Only 22 days until Christmas. Bobbie and I went to the Festival of Trees. I delivered my items yesterday but it is much nicer to be able to go and view all the trees and wreaths and Christmas handicrafts when all is set us and when the children are singing on the stage every half hour or so. Without all the clutter and all.

This weekend I will package the gifts for our children who are in Oklahoma, California and Louisiana. How did they ever get scattered all over the place? One of the main reasons that I would like to win a big lottery is so that I could visit or have them visit whenever I wanted to see them. I hate being so far away from them all.

Isn't this cute. I was taken by a family in Oregon. The mother doe left the baby "hidden" and went foraging. She came back in a few hours. The fawn never moved.




Have a nice Saturday.
Love

Mary

We have our first snow, such as it is. There is a definate dusting all over the place which I believe will be gone by morning. Poor Cheslea will be very disappointed. She DOES love the snow.


A dog had followed his owner to school.
His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school.
However, when the bell rang, the dog sidled inside the building
and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher noticed
and shoo'ed him outside, closing the door behind him.
The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors.
Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said,
"Don't feel bad fella'.... they won't let ME in either."

I totally forgot to post yesterday. I really don't know why.

I did do something really goofy. I keep track of the appointments and showed Dick's appointment with Dr. Phelan, his primary physician, for 10:00A.M. Well, we got there and found out that we were supposed to be there 9:00A. M. We were able to reschedule for 1:45PM. but that wiped out most of the day. I did get the Buckeye's all mixed and rolled and was able to dip them all today.


Then I had to take the stocking and the Folk Art Nativity that I made down to the Sheboygan Armory for the Festival of Trees. I will go again once or twice on the weekend with either Dick or Bobbie or both. I was able to do the designer vote, but it is very confusing and everything is not set up that early. There are some really beautiful trees, wreaths, stockings etc. Last year, the even made over $90, 000 for the designated charities.

A quote from Cadfael Book of Days

Official justice does not dig deep, but regards what comes readily to the surface, and draws conclusions accordingly. A nagging doubt now and then is the price it pays for speedy order and a quiet land.
Love
Mary

Today I made Lizzies. They are a fruit bread type cookie. I got the recipe from Mother. I like them because they are fruit bread without the citrons which do not thrill me.

Tomorrow I will make the Peanut Butter Buckeyes.

One year several years ago, I told Dick that I wasn't going to make them because they are so putsy. You have to mix all this stuff together until it is smooth. Then you roll it all into balls about the size of a chestnut. Then you chill the peanut butter balls. Then you dip each one into melted chocolate and parafin and chill them again. By sticking a toothpick in each ball and dipping, all but a little round circle is covered with chocolate which is where the buckeye name comes from.

Anyway, that year, I decided to stick to fudge and Tarantulas and stuff like that. Well, Dick told Jim my plans and Jim said. "Well, why do we even have Christmas then? We wait all year for buckeyes. Why bother." Needless to say, I made buckeyes and have never suggested such an omission again.

I will add the recipe here for you. They really are truely wonderful.

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

1 lb Butter (Do not substitute margerine)
2 lb creamy peanut butter
3 lb powdered sugar
2 teasp. vanilla

For Dipping

2 large packages of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cake of parifin.

Mix the first four ingredients with a spoon and your hands. Roll into balls about the size of a chestnut or smaller. Put on cookie sheets or whatever covered with waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Melt the chips and parifin and mix well. Stick a toothpick into each ball and dip into the chocolate. Put back on the waxed paper and chill til chocolate is well set. Store in containers in the refrigerator.

Enjoy and think of me tomorrow.

Mary

The Packer Game just started. It is Brett Favre day in Wisconsin, porclaimed by Governor Doyle in honor of the fact that today, Brett is starting in his 200th game. Wow.

They just stripped a ball from the Rams and ran it back for a touchdown. Good Beginning.

We had quite a lively discussion at Bible Study this morning. We were discussing the clothing styles of today. None of the six ladies there have ever worn a thong and three of us wear only cotton underwear. I am rather racy because some of mine is colored. We did have more meaningful things to say. We try to bring the word of St Paul to today. We have an interesting dilemma. It seems that the sex education in the public schools approves of contraception and abortion. We all are extremely anti abortion, but find contraception a two sided coin. On the one hand abstinance is definately to be encouraged and yet in this day of HIV and AIDS, it is not only unwanted pregancies that contraception helps prevent, it is also life. We need to make our children aware of all the risks and all the options. We can't have our youth dying of AIDS because of unprotected sex.

Chelsea had her annual visit to the Vet, Dr. Zechlinski today. She is a very healthy girl. They always muzzle her because we just aren't sure that she would not bite him. She always looks so pitiful but this way we know she won't get in trouble. She is holding her weight very well and now has her shots for the next year or two.

I found this in the Oprah Magazine several years ago. Enjoy and learn.

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS

By Don Miguel Ruiz






1. Be impeccable with your word.

Speak with integrity and say only what you mean.



2. Don’t take anything personally.

Nothing others do is because of you. It simply reflects their own life experiences and the training they
received when they were children.



3. Don’t make assumptions.

Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate as clearly as you can.
And don’t become attached to preconceived ideas of what should happen.



4. Always do your best.

Then never second-guess yourself or look back with regret.

Mary

It is the beginning of the season of dreams again. The first Sunday of Advent. I watched a new version of The Christmas Carol - this one starred Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge. It was OK but not a great big hit as far as I am concerned. Not like the year that George C. Scott came out with his version.

Well, it was a beginning anyway. This week we should be done getting the presents so I can get them wrapped and send packages next week. I like to be sure they are there on time. We have three families away this year, now that Bart and Barb are back in Oklahoma.

I wish that I had wings to fly so that I could be with each one for part of the holidays. It is so hard to be apart at these special times, somehow more so than at the rest of the year.

I took a lot of pictures of the deer butchering. Hope some of them turn out. I have one deer hide towards a coat. It will have to be tanned of course, Randy is going to be sure that we get them (mine and his) there. Either we will go together or he will give directions and I will take them. It is supposed to contain a store with leather and deer skin coats and an art gallery. Dick would enjoy it too. It is in Hartford.

November. The second last month of the year. Thanksgiving and hunting and usually the first snow. Jim said there was a bit last night but none stayed on the ground and I didn't see it. As a matter of fact, it was quite nice and was dry when Chelsea and I walked at 6:00AM. It is dark when we are walking unless she sleeps in. It is dark by 4:30 or so. The shortest day of the year is almost four weeks off so it will only get darker.

Let these days of short light make us more appreciative of the bright sun and warmth of summer.

Love

Mary