What a day. I cleaned this morning. Had to do the kitchen and bathroom floors and vacuum the living room.

As I was cleaning the living room, I ran into a problem. When we had the stump doll afternoon, one of my friends left a plastic bag with bead and a half finished beaded project in it. I was going to see her tonight so brought the bag up and set it on the diningroom table. Big Mistake. Roxie threw the bag on the ground, ripped a hole in it, scattered teeny tiny seed beads all over the floor and took the washrag wrapped around the project and hid it on me. I spent about 20 minutes picking up little seed beads off the carpet but could not find the washrag and the project.

As I was emptying the trash at our desks, I found it in Dick's wastebasket. He has no memory of picking it up but must have - Otherwise that clever Roxie must have figured out how to do it herself.

So, when I was done with that and the normal feeding of all the living creatures in this house, I headed for Sheboygan and Mark Mueller's office. He does our taxes and had them all read for us. Boy were we ever pleased. We have finally caought up with the government. Really TOO much, I don't like them using our money like that but we shoud be all set for next year also. We have a nice tidy sum to pump up the medical reserve again. We really drained it this year.

Then I went to the Blood Center to give my bi monthly blood. The next one will be Peggy Feider's annual drive in memory of her son Joe. That is how I got into giving blood in the first place.

Home again, we had soup and grilled cheese for lunch.

After lunch, I did some more picking up around here. I am amazed at how much STUFF is in this house and how it manages to get out of place. Then I took a nap. Old Oscar cuddled up with me and is such a nice warm purring machine when I am resting.

Jim and Michelle arrived at about 4PM or so. Their mother, Barbara, is very ill. The cancer came back some time ago and a couple of days ago had to go back into the hospital because of the pain that she is experiencing. Hospice has been called in. Please pray for Barbara and our children. Pary for relief from pain for her and for strength and comfort for them. The caregivers roll is so difficult.

I had to work at Rhine tonght. My friend Tom, brought cheese for me. He brought some smoked provolone, some mozzerella and some grated parmesean. It is from Sartori. He is a friend who let me harvest his currents and I made a batch of wine and gave him a couple of bottles. He loved it because I used his picture and called it Tom's Special Reserve.

They let me go home at about 7:30 which was really nice because Richard and Brenda are here for the night. They brought perch dinners from the Villager for the five of them (Jim, Michelle, Dick and them) Jim and Michelle had left by the time I got home but will be back for breakfast. Then they will go up to see their mother.

So we are settling down with a nice cup of decaf and a shot of Amaretto. Very pleasant. I got out my pedistal Irish cups that have Irish sayings on them. Mind says "An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hang on to a blade of grass and not fall off of the face of the earth."

Love

Mary