The Worst Is Over & Other Exciting Things

The worst is over and Hubby and I are on the mend. We both actually ate “real” food today, and started to regain our health. I went out and got my hair done, picked up the mail and Hubby actually got out of bed and put on clothes. He even took care of the puppies while I was gone. Of course he had the help of Fritz and Greta with the puppies so he wasn’t completely alone.

I arrived back from my “dip in the fountain of youth” to find a hungry Hubby and four hungry dogs. I put on my apron and “whipped” up an easy meal for Hubby and then fed all four dogs. Then the fun began as I tried to get the two puppies to do all their business outside.

Anneliese is pretty easy, in that when you bring her out she knows why she is there and will usually perform. Although she will often not perform all her business during one outing. Two, I can handle. Arnie on the other hand is still a bit of a dumb bunny. He will head for the newspapers in the puppy room and I will call to him. I’ll race outside with him and he will then stand there looking at me like I am the one who should be doing something. So we come back in and two seconds later he runs out toward the puppy room. I race after him, and run outside (grabbing my coat, hat and gloves) only to have him stare at me blankly again. I bring him back in and just as my fanny is hitting the seat he runs back to the puppy room.

I jump up as if shot out of a cannon, and race outside with him again. This time I forget my hat and gloves but I have the flashlight and can walk further out into the doggie poop mine field with my puppy. I finally help him find just the right spot and he goes! Woo-hoo!!! Then there are Milk Bones given all around in celebration.

I worry that I am truly insane trying to raise two pups at the same time. Then I look down in my lap at the two faces of the pups sleeping there and I realize that I wouldn’t have it any other way.

News From The Sick House

It’s been quiet here at the Dackel Princess House. Hubby and I are still under the weather with this stomach flu, and I ascertained today that this is not one of the 24 hour types but more like a week. I’m prepared to go the distance, as I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter.

Meanwhile the dogs have been wonderful. The puppies have actually been asking to go out and when I pass out on the sofa to sleep, they tend to climb up and go to sleep with me. I swear that their TLC is what is getting me through all of this.

I personally want to thank Coca Cola and Ginger Ale for keeping us hydrated, and Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup for at least sitting well in my tummy.

I’m actually due to go have my hair done tomorrow, and if I am feeling better, I will. If not I will postpone the appointment for a week.

I have heard from 2 of my puppy buyers and the other babies are doing great. I am so pleased to know that the babies have all gone to such good homes.

The Rain Came Tumbling Down And Other Things

Our big snow storm of Sunday night, turned into rain while I slept. 3 or 4 or 5 inches of rain! It has washed away all of the snow and created giant puddles in our yard. Puddles so deep that Anneliese and Arnie hate to go outside as the rain water touches their bellies!

I was listening to the news and heard that a mud slide had happened in the southern part of the state, very near my daughter’s condo. My daughter’s home is on a HILL! I called her to make sure she was fine and also her home. She is, and so is her home, although there will be a detour for her to use to get home for a while.

Meanwhile, it rained here all day. The wind blew, the rains poured down and each time I took Anneliese and Arnie out I got soaked. I actually changed my clothes three times before finally giving up on staying dry.

My flu returned and I started to run a fever just as Hubby’s fever broke. I have warned him to stay away from me so we do not keep passing this thing back and forth. We did have a little appetite tonight and had french toast for dinner. (**A short note here, we never eat breakfast for dinner. It’s against Hubby’s religion or something, so this was a first. Me? I could eat breakfast at every meal. I LOVE breakfast!**)

Our little Anneliese is feeling the pains of being the smallest member of our family. I’m not letting her dwell on it and I am encouraging her to see herself as a big dog!

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Of course she will, always be, my little baby girl!

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Nor’easters, Stomach Flu’s And Pups

Okay, so Hubby and I are just about dead this weekend. Apparently the flu shot we got in October didn’t cover the stomach flu that has spread across New England. Since I am the one without a raging fever, I was sent to the store for the important items like Coca Cola, Ginger Ale, chicken broth, beef broth, bread for cinnamon toast and saltine crackers.

We both have lived on Pepto Bismol tablets and as I also have the incredible good luck of having a migraine, I have been taking Tylenol. I’ve got to tell you that I truly have had better days.

To top off all this “wonderfulness”, we are in the middle of a classic New England Nor’easter! Yes, the snow is coming down heavily, and sticking and well, just making a terrible mess! Nothing like a big snow storm to make you feel good when you have the flu!

bml
This is the great State of New Hampshire. The blue you can see on this radar image is SNOW! The darker the blue the heavier the snow.

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My own back yard.

Just when I had given up hope of feeling at all well today, Fritz and the puppies started playing and I was able to snap a few good pictures. You can see how much he loves the puppies and how much they love him.

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Anneliese, Fritz and Arnie

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Anneliese and Fritz

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Arnie, Fritz and Anneliese

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Arnie,Anneliese and Fritz

So now I will crawl under a blanket and try to stay warm and get well.

Wish me luck.

18 Weeks (or 4 months old)

Can you believe it? The puppies are 18 weeks old! They’ve grown so much and are becoming proper doggies.

Anneliese is 10 1/2 pounds now and she is 95% house trained. I refuse to say she is 100% house trained because that would simply jinx the entire production! Anneliese is a cuddler. She will climb on top of whomever is my lap, and settle in. She took her first nap with me today and I found out that she was a fantastic little sleeper.

Anneliese
Two week old Anneliese with her head on her brother Arnie.
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Anneliese today

Arnie is 13 1/2 pounds and he is probably 65% house trained. I can’t even tell you how much better he is doing (I have stopped calling him a dumb bunny!) but there are times he runs in and uses the news paper in the puppy room before I can scoot him outside. He is gentle and sweet and loves to be cuddled right up next to me in the chair. Each and every day I am thankful that Arnie ended up staying with us.

Arnie
Arnie at two weeks.
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Arnie today

It has gone so quickly and I can’t believe how very much “in love” I am with these two, nor can I believe how different they are in personality.

Today we also had our first family nap. I have a touch of the stomach flu and have not been feeling too well. I lay down on the sofa and one by one I was joined by the dachshund group.

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I found that the sofa is a little small for all these bodies, perhaps it’s time to buy a sectional sofa or perhaps one of those extra wide chaise lounges! I have a feeling that this was the first of many naps that we all will enjoy together.

Saturday Scavenger Photo

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HOBBY

My Hobby is raising my dachshunds. It was always a dream of mine and this past December I helped Greta deliver her first litter.

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The puppy on the far right is Anneliese. This was immediately after the puppies were born.

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Greta with Arnie as a young puppy.

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Greta and Anneliese as a young puppy.

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Me with Anneliese.


The best part of raising a litter is the instant bonding you have with the babies. It is truly incredible!

A Happy Home Recipe

Title: A Happy Home Recipe
Yield: 1

Ingredients:

4 cups of love
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2 cups of loyalty
3 cups Forgiveness
1 cup Friendship

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5 Spoons of hope
2 Spoons of tenderness
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4 quarts of faith
1 Barrel of laughter
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Take love and loyalty, mix them throughly with Faith. Blend it with
tenderness, kindness and understanding. Add friendship and hope,
sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Serve
daily with generous helpings

Cars, Cookies And Fortunes

We had to go and get our car at the dealership where we bought it today, after it took a week for them to troubleshoot the problem. Don’t get me wrong here. I think they did amazingly well fixing this electrical problem. After all, in today’s cars, everything is electric and just because a wire goes here or there doesn’t mean it actually gets it’s power directly from the battery. It may go through a few other places before it actually goes to the battery.

Anyway, our battery kept going dead, despite the fact that the battery was a good battery. So we brought it in (still under warranty) and told them to keep it until they were sure that it was fixed. I also mentioned that the drivers side seat wasn’t heating up and could they perhaps fix that too? (I hate it when my bottom gets cold in the winter!) Well the electrical problem stumped them too, but true to their word a week later they called to tell us that the car was fixed. It turns out that the problem with the seat heater actually led them to the short in the electrical system. I think I must be clairvoyant!

So after we drove down in Hubby’s car, we parted so Hubby could get his license renewed and I could go grocery shopping. I stopped to get the doggies some of their favorite cookies and then proceeded to the grocery store.

It was there that my cell phone rang and it was Hubby inviting me to lunch. Sure! There is a nice Chinese restaurant in the plaza and once Hubby arrived we had a nice lunch. He had Moo Goo Gai Pan and I had Crispy Shrimp and vegetables. Then our check arrived with our fortune cookies. I love those things!

I opened mine and, well today was my lucky day! Three fortunes!

Find Release From Your Cares And Have A Good Time

Well, I was having a wonderful lunch with my sweetie and didn’t have to clean up after!

You Are An Exciting And Inspiring Person

I did help that sweet little old lady reach the yogurt she wanted on the top shelf and she was so happy and told me how nice I was (and tall!). I think my handing her the yogurt made her happy and inspired?

Share Your Joys And Sorrows With Your Family

Well, I had spoken to my sister and we shared our joys and sorrows with each other. So I was three for three.

Then Hubby opened his. Just one lone fortune, and it said it all.

You Should Be Able To Undertake And Complete Anything

And this is true, he did our taxes yesterday got completely done only to have the machine lock up and swallow all his work! So now, he will be “undertaking and completing” our taxes yet again.

And whoever said that fortune cookies were never right?

A Four Dog Life

People often wonder why I have 4 dogs. In fact today, I saw my doctor for a physical and he was asking me how on earth I could do it? Didn’t having 4 dogs mean a lot of work, a lot of time spent running around with them and cleaning up after them? Or feeding them?

Yes, it’s true that there is work involved with owning 4 dogs, but…and here is the important part, what they give me is so much more than any thing that I might have to do for them.

You see when I came home today Fritz and Greta met me at the door. They both danced around giving me kisses and happy faces and wagging tails. They were so happy I came home!

Then the puppies started jumping around and when I picked them up to bring them outside they licked my face and wiggled lovingly in my arms!

Even when I am not feeling well, the pups are all at my side. They snuggle and cuddle and sleep quietly. And I feel like the luckiest lady on the face of the earth.

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Greta, Arnie and Anneliese in my lap.

Now before you all start thinking that having 4 dogs isn’t challenging I’ll tell you there are times when all heck breaks loose! Like when the Oil Company Man makes a delivery and all the dogs see him and start barking. Woo-hoo! That’s when it is really fun. I just love it when I can’t hear myself think! LOL

Oh just one more thing before I close. You all remember that I bought those doggie steps for Greta was she was pregnant and as rotund as a Pot Bellied Pig? Well, I brought out the steps for the puppies and I taught them to use the steps. They love them and no longer even try to jump up or off the chair. As long as the steps are there they go up and down with ease. In fact now that the puppies are using them, Greta has started to actually use them too! I think now I will buy a second set for the bedroom. The key? Start them young!

Psycho Dog

Okay, I’m crazy. I know that now. I mean anyone who has 4 dogs definitely has a screw loose, but to take ALL 4 dogs to the Vets, well I think that makes me certifiable!

The puppies needed their last boosters today and Fritz and Greta needed their heart worm checks and their shots. So what they heck, I didn’t think it would be all that tough. You know, put them all in the car and go.

This would have worked well had we either not had Fritz with us, or perhaps drugged him! He was terrible! I’m not sure why. I mean, at home he is the sweetest, gentlest German Shepherd that we have ever had,

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but put him near a car or in a car and he becomes “Psycho Dog”!!!

Hubby came with me today, so at least I had strong arms to hold our 77 pound boy down and to walk him to and from the car. Thank God! I really couldn’t have done it without him. The girls, and Arnie were Angels! But then, I think that dachshunds are all Angels!

Everyone had their exams, their shots and we are all set for the tick and flea and mosquito season. I don’t have to bring Fritz in until September for his rabies shot. I think then we’ll get a large dose of tranquilizers.

For me!