I realized this afternoon that I am hosting a baking Sunday for CWI the day after tomorrow.   So shopping I must go tomorrow.

I had an interesting day.   My cleaning lady came and got the house cleaned.   Then I finally have the hall dry and finished up the wash.   I could not get the mattress pad on  the bed and had to call for help.   I called Peggy and she told me to call Bob and tell him that he had to come to help.   It is the strangest thing as it has no corners.  But it is ON.

I went to shoot tonight and found out that some of the ammo I have is not good for target.    EEEEWWWW.  You get one shot off, then have to eject it and remove the clip.   Then you reload the clip and start over.   So I did ONE target with Jerry helping me chamber the bullets.   What apain.


Glad to be home.

Tomorrow I will be busy all day with the Condo meeting  and church and then the musical event at Plymouth  Arts.      I am going to soak and go to bed.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A nice day.   However, it is cold.   I do wish we would get some sunshine and som warmth around here.  I am sure it is making my cold hang on.   The trouble with the cold is that everytime I cough, it causes my rib pain and my shoulder and arm and neck pain to hurt more.   Another hot bath tonight and early to bed.

I had a chiropractor treatment today.   Of course, the results of that really show up the next day.    I need to schedule a massage too.  

This Saturday morning is the Tallgrass Condominium annual meeting.   I now have EVERYTHING that I need to bring ready to do.   We meet at 10AM and I will go over at 9AM to be sure my check in table is ready.    I have my helpers lined up.

Saturday evening, I will be going to the Plymouth Arts Center to watch the Spring Concert.   Last year I sang with the group.   This year, I knew it would be too much of a commitment.   But I want to go see it as many of the singers are now my friends, notably, my friend, Kate, who has sung with them for years.

So, tomorrow, I need to woak on Bloomsday.   I am trying to reach my friend Paul tonight to see if he wants to be involved this year.

Hope my chest is loosened up some by morning.    I am sick of aching.

Love you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Home all day and I am still exhausted.

I spend a good chunk of the day getting my Quicken to work.   My version is no longer accepted by Wells Fargo, so I had to upgrade.   What a mess, but I believe the worst is over.

I also came home to a leaking washing machine that had soaked the whole hallway.   Curt from A-1 Appliance came over and rescued me again.   I am still drying out the hallway.

My neighbors and friends Bob and Peggy invited me over for wine and dinner.  What a joy.   I was feeling kind of down all day and they have perked me up.

I did get a call from my Bart today.   That always makes me feel good.

Tomorrow I will see my chiropractor.  Sure hope she can relieve some of the pain.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I am truly exhausted.   So glad that I get to be home all day tomorrow.   It will be such a joy.

My washing machine is leaking, so I called A1 and Curt will be here some time tomorrow.

I figure that tomorrow, I will just get everything caught up and prepare for the Condo Member meeting that is Saturday.

Right now, I am heading for a hot BATH.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Just got back into my home after five days on the road and at my niece, Vikki's for Jacquie and Doris, and Rhonda's memorials.  I am exhausted - a hot bath, some Baileys and to BED.

More tomorrow but thought you would like to know that I am home.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I am still not feeling very well, so am going to bed VERY early and try to sleep it off. 
Nicky is safe at doggie camp,  I am packed and things are clean enough that I would not be too embarrassed if someone came in while I am gone.

Dia dhuit

Until Monday night or Tuesday.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Well, a whole day at home.   Tomorrow I will be finishing up all preparations, including taking my sweet Nicky to Chris's for the time I am gone.   It will amount to a week as I am leaving so early on Thursday that I have to take him on Wednesday and getting home so late on Monday that I will have to pick him up on Tuesday.    Poor baby, but he knows them now and will have a friend dog that he met the last time.   I am so glad they Chris and Richard are still available.   They were so good with Zero.

Nicky and I have been taking nice walks today and will tomorrow morning too.   Chris says they do walks too.   He also has a yard to play in.   Maybe he'll decide he likes it better there:).   No way.   One thing comforting is that the concept of time is not in a dog's knowledge.   He would be not more happy when I come home on Monday as he would have been if I came home on Saturday..

I am really getting excited now.    A few days away will be a welcome release.   Several of my major projects are done and I will be refreshed for the next ones.

Wish the trees would leaf out more.  I think they need lightening.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was a pleasure singing for the First Holy Communion Mass.   There is that joy of seeing those beautiful children all dressed up to the nines and so proud of their coming to this age.

We sang our hearts out for them.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I had decided to stay home all day today because I am achy and tired.   Just plain tired.   Then my neighbor Pat invited me over for coffee or tea this morning and that sounded good.   So I walked over at about 10AM and she was talking to another neighbor, Alison, (Jim and Michele, you know her from the loan closings.)  Alison and her mother had two extra tickets for a SCIO lunchen and silent auction fundraiser at Pine Hills.   We decided to go.  Why not, a free lunch at Pine Hills?  Nothing wrong with that.

Of course it cost me something anyway.  I "won" one of the silent auction items, a Marguerita party kit.  Everything from the liquor and mix, the chips and dips, the glasses and pitcher and the serving dishes for the sides.   Just need a lemon.   Alison and her mom, Barb, had put it together, so it was nice.   A really great lunch.   A salad had been ordered for the people that couldn't come.   Arugula/apple and a super dressing.    Nummy.

So that was a nice treat.   I am going to Mass tomorrow, because the choir is singing for the First Holy Communion service at 1:00PM.   I have to be there at 12:15PM.  I will love seeing all those adorable children all dressed up for their big day.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A gorgeous day.   Actually it was a bit chilly this morning, but the wind direction changed and made up for it.

I was home all day except for going to Rhine to shoot this evening.   I went early, so I was only gone for about an hour.   Nicky liked that.  

I make it to a point where I can see the end of two of my three major projects, so I am starting another one  tomorrow.

Take care and I hope your weather is as nice as ours is supposed to be over the weekene.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Hello World.

What a day.   I got tons of paper work done - am almost ready to be able to close up TWO projects.

I had appointments for a massage and for a chiropractic appointment.    I have been SO sore the past few days.   So after two hours of appointments, I still, of course, felt sore be put cold on my shoulder and it seemed to help.   Then my freind Joseph, Felicia's husband, who is in the Bible Study, came by to pick up two planters that I have on my deck.   I had told Felicia that I did not want to plant them any more.   They are redoing their front yard and had a use for them.   Yea.  They are gone.   Of course, forgot to unlock the door and we got trapped on the deck so I had to climb down again to get back in the house to unlock it.    I did that once before.  (Don't tell Dick:) .   Just hope I didn't screw up my arm further.  It doesn't feel any worse.

I am very tired, for sure.   I will take a nice warm soaky bath before I go to bed to relax all my muscles.  Last night, I couldn't sleep.  Sure hope that doesn't happen again.

Tomorrow I have to be ready to send the Condo notice of the Annual meeting out, send some cards and work on two CWI reports.  

Must sleep.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This is the finished wall hanging that I made for the Black Pig.   It is actually 72 X 36 - you can't see all the "barn boards" on each side.   When it is hung, in the Sheboygan Black Pig, I will let you know.   It was fun making it and I think he turned out OK.    The main backing is burlap.


This is the blog for tonight.     Dia Dhuit

Mary

Finally, tomorrow, I get to spend a whole day at home.

Today, however, was very wonderful.    Had Bible Study this morning.  There were six of us there and we got into a conversation comparing the prejudices of Paul's time with the prejudices of today and being amazed how little has changed.   We still don't know how to deal with foreigners.   Even Leviticus 19:33-34 deals with it.  

Then went to see Mom.   She was really good and happy today.   I was able to show her the pictures and short conversations from the interview that my friend Janet did for her on my laptop.    I did not show her the full long one because she couldn't have heard it all.   She was delighted, I could see.   She loved that Aunt Kathleen was in those shorter videos and loved all the pictures of herself.  Dolores is going to ask Kurt to make lots of copies so everyone can have one.   I actually have installed it on my computers.     Mom was also fascinated with the laptop.   I showed a few pictures of  the CWI conference also.    I gave her a pretty Celtic bracelet that I acquired while there.

I took a long nap this afternoon and just put things away.   Tomorrow I will get down to business again.

Love you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Home at 4:00PM from a wonderful three day CWI Gathering.   Things went SO well.

Got there at about noon, in plenty of time to check in and get the conference room set up.   Everybody loved the hotel and the convenience of the room.   We had our registration and a wine and cheese reception at 4:30PM.   Then over to Brococh's Irish Inn for dinner, which was great.   A nice Irish Atmosphere.   Got lost on the way back to the hotel, but finally made it.  Then Felicia and I did our presentation on the trip to Scotland we went on last September.    Next year, I can do Cornwall and the Isle of Man.

Saturday brought our annual meeting and election of board members.   All went pretty well except we don't have a volunteer to chair next year's gathering.  Oh.  Well, things always seem to work out.

Then we carpooled to Black Earth to Brigit's Rest and The Black Earth Institute where were treated to a fabulous lunch and a tour of parts of Brigit's Rest by Michael Mc Dermott, the co founder with Patricia Monaghan, an author, poet and dear member of CWI who passed away two years ago.  We had the tree circle explained as we stood in the middle of 18 different trees in the circle.   We went to the Brigit Well on the property and to the place where Pat's ashes are under a tree in a special area of trees that are dedicated to special people.

Back to Madison, I was able to have dinner with Richard and Brenda.   Such a great visit.  We had dinner at the Imperial Chinese Restaurant a few blocks down from the hotel.    I was so happy to be able to tell them that Nicky is playing with the little squeaky hedgehog they had sent to him when I first got him.   Nicky is finally learning how to play.  

That evening one of our members, Sherry Avila gave a talk on the Hedge Schools that were in Ireland from the 16oos to the 18oos as a result of the Penal Laws.  It was fascinating.   It is hard to believe that an invading country could deny education to the youth of an entire nation to keep them subdued, then call them barbarians.  Then we had the drawing for the door prizes which is a very fun part of the gathering.    The baskets and other door prizes are always so spectacular, donated mostly by our members.

We had a scattering ceremony this morning led by our Sheila, sending us on our way to continue to support Celtic Women around the world.

Luann, Felicia and I went to Mass at St. Denis Church (which is the church that I always attended when Dick and I visited Richard in Madison before he got sick.)   After Mass, we headed for home and I picked up my Nicky at about 3:30PM.    Was he ever happy to see me.   Chris said that he was a sad little doggy for the first 2 days and wouldn't eat or drink.   They were afraid that they might not be able to care for him again.   Then he finally got hungry enough and started eating.   He liked the other dogs that were also guests and enjoyed walks.   But he was just frantic and wanting to get in the car to go home.   Guess I am his favorite.   I am glad.

So the day and weekend are both over, I am exhausted and will go to bed.  That will really make my puppy happy.

Dia Dhuit

Mary
Followed by the 

Just back from choir and thought I had better just check in as I will be gone from tomorrow morning until Sunday night.  Wish me good things during this weekend that I am responsible for.

Take care of you while I am gone.

Dia dhuit

Mary

Home all day.   Ready to load the car tomorrow.    Hope all is in order for the Gathering, I have done the best I can.

Chiropractor tomorrow.  I have decided to be at the Exchange Bank tomorrow morning for coffee and breakfast.  Join me if you wish.  ( I actually am almost out of my Colectiva coffee and need to replenish.)  I do this once in a while.  Sometimes someone joins me, sometimes I am alone.  It is fine either way as I bring my book and my notebook for writing with me.  

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Only three more days until the Gathering.  I believe I have everything on track.    Hope I am right.   Oh well,  It will all be OK in the long run.  We know that when we get together, It is always a good time and we have such fun things planned.

I took Nicky for a ride with me when  I did my errands to day.   That was nice.   He should get to know that not all rides are to the vet.   Of course, Friday morning will be a big lesson for that.   Chris is ready for him.  He will have another dog there.  I know that he will like that.

I am so sore with this weather.   Will be heading to bed as soon as I prepare my coffee pot and take the dog for his last walk

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A wonderful day with Bobbie and Bill at the dinner playhouse in Port Washington, Memories.   We saw a play called Always a Bridesmaid which was very funny as is the usual play put on there.   The dinner is always a buffet.    A fresh salad on the table when you arrive followed by a serving of their famous Fluff as a palate cleanser just before you go to get your food.   

Got home at about 5PM.   Bobbie and Bill helped me switch the front storm door for the screen.   Nicky is so funny, he didn't come out right away when we all walked in.    Sometimes he does that when I come home alone,   I have to call him or go look for him.   Today, he ambled out as they were changing the screen and gave me some love, then he was, I think, a bit confused so he didn't bother barking and even let Bobbie pet him.     I am getting encouraging signs like this, especially as the warm weather is on us and he is meeting more people.

A busy day tomorrow, so I will be going to bed now.

Love you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A bit cooler today but bearable.   Got kind of cold when I took Nicky for his long walk and we started around the park.   The wind was blowing right at me and it got pretty cold.
As we walked through the parking lot at the park, I saw a group of guys clustered under the overhang at the ball diamond.   Suddenly this big Golden Labrador Retriever bounded at us.   The guys did not look concerned or call the dog,  so I figured she was friendly, but she pushed Nicky onto his butt.   He was not concerned and just started smelling her and visiting.   So we were OK.   At that point.

I knew a couple of the guys, one was a cousin, Warren Wieser.    So I talked to them a bit and then headed home.   The other dog, happy as can be followed me.  I called out to let them know but they said that she would come back as she had done so all day.   HOWEVER,  we were all the way down the street and she was still happily traveling with us.   My neighbor, Marilyn, came out and asked if I was pet sitting.   We were both cracking up when I told her what had happened.   The dog is named Tootsie Roll and is a friendly as can be.  So while Marilyn and I were talking, Tootsie went into the bushes and came out with a DEAD THING.    Marilyn and I tried to get her to drop it but no way.  So, Marilyn led her back towards the entrance to the ball diamonds and called me to tell me that the owner was just coming out to look for her when they got there.   He managed to get her to drop the dead thing.   She was really quite proud of herself.

So that was the excitement for the day.

I have been gathering things for next weekend.   I have a lot to take along.  Fortunately, I will not bring all of it back with me.

Mass at 4PM.   A nice mass.  Mary Calvey was out cantor and is always a good music leader.

Tomorrow will go to Memories with Bobbie and Bill for a dinner theater afternoon.   This time it is Always a Bridesmaid.   They are always good shows and it is such a joy to spend the day with Bobbie and Bill.  

Received pictures of our Marcus today.   He is such a handsome fellow.   Wish I could plant a kiss on those cheeks.   He is growing up so fast.



So until tomorrow  Dia Dhuit

Mary

Today was unbelievably beautiful.   70 degrees or more.   A gentle breeze.    Dick would have been horrified, I opened all the doors and let the fresh air in ALL DAY.   

Nicky and I had a couple of good walked today.    They had sprayed the yards yesterday, so I kept him as much as possible off of the grassy areas.   As a matter of fact, we went through the park this morning.

I baked some beer bread and scones today as I was pretty much out of any bread at all.   The only things left were one bagel (not a very good one) and two hot cross buns.

At one thirty, my friend Felicia came over and we worked on our presentation of the Scotland trip we are going to do next Friday night at the gathering.   We have the pictures selected and on a disc, now we have to figure out how to get them on a slide show and display them.   I am going to call another buddy, Debbie about that.

Luann also came over and we finished up the plans for registration and the gift bags.

I am almost done - YEA.

This evening I went shooting.   I have no idea what happened with my first target.   I only had two shots on the paper and a score of 4?  :(    The other two were just fine.   An old friend was there with his girlfriend.    She went down with me as she had not seen pistol shooting.   Next time she is there when I am there, we will go down again and review and I told her she can try.

So a busy day over.

Dia Dhuit

Mary