Saturday, what a day. Bart has been transferred to Green Bay. This will help resolve at least the first of the legal hurdles they are facing. Now we need to pray that they will transfer him into the VA System so that a proper course of treatment can be prescribed. He needs a pain clinic and help with his depression.

We, Jim, Dick and I, took his car back up to De Pere. Then Dick took us out for dinner. I had enchiladas beans and rice. We went to Garden View. They have very good food but it is way too much. I brought my soup and two enchiladas home with me. They always have WAY too much food but it makes a good lunch the next day.

Guess what, Bart was taken from Milwaukee at 1:45Pm and it is now 6:30PM and he is still not at the Green Bay Mental Health Center and (Worse), they don't know where he is. You would think they would have an intinerary. Poor Barbara is so upset. They are taking her to the manager.


I will keep you informed.

Love

Mary

Spent a couple of hours with Bart again today. We had a nice visit. NOW, they are talking about doing something about resolving the legal limbo over the weekend (HA - HA As if any government agency does anything on the weekends.) Well, we will see. Somehow or other there must be an end to and a reason for this nightmare. Prayers are being answered very slowly these days, but I must continue to believe that they are being answered. Otherwise, my whole belief system for 63 years has been for nothing. I received an email about four candles, Peace, Love, Faith and Hope. Peace, Love and Faith were blown out by ill wind but Hope kept burning and with it Peace, Love and Faith were able to be rekindled. I am trying to hold on to Hope.

Guess what! I am listed as a "Gaelic Poet" who will be part of live entertainment at Richard's in Sheboygan Falls on St. Patrick's Day.

Love


Mary

Well, Bart is still in legal limbo but seemed to be in a fairly good mood when I talked to him today. So that is GOOD. He is asking for school books to study which means he is thinking beyond the hospital and that is good too.

We went shopping and to the Discovery Travel show today. And tonight we played Yahtzee. Something Dick and I haven't done for a long time. The first three games were fun but he beat me so badly that the last one became really a drag. So we stopped. We have fun playing board games and maybe can do more of it. We used to play Cribbage for a hundred dollars a game in years past. We figured that we could play for whatever we wanted. For a while I was doing pretty well. I probably have forgotten most of it after all this time.

Lent is fast coming upon us. Fast - I guess that is a pun. I have stocked up on fish. Dick and Jim eat what I cook for them and I have some fish that they do like. We will have Swordfish, Haddock, Salmon Patties and tuna casserole. Come for dinner on any Friday during Lent and I will feed you too.

Love

Mary

Another busy day. I drove down to the hospital to see Bart and spent most of the day. He is much better but still gets rather agitated and restless. I was a good day mostly. He is going to any therapy sessions that he can so it was a good thing I brought a book to read.

It was a beautiful day but a storm is supposed to be coming in tomorrow night.

We voted in the Wisconsin Primary yesterday. It was our first election since the new Town of Sheboygan Firehouse is complete and we voted there. It is a beautiful building adjacent to the new town park. It was the first time we were in the building and we were impressed. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Love

Mary

I quit smoking in 1978 after having smoked for 28 years. Shortly after I quit, four little league mothers and myself decided to go out on the town to a Men's Strip Show. Shocking, I know, but that is not the story. Our 12 year old sons were horrified. "You are going WHERE!!!" But that is not the story either. We went to the show and had a ball. We laughed and yelled and just had fun. We were probably only gone three hours including travel time but it was a fun night.

The next morning, I picked up my jeans, thinking that since I had only worn them for a couple of hours I could put them on again. The cigarette smoke smell just permeated the room. Needless to say, I dumped them in the machine and marvelled at the fact that for 18 years I had smelled like that every day. YEUUUU. Icky.

I talked to Bart today and he sounds a bit better and more accepting. I know he does have bad times but they are fewer. I will go to see him later this week. I would like to do it when he is settled at he VA Hospital which is taking forever.

Love

Mary

Yesterday, my niece, Denise, the winner of last year's Wild Game Feast and Beer Tasting Festival, hosted the 27th annual event. It was well attended, even more that most years, as my sister, Nora, her husband Leif and their son Stenn, and my brother George, his wife Betsy and their son Shawn with his wife Sarah, attended. All but Shawn and Sarah came all the way from Texas. Shawn and Sarah live in Chicago. Stenn informed us before the beer tasting that he fully intended to win so we would all have to come to Texas next year. He didn't (unfortunately). My nephew, Kurt won. He was so excited. He was in a taste off his first year but has not been in the running since. He says that now he feels like a full member of the family. We had 20 people participating in the contest trying to identify 21 beers.

The food was excellent. When I get Uncle Fred's summary, I will give you the complete menu. But today I will just say it was wonderful.

Today, I sang at the 10:30 AM Mass. We were all rather sad as our choir director Stevan is retiring because of health reasons. We are all so grateful for the guidance and teaching he has provided us over the past several years. We are really a good choir and I hope that we can find someone to continue with his vision. We even did a CD a few years ago and we sound GOOD. Anyway, Steve is my friend and I will not miss him. He will still be my friend. But I will miss the choir director.

Love

Mary

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming...Wow! What a ride!'"

I read the above on the Red Hat Society bulletin and thought I would share.

It is hard to keep up my steam right now, but I am working on it. Bart had a better day in himself yesterday, though his situation is still not resolved and he is still not at the VA Hospital where he will be getting some real help. They are mostly good to him where he is but he is in limbo. Remember, Limbo? It doesn't exist in the afterlife but believe me it exists here on earth.

Today is the annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner. I must get my roast in at 9:00AM and will make the potato salad. It is good to be busy. I do best when I am busy.

Your prayers are so special and so appreciated.

Love

Mary

I spent yesterday with Bart. He is much calmer though he does have bouts of crankiness and agitation. He is sometimes speaking of future plans which is much more my Bart so I am encouraged. It was a long day and I am still exhausted after a full night's sleep. He is so fragile.

"Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is."

Keep praying - it is holding us together.

Love

Mary

Well, It has been a long long two days. Bart showed a little improvement yesterday. At least he ate dinner and stopped trying to get out of the hospital. I am hearing response to my prayer requests. So many people calling for help from God will surely bless my boy. I was reminded of John Lennon's song for his son Sean and I will quote a verse or two to illustrate how I feel about my boy.

BEAUTIFUL BOY

Close your eyes. Have no fear.
The monsters gone, he's on the run
and your daddy's here.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy.

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you while your busy making other plans.

Chorus:

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way, it's getting better and better.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful beautiful Boy.

By John Lennon

I hope Bart will reach for hands and know that things will get better and that we are all there to help him come back to be what he is, an honest, loving, strong man. He has no idea how proud I am of him.

Love

Mary

It has been a long three days. For anyone who reads this that I haven't contacted. My son, Bart, is in the hospital. He was admitted to St. Luke in Milwaukee and transferred to the Mental Health Unit. He is suffering from severe acute depression and it has absolutely devastated him. This has been building up since he had the back surgery five years ago. He has struggled with constant pain and become a perscription opiate addict. Hopefully, now that the problem is recognized, he will get the help he needs. The doctors say it will be a long road, as they need to get him off the drugs he is on and reintroduce SOMETHING that will help control the pain and they need to treat the depression.

We need prayers. We need a LOT of prayers and I ask you humbly for them. I read my Cadfael Book of Days and again it is appropriate.

Feb. 8: "Reverses are sent to us so that we may overcome them, and no one can presume to escape such testings for ever. The loss can be borne."

Feb. 9: "Know that you are not alone."

I pity those who do not know the presence of Jesus. He is my strength. I think that Bart and Barb have had quite enough "reverses" now and need some good things to happen. They WILL bear the losses but really need some gains now.

Love

Mary

Snow all over the place. We got at least 5 more inches last night. Chelsea loves it and it is really pretty. I guess we are still a bit behind on what we need to maintain the water table but the season is not over yet.

I have a nice quiet weekend coming up. We will go shooting on Sunday. I did just terrible tonight. I don't know what I am doing wrong but maybe practice is what I need.

Jim is home all weekend, so I made a dessert to last us for the next three evenings. I picked up some raspberries and blackberries at the store yesterday and made an upside down cake. It got kind of exciting when I got to the part of the recipe that said to alternate adding the flour and the milk to the creamed butter and sugar but did not tell me how much milk was needed. So I did some research and revamped the recipe as follows:

Raspberry Blackberry Upside Down Cake

1/4 c. Brown Sugar
2 TB Bitter
2 c. Berries (Blackberry, Raspberry, Whatever you have.)
1/2 Cup Margerine or butter
1 3/4 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 c. Flour
2 ts. Baking Powder
12 ts. salt
1 c. Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in an 8 or 9 inch iron skillet over medium heat. Add berries and cook. Sir until mixture bubbles then add 3/4 cups of the sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.

Mix 1/2 cup butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Blend in eggs. Bix four, baking powder and salt together and sift alternately with milk to the creamed butter mixture.

Pour batter over cooked fruit and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes til lukewarm. Run a knife around the pan and turn onto a large plate. (Be sure you invert it while still warm or it won't come out of the pan.) Best served warm. Whipped cream or ice cream are nice additions but not necessary.

It sure is good.

Love

Mary

Jim and I went to Lakeland College last night to see Gaelic Storm at their theater. WoW! they are good. Jim and I have to get their fourth album. Their fifth will be out in May or thereabouts and we are behind one. They did say they would be at Irish Fest this year so I probably will have someone to go with. JIM. Dick doesn't like the crowds and talked me out of going last year for a dud of a trip somewhere else. Not this year.

They are so lively and their music is really great. They seem to like Wisconsin and can't get over the names of our towns. They are especially entrances with Oostburg and keep on talking on going to a bar in Oostburg which of course absolutely delights all of us Sheboygan County people who know it will be a cold day before you could find a bar in Oostburg. However - De Zwann's in Cedar Grove closed. The family decided to retire and the place has reopened recently and I HEARD that they serve wine and beer. What is happening to our dry cities?

Dick is slowly recovering. We are beginning to think that perhaps it is Gaelic Storm that is responsible for his being sick. They were here last year at the Stepanie Weill Center and he got sick then too. I hope he just forgets buying a ticket next time. That gets a bit expensive for a seat to throw jackets on. Jim and I always have fun at these concerts but Dick likes them too. At least he says he does.

I am writing a monthly food column for a little paper that is published up north and run by a gal who was in the Sheboygan County Writers Club. I get paid a copy of the paper and my name and column in print. I hope to eventually put these columns in to a little book. Wish me luck. I will see how they go over and how many I can turn out.

Have a great day. There is a storm warning for 4 to 7 inches of snow for tonight. It has been downgraded some from 12 inches but we always have the lake effect to contend with.

Wish us Luck

Love

Mary

Yesterday was groundhogs day. I guess we are supposed to have an early spring. It certainly doesn't look so outside today. It snowed for 12 more hours last night and the snow is piling up steadily. There does not seem to be any melting down.

I have decided to make the venison roast as a Texas Brisket roast for the 27th Annual Deeley Wild Game Dinner and Beer Tasting Contest. That is Dick's favorite way to fix venison. I can cook it all morning and then put it in the slo cooker in its juice to keep it warm. I have Daddy Hinkle's marinade and seasoning. I will also make potato salad.

Started a book discussion group with four wonderful women at church yesterday. The book is called Live Long and Love It. It should be nice, we will meet once a week for about 10 weeks and discuss how to best enjoy our older years.

Have a good Wednesday.

Mary

January is over ALREADY. Today, started off with a bang, literally. Jim, Bobbie and I went shooting at Rhine this afternoon. I shot a line of trap with a gun that I am trying for a while to see how it does. It is a 847 12 gauge shotgun and thought the stock is too long, I wasn't unhappy with it. I only shot a 9. However, the stock IS too long, I have never shot in winter with all the bulky clothes and the cold and this is the first line I have shot since September. SO. We will see. I will shoot another line next week and each week for a while.

My league pistol targets were not too bad. I blew the middle one but the first and last were in the 50s.

The Super Bowl is on and without the Packers playing it is really hard to get too interested. I don't really care who wins. The first quarter and a half were really dull, then they scored four times, going into the half 14/10 New England. So the last half of the 2nd quarter was at least fun to watch.

I am feeling pretty good now and the temperature was up into the high 20s today. Chelsea and I went for a walk this morning and she was a very very happy puppy. As I have said before, Dick and Jim's idea of taking her for a walk is sending her out the side door on her leash and saying "Run, Chelsea, Run." til she does something.

Have a good week and a great February. I have two friends who are ill and would appreciate any prayers you have hanging around for their health.

Love

Mary

Only one day left in the first month of the year. I am getting over my cold but am sick of it. I am sick of Dick telling me to take it easy but not being sympathetic to my restlessness. Men! They just DON'T get it, do they?

I've been getting interested in sewing again too. I have four squares finished for a quilt and 9 more to go. I cut out and arranged one to sew this weekend. I received a copy of the Pike River Review and Janice Kaat, the editor is publishing my food column. It is nice to see your name in print. If I do well enough, I will incorporate them in to a book eventually.

It never hit 0 Degrees today. What a cold one. It is supposed to get up in to the teens today and be in the 20's for part of next week. Where is global warming when you need it.


Love

Mary

Today is my sister Nora's birthday. When Dick and I were married, she and her husband, Leif, had already moved to Dallas and Dick didn't meet her for several years. He used to tease me about making up a sister. He said he had no idea why, with all the brothers and sisters I had, I would make up another one, but that was his conclusion. She is next in age to me. My brother Jeff better stop calling me the matriarch. My Mother is the only on who deserves that title right now and for a LONG LONG time.

I laid low again today. I did not go to help with Bingo at Rocky Knoll. Didn't see any sense spreading my germs in a hospital atmosphere and sent an e mail with my concerns to the members of the parish council that I have addresses for. Hopefully at least ONE of them picks up their mail during the day. I didn't get any acknowlegements so God only knows. I hope I am much better tomorrow. I would like to go to lunch with the Plymouth Ladies and also would like to go shoot pistol league with Bobbie and Jim.

I am re-reading a wonderful book by John O'Donohue called Anam Cara - A Book of Celtic Wisdom. I can read a short piece every day and get something out of it . Something new each time. Anam Cara means soul friend. We are our best soul friend but there are friends out there who sometimes become Anam Cara to us. Treasure them.
" I am as my Creator made me, and since He is satisfied, so am I." Minnie Smith
Love

Mary

The cold is awful today. I did not go to bible study. Dick is going to grocery shop alone tomorrow. I am goint to try to be well enough to go to the Parish Council Meeting tomorrow night. As Dick says I don't want to give everybody colds.

There is so much happening at church that I really hate to miss it.

It is supposed to remain cold for the rest of the week and more snow in a couple of days.

Does a person ever stop worrying about their children? I remember one time when Jim was having a difficult time, I told Dick that he just had to let Jim make his own decisions because he was, after all, an adult. And Dick looked at me mournfully and said that I just did not understand. None of his children were adults. (And Jim is the youngest.)

I thin that says it all.


Love

Mary

My cold has finally blossomed into a full blown head cold and I am not happy except that maybe NOW it will run its course.

I got a box of items made by Fr. Mike Shea's Aids Moms yesterday. They do batik table cloths, runners etc and t shirts. The designs are bold and dynamic. So full of life. I know this is hope to these people. I must see if I can figure out a way to market it. I will talk to Fr. Ed at bible study and bring it up to Sr. Marcia and the council to see if we can start a mission society for Sarnelli. If any one is interested in Tshirts, Bookmarks, hand crossstitched greeting cards and batik cloth, Let me know and I will send pictures . They are truely lovely.

Love Mary

Wow, have I been lazy on Blog for the past few days. Actually, I have a sore throat and have been really laying low. I have been rereading the Harry Potter books for fun and to keep me still.

I did go shooting on Friday evening and had two good targets and one terrible target. It was the last one and I am chalking it up the the cold range and tiredness.

It has been snowing for two days and looks like it will continue for a day or two. This should make the farmers happy as the water table has been low for the pas couple of years.

Bret called on Friday night and it was so good to hear his voice. He is happy with his new job, home and girlfriend.


I don't think I shared my winter poem with you so will do so now.


CRANKY OLD MAN



Cranky old man sucks joy out of the world.
Cold and harsh is his way.
Life pulls in to the ground, away from his fury
As Winter marches in, cold and forbidding.
Snow covers ground, trying to protect,
To shield the earth from his wrath

Some of God?s creatures sleep away his reign.
Some flee South before his rage.
Some timidly creep out to search for food.
Cold and hungry they nip at weeds and tree bark,
While struggling to survive
Then rush back to shelter among the trees.

Cranky old man stays much too long.
The earth sleeps and gains the strength.
To finally answer the call of sun and light
And dare to bring color back to the world.
Winter grows empty and weak
And falls before the strength and joy of Spring.


Spring always comes too.

Love

Mary

In one of my other lives, my ex husband, the boys and myself came to Wisconsin for Christmas one year. We stayed for a whole week and it was COLD. I believe that it ranged between 10 and 16 BELOW zero for our entire stay. I remember arriving at the airport and Nora picked us up. It was so cold and my California boys were not at all prepared for this. We were so grateful to get to my parents warm home and surprise them. All of my brothers and sisters knew we were coming but it was a surprise for Mom and Dad. Mother is so cool. Her only comment was that she supposed that she would have to make cut out cookies after all.

Such wonderful memories. I was reminded because we are currently having such cold days . It was 9 below while Dick and I were out shopping this morning and is still below zero. It is very hard on Chelsea but we have managed to keep her comfortable and "emptied".

Keep warm. We worry about Jim coming home after midnight on these cold days. Thank God for mobile phones these days.

Love

Mary