The Bible Study group we started at Blessed Trinity is studying the first half of Psalms. The members were kind of bummed out because the chapters we read this week, 6 through 10, are mainly laments and quite depressing. However, we came to the conclusion that we were really glad because chapters 9 and 10 were entitled Thanksgiving for the Overthrow of Hostile Nations. These seemed very pertinent in the world we are living in. We have come to a conclusion that nothing much has changed since David wrote his Psalms.

Celtic Faire is in full swing. We will have our Mass and Faire on September 12th. I need to see if Archbishop Dolan will come and arrange the music and entertainment.

Wednesday, I will drive up to DePere and take Bart and Barb to lunch. They have their house on the market as Barbara has been hired to go back to work at Fort Sill and will start sometime in late June. It is hard to have them so far away, but De Pere isn't next door either and they have more friends in Oklahoma as they lived there for 10 years or more.

Have a good week.

Mary

Blogger has changed. This should really be interesting. This is the second time I am trying this.

Mother's Day today and I heard from all six so I am a happy camper. Dick and Brenda left around 11:00AM after a late breakfast to continue their "Mom Hop" - a new term we thought of. They were heading north to Cleveland to see Barbara, Dick's mother, then west to Portage to have a late lunch or early dinner with Brenda's parents. We had such a nice visit.

Tomorrow is Writer's Club. I have been working on several things. I noticed that most of my poems, since Bret got sick last Fall, have been really gloomy. So I picked out a couple that are more cheerful and refined them a bit today. I will share one about spring. Now I only have to do one about Summer to finish the seasons.

REBIRTH

Red Winged Blackbirds chortle at each other
Perched on treetops and dried out cattails
The Robin - returned – sings at the top or his lungs
Outside my office window.

The Cardinal – most blessed in sound and beauty
Sings his melody in the early morning air.
The Morning Doves coo their gentle song
From rooftop to rooftop

Worms that feed the birds, crawl over the street
After rain drives them up out of the ground.
Tulips and day lilies valiantly reach for the sky
Despite frost, snow and roller coaster temperatures.

Daffodils bloom in impossible conditions
Brilliant yellow, promising sun and warmth
And the Flowering Almond bedecked in bridal blooms
Its branches bare of leaves or any other sign of life.

These are Spring and hope for warmth and summer
Rebirth and joy for days ahead.


Mary

No hunting this morning after all. There was thunder and lightening and rain like the second flood. But the Lord said a fire not a flood next time. We got 3 to 4 inches in all.

Dick and Brenda are visiting from Madison. Dick is Dick's son, his oldest one. He has decided that when one is over 70 one deserves to be taken out for dinner. Dick (the Dad, my husband) figures he has four dinners owed to him. Hee Hee.

Have a nice Sunday.

Mary

I believe that I had mentioned in an earlier posting that I have been writing a bi weekly food column for a little paper called the Pike Rive Community News. A friend of mine started this little local paper in the Amburg Area. It consisted of news, nice little columns, comics and a crossword puzzle. Unfortunately, Janet Kaat was unable to get it profitable in the time she had and the next issue will be the last. I was having a lot of fun doing the column and had been looking for such an opportunity. But Janet invested in it an it was a GOOD paper.

Just for fun, I will attach my latest column so you can see what it was like. I hope to do a book of them some day and this was my practice. Hope I can find a new practice place and hope Janet can continue in some way. As it said it was good and fun.

JUST DESSERTS

By

Mary J. Kunert


My Mother made fantastic desserts. She had nine of us so she looked for easy, delicious and economical ways to feed us. We ALWAYS had dessert with our main meal. We also ALWAYS had bread and butter on the table with every meal.

From her I also learned that it is nice to put good looking dishes on the table. One of the easiest “fancy” desserts she prepared was nothing more than pudding, whipped cream and graham crackers. Even the most amateurish of cooks can put this together and it will look great.

FRENCH PASTRY

1 Package Instant Chocolate Pudding – Regular or fat or sugar free
5 Whole Graham Crackers
1 Large Container of Cool Whip or Whipped Cream

Mix the pudding according to the recipe on the package. Break the crackers in half. Place two halves side by side about two inches apart. Spread about a tablespoon of pudding on each half. Layer another cracker and the pudding until they are all used up in two stacks. Cover each stack generously with the Cool Whip. Let set for a couple of hours so the crackers absorb some moisture. When serving, cut each stack in half and serve with the cut side down. It is nice to swirl a bit of chocolate syrup on the plate and over the pastry for effect.

Easier, but not so elegant, you can purchase a graham cracker pie crust or make one using the following:

24 Graham Crackers
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
¼ Cup Sugar

Crush the graham crackers to make 1 ½ cups. Pour into a 9” pies tin. Add the melted butter and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Cool to room temperature.

Then pour either instant or cooked pudding (prepared for pie not pudding) into the crust. Spread whipped cream over the top or serve with a dollop (I love that word.) on top.
Chocolate Grahams make a wonderful chocolate crust. You can use cinnamon or oatmeal flavors for an exciting taste, or add some cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg to the plain grahams.

Last year, I found measuring spoons for a pinch, a smidgen and a dash. I bought several and used them for package decorations for all the “cooks” in the family last Christmas. What fun!


I have another dessert that I found on the Internet that is easy and Oh so Good and full of chocolate and whipped cream. This one is not so healthy because it is full of sugar and fat. It is best made with real whipped cream and chocolate chips - not exactly diet foods. But it is easy and really tastes good. It is called

STRANGE CHOCOLATE PIE

1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 dash salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup margarine -- melted
5 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup butterscotch morsels
1 9 inch pie crust -- unbaked
Whipped cream - Lots

1. Sprinkle butterscotch and chocolate chips over bottom of unbaked pie
shell.
2. Combine sugar, cocoa and salt; set aside.
3. In mixing bowl, combine eggs, melted margarine, milk and vanilla
extract. Beat well with a wire whisk. Add sugar mixture and beat again to
combine.
4. Pour over chips in pie shell and bake in preheated 350-degree oven
for 45-50 minutes.

Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Again, calories and fat can be cut by using Cool Whip, low fat evaporated milk but to really get the taste use the real thing.

Desserts don’t have to look pretty to taste good, but it is nice to make a good presentation. The cook does not have to be an expert or have a lot of time to prepare the above.

I will in a future column share a recipe for the ugliest looking best tasting cupcakes in the world. And they don’t even need frosting.







By the way, it is Dick's 74th birthday today, May 7th. If you can, send a card to him at ekunert@charter.net.

Love

Mary

Guess what, a new Harry Potter movie premieres on June 4. I can hardly wait.

Went turkey hunting again this morning. No luck. I saw a deer this morning and a LOT of turkeys but they were all our of range or didn't have a beard. I was conversing with a hen for quite a while as a matter of fact. We left the fields at about 9:30AM because it started to thunder and lightening. Not a good time to be out in an open field holding metal.

Choir tonight. We LOVE our new director. She seems pleased to be working with a larger choir and is willing to teach us more music theory and all that stuff. I sometimes think of cantoring but it would have to be all ALTO stuff and very simple. I'd probably be scared too. Well, sufficient unto the day. I am quite busy enough right now.

Be happy

Mary

I went turkey hunting today. Really. I did. I went with my brother Randy and my brother in law Kenny. The turkey license is only good through Saturday. Randy got his today, so we are all going out again tomorrow. Randy will call for us and Ken and I will sit in the "hot spots". At least we hope they will be hot spots. I would love to get one and be able to hang the tail fan above the fireplace.

I am a bit tired and am going to shower and go to bed a bit early so I can get up at 4AM again.

From Cadfael again:

"There was no profit in lying awake fretting for what would, in any case, have to be faced on awakening, and he had long ago sloughed off the unprofitable. It took too much out of a man, of what would be needed hereafter." Ellis Peters

In other words put your worries in the hands of God when you go to bed and face it fresh in the morning. Much easier said than done but I did it at least once. Aren't you proud of me?

Mary

When Bart and Barb and I were in Ireland, Barb and I found a teeny tiny Barbie doll sized shirt on the street in Athlone. We picked it up and I brought it home with me and washed it and gave it to Mother.
Barbara and I had decided that it must belong to the Little People.

Chelsea, our dog, is afraid of Mother's kitchen. Mother and I wonder if perhaps there are Little People inhabiting the kitchen that she senses. She absolutely refuses to set foot on the kitchen floor. Once she sped into Mom's spare bedroom and realized that she was trapped. I actually had to drag her back to the livingroom. She spent a day with Mother when I was in Ireland and all of the Kunerts went to Madison to see Dick and Brenda. She had a good time but stayed in the living and dining rooms.

Mother put the little shirt out for the Little People but nobody took it so either there are none or they didn't like the shirt.

Mary

What a day. I had lunch with nine of the gals that I graduated from high school with. Such a wonderful group of women and I am so glad we get together off and on. We try to especially if someone is "home for the summer" as some travel to warmer climates in winter. Today, Kathy Kinney (who left town in the 6th grade) joined us. We didn't recognize each other of course but quickly reacquainted. Kathy has a picture she is going to send me of her and me dressed up in white as "angels" who led the first communicants up for the sacrament when we were probably about four years old. I think I was chosen because of my cousin Colleen and she because of her brother who were receiving that year. Our friend Carol Van Dixhorn Kaat, has retired since our reunion last summer. She has had her knee operated on and she looks WONDERFUL. It is good for the heart to see people relaxed and healthy.

Randy, Kenny and I walked the fields in which we will be hunting turkeys. Wednesday morning, I will be out there before 5:00AM so that we are in place before the turkeys wake up. We saw two today over in a green patch. I am really excited. Last year I saw one - just before dawn. I couldn't see what it was and in this spring season, one has to know that it is a Tom or a Jake. Don't I sound like I am really good at this? A Tom is an adult male and a Jake is a "teenager". They have to have a beard anyway.

Shopping tomorrow. That is my only planned event for tomorrow so after today, it will be a vacation.

Have a great day.

Love

Mary

Shot two rounds of trap at Rhine this afternoon. I AM improving with my new gun. It was suggested, and I followed the suggestion, that I purchase and install a Morgan pad, which is contoured and adjustable. My score went from three to nine on the first round and then to thirteen on the second. Bill Olson, a friend who teaches high school trap, went with me on the second round and was a great deal of help. This is the first year that I am actually getting any on the spot instructions. The first time I went out to shoot they just told me which direction to point. I think after a couple of times they just figured I knew how and was just bad. This year I may be able to improve steadily as I have a gun that actually fits.

Did I tell you that I play the Penny Whistle or Tin Whistle as it is sometimes called? Of course, I only play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and easy stuff from the "Tin Whistle for Dummies" books and I make cats cry, but I do play it. Seriously, Waylon used to come to wherever I was playing and cry. I don't know if it was my playing or just the tone of the whistle itself. Roxie fusses at me if I start whistling. I think the sound must hurt her ears.

Have a nice week.

Mary

Had a wonderful day at the Fireside. The meal, as always, was really delicious. We had roast pork on top of stuffing with whipped mashed potatoes, green beans with ham and a wonderful mixed green salad with fried won tons on it. The dessert was a lemon ice cream pie in a pecan crust. Yum Yum

We saw Guys and Dolls. A lively well done production. When we got home, we checked on Frank Loesser who wrote the music AND lyrics. He also wrote the music to Charlie's Aunt, Hans Christian Anderson and believe it or not the song Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition. Such talent.

I got my bartender's certification so I can register with Rhine Plymouth Conservation and be an official bartender. Bet you didn't expect that, did you? We serve beer and wine coolers, so someone with a license always has to be on site to comply with the laws.

Have a good evening.

Mary

Today when Bobbie, Jim and I were driving back from Rhine Plymouth after shooting pistol, I was looking out over the fields at the stands of trees scattered all over the Wisconsin landscape. I was reminded of the woods that stretched in back of our house. We used to play in those woods. We played war and cowboy and Indians. We even had a tree that we called the Tarzan Tree. You could climb that tree, grab a vine and swing to another tree. This was really fun until the day the vine broke. Naturally, I was the person doing the swinging. I landed on my solar plexis and knocked the wind out of myself. I still remember the terror I felt because I was unable to catch my breath. Obviously, I lived and frankly it did not discourage me from acts that are a little bit on the edge.

However, what the woods really reminded me of was lying in bed at night with my sister Nora. We could look out of our bedroom window over the woods and there were three big pines that stretched high above the rest of the trees. We gave them names. I believe they were a family of some animal or other and we would put ourselves to sleep making up stories about the family of trees.

I remember some of those big pines being blown over by the strong winds of winter and spring and us using the root holes for forts the following season.

That woods is now all gone and built up with houses. Lots of good memories.

I seem to be the only on not done shooting, but I missed two Fridays and did not try to catch up on Sundays. I just used Sunday for practice, such as it was. We have two more weeks of league actually so I am OK and only have two more targets to fill next Friday. The bust-up party is May 21. I wonder if they know they are having a birthday party for me.

Tomorrow, we are going on a bus tour to Ft. Atkinson to the Fireside where we will partake of a delicious meal and see Guys and Dolls.

Later

Mary

A couple of years ago, Jim installed a couple of "computer pets" on my computer. A cat named Felix and a Puppy, who had no name. When I would turn on my computer both of them would in the background and just kind of roam around the screen. Really nice low maintenance pets.

After a while, the dog began to disappear occasionally. Jim was able to find him again, or at least ANOTHER puppy that looked just like him. At the same time, Felix started multiplying. Sometimes one cat appears, sometimes as many as three. Jim says that this is not possible. However, then he said that if it does happen, they should be mirror images. Not so. The three cats all be behave differently and if there ARE three, only two appear ON screen at one time.

My theory is that the cats kill the dogs. So I do not have Jim reinstall him any longer. As far as the cats go, when more than one appear, I just put the extras "outside." They get back in soon enough anyway and I figure they are just taking up space.

Have a great day.

Mary

Mark Russell has a new show tonight on PBS. Haven't seen him and his politically humorous music for a long time. He looks older. For years he didn't seem to change much. But he looks old now. He sounds the same and his humor and songs are just as pertinent and funny as always. So far he has touched on Condoleezza Rice and homosexuality.

It was a beautiful day. If this keeps up, Dick will turn on the air conditioning. You know his theory. Furnace in Winter - Air in Summer. The Kitties will be awfully disappointed when the windows get closed. They do like sitting in them and watching all the birds out there.

I planted my honeysuckle vine and the peony. I put the peony over on the other side of the house next to the herb garden. Now if everything just will grow.

It is a time for rebirth and hope after a long dark winter. I am putting trust in the Lord that Spring will bring better times, health and prosperity.

Peace to you

Mary

I went to the Senior Meals in Sheboygan Falls with Mother and then took her to the eye doctor for her ultrasound on her eye. She is scheduled for her cataract surgery on May 19. On the way to Dr. Larson's office, we stopped at Superior Gardens and I bought three plants that can be planted this early in the spring.

I got a honeysuckle and a clematis for the trellises that are on either end of the deck. I also got a peony to replace the one I planted last year that just didn't grow and seemed to have disappeared.
When I got home, I took Chelsea out for her bathroom call and glanced over to the spot I was going to plant the new peony and lo and behold - there was the old one peeking above ground. So I have two. Now - where to plant the new one.

The Cadfael Book of Days entry was special today so I will share that with you.

"Even the pursuit of perfection may be sin, if it infringes the rights and needs of another soul. Better to fail a little, by turning aside to lift up another, than to pass by him in haste to reach our own reward and leave him to solitude and despair. Better to labour in lameness, in fallibility, but holding up others who falter, than to stride forward alone." From The Raven in the Foregate by Ellis Peters

Have a good day

Mary

It was chilly today. The sun was deceptively lovely this morning but it clouded over and a chilly wind came up. I had plenty to keep me busy in the house - mainly on the computer - but would really like to spend an hour or so a day outside.

I found some cooked brats in the freezer yesterday, so I fixed potato salad and warmed them up for supper. They sure tasted good. I will give MY recipe for potato salad. There is a Kunert version which we use about half the time but tonight I fixed mine.

American Potato Salad

6 potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs
2 Large pickle cut in small pieces
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise
1 heaping teaspoon mustard

Boil potatoes, cool, peal and cube into a bowl. Add all other ingredients. Mix well and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least an hour.

(Dick is an official taster of potato salad if you are not sure it is right.)



Love

Mary

I think we figured out part of the reason I have been shooting the pistol so badly the past few weeks. Jim noticed that I was not using my finger tip to SQUEEZE the trigger but was putting my whole finger on the trigger and then jerking to the right a bit. I tried with the tip and did MUCH better. We will see on Friday when I shoot league again.

We had spaghetti tonight. The sauce was especially nice. I use a recipe that I got from a friend many many years ago. It calls for a can of tomato soup, a can of tomato paste and a can of tomato sauce to each pound of hamburger. I substituted a four cup bag of frozen tomatoes for the tomato sauce and it was delicious. The rest of the recipe is as follows: a medium onion, a clove of garlic per pound and oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, a little salt, generous pepper and a dash or two of Worcester Sauce for zip. I was able to use fresh oregano from the garden too. Fresh Herbs are really the BEST.

"The following is also something to ponder...

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

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

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8%of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all."

This is the beginning of a beautiful week. Each day is a new page in the book of your life. Live it because it won't come around again.

Love

Mary

Such a chilly day. It was gloomy too. I went shopping, however, which did brighten the day. I replaced some wine glasses and lunch plates. The plates are actually considered dessert plates, but they make such a nice size for lunch. I found some really colorful plates with four different fruit patterns on them. They were 70% off so it was quite a deal. Go to Kohls if you are looking for bargains in the housewares department. I bought a couple of cutting boards too. I like to have two. One to use and one to wash and mine are getting pretty bad. I replaced one and got a spare for Jim.

Jim bought a dehydrater. I believe I mentioned that some time ago. He is dehydrating EVERYTHING and could use a cutting board for some of his things. He also purchased a slicer/chopper which I have been finding very handy for many things myself. I believe I will fix a carrot salad next week and it will be much easier to grind the carrots in the machine. But meat is better done on a board. I have some venison in a marinade to put into the dehydrator tomorrow. That should really be good.

Blessed Trinity has hired a new music minister. How great is that. We will have a rehearsal on Thursday and can be singing for Pentecost. We have really missed being able to sing in choir. I will have council meeting that night too so will only be able to attend a bit of the rehearsal but at least I will be able to meet her.

Here is a nice easy rather elegant dessert that Mother used to fix when we were young.

FRENCH PASTRY

1 Package Instant Chocolate Pudding
5 Whole Graham Crackers
1 Large Container of Cool Whip

Mix the pudding according to the recipe on the package. Break the crackers in half. Place two halves side by side about two inches apart. Spread about a tablespoon of pudding on each half. Layer another cracker and the pudding until they are all used up in two stacks. Cover each stack generously with the Cool Whip. Let set for a couple of hours so the crackers absorb some moisture. When serving, cut each stack in half and serve with the cut side down. It is nice to swirl a bit of chocolate syrup on the plate and over the pastry for effect.


Enjoy

Mary

I am searching the internet for information about Fairy or Faerie Fields. I know they exist in Irish legend but the information on them seems to be very sparse.

Somewhere, I learned that you can always identify a fairy field if there is a big open field with a lone tree or bush in it somewhere. The tree or bush is where the fairies can hide if they need to. It is bad luck to put a road through a fairy field. I know that for sure. There is or was a fairy field out in Sheboygan County where the Irish settled. For many many years, the road went around that field. Foolish highway designers have now run the road through the field but we all know that no good can come of that.

Some say that you can tell a fairy field if there are fairy rings in it. Fairy rings are found all over Ireland and are three foot circles of dark green grass with paler grass in the center. The fairies are supposed to dance around these circles. One of my neighbors has a much larger circle that does match the description of a fairy ring except FOR the size. Maybe everything is bigger in the U. S.

Liam Clancy got trapped in a fairy field for a whole night on his way home from the pub one evening. He could not find the gate in the hedgerow until the sun came up and it reappeared. He never said he saw any fairies though.

Anyway, I am trying to find out a bit more about fairy fields. If you know anything, please pass the information along to me.

Slainte

Mary

I am full of ambition to be creative again. Maureen Smith, my friend in Chicago, had sent me a pattern for a Nativity Scene on blocks of wood almost two years ago. When we had our bathroom remodeled, the man who did the work was kind enough to cut the leftover supports into the lengths I needed. So the other day, I sent out an SOS to my brothers, Jeff and Randy and my brother-in-law Ken to locate a sander. Kenny responded and brought it over today and we rounded the edges of the chunks of wood.

Now - I have to cut all the pattern pieces out of the felt pieces that I have purchased and glue them together. I figured that would make a nice donation for the Festival of Trees this year. I have entered several stockings and a couple of wall hangings and this would be something really different. The Creche consists of the Holy Family, the Three Wise Men, a Shepherd, an Angel, a Donkey and two sheep.

I also started cutting out the pieces for Fire and Ice, a 35 by 35 wall hanging that really impresses me.

Kenny also brought me a video on Turkey Hunting. Randy, Kenny and I will be doing that in about a week. I hope I get a shot off at one anyway. I am using my 20 guage this year which is easier to handle than Randy's 12 guage. I did see a bird last year but it was before it was light and I could not idenitfy it as a Tom. One of the major rules is to KNOW YOUR TARGET.

"If God is your Copilot - swap seats"

See Ya

Mary

Dick and I took Mother to lunch today, prior to her eye doctor appointment. We are so blessed to have that lady with us at 88 years old.

She wasn't happy with the news at the eye doctor. The good is that there is no recurrence of the macular degeneration. The bad news is that the cataract in her left "good" eye is now in need of being taken care of. Therefore, she will have cataract surgery on May 19th. As she got into the car, I could hear her muttering "what a business" under her breath. Much like swearing. I am just pleased that they can do something. If she would lose her sight, she would have to give up reading, sewing and so very much else and she doesn't need that.

She is our "Sunday in every week." and we want her to have nothing but good.

Keep her in your prayers.

Good things for you on the morrow.

Love

Mary

This will be short. It is 9:00PM. This morning I had to go for a followup mammagram. Thank the Lord. It came out OK so I am back on my usual checks again. It is always a little frightening when they want you to come back to check something "questionable".

Then I had my teeth cleaned. And tonight I went to Volunteer Appreciation Night Banquet for the volunteers to Rocky Knoll. I go out there every month or so to help the residents play bingo. They have such fun that it becomes fun for the volunteers. The staff out at Rocky Knoll is very caring and obviously take such good care of their charges. For those that do not know, Rocky Knoll is the county Health Care Hospital for many disabled people. We play bingo with the mildly retarded, aged and sometimes a bit disturbed. But they are all sweet and love to win their quarters which they can use in the vending machines.

Remember - Peace starts with a smile.

Mary

Boy, did we ever get a wind storm last night and this morning. I guess we've had worse but it was pretty bad. The temperatures are in the mid to high 50s which I don't mind. Wouldn't hurt to be a little warmer though.

I guess it is in the 80s in Boston. They were running the Boston Marathon today in that heat. I wonder how many made it through this year. Several years ago, my brother George ran the Boston Marathon. He came in the upper 1/3 of the finishers. Pretty impressive for a guy in his late thirties who had just started running a couple of years earlier. His wife, Betsy, tells the story of the first marathon he ran. I think it was in Texas but would not swear to that. She was waiting at the finish line. As she waited, a man ran across the finish line, collapsed and died on the spot. Eventually, George came through and she said he looked like he was going to die too. Obviously, he didn't and he went on to run others. He said he learned from that experience. One thing he said, I have always remembered. If you are in a physically stressful event or situation, grab water whenever you can. If you wait until you are thirsty, it will be too late. Your brain just doesn't assimilate the thirsty need soon enough. Just like it takes about 15 minutes for your brain to know that you are full after eating.

Have a great day.

Mary

Today while in church I realized that I was slumping my shoulders a bit and the nicest memories of my Grandmother Matie Bowser came in to my mind.

Grandma Bowser was a lady and she ALWAYS stood proud with her shoulders back and her head high. When I think of how a lady behaves, I only need to remember her and her manners and ways and KNOW. She often said that she married Irish but she married Lace Curtain Irish not Shanty Irish.

On the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Grandma Matie and Grandpa John Bowser, my Dad wrote a parody of an old Irish Song called John O'Connor's Wedding Day.

Here are his words:

One morning Johnny Bowser was as happy as could be
For in an hour he would wed his beautiful Marie.
He whistled as he dressed himself in his Sears and Roebuck suit.
He was thinking of his sweetheart.
She really was a beaut.
Matie's face was blushing as they walked down the aisle.
And when the preacher tied the know
John's face beamed with a smile
When it all was over to the parsonage they went.
John meant to pay the preacher
But he couldn't find a cent.

Chorus:

Down went his hands into
His pockets, they were deep.
Down went they deeper
He was in an awful sweat.
50 years have passed away
And still I'll always bet
That he hasn't found the bottom yet.

Ahh Ha Ha A

(Grandma's name was Marie, but she was called Matie by those who knew her well. I called her Grandma.)

Love

Mary

Yesterday the 80s and today back down in the 50s. We are on a weather roller coaster. At lest the low is in the 50s not the 20s like it has been. More and more green is showing up all the time.

Today I am making a pork roast with bread dumplings for dinner. Most of the recipes I find have you dropping the dumplings in salt water but my Grandma Deeley used to make them by pressing the dumplings on the roast for the last hour or so of cooking. This kind of bakes them and the juices of the meat soak into them a bit too. Leftover dumplings fry up in butter the next day and are really yummy.

My cousin Patty showed me how to do this when she stayed with us for a couple of weeks when she was working out in California. I did not write down the recipe, so I searched the internet and have come up with a recipe that should work.

I took 4 hardrolls and soaked them for a while in 1/2 cup of milk. Then I added two tablespoons of butter and 2 eggs and some parsley to the soaked bread. It was pretty soupy so I added some more bread crumbs, formed the dumplings and slapped them onto the pork which had been roasting about an hour. It sure smells good. I will let you know tomorrow how they turned out.

Dick and I are also having sauerkraut. Jim hates sauerkraut, but I have some green beans for him so he will survive. I used up the last of the hard boiled eggs as deviled eggs so they won't care what else I fixed anyway.

Later

Mary

I had lunch with the "girls" I used to work with at Wells Fargo. It had been about three weeks since I saw or heard from anybody. Within the past two weeks, two of our friends who are still working had problems which I will add to my prayer list and I hope you do to. One friend, Karen, was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo a double mastectomy. Another friend, Barb, has a daughter who gave birth to a baby girl with Downs Syndrome and apparently also heart, sight and hearing problems. Lots of prayers for that little person and lots of prayers for the family. Barb said that the baby is beautiful. God always gives us something. Anyway, we will pray and try to offer encouragement.

The temperature on the car thermometer was 80 degrees on my drive back from Plymouth. This is a far cry from the 32 we had just a couple of days ago. I went out and trimmed the blossoms off of a bush in the front this morning and let Chelsea enjoy the fresh air with me. I'll bet we will both sleep very well tonight.

I read the most wonderful paragraph in a book called ANAM CARA by John O'Donohue today on the transience nature of time. I would like to share it with you.

"There was never a dawn, regardless of how beautiful or promising, that did not grow into noontime. There was never a noon that did not fall into afternoon. There was never an afternoon that did not fade toward evening. There never was a day yet that did not get buried in the graveyard of the night. In this way transience makes a ghost out of everything that happens to us."

He goes on to say that these vanished moments secretly gather in a special place. That special place is memory.

Have wonderful moments to story in your special place.

Mary

Today is April 15, Tax Day. We have been done for about a month now. We paid the State and got a refund from the Federal and have spent it already.

Our dishwasher was a disaster. Not old particularly, and still kind of working but the dishes on the top shelf never got clean and it ruined all of our glasses. So we had enough of a refund to buy a new one and did. So far so good. At least the top shelf comes out clean. It is the quietist one I think we ever had and Jim said it sighs. Twice it has sighed at him while he was getting something in the kitchen and made him jump because he thought someone was there.

It was pleasant enough this afternoon that I was able to go out in the yard and clear the leaves off of my herb garden.. I am pleased to tell you that my chives, parsley, thyme, oregano and lavender are all coming back and the rhubarb is coming up too. We are supposed to have rain and warm weather this weekend. I hope there is a bit of a thunder storm because that seems to make the leaves just pop out on the trees. Yea for Spring.

Sheboygan Falls has their annual Home and Hearth Days this weekend. Every year they have a food contest. Three years ago it was bread and I won third prize with my Irish Soda Bread. Last year was cheesecake and I didn't win. This year is cheesecake again and the following is the cheesecake that I am going to enter.
I haven't tried it before so will make three little tastes for Jim, Dick and I.

Fiesta Cheesecake

Source: Casa Sedona Bed & Breakfast Inn, Sedona, Arizona

1 1/2 cups finely crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded Monterey
jack cheese with peppers
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup green onions
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped ripe olives
2 bunches fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

Combine tortilla chips and butter; press onto bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Beat all 19 ounces of cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in cheese, chiles and ground red pepper. Pour into prepared pan, and bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Place on a bed of fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired. Gently run a knife around edge of pan to release sides, and let cool completely. Spread sour cream evenly over top; cover and chill.

Arrange green pepper and remaining ingredients on top as desired.

Yields one 9-inch cheesecake or 25 appetizer servings.


Wish me luck

Mary

We concluded our study of the Vatican II Constitutions at the Bible Study today. We only went about half way through the book - through the changes on Sacred Liturgy because we really want to get back to a Bible Study. Next week we start the letters of Peter. We had some rather heated discussions of sacred music (how contemporary should we get? What about Gregorian Chant -where has it gone?) It was fun.

I am writing a poem about my Uncle George Deeley. He was my Dad's brother and a bachelor. He was born and raised in the home on School Street in Sheboygan Falls that my brother Randy bought after Aunt Helen died. He stayed with Aunt Helen, who also never married until he died of cancer. He was a good looking guy, rather shy and very well liked.

Once a week, he would walk down town and go to three or four bars throughout the evening, meeting friends and lifting a few and exchanging tales and whatever guys do. The last time I saw him was back in 1978. I was living in California at the time but was visiting Sheboygan Falls for my 30th High School Reunion. The boys and I were coming out of Evans (You know Evans. It is the dime store in Sheboygan Falls that has been there since I was a little kid and probably before. They say if you can't find it at Evans - it doesn't exist. Children LOVE to go to Evans.) Anyway we looked down the street and Dales Bar (now Chuck and Sue's) was burning. I rushed up the street to see and ran into Uncle George coming down the street. I said. "Dale's is burning." He said. "I know, I was in there." George used a cane for years but his friends said he really made good time getting out or that bar.

He always sent me a cheese box for Christmas. I was his goddaughter you know.

Love

Mary

Again, I have two cats sprawled on my desk. I really need two desks. One to work on and one for the cats to "be with me" under a nice warm desk lamp. I am going to add a picture of them on the desk. If you look at the computer screen, you can see our old cat Waylon. He was with us for 18 years and we still miss him. It is taking both of these kitties to make up for him. They are something else. The black one is Big Oscar and weighs 15 pounds. The tabby is Foxy Roxie. She weighs 9 pounds and has no tail.



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

May you find your hour.

Mary

It was a meeting day. This morning the book discussion group met. Our topic was Stretching Your Limits. We are a group of doers, it appears. They suggest stretching physical, mental and spiritual limits. We decided that by establishing a bible study group, we are stretching our spiritual limits and perhaps that is enough for right now. I think I mentioned in an earlier entry, that Liz Holtz, one of our participants, said that she would like to study Psalms, so that is where we will start. We have decided to skip the last week in April and begin our study on May 3rd at the same time as these discussions. I will send for the study guides from The Liturgical Press. We will use the Collegeville Bible Commentary series which I have had experience with at the Wednesday morning group that meets at St. Clements.

I am going in to quite a bit of detail because Tom Keyes, a member of the group, and Blessed Trinity's webmaster is going to put a link to my web page on the parish site. This means that I need to be more informative about some things and I want to be more entertaining as not everybody will know me so well as most of my current readers.

I figure I will be sure to add a poem (mine or some master poet), a quotation, a recipe, or an anecdote or story to each entry. Today you are getting a poem. I was at Writer's Club today and read two new ones to them and they seemed to find them likeable. I welcome comments and you can do so on the web page, on the left at the bottom of all of those dates. Just click on Tell Me and you will link to my AOL address. Otherwise, it is mkunert@aol.com. The poem I will share today is an early morning experience shared only with my dog as we walked. It is an attempt to share it with others.


AVIAN BALLET

By

Mary J. Kunert


We saw them in the morning sky
Sweeping, swirling up on high.
The starlings rival Fosse's dancers.
Never falter - forwards, backwards.
Never a trip or misstep there
Death defying in the air.

Blue Angels can't compete
With Avian Dancers o'er the street
Feathered dancers wing to wing
Glide in silence - deafening.
Thirty - forty we can't count
The tension and the beauty mount.

Back and forth in joy they flow
Like a disc on blue they go
So close we hold our breath in wonder
They do not touch or stray or blunder
Alighting finally in the trees
They chatter proudly to the breeze



Have a wonderful week

Mary

Easter was very special. The Mass was very special to me and all the choir. We sang our hearts out and even got applause a couple of times which is unusual, because, as you know, it is not a common thing during the services. We even has a Celtic dancer during the song the Lord of the Dance just before the offertory.

I talked to Bret today. He is still a bit tired but is feeling fine and will be back to work this week. We had a nice phone visit.

Steve told us the funniest Easter story today. It seems that some friends of ours took their children to see the Easter Bunny at the Mall. It was not a successful trip at all, because the four year old stated immediately that that was NOT the Easter Bunny. Easter Bunnies do NOT walk, they HOP.

Then they filled the Easter Baskets after the kids were in bed and hid them in the bathtub. The Daddy got up in the morning, reached behind the shower curtain and proceeded to turn on the shower to warm it up while he brushed his teeth. Thought it sounded funny and threw the curtain back to find a river of chocolate floating down the drain. The Easter that is best forgotten but will be remembered through all family history.

Hope your chocolate didn't get floated down the drain.

Love

Mary

I prepared as much of the Easter Dinner as I could today. I baked the Blitz Torte. Grated the cheese for the mac and cheese and got up the dishes. I also filled the Easter Baskets. I will put them out when I take Chelsea for her walk in the morning.

It snowed today. Not a lot - non stayed on the ground- the temperature stayed in the upper 30s and the road actually got wet as the snow melted on the warmer pavement. But it snowed. This is not what one wants for Easter Weather. One is supposed to be able to wear nice pastel dresses and straw hats with flowers on them and sandals just for pretty.

The choir will be singing at the 10:30 Mass. The last time with Steve directing us so we want to really be good. Then Jim and Bobbie and I will go pistol shooting and then we will have a lovely Easter Dinner at about 5:30.

I have a teeny Easter Basket and a bunny bell for Bobbie, Bill, Bart and Barb too. I hope they don't read this posting tonight. It would ruin the surprise.

Have a Blessed Easter and remember that HE IS RISEN and saved us all.


Love

Mary

Good Friday. The choir sang at the services. We are singing with such enthusiasm and trying to remember everything because we are so glad to have Steve Naffin directing us for these holy days. We will have him on Easter Sunday too. But he is ill and it is very hard on him.

Haven't heard from Bret, so I am going to assume that that means that he is doing VERY well and has nothing to report. Thank you for all your prayers.

I am going to share the reading from Cadfael's Book of Days. It was really super and worth sharing.

"Don't reach for your halo too soon. You have plenty of time to enjoy yourself, even a little maliciously sometimes, before you settle down to being a saint."

I need to get Easter Baskets out tomorrow.

Love

Mary

Hallelulah!!!!! Bret had his surgery at 7:30AM and I talked to him at 11:30AM. He sounded just fine and said everything went well. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts. Now I can really rejoice this Easter.

The Holy Thursday service was very nice. Bob Born, a music teacher at Falls High school, played the organ. He is always a pleasure to listen to. As we didn't sing, I was able to be a minister of communion which is always a wonderful experience. I never grow tired or used to that. Maybe because of all those years that we were not even allowed to touch the Eucharist and received it on our tongue. Which was rather silly as it is supposed to be a meal and we feed ourselves at meals. Anyway, I find it a very moving experience to be able to be an extraordinary minister.

I took poor little Chelsea to the vet today for her heartworm test. She was a pitiful little thing. We always have to muzzle her because I think she probably would snap at them and then she would feel bad. (Ha Ha). He took blood and then her little leg bled a bit and he had to put alcohol on it to stop the bleeding. Poor baby. Well, she will enjoy the chewable heartworm pills throughout the summer anyway. Now ALL of the animals are set for about a year.

SALAD
9 cups torn mixed salad greens
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 teaspoons unsalted sunflower kernels

DRESSING
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or additional cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped scallion
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Water


1. Make salad: Gently toss greens, oranges, scallions, and sunflower kernels in a large salad bowl.

2. Make dressing: Combine dressing ingredients in a measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 1 cup. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.


Per serving (1 1/2 cups): Calories 140, fat 9 g, saturated fat 1 g, cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 130 mg, carbohydrate 16 g, fiber 4 g, protein 2 g.


From Light & Tasty

The recipe is from our ChangeOne Diet and I am fixing it with the Ham dinner on Easter. It is really GOOD.

Love

Mary

Bret will have surgery tomorrow morning around 6:00AM. The angioplasty is so non invasive that he probably will be able to go home tomorrow evening. I sure hope so, then I will know that everything is OK. Please keep him in your prayers. I know this surgery is minor as far as danger but as I heard one time, I believe that Dave Barry said it, no surgery is minor if it is MY child.

We had choir practice tonight. It is so good to have Steve there to direct us and we do appreciate him pushing himself to do it for us. He is really exhausted as he is very ill but I hope he knows how much we all love him. He should from the enthusiastic singing he is getting out of us. Easter music is so beautiful.

Bobbie and Bill and Bart and Barb are coming for Easter Dinner. I found a little present for everybody and got the last of the Easter candy today. The Easter Bunny does come to our house you know.

"May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams, possibilities, and promises."
John O'Donohue


Thanks for your prayers.

Mary

This was not a good day. Bret called this morning. He is back in the hospital so we need a lot of prayers again. It seems to be the same thing as he experienced four months ago. They though the balloon inserted by the angioplasty would solve the problem but now they may have to clamp off the offending blood vessel. I am very worried.

Please pray.

Love

Mary

We had a stimulating book discussion today. We were talking about love and expressing love for others and how it does become easier as we get older to do so. Perhaps we aren't so worried about rejection, or we are just more comfortable in doing so. Anyway, we had a lot to say about it. We just have two more weeks of the book and have agreed to continue meeting for a bible study. Liz said she would like to study Psalms so we are going to start with that. I love my Wednesday bible study group but it would be good to have a study group at Blessed Trinity and I would be pleased to be instrumental in starting it. I think we could grow. Spreading the word of Jesus is what we are supposed to do and knowledge and love will do it.

I guess this is a little bit of a rambling paragraph. But I just wanted to get some thoughts down. Enjoy tomorrow. I guess we will, BUT we have to take the cats to the vet for their yearly checkup. Always and adventure.

Love

Mary

We decided a year ago, when we got the cats, that this would be their birthday, so we can keep track of their ages. The cats are six now and Chelsea is ten. So on the way back from church, I bought a cake. I got a Pepperidge Farm Coconut cake so Chelsea could at least lick the plate. She was grateful.

It was a pleasant day but a busier one than I expected. After Mass, Jim and I went out to Rhine to join Bobbie in shooting and to my surprise, I was supposed to be working. So I did. It seemed rather quiet but we ran 16 teams through on a Lewis Shoot which is very good.

I hope you all remembered to "spring forward" with your clocks. One of my friends, still in the mortgate business, send postcards to her data base, telling them to turn their clocks back. I didn't call her because I am sure she heard from tons of other people and WHY rub it in. So far I am not feeling that I lost an hour.



Thought I would send a picture of (in order) Jim, Bret, Bobbie and Bart from Bret's visit last summer.

Enjoy your week.

Mary

Saturday. I didn't put any makeup on today. How lazy can one get. Chelsea got her bath today and looks just as pretty as can be. Of course, she is rather resentful. Then to top it off, Jim got up late and didn't eat breakfast so she didn't get her bits of cereal which she really expected. This has not been a particularly good Doggie Day.

I cooked up a corned beef brisket for dinner. I roasted it this time - something new. I found this recipe on Allrecipe.com. You rub about a cup of brown sugar over a 4 lb corned beef brisket and pour a bottle of Guiness gently over and around it. Then roast at 300 degrees for 2.5 hours. I is delicious. We had colcannon with it.

Hope your Saturday was a relaxing as mine.

Have a good Sunday.

Love

Mary

It was a beautiful day today. Very seasonable with temperatures in the upper 40s and no wind. So we were able to go out with light jackets and breath in the spring air. Tonight daylight savings time begins and we must remember to turn the clocks forward one hour. We lose an hour which will delight Chelsea no end - at least for the first day or two until we settle in to it.

We had a recall on the Santa Fe. Apparently they had to adjust the computer on the brake system so it would work properly at speeds under 5 MPH. Doesn't sound like a big thing but it would be bad if you were trying to stop in a garage or something at any speed.

Bart and Barb came to visit this afternoon with Bart's friend Scott Vacenovsky, who was a classmate when we lived in Huntington Beach 20 years ago. They have kept in touch all these years off and on. He was the sweetest little boy and has turned into a wonderful man. Dick and I took them to Riverdale for a traditional Sheboygan Perch Dinner. They still do a great dinner even if they have about tripled the price. When Dick and I were dating, he took me for a fish dinner almost every Friday. Once we got married, this stopped. As Dick said, he didn"t have to be courting me any more after that. Besides, he married a cook and didn't need to.

Love

Mary

April Fools Day. We are pretty quiet about it and don't tease each other. We shopped today. We went to Woodlake because we needed Glass Magic. All stores don't stock Glass Magic and with our hard water we NEED it. Even with that we get icky stuff on our glasses with hard water film.

Tonight I went to a poetry workshop led by Susan Firer, an excellent poet. She read one of hers about Pagan Babies. Pagan Babies keep popping up in my life. They resurfaced when the Sheboygan Theatre did "Do Patent Leather Shoes Reflect Up" and show up every so often. I remember asking Kay Hefling Altmeyer one St. Patrick's Day at 52 Stafford if SHE remembered them and she did of course. Susan Firer also wrote a wonderful poem about Plenary Indulgences that we "earned" for the Poor Souls in purgatory on All Saint's Day.

We wrote a collaborative list poem which I can share with you because I wrote the first line

I call it

COLLABORATIVE SHEBOYGAN

Broderick Crawford came from Sheboygan Falls, You Know.
Sheboygan is such a heavy name.
The days going down by Prange's - Once Hey
She - Boy - Again
That's what the Squaw said.
Lots of water - smelly fish
Fryouts on weekends - Brats
Hard Rolls from City Bakery
Confirmation Class to fry brats on Sunday
Kevin Costner came here.
Kaleidoscope driving through the Kettles.


Hope you like it.

Mary

Mother, Dick and I went to dinner at Richards this evening and followed that with Sheboygan Theatre Company's production of Charlie's Aunt. It was well done and very funny. A pleasant way to spend the evening. It is always a pleasure to spend an evening with Mother.

I am keeping this short because it is WAY past my bedtime, so I will leave you with today's reading from Cadfael's Book of Days.

"Never go looking for disaster. Expect the best, and walk discreetly as to invite it, and then leave all to God."

Love and stuff

Mary

So far this week has been great. And it is ABOUT time.

I went to see The Passion of the Christ last evening with my friend Debby Dobrzynski, from Blessed Trinity. It was moving. It was violent. There were a couple of messages that I didn't get. There were more that I did. I sensed the compassion of Pilot, his wife and the Centurian. I was shocked at the violence of the temple guard and the Roman soldiers. It is not a movie one enjoys, one experiences it and it is painful.

When I got home, I had a message from my cousin, Fr. Mike Shea. I am sure I have mentioned him before. He is a Redemptorist priest and a missionary in Thailand. I will attach the biography I wrote about him as it has been months since I mentioned him and it has most of the information about him and his AIDS kids. Anyway, I contacted the Elizabeth Taylor Foundation because I knew she is interested in AIDS causes and the foundation, after due consideration, is sending $10,000 to Sarnelli House. I knew she was a good woman and loves children too, so figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. And it didn't.

I wish you could see those beautiful children that Fr. Mike's mission takes care of. Perhaps I can get Jim to scan a picture in for me to send to you.

Here is the biography. Say a prayer of thanks for goodness and generosity in this world of ours. And a special prayer for Elizabeth Taylor.


Fr. Michael Shea

Fr. Michael Shea was born in Armstrong, Wisconsin July 30, 1938, the eldest child of John W. Shea and Eileen O’Conner Shea.

He was ordained a Redemptorist priest on July 2, 1964. Two years later, on January 31, 1966, he began his ministry in Thailand. His first challenge was learning the language. Then, for nine years, he cared for 12 villages strung along the Mekong River and inland.

His next assignment was in the Loei province, tending some mountain villages and also Hmong refugees in the Vinai refugee camp for six years.

In the early eighties, he built and staffed the Prince of Peace minor seminary, completing the building in 1982 and staying until 1984 when he returned to the Mekong River, staying until 1996 when he became rector and director of novices in Nongkhai in northeast Thailand.

Currently, Mike pastors four parishes. He has also established a hostel for Aids infected children called Sarnelli House in Don Wai. There are 36 Aids infected children in the hostel. Along with the Aids hostel he has a boys home called St. Patrick’s with 17 boys and a girls hospice called Viengkhuk Girl’s Hospice with 36 girls. These 53 healthy children have been orphaned and abandoned, usually because their mothers, dying of Aids were forced out of their homes because of fear of the disease.


The following is a paragraph from Fr. Mike’s Christmas 2002 letter to his friends and family.

“After 3 years with our kids, I have come to the conclusion that God made Christmas especially for children. Each year, after Midnight Masses at our four churches, kids in our hostels perform Christmas skits at the parties. This morning the Vienkhuk hostel girls told me excitedly that they are already having play practice. In their plays, the baby Jesus gets separated from His parents and never sees them again. He wanders from home to home, and the people refuse to invite Him to eat or stay with them. This achingly mirrors their lives before being taken in by us.”


Mike brings photograph albums of the children whenever he comes home, pictures of the children all dressed up for plays or playing or in school. They are all scrubbed and wide-eyed and beautiful. Someone asked him why he doesn’t show pictures of the sick children or as they arrive to invoke sympathy like some ministries do. He said that he lets the kids put the albums together and they want to put pictures of themselves and their friends looking good. Wouldn’t your children?



Last count, Mike said there are close to 100 children under his care now. The government is starting to send them now.

Have a good Wednesday. I'll be thinking of you.

Mary

It is raining. We even had a bit of thunder. Not as much as I was expecting, but enough to make Chelsea a bit nervous. She has not scooted to hide her head under the bed yet this year. I expect that will come. It seems to me that it was in July or August, the year I came to my high school reunion while I was still living in California.

As a matter of fact, the boys were still pretty young. Bret was maybe 10 and Bart 5. Anyway, a big thunder storm came up that was banging thunder and flashing lightening with unbridled fury. It was also hotter than the hinges of Hades. We were watching TV downstairs when Mother and I discussed whether we should turn it off the TV because sometimes TVs can be conduits for the lightening and dangerous. Suddenly, both boys thought it might be a good idea to just go to bed. What a night. Mother had put them in a bed together, but that night they both came in with me. One on each side in that awful humid heat. They commented on how close the thunder and lightening were with every clap and flash. We finally fell into a sticky restless sleep and by morning the storm was passed. I don't suppose they even remember it.

Hope you have a good week. Mine is shaping up to be very busy.

Love

Mary

Quite an eventful Saturday if I do say so and I do.

We started off quietly but then went over to Sears to buy a new dishwasher. I know that Kitchenaide is supposed to be a great dishwasher, but - we bought one a few years ago and have had nothing but trouble. So we got a good tax return and have decided to replace it. We picked out a Bosch which the salesman assured us is the Cadillac of dishwashers.

We will see.

Tonight we went to the Sheboygan Symphony. They presented a night of the German masters and featured Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and someone named Neruda who wrote a Trumpet concerto. The amazing thing is that Dick was not familiar with the Trumpet Concerto so it was a special night for him too. Hearing something new is always fun for him.

They had two guest performers, a trumpeter for the Neruda and a pianist for Beethoven. Wow, what a night. We came home and are capping it off with a bit of Bailey's and coffee.

Have a nice Sunday.

Love

Mary

Well, Monday I am going to see The Passion with a friend, Debbi. Dick doesn't want to go so when Debbi said she was looking for someone to go with I jumped at the chance. Everybody is talking about it - some raving and some not so much, so I will be able to discuss it sensibly after seeing it.

It has been really warm and we are getting some rain too. Enough rain that the earthworms are beginning to cover the street again. That is rather icky on the morning walk that Chelsea and I take but it makes for nice fat robins.

Have a good Saturday.

Mary

Dick and Jim did go to Oneida. It was not a happy time, I guess. However, it gave me a chance to spend alone in the house with noone to account to. I cooked and sewed and just kind of laid around.

Not much different than any other day but it was quiet.

Bart went home today. I probably won't hear for a couple of days how things are going and I will not call til the weekend.

We had some very interesting discussions at Bible Study this morning. Somehow we got on to the subjest of gay marriage and the church's position on gays. I cannot believe that God who is all good, made 11% of his people gay and then expects them to live celebate all their lives. Perhaps if they called it something else people wouldn't be offended by it.

Good day

Mary

Here we are at Tuesday already. I can't believe that the week is going so fast. Barbara called last night. Bart will be coming home tomorrow. I hope they know what they are doing. Barbara is pleased and I believe that she knows Bart and what is happening better than anybody. So we must trust that this is OK and I need to ask for prayers again.

Tomorrow, Dick and Jim are going gambling at Oneida. They call it donating to the Indians. They say I can come along but I DON"T WANT TO. I will have a whole day ALONE. That is something to look forward to.


Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt
Dance like nobody's watching
Sing like nobody's listening
Live like it's heaven on earth.

Go for it.

Mary

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