I am so tired.    Got up at quarter to 7 this morning.   Should have gotten up earlier but it was not the best night as Dick woke me up twice to help him.

Anyway, I had a dentist appointment at 8AM.  That went well.   I have no new cavities and my teeth are now glowing.




The above is as far as I got last night.   We were both SO tired that when I got Dick to bed, I crashed too.   BUT we both slept like logs last night so I feel better about this morning than last.   Good thing, as I will be heading to Chicago in three hours. 

Dick had his Anti Coagulation check yesterday and he is still right on, so we don't have to change the dosage of the Warfurin .  We also both got our flu shots.   This is very important to Dick so I am glad that that is done.   We have been able to keep his health appointments to only one a week which is a lot easier on him.   Maybe we should be trying to make things a bit more difficult, this might stretch him and get him more enthused.    I am really concerned with his weakness.   But he seems content.






I am leaving now.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was a very very FALL day today.  Nice and crisp after a light rain overnight.

I left shortly after Heather got here this morning to spend some time with Mother.   She looks wonderful and has started her therapy.   She is still weak and disgusted by all the pills, (I think a lot of them that she is disgusted with are the same vitamins she has been taking all along.)  I sat with her through breakfast and a bit longer.   She knows that she wants an OK from the doctor and the therapists before she goes home.  

Home again, Dick was all ready for the day but so tired that he begged me to put him to bed at 10:30AM.  He slept until 1:30PM or so.  So I spent the day getting ready for IBAM.   I will be leaving between 1 and 2PM on Friday.  We will return shortly before 9PM on Sunday.   I am so looking forward to those two and a half days of not having to take care of anybody.   I know that I will come back much refreshed and ready to dive in again.

I have a bunch of green tomatoes so looked on the net for some recipes and found a recipe for Green tomato bread.    I made it tonight and BOY is it good.   Still have several green tomatoes though so I will have to research some more.

Well, It is about time to head for bed.   Tomorrow will be a busier day than today and I need to be rested.

Dia Dhuit
Mary

I got to sleep in a bit this morning, for all the good it did.  I was still tired and took a morning nap instead of an afternoon nap.  I did get a lot done today.   Some wash, made a stew, LOTS of computer stuff.   My desk is wonderfully clean.

Tonight I did the grocery shopping.   

Tomorrow morning, when Heather comes back, I will go to see Mother at Meadow View.   As I have not heard from anybody, I am sure that she is doing just fine.

So. until tomorrow,

Dia Dhuit

Mary



I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

Fall is in the air.

Bobbie was here to be with Dick this morning.   I went to Bible Study, then over to Mother's house to be sure that all of her mail and bills were taken care of.   I will do this until she comes home.

Home again, Bobbie and I had mushroom pie for our lunch and Dick had a hot dog and beans.   I have been busy with CWI stuff this afternoon and generally cleaning up the things that got let go while I was galavanting at the Plymouth Arts Center with the Caim concert.

Tomorrow, I should be back in the groove and be able to get things in order for the weekend at IBAM.  I am so excited.  Two nights without having to worry and three days to be with friends will give me a boost.   A boost much needed.  This morning, for instance, I wanted to stay in bed so badly.   But had to get up much too soon.  

We did well this afternoon.  

Hope you can all say the same.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This has been an unusual and mostly superfabulous weekend.

Yesterday was the CAIM concert at the Plymouth Arts Center.    Heather and Jacynth arrived at the condo at about 10:30AM.  This was good.   They were able to get settled downstairs and ready and I prepared grilled cheese sandwiches with a fruit salad for our lunch.    Dick was pleased to meet them as I knew he would be.   

As soon as Heather from Embrace arrived, we zipped on to the Arts Center so that they could get set up and do their sound checks and all, and we Celtic Women could set up the tea table and heat the water for the tea.

There were about 30 people there to enjoy CAIM.   The performance was just super.   One wonders how two voices can produce the wonderful sounds that these two do.   There music runs from whimsical, to Celtic folk to religious and the Sound,  ah the sound.

And also  AH the tea breads and cookies that our Celtic Sisters provided for the guests.  I would say it was a successful event.

We got home at about 5PM.    I had a mushroom pie ready to put into the oven and a pasty for Dick who doesn't like mushrooms that much.    With a green salad and a piece of the pumpkin cake that I the four of us were quite happy.

Heather and Jacynth sang several songs just for Dick.   They also sang our grace before the dinner.  Dick loved it and told them that it was like they brought a piece of the world in to him.    They are SO nice and I was glad to be able to put this together and to have them as guests for the night.  

It was an at home day.    We had a late breakfast with the ladies around 9:30 and they left for De Pere at about 11:30AM.    Then Dick needed a nap.    I rested for a while too but Dick kept waking up and needing things so I am hoping for a quiet night tonight.

When Heather, from Embrace, got here at 6:30PM, I drove to Meadow View in Sheboygan to visit Mother.    She looks great but admits she is very weak.    She would rather be home but is accepting of the fact that she has to listen to the doctor and see what the therapists have to say about her strength.   As she and I agreed, she has to be safe.

So that is a summary of the past two days.    Hope you are all well.   I will be spending the week getting ready for IBAM next weekend.   I can hardly wait.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This has been a "longest" day.

Dick seemed to be extremely tired and a bit "off" today.   I can't describe it well but Heather, the care worker noticed too.     I am hoping that a good night's sleep will reset him.

Jody was here at 8AM to clean.   I baked scones and made cranberry relish.  Then I baked the Barm Brack for the Caim concert tomorrow.

Mother was transferred to Meadow View Nursing home today.    Hopefully, she will recover quickly and be able to go home.  She will not be content until she is home. 

Tonight I went to shoot pistol league at Rhine and now it is time to get ready for bed.    I am so tired and tomorrow will be busy what with the house guests and the concert.

Fall is in the air.   The trees are absolutely spectacular this year.

Barbara called tonight to see how Mom is doing.   She is working much too hard what with her job and school.    She will be done with school by Christmas then can ease up a bit.

Dia Dhuit

Mary 

First of all.  Mother is doing quite well.   She had hoped to leave the hospital today, but Dr. Hancock kept her for a few more tests and to be sure of her stability.   Tomorrow she will be transferred to Meadow View Nursing home for some rehab.   She is anxious to get started because she wants to go home.

I did several errands on the way home.  When I got home, Dick was all bathed and had done everything but eat breakfast.   So we had a nice late morning and afternoon.   We are eating up leftovers, so cooking is easy.    I am getting ready for the weekend, however.   I made a nice main dish pie crust that needs to be refrigerated for a Guinness Mushroom pie for Saturday's evening dinner.   My house guests are vegetarian.   Dick does not mind vegetarian but does not care much for mushrooms so I have a pasty for him.   I also am soaking the dried fruit for the barm brak that I will be taking to the concert for the tea part of tea and cakes.

I am thinking of a stew for Sunday.  I think I have everything I need for that.

I had a little adventure today.

While I was waiting for the Plymouth Arts Center to open, I stopped in at the Exchange Bank,one of my favorite places, for a cup of coffee.   All of a sudden, people were pointing at the building across Stafford Street.   There on the ledge or the second story was a cat.   Apparently the cat had managed to push its way out of the window onto the ledge and couldn't get back in.  A big white cat was inside and kept encouraging him.

Somebody apparently knew how to get into the units next to the apartment that the cat came from.   First they tried to coax the cat to a window about four down from the one he was trying to get back into.   He kind of told them that he thought they were crazy to think that he would fall for THAT one.   Then somebody managed to get to the window right beside the one he was at.  That was apparently not so much of a stretch and he zipped right in there.  We all cheered mightily.   I was sure relieved.   Kitties are so able to get themselves into so much trouble.   Curiosity, you know.

So that was my excitement for the day.

Hope you had a good one.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It has been a long two days.

Last night, when I got home from shopping, at 8:00PM the phone was ringing.   It was Donna.   Mother had been taken to the hospital.   The evening caregiver came at 7PM and found her in her chair semi conscious and not able to communicate.   She called Randy and 911.

Heather, our caregiver, was able to stay with Dick.   I went to the hospital right away.    She was really out of it.  She did not recognize us.   And she was distressed.   But as time went on, she started to settle down and by the time I left, she was settled in a room and knew all of us. 

I went back this morning for an hour.  She is MUCH better.   She is weak as a kitten, of course.  But they have decided that she did not have a stroke but a seizure.   Jeff and I started laughing as she was reminding US that we had to cancel Meals on Wheels for a while and let Companion Care know that she will not be needing them for a while.

She will be given meds for that the seizures and will have to start taking a baby aspirin a day.   Today she had a round of therapy.  I believe that tomorrow will be the day she will go to Meadow View until she is strong enough to be home again.     We hope this will happen.   Of course, she wants to go home now.   But, as I explained to her, this is just like when she dislocated her shoulder.  This time the seizure "dislocated" her ability to care for herself and we have to get her to the point that she can do so again.  She did it before.   I hope she can do it again, but - if Dad comes to get her, that is OK too.   We will be lonely but what joy there will be in heaven.

This afternoon, Dick and I drove to Fond Du Lac to get his updated prosthesis.   This has been a long time coming.  We went up two times that the thing was just not working.  So this is really a relief.   Dick told me that he plans on trying to stand again now that the leg is steady.
Pray God that this happens.

So now you know the story of the past couple of days.   I will run to see Mom in the morning and am sure that I will be pleased with the improvement again.

Bless all of you /

Dia Dhuit

Mary 

Monday, Monday.

Everybody was at bible study this morning which always makes a nice discussion time and gives us a lot to pray for.   Psalm 90 does stress the importance of community prayer.   We have personally all know how our little group praying together does a lot of good.   And the power of prayer in a big group such as Mass is super.

Mom was fine this morning.   She said she was "just the same" which sometimes I have found to be that she is feeling weak.  Today, she perked up really quickly.   I think perhaps she was a bit tired but it was such a good tired.   Britt was or is in Wisconsin and drove from Madison to spend time with her yesterday.   What a lovely gift for Mom.

We got all of our errands done and I even went out and cut the "last rose of summer" to float in her rose bowl.  I picked up sub sandwiches for lunch for Bobbie, Dick and me.  I got the same sub with three different dressings.   That turned out to be a really good idea.   Bobbie got to eat one of my decadent pumpkin cupcakes.  

The rest of the afternoon was quiet but busy.    Now I am settled down to watch Dancing with the Stars.   I missed last week because the Packers are much more important.   So this is my first week of the season.   I do enjoy the show.

Tomorrow is a "home all day."   I will have Embrace here in the evening, and will do the grocery shopping, but the day is MINE.

So, until then. 

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I spent a whole day with no agenda.   It was great.  

We both slept until nearly 8AM this morning and we had gone to bed very early last night also so I feel that I am pretty well set for the week.    It is not too jammed, but will culminate on Saturday with the concert at Plymouth Arts Center.

We had leftover fish  for lunch and Irish bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for supper.   I made some absolutely decadent pumpkin cupcakes with maple frosting for a dessert.    I want to take  something to Mom tomorrow and have a good dessert around the house.   I can freeze part of it.

Tomorrow is a normal Monday.   I will enjoy Bible Study and the visit with Mother before settling down to an agenda again.

Bless you

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I have a new Mantra  = "I choose peace and tranquility throughout my day."

I had hoped to stay in bed for a long sleep this morning, especially since I didn't get to bed until almost 11PM last night.  BUT between the cat, who has decided that the water left on the bottom of the shower is the best water in the world, and Dick, I did have to bet up sooner than I wanted.

I have a feeling that tonight will be rather disjointed too because Dick had to go to bed early because his right foot was hurting so bad and sometimes taking off the prostheses and lying down relieves the pain.

It was a quiet day.  I was able to get some cleaning done downstairs and even practice the flute for a bit.    Did a load of wash, fixed a nice chicken casserole for our dinner and generally cleaned up around here.

Heather,from Embrace, came at 3:30PM and I left for Mass.   I stopped for a couple of prescriptions on the way home.   We had a light mac and cheese dinner and then I put Dick to bed.

I will not be far behind him.   Perhaps a head start will help.

So "A Blessing on your head" and good night.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

What a day.   Not too exciting but not too stressful.   It was a perfect Fall day actually.  I convinced Dick to let me leave the doors open for a couple of hours this afternoon.   It smells to fresh now.  I LOVE it.

Jody was here at 8AM to clean.   I spent the morning on the computer paying bills, and sending emails and trying to be sure everybody is on the same page for next weekend and the weekend after.

Next weekend will be the CAIM Concert.  I need to be sure that everybody who promised brings their "cakes" for the Tea table that we will be setting up along one wall.  I also want to be sure that enough of our members come to make it an event.

Then the following weekend is IBAM when I will be in Chicago for the whole weekend.  That requires lots of planning.

We had haddock, boiled potatoes and veggies for supper.   Really good.  I  oven roasted the fish.   Num Num.

I spent about an hour downstairs working on some sewing and cleaning up as Heather and Jaclyn of CAIM will be staying there next Saturday night.   I will do some more tomorrow and Sunday and hopefully have all of that ready.   I talked to Heidi today and have next month's changes in care time set, I hope.  

Tonight I drove to Rhine Plymouth for shooting as soon as Heather came to take care of Dick.   I was pretty not great but my arm feels better and I hope as it improves, my shooting will too.   Had a nice visit with Nancy Coenen and her husband Jerry.    Nancy just got back from Ireland.   We had a great talk.   She loves Ireland now too. 

So overall it has been a good day.    Got home and Dick was seated on the bed ready for my care.    He is having trouble getting comfortable,  I hope his body will settle down soon and we can both sleep.

Tomorrow will be another quiet day with just Mass away from home.    I am feeling rather organized these days.   Wonder how long that will last.

Dia Dhuit

Mary


When you feel like you're drowning in life, Don't worry -- your Lifeguard walks on water. 


 "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."  John Adams  

It was a lovely day.   The temperature never went over 69 but the sun shone and there was no wind. 

Last night was a pretty good sleep.   I got up at 8AM.   Kay came at 10:30AM so that I could go to Aurora for my appointment with Jon Niewolny, Physician Assistant, about my shoulder and arm.  He had a new set of Xrays taken and believes that it is spurs in the shoulder that are irritating the rotator cup.   I am no longer supposed to do the neck stretches and he gave a shot of cortisone in my shoulder that should in the next week provide some relief.  At least there is some hope.

The rest of the day was quiet.   We napped, I payed bills, I cooked and I caught up with emails and stuff like that.

Tomorrow, I have to drive to Valders to have Dick's lift seat in the van repaired.   I will leave at 7:30AM.   Going to be a long morning but with any luck at all the afternoon will allow me to recover.

So.   things are coming together.

Update you tomorrow. 

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I just got home from a meeting for Extraordinary Ministers at church and from grocery shopping.    It was a long and busy day.  

Roxie is telling me that it is time to go to bed and I believe she is right.

So a hello to you all and I wish you a grand tomorrow.

I go to see another doctor about my sore arm and neck.    Perhaps there is something.    I think I am running out of doctors.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This was a nice usual Monday.    The night was very disrupted, so I stayed in bed until 7:30AM.   I was able to get everything done for Dick and me before 9AM when Bobbie got here.    Dick still needed his breakfast, but Bobbie doesn't mind doing that for her Dad.   She likes cooking too.

We had a small group at Bible Study, but an enthusiastic one.  We are a pretty good prayer group too. 

 Peggy, one of our members, has a friend whose daughter has a baby due in late December.   A tumor was discovered in the baby.   Surgeons were able to remove little Ethan from the womb, remove the tumor and put him back.   Please pray hard for this little man and his mother.   Only 20 such operations have been performed in the United States.

Also our prayer buddy, Ione, was not there.  I called her this afternoon and found that she had a minor heart attack last Wednesday.   Tomorrow she will have stress tests etc.   Pray for her too.

Then on to Mother's house.   She is a bit weak but doing quite well.   We got her bills all paid and filled her pill box.  and visited for a bit.   I am so glad that she is so content at home and can be there.   We know that her weakness is a risk but she wants to be home and deserves to be there as long as she manages as well as she does.

I had intended to pick up tacos and burritos from the Taco Shop on Eastern Avenue, but they were closed for a family emergency so I drove across the street to Chesters and picked up steak sandwiches and fries for our lunch.   I promised Bobbie and Dick Mexican food next week.

The rest of the day has been very quiet.    We rested,  I took care of Dick and cleaned up the kitchen and my desk area. 

Now the Packer game is about to start.    I have to confess that I am having trouble getting enthused about the season this year.    I am in the fantasy football league and that is helping but I thing because I have trouble staying up late for games it is hard to get too excited.    But Go Pack Go.   I am wearing the proper attire tonight.  One of my Packer shirts.

So I hope this is a quiet night and I can sleep straight through.  The past three nights have been broken.

Until tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

"Poetry is one of the most fugitive arts: it can be assigned to memory, taken and hidden in the mind, smuggled into smoky cabin back rooms, recited there and then conveyed only by speech to another person. It is therefore the most likely to survive colonization." by Irish Poet  Eavan Boland

It was a nice quiet Sunday.   The night was rather disjointed so I was glad. 

We are now watching the Emmies and then will be in bed.   Actually I intend to go soon.

Just wanted you to know that all is well.

I have been printing like crazy, Richard and Brenda, thanks again.

Dia Dhuit
Mary

Woke up this morning to 46 degrees.   They say that there could even be a frost tonight.   I believe we are too close to the lake and my suseptable plants are close enough to the house for this first one.

Richard and Brenda called this morning and helped me with the computer.   I had been unable to print from my machine.   This is a real problem for me and I am SO grateful that they can step in (from Madison even.   Like a Miracle.)  and repair things.

We had just plain good old cheeseburgers with a salad four our lunch.   Then we both took a short nap. 

I had intended to do more sorting and sewing today but last night was not a really good night for sleep so I felt like a slug all day.   Just a movin' slow.   Hopefully tonight will make up for last night.


I talked to both Bret and Bart yesterday and today.   I am worried about their Aunt Jacquie and since their Dad lives with her this could impact them.    They will both to their best to check on Jacquie.  Also, their cousin Vikki is more in the mix as her mother, Doris, also lives there.  Wish I could help but I am just too far away.

Take care of you.    I don't want to worry about anybody else.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I had a rather difficult night.   It was one of those nights that I felt that I did not sleep at all but every time I looked at the clock it was a couple of hours later.So I HAD to have slept.

I was busy all day.   Jody came at 8AM to clean.  I baked some basil/marmalade scones while she was here because she really likes my baking.   Then I prepared chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes and salad for our lunch.  We ate lunch very early because Dick could not keep his eyes open any longer.   We both took a nap.  When we got up, I went downstairs and moved all the medical stuff like wheel chairs and bath benches to the area under the stairs.  My next project is to gather all the computer stuff and putit into one spot so that when Richard and Brenda come they can tell me what we need to keep and how to dispose of what we do not need to keep.  

Perhaps if I knew more life would be easier.

I did a bit of sewing while I was downstairs.   I have several UFOs and find that they seem to change their importance from day to day.     I need to prepare all I need for IBAM in the next two weeks.  Maureen said she would get a flyer printed if I need it.   I am not at that point and need to get there.  This is a quiet weekend.  Perhaps it will  work out.   Somehow or other things seem to come out all right.  I hope people will like my presentation.   I NEED to get my printer working.   Or else figure out how to get two posters printed for my "show".   I really want the people to see the "Hand of God" and the "Maid Mother Crone" wall hangings as a part of my talk.

So here we are.  The end of another day.   I can't believe that it is Friday night again.   And that we are at the Autumn Equinox.   I got to change the Celtic Calendar tonight. 

A whole weekend to kind of get my act together.   What a joy.    In two weeks CAIM will perform and in three weeks I will escape to Chicago for the IBAM weekend.   I need some time for me.   Actually a weekend just me would be nice but I am so grateful for IBAM.  This will keep me through Christmas.Bless you all and I pray for you all. Pray for Robin Roberts and for Jody's sister and for Jacquie and Doris and Dick and for Todd who is trying to care for them all.   I wish I could be there for them too.

Dia Dhuit
Mary

It was a nice clear Autumn day.  I know that technically Autumn starts on Saturday but today was a preview.

Kay, from Embrace, came this morning to get Dick up. dressed. fed and medicine dispensed.  So I was able to let the good night's sleep extend a bit later in the day.  Yes, last night was a good night.

I went out for a bit while Kay was here and dropped some items off at St. Vinnies, and distributed some more posters about Caim.

We had chicken and rice for our dinner then took a nap.   

I finished cleaning the "wine room" today so it was a productive day.   Tomorrow I will consolidate the various medical equipment that we have in the at area so it is all together and out of the furnace room.    The furnace room will be next.   I intend to gather ALL of the old computer boxes into one area and eventually hopefully get advice as to what do do with it.

Tomorrow I am going to try to figure out why I cannot print from my computer too.   I am not sure how I will do this but will start with connections and go from there.

Tomorrow we get to be home ALL day.  Yippee.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

What a day.   It was a pretty bad night.  Dick had trouble getting to sleep and it was midnight before things really settled down.    Fortunately, Roxie waited until 6:30AM to wake me up.  

Heidi, from Embrace, came at 7:AM.  I was still unwashed and feeling lazy but put her in charge of Dick and I proceeded as I wanted too.   I left at about 8:30AM to pick up some vacuum cleaner filters.  I also found some shirts for Dick and a purse at KMart.   On the way back I got our last corn of the season.   This has to be the end.

Home again, I found a very needy kitty.   Roxie seems quite lost today.  She wants something and I can't understand her.

At. 12:15PM Tim 2 from Custom Care and Transport picked us up to go to see Marty at Actra for a fitting for Dick's new right prosthesis.   It did not work again.   We are pretty discouraged at this point.  Marty is making adjustments and will call us when we can come up for another fitting.  

It was almost 3:30PM when we got back home.  We are both exhausted and will go to bed as soon as is REASONABLY possible.  Not before 8PM as there is too much risk of waking up in the middle of the night.   I need a night straight through from 9 to 7 actually.

Perhaps two or three nights.

Ah but I am the dreamer.

Dia Dhuit

Mary