Dick has had his "sleep machine" for two weeks now. He sleeps so soundly and is only taking a nap each day, not dozing off and on all the time. It is very quiet in our bedroom at night too, so I sleep much better now. He is still waiting for the Euphoria that many users of the machine speak of, but I find that his being awake and alert is enough euphoria for me.


I am going to share pictures of some of my nativity sets before the feast of the three kings. This is one that my son Bret sent me some years ago.



Love

Mary

Pistol league started at Rhine Plymouth. Winter Trap too, but I don't shoot winter trap because it is too cold as far as I am concerned. Jim and Bobbie and I are all shooting league. I hadn't shot for two weeks and it really showed. We are going to practice again on Sunday. Dick goes out on Sundays with us.

My cousin, Mike Shea, who is a missionary in Thailand sent me a DVD of his ministry in Thailand. He has started a home, Sarnelli House, for Aids Infected kids over there. This has expanded in many ways. The children come as a result of a ministry to Aids Infected parents who more often than not die of the disease. Therefore the children, often infected are orphaned. Aids victims are ostracized in Thailand, their families force them out of their homes. This is because of fear.

They now have over 90 children, many critically ill, many HIV positive but not Aids infected, and many healthy orphans. He has a girls home and a boys home in addition to Sarnelli House. Wow, the DVD was really good and Mother enjoyed seeing it last night.

I want to share it at Church and wherever else I can find interest.

Love

Mary

New Years Eve. I took a nap this afternoon and fully intend to be up til Midnight.


I will leave you this year with a quote from the Cadfael Book of Days.

"Life goes not in a straight line, but in a circle. The first half we spend venturing as far as the world's end from home and kin and stillness, and the latter half brings us back by roundabout ways but surely, to that state from which we set out."

Guests tomorrow. I love that. I am making the neatest cake with whipped cream frosting.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow night is New Years Eve. We are splurging on a PaPa Murphy pizza and staying home. I hope I make it up til midnight. Often, I do not. Maybe if I take a late nap it will work this year.

Quiet day at the Kunert house. I quilted a bit and read a bit and wrote a bit. Tomorrow I will be much busier because I have to get things kind of ready for dinner on New Years Day.

"A dead end is just a good place to turn around." Naomi Judd


Tomorrow.

Mary

Countdown. Two days left in 2003. Are you ready?

I am having Mother over on New Year's Day. I am fixing a stew. If finally found one (acually two) that really tastes good. Bill and Bobbie are coming over too and this will make a great gravy, which Bill adores. I am fixing colcannon too. Colcannon is mashed potatoes with cabbage. Num Num.

I will include the recipe and you really should try it.

Colcannon

8 medium potatoes, peeled
Bunch Green Onions
1/2 Cup Milk
Salt and Pepper
Teaspoon of butter per person

Cook potatoes, let them dry somewhat and keep hot. Cook green onion (including the green) in the milk.

At the same time shred and chop the cabbage and cook until tender.

Mash the potatoes with the green onion and milk and combine with the cabbage.

Cover the top with the butter and mix as you serve.

Great alone or with gravy.

Love

Mary

What a day for the Packers!!! Looked bad at the beginning. First, Seattle won yesterday. Then Dallas lost today. Then wonder of wonders, our last chance at the payoffs came when underdog Arizona pulled one off from the nasty Minnesota Vikings in the LAST 24 seconds. And to top it off, we beat Colorado 31 to 3. Could it GET any better. That makes us the DIVISION CHAMPS again.

Yee Ha!!


Only three more days in 2003. Are we ready for 2004? Guess it doesn't matter much, as it will come anyway. Such a tragedy in Iran. We should pray for and support those victims in the next months.

Love

Mary