Dick and I decided to go out for breakfast this morning. We had not been to the Point in Sheboygan Falls in a couple of years so decided to give it a whirl. It was OK. Their eggs are really good but Dick was not too thrilled with the hash browns. I don't think anything has changed in that restaurant for 20 or more years.
We went out because we had some banking to do. So we stopped and did that on the way home. Then Dick went down for a nap and I sprayed the lilacs for powdery mildew. I don't know whether I did it right or not but one can only hope so. I moved the day lilies that have been hidden behind the lilac bushes up to the front garden kind of surrounding my crane sculpture. There was quite a large bare area and I hope this will fill it up next year.
Then this afternoon I went over to the Pig and picked up a beautiful bright floral arrangement in a nice bright cheerful pot and took it to Mother. Tomorrow would have been her and Dad's 68th wedding anniversary. Every year since he passed, Dick and I have given flowers to Mom to commemorate the day. The first year when I took the flowers, I told her that it was too special a day to go unrecognized. The look on her face was worth the everything. So I have continued the tradition every year. And every year, Mom shares memories with me. We both feel good and a bit lonely too. But memories keep him with us.
I took it today because I will be at the fair with Bobbie and Bill tomorrow. I decided that since I was going to a Saturday Mass, I might as well go in Falls and walk over with Mother. I saw a lot of friends.
I had put a pork tenderloin in the slow cooker so all I had to do was fix rice and a salad for supper.
An imponderable: If one synchronized swimmer drowns, to the rest drown too?"
Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend.
Mary
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
It was an absolutely beautiful day. Not to hot and the sun was shining. Chelsea and I had a fine invigorating walk. It was only 54 at that time of morning which is really nice walking weather.
Then I cleaned the kitchen before heading to the Blood Center for my regular donation. I am now going every eight weeks. I will, however, adjust my schedule to participate with Peggy Feider's special drive in memory of her son Joe. He must smile broadly when this occurs because it helps so many people. That donation day is busy from the time they open until they close. They really get a lot.
I had lunch with Barb and Betty and Ceil today at Dairy Queen. I found out that Betty is afraid of chickens. She lives next to her son Scott and his family. They are raising some cattle. She said if they every get chickens she will get the message and move.
Did a bit of shopping while I was out. I picked up a solution that I can spray the lilacs with. They have "powdery mildew" and I need to get rid of that. I may move the day lilies from in back of the lilacs at the same time. I want to move them up to the top of the hill so we can see them from the office. They are useless behind the lilacs. Flowers have only one voice, their beauty. Some of them also have a lovely scent, but hidden, they cannot be enjoyed.
I baked chocolate zucchini bread today. That is really good. It calls for cinnamon which does wonders when combined with chocolate.
I am reading a Sister Fidelma Mystery, The Valley of the Shadow. There is a quote that really struck me and I want to share it with you. It decries violence and imposition of one's own beliefs in the name of God.
"If we have to spread our teachings and Faith at the point of a sword then those teachings and our Faith must surely not be worth the hearing." Peter Tremayne
Have a great Labor Day weekend. I even remembered to put up the flag.
Love
Mary
Then I cleaned the kitchen before heading to the Blood Center for my regular donation. I am now going every eight weeks. I will, however, adjust my schedule to participate with Peggy Feider's special drive in memory of her son Joe. He must smile broadly when this occurs because it helps so many people. That donation day is busy from the time they open until they close. They really get a lot.
I had lunch with Barb and Betty and Ceil today at Dairy Queen. I found out that Betty is afraid of chickens. She lives next to her son Scott and his family. They are raising some cattle. She said if they every get chickens she will get the message and move.
Did a bit of shopping while I was out. I picked up a solution that I can spray the lilacs with. They have "powdery mildew" and I need to get rid of that. I may move the day lilies from in back of the lilacs at the same time. I want to move them up to the top of the hill so we can see them from the office. They are useless behind the lilacs. Flowers have only one voice, their beauty. Some of them also have a lovely scent, but hidden, they cannot be enjoyed.
I baked chocolate zucchini bread today. That is really good. It calls for cinnamon which does wonders when combined with chocolate.
I am reading a Sister Fidelma Mystery, The Valley of the Shadow. There is a quote that really struck me and I want to share it with you. It decries violence and imposition of one's own beliefs in the name of God.
"If we have to spread our teachings and Faith at the point of a sword then those teachings and our Faith must surely not be worth the hearing." Peter Tremayne
Have a great Labor Day weekend. I even remembered to put up the flag.
Love
Mary
Thursday, August 30, 2007
We took the Santa Fe to the dealer for an oil change and tire rotation. We have now used up ALL the coupons in our maintenance package. We decided along with the service people that it must be time to either buy a new car or another coupon book.
I spent most of the day recapping last night's meeting for the attendees and for those who are interested. Most have emails which makes it really easy, but I did have five that I had to prepare a snail mail package for.
There was a choir practice for Celtic Mass at Blessed Trinity tonight. Only one more before the Mass on the 9th. I hope you can all come. It should be quite nice. We have some beautiful music scheduled. Our tin whistle player can't come, but we will have bagpipes, a bodhrun and a fiddle as well as Beth on the piano and organ. And don't forget that after Mass we have a Celtic Faire until 3:00PM. There is excellent food, Corned beef and cabbage, brats and hamburgers and chicken, with bars for dessert and we always have the best scones for those who need to break their fast and want a good Irish bread.
There will also be a band playing and singing Irish music and a storyteller. We have a few vendors around the place too. I will be selling my books, my new painted tiles and some of Fr. Mike's items from Thailand for his cause. (That way I have a seat and a good view of all the action.)
I remember a time when I was very young, Mom and Dad decided to take us all to a lake so we could picnic and go swimming. That is where the trouble began. Mother would mention a lake and Dad would say. " We can't go there, someone drowned in that lake last year." So she would name another one and Dad would say. "Well, someone drowned in that lake too." This went on for a while until she got exasperated and they just picked on and watched us real close.
Now, I ask you, isn't that one of the sweetest ways for a father to say he loves his children? He couldn't even imagine exposing us to a place that had claimed a life.
Love
Mary
I spent most of the day recapping last night's meeting for the attendees and for those who are interested. Most have emails which makes it really easy, but I did have five that I had to prepare a snail mail package for.
There was a choir practice for Celtic Mass at Blessed Trinity tonight. Only one more before the Mass on the 9th. I hope you can all come. It should be quite nice. We have some beautiful music scheduled. Our tin whistle player can't come, but we will have bagpipes, a bodhrun and a fiddle as well as Beth on the piano and organ. And don't forget that after Mass we have a Celtic Faire until 3:00PM. There is excellent food, Corned beef and cabbage, brats and hamburgers and chicken, with bars for dessert and we always have the best scones for those who need to break their fast and want a good Irish bread.
There will also be a band playing and singing Irish music and a storyteller. We have a few vendors around the place too. I will be selling my books, my new painted tiles and some of Fr. Mike's items from Thailand for his cause. (That way I have a seat and a good view of all the action.)
I remember a time when I was very young, Mom and Dad decided to take us all to a lake so we could picnic and go swimming. That is where the trouble began. Mother would mention a lake and Dad would say. " We can't go there, someone drowned in that lake last year." So she would name another one and Dad would say. "Well, someone drowned in that lake too." This went on for a while until she got exasperated and they just picked on and watched us real close.
Now, I ask you, isn't that one of the sweetest ways for a father to say he loves his children? He couldn't even imagine exposing us to a place that had claimed a life.
Love
Mary
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Such a full day.
Chelsea and I had a wonderful walk. I let her take a couple of short cuts. She tried to cut through the playground in the park but I make her stay on the path. Otherwise she gets sand in her hair and it is really messy. Since she had a bath yesterday, we want to keep the bloom on the rose as long as possible.
We went to the Family Restaurant for breakfast and then shopping. I spent the rest of the day kind of cleaning and baking cookies and setting things up for the Celtic Women Meeting tonight.
I know you are all waiting with baited breath to know how that went. Now you all stop rolling your eyes.
It did go well. I had told Dick that there would be any where from two to 12 people here. There were eight. Was I good, or what? We had a nice sharing meeting and are an official group. We have decided not to have officers. We will meet once a month, usually. The next meeting is scheduled for October 18 at 52 Stafford. We will meet for dinner at 6:3oPM and then move on to the session that Sean hosts in the lounge area. Sounds like a fun day. Peggy Feider my friend from bible study at Blessed Trinity brought her daughter Amy with her. Amy took tin whistle lessons at the Willie Clancy school in Dublin (I think< class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sheboygan Chapter of CWI and 7 others who called to tell me that they could not come to this one but to keep them on the list and informed.
Yippee.
Jacquie, my ex sister in law, called while we were in the meeting so I called her back. We had a nice visit. I would like to see her again. She is a lovely lady. She said that her husband, George, is doing quite well. I sent him my love. He is an ornery old man, but he is himself and there is something to be said for that. What you see is what you get. He was a sword fisherman off of Newport Harbor in California. A picture of George is a picture of what you would expect a fisherman to look like.
Please say some prayers for my nephew Todd, Jacquie's son. He is having a colonoscopy and is afraid. He is a year younger than my Bart. My mother in law, his grandmother, had colon cancer and so did someone on his Dad's side, so he is nervous. He is one of the really sweet people in this world. Always has been. I love him. So pray for him for me.
I read in the computer news that someone paid $7400 for a bunch of NFL Michael Vick cards that were shredded by a bunch of dogs and that the money was going to the Humane Society. I also read that Leona Helmsley left $12,000,000.00 to her dog. Perhaps someone ought to tell that dog to donate a LOT of money to his or her fellow four legged companions. I guess companions isn't quite the word but you know what I mean.
P. S. I hope that Michael Vick is TRULY sorry for what he did. If he is, his future actions will show this and he can do a lot of good in this world. Cruelty to animals is a sign of deep troubles. I hope for him and his family's sake that he has turned a corner.
It is time to go to bed now, so I will sign off. Take care and have a good Thursday.
Love
Mary
Chelsea and I had a wonderful walk. I let her take a couple of short cuts. She tried to cut through the playground in the park but I make her stay on the path. Otherwise she gets sand in her hair and it is really messy. Since she had a bath yesterday, we want to keep the bloom on the rose as long as possible.
We went to the Family Restaurant for breakfast and then shopping. I spent the rest of the day kind of cleaning and baking cookies and setting things up for the Celtic Women Meeting tonight.
I know you are all waiting with baited breath to know how that went. Now you all stop rolling your eyes.
It did go well. I had told Dick that there would be any where from two to 12 people here. There were eight. Was I good, or what? We had a nice sharing meeting and are an official group. We have decided not to have officers. We will meet once a month, usually. The next meeting is scheduled for October 18 at 52 Stafford. We will meet for dinner at 6:3oPM and then move on to the session that Sean hosts in the lounge area. Sounds like a fun day. Peggy Feider my friend from bible study at Blessed Trinity brought her daughter Amy with her. Amy took tin whistle lessons at the Willie Clancy school in Dublin (I think< class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sheboygan Chapter of CWI and 7 others who called to tell me that they could not come to this one but to keep them on the list and informed.
Yippee.
Jacquie, my ex sister in law, called while we were in the meeting so I called her back. We had a nice visit. I would like to see her again. She is a lovely lady. She said that her husband, George, is doing quite well. I sent him my love. He is an ornery old man, but he is himself and there is something to be said for that. What you see is what you get. He was a sword fisherman off of Newport Harbor in California. A picture of George is a picture of what you would expect a fisherman to look like.
Please say some prayers for my nephew Todd, Jacquie's son. He is having a colonoscopy and is afraid. He is a year younger than my Bart. My mother in law, his grandmother, had colon cancer and so did someone on his Dad's side, so he is nervous. He is one of the really sweet people in this world. Always has been. I love him. So pray for him for me.
I read in the computer news that someone paid $7400 for a bunch of NFL Michael Vick cards that were shredded by a bunch of dogs and that the money was going to the Humane Society. I also read that Leona Helmsley left $12,000,000.00 to her dog. Perhaps someone ought to tell that dog to donate a LOT of money to his or her fellow four legged companions. I guess companions isn't quite the word but you know what I mean.
P. S. I hope that Michael Vick is TRULY sorry for what he did. If he is, his future actions will show this and he can do a lot of good in this world. Cruelty to animals is a sign of deep troubles. I hope for him and his family's sake that he has turned a corner.
It is time to go to bed now, so I will sign off. Take care and have a good Thursday.
Love
Mary
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
I wish I could sing on this blog. There is a lot to sing about today. I spent the morning paying off the mortgage on this condo. We are very excited. Actually, the payoff will take place tomorrow sometime. I sent a cashier's check express mail this morning and was assured that it will arrive in Des Moines before noon tomorrow. Yippee!!!!!!!!! We just have a few little loose ends and then will be totally free and clear.
Jim and Michelle came over this evening and we gave them a couple of checks for their share of things. They are a happy little couple too.
I spent the rest of the day vacuuming, watering plants and generally finishing the cleaning so the living room is all sparkly for the Celtic Women meeting tomorrow night. All I have left to do is bake the cookies. I am making Lavender cookies to go with the tea and coffee. Seems kind of Irishy to me.
I made a couple of portabello mushrooms stuffed with kale and artichokes and cheeses for my supper. Of course, Dick won't eat that but there was pasta with smoked sausage left from last night for him. The mushrooms are delicious. I will be making them again.
I harvested some green peppers and jalapeno peppers from the deck today too. I am amazed that the pepper plants did so well. I planted them in these narrow, shallow planters and they did better than the tomatoes that were in a much bigger environment. Go figure.
When there are races at the fairgrounds we can hear the engines loud and clear. This added to Michael Perry talking about the Monster truck races he wrote about made me think of my one instance as a race driver.
When Perry wrote about the Monster trucks, he started it by using the following repetition: yellow/green yellow/green yellow/green. This is a reference to the bank of lights that racers use at the starting gate.
You have to think of yellowgreen almost as one word and one action. When the light turns green you have to immediately blast off the start line - At the instant of change but not a nanosecond sooner. Otherwise, you have a false start. I drove in a drag race once with the jeep out in the desert. I think it was at the Glamas Dunes. I was all pumped and ready to go. I still remember that my heart was pounding and I was actually breathless. Then the light turned and I gunned it. BUT - for an instant I thought that I had jumped the start. I backed off for just a fraction of a breath, just enough to lose me the race. I actually almost caught the other guy but my hesitation cost me. I never got the opportunity to try it again. Sure would have liked to. I bet I could have been good.
Love
Mary
Jim and Michelle came over this evening and we gave them a couple of checks for their share of things. They are a happy little couple too.
I spent the rest of the day vacuuming, watering plants and generally finishing the cleaning so the living room is all sparkly for the Celtic Women meeting tomorrow night. All I have left to do is bake the cookies. I am making Lavender cookies to go with the tea and coffee. Seems kind of Irishy to me.
I made a couple of portabello mushrooms stuffed with kale and artichokes and cheeses for my supper. Of course, Dick won't eat that but there was pasta with smoked sausage left from last night for him. The mushrooms are delicious. I will be making them again.
I harvested some green peppers and jalapeno peppers from the deck today too. I am amazed that the pepper plants did so well. I planted them in these narrow, shallow planters and they did better than the tomatoes that were in a much bigger environment. Go figure.
When there are races at the fairgrounds we can hear the engines loud and clear. This added to Michael Perry talking about the Monster truck races he wrote about made me think of my one instance as a race driver.
When Perry wrote about the Monster trucks, he started it by using the following repetition: yellow/green yellow/green yellow/green. This is a reference to the bank of lights that racers use at the starting gate.
You have to think of yellowgreen almost as one word and one action. When the light turns green you have to immediately blast off the start line - At the instant of change but not a nanosecond sooner. Otherwise, you have a false start. I drove in a drag race once with the jeep out in the desert. I think it was at the Glamas Dunes. I was all pumped and ready to go. I still remember that my heart was pounding and I was actually breathless. Then the light turned and I gunned it. BUT - for an instant I thought that I had jumped the start. I backed off for just a fraction of a breath, just enough to lose me the race. I actually almost caught the other guy but my hesitation cost me. I never got the opportunity to try it again. Sure would have liked to. I bet I could have been good.
Love
Mary
Monday, August 27, 2007
Chelsea woke me up at 5:38AM. I know because I looked. Dick was sleeping, which is rather unusual, so I got up and we went for our walk. It was very pleasant. Kind of cool but pleasant. Today we saw one other walker, a man we had not seen before. Chelsea barked. I did not let her take the shortcut today. Then we went ALL the way around the park and my feet were like wearing buckets of water when we finally got home.
Today was bible study. We had a nice crowd again. The gospel is the one about not going up to the head of the table when you get to a party but wait for the host to move you up further. WE wonder if one really did this would the host would notice these days. It was all involving humility. And we DID determine that humility is honesty.
I stopped to visit Mother on the way home as always. She is just fine. She had her hair done last week and it really looked cute. She told me that Randy's Erin made Special Honors in the Sheboygan Press for her last semester at college. She is my goddaughter so that makes me proud too.
I took Mom a bowl of the Zuppa Tuscana for her lunch. We had it for lunch today too. She would like the recipe, perhaps you would too. It is a knock off of the Olive Garden sausage soup and is really good. I used my own homemade venison brats with a few other spices to make them more hot and Italiany. I will put it WAY at the end because it copied funny.
I wrote a poem for writer's club last week about the waning days of summer. I took the thoughts from my early morning walks with my furry friend, Chelsea. It is a pantoum, you will notice the repeating lines. Maybe you could help with a title.
Today was bible study. We had a nice crowd again. The gospel is the one about not going up to the head of the table when you get to a party but wait for the host to move you up further. WE wonder if one really did this would the host would notice these days. It was all involving humility. And we DID determine that humility is honesty.
I stopped to visit Mother on the way home as always. She is just fine. She had her hair done last week and it really looked cute. She told me that Randy's Erin made Special Honors in the Sheboygan Press for her last semester at college. She is my goddaughter so that makes me proud too.
I took Mom a bowl of the Zuppa Tuscana for her lunch. We had it for lunch today too. She would like the recipe, perhaps you would too. It is a knock off of the Olive Garden sausage soup and is really good. I used my own homemade venison brats with a few other spices to make them more hot and Italiany. I will put it WAY at the end because it copied funny.
I wrote a poem for writer's club last week about the waning days of summer. I took the thoughts from my early morning walks with my furry friend, Chelsea. It is a pantoum, you will notice the repeating lines. Maybe you could help with a title.
- The sweet smell of ripening grasses
- Mixes with eager bird songs.
- They fill the air together
- During this fruitful time of the year.
- Mixing with eager bird songs
- They happily feed on the plenty
- During this fruitful time of year
- Just before the harvest
- They happily feed on the plenty.
- Seeding plants burst forth
- Just before the harvest.
- No one goes hungry now.
- Seeding plants burst forth.
- They fill the air together
- No one goes hungry now.
- The sweet smell of ripening grasses.
Zuppa Toscana Soup Submitted By: Jessica Dudley 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled | |
|
Mary | |
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Chelsea and I saw two blue herons flying overhead this morning as we were coming through the park towards home. They are quite a sight.
Fr. Van Beeck was talking about that narrow gate that St. Luke mentions in this week's reading. I talked about it on Monday. He told a rather amusing story. He said that invariably at a party, someone will approach him and say something like, "Well, Father. I don't always make church on Sunday and I don't know if there REALLY is a God, but if there is I think He loves us and will just let everybody in at the end." Father said that this reading should make us all think. God is a loving God but also just. We all have to find our own way to him but if we are making excuses for our lives perhaps we are on the wrong path.
Bobbie and I worked at Rhine today. It was rather quiet but we did send out 7 squads and two squads of doubles. Bobbie is now counting the days til she retires. Go!!! Bobbie!!!
Bobbie and Bill are going to the Sheboygan County Fair next Sunday and said that I can go with them. I will use the gate pass that I got it for giving blood at the Blood Center. Such a nice gift. Actually, I will be giving blood again this coming Friday.
On Saturday, Michael Perry was talking about a free lance article that he did about the Monster Trucks. Those are the BIG trucks with the huge wheels that crush cars and stuff. It reminded me of when I used to go jeeping.
Out on the sand it is best to have special tires. They should be wide and soft and grooved just so. The art of the tires is quite specialized. When we first started going we got stuck a lot more than later because of learning that. There was a man, I forget his name, but he eventually began supplying tires for duning. (Duning was a word in that previous life.) The first time that I remember him, he came out driving a dune buggy with huge tires that he had carved so that as he drove the tires printed out "the Monster" " the Monster" in the sand.
If I remember correctly, he is the same man who got married out in the dunes. Jeeps and dune buggies formed an aisle for the bride, dressed in white with veil and everything, to walk down to an archway set up in the sand. A minister performed the ceremony out in the middle of the dunes under the desert sun. It was quite beautiful.
Michelle baked lemon zucchini bread today and they shared. It is really good. Thank you Michelle.
Love
Mary
Fr. Van Beeck was talking about that narrow gate that St. Luke mentions in this week's reading. I talked about it on Monday. He told a rather amusing story. He said that invariably at a party, someone will approach him and say something like, "Well, Father. I don't always make church on Sunday and I don't know if there REALLY is a God, but if there is I think He loves us and will just let everybody in at the end." Father said that this reading should make us all think. God is a loving God but also just. We all have to find our own way to him but if we are making excuses for our lives perhaps we are on the wrong path.
Bobbie and I worked at Rhine today. It was rather quiet but we did send out 7 squads and two squads of doubles. Bobbie is now counting the days til she retires. Go!!! Bobbie!!!
Bobbie and Bill are going to the Sheboygan County Fair next Sunday and said that I can go with them. I will use the gate pass that I got it for giving blood at the Blood Center. Such a nice gift. Actually, I will be giving blood again this coming Friday.
On Saturday, Michael Perry was talking about a free lance article that he did about the Monster Trucks. Those are the BIG trucks with the huge wheels that crush cars and stuff. It reminded me of when I used to go jeeping.
Out on the sand it is best to have special tires. They should be wide and soft and grooved just so. The art of the tires is quite specialized. When we first started going we got stuck a lot more than later because of learning that. There was a man, I forget his name, but he eventually began supplying tires for duning. (Duning was a word in that previous life.) The first time that I remember him, he came out driving a dune buggy with huge tires that he had carved so that as he drove the tires printed out "the Monster" " the Monster" in the sand.
If I remember correctly, he is the same man who got married out in the dunes. Jeeps and dune buggies formed an aisle for the bride, dressed in white with veil and everything, to walk down to an archway set up in the sand. A minister performed the ceremony out in the middle of the dunes under the desert sun. It was quite beautiful.
Michelle baked lemon zucchini bread today and they shared. It is really good. Thank you Michelle.
Love
Mary
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