I gave a very short speech at the St. Mary Home and School meeting tonight, relating my experiences at St. Mary WAY back in 1951 through 1954. The thing is that there is a proposal to extend the school gradually back to a K through 8. (Actually I started when the school was new, as a 6th grader and graduated from 8th grade. Then as years went by they dropped the last two grades.) There is also a proposal to combine classes as the classes are so small. As I am the product of combined classes, I was able to relate my experiences in this also. The parents were smiley faces as I spoke so we should be OK.

Then there was choir. So it was a busy evening. I am dabbling a bit in the bell choir too.

It is hard to believe that tomorrow will be Friday already. I have no plans beyond lunch with the Plymouth ladies at Dairy Queen. If it is as cold as they say it will be I may have soup or chili for lunch. Jim will not be home for dinner until Sunday. We had leftover chicken and stuffing today and will have Kraft Dinner with ring bologna tomorrow.

I am making a cheesecake though. I am still experimenting for the cheesecake contest they have in Sheboygan Falls every year. So far the winner is the Bunratty Poteen Upside Down Double Chocolate. But I am going to try a triple citrus this weekend. It calls for Orange, Lemon and Lime juice and zests. Sounds super refreshing.

If it is good, I will share the recipe on Sunday.

Mother and I were updating some notes that I wrote about the various places that Grandma and Grandpa lived during their marriage. She was remembering Uncle Henry, my Grandma Bowser's younger brother, who was a veteran of WWI and died at King Hospital here in Wisconsin a few years ago. He was such a courtly man and made a woman feel like a lady. He was married to my Grandpa Bowser's sister Clare. Poor Uncle Henry was surrounded by women. For some time Henry and Clare ran a B & B type of place in New Prospect where they put people up and took them on tours of the Kettles and stuff. I guess that Henry's sisters in law, Genevieve, Lenore and/or Jo were involved in it also and really drove poor Henry crazy, surrounded by all tese women.

Anyway I have a few changes to make in my notes and must remember to correct Grandma's birth place to New Prospect. We are also pretty sure that they would have been married there, as people usually marry in the bride's home church and even more so then.

An old Chilean proverb says: Why should a man without a head want a hat?


Love

Mary

We ended up going twice for Dick's doctor's appointment. We got there this morning and Dr. Schwalbach had been called to the hospital for an emergency. They were able to reschedule for this afternoon. As we said, we would hope he would come immediately if Dick needed him too. All is stable. He said we should continue as we have been and come back in six months. We have to try to get a bit more exercizing in, which is difficult as Dick's back and hips hurt with very little exertion and I can understand his reluctance to push it. Dr. Schwalbach suggested water walking. Dick said he would consider it but I wonder. We will see. I will mention it in a day or two.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I got all my computer and church stuff caught up. Tonight I can sew while I watch LOST.

Jim got a Roomba ( the robotic vacuum) and we are having fun watching it move around the den. The animals seem mildly interested but not alarmed. Actually, I don't know if Oscar has seen it yet. He seems to be staying upstairs though.

It was up in the upper 30s today and rained most of the day so the snow is melting very fast. More preciptition on the way and then the temperatures are going to drop to single digets and below zero. Think of us. I understand that my California readers are going to get a respite from all their rain. What a tragedy in that massive mudslide.

Have a nice Thursday

Love

Mary

Another busy day. I helped take down Christmas in church today. How sad. I got there at about 9:30 after I went grocery shopping and I had to leave at about 12:00 when Dick called because the Sears Repair person was coming earlier than the 1:00 to 5:00 window they had projected.

I needed to be there, because I do the dishwashing. We had a female repairperson who just loves animals. She always tries to get Chelsea to come up to her. Chelsea is not the cuddliest doggy in the world and only puts up with me after 7 years because she has come to understand that I expect it. But I don't push it either.

This woman, Jan, is delighted to see the kitties too but for some reason, Roxie doesn't like her. Both times, when Jan has pets Roxie and she meows and eventually hisses at her. I can't quite figure out why. Roxie is usually pretty friendly. On New Years Day, she walked up to Mother and introduced herself, which we thought was very nice of her.

We racked the Marigold wine today. I have to suck to tube to get the flow going, so I always get a little taste. It is still one of my favorite scratch wines. It will be ready for tasting in late July, I would guess and be REALLY ripe in January of 2006. Patience is the name of the game. If you want to try it, let me know.

A month from tomorrow is the 28th Annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest. I will be bringing venison stew this year. I finally have found a good stew recipe and it is fantastic with venison as the meat. The feast will be hosted by Kurt and Jody Thuemmler, my sister Dolores's son and wife. For those of you that may not know. The winner of the beer tasting contest hosts the following year's event. A very efficient system. We are all plugging for Kathy, Jeff's wife. She has valiantly competed for lo these many years and REALLY wants her name on that trophy.

Have a good Wednesday


Mary

We regrouped for bible study today. It was good to get back. We are still studying Corinthians and are finding it challenging.

Then this afternoon, I went to Writer's Club. I read a story that I wrote. I don't often finish stories. I got good feedback. One of the other writers called it riviting. I entered it in a contest, so we will see what happens.

When I got home, I was really tired. It is hard to get revved up when you have two events during the day.

Tomorrow is not much better. I will be shopping, then going to help take the Christmas decorations down at church, then waiting for the Sears Repairman. We bought a new dishwasher last year because we were not happy with the old one. This one is worse. BUT we have a 5 year service contract, so they will be coming out here until it is right.

This morning when Chelsea and I stepped out for our walk. I found a thin vaneer of ice covering all paved surfaces. Needless to say, we walked on the edges of the road and driveway, just long enough for her to accomplish those things that good doggies do outside. She is funny when there is ice all over. She falls a lot but just bounces up and continues on her way. She does not have very far to go you know. I, on the other hand, worry about broken limbs. It got up to the mid 20s today. You in warm climates can smirk if you wish. We will get up to the forties tomorrow and the next day, I hear. Then the temps will plummett to sub zero again on Friday and Saturday.

Dave Matthews said."You lean on me and I'll lean on you and we'll be OK."

That reminds me of the first time Bret went to a movie with out me. The school had a special afternoon movie, so my neighbor and I took Bret and Chip and dropped them off at the door. They were about 7. On the way in they kind of huddled against each other for courage. When we picked them up, they had "grown up." They were "Cool." They pranced out of the theatre like big guys. Another little step towards independence.

It is funny how you remember these teeny little milestones.

Have a good Wednesday.

Love

Mary

Packers got smacked badly today by the Vikings. Ich!!! It was not a fun game and I finally did something else for the last quarter. It was just too painful.

The rest of the day was fine. The choir sang at the 10:30AM Mass. That was fun and I brought my Spiderweb stitchery to share with Mother and Mary Bainbridge. They liked it so that made me feel good.

I have spent the rest of the evening watching the People's Choice Awards and trying to find a needle in a haystack - a picture of the eigth grade graduating class of 1954 from St. Mary School in Sheboygan Falls. I am speaking to the Home and School Meeting on Thursday at St. Mary School about going there through eighth grade and also about my experiences with combined classes. These are two proposals for St. Mary for next year to help keep the school practical.

I guess that is really all for today. Going through those pictures really brings back memories. Pictures of my babies and the pets and friends and places and things that are not in any order at all. Do you have that kind of a memory pool? I found things from Aunt Helen's house that I did not even know I had. I have rememberence cards from MY great Uncle Oscar Ziegler's ordination commemorating his first Mass dated 1904 and 1919. Wow.

A quote from Ellis Peters - Cadfael

There is a right place for every soul under the sun.

Remember that you are special and have a place under the sun too.
Mary

I went to the Pampered Chef Party today at Becky's and bought "lots" of stuff. I still have things I want to get but soon enough another party will come along. I know that my sister-in-law Donna's sister, Shirley is having one in the summer and Donna can bring me. I got stoneware muffin tins, bamboo pinchers, a paring knife and some really good spatulas.

Randy, Jeff and Bryon were putting Mom's washer and dryer in while we were Pampered Chefing. They hope to get it done today but may have a few finishing touches before she can use it. We will feel much more secure when she does not have to go up and down those stairs to do her wash. So will her neighbors. She has the nicest neighbors and they worry about her too.

St. Louis just beat Seattle in the first wildcard playoff game. I sure was pleased and it was a nail biter. Tomorrow the Packers play Minnesota in our (hopefully) first playoff.

I am going to wind down for the night. I have to watch TV in the bedroom. I want to watch a movie that noone else does.

Have a nice evening.

Love

Mary

The Blessed Trinity Paris Council holiday party was tonight. Almost everyone was there and it was a pleasant night with great hor d'oeurves and good company.

This noon I had lunch out in Plymouth with the Wells Fargo people. We had not seen each other before Christmas so had a lot of catching up to do.

Aside from that I cleaned the kitchen and spent the rest of the time playing catch up on my desk. Paperwork had been piling up. I should be all caught up by Monday when the next batch comes in.

Tomorrow we will be filtering the Gewertziminer wine and I am going to a Pampered Chef party at Becky (my neice's) house. I have been kind of hoping for a Pampered Chef party. They are fun and I do like their product. I had purchased a bread baking tube at one a few years ago. I finally got out the directions, found out that you use refrigerated bread dough and just spray the tube. I was always afraid to use it because I had visions of the bread getting stuck in the tube and chipping it out. Anyway I got brave and baked a loaf the other day. It is very interesting shaped round scalloped bread, a little dense, but tasty and it did NOT stick. You are also supposed to be able to make things like rice crispy candy and cut it into pretty shapes.

Well, Chelsea is getting very tired, so I think I will wrap this up. Sleep well and keep in mind the Old English night prayer. "From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggity beasties and things that go bump in the night, dear Lord, deliver us."

Mary

Hello again. The snows came. We got at least 4 inches overnight and Chelsea is happy. You can tell she is getting older though. When she was young, she would hop and run through the snow like Pepe Le Pew. Now she tries to find less deep snow patches to run in so she doesn't get so tired. But she still loves it.

Schools were cancelled and also choir practice tonight. However, we did have our parish council meeting. I think it was productive. Underlying currents of dissention are still eddying and probably always will. I just hope we can get past them as a church family. There was a lot of enthusiasm about a lot of the items brought up, such as the school, future clustering with St. John Kohler and the condition and future repairs on the buildings and grounds. Fr. Gene said he would work with me to establish a mission group for Fr. Mike Shea and his AIDS kids. I got an e-mail from Fr. Mike. He and his associate went to the affected area and offered to take any AIDS orphans that need to be cared for.

I promised a picture of my Spiderweb wall hanging. I FINISHED today and took the picture which really turned out well. So (drum roll.) HERE IT IS.







Love

Mary

I finished the spiderweb wall hanging today. Tomorrow I will try to take a picture and put it on the blog for you all to see. I hope the picture does it justice.

Tonight I went out to the Rhine Plymouth club house and helped put the prime coat on the walls. Since Bobbie and I joined, they have been doing lots of repairs and redecorating. The main room walls and ceilings are now off white and look great. The room looks bigger and fresh. Tomorrow another crew will put the final coat on.

Tomorrow we shop, then quiet. But in the evening I have council AND choir. Those double duty nights are a little rough. Friday, the council party will occur at the rectory. Dick is really "thrilled". I have to bring an hor d'oeurves. I think I have a Market Day something that I can fix easily on Friday afternoon.

I read the following in the Reader's Digest. "I fear that one day I'll meet God, he'll sneeze, and I won't know what to say." Ronnie Shakes


Have a nice Thursday.

This was a quiet but busy day. The temperatures were in the mid 20s but it was still so fairly comfortable. Chelsea and I enjoyed our morning walk, but it was cold enough that I was getting eager for spring or a warm climate by the time dark came.

I am paying all the bills this month. Dick has me do this once a year so I keep my hand in. I am really glad that he usually does it, but do know that I need to be aware. He provides a nice instruction sheet.

Tonight, Bobbie and I went to the Rhine Plymouth meeting tonight. It was rather uneventful. Actually, I had not been out to the club since late November when pistol league ended. A new league starts on Friday. I have to go the the parish council party then so will have to catch up either Sunday or the following Friday.

Guess that is all the excitement. Tomorrow will be just as thrilling.

Just a little quote from Winnie the Pooh

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.


Pray for all the lost and their families in the tsunami area. Pray especially for all those that are working so hard to bring them relief.



Love

Mary

A kind of busy easy going day today. The temperatures were in the mid 20s but it was still and therefore did not feel too cold. However, Chelsea really asked to go out more than I thought was necessary and I was wishing for spring by evening.

Tonight Bobbie and I went to the Rhine Plymouth meeting. It was rather uneventful and actually the first time I had been out to the club since late November when the pistol league ended. A new league starts this Friday. I have to go to a parish council party that evening, so will have to start either on Sunday or the following Friday. I definitly want to participate again, as I am getting better and want to continue to improve.

This is the month that Dick has decided that I should pay the bills so if he is ever unable, I will know what to do. It is a very good idea, but a real pain. I like him to do it. He really has things set up very nicely and even gave me an instruction sheet.




And remember a quote from Winnie the Pooh

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.

Love

Mary

A kind of busy easy going day today. The temperatures were in the mid 20s but it was still and therefore did not feel too cold. However, Chelsea really asked to go out more than I thought was necessary and I was wishing for spring by evening.

Tonight Bobbie and I went to the Rhine Plymouth meeting. It was rather uneventful and actually the first time I had been out to the club since late November when the pistol league ended. A new league starts this Friday. I have to go to a parish council party that evening, so will have to start either on Sunday or the following Friday. I definitly want to participate again, as I am getting better and want to continue to improve.

This is the month that Dick has decided that I should pay the bills so if he is ever unable, I will know what to do. It is a very good idea, but a real pain. I like him to do it. He really has things set up very nicely and even gave me an instruction sheet.




And remember a quote from Winnie the Pooh

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.

Love

Mary

The streets were no longer slippery this morning. It was wet but not slick. I went a bit early so I could walk Mother over to church. Fr. Gene decided to have just one Mass this morning. Instead of two. Usually we have an 8:00AM and a 10:30AM. He decided to have just a 9:30AM. The trouble is that he does not announce these things from the pulpit the week before. It IS in the bulletin but not everyone reads that from cover to cover, especially the Sunday Mass schedule which so seldom changes. Frankly, I had not read the schedule myself. The only reason I knew is because I discussed it with Mother and we figured it out. As we were leaving there were tons of people driving into the lot. I am afraid there will really be a ruckus about it.

The Packers played the Bears today in their last regular season game. They won as expected. (The poor Bears are really bad this year, I don't know how they beat us the first time we played, but it was early in the season and we were really struggling then.) Actually their quarterback got sacked NINE times. Dick heard that the first playoff game will be against the Vikings. BOO!!!! HISS!!! He heard that that would be the third game they play against each other this season.

A story that was e-mailed to me the other day, for your amusement.

A priest, a Pentecostal preacher and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.

Seven days later, they're all together to discuss the experience.

Father Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages, goes first. "Well," he says, "I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts, and an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he claimed, "WELL brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to him from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to rassle. We rassled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a crick. So I quick DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the week in fellowship, feasting on God's Holy Word, and praising Jesus."

They both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in bad shape. The rabbi looks up and says, "You fellows don't even know what trouble is until you try to circumcise a bear."

Love

Mary

We had Mother over for dinner this evening. Always a pleasure. The Schlitzhagen and the blueberry pie were both very good. Jim and I took her home at about 7:00PM. As it turned out, we picked a good time. There is a freezing rain out there and by the time we got to her house it was quite slick. I was glad that Jim was there to help Mother, because she needed help getting into the house.

Since we are home, Jim has been listening to the scanner and reporting every so often on salt trucks that are stuck out there at the bottom of hills unable to even get back to the lot. A warm spell is supposed to be coming in over night so we should be able to walk and drive by morning. It is good to be safe and secure on a night like this.

Just a note to usher in the New Year. Helen Keller said, "No effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost."

Pray for the living in the Tsumami area. Bless the rescuers and speed them on their mission of hope and relief.

Love

Mary

I am trying to post early because it is New Year's Eve and I want to post a picture of the duplicate ball that drops on New Year's Eve in Time's Square. When Bart and Barb and I were in Ireland, we went on a tour of the Waterford Factory, they keep duplicates of everything they make and have that duplicate on display and lighted. It is really a beautiful thing.



One last note on Reggie White. In the glory years, the year of the Superbowl win in 1997, I was still working, of course, and we had a holiday party after Christmas at a hotel, I believe in Appleton. We all came in Packer Gear. I had to buy something because I had nothing. I ended up with a Reggie 92 Jersey. I wore green jeans, a gold turtleneck and the Jersey and won a really nice Packer throw, because "everybody was mistaking me for Reggie." Still have the throw. It is in the den with all the other Packer stuff, such as the Packer Care Bear and Packer troll to bring us luck during the games.

Sunday is the last regular game. Then the playoffs.

Happy New Year.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!


Mary

Dick had his appointment to have his blood checked today and it is finally back within the parameters that they want it. For the first year, after they discovered the irregular heartbeat, we had the count just perfect and then about 6 weeks ago it went just a teensy bit high. Sue, the nurse in charge, adjusted the medicine dose and we are now perfect again. Nice to end the year that way.

One more day left in 2004. The death count in Asia keeps climbing and climbing. I keep praying and we sent a bit in care of the Red Cross to hopefully help a bit. The numbers are staggering.

Reggie White was buried today. How sad for his family. His children are still so young, a daughter in high school. I am glad that I have my Reggie 92 Jersey. The last regular Packer game is against Chicago, Sunday. They have already cinched a playoff seat so it really doesn't matter but we had BETTER beat Chicago. We lost the first game with them and they are really BAD this year. People say that Bret should not play to "save" him for the playoffs. I found it interesting that he said that he does not understand "saving" people who are healthy and doing well for a later game. He does love to play football.

Gloria Vanderbilt said "Have great, secret, big, fat hopes for yourself."

Sounds good to me. You must all do that.

Love

Mary

Lunch with my classmates was so nice. There were 10 of us at the Firehouse, including two spouses. Lorraine Schmitt Schaap, Bob Guse, Diana Brown Jurista, Nancy Gallagher Roehre, Ken and Barb Richter, Joe and Sharon Ehren, Elaine Evanoff and me. Not too bad on three days notice. The Firehouse is always a good place to go. The food is tasty and the atmosphere is pleasant.

After lunch, I stopped at Mother's for just a few minutes. The guys have started the work necessary to intall the washer/dryer we got for her.

I am very tired tonight so this will be short. Only two more days left in 2005. We are spending a quiet evening here at home. We invited Mother for dinner on New Years Day. I am fixing Schlitzhagen with mashed potatoes. I need to decide what to have for dessert.

Did I ever tell you the Schlitzhagen story? Years ago, Dad was a good friend of a man named Fitzpatrick, who owned Fitz's Tavern on Broadway in Sheboygan Falls. They had a bowling alley in the basement and served dinners. Their chicken dinners were very good I guess. Anyway, Fitz asked Dad if he had any use for chicken broth. They preboiled their chicken for the dinners they served and had buckets of the stuff that was otherwise just tossed. Dad would occasionally bring a bucket home and Mother became very inventive.

One of the recipes was Schlitzhagen. She would mix up a meatloaf mixture, roll it into meatballs, flour and brown the meatballs and drop into the hot chicken broth and cook til the meatballs were cooked through. It is just great over mashed potatoes or noodles. We called it Schlitzhagen. Schlitz because the broth came from a bar and Hagen because we liked the sound of it.

Have a nice Thursday.

Love

Mary

Dick commented today that my haircut and my chiropractic appointment cost exactly the same. I did both today.

The weather was comfortable - in the mid 20s and not at all windy. Chelsea and I both enjoyed our walk this morning. The little vixen talked Jim into taking her out at 5:15AM then woke me up acting pathetic at 5:55AM. What a faker.

Tomorrow, I am going to have lunch with some friends. I got an e-mail from Diana Brown Jurista, a gal that I graduated from eighth grade with. We also both were in the group of young girls who all went to the School Sisters of St. Francis Convent in St. Francis WI right out of grade school. Actually 13 girls from Sheboygan Falls went to the convent in a three year period. None of us are still there. Sister Rosanne was our religious education teacher while we were very young. We all admired her so much that we literally migrated to the sisterhood. At that time, they let girls come as Freshmen in high school. After a year our two we found that we were not suited for the life after all. At least that was my experience. We were much too young and eventually, they realized this.

Anyway, Diana is visiting tomorrow and wondered if we could get together.

Lorraine, another classmate, and myself, contacted all of the members of the 8th grade class that we could and there will be at least five or six of us there. Not bad on such short notice. We were the first to graduate from St. Mary's Catholic Grade School 50 years ago.

Friends after all these years. Pretty special.

I read something in a catalog that I think is funny.

If it has tires or testicles, it's gonna give you trouble.


Enjoy

Mary

What a Sunday. First the news of the tsunami in Asia. Death tolls are still rising. I e-mailed Fr. Mike Shea, my cousin, who has a mission in Thailand. First, I checked the location of his school and orphanage in relationship to the west coast and found that the mission is far north and east. He sent a blanket message to us and I know that they are OK but that the death and devastation is awful. I am so relieved that he and the 0ver 100 children he has under his care are OK.

Then the word came that Reggie White, the retired Packer #92, died suddenly at the age of only 43. What a shock. He helped lead the Packers to the Super Bowl in 1997. I always admired him. Some of his ideas were a bit odd, but he was a sincere Christian, who became a practicing minister and wore his faith proudly.

My fondest memory is the following. During those glory Super Bowl years, our grandkids, Sara and Nora went up to Green Bay with the Recreation Department to watch a practice. At that time, they were probably 6 and 8. Nora was a teeny little blond thing and Reggie at 6' 5" , 304 pounds must have looked like a true giant next to her. Anyway when they came back, Nora was wide eyed with wonder and told us in a trembling, awe struck voice. "Reggie White touched my hand."

I am going to try a picture again.



Have a good Tuesday and let me know if you see the picture.

Mary

It was kind of warm today, all the way up to 22 degrees. WOW. We had a dusting of snow too and Chelsea was in her glory. She kept thinking of excuses to go out so she could roll in the snow.

Church was nice this morning. It was the feast of the Holy Family and Fr. Gene talked on the value of our families. We need to be sure to let our children AND the other members of our family circle know how we value them.

We had a nice visit with Dick and Brenda before they headed back to Madison.

The rest of the day was just laid back and goofing off. I rested and did a bit of sewing and puttered on the computer. Tomorrow is soon enough to get back on the fast track.

There was an announcement at Mass this morning that there is a desperate need for bedding, so I went through our closets and found a couple of blankets and quilts and sheets and pillowcases that we have not used in years and probably never will. So, Dick and I will drop them off at the church tomorrow. I shudder at the thought of anybody being cold when we have so much.

I understand that pictures have not been coming through recently. Jim just fixed it and tomorrow will be the BIG test. Look forward to a picture tomorrow. I am just too tired tonight.

Only five more days til the New Year.

Love

Mary