The heat has returned in force.  Humidity and all. 

I say again.   How wonderful it is to have an air conditioner.   What did we ever do when we "old folks" did when we were young.    Mother remembers that on really hot nights we kids would come downstairs and sleep in front of the open front door.   Later we had ceiling fans which helped.   The trouble was that heat rises up and, of course, the upstairs where our bedrooms were was the hottest part of the house.   Yet, we all survived childhood.

Dick and I slept late this morning.   Saturday and Sunday are about the only days that we can do that.  The other days have people coming, or trash to put out or something and I have to get up at 6AM or so and have Dick up by 8AM or so.

I was busy all day and can not really tell you what I accomplished.   Heather from Embrace came at 3:30PM so that I could go to Mass.   Mass was really nice as usual.   I was assigned to be Eucharistic Minister which is always a thrill to me.   The readings were about Shepherding.  Good and Bad Shepherds from the Kings of Israel B.C. to Jesus and on to ourselves now.  Jesus wants us to carry on his good shepherding and bring all to Him.

Home again, we had pasties and salad for our supper.

Now it is getting close to time for Dick to get ready for bed and for me to follow him.   We have tomorrow all day at home so I can hopefully finish all the chores that I have set aside to finish before Monday.

They are all computer related and I should be able to do it.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Today was a beautiful seasonal Wisconsin Summer day.    It was lovely.   Not too humid and the temps were mild.   My neighbor and I agreed that this is the kind of day that makes us remember why we love living in Wisconsin.

We still need more rain.

My computer has been goofy, so I called Rob, the guy that installed the hard drive.  He wondered if possibly I had gotten a bit into that Monday Virus and had me do a Norton COMPLETE scan.   It seems to have worked.   The computer has not done the crashing thing at all since then.   I did all the things that I remember that were causing the problem and it is working as smooth as silk.   Whew.

I called my brother George last night.  I just had been thinking of him and needed to hear his voice.   He and Betsy were walking so I talked to Betsy first.   He is now retired too and settling into it quite nicely.  Boy, are we Deeley's aging.  I remember that at one time Nora said that she figures, in 20 years we will get together with our little canes and all hunched over and old and all look and sound exactly alike.    I can think of worse fates.

Since I was letting my computer heal most of the day, I cleaned out about 3/4 of my desk.   Now that I am started I plan on finishing it tomorrow.

This morning the doorbell rang.  I went to answer and FedEx was leaving and had left a package on the stoop.  It was a package from Leslie and Bill.  A basket with all kinds of cool snacks.   We are already enjoying them.  Even Roxie.  One of the items is a little mini wood cheese ring with Monterrey Jack Cheese in it.  Roxie LOVES Monterrey Jack we found out tonight.  Leslie was pleased that Roxie was pleased.  She was especially pleased that we were using them for our afternoon canapes.

Isn't it awful what happened in Colorado.   We must pray for the victims and for the family of the gunman who I am sure are devastated.    How to even comprehend that a child of yours could do such a thing.   I can't imagine the heartbreak on either side.

Be safe and have a wonderful weekend.   We will have a quiet one.  The only thing we have scheduled is Mass for me on Saturday afternoon.  

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was much cooler today and we got two spits of rain.  That is all you can really call them.  Better than nothing but not enough to soak the earth and make the plants feel that they are loved.

My friend Rosemary Mugan says that the farm is way behind on hay.  They need rain so desparately.  Let's hope that the corn, which is high has eared out and there is enough food for the livestock at least.  We need all of it but reserves of milk and meat are harder to find.

I had an 8AM appointment with Dr. Murthy this morning.   We agreed that the new med has helped my stomach pain.  I am going to reduce the anti depressant further to see if it will increase my energy without increasing anxiety.   How one tells, I don't know.  But I will rely on Dick to tell me is I become more anxious.   As Dr. Murthy says,  we can always put it back in the mix if I need it.

I stopped for a nice quiet cup of coffee at the Exchange Bank after the appointment.  At 9AM, I went to the bank for a couple of errands and then to Walgreens to pick up several prescriptions.   I found some good bargains as to some of the things I now need to take care of Dick, so stocked up.  Do you have any idea what rubber gloves cost?

Home again, we had a rather quiet day.   Dick's side rail on his hospital bed was loose.   Josh from VNA came and tightened it.   It is not really intended for pulling him up so we are looking at other alternatives.  At least we have some leeway now.

Dick has gone to bed very early, so I will follow by 8:30PM as he may wake me up in the middle of the night if he needs help.   Only time will tell.  He does seem to be more sleepy these days.

So Another busy day.  Tomorrow we get to be home all day.    Jody comes to clean in the morning and Kay will help put Dick to bed in the evening so it should be relaxing.  I have several unfinished desk things that must be done and want to be able to get back to my writing and quilting.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A lovely ending to a rather stressful day.    It was just difficult.   Dick did not feel the best and required more help than usual.   He is so gracious but it is still tiring. 

So tonight was our CWI gathering at 52 Stafford.   We started meeting at 6:30PM with a table in the room where the music makers gather and start playing at 7PM.   They let me sing a song, Whiskey on a Sunday, just before I had to leave so I was a happy girl.   I always enjoy this because it reminds me of the St Patrick Day gatherings at Mom and Dad's when Dad was alive and now it reminds me of the Trads in Ireland.

Just letting you know that we are OK.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Today was the maiden voyage of Dick in the new Van.   He had an appointment at Aurora Plymouth at the coagulation clinic. The appointment was at 10AM.   So at 9:15AM we rolled down to the van.  Getting him in was fairly easy.   We need to refine how we have to work his legs to get him in but it is much easier than the next challenge.   Getting out.

It is harder.   We managed with only one twisting of the knee that I straightened out really quickly and he was able to slide over the board fairly easily.   I was so gratified that several people offered to help and some became a cheering section for him when I told them that this was our first trip.

Cheers for Dick also as his count was 2.3.  Just perfect.   We have been trying to get back to that magic number for several weeks.   The between 2 and 3.   We do not have to go back for a month unless there is a change in his condition.

Then we had to rush home for personal reasons.    We made it, including the two transfers and I consider the maiden voyage a total success.

I made a fruit salad this afternoon and spent the rest of the time catching up on bills and filing.   Then, when Kim got here to take care of Dick this evening, I did the grocery shopping and picked up some supplies at Walgreens.

I got home a bit after 8PM and Dick was still parked at the desk.   I had rather hoped that he would be seated in bed so that I could do the last cath and just get him settled.   As it was Kim WAS able to get him into bed which saved me one time of moving him on the stand lift.   By evening, that thing gets pretty heavy.   He is so sweet, and I know that when I am out, he waits for me.

So he is now settled and I believe sleeping and Roxie is waiting for me to go to bed.   So I will.   I am going to end with a quote that my friend Kate sent to me today.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

"God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the word.   Then He made the earth round...and he laughed and laughed and laughed...."  From Your e cards

Another day close to or over 100 degrees.   What is happening in our world? 

It was an unbelievably busy day.    Bobbie came at 9AM to stay with her Dad while I went to Bible Study and spent an hour with Mom.

Bible study was really interesting.   We had a discussion on "Limbo" an old and sometimes current belief and/or teaching as to what happens to babies if they die before being baptized.   As far as I am concerned, the "CHURCH" was much more concerned about it than was Our Lord.   He just said that the Children should come to him.    I remember,as a child, having this vision of Limbo, a place for unbaptized babies, where they happily floated around in this sweet place, all round and cuddly with fun music and clouds and cotton candy floating around them.

We also started Psalm 69 which is one of the most difficult Psalms that we have encountered.   Hard to justify feeling that sorry for oneself and want our enemies to be erased when Jesus says to forgive.  The commentary in our study will help and has. 

I went from there to Mom's.  We got her bills paid, her pills dispersed and had a nice visit.   I was home by 11:45AM and while I was fixing dinner, (soup and foccocia bread with cheese) Mark from Chuck Van Horn came and switched the license plates, took the VW and left the new Chrysler T& C Van.

(By now, my head is spinning)   Then as we were finishing lunch, the first of the Cream City Writers arrived.   Lynn, Jena , and Hope.   Bobbie left somewhere in this confusion after we finished our dinner. 

We had a lovely group for the writers club.   Beverly, Kate, the three I mentioned above, Peggy, Don and me.   Lynn, Beverly, Don, Kate and me had things to read.   I have hope for this group but it needs more serious writers.   Not serious for making a living, but serious as far as honing their own skills and growth.   And for being willing to support each other.

At 3PM, Nik from A & J Mobility came to fine tune the conversions on the van.   He did the manual things that were necessary so that I can load the chair.  Then I went out and practiced getting the chair in and out of the van.   After we felt good with this, we brought Dick out and practiced getting him in and out of the front seat on the new elevator seat.   In is pretty easy.  Out will need some practice.   Tomorrow will be our first time on our own.   We have to go to Aurora here in Plymouth for Dick's cumadin check.  This will be my first time with the van except for the trial run so I am excited.  It will be cool to have a camera showing me what is behind me as I back up.

I will be busy all day tomorrow again.   Dick has his appointment at the Clinic.   (All Morning).   And I have tons of stuff to just catch up on after all that went on today.   That will take the afternoon.

I am so tired.  But I bet you are all SO sick of hearing that.


Dia Dhuit

Mary

*Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.

*How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

I did not have as great a nights sleep last night but managed to stay in bed until 7AM anyway.  

I was busy all day.   I would have difficulty telling you what I did but things look much more organized and I feel a bit more in control.   If somebody came to live with us, I would take a week or two to adjust to the change in routine.

I realized how tired I am when I slept for close to three hours this afternoon.

We are getting regular u tube  emails from our Marcus.  He is a busy little baby.  He is now eating solids and seems to like peas and avocados very much.   He is also rolling over -quite an accomplishment for a munchkin that is just 4 months old.

His daddy, Ernie, is leaving for training and then deployment to Afghanistan.  He will be training the Afghan forces.   I am not sure of what that is but he will be there for 6 months.   I don't know if I told you this but he will be gone for 7 months total.  Awfully hard on families.   We expect too much of our military families.   We need to really appreciate and honor them.

This is going to be a very busy week coming up too.   Tomorrow, we will get the new Chrysler Town and Country with the conversion seat for Dick and the lift for the wheel chair.   Just in time for his appointment tomorrow at the Clinic for his Cumudin count.

So I had better get to bed and be rested for the day.   I also have Bible Study, Writers Club here and a visit with Mom.

Dia Dhuit

Mary