This day that was supposed to be very very quiet turned out to be very very busy.

For one thing it was cold and while I was gone for one of my busy things, it rained.   So I ahve my flag, which I put out yesterday, drying in the hall.  Don't worry, the flag is not touching the floor.   It is just drying.

I started out getting up with the cat at 6am because I got a call from my neighbors, the Bernaurs, Bailey Cat's humans, asking if I would like to go to mass at St. Fridolin's church out in Glenbulah for the Memorial Day Mass.   This is the only mass that I know that is regularly scheduled at this very quaint lovely little church.   So many small churches have been abandoned.   This one is at least being maintained.   So, I thought, why not.   They also had another neighbor, my friend, Rita who needs the prayers for ALS, with them so we in Tallgrass were well represented.   We also ran into my neighbor Jean, who gives me her papers.

After that, I did some computer work and got ready to go to Mother's by noon so I could lunch with George and Betsy and Mom..    That was such a joy.   I have not seen George and Betsy for quite a while and we always enjoy visiting.   They just came back from a special tour of Italy.   I may have to add Italy to my bucket list.  It sounded SO wonderful.    I would find out their tour company.

They brought a broasted chicken dinner with potatoes and salads and I brought the rhubarb pie that I baked yesterday.   Everything was SO good.  Especially the company.   George share pictures of their trip.  Then Randy and Donna came in.   So we got to visit a bit, but then we saw that Mother was getting so very tired, so we all made sure that everything was cleaned up and left her to rest.

I am actually glad that it is time to think about bed.    I finished several projects when I got home, had some leftover chicken and pie for supper and am ready to call it quits.   I tried to call a couple of people just to talk but nobody was home so I guess that is a sign that I need to be happy with just me.
 I may try someone else before I go to bed.

I just hung a map of Scotland on the wall.  I need one so that I can start picking out spots that we want to include in the Scotland tour next year or early 2015.

If you want to join us, let me know

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A full day at home.   Roxie was so delighted.  She just kept occasionally murmuring at me and snuggling.

I was, of course, busy all day.   I spent part of the morning on getting my files and lists ready for my stint as the Tallgrass Condo Secretary.   Then I went downstairs and cut out the rest of the blocks for the pillow shams for my bed.   I have it all laid out, so tomorrow  I will start sewing it together.  

I was also on a baking frenzy today.    I made Irish soda bread and Irish brown bread this morning.   Then, this afternoon, I baked a rhubarb cream pie.

George, my brother, called today.   They are in town. They were at Mother's when they called and are   bringing lunch to her tomorrow.  They invited me to join them which will be such a treat.   I will be bringing the rhubarb pie that I baked today.    I have to save one piece for my friend Allison because I promised.

Marilyn Bordeau, a neighbor who does lots of work on the lawns, came over and cleared out a lot of brush, trees and weeds from my back area.  The people who owned the condo before, put in a garden area back there.   This is not a part of the condo's landscaping so has to be maintained by the owner.  I was able to the first couple of years, but am not able to any more.   I do maintain the area around the bird bath.   She simply cleaned it out, not weeded but got rid of dead stuff and cut trees that were growing everywhere and exposed the cut tree stump that is in the shape of a heart.    I don't think I ever told you about that.    I am going to carve Dick's and my initials on it.   Then I will take a picture and post it for you.

I had enough rhubarb from my own plants from my back garden, but Kathy, another neat neighbor brought me a nice bunch from her sister's house.   I can make some muffins too.  Yea.    I love rhubarb.

So have a nice Memorial Day.   As you can see, I will.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Quote:
Philip Neri prayed, "Let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow."

I was VERY busy today, but only left the house twice.   I spent the morning working on Condo stuff, laying out the fabric for the pillow shams that I am making to match the quilt on my bed, meeting my new neighbor and washing.

Then I had lunch.   Alison, the condo president came over with a box of files that I need and we went for a nice walk.   It was a little cool but by the time we got back, which was not long, the sun was out and I did not need my jacket.  Did I tell you that the lilacs in back of the house are blooming just great.  You remember them, Jim and Michele.  I picked a bunch yesterday and the house smells SO good.   They are all droopy, so I will get some more tomorrow before they are all bloomed out.

I left for Mass at 3:30PM.  I picked up my neighbor and friend, Rita.   Rita is my friend who has ALS.  It has now been recommended to her that she not drive.    I told her that I love to have a prayer partner so she can ride with me any time she wants to.    Please pray for her.

Tomorrow will be very quiet too.   I only plan on going for a walk and checking out the gardens a bit. Then a lot of paperwork.

I decided to share the following:
 A "recipe" from a recipe book prepared by Bret's teacher in either 2nd or 3rd grad.   Thought you might find it amusing.

Chocklate Cake
My favorite recipe is choclate cake.First you put in the chocklate and two eggs.  Then stire.  And then that is all.

They were quite the team.   So glad we found each other and can share when we find these things.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A busy - at home day.   I only left the complex once, and that was to run to the police station to dispose of some old meds and to City Hall to pick up some brochures.   I know that I didn't tell you, because I am still kicking myself, but I am now the secretary of the Tallgrass Condo Assn. and part of my job is to present welcome packets to new residents.   We have always included a couple of brochures from the City of Plymouth.  Amazingly enough, Sandy was down to one new resident packets and was out of brochures to make up new ones.  

So.  I spent part of the day coordinating Condo paperwork.   As I don't have all of it, I was not able to do too much.  

I continued going though the bookshelves. and cleaning off Dick's desk.   I want to get that and the stand lift advertized and out of here so that I can rearrange the furniture.

I also pulled Dick's coats out of the hall closet.    I anybody needs an XL warm winter coat.   I have two.   I also have a 3X windbreaker with hood and a wonderful brand new All Weather Coat in size 54.  I also have two trap or hunters vests, one that kind of fits me and one that is bigger.   Let me know if you or anybody else needs them.

With the holiday, I have three more quiet days.    Tomorrow I will go to church and am meeting with Alison, our association president.   Sunday a whole day at home and Monday I will go to see Mother but have the day to myself anyway.   

I feel good about today.   Got a call from Bart and Barb and Bart has the test stimulator installed in his back.   On Tuesday,  he will go back and if all is well they will schedule a time for the permanent insertion.     Please Pray.   Relief of pain would be such a miracle.   I have had a mild headache off and on and cannot imagine having pain all the time.

Called Jacquie tonight .   She was supposed to have fluid removed from her brain, but a new doctor says that she thinks she can correct the problem with a spinal treatment.   Again Pray.

So The day is done.

Hope your holiday weekend it just wonderful.  I decided that I wll have a steak on Monday.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

These are my birthday flowers from Leslie and Bill.   Aren't they beautiful?

Today was a day at home.   Roxie was so happier and she was even happier when Bobbie came this morning.   She loves Bobbie and wore Bobbie's arm out with the petting.

We went through a lot of the papers regarding genealogy and that kind of thing that I though Bobbie should have as she is doing the Kunert Tree.  Lots of it is duplicate, so I kept that.     If anybody wants them, I have extra of the newspaper articles when he retired from the library.   I am sure you all have a copy of the book her wrote about the library at the centennial, but if not, let me know, I still have a couple extra.

We had lunch together.  I prepared hamburgers with baked beans and a berry shortcake.   Strawberries and Blackberries.   Nummy.

I am home tomorrow too.   I am getting a lot of things sorted now that the book is finished and I have to just wait for the final draft.

Jim is having his first colonoscopy.   Lets all pray that all is clear and healthy.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This was a really good day.   I got to sleep in just a little bit this morning.   Then had my haircut appointment at 10AM.   I had a couple of things to do at Walmart, so I went there right after the haircut and took care of them.

Then, there was a Whifler family reunion lunch at the Roadhouse on Hwy 57.   I went to at least one of these before and it is fun.   These are cousins who come from my Grandma Helen Deeley's family,  She was a Ziegler.  Grandma's sister Anna married Charles Whifler, that is where the connection is.   It was fun.    My classmate, Loraine Schaap's Grandma was Anna.  

After lunch, I came home and just planned on spending the rest of the day here, then I got a call from Mary Ann Bernauer, who is Bailey's "mom".
Bailey was the kitty I took care of last weekend.   Anyway,  Mary Ann and Larry invited me for pizza at Dee O'Malleys.    I really enjoyed the evening.

Nora called to night and we had a good visit.   She and Leif were just in Germany on a tour and had a wonderful time.   I will like to hear more about that and see pictures.    Bart and Barb and I are going to Germany one day together.

So I am home, finishing a nice cup of ginger tea.   I finally found some just plain ginger tea and it is really good.    And then I will be going to bed.

I have a good book and can put the cold pack on my neck which will make the ache better.

So until tomorrow.   Bobbie will be here and we are going through papers that should help with the Kunert Genealogy that I found in Dick's desk.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I have had a lovely birthday.    Some cards arrived yesterday,   some came today.   Leslie and Bill sent flowers.   I got calls from Richard and Brenda, Bret, Suzi and talked to Barbara.   What a lucky gal I am.

My friend Janet emailed me last night and invited me to have breakfast with her and her Richard, who also has his birthday today.   So I met them and some friends at the Roadside at 8AM.   It was a good breakfast with good friends and conversation.

As we were leaving, we saw a beautiful boxer running across the parking lot and getting much to close to HWY 57.    She kept kind of getting in and out of view.    I tried to get her to come to me but she wasn't confident enough for that.   She was obviously a sweet dog, but I wasn't going to grab her and take a chance on her snapping at me.   That would have only added to her troubles.   So Janet and I walked over after her to the motel next door and one of my singing mates from Springtime on Broadway was in the office.    She recognized the dog and put her in a fenced in yard.   There are others apparently and they are ALL supposed to be tied.   So Janet and I felt that we had done out good deed for the day.

Now it is getting on to 9PM and I will head for the bed.

Tomorrow is fairly quiet, but I will be getting a hair cut and going back to the Roadside for lunch with my Wiffler cousins.   They meet a couple times a year.   This is on my Dad's side.

So until tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary      








If God wanted me to touch my toes, he'd have put them on my knees.

A typical really busy Monday.    I got up at 7AM, showered took care of everything around here and then left for Bible Study.    I stopped on the way to visit with Bailey, the neighbor's cat, who I have been feeding and comforting while his humans were out of town for the weekend.   He ate his breakfast very quickly and then let me pet him and rub his tummy as he rolled in the sunlight.   I think Bailey likes me.

Bible study was fun.   I brought everybody scones.   Now I am down to a reasonable amount that are left for me.   I saved two for Jody when she comes on Friday.   Our bible psalm discussion was on adoration and what it means to us.    We talked about what we would like to do to include more in our daily life.  I said that I have been wanting to set up a quiet corner for meditation and then sit there quietly and listen for at least 15 minutes every day.

Then to Mom's house.  She was tired today, but we didn't really have much business to do so we spend most of my visit just visiting and that helped her to rest a bit.

Then home for lunch and at 1PM I drove to Book Heads for the Cream City Writer's meeting.   We had all but one of our members there and a guest so it was a nice meeting.   Most of us had something to read and we heard some good things today.

FINALLY, I could come home and STAY.    I finished the last things on the editing of my book and contacted the editing department so that I could forward everything to them.   Randy was quite excited.    I also received the corrected Press Release and will be able to approve it with only two grammar changes.

So I celebrated with a glass of wine before supper and am going to enjoy an Irish Coffee for dessert before I go to bed.

Roxie has been very needy today.    Tomorrow is Rich Bieschke's birthday too, so Janet asked if I wanted to join them for breakfast.    Sounded like a great idea to me.  I am receiving cards already and Richard and Brenda sent me a new NAVIN CD.    I am so excited as it has music from all 7 Celtic Nations and I am really trying to learn about that.

So.  A good night for you and let the rain, if it comes be good for all the plants.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Hello World.

I hope you all missed me last night.  It IS nice to be noticed.    Last night was the last performance of Springtime on Broadway with the Plymouth Singers.    I think it went very well.    We heard nothing but complements from our audience and both nights were sold out.

Singing from Les Mis, Porgy and Bess,  Phantom and so on, how can one go wrong.    Bobbie and Bill came and said they liked it. After that last performance, we had a potluck.   Boy.  Good food.   Barbequed pork sandwiches, fresh cream puffs and LOTS of other things.    I brought fresh cranberry scones.   I did not get home until after 10PM and you know that I am a nine o'clock wonder so to bed I went.

The rest of the day was busy too with the bi annual condo meeting and the baking and Mass at 4PM.  

Today I am home.    Home.   What a wonderful sound.   I did go over to Mary Ann's house to feed her kitty, Bailey and to visit with him for a while.    I know how much kitties miss their humans when they are gone.   Maryann and Larry will be home sometime tomorrow, so I will visit a bit this evening around supper time and then go again in the morning before I go to Bible Study.   He is a sweet and gorgeous creature and is warming up to me nicely.

I got through the second edit with my eyes of the cook book.   Tomorrow afternoon, I will talk to the manuscript editor with three questions I have and then should be able to send it in by the end of the week.

So today was really busy too.  

We are supposed to have rain tomorrow.  That will be good for the herbs and hanging baskets that I planted today.

I am going to close with a poem I wrote and put in my book called SEEKING.  Courtney mentioned Crayon Boxes on Facebook and since there are Great Grandchildren now, I thought the Moms and Aunts and Uncles might enjoy the poem.

THE CRAYON BOX

The big yellow school bus

Rolling down the street

Is the biggest EVER crayon box.

Filling every seat

With little people every day

Who brightly climb on board,

Sometimes broken,sometimes whole

Sometimes dull and worn.

Up and down the streets

It goes, picking up the toys

Shiny, drab and ordinary,

Noisy girls and boys.

No two are quite alike at all

Like crayons in the carton.

So treasure each and every one

Like roses in the garden.

So Dia Dhuit and kisses to all my grandchildren and great grandchildren.   Hope our sweet little Marcus is all recovered from his ear infection.

Love

Mary 

We 

Just got home from the Springtime on Broadway Concert at the Plymouth Arts Center.    I am exhausted but it went well.    I am happy with most of what I did and nothing I did caused any trouble - We sounded good.   

I am too tired to say any more.   So Sleep Tight and Good Dreams.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It is 9PM.  I have just returned from our dress rehearsal for Springtime on Broadway at the Plymouth Arts Center which will debut tomorrow night and finish its run on Saturday.

The dress rehearsal gives me hope that it will go alright.   The music is absolutely great and we seem to pretty much have it together.

The early part of the day was spent with Jeff and Mom.   We took Mom for lab tests and for two doctor appointments.   She came through just fine.   Then we had lunch.   Mom had her Meals on Wheels and I brought tacos and beans for Jeff and I.   I also brought a dessert that is called French Pastry that will be in my cookbook.   It is so good and a comfort food for Jeff and I as Mother made it when we were young.

Kathy had sent fresh asparagus and some Kit Kat Bars.   The kind you bake not the candy.  So we were very well fed.

Anyway time for bed.

Here is a Haiku I wrote several years ago. 

Dream Catcher

I feel in my sleep
A dream flying over me
Waiting to be caught.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It is 9:40PM and I have just walked into the house after a lovely evening with friends.

Nancy Roehre and I went to a talk at the UW Sheboygan on Chic Lit.    Yes, Chick Lit.  Valerie Pilmaier,  professor at UW Sheboygan gave a talk on this subject which is her main study, bringing us form "male Irish authors" who were "real" through a bit of evolution of female Irish writers. Starting with Jane Austin through Maeve Binchy.   It was so interesting but I need to gather my notes to be able to sensibly present it.   Valerie is interested in our Celtic Women and would love to give her talk at our gathering or anywhere.

Then Nancy and I stopped at 52 Stafford for a glass of wine and a super visit.  

A lovely evening as I said and I am just going to go to bed.

Love you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary   

They say there was a frost last night.    Perhaps so.  It was chilly when I left home at 8:30AM but the sun was shining, the sky was blue and I felt warm enough from the rays of that sun.

I had a lot of errands to do today.   First I stopped at two banks for Mom, then went to bible study.  We had six of us there.   Please pray for our friend, Peggy, who is having surgery on Wednesday and will be in rehab for at least two to three weeks.  

Then I went to Mom's and we got her bills paid and I helped her with her dinner.

Then I stopped and picked up a scone for lunch and picked up Sy Regan.   We went to the Sheboygan Writers Club for the meeting.  Sy had asked if I was going and would mind picking him up.    He just can't see to drive any more and that is too long for Nora to waid if she should take him.   It was a good meeting.   It has grown since I was in it several years ago.

Then home again.   After dinner I went to the Plymouth Arts Center to practice for our concert on Friday and Saturday.   I picked up tickets for Bobbie and Bill.   The performances are pretty much sold out.   That is good news.  They could squeeze in a few but not too many more.

We are excited.

So. It is past my bed time.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Such a lovely Mother's Day.    Bret and Bart both called during the day.   And Leslie and Bobbie sent me cards.    Bobbie's and Bret's are on the TV and Leslie's was on the internet.   With the flowers from Richard and Brenda I have been smiling since Friday when I got the first card.

I drove to Mother's this morning at about 11Am to bring her communion and meet the Jeff Deeley's there.  Sara is home til Tuesday so I wanted to see her.  Shane and Georgina were there also.   Kathy fixed the BEST dinner.   Lasagna, asparagus, salad, hot rolls and an angel food cake with coconut banana cream frosting and strawberries.  So good and I was stuffed.

I told Sara that I am planning to come to New York later this year and will let her know so that we can go to a Broadway show and dinner together and whatever else we can think of.

When I got home, I spent the rest of the day looking for things.    I still haven't found one of them, my Bridget stuff.  I have  a folder somewhere that the Little People have hidden on me.   

It will show up in their good time.

So til tomorrow.

Dia dhuit

Mary

Pictures

Dick's flag and urn with the gold plates on them

 Mother's day flowers from Richard and Brenda

The St. Kevin wallhanging

This was a lovely day.   It is cooler and we had some rain which I am sure is not a happy event for the farmers.   For me it is rather indifferent, because my livlyhood does not depend on the planting of crops.

I finished the St. Kevin wall hanging by sewing the label on the back.   Completing things gives a person such a good feeling.   I need to hang St. Kevin so that I can take a picture and post it for you all.   I am pleased with him.    I will post the legend at the same time.

The Sheboygan County CWI Literary exchange was at the 1st Congregational Church this afternoon at 1PM.  There were four of us there and what a great sharing we had.   We discussed several of Patricia Monaghan's books that we had read.   She was something else.   Pat was a member and staunch supporter of Celtic Women International.   She passed away in 2012 and we will miss her, but what a legacy she left.  Look her up and read her books.   Wild Girls, the Path of the Young Goddess, is and easy read.

Mass was at 4PM.   Fr. Dan gave all the Mothers in church a special blessing.   I was very pleased with that blessing.   

I got flowers from Richard and Brenda today.   They are beautiful.  Spring flowers with roses.   I will post a picture tomorrow.   Got cards from Bobbie and Bret.   Both beautiful.   And it is only Saturday.

I am really tired today.   Tomorrow, I will be having lunch with the Jeff Deeley's and Mother from 10:30 until 2ish.  Sara is home for the weekend, so I will get to see her and Shane and Georgina will be there too.    I am so pleased to se them.

So.  Til tomorrow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

The wind started blowing last night and the rain started coming down and it was still pouring when I got up and when Jody arrived at 8AM.   By the time she left at 10AM the rain was done but it is pretty chilly out there.

I baked a loaf of No Knead Bread today.   I started it last night of course, but had it done by 2PM today.  It is so easy and requires only three ingredients and water.

My neighbor, Jan, came over today to have tea and a visit with me.    She works such odd hours that we seldom get to visit except when I catch her as she is either on her way out or on her way in and we catch up a bit with the car running.     It was good.   She is a talented seamstress and artist but has little time for that.

I finished my league targets at Rhine Plymouth tonight.   The first one was OK but then my arm started hurting and the second was totally rotten.  Go figure.   So this league was pretty bad.   Maybe my arm will be no longer sore and I will be shaking less by the fall league.

I am editing the book for its final submission.    Should be done by next Friday.   This weekend is rather busy.    Tomorrow afternoon,  the Sheboygan Celtic Women will be meeting for our Literary Exchange,  that will work out so well.   The meeting is from 1 to 3 and then I will go to Mass and be home by 5:30PM.   

Gary Anderson, a repairman, is coming by tomorrow to see what he needs to do to repair the dings in the walls left by the wheelchair. 

So it is now time for bed.   Roxie will be glad to go, I think.   She enjoyed having a visitor this afternoon.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Dentist appointment at 8AM this morning so there was no sleeping in.   Roxie started nagging me at about 5:30AM but as I told her, I will not be leaving that bed before 6:00AM.  She ate all her morning food, so she was seriously hungry this morning.

All was well at the dentist and I now officially have the cleanest teeth in the family unless someone sneaked a cleaning in later in the day.

After the appointment, I went to the Exchange Bank for coffee and a scone.   About a month ago, I had stopped for coffee and one morning and bought some Alterra whole bean decaf.   When I got home, I couldn't find it anywhere,  I assumed that I had somehow knocked it off the seat when I opened the door somewhere.  SO I decided to try again.    When I went in and started looking at the coffee to choose my kind of decaf, the server asked if I had purchased a package about a month ago and forgotten it.    I couldn't believe it.    They remembered and saved it for me.    The owner even exchanged the package every week so it wouldn't get stale.    Do you believe that!   Now you know why I am so comfortable there.  

I was able to keep busy all afternoon with things around the house.   I left for Mother's house at about 5PM to meet Jeff and Kathy to go with them to a friend, Lynn Carpenter's funeral.    I am so glad I went.  The Carpenters are good friends of the Deeley's.    Lynn was bartender at his dad, Dale Carpenter's bar, called Dale's for years and years.   They always had corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day and every year, Lynn would bring two plates to Mom and Dad.    What a guy.    A good addition to heaven.    Missed by his family.

So it was a very eventful day and I am glad it is over.     Tomorrow, I will be home all day except for going out to Rhine to finish my targets for pistol league.    One of my neighbors, Bonnie, is coming with me.    That'll be fun.

So.  Rest well.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

So far the day has been so good.   I guess it is silly to say - so far -   Mostly whether the day is good of bad is up to us.

I started this morning slowly which is always nice.   At about 10AM, I drove over to the Custom Trophy place to pick up the two plates for Dick's urn and for the flag case.   They look so nice.  I now feel settled.   I went too early and had to come back.   When I told my neighbors we all got to laughing because I told them Dick was in the front seat of the van.   They agreed that it was nice that he could get out for a bit.   He would have loved that.

Yesterday, he would have been 83 years old.   I did not celebrate, I did not mourn.   I decided just to wish happy birthday in my heart and get on with the day.   Worked just fine.

I worked on the cookbook a good part of the day and I have decided to sort my major projects into the file cabinet that Dick and I got years ago.  We never did use it very efficiently but I know I can make it work.

Well, the rest of the day has passed, I just got home from a Poetry Circle at Mead Library.   We heard a lot of really good poetry tonight.    A couple of our attendees with a reporter from the area are going to use some art space at EBCO to show off printed poetry with four separated times when poets will be there and with a reading and nibbly things the opening night.    I will submit 3 or so of my poems and see what happens.

There has been an increase in the family in the last month.   Leslie, my daughter, was contacted by a group who contact birth mothers, upon request, and will ask if they would like to meet their birth children.    Well, Leslie had wondered all these years, 35 of them, how things had gone for the daughter she allowed to be adopted.   So, she said that she indeed would be delighted to be connected with her.    And they have spoken on the phone several times.     Her name is Courtney  and she is happily married to a wonderful guy.   They have an almost 3 year old boy named Cooper and  Courtney is going to give birth to twins in July.    Leslie is going out to help after the twins come.   Kind of exciting.   I have another granddaughter and great grandson, just like that and will have two more great grandkids in two months.   WOW

Pretty Cool!

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I took a walk this evening again.    I probably wouldn't have but Richard and Brenda called to check in.   We caught up a bit and then they said they were going out to walk because it was so sunny and nice out there.    They made me jealous so I went for a walk too.

Little League baseball is beginning so I watched a team practicing for a while.    It brought back such sweet memories of the years that Bret and Bart played Little League ball in Huntington Beach.   Several years,   I always volunteered to keep score.

I was home all morning and really got a lot done.   It is such fun to be crossing things off of my lists.  Then, after lunch, I went to the Kettle Country Quilter's meeting.  I helped a couple of people who decided to try the Cathedral Window Pattern get the pattern down.   We have an eventful year ahead.   Next month we are having a pot luck.    We want to make pincushions for the members of the Elkhart Lake club when we host them for a joint meeting in September.     I made the mistake of saying that I thought I was reading the pattern differently than everybody else and didn't think we needed felt, so I have to make one to see.    One step at a time, you know.

Tomorrow, I can pick up the flag, with its nameplate, that we received at Dick's funeral.   I am also bringing the urn to have a plate put on it.    Then I think it is finished.   

A spring haiku for you.

Up

Raptor flying high
Up over the fairy field
Spirit and beauty.

by me

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Visit with Bret

Bret on the porch of his Mobile home  

Bret getting his "hair done" at the party
 

Bret and Janet - isn't she lovely?
 

Jacquie - My ex sister in law

Doris another ex sister in law

Dick Johnston, my ex

My Tony's grave.  I left him a shell.

Monday again.   And it was very filled as usual.    I started off meeting my friend, Bob Fleming, for breakfast at the Point.   It was their special potato pancake day, so I ate them.    Bob and I caught up on what we are up to and I was able to share the St. Kevin stitchery which I finished last night with him.    He is such an artist and he tole me he really liked it which made me feel great.

I also shared it with the Bible Study.    There were 8 of us there today, almost all.    It was a good study.  We found out that Psalm 116, which we are in the middle of studying, is read at every  Passover meal and that because of that it is read at the Holy Thursday service.    We covered a lot of ground but still have a bit more on that one.  We found a big correlation between the Psalm and the Last days of Jesus' life through the Resurrection.

Next, I went over to Mother's.   She seemed a bit shaky but was very perky and we got her bills paid and had time for a good visit.   She told me the cutest story.   We were talking about the son of a friend who jumped off of a second story balcony after tying a cape around his neck like Superman (He didn't get hurt too badly and grew up with more sense.)   Mother told me that when she was a little girl, she tried to fly too.    She pinned some bird feathers to the shoulders of her dress and jumped out of a tree.  She was not hurt either and found out that she couldn't fly either.

I worked on several computer projects this afternoon and this evening went to the Plymouth Arts Center to practice for Springtime on Broadway, which will be on May 17 - 18.    If any of you want to go there are tickets left and we would like a good audience.    Bobbie and Bill are coming.   You can call me or the Plymouth Arts Center at 920-892-8409.

Home again.   It is my bedtime.   At least that is what Roxie is telling me.    She is glad I am home.   She always complains at me if I go out.

Tomorrow is the Quilt Club meeting.

Sleep tight.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

What a wonderful day.    I went to Mass in Sheboygan Falls at Blessed Trinity because there was the Mass for Dick today.    Nobody told me it was also First Communion Sunday so the Mass went on and on and on.   I really did not mind as I do enjoy watching the little kids processing in and looking so beautiful and handsome as they go through the ceremony.   I was afraid that Mother would think I had forgotten her.    Then I almost did.   I forgot to get her communion when I went up for mine and had to go and get the key from the chapel and wait till the pictures of all those kids standing in front of the altar were taken before I could get into the tabernacle to get the host.  

Mom was not the least bit concerned and was ready for her communion when I got there.    I picked up a picture of Mother that Dolores found somewhere and had copied for us.   She is very young and wearing this cute hat kind of cocked over one eye.  I can see why Dad fell for her.

I did go out shooting this afternoon.   Now I only have two more targets to shoot and can get them done next Friday.    One of my neighbors, Bonnie, said that she would like to come with me.   That will be fun.   She has pistols so I am assuming that she knows how to shoot.

This next week is starting to get pretty well filled up.   There is something going on every day.    I don't like that at all.   But dental appointments and funerals are adding to some of the usual things.  

So tomorrow , bible study, Mom and practice for that concert at the Plymouth Art Center.   I realized that I will miss the bust up party for the pistol league because of that concert.   Should have checked that out.   Oh Well, I am enjoying singing with a group again.

Bless you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Wow.   What a day.    The sun shone, the sky was blue.   I had the doors open almost all day and here it is close to 7PM and they are still open.

I brought in the herbs from the garage and put them out on the porch.   It was so nice out there that I decided to take a walk.   I went on one of Chelsea and my favorite.   Down Tallgrass to Highland, Highland to Valley,   Valley to the end of Lone Oak park and through the park and over the railroad tracks home.    Sure felt good.   I do miss my little ball of white fur walking with me.   Someday, I will have another doggy.    Not right now though.

I sewed on the Kevin wallhanging this afternoon.    All I need to put on it now are the birds and the label.    I will have to go to the Sewing Basket to pick up another printable label, because I want the story of Kevin as well as my name and the completion date.

You can see from the previous blog that I figured out how "again" how to blog pictures from Picasa, the program that I place all my pictures in.  

The first one is  the statue across from the Oklahoma City disaster memorial.  It is called Jesus Wept and was put there by a church.    The second is Michelle and Jim at lunch.    The third is me holding a rattlesnake.   The fourth is Jim, Michelle, Barbara and my great granddaughters, Adria and Abigail.   (aren't they beautiful?)  Next is Bart, framed by Leo and Lily on the back of the couch.   And last is Barbara at the Memorial.

Now I have figured out how to send them with the changes in Picasa, you will get pictures more often.

Hope you are having a great weekend too.    Tomorrow I will be going to Mass at Blessed Trinity.   There is a Mass being celebrated for Dick and I want to be there.    I will also take communion to Mother.

So time to wind down for the night.  Til tomorrow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Oklahoma

 

 

 

 

 

 

A rainy day.    It poured most of the morning and kept raining most of the day.   It was still sprinkling when Warren and Nancy picked me up to go shooting at Rhine.  I was terrible this week.    The first two targets were a disgrace.    I don't know if it is because I am unsteady, or my arm is weak or concentration, but I will keep at it until I work my way out of it.

I spent the majority of the day making the editorial changes that Bobbie suggested to the cookbook.    I got it all done.   As I reviewed everything myself while in Oklahoma very carefully,  I just needed another fresh eye to look at things.    I am so thankful that she was willing to do that for me.

But.  It took the whole day, except for breaks to eat and catch up on email.  

So I will be going to bed at 8PM to read again.    This seems to work to get me settled and asleep by 9:30 or 10.

I still wake up a lot but it is getting better.

Bless you all and I love you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A very strange day.     It was supposed to be cold, in the 40s and perhaps it was, but there was no wind this morning when I left and I quickly shed my jacket.  

I had an appointment with Heather for a massage.   It was really pleasant.   She concentrated on my neck and shoulders and knees as that is where I experience the most pain.  We will see.  

Bobbie and I met at Field and Fork for lunch before going to Mead to give Dick's plaque to Mark.   They will get it hung in the new adult event room and will be arranging for an official dedication.   That is the room that I go to for Karl Elder's Poetry Corner, so I will take a picture when it is hung and post it for all to see.   Or - you can go to the Library.

I dropped the quilt that I have been mending off at Mother's on the way home.   She was so glad to see it as we are, despite the late cold getting on to summer and she uses this quilt in the summer, you know.    She doesn't like her routines messed with.

On the way home it started to rain and it poured for quite some time.    As a matter of fact we had a pretty impressive thunder storm.   Roxie was not pleased.

Bobbie has finished editing my cookbook and gave me the corrected hard copies so that I can update them on the computer and get them submitted.   

I have an interesting little story about a recipe that I have included in the cookbook.   I think that MOST of you know that there are two family chilies and also two family potato salads that Dick and I would use.   One his and one mine.   We liked one as much as the other so sometimes Dick would make his chili and sometimes I would make mine and I made whichever potato salad I was in the mood for. 

Bobbie is editing my book and asked why I don't have onion in my Kunert Potato Salad.    I told her that I got the recipe from Leslie and didn't recall onions.    So.  Bobbie checked with Leslie who said she always puts onions in hers and was sure she had put it on the recipe card.    I was puzzled as I couldn't figure out how I would have been wrong for 25 years or so.  So.  I looked and there are no onions on my recipe card.   So.  I called Leslie and asked her why she was "holding out on me."   We both had a good laugh about that and are trying to figure out how I got it past her Dad for 25 years.   I guess I was just good about cutting the potatoes really small.

So that's the story.


Dia Dhuit

Mary

I got to be home all day today and it was so beautiful outside that I left the doors open all day too.   I understand that a cold front is coming through and we will be back down to the 40s tomorrow.   So I will have to hang on to today and remember how nice the 70s are hen it is cloudy and cold.

I got a lot done today.    I finally sent a newsletter to the Sheboygan Branch of CWI.   I worked on the St. Kevin Wallhanging which I want to have done by Tuesday,  I made several phone calls and only have to redo a couple of them tomorrow.

Roxie was quite pleased to have me here all day.   Today is the first day of Bealtaine, or Beltane, celebrated halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.  It is the beginning of summer in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man and was lavishly celebrated in the days of old.  Perhaps we should return  to some of these celebrations as they make us aware of the seasons and the world around us.    The "green movement" should look into this.

Tomorrow I will be out again in the middle of the day.   But Friday I can be home until at least 5PM when I am going to shoot pistol league.

So a lot was finished and a lot is left to do.  

Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary   

Today, the thermometer that reads off of our bedroom, read 89 degrees for the top.   Wow.   The wind was blowing like crazy most of the afternoon too.    It was really too heavy and hot to open things up, so I have the doors open now to take advantage of fresh.

It was trash day.   I slept much better last night, but it took a while to get to sleep and I didn't want to get up.    I finally dragged myself out at 8:30AM.    I took out the trash and got ready for my errands.

Stopped at the bank to deposit a couple of checks, then off to the Review office to put in an add to try to sell the sit to stand and Dick's desk.   I timed it perfectly as my eye doctor appointment with Dr. Cheryl was at 10:30AM.    I was there on a great day.    A special half price frame day and once I get my new glasses, I can have new lenses put in the frames I have now for half price.     I knew I would need new glasses as I could really tell that my right eye had lost a lot.     Dr. Cheryl was a bit surprised at the difference but as she said some years are like that.

I did my grocery shopping on the way home.    Forgot cat litter but I just replaced everything yesterday so I won't have to worry about that for a while anywsy.

This afternoon, I worked on the Kevin wall hanging, straightened out things on the desk and prioritized.   I always have immediate chores after coming home from the Gathering and need to have some of them done by the end of the week for Maureen to get into the quarterly newsletter.

Anyway I need a priority list and fast because as you all know. lists help me work better and faster.

But this day is over and I am going to bed to read for a while.

Talked to Suzi, one of my Kunert nieces, today,  I am going to stay with her on the Friday of Irishfest and she and I will go to the Fest on Saturday.    I am going back on Sunday too.   Jessica said she wants to join me.    So she will have two days to choose from.   Both if she wants.  She and Suzi would have fun together.
  
Dia Dhuit

Mary  

A typical Monday made busier now because of the two hour practice at 6:30PM for the concert at Plymouth Art Center on May 16 - 17.   By the way, it is called Springtime on Broadway and features lots of really good music.   I am glad that we have three more practices.    I am not all that confident yet.

This morning there were 7 of us at Bible Study.     We had a lively discussion on Psalm 116 about why death is feared and how much trust and faith can help when someone close leaves us.  We do help each other out a lot.    I have them praying for everybody who needs it.

Then to Mother's.  We got her bills paid and had plenty of time to visit.   I told her some of the events of the weekend.   I showed her my new fox ring carved out of Amazonite and about the play.

This afternoon I worked on sorting things out for the rest of the week and paying some bills of my own.

So.   Tomorrow I will have a busy morning, but then will be able to stay home until  Thursday.   Yee Ha.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Home from a successful, entertaining and educational Celtic Annual Meeting, or as we often refer to it as our Spring Fling.

Kate, Felisha and I left for St.  Charles at 8AM on Friday.   We figured we would get there by noon but St. Charles is a hard place to fine.   My Garmin did not even recognize the name.  Then there was the quest for the Hotel Baker.  I found that trip discouraging.    We finally arrived shortly before 1PM and were in time for the noon board meeting which had been put off to accommodate some other late comers.  

It was a busy afternoon beginning with the board meeting.  We met for a reception at the Hotel Baker and then proceeded across the street to McNally's Traditional Irish Pub for dinner.   Back at the hotel, a few of us intrepid souls gathered in Gail's room for a bit of wine, snacks and Bailey's.

Saturday morning we had our Annual meeting and installation of new Directors and Officers.    Following the meeting and a short break our member Maureen Smith gave us a lecture on Accessing Works of History,Literature and Arts Online.    With Tons of Sites to explore.   Janet said, something like oh great, now we will never get any sleep.

Lunch was at the Hotel Baker which is an historic hotel.    It is lovely but our bathroom was just plain inconvenient.

The lunch was good.   The sandwich I ordered was a Portabella mushroom sandwich.   I was surprised at two things.   1.  It was cold.   But the mushroom was delicious so that was OK.   However 2.  It was on a croissant which had been refrigerated and refrigerated crousants are really gicky.     However (again) the dessert was wonderful.    A scoop of ice cream with a lava cake.   Let me tell you this, Jim, so you can tinker with your recipe.    The "lava"  had a black cherry background, maybe cherry liquor in the filling?  It was SO good.

Our afternoon program was entitled Irish Round Towers and Today's Gardner, presented by a farme, Bill Scheffler.   I have a lot of studying to do with that.

We were on our own after that until about 7:30 when we walked across the street again, this time to the Steel Beam Theater to enjoy The Seafarer by Colon Mc Pherson.   I was up for Tony awards around 2006 and was SO good.    It was a typical kind of dark rough Irish play but as Maureen Smith said, she finally saw an Irish Play with a happy ending.    We loved it.

Today we had out Scattering Ceremony at 9AM at the Hotel, then Kate, Felicia and me went to St. Patrick Catholic Church down the street for Mass.   Lovely Mass and we talked to some people after the service.   I gave my card to a lovely young Conner girl who was at Mass with her sister and Dad.   The three of us then went downstairs as the church must have known we were coming and were serving donuts and coffee in the downstairs hall.      We sat with some of the parishioners and had a fun time with them before we headed out.    This time the Garmin worked and as there was less traffic and a much shorter area being worked on a Sunday, we made it home by 4PM.

I am exhausted but feel very good about the weekend and the experiences I had and the people I spent that time with.

I presented a short biography of St. Maughold, the patron saint of the Isle of Man at the scattering ceremony along with a piece of Brigid Cloth and the legend of Brat Bhride for them.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Here is the story of the saint.   

ST. MAUGHOLD OF THE ISLE OF MAN

(Died c.488)

(Also known as Macaille,, Maccaldus, Machalus, Machaoi, Machella, Maghor, Mawgan, Maccul, Macc Cuill)

FEAST DAY

APRIL 27

(Formerly December 28, and sometimes listed as April 25, August 15. or November 15)

Legend says that Maughold was an Irish prince and also the captain of a band of thieves.

He was converted by St. Patrick himself. The tale goes that he tried to make a fool of St Patrick. He placed one of his crew, living of course, in a shroud than called for Patrick to bring the man back to life. Patrick came, placed a hand on the shroud and departed. When Maughold and his crew opened the shroud, the man was dead. A friend of Maughold, named Connor, rushed to Patrick and apologized. Patrick returned, baptized the assembled men and blessed the deceased who immediately arose and was himself baptized. Then Patrick read Maughold the riot act, telling him that he should be helping his men lead good lives and told him that he had to make up for his evil.

St. Patrick put him in a coracle, a small, round boat lined with skins, and set him adrift. He landed on the Isle of Man and was greeted by Conindrus and Romulus, Patrick's disciples on Man. The story adds that upon landing he was to fetter his feet and throw the key in the ocean. The two disciples found him worthy and he was eventually ordained. Shortly after his ordination the keys to his fetters were found in the belly of a fish, He was appointed bishop when the two disciples died.

He was known for his kindness to the Manx people. Many sites around the island bear his name.

Apparently, there is no special celebration of the saint on the Isle of Man or anywhere else. Perhaps because of the fact that he seems to have five possible feast days and even more names.

Well, another busy day,  mainly at home.

I did go out at about 10AM.   I picked up flowers to place on our Courtney's grave as tomorrow would be her birthday.   I forgot my camera but it is a love bouquet of cut flowers.     A beautiful variety of spring colors including a yellow tulip and a pink rose.    It is beautiful.

I stopped at Mother's for just a minute so that I could get her praying for Bart and for his mother in law Marlise.  AND.  I talked to Loraine Schaap today and found out that Gerald Ziegler, a cousin, passed away last Saturday.    Mother and I were just talking about him a couple of weeks ago, wondering how he was doing.  So I wanted to let her know.

I spent the rest of the day packing and coordinating things for a short presentation that I will be giving and also working on the book and the St. Kevin wall hanging.

I took a short nap this afternoon but I want to get to be early as we will be leaving here at about 8AM so that Kate and Felicia and I can be in St. Charles by noon for the board meeting.

Roxie, of course, will not be happy, but Jan and Don, my neighbors are delighted to feed her for me and their grandsons will help on Friday night.    They love Roxie and she will enjoy the company.

So early to bed, early to rise.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Special requests for prayer

First:   Good news but it will involve over a month of various surgeries for Bart.    They are finally doing something about the stimulator that he has implanted in his back for pain that has not been working properly.    May 1st, they will remove the whole unit.    On or about May 14, they will be testing and evaluating the best way to proceed.    On May 24th they will implant the trial unit and in early June, he will have the permanent unit implanted.    This is the new Cadillac of stimulators and we are all feeling that this will provide much relief from Bart's constant pain.

Second:   Bad news.   Marlise Burdine, Barbara's mother, had a lump and has been diagnosed with a malignancy.    Please pray for good results.    She is very frightened.   And so are we.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I spent most of the day at home but am still so far behind and I leave on Friday morning for St. Charles.

Whew.    Tomorrow I have to pack and find a couple of things that are coming with me.
I picked up Dick's plaque for the library today.    It is just perfect.    I will be so happy when we can present it.

I downloaded the Oklahoma pictures to the computer today and will forward a couple tomorrow.   Right now, I am going to go to bed.

Dia Dhuit

Mary





“God is always for us, he never grows tired. "   Pope Francis

A Busy Day.    I took Roxie to the vet for her dentistry work at 7AM.   Then I came home and sorted mail and papers until it was time to to to Mother's house at 10AM.

Jeff came today also.   A John Swart came to talk to Mother, Jeff and me about the "incident" in 1958 when the United States Air Force bombed us.   John got interested when a cousin of his told him that he had two casings from the incident that John's uncle had found in the cow yard the day after the shooting.   He had kept them all these years and then called John as the cousin had no one to pass them on to.   John has decided to donate them to local museums but needed to document the events to go along with the items.    Mother Jeff and I are thinking that it would be a good idea to donate the model plane and model shell that the Air Force gave to Dad too.

I wrote up my memories of the day and sent them to John for his writeup.  He gave us copies of the newspaper articles etc that he has.   Quite a day.

Here is my writeup.

March 17, 1958

It was March 17^th 1958. The evening of my Grandfather's funeral. I had actually forgotten that those events were connected. We lived at 127 Pinehurst Court, in Sheboygan Falls WI.

We were all home, Mom and Dad, Nora, Tim, Jeff, Dolores, Eileen, George, Matthew, and Randy and me. Also there was a guest. My current boyfriend, James (Jumbo) Martin, who was by the way a Golden Globes champion had joined us for dinner.

We had finished the meal Everybody was just kind of milling around as we always did, Visiting with Jumbo was pleasant and the younger children were playing in small groups downstairs. Usually at that time some of the younger children would go upstairs to play with their toys but with Jumbo there and because of the funeral, they were all hanging around downstairs.

At some point, Tim went upstairs. He wasn't up there long when we heard a huge crash. Mother's first thought was that he had knocked down some huge wardrobe or something. We ran upstairs and there was Tim at the end of the hall staring open mouthed into the bedroom on the left as plaster dust and debris came pouring out of the door.

We all joined him at the door talking like crazy, of course. Tim, totally innocent, was as confused as we were. As the dust settled, we realized that there was a hole in the ceiling of the bedroom and gradually we could see a gouge in the linoleum that was the flooring in the bedroom. Somebody, kind of followed the path and found under one of the beds was a HUGE BULLET.

At this point, Mom and Dad called the police. They arrived quickly, and were as confused as we all were. Dad handed the shell to the policeman and he handled it as nonchalantly as we had been, took a report and left with the shell.

By the next morning, we were informed and heard that at least one more home, I don't remember if there were more, were hit. Recently, I found that two more homes were hit and shells were found in several places. One of the shells did explode, in a closet. Most didn't. My memory is that one shell landed next to a crib where a two year old baby was sleeping.

Later we found out that some of the shells were armed and it was a blessing that they didn't explode and cause more damage and/or human casualties or injury Also there was no explanation as to why none of the planes who had been out over Lake Michigan reported anything unusual or why the shells did not explode on contact. And then we remembered the handling of the loaded shell by the police AND Dad.

One day, when , a limousine with several high ranking officers from the the Air Force came to the house to personally apologize for the incident. They asked for an estimate of the damage and when that was presented, they sent a check to Mom and Dad. Later, the liaison from Milwaukee presented a model of the plane that did the firing and a dud of the bullet for us.

There was a picture in the paper of people pointing to the hole in the bedroom ceiling.

I know that Mom and Dad were paid for the estimate to repair the hole in the roof. The shell came through the roof, penetrated and went through a beam in the ceiling and landed on the bedroom floor skipping almost like skipping stones gauging the linoleum as it hit and landed under one of the beds. Dad had a friend repair the damage and bought a new television with the check.

Memories of that night by Mary Deeley Kunert, eldest daughter of Francis and Mary Deeley .

4/23/2013

After he left the three of us ate lunch.  Kathy sent the greatest sandwiches, salad and pumpkin pie for us.

I picked up Rosie after lunch and came home.   Have been finishing getting caught up, washing, and sewing and now am really ready for bed.    Tomorrow should be pretty quiet.   I need to get ready for the weekend.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I AM home.   The flight was uneventful.  I walked into the house between 3:30PM and 4PM.

Bobbie had brought Roxie home to greet me.   We just hung out together as I checked messages and did a bit of unpacking.     I know she wants to go to bed now and as I have made it home from the Plymouth Art Center Chorus practice, I AM really ready

Tomorrow, Roxie is getting her teeth cleaned.   I have to have her at the vet by 7:30AM and will pick her up at about 2PM.   Jeff and I will be meeting with Mother and someone who is interested in hearing about the time the Air Force bombed our house in 1957 or 58 when I was young.    I have written down my memories to compare with Mother's and Jeff's.
Should work out fine.

Then I get to stay home til Friday when I will be heading for St. Charles for the CWI Annual Meeting.

Sleep tight everybody.

DiaDhuit

Mary

This is my last night in Oklahoma.    Tomorrow will be a travel day ending with coming home to my Roxie and then going for a two hour practice for the Art Center concert.     I figure I will not tell you much about the trip tomorrow.   But will let you know that I am home.

As Robbie says in his song.    Glad to be returning but sad to have to go.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This is going to be a very short post as it is after 9:30PM and I have to be ready for my pick up by the limo at 6:45AM. 

I was very very busy all day but did get everything done.    I am so pleased with that.   I is always distressing when one is leaving for a couple of weeks and things are left undone.

Roxie is safely at Bobbie and Bill's house and Bobbie said she is a bit clingy but doing just fine.    I miss her actually.   The house is so empty.   

Won't be long before I am in a household with several critters.

I will have the laptop and will be able to blog sometimes, but I am not going to every day because I am on vacation.

Stay safe and pray for a safe trip for me.

Dia Dhuit


Mary

Too much happening last night to post.   Bless their souls, Richard and Brenda came yesterday morning and spent hours disassembling Dick's computer and untangling and sorting all the wires that belong to mine.     I now can print again.   With a direct wire, the problem SHOULD be solved.

The desk across from me looks empty, but when I get back from Oklahoma, the goal is to fine a new home for that desk,   and set the spare room up as an office again.   Then I will  have a real livingroom now that it doesn't have to be the two of us face to face any more.   I think it will be easier for me when it is all rearranged.     I won't be looking for him there. As I said, the nights get lonely.    I admire Mother for her strength all these years with our her Hutz.

It was such a pleasure to have people in the house to talk to and to feed.    Richard and Brenda took me and Bobbie and Bill out for dinner last night.   But I did get to prepare lunch for them yesterday and I made a nice egg strata for our breakfast this morning with orange juice and a sweet bread.

Got a call from them this evening to tell me they were home safe and that Brenda made it to a play that she was meeting friends to see.

Then Bart and Barb called.    We had a nice talk.   He will pick me up on Tuesday and they have the bedroom all set up.  Barb is even letting me use her grandmother's quilt.   I feel honored.

So now I am going to bed as tomorrow will be a VERY busy day.

Til then

Dia Dhuit

Mary