Dackels – Page 9 – The Dackel Princess

Dogs & Pickles

Fritz went in to the Vet’s office today to have his ankle re-checked. They removed his cast and and examined him and he appears to be doing well. They want him to be quiet, but they did not recast his leg! So that is true progress! Fritz is thrilled and he is happy to go on short walks in the yard.

After lunch I set up the kitchen to work on my Moon Glow Pickles! I had peeled, scooped out the insides and then diced the cucumbers up yesterday, added 2 chopped onions and one green pepper and one red pepper, also chopped. I soaked this in salt water overnight, and today drained it, and then set it on the stove with vinegar, cloves, mustard seed, and turmeric.

The recipe can be found HERE.

I started to slowly simmer it until it was just starting to get soft. Then I got out my sterilized pint jars and canned 6 pints. I’d only made a half batch, thus the smaller number of jars put up. However, my garden is full of baby cucumbers and soon I will make another batch!

I made our lunch and asked Hubby to take a picture of Anneliese’s ever growing belly. I’m not sure, but she looks smaller to me this time. Part of me worries that this is just a false pregnancy. I’m grateful that we go again on Monday for another ultra-sound. That should reassure me. How does she look to you?

After I see the Vets on Monday I will set up the puppy room. Then I will post pictures of that. I wonder if Anneliese will remember the room and her birthing bed once it is set up?

Sunday I need to DO MY IRONING! Oh, how I dread that job, but I have been very lax about getting that job done, and I’m afraid it has piled up. I’ll break out the ironing board and iron until it is all done. I imagine it will take me a couple of hours.

The next thing on my list is to figure out what to do with all the zucchini I have growing in my garden! Oh dear, you should see the pile of zucchini I have! I’ve been giving it away to friends and neighbors, but I have noticed them avoiding me, whenever they see me, so perhaps I need to stop ‘sharing the wealth’!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone, and Happy Birthday to my brother in-law, Ron!

Barbecues & Cute Dogs

Well my first day back at Weight Watchers was not as bad as it could have been, but then, not as good either. I decided to adopt the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy for this week, as I weighed in. I know exactly what I have to do, and now I just need to get on with it, and do it!

After the meeting I came home, stopping at the grocery long enough to buy some fresh fruit. I know that the more fresh produce that I eat, the better I will do. So I stocked up.

Then I came home and began to prepare for dinner guests. It was an easy meal of chicken and steaks with corn on the cob, potato salad and fresh fruit. Hubby dressed in his finest Barbecue clothes,

and the dogs got ready too.

Greta

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Anneliese

Arnie

While we dined outside on the patio with our friends, the moon began to rise and it was so beautiful that I grabbed my camera and snapped this picture.

We had a great evening, and it lasted fairly late, which is why I need to close this off and get myself into bed. The day will start fairly early tomorrow and I absolutely need my beauty sleep!

Three Dackels & A Shower

I started my day off with the dreaded 3 dackel shower. Oh they were all good, as they got soaped up, and then rinsed off, but I have a feeling that given a chance, the three of them would have ganged up on me, and taken me down! LOL

It’d been a while since I’d bathed all three. Usually it’s one here, or one there, but seldom is it that I bring all three in the shower with me.

Today was that day.

I started with Anneliese, because she is the easiest. I soaped her up and rinsed her off. Zip, zip, zip! Then Greta, who was fairly easy to do, and really didn’t fight me, and lastly was Arnie. He squirmed a bit, and wiggled around a little more, but in the end, they were all clean!

Actually, I think they had a lot of fun! At least now, they are clean!

Cleaning, Dackels

Monday was Veterinarian day. The three dackels went in for their yearly shots, examinations and I bought their heart-worm and flea & tick medications. Now I am broke for the rest of the month! Not really, but it did take my breath away when I got the final bill!

All the dackels are healthy. The two girls are, a little too healthy! Like their Mama Maribeth, they need to be on a strict Weight Watchers program for myself and my girls! Greta has a good 2 pounds to lose and Anneliese is about 1 pound over.

What I am planning is to take the girls on walks once this rain stops. I could use the exercise myself. I’d like to take the girls out in the morning. Walk down and get the mail, and then in the afternoon, take Arnie and Anneliese out for a walk. Fritz doesn’t need to be walked as he is the best boy in the entire world, and runs between our house and our neighbors, but never goes any further. Unfortunately the dackels do, so they need to be walked.

I actually got some spring cleaning done today. Hubby is off training for working on the US Census during the day, and this gives me all kinds of time to clean. What I need now is motivation!

Does anyone out there like to clean?

Lovable Dogs & Olympic Questions

Tuesday morning we all slept in! I mention this because lately I have been awake by 6 or 6:30 each morning. However, today the dogs and Hubby all were feeling sleepy and no one wanted to get up.

I did move about quarter to 8 and Anneliese leapt onto me with glee! I was covered with kisses by the happiest pup ever. Arnie joined in, greeting the day with pleasure, and Greta lay between Hubby and me putting up with the frivolity. The next thing we knew, Fritz jumped up to join in the celebration of a new day! Both Hubby and I laughed. We are very lucky to have this pack of dogs!

I immediately asked Hubby who had won the ice dancing the night before. The darned skating runs so late that I end up going to sleep about half way through it. I really love the skating and I wish the time was such that I could watch the whole thing. My favorite couple, Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the silver medal! I am so happy for them!!!

Of course none of us see the whole of anything, except maybe Curling and Hockey. We get those completely and at decent times. I have been less than thrilled with NBC’s coverage because they don’t show things live, like the skiing, or ski jumping, when they could. They also do not show us the “minor” players in these events.

You know, if I made it to the Olympics in any sport, I would hope that the world would see me. Think about it. These kids practice 7 days a week, for years and years and years. Don’t they deserve their moment of glory as much as the medal winners do?

I can tell you that I have watched a ton of Curling. Do I understand it at all? Not really. Hubby does. His parents came from Canada and apparently has played and watched the sport over the years enough to tell what the heck they are doing. I do know one thing…there was a girl from Denmark on the Women’s Curling team and she looked really tough. I wouldn’t want to meet her in a dark ally.

Best moments, Lindsey Vonn winning gold and Bode Miller winning his medals, all three of them! And of course Meryl and Charlie! What are your favorite moments?

Splish Splash!

After breakfast I got all the dackels together and washed them down in the shower. I think I had not bathed them since last summer! In any case, Jack came into the bathroom and I was going to hand him Anneliese to dry, when Greta snuck out of the shower dripping wet and ran from the room! Oh my goodness everything got soaked! We tried to find and dry off each of the girls, and then we got Arnie out. The poor little guy was all alone in the shower. Ah well, rugs dry!

Bathing beauty and all around sneak, Greta!

Now if I had been smart I would have just stayed home, and done housework all day. But no, I decided to run some errands, which is never a good idea.

I did the usual. I got the mail, went to the grocery store and then on my way back home I saw that the car wash was open. Hmmmm, I thought, this Jeep sure could use a wash. It was covered with sand and salt and grime from our sloppy winter roads. However, in the last few days things have dried out and I knew that this would be a great day to get it washed.

I turned in, paid my money, and started through the automatic wash. Splish, splash, spray, and the brushless system, cleaned the Jeep right off. I could hear the under carriage jets washing off below. All was going along well, until we reached the rinsing part of the cycle.

The water came pouring into the Jeep through the drivers side door frame! I got soaked! I tried to put my hand up to stop the water coming in (like that would even have worked!), but it didn’t. I sort of felt like I was in an “I Love Lucy” episode and glanced around for Lucy’s faithful sidekick Ethel! But all I found was a drenched Maribeth!

I came home soaking wet!

As I sit here tonight, giggling over the events of the day, I have to say one thing, besides having a clean car and clean doggies, I also laughed a lot!

Isn’t that what we hope for at the end of the day?

Love, Life and Lots of Laughter!

Snow & Batteries

We had about 5 inches of snow overnight on Tuesday. Hubby was wonderful and cleared the drive so I could get out to Weight Watchers. I hate to miss a meeting. After the meeting I went out, got into my car and…nothing. Dead battery! Thankfully I had my cell phone and my AAA card. So I called the auto club, and within a few short minutes the mechanic arrived and started the Jeep. He told me not to shut it down for a bit, so the battery would naturally charge.

So I drove home, grabbed some things to mail, and then went to the Post Office and the Library before returning home. I’d tested the battery by shutting the car off and then attempting to turn it on, and found that although it was turning slowly, I could start the car.

Later on Hubby determined that one cell in the battery is most likely dead and we will need a new battery for the Jeep.

Anneliese loved the snow and I snapped a couple of pictures of her.

I’m not sure who is cuter in the snow. Kids or dogs? Perhaps they are both adorable! I know I just love to watch Anneliese, Arnie and Fritz play in the white stuff. It makes me smile and laugh. Greta, of course, feels that she is too old and too dignified for that sort of play.

Have a good day everyone!

Home

You know it really is wonderful. After a few little skirmishes (minor, really), the crew has settled in and every one is getting along. For a while Fritz was afraid of the little guy, but this morning I found them this close together.

In fact, Fritz really calmed down and actually likes Bogey. He lies down with him and while Bogey sleeps, Fritz chew on his bones and watches over him.

The other little rivalry has been between Arnie and Bogey. Not that Bogey has felt this, but Arnie sure has. I have been spending time each night snuggling with my little man and assuring him that he is still my one and only!

Then today Arnie started to play with Bogey! I was shocked! They ran in the field together, and played in the house afterward. I even got this picture of them in front of the fire that I got going today!

They look so comfortable together that I finally felt at ease.

So if Bogey’s parents check the blog, worry not! He is happy and healthy and having a good time with the rest of his birth family.

***************

PS: Hubby did the most romantic thing this morning. When the dogs got up this morning, Hubby got up with them and let me stay in bed!!! Now that is real love and the most romantic thing a man can do for his wife!

LOL!!!

Dogs Are Love

It was quite a day for me as I took care of a lot of business. I started my day at Weight Watchers where I lost 1 & 1/4 pounds! What did I do differently this week? Every time I felt like eating, I ate fruit! I’m starting to think this is a good thing to do in the future.

I wore my new coat, the one I got at LL Bean along with a pair of jeans for Hubby for $7.29! I love this coat! Here is a picture of what the coat looks like.

After Weight Watchers I did a few errands in the next town before coming back home and getting the mail. I also stopped at a local ladies clothing shop and decided I am not old enough to wear their clothes. Now isn’t that a nice feeling!

I came home to four happy doggies. I took them all outside for a run, and then brought them in and started making lunch for Hubby and myself. Today’s weight loss encouraged me, so I made a nice salad with a stuffed tomato and mandarin oranges.

Hubby got home in the early afternoon and we talked while we ate the lunch. You are probably wondering what we chatted about over lunch….well, tomorrow our Grand-puppy, Bogart is coming back to us for 10 days! We are very excited about this. Earlier in the day I had gotten a picture from his Mama Alex and I was so shocked! Bogey and Arnie could be twins!

Arnie is on the left and Bogey on the right! Amazing!!!

Greta was a little bit sore when she got up this morning, but by the mid part of the day she was doing so much better. I took her outside myself today and didn’t allow too much running around.

Anneliese was pretty funny too. It seems she plays this little game with Greta. When Greta moves she dives right in an swipes her rawhide bone. They are pretty funny to watch and give me so much joy!

I never thought that I would be the owner of 4 dogs. I’d considered three because when I had Shubi and Fritz, we got Greta and three dogs was no more work than two. However, 4 dogs….well I must be just a little bit crazy!

Despite the work, and the cleaning up and the feeding, etc., I must say that these four have brought with them more love and fun and joy than I thought was possible. I never planned this. Arnie just happened to lose his home before he had even been picked up (The new owner changed her mind). What was I to do? He was, after all, “Little Orphan Arnie” then, and my heart was taken. I thought I could do it. I thought I could send him off to another home, but I couldn’t let him go.

So although I know many of you think I am mad, for me it works.

Dogs, Fish & Memories

I woke in the night and the dogs took advantage of the situation, by getting me up to take them out. It was -4 degrees (F) and so I did not even bother to go out with them. I just opened the door and they ran out. Moments later, they ran back in! I hadn’t doubted that for a minute.

We all went back to bed and as I lay on my side Anneliese came up and settled herself under my chin. I did snuggle with Anneliese and she was very sweet. She fell back asleep and I could feel her soft, even, breaths and a few times she sighed in her sleep. It was very sweet. It is times like that, that I understand why I have all these dogs. Each one, in their own special way, brings such love into our home.

Naturally, I could not get back to sleep. I just lay there and listened to Hubby and the dogs all making their sleeping noises. It was peaceful and nice. Unfortunately I couldn’t join in their sleeping! I was up at 6 with a mug of coffee in hand.

The day was beautiful, but very cold. I felt badly for the fishermen who are currently up for the annual Ice Fishing Derby!

Last year our neighbor won, both first and second place. A new fishing boat on a trailer and an All Terrain Vehicle! Woo-hoo!

Here is this years tote board. This is where they weigh in and hang the leader’s fish. The event lasts until tomorrow. Hopefully there will be bigger fish than what you see here.

I worried that we wouldn’t have as many people come out this year due to the extreme cold, but they are all out in their long underwear and snow suits! Many bring their “Bob Houses”,

so they can get in out of the cold, but some just drive their trucks right out on to the ice. I’m not sure I would be brave enough for that!

The kids love it because they can bring down their ice skates and practice their hockey moves. I always love to watch the kids!

I have to thank Hubby for these photographs. I am really bothered by the cold. It just gets to me. Hubby is not bothered as much, so off he went. Thanks, Honey for all the pictures.

One year it was 30 degrees (F) and just perfect for a walk out on the lake. I went with my old doggy Shubi and we walked all through town going from one lake to the next. Shubi found a little fish on the ground and she picked it up and wouldn’t put it down. All the fishermen laughed at the little wire-haired dackel with the fish sticking out of her mouth! Shubi really did love fish! Here she is with another fish.

She was my first wire-haired dackel and what a girl she was. It’s hard to believe she has been gone for almost four years. It was, after all, Shubi that made me love dackels.