What a Day.  Still very Cold and there was snow during the night.

I got up at 7AM.  Had to get the venison roast into the crock pot and bake some bread.  

Then at 9:30AM, I left and dropped some of the cooked liver off at Mother's for her and Shane to eat for lunch today.   Then I drove to Kurt and Jody's house to drop of the food and beer for the Wild Game Party.   Then on over to Eileen and Fred's for the baby shower.   Eileen and Mary Margaret fed us a really good build your own sandwich lunch with cupcakes and a mint chocolate dessert.  WOW.

After lots of visiting, Holly opened the gifts for the future twins.   She is looking beautiful.   She has less than two months to go now.   The opening of the gifts is always my favorite part of a shower.  The baby things are so cool now.

Then we all migrated over to Kurt and Jody's for the Wild Game Dinner.   I am too tired to tell all about that.   I will tell bits and pieces over the next couple of days.   FYI- Jody won the beer tasting contest with a taste off between her and Kurt.   Weird. and Funny.

Til Tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Talk about cold.    I looked at thermometer at 6AM when I fed Roxie and it was -3.   Yes MINUS 3 degrees out there.   As far as I can tell, it never got over 7 degrees.   Fortunately, the wind they predicted did not materialize.   The sun DID help to cut the chill.   It still got into the bones though.

I generally picked up around the living room and house and tried to make sure that I am ready for tomorrow.    Tomorrow will be a Marathon Day for all the Deeleys.    I think you all know that tomorrow at 11AM there will be a baby shower for two little twin boys that will soon come into this world to join their parents John and Holly Michels.    With two, I rather imagine that Holly is hoping for sooner rather than later.  (Not too soon, of course.)

From Fred and Eileen's house and the shower, we will all troop over to Kurt and Jody's for the Annual Wild Game Feast and Beer Tasting Party.  Looks like there will be quite a crowd again this year.    We are all so happy that Denise and family and Stenn and Bing are coming.

I will prepare the venison roast in the slow cooker early and then drop it off  to finish at the Thuemmlers  on my way to the baby shower.   I decided to also make a loaf of brown bread for the crowd.

This morning I met my friends, Betty and Ceil in the Fleet Farm parking lot and rode with them to Blue Harbor for the Mayflower Tours annual program.   They served coffee, tea, juice and sweets along with a long program hilighting the tours for 2013.   A good program really.    I wanted to go because I will beging treveling eventually and wanted to see what they had to offer.   Lots of fun trips out there, but fortunately none on my bucket list so I was not tempted but still got a feel for prices and places.   Altogether a good way to spend a couple of hours.   Saw a couple of other friends too.

The three of us joined Marlene at Dairy Queen for lunch and then I came home.   I did have to traipse out again later because I received some items that I had to go to take care of at the bank.   I could have waited until Monday, I guess, but you know me.    Impatient and I don't like loose ends.

So a full day and tomorrow will be a whole play day.   The cooking is as much fun for me as the parties.

Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A whole day at home.     It was cold but not as windy and snowy as I expected.

I did some more work on the wall hanging and a bit of writing.

Nora called this afternoon.   We had a great visit.    Too bad we live so far apart.

I had a lot of fun preparing the dinner for tonight.    Bobbie and Bill came.   Bobbie and I had liver and I prepared meatballs and gravy  with the mashed potatoes for Bill so we were all happy eaters.

Cherry pie for dessert and just a nice visit for the rest of the evening.

So.  Until tomorrow. 

Dia Dhuit
Mary

Snow, snow, snow.    Not as much as they predicted originally gut we have two to three inches and it is coming down again.    I understand that there is a cold spell coming through also that will put us back to single digits or below.   I went and got the few groceries and supplies that I needed this morning so I will be able to stay in where it is warm all day.  

I can just do anything as I have nothing planned except cooking a lovely liver dinner for Bobbie and me.   If the weather is too bad we will put it off.   Safety above all.

As I said, I went grocery shopping.    It was a bit slippery, so I drove very carefully.   After the Pig, I went to The Exchange Bank to pick up some Alterra Coffee for me.   I am almost out of the Kickapoo that Richard and Brenda gave me for Christmas.  

I worked on the new wall hanging that I have in my mind.   I have the background ready to sew.   Then I can make the picture.   I need to be doing things with my hands.

So the day is over.     It is so lonely around here.  I am finding it hard not to have my sweetheart to talk to  and just be here.  Busy is the answer and I am really trying.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This was a very busy Tuesday.    First, of course, it was trash day.  I didn't have much today so took it out when I left at 10AM for all of the errands that I had to do in Sheboygan.   It had rained a lot during the night and it was VERY foggy.   All the way in and out of Sheboygan - very little traffic though.

First, I stopped at the Social Security office to drop off a copy of our wedding certificate.  I could have mailed it but as I was going to Sheboygan anyway, it seemed just as easy just to take it there.

Then I went to see Atty. Voss and finished all of the legal things such as wills and powers of attorney.

Then home again.    I can pretty much stay home now until Friday.    There is a lot to do in the rainy, snowy, icy days At home in the next couple of days. 

Jeff stopped by on his way home from Mom's and finished hanging the door to the coat closet as you come in the garage.  That is nice to have it done.   Wasn't a big deal but it looks better.    Kathy sent some banana cake that I had for dessert.   It was SO good and very welcome.

Bret called tonight - so good to hear his voice.   

Happy Birthday to my sister Nora.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was much warmer that the past few days but not really warm enough to melt all the ice.   I was out until 1PM and had several stops with tricky walking because of the ice on the streets and driveways and parking lots.  Yea.   I managed to stay on my feet.

Went to Bible study first at Blessed Trinity.   There were just three of us and we had really intimate comforting discussion.    Talking about our roll as "older" more experienced people and our relationships with younger members of our world.   We finished Psalm 92 today.  It is a beautiful Psalm - very comforting.

Then I drove to Sheboygan to pick up some things for Mother at Aurora.   I had a chance to visit with Barb, who is a friend and a pharmacist there for a bit. 

Then to Mother's.  We had lunch together, we paid her bills, I put out the pills and then she was ready for a nap so I came home.

Had a short nap and then I have been cleaning and picking up.  Tomorrow is trash day and I need to be ready.

This is a sad night for me.   But I know I will have those days.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Yesterday was a truly relaxing, stimulating and informative day.    Mike and Debbie O'Grady picked me up shortly after 9AM for a drive to the Irich Heritage Center in Chicago for Maureen Smith's Chicago branch of CWI Brigid Celebration.   

We aimed to get there by noon so Debbie and I could help Maureen set up for the event which started at 1PM.  I had met with another of our Celtic Women, Janet, to pick up several of her collection of Brigid as Saint and Goddess for display.   She will be so pleased to hear that she has one statue that Fr. Dennis O'Neill does not have.   I believe that he is jealous.   I brought my Bridget Icon and the wall hanging that I did of Brigid.   During the latter part of the program, Maureen had me explain the motivation and the influences that helped me to do the wall hanging.  I read a couple of the poems inspired by the Brigid trip of 2011.   Here is one:

Alone in the darkness together
We are surrounded by the ancient chant
Hidden until this time,
I find it in my heart.

I felt a bit intimidated as I was reading poetry at an event dedicated to our friend, Patricia Monaghan, poet, author and Celtic and earth expert.    Her husband, Michael Mc Dermott, and his daughter were there.   He read excerpts from their new book which I have on preorder and her poems were read throughout the event.  

Fr. O'Brien started the whole thing actually with stories and history of Brigid.    He is an expert on Brigid and I must get some of his books.    There were so many other things packed into the day. 

Mike, Debbie and I stopped for dinner on the way home and arrived here at about 8:30PM.   Roxie was sure glad to see me.     I decided to get ready for bed as my neck and arm were really hurting so that is why I did not post last night.

Today was much quieter.   I went to Mass this morning.   Mary Kaye Evans had asked if I could serve communion this morning for her.   I think I needed that.   Giving the Lord to people never ceases to amaze me and I was a bit down this morning.   I just suddenly became very lonely.

It is better now and I had a very nice day, sorting things and napping and baking.

So I am ready for tomorrow and the new week.

Bless you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary