Had a wonderful day at the Fireside. The meal, as always, was really delicious. We had roast pork on top of stuffing with whipped mashed potatoes, green beans with ham and a wonderful mixed green salad with fried won tons on it. The dessert was a lemon ice cream pie in a pecan crust. Yum Yum

We saw Guys and Dolls. A lively well done production. When we got home, we checked on Frank Loesser who wrote the music AND lyrics. He also wrote the music to Charlie's Aunt, Hans Christian Anderson and believe it or not the song Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition. Such talent.

I got my bartender's certification so I can register with Rhine Plymouth Conservation and be an official bartender. Bet you didn't expect that, did you? We serve beer and wine coolers, so someone with a license always has to be on site to comply with the laws.

Have a good evening.

Mary

Today when Bobbie, Jim and I were driving back from Rhine Plymouth after shooting pistol, I was looking out over the fields at the stands of trees scattered all over the Wisconsin landscape. I was reminded of the woods that stretched in back of our house. We used to play in those woods. We played war and cowboy and Indians. We even had a tree that we called the Tarzan Tree. You could climb that tree, grab a vine and swing to another tree. This was really fun until the day the vine broke. Naturally, I was the person doing the swinging. I landed on my solar plexis and knocked the wind out of myself. I still remember the terror I felt because I was unable to catch my breath. Obviously, I lived and frankly it did not discourage me from acts that are a little bit on the edge.

However, what the woods really reminded me of was lying in bed at night with my sister Nora. We could look out of our bedroom window over the woods and there were three big pines that stretched high above the rest of the trees. We gave them names. I believe they were a family of some animal or other and we would put ourselves to sleep making up stories about the family of trees.

I remember some of those big pines being blown over by the strong winds of winter and spring and us using the root holes for forts the following season.

That woods is now all gone and built up with houses. Lots of good memories.

I seem to be the only on not done shooting, but I missed two Fridays and did not try to catch up on Sundays. I just used Sunday for practice, such as it was. We have two more weeks of league actually so I am OK and only have two more targets to fill next Friday. The bust-up party is May 21. I wonder if they know they are having a birthday party for me.

Tomorrow, we are going on a bus tour to Ft. Atkinson to the Fireside where we will partake of a delicious meal and see Guys and Dolls.

Later

Mary

A couple of years ago, Jim installed a couple of "computer pets" on my computer. A cat named Felix and a Puppy, who had no name. When I would turn on my computer both of them would in the background and just kind of roam around the screen. Really nice low maintenance pets.

After a while, the dog began to disappear occasionally. Jim was able to find him again, or at least ANOTHER puppy that looked just like him. At the same time, Felix started multiplying. Sometimes one cat appears, sometimes as many as three. Jim says that this is not possible. However, then he said that if it does happen, they should be mirror images. Not so. The three cats all be behave differently and if there ARE three, only two appear ON screen at one time.

My theory is that the cats kill the dogs. So I do not have Jim reinstall him any longer. As far as the cats go, when more than one appear, I just put the extras "outside." They get back in soon enough anyway and I figure they are just taking up space.

Have a great day.

Mary

Mark Russell has a new show tonight on PBS. Haven't seen him and his politically humorous music for a long time. He looks older. For years he didn't seem to change much. But he looks old now. He sounds the same and his humor and songs are just as pertinent and funny as always. So far he has touched on Condoleezza Rice and homosexuality.

It was a beautiful day. If this keeps up, Dick will turn on the air conditioning. You know his theory. Furnace in Winter - Air in Summer. The Kitties will be awfully disappointed when the windows get closed. They do like sitting in them and watching all the birds out there.

I planted my honeysuckle vine and the peony. I put the peony over on the other side of the house next to the herb garden. Now if everything just will grow.

It is a time for rebirth and hope after a long dark winter. I am putting trust in the Lord that Spring will bring better times, health and prosperity.

Peace to you

Mary

I went to the Senior Meals in Sheboygan Falls with Mother and then took her to the eye doctor for her ultrasound on her eye. She is scheduled for her cataract surgery on May 19. On the way to Dr. Larson's office, we stopped at Superior Gardens and I bought three plants that can be planted this early in the spring.

I got a honeysuckle and a clematis for the trellises that are on either end of the deck. I also got a peony to replace the one I planted last year that just didn't grow and seemed to have disappeared.
When I got home, I took Chelsea out for her bathroom call and glanced over to the spot I was going to plant the new peony and lo and behold - there was the old one peeking above ground. So I have two. Now - where to plant the new one.

The Cadfael Book of Days entry was special today so I will share that with you.

"Even the pursuit of perfection may be sin, if it infringes the rights and needs of another soul. Better to fail a little, by turning aside to lift up another, than to pass by him in haste to reach our own reward and leave him to solitude and despair. Better to labour in lameness, in fallibility, but holding up others who falter, than to stride forward alone." From The Raven in the Foregate by Ellis Peters

Have a good day

Mary

It was chilly today. The sun was deceptively lovely this morning but it clouded over and a chilly wind came up. I had plenty to keep me busy in the house - mainly on the computer - but would really like to spend an hour or so a day outside.

I found some cooked brats in the freezer yesterday, so I fixed potato salad and warmed them up for supper. They sure tasted good. I will give MY recipe for potato salad. There is a Kunert version which we use about half the time but tonight I fixed mine.

American Potato Salad

6 potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs
2 Large pickle cut in small pieces
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise
1 heaping teaspoon mustard

Boil potatoes, cool, peal and cube into a bowl. Add all other ingredients. Mix well and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least an hour.

(Dick is an official taster of potato salad if you are not sure it is right.)



Love

Mary

I think we figured out part of the reason I have been shooting the pistol so badly the past few weeks. Jim noticed that I was not using my finger tip to SQUEEZE the trigger but was putting my whole finger on the trigger and then jerking to the right a bit. I tried with the tip and did MUCH better. We will see on Friday when I shoot league again.

We had spaghetti tonight. The sauce was especially nice. I use a recipe that I got from a friend many many years ago. It calls for a can of tomato soup, a can of tomato paste and a can of tomato sauce to each pound of hamburger. I substituted a four cup bag of frozen tomatoes for the tomato sauce and it was delicious. The rest of the recipe is as follows: a medium onion, a clove of garlic per pound and oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, a little salt, generous pepper and a dash or two of Worcester Sauce for zip. I was able to use fresh oregano from the garden too. Fresh Herbs are really the BEST.

"The following is also something to ponder...

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over-head and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8%of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all."

This is the beginning of a beautiful week. Each day is a new page in the book of your life. Live it because it won't come around again.

Love

Mary