I took Mother to Joanne's today. We found her backing for her quilt and some lovely blue fabric for the backing. She also bought a pillow form. She is working on a Hawaiian design square and plans on making a pillow out or that. She never quits. I must ask her if she wants me to sew the backing together. I can't imagine her doing that by hand.

I picked up some thread and some fusable bonding so I can continue on my Christmas Tree Skirt.

Dick and I then took Mother to lunch at Zana's. I made the mistake of mentioning that I had gotten the "Friends don't let friends vote Republican" for both Jim and Bart, our Republicans. Mother got on her political platform and said that she would like one of them to tell her ONE reason why they back Bush. They could, I am sure, they are as determined as she is.

We racked the 2nd fermentation of the Concord Grape wine today. The first racking into the secondary fermentor. The Condord Grape Wines are going to take a great deal of patience. Two years, much like the Two Year Currant. I am thinking that perhaps that is what the Wild Grape wine needed too. More time. I know in Dad's personal wine recipes, if the wine was not up to his or Mother's standards, he would alway add the not - Age longer. Here is a great example. Actually, a wine that I would never try. It must have been around the period where he said of the Bee Balm Wine that if that worked, he would try his old shoes.

LETTUCE WINE

Step 1: Lettuce, campden tablets, 1/2 the sugar (1 1/4 lb), the raisins. Pour one gallon (7 pints boiling) over the itens in the crock. Cool.

Step 2: Add acids, yeast and nutrient. Stir twice a day for 5 days.

Step 3: Add rest of sugar (1 1/4 lb) boiled in 1 pint water. When cooled, fit lock and ferment.

Comment: Not so good. Let age.

Enjoy

Mary

I have a "needy" little Roxie, sitting on my lap purring her heart out and looking at me adoringly.

I had lunch in Plymouth again today. I had a grilled cheese today and it was exceptionally good. Then stopped at Mother's on the way home because I wanted to talk to Jeff. He came to get Mother's yard trimmed down for the winter and to help bring in the plants that she winters in the basement. I have asked him to help me drive Bart and Barb's things down to them. Bart is not well, as I mentioned and Barb has enough on her plate. They are doing a biopsy on the 18th. Please keep praying for a benign test on that.

Tonight, some of us finished decorating the church for Fall. We put the wreaths up and scattered colored leaves in the greens and around the candle holders. Now just before Halloween, we will add Mums and pumpkins and gourds.

I also baked an apple pie today and it really tasted good.

I looked for a simple one and this is it. It is called Wonderful Apple Pie and I found it on allrecipes.com.

* 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 cup flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Apple Pie Spice
* 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1 (9 or 10-inch) deep dish pie shell
* 8 cups medium cooking apples, peeled and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine brown sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and butter. Sprinkle about 1/3 of this mixture over bottom of unbaked pie shell.
2. Put apples in pie shell. Spoon remaining sugar-spice mixture over apples. Place pie on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

I don't do apple pies often because you have to peel all those apples and I don't enjoy that. I also tasted the Lemon Balm Wine as it is now officially one year old. It is quite good, very light and fruity but not too sweet. I will have to see if I can gather enough leaves between Mother's and my gardens to make a batch this year.

A friend is someone who knows
the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you
when you have forgotten
the words.;

-- Unknown

Mary

This was a shopping day and Dick got his "finger pricked" to test his blood. Sue, the technician , was training another tech and told her that Dick is one of her boring patients. He is always just where he should be. Only once in the last two years or more did he test outside of the perameters.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning the bathroom and transcribing some things that I have been writing in longhand on our trips lately so that I can work on them. I hate writing in longhand anymore but when there is not computer and a thought comes, one does not want to lose it.

I am going to make an apple pie for the weekend.

Mark Twain said "Principles have no force unless one is well fed." Quite astute. Just like I always say. Underfed children do not learn well. To teach the children in our poor areas, we first have to see that they have a good breakfast, follow it up with lunch and see that they do not go to bed with empty tummies.

Tomorrow is FRIDAY ALREADY. Where did the week go?

Mary

Here we are mid week.

Dick and I bottled the Beaujolais today. 25 bottles that will be ready in three months. They say you can drink it right away but we have discovered that the red wines really need to age for that three months to really smooth out. Tomorrow, we can try the Lemon Balm. We just have to remember to chill it.

Tonight, Mother, Dick and I went to dinner at Nino's and then went to the Sheboygan Theatre Co at Horace Mann to see Noises Off. It was a really fast moving farce. Well done. The last act was confusing, but they made it up in the curtain calls which were as good as the play.

George Washington's prayer for America -

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection ! and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Be happy

Mary

Another warm day. It was up into the low 80's. The "end" is coming soon. It is supposed to drop 30 degrees in the next couple of days.

Chelsea and I had a really nice walk this morning. The rest of the day was mildly busy. I got my haircut at 11:30 and then did a whole bunch of errands between that and my appointment with Dr. Casey. I told him about my sore knee. He adjusted it and showed me a couple of excercizes that should strengthen the muscles and make the pain go away. I can even do them while we are on the bus so the knee shouldn't lock up on the mystery trip.

Tomorrow we will go to the Sheboygan Theatre to see the first show of the season. Noises Off is the farce that is being presented. Some prople saw it on opening night and said that it was confusing to them. Nora saw it in Dallas and says it is a wonderful play. At least, she and Leif really enjoyed it. Usually the Theatre company does a great job on farces.

I got the results of my bone density test and everything is normal. I kind of figured it was. I have not even lost any height. I am still 5'4" and they say that people usually shrink as they grow older. If you lose bone density it has to go somewhere. Height would be the first place as far as I can see.

Tomorrow we will bottle a batch of Beaujolais. We have a lot in the making but are kind of low in our stock. Well, we should have plenty for Christmas, when we like to give it away. In two days, some of the scrath wines that I made last year will be ready for testing. The first one ready is the Lemon Balm Wine. We will taste it tomorrow. If it is any good, I must harvest some from Mom's garden before it freezes.

A poem from R. S. Thomas on eternity. I just like it.

"I think that maybe
I will be a little surer
of being a little nearer.
That's all. Eternity
is in the understanding
that that little is more than enough."

Sounds good to me.

Till tomorrow.

Mary

I had to be at three meetings between 6:00PM and 7:00PM this evening and I made them ALL. The Environment Committee was doing some seasonal changes in church. I was able to help for about 1/2 hour. While I was there, Jim Wilsing, my bagpiper friend, came in. He is doing the music tonight for the Mission that we are having at church. He spent two weeks down in the Biloxi Miss to help with the Red Cross. He said that it was extremely traumatic. He is glad he went and was able to do some good but will carry the pictures in his heart forever. I am going to see if Fr. Gene would like him to come to talk to our faith community. While I was working, he played Lament on the organ for me. What a guy.

Next, I zipped over to the Parish office and gave my report on the Celtic Faire. I have the go ahead for next year. We will again have the same band, the storyteller and the the Cashel Dennehy Dancers. I will do some rotation of the acts and publicize the times each will be performing. We are going to move the vendors under the trees on the music side of the building. I think they were too hot and away from the "action" this year. Last year wasn't quite so bad because we had the band out there. So we will move them.

Last, I went to Rhine Plymouth for the monthly meeting. I was only about 5 minutes late and they were waiting for me. It was a comparatively short meeting with only two really important discussions, the parking lot and the fact that beer is disappearing from the cooler. The second is very distressing. We HAVE to resolve it.

This morning, I went to Mass because I really don't need to be out extra evenings at the Parish Mission. Then I had breakfast with my friend Joann between Mass and Bible Study. That was pleasant. Joann is a real delight. Fr. Hart, our Mission Priest (a Franciscan) joined us at our bible study. So I got a little bit more of renewal and was able to ask for more EXTRA prayers for the kids in Oklahoma.

I think that I will get up my Halloween decorations tomorrow. I did hang the spider web wall hanging in the hall. After Halloween, I will hang the spinning pinwheel hanging which really came out looking good in that spot. I DO have to get a proper rod for it.

Mother is still quilting. Did I mention that. She has another quilt top ready for assembly. When we take her to the Sheboygan Theatre on Wednesday, I will ask her if she can go shopping for her batting and backing on Saturday. I can take her to Joanne's and then we can pick up Dick and all go to lunch. She likes that and we LOVE spending time with her.

Donna called tonight. Jessica wanted to know if we liked Wicked. She saw it in New York and was JEALOUS that we got to go. She would love to see it again. I will take the Discover books to Donna. It will be in Chicago til May of next year from the looks of it - or else in and out at least twice.

This seems to be a pitiful night for the Packers. They were tied in the first quarter but as we hit the half, Carolina is ahead by 16. Oops. I picked the Packers, out of loyalty, but thank heavens, I only gave them one point. My picks weren't bad this week. I believe I may move up a notch or two. Still below half but at least I am moving up.

An important fact to remember when raising boys.

When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.



Enjoy Tuesday.

Mary

Another beautiful day. Chelsea and I had the BEST walk this morning.

I met my cousin Mike, his wife Kellee and their children, Katie and Shawn for breakfast at Harry's Diner before they had to leave for the airport. Patty's funeral was yesterday and it was a lovely day for it. I guess everything went quite well. We had a nice visit this morning anyway. Mike still works for the airlines. He flies and also does some training. The children are busy in school and sports and whatever. They are beautiful children and very well behaved.

Then I went to church and this afternoon, Jim and I went shooting. This week was a big change from last week. I felt it was worth the trip to Rhine. My scores should be up. But that really BAD one from last week is definitly going to bring the average down. I shot a round of trap too and got a 16 again. Not bad but I hope to see some improvement as time goes on. Tomorrow is the club meeting. I am ALL ready. The minutes are copied and I updated the membership list with our two new member.

Please pray for Bart and Barb this week. They are facing health problems and need all the help they can get.

Take care. I read somewhere that we should live every day, as full of truth and kindness as we can, as though is were our last and to arise each day as if it were our first and a new and precious beginning.

Mary