The Dackel Princess

Happy or Sad

Mostly I don’t write about things that make me sad. I try really hard to think positive. It’s a challenge because I tend to be a half-empty glass kind of girl, But I strive to be a half-full kind of girl.

This all was something I struggled with recently, as an acquaintance of mine had seen an article in a newspaper about a horrific traffic accident that made her think of me. So, she wrote to me to remind me about it. Sending me the graphic article.

I’m sure it wasn’t her intention to hurt me like this. I’m sure that many people think that after 35 years you should be “over” the loss of your child?

But it did hit me very hard. You know, most days I get through and I do alright. Then I think of my little girl and the loss washes over me.

Katie

I really don’t need people reminding me of the horror I went through. It is never far from my mind.

I was also thinking of my Mom today. She has been gone quite a while now. Her passing was much easier for me because she was ready, we had wonderful loving words between us and although losing a parent is hard, it is more in the normal scheme of things.

Mom and I watching Siamese kittens being born.

Anyway, Mom was on my mind in a happy way, so I took out a bottle of her favorite perfume “Oleander” by Lily of Bermuda, and I put some on. All-day I have smelled Mom and it has made me smile.

Not all memories of our loved ones make us sad. They can be happy and full of love. Those are the ones I like to concentrate on.

This & That Feb. 22. 2020

I finished de-pilling the Afghan today. I washed the sofa cover and then placed the new Afghan on the back

It’s really beautiful. Especially if you stand at a distance and don’t see all the little mini pills that cannot be pulled out or shaved.

I guess that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for me, this lovely Afghan will be a lesson. Never use yarn that says “Tweed”, as it will have little bits of yarn supposedly “woven” in, but actually causing madness and mayhem!

On the healthcare front, Jack’s finger/hand did not come out as hoped. He still has a few weeks of working with the finger/hand but will need to go back in three weeks if he is no better. He’s pretty disappointed.

The weekend is here! Make it a good one!

The Friday Five

This was a busy week. We had a snowstorm, doctor’s appointments and I got my hair done. Here are the highlights of this crazy week.

1. In December I found some pretty yarn and I thought I would make an afghan for a loved one as a gift. Unfortunately, the yarn had one very big problem. It pilled and shed. So, I bought a de-fuzz and de-pill machine and set off to fix the problem. Here is the before.

Here is the after. Well at least almost after. I still have the last half of the second side to work.

The afghan will not be given away. I will be putting it on the back of my sofa. This sure taught me that sometimes a deal isn’t really such a good deal!

2. We had more snow. Ugh. Yeah, I think we are all over the snow.

3. Jack had his Orthopaedic appointment and we drove through the snow to get there, and then back home in pretty darn slippery conditions.

4. The next morning, I went to WW. This was only interesting because our plowman hadn’t been. I put the Highlander in position and it pulled me right up the drive in about 5-6 inches of snow. What a great car.

5. Today Jack returns to the Orthopaedist to have his finger/hand-manipulated. We hope that the membrane holding the finger stiffly bent, will snap and his finger will work normally.

Here is a picture looking up our long steep driveway. It’s always beautiful, except when you need to be somewhere in the middle of a blizzard!

Weight Loss & Curls

Well, I wish I could say that the weight I am losing is just dropping off, but I’m in a “slow and steady wins the race” kind of game.

This week it was another 1/2 pound loss. But I can see it and feel it in my face and on my body. I know I must be patient.

Meanwhile, I also went and had my hair done today. I just love what Becca is doing with my hair. She has known me for a long time and she understands my wayward curls.

I switched from my previous hairstylist early last Autumn. My hair was breaking and falling out and I was having a hard time doing it myself.

Becca had gotten a job at a local salon and I made an appointment with her and over the last 5 months, we’ve worked together to repair my hair. Today it is healthy and full and I am happy. Well, more than happy! Thanks, Becca!

My plan for the rest of the week and weekend is to eat lots of vegetables and keep doing what I can to stay faithful to myself and this diet.

I know that I can do this, even though right now it’s all going slower than I would like.

Mrs. Cardinal

Tuesday found us being hit once again with a sizable snowstorm. This brought out quite a few birds to the feeders. Today, Mrs. Cardinal hung around posing for me. She doesn’t come by as often as her brilliant red spouse. So today was a great day to snap some pictures of this beautiful lady.

Amazing, isn’t she? I stood inside the door snapping away, and she eyed me with curiosity. But she did not leave and I was very pleased.

Jack had his procedure for his Dupuytren’s Contracture done. This required us to drive through a heavy snowstorm about 10 miles down and back. The roads were really messy as many of them had not been plowed. They had been pretreated and this left the surface like something resembling greased Owl Poop! Luckily, we got home just fine, although I admit to being a nervous wreck the entire time. Ah well, we made it and are safe and sound now.

It’s 4:30 PM on Tuesday and it is still snowing. Who knows how much we will get when this ends.

Too Many Mugs!

I decided over the weekend that it was time to clean out the coffee, tea and mug cabinet. I swear the mugs have multiplied on their own over the years. I simply do not recall having that many.

Lately, I am only using my Tervis Tumbler mugs, as they keep everything nicely hot for an extended period of time. I also wanted to place a variety of teas in the cabinet instead of leaving them on the shelf.

What I found in the cabinet was amazing. Coffee filters from previous coffee makers. Instructions from two coffee machines ago! It was mind-boggling.

True to my word, I began to wash the shelves, and then put aside mugs I have not used in years. I also pulled out any little thing that does not belong there.

The cabinet is now clean, organized and I almost cannot stand the neatness! Haha!

The 8 piece set of Pfaltzgraff mugs is packed carefully away in a labeled box and the odds and ends mugs will go to the recycling center.

I was on a hot streak now, so I opened the cabinet with all the plastic containers in it. Many are without covers now, some were never right, so I went through and moved some to save and others to send to the recycling center.

After that, I finished the laundry and noted that I was a little bit tired (at 4 PM). So, I made a lovely cup of tea and then sat down to enjoy it.

Not too much to do on this Tuesday except getting Jack to the Orthopaedist for a procedure for his Dupuytren’s Contracture. I hope that this will go well and he will get full use back in his hand.

The Weekend Wrap Feb 17, 2020

Over the weekend I finished my afghan project. It was meant to be a gift, but the yarn turned out to be a nightmare of pilling.

I have decided to de-pill it as best I can and then throw it on the back of our sofa. It is beautiful, but one giant pain. I now know why the yarn was on sale!

The usual work was done over the weekend. Sheets were washed, floors swept and dogs fed.

There is good news about the drops for my eyes. At first, they made my eyes feel really dry and uncomfortable. However, I started to use artificial tears every time I woke in the night. By doing this it has stopped all the side effects I was having. Now we wait to find out if these drops are reducing the pressure in my eyes.

7 Things I Love – February 16, 2020

Here is this week’s list of things I love.

1.Klosterbrot

2. Me and Uschi in Berlin.

3. The flag of my Country.

4. Pickling Cucumbers from my garden.

5. Newborn Dackel Puppies.

6. Dackel cuddles while I nap.

7. Walking through a Bavarian forest.

When It’s -8 Fahrenheit

It is cold. -8 Fahrenheit! I poked my nose out from under my comforter and groaned. Sub-zero weather has never been a favorite of mine.

I sat up and yawned and immediately wanted to dive back under the covers. Mr. Arnie had commando crawled under the covers, and Miss Anneliese was under my robe at the foot of the bed. Not a day fit for man or beast!

I grabbed my robe, my to the dismay of Anneliese, and padded out to the kitchen to turn on the coffee, meeting up with a happy Lili. You know, I have never owned a dog quite like Lili. Every morning she greets me with an abundance of happiness and joy, as she dances around the kitchen! I swear I can see her smile.

The dackels and I show a lot less enthusiasm, as we would much rather be in bed. Yes, in my previous life I think I was a dackel.

Due to the extremely cold weather, I think I will stay in and work to finish an afghan I’ve been making. I have only the border left to do.

I got some great news yesterday. My cousin and his wife are due for their first child in August! I am so very happy for them both!

Happy Weekend!

The Friday Five February 14, 2020

Here we are. Another week has gone by. It’s still amazing to me how fast life is going now. I remember as a child thinking each day was an eternity. Now they slip by faster than I care to think. I am not ready for life to simply slide by and soon I will find myself an old lady, whose pantyhose bags around her ankles. In any case, enough of that so here is this week’s Friday Five.

This was one crazy busy week. I was supposed to get my hair done but begged off as I don’t like driving in the snow. Hopefully, next week she can squeeze me in.
I’m still infuriated about the Insurance Company denying my doctor’s prescription for eye drops. Imagine some Clerk sitting at a computer who thinks they know better than my doctor! Yeah, that really irked me.
Tonight I am making fresh Green Beans and Roasted Turkey Tenderloin. One of my favorite meals. Tomorrow it’s fish. I’m taking my WW meal planning very seriously.
We did get snow on Thursday, but not near as much as they forecast.
Today is Valentine’s Day. I’m so lucky to have my family who love me very much.

Most especially my grandchildren.

Happy Valentine’s Day!