It was COLD today but the sun shone which made it bearable.      I slept until 7and then had to get out of here to be at St. John the Evangelist in Kohler for the funeral of a friend, Virginia Rammer.   The Rammers were neighbors across the street on the old gravel road.     I wanted to be there to see the family, all the kids that grew up with me and my brothers and sisters.      Ginny had a rough last few years, suffering from dementia.   LuAnn said that she was talking about their Dad, Gordy, the past week or so.   Perhaps he was there waiting for her.

Then I drove to St. John the Baptist to be a part of the annual Craft Fair.   I bought some chances for the baskets, put my name on a couple of silent auction items, bought a Jar of Raspberry Jam and a copy of the choir's new CD, then picked up some cookies and then went to Rocky Knoll to have lunch with Dick.

I was so tired that I laid down on his bed and slept for an hour after lunch.  That helped a bit.  Richard and Brenda arrived at about 2:30.   We visited the four of us until I had to leave for Mass at 3:30PM.   I stopped and fed Roxie on my way back to Rocky Knoll.   Richard and Brenda bought dinner at Sweet Basil and Bobbie and Bill came with wine so it was a lovely evening.    It was good for Dick and I hope it perks him up a bit.   

Monday I will be checking into things to do to help his weakness and exhaustion.

God love you all.

Richard and Brenda and me have just enjoyed a Jamison Irish Coffee and will be heading for bed soon.

Tomorrow will be another busy day.

Mary

It was VERY cold when I woke up this morning but did warm up later in the day.  The sun was a welcome sight and really does help warm the middle of the bones.

I left at 10:30AM to get gas in the car and then went to Sheboygan Medical Center for my appointment with Dr. Holmes.   He is pleased with my progress and has given me a new exercise to add to the two I am doing.    Roxie is a very confused little kitty when I get down on the floor to do them.

Since my appointment was so late, I decided to have lunch with my friends at Dairy Queen.   There were six of us there and I feel a bit caught up with the news now.    Ceil, Joyce and Betty are going to Branson next week and are quite excited.  

So. I arrived at Rocky Knoll around 1:30PM.   Corrie had suggested to Dick that since he has been SO tired, he take today of to give a three day weekend.   He is using the stand lift for going the the bathroom so the legs are being used.    We went down to therapy this afternoon and he used the pulleys and weight lifts for arm strengthening for over a half hour though so I was pleased with his effort.   I know how hard it is for him.

We had supper together and then I came home.  

Tomorrow will be a nice day for Dick.  Richard and Brenda and Bobbie and Bill are all coming to visit him and we will eat our evening meal together.  

So until tomorrow  May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Mary

It was sunny today but very chilly.    I spent the morning working of bills and the like and then went over to Rocky Knoll at 11:00AM.   Dick's therapy was scheduled for afternoon, so I sat with him til lunch.    I had a sandwich and some coleslaw.    He gave me his cookie dessert.

I went with him to therapy at 1:15.   He practiced getting up from the chair and sitting back down about three times.   Then he rested and attempted walks.   He seems to be having more trouble lately.   He has trouble keeping his knees straight and therefore taking the steps.   Hopefully it is just because he has been so tired.  

Before I had left home, Alicia called from Mother's house.    Jody, our cleaning lady, was there too.   Jody had opened the microwave to clean it and it turned on all by itself and the cancel button did not work.    I remembered that we had a microwave that we had purchased for a gift several years ago that did not work, so I told them to tell her not to use it and I would be there this afternoon.  Before I went to Rocky Knoll, I loaded it in the car and then went right to Mom's when I left and set it up for her and told her how to use it.     I set the old one on the floor and Randy will get it out of there.    It is very similar to her old one so it will be easy for her to use.    I knew we'd find a use for that thing one of these days.

Home again, I am winding down again.    I will go to bed early and read.   This morning I slept until a little after 8AM.   Can't do that tomorrow.   Too much to do.

God love you

Mary

A friend sent this to me today.    I simply had to share

A smile - is a sign of joy.
A hug - is a sign of love.

A laugh - is a sign of happiness.

And a friend like me????

 

Hell....that's just a sign of good taste!!!!

A rainy gloomy day.    I don't really feel justified in complaining when I hear that there are people in the New England states, still without power after the snow storm that occurred several days ago.   

I was home until 10AM.     After picking up a couple of things at Walgreens, I stopped at Kate's to drop off three little Kitty Cucumber figurines for he to put in baskets that she is putting together for the craft fair at St. John's.   I can't help with much, but am able to donate things to help make it a success.

I got to Rocky Knoll at 11:AM.   No surprises this time.    Corrie came to the room today and Dick worked on transferring from the chair to the bed and back again.   And then they brought in the stand lift and Dick is now able to go to the bathroom IN the bathroom as long as both of his prostheses are on.    Yea.   This will help with many things.

We played a game or two of rummy before I came home at 3PM.  Then I called Alison, our board president here at Tallgrass, and a good friend.    I had told her I would have her over for an Irish coffee.    So, we did.   I found out that the gal who bought Dick Kastburg's place was a neighbor at Creekside.    I don't exactly remember but will look forward to meeting her.   She is a quilter too.   Then Alison and I decided that the three of us could meet occasionally.   Nice to have good neighbors.

Today, as I mentioned, is a holy day for us Catholics,  All Saint's Day.   So it filled up and already busy day.

I went grocery shopping at 8AM as I usually do.    I picked up a donut for breakfast as I had slept until after 7AM.   Quite a slug-a-bed am I.  As it was also trash day, I had to be back from shopping and have everything put away in time to get to church on time at 10AM.    No glitches but I had to move pretty steady.   Mass was a good chance to settle my soul.   It was the school children's mass also, which is always a treasure.    Such a joy to see all those lovely healthy children gathered in one spot for good.

Home again, I had lunch, dropped of some items for Kate for the church craft fair and went to the Kettle Quilters meeting.  We had a nice meeting.   I didn't have anything new done.  (I have about four projects in various stages of completion downstairs.)    So, I brought the spiderweb wall hanging that I had made several years ago.   I had not shared it before and they all liked it a lot.  I am six squares behind on this years block of the month which has turned out to be 2 blocks of the month.    I may not finish it until next years.

I went right from the meeting to Rocky Knoll.  Lots of excitement there.   I got there and did not see Dick in the room but the bathroom door was shut.  I was putting things away when I heard Dick's voice from the bathroom.    I went to open the door and it was locked.   So I went for the first nurse that I could find who opened the bathroom door and we found Dick sitting on the floor.

As it turned out he was trying to surprise me by going to the bathroom by himself.    Well ---- He did surprise me all right.    He had managed with little problem until he tried to get up and back into the chair.   He ended up on the ground on his bottom, with the right prosthesis, the one with the sleeve, tucked under him.    Several of the nurses came in and after much discussion and trying different things, they got him back in bed to recoup.  I waited outside because I have to admit, I was pretty upset.    Except for a minor scrape, he is just fine.  He has been reminded that he is not released to DO THAT YET!

After he was in bed and checked over, I went down to the On The Rocks and brought us each back a glass of wine.   We were both glad that this was available today.    We relaxed and visited until it was time to go to supper.    I came home shortly after we ate and am now winding down for bed.   Dancing with the Stars, the Results is on tonight.    I will go to bed after that is over.

Tomorrow is a quiet day.   I will be at Rocky Knoll about 11AM and get home by 3PM.   I need some rest.

God love you all.  
Mary

Monday Monday.

Started off busy and stayed that way.   I took care of some financial problems before heading out to Bible Study at 9AM.    When I got there, Helen Morgan helped me get in the door as I had enough Blessing Bundles for all of my  fellow prayer partners and for the Blessed Trinity staff.   We had a good showing and a lively discussion of that is the value of "things".   We are trying to discern what really has value.

I next stopped at Mother's and we took care of a lot of her financial items.  We managed to get in a good visit while I was in between phone calls.  Good thing as I had to leave in time to go to have lunch with Dick.   I brought the Irish Meatloaf for my lunch and Dick had a taste of it.    He said that he liked it but likes my meatloaf better.   I need to think about that.

So  Home again.   I am still putting things away from the Samhain dinner.    And also trying to pack away the Halloween decorations.    I took my Spider Wall Hanging over to Rocky Knoll to share with the workers.   I wore all my Halloween clothes and jewelry and will pack it away until next year.   The fun thing I got this year was a Spider ring.    It has green "stones" in it and was a real bargain at Hallmark.   That and my Kmart bat earrings made me a real hit.

The rest of my evening will be spent trying to find a book I seem to have misplaced.   I need to share it with a friend.   I know I had it last week.   There are little people in my house hiding things on me.

God love you all

I prayed for everybody with my prayer friends this morning.

Mary. 

He had therapy at 1:15PM.   Things went quite well.   We figured out a bit of a plan and Corrie has a goal of having him getting out of bed and into the bathroom without the hoyer lift by Friday.   At least during the day time.   This will require lots of transferring and walking practice.

We played Rummy and I beat him for a change.   I was home before 4PM and have been putting things away that accumulated over the weekend.

Did you miss me yesterday?   I just plain forgot.    That is not normal but I did go to bed early and had a lovely night's sleep.   So I guess that is worth it.

Saturday was not too eventful anyway.    I prepared things for the Samhain Dinner which was tonight.  And I spent the middle of the day with Dick at Rocky Knoll.    We had lunch together and played some cards before I went home.

This morning I finished all the preparations except for the cooking of the food I was bringing to the Samhain Potluck.   Then I went to Rocky Knoll for Mass and my visit with Dick.    I helped bring a couple residents down for Mass.   It was a very special Mass.   Father gave a lovely sermon and everybody seemed to be involved.   I was reminded that Tuesday is All Saints Day and a holy day of obligation.    I figure that I can to to the 10AM Mass at St. John's and still do the grocery shopping before Mass.   I will go to Rocky Knoll AFTER the Quilt Club meeting which is at 1PM and be with Dick for the On the Rocks and will have supper with him.       See how things work out.   Thank heavens there is NOTHING scheduled for either Wednesday of Thursday.  Sleep late days.  Yippee.

Dick seemed a bit weak today and his knees were hurting again.   I hope that will work out when he gets up on his feet in therapy tomorrow.

I came home at 1:30PM to cook the meatloaf and the colcannon for the dinner tonight.   About mid afternoon, the phone rang.   It was our Nora, returning my call from last week.    She sounds so wonderful and is so excited about this precious baby that she is carrying in her tummy.   Did I tell you she posted a picture on Facebook and she looks adorable.
 
It is a boy, they know and she is planning everything for his room and to be sure that he is will clothed and cared for.   I will be so delighted to be a great grandma again and of a boy this time.    She and Ernie are hoping to come to Wisconsin when Leslie and Bill do next August.   She would like a five generation picture with Mother and me and Leslie and her and little Marcus.   Won't that be great.

Our potluck was really nice.  I found for Irish Meatloaf.   It has beef and pork and apples and it covered in potatoes mixed with broccoli.  It is a keeper.  Debbie brought Mushroom Guinness pie and Sweet Potato Apple Soup.   Joan K brought Potato Soup and Cranberry scones.  Janet brought Irish Whiskey Cake, Joan B. brought cheese and crackers and pumpkin bread, Rosemary brought Reuben Dip and rye crackers,  Gail brought a molded jello salad,  Peg brought a pumpkin bar and somebody, I think Joan brought chips and a great dip.

We had several placemats set up for our ancestors.   Every year more people participate in that.   Their table looked really good.   I made blessing bundles for everybody again.   It is a nice harvest gift.  I made enough to take to bible study tomorrow.

So that is the day and a bit of yesterday.   I will be signing off until tomorrow.   I loved today.

God love you

Mary