I planted daffodils today. Jeff brought some bulbs to Mother and she did not want them all, so we shared. Bobbie and I were discussing bulbs a couple of weeks ago and I had mentioned that I did not have any daffodils. They are one of the very first signs of spring, along with worms all over the street, robins, the red winged blackbirds and kids playing basketball all around the tract.

It was a pretty quiet day overall. I got all packed for the trip and worked on the "book" that we are going to put on the altar for All Soul's Day. I make a cross quilt square and sewed it on the fabric that I will be covering the "book" with. I searched and found a site that has about 6 different crosses, so I have a source now. The hardest part will be stenciling all the names of those who have died in the past year. I really can't do that until we are back from the trip because we include the names of ALL who have died in the past years and (it sounds kind of gory) there is always a possibility that we will have some more in the next two weeks. We can't leave anyone off and there is a placement issue.

Well, Cheslea is begging to go out AGAIN and it is almost 9:00PM which is her time. So I will sign off now.





LADIES- Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice
cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

REAL WOMEN- Leftover wine??

Love

Mary

It is almost 10:00PM and I am winding down very fast. It was a rather busy day. I cleaned the kitchen this morning.

Then I went to have lunch in Plymouth at the Dairy Queen with my friends. My friend, Mary, has gone back to work for Edward Jones Brokerage. She says she is not happy about that, she would really like to stay home, but she has to work and at least the brokerage that she has joined is staffed with really great people. She does like being a broker too.

I delivered my basket to the Tisket a Tasket site. They liked it. I always feel really good when I deliver them each year. It must be fun collecting the baskets. The idea is to assemble a basket around a book. I chose two books about tea parties and added stuff.

Lastly, I stopped at Office Max and stocked up on copy paper and some supplies to use to make a list of those who passed away at Blessed Trinity this past year for All Souls Day. We like to do a special rememberance.

Now, I am tired.

If there are no dogs in Heaven,
then when I die I want to go
where they went.
- Will Rogers

I like Will's idea. I want to reconnect with Zero and a couple of other good doggy friends that I have had throughout the years.

Mary

Tomorrow will be a very busy day. I have to clean the kitchen in the morning. Actually, the floor isn't as bad as usual, because when I cleaned the grapes yesterday, I got the floor so messy that I had to wipe down about a third of it so we wouldn't stick.

Then I will have lunch with the girls in Plymouth. I don't know if Betty and Ceil are back from their trip to the New England states or not. Then the bank, Office Max and I have to drop off a basket for the Tisket a Tasket raffle that will be happening on November 5th or thereabouts. The last day to drop off the baskets is Oct 21 and we will be gone. Tisket a Tasket if a fundraiser to help combat illiteracy. I have contributed a basket for auction or raffle for several years now. This year I make one using a basket tray that I got from Mother. I cleaned it up and put a liner over the tray part. Then I filled it with two books on teas, an apron that I had decorated with a beautiful big cup, a table runner that can be used as a table runner or a placemat, two cups, coffee, tea and cookies. I think it is OK.

When I was a little girl, I used to go down town to the library every week to see Mrs. La Budde and get as many books as I could carry to read during that week. The library was located in an old house on the corner of Pine and Buffalo Streets in Sheboygan Falls, right accross from the Franklin House. It is a beautiful old building, a historical landmark, now converted back to a home. I have a lot of nice memories of that library. The Sheboygan Falls Library was originally founded by a ladies group.


Friday is the beginning of the weekend for me. Hope it is for you. Monday we go away for our Mystery Tour.

Mary

I really enjoyed Quilt Guild tonight. We had a pot luck, which is always fun. I made beans and balogna.

This is the simple recipe:

1 Can of Pork and Beans
1 Can of Spicy Chili Beans
1 Can of Black beans
1 Ring Balogna, peeled and sliced into chunks.
A good squeeze of ketsup
1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

The dessert table was FANTASTIC.

Then we had the business meeting, followed by a slide show of this years Quilt Show. My spinning watersheel quilt was in the pictures, but Shannon must have missed the Spider Web Wall Hanging. Well, you all saw it on this site and I have it hanging in the hall.

I showed the twin sized quilt that I am donating to the Church for the raffle at the Turkey Dinner.

I got home at about 9:00PM which was nice. Sometimes these things hang on.

Tomorrow, we are getting our flu shot. Ugh. I hate that. The first two years I got a very quick, very fleeting reaction to the shot. Since then nothing, but I am still a bit nervous about it. I will NEVER EVER get another pneumonia shot. Last year, I got my first one and my arm swelled up and was sore for a week.

Have a nice tomorrow. It was very pleasant outside when I left the club meeting. I guess it is supposed to be nice for several days before turning cold again.

Enjoy. The leaves are turning color. What a spectacular time of year this is.

Mary

I went over to Becky and Brian's house late this afternoon and picked wild grapes. They have them growing all along the fence between their alfalfa field and the adjoining corn field. I picked somewhere in the range of 12 to 15 pounds so will be able to easily make two gallons of wine. I will have to freeze them at first because all my jugs are "busy" right now.

I got to Becky's before she arrived home from work and as I started down the fence line to the grapes a young collie joined me. I thought she came from across Cty. O but figured that I would just keep an eye on her and bring her back with me. She is young and this is not the first time she has crossed the highway. Her owners are trying to train her to stay in the yard. I hope she learns before she gets hit by a car. I found out that her name is Cloe and that her owners DID come around looking for her.

Brian and Becky have a dog too. Her name is Bailey and she is really a nice girl. They keep her penned while they are at work and are training her with a remote collar which seems to be working.

My friend Janet from way back sent me this impossibly funny e-mail. I REALLY want to share it so here it is.

Subject: warning

I hate it when people forward bogus warnings but this one is real, and
it's very important. So please send this warning to everyone on your
e-mail list:

If people come to your front door saying they are conducting a survey on
deer ticks and ask you to take your clothes off and dance around with
your arms over your head while they inspect for ticks, DO NOT DO IT!
IT'S A SCAM; they only want to see you naked!

I really wish I had gotten this warning yesterday; I feel so stupid now!!!

PS...I didn't have one single tick either time they came!



Hope it made you laugh too.

Mary

It was a busy Monday. I started off with a nice walk with Chelsea as soon as it was light. She actually got me up at about 5:45AM but it was too dark to walk so I took my shower first.

Then Dick went to the dentist. He now has fresh clean teeth and no cavities. I went to Bible Study. We are almost dine with Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians. He is still explaining why he is an apostle and why he worked for his keep along with his preaching and all. We branched off into talking about mystics and angels and special gifts from the spirit. I believe in the them. In Paul's age, there seemed to be more of them. I wonder if maybe there are the same amount now but then they were not branded as crazy and also perhaps a lot of those who claimed to be mystics or to see visions or angels THEN were faking.

Lately, the Catholic church is downplaying angels. There was an article in the Catholic Herald that said that the world seems to glom on to the ideas that we throw out. We aren't much interested in angels anymore, but the general public is hopping on to angel belief.

The devastation in Pakistan if awful. So many thousands killed and homeless. I was remembering reading somewhere years ago that it is hard for human beings to get really emotionally involved when thousands and thousands of people are a part of a disaster. If we are focused on one person in a disasterous situation we often get a much bigger outcry from the public. Probably because we can empathize with one but masses of people become numbers and rather unreal.

This afternoon I went to Writer's Club. We had an unusual amount of business. This was my first meeting since I won the Aestival Festival Poetry Contest, so I brought my trophy and certificate. I read a story that I wrote and got some really good feedback. I will do a few revisions and then send it to the contest that I wrote it for.

There was frost on the ground both yesterday and this morning. I got hold of Becky and will pick wild grapes tomorrow. I will have to freeze them for later as ALL of my gallon jugs are being used right now and I only want to make one or two gallons.

If the San Diego Chargers win their game tonight, I will be in second place this week in the Fantasy Footbal League. That would move me up a bit in the overall standings too. Still not in the money but getting close. Go Chargers.

A most important tip....

LADIES- Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice
cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

REAL WOMEN- Leftover wine??

Have a nice Tuesday.

Mary

Such a nice Sunday. I went to the 8:00AM Mass. Then visited with Mother for a bit before heading home to fix breakfast, assemble the casserole for dinner and make an infusion from Lemon Balm leaves and stems so that I can make more Lemon Balm Wine when I finally free up some gallon jugs. Currently, I have two batches of Currant Wine and two of Concord Grape so my jugs are quite full and I need to wait until I can bottle. So I am making infusions and freezing fruit and flower petals so that I can make other batches when there are empty jugs available.

Bobbie, Jim and I went shooting this afternoon. My pistol shooting was OK. The first two weren't bad at all but the third was a little off. My elbow started hurting and I lost my steady hand. I only got a 15 on trap but I felt a little off. I need to keep reminding myself at EACH shot to line up the beads and keep AHEAD of the bird.

I talked to Bret tonight. He sounds good. The Santa Ana winds make his sinuses act up but he is far away from fires except for an occasional whisp of smokey air. He is working hard but today enjoyed a little fun at a church festival near his home that his friends Tony and Dee belong to. Their daughter, Emily, is his goddaughter.

And Oh YES! the Packers won big. 52/3 against New Orleans. So it has been a good day.

I have a puzzle. The Catholic church is talking about making a rule against gay men who are celebate and vow to remain so from becoming priests. Now, heterosexual men take a vow of celebacy and become priests all the time. (Well, Duh!) What is the difference. A vow is a vow is a vow.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your
hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always
catch the second person.
) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandma's lap.


Tomorrow will be busy so I am going to get ready for bed. Have a good Monday.

Mary

I took Mother to Joanne's today. We found her backing for her quilt and some lovely blue fabric for the backing. She also bought a pillow form. She is working on a Hawaiian design square and plans on making a pillow out or that. She never quits. I must ask her if she wants me to sew the backing together. I can't imagine her doing that by hand.

I picked up some thread and some fusable bonding so I can continue on my Christmas Tree Skirt.

Dick and I then took Mother to lunch at Zana's. I made the mistake of mentioning that I had gotten the "Friends don't let friends vote Republican" for both Jim and Bart, our Republicans. Mother got on her political platform and said that she would like one of them to tell her ONE reason why they back Bush. They could, I am sure, they are as determined as she is.

We racked the 2nd fermentation of the Concord Grape wine today. The first racking into the secondary fermentor. The Condord Grape Wines are going to take a great deal of patience. Two years, much like the Two Year Currant. I am thinking that perhaps that is what the Wild Grape wine needed too. More time. I know in Dad's personal wine recipes, if the wine was not up to his or Mother's standards, he would alway add the not - Age longer. Here is a great example. Actually, a wine that I would never try. It must have been around the period where he said of the Bee Balm Wine that if that worked, he would try his old shoes.

LETTUCE WINE

Step 1: Lettuce, campden tablets, 1/2 the sugar (1 1/4 lb), the raisins. Pour one gallon (7 pints boiling) over the itens in the crock. Cool.

Step 2: Add acids, yeast and nutrient. Stir twice a day for 5 days.

Step 3: Add rest of sugar (1 1/4 lb) boiled in 1 pint water. When cooled, fit lock and ferment.

Comment: Not so good. Let age.

Enjoy

Mary

I have a "needy" little Roxie, sitting on my lap purring her heart out and looking at me adoringly.

I had lunch in Plymouth again today. I had a grilled cheese today and it was exceptionally good. Then stopped at Mother's on the way home because I wanted to talk to Jeff. He came to get Mother's yard trimmed down for the winter and to help bring in the plants that she winters in the basement. I have asked him to help me drive Bart and Barb's things down to them. Bart is not well, as I mentioned and Barb has enough on her plate. They are doing a biopsy on the 18th. Please keep praying for a benign test on that.

Tonight, some of us finished decorating the church for Fall. We put the wreaths up and scattered colored leaves in the greens and around the candle holders. Now just before Halloween, we will add Mums and pumpkins and gourds.

I also baked an apple pie today and it really tasted good.

I looked for a simple one and this is it. It is called Wonderful Apple Pie and I found it on allrecipes.com.

* 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 cup flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Apple Pie Spice
* 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1 (9 or 10-inch) deep dish pie shell
* 8 cups medium cooking apples, peeled and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine brown sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and butter. Sprinkle about 1/3 of this mixture over bottom of unbaked pie shell.
2. Put apples in pie shell. Spoon remaining sugar-spice mixture over apples. Place pie on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

I don't do apple pies often because you have to peel all those apples and I don't enjoy that. I also tasted the Lemon Balm Wine as it is now officially one year old. It is quite good, very light and fruity but not too sweet. I will have to see if I can gather enough leaves between Mother's and my gardens to make a batch this year.

A friend is someone who knows
the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you
when you have forgotten
the words.;

-- Unknown

Mary

This was a shopping day and Dick got his "finger pricked" to test his blood. Sue, the technician , was training another tech and told her that Dick is one of her boring patients. He is always just where he should be. Only once in the last two years or more did he test outside of the perameters.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning the bathroom and transcribing some things that I have been writing in longhand on our trips lately so that I can work on them. I hate writing in longhand anymore but when there is not computer and a thought comes, one does not want to lose it.

I am going to make an apple pie for the weekend.

Mark Twain said "Principles have no force unless one is well fed." Quite astute. Just like I always say. Underfed children do not learn well. To teach the children in our poor areas, we first have to see that they have a good breakfast, follow it up with lunch and see that they do not go to bed with empty tummies.

Tomorrow is FRIDAY ALREADY. Where did the week go?

Mary

Here we are mid week.

Dick and I bottled the Beaujolais today. 25 bottles that will be ready in three months. They say you can drink it right away but we have discovered that the red wines really need to age for that three months to really smooth out. Tomorrow, we can try the Lemon Balm. We just have to remember to chill it.

Tonight, Mother, Dick and I went to dinner at Nino's and then went to the Sheboygan Theatre Co at Horace Mann to see Noises Off. It was a really fast moving farce. Well done. The last act was confusing, but they made it up in the curtain calls which were as good as the play.

George Washington's prayer for America -

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection ! and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Be happy

Mary

Another warm day. It was up into the low 80's. The "end" is coming soon. It is supposed to drop 30 degrees in the next couple of days.

Chelsea and I had a really nice walk this morning. The rest of the day was mildly busy. I got my haircut at 11:30 and then did a whole bunch of errands between that and my appointment with Dr. Casey. I told him about my sore knee. He adjusted it and showed me a couple of excercizes that should strengthen the muscles and make the pain go away. I can even do them while we are on the bus so the knee shouldn't lock up on the mystery trip.

Tomorrow we will go to the Sheboygan Theatre to see the first show of the season. Noises Off is the farce that is being presented. Some prople saw it on opening night and said that it was confusing to them. Nora saw it in Dallas and says it is a wonderful play. At least, she and Leif really enjoyed it. Usually the Theatre company does a great job on farces.

I got the results of my bone density test and everything is normal. I kind of figured it was. I have not even lost any height. I am still 5'4" and they say that people usually shrink as they grow older. If you lose bone density it has to go somewhere. Height would be the first place as far as I can see.

Tomorrow we will bottle a batch of Beaujolais. We have a lot in the making but are kind of low in our stock. Well, we should have plenty for Christmas, when we like to give it away. In two days, some of the scrath wines that I made last year will be ready for testing. The first one ready is the Lemon Balm Wine. We will taste it tomorrow. If it is any good, I must harvest some from Mom's garden before it freezes.

A poem from R. S. Thomas on eternity. I just like it.

"I think that maybe
I will be a little surer
of being a little nearer.
That's all. Eternity
is in the understanding
that that little is more than enough."

Sounds good to me.

Till tomorrow.

Mary

I had to be at three meetings between 6:00PM and 7:00PM this evening and I made them ALL. The Environment Committee was doing some seasonal changes in church. I was able to help for about 1/2 hour. While I was there, Jim Wilsing, my bagpiper friend, came in. He is doing the music tonight for the Mission that we are having at church. He spent two weeks down in the Biloxi Miss to help with the Red Cross. He said that it was extremely traumatic. He is glad he went and was able to do some good but will carry the pictures in his heart forever. I am going to see if Fr. Gene would like him to come to talk to our faith community. While I was working, he played Lament on the organ for me. What a guy.

Next, I zipped over to the Parish office and gave my report on the Celtic Faire. I have the go ahead for next year. We will again have the same band, the storyteller and the the Cashel Dennehy Dancers. I will do some rotation of the acts and publicize the times each will be performing. We are going to move the vendors under the trees on the music side of the building. I think they were too hot and away from the "action" this year. Last year wasn't quite so bad because we had the band out there. So we will move them.

Last, I went to Rhine Plymouth for the monthly meeting. I was only about 5 minutes late and they were waiting for me. It was a comparatively short meeting with only two really important discussions, the parking lot and the fact that beer is disappearing from the cooler. The second is very distressing. We HAVE to resolve it.

This morning, I went to Mass because I really don't need to be out extra evenings at the Parish Mission. Then I had breakfast with my friend Joann between Mass and Bible Study. That was pleasant. Joann is a real delight. Fr. Hart, our Mission Priest (a Franciscan) joined us at our bible study. So I got a little bit more of renewal and was able to ask for more EXTRA prayers for the kids in Oklahoma.

I think that I will get up my Halloween decorations tomorrow. I did hang the spider web wall hanging in the hall. After Halloween, I will hang the spinning pinwheel hanging which really came out looking good in that spot. I DO have to get a proper rod for it.

Mother is still quilting. Did I mention that. She has another quilt top ready for assembly. When we take her to the Sheboygan Theatre on Wednesday, I will ask her if she can go shopping for her batting and backing on Saturday. I can take her to Joanne's and then we can pick up Dick and all go to lunch. She likes that and we LOVE spending time with her.

Donna called tonight. Jessica wanted to know if we liked Wicked. She saw it in New York and was JEALOUS that we got to go. She would love to see it again. I will take the Discover books to Donna. It will be in Chicago til May of next year from the looks of it - or else in and out at least twice.

This seems to be a pitiful night for the Packers. They were tied in the first quarter but as we hit the half, Carolina is ahead by 16. Oops. I picked the Packers, out of loyalty, but thank heavens, I only gave them one point. My picks weren't bad this week. I believe I may move up a notch or two. Still below half but at least I am moving up.

An important fact to remember when raising boys.

When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.



Enjoy Tuesday.

Mary

Another beautiful day. Chelsea and I had the BEST walk this morning.

I met my cousin Mike, his wife Kellee and their children, Katie and Shawn for breakfast at Harry's Diner before they had to leave for the airport. Patty's funeral was yesterday and it was a lovely day for it. I guess everything went quite well. We had a nice visit this morning anyway. Mike still works for the airlines. He flies and also does some training. The children are busy in school and sports and whatever. They are beautiful children and very well behaved.

Then I went to church and this afternoon, Jim and I went shooting. This week was a big change from last week. I felt it was worth the trip to Rhine. My scores should be up. But that really BAD one from last week is definitly going to bring the average down. I shot a round of trap too and got a 16 again. Not bad but I hope to see some improvement as time goes on. Tomorrow is the club meeting. I am ALL ready. The minutes are copied and I updated the membership list with our two new member.

Please pray for Bart and Barb this week. They are facing health problems and need all the help they can get.

Take care. I read somewhere that we should live every day, as full of truth and kindness as we can, as though is were our last and to arise each day as if it were our first and a new and precious beginning.

Mary

We are home from Chicago. We got to the house at almost exactly 9:00PM just like they promised. It makes a long day but was well worth it. After picking up the extra passengers in Plymouth and Sheboygan Falls we headed directly to the Weber Grill Cafe in Chicago. All of their food is cooked on Webers. Dick and I had both ordered the Salmon which was brushed with a nice barbeque glaze. It came with salad, mashed REAL potatoes, steamed veggies and a great cheesecake.

Then on to the Ford Center for the Performing Arts (formerly and still recognized as the Oriental Theatre) for Wicked. It was one of the most energetic musicals that I have seen in years and we loved it. Again, none of the music is really memorable, by that I mean we did not come out of the theatre humming anything. However, we loved the performers, the performances and the message.

The premise is that one should always look at all sides of a situation. It is the Wizard of Oz from the viewpoint of the Wicked Witch of the West. Perspective can make the WHOLE story look completely different. One thing that impressed me was a statement by the Wizard that if one wants to rally people around you, one needs to find a common enemy.

Have pleasant Sunday. It is supposed to be beautiful with a chance of rain in the evening.

Love

Mary

A nice day. The weather was perfect. It was clear and sunnt but only in the low 70s for a high.

I had my bone density test today. It was the easiest test in the world. I just lay on a table and they took two shots. I paid attention this time and my height is still 5'4". I have been 5'4" for as long as I remember. That, to me, means that I am not losing height. So - my bones are probably OK.

Then I cleaned the kitchen and made Lavender Bread.

Had lunch with the girls in Plymouth at the Dairy Queen. I got a Grilled Chicken Salad. It was delicious. Then I stopped at Mom's and dropped of a card for her to take to Patty's funeral for the cousins. I enclosed a poem that I hope they like.

Tonight Bobbie and I worked at Rhine. I kept score because we needed scorekeepers. I had to be reminded a bit but it came back. I scored for a couple of really great shooters.

When I got home a call from Mike Holehouse was on the answering machine, so I called him. We will try to get together for a bit on Sunday Morning, but they have to be in Milwaukee by Noon so it could get tricky. Otherwise, as he says, since Patty is buried here, they will come occasionally. Though, that does not necessarily follow. I do not go to Tony's grave in Huntington Beach, but then I found that I just couldn't do that. I do want to go once more sometime. I only visited the grave twice since we buried him. Once with Dad and once with Grandma and Grandpa Bowser.
It is just too hard.

Tomorrow we go to see Wicked. I have to gather the things I want to take along and it is already 10:00PM so I will sign off now.

The Cadfael Book of Days, Ellis Peters, compiled by Robin Whiteman said. "What is done matters, but what is yet to do matters more."

Enjoy your weekend and pray for Patty. However, I believe that her angel has led her to God.

Love

Mary

Just a quick note as it is 10:00PM and I am about to go to bed. It was an interesting day. Dick and I went to breakfast and then shopping this morning.

Then I got a call from my cousing Lynn. She and her husband Jeff were in town early because they were not sure when the funeral for her mother Patty, was going to be. They have to leave EARLY on Sunday so would not be able to make it to a brunch on Sunday. So - I invited them to supper tonight. We had a very pleasant meal and then I led them over to Mom's to visit and I went to choir. I was done in time to lead them back. They are staying at the Comfort Inn just down in back of the Hardee's on J.
They seem very happy. Jeff drives truck - mostly locally and Lynn has been teaching for 18 years. They have two beautiful little girls, Katie and Sydney. I am really glad they came over.

Jeff called while I was gone. He is going to order a big floral arrangement from the whole gang of us and have it delivered to Wenig's on Saturday. That seems like a great idea to me. The obituary for Patty was in the paper tonight. I am so delighted to find that she also wrote poetry. I shared some of ours, (Dad, George, Matt and Mine) with Lynn. I gave her a copy of the book of Dad's poems that I compiled.

Tomorrow, I am having a bone density test. It will be interesting, but I believe that my bones are very good, so it is just a technicality.

Dave Berry said. "You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog sill give you a look that says, 'My God, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'"

Later

Mary

This was the quietest day this week. The only thing that I did that required any effort was ride to Manitowoc with Mary Yurk, my accross-the-street neighbor. She delivered blankets for the Linus Project to a baby care place and then we stopped at Quilts and Silks to browse. I did find a hanger to use in the hall so that I could hang my spiderweb for the holidays.

Aside from that it was quiet. I heard from my cousin, Laura, Patty's daughter. Patty's funeral will be Saturday and Dick and I will be in Chicago seeing Wicked. They will probably be in town on Sunday so I told Laura that I would love to have whomever over here on Sunday Morning for a brunch. I will bake lavendar bread tomorrow and make a fruit salad on Friday. Then, if they come, I can just cook bacon and sausage and scramble eggs for the brunch. I have some bagels too.

I feel bad missing the funeral but these plans can't be changed at this late date.

Tomorrow, Dick and I shop and I have choir in the evening. I also should go to the funeral of the mother of a friend. I must remember to get a lot of sympathy cards. I am totally out.

Did I ever give you the recipe to the easiest bread in the world.

Beer Bread

3 cups self rising flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 can beer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. Mix the three ingredients right in the pan. Let sit for 15 minutes or so. Bake for 1 hour.


Enjoy

Mary

I had the most wonderful experience listening to Dr. George Archibald's lecture at Lakeland College. Before the lecture, he actually walked up and talked to me. He thought he recognized me. I told him he looked familiar too and then he said he was the speaker. I told him that was why he looked familiar to me, because I am a crane fan. He is going to keep me informed as to when he goes up to Neceedah to watch the ultralights fly with the cranes. Wouldn't that be an exciting adventure.

The talk was informative and very easy to listen too. I learned a lot about the current condition of the flocks in Asia and Africa too. Did you know that there are no cranes in South America? Nobody really knows why.

I also picked up Market Day. As I said, we need to start emptying out the freezer now. We have enough food to feed us for a long time.

I got a call today from church. Lynn, the business manager, asked me if Doug Deeley was my brother. I told her no, he is my cousin. Then she said that the funeral home had called and that Doug's sister had died. I am so glad that she called. The sister is our cousin Patty. I haven't heard from her directly since my brother Tim died but have kept in touch with how she is doing through her daughter Jennifer. Jenny is a great gal for sending Christmas cards and responding to e-mails. Anyway, Patty was awful about writing or calling, but when you were with her, you always had FUN. Patty was a ray of sunshine in any room that she was in. I will miss knowing she is around. I am not too surprised, because I knew that she had congestive heart failure. I e-mailed Jenny and told her that if there was anything that I could do to let me know. And I called Mother. Doug MAY call but I wouldn't count on it.

Say a special prayer for Patty and her kids tonight. We want her soul to speed right up to heaven.


story that came out of Baton
Rouge.

Yesterday the Rev. Jesse Jackson showed up in Baton Rouge, I wished he would
have showed up in Sheriff Harry Lee's office as we would have NEVER heard
from him again. He said, "Bush has NOT appointed a Single Black to head up
this Katrina Relief, the Black Caucus and Black Leaders all over America are
upset with him putting the Black Folks on the side and it is OUR people who
are sitting on their roof tops waiting for Rescue, OUR people who are
standing in line at the Superdome waiting on Food, Water and a Ride to a
safe place, OUR people who have been locked down in Poverty..." and so on.

George Sell the Anchorman for TV 9 news responded to Jesse, "Rev. Jackson,
the Mayors of New Orleans and Baton Rouge are Black, the Police Chief's of
New Orleans and Baton Rouge are Black, the Head of the LA State Police is
Black, the Head of the Army conducting the Army's operation on the Ground in
New Orleans is Black, the Congressman from New Orleans is Black and for the
last 40 years, the leaders of LA have been members of the Democratic Party,
YOUR Party, don't blame us like you are doing, look in the Mirror, you pull
the Race Card any time you don't get your way, we are in a Terrible Crisis
and right now we need to come together and here you come to Louisiana and
holler Racism, just like you do, it is NEVER EVER your fault, ALWAYS someone
else, but here you are sitting High and Dry, why don't you go out in to the
waters where they are shooting at the Rescue personnel and help in the
Rescue???'"



From a copy of an e-mail that I received from a friend. I do believe that race is not a factor in the damage and devastation or the response. The response was poor management and the POOR suffered most because there is such a large poor population there.

Kind of an interesting commentary anyway. It brings out a lot of facts.

Til tomorrow.

Mary

Today was a quiet day.

Bible study was my only event, though Dick and I did have to pick up a couple of things this afternoon.

It is now still dark at 6:00AM when Chelsea wakes me up. So. I am just letting her out the door then and taking her for her walk a bit later, after we have breakfast and perhaps even a shower as it stays dark later and later and later. Winter gets that way, you know.

Bible study was lively. We are still reading Paul 2 Corinthians. In the 10th chapter, Paul is defending himself from charges that though he writes a nice letter, he isn't all that hot in preaching. We decided that out message is that not all ministers are equal. Some are preachers, some are good with people and some are good builders or managers. We are going to try to be aware that when people criticize a minister we should point out that even Paul had his drawbacks so we should be more accepting.

Tomorrow, I will go to Lakeland College to listen to Dr. George Archibald, the co-founder of the International Crane Foundation. As you probably know, the crane is my favorite endangered species and Dick and I try to go the the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo every year if we can. I never tire of it. I believe I will wear my crane vest and pin tomorrow. I will add one of my pictures of a crane to this blog posting.



We had pizza soup tonight. Such a good soup. I got the recipe from Aunt Mary Ann when Dick and I went to Texas several years ago. The real name is Zucchini Soup but Nora and Sara named it Pizza Soup when they were kids and it has stuck for us. I froze enough for three meals. It is time for us to start eating out of the freezer for a while.

These are two "givens" from a list of funny things boys do sent to me by a friend.

Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

80% of Men who read this will try mixing Clorox and brake fluid.


Good night sleep tight.

Mary