We bottled the Gewurztraminer today. We now have 25 bottles down in the "wine celler" aging. It is a kit and tastes OK right away but does definitely improve with age.
Bobbie brought over a BIG batch of elderberries, so I will start a batch of that next week. I must check the recipe before I dive in. I name the elderberry - Roberta Red - for Bobbie, who contributes the berries. I will have to look for a picture of Bobbie for the label this time. It is a absolutely beautiful red color.
Tomorrow I work at Rhine Plymouth Field and Stream. It should be a fairly quiet day at the club. Maybe I'll bring my pistol and shotgun. If it is quiet, I can shoot a round or two of one or the other.
Celtic Mass and Faire is coming fast upon us. The Mass is going to be beautiful and the committe and I are pleased with the entertainment and food being served afterwards at the Faire. We are having a big raffle. The first prize is a trip to Ireland for two. If anyone wants tickets, let me know. They are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00.
May the wind be always at your back.
Love
Mary
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Friday, August 27, 2004
While Jeff and I were moving Bart and Barb's things out of storage, I tried to find spaces in boxes to put loose things. In one of the boxes, I saw something that really made me feel good. Bart must have hung on to it because of memories too.
It is a white felt circle about 9 inches in diameter, glued onto a larger purple circle. Bart's name is cut out of purple felt in capital letters and glued onto the circle along with a yarn sea urchin looking thing with eyes. This dates back to his soccer days when he belonged to a team called the Purple People Eaters. At the beginning of each season, the teams were given uniforms and then could choose thir own names. That year they got purple.
This was also the year that the Denver Football team had been really hot and earned the name Orange Crush. We, the Moms, thought that Purple Crush would be a really intimidating name for the team and one of the Moms gave a real pep talk. She ended with a statement that went something like this. "Would you rather be called PURPLE CRUSH!!! or purple people eaters." And the kids yelled "PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS!!!!" so Purple People Eaters they were.
Have a good Saturday.
Mary
It is a white felt circle about 9 inches in diameter, glued onto a larger purple circle. Bart's name is cut out of purple felt in capital letters and glued onto the circle along with a yarn sea urchin looking thing with eyes. This dates back to his soccer days when he belonged to a team called the Purple People Eaters. At the beginning of each season, the teams were given uniforms and then could choose thir own names. That year they got purple.
This was also the year that the Denver Football team had been really hot and earned the name Orange Crush. We, the Moms, thought that Purple Crush would be a really intimidating name for the team and one of the Moms gave a real pep talk. She ended with a statement that went something like this. "Would you rather be called PURPLE CRUSH!!! or purple people eaters." And the kids yelled "PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS!!!!" so Purple People Eaters they were.
Have a good Saturday.
Mary
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Well, Jeff and I got the storage unit emptied and unloaded. Most of the stuff is in Jeff's garage but I did bring some here as he was really running out of room. Found out from Barbara tonight that one of the BIG drawer units was supposed to have stayed with the house. Too bad now. It is at Jeff's. I will ask Jeff is he can possibly use it otherwise they MAY take to or perhaps we can find a nice home for it elswhere. It went smoothly, though we did have to make two trips with the pickup. I was pleased to spend most of a day with Jeff. We never get to do that. He showed me all the pictures that he took in Hawaii. That new little grandson, Coleton, is a perfect little specimin of a boy.
Got home about 5:00PM. Because I had a council meeting at 7:30PM we had macaroni and cheese with hot dogs in it. This is one of Dick's favorite dinners and SO easy to fix. Anyway, it has been a LONG day but a productive one.
Tomorrow we will grocery shop and I must sew on the quilt. I am making pretty good time on it. I think I MIGHT be able to get it done for the show on the 18th.
I should lean not to make such goals for myself.
Have a good Friday.
Love
Mary
Got home about 5:00PM. Because I had a council meeting at 7:30PM we had macaroni and cheese with hot dogs in it. This is one of Dick's favorite dinners and SO easy to fix. Anyway, it has been a LONG day but a productive one.
Tomorrow we will grocery shop and I must sew on the quilt. I am making pretty good time on it. I think I MIGHT be able to get it done for the show on the 18th.
I should lean not to make such goals for myself.
Have a good Friday.
Love
Mary
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
I shared one of my Irish Blessings with the bible study on Monday. I am sure you have heard this one, but surprisingly they had not. Here it is
"May those who love us, love us. And may those who don't love us may He turn their hearts. And if He doesn't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles. So we'll know them by their limping."
Have a good Thursday. Tomorrow, we'll be emptying Bart and Barb's storage shed.
Wish me luck.
Mary
"May those who love us, love us. And may those who don't love us may He turn their hearts. And if He doesn't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles. So we'll know them by their limping."
Have a good Thursday. Tomorrow, we'll be emptying Bart and Barb's storage shed.
Wish me luck.
Mary
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Thursday, my brother Jeff and I are going to De Pere to pick up the property that Bart and Barb could not fit into the truck when they went to Oklahoma. Jeff is going to find room at his place until they come up here in November when my step grandson graduates from the Great Lakes Naval Academy. Jeff and I both have to be back early enough to go to evening meetings.
Today, while I was walking, Ithe song called The Traveling People went through my head. It is a song about the Tinkers in Ireland. There are still Tinkers in Ireland, though I believe they live in nicer mobile homes and such. My friend Alice says that they are pretty wealthy and not entirely trustworthy.
Anyway, I remembered that, up until the time I was 18 or 19, there was a band of Gypsies that would occasionally show up in Sheboygan Falls. They dressed just as colorfully as in the movies and would camp down in, what we called, the Flats. The Flats in Sheboygan Falls is now an industrial area next to the Sheboygan River. It was also one of the areaa that young people used to go to neck.
But I do remember the Gypsies coming. I wonder if there are such colorful bands of traveling gypsies anymore. They would have trouble just parking somewhere. You have to pay to camp almost anywhere and also need reservations. I would imagine that that life is pretty much a thing of the past.
Maybe I'll check on the net.
Have a great day.
Mary
Today, while I was walking, Ithe song called The Traveling People went through my head. It is a song about the Tinkers in Ireland. There are still Tinkers in Ireland, though I believe they live in nicer mobile homes and such. My friend Alice says that they are pretty wealthy and not entirely trustworthy.
Anyway, I remembered that, up until the time I was 18 or 19, there was a band of Gypsies that would occasionally show up in Sheboygan Falls. They dressed just as colorfully as in the movies and would camp down in, what we called, the Flats. The Flats in Sheboygan Falls is now an industrial area next to the Sheboygan River. It was also one of the areaa that young people used to go to neck.
But I do remember the Gypsies coming. I wonder if there are such colorful bands of traveling gypsies anymore. They would have trouble just parking somewhere. You have to pay to camp almost anywhere and also need reservations. I would imagine that that life is pretty much a thing of the past.
Maybe I'll check on the net.
Have a great day.
Mary
Monday, August 23, 2004
Tonight is the bust up party for my summer trap league. I will be leaving soon as it starts around 5:00. I will meet my partner Rosalie then as she is done with work about then. That is always fun. A chance to eat and visit and see who wins the big prizes. I did better than I ever have but I still have a LONG way to go. I will persist. Someday I will be good at something that requires dexterity.
I told you that I would publish, on this site, the poem I wrote about my Grandpa Deeley. I wanted to wait until after Irish Fest because I did have it in the contest and I am a stickler for honesty. I had told them that it had not been published and wanted to be true. Obviously I did not win the prize so so here it is.
GRANDPA'S WALLET
An Irishman who never set foot on Irish soil.
He was born - in London - on Christmas Day,
To emigrating parents – the oldest boy.
They came to America when he was eleven months old.
He was born - in London - on Christmas Day.
No one EVER dared call him British more than once.
They came to America when he was eleven months old.
His father worked the mills throughout New England.
No one EVER dared call him British more than once.
He started work when he was only eleven.
His father worked the mills throughout New England.
He was boss carder at age 16.
He started to work when he was only eleven.
He came to Wisconsin in 1889 to work.
He was boss carder at age 16.
I think leprechauns look like my Grandpa Deeley.
He came to Wisconsin in 1889 to work.
My Dad looked like Grandpa.
I think leprechauns look like my Grandpa Deeley.
He married twice and had six children.
My Dad looked like Grandpa.
I took Grandpa's wallet to Ireland.
He married twice and had six children.
He was an Irishman who never set foot on Irish soil.
HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
Love Mary
I told you that I would publish, on this site, the poem I wrote about my Grandpa Deeley. I wanted to wait until after Irish Fest because I did have it in the contest and I am a stickler for honesty. I had told them that it had not been published and wanted to be true. Obviously I did not win the prize so so here it is.
GRANDPA'S WALLET
An Irishman who never set foot on Irish soil.
He was born - in London - on Christmas Day,
To emigrating parents – the oldest boy.
They came to America when he was eleven months old.
He was born - in London - on Christmas Day.
No one EVER dared call him British more than once.
They came to America when he was eleven months old.
His father worked the mills throughout New England.
No one EVER dared call him British more than once.
He started work when he was only eleven.
His father worked the mills throughout New England.
He was boss carder at age 16.
He started to work when he was only eleven.
He came to Wisconsin in 1889 to work.
He was boss carder at age 16.
I think leprechauns look like my Grandpa Deeley.
He came to Wisconsin in 1889 to work.
My Dad looked like Grandpa.
I think leprechauns look like my Grandpa Deeley.
He married twice and had six children.
My Dad looked like Grandpa.
I took Grandpa's wallet to Ireland.
He married twice and had six children.
He was an Irishman who never set foot on Irish soil.
HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
Love Mary
Saturday, August 21, 2004
I am gathering Celtic Designs. Some of our venders for the Celtic Faire would like them. Actually there are TONS of sites on the net that have lots of Celtic patterns and designs. Half the fun is the searching. One of our vendors was concerned with the possiblity that some designs might be demonic or evil. Perhaps so, but the Celtic people seem to cheerfully coexist with both spirit worlds and just throw up walls or avoid or try to placate the evil spirits as they intrude on the present.
Tomorrow, I need to make an announcement for the Celtic Faire. We are selling the leftover t-shirts and choir CDs and tapes starting right now. It would be nice to get them out of the closets and into people's hands.
Dick and I were thinking of the Walrus and the Carpenter from Through the Looking Glass by Louis Carrol.
What a wonderful poem. I escpecially like the second verse which goes as follows
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Has got no business to be there
After the day was done-
'It's very rude of him,' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun.'
What a funny concept. Imagine the moon being sulky.
Well I must go to watch the Packer Game. Sure hope they look better than last week.
Love
Mary
Tomorrow, I need to make an announcement for the Celtic Faire. We are selling the leftover t-shirts and choir CDs and tapes starting right now. It would be nice to get them out of the closets and into people's hands.
Dick and I were thinking of the Walrus and the Carpenter from Through the Looking Glass by Louis Carrol.
What a wonderful poem. I escpecially like the second verse which goes as follows
The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Has got no business to be there
After the day was done-
'It's very rude of him,' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun.'
What a funny concept. Imagine the moon being sulky.
Well I must go to watch the Packer Game. Sure hope they look better than last week.
Love
Mary
Friday, August 20, 2004
I just got home from Irishfest in Milwaukee. I am content. Got there at 3:30PM so I could get in free at 4:00. Good thing too because I spent a bit of money. Not friviously, of course. I got all "good stuff." Gaelic Storm has a new CD. So I bought that for Dick. And there was a nice t-shirt with Michael Collins that had The Big Fella printed on it, which is great for Jim.
I wanted to go because a couple of my friends were there. Maureen Smith from Chicago, who I met a couple of years ago at the Celtic Women Conference. We have communicated since then by email. We met at the booth of Cindy Mayti who is a wonderful artist. I took a mini course from her several years ago and have a print of hers in my livingroom. I got pictures of both of them. Cindy has great tshirts and I bought one for myself. I picked lavender.
Then I listened to Tommy Makem. Yes. Tommy is still singing at Irishfest and is still bringing down the house. He sang O Donnell Abu,acapella, accompanied only by the bodhran which is always spectacular. Of course we ALL sang Waltzes with Bears with him.
Better get the damages recorded while I still remember.
Someone asked me what color my eyes were. It made me remember when I was a kid. Nora and I used to fight terribly. I guess most sisters do. She used to tease me and say that I had army green eyes and dishwater blond hair. I would be furious.
Mary
I wanted to go because a couple of my friends were there. Maureen Smith from Chicago, who I met a couple of years ago at the Celtic Women Conference. We have communicated since then by email. We met at the booth of Cindy Mayti who is a wonderful artist. I took a mini course from her several years ago and have a print of hers in my livingroom. I got pictures of both of them. Cindy has great tshirts and I bought one for myself. I picked lavender.
Then I listened to Tommy Makem. Yes. Tommy is still singing at Irishfest and is still bringing down the house. He sang O Donnell Abu,acapella, accompanied only by the bodhran which is always spectacular. Of course we ALL sang Waltzes with Bears with him.
Better get the damages recorded while I still remember.
Someone asked me what color my eyes were. It made me remember when I was a kid. Nora and I used to fight terribly. I guess most sisters do. She used to tease me and say that I had army green eyes and dishwater blond hair. I would be furious.
Mary
Thursday, August 19, 2004
I harvested the chokecherries today and began the winemaking process. I got to smush the berries - with my hands not my feet. It is a nice dark rich color. I am trying a slightly different recipe this time. Last year was better but I am still working with it. A gallon a year doesn't give much practice.
I will mix up the marigold next week or the week after. That one I am sure of. It makes a nice rich wine, much like a sherry.
As I said yesterday, I call the marigold, Mary's Gold. We call the chokecherry, Banshee Blood because of its deep color.
Tomorrow I am going to Irishfest. I am going to look for some nice Celtic Designs. Visit with some friends. Listen to Tommy Makem and come home.
With any luck they will be serving sausage rolls somewhere on the grounds. It is soon time for me to order more Irish sausage and bacon. I have just enough bacon for BLTs. I must fix them soon now that tomatoes are starting to ripen.
There is an old Irish proverb that says. "The mountains never meet, but people can always encounter each other."
Mountains stand next to each other forever and never exchange a word, but people, even strangers can exchange all kinds of parts of their lives and possibly never even see each other again.
Mary
I will mix up the marigold next week or the week after. That one I am sure of. It makes a nice rich wine, much like a sherry.
As I said yesterday, I call the marigold, Mary's Gold. We call the chokecherry, Banshee Blood because of its deep color.
Tomorrow I am going to Irishfest. I am going to look for some nice Celtic Designs. Visit with some friends. Listen to Tommy Makem and come home.
With any luck they will be serving sausage rolls somewhere on the grounds. It is soon time for me to order more Irish sausage and bacon. I have just enough bacon for BLTs. I must fix them soon now that tomatoes are starting to ripen.
There is an old Irish proverb that says. "The mountains never meet, but people can always encounter each other."
Mountains stand next to each other forever and never exchange a word, but people, even strangers can exchange all kinds of parts of their lives and possibly never even see each other again.
Mary
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
It is time for making scratch wines again. The marigolds are blooming and I picked my first quart today. I will pick another quart tomorrow then will have enough to prepare two gallons of my quite popular marigold wine - known as Mary's Gold.
The chokecherries are also ripe. I will pick them on Saturday and get that batch started too. That is not as popular but Dick's son Dick does like it and I will try a couple different things this time to jazz it up.
It was in the high 60's most of the morning then shot up to 79 degrees about 2:00PM. So I closed everything up and let the air conditioning do its thing. Then it started raining this evening. However, it is supposed to be clear and pleasant from now until Monday. Good thing because I am going to Irishfest on Friday evening. I will arrive in time to go in at the opening at 4:00 and stay until Tommy Makem is done singing then head for home. I will have time to see friends and eat and check out the cultural center. All I want. I think I will buy a couple of tshirts if my artist friends have them this year. I am excited anyway.
A quote from Anam Cara for your consideration:
"One of the reasons so many people are suffering from stress is not that they are doing stressful things but that they allow so little time for silence."
We do live in a noisy world. I realized how noisy our house is one day when the power went out. Silence CAN be deafening.
Have a "silent" day.
Mary
The chokecherries are also ripe. I will pick them on Saturday and get that batch started too. That is not as popular but Dick's son Dick does like it and I will try a couple different things this time to jazz it up.
It was in the high 60's most of the morning then shot up to 79 degrees about 2:00PM. So I closed everything up and let the air conditioning do its thing. Then it started raining this evening. However, it is supposed to be clear and pleasant from now until Monday. Good thing because I am going to Irishfest on Friday evening. I will arrive in time to go in at the opening at 4:00 and stay until Tommy Makem is done singing then head for home. I will have time to see friends and eat and check out the cultural center. All I want. I think I will buy a couple of tshirts if my artist friends have them this year. I am excited anyway.
A quote from Anam Cara for your consideration:
"One of the reasons so many people are suffering from stress is not that they are doing stressful things but that they allow so little time for silence."
We do live in a noisy world. I realized how noisy our house is one day when the power went out. Silence CAN be deafening.
Have a "silent" day.
Mary
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
We shopped today. We also sent a couple of packages. One to Suzi, Dick's niece, when she and Dick's sister Hazel, came for a visit she left her pillow. We all know how special ones own pillow can be.
I also sent some fabric and a pincushion - thread catcher that I made for her. They are in their home so she will be able to set up a sewing area soon. I know that will be a way down the line. First bedroom and kitchen and living room and clothes etc. need to be put in order. But soon, I hope she can relax and do something just for fun. She said that she has been invited to join a quilting group.
Last night, Rosalie and I shot our last round in the summer trap league. I got a 15 so I feel that I went out with a bang. I believe that I averaged 13 which is better than I have ever done before though I have a long way to go. I will keep at it until I get good. It is fun.
Really not a very newsy day so I will sign off now and go down to sew on my quilt.
Mary
I also sent some fabric and a pincushion - thread catcher that I made for her. They are in their home so she will be able to set up a sewing area soon. I know that will be a way down the line. First bedroom and kitchen and living room and clothes etc. need to be put in order. But soon, I hope she can relax and do something just for fun. She said that she has been invited to join a quilting group.
Last night, Rosalie and I shot our last round in the summer trap league. I got a 15 so I feel that I went out with a bang. I believe that I averaged 13 which is better than I have ever done before though I have a long way to go. I will keep at it until I get good. It is fun.
Really not a very newsy day so I will sign off now and go down to sew on my quilt.
Mary
Monday, August 16, 2004
Today is our Anniversary. Do you believe that Dick and I have been married for 18 years already. We both agree that it seems like yesterday. Isn't it nice that we both feel that way? We decided today that the relationship will probably last.
We had a nice intimate reception. Just our families had a dinner at Riverdale. Bret came from California so all of our children were there. It was the first time some of them had met. We have become a close family. I feel really blest.
I read a story about an African explorer who was moving his safari in great haste through the jungle. After three days the three Africans who were helping him carry his equipment sat down and refused to move. He tried to explain that he was under pressure to arrive at his destination by a certain date. They absolutely refused to move despite his pleas. He finally got one of them to tell him the reason. (This is a quote from Anam Cara by John O Donohue.) "We have moved too quickly to reach here; now we need to wait to give our spirits a chance to catch up with us."
Maybe we all need to do a bit more of that.
Mary
We had a nice intimate reception. Just our families had a dinner at Riverdale. Bret came from California so all of our children were there. It was the first time some of them had met. We have become a close family. I feel really blest.
I read a story about an African explorer who was moving his safari in great haste through the jungle. After three days the three Africans who were helping him carry his equipment sat down and refused to move. He tried to explain that he was under pressure to arrive at his destination by a certain date. They absolutely refused to move despite his pleas. He finally got one of them to tell him the reason. (This is a quote from Anam Cara by John O Donohue.) "We have moved too quickly to reach here; now we need to wait to give our spirits a chance to catch up with us."
Maybe we all need to do a bit more of that.
Mary
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Watching the end of the PGA. We sent out for dinner and while we were there (only 20 minutes ago) some of the patrons at the Villager told us it was all over - that Vijay had won. But they are still playing and there is still only one shot separating him from the last two players. So I am confused.
As I was writing the above, the phone rang. It was my daughter in law Barbara. They are finally in their home. They will have to sign the papers on Thursday because of some problem in that the loan company did not have the blueprints or something but they are IN. She said all the animals are sighing in relief as they smell their own furniture and bedding. Say a prayer of thanks and pray that Thursday, the signing goes OK.
Vijay won the PGA. So I am no longer confused. It was a beautiful day for a change. Everybody is complaining about the lack of summer. It seems that we have gone directly from spring, such as it was, to autumn.
Did you know that Jimmy Buffet has a new album. I heard a cut from it. He sings some old country. The one I heard was Hey Good Lookin' by Hank Williams.
Did you ever hear this quote from a song he wrote? It goes "Wrinkles only go where the smiles have been." Isn't that a wonderful thought.
Love
Mary
As I was writing the above, the phone rang. It was my daughter in law Barbara. They are finally in their home. They will have to sign the papers on Thursday because of some problem in that the loan company did not have the blueprints or something but they are IN. She said all the animals are sighing in relief as they smell their own furniture and bedding. Say a prayer of thanks and pray that Thursday, the signing goes OK.
Vijay won the PGA. So I am no longer confused. It was a beautiful day for a change. Everybody is complaining about the lack of summer. It seems that we have gone directly from spring, such as it was, to autumn.
Did you know that Jimmy Buffet has a new album. I heard a cut from it. He sings some old country. The one I heard was Hey Good Lookin' by Hank Williams.
Did you ever hear this quote from a song he wrote? It goes "Wrinkles only go where the smiles have been." Isn't that a wonderful thought.
Love
Mary
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Today has been a very special day.
First, my cousin Colleen and her husband Don are in the area for the PGA and were at Mother's home this afternoon so I got to visit with them.
Then tonight, thanks to Kohler, there was a free concert in Ravine Park in the Village of Kohler and Ronan Tynan was the vocalist. In case you are not familiar with Ronan Tynan, he is a tenor who has been a part of the Three Irish Tenors since their debut and he is WONDERFUL. The concert was outdoors in the bowl. He sang Irish, and Italian and show tunes and then concluded with his encores by singing The Parting GLass and God Bless America. Wow. And guess what, Herb Kohler, Governor Doyle and Donald Trump were all there. I never did see Trump but Herb Kohler introduced Ronan and I was Doyle.
I also ran into many friends. Nancy Gallagher Roehre, Kathy Roehre Burich, Sandy and Al Loth and Carol and Leon Kaat. A nice night altogether.
Hope your day was just as good.
Love
Mary
First, my cousin Colleen and her husband Don are in the area for the PGA and were at Mother's home this afternoon so I got to visit with them.
Then tonight, thanks to Kohler, there was a free concert in Ravine Park in the Village of Kohler and Ronan Tynan was the vocalist. In case you are not familiar with Ronan Tynan, he is a tenor who has been a part of the Three Irish Tenors since their debut and he is WONDERFUL. The concert was outdoors in the bowl. He sang Irish, and Italian and show tunes and then concluded with his encores by singing The Parting GLass and God Bless America. Wow. And guess what, Herb Kohler, Governor Doyle and Donald Trump were all there. I never did see Trump but Herb Kohler introduced Ronan and I was Doyle.
I also ran into many friends. Nancy Gallagher Roehre, Kathy Roehre Burich, Sandy and Al Loth and Carol and Leon Kaat. A nice night altogether.
Hope your day was just as good.
Love
Mary
Friday, August 13, 2004
Today, I got corn again for our supper. I believe that I have mentioned, maybe more than once, that during the sweet corn season, we eat corn and tomatoes for supper EVERY Friday. Anyway, I have been getting it from the Farmers Market in Plymouth. They get theirs from around Ripon or at least south and west of us. It is good Wisconsin Corn. BUT, I have been checking Wingerts in Sheboygan Falls. And today they were OPEN. So we had their corn and it was wonderful. I have started freezing the leftovers for winter.
In my travels, I drove past Sheboygan Falls High School and remembered my Bart in his Freshman year. He had decided to get himself in shape and had started running an watching his diet and all. Part of his plan was to join the basketball team in high school. So he went to the first practice. I picked him up after and he was in pretty poor shape. They had run laps and done whatever for almost two hours and he was literally green. We started out and he said he was going to be sick. I offered to pull over but he said to just get home. He was not sick to his stomach but was exhausted and sore (and dehydrated, I suppose.)
What a gutsy guy he was. He went back the next day and in a short time he WAS in shape and doing the game without any more pain. I was SO proud of him. He has always been determined if he gets a target to aim at.
Got pictures from my nephew Matt of the new baby boy Coleton. He is just precious. I printed copies for Mother and dropped them off this afternoon too.
Busy day but a good one. I am content.
Love
Mary
In my travels, I drove past Sheboygan Falls High School and remembered my Bart in his Freshman year. He had decided to get himself in shape and had started running an watching his diet and all. Part of his plan was to join the basketball team in high school. So he went to the first practice. I picked him up after and he was in pretty poor shape. They had run laps and done whatever for almost two hours and he was literally green. We started out and he said he was going to be sick. I offered to pull over but he said to just get home. He was not sick to his stomach but was exhausted and sore (and dehydrated, I suppose.)
What a gutsy guy he was. He went back the next day and in a short time he WAS in shape and doing the game without any more pain. I was SO proud of him. He has always been determined if he gets a target to aim at.
Got pictures from my nephew Matt of the new baby boy Coleton. He is just precious. I printed copies for Mother and dropped them off this afternoon too.
Busy day but a good one. I am content.
Love
Mary
Thursday, August 12, 2004
There are several rooms or even whole homes rented out in Hunters Glen to the golfers at the PGA.
This morning Chelsea and I were on our walk and she barked at a man putting his clubs into a van supplied by an area car dealer for the golfers. We greeted each other and I asked his name. He is Brendon Jones, an Australian Golfer. I wished him luck. He golfed a par today, better than Tiger Woods, but still only one of 21 at par. There were 39 under par so he has a way to go. If I see him tomorrow, I will tell him that I am impressed anyway because I am.
It was cool again today. It was, however, nice enough that I could trim the hedge around the birdbath. It was indeed in need of a "shave and a haircut." Tomorrow, I will do a bit more if I get time.
Ronan Tynan is singing at Ravine Park in Kohler on Saturday night at 7:30. I believe I will go. He is a wonderful Irish tenor who sings with the Irish Tenors . He is a study in courage, having had to have both of his legs amputated. He has gone on to thrill his audiences with his voice and his ability to even dance a short jig or two.
Have a great Friday.
Mary
This morning Chelsea and I were on our walk and she barked at a man putting his clubs into a van supplied by an area car dealer for the golfers. We greeted each other and I asked his name. He is Brendon Jones, an Australian Golfer. I wished him luck. He golfed a par today, better than Tiger Woods, but still only one of 21 at par. There were 39 under par so he has a way to go. If I see him tomorrow, I will tell him that I am impressed anyway because I am.
It was cool again today. It was, however, nice enough that I could trim the hedge around the birdbath. It was indeed in need of a "shave and a haircut." Tomorrow, I will do a bit more if I get time.
Ronan Tynan is singing at Ravine Park in Kohler on Saturday night at 7:30. I believe I will go. He is a wonderful Irish tenor who sings with the Irish Tenors . He is a study in courage, having had to have both of his legs amputated. He has gone on to thrill his audiences with his voice and his ability to even dance a short jig or two.
Have a great Friday.
Mary
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
This has been a very discouraging day or two. Things are HAPPENING. Nothing major but little things that just wear a person down.
Well, a person must not dwell on these things and I must stop being a crabby puss.
I will be going to The Sheboygan Quilt Guild meeting with Bobbie tonight. The Guild is 20 years old. Pretty impressive. We will be celebrating with cake, coffee and punch. I finished the crane wall hanging, so will bring that to show and tell.
I really want to go to Irishfest just one day. Dick doesn't want to go. I have checked and a friend from Chicago is coming for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I believe I will go and join her for one day. One of the things I want to do is meet and greet Cindy Matayi, and artist that I really admire who is going to display her goods in the marketplace and I also want to spend some time in the Poetry tent.
Now If I could just get someone to ride down with me, it wouldn't be so lonely a drive.
Love
Mary
Well, a person must not dwell on these things and I must stop being a crabby puss.
I will be going to The Sheboygan Quilt Guild meeting with Bobbie tonight. The Guild is 20 years old. Pretty impressive. We will be celebrating with cake, coffee and punch. I finished the crane wall hanging, so will bring that to show and tell.
I really want to go to Irishfest just one day. Dick doesn't want to go. I have checked and a friend from Chicago is coming for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I believe I will go and join her for one day. One of the things I want to do is meet and greet Cindy Matayi, and artist that I really admire who is going to display her goods in the marketplace and I also want to spend some time in the Poetry tent.
Now If I could just get someone to ride down with me, it wouldn't be so lonely a drive.
Love
Mary
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Years ago, in my previous life, I received a message one day while at work from one of my fellow real estate agents, Linda. As I came in the door, Linda said. "Your sister-in-law Doris called. She told me to tell you that you are a wonderful aunt."
I puzzled over that for only a moment til it dawned on me that my niece, her daughter Rhonda, had given birth a few days early to her first child, Deanna. The message was SUPPOSED to be that I was a great aunt.
Well, I am a "wonderful" aunt again. My brother Jeff's son Matthew and his wife Kaoru had a baby boy, Colton Deeley, 6lb 14oz and 20 inches long this very morning. They live in Hawaii. Jeff and Kathy flew over to be there for the birth and have waited two weeks for the blessed event. One more week and they would have missed it. Now Kathy gets to spend the week helping Kaoru and getting to HOLD Clayton. We are all so happy.
Join us in prayers of thanks for a safe delivery and a healthy addition to our clan.
Love
Mary
I
I puzzled over that for only a moment til it dawned on me that my niece, her daughter Rhonda, had given birth a few days early to her first child, Deanna. The message was SUPPOSED to be that I was a great aunt.
Well, I am a "wonderful" aunt again. My brother Jeff's son Matthew and his wife Kaoru had a baby boy, Colton Deeley, 6lb 14oz and 20 inches long this very morning. They live in Hawaii. Jeff and Kathy flew over to be there for the birth and have waited two weeks for the blessed event. One more week and they would have missed it. Now Kathy gets to spend the week helping Kaoru and getting to HOLD Clayton. We are all so happy.
Join us in prayers of thanks for a safe delivery and a healthy addition to our clan.
Love
Mary
I
Monday, August 09, 2004
Today was SUCH a busy day. I had Bible Study at 9:30AM. Writers Club at 1:00PM, a meeting about the Celtic Mass at 3:30PM and trap at 5:00PM. All things I LOVE to do. Sometimes they do all come "to onst".
I read a poem that I have written about my Grandpa Deeley. I wrote it to send to the Irish Fest Poetry contest. Hopefully, they will receive it as well at the club did. Sy Regan, seemed to especially enjoy it as he knew my Grandpa. Grandpa was Sy's confirmation sponser. Sy is the same kid who brought the creeping charlie to Dad thinkin that it was a pretty plant.
As I sent it to the contest, I will share it with you after the judging. Win or not. There are usually tons of entries so I figure that the odds are slim. However, I did win this contest a few years ago so I know that it CAN happen.
I also read one of Matthew's poems at the meeting. I can share that with you.
IN ANSWER TO YOUR POEM
how wonderful! you fear for my life
but you should know
life is death
and death is life
and the mysteries
of the unknown empires of quietus
offer more
than life can hold in its hand
by Matthew Deeley
Have a good day
Love Mary
I read a poem that I have written about my Grandpa Deeley. I wrote it to send to the Irish Fest Poetry contest. Hopefully, they will receive it as well at the club did. Sy Regan, seemed to especially enjoy it as he knew my Grandpa. Grandpa was Sy's confirmation sponser. Sy is the same kid who brought the creeping charlie to Dad thinkin that it was a pretty plant.
As I sent it to the contest, I will share it with you after the judging. Win or not. There are usually tons of entries so I figure that the odds are slim. However, I did win this contest a few years ago so I know that it CAN happen.
I also read one of Matthew's poems at the meeting. I can share that with you.
IN ANSWER TO YOUR POEM
how wonderful! you fear for my life
but you should know
life is death
and death is life
and the mysteries
of the unknown empires of quietus
offer more
than life can hold in its hand
by Matthew Deeley
Have a good day
Love Mary
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Strange weather today. The temperature got up to 77 but it was cloudy much of the day. It even sprinkled a bit when Chelsea and I were out walking.
Dick's sister Hazel and her daughter Suzi were our houseguests this weekend and we had all the kids that live around here over to dinner last night to see her. It was a lovely mini reunion. Of course, we did a lot of conjecturing as to where all the other cousins are. Dick and Hazel are the last of the Kunert siblings left. Hazel is an amazing 87 years old.
Just a quote from yesterday's Cadfael Book of Days.
"Every man's fortune, and every women's too, can be changed given a little thought, perserverance and cunning."
Great concept. And I have lived my life by that motto. If you don't like it - change it. It isn't always easy or immediate, but you can do it.
Love
Mary
Dick's sister Hazel and her daughter Suzi were our houseguests this weekend and we had all the kids that live around here over to dinner last night to see her. It was a lovely mini reunion. Of course, we did a lot of conjecturing as to where all the other cousins are. Dick and Hazel are the last of the Kunert siblings left. Hazel is an amazing 87 years old.
Just a quote from yesterday's Cadfael Book of Days.
"Every man's fortune, and every women's too, can be changed given a little thought, perserverance and cunning."
Great concept. And I have lived my life by that motto. If you don't like it - change it. It isn't always easy or immediate, but you can do it.
Love
Mary
Saturday, August 07, 2004
This morning on my walk I was thinking of Creeping Jenny. Creeping Jenny is a weed. It gets into lawns and, deceptively, looks rather pretty in its prime with bright green leaves and a yellow buttercup looking flower, but it is a root and vine spreader and will destroy a lawn if not controlled.
My Dad was a boy scout leader before and shortly after he and Mother got married. Sy Regan, who is a retired deacon at Blessed Trinity, and is also in my writers club, was one of his scouts. One day he told Dad, who he knew loved plants, that he had a really nice plant for him. So he brought Creeping Jenny. Dad loved that story.
I went out to Maywood to feed pheasants today. That is fun. I will have to go sometime tomorrow too. We found a mink trying to get into the pens. Jeff was able to kill it. Otherwise there would have been a slaughter of those defenseless birds.
Have a nice Sunday.
Love
Mary
My Dad was a boy scout leader before and shortly after he and Mother got married. Sy Regan, who is a retired deacon at Blessed Trinity, and is also in my writers club, was one of his scouts. One day he told Dad, who he knew loved plants, that he had a really nice plant for him. So he brought Creeping Jenny. Dad loved that story.
I went out to Maywood to feed pheasants today. That is fun. I will have to go sometime tomorrow too. We found a mink trying to get into the pens. Jeff was able to kill it. Otherwise there would have been a slaughter of those defenseless birds.
Have a nice Sunday.
Love
Mary
Friday, August 06, 2004
This is Bratwurst Day Weekend in Sheboygan. Bratwurst Sheboygan style are the best in the world. It used to be that you couldn't get them anywhere but in Sheboygan County. However in the past years many of the producers, notably Johnsonville, have been producing in bulk and sending all over the country. Bret and Bart can get them in some stores in California and Oklahoma.
However, there is nothing like the Sheboygan Hard Roll. Dick and I have come to the conclusion that Hard Roll is a very "German" pronunciation of Hearth Roll. The Sheboygan Hard or Hearth Roll is shaped like a hamburger bun and is crispy on the outside and very fluffy in the outside. The strange thing is that one would think that as they belong with bratwurst, they would be baked in a hot dog style. But no. The Sheboygan double brat is a hard roll with two bratwurst on it.
When I lived outside of Wisconsin, I would occasionally see a sign advertising "hard rolls" and momentarily think that I would find hard rolls as I knew them, but they do not exist outside of the county.
It is said in Sheboygan, to the horror of all nutrition minded people, that a balanced meal is a Brat Sandwich. After all, you have your meat (the brat), your vegetables (the ketsup, the mustard , the pickle and the onion), your grains (the hard roll) and your dairy (all proper brat sandwitches have a dollop of butter on the roll). Talk about cardiac arrest. But WOW what a taste.
Have a good weekend.
Love
Mary
However, there is nothing like the Sheboygan Hard Roll. Dick and I have come to the conclusion that Hard Roll is a very "German" pronunciation of Hearth Roll. The Sheboygan Hard or Hearth Roll is shaped like a hamburger bun and is crispy on the outside and very fluffy in the outside. The strange thing is that one would think that as they belong with bratwurst, they would be baked in a hot dog style. But no. The Sheboygan double brat is a hard roll with two bratwurst on it.
When I lived outside of Wisconsin, I would occasionally see a sign advertising "hard rolls" and momentarily think that I would find hard rolls as I knew them, but they do not exist outside of the county.
It is said in Sheboygan, to the horror of all nutrition minded people, that a balanced meal is a Brat Sandwich. After all, you have your meat (the brat), your vegetables (the ketsup, the mustard , the pickle and the onion), your grains (the hard roll) and your dairy (all proper brat sandwitches have a dollop of butter on the roll). Talk about cardiac arrest. But WOW what a taste.
Have a good weekend.
Love
Mary
Thursday, August 05, 2004
I hate "reality" shows. I have been one at a time e-mailing the networks that air them to let them know that. I do not watch them. It isn't so bad that they are on (I guess) it is just that there is NOTHING else on. I have taken to just avoiding the major networks. But so many of the History and A&E etc are reruns and we have seen them before too. Thank heavens for a good supply of movies in our DVD and Video library.
I am in the middle of a good book too and am a bit behind on my other reading. The trouble is that when I do my hand quilting, I like the TV on the occupy a part of my brain.
Last night Dick and I watched a Prime Time Special on Jesus, Mary Magdaline and da Vinci. It was trying to document the truth or non truth of the Da Vinci Code, which, if you haven't read it, proposes that Jesus and Mary Magdaline were man and wife and had a child. From all I heard, there is no irrefutable proof yes or no. But the premise, that Mary Magdaline was very close to Jesus and held a position at or above the apostles is very probable. Fascinating proposals and I can't see that it would make any difference as to Jesus being who he is.
I put my dries oregano and thyme into jars tonight. I also made a thyme beer bread that seems quite moist and tasty.
Have a nice Friday
Mary
I am in the middle of a good book too and am a bit behind on my other reading. The trouble is that when I do my hand quilting, I like the TV on the occupy a part of my brain.
Last night Dick and I watched a Prime Time Special on Jesus, Mary Magdaline and da Vinci. It was trying to document the truth or non truth of the Da Vinci Code, which, if you haven't read it, proposes that Jesus and Mary Magdaline were man and wife and had a child. From all I heard, there is no irrefutable proof yes or no. But the premise, that Mary Magdaline was very close to Jesus and held a position at or above the apostles is very probable. Fascinating proposals and I can't see that it would make any difference as to Jesus being who he is.
I put my dries oregano and thyme into jars tonight. I also made a thyme beer bread that seems quite moist and tasty.
Have a nice Friday
Mary
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
We just checked the numbers and we did not win the Powerball AGAIN. Such a disappointment. Oh well, we will have to wait til next time.
Dreams and plans are what keep people going. When a person loses the ability to plan and dream he or she dies. (or might as well.)
Tomorrow I am going to bake bread. I am going to try a thyme beer bread that sounds wonderful. Today, I harvested oregano and thyme and have them drying in Jim's dehydrator. I believe I have enough for the year now and maybe even some for gifts. The oregano plant is taking over the herb garden. It will have to be culled for sure. Maybe tomorrow.
We are having guests this weekend. Dick's sister Hazel and her daughter Suzi are coming to spend the Saturday and will stay the night. Bobbie and Bill, Dick and Brenda will also be here for dinner so we will have a full house. I am fixing the famous Kunert Spinach, Egg, Noodle casserole for dinner along with strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Have a nice Thursday.
Mary
Dreams and plans are what keep people going. When a person loses the ability to plan and dream he or she dies. (or might as well.)
Tomorrow I am going to bake bread. I am going to try a thyme beer bread that sounds wonderful. Today, I harvested oregano and thyme and have them drying in Jim's dehydrator. I believe I have enough for the year now and maybe even some for gifts. The oregano plant is taking over the herb garden. It will have to be culled for sure. Maybe tomorrow.
We are having guests this weekend. Dick's sister Hazel and her daughter Suzi are coming to spend the Saturday and will stay the night. Bobbie and Bill, Dick and Brenda will also be here for dinner so we will have a full house. I am fixing the famous Kunert Spinach, Egg, Noodle casserole for dinner along with strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Have a nice Thursday.
Mary
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
The PGA comes to Sheboygan County next week. The county will be hosting somewhere in teh neighborhood of 300,000 people for about a week. Every hotel is full and every restuarant and store is planning on making a fortune during this time. We, the citizens, have been asked to avoid the main roads to Whistling Straits the golf course where the whole event is taking place. Actually, I am not planning on going ANYWHERE I don't have to.
Tomorrow, we don't have to go out and are planning on racking one of the carboys of wine that we are in the process of preparing. Then it will sit until we filter and bottle it. Next week, I will be racking a gallon of Lemon Balm wine. It is an experiment but smells good and was REALLY working up until a week ago. We will see how that works because there is always LOTS of lemon balm during the summer.
The winemaking is fun. It is double fun to be able to share it with people.
Have a good day
Mary
Tomorrow, we don't have to go out and are planning on racking one of the carboys of wine that we are in the process of preparing. Then it will sit until we filter and bottle it. Next week, I will be racking a gallon of Lemon Balm wine. It is an experiment but smells good and was REALLY working up until a week ago. We will see how that works because there is always LOTS of lemon balm during the summer.
The winemaking is fun. It is double fun to be able to share it with people.
Have a good day
Mary
Monday, August 02, 2004
I've been thinking about Grandpa Deeley lately. He was the cutest little Irishman. He was my picture of a leprechaun.
He came to Sheboygan Falls in 1889 at the request of Mr. George Brinkner, who owned the Woolen Mill on Broadway and Pine in Sheboygan Falls. Grandpa was the Boss of the Carding Division. He used to tell the story of his coming. He was 23 and had just voted for Grover Cleveland.
He was dropped off at Weeden's Station about 4 miles f Sheboygan Falls and he had to walk the rest of the way to town. After walking a short distance he heard some noises and cries that he thought must be Indians. Needless to say he made it to town in record time. Later, he found that someone was raising peacocks out in that area and their noise was his "Indian Calls." That story shows, among other things that Wisconsin was still considered a frontier in those days.
Til tomorrow
Mary
He came to Sheboygan Falls in 1889 at the request of Mr. George Brinkner, who owned the Woolen Mill on Broadway and Pine in Sheboygan Falls. Grandpa was the Boss of the Carding Division. He used to tell the story of his coming. He was 23 and had just voted for Grover Cleveland.
He was dropped off at Weeden's Station about 4 miles f Sheboygan Falls and he had to walk the rest of the way to town. After walking a short distance he heard some noises and cries that he thought must be Indians. Needless to say he made it to town in record time. Later, he found that someone was raising peacocks out in that area and their noise was his "Indian Calls." That story shows, among other things that Wisconsin was still considered a frontier in those days.
Til tomorrow
Mary
Sunday, August 01, 2004
I decided to shoot today. So I went out to Rhine at about 1:00PM and shot two rounds just for practice. I got and 18 and then followed with a 13. Consistancy is my aim and I must keep practicing.
Mother and I were talking abit about my brother Matthew, who died over 30 years ago. It really does seem like such a long time ago and yet just like yesterday. Mom felt a bit sad today. She saw an article in the paper about a musician, John Ohlschmidt, who was coming to Sheboygan to do a concert at the Masonic Lodge. He was a schoolmate of my brother Matt. Several years after Matt's death he wrote an article about him that was published in the Milwaukee Journal.
Anyway, Mother recalled a story about those two. John apparantly had "fallen in love" with a young lady from Beaver Dam. Now these boys were 16 or 17 years old at the time. John "borrowed" his Dad's car and asked Matt to join him on his journey of love. John's father called the Beaver Dam Police and they were promply picked up and held until Mother and John's mother came to get them.
At that time, Matthew was very enraptured with the "Jesus People", Hippies and even talked of joining a group of them. While at the police station, one of the detectives pulled Mother aside and told her, with a smile, that she had better watch Matt. Matt had tried to convert him.
That story brought a smile to Mother's face today. So the sadness had passed. We never get over losing a child. They are a piece of us and kind of just float out there in our minds and in our hearts. They are never REALLY gone.
Here is one of Matthew's poems.
THE FELLOWSHIP
by Matt Deeley
members of the fellowship
drew pictures
behind a mask of memory
one cool summer night
when the wind blew
fierce in the face of
nature's poetry.......
He also said this
APOLOGY
i apologize for keeping you from church....
god is much better company then me.
Matt did not use capital letters - in case you didn't notice. Have a good week.
Mary
Mother and I were talking abit about my brother Matthew, who died over 30 years ago. It really does seem like such a long time ago and yet just like yesterday. Mom felt a bit sad today. She saw an article in the paper about a musician, John Ohlschmidt, who was coming to Sheboygan to do a concert at the Masonic Lodge. He was a schoolmate of my brother Matt. Several years after Matt's death he wrote an article about him that was published in the Milwaukee Journal.
Anyway, Mother recalled a story about those two. John apparantly had "fallen in love" with a young lady from Beaver Dam. Now these boys were 16 or 17 years old at the time. John "borrowed" his Dad's car and asked Matt to join him on his journey of love. John's father called the Beaver Dam Police and they were promply picked up and held until Mother and John's mother came to get them.
At that time, Matthew was very enraptured with the "Jesus People", Hippies and even talked of joining a group of them. While at the police station, one of the detectives pulled Mother aside and told her, with a smile, that she had better watch Matt. Matt had tried to convert him.
That story brought a smile to Mother's face today. So the sadness had passed. We never get over losing a child. They are a piece of us and kind of just float out there in our minds and in our hearts. They are never REALLY gone.
Here is one of Matthew's poems.
THE FELLOWSHIP
by Matt Deeley
members of the fellowship
drew pictures
behind a mask of memory
one cool summer night
when the wind blew
fierce in the face of
nature's poetry.......
He also said this
APOLOGY
i apologize for keeping you from church....
god is much better company then me.
Matt did not use capital letters - in case you didn't notice. Have a good week.
Mary
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Saturday was nice. It used to be that Saturdays were the only day I had to really get housework done. Now that I am retired, it has become a day to kind of catch up and get ready for the next week. I did quite a bit of sewing too. I am almost done with the crane wall hanging. I should be able to finish it tomorrow.
I wrote a poem today also. It is still too rough to share with you but I will finish it soon and intend to send it to the poetry contest at Irishfest. I send one whenever I know about the contest. I couldn't find any notice of one last year but this year it has reappeared. Dick doesn't want to go to Irishfest. I know why - the crowds and all the walking.
I learned basic sewing from Mother when I was a teenager. I made some of my clothes. Grandma Bowser was a really excellent seamstress and make clothes for us too. I remember a dress I had when I was young that she make for me, It was made of the most beautiful silky, almost oriental, material that showed green, red and gold as the light hit it. It was not gawdy though which is difficult to understand and the dress was very elegant.
I remember an outfit I made that was a jumper type. It fitted up over the rib cage and when I put it on it fit perfectly. However, it did not allow room for expansion and I almost sufficated before I got the darn thing off because I couldn't get a deep breath in. Never could figure out how to fix it.
Tomorrow I will call both the boys. I will let you know how they are doing.
Love
Mary
I wrote a poem today also. It is still too rough to share with you but I will finish it soon and intend to send it to the poetry contest at Irishfest. I send one whenever I know about the contest. I couldn't find any notice of one last year but this year it has reappeared. Dick doesn't want to go to Irishfest. I know why - the crowds and all the walking.
I learned basic sewing from Mother when I was a teenager. I made some of my clothes. Grandma Bowser was a really excellent seamstress and make clothes for us too. I remember a dress I had when I was young that she make for me, It was made of the most beautiful silky, almost oriental, material that showed green, red and gold as the light hit it. It was not gawdy though which is difficult to understand and the dress was very elegant.
I remember an outfit I made that was a jumper type. It fitted up over the rib cage and when I put it on it fit perfectly. However, it did not allow room for expansion and I almost sufficated before I got the darn thing off because I couldn't get a deep breath in. Never could figure out how to fix it.
Tomorrow I will call both the boys. I will let you know how they are doing.
Love
Mary
Friday, July 30, 2004
When Bret and Bart were about 7 and 11, they had a hamster. They named him Spike and he was the nicest little hamster in the world. He was kept up in Bart's room and was really easy to get along with.
Every so often he would get out of his cage. I would discover him missing and just get up early the next morning and go down stairs to the kitchen. He would invariably be skirting around the edge of the room, making his way to a little hole that went under the cupboard that I used as a pantry. I just had to lean down and pick him up and return him to his cage.
One day, I purchased a new box of hamster food and left it, as I usually did, next to his cage. He picked that night to escape. However - this time - I found him in the morning sound asleep in his turret. Every possible spot in the whole cage had a pile of food neatly stacked. He had spent the entire night filling his little cheeks with food and carrying it back to the cage to store for the "future". The poor little creature was totally exhausted.
I just thought that was a funny story. We had Spike for about three years. A very long life for a hamster. I found him one morning dead in his cage looking quite peaceful. He was the best hamster we ever had.
Have a nice weekend
Mary
Every so often he would get out of his cage. I would discover him missing and just get up early the next morning and go down stairs to the kitchen. He would invariably be skirting around the edge of the room, making his way to a little hole that went under the cupboard that I used as a pantry. I just had to lean down and pick him up and return him to his cage.
One day, I purchased a new box of hamster food and left it, as I usually did, next to his cage. He picked that night to escape. However - this time - I found him in the morning sound asleep in his turret. Every possible spot in the whole cage had a pile of food neatly stacked. He had spent the entire night filling his little cheeks with food and carrying it back to the cage to store for the "future". The poor little creature was totally exhausted.
I just thought that was a funny story. We had Spike for about three years. A very long life for a hamster. I found him one morning dead in his cage looking quite peaceful. He was the best hamster we ever had.
Have a nice weekend
Mary
Thursday, July 29, 2004
My daughter in law, Barbara, and I went to a quilt class together just before she and Bart left for Oklahoma. We have both finished the quilt top that we started at that class. Then we discovered that the fabric requirements given did not include the backing. We both would really like to back it with the material that we used to frame the motif. I went back to Evans to get some more and was not happy to find that they had none left.
We had several people at the class ask where I got it and I made the mistake of telling them. So. Yesterday, I looked at the edge of the piece I have left and found out the pattern and manufacturer. Jocks Rock by Hoffman International. I got on the internet and lo and behold I found some. So I bought enough to back mine and send enough to Barbara to do hers. I am so excited about that.
I've been catching as many of the speeches at the convention that I can stay awake for. I will do the same next week at the Republican convention and then try to weigh my priorities. Good Luck to me!
The mornings have been just perfect for walking and the birds sing us on our way. Chelsea likes it a lot. We walk for about 40 minutes every morning.
A verse from a poem I wrote:
The Cardinal - most blessed in soun and beauty
Sings his melody in the early morning air.
The Morning Doves coo their gentle song
From rooftop to rooftop.
Go out some morning at about 6:00AM and just listen to the choir.
Love
Mary
We had several people at the class ask where I got it and I made the mistake of telling them. So. Yesterday, I looked at the edge of the piece I have left and found out the pattern and manufacturer. Jocks Rock by Hoffman International. I got on the internet and lo and behold I found some. So I bought enough to back mine and send enough to Barbara to do hers. I am so excited about that.
I've been catching as many of the speeches at the convention that I can stay awake for. I will do the same next week at the Republican convention and then try to weigh my priorities. Good Luck to me!
The mornings have been just perfect for walking and the birds sing us on our way. Chelsea likes it a lot. We walk for about 40 minutes every morning.
A verse from a poem I wrote:
The Cardinal - most blessed in soun and beauty
Sings his melody in the early morning air.
The Morning Doves coo their gentle song
From rooftop to rooftop.
Go out some morning at about 6:00AM and just listen to the choir.
Love
Mary
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Are you watching the Democratic Convention? I thought it would be boring because the decision as to who is running was decided long before they got there. However, the speeches that I have been hearing have been full of information and exciting. There are wonderful orators in our country and I think they are all speaking in Boston.
I am really struggling with the issues this election. I can't just pick one issue. I hear that there is a pro life candidate and a free choice candidate. I just know that pro life should apply to ALL human life. I am definately anti abortion - but after much soul searching and much personal debate, I am also anti death penalty.
I hear that the Bush Administration has produced many many new jobs. (I forget how many.) I also hear that it has become profitable to send jobs overseas. That the good jobs are leaving and the new jobs are entry leval and/or minimum wage jobs. What good is a job for everybody if a person cannot survive unless he or she has two or three of them.
I believe that Iraq is better off without Sadaam, but I do believe that we should have waited and harassed and nagged the other big nations until they either made him back down diplomatically or agreed to go in with us. I believe that we need to stay there now until that country has a stable government. Close to 1000 of our young people have given their lives for this war. We should not be doing it alone. And why does so much of the rest of the world hate us at this point.
I need to get a lot of questions answered in the next couple of months.
Do you have any of them?
Mary
I am really struggling with the issues this election. I can't just pick one issue. I hear that there is a pro life candidate and a free choice candidate. I just know that pro life should apply to ALL human life. I am definately anti abortion - but after much soul searching and much personal debate, I am also anti death penalty.
I hear that the Bush Administration has produced many many new jobs. (I forget how many.) I also hear that it has become profitable to send jobs overseas. That the good jobs are leaving and the new jobs are entry leval and/or minimum wage jobs. What good is a job for everybody if a person cannot survive unless he or she has two or three of them.
I believe that Iraq is better off without Sadaam, but I do believe that we should have waited and harassed and nagged the other big nations until they either made him back down diplomatically or agreed to go in with us. I believe that we need to stay there now until that country has a stable government. Close to 1000 of our young people have given their lives for this war. We should not be doing it alone. And why does so much of the rest of the world hate us at this point.
I need to get a lot of questions answered in the next couple of months.
Do you have any of them?
Mary
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
We went to Door County today and toured four lighthouses. It is fascinating. I can see how people get hung up on the history and the collecting of memorabilia of them. We have seen six in the last month now. Split Rock in Canada, the one at the Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point MI. and these four on the Door Penninsula. These four are still working lighthouses, though they are automated and use battery or solar power. With the new innovations in radar and sonar and the GSL systems available, the need for lighthouses is really past. A wonderful romantic part of our history - it is wonderful to see them preserved and treasured.
Have a great Wednesday. Remember to have faith and trust that prayers ARE answered.
Love
Mary
Have a great Wednesday. Remember to have faith and trust that prayers ARE answered.
Love
Mary
Monday, July 26, 2004
Monday, Monday. We were busy today. Bible Study at 9:30AM. Bart and Barb are back on the prayer chain. Please, keep them in your prayers too. Sunday's reading were very encouraging to me. They spoke of persistant prayer. They were Luke 11: 1-13 where he says that if you persist in asking for help even if you are at first turned down, sometimes people will help just to get rid of you. In Genesis 18:20-32 Abraham wears God down in agreeing to save Sodam and Gomorrah even if there were ONLY 10 just people in the cities. Anyway, I am going to persist and I ask that you do too.
Tomorrow we are going up to Door County on a lighthouse tour. This will be a nice cap to our Canada trip where we saw toured two lighthouses. I will have more pictures. I am working on Jim to fix my ability to import pictures to this site.
I shot tonight and I was terrible. I am going to have to go on Sundays too to see if more practice will help and if perhaps I shoot the previous day, I will do better on league nights.
Hope your week is wonderful.
Love
Mary
Tomorrow we are going up to Door County on a lighthouse tour. This will be a nice cap to our Canada trip where we saw toured two lighthouses. I will have more pictures. I am working on Jim to fix my ability to import pictures to this site.
I shot tonight and I was terrible. I am going to have to go on Sundays too to see if more practice will help and if perhaps I shoot the previous day, I will do better on league nights.
Hope your week is wonderful.
Love
Mary
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Do you remember summers before the polio vaccine? When I was young, the hot muggy days of summer could be very frightening because of the danger.
Nora babysat for a neighbor one evening. She came home from the job really disgusted, as young people are wont to be after cleaning up vomit and changing sheets on a bed. The daughter of the people had gotten sick. The next morning word came that the girl had been taken to the hospital as symptems persisted. Later word came that she had polio and had been transported to Milwaukee to the only hospital in the area with an iron lung and the means to treat this disease.
Well, Mother about paniced. Here it was, the middle of summer and she had eight children (I don't believe that Randy was born yet.) under the age of 13. The doctor said that she really should not have to worry about anybody but Nora. (Yea right, tell ANY mother.) Nora, however, had to get the only known possible deterant, a shot of Gamma Globulin, that was given by weight. That upset her too. She hated shots. Big surprise.
The little girl died. It was a sober summer that year with the heat and the humidity and whatever else contributing to the fear but there were no more cases in town and we all remained well.
Aunt Helen always said that she was sure that Dad had polio before they called it that. He got very sick one summer and the following year, Uncle Jack took him to school in a wagon for a while. His legs, in my memory, were alway small and skinny. However, he did everything he wanted too.
Mary
Nora babysat for a neighbor one evening. She came home from the job really disgusted, as young people are wont to be after cleaning up vomit and changing sheets on a bed. The daughter of the people had gotten sick. The next morning word came that the girl had been taken to the hospital as symptems persisted. Later word came that she had polio and had been transported to Milwaukee to the only hospital in the area with an iron lung and the means to treat this disease.
Well, Mother about paniced. Here it was, the middle of summer and she had eight children (I don't believe that Randy was born yet.) under the age of 13. The doctor said that she really should not have to worry about anybody but Nora. (Yea right, tell ANY mother.) Nora, however, had to get the only known possible deterant, a shot of Gamma Globulin, that was given by weight. That upset her too. She hated shots. Big surprise.
The little girl died. It was a sober summer that year with the heat and the humidity and whatever else contributing to the fear but there were no more cases in town and we all remained well.
Aunt Helen always said that she was sure that Dad had polio before they called it that. He got very sick one summer and the following year, Uncle Jack took him to school in a wagon for a while. His legs, in my memory, were alway small and skinny. However, he did everything he wanted too.
Mary
Saturday, July 24, 2004
You all missed a great turkey dinner. You can't say you weren't invited. The blueberry cake was good too.
Here is the recipe for the cake, a definite keeper.
Easy Fresh Blueberry Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
2/3 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup butter (NO SUBSTITUTE), melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
Measure 2 cups cake mix into a bowl.
Prepare remaining mix according to package directions, using 2/3 cup water and 1 egg. Measure 1 cup batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan.
Add butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to reserved cake mix. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture evenly over the batter in pan. Arrange blueberries evenly over crumb mixture. Spoon reserved batter evenly over top of blueberries. Sprinkle with remaining half of crumb mixture.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until done. Serve warm.
I got it off the internet at www.recipegoldmine.com. I always like the sound of "easy". Usually those recipes taste the best too because there is less to mess them up.
Fresh blueberries are really reasonable this year so I have been getting them and even freezing them. They are about the easiest things in the world to freeze. You don't even wash them. Just throw in containers and into the freezer. You wash and check them over when you thaw them and use them just like fresh.
Kitties like turkey too but we found out that they do not care much for white meat.
Love
Mary
Here is the recipe for the cake, a definite keeper.
Easy Fresh Blueberry Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
2/3 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup butter (NO SUBSTITUTE), melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
Measure 2 cups cake mix into a bowl.
Prepare remaining mix according to package directions, using 2/3 cup water and 1 egg. Measure 1 cup batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan.
Add butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to reserved cake mix. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture evenly over the batter in pan. Arrange blueberries evenly over crumb mixture. Spoon reserved batter evenly over top of blueberries. Sprinkle with remaining half of crumb mixture.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until done. Serve warm.
I got it off the internet at www.recipegoldmine.com. I always like the sound of "easy". Usually those recipes taste the best too because there is less to mess them up.
Fresh blueberries are really reasonable this year so I have been getting them and even freezing them. They are about the easiest things in the world to freeze. You don't even wash them. Just throw in containers and into the freezer. You wash and check them over when you thaw them and use them just like fresh.
Kitties like turkey too but we found out that they do not care much for white meat.
Love
Mary
Friday, July 23, 2004
What a rotten day in the market. Pretty discouraging.
The weather on the other hand was way too wonderful. It is pretty hard to be discouraged for long when nature provides such a bonus day. Dick and I sat out on the deck for a while this evening and last because it is finally nice enough to do so. I discovered that there are a couple of tomatoes on the tomato plants. Wow.
Today, when I was in Plymouth for lunch, I stopped at the Farmer's Market there and got some sweet corn. The owner said he got it from Spring Green which is west and south of us so they are ahead of us. The Sheboygan County crops are way behind or non existant so I will get it where and when I can. It sure tasted good.
The perfect gift is from the heart
The perfect love is not the start
The perfect life is after death
The perfect word is quietly said.
Have a Great Weekend
Mary
The weather on the other hand was way too wonderful. It is pretty hard to be discouraged for long when nature provides such a bonus day. Dick and I sat out on the deck for a while this evening and last because it is finally nice enough to do so. I discovered that there are a couple of tomatoes on the tomato plants. Wow.
Today, when I was in Plymouth for lunch, I stopped at the Farmer's Market there and got some sweet corn. The owner said he got it from Spring Green which is west and south of us so they are ahead of us. The Sheboygan County crops are way behind or non existant so I will get it where and when I can. It sure tasted good.
The perfect gift is from the heart
The perfect love is not the start
The perfect life is after death
The perfect word is quietly said.
Have a Great Weekend
Mary
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Next week the Democrats are having their convention. Big Woo! Conventions used to be exciting. You never knew, until the end, who the candidates were going to be. There was lots of hype and lots of excitement and lots of speeches and platforms were discussed. Now - it is a done deal but we have to put up with speeches that just will rubber stamp the already decided issues. I guess the major networks won't be showing it all day and evening like they used to. They would lose too much of their audience to cable.
I am disgusted with the whole thing. Then we will have three months until the election.
Oliver Goldsmith had the following verse in his poem - Three Jolly Pigeons
Politicians they tell us each day,
Of their good sense and propiety.
But puff as these blowhards they may
They cannot disguise their venality,
Swaggards and braggards they all,
Sing songs of their courage and vision,
Crow loudly as ever they will,
They're not heard at the Three Jolly Pigeons.
To right to roddle to rol.
I lifted a pint or two of cider at the bar in County Athlone Ireland called the Three Jolly Pigeons that Goldsmith refers to in his poem. The barkeep Seamus recited the poem for us. I think his portrait of the "politician" is accurate.
I had gotten a card for a free turkey last winter. The card expires in September, so I decided to get it now. We are going to have turkey dinner on Saturday. Aren't you jealous? If you want to, you can all come over for dinner. I am also going to fix a fresh blueberry cake.
Enjoy
Mary
I am disgusted with the whole thing. Then we will have three months until the election.
Oliver Goldsmith had the following verse in his poem - Three Jolly Pigeons
Politicians they tell us each day,
Of their good sense and propiety.
But puff as these blowhards they may
They cannot disguise their venality,
Swaggards and braggards they all,
Sing songs of their courage and vision,
Crow loudly as ever they will,
They're not heard at the Three Jolly Pigeons.
To right to roddle to rol.
I lifted a pint or two of cider at the bar in County Athlone Ireland called the Three Jolly Pigeons that Goldsmith refers to in his poem. The barkeep Seamus recited the poem for us. I think his portrait of the "politician" is accurate.
I had gotten a card for a free turkey last winter. The card expires in September, so I decided to get it now. We are going to have turkey dinner on Saturday. Aren't you jealous? If you want to, you can all come over for dinner. I am also going to fix a fresh blueberry cake.
Enjoy
Mary
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
We have three animals. I believe that I have conveyed that information, even to those who do not know me very well. All our critters came from the Humane Society.
We have had Chelsea, the dog, for almost 7 years now. Prior to her, I had a little terrior mix named Zero. He was my love. When Bart and I moved from California to Minnesota and then from Minnesota to Wisconsin, he was there with us and he trusted and comforted me through all the bad times.
When he died, we kind of decided not to get another dog because they are a lot of work and we like to travel and all. And after all we did have cats. I lasted for two years. then one day, I told Dick that I simply HAD to have a doggy.
So we started going to the Humane Society to find a proper dog for us. Most of the dogs that are turned in to the Humane Society are big gangly eager doggies and much more than I could handle since they are also not usually well trained. So we went back for at least four weeks. The forth week, Dick said that we had better find a small one soon or he was going to take one of these because they were starting to recognize him and he was feeling bad leaving them there.
Then low and behold, here was this little white fluff of a thing and she was available, so we took her. I remember bringing her home and telling Dick that Jim was going to say that she was a little rat. He did too. She is actually a medium sized dog in the 17 to 18 pound range. We do just fine and are all so glad to have her. Now I have someone to "walk me" every day.
Have a nice Thursday.
Mary
We have had Chelsea, the dog, for almost 7 years now. Prior to her, I had a little terrior mix named Zero. He was my love. When Bart and I moved from California to Minnesota and then from Minnesota to Wisconsin, he was there with us and he trusted and comforted me through all the bad times.
When he died, we kind of decided not to get another dog because they are a lot of work and we like to travel and all. And after all we did have cats. I lasted for two years. then one day, I told Dick that I simply HAD to have a doggy.
So we started going to the Humane Society to find a proper dog for us. Most of the dogs that are turned in to the Humane Society are big gangly eager doggies and much more than I could handle since they are also not usually well trained. So we went back for at least four weeks. The forth week, Dick said that we had better find a small one soon or he was going to take one of these because they were starting to recognize him and he was feeling bad leaving them there.
Then low and behold, here was this little white fluff of a thing and she was available, so we took her. I remember bringing her home and telling Dick that Jim was going to say that she was a little rat. He did too. She is actually a medium sized dog in the 17 to 18 pound range. We do just fine and are all so glad to have her. Now I have someone to "walk me" every day.
Have a nice Thursday.
Mary
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Tuesday already. It was a quiet day here on Hunters Glen Drive. We didn't have to go ANYWHERE. What a thrill. Tomorrow, I will lunch with Betsy, my brother George's wife, and Betsy's mother, Dorothy. Betsy will be going back home to Texas next Monday. It will be pleasant to spend some time with her.
Betsy and George graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School 35 years ago. George and Betsy started dating in high school and married a couple of years later while George was in the service. I remember trying to call home during that time and knowing that if the phone was busy for a long time, Betsy and George were talking. They went to school all day, then George worked. Then they would get on the phone until bed time.
A friend sent me the following, I thought I would share with all of you because it is SO FUNNY!
Enjoy.
Diet/Exercise Questions answered by a noted Dietician:
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this
true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it. Don't
waste
them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your
heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend
the
life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a
nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay
and
corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than
an
efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need
grain?
Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass, a green leafy
vegetable. And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily
allowance of vegetable slop.
Q: Is beer or wine bad for me?
A: Look, it goes to the earlier point about fruits and vegetables. As
we
all know, scientists divide everything in the world into three
categories:
animal, mineral, and vegetable. We all know that beer and wine are not
animal or mineral, so that only leaves one thing, right? My advice:
Have a
burger and a beer and enjoy your vegetables.
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body, and you have body fat, your ratio is one
to
one. If you have the weight of two bodies, your ratio is two to one,
etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular
exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No
Pain...Good.
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil.
How
could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the
middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You
should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO .. Cocoa beans ... another vegetable!!! It's
the best feel-good food around!
Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had
about food, exercise, and diets. So, have a cookie.
One more thing... "When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and
salt."
Betsy and George graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School 35 years ago. George and Betsy started dating in high school and married a couple of years later while George was in the service. I remember trying to call home during that time and knowing that if the phone was busy for a long time, Betsy and George were talking. They went to school all day, then George worked. Then they would get on the phone until bed time.
A friend sent me the following, I thought I would share with all of you because it is SO FUNNY!
Enjoy.
Diet/Exercise Questions answered by a noted Dietician:
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this
true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it. Don't
waste
them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your
heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend
the
life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a
nap.
Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay
and
corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than
an
efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need
grain?
Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass, a green leafy
vegetable. And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily
allowance of vegetable slop.
Q: Is beer or wine bad for me?
A: Look, it goes to the earlier point about fruits and vegetables. As
we
all know, scientists divide everything in the world into three
categories:
animal, mineral, and vegetable. We all know that beer and wine are not
animal or mineral, so that only leaves one thing, right? My advice:
Have a
burger and a beer and enjoy your vegetables.
Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body, and you have body fat, your ratio is one
to
one. If you have the weight of two bodies, your ratio is two to one,
etc.
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular
exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No
Pain...Good.
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil.
How
could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the
middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You
should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO .. Cocoa beans ... another vegetable!!! It's
the best feel-good food around!
Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had
about food, exercise, and diets. So, have a cookie.
One more thing... "When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and
salt."
Monday, July 19, 2004
Congratulate me!!! I shot league at the Sheboygan Falls Conservation Club with Rosalie tonight. I had not shot for two weeks, of course, since we were on vacation last Monday. Rosalie and I shot twice because we needed to catch up. My first round was not good. I shot a 10 and was a bit discouraged.
BUT we shot the catch up round. I started in figuring that I couldn't do any worse and by gumbo - I got an 18. This is my all time high. I got ONE other 18 last summer out at the club across from my brother Jeff's house. (I was really glad of that, as I was so afraid that I was really going to look dumb in front of my brothers.) Anyway, I am all excited now.
Bible study resumed today. There were six of us there so most people are back after our two week hiatus. We really got into a discussion of the child abuse by the clergy. It was fresh on our mind because last week the Milwaukee Archdiocese published a list of all the priests, past and present, that had been accused and were proved to have abused children. We were doubly upset because it seems that St. Mary (now Blessed Trinity) has had its share serving us. Three on the list were assigned here over the years. We feel that the parishioners have to be willing to face the fact. There seems to be a lot of denial going around. We need to be alert and not be blind to the fact that priests are people too. When they do wrong, they need to face the consequences, legal and otherwise. And being a priest should not arouse any more or any less suspicion than any other person. I liked Psalm 37, verses 7 through 9.
7. Leave it to the Lord,
and wait for him;
Be not vexed at the successful path of the man who does malicious deeds.
8. Give up your anger, and forsake wrath;
be not vexed, it will only harm you.
9. For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land.
I am starting to get tired now. It has been a busy day. We had temperatures of 84 or more today but the rain they threatened us with did not come. I am just as happy that we are not getting 90s and 100s like Bret, Bart and Leslie. I noticed a few blossoms on my tomato plants on the deck. Yippee. Of course every year, I get a couple but my crops are usually pretty pitiful. Maybe, this is my year.
Tomorrow
Mary
BUT we shot the catch up round. I started in figuring that I couldn't do any worse and by gumbo - I got an 18. This is my all time high. I got ONE other 18 last summer out at the club across from my brother Jeff's house. (I was really glad of that, as I was so afraid that I was really going to look dumb in front of my brothers.) Anyway, I am all excited now.
Bible study resumed today. There were six of us there so most people are back after our two week hiatus. We really got into a discussion of the child abuse by the clergy. It was fresh on our mind because last week the Milwaukee Archdiocese published a list of all the priests, past and present, that had been accused and were proved to have abused children. We were doubly upset because it seems that St. Mary (now Blessed Trinity) has had its share serving us. Three on the list were assigned here over the years. We feel that the parishioners have to be willing to face the fact. There seems to be a lot of denial going around. We need to be alert and not be blind to the fact that priests are people too. When they do wrong, they need to face the consequences, legal and otherwise. And being a priest should not arouse any more or any less suspicion than any other person. I liked Psalm 37, verses 7 through 9.
7. Leave it to the Lord,
and wait for him;
Be not vexed at the successful path of the man who does malicious deeds.
8. Give up your anger, and forsake wrath;
be not vexed, it will only harm you.
9. For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land.
I am starting to get tired now. It has been a busy day. We had temperatures of 84 or more today but the rain they threatened us with did not come. I am just as happy that we are not getting 90s and 100s like Bret, Bart and Leslie. I noticed a few blossoms on my tomato plants on the deck. Yippee. Of course every year, I get a couple but my crops are usually pretty pitiful. Maybe, this is my year.
Tomorrow
Mary
Sunday, July 18, 2004
I hope somebody missed me this week.
It was a wonderful week for Dick and me. We drove over the top of Lake Superior. Each day we stopped at a different place of interest. We saw a freshwater aquarium, two lighthouses, an old fort, and took a tour of the locks at Sault Ste Marie. Wow. What a lot of territory to cover.
It is good to be home though, and to be welcomed so eagerly by a white dog and not so eagerly by two silly cats.
Dick and I decided that we do like Canada. The country, at least above Lake Superior is really beautiful and we only saw a bit of it. The people are really friendly too. We found the food and accomodations to be very similar to the US. Not unexpected. We realized that the Canadians do not have a "food". Not like Italian, or Mexican or German. Even American. We have our hot dogs and apple pie. But the Canadians do not have a kind of food. But they have good food. At least we found a lot of good food.
Anyway, here we are, home again and glad to be here. What is it about traveling. A person wants to get away, so badly and then are so very happy to be home again.
This week, I will try to get a picture or two on the site for you to see some of the beautiful sites that we saw.
Have a good Monday.
Love
Mary
The currency exchange was a bit confusing as their coins AND bills are somewhat similar but an American Dollar is worth about $1.30 Canadian dollars. It is startling to fill up your tank and put in(as an example) 58 L at .895 totalling $52.
It was a wonderful week for Dick and me. We drove over the top of Lake Superior. Each day we stopped at a different place of interest. We saw a freshwater aquarium, two lighthouses, an old fort, and took a tour of the locks at Sault Ste Marie. Wow. What a lot of territory to cover.
It is good to be home though, and to be welcomed so eagerly by a white dog and not so eagerly by two silly cats.
Dick and I decided that we do like Canada. The country, at least above Lake Superior is really beautiful and we only saw a bit of it. The people are really friendly too. We found the food and accomodations to be very similar to the US. Not unexpected. We realized that the Canadians do not have a "food". Not like Italian, or Mexican or German. Even American. We have our hot dogs and apple pie. But the Canadians do not have a kind of food. But they have good food. At least we found a lot of good food.
Anyway, here we are, home again and glad to be here. What is it about traveling. A person wants to get away, so badly and then are so very happy to be home again.
This week, I will try to get a picture or two on the site for you to see some of the beautiful sites that we saw.
Have a good Monday.
Love
Mary
The currency exchange was a bit confusing as their coins AND bills are somewhat similar but an American Dollar is worth about $1.30 Canadian dollars. It is startling to fill up your tank and put in(as an example) 58 L at .895 totalling $52.
Saturday, July 10, 2004
This will be my last post UNTIL 7/18/04. We are leaving tomorrow for CANADA. I have only been there twice before. Once JUST over the border and once on our trip to the New England States where we spent some time at Niagra Falls. I have some beautiful pictures of the Falls. That is not hard to do. They are truly spectacular.
Anyway, this trip will take us in to Ontario. I understand that it is a pretty rustic countryside so it should be colorful and I will take lots of picture. I really should clear the current card.
Anyway, I will report in 7 days. Have a good week and (From Cadfael.) "Sleep easy, for God is awake."
Mary
Anyway, this trip will take us in to Ontario. I understand that it is a pretty rustic countryside so it should be colorful and I will take lots of picture. I really should clear the current card.
Anyway, I will report in 7 days. Have a good week and (From Cadfael.) "Sleep easy, for God is awake."
Mary
Friday, July 09, 2004
Busy day. We took the car in for maintenance this morning, I had my hair cut. I went to lunch in Plymouth with the Wells Fargo people.
This evening I joined Patti Cedzo, a friend, for a fish boil at the Sheboygan County Historical Museum. Dick and Jim do not like fish so it was a real pleasure for me to be able to go to one of these. We went through the museum grounds and part of the museum proper after we ate. I was delighted to see in the pictoral history of Sheboygan under the Mead Library section a nice picture of Dick. Most of you know, but some might not that Dick was the director of Mead Public Library for over 25 years and was responsible for it being listed as one of the top libraries in the country under his direction. He can be very proud. I know that we are.
I fixed Schlitzhagen this week. I was just hungry for it. Mom used to make it when I was a kid so it is a "comfort food." Dad would occasionally bring home a bucket of chicken broth and this was one way Mom would use it for really good meals. (The meatball part is basically my meatloaf recipe.)
SCHLITZHAGEN
3 lb. ground beef
1 large onion
1 egg
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (I like to butter and and sprinkle garlic on white
bread, dry it in the oven then grind into crumbs.)
Salt and Pepper
Chicken Broth about a quart.
Start warming the chicken broth in a Dutch oven.
Mix the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Form into meatballs and roll in flour. Brown the meatballs in a frying pan and drop into the hot chicken broth. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes until the meatballs are done. Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked noodles.
Enjoy
Love
Mary
This evening I joined Patti Cedzo, a friend, for a fish boil at the Sheboygan County Historical Museum. Dick and Jim do not like fish so it was a real pleasure for me to be able to go to one of these. We went through the museum grounds and part of the museum proper after we ate. I was delighted to see in the pictoral history of Sheboygan under the Mead Library section a nice picture of Dick. Most of you know, but some might not that Dick was the director of Mead Public Library for over 25 years and was responsible for it being listed as one of the top libraries in the country under his direction. He can be very proud. I know that we are.
I fixed Schlitzhagen this week. I was just hungry for it. Mom used to make it when I was a kid so it is a "comfort food." Dad would occasionally bring home a bucket of chicken broth and this was one way Mom would use it for really good meals. (The meatball part is basically my meatloaf recipe.)
SCHLITZHAGEN
3 lb. ground beef
1 large onion
1 egg
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (I like to butter and and sprinkle garlic on white
bread, dry it in the oven then grind into crumbs.)
Salt and Pepper
Chicken Broth about a quart.
Start warming the chicken broth in a Dutch oven.
Mix the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Form into meatballs and roll in flour. Brown the meatballs in a frying pan and drop into the hot chicken broth. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes until the meatballs are done. Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked noodles.
Enjoy
Love
Mary
Thursday, July 08, 2004
In two more days we will leave on our trip to Canada. I am really looking forward to it. Donna wondered how Dick and I were going to stand each other for 8 days alone together in a car. But we always enjoy these trips and it has been a while since we took such a long one.
These last two days have been very pleasant with the trip to Green Bay yesterday and then today a nice lunch and visit with my brother George and his wife Betsy. Feel good days help through the not so nice ones. Mother and Betsy's Mother Dorothy were here too. It was fun.
Love
Mary
These last two days have been very pleasant with the trip to Green Bay yesterday and then today a nice lunch and visit with my brother George and his wife Betsy. Feel good days help through the not so nice ones. Mother and Betsy's Mother Dorothy were here too. It was fun.
Love
Mary
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
We went up to Green Bay to tour Lambeau Field today. We had gone on a similar tour several years ago before the big removation and expansion. We were impressed. It is HUGE. We got to sit in a sky box AND down in the bleachers. An interesting fact is that Lambeau is probably the only field in the leagues with no backor arm rests on the bleacher seats. During the renovations it was discussed BUT they would have LOST 11000 seats. Since there is long long waiting list for season tickets,only a few season tickets become available every year and they ALWAYS have the stadium packed, they quickly decided against the back and arm rests.
We had a great lunch too. One of the best carrot cakes I have ever tasted.
I got home in time to fix the pie crust for the blueberry pie, the sauce for my lunch and a couple small loaves of lavendar bread. My brother George is coming for lunch tomorrow with Betsy and her Mom and my Mom. George and I were discussing uses for herbs and I had mentioned my lavendar bread. I will serve it with thyme jelly. Cute! Huh?
Have a nice evening.
Mary
We had a great lunch too. One of the best carrot cakes I have ever tasted.
I got home in time to fix the pie crust for the blueberry pie, the sauce for my lunch and a couple small loaves of lavendar bread. My brother George is coming for lunch tomorrow with Betsy and her Mom and my Mom. George and I were discussing uses for herbs and I had mentioned my lavendar bread. I will serve it with thyme jelly. Cute! Huh?
Have a nice evening.
Mary
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
I come from a family of poets. I was thinking of this today. My friend Janet had mentioned Mattie Stepanek, a 13 year old poet, who died of muscular dystophy in June. She also mentioned that she still has a copy of the book, Castle Mount, that was published of my brother Matt's poems after his death at age 17.
However, my Dad was also a poet. I know I have put at least one of his in here and also my brother Jeff does at least one a year while out deer hunting.
The most prolific is George though. He put together a book for the family that he called Old Red House in which he gathered poems and witty quotations and poems of his own for each of us and his wife Betsy, his children and himself. I will add the poem he wrote about me for you to enjoy. We seldom know what influence or impressions we make on little people. George was probably six or seven when I went FAR away to California.
FEELING BIG
by George Deeley (My Brother)
A modern Marco Polo
Off to far away
Missing me the most of all
She told me so on leaving
West Coast adventures outlined
In a score of timely letters
Written just for me, of course
I saw my name within 'em
Gifts and food of foreign lands
High on the reunion
Speechless through the whole affair
Absorbing the attention
Even there to tuck me in
This person of the world
To spend the time on meager me
I must be so important!
Love
Mary
However, my Dad was also a poet. I know I have put at least one of his in here and also my brother Jeff does at least one a year while out deer hunting.
The most prolific is George though. He put together a book for the family that he called Old Red House in which he gathered poems and witty quotations and poems of his own for each of us and his wife Betsy, his children and himself. I will add the poem he wrote about me for you to enjoy. We seldom know what influence or impressions we make on little people. George was probably six or seven when I went FAR away to California.
FEELING BIG
by George Deeley (My Brother)
A modern Marco Polo
Off to far away
Missing me the most of all
She told me so on leaving
West Coast adventures outlined
In a score of timely letters
Written just for me, of course
I saw my name within 'em
Gifts and food of foreign lands
High on the reunion
Speechless through the whole affair
Absorbing the attention
Even there to tuck me in
This person of the world
To spend the time on meager me
I must be so important!
Love
Mary
When we are growing up we never know til much later or not at all, the impressions and the influence we have on the young people we come in contact with.
I was reminded of that today. A friend mentioned Mattie Stepanak, a young poet, who died at the age of 13 of muscular dystrophy. Janet, my friend, told me that she still has the book Castle Mount, a collection of my brother Matt Deeley's poems. He died at the age of 17 some 33 years ago.
On a brighter note, I decided to share the fact that poetry seems to run in the family. I do write it but my brother Jeff is starting to dabble a bit and my brother George also is quite a poet. He put together a little book for the family called Old Red House, in which he assembled and wrote poetry and bits of wisdom about each member of our family.
It is great and this is how I found out how I must have looked to him, a little boy, when I flew off to California and would come home for visits. The following is his poem about me.
FEELING BIG by George Deeley
A modern Marco Polo
Off to far away
Missing me the most of all
She told me so on leaving
West Coast adventures outlined
In a score of timely letters
Written just for me, of course
I saw my name within 'em
Gifts and food of foreign lands
High on the reunion
Speechless through the whole affair
Absorbing the attention
Even there to tuck me in
This person of the world
To spend the time on meager me
I must be so important!
Wow, I am so glad that I could make a little guy feel special.
Mary
I was reminded of that today. A friend mentioned Mattie Stepanak, a young poet, who died at the age of 13 of muscular dystrophy. Janet, my friend, told me that she still has the book Castle Mount, a collection of my brother Matt Deeley's poems. He died at the age of 17 some 33 years ago.
On a brighter note, I decided to share the fact that poetry seems to run in the family. I do write it but my brother Jeff is starting to dabble a bit and my brother George also is quite a poet. He put together a little book for the family called Old Red House, in which he assembled and wrote poetry and bits of wisdom about each member of our family.
It is great and this is how I found out how I must have looked to him, a little boy, when I flew off to California and would come home for visits. The following is his poem about me.
FEELING BIG by George Deeley
A modern Marco Polo
Off to far away
Missing me the most of all
She told me so on leaving
West Coast adventures outlined
In a score of timely letters
Written just for me, of course
I saw my name within 'em
Gifts and food of foreign lands
High on the reunion
Speechless through the whole affair
Absorbing the attention
Even there to tuck me in
This person of the world
To spend the time on meager me
I must be so important!
Wow, I am so glad that I could make a little guy feel special.
Mary
When we are growing up we never know til much later or not at all, the impressions and the influence we have on the young people we come in contact with.
I was reminded of that today. A friend mentioned Mattie Stepanak, a young poet, who died at the age of 13 of muscular dystrophy. Janet, my friend, told me that she still has the book Castle Mount, a collection of my brother Matt Deeley's poems. He died at the age of 17 some 33 years ago.
On a brighter note, I decided to share the fact that poetry seems to run in the family. I do write it but my brother Jeff is starting to dabble a bit and my brother George also is quite a poet. He put together a little book for the family called Old Red House, in which he assembled and wrote poetry and bits of wisdom about each member of our family.
It is great and this is how I found out how I must have looked to him, a little boy, when I flew off to California and would come home for visits. The following is his poem about me.
FEELING BIG by George Deeley
A modern Marco Polo
Off to far away
Missing me the most of all
She told me so on leaving
West Coast adventures outlined
In a score of timely letters
Written just for me, of course
I saw my name within 'em
Gifts and food of foreign lands
High on the reunion
Speechless through the whole affair
Absorbing the attention
Even there to tuck me in
This person of the world
To spend the time on meager me
I must be so important!
Wow, I am so glad that I could make a little guy feel special.
Mary
I was reminded of that today. A friend mentioned Mattie Stepanak, a young poet, who died at the age of 13 of muscular dystrophy. Janet, my friend, told me that she still has the book Castle Mount, a collection of my brother Matt Deeley's poems. He died at the age of 17 some 33 years ago.
On a brighter note, I decided to share the fact that poetry seems to run in the family. I do write it but my brother Jeff is starting to dabble a bit and my brother George also is quite a poet. He put together a little book for the family called Old Red House, in which he assembled and wrote poetry and bits of wisdom about each member of our family.
It is great and this is how I found out how I must have looked to him, a little boy, when I flew off to California and would come home for visits. The following is his poem about me.
FEELING BIG by George Deeley
A modern Marco Polo
Off to far away
Missing me the most of all
She told me so on leaving
West Coast adventures outlined
In a score of timely letters
Written just for me, of course
I saw my name within 'em
Gifts and food of foreign lands
High on the reunion
Speechless through the whole affair
Absorbing the attention
Even there to tuck me in
This person of the world
To spend the time on meager me
I must be so important!
Wow, I am so glad that I could make a little guy feel special.
Mary
Monday, July 05, 2004
Whew. What a full day.
Yesterday, Bobbie gave me enough of her rhubarb for two gallons of wine. When I was looking for the recipe, I found a recipe that I apparently had printed a couple years ago for Lemon Balm Wine. Lemon Balm was in my brain because my brother George is going to work in Mother's herb garden and one of his major tasks will be to dig out most of the lemon balm. (For those of you not familiar with lemon balm it is a herb that smells wonderful much as mint does. However, it will take over a whole garden if left to its own devices much as mint will and has been known to pop up far away from the original planting. I have been trying to keep mine in a pot on the deck but it keeps appearing in odd places in the gardens.) Before he dug it up, it I decided to harvest enough for a gallon of wine. If it tastes good, I will make more next year. I will let you know.
I also washed and chopped the rhubarb and put it in the freezer. Now when we get back from Sault Ste Marie, I can start that batch. The recipes say that it is best to freeze rhubarb before making wine from it. I would imagine it breaks down the fibers a bit.
Then tonight, I went trap shooting with Rosalie. I met her two daughters, Laura and Lana. they are both lovely and one of them looks just like her. Rosalie shot two 21s. Pretty good. I shot a 14 and followed it up with a 10. My improving is slow but I guess I am getting there. After vacation, I think I'll go to Rhine on Sundays and see if I can practice if Bill is there. He is a guy who teaches high school trap shooters and is very helpful to me.
No word from Oklahoma. I am really afraid to call. Please pray that the house was approved and that they are moving in.
Love
Mary
Yesterday, Bobbie gave me enough of her rhubarb for two gallons of wine. When I was looking for the recipe, I found a recipe that I apparently had printed a couple years ago for Lemon Balm Wine. Lemon Balm was in my brain because my brother George is going to work in Mother's herb garden and one of his major tasks will be to dig out most of the lemon balm. (For those of you not familiar with lemon balm it is a herb that smells wonderful much as mint does. However, it will take over a whole garden if left to its own devices much as mint will and has been known to pop up far away from the original planting. I have been trying to keep mine in a pot on the deck but it keeps appearing in odd places in the gardens.) Before he dug it up, it I decided to harvest enough for a gallon of wine. If it tastes good, I will make more next year. I will let you know.
I also washed and chopped the rhubarb and put it in the freezer. Now when we get back from Sault Ste Marie, I can start that batch. The recipes say that it is best to freeze rhubarb before making wine from it. I would imagine it breaks down the fibers a bit.
Then tonight, I went trap shooting with Rosalie. I met her two daughters, Laura and Lana. they are both lovely and one of them looks just like her. Rosalie shot two 21s. Pretty good. I shot a 14 and followed it up with a 10. My improving is slow but I guess I am getting there. After vacation, I think I'll go to Rhine on Sundays and see if I can practice if Bill is there. He is a guy who teaches high school trap shooters and is very helpful to me.
No word from Oklahoma. I am really afraid to call. Please pray that the house was approved and that they are moving in.
Love
Mary
Sunday, July 04, 2004
Such a nice July 4th. It was quiet all day, and then we went over to Bobbie and Bill's house for dinner. We had scalloped potatoes and ham and a DELICIOUS peach pie. Chelsea was so delighted to go. She loves riding and visiting Bobbie.
She was so funny. Bobbie and Bill bought her a rawhide bone a couple of year ago. She always finds it the minute she gets there and chews it for a while. Bobbie had moved it when she painted the living room (which looks just great) and we searched for about 15 minutes for that bone. Chelsea was running all over and looking in all corners and under everything. Just to show you where animals are on the Kunert priority chain. We were offered our drinks AFTER we found Chelsea's bone.
I am going to have Guests for lunch on Thursday. Actually it is family, George and Betsy, Dorothy Holden ( Betsy's mother) and my Mom. I am really trying to figure out what to fix but know for sure that I will make blueberry pie. I have the very best blueberry pie recipe.
THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE IN THE WORLD
1 baked 9 inch pie shell
4 cups blueberries
Glaze: 2/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 heaping tablespoons corn starch
1 cup blueberries
Place 4 cups blueberries in pie shell and set aside. In a saucepan, combine the glaze ingredient. Cook until thick and clear, stirring frequently, about 10 to 12 minutes. Pour over the berries in the pie crust, cool and refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.
YUM YUM YUM
Love
Mary
She was so funny. Bobbie and Bill bought her a rawhide bone a couple of year ago. She always finds it the minute she gets there and chews it for a while. Bobbie had moved it when she painted the living room (which looks just great) and we searched for about 15 minutes for that bone. Chelsea was running all over and looking in all corners and under everything. Just to show you where animals are on the Kunert priority chain. We were offered our drinks AFTER we found Chelsea's bone.
I am going to have Guests for lunch on Thursday. Actually it is family, George and Betsy, Dorothy Holden ( Betsy's mother) and my Mom. I am really trying to figure out what to fix but know for sure that I will make blueberry pie. I have the very best blueberry pie recipe.
THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE IN THE WORLD
1 baked 9 inch pie shell
4 cups blueberries
Glaze: 2/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 heaping tablespoons corn starch
1 cup blueberries
Place 4 cups blueberries in pie shell and set aside. In a saucepan, combine the glaze ingredient. Cook until thick and clear, stirring frequently, about 10 to 12 minutes. Pour over the berries in the pie crust, cool and refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.
YUM YUM YUM
Love
Mary
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Aunt Kathleen's 80th birthday party was just wonderful. There were SO many people there. And we are all related. I saw cousins that I had not seen since they were just little and cousin's children that I had just heard about.
I saw my godson, Jim Ayers, who lives in Texas, and his wife and three children. I told him a story. Daddy and I were his baptism sponsers. After the ceremony, Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Leo had a party to celebrate the event at their home. This was quite a party. The Ayers had 6 children, including Jimmy. There were nine of us.
Randy, my youngest brother, was about three years old and a spoiled little person was he. He is 16 years younger than I am. Of course, everybody was raving over this beautiful baby Jimmy, the star of the party. Apparantly, Randy finally had enough of that. He was used to being the center of attention. He walked over to the bassinet, looked Jim over carefully and stalked off with the following statement. "He doesn't have any teeth."
Hope your day was as good as mine.
Love
Mary
I saw my godson, Jim Ayers, who lives in Texas, and his wife and three children. I told him a story. Daddy and I were his baptism sponsers. After the ceremony, Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Leo had a party to celebrate the event at their home. This was quite a party. The Ayers had 6 children, including Jimmy. There were nine of us.
Randy, my youngest brother, was about three years old and a spoiled little person was he. He is 16 years younger than I am. Of course, everybody was raving over this beautiful baby Jimmy, the star of the party. Apparantly, Randy finally had enough of that. He was used to being the center of attention. He walked over to the bassinet, looked Jim over carefully and stalked off with the following statement. "He doesn't have any teeth."
Hope your day was as good as mine.
Love
Mary
Friday, July 02, 2004
Marlon Brando died this morning. Such a talent. Dick put it in perspective. I was commenting on the fact that he had let himself go in the past 10 to 20 years and Dick pointed out that the man was 80 years old. At 80, any person has had a long life. He "did it his way." He also left something of himself behind on film and with his children, all and all not a bad legacy.
Tomorrow, poor Chelsea will get a bath. She is quite dingy and has a spot of something or other on her ear. I must do it tomorrow because we have been invited over to Bobbie and Bill's for the Fourth of July and we could not possibly take a dirty puppy to visit "the Goddess". We refer to Bobbie as the Goddess because Chelsea adores her.
I will end with a quote from Cadfael. I do find the daily readings form the Book of Days to be always interesting and often pertinant. This was from June 18.
"If there must be fighting, if there must be deaths, let it happen as God wills, not as ambitious and evil men contrive. Those lives we cannot save, at least let us not help to destroy."
With all the talk of war, death penalty and abortion it seems very timely.
Love
Mary
Tomorrow, poor Chelsea will get a bath. She is quite dingy and has a spot of something or other on her ear. I must do it tomorrow because we have been invited over to Bobbie and Bill's for the Fourth of July and we could not possibly take a dirty puppy to visit "the Goddess". We refer to Bobbie as the Goddess because Chelsea adores her.
I will end with a quote from Cadfael. I do find the daily readings form the Book of Days to be always interesting and often pertinant. This was from June 18.
"If there must be fighting, if there must be deaths, let it happen as God wills, not as ambitious and evil men contrive. Those lives we cannot save, at least let us not help to destroy."
With all the talk of war, death penalty and abortion it seems very timely.
Love
Mary
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Mother and I went to pick up her new eyeglasses today. Boy do they look nice. She has them JUST in time for Saturday, which is the day we will be celebrating my Aunt Kathleen's 80th birthday. I hope everybody notices the change. They are pretty obvious with no frames around the glass and just a touch of color on the side provided by very delicate bows.
Aunt Kathleen was actually 80 in January but she and Uncle Bob were "south" for the winter so her children are having this surprise party on Saturday. Uncle Pat and Aunt Joan will pick Mother up for the dinner. Aunt Kathleen has seven children with spouses and grandchildren. Later there is a reception to which EVERYBODY is invited. It will be good to see all the cousins again. We do get along. They are part of what I consider Comfort People. We may not see each other often but we are part of each other's roots and core and history and time does not separate but just waits for us to be together again.
Mom and I picked up a few plants at a nursery on the way. She is so disappointed in her garden. It does look rather pitiful. We purchased more petunia, marigolds, salvias and some herbs to fill in her herb garden. Hopefully the weather will continue warm and things will begin to grow and produce.
I stopped at church after I dropped her off and lit another two candles at the St. Joseph Statue. I want him to keep interceding for a quick sale of Bart and Barb's house in De Pere. They are close to closing on one in Oklahoma. They were going to rent but are finding that it is JUST as cheap to buy. Prayers for a quick resolution of that too. Please.
Well, I believe I will go down to the den and continue quilting my Flying Geese quilt. I have a goal. I want all the geese quilted before we go to Canada.
Have a nice evening.
Mary
Aunt Kathleen was actually 80 in January but she and Uncle Bob were "south" for the winter so her children are having this surprise party on Saturday. Uncle Pat and Aunt Joan will pick Mother up for the dinner. Aunt Kathleen has seven children with spouses and grandchildren. Later there is a reception to which EVERYBODY is invited. It will be good to see all the cousins again. We do get along. They are part of what I consider Comfort People. We may not see each other often but we are part of each other's roots and core and history and time does not separate but just waits for us to be together again.
Mom and I picked up a few plants at a nursery on the way. She is so disappointed in her garden. It does look rather pitiful. We purchased more petunia, marigolds, salvias and some herbs to fill in her herb garden. Hopefully the weather will continue warm and things will begin to grow and produce.
I stopped at church after I dropped her off and lit another two candles at the St. Joseph Statue. I want him to keep interceding for a quick sale of Bart and Barb's house in De Pere. They are close to closing on one in Oklahoma. They were going to rent but are finding that it is JUST as cheap to buy. Prayers for a quick resolution of that too. Please.
Well, I believe I will go down to the den and continue quilting my Flying Geese quilt. I have a goal. I want all the geese quilted before we go to Canada.
Have a nice evening.
Mary
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
I thought I would talk about bunnies today. There is a reason.
Years ago, Aunt Nonnie trained a little bunnie to actually come and eat out of her fingers. It was quite cute. Aunt Nonnie was a strange little person but she did love babies and animals.
The nest story I have to tell is a sad one.
I was walking with Chelsea this morning and ran into a gentleman in front of his house. He told me that he had let his son's dog out the back door that morning and immediately saw a mother bunny running away trying to distract the dog. Then he saw several babies running the opposite direction just as the dog saw them. A couple of the babies were killed by the dog and he felt so bad. It is hard to be angry with a dog who is just acting according to his nature. And we certainly are not going to miss a bunny or two in this neighborhood. But one does feel so bad that a poor little creature dies so violently.
Zero, my previous dog, did that once. He got a baby bunny coming out of its hole and he was terribly proud. He carried it all the way home and immediately forgot about it.
One day, shortley after we moved to this address, Chelsea and I took a walk around the house and as rounded the corner, I saw a baby bunny huddled up next to the house. Chelsea is NO hunter and is not too observant either. Thank Heavens. I was so startled and when it didn't move, I reached down and stroked its little back. It was trembling and absolutely paralized with fear. All I could see was a grey little body and big black eyes. Then I suddenly realized that if Chelsea DID see it she would hurt it just by exuberance so we continued on our way.
So two stories of life and two of death. All part of the scheme of things I guess.
Mother's neighbor found a rabbit's nest in her garden last year. She decided that she was going to just dispose of those babies before they could grow to become destroyers of her plants. She lifted them out of the nest and set them aside. Then she looked at them and they were so cute that she put them back. I like that. Three stories of life are better than two.
D. H. Lawrence said that "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself."
Mary
Years ago, Aunt Nonnie trained a little bunnie to actually come and eat out of her fingers. It was quite cute. Aunt Nonnie was a strange little person but she did love babies and animals.
The nest story I have to tell is a sad one.
I was walking with Chelsea this morning and ran into a gentleman in front of his house. He told me that he had let his son's dog out the back door that morning and immediately saw a mother bunny running away trying to distract the dog. Then he saw several babies running the opposite direction just as the dog saw them. A couple of the babies were killed by the dog and he felt so bad. It is hard to be angry with a dog who is just acting according to his nature. And we certainly are not going to miss a bunny or two in this neighborhood. But one does feel so bad that a poor little creature dies so violently.
Zero, my previous dog, did that once. He got a baby bunny coming out of its hole and he was terribly proud. He carried it all the way home and immediately forgot about it.
One day, shortley after we moved to this address, Chelsea and I took a walk around the house and as rounded the corner, I saw a baby bunny huddled up next to the house. Chelsea is NO hunter and is not too observant either. Thank Heavens. I was so startled and when it didn't move, I reached down and stroked its little back. It was trembling and absolutely paralized with fear. All I could see was a grey little body and big black eyes. Then I suddenly realized that if Chelsea DID see it she would hurt it just by exuberance so we continued on our way.
So two stories of life and two of death. All part of the scheme of things I guess.
Mother's neighbor found a rabbit's nest in her garden last year. She decided that she was going to just dispose of those babies before they could grow to become destroyers of her plants. She lifted them out of the nest and set them aside. Then she looked at them and they were so cute that she put them back. I like that. Three stories of life are better than two.
D. H. Lawrence said that "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself."
Mary
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Another sunny beautiful day. It WAS supposed to rain. Perverse as weather is, it did not. We delayed sealing the deck because of the projection. I am just as glad to have had a day off. Wielding a paintbrush is not my idea of a great time. We will hit it again tomorrow and with any luck at all will get it finished.
I remember an incident that happened years ago when Bret was trying out for Little League. They used to get the coaches together and all the kids would show their skills at hitting, fielding, throwing etc and the coaches would try to build a core team.
At one point a swarm of boys, including Bret, were gathered in the left field area just kind of milling around while another group of boys were being pitched to in order to show their batting ability. One of the batters really caught one and it flew up and into the swarm of boys - who scattered. Except for Bret. He stood firm and caught the ball. That is Bret. He sees a need and fills it.
The Huntington Beach Little League had a food trailer in one corner of the field. All parents were required to work it at some point of the season. We all ate there too. With two boys, we ate there as much as three meals a week. The menu was simple but inventive. We would heat chili in a crock pot. We heated hot dogs in a microwave. You could jazz up your hot dog with shredded cheese or the chili or both. We had tortilla chips. You could have them plain. Or you could jazz up them with a scoop of chili and/or with melted shredded cheese. Aren't you impressed? We also had candy bars and popcorn.
"See! How I have loved you. I have carved you on the palm of my hand." One of my favorite passages from the Old Testiment.
Hope your tomorrow is great. Enjoy and remember to treat yourself like the special person that you are.
Mary
I remember an incident that happened years ago when Bret was trying out for Little League. They used to get the coaches together and all the kids would show their skills at hitting, fielding, throwing etc and the coaches would try to build a core team.
At one point a swarm of boys, including Bret, were gathered in the left field area just kind of milling around while another group of boys were being pitched to in order to show their batting ability. One of the batters really caught one and it flew up and into the swarm of boys - who scattered. Except for Bret. He stood firm and caught the ball. That is Bret. He sees a need and fills it.
The Huntington Beach Little League had a food trailer in one corner of the field. All parents were required to work it at some point of the season. We all ate there too. With two boys, we ate there as much as three meals a week. The menu was simple but inventive. We would heat chili in a crock pot. We heated hot dogs in a microwave. You could jazz up your hot dog with shredded cheese or the chili or both. We had tortilla chips. You could have them plain. Or you could jazz up them with a scoop of chili and/or with melted shredded cheese. Aren't you impressed? We also had candy bars and popcorn.
"See! How I have loved you. I have carved you on the palm of my hand." One of my favorite passages from the Old Testiment.
Hope your tomorrow is great. Enjoy and remember to treat yourself like the special person that you are.
Mary
Monday, June 28, 2004
I talked today to another reader of my "Blog". It makes me want it to be more interesting. I do try.
Pretty exciting news today. The govenment in Iraq has been turned over to the Interim Iraqui rulers. Early. Probably a very wise move as a public ceremony well publicized, would have been an invitation to the terrorists. The terrorists have no compassion and seem to see no further than their own self centered agendas. I cannot conceive of a society that will decapitate innocent bystanders in their country who seem to be a part of the peacekeepers and a part of the rebuilders of the country.
The Psalms we are studying in the Monday morning bible study speak of persecution and evil and fear. It is quite interesting to read these words from so many many centuries ago and find that they are still pertinent today. Sometimes they make me feel sad and afraid. But they speak of God's love and his protection too. Psalm 35 verse 6 says " Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them."
I shared a cartoon from Newsweek with the group. It was from the Dayton Daily News by a Peters.
The cartoon shows a church, empty except for one woman. In the pulpit is s a Bishop with a priest standing beside him. The Priest says to the Bishop. "Well, First you banned pro-choice politicians, then pro-choice voters, then stem cell advoctes, then gays, then gay marriage judges, then..." This is excactly how I feel about the bishops demanding that the eucharist be denyed to certain people, such as gay advocates or politicians that have voted for certain bills. The bishops are then telling us that we should not vote or run for office and that we, not God are to be the judges.
Tomorrow, I will tell a story or give you a recipe.
Love
Mary
P. S. I need to find out where the sites are that I need to put pictures on my site. With my new computer. I have lost them. I do have my puppy back.
Pretty exciting news today. The govenment in Iraq has been turned over to the Interim Iraqui rulers. Early. Probably a very wise move as a public ceremony well publicized, would have been an invitation to the terrorists. The terrorists have no compassion and seem to see no further than their own self centered agendas. I cannot conceive of a society that will decapitate innocent bystanders in their country who seem to be a part of the peacekeepers and a part of the rebuilders of the country.
The Psalms we are studying in the Monday morning bible study speak of persecution and evil and fear. It is quite interesting to read these words from so many many centuries ago and find that they are still pertinent today. Sometimes they make me feel sad and afraid. But they speak of God's love and his protection too. Psalm 35 verse 6 says " Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them."
I shared a cartoon from Newsweek with the group. It was from the Dayton Daily News by a Peters.
The cartoon shows a church, empty except for one woman. In the pulpit is s a Bishop with a priest standing beside him. The Priest says to the Bishop. "Well, First you banned pro-choice politicians, then pro-choice voters, then stem cell advoctes, then gays, then gay marriage judges, then..." This is excactly how I feel about the bishops demanding that the eucharist be denyed to certain people, such as gay advocates or politicians that have voted for certain bills. The bishops are then telling us that we should not vote or run for office and that we, not God are to be the judges.
Tomorrow, I will tell a story or give you a recipe.
Love
Mary
P. S. I need to find out where the sites are that I need to put pictures on my site. With my new computer. I have lost them. I do have my puppy back.
Sunday, June 27, 2004
In three weeks we will leave for our vacation to the northern shores of Lake Superior. We will be spending most of the time in Canada, of course. It will be fun to take advantage of having our passports again. I have only used mine for Ireland and Canada. Dick only for Canada. It does make one feel rather cosmopolitan to have one and to actually USE it. We are going to be staying in such places as Thunder Bay and WaWA and Sault Ste. Marie. How fun.
We are about 1/3 done sealing the deck. We couldn't do anything today because there was rain predicted. We are happy to report that is is indeed raining tonight. Otherwise, we sould have wasted a whole day. I just want to get it done with. I only have two more bushes to trim, however, and the yard is looking pretty good. With all the rain, things are growing like crazy.
My brother George and his wife Betsy will be visiting from Houston. We think they will arrive on Friday as there is an event on Saturday that I will tell you about at a later date. George and Betsy were childhood sweethearts in the same grade in school. They dated through most of their high school years and married when they were just a couple of years out of school I know that when they were dating, I used to have an awful time getting through on the phone because they would talk for hours on end and there was no Call Waiting then. "George and Betsy sitting in a tree. K - I - S - S- I - N- G." One true love story. It is always good to see them. I am grateful for easier transportation and ability to travel as our children are now all on their own and we have more free time. This will also be a high school anniversary year for them. So they will be busy while they are here.
Have a nice Monday.
Love
Mary
We are about 1/3 done sealing the deck. We couldn't do anything today because there was rain predicted. We are happy to report that is is indeed raining tonight. Otherwise, we sould have wasted a whole day. I just want to get it done with. I only have two more bushes to trim, however, and the yard is looking pretty good. With all the rain, things are growing like crazy.
My brother George and his wife Betsy will be visiting from Houston. We think they will arrive on Friday as there is an event on Saturday that I will tell you about at a later date. George and Betsy were childhood sweethearts in the same grade in school. They dated through most of their high school years and married when they were just a couple of years out of school I know that when they were dating, I used to have an awful time getting through on the phone because they would talk for hours on end and there was no Call Waiting then. "George and Betsy sitting in a tree. K - I - S - S- I - N- G." One true love story. It is always good to see them. I am grateful for easier transportation and ability to travel as our children are now all on their own and we have more free time. This will also be a high school anniversary year for them. So they will be busy while they are here.
Have a nice Monday.
Love
Mary
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Today was beautiful. The sun shone and the temperatures were just right. In the 70s and it was dry. We went to see Annie at the Fireside. It was a wonderful performance and as usual the lunch was spectacular. We had Caeser Salad, Beef, potatoes and cheese, spaghetti squash, asparagus and pineapple upside down cake.
Pineapple upside down cake is really good. They had a bit of rum in the topping of this one which did seem to add something.
When the boys were young, they played in Little League. Bret was much more dedicated than Bart but they both played. I have pictures and pins that I treasure of both of them at ages from about 6 until they hit 12 or so. One picture of Bret is really unique. The photographer must have had the camera at an odd angle and all of the boys on his team looked like they were about 8 feet tall. During the season, we spent 2 to 4 afternoons and most of Saturday on the ball field. They each practiced at least once and had at least one game each every week. We had fun though doing this together. I was very conflicted when it ended - both sad it was over and glad that it was time to move on to another passage of our lives. They sure were good boys.
Have a good Sunday.
Mary
Pineapple upside down cake is really good. They had a bit of rum in the topping of this one which did seem to add something.
When the boys were young, they played in Little League. Bret was much more dedicated than Bart but they both played. I have pictures and pins that I treasure of both of them at ages from about 6 until they hit 12 or so. One picture of Bret is really unique. The photographer must have had the camera at an odd angle and all of the boys on his team looked like they were about 8 feet tall. During the season, we spent 2 to 4 afternoons and most of Saturday on the ball field. They each practiced at least once and had at least one game each every week. We had fun though doing this together. I was very conflicted when it ended - both sad it was over and glad that it was time to move on to another passage of our lives. They sure were good boys.
Have a good Sunday.
Mary
Friday, June 25, 2004
What a day. Dick and I are sealing the wood on the deck. Icky job but someone has to do it and the wood REALLY needs it. I also ironed and cleanced the kitchen floor. So when I went to Plymouth for lunch with the Wells Fargo people, I was so glad to get away and rest a bit. Tomorrow we are going to the Fireside in Fort Atchinson to see Annie.
We got word today that a tour we were going to take to Louisville KY in August was cancelled because there was not enough interest. We are getting very disappointed because this is the second trip this year that met the same fate. We have decided to go on the first one - Up through Duluth MN into Canada - East to Sault Ste Marie and back south through Marquette MI - then home. Since the tour company planned the route, we are going on our own. I sent for information from Canada so we can make reservations for motels and all.
Maybe I can talk Dick into going on a tour to Washington DC instead. Have never been there you know.
"May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love nesr you,
and all your heart might desire."
An old Irish Prayer for you
Mary
We got word today that a tour we were going to take to Louisville KY in August was cancelled because there was not enough interest. We are getting very disappointed because this is the second trip this year that met the same fate. We have decided to go on the first one - Up through Duluth MN into Canada - East to Sault Ste Marie and back south through Marquette MI - then home. Since the tour company planned the route, we are going on our own. I sent for information from Canada so we can make reservations for motels and all.
Maybe I can talk Dick into going on a tour to Washington DC instead. Have never been there you know.
"May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love nesr you,
and all your heart might desire."
An old Irish Prayer for you
Mary
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital returns to TV tonight. Jim and I are really excited, we can't figure out why they put it off for a whole month to begin with. Dick doesn't watch them so I will go downstairs and watch it on the BIG TV.
I called Barbara today. They are staying with a friend, Bret, who owns a home with all kinds of acreage and animals. While she was talking to me, she saw a huge yellow butterfly. She said that there is a falcon that nests on the property and comes down to visit every day. Sounds like a really wonderful place to be in the mornings. They are looking at a house in a town called Geronimo, about 8 miles from Lawton. Pray that the house in De Pere sells and that they get the one there. It is just too difficult to be staying in someone elses house even if he is not concerned about it.
I remember being very young and going to chuch most weekday mornings. After Mass, I would go over to Grandma and Grandpa Deeley's house and have breakfast with Grandma. She went to Mass Every morning. She introduced me to all kinds of cheeses. Between her and my Mother I really grew to like most cheeses. Aunt Helen wouldn't let her give me limburger. I remember that my ex husband's Aunts Ruth and Lib said that actually if you could get the first bite down, it tasted really good.
Have a nice evening
Mary
I called Barbara today. They are staying with a friend, Bret, who owns a home with all kinds of acreage and animals. While she was talking to me, she saw a huge yellow butterfly. She said that there is a falcon that nests on the property and comes down to visit every day. Sounds like a really wonderful place to be in the mornings. They are looking at a house in a town called Geronimo, about 8 miles from Lawton. Pray that the house in De Pere sells and that they get the one there. It is just too difficult to be staying in someone elses house even if he is not concerned about it.
I remember being very young and going to chuch most weekday mornings. After Mass, I would go over to Grandma and Grandpa Deeley's house and have breakfast with Grandma. She went to Mass Every morning. She introduced me to all kinds of cheeses. Between her and my Mother I really grew to like most cheeses. Aunt Helen wouldn't let her give me limburger. I remember that my ex husband's Aunts Ruth and Lib said that actually if you could get the first bite down, it tasted really good.
Have a nice evening
Mary
We had a tornado warning last night. I got back from a very useful class on machine quilting at about 9:00 and soon after the sirens went off. Dick and I picked up the cats and went down into the basement den until the warning expired at 10:00PM. Sheboygan County did not get any damage that we know of. However, there was a death in Markazan. There was damage in Madison and enough damge in Waupun that people are being asked to stay away until they have their relief efforts in order. Wow. We are supposed to be rainy off and on and cooler today.
Guess What. Jim reinstalled my computer Puppy when we got the new Dells recently. I believe I told you that we think that the computer cat, Felix, either killed or ran off the Puppy that I had on the old one because he disappeared. Well - - - this Puppy is gone too. Pretty weird. I will keep you informed.
Mary
I decided to post this morning and THEN this evening again because the tornado threw me off last night.
Guess What. Jim reinstalled my computer Puppy when we got the new Dells recently. I believe I told you that we think that the computer cat, Felix, either killed or ran off the Puppy that I had on the old one because he disappeared. Well - - - this Puppy is gone too. Pretty weird. I will keep you informed.
Mary
I decided to post this morning and THEN this evening again because the tornado threw me off last night.
Monday, June 21, 2004
Today was the first day of summer. The longest day of the year. This morning, Chelsea and I left for our morning walk at about 6:15AM. It was BEAUTIFUL. I swear that a different species of bird was perched on every housetop. They were singing their hearts out and flying all over the place. I saw yellow finches, red winged blackbirds, robins, crows, mourning doves, blackbirds, sparrows. It was a magnificent choir that I will treasure for a long time to come.
It rained a bit today but more of a mist off and on. I shot trap at Falls Conservation Club. I did better than last week but still not very good. I will get better.
Enjoy your week.
Mary
It rained a bit today but more of a mist off and on. I shot trap at Falls Conservation Club. I did better than last week but still not very good. I will get better.
Enjoy your week.
Mary
Sunday, June 20, 2004
I realize that blogs can become meeting places and somewhat chat areas but mine is not such a place. It is just a place for me to put down whatever is on my mind and hopefully keep my imagination and my writing skills honed. The spell checker seems to be malfunctioning. I noticed that the other day and even DELIBERATLY misspelled a word for it to check. It didn't catch it so if you find errors, please be kind but I would like to know.
Mother and I were talking and remembering, as we are wont to do, this morning when I stopped to visit after Mass. Somehow, we got on to the naming of Randy. I said that I really remembered that. It came up because we were talking about the Shea's. Bridget Shea, our cousin, daughter of Johnny Bill and Eileen O'Connor Shea, was due about the same time as Randy. Mother and Dad had also chosen Bridget as a name if he had been a girl.
Perhaps it was a family decision, as Randy's name was supposed to be. I remember all of us sitting in the living room, going through baby name books and finally deciding that we liked Randy, though the majority really felt that it should be more formal, like Randall, because we thought that Ran Dee Dee Lee would be a little much. So much for a democracy. Dad said that we were naming him Randy and Randy it would be. He won.
A similar discussion had been held when Matthew was born a couple of years earlier. We all agreed on Matthew. We wanted him middle initial to be J because Dad's father, Grandpa Deeley, was known as MJ by lots of people. Dad went through the name book that gave names and their definition or source. He found Jed which means hand as in farm hand and he decided on that because Dad liked to garden. We couldn't talk him out of that one either and Matthew Jed he became.
Grandma Deeley did not like the name Matthew. She knew someone that she just detested with that name and we found it very amusing because she would always say, " now what is his name again. Mark or Mike. He is such a sweet boy."
Enjoy your evening.
Mary
Mother and I were talking and remembering, as we are wont to do, this morning when I stopped to visit after Mass. Somehow, we got on to the naming of Randy. I said that I really remembered that. It came up because we were talking about the Shea's. Bridget Shea, our cousin, daughter of Johnny Bill and Eileen O'Connor Shea, was due about the same time as Randy. Mother and Dad had also chosen Bridget as a name if he had been a girl.
Perhaps it was a family decision, as Randy's name was supposed to be. I remember all of us sitting in the living room, going through baby name books and finally deciding that we liked Randy, though the majority really felt that it should be more formal, like Randall, because we thought that Ran Dee Dee Lee would be a little much. So much for a democracy. Dad said that we were naming him Randy and Randy it would be. He won.
A similar discussion had been held when Matthew was born a couple of years earlier. We all agreed on Matthew. We wanted him middle initial to be J because Dad's father, Grandpa Deeley, was known as MJ by lots of people. Dad went through the name book that gave names and their definition or source. He found Jed which means hand as in farm hand and he decided on that because Dad liked to garden. We couldn't talk him out of that one either and Matthew Jed he became.
Grandma Deeley did not like the name Matthew. She knew someone that she just detested with that name and we found it very amusing because she would always say, " now what is his name again. Mark or Mike. He is such a sweet boy."
Enjoy your evening.
Mary
Saturday, June 19, 2004
My baby brother, Randy's daughter, Erin graduated from high school this year. She is also my goddaughter and asked me to be her confirmation sponsor too. So she is special to me. She will be going to UW Green Bay next year and got three scholorships. They are rightly very proud of her.
Found out that she is quite an artist. They had several of her paintings displayed around the garage. A self portrait, a three set (Hard to discribe) and a very thought provoking picture of a crouching blindfolded man with his shadow being a standing man. It also involved a comment on mankind in general.
I signed on the the prayer chain at church. It seems that I am always calling with a request and decided that I started to return the prayers. Sickness and
Death seem to be all around us these days. Age does that I expect. I am
less worried about it the older I get. I think that the experience of
being physically with Tim when he died erased a lot of my fear. I
feel that death is but a pause and that eventually we all end up,
Hopefully, in the same place. A place where we can catch up and enjoy
each other under God's smile. FINALLY LIVING in peace with no more
cruelty or fear. I also see my Mother living so beautifully. A
couple of weeks ago, she said to us that one of these days, Dad was
going to come and say that it is enough - and take her hand and lead
her to heaven. I know she misses him but she is enjoying her life to the
fullest as it comes to her. What an example she is.
Love
Mary
Found out that she is quite an artist. They had several of her paintings displayed around the garage. A self portrait, a three set (Hard to discribe) and a very thought provoking picture of a crouching blindfolded man with his shadow being a standing man. It also involved a comment on mankind in general.
I signed on the the prayer chain at church. It seems that I am always calling with a request and decided that I started to return the prayers. Sickness and
Death seem to be all around us these days. Age does that I expect. I am
less worried about it the older I get. I think that the experience of
being physically with Tim when he died erased a lot of my fear. I
feel that death is but a pause and that eventually we all end up,
Hopefully, in the same place. A place where we can catch up and enjoy
each other under God's smile. FINALLY LIVING in peace with no more
cruelty or fear. I also see my Mother living so beautifully. A
couple of weeks ago, she said to us that one of these days, Dad was
going to come and say that it is enough - and take her hand and lead
her to heaven. I know she misses him but she is enjoying her life to the
fullest as it comes to her. What an example she is.
Love
Mary
Friday, June 18, 2004
Been thinking of the reunion a lot today. We are an unusual group. There are some classes that seeme to just be good together and we were one of them. Both as eighth grade graduates from St. Mary's and then as part of the larger group that incorporated both St. Mary and the public school kids in to a solid unit. Some groups of people just belong together. We even send invitations to students that moved out of our group at some time during those six years. Even some that didn't graduate. And they come and we hug and catch up and enjoy each other.
I have a friend who is not part of this unit that finds that an amazing thing. It is actually. I know of one other group that is that cohesive. My Dad's graduating class met for over 70 years and just stopped a couple of years ago. Of course these people are now over 90 and most of them are gone. My Dad and his friend Frank Holden, (who is also my brother, George's wife Betsy's Father) ( Does that make any sense. Read it again.) planned the last ten years or so. They would meet every year then. Frank would send the invitations and Dad would write a poem.
Mother says that in the beginning they met every 10 years and stayed out til dawn. In later years they met on a Sunday at about noon so everybody could get home before dark.
Life is nothing but change. It is sure good to find that old friends - real friends- don't.
Love
Mary
I have a friend who is not part of this unit that finds that an amazing thing. It is actually. I know of one other group that is that cohesive. My Dad's graduating class met for over 70 years and just stopped a couple of years ago. Of course these people are now over 90 and most of them are gone. My Dad and his friend Frank Holden, (who is also my brother, George's wife Betsy's Father) ( Does that make any sense. Read it again.) planned the last ten years or so. They would meet every year then. Frank would send the invitations and Dad would write a poem.
Mother says that in the beginning they met every 10 years and stayed out til dawn. In later years they met on a Sunday at about noon so everybody could get home before dark.
Life is nothing but change. It is sure good to find that old friends - real friends- don't.
Love
Mary
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Yesterday, I was not home from my eighth grade reunion until too late to do a blog. So here I am a day late.
50 years ago, I was a member of the very first class that graduated from St. Mary's Grade School in Sheboygan Falls. We started there in 6th grade. At that time there was no middle school. So the school has been in existance for 53 years. I remember the building of it and how proud St. Mary Parish was and still is proud of the school and its mission. It is the only alternative to public education in Sheboygan Falls, which makes it an even more important mission. I hope we will be able to keep it open. The enrollment needs to be increased to do that. We have a principal who seems to be really working on that. When I went, all of the teachers were nuns. Now, not one works at the school. The decline in the number of nuns is as dramatic as the reduction in the number of priests.
Anyway, there were about 8 of us there plus several of the class behind us. At that time we had combined classes. Can you imagine. There were about 50 of us in the class with ONE teacher. And we learned.
We met about 1:00PM and people wandered in for the next couple of hours. We ate at about 5:30 or 6:00. Visited and then sat around a campfire until the mosquitoes got too bad. Ken came up with a campfire game. We had to think of one truth and two lies about our lives and then everyone guessed the truth. Do you have any idea HOW hard it is to think of a lie about yourself. I fooled everybody. I told these lies. 1. I had a poem published in a national anthology. 2. I shoot trap and am pretty good. My hightest score was 24. My truth was that I sideswiped a car when I was taking my drivers test.
That really is the truth. I took the test three times. The third time the two examiners were both trying to get out of testing me. I had taken a class or two by then. I just went and paid for two classes. I did a parallel park that was textbook. AND I never did one again.
The Kids, Bart and Barb, are safe in Lawton.
Yea
Mary
50 years ago, I was a member of the very first class that graduated from St. Mary's Grade School in Sheboygan Falls. We started there in 6th grade. At that time there was no middle school. So the school has been in existance for 53 years. I remember the building of it and how proud St. Mary Parish was and still is proud of the school and its mission. It is the only alternative to public education in Sheboygan Falls, which makes it an even more important mission. I hope we will be able to keep it open. The enrollment needs to be increased to do that. We have a principal who seems to be really working on that. When I went, all of the teachers were nuns. Now, not one works at the school. The decline in the number of nuns is as dramatic as the reduction in the number of priests.
Anyway, there were about 8 of us there plus several of the class behind us. At that time we had combined classes. Can you imagine. There were about 50 of us in the class with ONE teacher. And we learned.
We met about 1:00PM and people wandered in for the next couple of hours. We ate at about 5:30 or 6:00. Visited and then sat around a campfire until the mosquitoes got too bad. Ken came up with a campfire game. We had to think of one truth and two lies about our lives and then everyone guessed the truth. Do you have any idea HOW hard it is to think of a lie about yourself. I fooled everybody. I told these lies. 1. I had a poem published in a national anthology. 2. I shoot trap and am pretty good. My hightest score was 24. My truth was that I sideswiped a car when I was taking my drivers test.
That really is the truth. I took the test three times. The third time the two examiners were both trying to get out of testing me. I had taken a class or two by then. I just went and paid for two classes. I did a parallel park that was textbook. AND I never did one again.
The Kids, Bart and Barb, are safe in Lawton.
Yea
Mary
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
When Dick and I went to Cashton earlier in the year, I went out shopping at some of the Amish Farms that are in the area. At one of them they were selling large gourds in very interesting shapes. The ladies had let them dry, hollowed them out and painted the white. Then they put a wire for hanging. I sprayed it with sealant to keep the paint from running and hung it in the big tree in back of the house. We will be able to see it easily when we sit out there this summer. I believe that it has been "occupied" by a lovely bird family. It will be fun to see it as the summer goes on.
I HOPE we will be able to sit out this year. With all the rain we are likely to have a bumper crop of mosquitos.
I spent the day watering my indoor plants,grocery shopping and reading. Tonight I will do some sewing on a quilt. Dick and I are planning a trip to the Sault Ste Marie in July and are kind of planning that. We intend to visit his niece Theresa in Medford on the way. We haven't seen her for a couple of years and do look forward to the visit. She is a darling girl and her family is so nice.
Tomorrow
Mary
I HOPE we will be able to sit out this year. With all the rain we are likely to have a bumper crop of mosquitos.
I spent the day watering my indoor plants,grocery shopping and reading. Tonight I will do some sewing on a quilt. Dick and I are planning a trip to the Sault Ste Marie in July and are kind of planning that. We intend to visit his niece Theresa in Medford on the way. We haven't seen her for a couple of years and do look forward to the visit. She is a darling girl and her family is so nice.
Tomorrow
Mary
Monday, June 14, 2004
Bart and Barb postponed their leaving until tomorrow because of the awful weather through the midlands from here almost all the way to Lawton. So. We need to worry and pray tomorrow instead of today.
Today was very busy anyway. The Bible Study Group met. We were short three of our regulars but gained a new one. Bev Stangel told her friend Josie about us and she came for the first time today. We had a lively discussion about lack of vocations and whether it would be proper to go to another denominations service if you couldn't get to a Catholic Service. HMM!!! Such a dillemna.
Then this afternoon was the monthly Writer's Club Meeting. We didn't have too many readers, so Jane introduced a little game. We all wrote three words on a little piece of paper. Then the papers were placed in a plastic bag and each person picked one, not their own, and wrote either a poem or short paragraph using the three words.
I got HOOKER _ MAJOR _ WORLD and came up with;
The world is bright
In the city at night.
The hooker is right
Neon light
Enhances sight.
After we were done Sylvia Green, who gave me the words, laughed and said that she actually meant hooker in the rug hooker sense of the word. This makes sense when one knows that Irene Luedtke, one of our fellow writers, is completing her second book. The book is about rug hooking, one of her obsessions.
Have a great Tuesday.
Mary
Today was very busy anyway. The Bible Study Group met. We were short three of our regulars but gained a new one. Bev Stangel told her friend Josie about us and she came for the first time today. We had a lively discussion about lack of vocations and whether it would be proper to go to another denominations service if you couldn't get to a Catholic Service. HMM!!! Such a dillemna.
Then this afternoon was the monthly Writer's Club Meeting. We didn't have too many readers, so Jane introduced a little game. We all wrote three words on a little piece of paper. Then the papers were placed in a plastic bag and each person picked one, not their own, and wrote either a poem or short paragraph using the three words.
I got HOOKER _ MAJOR _ WORLD and came up with;
The world is bright
In the city at night.
The hooker is right
Neon light
Enhances sight.
After we were done Sylvia Green, who gave me the words, laughed and said that she actually meant hooker in the rug hooker sense of the word. This makes sense when one knows that Irene Luedtke, one of our fellow writers, is completing her second book. The book is about rug hooking, one of her obsessions.
Have a great Tuesday.
Mary
Sunday, June 13, 2004
The scattered thunderstorms and patches of rain predicted for today turned into heavy fog this morning and one shower. It is rather hot and muggy out there. I have been following weather REALLY close the past couple of days because Bart and Barbara are leaving for their drive to Lawton Oklahoma today. I know I mentioned that earlier but some people may not have logged in. Besides I am really rather worried. That is a long drive and they are my kids and I do worry about everything. Dick says I am very good at that.
Well, we should be done with Reagan's funeral rights. It was a long week, a nice tribute to a man of history but a little too much at one time. Saturation makes a person become numb. There was one interview I found quite amusing and I think a nice picture of the man's humor.
Tim Mc Carthy was a secret service man assigned to President Reagan when Hinkley shot him. Tim Mc Carthy was also shot, in the chest and spent some time in the same hospital as Mr. Reagan. When he was checking out, he, his wife and their two children were invited up to Reagan's room to say goodbye and receive his thanks. When the visit was over, Reagan called Tim over to his bedside and said something like. "Tim, This guy shot a Mc Carthy, a Brady, a Delahanty and a Reagan. Do you think he has something against the Irish?"
I will finish with my daily reading from Cadfael's Book of Days. A kind of comforting thought for the start of a week.
"Leave agonizing too much over your sins, black as they are, there isn't a confessor in the land who hasn't heard worse and never turned a hair. It's a kind of arrogance to be so certain you're past redemption."
Mary
Well, we should be done with Reagan's funeral rights. It was a long week, a nice tribute to a man of history but a little too much at one time. Saturation makes a person become numb. There was one interview I found quite amusing and I think a nice picture of the man's humor.
Tim Mc Carthy was a secret service man assigned to President Reagan when Hinkley shot him. Tim Mc Carthy was also shot, in the chest and spent some time in the same hospital as Mr. Reagan. When he was checking out, he, his wife and their two children were invited up to Reagan's room to say goodbye and receive his thanks. When the visit was over, Reagan called Tim over to his bedside and said something like. "Tim, This guy shot a Mc Carthy, a Brady, a Delahanty and a Reagan. Do you think he has something against the Irish?"
I will finish with my daily reading from Cadfael's Book of Days. A kind of comforting thought for the start of a week.
"Leave agonizing too much over your sins, black as they are, there isn't a confessor in the land who hasn't heard worse and never turned a hair. It's a kind of arrogance to be so certain you're past redemption."
Mary
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