You'll never guess what I did today. I don't know whether I mentioned that I have joined Rhine/Plymouth Field and Stream, a sportsman club. I suppose that since Bobbie and I joined, it is truely a sportsPERSON club but I don't get concerned about that. Sportsmen is fine with me.

Anyway, our club is a part of the county pheasant program. Each year we get several thousand pheasant chicks and raise them for the summer and then release them all over the county. Of course, most of them are immediately harvested, which may seem kind of unfair. However, the strongest and the smartest survive and breed and pheasants are becoming a much more common sight all around the county roads. They also have a pretty pleasant life during the summer with food, water, shelter and protection provided for them. At least they have a chance to live on, unlike domestic turkeys or chickens.

Today we prepared the brooder pens for the baby chicks who will arrive on Tuesday. Then in a month, when they are stronger and bigger, we put blinders on them (so they won't beat each other up) and release them into the outdoor pens where they feed and grow. In the Fall, we remove the blinders and transport the birds all over the county. That is a really fun day. Maybe next year, I'll go pheasant hunting. I haven't done that yet.

My greatest hunting day will be the day I actually get something. It is FUN being out in the woods and doing the hunting but just like playing any game, it is much more fun when you win.

Mary

Today was a beautiful day in Wisconsin. The sun was shining. The temperatures were pleasant. We had lots of errands to do so were out and about for most of the morning. I sit in the office this evening and can hear birds singing outside. So pleasant. This is what it is all about.

Went to Quilt Guild last night. It was a good meeting. The speaker lives in Wausau but spent 10 years in Hawaii and told us a lot about Hawaiian quilting and had a wonderful slide presentation of two quilt shows in Hawaii. I was very impressed that one of the most prolific quilters and designers in the show is a man. Bart and Barbara (my son and daughter in law, for those that don't know) came down from De Pere for dinner so Barbara could to to the Guild meeting with me. That was fun too. I do like to spend time with them. Barb needed a bit of time out too. Bart stayed here and watched TV in the family room downstairs. He has been having a lot of pain and other problems lately. He loves cats and I was pleased that both Big Oscar and Foxy Roxie spent some time with him purring and being general cuddlers. Good for all of them.

Mary

Up until a few years ago, I could not make a good soup. Over time, I have practiced and learned a few tricks. I have also found some recipes. But I do a very successful Dump Soup and will in the following give you basic directions. First, I always cut the back, the neck and the wing tips off of chickens when I buy whole ones and boil them with onion and celery. Then I strain that for the broth. (You can use canned broth if you don't want to bother with the homemade broth.) I saute more onion and celery in a bit of butter (or cooking spray if you want to avoid the fat) and add the broth. Then you add chopped celery, carrots, and whatever leftover vegetables or salads you have in the fridge. It pays to dissolve a bullion cube and salt and pepper to taste. If you don't have any leftover or fresh vegetables, throw in a can or a handful of frozen.
mixed vegetables. Chopped tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes give it another flavor. It is amazing and I don't throw any leftovers away.

I can finally make a decent stew too but that is another story.

Mary

I don't think I said much about Johnny Bill Shea's funeral. Needless to say it was very Irish. There were also about 8 priests and at least 2 Brothers at the ceremony. Mostly they were fellow Redemptorists of Fr. Mike. I mentioned Fr. Mike before. He is Johnny Bill's son and has been a missionary in Thailand for over 25 years.

He introduced each of his fellow priests. I was impressed that one of them, I believe Fr. Sarnelli, who had also spent time in Thailand, had raised enough money to build a special building at the Viengkhuk Children's Hospice for the critically ill - the dying children. They used to have a room called the dying room. Such a sad statement. They call the building Sarnelli House which is still heartbreaking but at least not SO grim sounding.

The biggest need is medicine for the children that are AIDS infected. Maybe medicine could make Sarnelli House a RECOVERY house. Fr. Mike and his staff are trying to make the homes as self sufficient as possible but they do run short. He did say that they tried to raise goats for meat but the kids adopted them as pets and they didn't have the heart to kill them, so that didn't work too well. Anyway, if you can help, let me know and I can tell you where to send money. I always sent it to Johnny Bill but I understand that his son Jack is taking over that roll. Sending money to him will get it directly into Fr. Mike's bank account and available for immediate use.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I'd like to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had it to do over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. i would pick more daisies.

Written by Nadine Stair, 85 years old of Louisville Kentucky. I received this from a friend some 25 years ago. Enjoy.