This has been a perfectly lovely day. The night was not so good. Dick was very restless and then Chelsea tried to get me up at about 4:45AM.

I decided that his was not an option, so I took her out into the kitchen, gave her some lettuce and went back to bed, closing the door to the bedroom with her conveniently on the other side of it. I got up when the alarm went off at 6AM. We had a pleasant walk. It was only 50 degrees or so but was dry and clear which makes for very good walking.

Jim and Michelle had asked me to look in on Boots. Boots had left me a very sweet message asking me to feed him and give him water and scritch him since his owners weren't there to do it. He is a handsome kitty. I sat with him for a while last night and then went over just after my shower while I was drinking my coffee.

When I got home from Mass, I fixed breakfast and then read the Harry Potter book until it was time to go to Holly's bridal shower. That was very special. Eileen and Mary had fixed good food and cupcakes. We had wine or coffee or punch. The games were fun. You try to think of something related to weddings for every letter of the alphabet in five minutes.

I always love the unwrapping present part. It is such fun to see all the really nice things and know that someone you love will have them to start off with. I met Holly's mother too. She is lovely as her daughter is. Mary and Eileen had a nice little gift bag full of cute little gifts for all those who attended too.

I see I forgot to post yesterday. The trip to Sweet Charity and getting emmersed in the Harry Potter Book just whisked it out of my mind.

Sweet Charity was really good. Patty Davis, the lead was wonderful and the actor who played Oscar, Guy Adkins, was exceptional. I wish you all could have seen the scene where they were trapped in the elevator. The back of the program had an advertisement of Some Condos in Elm Grove called the Watermark. This may sound silly, but I am going to share it with you.

BEAUTIFUL

beautiful in Afrikaans is defrig, mooi
beautiful in Dutch is schoon, fraai, knap, fijn
beautiful in Finnish is Kaunis
beautiful in French is beau
beautiful in Latin is formosus, bellus, decorus
beautiful in Portuguese is belo, bonito, formoso
beautiful in Spanish is bello, bonito

I think it is very special to think of beautiful in as many languages as there are - along with love, and hope and kindness.

Another week and only 18 days until the Hunters Glen property closes.

I sent a poem to Garrison Keillor's site at prairiehome.publicradio.org. He put it on the site. Lower right hand corner. I am excited.

Love

Mary

This morning, I joined Gary Hefter at the pheasant pens again. This has been a very good year for the pheasant program. I only helped twice, but Gary said that there have been NO dead birds all week which is almost unheard of. There are so many that usually a few are lost just because. They are getting very big and look wonderfully healthy. I do enjoy helping take care of them and later helping with the release of them into the wild. The program IS working. Of course, most of them are harvested and some die when released, but the smart ones and the lucky ones love and reproduce. We are seeing more pheasant by the roadsides and in the fields.

I stopped at Hunters Glen on the way home, ran the water and did a bit of trimming of bushes. Still have to keep it up but I figure I will have to go there only two, maybe three more times before the closing. My peace rose is blooming and the petunias that Bobbie and Bill planted are beautiful.

When I got home, I cleaned the kitchen and the outside of the windows of the office. Next week, we will do the bedroom windows and I will only have the living room left. Those will be a challenge as they are too high up.

I joined the bank ladies for lunch at Dairy Queen and picked up fresh corn for supper on the way home. Boy, was that good. We had corn, sliced tomatoes, cole slaw and cucumber salad for dinner. Num Num. Are you jealous?

There were several phone calls that I had to make also. I feel that I accomplished a big thing today because I found an organist, Mary Fellenz for the Mass at St. Michaels on August 12. Everything else is EASY.

Chelsea has been coughing and gagging more the past day or so. Last night was very hard on her. It can't hurt because she remains cheerful and does not complain. She just coughs until it is over. If it has not subsided by Monday, we will call the vet. She still went on a good long walk this morning and did not tire. As a matter of fact the activity seemed to help the problem subside for a bit.

Here is a dog quote for you. An Anne Tyler said, "Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!"

Tomorrow we get on the Discover bus and will to to Milwaukee to see Sweet Charity and enjoy a wonderful lunch somewhere. Don't know where we will be eating but we have always been satisfied and expect no less tomorrow.

Have a great weekend. Love

Mary

Today was a nice day, though it couldn't top yesterday, of course. Dick had his blood tested and Sue was very proud of him again. He is right where he should be. He has been instructed what to do when he goes off of the coumadin for the week before his angioplasty.

We stopped at Mom's on our way home, I had cashed a check for her. She is fine and looking forward to Holly's wedding shower on Sunday. Pat and Joan may be coming to the Reunion of the Clans at St. Michaels. She said Pat was really interested. We might have our own small family reunion.

Dr. Ziegler's office called this morning too and he now has his updated glasses. He is really pleased with the results. You may remember that he had to have the implanted lens lasered to clear the accumulated film off of it.

I feel that I was busy all day today, but I really can't tell you what took the time.

Last night we did go to 52 Stafford for the session that they have there every Wednesday. Dick and I had gone to one several years ago. That one was nice but they have come a long way. These musicians have been jamming together for long enough and just obviously have a good time. They even have a lady come with a harp. Beth, from Blessed Trinity, joined us. She said that she wants to learn the harp next.

I joined WFOP (Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets www.wfop.org) and they offer a "poet's page" on their site, so I have taken advantage of it. Maybe I can sell a few books through the site.

It is just beautiful outside tonight. We have opened all the doors and turned off the air to take advantage of it. I just took Chelsea out for her last walk and there is a crescent moon shining in a clear dark sky. Very special.

Have a good Friday. I get to play with the pheasants again AND we will be eating fresh corn on the cob for supper again. If you want to join us, let me know in the morning as I am getting the corn in the early afternoon and can always pick up a few extra.

Love

Mary

Boy do we have news today. Got a call from ReMax this afternoon at about 3:30PM. Shauna said we had an offer. I called Jim and Michelle and (miracle of miracles) Michelle had taken the day off and they were in Sheboygan.

So, they came here and we went right over to ReMax. Jennifer took us into the conference room smiling all the way. We talked for a few minutes and she covered up the offer. Then we each got our copy and -- Lo and behold -- It is a full price offer (on the new price) and they want to close in three weeks on August 9. The only condition is that THEIR current property which is scheduled to close on August 9 closes first that same day. Talk about perfect. We are ecstatic.

This has been a good day otherwise too. Actually, my trap shooting was abysmal but it will be better next week. I just was not following through.

I joined my friend Kate at her Rotary meeting to give a speech and someone else had been scheduled without her knowledge so I am coming back on August 22, the first Wednesday that I am not committed to something else.

Tonight Dick is going to join the Beths and me at 52 Stafford. I will have a wine and a Bailey's to celebrate this wonderful day.

Keep the prayers going so that all goes well.

Love

Mary

Started early this morning. I walked Chelsea and then went to Maywood to help Gary Hefter, from Rhine Plymouth feed and water the pheasant chicks. This is Rhine's week to take care or them. Gary and Greg Reich really do it all. Too bad there aren't a couple of others to ease the load, but everybody is SO busy. Greg called and I am able to help Gary, who comes right from his night shift at Kohler and is really tired, twice anyway. I can go back on Friday. With two of us working it takes about an hour. We fill the feed bins, check and refill water as needed and remove any dead birds. No dead ones this week at all. That is amazing. I guess the weather is just right and they started feeding them the water enriched much earlier than last year.

I kind of enjoy doing it as the pheasants remind me of when I was a kid and Dad raised chickens. We make pets out of them you know. Mine had crippled feet and would you believe that I named him Crip. I won a pet show at the school the year we had him. We eventually ate him. I know I was not a happy camper but must have been a "farmer's daughter" because I accepted the fact that he was raised for food.

When I got home, it was still cool enough and it was not raining, so I went down to the garden and lilac bushes in back. I trimmed the lilac bushes. We did not get many blooms this year so I decided to do some trimming. It may be a little late, but will help in the long fun. I re-edged the other gardens too. They were getting a little ingrown. The hostas and day lilies are blooming now.

Then it was time for a shower to get all the pheasant stuff, sweat, dirt and insect repellent off of me. AND take a nap.

When I got up, Dick told me that the computer had been down most of the night. When I got home, we still did not have a connection, so I called Time Warner. They had a BIG wait so I gave my number and waited. They called back in about 45 minutes (which is what they said) and after about a half an hour of trying different things, we got back online. I learned one more thing to try before calling them. Will Smith, the technician, was very good and told me that they had done some updates overnight and some problems had developed.

I went to Capelle's Farm Market for some fresh veggies and then we got waffle sundaes for lunch. About once every two months we treat ourselves like that. Usually a blizzard but these are new and looked good.

I spent the rest of the afternoon washing windows, watering plants and getting ready for my speech at the Rotary tomorrow.

Dick took me out to dinner to the Family Restaurant. He ordered meatloaf and I ordered liver and onions (It was really good, Bobbie.) Now we are home and in for the night.

During the tributes to Lady Bird Johnson, I heard someone who had been in the Johnson White House say that during that term, it was often the case that a calming voice would be heard saying at very important times saying. "Now Lyndon. Now, Lyndon." I know that he was very volatile and she was a rock at his side.

I could relate. I remember, my Grandpa Bowser, who was a great teller of stories, sometimes getting carried away and my dear Grandma saying in a calming voice. "Now, John. Now, John."

Mary

Good News Today. At 10:15AM we met with Dr. Siddique, the vein specialist at Sheboygan Memorial. He went through the records and checked the MRI of Dick's legs and says that he can help him. He showed us the MRI. It is easy to see where the arteries are blocked. He says that the veins are also in poor shape and had us schedule an appointment for an ultrasound of them. First, however, we tackle the arteries. He will have the first procedure on August 2nd. It will take two or three times before he can finish. Each procedure will be two weeks apart. We are so excited. It looks like this will do just wonders. Pray for us. We are so hopeful.

We stopped at Dairy Queen for lunch. That was nice. As Dick said, it is almost like going out for dinner.

I went to the Cream City Writer's Club at 1:00 at Book Heads here in Plymouth. There were seven of us there. We need to recruit a couple of more people. As it is one of our members gets a little preachy as he is an elder in his church. He writes very nice song lyrics associated with scripture. The trouble is that he seems to sometimes feel that everybody should be preaching. After reading Michael Perry's Population 485, he thinks that he wants to let Michael know that he should have used that book to show religious comfort to the victims that the fire department dealt with. Kudos for Sy Regan, who is a deacon, for saying that emergency workers need to be providing care and not counselling either with psychology or religion.

Anyway, I read the entries that I have for the WFOP Triad contest and they seemed to like them. The words we chose last month were plover, glorious, tranquil, concert, flag, fireworks, lavender. I had also written a poem using them. Here it is.

Concert in the park
Fireworks on the 4th of July.
Where is tranquility?
I found mine on my morning walk
Punctuated by plover sitings
And lavender wild phlox
Glorious in its simplicity.


This month we are just going to write on summer's end. It is kind of nice to have an "assignment". It gets one started.

I went over to Kate's today because she ended up not being able to make the meeting. I had several things for her. We have set the first meeting for the new Celtic Women's Club for August 29. Kind of close to Labor Day but it is the Wednesday before so should not be too bad.
Kate, Bev (Cream City's President) and I have decided to go next year to Kohler to hear Maya Angelou speak. Want to come? Let me know by the end of the week. It is on Saturday, April 26, 2008.

Mom looked great today. We stopped off with her eye vitamins. She had gone over to church for the funeral of Adeline Lawrence. She lived right around the corner from my Aunt Helen. Randy and Donna live in Aunt Helen's house, you remember. Adeline raised strawberries and I miss them. I am sure Aunt Helen was there to show her around heaven. Mother commented that there was no Mass which surprised her. Just a prayer service. We decided that perhaps, since most of her children are not practicing Catholics, they asked for just a service.

Anyway. That is the news from our house. Have a good Tuesday. I get to feed pheasants tomorrow morning. Did I tell you I sprayed ANOTHER wasps nest. It is in the last possible crevice on the house.

Mary

It was a beautiful day. Started out that way albeit a bit chilly, all the way down to 54 degrees. Chelsea usually likes that kind of walking but she took a lot of shortcuts. One through the park and then cut through the woods where we saw the trilliums this spring and that Little Miss Adventure took me on a path that we had not taken before, but which I knew would take us to the park. Then we got to one of the little bridges that go over the creek and she was afraid to cross it. I had to carry her. I think that she just hasn't figured out how to keep all four of her little feed out of the gaps in the wood slats.

I went to the 8AM mass. Then came home and we had leftover roast beef hash with eggs for breakfast. Nummy. I worked on the quilt today. And painted four more tiles for trivets today. It is a fun, easy creative thing to do. I have traced some from a book of patterns and have designed a couple of my own. Maybe I can get a picture of a group of them to show you later.

I finished reading a book today too. It is Sunday and I was so glad to have a day with no commitments so that I could relax a bit.

Jim and Michelle went and washed the windows at Hunters Glen today. The flowers that Bobbie and Bill planted out front are spectacular. The color makes such a difference. I am so grateful that they did that. Next week, I will go back out and trim the bushes again. They still look OK but will need a little finishing by then. This week I have to spend some time on the gardens here.

When Jim got the hose and squeegee to clean the windows he noticed that there were two wasp nests starting above our garage door. One on each side. So this evening I soaked them with hornet spray. There were two on the front porch on separate days last week. I don't know WHY they have decided that our house is home, but I am doing my best to ensure that they know they are not welcome here. I would hope that death will do it.

We had strawberry shortcake on the marble pound cake with cool whip for dessert. Boy is the fruit this year ever good. We had a small bowl of strawberries and blueberries with our lunch too. I am kind of delighted that Cappelle's Farm Market is open. I will check them on Tuesdays and get as much produce fresh from them as I can. We do our regular grocery shopping on Wednesdays.

It also means we can have corn and tomatoes for our Friday dinners. Yahoo.

I remembered something kind of cute today. When I had Bart, Dick told him that we were bringing a little brother home for him. So when we got there, I showed the baby to him and he smiled very politely. I asked him how he liked the baby and he said that the baby was OK but where was this brother we told him was coming.

We realized that his friend's brothers were older and able to play too.

Have a great week.

Love

Mary

I liked to day because I got to shop and shop with a purpose.

Started off a bit early, Chelsea woke me up at about quarter to six but it was not early enough for me to be really irritated with her. We had a nice walk. She took a shortcut through the playground, so we were back a little sooner than expected. It was comfortable. There had been a little rain during the night and everything was very fresh.

I left at 8:30AM for Hunters Glen and ran the water and cleaned the fixtures and sinks with Windex to freshen things up. All of the air fresheners that I had plugged in the walls in the various rooms are gone. Except for the one in the bedroom and that someone took the freshener out of. They may have needed replacing, I was going to check that today too. Tis a mystery.

Then I went over to the Mall and had a ball at the HallmarkKeepsake Ornament Premiere Weekend. I got all but one of the ornaments I need for gifts. I was a good shopper. Had coupons worth $11 and got lots of bonus points for more coupons because I did the shopping this weekend. I noticed when I got my last notice that the Hallmark store's name was Amy's Hallmark. This threw me a bit as it was always Mary Lee's. I found out that Mary Grube sold the business to an Amy, who is very helpful and pleasant.

After I put the ornaments in the car, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond to purchase wax for my hand paraffin dip machine AND shower and wedding presents for Holly and John. Successful there too.

I stopped at Mom's on the way home as I won't be able to go there on Monday because Dick has a doctor's appointment. (As it is I forgot one thing that I was supposed to give her and we will probably drop it off on our way home.) We usually have a good visit after bible study though.

I did some sewing, watering and painting of tile for pot holders this afternoon and now am ready to call it.

I hear this morning about a manager of a business who showed up at his secretary's door nude. He claimed he was sleepwalking ---- All three time.

Love

Mary

It was so pleasant outside that we left the doors and windows open all day and the house stayed very comfortable. I think windows open tonight will keep it that way.

On our walk this morning we felt like we were on a treasure hunt. When we got to the woods end of the park and headed for the path through the woods to home, I found a baseball. So I picked it up and put it in my pocket. Then when we headed into the path and next to the little creek below the culvert, Chelsea started sniffing in back of this tree and there was a plastic bag there. I looked closer and it was full of fireworks, so I picked it up too and brought it home. It had obviously been there since we had rain because there was wet on the outside of the bag.

When I got home, I cleaned the kitchen floor and helped two Culligan men to put salt in the water softener. We think we finally have ourselves on a route. When we moved in we had them bring some, told them we wanted to be serviced. But we had to call them several months later and again thought we were on a route. Obviously we were not because when Dick looked the other day, we were just plain empty. But this time, I am sure they will be back in three months because the manager even called to confirm things.

Jim Bordeau, one of the board members, came over to "interview" us for the newsletter. We learned a lot about the workings of the board and the association. Now I wish I had been able to go to the annual meeting and had run for the board.

Had lunch with Betty, Ceil, Barb and Mary at Dairy Queen today. I was hungry for a "California Burger" So ordered a cheeseburger with nothing but lettuce, tomato and pickle on it and grabbed a packet of mayonnaise. It tasted GOOOOOD!

I picked up some sox and MSM at Walgreens, got gas and YIPPEE!!! found out that Cappelle's is open. That is the local farmer's market. THEY HAD FRESH SWEET CORN! Guess what WE had for dinner. It was so good with sliced tomatoes and fresh green beans from our patio. We wondered, as my brother in law George used to say, "Wonder what the rich folks are eating tonight." They don't eat like that for sure.

I did a bit of sewing tonight, cleaned my desk and got all ready for tomorrow and Monday.

Whew. Another busy one. I hope it rains as they promised otherwise, tomorrow I will need to water.

My friend, Kate, asked me to write a haiku about a rainbow. I have written two, one yesterday and one today, I am not totally satisfied so will try again tomorrow. Her is one

Rainbow arched on high
Appearing as a handle
For the basket - Earth.

Enjoy your weekend. I am going wedding shower shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond and Christmas ornament shopping at Mary Lee's. I like shopping IF I have a purpose.

Love

Mary

Chelsea and I had a lovely walk this morning. We ran into several of our fellow travelers which is always a nice break. The walking temperature was perfect. It was cool enough that we made it through the woods without stirring up too many mosquitoes.

Then I chopped up a bunch of veggies for the pot roast that I was preparing for tonight's dinner. Dick had to be at Advanced Eye Care at 8:30AM for a check on the laser treatment that he had and to be refitted for a new glass prescription.

Home again and then I finished getting the pot roast in the slo-cooker.

Kate Hermann called. She is safely back from the mission trip that she went on to Philadelphia. It was a bit harrowing but she had a good time and felt that the kids were wonderful. We had a lot to catch up on. I am going to speak at her Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday. They are trying to become more aware of the cultural clubs and events in the Plymouth area so I will talk about the Cream City Writers and Sheboygan County Writers and the new Celtic Women Group that we are starting.

Then lunch and a nap.

We had two people come to the door today. Judy Richards, the previous owner of our condo, stopped by for a moment and someone from the condo association dropped off a flyer about the Tallgrass Picnic which is near the end of August. I think we should probably go. Anyway we NEVER have two people ringing our bell so Chelsea was VERY excited.

An appointment with Dr. Hodous to have Dick's callouses checked rounded off the afternoon. They actually look pretty good about now.

The pot roast is delicious. Way too much food of course, but we are looking forward to several more meals out of it. We had some more strawberries and blueberries on pound cake for dessert too. Boy is fruit ever good now.

My desk is SO clean. I have a little pile of stuff in the center that must be done tomorrow or everything will get out of hand again. Tomorrow is a quiet day, the only time I have to leave home is to have lunch with my friends.

When the boys and I would go out anywhere for dinner, we would always order different things and then get to try each other's choices. This was lots of fun. I remember that their father found this to be a very embarrassing thing. Of course, he was embarrassed by doggy bags too. I thought of that because of a commercial on TV. Dick and I sometimes do this, or order a sandwich plain and then one with fries and split the fries. We are amazed at how much food is put on a plate at a restaurant.

Dick is continuing to lose weight. He is not eating much which is OK but I have to keep reminding him to eat the proper things when he does eat. With his pre-diabetes, he must be very careful. We are excited about the weight loss though.

Have a good Friday.

Mary

Today was a big step up from yesterday. The weather was perfect. Maybe a bit cool, but clear and fresh. Not too hot and no rain.

We had to go to the Plymouth Aurora Clinic for Dick's blood tests this morning at 8:30Am. He had to fast so we went out for breakfast afterwards to the Family Restaurant down town. They have SUCH good bacon.

It was also grocery shopping day and that went very well. Dick was tired when we got home but not like yesterday and he no longer is suffering from that chill. He took a nap and I went out to Rhine for the first day of the Summer Trap League. Guess what - I shot an 18. Was I ever jazzed. I signed up a guy after I shot and told him that he was really going to face some stiff competition because I got an 18. He found that amusing.

I spent the afternoon sewing, racking currant wine and stuffing little dolls. It was very productive.

Tomorrow will be rather busy too. We may get some rain which we still need.

The deck plants look great. I wish the tomato buds would start producing little tomatoes. I have nice little peppers growing on those plants and my herbs are really taking off.

Have a great Thursday. Enjoy the following. My friend Janet sent it to me. I think I will take it to bible study the week after next for our opening prayer.

Love

Mary

This Pastor has guts!

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people.

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in Protest!

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

We had two thunderstorms sweep through the area today, one this morning late and one this afternoon. They both dumped quite a bit of water but passed by very quickly. It was hot too. In the mid 80s.

We had to move "a pace" this morning, as Dick had to be at Sheboygan Memorial Hospital for his MRA by 9:15AM and we knew that meant being there earlier so we could get checked in and all.
Everything went very smoothly. It seemed to take longer than they said it would. The technician/Nurse said it would be 25 minutes but it was a bit over an hour. Dick said it seemed to go quite fast for him except that it is SO uncomfortable for him to lie still in one position for any length of time. But we were home a bit after 10AM so it wasn't too bad.

After lunch, Dick took a well deserved nap but woke up with very severe chills. We wrapped him in that nice wool Galway shawl but he still couldn't get warm. So he went back to bed under the electric blanket. That seemed to help but he really is not feeling well.

Tomorrow he will get two blood tests. One a fasting one for his physical with Dr. Sharon. Then the second for Dr. Phelan. He needs to call Dr. Phelan because we don't think that he really needs that weekly one any more. Dr. Phelan and his nurses are hard to get ahold of though.

On the way home we were listening to the radio to an interview with a banker about mortgage practices. They were talking about redlining, the practice of denying clients from certain neighborhoods. I was remembering how things were when I first started out in the lending business at Pacific Finance Corporation when I was 20 years old. The applications we received were hand filled out by the interviewer. We scored them. The client got points for several catagories and had to have a minimum score to qualify for the loan. They got 0 through 5 points for each catagory. Now, we would be sued for discrimination on a chunk of them. There were points for age groups, gender, whether the party was married or not, the race, job and length of job. Can you even believe it? Credit bureaus were in their infancy. We did have one in the Santa Ana area. We would call with the client's information and they would call us back with "inquiries". Inquiries were calls from lending agencies. They would give us the name of the institution that had called and the date they called and then we would have to check to see if an account had been opened. We also had to call the places the client told us about and get the rating from them.

Now, agencies just contact the credit bureau through the internet and download the information directly onto an application. My friend Evelyn Green told me that recently she requested a hard file from 1992 or sometime there and found that it was one of mine and all handwritten. This was WAY past Pacific Finance but before the great computer boom.

Brave new world.

Love

Mary

We got some welcome rain this morning. Not enough but a nice steady soaking rain that lasted an hour or more. I went to bible study this morning and we prayed for rain. It was just starting to sprinkle when we left. Mary, Shirley and I thought that maybe we had better hurry back to the table and pray for world peace since we were on a roll.

Had a good visit with Mother this morning. She went to Eden with her friends on Sunday for the church's chicken dinner. She said it was very good and the new church out there is very pretty. But she still likes the old country churches better and they tore down several of them.

Tonight I attended a meeting at Beth Hoegger's house to plan the Mass for Celtic Faire at Sheboygan Falls. Jim and Alice Wilsing and Joan and Don Otto also attended and I think we got it all put together. I will get the worship folder put together and email it to Beth who can insert the music and get it to Sandy at the Blessed Trinity office. We have three months actually but it is good to get a head start and to be sure we have our musicians and all.

Now home and ready for bed. Chelsea is really starting to get pushy about that. She spends so much time sleeping. But after 9PM she wants either Dick or I in the bedroom with her. AND she lets us know.

Take care. Tomorrow Dick has his MRA. Please pray for results that can bring some help.

Love

Mary

Another hot one. It peaked out at 97 + according to the thermometers we have on the deck.
Thank heaven's for an air conditioned house.

How EVER did we get by without air years ago. But we did. I remember as a child going to bed on hot humid nights with all the windows open, lying on top of the covers praying for a breeze. We must have slept eventually but I remember feeling sticky and uncomfortable those nights.

Then if there would be a storm, it would sometimes help, but sometimes get so humid that it was almost worse. I remember one summer that Bret, Bart and I were visiting from California. A huge storm came up. Thunder and lightening all around us. There are not storms like that in California. I casually asked Mom if we should be turning off the TV. Bret asked why and we told him that sometimes lightening can come through appliances into the house. (It can too. It happened to Nora and Leif not too many years ago in Texas. They had to replace several appliances. ) Mom said that she thought we could wait and see. So a couple of minutes later, Bret suggested that we go to bed.

The boys were supposed to be sleeping in a different room than I was. BUT suddenly, I had a hot little boy on either side of me. As thunder boomed and lightening flashed they would occasionally ask, obviously scared how close it was. I was all prickly and hot but finally got to sleep. I wonder if they even remember that.

We are supposed to get rain tonight but I am not holding my breath.

I worked the 100 bird Lewis shoot for about three hours at Rhine this morning and afternoon. Got home about 2 and just have been puttering. I am glad the day is almost over. Without my nap, I am a bit tired.

Hope you all have a wonderful week. We are busy. Three medical appointments.

Take care

Mary

A real scorcher today. It was very pleasant, only 65 or so when Chelsea and I walked, but got up over 90 by the end of the day.

The only place I had to go today was to the Pig. I actually probably wouldn't have had to go but wanted to take advantage of a good price on blueberries and strawberries which will be over before we actually shop again.

The rest of the day was really very nice. Dick and I racked another of the scratch wines. I cut out 27 more denim squares for a future quilt. I am half way there. If anyone has any worn jeans, cotton jeans not blends, that they are going to throw away. I can use them. Any color is OK. Different shades and color and even weight will give character to the quilt.

I baked a cake with the small amount of currants that were left after I mixed up that newest batch of currant wine. It is actually called Red Currant Pie (Or is It Cake). Isn't that interesting. It is baked much like a pie but has a cake like crust and a meringue/currant topping. It is very good. Did I tell you that I traded some of my pepper jelly to Tom Lawonn for some of his currant jelly?

I have been working on three poems for a poetry contest that is put on by the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. I just joined them about a month ago and this contest is only open to members. I was a member several years ago but did not renew and never heard from them. This time I joined and have had emails from at least two members of their board, received a welcome packet AND a first "museletter." (Isn't that poetic.)

I remember when I was still living at home, for all the time that I can remember, that Mother canned all summer of the things they grew or could buy very cheap during the growing season. I remember an entire wall in the basement aglow with the beautiful colors of all the things she canned. Shelves full of tomato juice, and green beans, and pickles, and peaches, and pears and sauerkraut and jellies. Enough to feed 11 people (and all the stragglers that appeared at various meals) for an entire winter. And we ate good too.

I learned some of that. I never was a big canner, but do make Jelly and refrigerator pickles. I also freeze if I have excess fresh foods. I guess it is just built in to me not to be wasteful.

Have a nice Sunday. We are going to have another scorcher.

Love

Mary

Another warm day but not as warm as is projected for tomorrow and Sunday. We could get up to 95 degrees tomorrow. Thank God for air conditioning. These days, I am really glad that Chelsea gets up early for a walk. It is usually very pleasant at 6AM.

I cleaned the kitchen this morning. And Dick and I racked the chokecherry wine.

I gave blood at the Blood Center in Sheboygan. That goes quite well. So far I have always qualified. Has something to do with the iron count. I guess because I eat well. The technician said that peanuts and nuts help the iron count and I have peanut butter almost every day.

Then I went to the bank and on to the Dairy Queen for lunch with the bank people. We had a full crowd today. Even Dawn and Mary came. Hadn't seen Dawn in weeks so that was nice.

I went to Walgreens and picked up Mother's prescription and copied a couple of pictures for the Clan Reunion. Beth Dipple is trying to get information on the families that settled the area and where they came from as well as any descendants that still live in Ireland. Jeff had three pictures from Kanturk where the Cliffords (my Grandpa Bowser's mother came from). He has two pictures of the church and a picture of the last living descendant that he could find. So that is a beginning.

When I got home, I was exhausted and took a nap. Since then I have been watering. We may get rain on Sunday but I want things to stay healthy until then.

Tomorrow should be a quiet day. We have NOTHING scheduled. I LOVE that. I can sew and bake and just lay back.

My purple green beans are doing just fine. We had one meal on Tuesday and will have some more this weekend. My herbs are also thriving. I may have established lavender, thyme, oregano and lemon balm in the gardens. Now if they get strong and can withstand the winter. I hope I have enough lemon balm for wine. Otherwise, I am sure that Mother will have plenty. The lemon balm wine is such a pleasant summer wine. Kind of like lemonade with a slight kick.

Hope your weekend is pleasant and restful. We all need weekends to recover from the business of living. Even if one is retired.

Bret and I are reading George S. Clason's The Richest Man in Babylon together. (I read it years ago and have used the things I learned to some benefit.) We are now on Chapter 2. The main thrust of that chapter is to always pay yourself first. "A part of all you earn is yours to keep." It is kind of fun. He is a slow reader but is cooperating.

Love

Mary

It was HOT today. I watered all the pots because my gauge, the over planted marigolds, were sagging. Then there was a tiny sprinkling of rain shortly after we ate. I am glad it came then as I had been reading on the deck before dinner. It was really pleasant then. Kind of warm but there was a nice pleasant breeze which made it very comfortable.

Chelsea and I went for our walk at exactly 6AM and only saw one other walker and she was a new one. Then when we came out of the woods and on to Tallgrass, there was our neighbor Dick and his doggy. She is a sweet poodle and always gives me kisses.

We left at about 7:30 for Sheboygan. Had breakfast at Hardees and then went on to the Clinic where Dr. Ganju looked at Dick's legs and that open sore of a callous. He checked and says that the circulation is so poor that it will take forever to heal if ever. So he scheduled a MRA for next Tuesday and an appointment with another doctor about circulation. After that Dr. Ganju will see him again.

When we got home, I had a lot to do today. I cleaned the upstairs bathrooms, added yeast to the currant wine and had Dick go down to the cellar and help me rack the Marigold wine. Next we will filter and bottle that. We will give it two weeks to a month before we do that.

I tried a little tile painting today. It worked pretty well so I will do more. They make nice trivets and I intend to use just Celtic designs.

We had pork quesidillas and ice cream cones for supper tonight. Pretty good. I have enough of the quesidillas left for at LEAST one more meal.

Tomorrow we will have leftover brats and venison steaks and salads. Pretty easy week. Tomorrow, I am also giving blood and having lunch at Dairy Queen, so it will be a busy day. I need to get quilting again. I have a top all pinned to the backing for a cuddler and am afraid to start. I am afraid it will bet all bunched up. I need to practice first with a square.

Have a nice Friday.

Love

Mary

Notice in a farmer's field:
THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

Happy Fourth of July. We had an at home day. Jim and Michelle joined us for dinner. We sure had a good one. Michelle made Ramen salad, I made potato salad and we fried out venison chops and brats to go with them. I had found some nice BIG mushrooms so I stuffed them for Jim Michelle and me. We had ice cream cones for dessert. Nice and simple and good.

I spent a good chunk of the morning cleaning currants for currant wine. Got them all destemmed and washed though and did the first few steps required for wine. Tomorrow I will add the yeast.

Dick goes to see Dr. Ghandu tomorrow. Hope he will be able to help. There was some bleeding again today when we cleaned things up for the shower. All we can do is keep it clean, massage and treat with the antibiotic stuff that they have given us.

I am really tired tonight and will sign off pretty quick.

I did write 4th of July Haiku that I will share with you.

Love

Mary

Fire flowers in the sky
Bold strokes of vivid light
Etched on jet black sky.

We are finally getting some very welcome rain. When Chelsea and I took our rather short walk this morning, there was a little bit of a sprinkle and I was afraid that might be the extent of it.

Dick had his blood coagulation test this morning and despite the antibiotics is still within range, so he doesn't have to adjust his medication. He will have it rechecked in two weeks when he is done taking the antibiotics. Then we went to Hardee's for a quick breakfast.

On the way back to Plymouth, I stopped at Mother's house and picked up the currents and lettuce that Jeff and Kathy had brought with them yesterday. Tomorrow, I will be mixing up a new batch of current wine. Tom Lawonn from Rhine says he has some too and will let me know when they are ripe. I need to get three batches racked one more time then filtered and bottled. They are Marigold, chokecherry and current (all of these got a late start because of the move. I had frozen everything until I could get to mixing everything up.)

We finished our morning errands by stopping at the bank and grocery shopping. Boy were we glad to get home. I spent the rest of the morning writing and organizing my desk again. The rain has been coming off and on, sometimes heavy sometimes light and tonight we are getting thunder. Surprisingly it does not seem to be bothering Chelsea. She is either not hearing it or choosing to ignore it. Sometimes I am not sure that she hears too well.

I got my hair cut this afternoon. Boy did it need cutting and shaping. After I had it cut the last time, I did not make an appointment because I wanted to see how it turned out. Then I kept putting off calling. Jessica at Just Jane's does a fine job so I made my next appointment right away. It will be just before John and Holly's wedding.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July. We will put our flag up in the morning.

I talked to Bret tonight. He sounds good. He is going out to his place at the Colorado River for a few days. He has some personal days coming and will use them with the holiday and the weekend for an extended break and a chance for his body to rest. I miss him.

Have a spectacular holiday.

Love

Mary


"One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when one of them shouted, "Look at that dead bird!" Someone looked up at the sky and said, "Where?"

They Walk Among Us! "

This morning while Chelsea and I were on our walk, we joined up with the older women that we often meet on our journey. The three of us walked together to the end of the park where Chelsea and I turned to head for home. It was quite pleasant, about 65 degrees so the mosquitoes were not bothering us in the woods today. We heard LOTS of birds singing around us. Today we got a really close look at a robin, I was beginning to believe that he would let us walk by him without flying away but he finally took off.

We had a lively discussion at bible study. It was the reading in Luke where Jesus sends 72 disciples out without any money or shoes or extra clothes to preach the gospel. We found out that 72 was a special number because at that time there were 72 known nations. (Wonder how many nations there are now and how many disciples he would have to send out today.) So it was all symbolic. I learned from Fr. Van Beeck a couple of weeks ago that when people in those days had visitors, especially interesting ones, the neighbors thought nothing of just dropping in and lining the walls or sitting on the floor to listen to the conversations that were going on. There was little else for entertainment so this was perfectly acceptable to everybody AND was why the word of Jesus was able to spread as fast as it did.

I stopped and visited Mom after the study. She is a wonder and was getting ready to go to lunch and then to her friend Helen Murphy's house to play canasta. Jeff and Kathy came in today to help her with some bush and tree trimming. I talked to Jeff this evening. She came home from her card game at about 4 and, of course, tried to chip in. They finally convinced her to go and sit down. Jeff and Kathy brought me the currents and some fresh lettuce from their garden. We will pick them up on our way back from the clinic in Sheboygan tomorrow morning.

Tonight was the Rhine Plymouth meeting. I asked Bobbie whether it was a problem that green hickory nuts are falling from the big beautiful tree, well before they are ripe. She said that it is probably the dry weather and/or the tree self pruning. We will see how much is left in the fall when they are supposed to be ready.

Love

Mary

Hymn #365
>>
>> This is a hoot, but I expect the minister didn't appreciate it.
>>
>> A minister was completing a Temperance sermon. With great emphasis he
>> said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into
>> the river."
>>
>> With even greater emphasis he said, "And if I had All the wine in the
>> world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."
>>
>> And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he Said, "And if I had
>> all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."
>>
>>
>> Sermon complete, he sat down.
>>
>>
>> The song leader stood very cautiously and announced With a smile, nearly
>> laughing, "For our closing song, Let us sing Hymn #365, "Shall We Gather
>> at the River."

Just for pretty. This was on the deck at Hunters Glen. I thought it was sweet.

Mary

Today was a very pleasant one. I drove to West Bend with my friends Gloria and Dottie Ziesel to celebrate Fr. Mike Moran's 25 th Anniversary as a priest with him and his friends and family.

I had enjoyed preparing that present for him yesterday. I know money is always appropriate, but wanted to give him something a bit more personal. Last night just as I was getting ready for bed, I remembered a picture that I had blown up from the tour to Ireland that I went on with Fr. Mike. The picture is of a bunch of us. Martin, the bus driver, Fr. Mike, his brother Tim, their Dad Howard, myself and a lady that we can't remember her name around a table at the Brazen Head in Dublin. By some miracle, I found it so I added it to the basket. He did not unwrap his presents today, but I showed him and his brother and father the picture because I wanted us to share the memory.

The mass was very lovely. Prior to beginning, Fr. Mike introduced his family and then asked guests from his previous parishes to stand and finally the parishioners of his current post Immaculate Conception in West Bend. Such a nice idea. There were four priest who con celebrated with him. One of them, a classmate, gave the sermon. The reading from the Old Testament speaks of Elijah asking Elisha to be his successor by placing his cloak on Elisha's shoulders. (Guess that is how it was done in those days.) Anyway, Father's classmate said that because of his size maybe it will take TWO to replace him. He chose a lot of music with Irish roots and I am planning on using some of Liam Lawton's music at St. Michaels and at Celtic Mass in Falls.

There was a lunch served at the KC Hall in West Bend after a reception in the church hall, so he really did it up big. The food at the KC was excellent. Heavy hors d'oevres and excellent cakes. It was very very nice.

Beth Hoegger emailed to set up a meeting to plan the Celtic Mass for next Monday. I had said I would help with just the mass as I like doing that.

Tomorrow will be bible study. In the evening I have Rhine Plymouth so will see Bobbie.

Jeff just called. He is coming to Falls tomorrow and is bringing currants for wine. I can't believe that they are ripe already. He says too, that they are very early.

Have a great week. Pray for rain

Love

Mary

That darn Chelsea woke me up at 5:30AM again. Dick was sleeping again so I got up and took her out. Actually with the temps at about 46 and nobody else out it made a really pleasant walk. We saw lots of bunnies this morning and heard a lot of birds singing. At that temperature there are not so many mosquitoes to dodge when we cut through the woods and over the railroad track to get home. I started watering right away. We are supposed to stay dry until maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. Just in time for the 4th of July

That won't bother us much actually. We are planning on frying out with Jim and Michelle and eating salads and ice cream cones, but I am sure we can manage.

The rest of day was really quiet and nice. I just caught up on a lot of phone calls, paper work and miscellaneous chores around here.

I did quite a bit of writing this morning too.

Tomorrow I am going to West Bend to celebrate Fr. Mike Moran's 25th year as a priest. I prepared a basket for him for a present. It is a lovely basket and I put in it: a bottle of our wine, the Gewertziminer, a loaf of fresh banana bread and a copy of my book. I did find a very appropriate card for him too. Dick and Mom were supposed to go to but Dick is not feeling read for that with his leg and all and Mother decided that it would be just too much. I can see that. She was just exhausted after the three hours we spent at the Bachmann picnic and this would be considerably longer with a long drive home afterwards. Gloria and Dottie Ziesel are going to ride with me though so I won't be alone and I know several people from St. Mary's are going.

Tonight I am watching A Prairie Home Companion (the movie). It is nice. Very Garrison and that makes it good for me. It even has an Angel of Death in it.

Angels are wonderful creatures. Over the centuries, they have brought messages from God, saved people from harm and generally just been there for our children. I often thanked God for my children's angels. How else could they have grown up.

Summer
Hovers so gently
Tender balm for our souls
Take the time to love each other
Softly.


Love

Mary

It was almost cold when Chelsea and I went for our walk this morning. Of course, the little bitch, woke me up at 5:30AM. It was 46 when we walked.

Dick was sleeping. Actually, Dick had the best night of sleep that he has had in probably a year or more. I got up as soon as the girl started bugging me so as not to wake him and figured that Dick would be awake when we got back. But he wasn't.

I let him sleep until almost 7:30PM when I HAD to get him up because we had to be in Sheboygan for his blood test. The thinness one. His count was perfect 260 it is supposed to be between 200 and 300. We have to go back next week anyway because of the antibiotics that he is taking. We have to see the meds throw it off.

While we were in town, we picked up two more pair of the thigh length stockings for him.

When we got home I had a couple of hours before I picked Mom up for her eye test. We stopped at my cousin Brian's house on the way there to get my ring and the chains that I had him repair. I always have trouble finding their house. But we finally did and Mom got to visit a bit with Brian. Then we went to Dr. Larson's for her yearly eye test. She passed with flying colors and unless there is some change that she notices doesn't have to go back for another year. Boy was she glad. We found out that actually her sight has improved somewhat since she had the cataract surgery. I mean in addition to the immediate improvement.

When I got home, I spent the afternoon watering plants and gardens and getting Dick's legs massaged and treated.

Mom and I talked about the books that I got her in Galena (one on Victorian Entertaining and one on Victorian Etiquette.) They had such strict rules for these times, especially the upper classes. Then Mom and I started remembering that we too had lots of rules of dress and etiquette when I was growing up and SURELY when she was. When I was young, a woman would never leave the house socially or for business (including shopping) without a clean dress AND a hat. When I was young and even past high school, we always wore dresses to church AND we wore a hat AND we wore gloves that matched the outfit. When I moved out to California I still had several pairs of gloves and hats. They were already becoming much more liberal.

Then Mom remembered a time when Grandpa sent Uncle Noel to the feed barn for a bag of feed. He tied it onto the running board (remember them) and it fell as they went around a corner, split and spread all over the road. They picked it up the best they could and went home. Later, someone who saw it told Grandpa that "Noel was going pretty fast." Grandpa did not take kindly to criticism of his kids and told the man "Maybe he was in a hurry.'

Have a Nice weekend. Pray for rain.

Maybe Oklahoma and Texas could send us some. I am sure they would LOVE to.

Mary

Started the morning off with a very nice walk with Chelsea. She took a bit of a short cut again. I don't think she thinks of them as short cuts - just a little different way to travel. She is quite the little adventuress you know. It was rather quiet. We only saw one other walker, an older lady with a cane that we see quite often. Nothing like yesterday when it was like rush hour. Lots of singing birds and we saw several rabbits. The rabbits are getting bolder as we come by. I think they realize that we present no danger so they wait until we are just about on top of them before they move into the woods.

When I checked Dick's foot this morning, we found that that troublesome callous was bleeding so I had him call Dr. Sharon and he was able to fit us in just before noon. He changed the antibiotic and made an appointment for Dick to see Dr. Ghandi who is a wound specialist and may be able to help. I was reassured when he said that bleeding is not necessarily a bad thing because at least it means that blood is getting TO the area. Dick seems to feel a bit better tonight already. Maybe it is the new medicine or maybe just because we have a "plan". Relief can be a useful healing tool.

This afternoon, I picked Mother up at about 2:30 and we went to Pete and Verena Bachmann's home for the annual party that they throw for the seniors of Blessed Trinity and other senior groups in Sheboygan Falls. This is the second year that I have gone. I probably wouldn't have gone this year but I ran into Pete and Verena at an Irish Program at the Plymouth Art Center and Verena said that she was expecting me to come. So I told her that I would bring Mother. We had an excellent time. Good company, card games and wonderful food. Pete was giving away basil plants. I have one on the deck but took one to put in the garden in the back at the "bottom" of my yard. The lavender, oregano, lemon balm and thyme are doing well so I have hope for the basil.

Now I am home and listening to the democratic candidates debating. Maybe I can learn something. They are covering a LOT of questions and have a lot of answers. Some are doing the Lil Abner shuffle and some have some pretty good ideas. As far as education, they should listen to the ideas that I have had for years and if we had proper education it would solve MUCH of the AIDs issue.

Obama said that people are not looking for charity. I agree with this on the whole. Most core Americans just want to be part of the solution and have their piece of the pie. As in every society there are the grasshoppers who feel that the world OWES them a piece of the pie without a trade of of time, or talent or effort. But most people just want to receive their due and want their due to be enough to keep them fed and clothed and housed and to be able to raise and educate their children and retire with some comfort and freedom when they have accomplished these things.

Have a great Friday and slide easily into the weekend.

Love

Mary

This was a strange day. Dick has not felt too well. He is extremely tired and keeps sleeping for two hour stretches off and on. We wonder if it is a reaction to the antibiotics. The recurrent pains in his leg seem to be worse. At least they are much worse than they were a couple of weeks ago. We don't know why. Perhaps it is in direct relationship to better circulation. The callous is not looking good. We must give the antibiotics a couple of days to work before we panic. Tonight when I did the leg massage the ankle seemed a bit smaller. I hope that is not just my hoping that it will be. Tomorrow, morning when we do the WHOLE process, including shower and wash, perhaps we will be able to tell.

I ended up doing the grocery shopping alone. Something that hasn't happened in a long time. And I miss our getting out for breakfast together. Usually we just go to Mc Donalds or the Shoppes on Mill street, but it is kind of a date, and I missed that.

I watered EVERYTHING today. The rain we were promised never came and it got much hotter than the weather people said it would. My plants and the yard are looking quite well so I am doing something right.

This afternoon I had to pop over to the post office so I stopped to the Sewing Basket to pick up thread for the assembly of the other quilt top that I have ready to put together. I brought a picture of my Kitty/Puppy quilt (I left the quilt at Mother's the other day, you know.) and they liked it a lot. One of the gals said that I should be sure to put it in the quilt show for the Guild. Now, Do I rejoin the Guild? I am not sure that I want to be a member of ANYTHING right now.

I remember an incident that occurred on a jeep run many years ago. My friend Mary Ellen Kirby brought a parasail that she borrowed from a friend of hers. We hooked it up to the back of a jeep on a long long dirt road. I got talked in to being the guinea pig and actually was the only one that DID get up because we ran out of time.

So we hooked me up in the harness and spread the chute behind me and the whole mess to the back of the jeep. Then Mary Ellen took off down the road and some friends held up the chute to catch the wind AND I RAN. It worked. The chute caught the wind and pulled me right up into the sky. I cannot describe the peace and beauty when one is flying above the earth. The desert was gorgeous. It went on, as they say, forever. And it was SO quiet. I literally started laughing just from the pure joy of it. Such a disappointment to have to settle back to earth.

This was the REAL unknown. We didn't know anything about how the landing would be but I just floated to the ground. The chute made the descent quite easy. I did a bit of a tumble when i actually touched down. Told Mary Ellen to stop a bit quicker the next time.


I would go again in a heartbeat. I don't think I have ever been so free.

Love

Mary

Here is the turtle. I realized that I told you about him in the post just before this. Quite back to front. This was the point where he was getting a bit offended that I was snapping his picture. I felt much like the paparazzi.

Mary

What a day. It was HOT. I went to Hunters Glen early, at about 8AM to do my trimming before the heat really settled in. I got the junipers and the Korean Lilac trimmed and swept the deck and trimmed the honeysuckle. The honeysuckle is beautiful but was really taking over the deck and looking shabby. I also swept out the garage which was getting pretty scuzzy. It still could be spruced up a bit but looks much neater.

Bobbie and Bill planted beautiful purple petunias and chartreuse potato vine in the planter in front of the house. It looks so beautiful. I am so grateful. I wanted to do something but have not been able to commit the time to keep it watered and trimmed. Thank you Bobbie again.

I was at Walgreens TWICE today. I am beginning to feel that I live either there or at the Clinic. This morning, on the way home, I picked up a prescription that had been delayed yesterday because they had to get Sue to approve it. Then when I got home I called Dr. Hodous about Dick's callous. He decided to prescribe antibiotics so I had to go back this afternoon for them. While I was there, I picked up a card for Fr. Mike Moran for his 25th Anniversary as a priest on Sunday and Mom's Centrum Silver. I also swung by the bank and did a bit of business.

After I got home, Chelsea pulled her usual pesty stuff of wanting to go out four times before she really got down to business. However, she lucked out this time. I saw something on the street and was about to go pick it up (thinking it was trash as today WAS trash day) when it started scooting across the road. It was a turtle. So I ran in and got my camera an took some pictures. I will send you one. I do love seeing nature things and then I am not so irritated with Chelsea. She does wear me out though. As Dick says, when I finish doing chores and sit down to rest, she figures that I am not doing anything so I might as well do something for her.

Anyway. I got some pictures of the turtle. He was not too thrilled with me being there and tried to retreat into his shell at one point. But I snapped a few and then let him go on his way - towards water, I assume.

Now the day is almost done. I need to doctor and wrap Dicks feet and then help him get his thigh highs on and will be finished for the day.

We had meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy for supper with a lime jello salad that has cucumbers, green onions, cream cheese and mayonese in it. I loved it. Dick was not so thrilled. It will be refreshing for the next hot days.

Try to keep cool and be safe. Think of Leslie, making her very first airplane flight. Alone too. She must love Bill very much.

Love

Mary

I forgot to post last night, decided to let you know this morning. I will not write much but will let you know that we are OK. Just church and stuff around here yesterday. Dick's leg is still swollen. The therapist thinks we should continue as we are until tomorrow and see if there is any improvement.

I am going out to the house today to trim bushes. Hope I don't get eaten up alive by mosquitoes like in those horror movies. I guess these aren't resistant to insect repellent though.

Mary

I went out twice today ( not counting Chelsea and my walk). First I went to Mass at 8AM. This morning I was a Eucharistic Minister, which is always satisfying. I still find it amazing that I can be the one giving the bread or wine that are the body and blood of Jesus to my fellow parishioners. I never get over how wonderful that is.

Fr. Van Beeck was really "on" this morning as today was the Feast of St. John the Baptist, our patron saint. He pointed out something in the gospel that I had not noticed before. When St. John the Baptist was born, the NEIGHBORS came over on the 8Th day to do the circumcision and to name him. They assumed his name would be Zacharia after his father and were SHOCKED when Elizabeth said that his name would be John. What the heck is that? The neighbors had that responsibility. Wonder what we would do now, if the neighbors came over after we had a baby to name it and baptize or circumcise it. HMMM?

The rest of the day was spent finishing the quilt. You saw the picture on the blog. (If you did not, look below as I posted it earlier.) I am so pleased. Pleased that it does look nice and pleased that it is done. I feel like the A Team. "I love it when a plan comes together."

Tomorrow, is bible study unless I end up having to take Dick in to the doctor. His leg is no better and is causing him some discomfort. Such a discouraging turn of events. We were so hopeful last week.

Last night was difficult as Dick kept getting up and down and was breathing hard. I told him, that when we get these legs squared away, he has to go back to a sleep clinic to see what else his problem s are besides sleep apnea (which we do have under control. with the sleep machine.) I really need more sleep too.

A Haiku

I wish I could fly
It's quiet above the trees
Once I WAS up there.

Love

Mary

Yippee. I finished the Kitty quilt. I don't know why I call it a kitty quilt. It has two doggies on it too.
And a little mouse but you have to seach for him.
Mary

We, Dick and I, got to stay home all day today. Quite a relief after two very busy weeks.

I spent a good part of the morning cleaning the garage windows, watering the gardens (it did not rain, as was promised) planting some herbs and repairing the wire crane. At least to the best of my ability. If it was not so rusted, I would take it somewhere to be welded. As it is, I just wrapped it in lots and lots of twine that I think is made of plastic and hopefully will not rot, at least until fall when I take the bird in for the winter.

Dick and I did the next steps on the White Zinfindal wine, that we are working on. Now it just has to be stirred three times a day for three days and then rest for about 30 days before bottling. The White Zin from the kit is really the best that we have tasted.

Dick's right leg is swelling up again. We are going back to the half stocking and wrapping for a day or two to see if it will bring it down. Otherwise, we will have the doctor look at it again. The left leg looks great. We are worried. A little prayer would be appreciated a LOT!!!

Love

Mary

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a

hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who

was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only

chance of recovery appeared to be a blood

transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had

miraculously survived the same disease and had

developed the antibodies needed to combat the

illness. The doctor explained the situation to her

little brother, and asked the little boy if he would

be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a

deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it, if it will

save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in

bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,

seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his

face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a

trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the

doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his

sister all of his blood in order to save her.

We went to Hunters Glen today to run the water and check things out. I cut the spent blooms off of the peony so it does not look so scraggly and dug up some oregano to plant here at Tallgrass. The ground was SO dry that I didn't get much root. I hope it is enough. Might be because oregano is really tough.

Tomorrow If it doesn't rain, I will water the garden areas here. They still look pretty good but by tomorrow will be parched.

I cleaned the kitchen this morning. Office Max delivered Dick's new chair. It needed to be assembled so we spent the second half of the morning doing that. He likes it. It has good back support but he liked the seat and the arms on the old one better. We will work on that.

Tonight I worked on the quilt. I am finishing up the binding, then it will be done. Unless something unexpected happens I will be done and can post a picture on Sunday. Then I need to decide what I will be doing next. I have one more quilt top done and have a Cathedral Window started. Well, we will see.

I heard on the news today that a study in Norway has concluded that the oldest sibling generally has the highest IQ. I find that quite believable.

Love

Mary

It was a beautiful day today. Chelsea and I started it with a walk at 6AM. She was a happy girl and got to bark at a couple of people too. I saw a heron flying overhead and there were lots of happy birds out there. After the rain we had last night. Not much but enough to freshen things up and give everything a drink.

After that I cleaned the carpet in the office and cleaned the upstairs bathrooms. At about 10, Dick and I drove to Sheboygan. We picked up his new support thigh high stockings first. Then we went to Office Max to look at chairs to replace the one that broke. We found one designed for big and tall people that fest good to him. When we got tot he checkout we found out that it was 65 dollars less than the tag said. So we were VERY happy campers. Lastly, we went over to Bed Bath and Beyond and picked up a Paraspa to do heat therapy on my hands with melted paraffin. It too was much less than we were led to believe so I got that today to.

Then home. I tried to nap but was unable to sleep so I read for a while, made some phone calls and just puttered around the house until dinner.

I mentioned last night that we had watched the AFI's selection of the best 100 movies of the past 100 years. Jaws was one of them and I enjoyed a quote from Steven Spielberg, regarding the movie. he said. "I had not intended Jaws to be a movie where you waited an hour to see the shark. Only because the shark didn't WORK did you have to wait an hour to see the darn thing."

This reminded me of a time that Bret, Bart and I went to Universal Studios for their tour. The tour consisted of a tram ride through the studio with several kind of "real movie" experiences. At one point the tram went on a track over a body or water and as we were going over the water, to our right and coming over our shoulder came JAWS. It was sudden and scary. Poor Bart, who was about six, crumpled and tried to crawl over me and out of the tram on the other side. He was just moaning. It really scared him. Then he realized that it couldn't be real and kept stammering "It's Just a Model.. It's Just a Model" I assured him that it was of course. Boy was that kid scared.

That's all folks

Mary

I just came in from sitting out on the deck for a while. Dick took a little walk tonight too. Chelsea liked that. She enjoys going out with both of us.

We had a lot of errands to do today. We started about 10AM because we had to be at the Plymouth Aurora sometime between 11 and Noon and it seemed most efficient to make a circle.

We went to the bank, then down on Mill Street to pay for the Review/Falls News (it had expired and I had not received the notice. At the end of last week, I realized that I had not received any papers that week, so I called and found out that I was no longer subscribing. Since I get local ads and obituaries and news from those two little papers, then share it with Mother it is worth the $44.00 per year.

We went from there to the Pig to do our grocery shopping and then to Aurora for the blood test and home. Took just about two hours, we were home in time for a lunch and then Dick took a nap.

I had some sewing and ironing and vacuuming to do. Now we are winding down and watching the 100 best movies of something or other. It is always fun to watch those kind of shows because we always have our own opinions as to what we would have chosen. It is surprising the memories that these shows bring back. They always show the BEST scenes.

Tomorrow will be a cleaning day. We are going to shampoo the carpet in the office which is really ucky from Chelsea drooling all over it before we go to Office Max and Bed Bath and Beyond in Sheboygan. We need to look at office chairs for Dick and Sandy from the Lymphodema Clinic said she thinks that Bed Bath and Beyond carries the paraffin dip equipment that really makes my hands feel good. I can also look for presents for Holly and John. They are getting married in August and there is a shower coming up too. She is registered at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Yesterday Mother told me that Dolores had called. Kurt and Jody are expecting their third son in August. Jody went into labor a couple of days ago. They have stabilized her but Jody has to do NOTHING for the next few weeks to be able to be sure that the baby is safe. As school is out, the timing is good because Kurt will be able to take up the slack. But pray for them and that little life.

Love

Mary

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a

roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if

anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the

king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by

and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the

King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did

anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of

vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the

peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the

stone to the side of the road. After much pushing

and straining, he finally succeeded. After the

peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed

a purse lying in the road where the boulder had

been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note

from the King indicating that the gold was for the

person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The

peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve

our condition.