I spent the morning cooking. I made Pizza Soup. It made me think of my Uncle Roman and Aunt Maryann. When we went south to Texas, we stayed with them in Austin. Aunt Maryann made this soup, which is really called Zucchini Soup, while we were there and it is SO good. We call it Pizza Soup because when Sara and Nora were little, that is what they called it.

It is a huge recipe, but the good thing about it is that it freezes beautifully. So we will have soup for weeks.

I also made a blueberry pie. We were out of desserts and I need to use up blueberries from the freezer. I will be able to share it too. Bobbie will be here on Monday and I can take some to Mom.

There was a lot of wash to do and more tomorrow but I have it pretty much under control. I cut Dick's hair and beard this afternoon. I used to cut his hair until he went to Plymouth Care but never did his beard before. I think I did a good job. Tomorrow, we will take a picture and we will post it on this blog.

Today, the first of my helpers came at 3:15PM so that I could instruct her as to Dick's care, especially the stand lift, and get to the 4PM Mass. I had to miss Mass last week and for me that is hard as it is an hour that I use for centering and regrouping. I really miss Mass when I cannot go.

An aide named Kim came and it went just fine. He had taken his meds and she made the bed and did the dishes and emptied the dishwasher too. He had to go to the bathroom once and that worked well too. Now I feel a bit more confident that this will work.

He went to bed at about 7:30PM this evening and I will be following him very soon.

Tomorrow will be a day at home. I don't expect anybody either so that will be different. I wonder if Roxie will be looking for some company. She is so used to the parade that goes in and out of here.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I found a quote that I hid in a notebook some time ago. I will share it tonight.

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow. Yet we forget that he is someone today." Stacia Taucher

A busy productive day.

Jody came at 8AM an did the cleaning.

Mary from Embrace Care arrived at 10:30AM and we came to an agreement as to what we want to try for the next two weeks. Then we will reeavaluate to see if all is working well. This should give me some relief from the strain on my ribs and back and give me some time away, with someone here, to do the shopping and other errands that have been let go for the past couple of weeks. I am hoping that they can be with Dick while I go to church on Saturday.

Every day I realize how very blessed we are.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I went in to the Sheboygan Clinic to see Dr.Leben. I showed her the log that I kept for a week or more after she did the shot in my back. It did show that the shot WAS working but the benefits were destroyed because of the strains I put on the back and ribs helping Dick. She has suggested that I see Dr. Sidiki for a different kind of shot that will actually deaden the nerve and bring relief from the pain. I talked it over with Dick and he said that he would do it if it were him. That will be scheduled sometime next week.

Dick will be having a procedure done on April 16th. It will hopefully go a long way towards solving his UTIs and improve his general health. He is so weak.

Ashley, the RN form VNA came today to check him and we discussed things that are being worked on. I plan to talk to a home care management group tomorrow and wewill set up some initial help for us.

I was able to finish a project for CWI and get a half bolt of the CWI tartan ordered. I also talked to a couple of people about the Gathering. Kate has made the reservations for our room at the Inn on Woodlake. That will be a good break in just a month and is something for me to look forward to also.

So tomorrow will be rather busy. Home health care, Jody, the cleaner and Mary from the Care Management. I will be going to bed VERY soon so that I can be ready to get up at 6AM.

So Dia Dhuit

Mary

A Haiku from me

How far must I run
To feel freedom on my face
Under floating clouds.

It is now a month until the Celtic Spring Gathering, and I am making arrangements so that I can go for the weekend. By then I will REALLY need a break and what better event to go to.

Today, I did manage grocery shopping. I went very early while Dick was still in bed. I woke him enough to tell him that I would be gone for a bit. I was back in 45 minutes and he was still asleep. So that worked. Made me very nervous though.

The morning went pretty well. He seems to get restless and tired more in the afternoon and evenings.

This afternoon, Kathy from the Department of Aging and Disability came and reviewed some of our options with us. I have a lot of work to do but have people to go through it all with me. I am so very tired. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment in the early morning but will try to get to it before three when things always get out of hand here. Bobbie, you understand the afternoons, having spent one with your Dad. It is almost 8PM and I am going to finish setting out the pills for tomorrow and then will get Dick to bed and then myself.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Our only visitor today was Nancy, the home health aid who gave Dick his bath.

I managed to go to the Pharmacy early this morning while Dick was still feeling pretty well. The late afternoons and the evenings are the worst. He is weak and confused and I am tired.

I am trying to watch the elimination show of Dancing With the Stars but that is kind of turning out to be a losing battle. I don't care much about TV, but I do enjoy that show IF I get to see it.

Tomorrow the agent from the Department of Aging and Disability is coming and perhaps we can see about regular assistance. I am almost ashamed to go back to Dr. Leban and tell her I am as bad as I was before the treatment she did.

Oh Well. It will all work out.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A good night's sleep made me ready to face the day, but tonight I am ready for sleep again. Believe me.

I did zip out after Dick got up and I had him set up with his meds, his juice and Iced tea and his nebuliser. I had to pick up some meds for Mom and stop over at her house to see that the bills were all paid. I wanted to update her as to how things are going here too. These things are not easily explained on the phone especially with her hearing problem. She looks well.

I got home and fixed lunch for Dick and me. At 2PM Tim picked us up to take us to the Clinic here in Plymouth. His coagulation count is just perfect. Dr. Sharon has reviewed everything that has been presented by the other doctors and does not have a definitive answer as to the weakness and confusion but agrees that the procedure that Dr. Herman wants to do is necessary, so we will be scheduling that within a week, I would imagine. This afternoon was exhausting but at least that stand lift is making Dick's transfers safe.

Kitty thinks it is time to go to bed and I believe that I agree with her. As soon as I am done watching Dancing with the Stars, I will be there.

We will see what tomorrow brings.

Dia Dhuit

Mary


A.E. Housman, who said, "Knowledge is good, method is good, but one thing beyond all others is necessary; and that is to have a head, not a pumpkin, on your shoulders and brains, not pudding, in your head."

Today, I got the afternoon off. Bobbie and Bill came over to stay with Dick while I drove to the Marcus in Milwaukee to see Eileen Ivers and her band in concert with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Rosemary Mugan rode with me. We lunched at the Water Street Brewery. I ordered a super delicious yellow fin tuna sandwich. Then we walked down the street to the theater for the concert.

It was SO good. She played a lovely selection of music, from OCarolan to John Williams and as piece or two of her own. Lively and special. She and her band are very interactive too.

I got home at about 6PM. Bobbie had dinner just about finished, so the four of us ate and now it is after 8PM and I am going to bed.

Until tomorrow
Dia Dhuit

Mary

A stay at home day. I would have liked to go to Mass this afternoon, but I do not feel comfortable leaving Dick for any length of time.

He is still very weak and sometimes forgets that he cannot do what he was able to do even two weeks ago. Embrace Care Management had provided us with a method to make his transfers easier so hopefully, I will "last" as long as he needs me.

I had reserved seats at the Eileen Ivers concert in Milwaukee several weeks ago. Bobbie and Bill are coming over to stay with Dick while I am gone. There are not many people I would be comfortable with leaving him. I am so grateful for the break.

Monday we see Dr. Sharon and I hope he can coordinate the various Doctors reports and get some answers. I just can't believe that - as stable as his vital signs are - he is becoming so weak. Continue with prayers for him and for me to have the wisdom to care for him properly.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

We had our first gloomy rainy day in a week. It was a bit cooler, but still not at all cold. The rain was welcome.

We started off the day with pancakes. I have been hungry for pancakes for a week and Friday seemed a good day for them. Jody got here at 8AM to do the cleaning. Yvonne, the RN, came at 9AM to check Dick's vitals. He is just fine again. Even his sugar count was only 112 this morning. OK if everything is so wonderful, why is he getting weaker by the day.

After Yvonne left, I went and did a couple of quick errands as I knew that Jody would be her if an emergency came up. Jody is a wonder. She was late coming home from another job yesterday so was going over to Mother's when she left here today.

Than, at 12:30PM, Mary Pitch from Embrace Home Management came with an aide, Heidi. We reviewed the problems that we are having. Frankly, I could not get Dick up again today. His knees and legs are not working properly. I have been sitting on the floor and holding his knees steady and this is just too hard on my body. Mary and Heidi suggested a step lift that will allow us to strap Dick to the lift. Bring him up. Move the chair and then slide the commode under him. IT WORKS. With any luck at all, I will not have to be holding his legs up on the ground any longer. The next day or two will tell the tail. Tomorrow, I can call the Embrace Home Management to find out what help we can get for Bobbie on Sunday when I will be gone.

I am seeing some light for myself. Now if we can only figure out what is causing Dick to be getting weaker every day, we would have it made.

So Tomorrow I Will be home all day and we will work on the lift. I got a call from the Department of Aging and Disability and they will work with us and with Mary to do the best we can for us. As I heard from Mary first, we will start things with her but they all do work together.

So wish us luck. I have faith that nothing is given that I can't handle. I wish God thought that I was weaker.

Dia Dhuit

mary

The weather, again, was just gorgeous.    I see that my neighbor Jean's daffodils are blooming.  Mine are coming up but still I only see one lonely bud so far.

We had an appointment with Dr. Kream at the Plymouth Clinic.   I had called Tim from Custom Care and Transport to take us.  I have him coming on Monday also to take us to the Clinic to see Dr. Sharon.  It is just not safe for me to take him until he regains some strength.     He also had an INR - and his cumadin count is finally good.   2.2.   So we are happy about that.    Dr. Kream says that his lungs are OK.   He had sent him down for an xray and there is definitely an improvement.    The tests showed no infection or cancer.   So that is very good.   He too is baffled as to why Dick is getting so weak.   We are going to coordinate all of the doctors information with Dr. Sharon on Monday.   Hopefully we can come up with some answers.

The rest of the day was fairly quiet.   Dick is still very tired.  We are having trouble transferring him but we got him to bed tonight and are just taking one day at a time.

Tomorrow we will be interviewing with a care management company to see what they might have to offer for his care.   And I will be talking to the Department of Aging and Disability for the county after we see Dr. Sharon.

So tomorrow is Friday already.    Jody comes to clean and a couple of Dick's caregivers will be here.    I NEED to get to the bank and take Dick's glasses in to get the lens changed.   Hopefully, I will be able to do that while he is resting.

One day at a time, Sweet Jesus.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Another absolutely gorgeous day.  Sunshine all day and temperatures in the upper 70s.   Wisconsin is kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop and hoping  that it won't.   We are finding it rather difficult to remember the old adage "Never plant until Memorial Day."   That is two months from now, for heaven's sake.

Otherwise, it was not a great day.    We had trouble with Dick transferring from chair to wherever.   He fell again.  He is just so weak.   So I have called Tim, from Comfort Care and Transport to take him to see Dr. Kream tomorrow.    I have calls in to several agencies that say they will set up consultations with me to see how we can get help in here.  The trouble is that there are no specific times, like in the morning from 7 to 9 or in the evening from 5 to 7  that we can specify.    It is just whenever he needs to transfer.   But we will keep working on it.    Monday we will see Dr. Sharon after all the specialists have their reports in and hopefully we can come up with a PLAN.

I had my mammogram today too.  So what else can I say.

Marty from the Wisconsin Prosthesis also came by today and worked on Dick's prosthesis.   We are trying new sleeves.   So far no good because he is so very weak.  But perhaps after a good night's sleep we can have some results in the morning.

Anyway,  pray for good sleep for both of us.   I am a bit concerned as my ribs and back are a bit sore after the past couple of days.    I know that we have to figure something out.

So, tomorrow, Dr. Kream and an antocoagulation check. 

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Dave Barry said "You can say any stupid thing to a dog and it will look at you as if to say: 'My God, that's
fascinating!  That never would've occurred to me' "

I miss my doggy.

Another day better forgotten.

It started out OK.  Dick was somewhat unsteady getting out of bed this morning, but we got him all settled and I headed to Sheboygan to have the emission test done on the car for my license renewal.  That went very well and the car passed the test with flying colors.    On the way home I had time to stop at Walgreens to pick up Dick's prescription and a couple of other necessities.

We had to leave at 10AM for Dick's appointment with Dr. Herman's nurses.   This is where things fell apart.   We did very well getting him into the car BUT when we got to the Sheboygan Clinic, he did not have the strength to stand up and get into a wheel chair.  With a lot of help, (would you believe that one of the nurses from the emergency room visit a couple of weeks ago came by and stepped in?  Angels are watching!) he finally DID get transferred and we got him up for his visit.  

That turned out to be a dud too.   It seems that the process that Dr. Herman wanted us to do will not work at this time, so we are back to square one.    They will be calling tomorrow to let us know plan 2.   Fortunately three members of Dr. Herman's staff helped us get him back into the car so that we could go home.

We stopped for Dairy Queen on the way home.  It seemed only right.  We split a bacon cheeseburger meal.

Nice and dedadent.

Nancy from VNA came to give Dick his bath and was there to help me in transferring him twice.    I was so grateful.   He is all sparkly clean too.

We spent a very quiet afternoon.    I napped for a bit and Dick did too.   We removed and replaced his prostheses in mid afternoon to give the legs a chance to rest and be sure they were on right.   They are definitely slipping.  Marty HAS to fix that.   Along with Dick's weakness, this is a disaster waiting to happen.

Anyway.   I, for one, am glad today is over.   Tomorrow is not much better, but at least Dick does not have to go anywhere.  Home is much safer these days.

I made a couple of calls today to see about getting help in here.   It is so hard to determine WHAT help will be practical, but we have to keep Dick safe at all costs.

So.  Until tomorrow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Let's remember that each day is a new beginning.   And the good old saying  One day at a time.

A quick post tonight.  

I left for Bible Study after getting us up, dressed and fed.  It was about 9AM.  I stopped at the post office to send our present for little Marcus to him.  

There were just 4 of us at the Bible study and we had some really nice discussions.   We have now finished the group of Royal Psalms that we have been studying and are moving on into the Laments.   We are looking forward to them.   I have read and heard some of them at Mass and they are a good way to vent feeling lost, afraid or sorry for oneself.   I think it is probably God's way of telling us that is OK to feel that way sometimes.

Then Peggy Feider joined me to go to see Mom.   Peggy and Mom knew each other by sight and reputation, but have never really talked.    Nora and Leif were there when we got there so the five of us had a nice visit before Peggy had to leave.  Then I got to visit a bit with Nora before they had to leave to go see Aunt Kathleen.  Which left enough time for me to help Mom with the bills and fill the pill box for her.

Home again, we had our lunch and then took off for the Sheboygan Clinic.   Dick's coagulation count is coming up but is not perfect yet.   At least I don't have to give him any more shots.    Then we had an appointment with Dr. Herman, the urologist.     He had a test which shows that there are no cysts which is good news.   There is a diabetes related problem that we will be working on.  Hopefully - no more infections.

I wish that there had been more time with Nora, but we are really so blessed that in our age, travel is so much easier and that they were able to be here at all.    In our younger years, this was not an option.

Dancing with the Stars is on and I am enjoying it despite the interruptions.    There is a really good cast of Stars this time.   It is going to be really hard not to vote for them all.

Tomorrow is already full in the morning. Hopefully, I will be able to take a nap in the afternoon though.   That was impossible today.

We had a bit of rain today.  A welcome rain, not too cold and not really heavy.  Just soft and steady.  Some people have daffodils already.   Mine are coming up but no blooms yet.  But as I said, I have crocuses and they are beautiful.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was a very uneventful day.   Thank God!  We got up at about 7AM and just moved apace.

As we had NO appointments and N0 body coming over the day just kind of moved.    I had a terrible night last night.   Just could not get to sleep.   I  tried naps twice today but Dick needed me before if was able to really get into either one.   I am hoping to go to bed and just zone out for 10 hours.

I prepared my homemade corned beef for our lunch and it was delicious.    We can enjoy sandwiches and hash and another whole dinner this week with that.   I need to take some to Mother too.

In the middle of the day, the Internet and the phone service stopped working.  I called Time Warner, and thank heavens, they sent somebody out right away.   He found a unconnected wire.   Someday I will tell you about it.   So we are all fixed up an off and running.

We were laughing at how dependent we are on the computers.   Even, maybe even more so, us retired people.   I am LOST without it.   I have my calendar and my finances and everything on it.

I got to talk to Nora today.   If Dick feels OK, I will go to Bible Study and mother's house and get to see her a bit tomorrow.   She is only here until Tuesday and the Irish Party was supposed to be the big get together.  I am just so grateful that Dick was not hurt.    I believe this gives me ammunition to push for a medic alert system.

We have been enjoying dessert today.   I made an Irish Cream cake that is really good.   It also has chocolate pudding and chocolate chips in the mix.   How can you go wrong.

So.  a quiet Sunday.   Pray for a quiet week.   Tomorrow is my Bart's birthday.   He is 41 years old.   I remember with such joy, his birth.   He was the only of my boys that I got to actually see come into this world.    It was a beautiful sight.    That was one of the happiest delivery rooms in the world.   The nurses were even excited.  An now I have a new great grandson,  little Marcus, who has nice round cheeks like his Uncle Bart did when he was born.

So blessings on the week

Dia Dhuit

Mary

St. Patrick's Day dawned kind of cloudy, but warm and perfect for the Festivities in Plymouth.  

I got up at 7AM and managed to get lots done before I woke Dick up at 8AM so that I could have him all settled and fed before I left for the CWI meeting at The Exchange Bank.    There were only 6 of us there, but several others joined us at the corner of Highland and Eastern for the Big Walk.  Several of us decided to walk up.   It took a bit longer than we had anticipated so  four of us who started together just joined the parade where we met it.

It was a wonderful walk.   Saw lots and lots of friends.   We got to the Stafford in good time and went in to have our shot of whiskey.   Then we, Celtic Women split up.   Some stayed at the Stafford and several of us went to eat at Antoinettes where it was quieter.    I ordered a Reuben sandwich with sweet potato fries.   I was able to bring half home for Dick.

I got home at a bit after 1PM.    Then I took a nap so that I could be ready for tonight.   However, the best laid plans. 

I went to the 4PM Mass and when I got home, I found Dick had fallen.  He was sitting on his bent over prosthesis again.   No other choice but to call 911.   Those guys are really getting to know us well.   They are so very kind.   Fortunately, he did not hurt himself.  He must have a special, very tired and hard working guardian angel.   Thank God.

So, needless to say.  I stayed home instead of going to the party at Eileen's home.   I went downstairs  and found the Quiet Man movie.  I have helped Dick into bed and am watching the movie over a glass of Irish Creme with a cup of decaf, one of my favorite combinations.

Pray for us.   We have so many needs.   Of course, He knows that.

All my love and Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Good fun things happened today.

Dick had his blood tested and it IS improving.  After today, I don't have to give any more shots.

We had a lot of people in and out of here.  Dick was exhausted and because of that he wanted to go to bed at 7PM which made it easy to go to 52 Stafford to meet my friend Nancy.  Jeff and Kathy did not make it but I had a great time and am looking forward to the Irishman's Walk tomorrow.

So Bless you and make your sleep peaceful

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Another lovely day.   Not as warm as yesterday, but lovely all the same.  We still have the window in the door, but I left the door open anyway so that Roxie could warm her round self in the bright afternoon sun.

We were home all day with only one visitor.   The RN to check Dick's coagulation count.   He is still too low, so I ended up having to give him another shot today.    Rachel, an RN, will be here tomorrow morning to check him again.

It should also be rather quiet tomorrow.   Except.   Jody comes at 8AM.   Rachel at 10AM and Judy the home health aid at 12:30PM.

If Jeff and Kathy come to Plymouth to see Blarney on Friday night, they will call and I will go down to join them for an hour or so.  A welcome Celtic Break.

Janet Bieschke lent me a DVD that Jean Bills gave her summarizing the first Celtic Women Gatherings.   I was at several of them and found it so delightful.   So many people that I have not seen in years and so many memories.    The music Jean Bills used for background made me proud of my music collection.   Though I can still fill it in.

I don't know quite what to do with Dick in the evenings.   He is so restless and seems most distracted then.  How does one ask for help when one does not know what to ask for?

We had cream of cauliflower soup for supper.   It is so good.   A recipe I go from the Pioneer Woman.   Dick ate quiet well too.   I baked brown bread and we had a slice of that with our soup.

Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

"Start by doing what's necessary, then do what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible."  St. Francis of Assisi

A reasonably busy day today.   We both got up shortly after 6AM.   Dick had gone to bed at 6PM last night and except for one time to get put together for the bathroom he slept through.    He is aiming for almost the same thing tonight.   It is a bit later, almost 7PM so perhaps he will sleep through.

It got all the way up to the low 80s today and the sun shone in a blue sky too.   Boy.   I have crocuses blooming in the front.berm.

I went to the grocery story early and was home shortly after 8AM.   I had a rather fun time as I bought things to complete the corned beef dinner.    My corned beef is ready to take out of its brine and prepare to cook.  It is so exciting when a plan comes together.    I think I will prepare it for Sunday as I will be gone parading and partying for a portion of St. Patrick's day and won't be able to do it justice.

I am also baking a shamrock shaped cake for Sunday.

Marty, the prosthesist, kindly stopped at the condo on his way from Fond du Lac to the Sheboygan office to help stabilize that right prosthesis.    He also checked the left one and we agree that it was the laying in bed with them on during the procedure on Friday that must have loosened both of them and caused the unsteadiness he had on Friday evening.

Then Sara, the PT, came at 1:30PM and worked on stretching his knees and hips.   She is going to put him on a break from her therapy until we resolve the prosthesis problems and hopefully the weakness and lethergy.    We feel we would rather use those hours when they will do some good.   The home health aids and he and I can keep his muscles stretched and he stands up and sits down at 10 to 12 times a day just transferring.   I get my excercise too but it is not good for my back, I can tell you.

He has visits with the pulminologist and the urologist next week also.   So maybe we will get answers.   I refuse to lose hope.   Please keep praying for us.

Also say some prayers for Kate's husband, Ron,  he had surgery again last night on his heart, a bypass.   He is home already, of course.    Kate and I shared worries today.    We can also share prayers.

So. tomorrow I get to be home all day and the only person who will set foot in the house is the RN to take Dick's INR.   With any luck at all, the count will be 2.0 or better and I will not have to give him any more shots in the tummy.   I don't like that at all.   At least he says that I don't hurt him.   That would really make me upset.

So till tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Quite a day.    It was gorgeous outside.   No wind.  Sunshine and the temps were in the mid to high 60s and I got to be out of it for part of the afternoon.

Now, I know that Spring is here.   And here are the three reasons why.

1.  I saw several robins cavorting at the corner.

2.  Two days ago, I saw a red-winged blackbird.

3.  This morning when I walked out to take the trash to the corner, there were worms all over the blacktop.

What more proof do we need?   If you really need more proof, the crocus are also starting to show color.

Ashley, one of the RNs, came to test Dick's INR.   He is still to low to stop the shots.  (Darn.)   But it has come up some.    On Thursday, a nurse will check it again.   Hopefully that will do it.

Dick was very very sleepy today.    Nancy got here at 11:30AM to give him his bath.   Sara, the PT, is also having her do some stretching to keep his hips and muscles from shrinking.  I know shrinking isn't the correct word but it does convey the meaning.

I left as soon as she was done to meet three of my Celtic Women International sisters at Woodlake.    We are not done yet, because we dawdle and are easily distracted, but are visiting the Shops at Woodlake for donations for door prizes at our Spring Gathering on the weekend of April 26-28.    We finished today's work at the Craverie a Chocolatier Cafe.   Doesn't that sound decadent.   It is.   I had a latte and a biscotti, then headed for home.

Dick is still SO exhausted.   It is not quite 7PM and he is already in bed.    I will probably head there myself in the next hour and perhaps read for a while before going to sleep.   I am sure he will be waking up at LEAST once during the night as he has gone to bed so early.    I have some soup ready to just heat for him when he does wake up as he will need something.

A picture of our little Marcus was on Facebook this morning.   He is beautiful and I can see shades of both his mother and father in that cute little face.

The rest of the week is supposed to be about as lovely as today with perhaps some rain on one of them.  But Saturday looks just perfect for the big day and the Irishman's walk.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A day of mixed blessings.   Still adjusting to daylight savings time, I got up at 6AM so that I could get everything around here done before leaving to have breakfast with Bob Fleming at the Point at 8AM.   Dick woke up at about the same time, which was a blessing.   I always hate to have to awaken him.   This way there was plenty of time to ease him into the day and get his breakfast made.

I just got a call from Bill Smith.  We are great grandparents of little Marcus Jeremiah Limjoco who weighed in this afternoon at 7lb 12oz. in California.    Mother and baby fine and Grandma Leslie exhausted as Bill said she was up for almost 30 hours with Nora and Ernie.    But we are all very happy.   Babies are such joy and we will be most anxious for pictures of the little family.

Bob and I enjoyed our breakfast and our conversation.   He is such a good friend.   He shared the fairy houses that he helped the visitors at The Gathering Place, a ministry by St. Paul's in Sheboygan Falls, for Alzheimer and dementia people.   I want to present the Fairy Houses as a fun thing for Celtic Women to do in the spring.    They are made out of bark and twigs and leaves and grasses and are so cool.   I want to make one for sure and put it at the bottom of my garden.    I need to send the There Are Fairies At the Bottom of our Garden poem to Bob.

Bible Study was well attended.   We finished up the Royal Psalms chapter of our study.  It ended with a reading from the Gospel of Mark where Jesus stresses that the Kingdom he is bringing is not an earthly kingdom.   Too bad Israel and the whole world actually can't feel that way.  

Mom was just fine today.    We paid a couple of bills and had a lovely visit.    Nora and Leif will be here on the 15th and go back to Texas on the 20th.   Will be so good to see them on St. Patrick's Day at Eileen's St. Patrick's Day Party.

I got home shortly before noon.    We had crock pot roast beef with potatoes and green beans.   Then Sara, the PT and Rachel the RN came.   Dick's INR is still too low so I had to give him another shot today.   Pew.   They will check again tomorrow and if it is up to 2.0 I can stop doing that.  He is still sooooo weak.   I contacted his family doctor and the pharmacist independently to have them double check as to if there is some bad interaction with the Many Many meds that he takes.   They both assured us independently that there is none.

We did get a call from Dr. Kream's nurse that there was no malignancy in the fluids that were extracted.  And, so far, there is no sign of bacteria.  This is good news.  

But, we go back to the same question.   THEN WHAT IS WRONG.   He is still weak and tired and seems to be getting more so.

Oh well.   Today, I can stop worrying about it.   It is time to go to bed and dream of snips and snails and puppy dog tails and a little sweet baby that is now a part of our world.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Fairies

THERE are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
It's not so very, very far away;
You pass the gardner's shed and you just keep straight ahead --
I do so hope they've really come to stay.
There's a little wood, with moss in it and beetles,
And a little stream that quietly runs through;
You wouldn't think they'd dare to come merrymaking there--
Well, they do.

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
They often have a dance on summer nights;
The butterflies and bees make a lovely little breeze,
And the rabbits stand about and hold the lights.
Did you know that they could sit upon the moonbeams
And pick a little star to make a fan,
And dance away up there in the middle of the air?
Well, they can.

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
You cannot think how beautiful they are;
They all stand up and sing when the Fairy Queen and King
Come gently floating down upon their car.
The King is very proud and very handsome;
The Queen--now you can quess who that could be
(She's a little girl all day, but at night she steals away)?
Well -- it's Me!

Rose Fyleman