Snow all over the place. We got at least 5 more inches last night. Chelsea loves it and it is really pretty. I guess we are still a bit behind on what we need to maintain the water table but the season is not over yet.

I have a nice quiet weekend coming up. We will go shooting on Sunday. I did just terrible tonight. I don't know what I am doing wrong but maybe practice is what I need.

Jim is home all weekend, so I made a dessert to last us for the next three evenings. I picked up some raspberries and blackberries at the store yesterday and made an upside down cake. It got kind of exciting when I got to the part of the recipe that said to alternate adding the flour and the milk to the creamed butter and sugar but did not tell me how much milk was needed. So I did some research and revamped the recipe as follows:

Raspberry Blackberry Upside Down Cake

1/4 c. Brown Sugar
2 TB Bitter
2 c. Berries (Blackberry, Raspberry, Whatever you have.)
1/2 Cup Margerine or butter
1 3/4 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 c. Flour
2 ts. Baking Powder
12 ts. salt
1 c. Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in an 8 or 9 inch iron skillet over medium heat. Add berries and cook. Sir until mixture bubbles then add 3/4 cups of the sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.

Mix 1/2 cup butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Bix four, baking powder and salt together and sift alternately with milk to the creamed butter mixture.

Pour batter over cooked fruit and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes til lukewarm. Run a knife around the pan and turn onto a large plate. (Be sure you invert it while still warm or it won't come out of the pan.) Best served warm. Whipped cream or ice cream are nice additions but not necessary.

It sure is good.

Love

Mary

Jim and I went to Lakeland College last night to see Gaelic Storm at their theater. WoW! they are good. Jim and I have to get their fourth album. Their fifth will be out in May or thereabouts and we are behind one. They did say they would be at Irish Fest this year so I probably will have someone to go with. JIM. Dick doesn't like the crowds and talked me out of going last year for a dud of a trip somewhere else. Not this year.

They are so lively and their music is really great. They seem to like Wisconsin and can't get over the names of our towns. They are especially entrances with Oostburg and keep on talking on going to a bar in Oostburg which of course absolutely delights all of us Sheboygan County people who know it will be a cold day before you could find a bar in Oostburg. However - De Zwann's in Cedar Grove closed. The family decided to retire and the place has reopened recently and I HEARD that they serve wine and beer. What is happening to our dry cities?

Dick is slowly recovering. We are beginning to think that perhaps it is Gaelic Storm that is responsible for his being sick. They were here last year at the Stepanie Weill Center and he got sick then too. I hope he just forgets buying a ticket next time. That gets a bit expensive for a seat to throw jackets on. Jim and I always have fun at these concerts but Dick likes them too. At least he says he does.

I am writing a monthly food column for a little paper that is published up north and run by a gal who was in the Sheboygan County Writers Club. I get paid a copy of the paper and my name and column in print. I hope to eventually put these columns in to a little book. Wish me luck. I will see how they go over and how many I can turn out.

Have a great day. There is a storm warning for 4 to 7 inches of snow for tonight. It has been downgraded some from 12 inches but we always have the lake effect to contend with.

Wish us Luck

Love

Mary

Yesterday was groundhogs day. I guess we are supposed to have an early spring. It certainly doesn't look so outside today. It snowed for 12 more hours last night and the snow is piling up steadily. There does not seem to be any melting down.

I have decided to make the venison roast as a Texas Brisket roast for the 27th Annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest. That is Dick's favorite way to fix venison. I can cook it all morning and then put it in the slo cooker in its juice to keep it warm. I have Daddy Hinkle's marinade and seasoning. I will also make potato salad.

Started a book discussion group with four wonderful women at church yesterday. The book is called Live Long and Love It. It should be nice, we will meet once a week for about 10 weeks and discuss how to best enjoy our older years.

Have a good Wednesday.

Mary

January is over ALREADY. Today, started off with a bang, literally. Jim, Bobbie and I went shooting at Rhine this afternoon. I shot a line of trap with a gun that I am trying for a while to see how it does. It is a 847 12 gauge shotgun and thought the stock is too long, I wasn't unhappy with it. I only shot a 9. However, the stock IS too long, I have never shot in winter with all the bulky clothes and the cold and this is the first line I have shot since September. SO. We will see. I will shoot another line next week and each week for a while.

My league pistol targets were not too bad. I blew the middle one but the first and last were in the 50s.

The Super Bowl is on and without the Packers playing it is really hard to get too interested. I don't really care who wins. The first quarter and a half were really dull, then they scored four times, going into the half 14/10 New England. So the last half of the 2nd quarter was at least fun to watch.

I am feeling pretty good now and the temperature was up into the high 20s today. Chelsea and I went for a walk this morning and she was a very very happy puppy. As I have said before, Dick and Jim's idea of taking her for a walk is sending her out the side door on her leash and saying "Run, Chelsea, Run." til she does something.

Have a good week and a great February. I have two friends who are ill and would appreciate any prayers you have hanging around for their health.

Love

Mary

Only one day left in the first month of the year. I am getting over my cold but am sick of it. I am sick of Dick telling me to take it easy but not being sympathetic to my restlessness. Men! They just DON'T get it, do they?

I've been getting interested in sewing again too. I have four squares finished for a quilt and 9 more to go. I cut out and arranged one to sew this weekend. I received a copy of the Pike River Review and Janice Kaat, the editor is publishing my food column. It is nice to see your name in print. If I do well enough, I will incorporate them in to a book eventually.

It never hit 0 Degrees today. What a cold one. It is supposed to get up in to the teens today and be in the 20's for part of next week. Where is global warming when you need it.


Love

Mary

Today is my sister Nora's birthday. When Dick and I were married, she and her husband, Leif, had already moved to Dallas and Dick didn't meet her for several years. He used to tease me about making up a sister. He said he had no idea why, with all the brothers and sisters I had, I would make up another one, but that was his conclusion. She is next in age to me. My brother Jeff better stop calling me the matriarch. My Mother is the only on who deserves that title right now and for a LONG LONG time.

I laid low again today. I did not go to help with Bingo at Rocky Knoll. Didn't see any sense spreading my germs in a hospital atmosphere and sent an e mail with my concerns to the members of the parish council that I have addresses for. Hopefully at least ONE of them picks up their mail during the day. I didn't get any acknowlegements so God only knows. I hope I am much better tomorrow. I would like to go to lunch with the Plymouth Ladies and also would like to go shoot pistol league with Bobbie and Jim.

I am re-reading a wonderful book by John O'Donohue called Anam Cara - A Book of Celtic Wisdom. I can read a short piece every day and get something out of it . Something new each time. Anam Cara means soul friend. We are our best soul friend but there are friends out there who sometimes become Anam Cara to us. Treasure them.
" I am as my Creator made me, and since He is satisfied, so am I." Minnie Smith
Love

Mary

The cold is awful today. I did not go to bible study. Dick is going to grocery shop alone tomorrow. I am goint to try to be well enough to go to the Parish Council Meeting tomorrow night. As Dick says I don't want to give everybody colds.

There is so much happening at church that I really hate to miss it.

It is supposed to remain cold for the rest of the week and more snow in a couple of days.

Does a person ever stop worrying about their children? I remember one time when Jim was having a difficult time, I told Dick that he just had to let Jim make his own decisions because he was, after all, an adult. And Dick looked at me mournfully and said that I just did not understand. None of his children were adults. (And Jim is the youngest.)

I thin that says it all.


Love

Mary

My cold has finally blossomed into a full blown head cold and I am not happy except that maybe NOW it will run its course.

I got a box of items made by Fr. Mike Shea's Aids Moms yesterday. They do batik table cloths, runners etc and t shirts. The designs are bold and dynamic. So full of life. I know this is hope to these people. I must see if I can figure out a way to market it. I will talk to Fr. Ed at bible study and bring it up to Sr. Marcia and the council to see if we can start a mission society for Sarnelli. If any one is interested in Tshirts, Bookmarks, hand crossstitched greeting cards and batik cloth, Let me know and I will send pictures . They are truely lovely.

Love Mary

Wow, have I been lazy on Blog for the past few days. Actually, I have a sore throat and have been really laying low. I have been rereading the Harry Potter books for fun and to keep me still.

I did go shooting on Friday evening and had two good targets and one terrible target. It was the last one and I am chalking it up the the cold range and tiredness.

It has been snowing for two days and looks like it will continue for a day or two. This should make the farmers happy as the water table has been low for the pas couple of years.

Bret called on Friday night and it was so good to hear his voice. He is happy with his new job, home and girlfriend.


I don't think I shared my winter poem with you so will do so now.


CRANKY OLD MAN



Cranky old man sucks joy out of the world.
Cold and harsh is his way.
Life pulls in to the ground, away from his fury
As Winter marches in, cold and forbidding.
Snow covers ground, trying to protect,
To shield the earth from his wrath

Some of God?s creatures sleep away his reign.
Some flee South before his rage.
Some timidly creep out to search for food.
Cold and hungry they nip at weeds and tree bark,
While struggling to survive
Then rush back to shelter among the trees.

Cranky old man stays much too long.
The earth sleeps and gains the strength.
To finally answer the call of sun and light
And dare to bring color back to the world.
Winter grows empty and weak
And falls before the strength and joy of Spring.


Spring always comes too.

Love

Mary

In one of my other lives, my ex husband, the boys and myself came to Wisconsin for Christmas one year. We stayed for a whole week and it was COLD. I believe that it ranged between 10 and 16 BELOW zero for our entire stay. I remember arriving at the airport and Nora picked us up. It was so cold and my California boys were not at all prepared for this. We were so grateful to get to my parents warm home and surprise them. All of my brothers and sisters knew we were coming but it was a surprise for Mom and Dad. Mother is so cool. Her only comment was that she supposed that she would have to make cut out cookies after all.

Such wonderful memories. I was reminded because we are currently having such cold days . It was 9 below while Dick and I were out shopping this morning and is still below zero. It is very hard on Chelsea but we have managed to keep her comfortable and "emptied".

Keep warm. We worry about Jim coming home after midnight on these cold days. Thank God for mobile phones these days.

Love

Mary

Last night I went to St. Dominic's Church in Sheboygan to meet with other council members from parishes all over Sheboygan County and a "team" including Bishop Sklba from the Archdiocese, to discuss the plans for coping with the continuing priest shortage. Blessed Trinity, my home parish, is going to be asked to "cluster" with St. John the Evangelist in Kohler. St. John and Blessed Trinity both want to keep their own identities and their own councils. We will work towards that end.

These are distressing times. The heirarchy is shrinking but seem reluctant to give any of their authority to the laity. We must keep persisting and pray that the Spirit will guide us on this rocky path.

I keep reading and trying to learn and hoping that there is a plan here.

The temperature was 15 this morning when Chelsea and I went out for our walk but for some reason, it hurt her pads. I ended up carrying her for a bit and then we hurried home. Tomorrow, we won't even try to leave the yard because it is supposed to be below zero. I mentioned carrying her at bible study this morning and Mary, one of the others, said she is going to walk with me because her feet hurt sometimes when she walks and she wouldn't mind being carried too.

My dear Mom celebrates her 88th birthday today. What a special lady. We are so blessed to have her. I will post a poem by Austin Clarke that I feel is a portrait of her.

THE PLANTER'S DAUGHTER

When night stirred at sea
And the fire brought a crowd in,
They say that her beauty
Was music in mouth
And few in the candlelight
Thought her too proud,
For the house of the planter
Is known by the trees.

Men that had seen her
Drank deep and were silent,
The women were speaking
Wherever she went -
As a bell that is rung
Or a wonder told shyly,
And O she was the Sunday
In every week.


Have a good day and keep warm.


Mary

I was extremely lazy today. We did go grocery shopping this morning but the rest of the day was spent just hanging around really. I must have needed that, I guess.

It is a bit warmer now, all the way up to 11 degrees, whoop de doo. Dick said it is time for the January thaw.

Did I ever tell you the recipe that Jacquie gave me for beer bread? It is so simple.

3 Cups Self Rising Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Can of Beer

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. Mix the three ingredients directly in the loaf pan. If you have time, let it sit for about 15 minutes then put into the oven for about an hour.

It tastes surprisingly good and toasts beautifully. Great with chili or soups.

Enjoy.

Mary

The temperatures never got out of single digits today. There were eight of us stalwart rabbit hunters out there. I checked several times before and after we got out of the woods and the temperature was never over 5 degrees. Surprisingly it was not too cold out in the woods. We were in the sun a lot and the trees protected us from the breeze. My husband, Dick had a message for everybody. He said that as cold as it was the bunnies were going to be huddled up in their little holes keeping warm and he thought we should just skip the hunting step and high tail it right to the bar. We got out in the field at about 9AM and took Dick's advice at about 11AM. I am so excited - I got a shot off at a rabbit. My first shot. I missed darn it. They move so fast and are so small but at least I GOT a shot. Don Behr got a rabbit a little later and those were the only shots fired. Don gave me the rabbit so now we have four for the wild game dinner.

The bar was fun too. The guys all bring this year's venison sausage and everyone in the bar is invited to taste and judge. We had four different sticks of sausage from four different markets. They were all good so I had a rather big lunch of cheese, sausage and crackers with a glass of wine to wash it down. I was a busy all day and am fading fast.

I remembered that I promised a picture of the quilted wall hanging I designed for the Sheboygan County Quilt Guild Annual show. I finally installed the pictures on the computer so here it is. I call it Maid, Mother, Crone depicting the three stages of womanhood.




Have a great evening

Mary

Yesterday, Dick and I went to see the Return of the King, the third part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It certainly was spectacular and wrapped EVERYTHING up true to the books. Dick thought it went on a little too long but they had to do that in order to finish the story. We both decided that Sam the Hobbit was a bigger hero than Frodo. He was loyal, strong, full of love and practical.

Jim, Bobbie and I went pistol shooting at Rhine again. Friday is league night. My first target wasn't too good but I improved on the last two. I guess I wasn't locking my wrist. Steady is GOOD.

It snowed all afternoon and last night. The world is glistening white all over. Chelsea loves it but even she got tired walking through those drifts this morning and was more than willing to head back before we went our full mile. We went out before the plows so there were at least 3 to 8 inches with the drifting all the way. Noone else was out this morning, I only saw one set of footprints the whole way and only two cars leaving.

I am going rabbit hunting tomorrow morning with my brothers, Jeff and Randy, and friends Leroy, Dennis and maybe Vic. We had fun last year which was my first time. It is supposed to be cold and windy. I don't look forward to that, but we dress warm and the walking seems to keep a person warm too. It is such fun watching the dogs find and chase down the rabbits. Dennis Behr has two dogs and they are so good.

The 26th annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest is scheduled for 2/14/04 at my niece, Denise's house in Manitowoc. I am bringing the Venison roast. I think I may do it as a Texas Rub. That is so tender and moist and flavorful. The winner of the previous year's beer tasting always hosts the next year. This is Denise's 2nd win. The ladies are doing quite well. We have a traveling trophy that started with a pewter mug and has been expanded by adding bases over the years. I am never eligible because I don't drink beer.

The Mouse That Roared

Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
When the pub was shut for the night,
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse,
And stood in the pale moonlight.

He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
Then back on his haunches he sat,
And all night long you could hear him roar.
"Bring on the goddamn cat!"

Have a great day

Mary

Jim got us a wine filter for Christmas. Boy, if my Dad could see our wine equipment he would be in hog heaven. Just our corker is a wonder. When we first started, we got a simple hand corker and Dick drove them in with a rubber hammer and the heel of his hand. This one you just put the bottle on a rack, drop in the cork and pull a handle.

But the filter is even more exciting. It pulls the wine through this series of tubes and filters soaked in water and leaves the wine as clear as a bell. We used it the first time today and what an experience.

Last night, I met Ann Pirrung and Paul Hanson from the Writers Club at the Wonderful World coffee house over on Michigan for the weekly open mike that the owner hosts. It was quite an experience. I read three of my poems and Paul read and there were several musicians, some good and some quite trying. Most of the attendees were high school age. Seniors and perhaps early college. Quite an experience. I was impressed with some of the music and told Judy, the owner, that it is wonderful for these kids to have a forum where they can try out their musical performing in a real situation.

Have a nice Friday. We are going to see The Return of the King.

Love

Mary

It snowed all day off an on. And I was out and about off and on all day too. Started out with a nice walk in teh snow with Chelsea at 5:30 because today was Bible Study.

We are going over the Constitutions portion of Vatican II. This should be interesting. It is pretty easy reading, at least the book we are reading. We got in to a big discussion on the attitude of the church to Gays. Lots of opinions. What do you think? I feel that if God created 11% of the population Gay, it is not abnormal and that God does not create evil.

I read the neatest quote from a Martin Niemoeller, a German. "When the Nazis came to get the Communists, I was silent, because I was not a Communist. When they came to get the Socialists, I was silent. When they came to get the Catholics, I was silent. When they came to get the Jews, I was silent. An when they came to get me, there was no one left to speak."

We must speak for justice.

Love

Mary

I am finally all caught up naming the pictures that I have installed on the computer. I got a good one of Oscar, which is almost impossible, because he is so black that there is very little contour and you usually just bet a black blob with shiny green orbs in it. However, I am going to show you one that I took of the two of them, Oscar and Roxie enjoyin treats on the kitchen floor. Don't they look healthy and happy. Enjoy.



Love

Mary

It is a sad day in Wisconsin. The Mighty Packers have played out. Yesterday, they lost in overtime due to an interception thrown by the mighty Favre. There were a couple of other opportunities earlier in the game where they really did poorly also. Anyway!!! What an exhausing and discouraging game. Three pictures of my brother Randy in three poses of disbelief and horror are in this evening's Sheboygan Press. Well, there is always next year. We will relive the what ifs for the next several months and then move on.

Wednesday, I will meet a friend at the new coffee shop on Michigan Avenue in Sheboygan. They have an open mike on Wednesdays. My friend is interviewing the owner for an article for the Beacon a local county paper. Her name is Ann Pirrung and she is really good. I keep trying. I will be doing a reading of my poetry and the classics on St. Patricks Day at Richards in Sheboygan Falls.

Love

Mary

Here we are in Wisconsin, getting ready to watch our Packers play the Eagles in Nasty Philidelphia. Dick and I went to Minneapolis one time to see the Packers Play at the Metrodome. Those Viking fans are really mean. I mean they were loud and evil. I was actually afraid as we were leaving the stadium and the Vikings WON the game.

They say the Eagles fans pride themselves on being the nastiest fans in the league. What is that?

Anyway, I am all ready with my green jeans, my gold turtleneck, my Reggie White Jersey and my Packer hat with the superbowl pin on it. We hear they are a team of destiny. I see that they have improved the WHOLE season and have come into their prime now. They have special impetus because of their loyalty to Favre, who lost his Dad and wants to win in his memory. That is quite a lot of motivation and skill coming together. Go Pack!!!

Went out to Rhine and shot three for league today. I did pretty good. One score was in the 60s the other two in the 50s. Dick got a 71. WOW.

Have a nice day.

Love

Mary

Dick and I have been "dieting" all week. We decided (actually, I decided and Dick agreed to go along with it.) to go on a 1000 calorie diet for one week to get over the sugar and fat saturation of the holidays. It has been surprisingly easy. Even Dick said that he really hasn't been hungry. And as we eat anything but just in portions and from all the food groups we have been quite happy. I lost 3 lbs as of yesterday, which is just what I had hoped. Dick says he had better have lost 20 lbs. Jim and I told him no way but we will see. At least, we haven't had sugar for a week and it will be less of a craving for a while.

Last night we had our church council holiday get together. We were even good there. And it was a nice event.

The choir will not meet or sing again until January, our winter break, so I will be going to the 8 AM mass for the time being. I really prefer the early mass anyway. Tomorrow, Dick, Bobbie and I will go shooting in the afternoon. Jim will too if he has time, but it is his Sunday to work at the Conservation club so he might be too busy. We'll see.

I saw the neatest Simply Quilts the other day and want to try it. It is a shadow quilt.

Have a nice Sunday.

Mary

Chelsea has clean doggy teeth. I picked her up at about 3:30PM. She was a bit wobbly and a little glassy eyed but was quite active. They said not to feed her, but she was just begging so I gave her bits over the evening so her little tummy didn't get too full and she didn't get enough at one time to throw up. She is just fine today. I looked at her teeth and they look good. She obviously feels no discomfort because she is playing tug of war with her rag and winning.

There have been a lot of Ah Ha moments for me lately in regards to the role of women in the church and in church history. It has become very apparant to me as a result of studying the scriptures and reading many articles and being involved in many discussions that the male dominated hierarchy has done a very good job of keeping us in minor roles. Jesus didn't. If you read scriptures, you hear that the women were at the foot of the cross when the apostles were in hiding. It was the women who went to check the grave and discovered AND announced that he was risen. Who prepared the meal for the last supper? Lots of things to think about.


Mary

It was bitter cold this morning. Chelsea and I took an abbreviated walk. We started out as usual and as soon as I saw her trying to clean out her pads, I turned her around. A car was coming, so I carried her accross the street and then put her down for the trip home. We were out long enough that she was able to accomplish everything she should.

I went to my friend Harold's funeral today. I talked to his wife Carol who is in her words "weepy". As well she should be. It is hard to lose one's companion, even if we know he is safe in the Lord's hands. She said he just went to God sleeping in his chair. She found him asleep with his hand folded and no sign of struggle. What a peaceful end for a peaceful man. We will all miss him and that wonderful smile and willingness to help anyone.

"Give me a pure heart that I may see Thee,
a humble heart - that I may hear Thee,
a heart of love - that I may serve Thee,
a heart of faith - that I may abide in Thee."
Dag Hammarskjold

Good day

Mary

Wednesday, we will take Chelsea, our dog, to the vet for "dental work." My father would crack up if he was still around and found out that dogs get their teeth cleaned. She has this protruding lower jaw and I think this does not allow her teeth to be cleaned by all the chewing whe does.

Tomorrow morning I will be going to the funeral of Harold Heinecke, a real gentleman, who was a neighbor when we lived at Creedside on the south side of Sheboygan. I really got to know him as a faithful and hard working member of the Sheboygan Noon Optimists. Harold was 85. We will miss him in Sheboygan. He was special.

Mary

Dick has had his "sleep machine" for two weeks now. He sleeps so soundly and is only taking a nap each day, not dozing off and on all the time. It is very quiet in our bedroom at night too, so I sleep much better now. He is still waiting for the Euphoria that many users of the machine speak of, but I find that his being awake and alert is enough euphoria for me.


I am going to share pictures of some of my nativity sets before the feast of the three kings. This is one that my son Bret sent me some years ago.



Love

Mary

Pistol league started at Rhine Plymouth. Winter Trap too, but I don't shoot winter trap because it is too cold as far as I am concerned. Jim and Bobbie and I are all shooting league. I hadn't shot for two weeks and it really showed. We are going to practice again on Sunday. Dick goes out on Sundays with us.

My cousin, Mike Shea, who is a missionary in Thailand sent me a DVD of his ministry in Thailand. He has started a home, Sarnelli House, for Aids Infected kids over there. This has expanded in many ways. The children come as a result of a ministry to Aids Infected parents who more often than not die of the disease. Therefore the children, often infected are orphaned. Aids victims are ostracized in Thailand, their families force them out of their homes. This is because of fear.

They now have over 90 children, many critically ill, many HIV positive but not Aids infected, and many healthy orphans. He has a girls home and a boys home in addition to Sarnelli House. Wow, the DVD was really good and Mother enjoyed seeing it last night.

I want to share it at Church and wherever else I can find interest.

Love

Mary

New Years Eve. I took a nap this afternoon and fully intend to be up til Midnight.


I will leave you this year with a quote from the Cadfael Book of Days.

"Life goes not in a straight line, but in a circle. The first half we spend venturing as far as the world's end from home and kin and stillness, and the latter half brings us back by roundabout ways but surely, to that state from which we set out."

Guests tomorrow. I love that. I am making the neatest cake with whipped cream frosting.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow night is New Years Eve. We are splurging on a PaPa Murphy pizza and staying home. I hope I make it up til midnight. Often, I do not. Maybe if I take a late nap it will work this year.

Quiet day at the Kunert house. I quilted a bit and read a bit and wrote a bit. Tomorrow I will be much busier because I have to get things kind of ready for dinner on New Years Day.

"A dead end is just a good place to turn around." Naomi Judd


Tomorrow.

Mary

Countdown. Two days left in 2003. Are you ready?

I am having Mother over on New Year's Day. I am fixing a stew. If finally found one (acually two) that really tastes good. Bill and Bobbie are coming over too and this will make a great gravy, which Bill adores. I am fixing colcannon too. Colcannon is mashed potatoes with cabbage. Num Num.

I will include the recipe and you really should try it.

Colcannon

8 medium potatoes, peeled
Bunch Green Onions
1/2 Cup Milk
Salt and Pepper
Teaspoon of butter per person

Cook potatoes, let them dry somewhat and keep hot. Cook green onion (including the green) in the milk.

At the same time shred and chop the cabbage and cook until tender.

Mash the potatoes with the green onion and milk and combine with the cabbage.

Cover the top with the butter and mix as you serve.

Great alone or with gravy.

Love

Mary

What a day for the Packers!!! Looked bad at the beginning. First, Seattle won yesterday. Then Dallas lost today. Then wonder of wonders, our last chance at the payoffs came when underdog Arizona pulled one off from the nasty Minnesota Vikings in the LAST 24 seconds. And to top it off, we beat Colorado 31 to 3. Could it GET any better. That makes us the DIVISION CHAMPS again.

Yee Ha!!


Only three more days in 2003. Are we ready for 2004? Guess it doesn't matter much, as it will come anyway. Such a tragedy in Iran. We should pray for and support those victims in the next months.

Love

Mary

I took off for Christmas and Boxing Day. In case you didn't know, Boxing Day is celebrated in Britain and British settled places on the day after Christmas. It is the day that the gentry gave their servants, who had to work on Christmas, the day off. The servants also got their "boxes" with gifts and/or bonuses. It was also the day the poor boxes were traditionally opened and distributed to the poor.

We spent Christmas full of joy. First, we went to Mass, Dick and I. Dick sat with Mother and the Randy Deeleys and Jessica, Randy's daughter, and I sang in the choir. I love the Christmas music and we all must because we sang with joy and enthusiasm. (On key too.) The bell choir accompanied us on several songs.

Then we went to Bobbie and Bill's house in the afternoon and evening to celebrate a wonderful Christmas dinner with dessert of Bobbie's candy. That is a taste treat.

And we exchanged gifts which is ALWAYS fun. Our children are VERY good to us.

Friday, Boxing Day, Bart, Barb and Timothy came for supper. We had such a nice visit, exchanged presents and had dinner. I made Banana Cream Pie which always goes over in this house. Timothy is Barbara's son. one of our step Grandsons and a really nice young man.

Hope your holidays were as pleasant as ours. I will be praying for all of you in the morning.

I have a big old black cat spawled accross my desk and a silly looking tailless one drapped over the back of my chair.

I love being surrounded by creatures.

Love

Mary

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in... you are richer than 75% of this world's people.

All the people that read my blog are that rich. Aren't we the luckiest?

Did you know that the first gift of Christmas was a Child?


A Blessed Christmas from ME to YOU!!!


Love

Mary

We bottled a batch of Riesling today. 31 bottles. It is a bit raw but will be ready in a month as smooth as can be. Tomorrow, we will put another batch in to a carboy to age. The winemaking is fun. We have rhubarb, marigold and wild grape made from scratch that are almost ready to bottle. We have learned that you cannot rack them too much. Too little and you get sediment.

I made soup today. Chicken soup with LOTS of veggies. We will have that for supper with grilled cheese sandwiches I think. (Because I LOVE grilled cheese.)

It was a quiet day. I did not have to go anywhere which was really a nice for a change. Tomorrow I have Bible Study and we will shop a bit. Bart and Barb and Timothy are coming for dinner on Friday and I need a couple things. Chelsea should get a bath too since she will go with us to Bobbie's on Christmas Day and really should be made pretty for the visit to the "Goddess". The Goddess is Bobbie as Chelsea just adores her.

Dick is complaining about his hand calculator. Good thing I bought him a new one for his stocking. I will fill the stocing tomorrow.

Have a nice evening.


Mary

Two days til Christmas day. We shopped today and took my Dad's and Uncle George's canes to Mother. She is planning on using one when the ground is wet, icy or snowy. Things are dry and clear now, but she wants to practice. I hope they are short enough for her. I told her to have Randy check it out because he could cut it off a bit if they are too tall for her.

There was a 6.5 earthquake in California today. It was felt in LA so I am sure my son Bret felt it. However, it was about halfway between LA and San Francisco and little damage was done. Another worry, I guess. Sometimes quakes trigger more quakes.

Remember the reason for the season. Actually, I guess it is a melding of ancient feasts and the birth of Jesus, but I like the birth of Jesus best. Perhaps, it can bring peace to this world yet.

Love

Mary

Sunday all day. I baked bread and went to church. As I said it is the last day of Advent and we sang some really pretty Advent Songs, Climb to the top of the Highest Mountain and Creation Will Be At Peace. Did I tell you that one or our choir members, Andy Gremminger and our director Steve Naffin are doing a bit of writing for the Psalm refrains. We are very proud and the music is really beautiful. Well, on Thursday we get to try our Christmas voices on the congregation.

I am reading a marvelous book called Celtic Christianity by a Timothy Joyce. Some of the points he brings up are really making me think and giving me small Ah = Ha moments. This is one of them. He said he has felt more spirituality in a pub than in some churches. Then he comments. "Of course, there can always be a case of too much spirits in a pub, but you can also have too much religion in a church!"

By the way, my brother Jeff sent me the nicest e-christmas card that I would like to share with you. just copy the following into the address box. http://holidays.blastcomm.com.

Have a good week


Mary

The tree is up and decorated and looks WONDERFUL. I put all the bows on the presents and have them neatly sorted on the mantle and under the tree. It looks like Christmas in our house.

Bret called today and the packages arrived safe and sound and he is snacking on the cheese and sausage and buckeyes already. Good for him. He is all settled in a new apartment and a new job and has a new girlfriend and sounds very content.

"God direct all. It is, after all, a way he has." (From the Cadfael books) Isn't that neat.

Tomorrow is the last Sunday of Advent. After singing at Mass, I am going to help change the decorations from Advent to Christmas. Should be fun but I will miss out on practicing with the pistol.

Happy Sunday

Mary

Dick slept for 7 1/2 hours last night. He has taken one nap this afternoon, but used the machine so he REALLY slept.

Had lunch with my Plymouth friends today and took them each a bottle of our homemade wine. Seemed appropriate for Christmas. Our friend Marlene joined us today. Last week she was in the hospital with pneumonia. She is still coughing but said she feels well and that this was her second outing. Yesterday she got to go to Fleet Farm. Whoop - de - do. But I am sure she is glad to be up and around.

The tree is "growing" There are only two rows of branches and the top to go. We have all the lights working except one. If Dick can't get it easily, it gets pitched and we go for a new one. MUCH easier and they aren't THAT expensive anyway.

Another poem from my brother Matt's book. Just a wee short one.

APOLOGY

i apologize for keeping you from church......
god is much better company than me
Matt Deeley




Mary

We got "The Machine" for Dick today. A Sandy from the Visiting Nurse Association came over with us an gave us very detailed instructions as to how to use it. We have great expectations. I will keep you informed as to how the sleeping goes. He is so looking forward to REALLY sleeping.

What a busy day. The tree is 2/3 up. I have all but one package wrapped. Went to choir and council. Wow. Dick is right - that is too much for one day.

Only one more week til Christmas. Are your ready? We are going to Bobbie's for dinner and family that day. The choir will be singing at 9:30AM. So it will also be a full day.



An Irish Superstition

Every day has one hour in which a wish may be granted and in which the person has the power to see spirits. Only by trial and error can that period be known.

Mary

When we were children, the Christmas tree went up on Christmas Eve. Mom and Dad decorated it and put out all the presents after we were tucked in our beds fast asleep. I know that lots of the presents were picked up that night from the Grandparents by my poor long suffering Father. Then Dad would go to Midnight Mass and come home and fix a T-Bone Steak for a Christmas breakfast. The poor man barely got to bed when the first of his offspring would be waking up and asking if Santa was here yet. They always made us stay in bed at least until 6:00AM but it was impossible to hold all of us past that time. The whole living room was full of presents in neat little piles and we would frantically look for our personal share of the loot. We did not do the one present at a time patiently handed out by a doting parent. They had done their doting the night before and were more than content to let us just tear in while they watched and rested and oohed and aahed appropriately.

More that one year we lost the tree so that Dad finally started to run a wire from the tree to a hook he screwed into the wall. With nine children and innumerable cats and dogs running around, it was much much safer.

We are just getting our tree up this week. I hope we make it by Christmas Eve. It seems that since we are both retired, we are just SO busy. I have all of my Nativity sets up around the house, however. I love them all and love to share so come to visit.

"Today is the victory of yourself over yesterday." Gerald R. Gartzke

Slainte


Mary

The Visiting Nurses will be here on Thursday at 1:00PM to set Dick up with his machine. I am so impressed with the speed of this process. We were initially given a two to three week window but I think because of the severity of Dick's apnea, they are really speeding up. Today, he stayed up all day but he is in bed now and it is only 7:00. Not a good sign for the night.

I have FINALLY used up all of the "Grandma's Flower Garden" petals that we found in Aunt Helen's house after she died. I have the quilt, of course, and have made several sets of placemats for some of my nieces and some doll blankets for a couple of others. The last pair of placemats will use everything up. I am giving them to Mary Michels Gustafson, Eileen and Fred's daughter. She married recently in a private ceremony and I think she would like a memory of Aunt Helen. She knew her well too.

Tonight, Foxy Roxie is back under her lamp on the desk. Big Oscar is taking up the rest of the desk. He came just as I was trying to sort through the paperwork that keeps piling up no matter what I do. I complain a bit about the lack of room but I do like having critters around me. "The Peaceable Kingdom" you know.

Just over a week til Christmas. Are you ready?

Love

Mary

A very nice Monday. The weather was pleasant so I put greens, bows and a lighted star on the post lamp out in front. Last year the lights wouldn't work. This year they came right on. Go figure. I also got up my music boxes and placed them all around the living room and guest room.

As I post to this, Roxie is sitting in her favorite spot, in the mddle of my desk under the desk lamp where she is warm and close to people. She is falling asleep as I type.

We got a call regarding the results of the Sleep Tests that Dick had last Thursday night and the nurse said the Dick has SEVERE sleep apnea and someone will call by Wednesday to arrange for the machine that will make him feel like a new man. He is so looking forward to it. That one night made such a difference the next morning.
He actually felt alert and rested until afternoon but now he is falling asleep all the time and not waking up refreshed.

Soon it will be Christmas. I baked again today. Really didn't need to but I love to and will give some away. I made Lizzies and Hello Dollies.

Love

Mary

WHAT A DAY!

Saddam has been captured with no more killing and hopefully this will HELP the healing and reconstruction in Iraq and maybe our boys and girls can come home soon. Hopefully all the little children in Iraq will soon be able to sleep without fear, grow up healthy and safe and ready to face the world.

Then we went shooting and I got a 71!!!!! Wow, was I ever pleased.

Then to top off the day, the Packers won. It was a roller coaster game but they won by a nice cushion and we were very pleased in this house. Since the Vikings lost to the Bears today, we are now at least in the playoffs.

The Kindercore sang with us at Mass this morning. I always love to hear the children. We did pretty good too.
The Messiah was really beautiful last night - what a lovely way to really kick off the Christmas season.

Hallelujah.


Mary

Well, Dick went through his tests very well. The Sleep Therapist, Susan, was just wonderful. He does have sleep apnea. There is a solution. He does not really get any sleep at all it seems so he does not get needed REM sleep. The chart was really amazing. After she put him on the machine he actually had two episodes where he did sleep and he woke up refreshed for the first time in as long as he can remember. The Visiting Nurses will come out with the machine and instructions in the next couple of weeks after Dr. Willis has a chance to review everything and make his recommendation. We are so excited. EVERYBODY says that this will do wonders for his energy and his health. Susan said I will get my husband back. WOW.

I have to remember everything because Mother will be asking. Tomorrow we go to see the Messiah. The Sheboygan Symphony and Chorus ALWAYS do a wonderful presentation of that.

Love

Mary

Dick has been having trouble sleeping. His doctor thinks that perhaps if his poor sleeping habits could be determined and corrected it might help control his blood pressure, so I just dropped him off at Sheboygan Memorial for tests. They will hook him up to all kind of moniters and he will be done and wants me to pick him up at 7:00AM tomorrow. So I will have to go to bed and be there when he wants me to be.

I read the neatest thing in my Cadfael Book of Days.

"In our various degrees, we are all sinners. To acknowledge and accept that load is good. Perhaps even to acknowledge and accept it and not entertain either shame or regret may also be required of us. If we find we must still say: Yes, I would do the same again, we are making a judgement others may condemn. But how do we know that God will condemn it? His judgements are incrutable."

From Brother Cadfael's Penance Chapter 16.

Sometimes maybe we are required to do something or moved to do something against the "Rules". But it may be the thing to do. An interesting concept, not to be abused.


Love

Mary

Yesterday, I typed out of blog and then looked for the bar to check the spelling and the bar was gone. I mean the whole thing. I was unable to edit and unable to post and publish or anything. Isn't that a fine kettle of fish.

Anyway, I had written about the day before telling you all that I am a really big sinner I guess. Earlier on Monday, I had discussed with Sy Regan that it was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and that I would be going to Mass that evening. The next time I remembered was at 9:00. Wow, I was sure upset with myself. Dick said he was just as glad because he felt I needed the rest and I hope he is right.

Friday, the photographs replica of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be on display at St. John's in Kohler. I will stop to see it on my way home from lunch with the Plymouth ladies. It is kind of interesting that I just read a short biography of Juan Diego, the Aztec peasant to whom the Lady appeared on Monday. If you want to know more about the Our Lady of Guadalupe go to www.ourladyofguadalupe.org

We saw the Sheboygan Theatre Company's production of Peter Pan tonight. It was fun. I had forgotten many of the songs in the play and they are nice. We talked with the people around us and one gentleman also knew who Billie the Brownie was. It was fun.

Barbara gave me a picture of Christ for my desk with the quote. "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it."

It is a good thing.

Mary

I went to the Sheboygan County Writer's Club Christmas party today. We met at 11:30 for lunch at Arabella's. There were 21 of us there for the party, a really good turnout. Our new co officers, Jane Kocmoud and Ann Pirrung officiated at a gift exchange, the meal and the readings. I read my Billie the Brownie story and a short one from my brother Matt's book Castle Mount.

Most of you know that my brother Matt was a poet. He wrote lots and lots of poetry in a very short life. He died at 17. After his death his friends put on a music event to raise money to publish a book of his poems. We picked out our favorites and I often share and read them. We called it Castle Mount because he always said that a poet needed an estate and he called our old red house Castle Mount. He did write a poem called Castle Mount.

Funny, my brother George put a book of poems together for US (the family) and called it Old Red House. We sure were attached to our old home and each other.

Anyway, I read Matt's Christmas poem. Here it is for your enjoyment.

CHRISTMAS IS OVER

christmas if over again
it won't be back for another year
the lights have been taken down
santa clause went back to the toy factory
so we can all fight each other
with a clear conscience once more

(Matt never used capital letters. )

Most of his poems were kind of gloomy and cynical. However, Grandma Bowser commented on that and said that she wished he would write something cheerful so he wrote the following for her.

GIFT FROM THE RAINBOW

did you enjoy your gift?
i know you got one,
everyone gets one.
maybe it's very small
maybe just a kiss,
or a pat on the back,
but, nevertheless,
everyone gets one.
where should you look?
i can't say,
why not just look in the back of your mind/
that's where i found mine.

Two poems from my brother. I miss him. He could see guardian angels, you know.

Mary

Chelsea got a bath today. She was not happy about it but she is a brilliant white, sweet smelling puppy now. She was getting pretty dingy under her chin especially.

I made the Buckeyes today. Once, several years ago, I told Dick that I wasn't going to make Buckeyes because they are so putsy. You have to mix all those pounds of butter, peanut butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla until it is smooth. This is a BIG mixing bowl. Then you have to roll it all in to balls and chill for 4 hours. This is about 160 peanut butter balls - a LOT of balls. Then after they chill, you have to dip them all in melted chocolate chips and paraffin and chill them again. They are called Buckeyes because when you dip them, you poke a toothpick in and dip them in leaving an unchocolate covered "eye". These taste much like peanut butter cups but even better. You have to use REAL Butter for sure.

Anyway, Dick told Jim that I wasn't going to make them and he said in great distress. "But why do we even have Christmas then. We wait all year and now you tell me we won't have Buckeyes this Christmas."

Needless to say, I made them and never have suggested not making them again. I always share with the other kids, which isn't easy because Dick and Jim think they are all for them.

Have a nice Sunday

Mary

The trip was really a pleasure. Peoria does the lights up royally. They have an enchanted forest which is charming with light sculptures that move and wave and everything. We went there after going to a play and dinner and shopping at a craft show. Then came the big finale. We drove up the hill above the town to a park in which they had all the floats from their big Saturday after Thanksgiving parade on display. These floats are spectacular. They have, as an example, a train that has a locomotive, two cars, one carrying a pine tree and a caboose. As you drive through this park, they have light displays with deer jumping over the road and further on, skiers who you swear are going to crash right in to the bus. The town also has a Nativity display put on by the KCs. This town only has about 27,000 people in it and this thing runs from Thanksgiving weekend to January 2nd and they start assembling the floats right after Halloween. The whole town must be involved because the event is run entirely by volunteers.

I am in the mood now. Made fudge and put up one of the Nativity scenes.

Summarized from the Koran

Every child has a right to feel that God created the world JUST for him.

Mary

This was a catch up day. Did I tell you that the cats like to sleep on my desk under the desk lamp while I am working at the computer? Tomorrow, we go to Peoria IL on a bus trip. We are seeing lots of Christmas displays, shopping and seeing a little play of some kind and a Nativity. I believe that they are famous for their Christmas displays. Thursday on the way ome, we will stop at the Caterpillar plant for a tour. Quite a full two days and I am ready for a couple days AWAY.

I fixed turkey enchiladas for supper. What is with this world. The original recipe said it served 6 and I halved it for the three of us. There is enough left for the three of us to eat another FULL meal on Thursday when we get back.
No wonder the country is full of fat people.

Anyway, you probably won't have another post until Friday. Have a good two days. I know I will.

Love

Mary

Good Day. Cold though. Quite a change from yesterday when it was over 50. My face got kind of stiff when Chelsea and I walked. We saw only one person. Someone was checking their giant inflatable Santa. The Santa scared poor Chelsea but she bravely barked at it. My great protector.

Christmas season is upon us now that Thanksgiving is over. I have started my cards and wrapping presents. The next two weeks will be REALLY hectic. Next week I have Writer's Club party, the Sheboygan Theatre's Peter Pan and the Sheboygan Symphony's Messiah.

I hear from my Bret yesterday and he SOUNDS like his old self. What a releaf after the two big scares. He has his new job and will start it a week from today. This, plus his health improvement is making himfeel good.

Remember:

"Firelight will not let you read fine stories but it's warm and you won't see the dust on the floor."

Mary

Sundays are nice. The choir sang and we were accompanied by Jim Wilsing's Celtic Band, which is always a pleasure and they will be joining us through Advent. We had a baptism which is always a pleasure.

Bobbie, Jim, Dick and I went out to Rhine and did some pistol shooting. My first set was awful. I realized that I have a sore arm AND mainly I shot much to fast. The second was better and the third I was able to do some adjusting and it was not too bad at all. Dick was really good. I hope he joins us in league in January.

It was warm today. All the way up to 50 degrees. For those of you in the warm climates, that is a heat wave. I wore my denim jacket and felt like it was spring or fall. What a pleasure at the end of November.

May Christ and His saints stand
between you and harm.

Mary and her son.
St. Patrick and his staff.
Martin with his mantle.
Bridget with her veil.
Michael with his shield.
And god over all with His strong right hand.

Have a good week and a blessed December taking you safe into the New Year.

Love

Mary

Today was church decorating day. We put up all the advent wreaths and colors. I wish you could see the church. It is a beautiful place and a cooperative effort of at least a dozen people.

It is time to start your Christmas Cards if you haven't. I started today. I will be sending several just by email too, but do have lots that have to go snail mail. I found a very nice tasteful card that should work for everybody.

I mentioned to my friend Steve that I had cut my hand butchering deer and he said that For God's Sake don't tell Sr. Marcia. She prays for the deer every year and apparently sees a difference between cattle and deer. She did not grow up in a hunting family. One of my favorite pictures is one of my Father and his nice buck wiith me, Nora and Tim all looking at it. I will have to get Jim to scan it and put it on the web. I don't know whether Dad is prouder of his deer or his children. We always felt treasured.


Love
Mary

Thanksgiving was wonderful. The turkey turned out soooooo good and it was great having Dick and Brenda, Bobbie and Bill and Bart and Barb here for dinner. I made a really good pumpkin/pasta dish that I found on the net.

You julienne one pound pumpkin and saute it with a chopped onion and a minced garlic in olive oil, add a cup of water, salt and pepper. Then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add a pinch of pepper flakes and a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley. Meanwhile cook 1 lb ziti. When the ziti is done combine with the pumpkin and mix well. Top with 8 oz fresh parmesean and serve.


Wow was it good.

We butchered the two deer today. It was fun. Bobbie's first experience and she enjoyed it too. We were done in about 4 hours. Not too bad.


See Ya!

Mary

Busy, busy, busy. I cooked ALL day. Sure glad I didn't wait until tomorrow to cook this stuff. I would have been exhausted before anyone got her.

Thanksgiving will be a warm fuzzie, I hope. We talked about abundance at our bible study and we certainly will have that. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin casserole, bisquits, relishes and two desserts. Talk about abundance. We will probably be eating leftovers for a week.

I suppose, poor Big Oscar, the black cat, will be rather distressed at all the people in the house. He is a shy soul. However, Roxie is a nosy character and will be out to see what is going on. They must have been very loved at their previous home, they are very trusting cats. I am sure their previous owners hated to give them up and wish we could let them know that the two are content and treasured.

Love

Mary

I couldn't get on yesterday. Somehow or other I couldn't connect to Blogger but here I am again.

Went hunting again today as planned over near his house. We were out for about 5 hours, Jeff, Shane, Jeff Krueger(a friend and ex student of Jeff's) and myself. We went to three spots and did drives from the woods to the fields. We did manage to flush out one doe. Shane got two shots off and I got one but we missed. At least I got a shot again and I felt pretty good about it. That doe was really sailing. Maybe next year will be my year.

Yesterday, my Bart stopped by on his way back from Racine. He was looking pretty good and said he was tired but not in too much pain. This is always great news when it gets late in the afternoon like that. He and Barb will be here for Thanksgiving along with all of the kids except the out-of-staters. Tomorrow, I will spend a good part of the day getting everything I can ready ahead of time.

The choir will be singing at the 9:30AM Mass on Thursday so I will put the turkey in just before I leave for church. I love to feed people.

Remember - Blessings have a way of multiplying as you count them!

Mary

The hunt was successful. All came home safe and we got two deer in the party. Cory Carpenter got a nice doe and my nephew, Shane Deeley got a buck. We were glad for both. Shane comes from Florida for the hunt and hates to go back without filling out because he gets razzed. I still am trying to bag my first deer. I am going over to Hilbert to Jeff's house and go hunting again over there with Jeff and Shane. I had the misfortune of losing my license, God knows where. When I came out of the woods, the plastic envelope was torn and the tags were gone, so I had to get a duplicate today.

I have a rather amusing story to tell about our silly kitty, Roxie. A couple of evenings ago, I went to bed and was reading. I heard her in the closet. Next thing I knew, she was moving out of the closet, pushing a shoe box in front of her. After she got it completely out of the closet, she pushed the top off of it.

Last night, Dick told me to look at her. There she was sitting in the shoe box. She even curled up and napped with her head hung over the edge. We sure do get the odd ones.

Love

Mary

Deer hunting tomorrow. We have quite a group. My brothers, Jeff and Randy, Jeff's son Shane, Randy's daughter Jessica, Bobbie, Lee and Cory Carpenter and me. Probably Jim Karl's son Jason will come out too. He always has. We lost Jim this past year but I would think Jason will still want to hunt.

We will dearly miss Jim. He always brought the beer for after the hunt and he always kept the knives sharp while we butcher the deer on the Friday after Thanksgiving. What a guy. Lots of great memories.

I have been given the job of bringing a 12 pack. I had to ask Jeff what kind as I don't drink it. I was told Miller Lite is the brew of choice so that is what is coming. I will get all ready tonight and just have to dress and move out in the morning. I pick Bobbie up at 4:00AM so we can get out to the woods by 5:45 and in our spots by 6:15 so we are ready for dawn at 6:30. WOW.

Wish us a safe hunt and a good one. I used the last of my venison a couple of weeks ago.

Love

Mary

Rainy and 'Warm" today. I qualify the "warm" because it is almost 50 degrees out there which we find quite comfortable. However, my ex-sister-in-law, Jacquie, informed me that she feels it is rather cool at 68 degrees. So I guess it is a matter of what a person is used to.

When I gave you the pie crust recipe I thought of an incident that occurred shortly after I got married. My father in law, Victor, came over for dinner and I fixed a lemon meringue pie because I knew it was his favorite. Victor said that the pie was good but that he thought that I should get Lil's recipe. Imagine his surprise when I said that I already had. What I am trying to say is that it is not only the recipe, sometimes it takes a little practice.

Have a nice evening.

Mary

I think I mentioned that I am hosting Thanksgiving this year. I am fixing two desserts. Pumpkin Pie and Figgy Hobbin. Figgy Hobbin is a dish I discovered when Dick and I spent a night near Pendarvis Wisconsin. Pendarvis is a Welsh settlement in the Southwestern part of the state. It is kind of like a raisin pie, but made jelly roll fashion. Then you cut it into pinwheel shapes, put two side by side on a plate with a scoop of ice cream and carmel syrup swirled lightly over all. It has become a favorite.

I always use the pie crust recipe that I got from Lil, my dear ex-mother-in-law. Here it is.

1 cup Crisco
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup sugar
3 teasp. salt
6 Tblsp. hot water
1 Tblsp. Canned milk or buttermilk

Cream the Crisco, flour, sugar and salt together with a fork until curmbly. Spinkle the wet ingredients over all and mix until plibable. (Add a little more flour if necessary.) Roll into a circle if for a pie and put into a pie pan. The above is enough for a 2 crust pie.

For Figgy Hobbin, roll into a rectangle. Spread a raisin pie mixture over all. (If you want mine, let me know) Roll jelly roll fashion. Place on cookie sheet and bake until done. 30 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees until browned nicely.

Num Num


Mary

Bret is HOME!!!!!! I called this afternoon and he was even visiting at Tony's house, so he can do whatever he wants. The doctor said that he had one little vessle that was misbehaving. The angioplasty probably has fixed it but if not they will just cut it off. His heart was never a problem which is so great because he is much too young to have heart trouble. He will go to work tomorrow. He said that his leg is not even as painful as when they did the angiogram. Yeah for good doctors and for a healthy body to begin with.

Thank you everyone for your prayers. I know heaven was bombarded. We don't really have to stop you know. He is still my baby and I like for him to be prayed for.

The Packers beat Tampa Bay so this is indeed a stellar day.

Georgia O'Keefe said "I have been terrified every day of my life, but that has never stopped my from doing everything I wanted to do."

Love

Mary

Talked to Bret at about noon today, noon my time. The doctor had not been in as yet but he sounded strong and ready to go home. Trish was ready to come to get him as soon as he was ready to be released. I know he is feeling better because he hated the breakfast they gave him and was hoping to be out of there before he had to face the lunch. He is so pleased that so many people are praying for him. It made him feel very special. I put him on the prayer chain at Blessed Trinity and Barbara put him on the prayer wheel at the temple. I will call him again tomorrow to be find out the instructions he has from his doctor.

We are going to the Symphony tonight. It is Broadway night so should be light and cheery.

I read this quote in Newsweek and simply HAVE to share.

From Kuti Ben-Yaakov of the Hebrew Battalion on getting approval from the rabbis to train pigs to guard settlements on the West Bank: "According to the Muslim faith, a terrorist who touches a pig is not eligible for the 70 virgins in heaven."

That is one of the silliest things I have ever heard. Wonder where the terrorists figure God is going to get all those virgins? And how about all those guard pigs?


Mary

This was a roller coaster day. First, a friend asked me to be the poetry portion of a St. Patrick's Day celebration at Richard's in Sheboygan Falls. Wow, what a privilege. I will read some of mine, some of the Irish greats and some silly tongue in cheek things.

Then, I come home to word that Bret is back in the hospital. He experienced the pain again and went to the hospital at 1:30AM. He has now successfully gone through an angeoplasty. There is now a teeny tiny balloon in a teeny tiny vein near his heart. He comes home at noon tomorrow so I will let him sleep tonight.

Then Bobbie, Jim and I went to the bust up party for the gun league. I have successfully moved from Novice to Sharpshooter since we started last year. The new Buckmark has really done wonders for my prowess. Going to a lighter single action from a heavier double action made my scores really soar.

THE MOUSE ON THE BARROOM FLOOR

Some Guinness was spilt on the barroom floor.
When the pub was shut for the night
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse,
And stood in the pale moonlight.

He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
Then back on his haunches he sat
And All night long you could hear him roar,
"Bring on the goddamn cat!".

Unknown Author


Mary

Christmas is REALLY coming. We had choir tonight and picked up all of our Christmas music. Lots of pretty and perky stuff. Like "Mary Did You Know?" and "Ding Dong Merrily on High."

Sr. Marcia had a wonderful speaker, David, for a Senior Saint program this morning. Mother went too. We started with a bit of a social gathering at 8:30AM with coffee and sweet rolls and then he spoke followed by a mass for the Seniors. A lovely morning. He said one thing that really stuck in my mind. In Leviticus 26 it speaks of the practice of the harvest of the Jews of that age. They would always leave the produce around the edge of the field for the poor. If we all did that, there would be no hungry people in the world. He also mentioned that we keep trying to build or rent more room for the things that we accumulate rather than just eliminating what we no longer need.

Sharing. After Christmas, we should all do the paring down and the winnowing out of our closets.

Tomorrow.

Love

Mary

Christmas Shopping, what a chore. We have been catalog, online shopping all day and have agreed that it is a lot easier than tromping the malls. We are making a big dent and ar down near the end.

There is a catalog avalanche that pours into this house most of the year but it becomes overwhelming at the holiday season. We easily receive 6 to 10 catalogs per DAY. Isn't that frightening?

Tomorrow is a busy day outside the house. Dick and I will get our portrait taken at Blessed Trinity, I have a meeting all morning and choir and a council agenda meeting in the evening.

Well, as my Mother used to say. It is time to "go up the wooden hill to four corners."' I am going to bed. I am tired.

Love


Mary

Wow, have I ever taken a break. It is almost a week and I vowed that I would post to this at LEAST every other day.

It has been busy and I have been terrible distracted.

Sunday, Bobbie, Jeff, Randy, Jessica and I went out to the woods to check out our stands for deer hunting which will open a week from Saturday. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The sky was blue, the sun was warm, the grass smelled like new mown hay and it was crisp and perfect. Hope it is that nice on the opener.

I sit in the stand that Matt, Jeff's son, used to use. It overlooks the swamp and affords a nice view of a large area with several good shooting lanes. I did see several deer last year and got one shot off. I hope this is my year. I have paid my dues and really need to earn my keep now.

This Friday evening is the bust up party for the pistol league. I feel pretty good about it this time. The new Buckmark has made my scores go up considerably.

Winter is around the corner. It was almost up to 60 today, so I took advantage of the warmth to pull the last of the marigolds from my planter. I would like to share from Cadfael. Brother Cadfael's Penance, Chapter 1.

It is "A time to pause, to look round, to make sure that nothing had been neglected, no fence unrepaired, against the winter."

Hope your fences are all "repaired."


Mary

Being a Mom is not for the weak. One would think that once you got them grown you could stop worryig about them. Not true. Actually, the worries just get bigger and you can't heal them with kisses or a big hug.

I was so pleased to see Little Jimmy Dickens on the CMA awards tonight. Sure would have liked to hear him sing one of his songs though.

Love

Mary

Rain, rain, beautiful rain. It rained off and on all day. We need water so badly. I hope it is raining in California where they need it even worse than we do. I understand that people are getting back in to the areas of devastation and at least are able to survey their losses and perhaps salvage something. I cannot imagine losing precious things like pictures and some precious things that bring memories and make a person feel close to the person or event that they symbolize.

We are working on our Christmas list. Does it seem possible that it is time to do that already? But it is only three weeks to hunting and then Thanksgiving. I always try to get the mailed presents off the first week in December so I don't have to worry about them being late.

By the way, my arm is better. I found out that less than 1% of the people who get the pneumonia shot get a severe local reaction and, guess what, I am special. It is almost healed now. Just a slight ache and slight redness this morning. I was told not to get another one because the reaction will probably be even more severe.

Remember, that every child has a right to feel that God created the world JUST for him or her.

Mary

All Saints Day, All Souls Day. The choir sang today. Lots of beautiful touching Sainty hymns. Unto The Hills, an especially nice hymn that we sing partially a capella. Steve Naffin has taught us well.

"There's nithing better in the whold wold than a friend showing up at your door asking if you can come out and play. So don't mope around the house all by yourself. Go ahead. Ring a friend's doorbell!"
Leigh Anne Josheway

Isn't she wonderful.

Your Friend

Mary

November 1st. All the goulies and ghosties are gone until next year. Today was All Saints Day. I would like to pay tribute to all the saints that I know that are in that land beyond the sky. My Grandparents, my Dad, my Brothers and all the wonderful Aunts and Uncles who were such great examples of good people for me as I grew and became the person I am. Pope John Paul II won't ever canonize any of them.

Keep well.

Love

Mary

From Goulies and Ghosties
And long legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night.

Dear Lord, Deliver Us.

Happy Halloween


Mary

This has been a really hectic week. It is THURSDAY already and I have not posted since Sunday. Monday we shopped and I nursed a headache, a remainder of the concern that Bret's illness gave me. Tuesday, I sewed a square of the Birds in the Air that I am incorporating in to the quilt I am assembling that was inspired by the Gee's Bend Exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Wednesday, Dick and I picked up Mother and we went to the Senior Center in Sheboygan Falls. (It is really heard to believe that I am a Senior, but I am.) We all got our flu shots and I got a pneumonia shot. I will never do that again. The pneumonia shot has caused my arm to swell and get red around the point of needle entry and red sore streaks are spreading down to my underarm. I had MORE trouble sleeping last night.

Today we went shopping and then I napped because I was exhausted. This afternoon, I went with several other people to play bingo at Rocky Knoll with some of the patients there. This was the third time I have done this and it is really a fun thing to do. I like helping those people and a person does come home so grateful for health and healthy families.

Then tonight was choir and Parish Council meeting. So It has been wild.


Retirement is not for the lazy. Though Dick has learned the trick. When you ask him what he does, he says, " I am retired, that is what I do."

Love

Mary

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles. Bret is HOME and OK. He did not have a heart attack after all, despite what they told him at the hospital in Blythe. (Probably why the fact that he drove himself from Blythe to Lakewood did not cause him to have another one.) The doctor said it was stress. The stress caused his blood vessels around the heart to constrict causing the pain. He is sounding WONDERFUL and obviously relieved. This Mother is just starting to get over her headache.

Thank you all for your prayers. I know that is what brought us through.

Love

Mary

My boy, Bret, called tonight. He is in the hospital, having experienced a mild heart attack. It isn't right, you know. My children should not be experiencing adult illnesses or problems and he, at 36, is much too young anyway.

Anyone who reads this, please, pray for Bret. Tomorrow, he will have the results of the tests and they will know the extent of any damage and what he needs to do to heal. Bart happens to be in California for a week. That is a comfort. At least, Bret has some family and I am grateful for all his good friends. And he does have many.

Please pray for health.

Thank you

Mary

What a night. Bobbie and I went shooting for our regular pistol league. I am doing SO much better with the new Buckmark than I did with the Colt Trooper. The Buckmark is a single action and so much easier to handle. I will keep practicing with the Trooper until I get it but not for league.

Doc, one of the Rhine Plymouth members, the one who nominated me for secretary, had purchased one of the decks of playing cards with all the "wanted" people from Iraq. When Bobbie and I were going down, he gave us each one to "practice" on. We pasted them on our non league target and both did very well. I had the 6 of hearts, Mohammad Mahdi Al-Sahib the Minister of Trade. I got him right in the middle of the forehead. Will Jim ever be impressed. All the guys at the club were.

Love

Mary

My Aunt Mary Ann Bowser shared this soup with me when Dick and I made our trip to Texas several years ago. I has turned out to be a keeper. My grandaughters call it Pizza Soup.

Zucchini Soup

1 ½ lb. Mild Italian Sausage (no reason you can't use hot if you like it better)
1 Cup Onion Chopped
1 Cup Green Pepper Chopped
1 Cup Celery Chopped

Saute and drain the above ingredients.

Add
1 16 oz can of Italian tomatoes
1 28 oz can of stewed tomatoes
1 quart tomato juice
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
½ tsp sugar
8 oz carton fresh mushrooms, slices
1 lbs Zucchini sliced


Simmer for one hour. FANTASTIC. This soup also Freezes well which you may have to do because it is a really LARGE recipe.

It will be in the cookbook I am writing.

Love

Mary

Dick and I sang Happy Birthday to Jim when he woke up this morning and he ran away and hid. But he liked his pasta dinner and chocolate birthday cake this evening.

I have finished the items that I am donating to Festival of Trees. The SWAK Advent Calendar looks pretty good. The envelopes will hold little jungle figurines and have a candy cane hanging from the envelope. Sandy from the Festival Committee came over tonight to look at it and really liked it so I feel more confidant.

Barb and I will go to the Festival and to Kristkindlmart in Elkhart. We LOVE those things.

Mary

Tomorrow is Jim's birthday. He is taking tomorrow and Thursday off, so he and Dick are going to go gambling tomorrow. I will bake a cake for him while they are gone and I am fixing a rather nice Italian Pasta dinner too. While they are gone (I love it when they go gambling because then I am sure that Dick will not ask me to go. He doesn't often but he does enjoy it and I do not.) I am going to do a bit of shopping and drop some things off at St. Vinnies.

Tomorrow I go to Bible Study and I actually finally got the chapter from Mark read and the notes read too so feel rather prepared. We are on the 12th chapter which ends with Jesus telling the apostles that the poor widow's two coins were worth so much more than the large contributions of the rich people. I want to share a line with the group from my friend Sy Regan who wrote a poem he shared with Blessed Trinity Parish in his deacon's message. It is as follows: "And so we pray in churches, While Christ is on the mountain we avoid."


Mary

I am working on a cookbook and am rediscovering lots of recipes and cooking tips that I have gathered over the years. I used to be able to put a meal on the table in less than a half an hour. Now, though I still can provide the quick stuff, I love to spend time and care in preparing meals. I do love to cook.

I am working on the soup chapter and found a vegetable soup I used when I was really dieting. It was filling and provided two veggie servings in one bowl so was really good. I will share it with you here.

It is called

SLIM Veggie Soup

3 sups water
6 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups canned tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cupps shredded cabbage
Salt and Pepper

Put water, bouillon and tomatoes in a kettle. Bring to a boil and add the vegetables. Bring back to boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer till vegetables are done. Makes 6 one cup servings at 66 calories each.

Nummy Nummy in my tummy.


Mary

Dick and Brenda were in town for the weekend and took us out for lunch today. We went to the Horse and Plow and mercifully missed the Packer Game. They lost again. This time to St. Louis. Such a disappointment - glad we were doing something more fun. We also went to the Kohler Design Center as Dick and Brenda are planning on doing some bathroom remodeling and wanted Ideas. If you have never been to the Design Center it is a MUST. Totally free and just a marvelous experience. Who would have thougth that bathrooms and plumbing fixtures would be fun.

I liked my little reading from the Cadfael Book of Days. it was from The Hermit of Eyton Forest Chapter 6 and read.

"A pity, a great pity there should be so much hurrying on of death, when it's bound toreach every man in its own good time."

Have a good week and live for joy.


Mary

Such a great day. The weather is "to die for." It was in the low 70s this afternoon which is really easy to take in October. The Sheboygan County Writers Club sponsered a Poetry Reading at the John Michael Kohler Art Center this afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00PM. We did not have a BIG crowd, but we had a wonderful crowd. Five people from the club and as many readers from the community. We may have gained two more members for the club or more. Such talent.

I read several poems as we did a round robin. Some, I have featured on this site, some not. But they were well received. I ended with the poem that I printed for my kids at Christmas. Not mine, but I found it - attributed to an "anonomous Norwegian." I will repeat it for those who might not have heard it.

May you always find light on a cloudy day.
When you need to be home may you find the way.
May you always have courage to take a chance.
And never find frogs in your underpants.

Slainte


Mary

I had my annual mammogram last week and was called back today to check an irregularity in one area. I was not happy about that at all. They are all so cheerful and very solicitous and reassuring and after an hour and a half, two mammograms and a sonogram, decided that it is nothing to worry about but they want to recheck in 6 months instead of the usual year. Now, how is that supposed to read.

As I said, for all the discomfort, they are really very kind and generous in that area of the clinic.

But I am still nervious.

Here is a funny quote, I read by ANON. (he really wrote a lot, didn't he?)

"If Jesus was Jewish, how come he has a Mexican name?"

Mary

I neglected to mention yesterday, that Britt said the Quilters of Gee's Bend came to the opening in Milwaukee and only had three requests.

1. They wanted their quilts treated like Art.
2. They wanted to tour the City of Milwaukee.
and
3. They wanted to sing at the opening.

They did all three. I purchased a copy of their CD which is a two disk of gospel music. I listened to the first disc today. It is very nice. All a capella and very low key. They JUST sing.

I will share if anyone wishes to hear it.

Love

Mary

I would recommend the current exhibit of the Quilts of Gee's Bend that is the main exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum to ANYONE who can go. I went today with my Mother and had the extra icing on the cake of being able to lunch and be guided to the Georgia O'Keefe section and through part of the Gee's Bend exhibit with my niece Britt Salvesen and her husband Brian , who are employees of the museum. Britt is the Assistant Curator of Prints and Brian works in the Graphic Arts Department. We had SUCH a perfect day. Mother and I really got into the quilts and enjoyed the accompanying video immensly. I was so impressed with the women and what they had to say. One of them said that when she were growing up they had nothing and were really poor but were happy. Now people have everything and are not happy. And what a wonderful laugh she gave after her statement.

I was sorry that I could not have been there for the opening. The ladies were there and even sang. I did buy their CD so we will be able to enjoy their music.

Love

Mary

I guess yesterday's post didn't POST. I told you all about going shooting with Jim and Bobbie and sighting in my shotgun and letting Bobbie and Jim shoot my 243 Page rifle. Did I tell you about that rifle? It was a gift from my first husband before Bret was even born. Before Bret was born, I did go deer hunting a couple of times with him.

The gun was made for me by our friend Ralph Winchester. He hand carved the stock out of a piece of black walnut he had brought back from his Grandfather's farm in Arkansas. Then he fiberglassed it so it doesn't scratch easily. He put in a 240 Page action. It is an easy gun to shoot. Hardly any kick at all.

Today I went to Writer's Club and learned a new kind of poetry called Pantoum. It is kind of complicated. But this is the example that we did as a group.

Autumn in Wisconsin

The leaves of color
Yellow birch leaves glistening
Cover the forest floor
Eludes Jack Frost's bite

Yellow birch leaves glistening
Musty smell under the trees
Eludes Jack Frost's bite
Children hide in the leaves.

Musty smell under the trees
A carpet fro God's creatures
Children hide in the leaves
Squirrels scurry with acorns.

A carpet for God's creatures
Covers the forest floor
Squirrels scurry with acorns
The leaves of color.


Interesting isn't it. I'm going to try my own.

Mary

Saturday. It was really foggy when Chelsea and I went walking this morning. The temperatures were nice anyway.

I am much better today and went out on the deck to pull some more of the plants that are dying off as Autumn moves on in to Winter. I also went out front and harvested my Marigold seeds for next years planting. I have a whole snack bag stuffed FULL and must try to remember that I really have enough. I could get many more but don't need them. I have a tendancy to think like my Dad and always figure that more is better when you are harvesting.

Dad was always that way. I still remember him "advising' Mom when we were having guests for dinner. He was always pushing her to add a couple of more potatoes or a few more carrots or another couple of burgers or whatever. That is probably why I overcook for company and even for the three of us.

It is getting a bit easier to find meals that are all eaten up at the table and not still there for two more days.

See you Sunday

Mary

Bobbie, Jim and I went shooting tonight. The new gun is really making my scores better. With it, I hit the target every shot. My scores are 40 and up. (Last week I got a 68.) With the Colt I was lucky to be getting scores in to the 30s.

I am feeling much better today but will lay pretty low this weekend to make sure I have shaken this cold. I went to the doctor and he said this particular virus seems to last one to two weeks and I have no intention of having it for two weeks. He gave me some cough medicine whtich really helps me sleep.


My sister Dolores has wild grapes in her backyard and called to see if I would like to have them to make wine. Naturally I jumped at the chance. We picked enough that I will be able to make 2 gallons of actual grape wine from scratch. I am really excited about that. I will start it as soon as we get the acid tester I seem to need to begin. This winemakeing is really fun.

Happy Saturday

Mary

Today the cold seemed better but I felt queazy most of the afternoon. There is NO justice. I have missed two meetings and bible study, all because of this cold. Tomorrow there had better be an improvement. I have been able to take Chelsea for a walk the past two days which should get my blood to healing and keep her from going crazy.

I have my physical tomorrow too so if I am not better, I will tell the doctor that he had better do his job.

Have a great day.

Mary

I caught a cold. I am not happy about it but It really is a dilly. I started with a sore throat and have now progessed to congestion and tiredness. Anyway, that is why I did not post yesterday. Tomorrow I have to be better because I have an appointment at 11:00 and want to go to my sister Dolores's before the appointment to pick wild grapes that are growing in their backyard to make wine with.

That should be fun, an actual grape wine from scratch.

Later
Mary

Bart and Barb stopped by this afternoon for a quick visit. They were driving today and found a little kitten by the roadside. They stopped and tried to find its owner and then couldn't leave it so they "equiped it" with food, litter, a carrying case and a box and will take it home. It is the cutest little thing. Roxie hissed at it and later with the door to the carrying case closed that little mite hissed at Roxie. She should do quite well. They have named her J Lo. Bart has always loved kitties from his earliest years and has gone without one for many years. I am glad he found one and they will do fine.

Love


Mary

We went to the Sheboygan Symphony at the Stephanie Wiell Center tonight. It was a wonderful concert. It was "Mediterranean Night" but was led off by a fanfare to Sheboygan that was written and arranged by Char Zwifel who works at the library in the Children's Room. It was quite good and I would imagine we will be hearing it again.

Nice evening. I am glad we decided to get season tickets this year.

Mary

I don't remember if I told you that Bobbie, Jim and I shoot pistol every Friday at the Rhine/Plymouth Field and Stream Club that Bobbie and I belong to. Bobbie and I are in a league. I had been shooting with my Colt Trooper revolver that I got as a present in my previous life. It is a heavy gun, almost an antique. I really like it but it is a revolver with double action and it has been misfiring quite a lot. Jim took it to a gunsmith to get it checked out - so last week I used Jim's Buck Mark and did pretty well. I actually shot in the 50s for one. I have been lucky to get thirty or so with the Trooper.

Dick and I went to Gander Mountain last Sunday and bought a Buck Mark Target 22 which we BOTH intend to use, if I can get Dick to the club.

Tonight, I shot it for the first time. I got 4 targets for tonight, two to test out with and two for league. The first was a bit low, the second a bit high. Then, fortunately for league, I got a 62. 5 in the black and the second was in the 50s somewhere. So I am a HAPPY camper.

I'll keep you informed.

Mary

It froze in many area of the county last night. We seemed OK. At least nothing I looked at seemed damaged. I am bringing in my hanging pots and cutting off the geraniums and vines. We will see if I can keep them through the winter. Last year some of my vines did survive the winter. Next year, I want more color anyway. It didn't get much over 50 degrees, but Chelsea and I went out and did some trimming on the hedge in the front yard. I want everything nice for the winter.

I've been thinking of my brother Matt lately. He was a poet, you know. He died when he was only 17 but he left us his poetry and some paintings too. After he died his friends did a concert so that his poems could be published and we have that book. I will share one of his poems with you. He never used captial letters.

THE DAY BEFORE I TOOK MY LEAVE

the day before i took my leave
the breath howled heavy in the tubes
and walls were thick and thin and red
and i kicked and moaned like life
the day before i took my leave
life had struck me in the face
i saw the seas of existance run
through the tunnels to my spark
my spark shined brightly in the darkness
darkness giving birth to dreams
i think i dreamed of what i'd be
where i'd go and what i'd see
what i'd do and who i'd love
i've loved many loved them true
ever since i left the room
i've seen I've felt i've cried i've heard
i've felt sadness joy and pain
i wonder...
would i be willing to go through it all again.

by Matt Deeley (my brother)


Mary

We had a very interesting Bible Study this morning. The group has been stuck on the first half of Mark 10 regarding marriage and divorce. Jesus seems so blunt there as to there being no divorce allowed, but I cannot imagine him being so unwavering that he would expect people in untenable situations to continue living together and I cannot accept that he would expect people to live alone all their lives if such a situation arises. He made us people who need people and people who love people. Loneliness is an awful thing.

Anyway we got some answers and will be moving on to the second half next week.

We are going to see MASH tonight. Dinner at Ninos.

Have a great evening

Mary

Selkies or Silkies or Seal People exist in many Celtic Legends. Mermaids are also part of the seal people legend. I imagine that seals on the rocks often gave the look of a woman. The fact that Ireland is an island means that the people were closely tied to the sea so sea creatures became a natural source of myth.

Scotland was actually the source of the Silkie or Selkie. These were creatures, gentle in nature who became men or women by night but seals by day. There is a beautiful haunting song called the Great Silkie about a soul carrier, who has a child by a mortal woman. Anyway, I am learning more as I go on and will share interesting bits as I find them.


Love

Mary

What a crazy world this is.

Yesterday, we at Blessed Trinity Church had such a wonderful celebration of Celtic Spirituality. We had a Mass that involved bagpipes, Irish Dancers, a Celtic Band and our own choir, (which I belong to) who really outdid ourselves. Fr. Mike Moran, our previous pastor, came to celebrate with us and it was so so good to see his loving self again. Such a warm wonderful sevice and I saw so many good Irish friends.

Then I come home and while checking the news, discover that Pope John Paul II has appointed 31 new cardinals. Wow, sound good. Ya Sure. Only ONE, count em is from the U.S. Isn't that a slap in the face.

Perhaps the world needs a good Irish Blessing.


If a fairy, or a man, or a woman
Hath overlooked thee,
There are three greater in heaven
Who will cast all evil from thee
Into the great and terrible sea.
Pray to them and to the seven anges of God,
And they will watch over thee.

Let the Trinity watch over thee from me.

Mary