A very busy Wednesday.   I had expected Roxie to wake me at 6AM but the silly girl let me sleep so I got an extra half and hour.

I picked up Egg Mc Muffins from Mc Donalds for our breakfast.   It is kind of a throwback to when we would shop together.   Then we always went out for breakfast.  Mc Donald's was ONE of the places we used to go.   I wish I could get Dick to go shopping with me again.

Shopping went pretty well and I filled the gas tank too.   I always like to cluster my errands.   When I got home I immediately put the groceries away and made the Summer Salad that I intended to take to my classmate, Kenny Richter's home for our gathering.   The Class of 58 meets for lunch several times a year and Kenny and his wife Barb opened up their home on Horseshoe Lake for this one,   As it turned out, it was too cold to sit outside, or swim , or boat, but we didn't much care.   We all had a lot to visit about and ate like pigs.

Even IF I FORGOT TO PUT MY SALAD IN THE COOLER.
  Guess what we will be eating the next couple of days and I have plenty to share.   Just let me know.   It is a wonderful salad.   Pasta, tuna, spinach, tomatoes, pine nuts and olive oil.    Spiced, of course.

As I said the gathering was so nice.  There were about 10 of us plush spouses, so we all got to really catch up with each other.  I was able to share with my friend Joanne, who has cilieac about a cake that is so yummy and she gave me the name of a place that has gluten free bread that is good.   She is a dear.  Her aunt is Dorothy Blust.   For a bit I had that Dorothy confused with another Dorothy Blust.   Her aunt is still living and is close to Mother's age.  She is doing quite well and still drives.

The other Dorothy Blust was a bridge partner of Mother's all those years until she passed on.   She used to scare the dickens out of Eileen.   She could not have children and wanted Eileen and whenever they had bridge at our house, she would tell Eileen that she was hers.   She was a little gruff and probably tried to hug her too.   Poor Eileen, still remembers.

Then, Dick and I went to Sweet Basil for our supper.   It is nice to go out and nice to go somewhere that one is recognized.   They always get "our" table read when they see us coming and even remember what we like best and what we drink.   How is that for service.

Before we left to go out, we called Willis Knightson Hospital in Bossier City to check on Leslie.   She sounded REALLY good.   That made us feel better.   It looks like she will be going home tomorrow.   Not bad though she will need lots of followup as the defrib is still there.

Keep praying.

God love you

Mary

This has been a mixed day.   Started off OK.  I fed Roxie at 6AM and went back to bed for a half an hour or so.   That is really a luxury.  After I got up, showered and did the usual morning things, I went for a nice walk at about 8:30AM or so.   It was really windy but the walk felt good.  I have decided to make myself walk at least three days a week.   Chelsea would expect at LEAST that much of me.   After all, she trained me.

Dick had an appointment with Dr. Cheryl Ziegler this afternoon.  His right eye is looking really good.  The left is still a bit goofy, but the infection is gone.   We are letting it settle for 10 days, then will check it again.  

I brought Dick home and went directly to the Kettle Country Quilters meeting.   I needed to pick up the next pattern for the block of the month that we are doing as a club.   I found out that we do a lap robe 36" X 36" for a Christmas project.  So I must get working on that.

Then, when I got home, there was a call from Louisiana.   We need everybody to be praying.   Bill took our Leslie to the hospital this morning because she was having shortness of breath and other symptoms.  She was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure.  They have ruled out a heart attack and are doing more tests before they determine her care.   She is an exhausted lady and resting so we just need to pray.  I will update you as I hear from Bill.

So that is the day, highs and lows.

God love you and talke care of yourself.

Mary

Happy Sunday.   All  you who work still have one more day off before heading back to the grind.   Even Dick and I have a quiet day ahead of us.   I was going to fry out, but my friend, Kate, gave me some brats, so I see no sense in cooking anything else tomorrow.   

I forgot to tell you about a wonderful thing that happened to me yesterday.  I have decided to walk at least three times a week.   I am planning on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.    Yesterday, I started out at about 8AM and looked up to behold three Sandhill Cranes flying one behind the other moving North to South.    I love the cranes, as you know, and was so thrilled to see them.   I have heard them off and on since spring but only saw one of them before this sighting.    They are such elegant birds and so beautiful and graceful.   This was healing for me.

Today was quiet.   I spent a lot of time on Ancestry and composing a letter to my cousin David, who is really an expert genealogist.   He would like us to colaborate on a book of the Bowser, Clifford etc genealogy and I would really like to do that but am concerned as to the time commitment.  I am trying to convey that to him.  

I also spent some time downstairs working on some of my quilting projects.   I have this problem.  I want to do too many things and I want to do them all at once.   It is hard for me to say no and it is hard for me to just sit and do nothing.

We had my friend Kate's fresh tomato and meat sauce with rice for lunch.  It was quite good and then we ate leftovers for dinner.


We are now calling Roxie the Prima Donna as she is the only non human creature left and seems to be a bit concerned that Chelsea is gone.   She does not like change as much as she found Chelsea irritating. 

She is catching on that we are willing to spend almost as much time as she demands on her,.  This could get to be a problem.  Of course, it would be one of our own making.

I got a call from Mom this morning at about 8AM.  Her caregiver was not there.  They are supposed to be at her home to get her up at 7:30AM.   I called the company and she got someone out  there within a half an hour.   The company owner admitted that it was her error.   I called Mom as soon as I knew that someone was on the way and as she was back in bed, did not go out myself.    This is the second time that this has happened.    We will have to be aware of the situation and alert if it happens again.  The care has been excellent except for the two times that they did not show. 



Have a great Labor Day.

Love  and God love you

Mary

A totally lovely Saturday.   I fed Roxie at 6AM and went back to bed until 7AM.   How is that for nice?   I hope to accomplish the same tomorrow.

I kept myself busy all day.  I  dried some herbs, made lunch, did some cutting out and arranging of quilting projects and caught up on the emails.

I went to mass at 4PM.  That was a nice experience.  I was a eucharistic minister.  That always makes me feel like a more involved part of the service.

I talked to Bart and Barb and Bret and Jim and Michelle today, so it was a full day.   Everybody is doing pretty well.    This is my Bret's birthday.   He is 43 today.   I still remember that trip to the hospital.  That year, September 4th was Labor Day.   Bret's father was at a jeep club event.  We had decided that since it did not seem probable that Bret would be born that weekend, he should go to help with the event.

But Bret decided to come anyway, so Aunt Ruth, Cousin Linda and Jacquie took me to the hospital.   When I got up to the labor rooms, there were three or four other women there and I remember that the nurse said.   "Just because it is Labor Day, did not mean that you all had to come in at the same time."


So I have two days that I have no real commitments.   Monday, I will go and spend some time with Mother.  The rest, I kind of want to just do stuff for me.  We'll see how it goes.
God love you

Mary

It spotted a bit of rain today.  Last night there were thunderstorms.   So everything is nicely watered.

Jody came and cleaned today.    I washed sheets this morning and made a pumpkin pie for dessert tonight.  The only time I left the neighborhood was to drive over to Capelle's to buy corn for our dinner.

I finished two projects for the Quilt Club,  the block of the month and putting the velcro on the two walker bags that I made.

Bobbie and Bill got here about 4PM and we had a  lovely evening.  The corn was delicious.  The tomatoes were from MY plants and sweet as can be.   I made the pie with on of the pie pumpkins I bought.   It too was good.    Bobbie and I decided that she did Christmas last year, so she will do Thanksgiving.  I will make another pumpkin pie and she will make a hickory nut pie. 

Kind of sad to end such a nice day but there you go and I am tired.

So, I am listening to a Statler Brothers Special on TV and then will go to bed.

Have a great Labor Day weekend.

God love you

Mary

It was a mostly stay at home day.   I had to go out this morning to pick up a couple of greeting cards but spent the rest of the morning baking.   I seem to be doing a lot of that.   I think I am doing my "when I am nervous, upset of distressed, I cook" thing.   Hope I don't run out of room before I fun out of sadness for my little Chelsea.

I went for a walk this morning.   I will have to get myself onto a routine of that.   Without my girl to urge me on, it will be easy to get a bit lazy.   I figure if I take a nice long walk at least three times a week, I will be OK.  It was a really nice morning for a walk.

My baking today, consisted of sourdough bread and zucchini bread.  We had chicken, rice and carrots for our dinner.



This afternoon, I cleaned my desk, paid a couple of bills and stored all my baking.    We just had soup and sandwich for supper.

There is a loud thunderstorm going over right now.   A lot of lightening and rain.

I didn't tell you but we had a murder in Sheboygan County.   It was just east of Plymouth at Racer's Hall which at one time was Vic's Hall.   Randy and Donna had their wedding reception there.   A man shot and killed another man four times with a pistol.   Apparently there was an disagreement of some kind, but there was no excuse for the shooting.  We are not in the old west and the victim was not himself armed.   Imagine my shock when they finally announced the gunman.   I purchased my 12 Gauge Bacall shotgun from him and he used to be a member of Rhine Plymouth.    He was always pleasant to me but  was not an agreeable person.   This, however, was way over the top.

Now that is news.

Hope all is well with all of you.   Can't believe tomorrow is Friday already.  And Saturday will be Bret's birthday.

God love you all

Mary

This week feels totally foreign.   The house has an empty feeling, yet I do feel Chelsea around too.  Just in the familiarity of the surroundings, it is hard not just assume she is in another room.  I hope she was not afraid on her way to heaven.   I couldn't go that far with her.  

I am keeping myself busy.   I did my grocery shopping this morning, then drove to Mom's to bring her prescription and a little present of Chocolate Raspberry wine.   I thought she would like that.   Tomorrow would be their anniversary.  I usually bring her flowers but she said the wine was just fine and we talked about her and Dad's wedding day.   She loves to share that day.

I go home in time to fix lunch but Dick was still napping so I ate some of my leftovers from yesterday.  Dick just wanted toast when he woke up.  We had planned on going out for dinner tonight, but Dick was not feeling so very good today, so we postponed out date until tomorrow.

So, I spent the afternoon preserving zucchini and tomatoes and cutting up a cantaloupe for snacking on.  The cantaloupe are very sweet this year at this time and we are taking advantage.

Tomorrow is mostly a stay at home day.   I hope to be able to rest.   I will be baking a batch of sourdough bread though.   I have been making the starter the past two days.

Take care of you.

God love you

Mary

This has been a day of adjustment.    I got up at about 6AM to feed Roxie, who was insisting that it was time to eat.  However, I was able to go back to bed for an hour.

I spent the day getting sour dough ready, baking a cake and putting chicken in the crockpot before I joint Janet and Toni at Antoinette's for lunch and a CWI discussion. 

I fixed Kraft Mac and Cheese with hot dogs for Dick for lunch. 

We had crock pot chicken with rice and kohlrabi for our supper. 

Tomorrow will be easier.   The family are sending sympathy cards and messages.   Dick and Brenda even sent flowers.  The flowers will keep our little fuzzy friend alive a bit longer.   I heard her walking around the house last night.

Here is the poem that Jimmy Stewart wrote:


     "Beau"


       by Jimmy Stewart

     He never came to me when I would call
Unless I had a tennis ball,
Or he felt like it,
But mostly he didn't come at all.  
When he was young
He never learned to heel
Or sit or stay,
He did things his way.

Discipline was not his bag
But when you were with him things sure didn't drag.
He'd dig up a rosebush just to spite me,
And when I'd grab him, he'd turn and bite me.

He bit lots of folks from day to day,
The delivery boy was his favorite prey.
The gas man wouldn't read our meter,
He said we owned a real man-eater.

He set the house on fire
But the story's long to tell.
Suffice it to say that he survived
And the house survived as well.

On the evening walks, and Gloria took him,
He was always first out the door.
The Old One and I brought up the rear
Because our bones were sore.

He would charge up the street with Mom hanging on,
What a beautiful pair they were!
And if it was still light and the tourists were out,
They created a bit of a stir.

But every once in a while, he would stop in his tracks
And with a frown on his face look around.
It was just to make sure that the Old One was there
And would follow him where he was bound.

We are early-to-bedders at our house--
I guess I'm the first to retire.
And as I'd leave the room he'd look at me
And get up from his place by the fire.

He knew where the tennis balls were upstairs,
And I'd give him one for a while.
He would push it under the bed with his nose
And I'd fish it out with a smile.

And before very long
He'd tire of the ball
And be asleep in his corner
In no time at all.

And there were nights when I'd feel him
Climb upon our bed
And lie between us,
And I'd pat his head.

And there were nights when I'd feel this /stare
/And I'd wake up and he'd be sitting there
And I reach out my hand and stroke his hair.
And sometimes I'd feel him sigh
       and I think I know the reason why.

He would wake up at night
And he would have this /fear
/Of the dark, of life, of lots of things,
And he'd be glad to have me near.

And now he's dead.
And there are nights when I think I feel him
Climb upon our bed and lie between us,
And I pat his head.

And there are nights when I think
I feel that stare
And I reach out my hand to stroke his hair,
But he's not there.

Oh, how I wish that wasn't so,
I'll always love a dog named Beau.

/This poem was taken from /_Jimmy Stewart and His Poems_ /by Jimmy Stewart, a short collection of poems published by Crown Publishers, Inc. in 1989. To order this book, call the Full Circle Book Store at 1-800-683-READ. Refer to ISBN number 0-517-57382-2. It's a little illustrated hardback that costs about $12. /

Here is a really cute picture of the sweetest doggie in the whole world. I am going to include a poem by Jimmy Stewart that he read on Johnny Carson's show years ago. You should read some of his other poems too. But this is beautiful.

Mary

This has been a very difficult day.   I suppose you know what is coming.   I wish I could say that you are wrong but it is not to be.

This morning we woke up to find that Chelsea was still in a great deal of distress.  I gave her some more pain killers but there was no relief.  I called Kettle Moraine at about 6:30AM to tell them the circumstances and our decision.   They had received the report from Lakeshore so were up to date on her condition.   I told them that Dick and I had agreed that if there was no improvement by this morning we were not going to make her hang in there for us.  

I was able to get an appointment for 8:30AM with a Dr. Crispin.  She was kind and understanding.  I carried Chelsea in to the room and held her until it was all over.   Her little head was wet with my tears.   It is so hard to say goodbye but she was so trusting and after it was over, I was glad to see her peaceful again.   That poor little hunched up pain filled body was more than I could take.   I am feeling very disconnected but know that after I can get some sleep and my thoughts and feelings gathered up, I will be fine.  Dick will be too.   I am already finding that I kind of look for her.   When you make arrangements for this they ask three questions.   1.  Do you want to take the body with you?   No.  2.  Do you want a private cremation where you get the ashes?  No.   3.  Do you want a group cremation?   Yes.  

I told Sue at the clinic that I don't need her ashes, she will always be in my heart.  I know she will be up there at the gates of heaven along with Zero, Chelsea, Oscar, Chip, Clancy, Sam, Sam, (yes there were two), Tara and even Taco and Belle.   What a day that will be.

But today, I am sad.  Please pray for me.


I took Dick to the eye doctor today.   His right eye is 99 % improved.  The left eye is is bit infected now, Dr. Cheryl thinks it might have spread.   We will doctor this week and recheck next Tuesday.

Pray for both of us.

God love you

Mary

At least I got to be home all day.

Chelsea slept until after 9PM last night.  By morning she was pacing again.   I gave her the pills but they were not much good, at least this afternoon.   I think 8 hours is too long between - we do not keep ahead of her discomfort.    She was pacing and panting and arching her little back and limping so finally after 4 hours I redosed her and then I sat on the floor holding her until she finally went to sleep.    She has now been out for almost three hours.   I am afraid that things do not look good for our sweet puppy.  I am carrying her outside to do her business these days because walking is very uncomfortable for her.

Tomorrow will be very traumatic.   I have to go to Mother's for several reasons, but I can call Kettle Moraine any time after 6PM.   We are also taking Dick to the Eye doctor for his new left lens and to check the status of his right eye.


Pray for us.   We will need a LOT tomorrow.

God love you all

Mary

This has been a rough day.

This morning Chelsea seemed to be doing OK after her fall of yesterday.   She had not slept much during the night, she just paced, but she was walking fairly well and ate a nice breakfast.   But as the morning wore on, she kept on pacing and started panting constantly, she also show weakness in her hind legs and kept her back arched, so I called Lakeshore Veterinary Clinic, who are on call for Kettle Moraine.   We agreed that they should examine her.  De. Tremelling was able to give her a shot of combination pain killer and muscle relaxant that went to work pretty fast.   Within 10 minutes, her breathing slowed.  Then her little bottom settled on the floor, followed by her front legs and then her head settled on her left front paw and she had been out ever since.  This is first sleep she has had since yesterday evening when she did doze for about an hour.  I am just wishing that she waked up before 9PM so that I can take her out to go potty and give her the next dose of pills.


This morning I heard the Purple People Eater mentioned on TV.   It reminded me of one of Bart's soccer years.  His team was given purple uniforms.   That was the year that the Denver Broncos were so hot and were being called the Orange Crush.   We moms thought that it would be cool to call the team the Purple Crush.  In the conversations, however, Purple People Eaters had come up.   And the kids liked that.  

So one of the moms gathered them around and gave them a big speech about how great the Broncos were and how great it would be to have a name that would mean crushing the other teams and on and on.   Then she asked.   "So.  Do you want to be the PURPLE CRUSH or purple people eaters."   And as one the boys shouted.  "PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS."  So that is what they were.


I hope I have more fun stuff to write tomorrow.

Have a wonderful Sunday and God loves you

Mary

This has been a good day and a bad day.   Chelsea has had a very uncomfortable day.   It started off OK for HER anyway.  She got me up at 11PM, then again at 3AM and then again at 5:45am.   At that point, I stayed up because it was too much trouble to get them fed and everything else done and then go back to bed.  She loved her morning walk, and as it was cool and dry, I did too.  

I spent the morning finishing up lots of things on the computer, washing towels and doctoring Dick's eye.   Then after fixing lunch for Dick, I went to lunch at Dairy Queen with my friends.  That was pleasant, we will not meet next week because it is the Labor Day weekend.

Dick's eye was itching today, so he called Dr. Cheryl about that.   She gave us a prescription to fill if it continues to itch but says it may be just the fact that the abrasion is healing.   We will hope for that.   It seemed less uncomfortable for him this afternoon.

I picked up corn for supper on my way home from lundh, then took our Chelsea out for a walk.  I started talking to neighbors next door, Don and Jan.   Chelsea was kind of roaming around on that berm under the hazelnut tree and nibbling on various plants when suddenly she just tumbled down the berm. She rolled down and landed on the driveway.

She seemed stiff but has become more sore as time goes on.   I gave her the pain pills early but it took three hours for her to stop pacing and lie down.   I think she is sleeping now and hope she will be able to sleep it off.   I am sure she is bruised or perhaps tore something.  It seems to be in back of her right front leg though earlier she was sensitive by her left front leg.  If she can sleep for several hours, I am hoping that this will help her,  I am not waking her when I go to bed.   She will come to get me when she needs to and then I will give her another pain pill.  Poor little baby just keeps looking at me to help her and I can't.   I DID call the vet but they said with the meds that I had given her there was nothing more that they would do at this point.

So.   We will see what tomorrow brings.  At least the weekend is quiet.  

Pray for us.   Things are piling up again.

Til tomorrow.

God love you

Mary

Today was supposed to be a day at home except for one quick trip to Walgreens for a prescription for Dick    BUT as it turned out, his right eye was bothering him still and we decided to call Dr. Cheryl as we had still not heard about the lens.   She got him in this morning though she had a full day.   Upon examination, since last Thursday, he has developed an edema and has an abrasion on that eye.  She cannot figure out why he is not in more pain than he is and we cannot determine how it happened.   We have stopped the steroid meds and are now on a medication with antibiotics that will help dry the edema also.  They will be in contact with us tomorrow and he will be reexamined on Monday.   Pray for a quick healing.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning up messes.   Things were scattered all over the house after me being gone Friday night and Sunday.   Doesn't take much to mess up but takes a lot to get back in order.

As Dick had taken me out to Sweet Basil for supper last night, we had leftovers for our meals today.   Always good and easy to fix.   Dick had Spaghetti Bolognese and I had meat loaf.   So we split the spaghetti for lunch and a meatloaf sandwich for supper.

Now we are watching the Packer pregame with Indianapolis and then will hit the hay, as Dad would say.    Mother used to say "Up the wooden hill to four corners."   Cute when I grew up enough to realize that the wooden hill was our stairs and four corners was the bed.

Have a good Friday and be healthy and happy.

God love you

Mary

The wayward balloon

Me and St. Patrick at Irishfest



I did a really silly thing last night. I DID the blog then but accidently posted it to the Sheboygan CWI Site. I discovered it this morning and deleted it from there.

The main thing I wanted to send was the results of Mother's eye appointment. Anything else can wait til tonight. The blurring of her vision is as a result of dry macular degeneration which comes with age. It is not like the wet that destroys quickly and spreads very fast. The dry moves slowly but there is not cure. We are looking into brighter lights and better magnification.

Mom says she noticed that more and more the doctors are saying it is because she is old. We know this is mainly true but have to remember that some things CAN be cured, so symptoms still have to be checked.

Later

Mary

I was home almost all day.   I make a cake for the bust up party at Rhine.  I made a chocolate banana cake.  I need to frost it tomorrow. 

I also made Cole slaw and cut up a cantaloupe into chunks for snaking on.   We had pork and sauerkraut in the slow cooker for our dinner.   Boy was that ever good.

 This afternoon, I had a lot of errands to do.  I had to pick up several prescriptions and replacements of vitamins etc at Walgreens and  Chelsea's prescription at the Kettle Moraine Veterinary Clinic.  Then I went to the bank and finally dropped off the Amputee Support Group documentation at Janice's house.   I arranged the program for last month but have decided not to go any more as it really should be for Dick and he will not be going.  I have finally accepted that and have decided that I don't need any extra meetings, even if they are for Dick, unless he COMES ALONG..  I have tried for months.  Guess I am a slow learner.

So that was the day.    I am still quite behind but should be caught up by Thursday night.

You have a great day tomorrow.  Dick is taking me out for dinner so I feel special.

God Love You

Mary

The day has gotten away from me again.   I got up at 7AM.   (Of course, that was after two times outside with Chelsea during the night.)

Had Bible Study this morning.   There were 6 of us today.   A nice group.   We are still on the 15th Chapter of Mark.   Mary, our summer member, says that at the rate we are going she thinks we will be still working on Mark when she comes back next spring.   (There are only 16 chapters.)  We take our time though and really get in to it.   We are learning so much about the time of Jesus and today's discussion really got into the political atmosphere of that time.   Then we did a bit of bringing it to our time.  It is interesting that the Chief Priest of that time was appointed from the members of the Sanhedrin by the Romans - So though he was a Jew, he definitely profited from balancing his allegance.

Had a nice visit with Mother before heading home.   Then I called the eye doctor's office and found out that Mother is just being evaluated by Dr. Mandel on Wednesday, we were under the impression that they were going to do a procedure and we were making arrangements for somebody being with her the rest of the day, at least.

Now, a little more about Irish Fest before I go to bed.   I was listening to a bit of Jeff Ward's Band singing when I looked over and saw Kathy, one of our Sheboygan County members also watching.   We hooked up for a while.   I went over to see Mary Pat to be able to say Hi one more time and wish her well, then we ambled over to the Cultural Village as I wanted to pay for a print that I bought for a gift from Steve O'Loughlin, one of the Celtic Artists that came along with Cindy Matyi.   While Kathy and I were visiting with Cindy, Maureen Smith called.  She was next door in the Hedge school.   We watched a couple of the classes in the Hedge School, one on the influence of the Scots Irish in the U. S.   and the other on the Titanic, specifically a Belfast project, building a Titanic Museum.  The Titanic was built in Belfast and the museum sounds absolutely super.

We then moved over to listen to Tommy Sands.   I had really wanted to see his show and it was SO worth it.   I really want some of his music.   At this point, I have ONE song of his, as a guest singer on the Women's Heart Trilogy.

I till finish up tomorrow and I promise to get pictures on also. 

Take care of yourselves and each other.

God love you

Mary

What a day.   Irish Fest again.

I got up a bit after 5AM to get showered, take care of the critters,  see that Dick was OK for his meals and just generally get ready for the day.

Had one difficult event.  When I got ready to feed Chelsea, who was sleeping when I woke up, she started to just fall apart.  She woke up and tried to stand up.  She immediately slipped flat on to her belly just splayed out.  She looked very upset and then began coughing really badly.  Her little hear was going like a tom tom.   It  took a couple of events before she settled down.   Poor baby.   Dick said that she slept the rest of the day, except when our neighbor Dick, came to take her outside. 

I then left for my friends Joan and Richard Kramer's home.  They had kindly said that I could ride down to Irishfest with them and another friend, Dorothy Rose.  The three of them were volunteers to be ushers for various groups at the Mass.  The preceding bishop was John  McAreavey , the bishop of Dromore in Northern Ireland.  He was an excellent preacher, speaking from his own heart.  He spoke of the emigration and that he had reconnected with the descendants of people that her had only heard about as having gone.  One of his cousins, just this year, was able to come to Ireland to the very place that his great grandfather had been born.   How special is that.   Our roots are so important.

I will have to tell you more tomorrow and beyond.   I am so proud of myself.   I stayed calm the whole two days.   I kind of decided to go to certain things and not worry about that I might possible be missing.   The most important thing for me this weekend was the time I got to spend with my friends.   Almost quality time, considering all of the confusion going on around us.  And my friends, most of them artists, were trying to present their work and be available for marketing their creations.   I saw Cindy Matyi, Pat Gallagher, Mary Pat Kelly, Robbie O Connell and Jimmy Keane.   I also got to meet Steve O Laughlin and Jan Delyth, two other member of the Celtic Art Exhibit.

Anyway, time for bed.  Tomorrow I will put some pictures on the blog along with my post.

Love you all

And God loves you too.

Mary

A nice quiet day between my two trips to Irish Fest.   I did not have to go anywhere today.  Isn't that a wonder.

It was rather muggy and warm but not unbearable.  The strangest thing.   Chelsea go me up at about 2AM or something like that.  Then she did not wake up until 8:30AM and I stayed in bed too.  Boy was that ever nice.

I cleaned Roxie's litter box thoroughly today.  That was the only really big chore that I did.   It is hard for me not to get too involved in things, but I really wanted to get as much rest as I could today because, no matter what, tomorrow will be a busy day and Monday will not be much better.

Dick asked me to mention that with his eyes being so blurry is anyone is sending him emails, he is not able to read them.  To be patient.   We should have his new lens this week and he can catch up.

In the mean time, have a lovely Sunday.   If you are at Irishfest and want to contact me my cell phone number is 910-912-5345.

God love you

Mary

What a day.   Jody came to clean the house this morning.   I had been busy getting Chelsea walked and fixing breakfast.  Dick had requested pancakes.    So I made some.   I am using up some yogurt.   I adapted a recipe that called for plain yogurt using yogurt with fruit in it and they were delicious.   

I picked up some sweet corn for our lunch as I was not to be home for our usual corn and tomato supper.

Then I took a little nap before getting ready to go to IRISH FEST!!!!!

I left for Janet and Rich Bieschke's at about 2:30PM.  They were leaving at 3PM and were kind enough to let me ride along with them.  We got to the festival grounds shortly after four and were able to take advantage of the free entry between 4 and 5:30PM.    We all stuck together for about a half an hour, then Richard got bored with our shopping and went on to watch the dancers and get a good beer.   Janet and I made our way to the Cultural Village.   I found Cindy Matyi, Pat Gallagher and met Steven O Loughlin, who's work I have enjoyed from afar since I met Patrick and Cindy.   I am going to get a couple of his prints and will share them with you.  At least one will be a gift.


This is where Jane and I lost each other because I spent quite a bit of time visiting with Cindy and Patrick.  Then I couldn't find her so I grabbed a Reuben Roll which was really good and headed over to the Aer Lingus stage to enjoy the Green Fields of America reunion.   I knew that Robbie O Connell was going to be there but did not expect Jimmy Keane as he had not been listed online.  So it was a double pleasure.  I picked up a glass of mead to enjoy while I watched their show.   After it was over, I went around the building to the entrance to back stage, fully expecting a crowd of other people (despite the fact that it had been raining off and on for the past hour along with lightening and thunder.   Then, just as I got to the foot of the stage door stairs, they skies opened and the winds came like a hurricane.   I stood there against the wall in a corner deciding where to make my break to when the door opened and one of the volunteers saw me and asked me in.   So I got to see Robbie and Jimmy in a nice warm dry quiet place.   I told Robbie, I was back there because I was the only fool to decide to try to go to the stage entrance to meet them and that I was  the groupie that got past the guards.  

I also met Danny Golden sitting on a stool waiting.  He still dances and talked to Dennis from Blarney.

It was fun.   When the rain stopped, I decided to get on my way as I still had to find Mary Pat Kelly..

After another phone call, I did find her.   We had a great visit as she was selling her book.  I met several of her friends too.   Suddenly I realized that it was almost 8PM and Janet, Rich and I had decided that if we got separated we would meet at the entrance between 8 and 8:30PM.   I checked around the entrance and did not see them so I ambled over to the Tipperary Tea Room to get an Irish Coffee and some cookies.   I got to hear the Last of the Schooner Fare concert.  They were singing We the People.   I also found Dave and Ellen.  Dave leads the group that sings at Blessed Trinity's Celtic Mass and Faire.  Ellen is very interested in being a Celtic Woman.


So it was a special day.   I am pleased that I can go back again on Sunday.  I know what I want to do and what I want to buy then.   Mary Pat and I are going to do an early morning coffee right after Mass.  And I will try to get Cindy out for a break too.   She is rather frail and has just recovered from a bout of food poisoning.  This on top of chemo.  At least her daughter and a friend of her daughter's are here to help her.

It is now after 11PM.  Later that I am EVER up.   Tomorrow I am home ALL day.  I don't even have to go to church as I am going to the Mass at the Marcus Ampitheatre.   So.  I hope your day was as good as mine and wish you sweet dreams.

Love and God loves you too

Mary

One would think that Thursday should be a quiet day.   It was not too bad.   Chelsea was pretty good.  She woke me up the first time at about 3AM and then again at about 6AM.  She kind of worried me because she did not eat a very good breakfast and I had trouble getting her pills into her. 

I spent the morning watering plants, emailing people and calling people.   Then, at 11:30AM, I left to pick up Kate.  She had an Obama election pin with is picture and all the previous presidents that she had picked up in Washington DC when she went to her DAR convention.   She knows that Mom collects political buttons.   We picked up lunch at the Point and had a lovely lunch with Mother.   We got steak sandwiches and french fries.   I had forgotten how GOOD the steak sandwiches are at the Point.  Thank you, Ron, for sending us there.   Kate had originally thought of picking up lunch at Chesters.


We left at about 1PM.  As we were leaving, Loraine Schaap and Tom Keyes, were coming down the street to visit Mother as a visit from Blessed Trinity.   Loraine even had communion for her.    Kat and the Keyes are good friends so this was a good visit.  I was glad that Loraine got to meet Kate as we have been praying for her and Ron for years.

When I got home, I took a nap.   I needed it by then as after Kate and I left Mom's we went shopping at Richardsons Furniture and then picked up Chelsea's meds at the vet.   I got some tea at their Tea Atrium.  I still need to take Mother there for some tea and cakes.  She would enjoy that and it would be an easy trip.

So, we are at the end of the day.  Tomorrow is Irishfest and I am SO looking forward to it.  I am getting corn in the morning and we will have it for lunch instead of our evening meal.  

Be good and tomorrow night I will tell you about the fest.  I hope to hook up with several of my friends tomorrow and arrange to have meals or gatherings with them either Friday or Sunday.

God love you

Mary



 

The night was a bit broken up.  Chelsea got me up before 1AM again.  Then she let me sleep until almost 5AM.  Needless to say, I went back to bed and shut the door.  Then Dick came back to bed shortly after 6AM so I eventually got up and just started moving.   The critters and I got the feeding and the bathing and the walking done before 7:30  and then I headed to the grocery store.

I was there quite early and the store was quiet.   Dick had checked the lottery tickets and said that there were no winners.  I always double check them in the automatic checker.  Guess what!  We had a $32  winner so this week was "free." A nice surprise for both of us.

I filled the gas tank on the way home so I am probably good for another two weeks.   I seem to be always driving, but they are usually in town and don't use much gas.

I go home and put the groceries away.  Chelsea and Dick were both sleeping, so when it got close to 10AM, I headed out with my guns to Rhine to shoot a round a trap and meet Nancy and her grandson so Nancy and I could practice our pistol shooting.

It was quiet today as most of the shooters were done.   I was actually done but wanted to do a practice round.   I got a 9.   Not great but I was settling down and Jerry gave me some hints on the line which will maybe penetrate my pea brain. I am using the shells that my friend Norb loaded.   I was going along just fine until my second last shot.   He must have slipped a heavy load in there on me and it set me back two feet.  Everybody jumped and then started laughing at me. (But they jumped a bit too.)  Wait til I see Norb at the bust up.

 I did not do too badly at the pistol shooting  but not to great either.  But it was fun and Nancy's grandson, Jack, is a really nice boy.

I got home at about 11 and fixed lunch and then tried to take a nap as I was tired.  I could not sleep but did rest for an hour.   Dick WAS awake when I got home but just getting up.

We drove on over to the Eye Clinic at 2:30PM.   Dr. Cheryl did a refraction on his eyes and did feel that there was enough of a change to warrant a change in his left lens.   There may be changes happening yet but the vision has deteriorated enough that he is not enjoying much in the way of reading or the computer.   The change would allow one free change in the next 12 months and it is worth it to have him seeing.   I know this has been distressing as it has happened so fast.  So, in a week or so the new lens will be in and he will be able to see and read again.

We got home about 4 and have been pretty much lazing around.  Of course, Chelsea does not approve of me just sitting and has had me take her out a few times, but she seems to be settling down again.   I



Tomorrow, except for going to lunch at Mother's with Kate (we are going to pick up lunch at the Point) I will be home all day.   The next day, I will be going to Irish Fest with my friends Rich and Janet.  So things are quieting down and pickup up all to onst.

I sure hope I get a good night's sleep as I am really tired now.

Till tomorrow.

God keep you in the palm of His hand.

Mary

Another very busy day.  This one started off normally.   Taking care of critters and me and Dick.  Then we had to go to the Plymouth Clinic at 11AM to the anti coagulation clinic for Dick's monthly blood test.  He was at 2.8.   Perfect.  So he can keep the same med schedule and we don't have to go back for a month.

Then we stopped at the Hong Kong Island Buffet for lunch.  I picked up a dinner of Fried Rice, Chicken Chop Suey and Egg rolls.   Boy was it good.  

After lunch, Dick had his appointment with Dr. Cheryl Ziegler, the eye doctor.  The right eye, with the selasian looks pretty good but he has been complaining about his left eye too.   His vision is blurred.in that eye.   She found no retinal problems, thank God.   We will go back tomorrow for a refraction to see if he needs a change in his prescription.

It's always something, isn't it? 

I got my hair cut this afternoon too.  My friend, Janet, called this afternoon.   She and Richard are going to Irish Fest on Friday evening and I can ride along with them.   Yea.  I can go the two days that I wanted too.  They will not stay too late either which will make Dick very happy.  Now I need to contact Maureen, Cindy and Mary Pat to see how we can join up for some visits on either Friday or Sunday.

Have a nice Wednesday.   Again.  I will be busy but after the weekend,things will settle down for a bit again.

God love you all

Mary

What another beautiful day.  I even wore jeans.  Chelsea got me up at 11:30PM and again at 2:30AM.  Then I slept until 6:30AM. 

I went to bible study at 9:30AM.  We had a pretty full contingent.   Helen Maurer was not with us because her she had surgery for a detached retina.  Pray for her.  Her eyes have been giving her trouble for quite some time.

We had great discussions today.  We are getting into Mark's account of the Passion and got it all connected to the Sunday Celebration of the Assumption.   Mary must have been quite a woman to take on that mission to raise the Son of God and then to walk with him through his passion.  Joseph was pretty brave too.   I am so looking forward to seeing "The Child" at the Fireside in November.  That is a new musical of the story of Christmas from the view of Joseph.  I have been listening to The Rock and The Rabbi.  Boy is that good.  I makes Peter seem like the real person he must have been.

I had a nice visit with Mother after bible study also.  I am helping her pay her bills and update her checkbook now.   I did that for Helen too.   She tells me what bills need to be paid, I write the checks, she signs them and I update the checkbook.    With her sight being so iffy, she feels more comfortable with this arrangement.


I went to my Cream City Writer meeting this afternoon.  I had managed to complete a poem on growing up to read at the meeting.   We had a lot of good readings today.   The invoked memories of our own childhoods, so the writings are doing what we had hoped, painting pictures in other people's hearts.

I make chocolate zucchini bread this afternoon.

WE had leftovers for our supper.   And Scalloped potatoes for our lunch.  So it was an easy day for me.   Tomorrow, Dick has two doctor appointments and we are planning on eating out.   If it is difficult for Dick, we will pick up something and come home to eat it.

It was our 24th anniversary today.   Hardly seems possible.   I sent Dick and e card.  He felt bad because his eyes made it hard for him to do the same.   Tomorrow our meal out will be our celebration.   We got cards from some of the kids and we know that we love each other.

Bart called tonight.  He is still suffering but is doing as well as can be expected at this point.  Please pray for him .

All my love and God love you

Mary

I did get to stay home all day today.   That was a welcome change.

Chelsea woke me up at 2:30AM and then again at 5AM.  At. the 5AM walk, I decided to shut the door and slept until 7AM.  I would have loved to sleep longer but felt that I was pushing my luck with the Roxie cat.   She was probably very hungry by then, even if she got some kitty treats at 5AM.

I did a lot today, but it was at a very leisurely pace.    We had scalloped potatoes and ham for lunch.  I had to prepare that.   I also baked some low sugar brownies.

I have been drying herbs a little at a time and did a couple of them today.  I also FINALLY covered the workbench that Bobbie and I use for wine making with peel and strip linoleum squares so it will be easier to clean up.  It looks nice too.

I took a nice nap this afternoon.

Chelsea was a ball of fire this morning when I took her out for her walk, then this afternoon she started coughing and then had trouble standing up.   I suppose that is what we will have to expect these days, after all she is over 16 years old.

This is going to be a busy week and then next Sunday I will be going to Irish Fest.  I really would like to go on Friday also but so far have noone to go along with me.

God love you

Mary

This was a quiet Saturday.   Chelsea woke me up at about 1:30AM to go outside.   That is no too bad anymore as I can usually get right back to sleep, but that poor little doggie coughed almost steadily the rest of the night.  I was surprised when she finally came to wake me up that she still had quite a bit of zip.   We went for our morning walk before I fed her. She has not had much trouble during the day so that is encouraging.

I was so tired with my broken sleep that I took my nap this morning.

We had ham, potatoes and veggies for lunch.   I fixed some yellow squash for myself and Dick had green beans.  Then I spent the afternoon watering plants, and freezing some squash and drying herbs until it was time to go to church.  Mass was interesting.  Fr. Van Beek's sister - Sr. Joan Marie Van Beek - who is a missionary School Sister of Notre Dame working  in Africa.   She was our speaker for Mission Sunday.

She told us a story of one of their Sisters, who runs a clinic.   A mother came from a nearby village with her young child.   She had previously lost a child who died during a seizure and this new child was also subject to seizures.  When she handed the boy to Sr. Carol, he started seizing and fell limp in her arms.   The mother started to scream and wail and took off like a shot back to her village believing that her child had died.   Sr. Carol in the meantime was treating the boy.  She cooled him with a bath and gave him medicine as it was apparently malaria involved and laid him down to nap, then couldn't find the mother.   Shortly thereafter, they heard a group of people coming down the road crying and in funeral robes with a small little casket.   The mother had run all the way back to her village and her friends and family were with her to pick up her child's body.  So. Sr. Carol  told her to calm down and wait.    Then she went to wake the little boy up.   She handed the very alive child to his mother who proclaimed a miracle.    And that Sr. Carol was a miracle worker.

Why not.

Bret called tonight.  They have been enjoying the best weather in the nation but it is supposed to get hot there next week.   He has moved to Norco and is renting a room from the mother of some friends.  The woman is in a rehab center and is glad to have someone taking care of the house for her.  He has been working lots of overtime lately.

Now I am watching the first Packer pregame.   We are well into the third quarter and the score is tied.   I don't know if I will be able to stay up for the whole thing but we will see.

Talke to you all tomorrow.

God love You

Mary 

Another hot and muggy day, though it was much cooler than yesterday.  

Jody came to do the cleaning at about 8:30AM.  I was busy today arranging to go to the Fireside in November with Bobbie and Bill to see The Child, calling the insurance company for a question and finding out how my claim for my missing jewelry is going.  I also started drying some of my herbs for the winter.

At noon, I set out on several errands.   I had to pick up some cleaning products at Walmart and I found a couple of nice cotton blouses that are what I have been looking for.   Then I drove to the Dairy Queen for lunch with my friends.  There were four of us and we had a great time.  We were just silly today.  Ceil and Betty were especially goofy.    I had a chicken wrap and brought some french fries home for Chelsea.

On the way home, I picked up corn for our dinner and stopped at the bank for a couple of things.

When I got home, I took a nap.  I have been so tired, despite the fact that I have had some pretty good nights.   Chelsea usually lets me sleep until at least 4 and then I get a couple more hours before she comes around again.   I guess it is the broken sleep.

We had that wonderful corn for our dinner.   Boy is it ever good this year.  

Til tomorrow then.

God love you

Mary

I am printing the elegy that was read at Audrey Hephern's funeral.  It was beautiful.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others. 

 

Hello.   This has been an interesting day.    Chelsea woke me up at 4AM this morning.   I then went back to bed.  Shut the bedroom door and slept until 6:30AM.

After fixing breakfast, I drove over to Mother's to help her get ready for her appointment with Dr. Lavey, the eye doctor.   She has been complaining about her vision in the good eye, the right eye, deteriorating.   He did a thorough check and discovered with a special test that there is fluid underneath the lining of the eye, which if unchecked could lead to macular in the right eye too.  It was wet macular deterioration that led to the loss of sight in her left eye.  We have scheduled an appointment with Dr. Paul Mandel on August 25 to have an injection that should dry up the fluid and prevent the loss of sight. Pray to God.

I got home at about 1PM and fixed our lunch before resting for a while.

I spent the afternoon on various chores around the house.   I got a lot done and am now ready for a good night's sleep.

Mom and I had a good visit on the trip to and from the doctor.   We were remembering my brother Matt.   He was the poet brother that died when he was only 17.   I remember that he was a sweet eager little boy.   I think I told you a while ago that he told me when he was about 5 of 6 that he could see guardian angels.  He had discovered that if you push gently on the side of your eye, you see double and he had decided that he was seeing guardian angels.  I hope he never lost that belief and that his guardian angel took him straight to heaven's gates when he left us.

God love you

Mary

Here is one of his poems.  He never used capital letters and seldom used punctuation.


IN ANSWER TO YOUR POEM

by Matt Deeley

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

Today was even busier than Monday.

I did the grocery shopping, as usual, early.   Then at 10AM I went out to Rhine to shoot my last round of trap for league.    I shot one more just for practice.    The first one was not TOO bad but I could have forgotten the practice round as it was awful.

Nancy Roehre joined me today so we could shoot pistol too.   That was much more successful than the trap.   I got a 35 on the first one but using what I did on the first, I shot a 69 on the second.   Yippee.

When I got home, we had lunch.   Dick had raw beef sandwiches and I had a mushroom sandwich.   Then I finished the marmalade.   (I think it is still a bit soupy, darn.) I also made cauliflower soup with the cauliflower that was about to turn if I didn't use it.    I will have soup and pie and macaroni salad to take to Mother tomorrow when I take her to the eye doctor.

At a little after 5PM, I walked to Lions park for the condo picnic with my dishes, wine and macaroni salad.  They provided coffee and chicken and rolls.   It was surprisingly pleasant up there.  They must have sprayed for mosquitoes and there was a gently breeze most of the time we were there.    I enjoyed it a lot.

But it was a really exhausting day and I am glad it is over.   Tomorrow, I just have to take Mother to the eye doctor and go to Walgreens.   I can do that all on one trip so will be able to rest the afternoon and evening.



Hope you have a pleasant Thursday.  Stay well and God love you.

Mary

It was hot and muggy today.   The temperature hit about 86 here but the air was SO heavy.    Chelsea woke me up at 1:30AM and then left me a.one until 5:30AM.  The trouble was that I had a great deal of difficulty getting back to sleep after the first time, so woke up rather sleepy.

First, I want you all to know that Bart had the device that helps control his pain upgraded today.  They checked the leads to his spinal cord, changed the batteries and apparently he has a bit more control over the dose, he gives himself.   They took him in about 10AM and he was back in his room between 12:30 and 1:30.    Barb called when he went in, when he was back in the room and finally, when they got home which was a little after 6PM.   He is beat and so is Barbara.   He has to keep hands off til Thursday evening but is it in operation so he will be using it.

I spend most of the day cooking.   I have several oranges that had to be used so am making a batch of Orange Marmalade.   I did the initial boiling today and will boil it down and can it tomorrow.  I also make a blueberry pie.

 I made a stuffed hamburger, which we split, accompanied by fried mashed potatoes, broccoli and cucumbers for lunch.   

I also prepared a pasta salad to take to the Condo picnic at the park tomorrow evening.

Sunday, I had put together a square for the block of the month that the Kettle Country Quilters are doing this year and had to take it apart and start over because I had to fix the size.   It looks good now, My points are not as pointy as I would like but they are ALL alike, so it will be my "special touch".

Tomorrow I will be grocery shopping, shooting and going to the picnic.  I also want to make the marmalade and some cauliflower soup.   I have to as the cauliflower needs to be cooked.
 
 We had Pizza Soup and Blueberry pie for supper.   Num Num.

Then this evening we had a Celtic Women Conference Call about the Bridget trip we are working on for next February.   We made a lot of headway.

So that was the day.   Now I am sipping a Bailey's and coffee and then will walk Chelsea and go to bed.

Have a great tomorrow.

God love you all

Mary

This turned out to be a bit busier a day than I had planned.   Chelsea only woke me up at 4AM.  Pretty good.  She came in again shortly after 6AM when it was time for me to get up anyway.

I left a bit early for bible study because I wanted to drop a couple of things off at Kate and Ron's before I headed to Falls.   I rang the bell but when I got no answer quickly, figured they were still asleep and just left the cooler with the soup and scones and the other things  between the door and the screen.

Then I stopped at Walgreens to get a wedding card for George and Betsy's son Shawn and his wife to be.  I filled it out and enclosed a check when I got to Mother's .  Jeff and Kathy will take it with them to the wedding.  I just couldn't go this time.  There is too much here that is iffy.

Bible study was well attended.  we were only
sing Ione and Helen Maurer.   We are getting closer to the end of Mark and have ordered a study for Psalms to start as soon as we finish the gospel.

Mother and I had a nice visit.  I had to go back in the afternoon.  She was out of her blood pressure medicine and I found out that there was a miscommunication with the insurance company.   By the time they got it straightened out it was close to 3PM so I picked it up then and took it to her.  Chelsea came with me.   Mother enjoys seeing her and Chelsea enjoys the ride.

Chelsea goes immediately through the house now, right into the kitchen.   I don't know if you remember, but when we first got her, she would not enter the kitchen at Mother's.   Mother took care of her one Sunday, and had to put her food next to the fridge right inside the kitchen so Chelsea could get to it without putting foot on the linoleum.

Then, when Bart, Barb and I went to Ireland, Barb and I found a little jacket in the streets of  Cashel.   It was Barbie and Ken size.   I picked it up and told Barbara that I would take it home to Mother.   I did and we put it on a shelf in the kitchen.   The jacket is still around somewhere, but since it was placed in the kitchen, Chelsea has no fear of going in there any more and it was definitely that event that was the change.   You explain.

Have a great Tuesday.  It was HOT today 88 and humid.  I know that some of my readers would disagree with the definition of hot, but it was hot for us.

Love

God love you

Mary
.  

 I FIGURED OUT WHAT I DID WITH SATURDAY'S POST.   i PUT IT ON THE CWI SITE.
SO HERE IT IS:  BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

A comparatively quiet day. The only time I had to leave the house was to go to Mass this evening.

Chelsea seems to have reverted to a really dumb need to go out again. I can't even remember the times but know that at 5AM, I just shut them out and asked Dick to get me up at 6:30 AM as Jody was coming to clean at 8AM and I had a lot to do before then

This was an odd day, I did a lot of things but nothing I can really lay my hands on. We had leftover chicken with fresh green beans and mashed potatoes with green onions and chives.

I did take a nap this afternoon as I suddenly became very tired. Chelsea is now on pain pills and seems to be much more lethargic than usual but she is also walking a bit less painfully, so we will continue for the time being.

Church was very comforting tonight. I sat with a friend Mary whose husband has been ill this past year too and we prayed together. The gospel was the one about always being ready for the "master". That is a good thing to keep in mind. Fr. Van Beeck brought up the 9-11 disaster. 3000 and more souls all left this world in one day. How many of them were ready?

So Tomorrow I will be able to stay home all day and I intend to do some sewing and perhaps some writing. We are having Spinach, Egg Noodle casserole for our noon meal so if you are hungry show up at about 11:30AM. Dick is all excited.

Have a good day. I understand that the heat is returning.

Here is a haiku for you.

River

A river in my mind
Carries all my memories
Keeping them alive.

Mary

It seems that I did not post again last night.    Actually, I thought I had.   But somehow or other, I think the thing did not post.   Heaven knows why.   Saturday  was a quiet day.  The only time I went out  was to Mass.   I remember telling you that the readings were really good ones.   Mainly that we had better be ready when God comes to call us.  Fr. Fan Veeck mentioned that he often thinks, now, of 9-11 and the thousands of people who stormed the gates of heaven on that day.   How many of them were ready?   I bed more than we would think. 

Today was a doubly quiet day.  I did not go any where.   When I woke up to walk Chelsea it was raining.   Not very hard but steady and there was thunder and lightening off in the distance.  We even went for a short walk so that she could completer her "mission".  

I fixed the famous Kunert Spinach, Noodle and Egg casserole for our lunch.  Actually, I had told Dick that I invited anybody reading the blog to come over at about 11:30AM today and they could have lunched with us.   He always asks what I would do if everybody showed up.   I say, I would feed them.  But today I KNOW why nobody showed up.

So here we are into another week.   Please pray for my friend Kate's husband, Ron.  He had a heart attack on Thursday and was rushed to St. Luke's.   They were able to bring him home yesterday, two days before they thought, so that is a very good sign.   Kate needs prayers goo.   She is a weary lady.

The balloon is on the move again.  It dropped from the ceiling and has been kind of following me around today.   The last I saw of it was in Roxie's room.   She gets pretty confused when it starts hovering around her.

I figure it is almost gone.  Pretty good - I lasted almost three months.

God love you all

Mary

This was a great day.  The weather was PERFECT.   The temps never got over 80 degrees and it was dry.   This is all supposed to change in the next couple of days so we will have to really soak this up before the temps and humidity rise again.

I spent the morning washing sheets, emailing friends and writing a newsletter for our local CWI group.  Then I went to lunch with my friends at Dairy Queen at 12:30PM.   I had a grilled cheese sandwich.  Then I picked up a sandwich and fries and two mini blizzards to take home.   Their grilled cheese are so good.  I am delighted that they have mini blizzards now which are about 1/2 the size of a small blizzard.   Just right for Dick and me.

I picked up a dozen ears of corn from Capelle's on the way home and we had them for dinner tonight.  Boy is that a good meal.   I also have three packages in the freezer for winter.  Pretty soon, I will only get 1/2 dozen each week.   Chelsea likes the corn too.

She was really weird last night.   She woke me up at 2AM, at 4AM  and at 20 to 6AM.   So after I walked her and fed her and Roxie at 6, I went back to bed until almost 8 AM and really felt pretty good most of the day.

We are giving her pain pills twice a day for her tender hips and it seems to be helping so far.

Love you all

Have a great weekend

God love you

Mary

The computer was down last night.    I hope you all missed me.  We did not have computer or phone services.   I called Time Warner and they were aware of the problem, so I just went to bed and when I got up everything was back on and working fine.

Yesterday was a typical busy Wednesday.   I went grocery shopping in the morning and then at 10AM drove over to Rhine to shoot some trap.   I shout two rounds and did pretty poorly, but I learned some more so that is OK.   I do have fun anyway and the guys are so patient with me.Norb took my shotgun home to pattern it for me.

The afternoon was full of catching up, which seems to be all I do these days.   Then at 5PM, Dick and I went to Sweet Basil for a date.   We had a lovely dinner and used an anniversary coupon for champagne and a dessert to share.   We picked carrot cake and it was SO good.  We had enough to take home and finished it today.

Today was comparitively quiet.   I made Pizza soup this morning.   Then we had out leftovers from last night for out lunch.   We always split them, so I we both had spaghetti and steak for our lunch.Then I went to do some errands.   I went to the post office to mail an item for CWI, to the bank and to pick up some pills for Chelsea.    We now have some pills that may help Chelsea's arthritis pain.  She had had a very difficult week what with her pain and the coughing.

I watered the plants today.   We May get rain tomorrow or the next day, but there is no guarantee so I did not want things to die on me.   I was able to pick a few green beans and a ripe Roma tomato today too.

I only have one email that HAS to be done and it can be done in the morning.

So it is time for me to wind down for the night and go to bed.   I can't seem to get caught up on sleep.

God love you

Mary

Roxie playing with THE baloon. It is now back up on the ceiling.

Kunerts. Back row. Kathy Kunert, Bill Smith, Richard Kunert, Brenda Kunert.

WAY in back on couch, Leslie Smith.

Front row, Michelle Kunert, Chris Kunert and Dick

Tuesday is always easier.   Would you believe that Chelsea did not wake me up until 5AM?   So I took her out and shut the door to the bedroom.   I got up at 7AM.  (Frankly, I think I could have stayed for another two hours.) Chelsea and Roxie were very glad to see me.  I fed the kitty and took Chelsea for a nice walk.   She is a bit subdued.  I think the heavy, humid air combined with her arthritis has her slowed down.

When I order her next pills, I will see if there is anything I can give her for the discomfort in her hips.

I made several phone calls and emails and did some cooking and laundry this morning.   This afternoon, I went to the Kettle Country  Quilt Guild here in Plymouth.   We head a really nice meeting.  I joined them in February and this month, I intend to be all caught up on our Block of the Month by next meeting.  I only am two behind.   I think it will be an interesting quilt when I am done as I am fussy cutting kitties in the middle of the pieced blocks.  As usual, I am constructing the quilt as I go along.

Got a call from Leslie this afternoon, to let us know that she and Bill were back safely to their little nest in Bossier City.  The temperature is way over 100 degrees but as she said, it is home and they turned the air on immediately to get the house so they can be comfortable.   What a lovely visit.   I hope that these visits with these special children will be continuing at reasonable intervals.  It is strange to have our children living so far away.   We need to have our hug "fixes"  as often as possible.

God love you

Hare a great night and Wednesday.

Mary

Hi There!   We had our usual eventful Monday.   I got up at about 6:15AM.   I was awakened, this time by both critters and since I had to be out and about by 9, it was practical to get up then anyway.

There were 7 of us at Bible Study.   We are getting closer to the Crucifixion part of Mark's Gospel.   Next week we will be delving into the betrayal by Judas.   We spent the first 10 or 15 minutes discussing where we are going next.    We have decided to do a Little Rock study of Psalms.  It will be a new adventure for us.   A new format and a study guide comes with it.   We want to do the study questions together as we are not intending to be spending hours outside of our being together getting ready for the meeting.

Mom was doing well this morning.   She really enjoyed the visit with Leslie and Bill yesterday.   They had a lot to talk about.   Mom is always so interested in other parts of the country and Bill and Les are very good about sharing.     Mom and I took care of a couple of her bills today.   She is doing pretty much what Helen was doing towards the end.   It is hard for her to see,  so she checks the bills as they come in and has me or Jeff write out the checks, then she signs them and we get them in the mail.    I think that anyone that is her age needs a secretary anyway.

Got home in time to fix lunch.   We had the leftovers from our wonderful dinner at Nino's last night.   Then I took a little nap.   I caught up on phone calls and emails this afternoon and did a couple of loads of wash.

The Rhine meeting was tonight.   On September 18, we are hosting a Micro Brewery Beer Tasting Event at the Fairgrounds.  from 2 to 6PM.   We will have at least 30 different micro brews there.   Admission is $35.  This includes all the samples you want, a souvenir glass and snacks.   There will be a lot of fun things going on so we are hoping for a nice profit.   I have tickets if anybody wants to go.


Finally, I am home.   and ready to go to bed.   I just have to water the pets, fix my coffee pot and take my night pills.

Tomorrow will be much quieter.

Hope your week is full but peaceful.

God love you

Mary

All of the exciting parties are over for a while now.   We were able to get let down easily today with a bit more visiting with Richard and Brenda and Leslie and Bill.   How nice is  that?

Chelsea did not wake me up until about 4AM.  Then I went back to bed and finally got myself up at 7AM.  Roxie had been bugging me for about an hour but Chelsea was still sleeping.  Chelsea and I had a nice walk.   We did not go too far because she was dragging a bit.   But she had a good time out there as usual.

Then I showered and cut up some fruit for the brunch we had later in the morning and went to the 9:30AM Mass.   A very nice mass. 

When I got home at about 10:30AM, Richard and Brenda were upstairs enjoying their coffee and juice and Bill and Leslie arrived shortly afterward.   I scrambled a bunch of eggs with onion, chives and cream cheese to go with the fruit and toast, scones and barm brack.   So we had a really nice brunch and visit   A nice time for Richard and Leslie to catch up. 

Richard and Brenda headed back to Madison about 1:30PM or so.   Then Leslie, Bill and I drove over to Sheboygan Falls to have a visit with Mother.  She is still so tired but seemed very good to me and we all had a lovely visit.   Leslie had not seen her since the girls were baptized, about 15 years ago and Bill had never met her.  We told her about the reunion and Bill and Leslie shared information about Louisiana so it was a busy conversation.

Then, on the way back home, we stopped at Kris's Cheese to Please on Highway 57 so Les and Bill could get some good cheese to take back with them.   I picked up a couple of nice additions to our supply, notably a Gormandise Spread with nuts that is really really good.   I will wow Dick with it tomorrow.

We got back to the house close to 5PM, fed the critters and headed to Nino's.   Leslie and Bill wanted to take us out for dinner and they love Ninos.   We do too had had not been there since Dick was hospitalized so it was a real treat for all four of us.    A super way to end their visit.   They will be heading back to Louisiana tomorrow morning and as they are staying in Mequon (would you believe that because of the EAA in Oshkosh, that was the closed place they could find a hotel?)  But they liked the hotel and there was a farmers market across the street where they were able to stock up on corn and other veggies.    I added one of Jeff and Kathy's wonderful zucchini and a yellow squash or two to their veggie stash.

Such a great visit,  great reunion and all around great weekend.  I will be smiling again for the next couple of weeks.

Tomorrow will be a typical first Monday of the month.  Bible Study, a visit with Mother and then Rhine Plymouth in the evening.   Hopefully I will be able to get pictures of the reunion in the computer and post a couple.   That is always fun.

God love you and have a fun, happy and healthy week.

Mary

This was a wonderful day.   Most of my readers were actually here but I will post anyway.

The morning was reasonably quiet.   I had to go pick up SHARE ate 9AM.   Then just kind of lazed around, making sure that Dick had his "leggings" changed and the kitchen counters were cleaned for the big Kunert Reunion.

Leslie and Bill got here at about 11:30AM.  Then Bobbie and Bill and Richard and Brenda came.  All brought food and/or drinks.    Soon other Kunert cousins came in groups.   This was amazing.  Dick had 5 siblings.   4 of the 5 were represented today and the fifth, Robert's children sent regrets.   So it was very successful and very lively.

His brother Robert son David was here with his wife Kathy and his sister Carol also came- sister Hazel's daughter Suzi with her friend Jerry - sister Helen's daughter Teresa with her husband Gary, daughter Christy and Christy's fiance Joel and finally brother Harold's daughters Mary Pat, Christine, Kathy and Michelle with her friend Rodney.

We were 22 strong with pictures to share.   Dick was able to help with some, but he has mentioned that he found out so very much about his brothers that he never knew because they were out and off before he was very old and he didn't see them for so many years.

What a fun group.   I hope they do this every year. 

Tomorrow Leslie and Bill and Richard and Brenda and Dick and I will have brunch together.

That will be fun.

Sleep tight.

I will put pictures on tomorrow (maybe the next day if tomorrow gets too busy.)

God love you

Mary

What a wonderful day.   Chelsea got me up at 1:30AM or so then did not come back until 5:30AM.  So the night was not too broken up.   I fed the critters after I took her out at 5:30 and went back to bed until almost 7.   Then I had to rush JUST a little bit because Jody comes at 8AM to clean.Perfect, since tomorrow is the Kunter reuinion.

I baked some Lemon Scones , washed some towels and watered the indoor plants before it was time to join my friends for lunch at the Dairy Queen.  We had a nice visit and I ate a grilled cheese and bought two orders of fries.  One to eat and share with lunch and one to bring home for Chelsea treats.

Then I made a quick run out to Mother's to see how she was doing and to pick up some veggies that Jeff had left for me.

On the way home, I picked up prescriptions for Dick at Walgreen's and stopped at Cappelle's for fresh corn and tomatoes for our supper.   Bill and Leslie came in today.   They called just before I got back and were in Port Washington.  So they were not long in arriving.  We all had a wonderful visit.   We got caught up on how the girls and their spouses are doing and how things are down in Bossier City and how their trip was.   It was so nice to be able to just visit before everybody is here.  They joined us for the fresh corn - Leslie was SO excited about that.   Apparently Louisiana is very lacking in fresh corn so this was a real treat.   They will be back about noon tomorrow and again on Sunday.   This is a pleasure of a visit.

So I am now ready to sleep and hopefully get really rested for tomorrow.  I will be seeing nieces and nephews that I know and several new ones.   And all Dick and I have to do is be here and as Bobbie says "smile."

God love you and bless your weekend.

Mary

Another day at home.   I got a lot done.  Dick had three shirts that were just a bit too long as they get tangled because he is sitting in the wheel chair.  So I shortened them this afternoon.   Hope I got them the right length.  They are very close to the length of the shirts that are comfortable.  So I am sure that they will be better anyway.

Remember my birthday balloon?  The one that has been up on the ceiling since May 21?   Well,   late last week, it started moving across the ceiling.   Not too fast but just a little bit.  This morning, I went into the bathroom off of the master bedroom and there it was bobbing up and down in front of the shower door.   We think that perhaps, since I opened the doors this morning because it was so pleasant outside, the air currents helped it migrate.   But now it is hovering just outside of the bathroom door so we will just have to see what it has in mind.

We are SO easily amused.

I found a great quote from poet, John Ashbery:  "There is a view that poetry should improve your life.   I think people confuse it with the Salvation Army."

While I was downstairs sewing, Roxie came down to join me.    The grounds crew were mowing the lawn.   She likes to sit on the ledge looking out of the window.   Suddenly, one of the guys came by the window with the weed eater and Roxie sailed like a rocket to the middle of the den.   He scared the dickens out of her.   Boy did I laugh.

Have a really good Friday.   Ours will be as it is pretty quiet but Leslie and Bill will arrive sometime in the afternoon and are joining us for fresh sweet corn for dinner.

Love

And God love you

Mary

Today was hectic.  Thank heavens tomorrow will be much quieter.

I started out by going grocery shopping early this morning.   That went very well.  I was home before 9AM and got everything put away quite easily.

Then at 10 AM, I drove out to Rhine Plymouth to shoot league.  Boy, was that a disaster.  I had a lot of fun BUT I shot terribly.  I was behind and high on almost every shot.  I got the lowest score I have gotten since the first year I shot.   Oh Well, Next week I will figure it out and do better.

Dick and I had pizza for our lunch and then I took a short nap before going out to Rocky Knoll for the Amputee Support Group meeting.    I will be dropping out or that, I think I mentioned that before.   The speaker that came from  the Green Bay branch of the state's Options for Independent Living.  She is Dinah Federer .  Dinah has been disabled herself since birth and has worked for years in rehab before she went into Options.   She is starting an advocacy group in Sheboygan County.   When Dinah talked to us before, it was about the book she called "Chasing Normal"   Which is kind of a Guide for disabled people and those who love them.  She was, again, very interesting, and I have some new ideas on things that are useful for disabled people.   Did you know that there is an oven that the door opens from the side so that a person can reach in and not reach over the door?

So it was very busy today.  There was a little bit of a shower this morning but it cleared up quickly and became very muggy and warm. 

 So, until tomorrow.   Be healthy and happy.

God love you

Mary


               

I DID get to stay home all day today.

I did get a lot done.   Chelsea was not happy with one of my projects.   She was just black around her neck so I decided that with the Kunert Family Reunion this weekend, she should look GOOD.  

So.   She got a bath.  I am not sure if she has forgiven me yet , but she looks beautiful.    I think I should take her over for Mother to see her.  Mother is always amazed at how white she is.

Roxie was goofy today too.  She went storming through the living room like a herd of elephants a short while ago.  Now she is sleeping.   I wish I could get her a companion.  I know she misses Oscar.

I finished an applique block for the Quilt Club that I belong to.   Now, if I can get the pieced square done by Monday, I will be caught up to the rest.   I joined the club when they were one or two ahead of me so had was behind.    I started a couple of other sewing things too.  Thursday is supposed to be an at home day and I believe I can finish the block and the hemming that I want to do.

Tomorrow will be busy again.   I have to shop, shoot and go to the Amputee Support group meeting.   Whew, at the last minute I was abe to get someone for the program.   I don't remember voluntering but I must have because I was in charge of the program.   I tried to get the DNR but could not get them for this month..  However,  I was able to get a commitment for a future date which will help Janice.  .  I finally called the state Options for Independent Living.    They got me a speaker.  It is Dinah Chaudoir Federer who spoke to us last year on her story.  She was publicising her book at that time.  The book is called Chasing Normal and is a wonderful message from a person who had faced and conquered many disabilities that seem to keep piling up on her.  

This time, as she is now working for Options for Independent Living, she will be talking about that organization and what it offers.  She is a wonderful speaker and I am so glad that she is doming back to us.

Actually, I have decided to stop going to those meetings.   I had hoped that perhaps Dick, as the amputee, would start going with me but he is not interested, I have finally accepted that.   So I have other things to take up my time that are more important to me at this time.


As I said, this weekend is the Kunert Family Reunion.  I am excited.   Leslie and Bill will be here too which is a serendipity for us.  I hope that there is nothing that we are supposed to be doing except to be here.  Bobbie will tell me I am sure.  I am not even sure exactly what time this soiree starts but we are here all day, except that I have to go and get Share at 9AM.  So it really doesn't matter.   I am just ready to enjoy.

Sure glad that Jody comes to clean on Fridays.   Everything will be all ready.

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.  

God love you

Mary
.

A typical Monday.   I did not have any meetings this afternoon or evening though, so that made it a bit easier.

Bible study was at 9:30AM.  there were six of us there and we had a lively discussion on the portion of Mark's Gospel regarding Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial.    We are searching out our next study as we are withing two chapters of finishing Mark.   Of course, we do still have time as we started this discussion over a year ago.  We always try to bring it to our lives today - which is really what it is all about.

Mom and I had a lovely visit.   She was tired, but really alert and interested in our conversations.   So I stayed a bit longer.   What a lady she is.

Dick and I had pizza for our lunch.  It is always good and was easy and quick.

I had a couple of phone calls to make today.   Plus a couple of emails and letters to write.   So I was quite busy this afternoon too.   

Tomorrow will be an at home day so I should be able to catch up on all of that stuff. 

All of this muggy heat reminds me of when I was very young and polio was a very real threat in the summers.   I remember the year that a little neighbor girl died of the disease.  

Nora was babysitting for the girl and her brother the night she got sick.  She started running a fever and threw up.   (Nora was of course upset by that to begin with.)  The next morning the girl was worse and they took her to the doctor and it was quickly diagnosed as polio.   Now this was before the Salk Vaccine took care preventing the disease and naturally everybody was scared.   Nora, having come in contact with her during the onset, had to get a shot of gamma globulin, the only defense there was at all.   The girl was transported to Milwaukee to an iron lung but she did not survive the disease.  

Tis was a real awakening for us.  We did not know that children could die.

Thank God that we have the eradication of polio. 

God love you all

Mary

Wat a nice Sunday.   I got so much done without wearying myself.

Then when we finished dinner, I was so tired I took a second nap.

Somehow, I think Dick is right and I am just not getting enough rest.

Oh. Well.   The weather was really nice.  It got up to 86 but was not very humid.  Dick and I sat out on the deck for a while this evening.  That was nice and Roxie was extremely insulted that we did not let her come out with us.   I suppose, she would wander around and be intimidate by the height but am not taking any chances on her jumping off and either hurting herself or getting lose.

So.  I am ready to plunge into tomorrow (after a good night's sleep),

God love you

Mary