I suppose you missed me last night. I was just plain exhausted and went to bed early. Friday night at Rhine just took the zip out of me.

Yesterday, I picked up SHARE at 9AM. Then I went to see Mother for a few minutes as I had some business to help her with. I had intended to stop on my way home from Bobbie and my day at the Wine event at Kohler. So I had to go anyway.

Imagine my surprise. I got to Mother"s. two of my cousins were there with their husbands. These were two of my Mom's brother George's daughters, Marcia and Ann and their husbands Mark and Jack. We had the nicest visit. Marcia is still in Two Rivers and Ann lives in Colorado.

Uncle George was one of Merrill's Marauders in WWII. That was a group of 800 soldiers that fought in Burma without resupplying or support. Of the 800 men sent behind the lines, only 100 survived. He is a true hero. He said that the movie did not convey the difficulty and horror of that march.

They were delighted with Mom's books and her wall decorations. I found out that Ann does not have any of her Dad's paintings. I told her that when I pass on, she can have the painting that he gave me. That was a sweet story. I was home for a visit with the boys. We had a family get together and Uncle George and Aunt Annabelle were there. I said that I would really like one of his paintings. He did not respond so I didn't know what to think. Then, before I flew back home, he brought me a painting picked especially for me. An Autumn scene because we did not have Autumn with all the colors in California. I treasure that painting, but if Ann needs it she will be willed it as my boys won't remember Uncle George. We will see. Marcia says that she has some at her house, in which case it will become part of my family history.

I went to church at 4PM and was a Eucharistic Minister. That is always a real privilege and I go home feeling quite special.

Today was really great. I did not have to go anywhere. So I finished a square for the Kettle Country Quilters Block of the Month, rested, fixed a couple of meals and just generally tries to do "nothing" (which is really hard for me) to let my body heal. We will see what happens. A quiet week is unfolding ahead of us. We have NO doctor appointments and I have nothing scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. So I am planning on doing great things. Dick won't let me do anything too physical. That is a big help t keep me in line.

Fr. Mike Shea called this morning. He is in the country and is going to see Mother tomorrow at about 9:30AM. His sister Bridget is coming with him. He called me to see what was a good time. I told him that her caregivers are always gone by 9:30AM to that is when he is coming. I called Mother to tell her that he will be there so she had something really special to look forward to. I will get to see him for a few minutes after Bible Study.

So that is the weekend. We are trying to figure out ways to be more mobile without my ability to lift wheelchairs and push up ramps. This week we have nothing but next week we have a anti coagulation meeting on Thursday. (Can you help then Bobbie.)

We always ask Bobbie and she is just a wonder, but one day she will have a commitment and we need alternatives.

Til tomorrow

God love you

Mary

Yesterday was SO quiet that I even forgot to blog. I rested so good and felt pretty good.

Today, was a disappointment because I did not feel as good as yesterday.

Yesterday, I mainly rested, though I did get the newsletter off to the Celtic Women. I did go for my first walk since the ribs. I did not go very far but it felt good and I KNOW I did not overdo.

Today, I had lunch at the Dairy Queen. We had a full crowd there today. Mary had her dogs with her as she and Barb were going out to the Kettles to run their dogs together. So I got to meet her new doggie, Roxie. Roxie is a boxer and just a lover.

Tonight I went to work at Rhine. Dick did not approve and I found out her was right. My ribs are really sore tonight. Bobbie and I were going to the Kohler Wine and Cheese event tomorrow but I called her to tell her that I don't think I should. That would be another walking and exerting event and I am just not up to it. I hate this.

I finally told Doc at 7:30PM that I was hurting bad enough that I thought I better go home and he took over the bartending for me. Now I just want to go to slelep.

Mary

Today was supposed to be a very quiet day. I was supposed to go shopping in the mornign and then have the whole day at home.

Did not quite work that way.

I went shopping and when I got home, Dick said that he had two prescriptions at Walgreens. Well, I was pretty sore from the shopping. So I put everything away and then rested with the heating pad for about an hour. When I woke up I fixed lunch. We had ham, colcannon and beets. All good. I called Kate to ask her to put Mary Ellen on the prayer chain and told her what Dick said about the Chili. Kate offered me Chili yesterday but I had so many leftovers that I said perhaps not this time. Dick said " You turned down Chili?" Kate laughed and said that she still had some to share so I stopped after I picked up the prescriptions and got it. Ron was coming home as I left so I told him why I was there and he thought it was funny too.

I took another nap this afternoon. I am really trying to get my ribs to heal. I don't like my body to be fighting me like this. Sometimes the ribs feel better, then my tummy starts rebelling.

We had a cup of Kate's chili for supper and it is very good.

Now I am ready to start settling down. As I said, I want to heal so I can get back to normal.

Take care of you.

Love

Mary

Today was supposed to be a very quiet day at home. It did not turn out that way exactly. As it happened, I had to take Mom her Vit Eyes (the only medicine that she is really avid about because it WILL help retard the advancement of macular degeneration.) and a couple of other meds that she was low on. So. I headed out at about 10 to take care of her errands and be able to spend a bit of time with her. I stopped at Kate's to drop off a book for her on the way.

Mom and I had a nice visit. There are so many people in need of prayer and encouragement.

I got home in time to prepare our lunch. We had hash and creamed cabbage. Boy was that good. I had made Mock Duck but the meat was tough so I ground everything up and added potatoes, carrots and onion and "boy" was that good.

I took a nice long nap this afternoon.

I also had nice phone visits with Nora and Jacquie. I called Bart too. I wanted to be sure that he was aware that Mary Ellen Kirby had passed away. That is why I called Jacquie too, I figured that the boys' father would like to know that. The Kirbys and we were very close for very many years. I am sure that Mary Ellen has been rushed into heaven with out too much fol der ol.

I have been pretty achy today. But tomorrow will be better. It is hard to keep from doing things. If I could keep my self amused without straining my ribs for a week, I probably would be healed. Like that is likely to happen?


Love

Take care of your self.

Mary

Busy Busy day. But very fulfilling.

Started off with Bible Study at 9:30AM. I picked up Kate and her sister Patty. I believe that they are going to be rather permanent members of the group. So nice since they have so much to contribute.

We are still finishing up Mark. We have the "other endings" still to do. History says that Mark actually stops with Verse 8 but there are two other additions from later that finish it off.

We were amazed at the ending through verse 8 that gave women apostleship. No other place are they treated this way.

Stopped at Mom's next. She had bills to be paid then were were able to have a visit, Mom,Kate, Patty and me. Mom looked beautiful, as usual. I go a kick out of her. She said she is not longer going to save her pretty clothes for "good of "special" times. She is going to just wear them when she wants to.

Home again, Bobbie was here transferring her beet wine into the primary fermenter (as I said, the gallon jug) I fixed ham and colcannon for our lunch. We drank a glass of Bobbie's Barola wine with it. That is a kit wine that is ACTUALLY supposed to wait two years but as Bobbie ended up with a small bottle, we decided to test it midway. We were impressed and cannot wait until next year to try it fully aged.

I left for writer's club a bit before 1PJ. We had a full house. Peggy was back AND Kate and her sister too. We had some good sharing. After I left there I took a run out to Rhine. I had forgotten several CWI things at the clubhouse when I left yesterday. Everything was just as I had left it, so I gathered up the things I had left and came home.

A nice quiet afternoon. We had chili dogs for our supper. Dick is liking warm things so just a sandwich doesn't work and he has not been in the mood for soup lately.

Without my nap, I was exhausted, so I took a nap after I cleaned up from dinner. I woke up at about 7:15PM. Fortunately, Dancing with the Stars had preliminary dancing before the contestants started, so I did not miss any of the dances. They are now down to 8 dancers and the competition is getting tough.

Bret called me tonight. Mark Kirby one of the boys his age from Huntington Beach (also the jeep club group) called him. Mark's mother, Mary Ellen died on Saturday. She and I were good friends. Had not been in touch much since I left California but that means nothing. She was a lovely woman. Her husband was also a dear friend. He serviced my car when Bart and I left California. He wanted us safe. He and Mary Ellen gave a good by party for us too. These were good friends and it is sad to think of them both as gone. Kirby died several years ago. Pray for Mary Ellen and her five boys along with me.

So what a day.

Tomorrow will be quieter, though I will be picking up some meds for Mom and taking them to her.


Take care of yourselves God love you

Mary

 

 

Here are two pictures that I took about a month ago when walking with my Chelsea. A caterpillar and a squirrel.

Pretty Cool. I thought.

Enjoy.

Love

Mary

A pleasant Sunday.

I slept a bit late which is always nice. I finished the place mat for the Samhain dinner before lunch. It looks pretty good. I dedicated it to Daddy, Uncle George, Aunt Helen, Tony, Matt, Tim and Courtney. I hope their spirits enjoyed our evening.

I made the colcannon right before and after lunch. I put it into the slow cooker on warm to take to the dinner tonight. I had to go to the drug store this afternoon to refill a prescription.

Then I left for Rhine at a little before three so that I could get the place set up and swept a bit before the Celtic Women got there. It was a nice gathering. There were fifteen of us there - 9 Celtic Women and 6 spouses. We had food that was spectacular. The colcannon, mushroom and Guiness pie, Irish meat sandwiches, bread, soup salads and pie. A feast fit for kings.

We pretty much set up the schedule for next year.

So. A new week is begun. Tomorrow will surely be busy but the rest of the week should be a bit quieter.

I am going to forward a couple of pictures for you.

Love and God love you

Mary

This was again a nice day.

The morning was rather quiet. We changed Dick's stockings early. Always a good thing as things have a tendency to be put off until I am so tired that I don't care much.

I did some work on the place mat for Sunday's Samhain dinner. I HAVE to finish it tomorrow. Shouldn't be too hare. I also took a nap this morning because my ribs started hurting again. Any time I feel that way, I am trying to stagnate so that I will be over this distraction as soon as posible.

At 12:30PM,I joined my bank friends for lunch at the Dairy Queen. It was a nice visit. The past four or five Fridays have been impossible for me. We were a pretty big crowd today which was really nice. It was good to see Mary Schroeder again. She had gotten her dog Shadow, the same time that I got Chelsea. Shadow has been gone for a while and she understood how hard it was to lose our little girl. As I told her, Chelsea's little crew cut head was wet with my tears. I was holding her though. I would never have let her go alone. She will be waiting beyond the Rainbow Bridge.


At 4:30AM. Nancy picked me up to go shooting our pistol league. We always have such a good visit. She had a date tonight so we went a bit earlier than usual. Maybe next week, we can stay and visit. Actually, I will have to check. I might be working that weekend.

We both shot pretty well this week. Good thing after last week.

So I was home again early.

Dick and I had the last of the lime beans and pork for our supper along with the mini blizzards that I brought home from Dairy Queen.

So it was a nice day. I intend to go to bed early tonight, as I did last night, and hopefully sleep as well. Eventually, I should get caught up and healed.

God love you all
Mary

Dick can read again. He had his followup with Dr. Ziegler today and pronounced his eyes pretty much healed. He will get his updated prescription soon and does not have to go back for a checkup for three months. We have to decide if he wants that little growth and/or the ingrowing lashes removed.

Bobbie took Dick today because I had made a luncheon engagement before checking my calendar. It was for the benefit of two of my friends, Bob Fleming and Kate Herman,
who needed to exchange information, so I was not able to change it. We went to Antionettes and it was a good meeting. They shared what they needed to share and we all had a good time.

This morning I cleaned the kitchen counters and all the surrounding things and then was so tired and I felt somewhat sore, so I took a nap before my lunch. Boy am I glad I did that as the luncheon date lasted for over two hours because of all we had to share.

I got home and Dick had the good news about his eyes so it has been a good day.

Kate was talking about her husband Kate being an engineer and thinking well withing the box or I guess I mean very logically. Bob remembered a joke. "Optimists will see a half full glass as half full, a pessimist as half empty but and engineer will conclude that there is a wrong sized glass.

So today is done and so am I.

God love you as I do

Mary

This was a good day. I went grocery shopping this morning, a usual Wednesday chore. That went well. As I was leaving the liquor department, I ran into a neighbor who said she liked the looks of the cart and would be over later. We laughed and she told me that she usually has a glass of wine at noon because her daughter gives her cheeses and she has cheese lunches with a glass of wine.

Totally understandable.

I told her that Dick and I usually have a glass of wine at about 4PM with a couple of cheese and/or summer sausage, canapes. Dick says KaNapes. Even Roxie has some cheese Kanapes before her supper.

I even stopped at Walgreens and picked up a couple of prescriptions. ; I also got a nice purple and black spider to put on the spider web I have on my front porch. I bought the spider web a couple of years ago and never was happy with the little spider on it. It looks like a lady bug with 8 legs. Now the web looks like a nice fuzzy big spider has trapped a lady bug. By the way I do not like spiders. Tomorrow I will get a picture and post it for you. I need to do some pictures for projects.

I came home and put all the groceries away. then fixed our lunch. I stirred Bobbie's beet wine (I remembered Bobbie) and cut out the shapes for the next applique block for the Kettle Country Quilters.

We had an early dinner of Mac and Cheese because I was picking up Sy Regan to go to Karl Elder's Poetry at Mead Library. Sy has lost most of his sight in the past two years and is unable to drive any longer. So his need will help me to get to a meeting that will stimulate me to write more than I have been. I read two of my poems. Karl Elder is a teacher of reading and writing at Lakeland and also a well known poet. He LIKED my sonnet called Falcon. I was so honored. He felt that my Blessings which I consider a poem is really linneated prose, so I have to mull over that, decide what I think and if I agree with him and want to tweak it.  A totally delightful evening with talented people.

Don't know if I quite fit in but since I felt comfortable, I guess I do.

I am so ecstatic
All 33 of the miners are out of their underground prison. Thank God.; Who would ever have imagined such a miracle.

Here is a quote from the second miner to reach the surface. I took the quote directly from the press release.


Mario Sepulveda, the second to taste freedom, bounded out and thrust a fist upward like a prizefighter.
"I think I had extraordinary luck. I was with God and with the devil. And I reached out for God," he said 

Isn't that beautiful.
Let's all thank God for this beautiful reason for joy and thanksgiving all over the world.

God love you too.

Mary

Tuesdays are supposed to be quiet but this was kind of busy.   

Not enough to completely wear us out but pretty hectic anyway.  

Jody, the cleaning lady, came today to clean.   She is healing but needs one more procedure on Thursday.   As she usually comes on Friday, today was the only day she could come.   Next week she will be back to Friday.   Please pray for her.    She needs all she can get.

Bobbie got here at 10:15 AM.   We got ourselves together and off to Plymouth Aurora Health Center.    Dick got his blood checked for the coagualation number.  He was a bit low today but not enough to change his dose and we are to go back in three weeks for recheck.

I had my followup with Dr. Sharon.    My ribs are still sore and I discussed my stomach pains with him too.   He checked everything and tells me that it may take up to 6 weeks for my ribs to be healed.   He did give me a refill on pain meds.   I only take one at night but it helps me sleep.    He also said that I can take my stomach pill up to four times a day.   I will be taking one of them at night too.  Perhaps that will dispel the discomfort when I am trying to get to sleep.

We picked up Dairy Queen for our lunch.   The nice thing about the Plymouth Dairy Queen is that they use hard rolls instead of hamburger buns for their burgers.   Then Bobbie mixed her batch of beet wine.   Yes Beet Wine.     It smells pretty good in its initial mix.    I need to stir it each day for her.

After she went home, Dick took a nap and I rested with the heating pad again.  

I couldn't stay down long.   So I spent the rest of the afternoon sending some poems to a writing contest, cleaning off my desk and sorting blocks for quilting.

Now I am settling down for the evening as Dancing with the Stars is on and I want to watch that.

Have a nice evening yourself.

Love

Mary

What a sonderful day.

I got up just before 7AM.  I was not as sore most of the day.

I picked up my friend Kate and her sister Patty at 9AM.   Kate has wanted to go to bible study with me for quite some time and it finally worked out.   It was a special bible study.   We actually never got to our study of Mark as Joe Reindl had come back from a trip to Medjugorje in Hercegovina, Yugoslavia.   So after our prayer and petitions, I asked Joe if he would tell us about his trip.   He said "Do we have a month?"

Joe was so pumped from his trip and after his description and talk, we were almost as pumped ourselves.   The town is just flooded with devotees.  He described the different sites and the services that occur every day and on special occasions.   The visionaries still see or hear Mary every day.   

There is an immense statue of the risen Christ that has a fluid seeping out of the right knee.  He thinks he knows the explanation, However, he still took part in taking a linen cloth and touching it to the fluid for a holy sacramental.   It is from that holy place.    He blessed each of us with the cloth and gave three bottles of holy water from the site.  I brought one home and put it with my statue of the Infant of Prague that was my Grandma Deeley;s.  

He is such a dear man.   He brought me a special present because I have been leading the group.   It is a lovely embroidered table cover.  He chose it because the embroidered design is the circle which symbolizes our bible group.   I really feel honored as he bought three.  One for his wife, Felicia, who is a member of the study also.  One for his sister in law and one for me.    I will treasure it for sure.

After the study, Kate, Patty and I went to Mother's for a visit.   She looked lovely and I think felt good.   It was a nice visit.   Mom has a book about the Apparitions of Our Lady at Mejugorje so I borrowed it.

Home again.  I made brat sandwiched for lunch, then went to the bank for Mom and me.  I also picked up a couple things at Kmart.

I took a nap when I finally arrived home for good.  I woke up to Roxie yelling at me.   I mean really yelling.   She had her face right in front of me just going Mew Mew Mew, until I finally got up.

Tonight I watched Dancing with the Stars.   I do enjoy that show.   I have not been able to vote the past two weeks so this is a fun week for me.   Tomorrows elimination show will be much more interesting now that I am a part of it.

So.   Tomorrow we have doctor appointments and I have to do something about Thursday.   I made a luncheon date and now realize that Dick has an eye doctor appointment at 11:40AM.  How do I get into these messes?

So God love you and remember


"Don't tell GOD how Big your storm is.
Tell the storm how Big your GOD is!"




Mary

Today was supposed to be a whole day at home but it did not quite work that way.

I got a call at about 7:30 that Mom's caregiver was unable to come because her car had failed on her.    I heard from her company shortly after and told her that I would go and be sure that Mother was OK and could get up for breakfast and bathroom duties.

I got Mom up and we fixed her breakfast and we waited and waited.  Finally,I called and she said that she thought that I was doing everything.   I told her that that was not my understanding.  I know I was rather cold but I was irritated.   Mother and I took care of her cleansing and her getting dressed, then I got a call that said that she would be sending someone out and I said that she should forget it as I had by then taken care of what was needed.    I am disappointed.  but we will just keep track of everything as Mother is very happy with her main caregiver and we don't want changes if it is not necessary.   However,  we need to make note of this.
he rest of the day was quiet.   The Packers lost, quite disgustingly.   But the rest of the day was good.


We had brats and potato salad for our lunch.  Then I tried to nap but who can nap when your side hurts.  So it was not long and I spent the afternoon getting my desk cleaned up.   I am really caught up pretty well now.

We had soup for supper - a cauliflower soup that I pulled out of the freezer.   I tasted really good.



Tomorrow will be busy in the morning but the afternoon should be quite tranquil.   I hope so as I am very tired tonight and suppose that I need a day or two to rest up.

You all take care of yourselves.

God love you.

Mary

This was a day on the run and I am still having trouble with my ribs and stomach.   Tomorrow I am going to try to take a walk if it as nice as it was today.   I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing, but I hate to not be exercising.

Had a busy morning doing all the errands that I had intended to do yesterday but ran out of time because Joan and I were too gabby during my reflexology treatment.

I left shortly after 9AM and really got a lot done.   I went first to Gander Mountain and picked up some 22 shells for my league shooting.   Then I went on over to Miesfeld's and bought meat.  I got some apple and sauerkraut bratwurst and some port steak and round steak.    The latter two because I want to make a mock duck for dinner this week.  In case you don't know what mock duck is: it came from my Grandma Deeley.    You put a pork steak or two on the bottom of a roaster.   Then you place a mound of stuffing on top of the pork steaks.   finally you form a round steak, preferably tenderized over the stuffing making the whole think look like a bird - hence - Mock Duck.  It is then roasted at 350 degrees until it is done (Again the "until it is done" directions, but that is the only one I got.)   Pork and beef together is a super taste.


From Mielfeld's, I headed to Sheboygan Falls.   I went to Evans to get a piece of interfacing so that I can finish my Samhain placemat.   I only have a week left now.


I took Mother her prescription and visited for just a bit as I had to get home to fix our lunch.   I had a pork chop and lima bean casserole ready to put into the oven.  We haven't had one of those for a long time and I was really hungry for it.  

One more stop before I got home though.  Walgreens to pick up a prescription for Dick.

After we ate (the casserole was great.) then I took a nap.    

I went to the 4PM Mass tonight.   The adult choir was singing, so I saw Kate and her sister.   They are going to bible study with me on Monday morning.    That will be nice.  

Mass was a good experience.The Gospel was the one about the 10 lepers asking Jesus to cure them.   He sent them to see the priest. on the way, they discovered that they were healed.   One of them came back to thank Jesus.  We always have a tendency to wonder why the other nine didn't bother to say thank you.   But Father pointer out that they all must have been beside themselves with joy and anxious to get home.

ALSO - think about it.   He sent them to the priest and not one of them questioned him.   They all trotted off with complete faith that all would be well and they were right.

So the day is over.   I get to stay home until  Monday morning.   That will be quite a relief maybe I will get some rest.

Hope your weekend is good.

God love you

Mary.

We had a nice quiet morning.   I slept until 7AM.   Dick was up a bit earlier and fed Roxie for me.   Of course, when I got up, she tried to tell me that she had not had a bite.   She is such a con kitty.

I fixed a little mini meatloaf out of the leftover raw beef.   I raw fried red potatoes and onions to go with it.   It was a good dinner.   There was enough meatloaf left for a sandwich for Dick's supper.   Since I was going to the opening of the Art show down at the Plymouth Art Center, that made it very easy and he loves it.

I left after lunch for my appointment with my friend Joan Kramer for a relexology treatment.   Usually it takes about two hours but Joan and I were just too gabby today and the whole thing took about 3 hours.   She was able to feel the problem in my left side area and is wondering if it could be involved with my immune system.   I have a lot to aske the doctor on Tuesday.    I felt really good when I left Joan's but am hurting again now.

I picked up Nancy at about quarter to 5PM so that we could go shooting.   That was really kind of a waste.  We had fun but especially my scores were pretty bad.  We went from there to The Plymouth Art Center for the opening of their new exhibit.   There were three galleries.   The one towards the back was paintings an drawings by a Dale Knaak.   He seems to like alleys.   A lot of his pictures were of alleys from Milwaukee to Sheboygan and back.   They were beautiful.   He had one painting of a young girl that he called Coffee Girl that was scary.   I told him that and he laughed and said that he did not think the model was too happy with it either.   I also told him how much I loved his other work.

The middle gallery was the result of an event where they asked or had people paint their impressions of Plymouth..  It was stunning .   Pictures of Mill Street,  Stafford Street, the Mill Pond and all kinds of other scenes including a Cow's But.  

The front gallery was the Three Sisters.   Three Sister of the Pankratz Family.   One does quilt art.   Intricate and outstanding.  One does oils.  Very lively and impressive.  The third a Sue Pankeraz Rupp is deceased and did a highly collectible series of graphic art pieces reminicent of Beatrix Potter but more whimsical.



I saw a lot of friends, Kate and Ron Herman, Joanne and Glenn Huehns, Gary Kramer, Alan Pape .  So it was a good evening.

I am glad the day is done thought.   It is time for me to got to bed with my little heating pad and sleep.

Til tomorrow.

God loves you

Mary

Hello There
!

Thursday.   I only had to leave the house this morning.   I had an appointment at the bank so decided to get some cash and check out our safe deposit bank while I was there.   Every once in a while a person has to just review things.

When I got home I was pretty sore, so I rested a bit.   We had fish and fries and green beans for lunch. 

I finished the main Celtic Knot on my placemat.  This afternoon, I embroidered the names on it.  I need to get a piece of interfacing and then I can finish it.  I have over a week so the main thing is the shopping for the interfacing.



So I don't have any thing exciting to add today.  Tomorrow will be busier.    I will be shooting and going to an Art Center opening.   Lots more exciting things to report.

Have a nice Friday yourself.

God love you

Mary

Dick and I had decided to get Mc Donald's for breakfast this morning.   For the past week - at least, Dick has been up before 6AM - fed the cat and been waiting for me when I got up at 7AM or later. 

Today he slept in.   So I did all my morning stuff, then at 7:30AM went to get our breakfast figuring he would be up before I got back.   No way.

SO I ate my breakfast, left him a note and went grocery shopping.   I got home at 9:30AM and he was JUST getting set for the day.   I sometimes think he plans it.   I was able to warm his sandwich up so it tasted good for him.

Because Jody is still on the road to recovery, Bonnie, the owner of the cleaning company and one of her other helpers came to clean today.   They got her at about 10:30Am.   I told them where everything was, then finished the rest of the errands I had today.   I picked up prescriptions from Walgreens and got  the new lenses put into my glasses.  I can really tell the difference in that already.

Bobbie and Bill got her shortly after 12:30PM and we all ate raw beef and onion (cannibal) sandwiches.  I had micro brews for those who drink beer to try.

Bobbie and I worked in the winery, racking two wines, while Bill went to buy bulbs an insert them into the burned out lights in the den downstairs.   Now I know what I need and how to get into them.   It is so nice to have a son in law who is so willing to help.  I also could call on my brothers.   Bobbie and Bill are so good to us.

One think Dr. Murthy told me a couple of years ago was to not be afraid to ask for help.  I try to remember that, especially now that my ribs are giving me so much grief. 

Tomorrow is much quieter.   I only have one appointment outside of the house.  That is at the bank at 9Am.  So I should be able to really give myself a chance to heal, if I am going to.   I am also going to call Dr. Sochi agout my stomach.

Pray for me as I pray for you all each day.

God love you

Mary

What a day.    This morning, I just had to rest, call a couple of places, do some wash and fix lunch.   Then, I left at about 12:30PM.   I had time to leave some vases at Kate's house.   She was gone but I got to meet her sister Patty who is visiting.   You sure can tell that they are sisters.

Then I dropped Dick's absentee ballot form off at the court house.   He will get a ballot now for every election unless he does not vote in one.  

Next was the Kettle Country Quilter meeting.   My friend Toni joined us.   I hope that group is ready for Toni.   She was quite comfortable and I know that everybody was interested in what she had to share so it may be all right.   Only three more squares for out block of the month.  I have the pattern for one of them.  AND I want to make a lap robe for our Christmas project.

I got a haircut today after the quilt club meeting.  I also picked up some fabric to finish off the quilt that will be formed from the block of the month pieces that are almost done.

We had leftovers for supper and now I am ready to call it for the day.   Tomorrow will be quite busy also.   I shop in the early morning.   The cleaners are coming at 10:30AM and then Bobbie and Bill will be here for lunch at 12:30PM or 1PM.  

I remembered to stir Bobbie's wine so I am on a roll.     I want to start the Marigold at the end of the week.  Then I will be done for the year and just have to be an assistant for Bobbie's brews.

So enjoy your Wednesday and check in again tomorrow.  I love you all and wish you nothing but good.

God be with you

Mary

Whew - it was Monday and I have been going all day.

Starting off, I left at 9AM so that I could fill the gas tank before Bible Study.   One of our Pig points cards had .89 on it so for the first time in ages, I paid under $2 per gallon and filled the tank for just over $28.    Not at all like the "olden" days when they had gas wars  with gas selling for  .20 per gallon and I vaguely remember, even less.  We also got glassware.

There were 6 of us at Bible Study.  Both of our guys were gone, Tom to a meeting and Joe to Medjugorje Croatia on a pilgrimage.  The gals in the office noticed that we were laughing a lot more.    We had a lot of opinions as we are now in the last chapter of Mark's gospel and it starts with the women coming to the tomb and finding Jesus gone.  We decided that the women approached the tomb wondered how they would move the rock in front of the tomb but trusted that something would come up.  Men, however, would have gone never thinking about the rock and after much discussion try all kinds of things until they moved it.   We like the fact that men and women are different.

Then I spent time with Mom.   Helped her pay a couple of bills and we had a good visit.  She looked good but told me that she does feel a bit weak.   I am glad she accepts that as it makes her be a little less ambitious and just do what she can.  She was going to walk on the porch a bit.   Fresh air will be good for her.

Home again, we had a nice lunch then I took a nap.   My ribs were quite uncomfortable and the nap helped a lot.   I slept for over an hour.

Bobbie got here at about 2:30PM to help me get Dick to the Plymouth Clinic for his doctor appointment.   I can't get him up and down the ramp.  Dr. Sharon is pleased with the healing on his leg.   He says his lungs are clear but took a blood test which may show if there if another reason for the breathlessness and gasping that he does with any exertion.   Of course if he could do more, this would eventually make him stronger, but we are constantly balancing exercise with wound.  We also both got our flu shots.

Home again,  the three of us visited for while.   Bobbie told us about the adventures of tearing out their kitchen  ceiling.    They had a leak and will be remodeling the bathroom as they have to do all this anyway.   They took away buckets of stuff to the drop off site.

We had a light supper then I went to the Rhine Plymouth meeting.  That was efficient and we got a lot done.

So, now it is 9PM.  I got home in time to watch some of Dancing with the Stars but not in time to vote.   They all looked pretty good from what I could see.   I will be able to watch tomorrow for the elimination round.

God love you all

Tomorrow will be easier.

Mary

Sunday.  The beginning of a new week.   I do feel better though I think there will be at least a week or two before I am AOK

.
I was remembering my very first dog this weekend.   It is one of my very first memories.  It was a cold and rather snowy night.    Then somebody came to our back door.   That was the door that came into the kitchen.  Actually most people came in that way.   It was my cousin, Patty Deeley and their neighbor, Joyce Weinkauf.  To the delight of myself, and I imagine, Nora and maybe Tim, they had a little puppy for us.   It was a little brown and white terrier mix which we promptly named Chip and he was our companion for some years.

Chip had one bad habit.  (In these days one did not leash dogs, at least out in the country which we were on the fringes of)   He chased cars.   He got hit at least twice before the end of his life.   Finally, Dad and I and Chip were out on the main road for something and Chip took off after a car.   It had to be in early spring because there were patches of show along the side of the road.  The car ran over Chip - I remember that I could see the tire print on his tummy.   He ran to one of the snow packs and lay down to die.   I tried to go to him but Dad held me back.  He could see what I could not.  That Chip was mortally wounded.   We buried him under the weeping willow tree in our back yard.   Even the willow tree is gone.  But my memory of Chip is still in my heart.

He too will be waiting over the rainbow bridge.

A rather quiet day.   I talked to our neighbors and found out that the tree in back of our house that is growing over the roof and the one in back or their house in the same situation will be removed in the next week or so.    After the second tree went down in back of our neighbors, Harold and Helen, Dick and I got a bit nervious so we are quite relieved..  

I fixed Chicken with mashed potato patties, green beans and salad for our dinner and we had grilled cheese for supper.     I sewed on my Celtic Knots on the place mat for Samhain during the Packer game.   That was a nail biter but they did win.    My other picks are not spectacular.  I have to hope that my points will keep me close to the top.   Each week is anew beginning.

Tomorrow will be busy.   I feel well enough to go to Bible study and I have some things to do for Mom on our visit.  Then Dick has a doctor appointment.  Bobbie is coming to help as I still could not get him back up the ramp with the problem with my ribs.


I talked to Jacquie over the weekend.  Aunt Velma Patterson died on September 28.  Her funeral is on Monday.   I contacted Bart and Bret and asked Bret if he thought the could get to the house anyway.  The funeral might be a bit early for him.   Aunt Velma is my ex mother in law, Lily's sister.   A lovely woman, we have continued to exchange Christmas greetings over the years.  This year and perhaps last, I did not hear from her as she was not sending cards but she mentioned to Jacquie that she had heard from me.   She was a noble lady and deserves a great deal of credit for being who she was.   Pray for her as  she makes her way to God.

God love you all

Mary

It was very chilly today.  I don't think it got over 52degrees.   Not COLD but definitely chilly.

The morning was quiet.  I went to Sheboygan Falls to check on Mom and bring her the vitamins and meds that she was out of.   We had a nice visit  and checked on a few things that she had questions on.   I will see her again on Monday.  I brought her a couple of leftovers for meals.  She was delighted with the tuna casserole and the apple crisp.


I got home in time to fix dinner.  We had leftover rice with a bratwurst.    Then I rested for a while.  It is amazing how good the heating pad feels on my ribs. 

I went to Mass at 4PM.  The children's choir is singing again.  That is always a pleasure.   The gospel was from Luke.   He has Jesus telling people in a parable that when a person does well what he is suppose to do anyway - what is the big thing.   We should always be doing more than is considered just average.


We again had leftovers for our dinner.  This time - tuna casserole.   So now I have to start over again.  The leftovers are gone.

I heard a comment on TV today that Theodore Roosevelt suggested changing spelling to phonetic spelling.   This would have worked for my brother Matt, the poet who died so young.   I came home for a visit one year and Nora said that I should look at his writing.   She said  to just sound it out.  I was amazed at even that young age.

His thoughts  were very advanced but you had to sound out the words  - not think about the spelling rules you had been taught.

In his later writings, Matt did not use capital letters.   I will give you an example of his poems.

TREE
by Matt Deeley

it's busy head aloft in the sky
when the wind come roaring
it will lean it's head and cry
it will cry until it's empty
of all it's tears & all it's grief,
and in it's final autumn of anguish,
will shed leaf after lonely leaf.

Love you

God loves you too.

Mary

A nice day.   I think I am a bit better but it is a slow heal.

I put together a tuna casserole to put in for lunch in the early morning so that Bobbie and I could work on wine when she got her.

We did have quite a bit of wine to work on too.   The strawberry, which we racked to the secondary last week, needed a dose of sugar to get the yeast working a bit more.   Boy did it start working right away too.   That yeast must have been very hungry.   It bubbled right up over the top of the jug, then settled back down.

Then we racked Bobbie's Parsley Wine into the secondary and then realized that we had to add more sugar, so put it back in the primary,   added the sugar and then reracked it.

Then we racked my lemon balm into a secondary fermentor.

The last thing Bobbie did was mix a new batch in the primary fermentor.   This is a "cleaning our the freezer batch"  grape/persimmon.   Should be interesting. 

Then we had our lunch of tuna casserole with apple crisp for dessert.

Finally, Bobbie and I went through the fabric I got from Mom.   We threw away pieces that won't work for our quilts and kind of split the rest.    It is always fun to add to one's stash.

At 5ish, I picked up Nancy and we sent to Rhine to shoot.   We have done better but were not too disappointed in our results.   We just enjoy it so much and both agreed that we love the look on people's faces when we tell them that we shoot.

Bobbie said that she caught a mouse in a trap in her house today or maybe yesterday.   It reminded me of the time I set a trap in my house in Santa Ana Heights.   I was home alone when it went off and then I started hearing this weird scraping noise.   Then the mouse appeared, dragging the trap behind him.   Now, I can dispose of a dead thing, but this was too much so I went outside to wait for my ex.  Then I saw a telephone crew working on the lines.    I thought I recognized one of them so I ran over to him and asked if he was Barry.   Thank God.   It was Bearry and he took the dying thing out and disposed of it for me.     I gave him and his crew coffee.

Happy Weekend

God love you

Mary

Wow!  It is the last day of September.  And it was a wonderful day.  Sunny and warm.

We were home most of the day.   I did have to make a trip to Walgreens to pick up some prescriptions and a couple of things that they have on sale. 

I do feel a little better today, so I am healing.

I did a bit of sewing,  I am working on the place mat for the Samhain dinner.   It won't be spectacular but I believe that it will be pretty and do the job.  I will try to post a picture when it is done.

The serviceman from Steger  Heating came today to service our furnace for the winter.  That was our only excitement for the day.    

Meals were easy.   I fixed rice to accompany leftover hamburgers for lunch and made egg salad for our supper.

Mom called this morning.   Her cleaning lady had not shown up.   This was really odd.   I use the same cleaning service and have the same lady comes.   I called the service for her.  It took a while to reach Bonnie but when I did, she apologized all over the place for not calling Mother.  It seems that Jody had a heart attack yesterday and is in the hospital in Green Bay.   So Mother, and me too, will not have a cleaner this week as Bonnie could not pull it together quickly enough.   Pray for Jody.   She is a really nice lady and we have been so pleased with her work.

Have a nice night and tomorrow.

God love you

Mary

I did go grocery shopping this morning.   I was exhausted and achy when I got home but after nap on the couch with the heating pad, I felt better. 

I believe that I am better tonight than last night so we will see what tomorrow brings.

I made a slow cooker apple crisp.   It tastes good.   Not as crisp as an oven crisp but just as tasty.

We had hamburgers for lunch and chili for supper so I was able to be kind of quiet the rest of the day after the shopping.

The weather today was just beautiful.   The temperature settled at about 74degrees.  And it was sunny and not at all muggy.  I watered the front berm so that our neighbor can dig out some of the plants for his garden.   Ours is so overgrown that I am thinning therm out as much as I can anyway.

Tomorrow will be another quiet day.  Roxie really likes it when I stay home all day.  

So.  Perhaps I will be feeling better and be more newsy then.

I love you all
And God loves you too.

Mary

Well, I went back to see the doctor, Dr. Sharon this time.    I usually would see Dr. Murthy, but he is gone this week and I feel comfortable with Dr. Sharon as he is Dick's doctor.

He prescribed a CATscan.   As I anticipated, nothing showed up on that either.   I guess that is good news but doesn't help the pain.    He wants me to continue with the pain meds and use heat on the ribs for the next 7 to 10 days, then if it is not better they will try again.    So I am doing that.   So far, I can say that the heat feels good.   I am going to just sleep on the couch til I am better as it is more comfortable right now. 

It took almost three hours to get the tests done at the clinic so I got home exhausted.   We ate chili for lunch and then I slept til 3PM.  

So I am trying very hard not to exert myself.   I put the trash in the car and drove it to the pick up site, - usually I just carry it out.


Tomorrow I will go shopping and I will have them really pack the bags light.    I have to be able to take care of us.  I am slower and do it in stages, but except that there is no way for me to push Dick up the ramp until I heal, we will be OK.

Tomorrow, I want to get a little sewing done.  Next Tuesday is the Kettle Quilter meeting and I have a project that is almost done.    I also want to get the bias strip ready to sew onto the place mat that I am planning for the Samhain dinner.    I am kind of excited with my "vision".  

There may be frost tonight.   So far as everything I have is close to the building, there has been no problem.

Have a nice middle of the week

God love you

Mary

I am still sore.   Guess that is to be expected.

I did go to Sheboygan Falls this morning.  I dropped in at Blessed Trinity bible study, just to drop a couple of things off and then went to see Mother.  I knew that she needed a couple of items checked and decided to do it before I got more tired and sore.

  Mom is fine and we got her chores all gone and I was home before 11AM.  We had Chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli for our lunch. then I took a nap.   The electrician came this afternoon.  He was recommended by one of the neighbors here in Tallgrass.  I was unable to put my Christmas lights out last year because the front exterior outlet was not working.   Guess that.   There is a plug with a switch in the front closet just inside the house from the garage that we DID NOT KNOW WAS THERE.   He hooked everything up and checked it out and I will have lights this year.   One of my other neighbors said that I should have asked her.   Who knew.  We have lived here for four years and I did not know that plug was there.

I will be able to stay home and heal the rest of the week.   If it is not better by tomorrow aftenoon, I will go to see Dr. Murthy on Wednesday.  At least there is no sign of a rash, which would mean that I probably have shingles.

Icky

That will not happen.   The Packer/Bears game is at halftime.   We are ahead but let the Bears score just before the break.   I sure hope they win, then I will be tied for first in my fantasy league (If I figured it right.)   Yippee.  Just want to keep up at the top.

Til tomorrow then.   Sleep tight.

Mary

Not a good day.    Last night my left rib cage started really hurting just before I went to bed.   I don't remember doing anything strenuous or bumping it in any way, so I took Tylenol and went to bed, sure that it would be better when I woke up.   

It wasn't so I took a shower, thinking that would help.   That did not help either so I drove over to Urgent Care to be checked. 

After an examination and x rays, as I thought, they cannot really say what is wrong.    There is no blood clot and no apparent break but the doctor thinks that there is probably a hairline fracture on a rib.    To treat that, I am wearing a rib brace and taking Vicodin for the pain.   If it is not better by Wednesday, I am to come back or if there are other symptoms.  We are to watch for a rash as pain like this CAN be the beginning of shingles.   If it is, it is too late for a shot and it is too early to start taking medication.   So pray for me these next couple of days.    My ribcage feels like an achy sausage.

At least the coming week is quiet.   I DO want to go to bible study and see Mom tomorrow but will see how I feel in the morning.

Take care of your selves and God love you

Mary

Hi! This has been a really nice Saturday.

Started off really busy with starting laundry, picking up SHARE and just getting the morning stuff done.

It was rather exciting at SHARE.  It is their 25th anniversary and they had cake (I ate a small piece and brought a piece home for Dick's lunch.  they also had Danish so I brought two home for a breakfast treat. I got home at about 9:30AM and left to meet Bobbi e at 10:30 AM at Southside Alliance Church on the southside of Sheboygan for the Sheboygan County Quilt Guild show.   It was really wonderful.  But we noticed that we were not as much impressed with the color choices and a couple of other things that we look for .   Perhaps we are getting too picky but as an example a quilt called Beige something or other, made us wonder - why bother.   If the finished product is much like a whole piece of cloth it seems a waste of time.  I did learn a lot.  Bobbie is a font of knowledge.   I f  I did not know a term, I just asked her.

Home early, I did a bit of quilting before I headed for Mass at 4PM.  I was a Eucharistic minister.  Always Something that leaves me in awe.  

Home again.  we had chili for our supper.  BOY is it good.

Til tomorrow.

God love you   I sure do
mary

Whew - this turned out to be quite a day.  We got up shortly before 7AM and got ourselves all put together and fed before Jody arrived to clean at 8AM.   I also boiled the lemon balm leaves and left them to steep  and dissolved the sugar and other additives to put into a primary fermentor so I could assemble the lemon balm wine when Bobbie got her later this morning

I left at 9:30AM so that I could stop at Kate's with some information, food and containers that she had shared food for us in.   We had a cup of tea and a short visit before I had to go to see Dr. Cheryl for a check on my eyes.  I am getting an adjustment on my prescription as there is a change, probable because a cataract is developing but of course that is not anywhere near ready to correct.   So we will change the lenses.   I have a one time free change since my last change so will take advantage of that as I can notice blurriness especially in my right eye.

Got home a bit later than I wanted too.  Bobbie beat me.   But that is OK, it gives her and her Dad a chance to visit too.  Roxie doesn't complain either.   We had Chicken Waldorf salad and cookies for lunch, then Bobbie and I hit the winery.

We did a lot. 

First we racked the Strawberry into a secondary fermenter (a gallon jug.) 

Then I mixed the rest of my Lemon Balm into a primary fermenter. 

Then we mixed Bobbie's new wine, a parsley/rice wine.  We laughed as the directions comment that one should not be alarmed if there is a smell of chicken broth at the beginning of fermentation as this will go away.

And finally we bottled the persimmon wine that was ready, having been racked three times.  We always taster the last little bit but it was really very raw.   As my Dad would say - let it age.

Tonight Nancy picked me up at 4:45PM so we could shoot pistol league.  With the wind the way it is, I am sure that the trap shooters will be few to none.  So they were glad to have some business.   Both Nancy and I did pretty good.   I know that both of our averages for these three were over 50 which is our goal for this league. 

The Beer Tasting event was not as good as Jim had hoped but was OK I guess and they hope if they do it next year it will be better because word should have spread.  We have lots of beer left for sale, so I bought 2 six assorted six packs so that Dick can try some of the different ones and perhaps Bobbie and Richard too over the next two months.  It is a surprise for Dick so don't tell him.

Home again, I ate a leftover chicken wrap.   Dick had decided on some more Waldorf before I left.   Then I settled in for a quiet evening.   I have to stay up until 9:30PM but that's OK.   I have to put the yeast into my lemon balm wine then.   But I can sleep late tomorrow if I choose.    The first place I have to be is at the Plymouth Armory at 9AM to pick up SHARE.

So.  This is a quiet easy night.  Roxie likes it a lot and so do I.

God love you all

Mary 

Such a nice Autumn day. A bit muggy for my taste but quite pleasant.  Our neighbor, Dick, came over at about 9AM and we divided a couple of my plants for him.   I ran into the house when it started to rain.  He did too but he finished on his own a bit later.   The rain was very short lived.   I understand that we are supposed to get more tonight.

I was on a cooking frenzy today.  Don't know why.  But I made a batch of chili,  a batch of summer squash-lemon-strawberry bread and a chicken Waldorf salad.   We will have the salad and bread tomorrow for lunch while Bobbie is here.   Bobbie and I are going to do wine.    I am putting a batch of lemon balm into the primary fermenter and she needs to rack her strawberry wine onto the secondary.  She may have another batch to get started,   I am not sure.

I had one set of errands today.  I had to mail an unusual sized envelope from the post office and go to Walgreens for prescriptions, OTC meds and a couple of household needs. 

So it was a busy day mostly at home.  Which is how Dick and I like it.   We had leftovers for both lunch and supper so my cooking was the above described.  Roxie has been very cuddly today.   She is quite demanding about my taking a nap after our lunch these days.   How quickly these critters get used to a routine.

Have a nice Friday.

I will be shooting in the evening.

God love you

Mary

What a gorgeous day.   I left the front door open for a good chunk of the morning and afternoon and Dick did not even complain.  Roxie was pretty delighted.

I went grocery shopping this morning.   On the way, I swung by Fleet and bought some ammo for the 22 pistol.   I got there and had a heck of a time finding what I needed.   Most of their 22 shells were hollow point, high velocity and all kind of "more power" stuff like that.   I finally asked a guy who looked like he MIGHT be a sales person.   He wasn't but he was so willing to help.   I found out that he used to run a pistol shoot in West Bend, so I sure asked the right guy.    I will have to get to Gander to stock up, though.   Fleet just does not have enough target ammo.

The other shopping went well.   I was home before 10AM.   The rest of the day I cought up on a lot of computer stuff, finished the block of the month for the Kettle Country Quilters and baked some cookies.  

Tomorrow I will be making chili and hopefully doing some cleaning in the garage.

How nice not to have several errands and to be able to be home and do home things.   Roxie likes it too.   She always fusses at me when I get home from anywhere.

So until tomorrow.

God love you

Mary

I did get to stay home ALL day.

Was that ever nice.   I also slept until after 7:30AM.   I did have a restless night, then Roxie "suggested" that she should be fed her breakfast at 6, so I went back to bed and really slept soundly.    I took the trash out right away, then fixed our breakfast.   After breakfast, I went for a nice long walk.   On the way back, I  ran in to two different groups of neighbors and we all caught up on what is going on around here.

It was warm today but there was a breeze and the cloud cover never left.  It never got as hot as the weather people had threatened so I was not unhappy.    I even went out and did a little bit of thinning of plants in the front berm.   It is SO overgrown.   I am planning on eliminating about half of everything.   Then they won't be crowding each other out.  Don and Jan and Dick are going to take some of the excess.

I had a nice nap this afternoon also.  Now I will watch the elimination round of Dancing with the Stars and then go to. bed.     I just can't seem to get rested these days.

God love you all

Mary

I had my Monday all mapped out.  Then a couple of things got pushed into the mix.

Bible Study was as usual at 9:30AM at Blessed Trinity.  We had 8 attendees which is nice.   We are discussing the death of Jesus according to Mark.   And we got hung up on two of the themes that run through Mark's Gospel,  1.  the roll of women as disciples of Jesus and 2.  the Kingdom of Heaven.  We always have a lot to say about those two subjects.   Come and join us some Monday morning and you will see.

I went to Mother's next.   We got a lot of her paperwork done and had a chance to just visit before I had to hie myself on home to give Dick his lunch and go over to the Pig to pick up Jena and Lynn for the Cream City Writers meeting.  We had been invited out to Don and Ruth Cooper's home for our meeting so the three of us had decided to go to Mc Donald's for lunch on the way to their house.  

Now the fun begins.  When I pulled up in front of the Pig to pick up Jena and Lynn they told me that a lady named Sam Cook had stopped to talk to them.  When she found out that they were on their way to the writers club, she bog excited.   She had met me a couple of years ago at Book Heads and emailed me a couple of times, then it kind of fell by the wayside.   So we waited while she checked out her groceries at the Pig.   Then we all went to Mc Donald's for lunch.   While we were lunching, we discovered that she is a neighbor  of Don and Ruth Cooper.  So I dropped her back at her truck and she joined us at the meeting. 

It was a nice meeting.  Everybody had something to share and we shared ideas and philosophy  too.  Ruth and Don are lovely hosts and I got to pet their special doggy which made me feel good.

I dropped Lynn  and Jena off at their homes and then went home to get Dick ready for his trip to the Anti Coagulation Clinic to have his blood checked because he is on antibiotics.   His count was just fine.   So we are safe for a couple of weeks anyway.   He has a staff infection on his right leg which we will be treating with a salve for the next 10 days.  Then we will see Dr. Sharon again.  This is good as the antibiotics for the chest infection are still working.

So it was busier than I would have liked.  But tomorrow, I get to stay home all day.   I intend to get Dick all squared away,  take a walk and do some sewing.    If it is a NICE day, Dick and I plan on cleaning the garage.  Then I would put a couple of the other things off until Wednesday or Thursday.

I kind of hope for a nice day as I like to spend time with Dick.

God love you

Mary
\

A whole day at home.   The only time I left the house was to take a nice long walk this morning after breakfast.   I walked for a good time.   I found a caterpillar crawling on a twig as I came down the path from the park so I went home, got my camera ans took several pictures of it.   I also took some pictures of a very crabby squirrel.

We had a big breakfast this morning - it was Sunday after all.   So I fixed chicken fajitas for our lunch.   We had leftovers for dinner so it was a quiet cooking day too.  

I did get some strawberries frozen and some Brussels Sprouts ready to cook for tomorrow or the next day.

The rest of the day was football.   My fantasy picks are pretty bad.   Thank heavens for the Packers, at least they saved me on the Survival Game.   The regular game, the Guessathon, had a lot of upsets on the picks that I made.  Oh well, next week will be better.

This is a much quieter week than last week.  Dick and I plan on cleaning the garage one day if the weather is with us.

Have a good one yourself.

God love you

Mary

Boy,  I thought yesterday was busy.  

Today started off just as every other day.  Silly Roxie, however tried to nag me into getting up at about 4AM.   What a goofus.     I got up shortly after 6AM showered, put some wash in and fed all the living things including  me.

Jody came to clean at 8AM. Before she arrived, we got Dick all changed and ready for his appointment with Dr. Sharon at 9:45AM. 

That went as well as can be expected.   Dr. Sharon determined that Dick does not have pneumonia, despite the wheezing and coughing.   But he does have an infection.   So he is on antibiotics for 5 days.   That meant that we had to call the anti-coagulation clinic to let them know that he is TAKING antibiotics so that they can determine if they should see him sooner than the month we have scheduled.

When we got home, Bobbie was already here.   I was a winery day.   We started a batch of her strawberry wine getting it all set up in the primary fermenter.   I will stir it daily til she comes back next Friday, then we will rack it into the secondary fermenter (the gallon jug) to age.  We also filtered the persimmon.  It is much clearer now.  Still a bit fuzzy but much better.

The three of us had Irish Bacon, tomato and lettuce sandwiches and pear cheesecake for our lunch .  Bobbie and I will do more winery tasks next Friday.   I am going to put a batch of Lemon Balm together.   Then on the 25th, she and I are going to the Sheboygan County Quilt Guild Quilt Show.   That is always a fun event.

At 2:45PM Dick saw Dr. Ziegler again for his eyes.   Both are better.  That blasted eyelash keeps coming back into the right eye.   When we go in again in a month, if it is back again, Dr. Cheryl will see about getting an eye surgeon to remove it and perhaps that lump too.  The left eye is healed but still a bit rough.   At the next visit, his left eye should be settled and he can get a permanent prescription that should clear up the fuzziness he has now.

Tonight was the Sheboygan Branch of Celtic Women meeting.   What a rush.   One of our members, Dorothy Rose, who could not even be there, got the use of a room at her church the UCC on Hwy 67 for our meeting.    It was great.  Tommi O Hagan, our speaker, was such a super speaker.   She herself just got back from Cornwall the day before yesterday.    She told us of the history, the art, the inventors, the music, and the emigration reasons and and where they all settled.  We all know about the Tin belt through southwestern Wisconsin, but the Cornish are everywhere.  It was fascinating.  There were eleven of our Sheboygan County members, Tommi and her husband Bob, two guests, including Kathy Deeley, my sister in law who is of Cornish descent and three members, Gail, Rosemary and Sheila from the Milwaukee area.   So we were well represented.    We ended with samples of pasties that Tommi brought with her and Figgy Hobbin which I brought.   So we had a main dish and a dessert.   I am delighted that it was such fun and so well received.  

Our next meeting will be our second annual Samhain potluck in October.

Home again,  I am enjoying a glass of wine and will then go to bed.

A couple of things I learned from Tommi this evening.    Their name for the "little people" is Spriggans.   They have corn in Cornwall.   But it is all field corn.   Also,  all grains are referred to as corn and corn as we know it is maize.   Also rutebaga are called swede.

So that is my day.  

God love you all

Mary

Another mixed day.   Started off OK.  I and we spent the early morning, getting Dick cleaned up for his trip to the dentist.   I started a load of wash and finished my Football pool picks.   Then I realized that I had until Sunday.   But it is done and I am just as glad to be free of it for the next couple of days.

Ed Schroeder's carpet cleaners (his kids) came just before 10AM.   Was I ever glad because we had to leave at 10:30AM or so, just when they were scheduled, for the dentist.   I just wanted to point out the trouble spots.    I sure am glad to have the carpets cleaned.   We had decided to wait until our Chelsea was gone.   Sad, but now they should not get so filthy.

Dick's cleaning was scheduled for 11:00AM.  Everything went well BUT he was so breathless when we got in there that she took his blood pressure and tit was way up there, SO Janelle suggested that we have it checked.   We had been planning to call the doctor because of the breathlessness anyway.   So we have an appointment with Dr. Sharon at 9:45AM tomorrow.

Home again, I fixed stir fry with chicken to go with the last of the rice from Tuesday.  

Then I spent the afternoon making the Figgy Hobbin for tomorrow,  and preparing and freezing a pie pumpkin and zucchini.    Now that I have the freezer, I can get the produce prepared and frozen for the winter.  I have one yellow squash and two more pumpkins. to go  ---- so far.

Tomorrow will be even busier, ending with the Celtic Women meeting with Flora OHagan speaking.

Pray for us at Dick's doctor appointments.

God love you alll
Mary

Another busy Wednesday.    Since it was shopping day, I picked up breakfast from Mc Donalds.   It was a lot more fun when we could just go there but his brings us the memories and we do like their breakfast sandwiches.

Grocery shopping did go well.   I was all our of soft drinks, and flavored water so everything was heavy.   But it went well and I was done by 9:30AM.    I was able to move some of the food down into the freezer that Jeff and Shane brought over from Mother's.   Old it may be but it works just fine.   Now I am able to preserve the excess veggies and fruits that are coming my way this season.  I was running out of room.

This afternoon, I had some banking to do for CWI and then went on to Walmart to add minutes to my Tracfone.   I was down to 6 minutes and 120 days.    I now have over 900 minutes and over 6 months.  I was thinking of a more involved phone but after asking Richard and Brenda, decided I am best to keep it simple and cheap.

We had tilapia, hash browns and fresh beets (a gift from Jeff) for lunch and leftovers for supper.  Again I am exhausted.  

I really miss my Chelsea today.   Don't know why.

Take care of yourselves.   Tomorrow, Dick has his dental visit.  And we are getting the carpet cleaned.

God love you


Mary

Today was trash day.   This week they came quite late to pick it up.   I always try to get it out there by 8AM anyway.

We had a rather quiet morning.   Then Dick had his appointment at the anti coagulation clinic.   We were delighted.  First: Sue Reiter, the first technician that Dick had when he got this condition, was in Plymouth training a gal.   We were so glad to see her and she was SO glad to see Dick.   He was her prize patient for two years before all the infections started settling in his legs.   Second:   His count was perfect - 260.

On the way home, we stopped and picked up Chinese food.   I got beef and broccoli, fried rice and egg rolls.   It was petty good too.  I had tome to take a little nap before my 2PM dentist appointment. 

Dr. Joe says my teeth are wonderful.    By the way, please pray for my dental assistant's sister, who is dying of cancer. 

While I was out, I voted and picked up and absentee ballot request for Dick.   It is too late for this one, but if we do this, they will automatically mail a ballot to him unless he at some time does not turn one in.

Dick was napping when I got home, but got up pretty quickly.  We had leftovers for supper.   At 7:00PM I had my telephone conference with the Celtic Women executive board to decide what insurance we are getting.   It went well.   I still have one officer to run it by but three of us plus one of the board that works very closely with the treasurer were on and we came to an agreement.

Do you remember that when we first got Oscar and Roxie,  Roxie kept taking little stuffed animals and little matchbox cars and dropping them all over the house?   Last night I left the door to the downstairs rooms open.   When I got up this morning,  the little black mother doll that I found at Aunt Nonnie's house was lying in the hallway.   She left that doll's baby sitting on the shelf and brought the mother upstairs.

Grocery shopping tomorrow.

Another busy day.  

I went to bible study this morning.   There were 6 of us today.   Helen Maurer was back after her eye surgery.   She will be in an out for the next month or two because of checkups but can see and is no longer in pain.  Thank God.   She has had a year or two of health problems but is so cheerful and trusting. 

Mom was fine this morning.   She looked really pretty with her new perm.   We reviewed the mail she had received.   I brought a couple of things home to work on and take back to her.  She had a good time yesterday with visits from Jeff, Shane and Georgina and all three of Randy's girls.   Jeff brought her food from the Celtic Mass and Faire, a chicken sandwich.  She said it was really pretty tough, so Jeff cut it up for her and she is going to fix a little stew with it.   I brought her the last of my stew and a cooked chicken breast too.

When I got home, Dick was sleeping so I started dinner and then went down and cleaned the freezer.   Tomorrow morning I will plug it in - it will have had a good chance to dry out and by evening I should be able to move food into it.  

I got a pretty good nap this afternoon.

Then this evening I went to the Rhine Plymouth Meeting.   This was really a Rhine Marathon.  I was there four days in a row.   But now I will be free for at least three weeks.

Tomorrow is election day.    I will be checking on getting Dick registered for the big one in November.   This one kind of got away from me.


Til tomorrow God love you

Mary

Whew.   I am exhausted and kind of mellow all at the same time.

I started out this morning getting Dick ready for the coming week.   We are working on getting a rash under control.  

I drove to Sheboygan Falls to attend the Celtic Mass at Blessed Trinity Parish.  In the previous several years, I have been involved in the Mass.  This year, Zach Holzer is the new choir director and he chose to go on his own.   It was a nice mass, well directed but I noticed that there was no cover sheet with Celtic spirituality information and there was no bagpiper.   I rather think that the member of the parish was not available and they did not look any further.   So my worship folder was better.   Hee Hee.

I left home at about 9AM and stopped to visit with Mother until it was time for the prelude at church.   As it turned out, I had to leave directly after communion so that I could zip out into the grounds, greet my brother Randy and my sister in law Donna.  Then I got a single brat to take with me to Rhine for my lunch and two scones for breakfast tomorrow.   I stopped at the bandstand to say Hi to Dave and Linda from the band.   Dave asked if I had been involved in the planning this year.  Then one of his fellow members asked how I got out of volunteering.    I had to tell him that the only way to get out of things in a parish is to move to another parish.   Even then it took four years before I got out of working on this project.   Dave mentioned that one other way was to die.

I went right from church to home to grab my phone then on to Rhine for two hours of work at the open shoot.   We were not too busy.  I shot one round.  Not too well, but I hope I learned a bit.

I had but a beer and venison stew into the slow cooker this morning so at the Green Bay half time, Shane, Jeff and Georgie came and delivered the little freezer from Mom's house.   We all watched the last half of the game and feasted on stew and sourdough bread and corn bread and cupcakes.    It was such fun to have lots of people to feed and to enjoy the game with.

P. S.  At THIS point, I am one point off of the lead.   So my plan is working. 

Now we are at the end of the day.   It was a good day.   We even got to talk to Leslie this afternoon.  She called shortly after I got home from Rhine.  She sounds good and Bill is taking excellent care of her.   She goes back to the doctor tomorrow and we will be praying for good results and readings.   But she DOES sound good.    One day at a time to full health.

God love you all.

Mary

I received this some time ago and may have forwarded it  at the time, but I think it is worth repeating.

Mary

 

 

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY


In Florida , an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and
Passover holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case
against
Christians, Jews and observances of their holy days.

The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized
days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate
presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case
dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor,
how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas,
Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet
my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client,
counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance
or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day.
Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.'
Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is
no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is
adjourned.

Today was a Rhine Plymouth Day.   I got there at about 10AM in the rain.   Our whole team was there for the Lewis Shoot.   The club had not really advertised and then the rain was another deterrent.  The first two hours our team just visited and puttered around.  Jerry and I cleaned the front windows sometime during the day.   Things picked up at after 1PM but we only had 25 participants ( including me.)   I decided to shoot for practice.  The first one, I only got 3.   I was griping the stock,  not following through AND Jerking.   When I finished that round, the guys gave me hints.  Bob told me to never look at the end of the barrel but to watch the bird.   Jerry reminded me not to grip the stock and Bill Hamer told me to lean forward and explained (for the first time, that this involves sticking your butt out so you make a solid base with the ground.  

The second round I did I got 11.  So something helped.   Now I have to assimilate these hints into my game.

I had expected to be home by 3PM but with all the latecomers, I did not get out of there until 3:30PM.  Fortunately,  Dick was not worried.  He was just getting up from his nap when I got home.  Actually, my phone call had wakened him but he does not move very fast.

Tomorrow is another busy day.   I am excited.   Jeff and Shane MAY be bringing over a small freezer for us and then might watch the second half of the Packer game with us.   I promised them beer and stew.  Anyone else want to come?


So. That was today.   I am going to Mass tomorrow morning at Blessed Trinity for the Celtic Mass then making a bee line to Rhine to work for our Sunday Open Shoot.

Please pray for Matt Speith's son, Chris.  He is the boy who had the heart transplant.  He had an appendectomy this week.   He is doing well but prayers are definitely in order.

God love you

Mary

Hello - It is after nine.  I just got home from working my Friday at Rhine.   Nancy was there when I arrived, so we shot pistol before things got really going.   That was nice, we weren't rushed and both of us were reasonably happy with our results.   Lots of room for improvement but it was OK.    We signed up 11 teams and were really quite busy until after 8PM then everybody pretty much left and we were able to clean up and put things away. 

This morning Jody came and did the cleaning.   I had to make several calls and email several people to try to get questions answered and tie up loose ends.   It was quite successful.   I only have two loose ends to tie together.   They will probably have to wait until Monday.

I spent a bit of time sewing downstairs too. 

Tomorrow and Sunday I have to work at Rhine again.   Then I will not have to be there for a month.   Of course, I will go to shoot the pistol league.   Tomorrow is a Lewis Shoot, which is one of our four fundraiser shoots.   I may bring my shotgun and shoot it for fun.


So the weekend is busy and next week is too.
Please continue prayers for Chris, the young man who had the heart transplant.   His new heart is doing just fine, but he had to be taken to Childrens again this week for an appendectomy.   When it rains it pours.

God love you and keep you safe.

Mary

This was quite a day.   I went for a walk at 9AM.  See.  I am really trying.   I have made a promise that I will go three times a week, at least.   It is harder without my furry companion to be with me.  We got a sympathy card form Lakeshore Veterinary Clinic, the clinic that I took our girl to that Saturday.   I don't know if I told you but they called on Tuesday to see how she was and I though that was kind.  But the card was so sweet.   They did provide her with over 8 hours of sleep during that painful time she lived through.  I am so very glad that she is not in pain any more, even if I miss her so very much.

Bobbie came over this morning and we bottled her red currant wine and filtered her persimmon.   The persimmon is still pretty cloudy so we will let it settle some more and then filter again.   We had the salad that I had made for the party yesterday for our lunch.   It really is good.   I sent some home for Bobbie and Bill.  What we have may be manageable but I still might share with our neighbor Dick or George.

Leslie emailed this afternoon.  She is home.  We will let her rest and then contact her tomorrow.   Thank you for all your prayers, I am sure they helped with a quick release.   She told me orignally that they were planning on her staying for 3 or 4 days.   So an early release is a good sign.

Tomorrow League shooting will begin at Rhine Plymouth.    I have to work Friday night also, actually the whole weekend.   Not too much fun, I will see how much I am really needed for.   But I will start shooting the pistol league anyway.   I will not be in the trap league, but I think I will bring my gun sometimes and shoot with Bill Olsen and his team.

What a beautiful day it was today.  Hope it continues.

God love you

Mary

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