It was warm today. I was glad that we had replaced the front storm with a screen. We left doors open much of the day.

I went shopping at about 9AM and got potting soil and the planters for the deck. Then I finished cleaning the rest of the garage and filled the planters. I did plant some seeds but hate to do too much. You know the old adage that one should not plant before Memorial Day because there is always a chance of frost. I usually manage to last until at least the middle of May. Being that this weekend is half over with and next will be busy with Dick's birthday, I think I will make it this year too.

We are finally getting to work on wine. We have racked all of the small batches that I made from scratch and are ready to bottle the Gewertiziminer any day now. Then we need to rack the Riesling and mix the White Zin.

I made a rhubarb pie today with the last of my frozen rhubarb. As the rhubarb in the back yard is really taking off, I figured I had better clean out the old stuff. I made a rhubarb sour cream pie and it is GOOOOD! When I was little, we used to pick stalks of rhubarb and dip them in a cup of sugar and eat it raw. Fruits and veggies are all so good fresh out of the garden.

We also had leftover stroganoff and veggies so did not have to work too hard on supper.

Anyway lots of busy physical work and I know that I will sleep well tonight. I called Mom this afternoon. John and Eileen had come out at about lunch time. They brought lunch and then Eileen stripped Mom's bed, put on a new mattress pad and her summer sheets and blankets. She will feel all fresh and comfy when she crawls in bed tonight.

Have a good Sunday.

Since I went to church in Galena last weekend, it will be good to hear Fr. Van Beeck again. The new gold cross that was donated by some members was put up on the steeple last week, this will be the first week I get a good view of it driving up the hill. I am really glad that I went the Sunday it arrived and that I have the printed napkin commemorating the event.

Love

Mary

Another busy day. Dick and I racked the Marigold Wine this morning and he sanitized a 5 gallon jug so we can filter the Gewertziminer. I believe that when we finish the Gerwertziminer, the Riesling and the White Zin (that is not mixed yet) we will be out of the wine making business except for the small batches that I can do the lifting on. It is just too hard for him to lift the jugs AND to get up and down the stairs. (Though that part is probably good for him. Don't tell him I said that.)

Then I went to Hunters Glen to run the water and check things out. I also left three rocks that Kate picked up on our trip that were part of foundations of churches build by Venerable Samuel Mazzuchelli with a prayer and a wish. I will use all methods at my disposal.

Next on to pick up Mother for her doctor visit. She did not have a stroke after all but fainted. There is a long name for the episode that I don't know. He said that all of her vitals are good for her age and that she can do anything she feels up to. He did tell her to keep the walker as she is unsteady when she walks, but aside from that she is quite strong. The weakness is to be expected. She must learn to relax, take her time and, he said, drink more water.

I did join the gals at Dairy Queen for lunch. There were just four of us today. A welcome break.

A bit of shopping and then home. I made some cole slaw and mixed up a pie crust. I want to use the last of last year's rhubarb as the crop is doing really well in the back of the condo. Soon we will have new fresh stuff.

I went to Rhine and shot three targets for league. The first two were pretty bad but the third was quite good. That gives me hope. Perhaps I will settle in again soon. Last league I was doing quite well.

I did some quilting tonight while I watched Ghost Whisperer and sewed a Kindred Spirit Doll body together.

Just going to finish with a quote from Cadfael's Book of Days for April 27 - today. I am so often impressed with Ellis Peters. And Robin Whitman did such a good job pulling them out and setting them up as daily readings.

"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."

We are supposed to have a beautiful warm weekend. I intend to do some yard work.

Love

Mary

Isn't this a pretty floral arrangement for Courtney? I am so pleased with what Rick's Floral did. Can you see the Anna Bandanna on the left?

Please pray for her and those who love her.

Guess what. Dick had a doctor appointment this morning at 8:15. I had the calendar positioned incorrectly, didn't see it and he had to reschedule for mid June. What a bummer. This is an appointment to see if the implants in his eyes can be "polished" as they are getting cloudy. I will have to be sure that I am seeing the WHOLE day when I make my list and plan our outings.

As it was we went to St. Mary Cemetery to take pictures of Courtney's flowers. They are beautiful. It was raining as we drove over there but I asked Courtney, Dad and Aunt Helen to see if they could arrange with the Lord to suspend it long enough for pictures. It seemed reasonable as I saw no reason why George and Betsy shouldn't see them. And of course, it was dry while I was there and the pictures turned out just fine.

Then we had breakfast at Parkview, went to the bank for some cash and on to the Pig in Plymouth to do our grocery shopping. When we got home, I cleaned another quarter of the garage. Basically, I moved everything and swept. In the corner, I found a dead mouse corpse. EEEEWWWWW. It was stuck to the cement so I scraped it up and sprayed with disinfectant and deoderant spray.

This afternoon, I went over to my friend Kate Herman's house and helped her get her submissions ready to send into the Writer's Digest Contest. She used Word but is really a novice as far as using the formatting and editing functions. It is fun to show someone the wonders that can be done with those word processing programs. I have learned much "by guess and by golly" and by building on what I learned with the earlier simpler programs. Having done all those fliers for work and assignments from various classes didn't hurt either. Anyway, we got her all set. She and her husband Ron are restoring one of the old beautiful homes on Collins Street here in Plymouth. It is known as Yankee Hill and was where the"people of importance" years ago built. They are doing a lovely job of restoring. Just doing what they can afford as they go along. She is a professional decorator which does help them find things and meet the right people to do the work.

We had venison stroganoff for dinner tonight. It is really good. Dick is always happy to have something with noodles.

I spent about an hour on the kitty quilt while I watched a good old Stephen King movie Thinner.

It is supposed to rain more tonight and tomorrow and then be nice on the weekend. Good. I plan to do a bit of planting and planning. Can't do too much because there is still danger of frost into May but one does get a bit antsy when April winds down.

Have a good Friday.

Mary

Another day mainly at home. I slept until 6:30AM. A record. At that point I woke up and heard poor little Chelsea kind of moaning outside the closed door of the bedroom. There had been some rain but it had stopped some time earlier and we had a very nice walk.

I spent the day doing more "stuff" around the house. I did a little work on organizing plantings. We cleaned the back left hand quarter of the garage so that we could get the front storm door stored out there. I replaced it with the screen yesterday. The previous owners had stored it down in the basement but we felt it would be easier for us to get it in and out of the garage. It fits nicely. I need to find an old blanket or throw for some more protection.

Dick had his weekly blood test today. That was uneventful too. I even took a nap this afternoon.

I picked up 1/2 dozen yellow roses in a beautiful brown crockery pot to put out at St. Mary's Cemetery for Courtney on her birthday tomorrow. I wanted them there tonight so they would be there the entire 24 hours of her birthday. Rick, the florist, assured me that the flowers will spend tonight as if they were refrigerated. I also made a Anna Bandanna doll for her out of one of the neckerchief's that I had acquired when we were all in Texas for Shawn's wedding. This was the last time I spent time with Courtney and I thought it would let her know that I remembered that. I got half way home and realized that I had forgotten my camera. Dick and I will get some tomorrow when on our way grocery shopping. I would like to send a picture to George and Betsy.

I found a nice quote but don't know who to attribute it to.

"There isn't enough darkness in all the world to snuff out the light of one little candle."

Go light your candle.

Mary

Chris Wolf, Maureen Smith, Rosmary Bauman, Me, Gail McAleese, Mary Schiltze, Betty Gavitt, Sheila Isaacson and Kate Hermann - All the Celtic women except Jean Whelan who attended the gathering. We were in the Red Rooster in Mineral Point after a meal of pasties and Figgy Hobbin.

The poor little crocus valiently blooming through the snow after that last snowstorm.

I got to stay home all day today. It is a day with no MAJOR cleaning assigned (You DO know that I schedule these things, don't you.) So it was pleasant.

I DID a lot. There was the watering of the plants, a bit of sewing, sorting out the things that I have committed too do at my meeting with Beth Dipple of the Historical Research Center and the Celtic Women, catching up on emails and phone calls AND cleaning off my desk.

I called Mother this afternoon after I got a call from Dr. Murthy telling me that my heart is just fine. (I was pretty sure of that but when he reminded me that I had been taking premerin for 18 years, he shook my faith in my good genes.) Mom sounded a bit weak. She is looking forward to her visit with Dr. Hancock on Friday. She has lots of questions. She wants to know if this weakness will be temporary.

It started to rain late this afternoon and is supposed to continue for a couple of days. Dick took me out to dinner to Antoinette's downtown. I had veggie lasagna and Dick had spaghetti. Both were really good. We used the coupon that we had gotten in our Welcome Wagon Package. Pretty much used them up now.

To finish the conference. We got up at about 7 and went to another good Irish breakfast at 8:00AM. We were all together again for the last time during this trip. Lots of goodbyes and thank yous and all that. I read my Winter Song poem. They liked it. Then Kate and I rushed off to mass. We got lost going there and then going to the museum afterwards but accomplished both. The museum is absolutely FULL of treasures including great art and artifacts and a wonderful selection of books and gifts. I got two books for Mother and some Hollyhock seeds that have been harvested from right around the museum. I remember hollyhocks from when I was a kid but never had them myself.

We headed home right from the museum, stopping twice, once for lunch and once for a potty break and to buy a lottery ticket. Perhaps Kate and I will be very rich on Wednesday night. Neither of us knew how to fill the darn thing out so it was really quite an adventure.

I put my pictures on the computer and will send one to you tonight.

Have a great Wednesday.

Love

Mary

Bible study this morning. It rained a good bit of the morning, but was quite comfortably warm. Dick and I went out for breakfast to the Shoppes on Mill Street. That was a pleasant way to start a week. Tomorrow and the next day are at home days. So far no out of home obligations.

On the way home yesterday, one of the little bridge protectors fell off of my glasses. I stopped in at Advanced Eye Care and they fixed it right up. Sure like that eye doctor.

Bible study was very interesting. The second reading and third readings referred to the Good Shepherd. One verse is " My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me." I remembered learning at a study that the shepherds in Israel took their sheep to a "community" pasture where the sheep grazed together all day, then at the end of the day the shepherds would call and their sheep would come to them. Indeed they do know the voice of their shepherd. Peggy Feider, one of our group, affirmed this. She was a "shepherdess" for 20 years. For 20 years they had sheep, as many as 60 at one time. She said that they did know her voice and the voices of her children. If the children showed the lambs or sheep at the fair, when they spoke the animals came but ONLY their animals, not the others owned BY others.

A bit more about the conference. On Saturday morning, we all met for a "kind of " Irish breakfast. At least we had eggs, mushrooms, tomato, Irish sausages (including black and white pudding) and scones and brown bread. We also had this special breakfast on Sunday. After that Mary Schultze, our president, gave a presentation on Fr. Mazzuchelli, an a Italian priest who was a missionary/priest from Green Bay to Galena. He established many parishes and a Dominican Nunnery. He has been made Venerable and there is a drive to see that he is made a saint in the future. During the afternoon, we toured two churches that he built. When I get my pictures onto the computer, I will post a couple. One is no longer being used, is very old and being restored by the KC's of the area. The other has his grave site.

We also had a presentation by a Tracey Roberts, who gave the history of Galena focusing on women and the Irish and Celtic settlers. She also sang several ethnic songs, all a Capella and also a couple in Gaelic.

A trip to Mineral Point for a lunch of pasties and figgy hobbin, a tour of the Green Lanturn (A gallery that is featuring the art of Cindy Matyi, Patrick Gallagher (dear friends) and Steve O'Laughlin and Kelly Kirin took up the part of the afternoon not dedicated to Fr. Mazzuchelli.

After dinner in downtown Galena, we retired to the pub at the Irish Cottage for the music, some camaraderie and a Tarot reading. It was my first and I was not too impressed, I could have told myself and have everything that she did and did not feel that she had too much insight into me now, though Kate felt that she really read her.

Betty did a great job arranging the weekend. I hope to go again some time. Maureen would like to have us go as a group to Ireland sometime. Sounds like a great idea to me.

Hope you had as nice a Monday as I did.

Love

Mary

Well, I am home after an absolutely wonderful, relaxing (probably not the best word as I did get to do and see a LOT) weekend.

First, on Friday, I had the second half of my stress test. What a mess. We started it at 11:00AM. Unfortunately, some part of my bowel was covering part of the heart and we had to retest. I was, needless to say, REALLY disappointed. I called Kate, my traveling companion and she very calmly said not to worry, to just come as soon as I was done and we would get on our way. The worst part was that in order to retest, I had to drink four glasses of water. How is that for someone who is going to spend four hours on the road to Galena?

Kate and I did get on the road by 1PM. The trip was easy, though rather long. We were surprised that it was not greener further south and that there were not more flowers in bloom.

We got to the Irish Cottage Inn at about 4:30, checked in and joined the others for a wine and cheese reception. I reacquainted with old friends and met, in person, those that I had only met by voice on the telephone conferences. Kate got to meet everybody and as I knew, fit in just fine. Maureen had two chores for us.

First: we got a piece of paper entitled "Worry List" We wrote ALL of our biggest worries on this list and then put them in a box which she closed and put aside. We were told that we could pick them up when we were ready to go home. (I forgot mine.)

Second: she gave us a list of statements such as "Who lives in Chicago." "Who quilts for does crafts" "Who plays an musical instrument?" We went to each other and filled in a name for each question. A good way to find out a bit about each other.

Then we went the pub/restaurant on the premises for dinner. They do have Irish food. I had bangers and mash and really enjoyed it. At nine PM, I was so tired and the wine got me kind of spun, so I opted to got to the room and go to sleep. The next day was scheduled to be very busy and I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.

I will tell you more about the trip tomorrow when I am more rested. We had a safe and pleasant trip home and I pray that the others did too. We were a bit worried about Jean Whelan who does seem frail, came alone and had to drive back to Wynona Minnesota. I am glad to be involved with these women. It looks like I have a good core group for a local chapter of CWI with Kate, Beth Dippel, Lu Ann from the History Museum and a Joan, recommended by one of the other CWI women. Hopefully after a couple of programs we can get a nice thing going.

I called Mother when I got home. She sounded really tired. Her friend Helen Murphy, took her to another friend, Bea Visser's birthday party. She was glad she went but it really took a lot out of her. She has decided to not do anything else outside her home, until after she sees De. Hancock on Friday.

Called Barbara tonight too. She sounds really strong. She couldn't really talk because Adam is visiting and needed the phone, so I told her I would call tomorrow night as I am really tired.

Here is a short spring poem.

Spring

Innocence is the color green.
Robins perch on spiny tree branches
Waiting for fresh life to burst forth
And worms to emerge upon the path
New life!

Til tomorrow

Mary