Today the sky was blue and it was not damp. Chelsea and I went for a walk this morning and though there was a rather chilly breeze it was very nice with the sun shinning down on us.

Dick and I went to Sears to get some sox for him. They have done a lot of rearranging in the store, so we looked around a bit. We went into the appliance department and were surprised at the new washing machines. They are front loading and look really weird. You can get them on a pedistal so you don't even have to bend over to load. The look very futuristic.

I finished drawing out the plans for the banner that I want to make for church for Celtic Mass. It should work. I must now start looking for fabric.

I also got the plans for the Senior program that will be presented in February. We, Senior Saints, will join the school kids at their 1:00PM Mass on Wednesday Feb 22, then I will have refreshments in the vestibule followed by a concert of the Golden Chordaliers, a Senior Chorus who sing four part harmony. One of their members is 94 years old. Wow. My friend Dorothy Ruh is a member of the chorus. I made up a flyer for the bulletin and to send to the seniors. I will put an ad in the Sheboygan Falls News too. Perhaps some people from the greater community will come.

When Bart and I came to Wisconsin from Minnesota, I did not have a job. We found an apartment in Sheboygan. Bart told me later that he was really scared at that time. Later on, when he was older, and he found out how little I was making at that time he asked me how I ever did it. He said that anytime he wanted anything I always managed to get it for him. Fortunately, he was not a demanding kid and his requests were always reasonable. I was a pretty good manager of our funds and we did OK.
He was the one who always wanted to go looking at houses on weekends and when we found our little house in Sheboygan Falls he kind of pushed me to buy it. It was perfect for the two of us and Zero and Waylon. Two little bedrooms upstairs. One bathroom, a kitchen a dining room, a living room and another small room downstairs. They were all little teeny rooms but they were fine for us. I think it made him feel more secure to be in our own place. It was not an easy time, but I did the best I could.

Tomorrow, Bobbie and I work at Rhine. We will have to shoot pistol league too. Have a nice day.

Mary

I told Dick the other day that I was hungry for a fish fry. He said that it sounded like a great idea to him, so - tonight we went to Zana's for a Lake Perch Dinner. It was very good. The only complaint is that they serve WAY too much food. We brought enough potatoes for breakfast and fish for lunch. I guess that is OK, but if they served less and charged less I would be happier.

It was damp and chilly today thought the temperatures stayed in the upper 30s.

We also went to see Narnia this afternoon. Thank you Brenda. It is a wonderful movie. I can see why it is getting all the award nominations. I understand it is full of symbols about the war. It would be really interesting to find them out. I think I will have to read the story. I don't think I ever did. At least I didn't remember the story line.

Tomorrow is pretty quiet, but we do have to go out and do a bit of clothes shopping for Dick. Sox mainly. Aside from that, I intend to write and sew. I hope Chelsea stops being such a pest. She wants to go out too much. I am beginning to think she just wants lettuce. If she doesn't "perform", I am not giving her any.

I have always had dogs and cats. We had them growing up and I had them in my
California life also. I told you a bit about my Sam cat yesterday. She was quite a girl. Once, she had climbed into the camper when I went to the store to pick something up. I opened the camper door to put my purchased in and she shot out and took off. I was only about five blocks from home so after a cursery search, figured she would find her way. However, she did not come home that night or for the next three weeks. Boy, was my neighbor, John, who adored her mad at me. He spoiled her terribly. He used to fix her fresh chopped liver for treats.

To continue, one evening I heard a noise at the kitchen screen and there was my Sam.
I rushed to open the door and she glided in. I was SO elated, I called John. Then she turned her other side to me and I almost collapsed. There was a scar, an inch wide and running almost the full length of her body. It was healed over, but was still awful. I called the Vet immediately. The first thing he asked was why was she not brought in sooner. So I told him what happened. As it turned out it was a flesh wound. A huge one for sure but a flesh wound. He gave me a salve to put on it and it healed so well that you would never have known. The only thing that we can figure is that she climbed under the hood of a car to get warm and got clipped by the fan. Then she must have crawled off to nurse her wounds until she was well enough to make her way home.

We had her for quite a while after that. I really loved that cat.

Have a special weekend.

Mary

I was on the run all day today. This morning, Dick and I went out to breakfast after we got the trash out. Then we went grocery shopping and on to Fessler's Drug Store to pick up the last pair of the compression stockings that he has to wear.

We got home just in time for me to get the groceries put away before I had to pick up Mother for her appointment with the hearing aid doctor. Both of her hearing aids needed cleaning and adjustment. One of them is failing fast so Dr. Nytis fitted her for a new one. The new one will filter out some background noises and can be directed to the front in some conversation situations so that conversations in back won't be rattling around. We HOPE to have it by next Friday so that she will be able to wear it at the big Birthday Bash. But the doctor does have the old one functioning if that doesn't happen.

When I got home, it was so beatiful and the sun was shining so Chelsea and I went for a walk. Was that ever nice. Then I cleaned bathrooms, fixed dinner and headed for choir.

I also got a welcome call from Jacquie, my ex-sister-in-law. It is always so good to hear her voice and catch up on all those people that were a part of my life for so many years. Aunt Velma, my mother in law's sister, is going to be 95 in February. We exchange Christmas Cards and I am always SO very glad to get hers. She is a lovely person. I will be sure to get a card off to her for her special day, February 4th.

This morning, I was remembering friends from years gone by. One friend that came to mind was Karl Kendall. Crazy Karl we used to call him. Karl was a carpenter. One time he fell off a roof and landed upside down with his head stuck between the fender and the front of a car. He wasn't hurt a bit. We always told him that if he had landed on his feet he would have killed himself.

One time he did some work for Dick (my ex) and me on our house. He was getting ready to go into the house and saw our cat, Samantha, a beautiful black cat with emerald green eyes, sitting on the neighbor's fence. He figured that we probably didn't want her in because we were both at work. So he kept his eyes on her as he opened the door and sidled into the kitchen. Then he turned to go into the hall and there was Sam. In the middle of the kitchen floor. She was a work of art too.

Anyway, Karl lives in Bullhead City, about a mile from Jacquie and she said he is as crazy as he ever was. So things don't change much.

Have a nice Friday.

Mary

I went to quilt guild today. Usually I try to avoid going to the day meetings - however - I want to make a quilt for the At Risk Babies at Childrens Hospital and if I hadn't gone today I would not have gotten the kit in time to get it done. I also wanted to pick up a Challenge Block for the yearly raffle. We had a speaker from The Sewing Basket talk to us about thread. I learned quite a lot. The Guild is probably not going to have a Quilt Show this year because noone came forward to chair the event. It sounded like there were a couple of people who might take the challege up for the following year. Apparently some guilds only do one every two years. Everyone can be very proud of me - I did not volunteer for ANYTHING.

We had good old Kraft Dinner for supper - I made it with ham in it. Sure tasted good. We shop tomorrow. Good thing as we are out of fruit and even more serious. There is NO MORE LETTUCE left for Chelsea. She may leave home. Of course, we can Kind of fake her out with celery or carrots, but lettuce is the creme de la creme in her mind.

It is still gloomy around here. There was even some rain but the temps went up to 40 this afternoon, so Chelsea and I did take a short walk. I saw the people who lost their dog and they still have not found poor old Wishbone. I hope someone took him in and will try to find his owners. Dogs like that keep wandering. I had a black lab named Buddy once. He got out of the yard and it was a few days later before I got a call from a school miles away. He had traveled several miles and crossed several busy streets to get there. I think she just kept wandering one way and then another and finally someone corralled her. The guy kept saying "Are you sure she is yours? You live WHERE?" But Buddy knew me and that is always a pretty good clue. Of course, Chelsea would probably run right by me. She is such a silly girl.

Have a nice Thursday.

Mary

We did have some sun today but it never got as warm as Sally Severson from Channel 12 said it would. The highest that I saw was 33 degrees. Chelsea and I went for a nice walk this afternoon anyway. On our walk, one of our neighbors and a boy stopped us and asked us to keep our eyes out for their dog, Wishbone. He is a beagle, black, brown and white with some gray around his whiskers. Apparantly he wandered off and they can't find him. They said he likes to chase rabbits. Chelsea and I saw no sign of him but will continue to look as we walk each day. Poor little dog, I am sure he is frightened by now.

Aside from my walk, I did NOT leave the yard today. It was really quite nice. Kitties followed me all over the house. Roxie was naughty this evening. I was in the den sewing. Chelsea was sleeping peacefully in front of Jim's chair and Roxie just walked up to her and started beating her up. Chelsea looked hurt, so I told her to come and sit with me for a while. Right now, Roxie is acting like little Miss Innocent, sleeping peacefully on the desk underneath the lamp.

I guess that I had better make a coconut cream pie this weekend. I made banana cream for New Year's Day and Jim said that he thought that coconut should be next. This is a quiet weekend, a good thing since the next weekend is Mom's birthday and the following weekend we are going to the Fireside to see the Fabulous 50s. I don't know why everything always has to come at once. But at least we had a couple of quiet weekends in between.

Yesterday the Cadfael Book of Days said. "There is a right place for every soul under the sun." I liked that. It is nice to think that everybody is special and has his/her own place. Bloom in yours today

Mary

Today was a very nice Monday.

Started off with the very first Bible Study of the year. As we are studying the scriptures of the upcoming Sunday, it does become quite timely. Sunday is about answering the call of Jesus. We also reviewed a few things. I realized that a couple of our members are not too familiar with the order of the books of the bible so just before we left I reviewed things a bit.

There are two books - the Old Testament and the New Testament. The New Testament is as follows: the four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (in that order. When I was young, I learned this little poem which always helped me remember. "Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, went to bed with their britches on." The word britches always makes things easy for a kid to remember.) After the Gospels comes the Acts of the Apostles. Next are the letters or epistles (one of our members did not know that letters and epistles were the same thing.) and last but not least is the Book of Revelation.

Anyway, sometimes we assume that people know things that we do. Not everybody has been exposed to the same things.

Today, the travel channel featured a parasail adventure. It reminded me of the time I went up on a parasail behind a jeep out on the desert. There are no words to describe the peace and beauty of such a ride. I did attempt it in a poem. Did I ever publish that on this site? If I didn't and you would like to read it let me know.

Went to Writers Club this afternoon. I read and sang the song lyrics that I wrote for Celtic Faire. They liked them and Ann Pirrung said that she figures she does not have to go to church for a while.

We did a fun little exercize of a type of poem called a Cin Quain.

Here is my little poem

Puppy
Chubby - Happy
Yipping - Jumping - Licking
Goffy little ball of slobber
Cuddly


Be Happy today

Mary

We had SUNSHINE today. While Bobbie and I were driving back from Rhine after shooting, we suddenly saw shadows. Then we saw blue sky. What a wonderful pleasure. As soon as I got home, Chelsea and I went out for a nice long walk. She didn't turn in at the driveway this time. She even took the extra little dogleg that we sometimes skip. We both felt WONDERFUL when we got back home.

The singing at Mass went very well. The kids sing well and we blended together nicely. I think the congregation liked it too.

I fixed venison steaks with baked potato, fresh green beans and tossed salad for supper tonight. I marinaded the steaks in a steak rub that I often use. They were tender and very tasty.

The teens at Blessed Trinity that are planning on going on mission this summer are selling cinnamon rolls again this year. I bought four. We shared one tonight so we could have a taste (we are still dieting, you know) Then there is one for each of us. Dick an I figure on that for breakfast on Tuesday, as we will be done with the blast off week and can have just that and fruit for breakfast and still not be overdoing.

I have decided to make two wall hangings for Church for Celtic Mass. I am beginning to draw out the first which will be adapted from a design that I have on a pin called the Hand Of God. It is full of Celtic Knots rising up to a hand in the sky with a halo surrounding the hand. I will have to do it in thirds so that it will be big enough. The companion piece, (if the first works) will be a Celtic High Cross adapted from the pictures of high crosses that I took on my trips to Ireland. I will keep you posted.

Less than two weeks to Mom's Birthday. Time is a flyin'. Haven't heard from anybody, so I guess that all I have to do is order the corsage for her. I wrote to the White House requesting a birthday card. I know she doesn't think much of Bush, but I still think that she deserves recognition from our President.

Have a nice Monday. I have Bible Study AND Writer's Club. I have decided to share the song lyrics that I wrote and we sang at Celtic Mass.

Love

Mary

Today was quiet. This morning Dick and I went out for breakfast, just for the fun of it. Chelsea and I went for a walk. She seemed to get a bit tired today so we only walked for about a half an hour. It was chilly and damp anyway.

This afternoon, I cleared the Christmas stuff off if the dining room table and put the Christmas music away. Then I took a nap. I slept until 6:30AM and was still tired by noon. I think the gloomy days are getting to me.

I also worked on the appliqued Cocker Spaniel that I am putting on a quilt. So far, it looks great. We will see how things end up.

Two more days on our blast off 1000 calorie week. Tonight we had Hunt's spaghetti sauce on spaghetti with broccoli and a salad. So we are eating tasty meals just measured and planned ones and mainly NO grazing as we go through the kitchen. That kind of behavior kind of creeps up on a person.

Tomorrow, the choir will be singing at the 10:30 Mass. We are singing with the Kindercore. One is a straight duet, the other is a version of Away in the Manger. The kids will sing the song through a capella and then we will sing the modified hymn in parts and then the kids will finish with a verse a capella again. Should be really special. I think the congregation will like it.

Jim, Bobbie and I are going shooting tomorrow. League started Friday so we have to get signed up and started.

Yesterday, at Dairy Queen, Stan and Peg Payne came in about the time we were leaving. I worked with Peg at Wells for some years. We discovered that we both have roots at St. Michael Church near Parnell. Her brother, Bernard Michaels, wrote a couple of books about the Irish Settlers there. Also, her mother went to the "Normal School" in Sheboygan Falls. At that time the "Normal School" was the teachers college. A few years later, my Mother attended that school and taught for a few years before she married my Father. At that time she stopped teaching because that was what was done in those days.

Anyway, to conclude my thought, Peg's Mother, Margaret, stayed at my grandparent's house while she was attending the school. In those days, it would have been too difficult to travel there everyday and friends helped friends out - e.g. providing room and board for friend's children when they went to school some distance away. She said that she was just reading her brother's book the other day and came upon a story of a Michaels wedding in which a Bowser was the best man. How deep these ties are.

Have a lovely Sunday. Pray for sun.

Mary

We got our call from Leslie tonight. It was good hearing her voice and we had a nice long talk. The girls were out (it is Friday night after all) but they are both doing pretty well. Sara is working and has been there a while now. Nora has a job also but is a Senior in High School AND has a boyfriend so she is probably really stretched.

I had lunch with the Plymouth People today. Since we are still doing the Richard Simmons Blast Off week, I had a chicken breast salad and fixed a chef's salad for Dick. I cleanced the kitchen floor this morning too. So it was a busy day. I have been catching up on computer emails this afternoon.

We had turkey burgers, cabbage, noodles and salad for supper. Tomorrow I am thinking of spaghetti.

One year when Bret was just a baby, probably 9 months old, I brought him to Wisconsin to introduce him to the family. I remember one day that Mother and I went shopping and left him sleeping with my brother, Jeff and my sister Dolores babysitting. While we were gone, he woke up and needed changing. Neither Jeff nor Dolores were very adept at changing a baby. So - they removed the old diaper. Then Jeff held him up in the air and Dolores arranged and pinned the new diaper on him. Mother and I were in a "roll the eyes" mode when they told us that one. Bret giggled every time he saw them after that. I think he thought it was a fun game.

Have a nice weekend.

Mary

We got our call from Leslie tonight. It was good hearing her voice and we had a nice long talk. The girls were out (it is Friday night after all) but they are both doing pretty well. Sara is working and has been there a while now. Nora has a job also but is a Senior in High

What a busy day Dick and I had today. We started off with breakfast at Zana's, then proceeded to see Sue, who checks Dick's blood. He was within the perameters again, but right on the bottom rung so she wants to see him in two weeks instead of the usual four. We left her and got a cup of coffee from the Coffeology Cafe at the Clinic. Next we proceeded to Dr. Phelan's office and Dick had the compression bandages removed. The swelling was DRAMATICALLY reduced and we feel so relieved. Dr. Phelan's office got us an immediate appointment with Dr. Coulas, the podiatrist, who removed the callous with the blister from his left foot and another blister that was bothersome from the right foot. We have to go back to see him in two weeks also to have these checked. Then we went to Fessler's Drug Store on Superior to get Dick fitted for compression stockings to help keep the swelling from reoccurring. WHEW!!!


That seems like quite enough, doesn't it? But we went home after that, had lunch, then went grocery shopping. We really HAD to because we were out of milk and a few other things that I needed.

We kind of flip flopped our meals. I fixed a hamburger, spinach and cottage cheese for lunch and then we had soup and crackers for supper.

While I was at the podiatrist's office, I found a recipe for "Killer Chile". It calls for cubed beef, beer and jalapenos. I want to try it with venison. If it is good, I will share.

"Women will only be equal to men when.....they can walk down the
street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy."

Tomorrow, I am going to Plymouth for lunch, the bank and to pay The Sewing Basket for two classes that I will be taking next month.

Tomorrow is Friday ALREADY.

Have a good one. It is starting to get cold again.

Love

Mary

I got to stay home ALL day. It was WONDERFUL.

I started appliqueing the Cocker Puppy for a quilt I am working on and cut a lot of squares for the Cathedral Window Quilt that I have decided to make.

Our blast off diet week is going well. We are eating plenty, just portions and careful planning. Tonight we shared a boneless pork chop, had a small serving of mashed potatoes, spinach and a salad. By the end of the week we will be "Off the Sweets". Actually I planned it all quite well, we finished all but one cookie and some breads before we started this.

Leslie said she was going to call tonight, but I waited until 8:15 and then called Bart and Barb because I have been a bit concerned about them. They are just fine, I am glad to say. Barb had been planning a 50th wedding anniversary party for her parents and as she has been working 12 hour days and her Mother is pretty demanding she had been afraid that something would go wrong. But nothing did go wrong. It was perfect and it is over.

Tomorrow morning is going to be way too busy as I told you yesterday. We will go to breakfast. As I told Dick, if we have our usual two eggs and toast with fruit we are right on target. That's what I like about this system.

When Mother and I were driving home on New Year's Day she was commenting on the size of houses now days. They just DON'T build the little two bedroom one bath homes they used to. Nobody would buy them. I told her that I wouldn't. Even if Dick and I were alone, I would want two bathrooms or at least one full and a powder room. I know that when we were growing up there were 11 of us in the red house with only one bathroom. We managed but we didn't have a choice and we did not know any differently. Now I do.

I should mention to her that we would not want to go back to the outdoor toilet that I can barely remember with a chamber pot for emergencies and night time either. It is just nice to have the sanitation and a "throne" for each of us.

Isn't it wonder ful to be so blessed?

Mary

January 3rd. Social Security day at the bank. When I worked in Plymouth, they always had cookies for the elderly who came in to do their banking on the third of every month when their checks arrived or appeared in their accounts as a direct deposit. Such a nice simple thing to do to make people happy. They usually got the cookies from the Pig. The Pig really DOES have great cookies.

Dick and I are using this week for a blast off, clean out the system of sweets and monitering the food week - starting today. Today was easy, I hope the rest of the week seems so.

I picked up some footware for Dick to wear around the house and hopefully to help while his feet are so swollen. We have an appointment to get his sox right after his doctor's appointment on Thursday. That will really be a big day. Shopping, blood check, Dr. Phelan and the sox check at Fessler's Drug store.

Tomorrow, I REALLY should get to stay home. I have tried since Sunday an alway end up having to do something. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the day.

It was warm and rainy again today and all the snow is gone. Supposed to be warm the rest of the week. Dick says it is the January thaw. I walked again today and find that I am building back up again. I really think that it will probably be spring before my ankle stops aching. I think I need warm.

I did some sewing downstairs and when I came up, found that Dick is watching the Orange Bowl. The game is fine but they had some group or person singing, (I guess) during the half and it was awful. Perhaps I am getting old, but I just can't see singers that rely on their actions to BE the performance and you never hear the lead singers voice, just the amplified, distorted mumbling. Anyway, I didn't like it.

Got the following from a friend today. I know that I have seen similar postings but this is a good time to share the thought.

Happy New Year, this is God.

This year, as with every year, I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember, I do not need your help.

If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it.

Kindly put it all in the SFJTD BOX. (Something for Jesus to Do)
It will be addressed in my time, not yours. Please be patient.

Once the matter has been placed in the box, do not hold onto it. Do not become impatient and take it back to see if you can find a solution.

Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. You must surrender the problem to Me for proper resolution.

If a situation you think you cannot handle arises, please consult Me in prayer. Together we will come up with proper resolution.

If you do not receive what you anticipate as proper response
from Me, remember--some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayer.

Because I do not sleep, there is no need for you to lose any.
Rest, my child...if you need me, I am but a prayer away.

-Author unknown



Mary

This was a very strange day in the weather department. It rained off and on and ACTUALLY thundered and there was lightning. This NEVER happens in January but there you are. Dick says this is the January thaw. We are supposed to have another week of the warm weather and at least some more rain. Bobbie and I went out to Rhine for the meeting and the parking lot is treachorous. It is so bad that Doc fell last Monday and broke his ankle. Poor guy was all alone and had to drag himself back to his truck and drive himself home.

Dick got in to see Dr. Phelan today about the swelling in his legs. Dr. Phelan had the nurse put compression bandages on both legs, gave him an antibiotic for the blister on the left sole and is going to get prescription compression stockings ordered for him. I am relieved that we are doing something to help correct the problem. Apparantly it can't be healed but can be controlled.

Got all the company dishes put away today too. So it was a busy one. We had meatballs, potatoes and cabbage for dinner again. It was so good we felt it deserved an encore.

Tomorrow I should not have to go anywhere so will spend the day in beginnng of the year stuff and racking some wine. The Concord Grape is ready for another racking and in two months it can be bottled. However, they recommend that it age for two years before being tasted.

Bye BYE

Mary

The meatballs were really good. I fixed a great cabbage dish also. I browned chopped bacon in a big frying pan. Then I added one tablespoon of butter, a chopped onion, a cup of celery, some chopped fresh green, red or yellow peppers, a small cabbage shredded and a can of mushrooms liquid and all. Steam until done then salt and pepper to taste.

I am always pleased to have Mother here on New Year's Day. Bobbie and Bill often join us so we have a nice full table and lots of great conversation.

The Packers won. Such a relief, though Jim says their timing is bad. They should have lost to maintain draft picks. I figure winning is always better than losing. As a coach in little league told Bart's team after their first game, which they lost. He said, "Did you have fun?" They all hollared "Yes!" He said, "Good and it is even MORE fun when you win."

I hope you have fun whatever you do this coming year. And I hope you win.

Mary

The last day of 2005. Wonder why we put such significance in the end of one year and the beginning of another. I still find it amazing the the turn of the century causes such a todo. I will never again experience one of them in my lifetime. I guess I am fortunate to have gone through it once. At least in 2000 there was some reason for excitement and trepidation because of the potential computer problem. Actually it was amazing that the programmers did not factor the problem in and it was amazing that most of the problems were corrected beforehand. It always takes more to fix something than to do it right in the first place.

Anyway, we had scalloped potatoes and ham, cauliflower and salad for supper. We also had S'mores made with a couple of the marshmellows that Bobbie made for Christmas Candy. Messy, (when made in the microwave) but very very good.

I spent a good hunk of the afternoon mixing and rolling meatballs for tomorrow. That is why I don't make them often. They are SO good but such a production. It will be nice to have Mother here for dinner. I do like to share the Christmas decorations. It was nice to be the host this year. Next year Bobbie gets the Christmas honor.

I promised to share a picture of the Millinium ball that is housed at the Waterford Factory in Ireland. This is one of the three pictures that I took when Bart and Barb and I were there.






Bart and Barb called last night. It was a rather odd conversation as their phone kept cutting out. They are trying a new Vonage line and said they'd call back but haven't. I will call them on Monday if I haven't heard from them again. Leslie is supposed to be calling this weekend too. I guess she told Jim when she was going to call but I haven't heard.

Chelsea and I went for a walk again today. I plan on upping the route to the full two miles on Monday, depending on weather of course. Today, we saw Sam - the white eskimo that looks like a larger Chelsea, my friend Steve, who lives up the street and that is about all. I am surprised that there are not more children out playing as this is Chirstmas break. But it is damp and cold and perhaps they all got new computer games or are off visiting families.


As the New Year rolls around, remember the poem I shared a few years ago written by the anonymous Scandanavian

May you always have light on a sunny 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.

Love

Mary

Early Saturday. I sluffed off and went to bed VERY early last night. I slept all night too.

I went to have lunch with the gals in Plymouth yesterday for the first time in three weeks. There were only four of us. I haven't seen Mary Schroeder in a couple of months I bet. But Barbara, who left Wells and has started at Community was there. She is very happy with the change and looks good. Betty and Ceil were there too. I had my usual grilled cheese. They only make them at THAT Dairy Queen, a tribute to the grilled cheese at the Sheboygan County Fair.

Chelsea got her bath yesterday and is gorgeous. She, of course, was not happy with me but knows that at least I will leave her alone for a while now. I cleaned the kitchen too so it was a busy day. I kind of lazed off the rest of the afternoon.

I will send an evening New Years Eve message later.

Love

Mary

Another quiet day. Dick and I did have to go out to buy the "winning" lottery tickets for the coming week and I went to choir and visited with Mother for a bit this evening but aside from that it was quiet.

I cleaned the bathrooms and mixed up the crust for the banana cream pie that I will make for our New Year's Day Dinner. I told Mom that we will pick her up at about three as I am fixing dinner for 5:00. There is just one Mass on Sunday morning again. It will be at 9:30AM.

I wonder if Fr. Gene will be there. His father died today and the funeral is on Saturday. The choir is going to take a collection and use the funds to have Masses said. I know that his Father has been very ill and that the lastest news had been that they were going to have to amputate his second leg this week but he died before this occurred.

Only two days until 2006. On my Dec. 31 posting, I will publish on of the pictures that I took at the Waterford Factory in Waterford Ireland of the duplicate of the Millenium Ball that drops each year in Times Square. When Bart, Barb and I toured the factory we learned that every special order has a duplicate that is kept at the factory as insurance in case anything happens to the original. You will like the picture.

I was doing a bit of writing today and remembering Tara, the black lab that we had while living in Huntington Beach. She was a really beautiful animal. One day Bart called me at work because Tara was sick. She had gotten on the couch and wouldn't get off. I hurried home and she was obviously in great pain and great distress. I took her to the vet. He said that it looked like she had eaten something that was bad for her. It must have been thrown over the fence, because we were careful what our animals ate. Anyway, she died the next morning, shocking us and the vet who felt SO bad.

Bart wanted another dog right away and held a garage sale to earn the money. We went to the Humane Society and after one small disaster that I will tell you about some other time, we found Zero. Zero is legend. He was the sweetest little dog that one could ever have. I knew he was the one when one day as I was attempting to take a nap, (this was a time of great stress and I was exhausted) he climbed up into my arms and never moved until I woke up. I remember too that on weekends when we were home all day, he would turn kind of grumbly by the end of the day. He was used to napping while we were at school and work and found that keeping up with three people ALL day just plumb wore him out. Yes, he was special.

Have a nice Friday. Chelsea gets a bath in the morning. She is going to be 12 years old soon.

Love

Mary

Today Dick and I did our grocery shopping a day early. We were right, the crowds were down considerably. Of course, since Christmas was LAST week, tomorrow might not have been bad anyway but we did not want to find out.

It was a dreary day. Gray and damp. I took Chelsea for a short walk but she seemed to be limping, so we cut it short. I think that perhaps there is too much salt on the roads. That always hurts her little pads.

Jim made Spinach Casserole for his friend Dora last night. He said it was very successful. He felt it could have used more cheese but she liked it and as I told him, it is a very "forgiving" recipe. All the ingredients are good and you can't really go wrong.

I got two delayed Christmas cards this week. One from Aunt Velma Patterson, my ex mother in law's sister. Velma is the sweetest person and has to be at least 96. Her handwriting is very strong but she complains about being tired. Sounds like Mom. I was so pleased to hear from her. The other was from my friend Steve Hanson. He has moved to Idaho and sounds good also.

Here are the last two Dog's Rules for Christmas.

6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important:

a. Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people's houses. (4a is particularly important.)
b. Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house.
c. Tolerate children.
d. Turn on your charm big time.

7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in teh middle of the night. Don't bite him.

So there they are. Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.

We had scalloped potatoes and ham for supper. That is such a wonderful meal. We have enough for Saturday too. Have a good Thursday.

Mary

It was rather warm today - all the way up to the high 30s. Sure is a welcome relief from those bitter cold days we had early in December. I went to see Dr. Casey today for my monthly back adjustment. He adjusted my foot too and said that since Chelsea and I are walking again, it would be a good idea if we walked after I got home. We did. I am now able to go every day and next week intend to be back to the full route. We are only going about 3/4 of the way now.

I started assembling a quilt top of squares that I have been putting together now and then with a bunch of odd blues that came from somewhere. I can't even remember. But I finally figured out HOW I want to do it and have decided to use a pattern for dogs and cats at the top of it. Hope it works out like my "vision" is showing it. I need to start planning the banners I want to quilt for church. I want to do "The Hand of God" from a Celtic Pin I bought at Irish Fest years ago and a companion piece of a Celtic Cross. I think I will use the pictures that Bart, Barb and I took at Clonmacnoise for the basic pattern.

The rest of the day was very quiet. Jim went up to Appleton to see his friend Dora. He is cooking a meal for her. Quite interesting. I told him how to make the famous Kunert Spinach Casserole.

Here are two more of the Dog's Rules for Christmas.

4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and dcecorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know:

a. Don't pee on the tree.
b. Don't drink water in the container that holds the tree.
c. Mind your tail when you are near the tree.
d. If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesging or that have your name on them, don't rip them open.
e. Don't chew on the cord that runs from the funny looking hole in the wall to the tree.

5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part.

a. Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans.
b. Don't eat off the buffet table.
c. Beg for goodies subtly
d. Be pleasant, even if unknowing stangers sit on your sofa.
e. Dont drink out of glasses that are left within your reach.

I'll share the last two tomorrow. Dick and I are going grocery shopping tomorrow. We are afraid that Thursday will again be too busy. After all New Year's is another big weekend and besides all the kids are off school this week.

We had leftover cheese enchalada stacks and the last of the cheesecake for dinner tonight. So the refrigerator is almost managable now. I have decided on Swedish Meatballs and Mashed potatoes for Sunday dinner. Mother and Bobbie and Bill will also be here. Come is you want. We are having Banana Cream Pie too.

Love

Mary

Today was really nice and rather quiet. I took two naps but am still very tired. I had a difficult last night as my ankle started bothering me and I got very little sleep after 2:00AM.

Dick and Brenda were here through breakfast. I had cranberry scones and scrambled eggs with fresh onion and cream cheese. Then they left to go visit their mother in Cleveland WI. Jim joined them and said they had a nice visit. Their Mother had surgery a couple of weeks ago but is recovering nicely now and Jim said she feels pretty good.

Chelsea and I had a nice walk early this afternoon. She is so pleased and so am I to be getting out and stretching again. My ankle did get a bit sore so we did not do the WHOLE route but still got some kinks out. I also took two naps today. I am really rather tired. Hopefully tonight will be a better night than last. Chelsea is also exhausted and is trying to catch up on her sleep. We certainly are becoming aware that she is getting older. She needs more rest and does not feel that she has to stay awake the WHOLE time we have company.

Fr. Gene published A DOG'S RULES FOR CHRISTMAS in the bulletin this week. I will give you a couple a day because they are very funny.

1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.

2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.


More tomorrow.

We had ham and mac and cheese again for dinner. It was still just as good as yesterday.

Have a nice Tuesday. We are rapidly sliding out of 2005.

Love

Mary

Chelsea is a very VERY tired little girl. Bobbie and Bill got here shortly after 1:00 and Dick and Brenda arrived not too much later than that. Went to Mass and sang at the 9:30. We did quite well. Frankly, our bass section has been lacking but they really came through today. I must tell them how GOOD they sounded at the next practice. We sang Ding Dong Merrily on High and Mary Did You Know.

The ham and mac and cheese were very good. I fixed a green bean dish that you might like to try. Just soften chopped onion, mushrooms ( about a cup each) and a small can of water chestnuts, drained, in olive oil and then add two cans of drained green beans and season with thyme, oregano and basil. Salt and pepper to taste. It was really good.

We always have fun exchanging presents. Did I tell you that Dick got me a new Celtic Cross and a very pretty watch that has a band of Conamara marble beads. Very pretty. He remembered that one of my watches had just died.

The coming week well be quiet. There is no bible study and very little else happening. I am glad. I would like to do some sewing and perhaps get a little writing done. There has been a long dry spell and it is time I do something creative.

An e-mail from a friend.

The Pastor had a kitten that climbed a tree in his back yard and then was afraid to come down. The Pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The Kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to the tree and attached it to his car, he could drive away and bend the tree down. He could then reach the kitten. He put the plan into effect, all the while checking in his rear view mirror. He decided he could just go a little farther and be able to reach the kitty, but as he moved the car farther the rope broke... The tree sprung and launched the kitty which instantly sailed through the air out of sight. The pastor felt terrible. He looked all over the neighborhood for the kitty but on one had it so he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping."

A few days later he met a church member buying cat food, but he knew she was a cat hater so he asked, "Why are you buying cat food, when you hate cats?" She said, "You won't believe this. My daughter kept begging me for a cat so I told her she could have one if God gave it to her. Pastor, she went into the yard, kneeled down on the grass, and prayed to God for a cat. And really, Pastor, I saw it with my own eyes!
a Kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky and landed right in front of her!"

Love

Mary

What a busy day. I got a lot of prep work done for the dinner tomorrow. Chelsea and I went for a lovely walk this afternoon. It was rather foggy and a bit damp but the temperatures were pleasant enough and Chelsea was certainly a happy little puppy.

This evening, before dinner, Dick, Jim and I exchanged our presents and opened the ones we got from Bret. That is always fun. We were all very happy with our gifts. I got some beautiful jewelry from Dick again, Frank Mc Court's new book and two DVDs of classic horror and sci fi movies. Jim got both Dick and me new wireless keyboards and mouses. It will be so nice not struggling with those cords AND the kitties. Bret sent sweatshirts, a cookie jar and a set of bath and shower stuff. It will be usefull as I have been taking soaky baths to ease up the muscle aches in my legs.

We had pizza tonight. I fixed it the way I used to for the kids and I when I was in a hurry.

Defrost a loaf of frozen bread and let it rise. Then squishit out into somewhat of a round on a pizza stone (a cookie sheet or pizza pan will work as well).

Spread sauce on it (I had some leftover spaghetti sauce but tomato sauce sprinkled with oregano, garlic and any other Italian spices works as well).

Top it with mushrooms, peppers, pepperoni (or anything else you like on pizzas. I used to slice hot dogs on it for a meal for the boys and me.)

Top with grated cheeses and bake it for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Boy is it ever good and hearty.

Tomorrow the choir is singing at the 9:30AM Mass, then I will stop at Mother's and take her presents to her. Dick, Brenda, Bobbie and Bill will be here at about 1:00. We will visit and do presents and then eat at about 4:00. It should be a very nice Christmas. I hope we talk to Bret, Bart and Leslie as it is a special day. Wish they could be here for the ham, mac and cheese and Triple Chocolate Poteen Upside Down Cheesecake.



Merry Christmas Eve.


Mary

It was nice today. The freezing rain that had been predicted did not come. Thank heavens. I made the cheesecake today. I also added the yeast and additives to the Lemon Balm and Marigold wines. Then this evening, I joined the crew at church and we finished decorating for Christmas. It looks great. I will take the camera on Sunday to get pictures. After we finished a bunch of us went over to the Firehouse Pizza for something to eat and some visiting.

The package from Bret arrived today. He didn't get it off until Monday and was a bit afraid that is might be late, but here it is. Tomorrow night, Jim and Dick and I will exchange our gifts and I get to open the presents from Bret too. That is always fun. We will have to fill the stockings sometime during the day. I get to stay home ALL day again.

I am afraid that I am not very inventive tonight. Perhaps tomorrow, I can think of something more interesting to write about. In the meantime, be safe and happy.

May

Today was quite pleasant. The temperatures got ALL the way UP to 36 degrees. Chelsea and I hit the streets this afternoon again. We went just the same short walk that we did yesterday. If the weather doesn't betray us, we will go a bit further tomorrow.

Dick and I did our Christmas grocery shopping this morning. We also delivered the candy that Dick presents to the Eastern Shores Library people.

I am working on two new scratch batches of wine now that we have bottled the Currant and there are empty gallon jugs. I mixed up the Lemon Balm and also the Marigold. When I free up more gallon jugs, I will start the Wild Grape.

We had our final choir practice before Christmas tonight. We are singing at the 9:30AM Mass. We are singing Ding Dong Merrily on High and Mary Did You Know. Both lovely Christmas songs. I still remember listening to my Dad sing along with that choir on Christmas. Dad had a beautiful voice. At one time he belonged to a Barbershop Chorus. I remember there was a competition held in Sheboygan at some point in my childhood of Barbershop Choruses. I know that Dad's group didn't come in first but I KNEW that it was the best one.

I will have as much of my meal done or ready to pop in the oven before Mass on Sunday. As a matter of fact I can make the dessert tomorrow. We will have a Kunert Christmas. Too bad that Leslie, Bill and the girls can't be here. I will also miss my Bret and Bart at this time of year. If I had my druthers, time and space would not mean anything if it would bring us all together at ANY time but especially at Christmas. I miss my boys. It is so hard to accept the fact that my baby is 34 years old. I still can remember those littles face when I brought them home from the hospital.

When Bret was born, we had a black cat named Samantha with the most beautiful coat and emerald green eyes. By the time he was born, she had already given birth to two litters of kittens. Anyway, I sat down in the living room with Bret in my lap and Sam jumped up to see what I had. She kind of crept over and sniffed the top of his head. Just then, he let out a little cry. She sat bolt upright and stormed away in total disgust. Someone said she probably felt that he was OK if I really wanted him, but her babies were much cuter AND they were on their own at 6 weeks old.

Bart on the other hand came home to a big brother and no cat as I remember. When he came home, my neighbor, Joyce Nusser came over to see him. She took one look at his little face all scrinched up and red as a beet and said "He looks just like Mr. Magoo." The name stuck for a while. I still think of him as Magoo once in a whild. He was actually a beautiful baby with a flawless complection and just a slight fuzz on his perfectly shaped head.

Have a nice Friday.


Mary

Only three more days until Christmas. Bret called last night. His packages both arrived. However, he sounded so sad and I asked him what was wrong. He told me that his friends' (Earl and Janelle) daughter, Stephanie, who was only 14, was killed in an automobile accident on the way to school on Tuesday. Everyone is, of course, devastated. All I could do was tell him that I loved him, express my sympathy and tell him that I would put the family on the prayer chain at church. Which I did. Would you all pray for this cirle of people too. The funeral is Friday. I can't thin of any more sad a Christmas.

On a lighter note, I took Mother to the eye doctor today and the news is good there. She is stable and he is very pleased. We are always so grateful after the Macular Degeneration episode. She said that she sees about as well distance wise without her glasses as with. That is pretty amazing for an 89 year old woman.

I cleaned the refrigerator and freezer today. Now I will have room for Christmas stuff. We will try to eat up the odds and ends before Saturday. I did remember to take out the ham and put it in the fridge to thaw. Most things really have to be prepared on Saturday or Sunday.

Cadfael's Book of Days said today. "While you live, there is no way of escape from your part in humanity."

I remember a Christmas years ago when living in Santa Ana Heights. My neighbor and I went out to get our trees. We took our pickup. Our plan was to get trees about our height. She was a bit shorter than I, so our plan was for trees about 5 and a half to 6 feet. But when we got into the lot they look different and we were trying to look at shape and fullness and holding our hands up to our foreheads but we must have slanted our hands up. When we got home, those trees were huge and we were totally surprised. My ex and her husband had to cut some off of the bottom so they would stand up in the livingroom. But shey sure were pretty.

Have a nice Thursday. We shop in the morning.

Love

Mary

Today was a rather quiet day. The only excursion that I made outside of the yard was to get my hair cut.

I am all finished with wrapping presents. Actually, I still have Mother's. I have a couple of small things for her but I ordered Galtee Sausages and Irish Bacon and intend to give her an Irish Breakfast for her main present. I will give her the bacon,sausages and fresh soda bread or scones (I have not decided which to bake as of yet. I will do that on Saturday.)

We were watching some game show and they asked a question as to where you send children when they are naughty. It reminded me of Bret when he was in kindergarten.

He had the most wonderful teacher in Kindergarten. Her name was Miss Gamel. She had a class of 16 little boys and 4 little girls. One of the little boys went home and told his Dad that the teacher was a "big beautiful blond." Needless to say that Dad came to teacher conferences.

She did love her students and was infinately patient with them. By the end of the year they knew that if there was a "shy E" at the end of a word - the vowel said "its own name." Think about it.

Anyway. Bret ended up hysterical in the principal's office. The kids were using rather bad words. Miss Gamel said that some of them were REALLY bad and she finally said that the next person that said a bad word would be sent to the principal's office. Bret said "poopy". So she sent him to the office.

He just disintegrated. Miss Gamel felt terrible and the office told her that she shouldn't have done that. But I agreed that she should have. She would have lost all credibility with the class and Bret learned a valuable lesson. He was trying to show off and learned timing if nothing else.

So that is my story about being sent to the principal's office.

Have a great Wednesday.

Love

Mary

I am all done with the decorating except for spreading candles around. I think it looks mighty festive. Then tonight I joined a crew at church and we did much of the decorating for Christmas there. We exchanged the purple ribbons in the wreaths with red and took down the purple hangings and replaced the Jesse Tree with the Nativity Icon. Friday, we will put up the creche and trees and finish all the beautiful things.

Tomorrow, I have to get my hair cut. The next day, Mother goes to the eye doctor and Thursday, we shop. I need to be sure to have my list complete because I don't want to make another trip after that.

We had meatloaf again tonight. Tomorrow, we will have meatloaf sandwiches. One of the main purposes of meatloaf is the sandwiches. My ex husband did not like meatloaf. Isn't that the silliest thing you ever heard. However, his mother, who was a very good cook, made awful meatloaf. She bought the cheapest meat available and served it in the pan she cooked it just oozing fat. As I said she was a good cook. You could not beat her chili or her pies. I use her pie crust recipe.

We bottled the current wine - finally and now I have gallon jugs so I can start a scratch wine. Either lemon balm or marigold. I also have wild grapes to brew.

We will be busy with wine all winter.

It was 1 degree when I woke up this morning. This is January weather. Wonder if this will last ALL winter. Where is global warming.

Love

Mary

Cold. Cold. Cold. It was 4 degrees when I got up this morning at 6AM. I am kind of glad that this is happening when I can't walk anyway. It is supposed to warm up a "bit" next week and I think Chelsea and I will attempt a couple of short walks later in the day, starting Tuesday.

I went to the 8AM mass. I took the winter coat, boots, mittens, hat and snow pants that I bought for a kindergarten boy who need them. Was that ever fun. I don't have little people to buy for anymore. He wanted a Packer jacket or a blue one. I got him a Packer jacket. It is Christmas and he is only 5 or 6 and should get his wishes filles. Then I visited with Mother for a bit.

Bobbie, Jim and I went shooting this afternoon. Bobbie did great, Jim didn't bother bringing up his sheets and I was EH! Not AWFUL but nothing the be proud of either. Oh well, practice makes perfect they say.

The tree is all decorated and looks beautiful. I still have some decorating to do, none of the Nativity Scenes are up yet but feel that the hardest part is over with.

Tomorrow the crew will start getting everything ready at church. We are doing it in two sessions. First getting everything out and checking the condition and making final decisions on the end result so that on Friday night we can just take down Advent and put up Christmas. Fr. Gene says we can put the creche on the altar this year. It has been over on the side and taking up valuable space in the choir area for the past two years. I much prefer it on the altar as the kids can see it better and will be more likely to ask to come up.

We had bean soup and Irish Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches for supper. Boy was that a good idea. It was the bean soup that I made with the sugar cured ham that we brought back from Kentucky. I have one more meal of that left in the freezer. I will have to see if there are any sugar cured hams produced or imported locally.

It is time for bed. Only on week until Christmas. What a year. It is hard to realize that in two weeks it will be 2006 already. I remember that when I was very young I used to think that when it was the year 2000 I would turn 60 and it seemed so very far away. And NOW here it is 2005. Just a blink in the whole of time. Sometimes even to me.

Love

Mary

I did not have to go anywhere at all today. I know I told you that yesterday but usually something happens that makes me have to leave the house for something or other. The farthest I got today was the mailbox.

I did more decorating of the tree today. I hope to finish that tomorrow. I put away a lot of the everyday decorations too so I can put up the other Chrismas decorations.

Bart called to tell me that the truck with their stuff had arrived and was ALL unloaded. How nice that they have their possessions all in one place again. Mother had commented that she could see things there that MUST mean something to Barb and how she must want them with her - even if she didn't NEED them necessarily. Why do we get so attached to things. Probably because of the memories attached to them. I get all comforted putting the ornaments on the tree. MOST of them have a memory attached to them. Some go back to when Bret and Bart were babies and many to the early days of Dick and my marriage. Many are gifts. I cannot bear to toss any of them, even the "Paddy's Pig" that has his curly tail broken off. I just put the damaged side against the tree.

The meatloaf was super. For several years, I have used breadcrumbs made of all the pieces of leftover bread I have all dried up and mixed with a little butter and garlic. They are fresher. If I don't have dried bread, I just dry some hamburger or hot dog buns, buttered and garliced and dried in a very low oven. I fixed corn mixed with sauteed onion and peppers too.

Dick and I filtered the currant wine today - twice. Tomorrow we can bottle it. We should get 17 bottles. It does not taste too raw now, but we will let it mature for a full year because we have learned that the currant does benefit from aging.

From Highlighted in Yellow by H. Jackson Brown and Rochelle Pennington

Leave a quarter where a child can find it.
Skip a meal and give what you would have spent to a street person.
Offer to pay for parking and tolls when you ride with someone.
Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards.
Make a generous contribution to diabetes research.

Look outside yourself and bring pleasure to children. Such a good idea that should spread beyond the Christmas (yes, I said Christmas - not Holiday) season.

Be happy

Mary

We went to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I REALLY liked it. It is such a big book and there was a great job of keeping the theme of the story while condensing it into three hours or so of movie. I hope they can keep these kids "kid" enough for the last three stories. As you probably know. Two more books are already out in print. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. A final episode is promised by J. K. Rowling. No word on that yet.

We always have popcorn for lunch on movie days. We go on Friday Afternoon for the old people special. It only costs us $7.50 to get in. It costs more than that for our popcorn and soda.

The morning was spent cleaning the kitchen and running a few errands. I am now at 6:30PM VERY tired. It is going to be an effort but I will try to stay up until 9:00. It is much easier for me to sleep through the night that way.

Tomorrow, I do not have to go ANYWHERE. SO - we will filter the Currant wine and I will decorate the tree. We are going to have meatloaf for dinner tomorrow with garlic mashed potatoes.

The other day, a news broadcast was showing the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Harbor, Newport Beach Wisconsin. When I was living in California, I got to go on a couple of those. It is really fun and an impressive site. All the boats that want to decorate and fall in line. Then they slowly sail around the harbor. On the boats, you not only get to see all the other boats but also all the beautiful mansions that surround the harbor. They are all decorated too, of course. Food and drinks are always there. I had the hottest chili I ever enjoyed on a Christmas Harbor Cruise. It was so hot that it burned all the way down. BUT it left a great taste when the heat died down.

I received the following in an e-mail.

If you want someone who will bring you the paper without first tearing it apart to remove the sports section
Buy a dog.! []


If you want someone willing to make a fool of himself simply over the joy of seeing you
Buy a dog. []

If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and never says its not quite as good as his mother made it
Buy a dog []

If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour, for as long and wherever you want
Buy a dog. []

If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies
Buy a dog. []

If you want someone who is content to get up on your bed just to warm your feet and whom you can push off if he snores
Buy a dog.[]


If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves you unconditionally, perpetually
Buy a dog.[]



But, on the other hand, If you want someone who will never come when you call, ignores you totally when you come home, leaves hair all over the place, walks all over you, runs around all night and only comes home to eat and sleep, and acts as if your entire existence is solely to ensure his happiness...

Then......................................



Buy a cat! []


(You thought I was talking about men didn't you!)


I finished my fantasy football tonight. Good thing. There are some games tomorrow.

Love
Mary

Another day closer to Christmas. We went grocery shopping, but not until about 11:00AM because we waited for Jim to plow the driveway to avoid getting it all iced up. He got up early but not before our usual time of 7:30 ot 8:00AM. He can't do the plowing at 1:00AM because he would be waking up the entire neighborhood.

Tonight we had choir practice and have all the music planned for Christmas. We practiced a little longer so we can be ready. I think Beth picked some good pieces.

The Rockettes, as I mentioned this morning, were really wonderful. They have several traveling groups, I understand. There are 18 women on stage for each routine. and they are totally precise. I think my favorite dance routine was the March of the Wooden Soldiers. Eighteen soldiers doing the whole march from Babes in Toyland. Wooden Soldiers are way at the top of my favorite Christmas characters.

We had a super lunch at Carlucci's not far from the Rosemont. The meal consisted of pizza for an appetizer, (really good), a mixed green salad (pretty non-descript), a choice of beef or chicken. I had the beef and liked it a lot. Dessert was tirimisu. Tirimisu is either great or whipped cream. This was great.

I started putting ornaments on the tree. So it should be done by Sunday. Tomorrow we are going to see Harry Potter. I have been waiting patiently through other plans and injuries and it has been put off since the premier. So - tomorrow we will have popcorn for lunch. Yum Yum.

Saturday, we are going to filter the Current wine twice and then on Sunday we will bottle it. Things are going to be moving rather fast an furious with the scratch wines. I have three other batches to start as soon as I free some gallon jugs. I have wild grapes, marigold blossems and lemon balm elixer. We will have wine working all winter this year.

Got Mom's application for Senior Care filled out and will copy it and mail it tomorrow. Whew! Medicare D has been quite a project but I have made the best decisions that I know how and we three, Dick, Mom and I, are stuck with them, at least for a year.

Here is a recipe for REALLY easy bread that tastes good fresh and hot or toasted later.

Beer Bread

3 cups self rising flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 can beer

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees. Grease loaf pan. Mix the above ingredients IN THE PAN and let settle for a few minutes. Bake for 1 hour.

Good luck

Mary

We got back last night exhausted from the trip to Chicago to the Rosemont Theatre to see the Rockettes. The show was spectacular with dancing, singing and a lovely Nativity Pagaent to climax the show along with a reading of A Solitary Life.

My leg is very sore as we drove straight through from the theatre to Sheboygan because of the weather. Usually there is a stop to refresh and stretch.

Anyway, just letting you know. I was just too tired last night. But I am back now.

I'll post again tonight.

I heard that turtles can breath through their butts. I wonder what purpose that serves.

Mary

Turned out to be an eventful day. I got a call from Mary Yurk, who is the neighbor across the street, called just before noon and offered me an "opportunity". She is the Queen Mother of a Red Hat group here in Sheboygan and some of them were joining an Elkhart Lake group for a bus trip to De Pere to Frank's Dinner Theater for a comedy musical production. One of the ladies was unable to go because a root canal had infected and she was VERY ill. So I got to go free. We left at about 3:15 and got back home a bit after midnight. The show is a musical and a comedy. This production was a Christmas program with a lot of traditional music and based VERY loosely on the Christmas Carol. I had Red Snapper for dinner.

Tomorrow we are going to see the Rockettes in Chicago so this is turning out to be quite a week.

In the museum under the Arch in St. Louis there is a plaque that has this inscription. I liked it and just recently found the picture that I took of it.

"I was first a bogtrotter (in Ireland), din a cobbler, din an immigrant, din a weary (Private Soldier), din a corpril, din a sargint, and now I'm a commissioned officer and captain fur life... and gintlemin, by act of Congress." Captain Gerald Russell.

Isn't that great?

Later

Mary

This was the best that my ankle has felt since Thanksgiving - However, tonight my hips just ache. I probably overdid because I did feel better.

Went to Bible Study this morning. We always have a good discussion. I like the idea we have now of discussing the passages that will be read the following Sunday.

The Sheboygan County Writer's Club had their annual Christmas Party. We go to lunch, this year to Arabella's, and then exchange the $5 gift and read anything that we have. I am really tired so will cut and paste the little short blurb that I wrote to read at the lunch.

My Mother shared a memory with me this year. She asked me if St. Nicholas had come to our house this year. December 5 is St. Nicholas Day, you know.

St. Nicholas used to come to us when I was a child. St. Nick always brought a piece of fruit and a little bit of candy to good boys and girls. He was a reminder that Christmas was coming and that we had to be good. Bad boys and girls got coal. One year, my brother Jeff got a lump of coal.

Her memory is this:

Grandma and Grandpa Bowser were living in Lomira. Only Mother, about 4 years old and her younger brother Noel were born at that time. One of the neighbor men dressed up in a long fur coat, like those used to ride in horse drawn carriages years ago with a hood. He carried a long staff and wore a beard. Then he traveled around to all the homes where little children lived.

At that time hired hands were quite common. They would work on the farms and live and eat with the family. Grandma and Grandpa had one.

“St. Nick” proceeded to ask Mother and Noel if they were good little children and if they said their prayers faithfully every day. They assured him that they did.

Then he asked the hired hand if he was good and if he said his prayers. The hired hand laughed and said that he never said prayers and never would. At that, St. Nick rose up and began to “beat” at the hired hand with his long staff and drove him out of the house.

This whole thing really terrified Mother. She said that she really said her prayers after that. Actually – she still does.

By the way – St. Nicholas did not come to our house this year. He did not come to Mother either.


I also wrote a poem for a Christmas Card. Here it is.

Tiny Baby, Son of God
The Angels sang the story
Shepherds, Wisemen came to see
This Child of endless glory.

The message of this virgin birth
Through the ages we still tell
I proudly shout his name to all
Jesus - Our Emmanuel

Good Night.


Mary

I went to the 8:00AM mass this morning. The roads were quite clear in spite of the wet snow that we had last night. It was chilly - in the 20s all day but partly cloudy and quite pleasant.

I visited with Mother after Mass. She is fine. We always have such nice visits. Her tree is up and in the process of being decorated. She will spend this week doing that. She is also baking stollens and cookies for gifts and to eat. I am glad that she is making Lizzies as I didn't this year. Jim can't eat them because of the nuts so I decided not to bother.

I tried out the new crock pot today. I made a recipe called butter beef. Cubed chuck steak with dried onion soup, butter and a splash of white wine. Then I added fresh mushroom for the last hour. We had it over noodles with peas and salad. The crock pot works just fine. Good thing. I am making Mac and Cheese in it for Christmas dinner.

Jim and I went out shooting today. He did pretty well. I have been worse but have also been a lot better. Practice. Practice. Practice. That is what they say.

Tomorrow I have Bible Study and then Writer's Club Christmas Party. I still don't know what I am going to bring for my $5 gift for the gift exchange. Well, something will come to me. $5.00 is an "impossible" amount. But we all seem to come up with something every year. The idea is that it is a token gift.

When Bart was a little boy, he was quite a worrier. He even worried about who he was going to marry when he grew up. I remember that his babysitters always found him quite funny because he would propose to them. He was only about 4 when this was going on. I think I told you that he did not want to come to Wisconsin for a visit because he worried about the "red tomatoes" (tornados) because I mentioned that a tornado had gone through Sheboygan County and killed a baby many years ago. He hasn't changed much. Some people just are very serious about thing.

I got my Christmas e-cards sent today. Now, I have the BIG job of those that I have to mail.

If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

Have a good Monday.

Love

Mary

Mother, Dick and I just enjoyed a truly special presentation of the Messiah by the Sheboygan Chorus and the Lakeland College Chorus accompanied by the Sheboygan Symphany Orchestra and directed by Richare Bjella, associate professor, director of Choral Studies at Lawrence University in Appleton. I was really impressed with him and kind of wish he was in the running for the permanent director of the Symphany Orchestra.

It was a productive day otherwise also. We got the packages mailed. BOY has shipping gone up. It cost a fortune. We may resort to gift cards in the future. But anyway, the boxes are on their way and now I don't have deadlines to meet. I suppose that I need to get the cards on their way this week but there still is time.

We had lunch at the Funky Bean in the shopping center built on Hwy 42 where the old Flamingo was. The food was good but the service was slow as could be. We will try again in a few months when they have shaken out the bugs. The shipping place was slow too so Dick was pretty antsy by the time we left there.

I decided that I don't like this business of "Happy Holiday" INSTEAD of Merry Christmas. I don't have a problem with Happy Holiday itself as several holidays do occur in this time period. But Christmas is Chrismas and I DO celebrate it and so do the majority of people in our country. Therefore I have decided to put stickers on all my Christmas Cards that say. "Rejoice - The Savior is born!"

Joy and peace to you tomorrow and have a good week.

Mary

WELL!!!!! My brothers Jeff and Randy and my brother in law Kenny helped me (actually I helped them) load the ABF truck with the things that Bart and Barb could not take with them when they had been left here two years ago. I am so grateful for family because there was no way that I could have done it myself. Now the kids will have all their stuff. As Mother said when she looked at it one day, there were things there that mean a lot to Barb and she should have them.

Tonight I am going to finish the tree skirt and look through pictures for Randy. He is putting together a collage of picture of Mother, Dad and the kids and grandkids for the big birthday party. Yea! I saw the pictures that Jeff brought today and they were so nice. I don't know how many I will have as I was in California for SO long.

Tomorrow, Dick and I will take the packages to be mailed. Then I can relax and just get everything else done at my leisure. I have not even begun Christmas cards but can send them out just a week or less before. Such is life. I suggested that we mail the packages at the new mailing center and then go to lunch. We like to go out and seldom go for lunch. There is a new coffee shop in the same mall as the new mailihng center. It is where the old Flamingo Restaurant used to be if you remember.

I had a rough time with my leg last night. I am hoping that tonight will be better. Sometimes it just aches and I cannot get it into any position that relieves it. If I get up and move around it helps a bit but I never really get back to a sound sleep. This is very annoying.


Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing section in a swimming pool? (My sentiments exactly)

Until tomorrow

Mary

It was much warmer today. It is amazing how wonderful 17 degrees can feel when one has been living with 5 and below. It snowed this afternoon. We were supposed to get only a dusting but have about 2 inches it seems.

Dick and I went grocery shopping this morning and I spent the afternoon with Mother waiting for the truck to be dropped off in front of her house. Tomorrow morning we will load Bart and Barb's stuff into it and then I will call to get it picked up. Next week they will have it all. Jim helped me load the stuff that is in OUR garage into the Santa Fe.

While I was at Mom's, Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Bob dropped by to say goodbye. They are leaving for the south (they are snowbirds) on Saturday and will not return until April. Aunt Kathleen said that she would just as soon be staying home or at least not going for so long. However, they do like it down there and Uncle Bob has a barbershop quartet group that he sings with all winter and it is really really fun for him.

December 5 was St. Nicholas Day. When we were kids, it was always somewhat of a precurser of Christmas - a reminder to be good little girls and boys. St. Nick alway brought a piece of fruit and a bit of candy to good little girls and boys. But naughty ones got a piece of coal. One year, my brother Jeff got a piece of coal. It sure impressed the little ones.

Mother remembers an incident from her childhood about St. Nick. They were living in Lomira. Probably just she and Noel were born as she thinks that she was about 4 years old. One of the neighbor men dressed up like St. Nicholas - he wore a fake beard, a big old fur hat and one of those long fur coats that men wore when they rode in open carriages and so on. He came in and talked to the children and asked them if they were good little girls and boys. They assured him that they were. At that time, Grandpa had a hired hand. "St. Nick" asked the hired hand if he was good and if he said his prayers. The hired hand said he never prayed and wasn't about to. St. Nick proceeded to "beat" the man with his wooden staff. The hired hand ran off into the night. Mother said she was scared to death. She is still saying her prayers regularly.

Have a nice Friday. I will be packing a truck.

Mary

Last night was miserable. I woke up shortly after midnight with my whole left leg aching and could NOT get comfortable. Dick fixed me a cup of tea and I took a pain pill and did get some sleep but I kept waking up even with all that. Then Chelsea woke me up at 5:30AM. I tried to go back to sleep but twenty minutes later she was at me again so I gave up.

Today, I went to church and Marcy Eppers and I got the Blessed Mother Statue out of the closet and put it on the altar for the feast of the Immaculate Conception which is tomorrow. We put a BIG rosary on that statue and on the big statue in the back of the church. The I did a bit of shopping and came home for a nap.

Dick, Mother and I went to the Villager for dinner tonight and then to the Sheboygan Theatre. They had a nice feel good program. Three short Christmas skits followed by the feature, The Best Christmas Pagaent Ever. Ralph did a great job. He had one of his biggest casts ever and LOTS of kids. They were very talented as was the lead adult in the feature. We really enjoyed it a lot.

Now I am tired and sore. I just soaked in the tub and am icing my ankle then will go to bed. Pray that I sleep tonight.

"The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket." (from an e-mail)

Love

Mary

Another COLD day. It was 1 degree on our thermometer when we looked the first time. It makes me feel less guilty about not being able to walk Chelsea because we would not be walking in this cold anyway.

Dick and I took Mother to Gibbsville Cheese Factory to buy Christmas Cheese packages (and a bit for ourself). Then we went out for lunch at the Parkview in Falls. It was a nice outing. I am almost ready to seal all the packages that have to go out to the far away kids. I need to pick up a couple of things tomorrow, which I will do when I go to church to put Mary on the altar for the feast of Immaculate Conception. I will stop at the store on the way home and FINISH. Then we can post everything by the weekend, with any luck at all.




Well, I finally got around to it. Here is a picture of me with Daniel O'Donnell in Branson. We sure did have a good time on that trip.

Have a nice Wednesday.

Mary

It was cold cold cold AGAIN. My poor little Chelsea goes out and eagerly rolls in the snow. Then she surveys her domain. Then she gets down to business. By then her poor little pads get cold and she ends up finishing her business on three feet. Well, that's her problem.

Went to Bible Study this morning. The Advent readings are really nice. Full of promise. We especially liked the 2nd reading for next Sunday. Paul 1 Thes. 5:16-24.
"Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing!" Those are the first two lines.

I took care of lots of phone business today. I spent time trying to get Medicare D plans for Dick, Mother AND me. I have Dick and Mother almost figured out and am waiting to hear from my insurance company to see if I want to go that way. I think that the same idiot who designed a couple of freeway sections that I know of was assigned the Medicare D program. Some things are put together strictly to confuse the consumer.

We had hamburgers, beans and apple pie for supper. Num Num.

Have a nice day and pray for a warmup.

Mary

Tonight, Bobbie and I went to Rhine Plymouth for the club meeting. It was handled quite well this time and we were home by 8:30PM.

I DID get to stay home all day today. It was very very cold and quite lovely with blue skies and the sun glinting off fresh snow.

Dick and I bottled the Gewertziminer wine this afternoon and I also wrapped the remaining Christmas presents.

The Packers lost so we are depressed. This was a BAD week for my fantasy football picks. I really struggled and made some pretty poor choices apparantly. At this point I am clear at the bottom only outscoring one of our members who did not get his picks in. I might be able to pull out of the basement but things are not looking good.

Barbara called today. She has been working LOTS of overtime and is stretched for time but has been healthy lately. Bart, however, has a sinus infection that is bothering him. All else is well. She is, amid taking care of Bart and working, trying to plan a 50th wedding anniversary party for her parents.

Students in an advanced Biology class were taking their mid-term exam. The last question was, "Name seven advantages of Mothers Milk," worth 70 points or none at all.

A funny email that I received the other day. I am tired and can't think of anything clever myself.

One student was hard put to think of seven advantages. He wrote:
1. It is perfect formula for the child.
2. It provides immunity against several diseases.
3. It is always at the right temperature.
4. It is inexpensive.
5. It bonds the child to mother, and vice versa.
6. It is always available as needed.
And then, the student was stuck. Finally, in desperation, just before the bell indicating the end of the test rang, he wrote.................................
7. It comes in such cute containers.
He got an "A"

Love

Mary

I am very tired. BUT a lot was accomplished today also. It was cold and started snowing this afternoon. We have about two inches already I think. Chelsea, of course, is in hog heaven.

This morning, Dick and I went out very early to Walmart and bought a new microwave (our current one has had a door that jams for a couple of years now and I think it is dangerous.) a new crock pot (the base on my current one broke and it is silly to prop up your crock pot when you are using it.) a new water pick and some Christmas cards. Then we stopped at Hardee's for breakfast.

I did get the buckeyes dipped in the chocolate, so everybody can relax. Then at two o'clock I drove to Falls to join the choir for caroling on Pine Street for Main Street Memories. We really had a lot of fun. I found out my friend, Fran, had never gone caroling before. We sang outside Fasse's for a bit, took the horse drawn wagon and sang the whole trip it took around town, walked through Fasse's and over to Richardson's Furniture, where we joined a pianist who was entertaining there. Finally, we walked over to to Evans and strolled through the store while we were singing.

Then we sang at the 5:00PM Mass. That means that I don't have to go to church tomorrow and can stay home ALL day.

I think I told you about the time Mother, Nora and I all tried to get a snowsuit on Bart. My Ex, Bret and Bart were visiting Wisconsin one Christmas and went to spend the day with Nora and Leif. Nora offered a snowmobile suit that Stenn had outgrown for Bart to play in. He took one look at it and said. "People will laugh at me." He was three but apparantly his self image did not include a snowsuit and the three of us were unable to shove those flaying arms and legs into the thing. We gave up. He wore the old snow pants and jacket that Mother had found at the house.

Have a happy Sunday.

Mary

Dick and I had quite a busy day. It was very cold, in the teens, but sunny and very pretty outside. We went over to Mom's and Randy helped me box up the two deer hides to take to WB Tanning in Hartford. That is an interesting experience. You get a slip that you tape or tie to the hides that you brought in. Then you just leave and two or three months later, when you have forgotten ALL about it a notice comes that the hides are ready. You send a check and they mail the hides to you. It is quite efficient. Did you know that tanned hides are not natually that pretty brown tan color but a kind of bluish gray color. When I get enough hides tanned, I will have a jacket made. I asked and I need between 4 and 10 depending on the size and style I choose. So I have a ways to go. With these two, I have three.

On the way home, we stopped at a George Webb Restuarant to eat lunch. Neither of us had ever eated at one before. They are, we found, very 50s cafe. Small. The service was pleasant but SLOW. We loved the french fries. Anyway, there were four women in the booth next to us. One of them was quite old and the others were reassuring her that her current situation was indeed best for her. We assumed that she had recently been forced to go into either assisted living or a nursing home. I felt for her - and for them. I remember that Aunt Kathleen said that Grandma Bowser was in tears when she had to go to Pine Haven. She had to move SO many times in their early marriage and when they bought the house in Falls, she wanted to die there. I think it broke her heart. I hope Mother never has to make that decision. So far so good. She is getting excited about her birthday party in January. 90 is pretty special.

This afternoon, I mixed and rolled the buckeyes. Tomorrow, I can dip them in chocolate and have them ready for shipping. Christmas is trying to creep up on us.

Love

Mary

I read an article in Good Housekeeping today about a mother who's son, while in Junior High School, began to hang out with black kids. This was a bit disconcerting for her as they were white and though many blacks tried to act white, white boys don't usually try to act black. These friends were good kids, fortunately. They were, some of them, underpriviledged, and lived in some really poor project type neighborhoods. But they were good kids. As she got to know them and their parents, she came to see them as just kids in a difficult environment. It surprised her to find that their parents were as nervious about their kids being in an all white neighborhood as she was with the reverse.

It reminds me of a time that Bart and I were watching the Jessie Owens Story on TV. There is a scene in this movie in which the coach tells the Jewish members of the
U. S. Olympic Team that they cannot participated in the games in Nazi Germany. The lone protester to this action was Jessie Owens. He was promptly told to "Sit down, Boy!" and he did so. My Bart, who in Huntington Beach California, went to a pretty ethnically diverse school, he even had a black principal for a few years, asked my why Jessie just sat down and did not protest further. I had to explain to him how much courage it had taken for that man to say ANYTHING. Bart did not understand prejudice. Isn't that wonderful? Would that it could have stayed that way. I think he is pretty open to everybody, but he is certainly aware of prejudices now.

Tomorrow, I am going to take the two deer hides that the Carpenter boys gave me down to Hartland to be tanned. When I have enough, I will have a jacket made of them.

Today, we went grocery shopping and Dick got his blood tested. He has been within the boundries for 10 months now. Sue says he is getting boring.

We had the best dinner tonight. I had leftover pork tenderloin. I sliced it and warmed it, then put it on a hard roll with a slice of cheddar and mayonese (flavored if possible). Then I grilled it and served it with a dollop of cranberry relish on top of the pork. Wow was it good.


Have a nice Friday.

Mary

We took Chelsea to the Vet today as scheduled. Dr. Zechlinsky must be either expanding or planning on retiring because he has a new associate in the office who looked at our girl. She is basically in pretty good shape, but the new doctor did discover a slight heart murmur. We decided to just do nothing for it at this time. The New Vet (I will get her name in my head on our next visit) assured us that unless Chelsea shows signs of tiring easily or developes a severe coughing problem or faints a lot that we don't need to worry too much. The occasional little fainting episodes that she does have COULD be associated with the murmur. If more symptoms appear there are medications that can help her so we will just see what happens.

I spent the rest of the day, trying to get stuff put away. Since out trip, I am way behind. The sprained ankle hasn't helped. By the way, it is starting to itch. I know that scars itch when they are healing but had no idea that sprains did. The foot is all sorts of different shades of red and purple.

Today I finally did get the deer hunting stuff cleaned and stowed and I put the Thanksgiving decorations away. Good thing, it is really time to start doing Christmas.

Love

Mary

Today was a success. I, as the Senior Saint contact person, had arranged for a morning prayer service followed by a presentation by Pat Hefferman, an expert from the Department on Aging at Sheboygan County, who told us in detail about the new Medicare D program. She was wonderful. There had been only one other presentation in Sheboygan Falls so, as a faith community, we had invited anyone interested through ads in the papers. We had more than 50 attendees who were full of questions. This was great because we learned a lot and now hopefully can wade through the information. Deacon Bill Jens presented a lovely prayer service touching on Advent and the coming of the Lord which was well received. I told him that I would call on him again when I do the next program for the Seniors.

We are watching a show about the Mamas and the Papas on PBS tonight. Dick just commented that back then this group and the really great groups just stood and sang. They did not nor do they now need special effects of gyrations or weird lighting. They just SANG. What a head and ear treat.

Tomorrow, Chelsea goes for her annual physical. She will be delighted with her ride. Then when we get to Dr. Z's office she runs in all enthused then turns right around and heads for the door. Poor Zero became afraid of riding in his older years because the only place he ever went was to the Vet. Chelsea loves to go for rides because she gets to go to Bobbie and Bill's or Mother's houses sometimes and once in a while, just for a ride.

An Old Farmer's Advice. Some of the items that were sent by a friend.
* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.


Enjoy Wednesday. We are going to filter some wine.

Always fun to "wine" a bit.

Mary

I have a very affectionate Kitty named Roxie on my lap as I post this Blog. It rained most of the day today and the temps were quite warm. All the way up into the low 50s. Wow. Sounds cold to the South but for Wisconsin in late November it is like spring.

Did I tell you that Bobbie and I had venison liver, bacon and fried onions for supper last night and was it EVER good. We had enough left for each of us to have a sandwich this noon too. And it was also so tasty. They guys weren't allowed to have liver. (Can you hear the sarcasm.) They ate ham and the rest of our side dishes, brussel sprouts, raw fried potatoes and cole slaw. Jim was not aware that there were raw fried potatoes. I know that he has eaten them. He thinks that it is more trouble to cook the potatoes and then fry them. It is actually just the method of cooking. And there is a difference is taste.

Today was full. I had bible study in the morning. As it is early Advent, we are into the "waiting" scriptures and are reading a lot of Isiah. He wrote a lot about the waiting for the savior. There was also a nice section of 2 Peter telling people not to get to impatient waiting for the second coming. As he points out A thousand years is like a day and a day as a thousand years to the Lord. Time means nothing to him (or her.)

Tomorrow, Pat Hefernan from the County Division on Aging is coming to Blessed Trinity at my request to speak to the seniors about Medicare D. I am interested in hearing the presentation, so that we can decide what we are going to do. I also have Deacon Bill Jens doing a prayer service before the presentation so it will hopefully be a full and interesting day for the seniors. (Including me.)

I have to pick up cookies, punch and tea on my way to church. We always have TONS of coffee so I never have to worry about that. People keep donating that.

We were talking about the homeless at bible study. Many of them don't want to come in, usually those with dependency problems because they have to remain clean while they are in shelters. Usually they will only come in during the worst of the weather. God bless them and help them. I hurt for the children who are sleeping out or in cars because Moms and Dads cannot find an enclosed shelter. I hope their guardian angels keep them from fear.

I understand that they are still gathering pets up from the hurricane ravaged areas. Wish I knew what to do to help.

Hope your week goes well. So far so good for me. My foot gets a bit better every day, but I still cannot see my bones and it is still black and blue.

Love

Mary

It was warm and rainy and foggy all day. The temperatures were in the mid 40's. Sure a change from Thanksgiving when it was 10 degrees at noon.

Bobbie and I worked a Rhine. We left at about two o'clock. There were about 10 people there but the traps had not even been set up because of the fog and there were plenty of people capable of handing out and collection for beer as these people watched the football games. Besides, my foot was getting uncomfortable.

I went to the 8AM mass this morning and visited with Mother until she was ready to to to the 10:30AM mass. I begged off of being Eucharistic Minister because it is too hard to stand for any length of time. There are plenty of "whole" people to do that.

On the way home I heard this quote on the radio. Bobbie already heard it but she will just have to read it again. I can't remember the source but it is a quote. "Men think of shopping as a response to an unseen emergency - such as Christmas."

We are now celebrating Advent, so Chistmas is looming. The time of preparation is upon us.

Love

Mary