When I opened the back door this morning for Chelsea to go outside, the snow was higher that her. She valiantly leaped over the drift and bounced about like Pepe Le Pew for a bit but I had to clear a little spot for her to go potty. It is pretty hard to do your duty when your buried up to your tummy in snow.

Eventually, when Jim did the snow blowing, he cleared a spot on the grass so she has a bit of a spot to roll around on and run a little bit.

Thank heaven, they cancelled that quilting class and we didn't have to itgo anywhere at all today. We had planned on going out for Thai food but are putting that off until tomorrow. Dick's made chili yesterday so we had that for supper. He really outdid himself this time. It is DELICIOUS.

Sunday the weather should be better, after it warms up from the 5 degrees that it is supposed to get down to. Bobbie, Jim and I will go shooting in the afternoon. I am kind of holding my scores in the mid forty to upper fifties so am much better than last year. Now if my wrist and elbow hold out I will be fine. I now have a Rhine Plymouth Sweatshirt and Hat so I think I will wear them tomorrow.

Haven't heard from any of the out of twon kids lately. I miss their voices and the news. I guess that all is OK and I will call them eventually.

Have a nice Sunday.

Mary

Dick and I went to see the movie Phantom of the Opera today. Mother had seen a review that stated that it was not good at all. We disagreed. The movie has been adapted for the big screen and has a slightly different slant and impact than the stage production, but the music is just as big and the singing was wonderful. We are very glad that we went.

Then we drove out to take Mother a birthday card. She is 89 today. She said her day was perfect. She stayed home and people came to her. Randy and Donna brought her a hamburger from Dairy Queen for lunch and ate with her. Mary Margaret, Eileen's daughter, stopped in for a few minutes and then Dick and I came. She got cards and calls from lots of people and beautiful pink roses from Nora. She said she might just end up with a big head from all the wonderful complements and good wishes. We told her, why not.

Dick is making chili today for the weekend. Actually, we are going to a Thai restaurant tomorrow. We want to try Thai food and Paulette, a friend at Mead Library, recommends a restaurant on Michigan Avenue. I'll let you know. It will be an adventure as none of us have had Thai food before. Paulette informed Jim that he will be able to get food as spicy hot as he wants there. We will see. He likes it so hot that his ears turn red and his eyes water. (Not me.) I just like to try new kinds of food.

George W. Bush is sworn in as our president for his second term. I hope all goes well. I hope he doesn't expand the war. I hope he is wise about Social Security.
I wish they hadn't spent so much money on the festivities.

I did notice that all the former presidents except for Ford were on the platform during the ceremony. I hope that Ford is OK. We do not hear anything about him at all.

Tomorrow was supposed to be a quilting day for me. The Quilt Guild had planned a Local Talent day and I had signed up for a couple of workshops. However, as we are supposed to be getting up to 6 inches of snow (maybe more) over night, they have cancelled. So now I have to find things to amuse myself. And I intend to do it here at home. I am thinking of possibly trying to quilt one of the baby quilts for At Risk children. We will see.

Anyway , have a nice Saturday and let me know how you are all doing.

Love

Mary

It snowed for hours this morning, I would guess at least two inches. I took my walk after it got light. Chelsea's feet bothered her so we cut the last leg off the trek but she was still a happy girl.

Then we went shopping and when we got back, I TURNED ON THE ROOMBA and it vacuumed the main part of the living room. It is really fun to watch and it does a nice job. While I was at choir, Dick did the dining area. He said it got out of the area he thought he had designated at least once but we are still working on the virtual walls and all that.

I got a prayer request from my brother that is from a serviceman in Iraq who will be delivering voting machines at the end of the month. I will post it here and will also be passing it on the any areas, such as church, and my bible study. Please share it also.



These are America's sons and daughters who are on the line during this
election. God's speed.

Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 12:02 PM

Prayer request from Iraq

Captain Lyle Shackelford
Battalion Chaplain
HHD, 57th Transportation Battalion

As a transportation battalion, my unit will be delivering the voting
machines and the ballots to villages and cities throughout Iraq during
the upcoming elections. (January 30/31) Our convoys are prime targets
for the insurgents because they do not want the equipment to arrive at
the polling stations nor do they want the local Iraqi citizens to have
the chance to vote; timely delivery must occur so that the elections
occur. Encourage your friends and family members and those within our
churches to pray specifically for the electoral process. Historically,
the previous totalitarian regime would not allow individual citizens to
vote. Democracy will not be realized in Iraq if intelligent and
competent officials are not elected to those strategic leadership
positions within the emerging government; freedom will not have an
opportunity to ring throughout this country if the voting process fails.
Announce this prayer request to your contacts throughout your churches,
neighborhoods, and places of business. Those with leadership roles
within the local church post this message in as many newsletters and
bulletins as possible. There is unlimited potential for God's presence
in this process but if we do not pray then our enemy will prevail (See
Ephesians 6:10-17) A prayer vigil prior to the end of the month may be
an innovative opportunity for those within your sphere of influence to
pray. This is a political battle that needs spiritual intervention. A
powerful story about God's intervention in the lives of David's mighty
men is recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-33. David and his warriors were
victorious because of God's intervention. We want to overcome those who
would stand in the way of freedom. David's mighty men triumphed over
incredible odds and stood their ground and were victorious over the
enemies of Israel. (Iraqi insurgents' vs God's praying people). They
don't stand a chance.

I will pray with my soldiers before they leave on their convoys and
move outside our installation gates here at Tallil. My soldiers are at
the nerve center of the logistic operation to deliver the voting
machines and election ballots. They will be driving to and entering the
arena of the enemy. This is not a game for them it is a historical
mission that is extremely dangerous. No voting machines or ballots. No
elections. Your prayer support and God's intervention are needed to give
democracy a chance in this war torn country. Thank you for reading this
e-mail. Please give this e-mail a wide dissemination.

Thank you for your prayer support for me and my family. Stand firm in
your battles.



All my love

Mary

Dick and I have been "wining" this week. We bottled a batch of Luna Bianca, a chardonnay type on Monday. We will never be able to dupicate this. It was a 6 gallon kit and we measured wrong, then had to top off with a purchased chardonnay. I IS really tasty and quite hearty so it really is a shame that it is one of a kind.

Today we filtered the Bougolais. It looks great and we should be able to bottle that on Saturday or Sunday.

It was in the 20s today, so Chelsea and I had our walk this morning. We waited until it was light and the plows had come through. There was a snowfall last night of one to two inches, much less than predicted. We were not unhappy about that at all.

I finished putting Christmas away today. Kind of sad, isn't it. The tree and lights are still in the livingroom until Dick can get them down. Tomorrow we are going to start the Roomba and see how it works upstairs. The den really looks great so we are expecting great things. I did tell you that the animals seem to accept the unit as another non-threatening creature that we've added to our zoo.

Tomorrow we shop and I have choir in the evening. So the day will be busy.

Have a good one yourself

Love

Mary

This morning started off at 0 degrees again. But by 2:00 it had risen to 18 so Chelsea and I went for our first walk in five days. Boy was that girl ready. She ran the whole way and sniffed and marked all the best spots.

Now it is windy as can be and snowing - we may get up to 3 inches. Dick and I do not have to go anywhere tomorrow anyway, but it is always a worry that Jim has to be driving home after midnight.

I finally got all the ornaments off the tree today. Tomorrow, I will pack everything else still Christmas that remains, dust and put out the other stuff.

The second Roomba arrived today and Jim has it charging. We will have to Roomba-proof the room and then let it loose. The one downstairs if really making a difference. No cat hair at all any more.

Another good resolution from Bob Hostetler in Women's Day.

Pray for Strangers.

Sounds good. It is easy to pray for friends and family but maybe strangers don't have anybody.

Love

Mary

Still cold today. It only got up to 4 degrees that I was aware of. However - the sun was shining and all is right with the world. Tomorrow, the temperatures are supposed to climb up in to the 20s and Chelsea and I will be able to walk again. She is so off schedule and really in need of a good trek.

We had our bible study this morning. We got half through discussing 1 Corinthian 7. We really got hung up because it is so hard to sort everything out. We are so grateful for the wonderful commentary. The thing about Paul's writings is that if you don't understand the times he lived in and the place and people he is writing about and for he sounds very harsh. From what I am learning, though he was himself very set on celebacy and all, he isn't really anti woman or marriage, as it seems if you just read the letters. It is interesting to know that in Paul's time, slavery was perfectly acceptable (slaves were told to accept their lives) and women were the property of men. Wow, sure glad we have progressed. Anyway, a lot to talk about.

The cheesecake was wonderful. You can find it on the Kraft site, but I will save you the trouble as I am sure they won't care. I cut calories by using a combination of low and no fat cream cheese and it tastes great.

TRIPLE CITRUS CHEESECAKE

1 cup HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. grated lime peel
1 tsp. grated orange peel



PREHEAT oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, brown sugar and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
BEAT cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour over crust.
BAKE 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.




KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS


Size It Up
Sweets can add enjoyment to a balanced diet, but remember to keep tabs on portions.

How To Avoid Cracked Cheesecakes
After adding the eggs, be careful not to overbeat the batter since this can cause the baked cheesecake to crack.






NUTRITION INFORMATION



Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 340

Total fat 24g

Saturated fat 15g

Cholesterol 120mg

Sodium 310mg

Carbohydrate 25g

Dietary fiber 1g

Sugars 19g

Protein 6g

Vitamin A 15%DV

Vitamin C 2%DV

Calcium 6%DV

Iron


Yummy Yummy

Mary

The Adult Choir sang with the Kindercore (The Kids) this morning at Mass and it was powerful. We sang Go Light Your World. I can't describe the song, you have to hear it. That is the thing about music. It is for the ears ( and the heart.) Anyway we were Good!

Then I went with Bobbie and Jim to shoot pistol. Pretty good again. I had a 43 and two in the 50s. Steady anyway and I will keep working at it.

Tonight we are going to watch the Golden Globes. That is one of the more entertaining of the award shows. We can also watch the Roomba if Jim turns it on. He thinks that the cats think it is just another animal that we have brought into the house. It moves around and doesn't hurt and they have to move aside from it occasionally. They have to do that with Chelsea - so what is new?

We are still having the intense cold. It got all the way up to 7 degrees today. This is supposed to last for at least one more day and then warm up a bit. Chelsea will be happy. She doesn't understand why we are not walking. I am sure that she does not associate lack of walks with sore feet. If she is out too long, her poor little feet hurt. The rest of her is fine as she has that beautiful warm coat. I keep telling her that I don't have a fur coat so cannot stay out as long as she can.

We will be having the Triple Citrus Cheesecake in a few minutes. If it is good you will get the recipe tomorrow. It is from Kraft. Otherwise, you won't hear another word about it from me.

May the wind be at your back til we connect again.

Mary