The Dackel Princess

Thoughts on Life

I was thinking today about life. How each and every one of us has a very individual life, despite what we may share with family and friends.

I’ve had some moments, some times in my life, that I went through alone, with no one beside me. Be it a shopping trip, or a plane ride to see someone, or even going off to grocery shop, and stopping for a meal alone. Or even more challenging times.

The experiences are singular and we alone have the memories.

Some people might not like that idea. They’re very group-oriented. And yet, it is the sweetness of our individuality, that can actually enrich our relationships with other people.

I value my alone time. My quiet time. I like to read, or write, or maybe cook something wonderful. But it’s during this time that my soul’s internal batteries recharge.

I think I was 7 or 8 years old when I realized I really liked being off by myself. Back then it was perfectly fine for your kid to ride their bike all around town. And I did.

I rode to the local convenience store. Often getting bread, milk, and cigarettes for my mother. Then riding home. Sometimes I rode to the beach and sat on the jetties watching the ocean.

On some occasions I had company, but more often then not I was alone. And that was just fine.

Looking back I realize the importance of learning to be alone. I never realized it until I was well into my 50’s.

Love yourself. Be happy with yourself, and the world will be full of adventures. Alone or with those you love!

The Post Office

The other day I read that the US Postal Service could be in trouble. I have dealt with the Post Office for the last 21 years on an almost daily basis, and aside from a few flukes, my service has always been the best.

A could of years ago they introduced Informed Delivery. Each morning I get an email showing me what is in my mailbox uptown. I love this because during the biggest part of the lock-down here against Covid-19 I would look at what was in my mailbox and either decide to go and get the mail, or wait.

Well on Monday morning I saw that the reimbursement check from the Canine Vaccine Company was in my mailbox. So, I planned to go, get the check, and deposit it int he bank before getting my fresh veggies.

I asked if it had somehow gotten lost and after a look out back they said I should come tomorrow. I was so disappointed.

Most of the time I do not care about when the mail arrives. But today I did and it just ticked me off.

I still believe that the USPS is one of the better Posts in the World, but do I think we should rely on them for this election? No, no I do not.

The way things stand, there is no accurite way to do this. I think it would be better to either do absentee voting or just bite the bullit and go and vote. After all, I have watched protesters and rioters out on the streets with almost no masks and the world has not come to an end.

This is an important election. For goodness sake, get out there and vote. There are simply no excuses.

The Weekend Wrap August 24th

One can dream of sleepy, lazy, weekends, but for me, it is rarely the case. Both days I was up exceptionally early, and I was working on Jack’s computer both days.

How I would love to back up his machine and do a total wipe of his hard drive and start again. Now that I know how to do it within Windows 10, I am happy to do it, again and again, to keep in practice. Quite honestly, Jack’s computer is a programming disaster, and one day I will have to do it.

I cooked and stopped the beds and then did some sewing. Miraculously, I got it all done.

I even read for a while. A good book, about Carrie Mathison before the start of the series Homeland. It’s kind of a prequel.
The week ahead will be a quiet one. I have no appointments, and simply need to go out and buy some fresh vegetable for the week. Other than that, I am good.

Have a great week everyone and enjoy these last summer days. September is almost upon us!

A Laid Back Weekend

When I woke on Saturday morning, I made the coffee, fed and walked the dogs and then grabbed my cup of the warm brew and sat down.

Friday night Jack had mentioned that Firefox was getting to be unusable for him. It seemed every update changed the program enough so that he was having trouble adapting.

I have disliked Firefox for a few years now and had previously switched to Chrome, which I really like and find easy to use. I offered to install it on his machine and set it up for him.

So while Jack slept I spent about 45 minutes installing it for him and setting it all up. By the time he woke, it was all done. We have now gotten through one complete day without a complaint. Alleluia!

After making my breakfast, I stood in the kitchen and chopped and planned for the dinner meal tonight. We’re having a vegetable and shrimp stir-fry. Yum!

I also did all the prep work for my lunch of salad and a tuna-fish wrap. While everything chilled, I checked my own email and did some computer housework to keep everything in order.

Then it was movie time. As the rain came upon us, we watched a Bruce Willis movie called Striking Distance.

It was from 1993 and it was okay, but would never be up for any awards.

But the next movie, “RED” came on (another Bruce Willis movie) and this one I like a lot.

I have seen it a bunch of times but always enjoy it. I guess I am a Bruce Willis fan.

Motorcycle Week has started. I can tell by the constant hum of bikes going by on the main road, and from the numerous accident reports coming across Granite State Alerts.

I hope you are all having a good weekend!

Me & Tea

Growing up in my family, a cup of tea was probably the most important thing we shared. For me, our afternoon teas started almost before any of my actual memories do.

When I was not quite four years old, my appendix ruptured and after the surgery, my mother got a call from the nurses in the Pediatric Ward. Oh goodness, Maribeth is not drinking. They’d tried to offer me everything, and I refused.

“Offer her a cup of tea with two sugars and a little milk,” my mother told them. So the nurse did and apparently I perked right up. Yes, I and my tea go back a long way.

All through my youth, we drank tea in the afternoons. When I got home from school, while watching “Dark Shadows”, I would have a cup of tea and a few cookies. I sort of thought everyone did, right?

When I was in 6th grade I moved in with my grandparents, and that’s when the real ritual began. I would go to school each day, and when I came home after grandma’s soap opera was over, we would have our tea, some cookies, and talk. I would tell them all about my day, school, what was happening, and what I thought. And Grandma, Papa, and my Mom, always listened. When my sister was there, she joined us too.

When my grandmother got too old to leave her bed, and we knew her time was drawing near, we gathered our children together and had a tea party. Right there in her bedroom. It was the last time I saw her before she passed.

I continued the tradition of tea, with my Mom, my sister, my cousin, Janet, and my own children. And when my Mom died, my sister had a tea party after her Memorial Service. Complete with beautiful teacups and cookies. Mom would have loved it!

The other day I was watching Pioneer Woman on the Food Channel. Ree and her daughter, Paige were having tea during the show. They had so much fun making up the treats to serve with it too. Eventually, Ree asks her daughter how often she thinks they should do this? And her daughter smiles and says “Every day!”.

And that was when I started to cry. I suddenly missed all those afternoon teas we shared. I missed my Grandma, my Mom, Papa. Those moments, those sweet days have gone by. Aside from my sister, daughter, Mandy, and cousin Janet, the people I shared those days with have gone too.

My love of tea goes on. It’s my link to my past. I’m so very grateful to have it.

The Friday Five ~ August 21st

This week flew by and I was busier than I’ve been in a while. But it was all good and it was so nice to get it all accomplished by today. So, here goes!

Tuesday I weighed in and lost close to two pounds. I now have just 19 pounds left to lose!
After that, I had my breakfast and headed to the grocery store. At that early hour, there was no one there and it made my shopping a lot more pleasurable!
On Wednesday I met up with my friends. We had about an hour and a half meeting before going our separate ways. That meeting keeps me going all week long, as the encouragement and support given are so helpful in staying on plan, and staying sane!
Later in the day on Wednesday, I went to see my hairstylist and dear friend, Rebecca and she gave me a great cut and color! I love the great cut, as I simply shake out my curls and they pop! It is easy and so nice.
What do you think?
My plans this weekend are to do the heavy cleaning. Vacuuming, washing floors, and finishing the laundry. Aside from that, I will try to rest my back afterward and maybe pick up a book and read it!

So, that’s my five for this week. I hope you all have a nice, happy, and pleasant weekend!

TBT: Growing Up On Cape Cod

I grew in Falmouth on Cape Cod and my summers were always full of sun, sea, and soft, cool, cotton sheets after a long day at the beach.

My childhood dog, Beagle, Baby.

The Raft at Surf Drive Beach.

I swam almost before I could walk, dreamed of magical kingdoms, built castles in the sand, and lay on my towel watching the clouds drift by in the afternoon. I remember thinking that time went so slowly as I lay there, that things would always be like that.

I ran barefoot all summer long through the sweet grass, and the scent of lilacs and roses and the ocean were always there. (Or so it seemed)

The feel of salt on my skin, the taste of it on my lips, and the laughter in the air, as I climbed the jetties along the Surf Drive Beach.

I’m the one in the darker blue bathing suit and the tough look on my face!

When I didn’t walk to the beach, I rode my trusty Schwinn Bike all over town.

Fireflies, cookouts on the grill, and marshmallows too. Telling stories in the dark, movies at the drive-in, and ice cream cones at Dairy Queen!

Popcycles and root beer floats, fried clams, and frozen Milkyway bars. Lobster and butter, and strawberry shortcakes at the church festival.

Sunshine and happiness, visiting with relatives who flocked to our house and the beach. Summers are full of some of the best memories of my life!

Wow! Busy!

Tuesday was my big day to grocery shop. I got up early, made coffee and breakfast, and was out the door by 7:45.

It was a lovely day, so I drove the back roads to Plymouth, New Hampshire to go to Market Basket. Which, in my opinion, is the best grocery store in our area.

I arrived just after 8:00 and started my shopping. The shelves were fully stocked, and there were nearly no other shoppers in there with me! How wonderful!

I got to the Deli and got the deli-meats that Jack wanted, did all the isles, and then hit the frozen food and produce sections. I was in line to check out at 9:20 and back in Meredith by 10 AM!

I picked up the mail and then drove home. The next part of my day was just starting as I sorted through all the groceries placing some in the deep freeze, some cans on the shelves, and the rest up the cellar stairs and into the kitchen. I was done with that part by 11:15, and then I was onto making a salad for lunch.

Just as I was set to sit down and eat, Jack announced his hunger so I quickly fixed his lunch before sitting down to enjoy my own. And enjoy I did!

The rest of my day was spent doing laundry and cooking dinner before finally being done at 7:45 PM. What a long day. But, all in all, a good day too!

The Power of Music

The TV was on and Jack sat down after dinner and suddenly the news was on. It was terrible, horrible news, and I found myself shaking. A man was being mugged and beaten in the street. It brought my own mugging, right back to my heart and soul.

So I sat down at my computer, put my headphones on, and turned on the music of my youth!

It is still too soon to go to bed, so writing this and listening to Freddie Mercury & Queen, or The Alan Parsons Project or Pilot, helped to calm me.

It’s funny really. When I was a teenager and life was complicated and I wanted to check out, I would go up to my room and do this. Only back then it was with my record player.

Ah yes. The healing powers of musical tunes. How lucky we are to have them to use to escape.

The Weekend Wrap August 17th

The weekend seemed to fly by, even though I kind of checked out for the weekend. I’d pulled a muscle in my back and it was tender, so I worked on stretching and resting it. It’s Sunday night now, and I think it is somewhat better.

Poor Jack has eaten so much fish lately, that I decided to cook different meals for him. But I’ve been almost craving fish and I have indulged myself.

I’ve also watched quite a few movies. Not that I sit here with popcorn, but I have them on while I am doing things like making meals and chopping up vegetables for salads.

“Red” with Bruce Willis, “The Family Stone” with Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Rachel McAdams, “Sully” with Tom Hanks, and the last two Harry Potter movies.

I also sat stitch ripping a mask that I had ordered, that came and was sewn so poorly. I know that once I pin and sew this, I will have a very adorable wire-haired dachshund mask.

Laundry will be done today (Monday) and I am also planning on sewing a few things, so that will keep me happily busy.