Just got home from Rhine. Bobbie and I worked tonight. It was busy, but the guys let me go home at about 8:30 because of the wind and snow. It was pretty bad out ther. Bobbie left about an hour before that because we were worried about her having to drive all the way to Sheboygan. Actually, I think I had it easier than she did. Not only was my distance closer, but by the time I left, the snow and wind had died down a LOT. It was slippery and the snow was drifting some but it was not too bad. Dick and Chelsea were very glad to see me.

Had to get up at 5AM again. Tomorrow and Sunday we can sleep in a bit as we won't go to Valley View until 8:00AM. Of course, the trade off is that we have to drive in to Memorial in Sheboygan and be there at 6:00PM.

I cleaned the kitchen and (almost) finished fixing the guest toilet. I needed Jim to help tighten the seals and I didn't know how to set the float. He did both and now (after some minor adjustments to the float by Dick) we think we have it.

I gave blood today at 11:00AM. I could go again on April 27 but found out that Bob and Peggy Feider will be having their annual A gallon or so for Joe on May 12 so I will sign up with Peggy at Bible Study. It went well. I have never suffered any discomfort or weakness at all. I like that.

Had lunch with the Ladies at Dairy Queen. I got a fish sandwich as I knew that there would be slim pickings for dinner. That was because, after Dick and I going for his evening intravenous, we got home at 5:30 and I had to head right for Rhine. I brought some soup and fruit which I could easily eat while working.

I shot my last two targets for league. Not impressive at all but I am having fun anyway and there is always next league. Next week Friday is the Bust Up Party. I have to call Sara Behr tomorrow so we can plan the menu. Bill Olson usually brings his "world famous" peach cobbler but told me tonight that he won't be home to fix it. I have decided to bring Kahlua Brownies. They turned out SO good for the Writers Club 50th. I must remember to put white chocolate chips on the grocery list.

Anyway, I am home, and Bobbie is home, safe and sound again. It is about time for bed and I get to sleep late (unless Chelsea betrays me.)

We are getting close to St. Patrick's Day. (It is March now, you know.) So I will share some of my favorite stories between now and the 17th.

I LOVED this and have seen it geared to Iraq also.

Ireland Declares War on France


Jacques Chirac, The French President, is sitting in his office when his telephone rings.

"Hallo, Mr. Chirac!" a heavily accented voice said. "This is Paddy Down at the Harp Pub in County Clare, Ireland. I am ringing to inform you that we are officially declaring war on you!"

"Well, Paddy," Chirac replied, "This is indeed important news! How big is your army?"

"Right now," says Paddy, after a moment's calculation, "there is myself, me Cousin Sean, me next door neighbour Seamus, and the entire darts team from the pub. That makes eight!"

Chirac paused. "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 100,000 men in my army waiting to move on my command."

"Begoora!" says Paddy. "I'll have to ring you back."



Sure enough, the next day, Paddy calls again. "Mr. Chirac, the war is still on. We have managed to get us some infantry equipment!"

"And what equipment would that be Paddy?" Chirac asks.

"Well, we have two combines, a bulldozer, and Murphy's farm tractor."

Chirac sighs amused. "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 6,000 tanks and 5,000 armored personnel carriers. Also, I have increased my army to 150,000 since we last spoke."

"Saints preserve us!" says Paddy. "I'll have to get back to you."

Sure enough, Paddy rings again the next day. "Mr. Chirac, the war is still on! We have managed to get ourselves airborne! We have modified Jackie McLaughlin's ultra-light with a couple of shotguns in the cockpit, and four boys from the Shamrock Bar have joined us as well!"

Chirac was silent for a minute and then cleared his throat. "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 100 bombers and 200 fighter planes. My military bases are surrounded by laser-guided, surface-to-air missile sites. And since we last spoke, I have increased my army to 200,000!"


"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" says Paddy, "I will have to ring you back."

Sure enough, Paddy calls again the next day. "Top o' the mornin', Mr. Chirac! I am sorry to inform you that we have had to call off the war."

"Really? I am sorry to hear that," says Chirac. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Well," says Paddy, "we had a long chat over a few pints of Guinness, and decided there is no bloody way we can feed 200,000 prisoners."

Slainte

Mary

Up at 5AM again. When I took Chelsea out at about 5:30 it was not too bad, but by the time we headed for the hospital, there was a good coating of snow on the ground. We took it very carefully and then when we were done medicating, we drove right to Mc Donalds for breakfast. Then we went on to the bank and finally to the Pig to do our weekly grocery shopping. We were VERY proud of ourselves. It was only about 8:30 when we got home, so we made good time.

I had plenty of time to clean the bathrooms, sew on the quilt and tear apart the toilet in the upstairs guest bathroom. (It has been running so I am replacing some of the innards. Don't ask me for names of things. I have charts and stuff so know what I am doing.) I had trouble getting the final nut out of the bottom. We did not have a big enough lug wrench.

So - - on the way to the 4PM intravenous, we stopped at KMart and I picked up a bigger wrench. Then Jim and Michelle came over tonight and Jim took the nut off for me. Now I can reassemble tomorrow morning.

When we got to Valley View tonight, it was starting to rain and almost as soon as I got inside, the skies opened. By the time we left it had calmed down alot, so we got home OK.

Dick still doesn't have much of an appetite. He just had some potato salad for supper. I had some Pork Cuban Old Rags, just a bit, that I heated up to got with mine.

Tomorrow, is really going to be busy. I will report tomorrow night.

Enjoy. I got this the other day and felt it was worth sharing.

Women are like apples on a tree.

The best are in the top of the tree.

Most men don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt.

Instead, they sometimes take the apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy.

The apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they're amazing.

They just have to wait for the right man to come along, one who is brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

Now men....Men are like a fine wine.

They begin as grapes, and it's up to women to stomp the shit out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Have a good Friday

Mary

Another day of antibiotics, only 13 days to go. All went well today. We still have to be at Valley View at 6AM but the evening session is now at 4:00PM which makes it much easier for us. This was not a great day for Dick. His appetite was really bad and he was very tired. He did get a pretty good nap just before lunch which did help.

I have been working on inputing things into the new Quicken. The next major item will be the investments. We weren't happy with the old investment section of Quicken, so it will be interesting to see if there is an improvement.

Aside from that I just did miscellaneous chores around the house. I watered plants, quilted, made a potato salad, swept water out of the garage and took Chelsea for it seemed like 8 trips outside. She is getting worse as she gets older. Just like all old women I guess.

We are supposed to be getting a storm tonight. I hope it is not too bad. 6:00AM comes might early and it is hard enough to get going when it is clear and dry.

Dick just had a little dessert and let Chelsea lick his plate. Now she is over by me begging. She fully believes that if one of us eats something, the other simply HAS to have something too.

Love

Mary

Well, we had good news and bad news. First, Dr. Phelan is seeing improvement in Dick's legs. However, they have a way to go, so he has prescribed two more weeks of the twice a day, two antibiotics that we were on a week ago. We are now going to be getting up at 5AM again, but it looks like we can possibly go for the second session at 4PM instead of 6, which means that we won't have to go to Sheboygan on the weekend evenings.

At one point this morning, Dick had a nurse on each arm taking blood. Marsha was drawing blood for the lab tests to check his level of antibiotics etc, and Sue was poking his fingers to get the clotting level. This brings us to the second bit of good news. His level is back to the ideal, between 2.00 and 3.00. So we are happy. She will check him again when he sees Dr. Phelan in two weeks.

We accomplished LOTS of other stuff. On our way home we picked up prescriptions AND stopped at the DMV and got a handicapped card for the car. Now, if it is right, I can use the handicapped spaces if Dick is with me. I found out how useful this is when Bart and Barb met us in Branson. Bart could never have made it down that whole parking lot for some of those shows. We were almost closer than the spot that the bus let everybody off at.

I think Chelsea is trying to tell me that it is time for bed.

We were having trouble with the computer service dropping on and off, especially during the storm. A Bob Hughes from Time Warner came today and fixed it. There were several splices and extra junctions and so on and he cleaned it all up and got us back with more power and speed than we had before. He is from the area and likes to go to 52 Stafford on St. Patrick's day. His wife and kids march and he waits for them at the Inn. I also found out that he is a cousin of Jim Hughes, an attorney in town, that I used to work with when I was "mortgage banking." He said if we have any more trouble to ask for him. He also said that Paddy's Irish Whiskey is the BEST.

Red Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing RED every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.
Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that .. every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something RED.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday, a sea of RED much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever... certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is ..."We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something RED every Friday.

I am going to try to remember to remember to do this. Sounds simple and I have Lots of RED.

Take care. Be prepared for a very tired Mary.

Marymom

I am TIRED.

The roads were clear enough today and the snow was pretty much done, so I went to bible study. There were 5 of us. Not bad after the storm and all. We were able to all give prayers of thanks that Shirley and Dan's Dave is in remission from the autoimmune disease that he had developed.

Then I went to Mother's and we had a nice visit before I came home to take Dick to Valley View. I took Mom some Spinach Egg Casserole and fruit salads. Those are things that she really likes but wouldn't make for just one.

We were talking about family. We were commenting on the fact that the Deeleys and the Bowsers were not very big people. And musing as to why so many of the grandkids are really quite tall. It always seems to be the second son too. As Bret is shorter than Bart and Matt is shorter than Shane and Kurt is shorter than Todd.

We were also talking about the electric trolley that used to run between Sheboygan and Elkhart Lake and Plymouth. That is how Aunt Helen got to work from Sheboygan Falls when she worked in the canning factory office in Plymouth.

All went well at the hospital. The last intravenous before Dick sees Phelan tomorrow. The nurse changed the dressing too. Dick was very brave but he said that it really hurt. That skin under the arm and around the PICC is really tender.

This afternoon I linked our New Quicken with the eligible bank accounts at Wells Fargo. Now we have to determine how best to use it. Once we have it mastered, it should save lots of double entries and that should cut down on errors. Lots to learn again. Are we ready for this? I hope so.

I did some quilting on the Kitty/Doggy quilt and am really seeing headway. I should be done by the end of March. When I am I will tale a picture and put it on the blog for you to see.

Nothing else exciting. We are supposed to have fairly quiet weather until Thursday then another storm will be coming in. So we had better brace ourselves. I hope it starts after we do our grocery shopping.

Have a nice Tuesday. And think of us at the Doctor.

Love

Mary

This weekend has been a computer fiasco. I couldn't post last night because Jim was working on the computers. I fell asleep on the couch before they left and found a note on the computer when I woke that I was not to touch it until morning. So there you go. Dick's also had a note that we weren't supposed to do anything to it either.

Then we lost our server this morning and after several calls to Time Warner and getting a message stating that we would have to wait varying lengths of time, Dick finally waited. 57 minutes later, we talked to a real person who transferred us to two others. These people walked Dick through all KINDS of fixes and finally decided that we need to have a tech come here. So we have an appointment for Tuesday between 1:30 and 4:30. He said "We can get someone there AS SOON AS Tuesday." Doesn't sound soon to me. About 20 minutes after we hung up, I suddenly got a connection. So I am posting like crazy.

We have been hit by a really heavy late winter storm. The plows finally made it down to our end of the tract just before dark and did not do a very good job. Actually, the guys that shovel next to the garage door ran out of steam, I think.

This morning I decided to try to make church. The plows had not come into Tall Grass but I determined that if Highland, the main road we empty into, was plowed, I would go. God must have wanted me there because the plows had cleared to Highland JUST past Tall Grass Lane. So I trucked up Highland, turned left on Eastern to Mill and left on Mill to the bottom of the hill to church. God hadn't told me that neither the hill OR the streets around the church and school were plowed. But I figured that since I was that close, I would go the distance. Up the hill I went and proceeded to get stuck next to the parking lot. I remembered that one should back up and try a new path and it worked. Somehow, I made it into the parking lot, which was plowed. Fr. Van Beeck officiated at an abbreviated service for the few die hards like me that had ventured out. He said that the church was PACKED last night and that he had told the congregation that he would say the masses this morning but figured that it would probably be just him and Puppy. Puppy was not at all enthused, so he was glad that we were there.

There was a respite from the snow during the mid to late morning so Dick and I had a rather easy ride to Valley View for his intravenous. Only one more to go before we see Dr. Phelan. We are really hoping that he has answers and glowing words for us. He slept a wee bit better last night, but his appetite is still very poor.

The Poetry Reading at Plymouth Arts Center was canceled and will be rescheduled. That was good because I was saved the trauma of having to make another decision about going out. We just holed up in our warm little house (except for that silly Chelsea of course.)

I did some sewing this afternoon and we racked a gallon of wine. Now we are watching the Oscars. A pleasant way to end a Sunday. We find that we haven't seen too many movies this year but it is always fun to see the celebrities, even the celebrities that we have never heard of. The clothes all seem to be really pretty this year.

Uncle Fred Michels always sends a report on the Wild Game Feast and he writes a little poem. They are always really sweet. I thought you might enjoy this one.

And now, 30 years have passed
And no one got to gassed!
We swallowed our beers, and shed no tears
When Donna won, at last.


And would you believe that the Wild Game And Beer Tasting has been going on for 30 years.

Have a nice week and stay warm.

Mary

Just a morning note. We lost our connection last evening, just about "blogger" time. And I tried until almost 10:00PM, then went to bed.

We had a decent day. The blood test showed that Dick's blood is still a bit thick. Unusual, as antibiotics USUALLY thin the blood. But then we are talking about Dick. So Sue will test it again when we see Dr. Phelan on Tuesday.

The intravenous went very smoothly and they changed his dressing. The easiest yet. Usually it hurts when they pull that bandage off of the tender skin. Denise was really good yesterday.

I went shooting but was not impressive. Oh. Well. Maybe next week.

Barring lost connections I will blog tonight.

Jim Rohn said that"Life asks us to make measurable progress in reasonable time. That's why they make those fourth-grade chairs so small - so you won't fit in them at age 25."

Mary

The wind was blowing really bad this morning. Chelsea and I did manage to take our whole walk around the park today, but there were times when I was almost at a standstill when the wind was coming right at me. Much easier when the wind was at my back. Give real meaning to the old Irish Blessing, "May the wind be always at your back."

We went grocery shopping today too. Quite successful. Dick and I went to McDonald's for breakfast. Counting carbs works there if one sticks to an Egg McMuffin or simple biscuit.

We had to be at Valley View at 12:00. That went well. Only five more days until we see Dr. Phelan. Darlene, one of the nurses, let me read the description of the possible side effects from the Dactomycine that he is getting. One of the side effects is insomnia. Now he has always had trouble sleeping but it is much worse now. We are hoping that when this is all over he will have less difficulty staying asleep.

I went to John Diedrich's funeral tonight. Such a sad thing for his wife and children and all others who loved him. We know he is safe and waiting for them, but they can't touch him. We are after all human and do relish touch. Fr. Bittner told us that when we see the most beautiful sunset we should remember that John is enjoying SO much more in the kingdom of God. I still like the Celtic belief that John has not REALLY left us anyway, he is out of our sight but within our reach.

Tomorrow is another busy day. We have to get Dick's count checked, go to Valley View, I am having lunch at Dairy Queen and then will shoot pistol league in the evening. Saturday we just have the intravenous. It will be nice to spend most of the day at home. Jim and Michelle said they are coming to fix Dick's computer. I hope so. He is able to do some things but is really rather lost and with his not being able to sleep it is hard for him.

Martin Crane on Frazier. "What is this comment about a big round duff? The sands of time don't exactly flow UP the hourglass, you know!"

Have a nice Friday and get ready for a stormy weekend.

Mary

Another gorgeous day. It was up in the 40s again. Chelsea and I really enjoyed our walk and it looks like we should have at lease two days before it gets rainy/snowy again. I need to remember to take the pedometer along with me on the walk to see how many steps we take. I know we walk for about 45 minutes. But a lot of that is spent with Chelsea sniffing and running around.

This weather is starting me dreaming of spring. I need to measure for the flower boxes I will need for the deck. I want to plant herbs and colorful flowers in them. I think I might try to plant a couple of tomatoes in the back. down towards the woods. There is a rhubarb plant down there already. Maybe I should get a butterfly house. And a bird feeder.

Must not get too excited. There are months to go before we can plant.

I went to church at 8AM because it is Ash Wednesday. The church was full, half of the kids of course, as the whole school attended. The children's choir sang. I was "minded" of Ash Wednesdays when I was young. Until I started 6th grade, I went to the public school and for some reason or other, we Catholic kids thought we were so cool to go to get our ashes in the morning and then wear them all day at school. (I don't know why either.)

Another thing I remember. When I was young, there were a lot of old world ideas still around. There were four church services that were always full. Of men. Even if a lot of them did not feel that Sunday Mass was all that important. (The women took care of that.), these men always came to Christmas (mostly Midnight Mass), Easter, Ash Wednesday, (got to get those ashes) and believe it or not St. Blaze Day. This is a saint's feast day during which they used to bless the throat against disease with crossed candles.

I read the other day that perhaps if we are going to fast during Lent, we should fast from crabbiness. I will try to do that.

Dick got the second of this new order of antibiotics. Our nurse for today, Chris, told Dick quite sweetly, not to be disappointed if he has to go another week or two after this. We have to see what Dr. Phelan says next Tuesday.

I put together another square for the Blessed Trinity Church Quilt. Only one more to go. I also did a bit more of the quilting on my Kitty/Puppy Quilt. I should have it done in a month or so. It is moving along.

Hope your Thursday is fun.

Love

Mary

It was warm today. This morning was pleasant enough for Chelsea and me to take our longest walk through Tallgrass and then around the park and through the woods to home. She is SO happy. Then I made her unhappy by giving her a bath. She was simply filthy. Of course, I am sure that she felt that she was just beginning to smell just right. Now she smells like Puppy Love.

Dropped all our tax stuff off with Mark for figuring. He and I reviewed it a bit and then I drove Dick to his dentist appointment. He just had a cleaning. It went very quickly. Our next stop was to Valley View. The order is in for another week of one of the antibiotics. So we are on again. This time it is just once a day AND in the middle of the day so will be much easier on us.

We got to spend the rest of the day at home.

I was remembering a friend of mine from California, Ron Heinze. These were jeeping friends. Ron and his wife Connie and their kids were members of the Orange County Four Wheelers. They had a dog that was part greyhound. He was huge and a big love. His name was Tucker. When we would get ready to go out on a jeep ride, Connie would always tell Ronnie that he had to take Tucker with him. Ronnie would beg Connie to keep Tucker in camp. He always said. "Please, Connie, don't make me take him. He LEANS on me." The dog would sit between the seats next to Ronnie and Would lean on him.

One weekend it was terribly hot. We were driving along the All American Canal, a system of canals that was part of the irrigation system in that part of the desert. We pulled over and all jumped into the canal for a swim and to cool off. Ronnie tried to convince Tucker to go in to cool him off and finally just tossed him in. Tucker was not happy. The sides of the canal are cement. Tucker rose up out of the water on his claws and climbed up the cement walls - on his claws. He wore them down too. When he got to the top he glared at Ronnie and shook himself all over him.

Maybe our "heat spell" reminded me of the hot day that this occurred on.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. The first day of Lent. Where Is the year going?

Be happy.

Mary

Went to bible study this morning. We had a good group, as always. Helen Maurer was back. Bad weather keeps her away, can't say that I blame her. We had a lot of prayer intentions. Everybody is praying for Dick. I also asked for prayers for Harold's son. This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent. So the readings talked of the Hebrew's being asked to bring the "first fruits" to the priests in thanksgiving for their being brought to the promised land. Did the "first fruits" mean the first of the season, Or (remembering that Cain got frowned on my God for bring second rate stuff for a sacrifice) does "first fruits" mean the best? We can't decide.

Dick saw Dr. Sharon at 1:30 this afternoon. He ordered regular flushing of the PICC and is having one of the antibiotics continued because he believes there is still infection there. He took blood tests too. So we won't go backwards anyway.

We got home at about 4, having to go from the Clinic to Valley View to get the ports flushed. We can't start the antibiotics until tomorrow though because they had to order it from Sheboygan and it won't be there until tomorrow. At least we will just have one trip a day for the time being and we will be going at about noon. Much easier than twice a day at both ends of the day.

I remembered a story about my great aunts, Josephine and Lenore and Genevieve. They were my Grandpa John Bowser's sisters. All three of them lived in California. My Uncle Noel and Aunt Lois also lived there and Noel was very good to those ladies. They did like to do little home repairs themselves but sometimes got in over their heads.

One time they decided to tile a room in one of their houses. So they called Uncle Noel to ask how to start. He told them to chalk a line down the center of the room. They asked how to do that and he told them to run a chalked string from one wall to the other side and chalk it. They said they understood but he wasn't sure so he decided to go over to check.

Sure enough, they had tacked the line from one wall to the other side and were on their knees trying to draw a chalk line on the floor. He explained that they were supposed to actually chalk the string and snap it. Needless to say he did it and got them started.

I read this the other day and shared it at bible study this morning. A Jeanne Schuler said, "In the boardroom one language is spoken that seems to make all people one. From the top, everything seems possible. Down in the streets, people from many nations struggle to make a living. With gestures and halting words, they try to understand. Sometimes customs clash or fears polarize. We back away and wonder: will we ever live as one?"

Seems the story of life. Those at the top come up with all these plans but they don't fit the people who they are aiming at or else are not understood. How can there be peace in a whole world?

Well we can have peace with all of us. We don't have to understand everything but we have to love each other.

Love

Mary

I spent a quiet day today. The only times I went out were to church, which is always how I gather myself for the coming week and to shoot for the pistol league at Rhine.

Church was very comforting. Fr. Van Beeck pointed out a "truth" that he brought to my attention once before and was brought to my attention last night at the party for Hazel. Suzi's son, Jerry, mentioned that his wife, Laura, had recovered from surgery on a brain tumor. I said that it must make them treasure every day that comes to them now. He said they lived like that for a time, but now he is so relieved to be back to taking things and life for granted. It was like a revelation - Intense appreciation or really intense feelings cannot stay that way forever. It is comforting, healing and wonderful to be happy in the just plain NOW. And to appreciate the ordinary.

To get to Fr. Van Beeck's message. He said that if God asked us to do some really heroic thing or really difficult task in his name, we would be right there to answer the call. But usually, God only asks us to do the every day things to the best of our ability in His Name. It is hard to do that.

Last night was kind of a sparse blog. I was sure glad that Dick and Brenda were there. They figured out the easiest way for me to get out of there and back to Hwy 57. The way I came in was with directions from Google and was very complicated. It was very comforting for me to see Dick waiting in the parking lot to be sure that I had turned the right way to get to Good Hope Road.

I went to shoot at Rhine today. While I was there, the sister of Harold Diedrich's wife, Diane came in and told us that Harold and Diane's son John, only 39, had died during the night. We are all shocked. I can't imagine what the family is going through. John has two young children too.

When I was young and rather new in California, I rented a house, with Jacquie, my future sister in law, from Doris and Ronnie, also future in-laws. We had a washing machine but no dryer and hung our clothes on a line in the back yard.

One day we hung our clothes and went shopping. To our shock, when we got back, every pair of underpants that we owned was gone. So we called the police. They sent out two officers to take the report. It was quite embarrassing, as one of the officers was Al (can't remember his last name). He had gone to school with some of the Johnstons and though he tried very hard to keep a straight face, it was pretty hard especially when the standard questions are such as "Can you give us a description of the stolen property." "How many items were taken?" and so on.

Anyway, surprisingly, they found three or four of the underpants scattered a few blocks from the house. They decided it was a college prank, but it cost Jacquie and me quite a bit to replace all of our underwear. I am not sure if renters insurance would have covered underpants, but we didn't have any insurance anyway. It was a different time, a different place.

Hope your week is good. Ours is filling up.

Love

Mary

Well, it is almost 10:00Pm and I just got home from Hazel's party about 15 minutes ago. It was a NICE party. Suzi did a great job. The Olde Templeton Inn is a favorite of her and Hazel. Unfortunately, it will be closing this month because the road is being widened or extended or some such thing. They will miss it. We had an excellent meal. I had prime rib and a piece of the delicious cake that Suzi made for her mother. Bobbie said she was really pleased that it was chocolate (as were we all.)

This was a good chance for me to get better acquainted with Dick's nieces and nephews. And especially for Bobbie, Jim and Dick to get to know them.

I was especially glad to be able to talk to Theresa, who is a nurse about Dick's PICC line. She consulted with Jeannie another niece nurse and they assured me that it will be all right to not flush it for a day or two. Jeannie mentioned that she had a guy come in who had one. He had not had it flushed for almost a month and it was just fine. He told her that he had really forgotten about it. (Pretty hard to understand with the ports sticking out and all.) But Dick surely doesn't have to worry for a day or two. Whew.

Hazel was just delighted and seemed so happy with everything and everybody. She looks wonderful too. One would never guess her age. I see so many people, even my age who don't look any better. What is it about aging. I has so many variations. She told Bobbie and me that she remembers when Dick was born. He was born at home and was a big baby. She and her twin sister Helen were in their bedroom listening to every bit of it. I guess it was not an easy birth. Bobbie thought that might be a good way to encourage birth control. Of course, Hazel and Helen both had children so it didn't work for them.

Anyway, it was worth the long drive down and back. Such a lovely bunch of people. I am glad that I am related to them now.

Tomorrow for the first time in almost a month, we won't have to go to the hospital. I can't tell you how good that feels. I must go shooting in the afternoon. Otherwise, I will have to shoot too many targets at once and will get sloppy.

I read a quote that I liked. Perhaps you will enjoy it too. It is from a poet called Mary Anne Radmacher. "When I say "I am going home" I mean I am going to where you are." I liked it.

I need to go to bed now. I listened to the Irish Tenors all the way home from Sussex.

Love you all.

Mary

The last day, or so they say. Tonight while talking to Nurse Michelle, she asked us what we were doing about keeping the PICC flushed while we are not getting the intravenous. We said, Uh, We don't know about that stuff. The three of us consulted and decided that Dick and I will go there tomorrow when Michelle is there. She will flush and check the blood return and change the dressing. We will see if we can arrange a time to flush on Sunday and than on Monday we will see Dr. Sharon. He will be able to give us direction, though we really need to talk to Dr. Phelan who is on vacation before we are done with this nightmare.

The legs are still peeling but don't seem as swollen. He is not sleeping well and his appetite is iffy. We did stop for breakfast this morning and he seemed to enjoy that but the rest of the day, he ate only because he had to.

Tomorrow I will go to Hazel's party in the evening an represent Dick. He has a sore throat on top of everything and certainly doesn't want to expose Hazel to any germs.

I wrapped the presents today.

This morning on Good Morning America, Robin Roberts was telling a bit about a trip to her home town of Pas Christian in Mississippi that was affected SO strongly by Hurricane Katrina. It brought to mind how closely involved we become with people like her who report our news and who we see every day. I remember just wanting to hug her and pat her hand when she reported to us from Pas Christian right after the storm was over and she cried. We become "friends." The trouble is that it is a one sided friendship because they don't know us from Adam.

One year at Irish Fest in Milwaukee, Eileen and I were walking around one of the stages and I saw a man walking towards me. I said. " Well, Duane Gaye. How are you?" Then it dawned on me that he had no idea in the world who I was. Duane was the morning anchor on WISN channel 12 which I watch most mornings. So. I said. "You have no idea who I am. But I wake up with you every morning." I think he was pleased and was very gracious. A couple of years later he was diagnosed with cancer and after a fierce battle during which he would come on the morning news occasionally and report his progress, he died in 2005.

I received the information that I need to "merge" Quicken and Wells Fargo. Now I need to find out how to delete the Quicken that I merged with the old Quicken after backing it up and reinstall it clean so we can start fresh. The old Quicken is corrupted and we want to start over. With the backup we will still be able to trace things.

Tomorrow I am going to make a King Cake for the beginning of Lent. I want to make it tomorrow because it is BIG and I need to be able to share. Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and I will start fasting and abstaining on the prescribed Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent. I am over 60 and don't actually have to but figure it is good for my soul. God Knows, I need to do things that are good for my soul.

All my love

Be healthy and pray for Dick. Also, someone was excited about the house but needs to bring their husband around. Pray hard.

Love

Mary

We are down to one more day. Today, we had to add in a visit to Dr. Hodous to have the calouses trimmed. They are still there but not as deep as they were before. We hope in time that we won't have to go there so often either.

We went grocery shopping too.

So we didn't get settled at home until almost 11:00AM. That makes a mighty long morning. We both took naps after lunch. I must have really been tired because I fell sound asleep for almost an hour. Usually, I only doze for about 20 minutes or so.

There is a a great song that I hear at Irish Fest but is really a folk song, not necessarily Irish. Dick and I were thinking of the last verse recently. It is a good motto for us and any one else who is under pressure. It is the story of a crew who bring up a ship that sinks during a storm when the owners want to leave it lying there.

Here it is - enjoy.


"And you to whom adversity has dealt it's final blow.
Those smiling bastards lyin' to you everywhere you go.
Turn to and give it all you have of arm, of heart of brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter - Rise Again.

Rise again
Rise again
Though your heart it be broken and life about to end.
No matter what you've lost
Be a home, a love a friend.
Like the Mary Ellen Carter - Rise again."

We are hanging in there and will rise again.

Love

Mary

Only two more days left. Saturday, we will not have to get up at 5AM. Both sessions went very will today. Dick slept poorly again last night so took several short naps today. He ate fairly well, at least it was a balanced diet.

We had our second diabetes class. There were two other people besides Tom and Dick and I today so the discussion became rather lively. We talked about exercise, eating out, alcohol consumption and how depression and illness affect blood levels. She gave us each a pedometer. We are going to wear them for a day and see what we do with our normal activities.

I went over to Salem UCC this afternoon to express my condolences to the Knapp family. Karen Knapp, a friend from my working days at Wells Fargo, died of cancer. The funeral was at 7:00 and I obviously couldn't go to that but was glad to be able to go over and see Carl and her daughters Amy and Dawn.

Tomorrow will be another busy day. The "usual" two sessions at Valley View, grocery shopping and Dick sees Dr. Hodous to have his callouses trimmed tomorrow. I sure hope he sleeps better tonight.

It is still cold and supposed to get down to 0 degrees tonight. I got a small "milk house" heater for the garage. I am hoping it will help keep things from freezing in there. I lost a whole bunch of potatoes. I checked after they froze and found out that there is NO way to save them then.

I also had water freeze out there so now we have our entryway full of water, coke and some wine. With the alcohol in the wine it did not freeze but I did not want to take any chances. If the little heater helps maybe I can move stuff out there again.

When the kids were little, Bret about 11 and Bart about 8, we went on a Caribbean cruise. That was quite an experience for all of us. Bret asked for chocolate milk. They didn't have it but our waiter mixed some Hershey's syrup into milk for him. We had the same waiter for the whole cruise and after that first day he had his chocolate milk at every meal and if he finished it they filled it up. Bart liked a certain breakfast, I think pancakes, and after two days he would tell our waiter "I'll have my usual, please." and he got it. That was quite an experience for them and for us. It is fun to be spoiled.

Love

Mary

Another day done. This morning went very well. Dick was SO tired. But he was hungry ( such a relief, he doesn't eat much which is OK but at least he is willing to eat.) He had some fried potato, toast and a scrambled egg. Pretty good and he ate it all.

He rested off and on and I puttered around today. I watered plants and stirred wine and got things ready to take to show Bob Fleming when I had lunch with him this noon. Met Bob at 11:30 at the Bread and Bean in Falls. Dick was not up to it and Steve had a commitment with a quartet he has been working with so it was Bob and me. We had a nice time. It is fun to share with him. He is such a good artist and I am hoping that he and my friend Cindy Matyi can communicate some. She is also an execellent artist. She does modern Celtic Art and is currently learning Icon Painting which Bob is concentrating on. He is trying to find markets to sell his note cards and prints through. He has some printed of an Icon of St. Patrick. I have the print in the den downstairs. It is really impressive. We had a nice lunch and got caught up. Next time I hope that Dick and Steve can be there too. If you are interested in St. Patrick note cards, let me know.

I thought that I was going to miss the last of Fr. Van Beeck's adult education classes because of the Valley View visits, but the hospital called this afternoon and moved it up from 6 to 4PM so we were home early enough that I could grab a snack and get there on time. I think the God planned it for me. It was well worth it. Fr. Van Beeck talked about Lent and our mission during Lent. He challenges us to do scripture reading during Lent and especially to read, not just skim, but really read the epistle of James. I must do that.

I also had contacted a lady named Ann at St. John's school about the Market Day that I had forgotten to pick up. She was coming to the meeting tonight too so we agreed to eschange check for food then. Imagine my surprise when upon finding out where she was she was sitting next to Harold Ziegler, a cousin on my Dad's side. I told her that Harold is my cousin and she laughed and said that he is also her Dad so we are cousins. That was fun. Harold told me that he has been going through old pictures and found some of my grandma, his Aunt Helen and some of Uncle Jack (My Bret looks SO much like Uncle Jack. ) and my Aunt Helen too. He also has one of 10 of the Zieglers (My great grandfather Alois's Children) that he will share. Sounds like fun. He is such a sweet man. He owned an office supply store in Plymouth until her retired several years ago.

Tomorrow the same old same old at the hospital - plus an hour or so at Diabetes Class #2. I am sure we will learn as much at the first time and they can advise us as to what to do about this lack of appetite and how to be sure that he eats what he needs to stay healthy.

I am going to make a New Orleans King Cake on Sunday to help kick off the beginning of Lent next Wednesday. Can you believe that Lent starts a week from tomorrow.

Have a great Wednesday. I will tell you about the class tomorrow.

Mary

I am so embarrassed. I forgot to go and pick up Market Day today.

We went to Valley View at 6:00 for the first antibiotics. Then I went to Falls for Bible Study. There were 7 of us this morning a good group. We had a lively discussion about loving your enemies and how hard it is to pass up a chance to "get even". Joe pointed out that Jesus tells us that if someone takes out coat, we should give our tunic too. He said that perhaps this means that when our kids come to "borrow" our tools we should just give them to them. Or maybe if we have TWO crescent wrenches, we should give them the GOOD one. What do you think?

I stopped at Mother's to visit and bring her a piece of quiche and a couple of Kahlua Brownies. We had a nice visit. We never run out of things to say. We started talking about the Westminster Dog Show which I am watching RIGHT now. This made us think of dogs both wonderful and awful from our lives. She thought of their Lucky. They got Lucky from a friend who had a female spaniel who got "knocked up" by unknown "lover". When they got him home, Dad said that he was going to be big. Boy was he right. Lucky grew to look like and be as big as a Saint Bernard. He was a sweet dog. The boys watched television at night using him for a big pillow. They also made a sign for his dog house that said "Friend of the Little People" and painted L U C K Y in big letters on top of his dog house so airplanes could see it.

We also got to talking about Auntie Brandl's Salve. This was a salve that was supposed to heal sores. Mother and I both have the recipe but even if we could get all the ingredients, we don't thing we'd make it because at least one of them is poison.

Here is the recipe if you are interested.

Wonder Salve or Auntie Brandl's Salve

8 oz sweet oil
4 oz red lead
3 drams olebaum
2 drams burnt alum
2 drams camphor

Heat oil to boiling point. Add all ingredients except camphor.

Boil until lead turns brown.

Take from fire and immediately add camphor. Beat until cool

My brother George said that red lead is a real poison. We don't know what the heck olebaum is, maybe it is olebalm, but what is that? What was considered sweet oil, and burnt alum is another mystery. and camphor, can you buy that? Anyway, Mom has a small sample. I told her that she should give it to George and ask him if he could get it analysed. Dad and Aunt Helen got the recipe from Grandma Deeley and swore that it healed sores wonderfully.

Then I went looking for a present for Hazel. We wanted a wind chime. I went down to the riverfront and had no luck but one of the clerks told me to check Hobby Lobby. Then I got a wonderful tuna sandwich at the Weather Center, zipped on over to Trillings to buy a small heater for the garage. (In this awful cold, water, potatoes, coke and onions froze. I checked and you cannot freeze potatoes raw so I will throw them out in the morning. Trash day you know.) I have yet to check on the onions but imagine that they will go too.

Writers club was next. We had several new attendees because they had come to our 50th Soiree at Mead. Some will continue.

Then Home. This is where things fell apart. I had to take Dick to the hospital at 4 for his last intravenous and fully intended to go and pick up Market Day while he was there. I got him settled and then they came in for blood test and I FORGOT. I hope they will forgive me and that they have some place to keep stuff overnight. Actually at this time, they probably could just put it outside.

Now I am watching the Westminster Dog Show and winding down.

Hope tomorrow is a bit quieter. I am going to have lunch with Steve and Bob, two artist friends.

Love

Mary

It was a nice Sunday. We, actually I, got to sleep late this morning because we did not have to be to Valley View until 8:00AM. Dick had a terrible night and was really wiped out all morning, but we did get his intravenous and his dressing changed this morning. Then home.

I stirred the wine and then went to the 10:30 Mass. When I got home, I put an Impossible Quiche in the oven. Dick was sleeping. Jim and Michelle came over at about 12:00 and hooked up the cable for the VCR in the living room for us. Now we have FULL entertainment in four separate areas of the house. Aren't we ever spoiled. They had brunch with us. Actually Dick did not eat again. He had toast and juice earlier. We did have a slice of bologna on the toast but I am really worried about his lack of appetite. He and I are wondering if is is a side effect of the medications.

Michelle and Jim brought over some soup that Michelle had made. We had that for supper. Dick ate a nice serving of that. It is an excellent soup.

Then we went to Sheboygan Memorial for what we hope is our last trip there for a while. Everything went smoothly, they were not quite as busy and we were home at about 8:15. Not bad.

Another hectic week with all the hospital visits. I WILL go to bible study and Writer's Club in Sheboygan tomorrow. Want to pick up the present for Hazel too. The big 90th birthday party is next Saturday. Suzi had originally thought of the party being a surprise party but decided to tell her Mother after all. She decided that it would be good for her to have the pleasure of anticipation more than the 5 minutes of surprise. I sure hope that Dick is well enough to go.
It isn't often that your sister turns 90 and they are the last remaining of the siblings.

Please pray for my brother in law Leif too. He is having surgery for prostrate in early March. They caught it very early so all looks well for a total recovery. Mother said that they have discovered a slight heart murmur so they have to test a bit further. This will be important so that they use the right anesthetics and monitor him properly. I am sure they (and I know that WE) will be SO glad when that is all over with.

I am looking at the framed picture of Jesus that Barb gave me. I believe that it is the statue that stands in Brazil but is superimposed in the clouds as if looking over the earth with the moon as a backdrop. The quote in the corner says "I never said it would be easy, I only said that it would be worth it." Frankly that is what I am counting on.

Have a great week and pray for us as I pray for you all.

Love

Mary

One more day done. This morning took a LONG time. They were busy and didn't get to us right away. The good thing for me was that we didn't have to be there until 8:00AM which meant that I could sleep a bit later. As a matter of fact, it was 6:15AM before I got up. I am still really tired tonight.

When we got home this morning Dick actually ate scrambled eggs and toast. That was good but we ate so late that he did not have lunch. I am really having trouble getting him to eat enough "carbs". He has NO appetite.

Today was the big 50th event for the Sheboygan County Writers at Mead. It went very well. We had quite a few people attend which was really gratifying. The members had each contributed a piece to be printed in a memorial book that we called A Collection of Words Wit and Wisdom. I contributed my poem called The Knockeen Dolmen that won the prize at Irishfest a few years ago. The program started at 1:00. We, in turn as they appeared in the book, read our pieces. The program was well received. Members had brought cookies and bars (I brought Kahlua Brownies.) which we served with tea and coffee. I left at 3:15 to get home to Dick. They were starting a little more reading and music by Karen Howland and Don Cooper, two of our members, who, independently, do music to their poems in Karen's case or write lyrics in Don's case as I left. We are talking of doing it again.

Tonight we had to go in to Sheboygan Memorial for Dick's intravenous. We got a light meal in the cafeteria. We have to go only one more time to Sheboygan. We finish next Friday with any luck at all and can do all the rest in Plymouth. We got home at about 8:15. I am tired.

Got a call from Barb Wollner, one of my Plymouth lunch buddies. Our friend and coworker Karen Knapp died this morning. A valiant battle with cancer. She beat breast cancer, we believed. But on Jan 30, she was told that it was back, in the marrow and everywhere. And today she is gone. Such a loss for her husband and daughters. I am glad that she did not suffer long. As Barb said, the remission from the breast cancer gave them a bonus year or two that they would not have had. I am sure they appreciated those days and weeks. Karen was a joy. Pray for her and her family.

"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat." Alex Levine.

or if you insist on chewing and insist on the "other" essential food group, have a Sheboygan Brat sandwich. You have your meat group (the brat), your starch ( the hard roll), your vegetable (the pickle and onion) and your fat ( the butter on the bun.)

Have both - life is short.

Mary

Another day winding down. It got all the way up to the mid teens today.

We started at our usual 5:00AM. I almost did not respond to the alarm. I was sound asleep and it was becoming a part of my dream. Everything went quickly today. They were all set up for us this morning. The nurse was in another room, but we saw Dick's stuff so settled ourselves in and were all ready when she got there.

Home again. We both napped. For some reason or other, today I was really beat and couldn't get really excited about anything. I stirred wine, cleaned the kitchen and baked some bars. This noon I joined Betty, Marlene, Barb and Ceil at the Dairy Queen. I had a grilled cheese and got an order of fries to share. That was a nice break in the day.

Jim and Michelle came over just before we left for Valley View this evening to borrow the hair clippers and brought Boots with them. He is getting SO big and still looks just like Sylvester. He picks on poor old Chelsea. He wants to play and she doesn't seem too excited about that. He is a sweet cat. I sure miss my guy and gal. I still say that noone would know that they were here if we just picked them up. drove into the garage and brought them into the house. They NEVER go out. Who would ever guess they were here. Can someone convince Dick of that?

I called Suzi, Dick's neice, today. His sister Hazel, is turning 90 this year and Suzi is having a party for her. It started out as a surprise, but she decided to tell Hazel because she figured a couple of weeks of joyful anticipation outweighed 5 minutes of surprise. She told me that Hazel had a mild heart attact a couple of weeks ago but is doing well. A prayer or two for that sweet lady would be in order. She is looking forward to her party.

"You can't leave footprints in the sands of time if you're sitting on your butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?"
- Anonymous

Tomorrow, the Sheboygan County Writers Club is going to have a celebration of our 50th year at Mead Public Library. I will be there. We are having readings, refreshments and fun. I will be bringing my book and hope to sell a couple of them. I was a member of the club more than 45 years ago right out of high school and then rejoined five years ago. We put together a book featuring something from every member that chose to provide something.

Did I tell you that I heard from my artist friend Bob. I, and I hope Dick if he feels well enough, will be having lunch with him and his friend and mind Steve at the Bread and Bean in Sheboygan Falls on Tuesday. Haven't seen him in a long time and want to somehow connect him up with another artist friend Cindy Matyi who I have put in contact with the Kohler Art Center and the Plymouth Art Center. She and a couple of other Celtic Artists have an exhibit that they show around the country. Sure would like to get them here. If we did, I could get Cindy to do a program for the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.

Be happy.

Love You - I hope my ramblings don't bore you.

Mary

We felt like we were going to run into Rod Serling at Valley View twice today. We got there at 6:15AM, walked into the outpatient surgery area. All the lights were on and out medication and syringes were all set up in a room but noone was in sight. We called and noone answered, so I walked down to urgent care and back. Noone. After about 10 minutes, I walked down a hall that I had not perused before and heard voices, so I called out "Hello" AGAIN and Linda answered. She was in a room explaining something to a patient and had not heard us. Anyway, we got Dick his drugs and went home.

Dick felt much better today. His color is less flushed and the shortness of breath was not nearly as bad as it was yesterday. He ate better today also but really is forcing himself.

I worked on taxes and Quicken 2007 today. Successful on some things, not so good on others. I do believe that I have the taxes ready to take to Mark.

Tonight we went back to Valley View at 6:00PM. Rod Serling was there again. Noone at the desk and we did not hear anything. We waited and looked at each other meaningfully for a few minutes, then I said. "Hello?" and the doctor on call peeked around the corner.

They were actually swamped. The examining rooms were all full of mainly munchkins. Lisa got to us as soon as she could. Dick asked her if there was a 2 for one sale that we were not awary of. It took two hours to get the two half hour intravenous in. But if we had come for urgent care, we would have wanted to be taken care of, so we just hung in there and it got done. Dick's legs are really peeling. Dr. Phelan says that is a good thing.

Dick's lack of appetite for some reason or other reminded me of on day when Jacquie, my ex sister in law, was watching Bart. She took Bart and her son Todd for lunch at Mc Donalds. Now Bart LOVED hamburgers and was a pretty good eater. Todd, on the other hand, was picky and you had to keep encouraging him to eat his meals. She said never again. She spent the whole time trying to encourage Todd to have "One more bite" while trying to slow Bart down. Bart, at that time had this habit of grabbing his burger and plowing right through the middle. Then he had problems with what to do with the sides in his grubby little hands that were wrapping themselves around his sweet little cheeks.

Have a great Friday.

Love

Mary

Another LOOOOONG day. But another one under our belts. Dick is still very breathless and has no appetite. We are bargaining to get the "carbs" he needs into him. Despite his not eating much, his weight is not going down. Maybe that is because of all the fluids they are pumping into him. Anyway. We started this morning with the first visit at 6:00AM again. His nurse, Linda, noticed the breathlessness and wheeled him down to the car in a chair for me. That helped, and we came home and put him to bed for a nap.

I went grocery shopping then and to Walmart for a new toilet seat and some innards for the guest toilet which is running a lot. Then home til we had to leave for the Clinic to have his blood count with Sue. He is right on so SOMETHING is right. She wants to test him on Monday because of all the antibiotics, but has arranged that they can do it in Plymouth which will save at least one trip to Sheboygan.

We stopped at Mother's house to drop off a prescription for her and her money. I had cashed a check for her last week and had not been there to give it to her because of the cold. She hadn't been going anywhere either, so it was not a big deal but I do like to take care of her.

Home again with naps for both of us. When I woke up, I went down to the wine room and worked on the wine, then finished the first square for the Celtic Quilt. I like it but always have a couple of iffy areas. The colors are really lovely.

Dick just had toast and milk for an evening meal. I hope he wants something else later. I had leftover veggies and rice and a crab cake. I had a piece of blueberry bread for dessert.

Then back to Valley View. We got home at about 7:45PM. Much better than the 8:30 to 8:45 regimen with the hour long antibiotic but still a long time.

I was thinking of my ex mother in law, Lily. My thoughts turned to her because Dick asked for a small can of coke (they had brought some small cans one evening) because he doesn't finish a 12 ouncer. Lily found small cans of beer for a while and she liked that. She liked a beer once in a while but usually it got warm before she finished it. Thinking back on it, I am surprised she bought them anyway because they must have been a bit pricey and she was tight. Uncle John MacIntosh always threatened that he was going to come and dig up all the jars of money that she had "buried in the back yard." Lil never drank much because someone told her that a hangover was much like morning sickness. She had experienced that before she drank anything so she saw no sense in putting herself through that.

I may have told you this but you will just have to hear it again. Her sister Ruth and a couple of her work buddies (they cooked lunches at the school) stopped at Lil's one afternoon. They decided to have Margaritas. Lil mixed up a batch and they went through them. Then, since she was out of Tequila, she decided to substitute Vic's 150 proof alcohol for the tequila. Needless to say these ladies were really bombed. So she decided that she had to sober them up before she sent them home and loaded them up in her open topped jeep and drove them around Costa Mesa for a while.

We asked her later why she wasn't drunk too. She said that she had more sense than to drink that stuff.

My ex hated meatloaf. I am sure it was because his Mom used the very cheapest burger she could get and put it on the table swimming in grease. But that woman made great Chili. My recipe came from her. She also made WONDERFUL apple pie. I have her pie crust recipe too.

I also remember that she made an apricot cake that was wonderful. She would fill a greased cake pan (13x9), mix up a yellow cake mix and pour it over all and bake until done. We just don't get good apricots here.

Later

Mary

Well, we got in to see Dr. Phelan about the rash at 10:45AM. We were relieved that he feels it is not a medicine allergy reaction but a reaction to one of the infections that has settled in the legs. Probably a staph infection of some kinds. There are signs that the antibiotics are helping but we need to get back on one of the old antibiotics to clear the other one. SO we went back to Valley View tonight and are still getting two doses. However the hour long one is now changed to one that only lasts 30 minutes. I forgot the name, perhaps I can remember to write it down tomorrow. We will have to go for another three or four days because of the changes. Sure hope this will do it. I think enough "shoes have dropped."

It was COLD again today too, but did get up to about 7 above and right now is still at 4 above, so we have hope for a break in this awful cold.

Years ago, I had a beautiful black cat named Samantha, Sam for short. She was part Siamese, built like one, with a yowl like one, though she was much too dignified to yowl too often. She was JET black and had the most beautiful green eyes in the world. Sam used to sleep with us at night. Living in California 45 years ago, cats could stay outside, were seldom kept in the house and were never licensed. We kept our window cracked just enough that Sam could get in and out as she pleased and this worked very well for all of us - Until the day I walked in the bedroom and found one side of the bed was covered with a solid layer of gray feathers. Poor birdie. Needless to say, that was the last time I left the window open during the day. She was a good mouser too. One day a mouse showed up in the bathroom and I just put her in the room, convinced her that I was not out of my mind by moving the basket that the mouse was hiding behind and Woosh - no more mousy.

She was a wonderful cat. She had a couple of litters of kittens too. She let me watch her deliver one litter. Do you know that they purr during the whole labor? I guess it must be comforting to them.

I should have tried that.

Love

Mary

Had to get up at 5:00AM again this morning and get to Valley View by 6:00AM. It was -11 degrees. Isn't that awful. It is supposed to be just as cold or colder tonight. Then tomorrow afternoon it is supposed to start to warm a bit. Still cold but better than the last two days.

We were able to stay home all the rest of the day but had to get to Valley View tonight by 4:00PM so they could do blood tests. Then they started the intravenous. The nurse noticed that there seems to be a rash on Dick's hands and knees, also a little around his waist, mainly in the back. SO!!! Tomorrow we have to call Dr. Phelan's office at 8:00AM on the dot so that he can take a look at it. We will go to the Clinic as soon as they can get us in. His legs seem to be less swollen but this morning the right one was seeping again. They are peeling like crazy. I sure hope this clears things up. He is also so tired and has not appetite. Must remember to ask about that.

We racked the Gewertziminer wine today and I did some sewing. I started sewing one of the squares for the Blessed Trinity Celtic Quilt and did some more of the hand quilting on the kitty quilt.

Because of the cold (schools were even closed) I canceled the bible study for today. Seems silly for anyone to go out in that bitter cold unless it is absolutely necessary. That gave me a couple of extra hours so I worked a bit on the taxes too. I plan to have everything in order by tomorrow night then I can call for an appointment.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

Chelsea is starting to think that it is time to go to bed and so do I. Keep us in your prayers. Remember Jim and Michelle driving in this cold down to Milwaukee for work too. Today something happened to the car. But it is all OK now.

Love you

Mary

Super Bowl is over and are they ever lucky that they played in Florida in the rain rather than in Chicago in the frigid temps that have been hitting us. Though I imagine it is warmer in Chicago than it is here. We bottomed out at -11 and topped out at -2. Indy won. We were really kind of hoping Chicago would as they ARE our neighbors but did not have really strong feelings one way or another. One of the two Packer games that I saw was at Indianapolis and it was a pleasant experience. The fans were reasonably friendly but competitive. Unlike Minneapolis, where I feared for my safety. Minneapolis Viking fans are really evil.

These are really cold days, Chelsea goes out quite enthusiastically and hopeful and then after rolling the the snow for a while starts getting down to business and finds that her little feet get very cold. Did you ever see a dog whose feet get cold? First they pick up the sorest paw and hobble on three then the pick up another one. At that point there is no way for them to walk so they flop on their side and look pitiful. I usually pick her up and walk with her until she can stand it again and then we run like hell for home.

I got to sleep until almost 6:30AM as we did not have to be at Valley View until 8:00AM. The morning intravenous went very well, we were home about 9:00AM. I went to the 10:30 Mass. I sure needed that this week. Sometimes I just have to be able to stop and remember that Someone is really there along with me.

I did some cooking today. A good way to warm up the house on a cold winter day. Talked to Bart and Barb today too. Bart sounds pretty good. We had a nice visit. Sometimes when he doesn't feel well, he doesn't want to talk at all. He said he had talked to his friend Dave Moioffer, who is the son of Dan and Shirley Moioffer. I graduated from high school with Dan and Shirley is in my bible study so we keep up on the boys. Dave has developed and immune disease but is responding well to the steroids that they are treating it with.

Visited with Mother a bit too. She called to see if Dick was feeling better. He is still SO tired and did not sleep well last night at all. He has such trouble getting comfortable. Tonight we had to go to Sheboygan Memorial. We got there a bit before 6 but did not get out until about 8:15. So it took over two hours for the 1 1/2 hours of actual medication. They were very busy and we had to have an RN to hook up and disconnect the IVS.

We now have only five more days to go. We soaped and washed his legs tonight. They are still peeling but the swelling seems down somewhat.

Let's pray that this gets rid of the infection once and for all. Barb has a sinus infection that is persistent. Lets pray that that heals too.

Don't
walk in front of me,
I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me,
I may not lead.
Walk beside me and
be my friend.

All my love

Mary

The Wild Game Dinner was a wild success. We had a sumptuous feast at Becky and Bryan's house. There was a big crowd. A happy crowd.

The beer tasting contest had 20 participants and 18 different beers. Donna won this year. She said she would and then she did - with 6 right. A pretty impressive win. We had several with 5 right, including Shawn, my nephew, who had come up with John and Holly from Chicago. That would have been an adventure. We would have all had to go to Chicago next year. Jim suggested that perhaps we could just rent a Discovery Coach.

Kurt and Jody are expecting another baby. They were trying to decide between a baby and a puppy. (Joke, Joke.) Actually Jody said that when they told Brandon, Brandon said that he really had wanted a puppy.

We went for Dick's two intravenous, this morning at Valley View and this evening at Memorial Hospital. It is so cold and is supposed to stay this way through Tuesday morning. I looked a few minutes ago and it is minus 5. Wouldn't you know that we would have to drive to Sheboygan two of the coldest evenings of the year.


Say a prayer that these treatments clear up the infections in Dick's legs. Also we really need a buyer for the house in Sheboygan. Pray for that too.

A Friend Is Like A Good Bra...
Hard to Find
Supportive
Comfortable
Always Lifts You Up
Never Lets You Down or Leaves You Hanging
And Is Always Close To Your Heart

Love

Mary

Another LONG day. We switched cars with Jim and Michelle because we thought they would need the Santa Fe to transport a new shower door for the downstairs bathroom at Hunters Glen. As it turned out the door has to be special ordered but this meant that we were switching cars at 5:45 AM. I was up at 5 anyway and took my shower because of the trip to Valley View at 6:00AM. Chelsea didn't want to walk too far. It was only 7 degrees out there.

When we got home I cleaned the kitchen and made the stew for the Wild Game Dinner which is tomorrow. I think I will bring a loaf of Irish Brown Bread and butter too. It goes so well with the stew. Must remember to get wine up too. We have tested the wine I made with the wild grapes from Becky and Bryan's place and it is ready and tastes pretty good. I want to bring some current for Jeff and Kathy too. It is still a little sharp, but we can share more later.

I am looking forward to tomorrow. Jim and Michelle are going and Michelle said she will help with the beer tasting serving. I think she will get a big kick out of it. I am also looking forward to the fact that for the first time in five days we don't have to be at the hospital until 8:00AM. What a luxury. I can sleep until 6:00AM, maybe even 6:30 if Chelsea doesn't bug me.

We got home in time to watch a bit of the "Greatest TV Commercials" featuring the Super Bowl commercials. The one of Mean Joe Green drinking the coke is considered the best of all. You remember that don't you? Mean Joe is limping off the screen and this little boy gives him his coke and Mean Joe throws him his old sweaty jersey. Cute as can be. It reminded me of something else cute as can be.

Sara and Nora went to a Packer Practice, either with the Recreation department or the Boys and Girls Club. They came home just agog and Nora, literally wide eyed and breathless said in a voice trembling with excitement that Reggie White had touched her hand. She held her hand like it was a treasure. I have this picture in my head of teeny blond Nora and big black gentle Reggie clasping hands as he went into the practice session. Beautiful.

Have a nice weekend.

Love You

Mary

It is 20 minutes to 9. We JUST got home from Dick's evening intravenous. We had a different nurse and it took forever. She was very nice and careful but first she set the half hour one to dispense in an hour then we had to wait for the second one. She was, of course, getting used to his routine so if we ever have her again it will not take so long. We are really beat though and 5:00AM comes mighty early. Tomorrow will be the end of the first week. One more to go.

We did our grocery shopping today. This is the week we shop at the Pig. This was also their big meat sale day and the lot was full and the store was jammed and there was meat everywhere. I did get a nice pork tenderloin that I divided into four good sized pieces and some lunch meat, brats and smoked sausages. I was a bit worried at that because the freezers are really quite full but I easily found room. I am keeping an inventory lately and it is helping me manage and rotate the food.

I managed to get a little sewing in and even cut out the pieces for one of the squares for the quilt for Celtic Faire.

Tomorrow, I am planning on giving poor little old Chelsea a bath. She will be very disappointed in me but there is no help for it. She looks like a gray puppy instead of a white one. Tonight when we got home she seemed to be limping a bit. I think from stiffness. Poor little girl, is almost 13.

I am going to have lunch with the bank ladies tomorrow noon. I need a break. Too bad Dick can't get one. He seems to be exceptionally tired these days, I hope it is just a reaction to the medication or possibly the infection itself. His legs don't look "better" but the left one is less swollen and the right is peeling. We hope that these are normal healing responses. He sees Dr. Phelan next Wednesday.

From Cadfael, the Book of Days by Robin Whitman from Ellis Peters books. I am too tired to think of much else.

Faith given and allegiance pledged are stronger than fear, an that, perhaps, is virtue, even in the teeth of death.

Love

Mary

P. S. the new and last Harry Potter book will be out on July 21st and Dick has ordered it for me.
I am reading Morgan Llewelyn's 1946 during the hour and a half long sessions and have almost finished it. I read the series about the revolution to the present a bit out of order but now am caught up and I hope that Morgan finishes the next one soon as she left it with the hero, Barry Halloran, going for his rifle.

We do have the nicest nurses. Tonight they put on a movie for us. Tim Allen's first Santa Clause movie was available so we got to see it. We had enjoyed the third one so much that we were planning on seeing the other two, now we only have one to go.

It was only 4 degrees when I took Chelsea out this morning. I am taking my shower first, then her out as 5:00AM is earlier than she is used to going out anyway. We didn't go too far. After the 6:00AM intravenous we went to the Wilderness for breakfast. They have the best fried red potatoes with onion. Their biscuits are good too. Nice and light and fresh.

We had to be back at Valley View at 8:15 for our diabetes education. That went well. There is one other person in our group. The first session went over portion sizes and how to count carbs and how many a person should have. We learned A LOT.

Home again. I actually got to do some sewing today and I picked out some fabrics to go with the fat quarter that I got from Dottie at Blessed Trinity. They are doing a Christmas quilt for the Celtic fair this year and I said that I would do a couple of squares for the quilt. I like doing that. We just have to do stars. There are SO many varieties that I am having trouble choosing.

Tomorrow we will have the two sessions at the hospital and we are grocery shopping. At least we will be close to home all day.

I had my hair cut today too. There was a coupon for a free cut at Shear Delight here in Plymouth and as it has been two months, I thought I would take advantage of it. I will see how it works out. I am so used to Maria and she is so used to me. It always looks OK at first and this is OK - but it takes my own working with it to be sure. I must remember, in any case, that Aunt Ruth Eisman always said that the only difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is two weeks.

Have a nice Thursday. It is supposed to continue cold and was snowing a bit when we came back from Valley View. I hope it doesn't get too heavy. Well, Carpe Diem.

Love

Mary

More of same old, same old today.

I got up at 5 and went right into the shower. Then when I got all dressed and dry I took Chelsea for a walk. When I got back it was time to put Dick's sox on and get ready to go to Valley View for the first of his antibiotics. We were done at about 7:00 It took longer than the half an hour because they had to clean the area of the PICC and change the bandage on it too.

We came home and let Chelsea out one more time and took the trash out on our way to Sheboygan to the Clinic for Dick's blood test. We had intended on going somewhere kind of nice for breakfast but ran late and had to settle for Hardees which is faster. Now, I DO like Hardee's biscuits but am getting a bit sick of fast food.

When we got home we both took naps. This afternoon the Overhead Door Company man came and fixed our garage door opener so it works from the keypad. We have a new keypad too. Now the light burned out in the unit so we will have to change that this weekend. But that is OK. We have a working unit anyway.

We went to De OMalleys for dinner tonight. Dick got their chili which he said he would order again. I had a veggie pizza which was very good. Then we made our last trip for the day to Valley View for the last two intravenous.

Now I am finishing this up and can go to bed. Chelsea is a very confused little girl. She can't figure out what our schedule is at all and is trying to convince me that it is bedtime now.

Just a little story. For some reason, this morning I was taking off and putting on shoes and boots to walk her and get ready to go and a song came to mind.

Those of you who have children know how much they like the familiar. They find a song they like and want it sung over and over and over. Or a story. They will want to hear the same one over and over and over. I remember that Bret wanted to hear One Fish Two Fish by Dr. Seuss over and over. We were visiting Wisconsin during that period and I remember that my brother Matt got very disgusted with us because Mother and I had resorted to reading it in a monotone as fast as we could to just GET IT OVER WITH. He said that that was no way to do it and took the book and read it to Bret with all the drama that he could put into it.

But I digress. I wanted to tell you about a song from MY childhood. Mom and Dad had a phonograph record of a song called We got to get the shoes on Willie. I can't remember the tune but it carried Willie to his wedding day. We loved it and my parents were eternally grateful when it wore out or broke. I can't remember which. Must remember to ask Mom about that . I wonder if she remembers.

Have a nice Wednesday. Dick and I go to Diabetes School.

Love

Mary

Mary

Another of these hectic days that we will be going through for the nest 10 days or so.

It was COLD when we got up at 5AM. I took Chelsea for a quick walk and we got kinda dressed and went over to Valley View for Dick's first intravenous. Just before we left one of the lenses fell out of his glasses. (Go Figure) When we left the hospital we swung by the Eye Clinic to check their hours. Finding out that they open at 8:30, we stopped at the Subway for a breakfast sandwich (Dick promised to take me out for breakfast every morning that we have to get these treatments.) (Where ever I want to go. Cool Huh) Filled the gas tank and then went home.

I showered and took Dick to the Eye Center. They fixed his glasses and we proceeded to Walgreens. They had called really early and told us that they would replace the testing strips free of charge. They do not want the other strips back so we will donate them to the diabetes center at Valley View. I am sure they can use them for demos or perhaps there is someone who needs them that cannot afford them. Anyway, Dick is back to testing. He only missed one day.

I dropped Dick at home and went to Blessed Trinity for Bible Study. We had a good group. Ione was back. She was ill for two weeks. They think they have figured it out now and it will be better for her. We had a good discussion about the readings which dealt with people who are called and don't feel they are worthy. It seems that being worthy doesn't matter if you are chosen. We also decided that it is very easy to believe when you are full of love and a message that really hits your emotions. It is also pretty easy to believe when you are really in trouble and have nowhere else to turn but to God. It can be harder to remember to believe and pray when everything is normal and mundane. It takes a great faith to see God in the ordinary.

After study I visited with Mother for a while and updated her on everything. She is looking great.

This evening we went for the intravenous early because they had to take a blood test to check the (I think) heperin level. The tests are picked up at 4:30 so we went in at 4:00.

Tomorrow, another 6:15AM session and we have to go and have Sue check his bl00d count. With all the antibiotics, I imagine that things are going to be really screwed up. Well, One step at a time. I just hope this gets the infection out of those legs. They are still red and crusted in spots. I am really anticipating the diabetic class that we will attend on Wednesday..

I'll lean on you and
you lean on me and
we'll be okay

-- Dave Matthews

Mary

I was surprisingly quite comfortable out in the woods all morning. The temperatures were only in the low 20s but it was not windy and the cloud cover was mixed with sun. As we pretty well kept moving I stayed quite warm.

We got four rabbits in the group. Jeff got two. I actually got a shot off at one this year. I was behind it but at least I got a shot. Randy and Kenny missed the same one so I didn't feel too bad about missing it.

We were out in the woods from about 8:30 until 12:00. Then we went to the Bar. We always go to the Wierl Wind out on Hwy 67 and have a venison sausage tasting contest. We had 8 separate sausages this year. We got six set out on plates with the name of the maker on the bottom. We were into the contest when the other two entries came in - so we asked everyone to rate the new ones kind of separately. One of the late comers was a Venison/Wild Boar combination. It was really hard this year as their wasn't a bad one in the mix. I will have to find out which one was the winner as I left early to come home and take care of things at home.

Taking care of things at home turned out to be impossible. We had found out this morning that we were given the wrong strips for testing Dick's blood. I took them back to Walgreens and found that we cannot exchange them because we opened the boxes. (They aren't supposed to exchange them anyway but if the seal on the cardboard box had not been broken, she might have been able to do something.) We CAN get the right ones but it will cost an additional $28 plus. Needless to say I am calling Dr. Sharon and June Maile in the morning to ask what we do. We have $28 (200 of the darn things) that are useless to us. (They actually are worth a lot more but Medicare covers much of it.) This really upset me for some reason. I think it is something like the final straw. Hopefully we can get this taken care of tomorrow. Dick was unable to test today. The only good thing is that we have not been instructed as to what to do with high or low readings.

We had bean soup for supper and headed to Memorial at 5:30 0r so for the last intravenous of the day. Got home at about 8:15PM. Chelsea is trying to figure out what the heck is going on.
Tomorrow we have to be at Valley View at 6:15AM. EEWWWW. Dick said he will take me out for breakfast every morning - Such a deal. That helps a bit.

I will keep you informed as we go along.

I read a quote that I liked. I can't credit it because it was on a Tshirt. "We might as well grow old together - we're not doing anything else." It is almost as good as the quote from Pooh (Milne)

If you live to be a hundred,
I want to live to be
a hundred minus one day,
so I never have to live
without you.

-- Winnie the Pooh

Goodnight my friends. Pray that this stuff really gets rid of Dick's infection.

Mary

We just got home from Memorial Hospital after the input of Dick's antibiotics. The evening "event" lasts for 1 1/2 hours. It is hard for me to just sit. Fortunately I just got a couple of new books and can read and/or watch TV which is in the room.

Tomorrow, as I mentioned, I am going rabbit hunting with my brothers and the Behr boys. So Jim and Michelle are taking him for his morning session at Valley View. The rest of the week the morning push will be at 6:00AM. If that was so on Sunday, I could take him. We are glad that Jim and Michelle are so willing do do things for us. They are good kids. (An, of course, to us old folks they will always be kids. The rest of our children must just accept that fact too. It is kind of nice to feel that you are just a kid to somebody anyway. That is what Mother and her cronies always call me.)

We did rack the Riesling into the secondary fermenter (the carboy) today. I told Dick that I have to test the grape wines and the currant wines to see if they are ready. If so, we will take them along to the Wild Game Dinner next Saturday. I had to cancel the Celtic retreat because I can't leave Dick for three days when he needs to go to get his antibiotics. The Wild Game dinner is from noon to about 4 so we can do that without worrying about getting to tests.

We put off last night's shower until this morning so we could approach, with alert minds, the problem of keeping the PICC dry. One of the nurses had recommended using Press and Seal Glad Wrap which does not work for the purpose it was intended. I prefer sticking with regular Glad Wrap for most things. But we wrapped it twice around the PICC and its little cover net and it worked like a charm. Remember that if you have to keep a wrappable part of your body dry in the shower.

Dick and I went to church at Immaculate Conception at 4PM before the hospital visit so I can hunt and won't miss church. Isn't he sweet. IC is a nice church. They had a young person cantering. He had a wonderful voice and really projected.

Dick is testing his blood twice a day and his readings have ranged from 95 to 146. On Wednesday, we go to a class and will learn HOW to interpret these readings and what Dick should be doing if it is low or high. Our first session was to show us how to use the meter and to have us record the readings and EVERYTHING Dick ingests for a week.



Remember to step back and survey what you and God have accomplished this far on your journey. All this sitting around is good for me, it makes me pause and take deep breaths.

It is time for me to settle down to bed soon. Tomorrow will be another busy day.

Happy Sunday

Love

Mary

It is late. 10:37PM. I JUST got home from Rhine Plymouth. Bobbie and I worked tonight and was it ever busy. The club has the biggest league that I have ever experienced going and I think every team shot tonight. It was a nice night for shooting. Cold but no precipitation and no appreciable wind. We filled 34 sign up sheets. Most of them shot two rounds.

I actually got there late. We got a call from Dr. Phelan's nurse Theresa telling Dick that the results of a swab he took of Dick's leg came back showing an infection that would not be healed by the intravenous that he had originally prescribed. So the two doses he got were not helping.

We had to go to Sheboygan Memorial this afternoon, arriving at 2:45PM. They took out the angio catheter and put in a PICC (a "permanent" shunt or port that will allow them to give him the TWO antibiotics (one once a day and one twice a day) for two full weeks. After the PICC was inserted in his arm we went upstairs to have the first doses. The one he gets once a day takes a full hour the other that he will get morning and evening takes 30 minutes. So we are going to be busy people for the next two weeks. I canceled my Celtic Retreat for next weekend. I just couldn't leave him for two whole days and an evening when he needs this kind of treatment. Jim and Michelle will take him on Sunday morning so I CAN go rabbit hunting. Except for the Saturday and Sunday evenings, the intravenous can be given at Valley View which will save a lot on travel time.

I did get my kitchen cleaned and have a batch of wine ready to rack. Did that before the big phone call.

I am really too tired to think of anything clever to add to this so will just wish you a good weekend and ask for prayers for Dick's speedy recovery.

I shot pretty good tonight. I got a 59 a 60 and a 66. I keep on trying

Love

Mary

Would you believe that this is the 1241st blog that I have posted? I recommend blogs to anyone who likes to journal. It is fun.

It was COLD today. When Chelsea and I went out this morning it was int he single digits. BRR. That did not seem to bother her much, but later, when we went for a short walk, her poor little paws got really cold and I had to carry her part way home.

We had breakfast at the Shoppes on Mill Street. It was quite good. I had eggs, ham and bagel with cream cheese. Next time, I will try their oatmeal. They have TONS of addons. like brown sugar, cream and walnuts.

Then grocery shopping. We did pretty well and even stopped at Aurora Drug Store to buy the container to hold the needles from Dick's blood tests. They have to be disposed of AT the drug stores.

At noon we went to Valley View Hospital so that Dick could have his second dose of intravenous antibiotics. That went well but his angiocatheter wrap is kind of loose. On the way home we stopped and renewed the listing agreement with ReMax.

Tomorrow the Riesling will be ready to rack to the secondary fermenter. We have quite a lot in process and aging. But are still behind on the stock. We got way behind during the move.

I called Jeff this afternoon to be sure that I will be ready for rabbit hunting on Sunday. We meet at Leroy's house at 8:00AM. It is supposed to be COLD BRR. So we will probably be out of the woods fairly early. I, for sure, have to be home by 1:00 to get Dick to the hospital by 1:30 to get his intravenous again. I am bringing some venison sausage that Jeff make last year for the Sausage Tasting. We do that at the Whirl Wind, a dinky bar out there somewhere. I am sure we will not be out too late, because Vic always comes and he believes that the hunting should be done from a bar stool. If it is cold he will start hinting the minute we meet.

Jeff said we have plenty of rabbits for the Wild Game Dinner anyway. I will miss it this year. For some reason, I thought it was on the second weekend in February and I made reservations to attend a Celtic Spirituality Retreat at the Redemptorist Center in Oconomowoc. This should be a great retreat as Padraigin Clancy, an Irish historian, folklorist and musician will be the presenter. I heard her speak at the Celtic Women's Conference. I am really looking forward to a weekend of rebuilding. A whole weekend without anyone to ask for something will be unbelievable. I am going to make the stew in a crockpot and take it to Donna to bring to the dinner so I at least do my share. I guess Dolores isn't going to be there either. She has to work. But she doesn't like being somewhere that she can't smoke anyway.

It's just like magid. When you live by yourself, all of your annoying habits are gone. by Merrill Markoe



Love

Mary

Isn't this sweet? Mary