Only one and one half weeks until St. Patrick's Day. I must gather up and decide which poems I want to read at Richard's in Sheboygan Falls that night. I have been invited to perform as a Gaelic Poet. Probably because I won a contest a couple of years ago, which makes me very proud actually. I will get paid my dinner for this which is not bad pay for poetry these days. I wrote a couple of poems while Bart was sick and have been keeping up my articles for a friend who publishes a paper up north called the Pike River Community News. If I get enough of either (poems or cooking articles) I may try to publish a book. We will see.

It is good to have ambitions anyway. My Live Long and Love it discussion group is giving me some motivation. I lost a lot while Bart was sick.

Here is my most recent poem. I like honest criticism.

SON

Treasure of my heart
Fragment of my being
I gave you life

Pride of my heart
Mirror of my eternity
I nurtured you

Labor of my heart
Piece of my mosaic
I mentored you

Hole in my heart
Gone to YOUR horizon
I let you fly

Joy of my heart
Dream of my tomorrow
You are my legacy


Soon

Mary

I was talking to a dear friend who is suffering with diabetes related problems and she sounds so weak and sad. She is in the LONG list of people who are on my prayer list but I wish I could do more. Her first question was to ask how Bart is doing. Such a wonder. I told her of a picture that Barbara gave me of Jesus with the universe as the background. There is a statement on it that says. "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it." We need to hang on to that. And I see light now.

Did I tell you I saw my first red-winged blackbirds of the season. Actually, I heard them first. They along with the cardinals are my first signs of spring. I ALSO saw and heard a ROBIN. There is a spring and it is coming fast.

Love

Wow, have the past two days been a whirlwind. Yesterday, Dick and I were supposed to go visit Bart and on Tuesday I received a call from Barbara telling me that we could bring him HOME. I was surprised, but when one thinks about it, he has been in care for over three weeks now. They have him stabilized and his medication is working and they feel that he no longer needs to be under hospital care. We must trust the doctors, otherwise, why have him there to begin with.

He was a happy young man. We got him out of there by about 2:, stopped at Mc Donald's for a snack, (he missed lunch because of a dentist appointment.) and made it home by 4:00PM. He promptly took a nap. (No wonder after a dentist appointment, two doctor consultations and a drive to our house.) Barbara came to get him at about 6:00PM. She made really fast time from home. We treated them to dinner and sent them on their way home. They both needed to be THERE and TOGETHER. I know that Bart's critters will help him heal also.

Thank everyone for your prayers and thoughts. We are so grateful for the outpouring of love that carried us through this.

"Where there is no certainty, the mind must turn to the light and not the shadow." Ellis Peters - Cadfael.

Happy Day to you

Mary

I shared the hand made items that Fr. Mike Shea sent me from Thailand. They are hand batik painted t shirts and beautiful table clothes, wall hangings and sarongs. I need to determine a price and see if we can get some fundraising done for the Aids Moms who do the painting and their children and the orphans that are at Sarnelli.
The ladies that meet on Mondays to discuss the book Live Long and Love It were very impressed as was Fr. Gene.

We are in crisis at our parish. We have no choir director and it is the first week in Lent. We have no head of our environment committee and it is the first week in Lent. What will we do. Our music is in shambles. Fortunately SOME of our parishioners are quite content with the piano player we had last week but frankly, I don't feel he is good for the type of accompaniment we need for community singing. He doesn't keep the timing correct. At least he is learning the timing of WHEN he should play.

"May the High and Holy One
Guard us from His Heavenly Throne,
While we sing, with grateful hearts,
Hymns in ten appointed parts."

Colmcille


I have taken on the contact position for our Extraordinary Ministers and frankly find that to be quite enough along with the secretary position on the council. How long can we function? I really don't know. Dick is making noises like he is noticing that I am too busy. How does one say no when needs are so many and so important?

Love

Mary

Watching the Oscars this February 29th. I remember now that our friends the Kirby's youngest son Todd was born of February 29th probably 28 years ago.

I talked to Bart and he sounded pretty good. We are going to see him on Wednesday. He would like to go out for dinner. If it is allowed, we will take him.

I have been doing a lot of dreaming lately. It seems that I am always trying to get somewhere.

Odd isn't it.

Love

Have a good week.

Mary