Well, I am still somewhat rested. Met with the ladies discussion group at church. We are discussing a book called Live Long and Love It. We are on the subject of fighting back. We all decided that we have done so but found it difficult to remember or determine if we actually won when we did so.

I remembered a time when I was in my early 20s and out with my then husband and at least 5 other people and we had just come from a bar, I guess. A black man was walking down the street and one of the other men started following him and harassing him verbally. I was shocked, said so and told him to stop. We left rather quickly and I hope I was instrumental in that. I had never experienced race hate before and was so upset to see that poor man trying to maintain his calm and keep walking. If I felt bad he must have been terrified. This was in Yuma Arizona and at that time they still had some restaurants that had White's Only sections. In my lifetime. I am glad we have come as far as we have. We are a funny country and have a lot of faults but are probably the closest in the world to accepting all races as equal.

Talked to Bret yesterday, he was in Laughlin Nevada and visited his Aunt Jacquie. He sent us a box of dried fruit from Cabazon and matching sweatshirts for Dick and I. (I told him that now Dick and I can be cute, dressed alike.) Also a box of Sees Candy. That is SUCH good candy.

He is a good son.

Talked to Bart and he sounds MUCH better. He was on his way to group so we talked only for a minute.

Love

Mary

Dick and I left at 1:00PM on Friday for Cashton WI. We stayed at a lovely Bed and Breakfast called Ages Past. This is in the middle of Amish Country on the far west side of Wisconsin near La Crosse.

This B&B is quite charming. It is a Sears house. I don't know if you knew this but in the late 1800's Sears sold "prefab" houses out of their catalog and they were spectacular. There are two of them in Cashton. One, which was being operated as a B&B called Dickson Manor, was built by a doctor and the other now Ages Past was built by the doctor's cousin or brother or some thing like that according to the rumors. You can see pictures of Ages Past by going on their website www.agespast.net. We stayed in Sarah's Room. The Barbagos also operate a gourmet restaurant on the ground floor of the B&B. We ended up eating all our meals there and were very pleased. I had salmon on Friday, a mushroom appetizer and dessert for Saturday evening, a tuna melt for lunch on Saturday and excellent breakfasts both Saturday and Sunday. Carl and Barbara a great hosts and have a home full of antiques and wonderful things to see. We had a comfortable king sized bed in a very attractive setting. I came home quite rested and hope I can stay that way for at least a day or two.

There was no news from Barb or Bart so until tomorrow, I will assume that the weekend went well and call then.

"Dogs come when they are called; cats take a message and get back to you." Mary Bly

Have a good week.

Mary

I have to start remembering to mark things when I put them into the freezer. I had a container in there that I could not remember at all. So we are having it tonight because I was open and don't want a lot of leftovers for the weekend. It is hot tamale mix so we will have them for supper. Fortunately I have hard rolls and sliced cheese so it will be good.

We will be leaving around noon tomorrow for Cashton to the Ages Past Bed and Breakfast there. I am so looking forward to being away for a bit where no one can reach us really. Jim will know where we are but will only contact us if it is REALLY serious.

Tonight is parish council. I really don't look forward to that at all. It seems such a useless thing at this point, for many reasons. I have one more year to serve and will do my best until the term is up.

I do look forward to stopping to see Mother before the meeting. I need to update her on Bart. He, by the way, is doing a bit better. Barbara believes that he understands that there is caring and a plan at the Hospital now. Keep praying, especially at this time for Barbara, who is in such need of comfort.


Love

Mary

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you. I took the day off from ALL chores. This morning I went to Bible Study at 6:30AM. Then took a short rest so I could go to Plymouth and walk in my friend Rip O'Dwanny's Irishman's Walk from Eastern and Highland Avenues to Stafford Street off of Mill Street.

There I had my shot of Irish Whisky and joined my dear friends Stan and Peg Payne for lunch and some music. Rip and Christine had a Piper to start the festivities followed by a singer who was very good. I had a bowl of Reuben Soup for lunch which was very good. I left about 1:30 so I could get home and rest again because

at 6:00 we went to Richard's in Sheboygan Falls for the Irish Festivities organized by Bob Mac Ewen. He also started the festivities with a piper and followed with a group called the Spring Valley Irish Rovers who were also VERY good. I had been asked to read poetry as I mentioned earlier in the week. It went very well. I read my Knockeen Dolman, Cats and the Kettles poems of my own and several from well known Irish authors as well as some Irish blessings etc. It went over very well. I hope he does it again next year. They even gave me a present, a bottle of Baileys Irish Creme. I feel like a real poet.

Happy St Patrick's Day. And remember that an Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hang on to one blade of grass and still hang on to the face of the earth.


Love

Mary

This morning God gave me a gift. Chelsea and I went for our walk at about 6:00AM and as we were walking, I looked up into the sky and saw a flock of birds (I have seen these birds before) flying like graceful dancers against the morning blue sky. They dipped, they glided they turned and spun. All in formation. They kept it up for several minutes until they landed in a tree for a rest. I felt like I was seeing a dance troup doing their most intricate routine. The Blue Angels must have learned from them but have never reached such perfection.

If anyone knows what species of bird this is . Please let me know. I have see them before out in the country but never so close and up front.

Have a good week.

Love

Mary

Sunday and March is almost 1/2 over already. Two days til St. Patrick's Day and only four days until St. Joseph's Day which is Bart's birthday.

It certainly doesn't seem like it was 33 years ago that I gave birth to that guy. We used to call him Mr. Magoo because a neighbor said he looked like Mr. Magoo when he scrinched up his little face. He was actually a really pretty baby. Nice shaped head and wonderfully clear unblotched skin. Sometimes I wish they were still little again but I guess I am glad I had them then when I was younger and able to keep up. (Kind of)

Anyway, this is a busy week with St. Patrick's Day, a council meeting, a visit with Bart and leaving on a trip on Friday.

May blessings surround you in the coming week.

Love

Mary

Mother and I went to a "Second Saturday" program presented by the Sheboygan County Reasearch Center in Cooperation with the Sheboygan Falls Library. They had Ellen Kort, Wisconsin's Poet Lauriette and author of "Wisconsin Quilts: Stories in Stitches" speaking. She was billed as an expert on quilts and stories. She was very good but Mother and I felt she spent more time telling about her poet successes, which was very interesting to me as and amatur poet AND quilter but for the avid quilter probably a little too much focused on the poetry. I was impressed. She is one of those people who does everything well and often. She will be remembered. I will be pleased to be able to say I heard her at our next Writers Club meeting.

"He prayed as he breathed, forming no words and making no specific requests, only holding in his heart, like broken birds in cupped hands, all those people who were in stress or grief." Ellis Peters

This seems to be so true right now. I try to remember all the prayer requests. I hope you remember mine.

Love

Mary

It was very cold today. However, I did notice that the tulips are poking their heads above the ground and the robin that hangs around my front yard was singing valiantly this afternoon. If he won't give up I won't either.

In more ways than one, I won't give up. Barbara called tonight. She had to take Bart back to the hospital tonight. He regressed during the week and Barbara felt he needed to be back where they can help him. Their first thought is that maybe his medication needs to be adjusted. I hope that helps and that they get him to commit to a program, predetermined, before he comes home again. Barbara says he needs a hobby and I believe she is right.

Please pray. That is all WE can really do.

"May those who love us, love us. And those that don't love us, may God turn their hearts. And if He cannot turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping." Irish Blessing (or curse depending on how you look at it.)

Countdown to St. Patrick's Day. Four more days.


Mary

I believe we are all caught up on errands. FINALLY. We had the cars serviced this morning and I havealmost finished the taxes. We will send them out a week ahead of time. AND I am all caught up on my correspondence too.

Tomorrow a new pistol league starts and if I can find two other people to shoot with me I would like to shoot trap in this spring league too. I bought a new gun on Saturday. It is a 12 gauge shot gun made in Russia that has a shorter stock than most and seems to fit me for a change. I am kind of excited to try it. If I can't get any partners, I will shoot on Sunday.

We had snow today, but very little of it stayed on the ground. It is windy and supposed to get VERY cold tonight. Then it will start warming up again, with rain in the forcast in the next couple of days. I saw some green in my day lilies and (I hope I am not imagining) I believe that my peony that I thought was dead is coming up.

Spring is such a hopeful time. We seem to be getting enough rain this year. Maybe the water table will build up and the farmers will be happy.

Love

Mary

I just returned from a Living Stations of the Cross, presented at St. Dominic's Church in Sheboygan by the combined Youth Group from St. Dominic and St. Clement Parishes.

Over 50 young people cooperated to help us pray the Stations in song and with representations of the events as put forth in the Gospels. I am impressed with the dedication, talent and devotion of the young people of Sheboygan and have faith that we do have a future.

I thank them for helping me and the other attendees on our Lenten Journey.


Mary

I have two big kitties filling up the bulk of the surface of my desk. They do like to be near and live sitting under the lamp which I am sure is very comforting to them especially during these winter months.

One week from tomorrow, as I mentioned, I will be the featured "Gaelic Poet" for St Patrick's Day in Sheboygan Falls. It is really fun to review the great poets of Irish fame such as Goldsmith, Yeats, Swift and the anonymous poems attributed to various monks, warriors and traveling seanaches who had such respect in years past in Ireland.

It never go over 36 degrees today but felt quite comfortable because the sun shone and the wind was still. It is amazing how comfortable one becomes without cold wind and how good the sun feels after the damp gray cold of winter.


Love

Mary

I fixed the best salad tonight. I found it on the Change One site. A diet site through Reader's Digest that I subscribe to. The trick is lots of greens, some onion and mandarin oranges. Then a dressing of oil, vinegars and orange juice concentrate. Nummy Nummy. We had company and the salad was a wonderful accompaniment to Cornish Pasties. I will definitely use fruit in salads and a sweet dressing too.

Went to Writers Club this afternoon. I read my Son poem and they seemed to like it. My "editor", Janice Kaat who publishes the Pike River Community News that prints my food column was there today. We are a nice group. Perhaps with the inspiration of their persistance and experience, I may do something worth leaving as a footprint to show that I really was alive on this earth.

There is a song that has a line I like that goes "And I might have done some things good enough for you to see." I feel that way a lot. It would be a shame to end 60 to 90 years of life with nothing left to remind people you were here.

Love

Mary

Wow, what a full Sunday. I started off with church at 8:00. Then came home and fixed breakfast, read the paper, cleaned up the leaked water from under the sink. (unplanned for). Then Jim and I went to Rhine and I finally shot worth a darn after three weeks of just being awful. I hope things are back on track. Then Dick and I mixed up a batch of wine. We have two big batches and the grape wine working now. Just enough with spring and summer coming. I looked at the daylillies the other day and they are starting to sprout. Another sign of spring. There is hope of a new day.

There is a very busy week ahead. I have Writer's Club tomorrow. I will read SON. I haven't heard from any of you, but Dick said he liked it so I feel comfortable sharing.

Have a wonderful week.

There is no sense in keeping a dog if you are going to do your own barking.


Mary

Only one and one half weeks until St. Patrick's Day. I must gather up and decide which poems I want to read at Richard's in Sheboygan Falls that night. I have been invited to perform as a Gaelic Poet. Probably because I won a contest a couple of years ago, which makes me very proud actually. I will get paid my dinner for this which is not bad pay for poetry these days. I wrote a couple of poems while Bart was sick and have been keeping up my articles for a friend who publishes a paper up north called the Pike River Community News. If I get enough of either (poems or cooking articles) I may try to publish a book. We will see.

It is good to have ambitions anyway. My Live Long and Love it discussion group is giving me some motivation. I lost a lot while Bart was sick.

Here is my most recent poem. I like honest criticism.

SON

Treasure of my heart
Fragment of my being
I gave you life

Pride of my heart
Mirror of my eternity
I nurtured you

Labor of my heart
Piece of my mosaic
I mentored you

Hole in my heart
Gone to YOUR horizon
I let you fly

Joy of my heart
Dream of my tomorrow
You are my legacy


Soon

Mary

I was talking to a dear friend who is suffering with diabetes related problems and she sounds so weak and sad. She is in the LONG list of people who are on my prayer list but I wish I could do more. Her first question was to ask how Bart is doing. Such a wonder. I told her of a picture that Barbara gave me of Jesus with the universe as the background. There is a statement on it that says. "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it." We need to hang on to that. And I see light now.

Did I tell you I saw my first red-winged blackbirds of the season. Actually, I heard them first. They along with the cardinals are my first signs of spring. I ALSO saw and heard a ROBIN. There is a spring and it is coming fast.

Love

Wow, have the past two days been a whirlwind. Yesterday, Dick and I were supposed to go visit Bart and on Tuesday I received a call from Barbara telling me that we could bring him HOME. I was surprised, but when one thinks about it, he has been in care for over three weeks now. They have him stabilized and his medication is working and they feel that he no longer needs to be under hospital care. We must trust the doctors, otherwise, why have him there to begin with.

He was a happy young man. We got him out of there by about 2:, stopped at Mc Donald's for a snack, (he missed lunch because of a dentist appointment.) and made it home by 4:00PM. He promptly took a nap. (No wonder after a dentist appointment, two doctor consultations and a drive to our house.) Barbara came to get him at about 6:00PM. She made really fast time from home. We treated them to dinner and sent them on their way home. They both needed to be THERE and TOGETHER. I know that Bart's critters will help him heal also.

Thank everyone for your prayers and thoughts. We are so grateful for the outpouring of love that carried us through this.

"Where there is no certainty, the mind must turn to the light and not the shadow." Ellis Peters - Cadfael.

Happy Day to you

Mary

I shared the hand made items that Fr. Mike Shea sent me from Thailand. They are hand batik painted t shirts and beautiful table clothes, wall hangings and sarongs. I need to determine a price and see if we can get some fundraising done for the Aids Moms who do the painting and their children and the orphans that are at Sarnelli.
The ladies that meet on Mondays to discuss the book Live Long and Love It were very impressed as was Fr. Gene.

We are in crisis at our parish. We have no choir director and it is the first week in Lent. We have no head of our environment committee and it is the first week in Lent. What will we do. Our music is in shambles. Fortunately SOME of our parishioners are quite content with the piano player we had last week but frankly, I don't feel he is good for the type of accompaniment we need for community singing. He doesn't keep the timing correct. At least he is learning the timing of WHEN he should play.

"May the High and Holy One
Guard us from His Heavenly Throne,
While we sing, with grateful hearts,
Hymns in ten appointed parts."

Colmcille


I have taken on the contact position for our Extraordinary Ministers and frankly find that to be quite enough along with the secretary position on the council. How long can we function? I really don't know. Dick is making noises like he is noticing that I am too busy. How does one say no when needs are so many and so important?

Love

Mary

Watching the Oscars this February 29th. I remember now that our friends the Kirby's youngest son Todd was born of February 29th probably 28 years ago.

I talked to Bart and he sounded pretty good. We are going to see him on Wednesday. He would like to go out for dinner. If it is allowed, we will take him.

I have been doing a lot of dreaming lately. It seems that I am always trying to get somewhere.

Odd isn't it.

Love

Have a good week.

Mary

This is Saturday. I have really neglected my BLOG. But I have been busy. Thursday, we got Dick's blood checked, went grocery shopping and got my new glasses. Then I got a call from Barbara. Bart really needed or at least felt he needed clean clothes and a couple of bucks for some sodas during the day. So Mom went. Barbara was going today. I have not heard from her but I am sure she was very busy as she intended to bake a batch of brownies for the ward. I am glad I went. I stopped at St. Vinnies and bought Bart a pair of sweats and a shirt. I also took him one of my Wells shirts which is an XL and looked kind of dumb on me anyway. He apparantly didn't think I would come and the look on his face and the hugs were worth the drive.

Yesterday, I cleaned and baked and cooked and had lunch with my friends and then worked at Rhine Plymouth Conservation from 5:30 to 9:30PM. My pistol shooting is still not back in there but I will keep practicing. I am 2nd on the ladies board. Did I tell you that when Dick and I went to the Sheboygan Clinic to have his blood checked we ran into Dorothy Behr, one of my shooting friends, who has not shot in this particular league. In the cold winter weather, her hand hurt too much. That makes me feel so bad, but she said she will be back in the spring.

I am going to be making Pasties. That is a two day affair for me. But they are so good. Jeff doesn't like them at all. But he is just being silly I think.

Love


Mary

I went to Bible Study this morning and then right on to church for Ash Wednesday service at 8:30AM. It was a nice way to start the day and to thank God that Bart is safe at the VA Hospital beginning treatment.

We had the strangest music at Mass. A pianist that I never heard before and a cantor that sang without a mike and never left the choir area. I hope we have some sort of a plan for a choir director and organist. I will find out at the Parish Council meeting tomorrow night.

I have two quilts that I want to start on. That is exciting. I have not been two interested in anything the past couple of weeks.

Mother and I were talking about memories this morning. She said that she really likes the smell of cigars because it reminds her of her Dad, my Grandpa Bowser and I said that I love the smell of pipe tobacco, especially half and half becaus it reminds me of Dad.

Love

Mary

Here it is Tuesday and things are showing signs of getting better. The crazy legal limbo is done with. They messed around long enough and made so many mistakes that the judge had to release him because it was over 14 days since he was brought to the hospital and his rights were being violated. This meant that Barbara and I could take him, with his consent, back down to Milwaukee to the VA Center. There they admitted him and we, the hospital and Bart are all hopeful and optimistic that he is in the right place at last. I was so pleased to see him hopeful for the first time. Thank you for your prayers - but don't stop.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

Bart will be practicing this and I guess I should too.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday already. Lent is beginning which means spring is on the way too. We are expecting temperatures all the way up into the high 40's on Saturday. The worst is over.

Love

Mary

Well, Bart got to Green Bay at 7:45PM or there.abouts. SIX hours. He was so upset. They had him in handcuffs the whole time and there were several other people, mainly criminals that were picked up here and there. The most upsetting parts were the handcuffs and the fact that those cruel transport people would not even let the passengers go to the bathroom. SIX hours. I am furious. At least he is angry now which is a refreshing change from the depression.

Mother said she got a "pornographic" catalog. She got one of these catalogs that has everything from towels and sheets and kitchen items to graphic videos and vibrators for pleasuring oneself or for getting a good massage. She is so funny. I found it really cute that she found the most suggestive ones to show to me.

Wednesday is our grandaughter, Sara's, birthday. She will be 17. I CANNOT believe that. It seems just a few days ago that we went to the hospital to see her and I got to go right in to the room with them because I was the Grandma.

Take Care.

Mary

Saturday, what a day. Bart has been transferred to Green Bay. This will help resolve at least the first of the legal hurdles they are facing. Now we need to pray that they will transfer him into the VA System so that a proper course of treatment can be prescribed. He needs a pain clinic and help with his depression.

We, Jim, Dick and I, took his car back up to De Pere. Then Dick took us out for dinner. I had enchiladas beans and rice. We went to Garden View. They have very good food but it is way too much. I brought my soup and two enchiladas home with me. They always have WAY too much food but it makes a good lunch the next day.

Guess what, Bart was taken from Milwaukee at 1:45Pm and it is now 6:30PM and he is still not at the Green Bay Mental Health Center and (Worse), they don't know where he is. You would think they would have an intinerary. Poor Barbara is so upset. They are taking her to the manager.


I will keep you informed.

Love

Mary

Spent a couple of hours with Bart again today. We had a nice visit. NOW, they are talking about doing something about resolving the legal limbo over the weekend (HA - HA As if any government agency does anything on the weekends.) Well, we will see. Somehow or other there must be an end to and a reason for this nightmare. Prayers are being answered very slowly these days, but I must continue to believe that they are being answered. Otherwise, my whole belief system for 63 years has been for nothing. I received an email about four candles, Peace, Love, Faith and Hope. Peace, Love and Faith were blown out by ill wind but Hope kept burning and with it Peace, Love and Faith were able to be rekindled. I am trying to hold on to Hope.

Guess what! I am listed as a "Gaelic Poet" who will be part of live entertainment at Richard's in Sheboygan Falls on St. Patrick's Day.

Love


Mary

Well, Bart is still in legal limbo but seemed to be in a fairly good mood when I talked to him today. So that is GOOD. He is asking for school books to study which means he is thinking beyond the hospital and that is good too.

We went shopping and to the Discovery Travel show today. And tonight we played Yahtzee. Something Dick and I haven't done for a long time. The first three games were fun but he beat me so badly that the last one became really a drag. So we stopped. We have fun playing board games and maybe can do more of it. We used to play Cribbage for a hundred dollars a game in years past. We figured that we could play for whatever we wanted. For a while I was doing pretty well. I probably have forgotten most of it after all this time.

Lent is fast coming upon us. Fast - I guess that is a pun. I have stocked up on fish. Dick and Jim eat what I cook for them and I have some fish that they do like. We will have Swordfish, Haddock, Salmon Patties and tuna casserole. Come for dinner on any Friday during Lent and I will feed you too.

Love

Mary

Another busy day. I drove down to the hospital to see Bart and spent most of the day. He is much better but still gets rather agitated and restless. I was a good day mostly. He is going to any therapy sessions that he can so it was a good thing I brought a book to read.

It was a beautiful day but a storm is supposed to be coming in tomorrow night.

We voted in the Wisconsin Primary yesterday. It was our first election since the new Town of Sheboygan Firehouse is complete and we voted there. It is a beautiful building adjacent to the new town park. It was the first time we were in the building and we were impressed. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Love

Mary

I quit smoking in 1978 after having smoked for 28 years. Shortly after I quit, four little league mothers and myself decided to go out on the town to a Men's Strip Show. Shocking, I know, but that is not the story. Our 12 year old sons were horrified. "You are going WHERE!!!" But that is not the story either. We went to the show and had a ball. We laughed and yelled and just had fun. We were probably only gone three hours including travel time but it was a fun night.

The next morning, I picked up my jeans, thinking that since I had only worn them for a couple of hours I could put them on again. The cigarette smoke smell just permeated the room. Needless to say, I dumped them in the machine and marvelled at the fact that for 18 years I had smelled like that every day. YEUUUU. Icky.

I talked to Bart today and he sounds a bit better and more accepting. I know he does have bad times but they are fewer. I will go to see him later this week. I would like to do it when he is settled at he VA Hospital which is taking forever.

Love

Mary

Yesterday, my niece, Denise, the winner of last year's Wild Game Feast and Beer Tasting Festival, hosted the 27th annual event. It was well attended, even more that most years, as my sister, Nora, her husband Leif and their son Stenn, and my brother George, his wife Betsy and their son Shawn with his wife Sarah, attended. All but Shawn and Sarah came all the way from Texas. Shawn and Sarah live in Chicago. Stenn informed us before the beer tasting that he fully intended to win so we would all have to come to Texas next year. He didn't (unfortunately). My nephew, Kurt won. He was so excited. He was in a taste off his first year but has not been in the running since. He says that now he feels like a full member of the family. We had 20 people participating in the contest trying to identify 21 beers.

The food was excellent. When I get Uncle Fred's summary, I will give you the complete menu. But today I will just say it was wonderful.

Today, I sang at the 10:30 AM Mass. We were all rather sad as our choir director Stevan is retiring because of health reasons. We are all so grateful for the guidance and teaching he has provided us over the past several years. We are really a good choir and I hope that we can find someone to continue with his vision. We even did a CD a few years ago and we sound GOOD. Anyway, Steve is my friend and I will not miss him. He will still be my friend. But I will miss the choir director.

Love

Mary

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming...Wow! What a ride!'"

I read the above on the Red Hat Society bulletin and thought I would share.

It is hard to keep up my steam right now, but I am working on it. Bart had a better day in himself yesterday, though his situation is still not resolved and he is still not at the VA Hospital where he will be getting some real help. They are mostly good to him where he is but he is in limbo. Remember, Limbo? It doesn't exist in the afterlife but believe me it exists here on earth.

Today is the annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner. I must get my roast in at 9:00AM and will make the potato salad. It is good to be busy. I do best when I am busy.

Your prayers are so special and so appreciated.

Love

Mary

I spent yesterday with Bart. He is much calmer though he does have bouts of crankiness and agitation. He is sometimes speaking of future plans which is much more my Bart so I am encouraged. It was a long day and I am still exhausted after a full night's sleep. He is so fragile.

"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is."

Keep praying - it is holding us together.

Love

Mary

Well, It has been a long long two days. Bart showed a little improvement yesterday. At least he ate dinner and stopped trying to get out of the hospital. I am hearing response to my prayer requests. So many people calling for help from God will surely bless my boy. I was reminded of John Lennon's song for his son Sean and I will quote a verse or two to illustrate how I feel about my boy.

BEAUTIFUL BOY

Close your eyes. Have no fear.
The monsters gone, he's on the run
and your daddy's here.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy.

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you while your busy making other plans.

Chorus:

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way, it's getting better and better.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful beautiful Boy.

By John Lennon

I hope Bart will reach for hands and know that things will get better and that we are all there to help him come back to be what he is, an honest, loving, strong man. He has no idea how proud I am of him.

Love

Mary

It has been a long three days. For anyone who reads this that I haven't contacted. My son, Bart, is in the hospital. He was admitted to St. Luke in Milwaukee and transferred to the Mental Health Unit. He is suffering from severe acute depression and it has absolutely devastated him. This has been building up since he had the back surgery five years ago. He has struggled with constant pain and become a perscription opiate addict. Hopefully, now that the problem is recognized, he will get the help he needs. The doctors say it will be a long road, as they need to get him off the drugs he is on and reintroduce SOMETHING that will help control the pain and they need to treat the depression.

We need prayers. We need a LOT of prayers and I ask you humbly for them. I read my Cadfael Book of Days and again it is appropriate.

Feb. 8: "Reverses are sent to us so that we may overcome them, and no one can presume to escape such testings for ever. The loss can be borne."

Feb. 9: "Know that you are not alone."

I pity those who do not know the presence of Jesus. He is my strength. I think that Bart and Barb have had quite enough "reverses" now and need some good things to happen. They WILL bear the losses but really need some gains now.

Love

Mary

Snow all over the place. We got at least 5 more inches last night. Chelsea loves it and it is really pretty. I guess we are still a bit behind on what we need to maintain the water table but the season is not over yet.

I have a nice quiet weekend coming up. We will go shooting on Sunday. I did just terrible tonight. I don't know what I am doing wrong but maybe practice is what I need.

Jim is home all weekend, so I made a dessert to last us for the next three evenings. I picked up some raspberries and blackberries at the store yesterday and made an upside down cake. It got kind of exciting when I got to the part of the recipe that said to alternate adding the flour and the milk to the creamed butter and sugar but did not tell me how much milk was needed. So I did some research and revamped the recipe as follows:

Raspberry Blackberry Upside Down Cake

1/4 c. Brown Sugar
2 TB Bitter
2 c. Berries (Blackberry, Raspberry, Whatever you have.)
1/2 Cup Margerine or butter
1 3/4 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 c. Flour
2 ts. Baking Powder
12 ts. salt
1 c. Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in an 8 or 9 inch iron skillet over medium heat. Add berries and cook. Sir until mixture bubbles then add 3/4 cups of the sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.

Mix 1/2 cup butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Bix four, baking powder and salt together and sift alternately with milk to the creamed butter mixture.

Pour batter over cooked fruit and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes til lukewarm. Run a knife around the pan and turn onto a large plate. (Be sure you invert it while still warm or it won't come out of the pan.) Best served warm. Whipped cream or ice cream are nice additions but not necessary.

It sure is good.

Love

Mary

Jim and I went to Lakeland College last night to see Gaelic Storm at their theater. WoW! they are good. Jim and I have to get their fourth album. Their fifth will be out in May or thereabouts and we are behind one. They did say they would be at Irish Fest this year so I probably will have someone to go with. JIM. Dick doesn't like the crowds and talked me out of going last year for a dud of a trip somewhere else. Not this year.

They are so lively and their music is really great. They seem to like Wisconsin and can't get over the names of our towns. They are especially entrances with Oostburg and keep on talking on going to a bar in Oostburg which of course absolutely delights all of us Sheboygan County people who know it will be a cold day before you could find a bar in Oostburg. However - De Zwann's in Cedar Grove closed. The family decided to retire and the place has reopened recently and I HEARD that they serve wine and beer. What is happening to our dry cities?

Dick is slowly recovering. We are beginning to think that perhaps it is Gaelic Storm that is responsible for his being sick. They were here last year at the Stepanie Weill Center and he got sick then too. I hope he just forgets buying a ticket next time. That gets a bit expensive for a seat to throw jackets on. Jim and I always have fun at these concerts but Dick likes them too. At least he says he does.

I am writing a monthly food column for a little paper that is published up north and run by a gal who was in the Sheboygan County Writers Club. I get paid a copy of the paper and my name and column in print. I hope to eventually put these columns in to a little book. Wish me luck. I will see how they go over and how many I can turn out.

Have a great day. There is a storm warning for 4 to 7 inches of snow for tonight. It has been downgraded some from 12 inches but we always have the lake effect to contend with.

Wish us Luck

Love

Mary

Yesterday was groundhogs day. I guess we are supposed to have an early spring. It certainly doesn't look so outside today. It snowed for 12 more hours last night and the snow is piling up steadily. There does not seem to be any melting down.

I have decided to make the venison roast as a Texas Brisket roast for the 27th Annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest. That is Dick's favorite way to fix venison. I can cook it all morning and then put it in the slo cooker in its juice to keep it warm. I have Daddy Hinkle's marinade and seasoning. I will also make potato salad.

Started a book discussion group with four wonderful women at church yesterday. The book is called Live Long and Love It. It should be nice, we will meet once a week for about 10 weeks and discuss how to best enjoy our older years.

Have a good Wednesday.

Mary

January is over ALREADY. Today, started off with a bang, literally. Jim, Bobbie and I went shooting at Rhine this afternoon. I shot a line of trap with a gun that I am trying for a while to see how it does. It is a 847 12 gauge shotgun and thought the stock is too long, I wasn't unhappy with it. I only shot a 9. However, the stock IS too long, I have never shot in winter with all the bulky clothes and the cold and this is the first line I have shot since September. SO. We will see. I will shoot another line next week and each week for a while.

My league pistol targets were not too bad. I blew the middle one but the first and last were in the 50s.

The Super Bowl is on and without the Packers playing it is really hard to get too interested. I don't really care who wins. The first quarter and a half were really dull, then they scored four times, going into the half 14/10 New England. So the last half of the 2nd quarter was at least fun to watch.

I am feeling pretty good now and the temperature was up into the high 20s today. Chelsea and I went for a walk this morning and she was a very very happy puppy. As I have said before, Dick and Jim's idea of taking her for a walk is sending her out the side door on her leash and saying "Run, Chelsea, Run." til she does something.

Have a good week and a great February. I have two friends who are ill and would appreciate any prayers you have hanging around for their health.

Love

Mary

Only one day left in the first month of the year. I am getting over my cold but am sick of it. I am sick of Dick telling me to take it easy but not being sympathetic to my restlessness. Men! They just DON'T get it, do they?

I've been getting interested in sewing again too. I have four squares finished for a quilt and 9 more to go. I cut out and arranged one to sew this weekend. I received a copy of the Pike River Review and Janice Kaat, the editor is publishing my food column. It is nice to see your name in print. If I do well enough, I will incorporate them in to a book eventually.

It never hit 0 Degrees today. What a cold one. It is supposed to get up in to the teens today and be in the 20's for part of next week. Where is global warming when you need it.


Love

Mary

Today is my sister Nora's birthday. When Dick and I were married, she and her husband, Leif, had already moved to Dallas and Dick didn't meet her for several years. He used to tease me about making up a sister. He said he had no idea why, with all the brothers and sisters I had, I would make up another one, but that was his conclusion. She is next in age to me. My brother Jeff better stop calling me the matriarch. My Mother is the only on who deserves that title right now and for a LONG LONG time.

I laid low again today. I did not go to help with Bingo at Rocky Knoll. Didn't see any sense spreading my germs in a hospital atmosphere and sent an e mail with my concerns to the members of the parish council that I have addresses for. Hopefully at least ONE of them picks up their mail during the day. I didn't get any acknowlegements so God only knows. I hope I am much better tomorrow. I would like to go to lunch with the Plymouth Ladies and also would like to go shoot pistol league with Bobbie and Jim.

I am re-reading a wonderful book by John O'Donohue called Anam Cara - A Book of Celtic Wisdom. I can read a short piece every day and get something out of it . Something new each time. Anam Cara means soul friend. We are our best soul friend but there are friends out there who sometimes become Anam Cara to us. Treasure them.
" I am as my Creator made me, and since He is satisfied, so am I." Minnie Smith
Love

Mary

The cold is awful today. I did not go to bible study. Dick is going to grocery shop alone tomorrow. I am goint to try to be well enough to go to the Parish Council Meeting tomorrow night. As Dick says I don't want to give everybody colds.

There is so much happening at church that I really hate to miss it.

It is supposed to remain cold for the rest of the week and more snow in a couple of days.

Does a person ever stop worrying about their children? I remember one time when Jim was having a difficult time, I told Dick that he just had to let Jim make his own decisions because he was, after all, an adult. And Dick looked at me mournfully and said that I just did not understand. None of his children were adults. (And Jim is the youngest.)

I thin that says it all.


Love

Mary

My cold has finally blossomed into a full blown head cold and I am not happy except that maybe NOW it will run its course.

I got a box of items made by Fr. Mike Shea's Aids Moms yesterday. They do batik table cloths, runners etc and t shirts. The designs are bold and dynamic. So full of life. I know this is hope to these people. I must see if I can figure out a way to market it. I will talk to Fr. Ed at bible study and bring it up to Sr. Marcia and the council to see if we can start a mission society for Sarnelli. If any one is interested in Tshirts, Bookmarks, hand crossstitched greeting cards and batik cloth, Let me know and I will send pictures . They are truely lovely.

Love Mary

Wow, have I been lazy on Blog for the past few days. Actually, I have a sore throat and have been really laying low. I have been rereading the Harry Potter books for fun and to keep me still.

I did go shooting on Friday evening and had two good targets and one terrible target. It was the last one and I am chalking it up the the cold range and tiredness.

It has been snowing for two days and looks like it will continue for a day or two. This should make the farmers happy as the water table has been low for the pas couple of years.

Bret called on Friday night and it was so good to hear his voice. He is happy with his new job, home and girlfriend.


I don't think I shared my winter poem with you so will do so now.


CRANKY OLD MAN



Cranky old man sucks joy out of the world.
Cold and harsh is his way.
Life pulls in to the ground, away from his fury
As Winter marches in, cold and forbidding.
Snow covers ground, trying to protect,
To shield the earth from his wrath

Some of God?s creatures sleep away his reign.
Some flee South before his rage.
Some timidly creep out to search for food.
Cold and hungry they nip at weeds and tree bark,
While struggling to survive
Then rush back to shelter among the trees.

Cranky old man stays much too long.
The earth sleeps and gains the strength.
To finally answer the call of sun and light
And dare to bring color back to the world.
Winter grows empty and weak
And falls before the strength and joy of Spring.


Spring always comes too.

Love

Mary

In one of my other lives, my ex husband, the boys and myself came to Wisconsin for Christmas one year. We stayed for a whole week and it was COLD. I believe that it ranged between 10 and 16 BELOW zero for our entire stay. I remember arriving at the airport and Nora picked us up. It was so cold and my California boys were not at all prepared for this. We were so grateful to get to my parents warm home and surprise them. All of my brothers and sisters knew we were coming but it was a surprise for Mom and Dad. Mother is so cool. Her only comment was that she supposed that she would have to make cut out cookies after all.

Such wonderful memories. I was reminded because we are currently having such cold days . It was 9 below while Dick and I were out shopping this morning and is still below zero. It is very hard on Chelsea but we have managed to keep her comfortable and "emptied".

Keep warm. We worry about Jim coming home after midnight on these cold days. Thank God for mobile phones these days.

Love

Mary

Last night I went to St. Dominic's Church in Sheboygan to meet with other council members from parishes all over Sheboygan County and a "team" including Bishop Sklba from the Archdiocese, to discuss the plans for coping with the continuing priest shortage. Blessed Trinity, my home parish, is going to be asked to "cluster" with St. John the Evangelist in Kohler. St. John and Blessed Trinity both want to keep their own identities and their own councils. We will work towards that end.

These are distressing times. The heirarchy is shrinking but seem reluctant to give any of their authority to the laity. We must keep persisting and pray that the Spirit will guide us on this rocky path.

I keep reading and trying to learn and hoping that there is a plan here.

The temperature was 15 this morning when Chelsea and I went out for our walk but for some reason, it hurt her pads. I ended up carrying her for a bit and then we hurried home. Tomorrow, we won't even try to leave the yard because it is supposed to be below zero. I mentioned carrying her at bible study this morning and Mary, one of the others, said she is going to walk with me because her feet hurt sometimes when she walks and she wouldn't mind being carried too.

My dear Mom celebrates her 88th birthday today. What a special lady. We are so blessed to have her. I will post a poem by Austin Clarke that I feel is a portrait of her.

THE PLANTER'S DAUGHTER

When night stirred at sea
And the fire brought a crowd in,
They say that her beauty
Was music in mouth
And few in the candlelight
Thought her too proud,
For the house of the planter
Is known by the trees.

Men that had seen her
Drank deep and were silent,
The women were speaking
Wherever she went -
As a bell that is rung
Or a wonder told shyly,
And O she was the Sunday
In every week.


Have a good day and keep warm.


Mary

I was extremely lazy today. We did go grocery shopping this morning but the rest of the day was spent just hanging around really. I must have needed that, I guess.

It is a bit warmer now, all the way up to 11 degrees, whoop de doo. Dick said it is time for the January thaw.

Did I ever tell you the recipe that Jacquie gave me for beer bread? It is so simple.

3 Cups Self Rising Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Can of Beer

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. Mix the three ingredients directly in the loaf pan. If you have time, let it sit for about 15 minutes then put into the oven for about an hour.

It tastes surprisingly good and toasts beautifully. Great with chili or soups.

Enjoy.

Mary

The temperatures never got out of single digits today. There were eight of us stalwart rabbit hunters out there. I checked several times before and after we got out of the woods and the temperature was never over 5 degrees. Surprisingly it was not too cold out in the woods. We were in the sun a lot and the trees protected us from the breeze. My husband, Dick had a message for everybody. He said that as cold as it was the bunnies were going to be huddled up in their little holes keeping warm and he thought we should just skip the hunting step and high tail it right to the bar. We got out in the field at about 9AM and took Dick's advice at about 11AM. I am so excited - I got a shot off at a rabbit. My first shot. I missed darn it. They move so fast and are so small but at least I GOT a shot. Don Behr got a rabbit a little later and those were the only shots fired. Don gave me the rabbit so now we have four for the wild game dinner.

The bar was fun too. The guys all bring this year's venison sausage and everyone in the bar is invited to taste and judge. We had four different sticks of sausage from four different markets. They were all good so I had a rather big lunch of cheese, sausage and crackers with a glass of wine to wash it down. I was a busy all day and am fading fast.

I remembered that I promised a picture of the quilted wall hanging I designed for the Sheboygan County Quilt Guild Annual show. I finally installed the pictures on the computer so here it is. I call it Maid, Mother, Crone depicting the three stages of womanhood.




Have a great evening

Mary

Yesterday, Dick and I went to see the Return of the King, the third part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It certainly was spectacular and wrapped EVERYTHING up true to the books. Dick thought it went on a little too long but they had to do that in order to finish the story. We both decided that Sam the Hobbit was a bigger hero than Frodo. He was loyal, strong, full of love and practical.

Jim, Bobbie and I went pistol shooting at Rhine again. Friday is league night. My first target wasn't too good but I improved on the last two. I guess I wasn't locking my wrist. Steady is GOOD.

It snowed all afternoon and last night. The world is glistening white all over. Chelsea loves it but even she got tired walking through those drifts this morning and was more than willing to head back before we went our full mile. We went out before the plows so there were at least 3 to 8 inches with the drifting all the way. Noone else was out this morning, I only saw one set of footprints the whole way and only two cars leaving.

I am going rabbit hunting tomorrow morning with my brothers, Jeff and Randy, and friends Leroy, Dennis and maybe Vic. We had fun last year which was my first time. It is supposed to be cold and windy. I don't look forward to that, but we dress warm and the walking seems to keep a person warm too. It is such fun watching the dogs find and chase down the rabbits. Dennis Behr has two dogs and they are so good.

The 26th annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest is scheduled for 2/14/04 at my niece, Denise's house in Manitowoc. I am bringing the Venison roast. I think I may do it as a Texas Rub. That is so tender and moist and flavorful. The winner of the previous year's beer tasting always hosts the next year. This is Denise's 2nd win. The ladies are doing quite well. We have a traveling trophy that started with a pewter mug and has been expanded by adding bases over the years. I am never eligible because I don't drink beer.

The Mouse That Roared

Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
When the pub was shut for the night,
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse,
And stood in the pale moonlight.

He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
Then back on his haunches he sat,
And all night long you could hear him roar.
"Bring on the goddamn cat!"

Have a great day

Mary

Jim got us a wine filter for Christmas. Boy, if my Dad could see our wine equipment he would be in hog heaven. Just our corker is a wonder. When we first started, we got a simple hand corker and Dick drove them in with a rubber hammer and the heel of his hand. This one you just put the bottle on a rack, drop in the cork and pull a handle.

But the filter is even more exciting. It pulls the wine through this series of tubes and filters soaked in water and leaves the wine as clear as a bell. We used it the first time today and what an experience.

Last night, I met Ann Pirrung and Paul Hanson from the Writers Club at the Wonderful World coffee house over on Michigan for the weekly open mike that the owner hosts. It was quite an experience. I read three of my poems and Paul read and there were several musicians, some good and some quite trying. Most of the attendees were high school age. Seniors and perhaps early college. Quite an experience. I was impressed with some of the music and told Judy, the owner, that it is wonderful for these kids to have a forum where they can try out their musical performing in a real situation.

Have a nice Friday. We are going to see The Return of the King.

Love

Mary

It snowed all day off an on. And I was out and about off and on all day too. Started out with a nice walk in teh snow with Chelsea at 5:30 because today was Bible Study.

We are going over the Constitutions portion of Vatican II. This should be interesting. It is pretty easy reading, at least the book we are reading. We got in to a big discussion on the attitude of the church to Gays. Lots of opinions. What do you think? I feel that if God created 11% of the population Gay, it is not abnormal and that God does not create evil.

I read the neatest quote from a Martin Niemoeller, a German. "When the Nazis came to get the Communists, I was silent, because I was not a Communist. When they came to get the Socialists, I was silent. When they came to get the Catholics, I was silent. When they came to get the Jews, I was silent. An when they came to get me, there was no one left to speak."

We must speak for justice.

Love

Mary

I am finally all caught up naming the pictures that I have installed on the computer. I got a good one of Oscar, which is almost impossible, because he is so black that there is very little contour and you usually just bet a black blob with shiny green orbs in it. However, I am going to show you one that I took of the two of them, Oscar and Roxie enjoyin treats on the kitchen floor. Don't they look healthy and happy. Enjoy.



Love

Mary

It is a sad day in Wisconsin. The Mighty Packers have played out. Yesterday, they lost in overtime due to an interception thrown by the mighty Favre. There were a couple of other opportunities earlier in the game where they really did poorly also. Anyway!!! What an exhausing and discouraging game. Three pictures of my brother Randy in three poses of disbelief and horror are in this evening's Sheboygan Press. Well, there is always next year. We will relive the what ifs for the next several months and then move on.

Wednesday, I will meet a friend at the new coffee shop on Michigan Avenue in Sheboygan. They have an open mike on Wednesdays. My friend is interviewing the owner for an article for the Beacon a local county paper. Her name is Ann Pirrung and she is really good. I keep trying. I will be doing a reading of my poetry and the classics on St. Patricks Day at Richards in Sheboygan Falls.

Love

Mary

Here we are in Wisconsin, getting ready to watch our Packers play the Eagles in Nasty Philidelphia. Dick and I went to Minneapolis one time to see the Packers Play at the Metrodome. Those Viking fans are really mean. I mean they were loud and evil. I was actually afraid as we were leaving the stadium and the Vikings WON the game.

They say the Eagles fans pride themselves on being the nastiest fans in the league. What is that?

Anyway, I am all ready with my green jeans, my gold turtleneck, my Reggie White Jersey and my Packer hat with the superbowl pin on it. We hear they are a team of destiny. I see that they have improved the WHOLE season and have come into their prime now. They have special impetus because of their loyalty to Favre, who lost his Dad and wants to win in his memory. That is quite a lot of motivation and skill coming together. Go Pack!!!

Went out to Rhine and shot three for league today. I did pretty good. One score was in the 60s the other two in the 50s. Dick got a 71. WOW.

Have a nice day.

Love

Mary

Dick and I have been "dieting" all week. We decided (actually, I decided and Dick agreed to go along with it.) to go on a 1000 calorie diet for one week to get over the sugar and fat saturation of the holidays. It has been surprisingly easy. Even Dick said that he really hasn't been hungry. And as we eat anything but just in portions and from all the food groups we have been quite happy. I lost 3 lbs as of yesterday, which is just what I had hoped. Dick says he had better have lost 20 lbs. Jim and I told him no way but we will see. At least, we haven't had sugar for a week and it will be less of a craving for a while.

Last night we had our church council holiday get together. We were even good there. And it was a nice event.

The choir will not meet or sing again until January, our winter break, so I will be going to the 8 AM mass for the time being. I really prefer the early mass anyway. Tomorrow, Dick, Bobbie and I will go shooting in the afternoon. Jim will too if he has time, but it is his Sunday to work at the Conservation club so he might be too busy. We'll see.

I saw the neatest Simply Quilts the other day and want to try it. It is a shadow quilt.

Have a nice Sunday.

Mary

Chelsea has clean doggy teeth. I picked her up at about 3:30PM. She was a bit wobbly and a little glassy eyed but was quite active. They said not to feed her, but she was just begging so I gave her bits over the evening so her little tummy didn't get too full and she didn't get enough at one time to throw up. She is just fine today. I looked at her teeth and they look good. She obviously feels no discomfort because she is playing tug of war with her rag and winning.

There have been a lot of Ah Ha moments for me lately in regards to the role of women in the church and in church history. It has become very apparant to me as a result of studying the scriptures and reading many articles and being involved in many discussions that the male dominated hierarchy has done a very good job of keeping us in minor roles. Jesus didn't. If you read scriptures, you hear that the women were at the foot of the cross when the apostles were in hiding. It was the women who went to check the grave and discovered AND announced that he was risen. Who prepared the meal for the last supper? Lots of things to think about.


Mary

It was bitter cold this morning. Chelsea and I took an abbreviated walk. We started out as usual and as soon as I saw her trying to clean out her pads, I turned her around. A car was coming, so I carried her accross the street and then put her down for the trip home. We were out long enough that she was able to accomplish everything she should.

I went to my friend Harold's funeral today. I talked to his wife Carol who is in her words "weepy". As well she should be. It is hard to lose one's companion, even if we know he is safe in the Lord's hands. She said he just went to God sleeping in his chair. She found him asleep with his hand folded and no sign of struggle. What a peaceful end for a peaceful man. We will all miss him and that wonderful smile and willingness to help anyone.

"Give me a pure heart that I may see Thee,
a humble heart - that I may hear Thee,
a heart of love - that I may serve Thee,
a heart of faith - that I may abide in Thee."
Dag Hammarskjold

Good day

Mary

Wednesday, we will take Chelsea, our dog, to the vet for "dental work." My father would crack up if he was still around and found out that dogs get their teeth cleaned. She has this protruding lower jaw and I think this does not allow her teeth to be cleaned by all the chewing whe does.

Tomorrow morning I will be going to the funeral of Harold Heinecke, a real gentleman, who was a neighbor when we lived at Creedside on the south side of Sheboygan. I really got to know him as a faithful and hard working member of the Sheboygan Noon Optimists. Harold was 85. We will miss him in Sheboygan. He was special.

Mary

Dick has had his "sleep machine" for two weeks now. He sleeps so soundly and is only taking a nap each day, not dozing off and on all the time. It is very quiet in our bedroom at night too, so I sleep much better now. He is still waiting for the Euphoria that many users of the machine speak of, but I find that his being awake and alert is enough euphoria for me.


I am going to share pictures of some of my nativity sets before the feast of the three kings. This is one that my son Bret sent me some years ago.



Love

Mary

Pistol league started at Rhine Plymouth. Winter Trap too, but I don't shoot winter trap because it is too cold as far as I am concerned. Jim and Bobbie and I are all shooting league. I hadn't shot for two weeks and it really showed. We are going to practice again on Sunday. Dick goes out on Sundays with us.

My cousin, Mike Shea, who is a missionary in Thailand sent me a DVD of his ministry in Thailand. He has started a home, Sarnelli House, for Aids Infected kids over there. This has expanded in many ways. The children come as a result of a ministry to Aids Infected parents who more often than not die of the disease. Therefore the children, often infected are orphaned. Aids victims are ostracized in Thailand, their families force them out of their homes. This is because of fear.

They now have over 90 children, many critically ill, many HIV positive but not Aids infected, and many healthy orphans. He has a girls home and a boys home in addition to Sarnelli House. Wow, the DVD was really good and Mother enjoyed seeing it last night.

I want to share it at Church and wherever else I can find interest.

Love

Mary

New Years Eve. I took a nap this afternoon and fully intend to be up til Midnight.


I will leave you this year with a quote from the Cadfael Book of Days.

"Life goes not in a straight line, but in a circle. The first half we spend venturing as far as the world's end from home and kin and stillness, and the latter half brings us back by roundabout ways but surely, to that state from which we set out."

Guests tomorrow. I love that. I am making the neatest cake with whipped cream frosting.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow night is New Years Eve. We are splurging on a PaPa Murphy pizza and staying home. I hope I make it up til midnight. Often, I do not. Maybe if I take a late nap it will work this year.

Quiet day at the Kunert house. I quilted a bit and read a bit and wrote a bit. Tomorrow I will be much busier because I have to get things kind of ready for dinner on New Years Day.

"A dead end is just a good place to turn around." Naomi Judd


Tomorrow.

Mary

Countdown. Two days left in 2003. Are you ready?

I am having Mother over on New Year's Day. I am fixing a stew. If finally found one (acually two) that really tastes good. Bill and Bobbie are coming over too and this will make a great gravy, which Bill adores. I am fixing colcannon too. Colcannon is mashed potatoes with cabbage. Num Num.

I will include the recipe and you really should try it.

Colcannon

8 medium potatoes, peeled
Bunch Green Onions
1/2 Cup Milk
Salt and Pepper
Teaspoon of butter per person

Cook potatoes, let them dry somewhat and keep hot. Cook green onion (including the green) in the milk.

At the same time shred and chop the cabbage and cook until tender.

Mash the potatoes with the green onion and milk and combine with the cabbage.

Cover the top with the butter and mix as you serve.

Great alone or with gravy.

Love

Mary

What a day for the Packers!!! Looked bad at the beginning. First, Seattle won yesterday. Then Dallas lost today. Then wonder of wonders, our last chance at the payoffs came when underdog Arizona pulled one off from the nasty Minnesota Vikings in the LAST 24 seconds. And to top it off, we beat Colorado 31 to 3. Could it GET any better. That makes us the DIVISION CHAMPS again.

Yee Ha!!


Only three more days in 2003. Are we ready for 2004? Guess it doesn't matter much, as it will come anyway. Such a tragedy in Iran. We should pray for and support those victims in the next months.

Love

Mary

I took off for Christmas and Boxing Day. In case you didn't know, Boxing Day is celebrated in Britain and British settled places on the day after Christmas. It is the day that the gentry gave their servants, who had to work on Christmas, the day off. The servants also got their "boxes" with gifts and/or bonuses. It was also the day the poor boxes were traditionally opened and distributed to the poor.

We spent Christmas full of joy. First, we went to Mass, Dick and I. Dick sat with Mother and the Randy Deeleys and Jessica, Randy's daughter, and I sang in the choir. I love the Christmas music and we all must because we sang with joy and enthusiasm. (On key too.) The bell choir accompanied us on several songs.

Then we went to Bobbie and Bill's house in the afternoon and evening to celebrate a wonderful Christmas dinner with dessert of Bobbie's candy. That is a taste treat.

And we exchanged gifts which is ALWAYS fun. Our children are VERY good to us.

Friday, Boxing Day, Bart, Barb and Timothy came for supper. We had such a nice visit, exchanged presents and had dinner. I made Banana Cream Pie which always goes over in this house. Timothy is Barbara's son. one of our step Grandsons and a really nice young man.

Hope your holidays were as pleasant as ours. I will be praying for all of you in the morning.

I have a big old black cat spawled accross my desk and a silly looking tailless one drapped over the back of my chair.

I love being surrounded by creatures.

Love

Mary

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in... you are richer than 75% of this world's people.

All the people that read my blog are that rich. Aren't we the luckiest?

Did you know that the first gift of Christmas was a Child?


A Blessed Christmas from ME to YOU!!!


Love

Mary

We bottled a batch of Riesling today. 31 bottles. It is a bit raw but will be ready in a month as smooth as can be. Tomorrow, we will put another batch in to a carboy to age. The winemaking is fun. We have rhubarb, marigold and wild grape made from scratch that are almost ready to bottle. We have learned that you cannot rack them too much. Too little and you get sediment.

I made soup today. Chicken soup with LOTS of veggies. We will have that for supper with grilled cheese sandwiches I think. (Because I LOVE grilled cheese.)

It was a quiet day. I did not have to go anywhere which was really a nice for a change. Tomorrow I have Bible Study and we will shop a bit. Bart and Barb and Timothy are coming for dinner on Friday and I need a couple things. Chelsea should get a bath too since she will go with us to Bobbie's on Christmas Day and really should be made pretty for the visit to the "Goddess". The Goddess is Bobbie as Chelsea just adores her.

Dick is complaining about his hand calculator. Good thing I bought him a new one for his stocking. I will fill the stocing tomorrow.

Have a nice evening.


Mary

Two days til Christmas day. We shopped today and took my Dad's and Uncle George's canes to Mother. She is planning on using one when the ground is wet, icy or snowy. Things are dry and clear now, but she wants to practice. I hope they are short enough for her. I told her to have Randy check it out because he could cut it off a bit if they are too tall for her.

There was a 6.5 earthquake in California today. It was felt in LA so I am sure my son Bret felt it. However, it was about halfway between LA and San Francisco and little damage was done. Another worry, I guess. Sometimes quakes trigger more quakes.

Remember the reason for the season. Actually, I guess it is a melding of ancient feasts and the birth of Jesus, but I like the birth of Jesus best. Perhaps, it can bring peace to this world yet.

Love

Mary

Sunday all day. I baked bread and went to church. As I said it is the last day of Advent and we sang some really pretty Advent Songs, Climb to the top of the Highest Mountain and Creation Will Be At Peace. Did I tell you that one or our choir members, Andy Gremminger and our director Steve Naffin are doing a bit of writing for the Psalm refrains. We are very proud and the music is really beautiful. Well, on Thursday we get to try our Christmas voices on the congregation.

I am reading a marvelous book called Celtic Christianity by a Timothy Joyce. Some of the points he brings up are really making me think and giving me small Ah = Ha moments. This is one of them. He said he has felt more spirituality in a pub than in some churches. Then he comments. "Of course, there can always be a case of too much spirits in a pub, but you can also have too much religion in a church!"

By the way, my brother Jeff sent me the nicest e-christmas card that I would like to share with you. just copy the following into the address box. http://holidays.blastcomm.com.

Have a good week


Mary

The tree is up and decorated and looks WONDERFUL. I put all the bows on the presents and have them neatly sorted on the mantle and under the tree. It looks like Christmas in our house.

Bret called today and the packages arrived safe and sound and he is snacking on the cheese and sausage and buckeyes already. Good for him. He is all settled in a new apartment and a new job and has a new girlfriend and sounds very content.

"God direct all. It is, after all, a way he has." (From the Cadfael books) Isn't that neat.

Tomorrow is the last Sunday of Advent. After singing at Mass, I am going to help change the decorations from Advent to Christmas. Should be fun but I will miss out on practicing with the pistol.

Happy Sunday

Mary

Dick slept for 7 1/2 hours last night. He has taken one nap this afternoon, but used the machine so he REALLY slept.

Had lunch with my Plymouth friends today and took them each a bottle of our homemade wine. Seemed appropriate for Christmas. Our friend Marlene joined us today. Last week she was in the hospital with pneumonia. She is still coughing but said she feels well and that this was her second outing. Yesterday she got to go to Fleet Farm. Whoop - de - do. But I am sure she is glad to be up and around.

The tree is "growing" There are only two rows of branches and the top to go. We have all the lights working except one. If Dick can't get it easily, it gets pitched and we go for a new one. MUCH easier and they aren't THAT expensive anyway.

Another poem from my brother Matt's book. Just a wee short one.

APOLOGY

i apologize for keeping you from church......
god is much better company than me
Matt Deeley




Mary

We got "The Machine" for Dick today. A Sandy from the Visiting Nurse Association came over with us an gave us very detailed instructions as to how to use it. We have great expectations. I will keep you informed as to how the sleeping goes. He is so looking forward to REALLY sleeping.

What a busy day. The tree is 2/3 up. I have all but one package wrapped. Went to choir and council. Wow. Dick is right - that is too much for one day.

Only one more week til Christmas. Are your ready? We are going to Bobbie's for dinner and family that day. The choir will be singing at 9:30AM. So it will also be a full day.



An Irish Superstition

Every day has one hour in which a wish may be granted and in which the person has the power to see spirits. Only by trial and error can that period be known.

Mary

When we were children, the Christmas tree went up on Christmas Eve. Mom and Dad decorated it and put out all the presents after we were tucked in our beds fast asleep. I know that lots of the presents were picked up that night from the Grandparents by my poor long suffering Father. Then Dad would go to Midnight Mass and come home and fix a T-Bone Steak for a Christmas breakfast. The poor man barely got to bed when the first of his offspring would be waking up and asking if Santa was here yet. They always made us stay in bed at least until 6:00AM but it was impossible to hold all of us past that time. The whole living room was full of presents in neat little piles and we would frantically look for our personal share of the loot. We did not do the one present at a time patiently handed out by a doting parent. They had done their doting the night before and were more than content to let us just tear in while they watched and rested and oohed and aahed appropriately.

More that one year we lost the tree so that Dad finally started to run a wire from the tree to a hook he screwed into the wall. With nine children and innumerable cats and dogs running around, it was much much safer.

We are just getting our tree up this week. I hope we make it by Christmas Eve. It seems that since we are both retired, we are just SO busy. I have all of my Nativity sets up around the house, however. I love them all and love to share so come to visit.

"Today is the victory of yourself over yesterday." Gerald R. Gartzke

Slainte


Mary

The Visiting Nurses will be here on Thursday at 1:00PM to set Dick up with his machine. I am so impressed with the speed of this process. We were initially given a two to three week window but I think because of the severity of Dick's apnea, they are really speeding up. Today, he stayed up all day but he is in bed now and it is only 7:00. Not a good sign for the night.

I have FINALLY used up all of the "Grandma's Flower Garden" petals that we found in Aunt Helen's house after she died. I have the quilt, of course, and have made several sets of placemats for some of my nieces and some doll blankets for a couple of others. The last pair of placemats will use everything up. I am giving them to Mary Michels Gustafson, Eileen and Fred's daughter. She married recently in a private ceremony and I think she would like a memory of Aunt Helen. She knew her well too.

Tonight, Foxy Roxie is back under her lamp on the desk. Big Oscar is taking up the rest of the desk. He came just as I was trying to sort through the paperwork that keeps piling up no matter what I do. I complain a bit about the lack of room but I do like having critters around me. "The Peaceable Kingdom" you know.

Just over a week til Christmas. Are you ready?

Love

Mary

A very nice Monday. The weather was pleasant so I put greens, bows and a lighted star on the post lamp out in front. Last year the lights wouldn't work. This year they came right on. Go figure. I also got up my music boxes and placed them all around the living room and guest room.

As I post to this, Roxie is sitting in her favorite spot, in the mddle of my desk under the desk lamp where she is warm and close to people. She is falling asleep as I type.

We got a call regarding the results of the Sleep Tests that Dick had last Thursday night and the nurse said the Dick has SEVERE sleep apnea and someone will call by Wednesday to arrange for the machine that will make him feel like a new man. He is so looking forward to it. That one night made such a difference the next morning.
He actually felt alert and rested until afternoon but now he is falling asleep all the time and not waking up refreshed.

Soon it will be Christmas. I baked again today. Really didn't need to but I love to and will give some away. I made Lizzies and Hello Dollies.

Love

Mary

WHAT A DAY!

Saddam has been captured with no more killing and hopefully this will HELP the healing and reconstruction in Iraq and maybe our boys and girls can come home soon. Hopefully all the little children in Iraq will soon be able to sleep without fear, grow up healthy and safe and ready to face the world.

Then we went shooting and I got a 71!!!!! Wow, was I ever pleased.

Then to top off the day, the Packers won. It was a roller coaster game but they won by a nice cushion and we were very pleased in this house. Since the Vikings lost to the Bears today, we are now at least in the playoffs.

The Kindercore sang with us at Mass this morning. I always love to hear the children. We did pretty good too.
The Messiah was really beautiful last night - what a lovely way to really kick off the Christmas season.

Hallelujah.


Mary

Well, Dick went through his tests very well. The Sleep Therapist, Susan, was just wonderful. He does have sleep apnea. There is a solution. He does not really get any sleep at all it seems so he does not get needed REM sleep. The chart was really amazing. After she put him on the machine he actually had two episodes where he did sleep and he woke up refreshed for the first time in as long as he can remember. The Visiting Nurses will come out with the machine and instructions in the next couple of weeks after Dr. Willis has a chance to review everything and make his recommendation. We are so excited. EVERYBODY says that this will do wonders for his energy and his health. Susan said I will get my husband back. WOW.

I have to remember everything because Mother will be asking. Tomorrow we go to see the Messiah. The Sheboygan Symphony and Chorus ALWAYS do a wonderful presentation of that.

Love

Mary

Dick has been having trouble sleeping. His doctor thinks that perhaps if his poor sleeping habits could be determined and corrected it might help control his blood pressure, so I just dropped him off at Sheboygan Memorial for tests. They will hook him up to all kind of moniters and he will be done and wants me to pick him up at 7:00AM tomorrow. So I will have to go to bed and be there when he wants me to be.

I read the neatest thing in my Cadfael Book of Days.

"In our various degrees, we are all sinners. To acknowledge and accept that load is good. Perhaps even to acknowledge and accept it and not entertain either shame or regret may also be required of us. If we find we must still say: Yes, I would do the same again, we are making a judgement others may condemn. But how do we know that God will condemn it? His judgements are incrutable."

From Brother Cadfael's Penance Chapter 16.

Sometimes maybe we are required to do something or moved to do something against the "Rules". But it may be the thing to do. An interesting concept, not to be abused.


Love

Mary

Yesterday, I typed out of blog and then looked for the bar to check the spelling and the bar was gone. I mean the whole thing. I was unable to edit and unable to post and publish or anything. Isn't that a fine kettle of fish.

Anyway, I had written about the day before telling you all that I am a really big sinner I guess. Earlier on Monday, I had discussed with Sy Regan that it was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and that I would be going to Mass that evening. The next time I remembered was at 9:00. Wow, I was sure upset with myself. Dick said he was just as glad because he felt I needed the rest and I hope he is right.

Friday, the photographs replica of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be on display at St. John's in Kohler. I will stop to see it on my way home from lunch with the Plymouth ladies. It is kind of interesting that I just read a short biography of Juan Diego, the Aztec peasant to whom the Lady appeared on Monday. If you want to know more about the Our Lady of Guadalupe go to www.ourladyofguadalupe.org

We saw the Sheboygan Theatre Company's production of Peter Pan tonight. It was fun. I had forgotten many of the songs in the play and they are nice. We talked with the people around us and one gentleman also knew who Billie the Brownie was. It was fun.

Barbara gave me a picture of Christ for my desk with the quote. "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it."

It is a good thing.

Mary

I went to the Sheboygan County Writer's Club Christmas party today. We met at 11:30 for lunch at Arabella's. There were 21 of us there for the party, a really good turnout. Our new co officers, Jane Kocmoud and Ann Pirrung officiated at a gift exchange, the meal and the readings. I read my Billie the Brownie story and a short one from my brother Matt's book Castle Mount.

Most of you know that my brother Matt was a poet. He wrote lots and lots of poetry in a very short life. He died at 17. After his death his friends put on a music event to raise money to publish a book of his poems. We picked out our favorites and I often share and read them. We called it Castle Mount because he always said that a poet needed an estate and he called our old red house Castle Mount. He did write a poem called Castle Mount.

Funny, my brother George put a book of poems together for US (the family) and called it Old Red House. We sure were attached to our old home and each other.

Anyway, I read Matt's Christmas poem. Here it is for your enjoyment.

CHRISTMAS IS OVER

christmas if over again
it won't be back for another year
the lights have been taken down
santa clause went back to the toy factory
so we can all fight each other
with a clear conscience once more

(Matt never used capital letters. )

Most of his poems were kind of gloomy and cynical. However, Grandma Bowser commented on that and said that she wished he would write something cheerful so he wrote the following for her.

GIFT FROM THE RAINBOW

did you enjoy your gift?
i know you got one,
everyone gets one.
maybe it's very small
maybe just a kiss,
or a pat on the back,
but, nevertheless,
everyone gets one.
where should you look?
i can't say,
why not just look in the back of your mind/
that's where i found mine.

Two poems from my brother. I miss him. He could see guardian angels, you know.

Mary

Chelsea got a bath today. She was not happy about it but she is a brilliant white, sweet smelling puppy now. She was getting pretty dingy under her chin especially.

I made the Buckeyes today. Once, several years ago, I told Dick that I wasn't going to make Buckeyes because they are so putsy. You have to mix all those pounds of butter, peanut butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla until it is smooth. This is a BIG mixing bowl. Then you have to roll it all in to balls and chill for 4 hours. This is about 160 peanut butter balls - a LOT of balls. Then after they chill, you have to dip them all in melted chocolate chips and paraffin and chill them again. They are called Buckeyes because when you dip them, you poke a toothpick in and dip them in leaving an unchocolate covered "eye". These taste much like peanut butter cups but even better. You have to use REAL Butter for sure.

Anyway, Dick told Jim that I wasn't going to make them and he said in great distress. "But why do we even have Christmas then. We wait all year and now you tell me we won't have Buckeyes this Christmas."

Needless to say, I made them and never have suggested not making them again. I always share with the other kids, which isn't easy because Dick and Jim think they are all for them.

Have a nice Sunday

Mary

The trip was really a pleasure. Peoria does the lights up royally. They have an enchanted forest which is charming with light sculptures that move and wave and everything. We went there after going to a play and dinner and shopping at a craft show. Then came the big finale. We drove up the hill above the town to a park in which they had all the floats from their big Saturday after Thanksgiving parade on display. These floats are spectacular. They have, as an example, a train that has a locomotive, two cars, one carrying a pine tree and a caboose. As you drive through this park, they have light displays with deer jumping over the road and further on, skiers who you swear are going to crash right in to the bus. The town also has a Nativity display put on by the KCs. This town only has about 27,000 people in it and this thing runs from Thanksgiving weekend to January 2nd and they start assembling the floats right after Halloween. The whole town must be involved because the event is run entirely by volunteers.

I am in the mood now. Made fudge and put up one of the Nativity scenes.

Summarized from the Koran

Every child has a right to feel that God created the world JUST for him.

Mary

This was a catch up day. Did I tell you that the cats like to sleep on my desk under the desk lamp while I am working at the computer? Tomorrow, we go to Peoria IL on a bus trip. We are seeing lots of Christmas displays, shopping and seeing a little play of some kind and a Nativity. I believe that they are famous for their Christmas displays. Thursday on the way ome, we will stop at the Caterpillar plant for a tour. Quite a full two days and I am ready for a couple days AWAY.

I fixed turkey enchiladas for supper. What is with this world. The original recipe said it served 6 and I halved it for the three of us. There is enough left for the three of us to eat another FULL meal on Thursday when we get back.
No wonder the country is full of fat people.

Anyway, you probably won't have another post until Friday. Have a good two days. I know I will.

Love

Mary

Good Day. Cold though. Quite a change from yesterday when it was over 50. My face got kind of stiff when Chelsea and I walked. We saw only one person. Someone was checking their giant inflatable Santa. The Santa scared poor Chelsea but she bravely barked at it. My great protector.

Christmas season is upon us now that Thanksgiving is over. I have started my cards and wrapping presents. The next two weeks will be REALLY hectic. Next week I have Writer's Club party, the Sheboygan Theatre's Peter Pan and the Sheboygan Symphony's Messiah.

I hear from my Bret yesterday and he SOUNDS like his old self. What a releaf after the two big scares. He has his new job and will start it a week from today. This, plus his health improvement is making himfeel good.

Remember:

"Firelight will not let you read fine stories but it's warm and you won't see the dust on the floor."

Mary

Sundays are nice. The choir sang and we were accompanied by Jim Wilsing's Celtic Band, which is always a pleasure and they will be joining us through Advent. We had a baptism which is always a pleasure.

Bobbie, Jim, Dick and I went out to Rhine and did some pistol shooting. My first set was awful. I realized that I have a sore arm AND mainly I shot much to fast. The second was better and the third I was able to do some adjusting and it was not too bad at all. Dick was really good. I hope he joins us in league in January.

It was warm today. All the way up to 50 degrees. For those of you in the warm climates, that is a heat wave. I wore my denim jacket and felt like it was spring or fall. What a pleasure at the end of November.

May Christ and His saints stand
between you and harm.

Mary and her son.
St. Patrick and his staff.
Martin with his mantle.
Bridget with her veil.
Michael with his shield.
And god over all with His strong right hand.

Have a good week and a blessed December taking you safe into the New Year.

Love

Mary

Today was church decorating day. We put up all the advent wreaths and colors. I wish you could see the church. It is a beautiful place and a cooperative effort of at least a dozen people.

It is time to start your Christmas Cards if you haven't. I started today. I will be sending several just by email too, but do have lots that have to go snail mail. I found a very nice tasteful card that should work for everybody.

I mentioned to my friend Steve that I had cut my hand butchering deer and he said that For God's Sake don't tell Sr. Marcia. She prays for the deer every year and apparently sees a difference between cattle and deer. She did not grow up in a hunting family. One of my favorite pictures is one of my Father and his nice buck wiith me, Nora and Tim all looking at it. I will have to get Jim to scan it and put it on the web. I don't know whether Dad is prouder of his deer or his children. We always felt treasured.


Love
Mary

Thanksgiving was wonderful. The turkey turned out soooooo good and it was great having Dick and Brenda, Bobbie and Bill and Bart and Barb here for dinner. I made a really good pumpkin/pasta dish that I found on the net.

You julienne one pound pumpkin and saute it with a chopped onion and a minced garlic in olive oil, add a cup of water, salt and pepper. Then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add a pinch of pepper flakes and a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley. Meanwhile cook 1 lb ziti. When the ziti is done combine with the pumpkin and mix well. Top with 8 oz fresh parmesean and serve.


Wow was it good.

We butchered the two deer today. It was fun. Bobbie's first experience and she enjoyed it too. We were done in about 4 hours. Not too bad.


See Ya!

Mary

Busy, busy, busy. I cooked ALL day. Sure glad I didn't wait until tomorrow to cook this stuff. I would have been exhausted before anyone got her.

Thanksgiving will be a warm fuzzie, I hope. We talked about abundance at our bible study and we certainly will have that. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin casserole, bisquits, relishes and two desserts. Talk about abundance. We will probably be eating leftovers for a week.

I suppose, poor Big Oscar, the black cat, will be rather distressed at all the people in the house. He is a shy soul. However, Roxie is a nosy character and will be out to see what is going on. They must have been very loved at their previous home, they are very trusting cats. I am sure their previous owners hated to give them up and wish we could let them know that the two are content and treasured.

Love

Mary

I couldn't get on yesterday. Somehow or other I couldn't connect to Blogger but here I am again.

Went hunting again today as planned over near his house. We were out for about 5 hours, Jeff, Shane, Jeff Krueger(a friend and ex student of Jeff's) and myself. We went to three spots and did drives from the woods to the fields. We did manage to flush out one doe. Shane got two shots off and I got one but we missed. At least I got a shot again and I felt pretty good about it. That doe was really sailing. Maybe next year will be my year.

Yesterday, my Bart stopped by on his way back from Racine. He was looking pretty good and said he was tired but not in too much pain. This is always great news when it gets late in the afternoon like that. He and Barb will be here for Thanksgiving along with all of the kids except the out-of-staters. Tomorrow, I will spend a good part of the day getting everything I can ready ahead of time.

The choir will be singing at the 9:30AM Mass on Thursday so I will put the turkey in just before I leave for church. I love to feed people.

Remember - Blessings have a way of multiplying as you count them!

Mary

The hunt was successful. All came home safe and we got two deer in the party. Cory Carpenter got a nice doe and my nephew, Shane Deeley got a buck. We were glad for both. Shane comes from Florida for the hunt and hates to go back without filling out because he gets razzed. I still am trying to bag my first deer. I am going over to Hilbert to Jeff's house and go hunting again over there with Jeff and Shane. I had the misfortune of losing my license, God knows where. When I came out of the woods, the plastic envelope was torn and the tags were gone, so I had to get a duplicate today.

I have a rather amusing story to tell about our silly kitty, Roxie. A couple of evenings ago, I went to bed and was reading. I heard her in the closet. Next thing I knew, she was moving out of the closet, pushing a shoe box in front of her. After she got it completely out of the closet, she pushed the top off of it.

Last night, Dick told me to look at her. There she was sitting in the shoe box. She even curled up and napped with her head hung over the edge. We sure do get the odd ones.

Love

Mary