It was rather gloomy and dank today.  Not too cold but it felt cold because of the dampness and clouds.

I got up just before 7AM and kind of rushed around a bit as Jody comes to clean at 8AM.   We were just finishing breakfast when she got here.   I fried some bacon because it is good AND because I needed bacon grease to cook our noon pork chops in.   I sometimes like to fry them in bacon grease with fresh garlic and black pepper.   Nummy.   We had mashed potatoes, diced tomatoes and a salad of watermelon and cottage cheese with the pork chops. 

Andrea came to give Dick his bath right after lunch.    I had hoped to get Dick's closet gone through but he wasn't interested so I cleaned the cheese drawer in the fridge and the cupboards above the washer and dryer.

I also got quite far on the quilt that is almost done.

I am almost ready with the taxes.  I called to find out about two forms that I am missing and should have them by the end of next week.  Well, before my appointment with Mark.   We have scads and scads of medical this year.   I still feel better with him doing them because of the newness of my taking the draw on my 401K and all the medical.

I went to Rhine with Warren and Nancy to shoot pistol league.   I was better than last week but still well below what I finished at last league.   I don't know if it is because of the aches in my arms or just lack of concentration.   Oh. Well.   I will keep plugging at it and will probably get it back in a week or two.

I am now watching Who Do You Think You Are- Ancestry's program of celebrities searching for their roots.   I hope it inspires me to get back to work on my tree.    It has been months since I was regularly working on it and I am home more now.   I also have to do some followup for my cousin David Bowser.   He sent a picture of Ed Bowser,  A great Great Great uncle (I think).  David is so good at genealogy but does not do computers.

So I will be signing off as I still have to set up Dick's pills for tomorrow and then get ready for bed.

I love you all and hope your first few days of February were as pleasantly uneventful as mine.

Dia Dhuit.

Mary

Our neighbor Jean, brought over flowers from Church again.   When there are funeral flowers left, she always takes some and is nice enough to share with us.   These are big and lily like with huge yellow daisies to set them off.

I spent the morning washing clothes then left at 10 to pick up Kate.   We went to the Pig for their big meat sale. I have been out of pork and beef so stocked up on pork chops, sirloin and ground chuck.  We took much less time than we thought so took our haul to our refrigerators to keep them cold, then went to the Taco Stop on Eastern Avenue for lunch and a visit.    I had tacos and beans.   I had them made with chorizo and shredded beef.   Kate and I had not had a chance to visit for some time.  With her difficulties and mine it gets tricky.   She has been having trouble getting to CWI meetings.  She was all ready to help at the Family Irish Day at JMKAC when she hurt her back, badly.    She is still somewhat uncomfortable.   But we are now opting for better days.

I brought a chorizo and hamburger burrito for Dick's lunch.   It is so big that he could only eat a third of it. 

Then I finished the wash, worked on the quilt and made several phone calls.    We had dump soup for supper.   It is a really good one.   To bad it will never again be made.   We do have two more lunches of it  to eat.

So today is winding down and Roxie is starting to hang around for bed time.  She gets pretty disgusted when she and I get all settled and then Dick needs something.   But we finally do manage to get to sleep.

Almost the weekend.   Wow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 50
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.
With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags.
Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute (I'm at this level).
After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
 
 

Another warm day in Wisconsin.   Hard to believe that one year ago, I was in Ireland and one of the biggest storms in ages hit the Midwest while we were over there.   Chicago was literally brought to its feet.

But this year is wonderful.   I put the Brat Bhride out last night on a bush to the side of the house and brought it in this morning all blessed by St. Brigid and ready for healing during the year.

I went grocery shopping as soon as I could get Dick and me both out of bed and put together.  I left shortly before 8AM and came back shortly after 9AM with fritters for our breakfast. I spent the rest of the morning working on getting the taxes ready.

We had venison quesidillas and salad for our lunch.   Then I rested for a while.    I had a haircut (finally) this afternoon at 2:30PM.   At the Wild Game dinner I was trying to keep the hair out of my eyes and Shane said that I had a Justin Beiber cut.   At least it was a cut and not just overgrown hair.

Andrea, the home health aid was there and giving Dick his bath when I got back.   And that was the extent of the day.

Kind of nice.   We were both commenting that it was really one of the easiest that we have had for a while.
Tomorrow should be just as good.

Sleep tight and have a good tomorrow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

From an email that I received today.

FRIENDS  ARE ANGELS WHO LIFT US TO OUR FEET WHEN OUR  WINGS HAVE TROUBLE  REMEMBERING HOW TO  FLY  

This is the first weekday in such a long time, that we have not had someone coming in to work with Dick in some capacity.   That was kind of nice, as much as we appreciate and need these wonderful health workers.

We finally got tumbled out of bed and ready to face the world today at about 8AM.

I had a dentist appointment at 11:00AM so left at about 10:00AM to do several errands.   I had to pick up a prescription and some other things at Walgreens, go to the bank and stop at The Sewing Basket for thread and some fabric for a wall hanging that is developing in my brain.   A vision, you know.   Dick worries about my visions.

The dentist appoint went well.  My teeth and gums are healthy, but I promised to get back to the water pick as I had been having some gum bleeding in the past couple of weeks.  Good thing the rest of my mouth health is good.   I am a regular flossier and brusher so that should count for something.

Home again, we had a nice quiet afternoon.   I washed Dick's hair and took a nap.

Now we are heading into the night time and the time to sleep and refresh our souls.

I am going to copy a poem by Elizabeth Barret Browning that I found on Garrison Keillor's site.  I took it to Bible Study for our prayer and you may find it inspirational also.

Love you all
Dia Dhuit

Mary

Going to Heaven

by Emily Dickinson

Going to heaven!
I don't know when,
Pray do not ask me how,--
Indeed, I'm too astonished
To think of answering you!
Going to heaven!--
How dim it sounds!
And yet it will be done
As sure as flocks go home at night
Unto the shepherd's arm!

Perhaps you're going too!
Who knows?
If you should get there first,
Save just a little place for me
Close to the two I lost!
The smallest "robe" will fit me,
And just a bit of "crown";
For you know we do not mind our dress
When we are going home.

I'm glad I don't believe it,
For it would stop my breath,
And I'd like to look a little more
At such a curious earth!
I am glad they did believe it
Whom I have never found
Since the mighty autumn afternoon
I left them in the ground.
"Going to Heaven" by Emily Dickinson. Public domain.

Mother looked beautiful this morning with her new permanent.   I think it perked her up too.   There is nothing like a good haircut or perm to make a woman feel like a woman.

Bible study was sparsely attended, but we don't worry about that.   Those who can come, come and we are praying for each other and those who cannot come.  We are trying to figure out a means of transportation for our Jan, who is 87, and needs rides.  Her ride couldn't come today.  We are going to fix that.  

We did have great discussions and will still be studying Psalm 72, a royal Psalm, next week if you want to join us.  We meet almost every Monday at Blessed Trinity in the rectory at 9:30AM.  We are trying to become more aware of our "kingly" obligations to care for those who are in need in any way.

Then I went to Mom's and we had a lovely visit and took care of her bills again.  That weekly visit seems to take care of them.  Mom gave me two cinnamon rolls for our breakfast tomorrow.   She still has some of those liquor filled candies.   Eat your heart out, Bobbie, she had the whiskey filled ones out today.  If you get over there in the next couple of days you can probably get one.

Home again.   Today, Sara, the PT, came at about 12:30PM and put Dick through his paces.  He did very well actually.   Tomorrow I have some paces for him to got through.

Then at 2PM or so, Robbie from the VNA came with Dick's new CPAP machine.  It is really neat.  The mask seems much more comfortable and the machine records daily use on a disc that can be taken to the doctor for an immediate sleep study.   How cool is that.

We had tbone steaks and twice baked potatoes for supper tonight.   A totally super meal

Thursday is the semi annual Meat sale at the Pig.   I am picking up Kate and we are going to shop for meat, go to the Taco Stop for lunch and take our leftovers to our husbands for lunch.   (THey will really get their own meals but doesn't that sound wild or something.)

So another busy day.   Tomorrow is quiet except that I have a dentist appointment.   Ich.  But we must keep out teeth in good shape too.  

Have a super Tuesday yourselves.   I love you all. Big hugs.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A beautiful day in the neighborhood.   The temperatures never got over 25 degrees, but no wind and Lots of sun.  There is a lot of melting going on.

I worked the morning just at home getting things in order.   Then at 10AM I left to got to Mother's.   Irene, a beautician, came to her house to give her a permanent.   I stayed until 11:30AM, then Donna walked over to be there for the rest of it.  Mom was getting pretty tired, but she will feel so much better with her hair done.   That is such an uplift.

I cam home, stopping at St. John's to pick up a couple of brats from the KC Winter Brat Fry for our lunch.  Then I took a nap,  pinned the front and the back of a quilt together and wrote a couple of notes that needed to be done.

So it has been a fairly quiet day and I am glad of it.    This week is a bit quieter so hopefully I won't get as worn out as I have been.

I called Nora to wish her a happy birthday tonight.  I is always so good to talk to her.   They will probably be home for St. Patrick's day and I hope to be able to host them for a brunch or dinner or lunch or whatever.   Then they can spend some time with Dick too.

So a new week is under way - let us go forward with hope and excitement for what lies ahead.

God love you

Dia Dhuit

Mary