Worked all morning at church. We had to cut the ends off the palms because they had been left in their boxes - in the sealed plastic - for several days AND got moldy. What a mess, there are hundreds of the darn things. We did our embellishments to jazz things up for the Palm Sunday Celebration tonight and tomorrow.

Then we checked out the altar cloths and hangings that we will need for Holy Thursday and Easter.

Tonight I went to Mass at 5:00 because the choir had to practice for Easter Week AFTER mass. Didn't get home until about 7:15 so we had a very late supper and I am very tired. But Now I do not have to get up early tomorrow. I guess that Jim and I will shoot tomorrow and in the evening, Dick and I will go to see Hal Holbrook as Mark Twain at the Kohler Theatre. I am really looking forward to that, Hal is one of my favorites.

I sent for the Rosalyn Russell version of My Sister Eileen. Dick and I remember it very fondly from our youth. It is very amusing but it is also amazing how humor has changed and we are not finding it as hysterically funny as we remembered it from back then. It kind of reminds me of Dad. He used to rave about the OLD westerns. Lash Larue etc etc. So finally we got him a tape or something of an old movie and he grudgingly ended up admitting that he was really disappointed. It was not at all what he remembered.

Have a good Sunday. I hope this wasn't too rambling. Jennifer Garner said. "I know enough to know that when you're in a pickle...Call Mom." I still remember laying in the hospital in labor with my first baby and wishing that my Mom was there.

Later

Mary

It snowed today. The forecast was possible flurries, but it was really heavy for almost two hours. I was driving from Sheboygan Falls to Plymouth when it was at its peak and I was kind of wondering what the heck I was doing out there. Fortunatly, it stopped BEFORE I was leaving Dairy Queen and the drive home was safe and sound. So - on the way home I stopped and got two dozen eggs from the egg farm. (Now I just have to dye some white eggs with tumeric as I will have on green and several shades of brown dyed by nature for the baskets. Yes! the Easter Bunny DOES come to our house.) I also stopped at Woodlake and cashed in a couple of coupons. Woodlake will often have items before the major chain groceries.

Tonight we went to Bill's retirement party that was put on by the Friends. (There were nine other retirees honored but of course the most important one was BILL.) We ran into Pete, Jim's old supervisor. I asked him if he had tried the pepper jelly that I gave him (I knew he hadn't) He is afraid of it, I think. I tried to convince him that it is really good. It is you know. We are all out and I have to make another batch. If he tastes it he may ask for more (Ha Ha)

This morning I met with Beth Dipple at the Research Center. She is the Director of the organization. She is also my brother in law Ken's cousin. AND Pat O'Reilly, who sings with Blarney, (a favorite Irish Band) whenever they come to Sheboygan County is Ken and Beth's Uncle. He is the one who had a heart attack in the middle of his song about 6 years ago and was saved because:

1. There were two emergency room nurses in the audience
2. One of the band member is an EMT.
3. They were on him before he hit the floor.

When they got him stabalized and were reeling him out on the gurney he was struggling to get up. He kept telling the EMTS that he had to finish his song. The next year he was back and DID finish his song. He is still singing for us too.

Anyway, I took a biography and a copy of my brother's book to her. Now he will be remembered forever.

We are going to work together to try to bring Irish events to Sheboygan County three or four times a year. We hope to start sometime this summer.

I was thinkin today of all I learned in Al Anon and AA. I don't know why. But I do remember going to my first meeting and crying during the whole thing. A dear little man wearing a hand made tie slide with Jesus Loves You printed on it kept patting me on the arm and saying. "You are in the right place."

And a lady, who I knew had a rougher road than I, would say. "I can fix my day at the beginning of it. I can change "Good God Morning" to Good Morning God."
Have a Good Morning God kind of day!

The Elantra is all fixed. While Dick took Jim to work this morning, I dropped it off at the body shop. Then Dick picked me up and we went for breakfast and grocery shopping. We had to pick Jim up when the car was ready as well. Then in the early afternoon, we got a prescription for Dick from Walgreens, so I felt like we were traveling most of the day.

I also transplanted the pitiful plant that the cats have been chewing on into three smaller pots today and cut off the top of the big corn plant which was hitting the ceiling. I stuck the top piece in the same pot next to the original. Now the trick will be to keep the cats from killing it. They are extremely persistant. I may look for some repellant tomorrow.

The weather was beautiful, sunny and in the mid 50s all day.

Tomorrow night we will go the the Friends of Mead Public Library, retirement party for the eight long term employees who took early retirement. This time we have it right. As you remember, a couple of weeks ago, Dick and I were all ready. Good thing Jim figured it out and told us we had the wrong date.

I am taking my brother Matt's book of poems and mini biography to the Sheb. County Historical Research Center to donate. Beth and I have a couple of other things to discuss also.

The Cadfael Book of Days for yesterday was very special. I may bring it to Bible Study on Monday. "Death falls upon children who never did harm to any, upon old men, who in their lives have done good to many, and yet are brutally and senselessly slain. Never let it shake your faith that there is a balance hereafter. What you see is only a broken piece from a perfect whole."

Isn't that special?

Have fun tomorrow. The second last Friday in Lent.

Mary

It was a beautiful day. Up in the 50s. Dick said that this is supposed to be the warmest day of the week. That is a disappointment but we need to take them when we get them. This morning when Chelsea and I started on our walk, we heard a Phoebe singing his heart out right from the tree next to the walk. Such a big noise from such a small creature.

I had lunch with a friend today. Suzi lost her husband six months ago. I went to see Sam a couple of times when he was dying. He wanted company and I am good at that. I waited a few months before calling Suzi because it seems to me that everybody is always there and wanting to visit right after yhou lose someone but after a while they go on with their lives and forget. That is when you need someone. So we had a good visit. I will call her again in a month or so.

Tomorrow, we have to take Jim to work and the Elantra to the body shop to have the bumper fixed. I did tell you that Jim had a little fender bender on the way home one evening last week, didn't I? Noone was hurt at all but of course we have to get the car fixed. They say that it will not be over a day and a half. Hopefully it will be done tomorrow. We are grocery shopping tomorrow too. I still have to get my list together.

Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

I thought that the above is as pertinant today as it was 100 years ago.

Mid week and on to the weekend.

Love

Mary

It was a gorgeous day today. The sun was shining and despite the slightly more than needed breeze it felt much warmer that the high of the forties. Chelsea let me sleep until 6:30 AM.

She had to go for her heartworm test today. She does not like going to the Vet at all. She is starting to object to even going into the office. We always put a muzzle on her because we just don't know if she will snap or not. This time she got scared and started crying while Dr. Kris was drawing the blood. She was totally pitiful. But all is well and she will start taking her pills in June. Dr. Kris is Dr. Zechlinski's new partner. When I told her Chelsea likes lettuce she was delighted because her favorite patient at her previous practice also loved lettuce.

Then Dick and I voted and went over to D & M Plumbing to look at counter tops. We didn't get as much information as we had hoped for. Dick expected that they would send someone over to measure and make some recommendations. Apparantly they want us to measure and draw a floor plan and so on. So, we need to reconsider how we are going to proceed.

An e-mail from a friend. We all get heavier as we get older because there's a lot more information in our heads. So I'm not fat, I'm just really intelligent and my head couldn't hold any more so it started filling up the rest of me! That's my story and I'm sticking to it


I thought you would enjoy it as much as I did

Mary

What a strange weather day this was. I woke up to rain, really strong winds and even some snow flurries for a bit. Chelsea was bracing her little four feet to keep upright in the wind and did not even object to not heading out for a walk. Then this afternoon, the sun came out and by 5 or so it was almost warm though the wind is still a bit gusty.

We did get our walk this afternoon. The wind was still strong enough at 2 that I was bracing myself one direction and scooting along pretty fast the other. The old Irish Saying. "May the wind be always at your back" makes lots of sense.

Tomorrow, she gets her heartworm test. She thinks that the pills she takes once a monthe to prevent them are treats. She will like the ride, but it is really funny to see her march into the office and then try to head immediately back to the car.

We must remember to vote tomorrow too. Dick says that he is going to vote against Bush.

Bobbie and I had the Rhine Plymouth regular meeting tonight. It went quite well despite the officer changes that we have had when our president resigned. Things had been quite disrupted lately, not because of our previous leader, but the change certainly has given us a chance to change direction a bit and perhaps stop some of the bickering.

How closely tragedy and comedy are intwined. Mother and I were laughing Sunday about an incident that happened to her several years ago. She belongs to a bridge club that has been in existance for probably close to 70 years. There are still three of the original members in it. They play when they all feel well and when the weather is with them.

A few years ago, Mother, Loraine Le Mehieu and Bea Visser went to pick up Florence Herring to meet the others in Sheboygan. They got to her house and she didn't come out for her ride. So they went to the door and knocked. When they didn't get an answer, they called her son. When he arrived he went in and found out that dear Florence had passed peacefully away. By then they were late to meet the other s for lunch but they valiantly got in the car and went to the restuarant where they were going to eat before playing cards. They joined their friends and Bea said to those gathered. "Florence is gone." Doris Moies, a little miffed because they were late said. " Well, Where did she go.?"

They all still laugh about this incident to this day. They are so close but so practical and so accepting of life - and death - as part of the whole picture.

Have a lovely Tuesday. Don't forget to vote if you have an election in your area


Love

Mary

It has been raining off and on all afternoon. Now it seems a bit foggy. We need the rain. The little bit that we had last week made the tulips and day lilies really shoot up.

Jim and I went to practice pistol shooting again today. I am holding. The exercising is really helping. Would you believe that I got a 72 today!!!! And my average for the day was only four below Jim's. I am EXCITED. When we came back upstairs, we found Uncle Ken, my brother-in-law, sitting on a stool so we visited a bit with him.

I wrote a biography of my brother Matthew to take along with his poetry book to the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center when I meet with Beth Dippel on Wednesday morning. I had Dick read it and he says it is OK. I reviewed the things that I wanted to say with Mother. I believe that I will embellish it with my personal memories and things that, maybe, don't belong in the Research Center. If I change my mind, I can always replace it.

Here is one of his poems.

THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE
by
Matt Deeley

there are many people i'd like to know
too many for my short years
many ways i'd like to grow
many many things i'd like to hear

a few more hearts i'd like to touch
some words i might believe
you know i just can't see too much
before i take my leave
a few more friends i'd like to make
a little love i'd like to take

before i'm tired and have to rest
i'd like to try my very best
to see everything there is to see
before weariness falls on me

a few more years i'd like to live
a little trust i'd like to give
and maybe i can help someone
to know himself and understand
that day is never really done
the sun shines always on the land.

there are many things i'd like to see
before my eyes can look no more
many different places i'd like to be
before i'm too old to open doors.


Tomorrow is a busy day. Bible Study AND Rhine Plymouth Meeting.

It will probably rain and maybe a few flurries. That doesn't seem quite fair but after all it is only April. May the sun shine on you.

Mary

A whole day at home. I finished a rough copy of a brocure that I want to mail to our Blessed Trinity Senior Saints. (I'm one of them too, even if Mother says that I am just a kid.) I have to laugh at her. She said that most of the people that go to the Senior meals are in their 70s. And many are in worse shape than she is. She is an amazing woman.

I also cleaned my desk and cleared up several things that have been just hanging around. Then I made some blueberry muffins and a blueberry cheesecake. I had a bag of blueberries in the freezer and soon there will be fresh blueberries in the store that are reasonable. Don't want things hanging around in the freezer TOO long.

It was a little bit chilly today. I don't think it got over 47 and it was cloudy, so it was a bit gloomy. A good day to hole up at home. Kitties were quite pleased with that. They like it when I work at my desk. Actually they like it when I sew downstairs too. They just all move down there to sleep. Sometimes I feel like the Pied Piper. Of course, they are not rats or children.

Tonight we have to remember to change the clocks. Spring Forward. Nine becomes ten. I always have to go through the whole idea before it sinks in. That ought to really confuse the animals. Don't you think?

Later.

Mary

Woke up this morning to wet streets. It did not start raining again until this afternoon and has been misting ever since.

I went to Plymouth for lunch. There were just three of us today. Marlene was babysitting and Betty is off galavanting in the Carribean again. This time with her daughter on a rather small boat. I had a cup of Tomato Florentine soup. It was very very good. Then I bought three small blizzards for our dessert tonight. I couldn't resist when the server gave me a .50 coupon and they have Banana Cream Pie and Coconut Cream Pie flavors. Boy are they every GOOD!

I have a story for you tonight. Years ago, my Dad had a hip replacement. He was the first or second person in the county to get this new procedure which was a plastic joint. He had had a stainless steel one year before but it had gotten closed by calcium buildup. Calcium would not build up on the plastic joint.

Anyway, he had to go into the hospital a couple of days ahead of time as they had to scrub and totally disinfect and sanatize his skin and the area of the operation. Probably because they would be opening the bone marrow area. Grandma Bowser found that a good reason to tease Dad. She told him that she remembered hearing about the Man from Town Mosel who was admitted to the hospital and it took them seven days of baths before they got him clean.


Have a nice weekend. If the rain keeps up, we will have worms all over the street. This is another sign of spring and good harvest for the robins.

Mary

What a beautiful day. We opened the window in the office for a good part of the day, which made Oscar and Roxie, especially Oscar, very happy.

We went out grocery shopping this morning with our usual Thursday morning breakfast at Zana's. When we got home I raked the last of the leaves that were piled up against the house. Now if we get some rain, and continue to have warm days, I will be able to figure out what I will have to replace or supplement. The tulips, peonys, day lilies, parsley, thyme, chives and rhubarb are showing signs of life.

I was watching an old Married with Children today about Marcie and Peg going to a men's strip show. It reminded me of the time that I went to one. A bunch of Little League moms, including myself decided to go to one on a lark. So we gathered. Have you ever tried to tell a bunch of eleven year old boys that their mothers are going to a men's trip show. They, almost in unison, said "You are going WHERE?" with total disbelief on their faces. We had a great time. All of the strippers were way to young to be too erotic and I came home reeking of cigarette smoke but it was a fun night.

Friday already tomorrow. AND the last day or March. Maybe thunderstorms. We could use rain.

Mary

The crab tree in our side yard from Spring of 2003.


Enjoy this taste of spring. Every morning when Chelsea and I take our walk there are more and more signs. Of course, we don't have these beautiful trees yet. But they will be coming soon. I love the busy bird choir that we hear as we walk around the tract.

We went to Nino's with Mother for dinner before going to the play. It was Lend Me a Tenor. I did remember correctly. The Theatre Company did this play in 1993. It is a very funny farce. All three of us found it very amusing.

I spent the morning squishing juice out of wild grapes and combining the juice with the juice extracted from the raisin/banana mixture that I had put together earlier. This is a new recipe as the first wild grape wine I made was a disappointment. Very non descript and a bit harsh. Age did not mellow it very much either. I figure the raisins and banana should mellow it a bit. Only time will tell and the scratch wines do require patience.


Have a nice Thursday.

Mary

The only things I had to go out of the yard for today were to walk Chelsea this morning and to pick up Market Day this afternoon. It was SO good not to be running around for a day.

The weather was beautiful today. This afternoon, I went out in the yard and cleared the old dead Marigolds out of the planter and swept the leaves up from around the front. Chelsea was delighted as this was her first time to hang out in the yard since last fall.

This was a double special day because I took her along when I picked up Market Day. A ride always is special and I like to take her when I can and it is not the vet. Otherwise, eventually, she won't want to go. She really likes going to Mom's or as a special treat to Bobbie and Bill's house, much better than today.

I spent the rest of the day catching up on computer stuff, especially the board minutes, and roster for Rhine Plymouth.

Tomorrow I get to stay home all day until the evening when Dick and I will be going to dinner and the play with Mom. I want to do a bit more yard work as it is supposed to get all the way up in to the middle 50s tomorrow. Chelsea will be a happy little camper if she gets to go out two days in a row. That is almost warm enough to open up the windows and let in the fresh air. Kitties would love that.


[]
A friend is someone who knows
the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you
when you have forgotten
the words.;

-- Unknown

Mary

Today was the busiest day that I will have this week.

Bible Study started at 9:30AM. We had a lively discussion on Jeremiah. This was the chapter on the New Covenant where God tells his people that the laws will no longer be written in stone but in the hearts of his people. I especially like the quote from the latter half of 31:33 "I will be their god and they will be my people." and the last of verse 34. " for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more." Both very comforting.

After the study, I called Donna, one of the Environment Committee members, to help me clean and sweep the attic. We piled a bunch of carpeting against the wall so that Donna can get to the ladders to the scaffolding behind the altar to hang the stuff. Hopefully, Kathy, our maintenance person, can get rid of more of the carpet scraps, those that we don't think we use anymore.

Saw Dr. Casey today again about my shoulder. I still have some pain though it is getting stronger. He gave me a new exercise that he says should help. He called it the beer can exercise, which will help me remember how to do it.

Tonigh Bobbie and I had a board meeting at Rhine. Our president resigned and quit, I think I told you that, so the VP. John Nevicosi, wanted a board meeting to determine how to proceed and to establish an agenda for the meeting next week. That took a while but hopefully it will set up some ground rules as to how to deal with the difficult members who keep complaining about petty things.

The rest of the week is much quieter. The only other night event is to go to the Sheboygan Theatre with Mother on Wednesday to see Lend Me a Tenor.

Well, it is about time to go to bed now. Mother used to say "Up the wooden hill to four corners." It was probably a little more clear when bedrooms were ALWAYS upstairs.

Love

Mary

I just found Garrison Keillor on PBS. What a nice way to end a rather pleasant Sunday. I went to the early Mass. Had a nice visit with Jim Wilsing, my bagpiper friend, who is substituting for Beth Hoegger, our organist/choir director, while she is visiting her daughter in Germany. Does that make sense? Oh well, does to me. I wanted to confir that Jim will play for us at Celtic Mass in September and that he would help Beth and I plan the Mass. I was so pleased today, when we finished singing the communion song there was a bit of time left so Jim played my favorite Irish Aire - the one I wrote the words to for Unity Concert and Celtic Faire.

This afternoon, Bobbie and I worked at Rhine. It was a BEAUTIFUL day. I scored a couple of rounds of trap to give the guys that were doing it a break and it was well worth it. I told Doc that they should MAKE me do a round or two each time I work so that I don't feel so rusty the first round. Before I left, I went through a file cabinet of papers that has been sitting around for years. We sent MOST of it to the incinerator. It was receipts and bank statements and what not from 1990 to 2004. I kept the statements from 1999 to present for the record as they say that 7 years is as far back as they audit. (Some say less and some say more but 7 is the concensus.)

Got home and we had barbecued ribs and potato salad for supper. Nobody was disappointed.

I finished one of my squares for the Church Quilt. Only one and 1/3 more or less to go. I made a pinwheel and a square called Wintergreen which is actually a Christmas pattern but looks great in non Christmas colors too.





The above is a grave marker in the graveyard at St. Michael Church near Parnell. It is a single marker that covered the graves of four children of my great great Grandfather Michael Bowser. The children, at least three of them, died of diptheria during an epidemic at that time. Their brother Joseph, my great grandfather, had to help his father bury the children as the neighbors, though they were concerned and would bring food to the end of the road were unable to help because of fear of the disease. I cannot conceive of losing four babies in less than a year. One almost did me in.

They are hard to read.

Michael S. was born 7/18/1951 and died 6/29/1860
George L. was born 11/5/1855 and died 6/11/1860
Andrew W was born 1/17/1858 and died 6/28/1860
and Sara M was born 10/01/1859 and died 12/28/1859

We find it interesting that Great Great Grandpa had already changed the spelling of his name to Bowser but he used the Bauser spelling for the stone for his children.


Not to be grim. It is actually comforting to know my roots back that far.

Have a great week

Mary

We just returned home from the Sheboygan Symphony. Last year, our conductor, Guy Bardo, who was really excellent, decided not to continue with the orchestra. This year has been a year in which after the board narrowed the applicants down to four, each planned and conducted one perfomance. The conductor this evening was the only woman candidate, Cornelia Kodkani-Leammli, who impressed me. We had an opoeist, Mark Fink, as the guest artist. The whole performance was very impressive.

I saw several friends, notably, Steve Naffin, my old choir director at Blessed Trinity, and his friend and mine, Bob Fleming, the artist, who did so many beautiful hangings in Celtic designs for the church. He is venturing into expanding his art, notably, as an example, I received a St. Patrick's Day card from him that I was sure he had designed with the most beautiful St. Patrick. He is, Steve said, going to do a series. I told him to be sure to let me know when they are ready for ordering. You might want to see the Patrick. I love artists.

I was thinking about the desert the past couple of day. I do miss the desert. It was always such a treat to go out there for a weekend or more. The kids could run themselves silly. I remember one year we had all the kids there pile into Neil Minter's Jeep. He had a CJ6 which is a bit longer than the standard CJ5. Then we took 8 milimeter movies of them piling out one by one. I believe we had 20 some kids in that vehicle. It was quite a sight. We, my ex and the kids and me, belonged to the Orange County Four Wheelers. The club prided itself on being a family club. We even would say that we had 25 FAMILIES as members.

I also remember a trip when we took the boys bikes along with us, as we were going to the high desert with dirt roads versus sand. We were camped in a valley with high hills all around us. I looked up to the top of a hill with a trail winding down to camp and saw Bret just plunging down the trail from the top. All I could do was hold my breath and pray. He made it obviously. That was only the beginning for him. At 15, he could outdrive many of the grown men.

Have a sweet Sunday.

Mary

This was a nice day. It was cloudy mostly, but not windy and the temps were in the high 30s to low 40s. When I went to Plymouth for lunch the thermometer on the bank registered 45. Don't know how accurate it is but it did feel rather nice.

I got the kitchen scrubbed and polished this morning. Since I didn't do it last week, it really did need it. This evening I started a batch of wild grape wine. This is a new recipe, The first batch that I made a couple of years ago was rather bitter (foxy is the term used in wine talk). I am going to try that original recipe too, but this one calls for raisins and bananas. That should mellow it out. I am going to add more sugar to the other one after I rack it the second time.

Dick took Jim and me out for a fish dinner tonight. We went to Ninos. Very good too. Then Jim and I went and signed up for the spring pistol league and shot three targets. I did pretty good, the exercises and the elbow band are finally helping apparantly. My average was only 2 below Jim's average. Bobbie, bring your gun Sunday so you can sign up and shoot if you want to be in the spring league.

I got the FUNNIEST email from my friend Janet in California today. I will share it with you as I need to sign off and go to bed. Tomorrow we go to the symphony in the evening.

Here is the FUNNY email.

Cleaning the Toilet - Hilarious


1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the

water in the bowl.

2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.

3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both

lids. You may need to stand on the lid.

4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises

that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.

5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash"

and rinse".

6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there

are no people between the bathroom and the front door.

7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.

8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom,

and run outside where he will dry himself off.

9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean.

Sincerely,

The Dog


Love


Mary

We had flurries off and on all day today and the temperatures stayed in the high 30s. There was little wind so it was not bad.

We grocery shopped this morning. Then I took Mother to the Ear Doctor to have her hearing aid checked and adjusted. She is having a bit of trouble adjusting to the new one. It has built in features that she has to get used to. Then she and I went to Brisco County for lunch. That was nice. We had a nice visit.

We were talking about days before my time. She remembers when there was and insane asylum (and that is what they called it too.) somewhere out on the Kohler Memorial Drive. I asked her how long Dad worked for Kohler. We are not sure so we will have to figure that out. I know he worked in the Woolen Mill both as Brickner and as Grieves in Sheboygan Falls. (Woolen Mills are practically extinct. Wool Carding too. People use synthetics and cottons but less wool these days.) He worked at the Tannery for a while too. But he was at Kohler and had been there for some time when the strike was called and that was the beginning of his strong and dedicated interest in unions. The Kohler strikers formed a chorus that traveled to Union functions. I remember them being very good and singing Union words to all kinds of old favorites. For instance. "When the union's inspiration through the workers blood shall run." to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. I find that I still know the words to that one.


Tomorrow is a quiet day but we are going to the Friends of Mead Public Library's party for the 8 people who have taken early retirement. Bill is one of them as you all know.

Have a nice Friday.

Mary

My quiet day at home turned out to be another day of running around. We got a call yesterday that Dick's glasses were ready (I am pretty sure that I told you that.)so we drove to Plymouth to pick them up this morning. We had breadfast at Mc Donalds. I do like their breakfasts. Today I had a bacon, egg and cheese bisquit. Quite tasty.

Then late this morning, Darlene, the nurse at Dr. Phelan's office, called to say that the wrap package was in, so we went to the clinic after lunch to have his other leg wrapped. It made sense to do them both. Anyway, that took care of both the morning and the afternoon. I did manage a nap this afternoon. I have been getting very tired lately.

Tomorrow will also be rather busy. We grocery shop in the morning and then I am taking Mother to the clinic to have her hearing aid checked. Her appointment is at 11:30 so we will go for lunch. I am hoping Dick will come with us. It makes a nice outing for the three of us. I believe that we will go to Briscoe County, I like their Chef's Salad with Tuna. Num Num.

At least choir is cancelled for the next three Thursdays, that means that I have an extra night at home.

Since Monday or Tuesday, (depending on which calendar you look at) was the beginning of spring, I quote the Cadfael Book of Days by Robin Whiteman regarding SPRING. "A time for all manner of births and beginnings, and for putting death out of mind."

Today it got up into the forties and with the wonderful bright sun - felt like spring.

Mary

Whew! What a day. This morning we had an appointment at the Clinic with Dr. Hodous, the podiatrist. He checked out Dick's feet and did the nail cutting and trimmed tha callouses. Then we got home and I had to be at the dentist at 11:15 for my checkup and cleaning which went just fine. It is nice to have clean polished teeth.

Then, Dick had made an appointment with Dr. Phelen because of the sores he has been getting on his right leg. Dr. Phelen had the nurse wrap the leg again, which will provide an immediate fix and he recommended a vascular specialist in Brookfield that we can call to see if there is anything he can do for the swelling and circulation. There is hope anyway.

I did a bit of sewing today. Tomorrow we can go and get Dick's new glasses as Dr. Cheryl's office called and said they were ready. That is the one day this week that I was going to be able to stay home, but that is the breaks. Dick was saying earlier that he does not like the old glasaes because it is difficult to read with them. So we need to get the new ones as soon as possible.

I am really tired tonight. With all those errands, I did not get a nap and Chelsea woke me up at 5AM this morning. I took her out and went back to bed but that only lasted until 5:30 so it has been a long, long day.

Tomorrow, despite picking up the glasses should be much quieter.

Remember -- A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...BUT
a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!!"

Have a good Wednesday. I will get to have a NAP.

Mary

Bible Study was quite lively again. We are trying to give ourselves the "assignment" of doing something to right a wrong in this world. I really wasn't very good this last week, but DID call a friend who lost her husband six months ago because I thought of her. That was probably instigated because of our conversation. Tom, wrote to an organization that her was interested in. He mentioned that he was interested in their society but that one of their rules is that they do not accept Roman Catholics. He protested this rule and so far got a very snippy answer.

We will keep trying.

I went to see Dr. Casey today too. My shoulder and ribs are so much better. I must continue to do my exercises.

Tonight we had the first meeting for Celtic Mass an Faire. I hope that you can all come. It will be held the Sunday after Labor Day weekend again. I have work to do this week, calling the entertainers and the vendors.

One of my fellow Faire workers is Dorothy Ruh, the mother of Bob Fleming, an artist friend. I had received the most beautiful St. Patrick's Day card from him and his friend Steve. Bob did the design using the skills that he had learned at a special course that he took in painting icons. It is beautiful and I will treasure it. Sometime I will share it with you.

Jeff Foxworthy said "If you have not actually eaten it, but you have heard of Head Cheese, you may be from Wisconsin." It was cold today. It may be the first day of spring, but we sure are not feeling it.

Mary