This was a wonderful day.   Most of my readers were actually here but I will post anyway.

The morning was reasonably quiet.   I had to go pick up SHARE ate 9AM.   Then just kind of lazed around, making sure that Dick had his "leggings" changed and the kitchen counters were cleaned for the big Kunert Reunion.

Leslie and Bill got here at about 11:30AM.  Then Bobbie and Bill and Richard and Brenda came.  All brought food and/or drinks.    Soon other Kunert cousins came in groups.   This was amazing.  Dick had 5 siblings.   4 of the 5 were represented today and the fifth, Robert's children sent regrets.   So it was very successful and very lively.

His brother Robert son David was here with his wife Kathy and his sister Carol also came- sister Hazel's daughter Suzi with her friend Jerry - sister Helen's daughter Teresa with her husband Gary, daughter Christy and Christy's fiance Joel and finally brother Harold's daughters Mary Pat, Christine, Kathy and Michelle with her friend Rodney.

We were 22 strong with pictures to share.   Dick was able to help with some, but he has mentioned that he found out so very much about his brothers that he never knew because they were out and off before he was very old and he didn't see them for so many years.

What a fun group.   I hope they do this every year. 

Tomorrow Leslie and Bill and Richard and Brenda and Dick and I will have brunch together.

That will be fun.

Sleep tight.

I will put pictures on tomorrow (maybe the next day if tomorrow gets too busy.)

God love you

Mary

What a wonderful day.   Chelsea got me up at 1:30AM or so then did not come back until 5:30AM.  So the night was not too broken up.   I fed the critters after I took her out at 5:30 and went back to bed until almost 7.   Then I had to rush JUST a little bit because Jody comes at 8AM to clean.Perfect, since tomorrow is the Kunter reuinion.

I baked some Lemon Scones , washed some towels and watered the indoor plants before it was time to join my friends for lunch at the Dairy Queen.  We had a nice visit and I ate a grilled cheese and bought two orders of fries.  One to eat and share with lunch and one to bring home for Chelsea treats.

Then I made a quick run out to Mother's to see how she was doing and to pick up some veggies that Jeff had left for me.

On the way home, I picked up prescriptions for Dick at Walgreen's and stopped at Cappelle's for fresh corn and tomatoes for our supper.   Bill and Leslie came in today.   They called just before I got back and were in Port Washington.  So they were not long in arriving.  We all had a wonderful visit.   We got caught up on how the girls and their spouses are doing and how things are down in Bossier City and how their trip was.   It was so nice to be able to just visit before everybody is here.  They joined us for the fresh corn - Leslie was SO excited about that.   Apparently Louisiana is very lacking in fresh corn so this was a real treat.   They will be back about noon tomorrow and again on Sunday.   This is a pleasure of a visit.

So I am now ready to sleep and hopefully get really rested for tomorrow.  I will be seeing nieces and nephews that I know and several new ones.   And all Dick and I have to do is be here and as Bobbie says "smile."

God love you and bless your weekend.

Mary

Another day at home.   I got a lot done.  Dick had three shirts that were just a bit too long as they get tangled because he is sitting in the wheel chair.  So I shortened them this afternoon.   Hope I got them the right length.  They are very close to the length of the shirts that are comfortable.  So I am sure that they will be better anyway.

Remember my birthday balloon?  The one that has been up on the ceiling since May 21?   Well,   late last week, it started moving across the ceiling.   Not too fast but just a little bit.  This morning, I went into the bathroom off of the master bedroom and there it was bobbing up and down in front of the shower door.   We think that perhaps, since I opened the doors this morning because it was so pleasant outside, the air currents helped it migrate.   But now it is hovering just outside of the bathroom door so we will just have to see what it has in mind.

We are SO easily amused.

I found a great quote from poet, John Ashbery:  "There is a view that poetry should improve your life.   I think people confuse it with the Salvation Army."

While I was downstairs sewing, Roxie came down to join me.    The grounds crew were mowing the lawn.   She likes to sit on the ledge looking out of the window.   Suddenly, one of the guys came by the window with the weed eater and Roxie sailed like a rocket to the middle of the den.   He scared the dickens out of her.   Boy did I laugh.

Have a really good Friday.   Ours will be as it is pretty quiet but Leslie and Bill will arrive sometime in the afternoon and are joining us for fresh sweet corn for dinner.

Love

And God love you

Mary

Today was hectic.  Thank heavens tomorrow will be much quieter.

I started out by going grocery shopping early this morning.   That went very well.  I was home before 9AM and got everything put away quite easily.

Then at 10 AM, I drove out to Rhine Plymouth to shoot league.  Boy, was that a disaster.  I had a lot of fun BUT I shot terribly.  I was behind and high on almost every shot.  I got the lowest score I have gotten since the first year I shot.   Oh Well, Next week I will figure it out and do better.

Dick and I had pizza for our lunch and then I took a short nap before going out to Rocky Knoll for the Amputee Support Group meeting.    I will be dropping out or that, I think I mentioned that before.   The speaker that came from  the Green Bay branch of the state's Options for Independent Living.  She is Dinah Federer .  Dinah has been disabled herself since birth and has worked for years in rehab before she went into Options.   She is starting an advocacy group in Sheboygan County.   When Dinah talked to us before, it was about the book she called "Chasing Normal"   Which is kind of a Guide for disabled people and those who love them.  She was, again, very interesting, and I have some new ideas on things that are useful for disabled people.   Did you know that there is an oven that the door opens from the side so that a person can reach in and not reach over the door?

So it was very busy today.  There was a little bit of a shower this morning but it cleared up quickly and became very muggy and warm. 

 So, until tomorrow.   Be healthy and happy.

God love you

Mary


               

I DID get to stay home all day today.

I did get a lot done.   Chelsea was not happy with one of my projects.   She was just black around her neck so I decided that with the Kunert Family Reunion this weekend, she should look GOOD.  

So.   She got a bath.  I am not sure if she has forgiven me yet , but she looks beautiful.    I think I should take her over for Mother to see her.  Mother is always amazed at how white she is.

Roxie was goofy today too.  She went storming through the living room like a herd of elephants a short while ago.  Now she is sleeping.   I wish I could get her a companion.  I know she misses Oscar.

I finished an applique block for the Quilt Club that I belong to.   Now, if I can get the pieced square done by Monday, I will be caught up to the rest.   I joined the club when they were one or two ahead of me so had was behind.    I started a couple of other sewing things too.  Thursday is supposed to be an at home day and I believe I can finish the block and the hemming that I want to do.

Tomorrow will be busy again.   I have to shop, shoot and go to the Amputee Support group meeting.   Whew, at the last minute I was abe to get someone for the program.   I don't remember voluntering but I must have because I was in charge of the program.   I tried to get the DNR but could not get them for this month..  However,  I was able to get a commitment for a future date which will help Janice.  .  I finally called the state Options for Independent Living.    They got me a speaker.  It is Dinah Chaudoir Federer who spoke to us last year on her story.  She was publicising her book at that time.  The book is called Chasing Normal and is a wonderful message from a person who had faced and conquered many disabilities that seem to keep piling up on her.  

This time, as she is now working for Options for Independent Living, she will be talking about that organization and what it offers.  She is a wonderful speaker and I am so glad that she is doming back to us.

Actually, I have decided to stop going to those meetings.   I had hoped that perhaps Dick, as the amputee, would start going with me but he is not interested, I have finally accepted that.   So I have other things to take up my time that are more important to me at this time.


As I said, this weekend is the Kunert Family Reunion.  I am excited.   Leslie and Bill will be here too which is a serendipity for us.  I hope that there is nothing that we are supposed to be doing except to be here.  Bobbie will tell me I am sure.  I am not even sure exactly what time this soiree starts but we are here all day, except that I have to go and get Share at 9AM.  So it really doesn't matter.   I am just ready to enjoy.

Sure glad that Jody comes to clean on Fridays.   Everything will be all ready.

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.  

God love you

Mary
.

A typical Monday.   I did not have any meetings this afternoon or evening though, so that made it a bit easier.

Bible study was at 9:30AM.  there were six of us there and we had a lively discussion on the portion of Mark's Gospel regarding Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial.    We are searching out our next study as we are withing two chapters of finishing Mark.   Of course, we do still have time as we started this discussion over a year ago.  We always try to bring it to our lives today - which is really what it is all about.

Mom and I had a lovely visit.   She was tired, but really alert and interested in our conversations.   So I stayed a bit longer.   What a lady she is.

Dick and I had pizza for our lunch.  It is always good and was easy and quick.

I had a couple of phone calls to make today.   Plus a couple of emails and letters to write.   So I was quite busy this afternoon too.   

Tomorrow will be an at home day so I should be able to catch up on all of that stuff. 

All of this muggy heat reminds me of when I was very young and polio was a very real threat in the summers.   I remember the year that a little neighbor girl died of the disease.  

Nora was babysitting for the girl and her brother the night she got sick.  She started running a fever and threw up.   (Nora was of course upset by that to begin with.)  The next morning the girl was worse and they took her to the doctor and it was quickly diagnosed as polio.   Now this was before the Salk Vaccine took care preventing the disease and naturally everybody was scared.   Nora, having come in contact with her during the onset, had to get a shot of gamma globulin, the only defense there was at all.   The girl was transported to Milwaukee to an iron lung but she did not survive the disease.  

Tis was a real awakening for us.  We did not know that children could die.

Thank God that we have the eradication of polio. 

God love you all

Mary

Wat a nice Sunday.   I got so much done without wearying myself.

Then when we finished dinner, I was so tired I took a second nap.

Somehow, I think Dick is right and I am just not getting enough rest.

Oh. Well.   The weather was really nice.  It got up to 86 but was not very humid.  Dick and I sat out on the deck for a while this evening.  That was nice and Roxie was extremely insulted that we did not let her come out with us.   I suppose, she would wander around and be intimidate by the height but am not taking any chances on her jumping off and either hurting herself or getting lose.

So.  I am ready to plunge into tomorrow (after a good night's sleep),

God love you

Mary