuts!

At least one thing is for sure. Greta is enjoying the extra attention. She is quite a “Dackel Princess”!

Continue reading “I’m waiting…”

Welcome

What happens when you arrive at home? Does anyone jump to greet you? Do tails wag? Is there a significant other who smiles in a way that says, “welcome”?

I was thinking about this today. I was in the office (my laptop is in Tennessee for repair, but that’s all I know, thus I am chained to the desktop) with the dogs, when all of a sudden they jumped up and ran down the hall to the kitchen. Barking ensued and I got up to see what was happening.

As Hubby was still skiing, I knew it couldn’t be him, so I was interested to see if a squirrel had invaded our yard and caused the commotion.

Then I saw Emily coming down the hill through the snow and I knew that they were “waiting for her”! So, I opened the door and let them go to greet her.

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Many people will go through their whole lives and not experience this thrill! Imagine, a little face, a wagging tail, a smile? How lucky we are when we have this.

So when Hubby came home today I greeted him with a special smile and a big hug. I am so glad that he shares my life.

I am a lucky lady!

Continue reading “Welcome”

Bee-Yew-Tee-Full!!

Today after I got done having my blood taken for tests at the hospital, I treated myself to a morning at the beauty shop. Nails were done, hair was (ahem) given a second youth, and my bangs were trimmed.

While I was getting my hair washed I closed my eyes and thought how glorious it felt to get pampered this way. It made me feel warm inside and made me smile. I really look forward to these monthly trips to see Margarita. She just makes my whole day. I feel so spoiled and relaxed and wonderful.

Once I came home, looking like one of “Charlie’s Angels”, I got to work packing away our Christmas decorations. Emily helped and in short order, we had it packed and put away in our attic.

With my laptop gone I am spending time in the office. We have left the gate open and the puppies are having a great time running up and down the hallway!

Oh what fun!

Continue reading “Bee-Yew-Tee-Full!!”

Hello, My Name is Maribeth…

I got into my car after dinner tonight and drove 8 miles to my first Weight Watchers meeting. I was nervous and scared at what the scale would show, but I was also determined to actually get there.

I had the address of the church where the meeting was being held, and I got there thinking that certainly I would be the plumpest woman there. I was relieved to find that not only was I not the plumpest, but I wasn’t the only first timer either.

I sat through the meeting and listened to the other women and men speak about their weight problems. Several people have done really well and lost a lot of weight. It gave me strength to think about conquering this myself.

Yes, at one point after the meeting I was speaking with the Counselor and I said, “Hello, my name is Maribeth, and I am an over eater!” We both laughed!

I won’t be writing a lot about this in my entries, but I may put things in the extended entry for anyone who is interested.

I have a LOT of weight to lose. A LOT! But I am in no hurry and I can take my time and do this right.

So it begins, this life of controlled eating.

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By the way, today my laptop was sent back to the factory for repair. I cried at the UPS office at I bid it farewell. Meanwhile I actually have to get myself down the hall and into the office to use a (*gasp*) desktop model!

I’m already missing my laptop.

Thursday Thirteen #60

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Thirteen Things About Our Crazy 4 Dogs

1. You are never alone. LOL!

2. If you sit down to relax, they know this and will immediately run to the door, barking and demanding to go out!

3. Arnie has the cutest way to let us know he has to go out. He does this little tap dance on our wooden floors and goes back and forth between the family room and the kitchen letting you know he has to “go”!

4. Anneliese understands her Mum, Greta is the boss, but she has wormed her way into some of Greta’s favorite places. Like my lap in the evening, or on the back of the sofa.

5. The dogs ALL KNOW when it is 5 pm and time for their dinner. All of them will sit in front of me looking at me as if to say, “Come on Mum, we’re hungry!”

6. None of the dogs like to go out in the rain. Usually I have to bring them out (yep I get wet too) and “make them” do their business.

7. Fritz really does love to ride in the car, but he has no manners and it drives me crazy. I usually will leave him home.

8. The dachshunds are all good little car riders and LOVE to go.

9. Anneliese, who is a little Princess in the house, quite bossy, really, is shy as can be when out in the world. So I have started to take her on “field trips”! She has several special friends around town now.

10. Greta is truly what one calls an Alpha Female. She bosses all the other dogs around, but is sweet as can be with Hubby and me.

11. Fritz knows when it is 9:30 pm, his preferred bedtime. He will come and stand in front of me until I tell him to go to bed and if I do not follow him along, he will come back out and repeat the process.

12. Once in the bedroom, he wants me to turn on the TV. I think he likes going to sleep watching “Two and a Half Men” or whatever rerun is on.

13. It’s a lot of work, but these four all make our life a more interesting and better one just by being in it!



Eeeek! More Snow!!!

The year is beginning with…more snow! It started about 11 this morning and it is still snowing tonight. There must be at least 8-10 inches more of the white, wet, fluffy stuff!

Of course the puppies are in puppy dog heaven! They go out and play and play! The girls came by and took them out back sledding on the hill. I grabbed the camera and got these shots!

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Emily holding Anneliese and Arnie chasing them!

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‘Snow’ much fun!

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Doesn’t this look fun?

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My favorite picture.

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Dachshunds, dashing through the snow!

Now I love the snow. I love watching the pups and the kids playing in the snow, but come on, we are getting close to the 4 foot mark for snowfall, and it is only January 2nd!

Can you tell I am a New Englander? We New England natives tend to talk about the weather a lot. We complain if it is too sunny, too warm, too cold or too rainy, not to mention snowy. In fact I believe that we only have about 5 days of weather each year that most New Englanders will agree are good.

And yet, if you try to remove us from our native land, we will complain and find nothing wonderful about the new abode. The fact is, we like our 4 seasons, we like to complain about the weather and most of all, we just like where we are.

I know I have whined about all the snow, but the fact is, when I watch the pups and the kids and the beauty of the trees and the lake when they are covered with snow, I am glad that we are…

home.

Happy New Year 2008

Here we are. It’s 2008!

Another year begins.

A year ago at the start of 2007 I made these resolutions. I was looking at them and thinking that I sort of blew the weight loss and physical fitness ones, but I did grow out my hair, I took Arnie to the dog show and showed him, despite my shyness, and I house trained not just one puppy, but two!

So really, I did pretty well. Especially with the hair.

I went from this:
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To this:
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And it is still growing.

I took Arnie to the show and he got the highest rating that is given to the dachshunds by the German judges. He was rated as being Vorzüglich, or Excellent!!!

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I also house trained Arnie and his sister Anneliese. I did not intend to keep two puppies from this litter, but somehow it was meant to be that Arnie stay here with us. I look back now, over the last 12 months and I can’t imagine life without him or her in it!

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I’m looking forward to seeing what the next year will bring. Longer hair, a new litter of puppies, another dog show (Anneliese this time) and perhaps this year will be the year that I tackle my weight problem and get exercising too.

The possibilities are endless!

So as I sit here watching 2007 fade into the record books, and 2008 slowly begin to unfold I wish for you, dear readers, a very Happy and Healthy New Year!!!

New Years Resolutions

Yesterday I wrote about New Years Resolutions. I have made them for almost every year that I have conscious memories, and I have kept a few (such as quitting smoking 8 years ago) and learning to cook (that is now my biggest problem).

You see, somewhere between age 20 and today my body has given me up. In my 20’s and even my 30’s I could eat what I wanted and not gain weight, and my muscles had remained strong enough and flexible enough for me to perform the daily challenges in life.

Now, as I prepare to go into my 50th year, I find that although I LOVE to cook and eat, my body has stopped it’s ability to metabolize the food as efficiently as it once did. And my muscles? Well, let’s just say that I moan and groan a whole lot more these days than I ever thought was possible.

You see, I feel young in my head. Unfortunately the body, the keeper of my spirit is not helping me out any and thus, my dilemma.

So this New Year as I am sitting planning what my “Resolutions” or “Goals” should be I have kept in my mind the thought that I simply am not willing to go into middle age without a fight.

Thus my two Resolutions are this:

1. I will start Weight Watchers on Thursday evening. I have decided that I need the help and support of other people who are metabolically challenged to achieve my goal of losing the weight that has crept upon these soon to be, middle aged bones. I will go and sit there and announce “Hello, my name is Maribeth and I’m an overeater!”

2. I will exercise. I plan to set my initial goal at exercising two days a week and go from there. I still have a gym membership, and let’s face it, with all this snow, I should get out my skis, pack my back pack and get my lazy bottom out of bed in the morning and go skiing. I will not let my fear of last years fall make me crazy and keep me off the ski slopes.

So there we have it. Better, healthier eating and exercise. Fairly simple? I sure hope so. It sort of stinks that once you get to a point where you understand life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, your body gives out on you and you have to live on lettuce and a treadmill!

Ah well, it beats the heck out of the alternative!

What are your resolutions?