The Dackel Princess

Labor Day

Monday is Labor Day here in the States. Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.

What does this mean in reality? Most businesses are closed. It’s a long three (or four) day weekend. Many people go away to celebrate the end of the summer, as the school year usually starts right after this. (Some places start just before.)

People have gatherings, cooking hot dogs and hamburgers or steaks on the grill, and frankly, a lot of cold drinks and adult beverages are consumed!

Traffic is heavy, motels and campgrounds are booked up, and if you are lucky and the weather holds out, there is swimming and frolicking in the surf to be enjoyed.

This year Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were amazing weather-wise. It looks like Monday will be wonderful as well. Not overly hot but dry, in the mid-seventies, and with a lot of sunshine.

But then, things are different right now because of the Covid-19 virus. We do have many people who have filled our hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants. Our grocery shelves are bare and traffic! What a nightmare!

This Covid-19 thing has brought out both the best and the worst in people. But it is strange, how things have gone. I wonder if the Virus will be gone by this time next year? Will, we ever be able to go round mask free smiling at each other?

So wherever you are, I hope you can sit back and have a nice relaxed day. I hope you have some little thing that helps to put a smile on your face.

I Wish, I Wish…

I wish, I could bottle weather like this. Cool in the 70’s with bright blue skies, no wind and sunshine that warms the soul.

I wish, that when you reach your goal on a diet, that your metabolism would magically change so that you could eat anything you wanted and never again gain weight!

I wish, that people didn’t age. I know it is wonderful to learn things as we go along in life and to gain wisdom, but why should the acquisition of wisdom come at the cost of your body.

I wish, that time didn’t rush by us so quickly on the days when the wonderful things are happening, and then seem to drag on, when your life is going to hell.

I wish, I wish, I wish…

It’s All About…Kindness

Long ago, during a car trip out to Ohio, I brought with me an actual paper filled notebook. Often I get ideas and I jot them down before they are lost in time.

One idea that kept coming back to me was, “It’s All About…”

Certainly life is full of things that make the world go round, but sometimes I think we get lost and forget what “It’s All About.”

As we drove down highway 86 toward Cleveland, we were talking, listening to the radio and of course stopping periodically to use the restrooms.

One thing that made me both smile and frown was the way people, strangers, treated each other. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

My grandmother always told me to smile and be kind. She said that you never knew when someone needed a lift and that your smile might be the only one they see all day.

Kindness comes in many shapes and forms. Being polite, stopping to help someone, or when a dining-room is full of all sorts of people attending reunions, sharing a table.

I’ve been on my own crusade since 9/11. Every time I am in a restaurant, an airport, or perhaps shopping, when I see a member of the military, I stop for one moment and thank them for their service.

Recently, I saw two old men, with their military company’s emblem on their hats. They were World War II soldiers. They were talking, both had canes and you could see that the years had been tough for them.

I went over and smiled broadly, and thanked them both. One of the men got quite misty, and they both thanked me.

My smiles and helpful ways are not limited to the military. I am always on the lookout for older people in the grocery store who cannot reach the top shelves. As I am 5 feet 8 inches tall, with long (monkey) arms, I can reach everything pretty easily.

Of course in these Covid-19 times it’s hard to smile at someone and have them actually see it. I may have to draw a smile on each paper mask I wear!

I swear, Kindness is contagious! And so are smiles. Just like my Grandma Honey always told me.

It’s All About…Kindness

The Friday Five

Well here we are, the first Friday of September. It’s hard to believe that the year is slipping by so fast. It’s been a very full week for me. I am quite tired and I hope for a little down time. In any case, here are 5 things going on.

On Wednesday I was early leaving for my doctor’s appointment, so I stopped at Talbot’s at the Outlet and bought a pair of size 14 jeans! At the start of the year, I was wearing a size 20 and they were tight! So proud of all my work changing my lifestyle.
I also stopped at Jockey and bought myself new underwear. My old ones were all stretched out and were giving me constant wedgies!
I had my first steak this week in over 8 months! Boy, was it delicious!
We’ve had quite a bit of rain and so everything has greened up around here. It’s quite pretty.
We are interviewing people to take care of the snow plowing this winter. Jack was very unhappy with the people we had last season.

So that’s it. I did do a lot of driving and even got my tetanus shot. Next on my list is the Super Flu shot.

Have a Happy Weekend!

TBT: Shubi & Me

This picture was taken during a vacation in 1997. Twentythree years ago. We were visiting New Hampshire (At the time we were living in Florida), and we drove up to Weirs Beach, in Laconia. Here I am holding my first wire-haired dackel, Shubi! It’s hard to believe it has been 23 years!

We stopped so Shubi could take a run down by the water. The beach was deserted, and it was a perfect time. Or it was until a man with a large dog came to the beach and his dog was off-leash too! Poor little Shubi was so scared, she ran to the end of the jetty and jumped into the lake! His dog just stood there looking confused!

The man ran quickly and he jumped in and rescued Shubi, while Jack went to see if we had a blanket in our car. I can still see this rather comical event in my mind. Shubi was fine, just wet and in the end, we had a good laugh. The man’s dog was a nice one, although there was no convincing Shubi. I’m glad I have this picture to remind me of that fun day!

Me with my much loved Shubi.

My Loves

In the last few days, I have been driving all around New Hampshire. I got to spend time with Quinn and Savi and we played games and shared special times together.

I’ve been very careful about going out. I have kept myself very clean, worn gloves, masks, and used hand sanitizer. Likewise, the kids have been very isolated. So spending time together was a fairly safe thing to do.

The loneliness we have all shared has made us crave being together, and it was wonderful to hug them, hold them, and fall asleep with them cuddled up next to me.

Happiness and smiles!

Imagine how much of a blessing our grandchildren are to us. Their love, their laughter, and their smiles are all so very real.

Being silly is a very good thing!

Savi and I found a new word app game that gives you letters and you need to make words out of them. It’s pretty fun and we had a very good time playing it.

Quinn was fascinated with my Galaxy Tablet and the pictures above were when we were playing with the camera.

My visits are always too short with them, and then it was time to drive back home. The tricky part is that tomorrow I need to drive almost back to Mandy’s neck of the woods for a doctor’s appointment. Life is never dull.

Miracle Soup

It’s called Miracle Soup because it’s so easy! Make as little or as much as you would like.

- - - - 2-3 Cans fat-free Chicken Broth
      - 1 & 1/2 pounds ground turkey
      - 1 TBS. Salt
      - 1 TBS. Parsley
      - 1 TBS. Basil
      - 1 TBS. Chopped Garlic
      - 1 Cup each:
      - Celery, Onion, Green Pepper, Carrots, chopped
      - 1/3 cup uncooked barley
      - 1 can French-style Green Beans
      - 1-2 cans red Kidney Beans
      - 1-2 cans Italian Stewed Tomatoes
    In a large soup, kettle I sauté garlic with a small amount of oil. Add turkey and brown. Add broth, salt, parsley, basil, onion, green pepper, celery, carrots, barley, and a dash of pepper and the stewed tomatoes.
    Simmer slowly about an hour or until vegetables are done. Add green beans and kidney beans and heat another 15 minutes. Thicken gravy with flour, if desired, serve with a garden salad and hot crusty bread. This recipe also freezes well.
    
    Note: Add any other vegetable that you might like. I like red peppers. Enjoy!!!
  - To make this more points friendly subtract the barley and add some cabbage which you can chop up.

Restoring My Faith

Sometimes after a long week and several frustrating things occurring, something will happen that restores my faith in the human race.

On Monday I saw that there was a reimbursement check in my mailbox for me, for Arnie’s care. As you know, it never arrived, despite the Informed Delivery Photo that showed it was on its way.

On Friday there was no check again. Jack and I decided not to wait until Monday, but to call the Pharmaceutical Company and tell them what was happening.

I called them and I have to tell you that they couldn’t have been nicer to me. They asked all about Arnie and took down all my details. Then they opened our file and the Accountant stopped payment on the missing check and told me she would be issuing a new one today. By early next week, the new check will arrive and all will be well.

Well, that just ended my week so very nicely. I am going to be able to relax and not think about this all weekend. Yay!

The Friday Five ~ August 28

As many of you know, this has not been the best of weeks for me. So, instead of rehashing what you already know, I will make this week’s Friday Five about Five things that make me smile.

Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee, in my little town.
This is The Mount Washington Cruise Ship that takes Tourists around our beautiful lake! Lake Winnipesaukee is New Hampshire’s largest lake with a surface area of 72 miles and around 200 miles of shoreline. At 9 ½ miles wide and 28 miles long, the lake is home to (what some estimate to be) 365 islands of which 274 are habitable. I love our big Lake.
This is another view of Meredith. I would think it was taken from a Drone.
This Town, Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
My home. It is not perfect, but the views of our smaller Lake, Lake Waukewan are beautiful.
We’ve been here 21 years now. I think that’s the longest I have lived anywhere.
Sunsets on my little lake are so lovely. I can look out our front windows, or sit on our screened porch and watch the sun go down.
This always brings a smile to my face.

Life Is Never Dull

Sometimes all one wants to do is to curl up in the corner, with their dog and scream, yell, and cry at the frustrations in life!

It all started on Monday morning. I got my Informed Delivery Mail email, and saw that the check from the Pharmaceutical Company was in my mailbox! Hooray!

I grabbed a deposit slip and off I went to get the check and deposit it in our account. Easy peasy!

I got to the Post Office and went to my mailbox and there was no check! So, I went to the Customer Center and asked if they were done sorting the mail. Yes, yes they were. I showed the Clerk the picture of the envelope and he went back and did not see it. I was so upset, but there was nothing I could do but wait until Tuesday to check my mailbox!

Tuesday found me happily going to town to get my mail, and the check, that most certainly had to be in my box. I nearly skipped to the box and saw some mail in it! But, no check!

I went home feeling pretty ticked off about it, but I would need to wait until Wednesday to see if it magically appears!

I made a nice meal for our dinner. Scallops, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob. The dinner was terrific and I enjoyed every bite. However, some of the corn was stuck in my teeth so I went to floss and suddenly…out popped my crown! I mean, it was just not the kindest way to end my day.

I woke on Wednesday and quickly showered and dressed and called my Dentist to get in to get my perfect crown glued back into place! My appointment was scheduled for 5:20 PM. Ugh!

So, I went to get the mail and hopefully the check, which I would deposit into the bank. I got there, and there was mail in the box, but once again…no check!

This time when I went to the Customer Center the Post Master was in and I was able to show him the piece of mail displayed on Informed Delivery, and he took down all the information. We chatted about the problem. He was going to make some calls, and hopefully, we will get our check by the end of the week, if not then we will need to contact the Pharmaceutical Company and explain the situation.

Life is certainly never dull.

Now I am waiting to get the tooth glued back on so that my life will go forward and I can chew without worrying about breaking that tooth. I will keep you posted on the missing check.

Postscript: I got in and my crown and the tooth were both unscathed. Both were cleaned up and the crown was cemented in. A perfect way to end my day!