For such an unscheduled day, it turned out to be quite busy after all.

I slept until 6:30AM. Chelsea and I had a very nice long walk. Then I just kind of caught up on things. I made a pot of chili for Sunday's dinner. I tried to make it small but it is still most of a big pot full so we will be eating chili for quite a while. Again, I invite you all over for dinner if you want some. Dick says I sure would be surprised if a bunch of people did show up, but I would love it. I do like to feed people.

I was hungry for bratwurst. We did not have a fryer, so I went over to WalMart and bought one. They put it all together for me and everything. I cooked up about a half a dozen brats and a couple of hamburgers so I will be way ahead on meals this week.

Tomorrow I am going to go to the 10:30AM Mass in Sheboygan Falls so I can walk over with Mother. Randy and Donna are out of town and she kind of hinted that she is a bit nervous about walking by herself. So I will go there tomorrow. I can stop at Hunters Glen on the way home. There is going to be a showing on Monday Morning at 8:30AM. Hope it is something serious.

Mom and I were telling Donna about Tim when he was a little boy. We were talking about cleaning our plates. She had told Tim that he couldn't leave the table until he cleaned his plate. He sat at the table for quite a while as she was cleaning up the kitchen. Then he called her and she looked and saw the clean plate so she said he could leave. Then when she cleared his plate off the table, neatly arranged under the plate was all the food.



Tomorrow is April 1st already. April Fools Day.

Guess that is all for now.


Love

Mary

Another day that was supposed to be in the 50s but never got above the 40s and it was damp and chilly.

Actually it was quite nice when Chelsea and I walked but it went downhill from there on. She did not pick up any new burdocks today.

After I cleaned the kitchen this morning and cleaned my desk. Had my usual lunch at the Dairy Queen. I just had a cup of soup though because Dick and I had decided to go for dinner to St. John's again. And we went REALLY early. We left here at 4PM. It is a nummy fish fry. I am sure glad that Dick got well enough that we could go before Lent was over. Otherwise we would have had to wait until next year.

After we got home, I went out to Rhine to shoot pistol league again. I am STILL not up to what I was doing, but felt a bit more in control. It will come back. On St. Patrick's Day, I ran into a friend, Nancy Roehre, who said she would like to go with me sometime. I think after Easter, I will see if she would like to join me. She would like to see if she likes it.

I watched Ghost Whisperer tonight and now am winding down for the night. I sure do like Ghost Whisperer.

Chelsea is really a dirty little girl. I have decided that she will get a bath late next week so she can be clean for Easter when she goes to visit the "Goddess". We are having Easter Dinner at Bobbie and Bill's house. I hope that my kitties will come out to see me. Last time Roxie was kind of friendly but our Oscar ran away from me. He was always my biggest cuddler too. I sure do miss him.

Did I tell you that I went for a check up with a new doctor, Dr. Murthy, yesterday. He seems very nice. Anyway, he told me that when he first came here, he lived in Tall Grass. I told him that I don't have my kitties and that I miss them and he said, just like everybody else, that I should just get them and not tell anybody.

"Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have and "S" in it?"

After lunch I went to three local stores to find cow manure to put on the rhubarb. Walmart had it delivered, but not available without searching it out on the parking lot and dragging it to the checkout. KMart does not have any yet and Moraine Gardens was closed. What a waste of time.

I found some blueberries in the freezer so I made scones and cookies. I do love to bake, come by and I will share.

Love

Mary

Weather was strange today. It was cloudy and kind of damp this morning, but got up to 55 degrees this afternoon and the sun was shining. Chelsea and I cut our walk a little short today because, she sat on some burdocks and got a big old clump of them between her legs under her tail. Then I had a terrible time getting her to hold still and not sit on them so I could cut them out. She is starting to look a bit patchy because I keep cutting little clumps of hair entwined in those awful burs out of her. Poor Baby is very confused.

We sent to the Family Restaurant for breakfast and then to the Pig for our weekly grocery shopping. We got home at about 9:30 or so and I had time to clean the bathrooms AND play with the Roombas. I have one of them working and will use it downstairs once a week or so.

The dishwasher stopped working on Monday so I had called a local repairman. He got delayed yesterday but was able to make it today. He replaced a fried wire and it is just fine. He also tried to help us clear the vent to the clothes dryer but was unable to complete it because he can't get to the beginning. He suggested that we call one of those services that blow out heater and a/C vents. He did however shorten the vent from the dryer to the wall which was WAY too long. That in itself might help.

We had to get more horse wrappings to hold on the dressings on Dick's feet so we zipped over to Fleet Farm. I also got more bird seed. NOW, I have to try to figure out a way to keep the silly old piggy squirrel from eating all the good stuff. I filled the feeder and the next thing I know, he was draped over the feeder and stayed there for ages just chowing.

I am so grateful. I have been unable to use the new server that Jim and Michelle installed because I could not send any messages OUT on it. Dick and Brenda called tonight and walked me through a fix. Brenda REALLY knows Thunderbird so it went really smoothly. They also explained that I don't have to maintain Google AND Thunderbird which was wearing me out. I only have to check G-mail in Google occasionally to be sure that nothing ends up in junk that shouldn't be there. Then we had a fun visit. This weekend is Brenda's birthday and they are going away for four days to rest and play and jell.

Guess that is all the news. Can an atheist get insurance against acts of God?

Love

Mary

It turned cold today. And it rained just a bit. Chelsea took a shortcut herself on her walk this morning. A good thing since I did sleep a bit late and we had to be at the Sheboygan Clinic at 8:30AM for Dick's blood test. He was a little high this time but we don't need to be too alarmed. The count is supposed to be between 2 and 3 and he tested at 3.1. Sue adjusted his meds a bit and we will see how things are in two weeks.

The dishwasher is not working. I called a repairman who was supposed to be here between 11 and 12. He called at about 1:00 and apologized. He had run an hour behind and asked to reschedule, so we are set for between 11 and 12 tomorrow. If that doesn't work, we will go back to Bitter Neuman, I called this guy because he is a local Plymouth guy and Hill and Bien recommended him.

I went over to my friend Kate's house today for tea and to drop off a copy of the Blessed Trinity Angelus, the quarterly newsletter. She and a committee are thinking of starting a newsletter for St. Johns and she thought seeing a working one would help. We had the nicest time. She and her husband Ron bought one of the beautiful houses on Collins Street that were owned by all the people who WERE in the developing days of Plymouth. This was built by people who owned the brewery and lots of farmland years go. She is interested in Celtic Women and wants to go to the Galena event. This is great because I won't have to drive alone.

I also found out that my friend Cindy Matyi is having her art exhibit shown at Mineral Point during that time, so I can stop and see it on my way home.

Mother, Donna and I went out to dinner and to the Sheboygan Theater play tonight. Dick just wasn't up to sitting in that confined place for that long yet. Donna was delighted to come and we three ladies had a great time. We went to Richards for dinner. The wait staff was Rosie Mielke and another gal who is the sister of one of my classmates. I found out that Nancy, my classmate, is the mother in law of one of the members of the band Beef Tea, who played at 52 Stafford on St. Patrick's Day. Now - if you got that you are one of MINE!!!

The play was well done and charming. Cheaper by the Dozen is a great story. If you haven't read it you should and the first movie was great. Anyway. We loved it. Donna said that I was probably lucky that Dick didn't come. I would have been a wreck trying to get two of them with canes down to the seats. There is quite a flight of stairs. But we do have great seats.

I ran into my hairdresser, Maria and her fiance, and a classmate, Norm Fenner during intermission when I bought a maroon sweatshirt with The Diary of Anne Frank on it in silver for ONLY six bucks. Such a deal and I do have trouble passing up a deal.

That was the day. Pretty good. I am glad it is done now because I am tired and Chelsea is nagging me to go to bed.

Quote from Larry the Cable Guy

"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering 'What the heck happened?' "

Enjoy and run into tomorrow like it really counts.

Love
Mary

Chelsea had a very exciting day today. When we went for our walk it was still pretty warm and we just did the whole thing. She pranced along really good and so did I.

Then at about 9:00AM I picked up that prescription for Mom and took it right over to Falls for her and let Chelsea ride along. That doggy does like her rides and Mother is always glad to see her. Mom had already taken a regular Tylenol but as I told her it was probably just as well. Today she was going to the Senior Meals at the grade school and the prescription MAY make her drowsy. Best to find that out when she is going to be home. I hope she tried one this afternoon or evening.

Chelsea's final excitement was a thunderstorm. Boy was she unhappy. All of a sudden a big boom of thunder followed by heavy rain sent her hopping. It did not last too long though. Just enough to wet everything and fill the birdbath.

Dick and I worked on a household project today which still needs work but is getting there. Dick also got the wine up on the bench so we can rack it tomorrow. We have pretty well decided that unless we can figure out a way to get those five gallon jugs up and down from the bench, we will have to give up the big batches of wine.

Tomorrow will be busy. We start early with a finger blood test by Sue for Dick at 8:30AM in Sheboygan. After the 6 count we had two weeks ago, which adjusted so quickly, I hope it has stayed where it belongs.

Have a good Wednesday.

A friend sent me this one. I was sure surprised and pleased that it works.

If you hold down the Ctrl key on your key board and turn the small wheel

in the middle of your mouse, the print size will change - it will either get

larger or smaller - depending on which way you turn the wheel.

Mary

It was and still is very unseasonably warm today. It is currently still 67 degrees out there. They say rain and a cool front are on the way but it is supposed to drop down only to the 40s which is much more normal for March in Wisconsin. Chelsea was very pleased that I am still willing to keep on a truckin'. We saw two bunnies and a squirrel today which she finds quite exciting.

Went to Bible Study. There were just 5 of us today but we kept it lively. We are coming down to the last weeks of lent now. The first reading today was from Isaiah. It spoke of the fact that the Israelites were supposed to be the voice of the Lord. We wonder if this is expected of us. There seem to be often both sides of an issue given as commands. Jesus also says that we are to submit or turn the other cheek. Does this just apply to us or what. We want to see what the two priests will have to say on Sunday and compare notes.

Then I went over to Mom's. She is still having pain in her right leg. The Tylenol is not helping so we called Dr. Hancock's nurse. She checked with Dr. Hancock and they have prescribed a stronger Tylenol that I will pick up tomorrow and take over to her. The pain is wearing her out and she doesn't need that. Aside from that all is well. She was planning on walking out into the back yard to her garden this afternoon because of the beautiful weather. She has that nice walked now and seems pleased to be able to use it. I hope it doesn't give her false confidence now. But at least if she is out there and gets tired she can just sit.

I stopped at WalMart on the way home and picked up some spring and summer dog walking shoes, a bird feeder, and a couple of shirts that were on sale. Chelsea and I hung the bird feeder down below the deck on a tree where we can see it from the living room AND the deck. Birds are already sampling, so I am going to have to get more food, I am sure. I filled the bird bath while I was at it. I probably will be free of that chore for a couple of days as it is supposed to rain through Saturday.

Her is a little spring poem that I wrote this past week.

LET'S PUT ON A SHOW

Propelled by sunshine
Washed in gentle showers
The daffodil, Spring's yellow trumpet
Joins the serenading cardinal
In a flowering musical extravaganza.

Enjoy YOUR beginning of Spring too.

Love
Mary

Today was TRULY spring. It didn't start out that way. Chelsea and I walked in rather comfortable temperatures. I did make her turn back at the end of the tract because I didn't want to be rushing to get to church on time. Then when I came home from church, it was really foggy.

But by this afternoon, though it was cloudy, it was also warm. The temperatures were up in the mid 60s. I took the captains chairs out on the deck with one of the little plastic tables and sat out there and read for about an hour. Then it started chilling down at about 4:30PM so I came in. But it was a portent of things to come. Dick and I will REALLY enjoy this wonderful spot when summer really arrives and we can sit out there in the afternoons and evenings. Just like at Hunters Glen, it will be shady in the back during the afternoon hours.

Jim and Michelle fried out tonight. They have a gas grill and it is on their deck. Their burgers smelled SO good. I am jealous. Remember that I WON two gas grills but Dick and Jim said they did not want one and I had to donate them back to the church. Now I wish I had hidden one of them somewhere. I am so hungry for a good brat. But God knows when that will happen. Probably about the same time I get my Kitties back. We had to throw our old charcoal grill away too, you know. It was really too old and disgusting to bring along. It was after all 20 years old and overused. Well, such is life.

We did have a good dinner, chicken breast with pork and beans, fresh biscuits, salad and banana bread pudding. I do love to cook.

It is not almost 8PM and I am very tired. I tried to take a little nap after lunch but there was too much noise. Dick took one of the sleeping pills that Dr. Phelan had given him after I came home from church.. Most of you know how much trouble he has sleeping and the past couple of weeks it has been getting worse. We figured that if he tried during the day and had any trouble with sleepwalking, I would be awake and able to take care of him. He did not have any adverse reactions and DID get more sleep than he has had in a long time. I hope this will help. It is really a discouraging situation.

Tomorrow is comparatively quiet, at least to start out with. I have bible study at 9:30 and then will stop at Mother's . We are going to call Dr. Hancock about a pain that she is experiencing hin her leg. So it may turn out to be more eventful than I expect. We will just "play it by ear".

Have a glorious week. It is supposed to be sunny and warm tomorrow and rainy and warm the rest of the week. I am grateful for either.

Love

Mary