Today was a stellar day.   The snow missed us completely.   According to the forecasts, we should have gotten 2 to 5 inches.  The storm headed east and south and we were saved.

I spent the morning baking Irish Brown Bread and cleaning up things.   The bread turned out perfect.   So perfect that it was all eaten at the Christmas Tea.

We had pancakes and sausage for our breakfast.   I have found a recipe that we like that uses yogurt and it is the only pancakes I make anymore.   We always have enough for two or three meals.   You do know that if you wrap them well, they can be put in the toaster and reheated for future meals.   I miss giving a pancake to my little Chelsea.   We always used to tell her that she got that pancake because of Zero.   We have sure been blessed  with our sweet puppies.   I am not quite ready but hope that I can have another doggie one day.

I took a short nap before 11AM.  Didn't sleep too well but did get rested.  I went to the Plymouth History Museum at about noon to get things set up for the Christmas Tea.   Beth from the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center was already there and we got things set up for the goodies, the registration and the raffle table.

People actually started coming before 1Pm so it was good that we were there.   Our music this year was Theiss and O'Connor a trio - one Theiss and two O'Connors.  They are a very popular group and really wowed out crowd.  They obviously love what they do and love working with a crowd that also loves what they do.  I would say it was VERY successful.   We also got two new member to join Celtic Women.  

Rosemary, Gail and Sheila and her husband came from the Milwaukee area to join our celebration.

 So wonderful treats, wonderful companionship, a dynamic place to meet - the Museum is a special place and was decorated so beautifully for Christmas, wonderful music AND the best company in the world.    I also got to see the new memorial library that has been established upstairs in the museum.   It is truly impressive.   I am always delighted at the wonderful things that Plymouth has to offer to the city and the surrounding communities.

So.  Home again after Mass, we had soup for supper and now I am pleasantly tired and will be heading to bed.   Tomorrow, I have to work at Rhine for two hours but will sew on the lap robe while I am there so it will be a well spent time.

Love you all,  and God loves you too.  

Mary

Today turned out to be an at home day.    Most of my bank buddies were busy or sick so we canceled lunch.   I did make one quick errand trip to pick up canned milk for my second batch of fudge, the one with nuts and to drop off some papers at the insurance company.

So now you know that I make fudge.    Jody came and cleaned this morning.   Next week we are going to clean above the kitchen cupboards and put the Christmas Santas up there.

A little bit of wash, a little bit of decorating.   It was a full day.
Lots of calls about tomorrow.  It is the annual Christmas Tea cosponsored by us, the Celtic Women, the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center and the Plymouth History Museum.     Supposed to have snow but not enough to damper the celebration.   We have Theiss and OConnor performing for us and baked goods from our Celtic Ladies, including my Irish Brown bread.    Join us, if you can, at the Plymouth History Museum at 420 E. Mill in Plymouth WI.   We are gathering at 1PM and scattering at about 3PM so everybody can go to Mass if they choose.

I will be making brown bread in the morning.  I know that the smell of it cooking will drive me crazy until I am able to join everybody in eating it at the TEA.

"If you can put yourself in other people's shoes and wish other people the shoes that you like best yourself we have a recipe for better relationships with each other."  Zlata Filipovic



God love you

Mary

Hi.   I feel that it is the countdown to Christmas.   Every day needs to get SOMETHING done. 

Today, I make the fudge.   So now I am ALMOST ready to prepare the packages for mailing to all our our children who live far far away.

Bobbie came to help get Dick to the to the Anti Coagulation Clinic.   We were disappointed.   His count had gone from 2.3 to 3.6 so there had to be an adjustment to the dose of his pills and we have to go back in two weeks.   Shuckens.

We stopped and got Chinese food for the three of us on the way home.   That was good and we all have enough for at least ONE more meal with the leftovers.

I am starting to decorate the tree and put the candles in the front window today.  

Bobbie and I racked four gallons of the wine we have brewing downstairs.   They all look beautiful.   Bobbie MAY have her signature wine.   Ours was the marigold.   Hers will be a surprise when it is ready.

I also got a batch of Tuscana soup ready except for adding the kale and cream.  I love that soup.   Dick has had it before and likes it too but he heard today that there is kale in it and he is having second thoughts.

Hare a nice Friday.   Do you know that there are Christmas cards to be written too?

What a month.

Love you and God loves you too.

Mary

It was cold today.   We had flurries most of the day too but nothing that stayed on the ground.  The high was 29degrees.

I went grocery shopping early this morning.  I was home shortly after 9AM.   The rest of the day was spent at home.    I cleaned out the cupboard over the pantry.  I am trying to clear at least one small area every week and that cupboard was way overflowing.

We had the leftover chicken spaghetti casserole for our lunch.   Sure held up well and there is another whole casserole in the freezer for later.  That is the trouble with most recipes.   It is enough for SO many meals that without being able to divide it we get sick of it before it is finished.

I am almost done with the lap robe.  Just have to do the edging.  

We had another chef's salad for our supper.   They sure taste good.   Now I am going to wrap another batch of presents and then go to bed.   I am very tired.

Take care and God love you

Mary

Hello.   A countdown to Christmas has begun.

Today, I started wrapping presents.  I need to be ready to send packages out of state by Monday to be sure.   This actually gives me a bit of a leeway.

I spent the morning working on the Lap robe for giving through the Quilt Club.

We had smoked sausage, fried potatoes and cauliflower for lunch.   It was sure good.

I was able to stay home all day except for a short trip to the bank and the drug store.  Kitty and Dick like that a whole lot.   Roxie always complains at me when I come home if I am gone for any length of time.

Guess that is all as the day was not very exciting, just full.  

God love you

Mary

This has been a BUSY day.   Mondays  usually are. 

I left for Bible Study a bit early so that I could pick up candy canes for our Advent wall hanging.  I got Dove Pieces to fill the envelopes with.   Each day we get a piece of candy and the candy cane gets transferred to the tree.

Bible Study was good.   We have decided to bring the copy of the psalms that are read at the Sunday Mass, which we well hear sung, to our Monday study to enhance our learning of the Psalms.

I went right from the study to Gibbsville and took care of both Mother's and our Gibbsville Christmas presents.   Then back to Mom's.  I stopped at Ella's Dela to pick up an egg salad on marble rye for our lunch.   Mom and I had a good visit, a good lunch and we took care of LOTS of her bills and medicine things.    I sent out the first of the cashiers checks for the Irish trip to insure our spots in the hotels.  

Then home again where I rested for about an hour.   Couldn't sleep though so I am heading for bed pretty soon now.

I made my reservations for Ireland today.   Guess what, it was somewhat cheaper today.   Might be even cheaper if I wait a month, but I don't want to take that chance.  I was able to add travel insurance for the same cost.

Tomorrow I will be home all day.   Good thing,  There is a lot to do here and I need to recuperate after today.

I read a news brief about a woman who swerved off the road and ended up in the top of a tree 30 feet off the ground.   I reminded me of a man who came out to the sand dunes with our jeep club many years ago.

He had a friend build him a dune buggy.   The first time he used it was on this trip out in the dunes.   He got in the buggy, fired it up and took off.   He drove like a maniac.   Every body was cheering him on as he went round the camp and out and back over the dunes.  Then finally he steered it into a small ravine with lots of bushes and came to a halt.   We all ran over there and found out something very interesting.   The guy who built the buggy for him was about 8 inches taller and this poor guy was unable to compress the brake.  So once he got it going, he couldn't stop.

God love You

Mary

A Sunday at home.

Actually, I did have to go out once.   Today, I dipped all the buckeyes in their chocolate coat.   I was all out of paraffin.  This is probably not essential, but you try to pick up chocolates without the paraffin.   It is really much more melty.   So I had to make a trip to the Pig to pick up the paraffub, 

It took me all day to do finish the buckeyes.  I kept stopping when I got tired.   Then I mixed nuts, raisins and coconut into the leftover chocolate and made candies of what was left of the dipping chocolate.

I got the plants from the patio into the garage, the lights hung on the front deck, the Santa Hat on my totem and the grill covered for the winter.

So it is no wonder that I am tired.

We called Jim and Michelle this afternoon as it was the longest since we had heard from them.  Actually, we found that they had posted on their blog yesterday, but I had not had a chance to check.   It is better hearing voices anyway.   They had another bad experience with a puppy and are giving up on a puppy companion for their Chip for a while.   They like multiple animals and may switch to kitties for a while.  They love them too.

They spent Thanksgiving with Bart and Barb and had a wonderful time.  It is nice that some of our orphan children are able to be together on these sentimental days.  They said it was great.  Bart and Barb, Jim and Michelle and Marlise, Barb's mom, and Fred, Barb's brother.  Sounds perfect.

What a fantasy football day.   The Packers lost (naturally I had picked them this week.)  I could go either way this week.   But I just hope I hold my own in the standings.   I am still a contender in the Last Man Standing pool.

So tomorrow is another busy day.   Tuesday I get to be home all day again.  I need to finish the lap robe for the Quilt club.

Have a great week on me.

God love you

Mary