Saturday

It was a perfectly lovely day.   I finished dusting the living room in the early hours.   Then I drove to Kohler to the American Club to meet Bobbie and Bill at the Annual Christmas Holiday Market.

It seemed bigger than last year.   I know there were over 100 vendors which certainly is a LOT.  Also there seemed to be a lot more people at the event.    That is a good sign.   Maybe the economy is better?   Or at least people are glad to get out and it will be back again next year.

We went to the Blind Horse for our lunch as there was an hour wait at the Horse and Plow.   Bobbie and Bill had not been to the Blind Horse before and were glad to try it.    We were all very happy with our food, as I have been before.   I had a scallop/shrimp special, Bill had a burger and Bobbie had an Ahi Tuna salad.  

I went to the 4PM mass and fortunately remembered my neighbor's Tom and Rita needed communion.  Usually I call to confirm but since I didn't call, I took a chance and am so glad as Rita was expecting me to come.

She is so sweet.   Please keep her in your prayers, along with Jody, my cleaning lady and my friend, Kathy, who just lost her husband.

Tomorrow I get to stay home.   Lucky me and lucky Roxie.    She is starting to feel better about the new furniture arrangements.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Good Day

I went to the Sheboygan County  Caregiver Conference arranged by the Alzheimer's Association at Acuity.  It was a very informative and enjoyable event.   Their theme was Forget-Me-Not.    Very appropriate.   There were vendors from many local resources.   Home Care, Rehab, Transportation. Meals on Wheels, Nursing homes etc.   I got a lot of pens and note pads let me tell you.   I saw Heidi from Embrace Care who we dealt with when Dick was getting care here.    She would come occasionally when the regulars couldn't and just check on us.    I loved that she asked about Roxie too.

I especially liked Nancy Simenz who is chaplain at Sharon Richardson Community Hospice, talked about Difficult Caregiving Decisions.   I brought her handouts to share with the family because they are very practical.    I will be taking them and other stuff to Mom's for any of the family to peruse.

The second speaker that I REALLY got something from was   Greg Giles, who is employed by the Y in Fond du Lac.   He is an amazing speaker and left us with some simple "lists" to practice.

The first is 1. Risk More
                   2.  Reflect More
                   3.  Leave a Legacy

He said that when someone did a survey of older people and asked how they would change their lives if they could, the above were the ones that appeared over and over again.

The second list is  1.  Care
                              2.  Share
                              3.  Laugh
                              4.  Dare.

I ran into several fellow caregivers.   Always good to share and these events always have the best lunches.   They are worth it for the lunch actually.

So that was my day.   Time to settle.   I am watching John McGivern in Door County.    Soon I will go to bed and get ready for tomorrow.   A much quieter day.

Richard and Brenda emailed and we have decided on dinner on Thanksgiving at 5PM.   Gathering anytime in the afternoon. 

I heard from Jim and Michele and they are going to Bart and Barb's for Thanksgiving.

Good.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was cold today.   I slept in a bit.   I am not sure Roxie approves of me sleeping late, she generally comes to get me at about 8AM if I go back to bed.    Tomorrow I think I'll get up with her because I am going to a Caregiver's Conference at Acuity.   They always have a lot of information.  I am going with two friends.

This afternoon, I went to the bank, the post office, Walgreens and grocery shopping.   I am steadily working to have everything where I want it now that the furniture is rearranged.

So that's all folks for today.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I am home from a Mass at St. John's for those friends and family who passed away this past year.    It was a lovely Mass and I was able to be a Eucharistic Minister.    I love that and I made me feel very close to my love.  

They lit a candle for every person who passed and we got to take them home.   Someone did a lot of work- it is lovely.   We will have it on our Thanksgiving table.

I got the carpets cleaned this afternoon and they helped me rearrange the furniture.   The room look empty now and BIG.

Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Why are Mondays so wild?     It was nice though.   But COLD!!   The wind just roared all night and was still not settled down for most of the day.   That made it feel even colder.

I went to Bible Study at 9:30AM.  We seemed very disjointed today but talking about Peter helping the lame man to walk set off a lot of discussion.   We did find out by reading an Old Testament reference from a previous chapter that we looked up "by accident" turned out to be the Shema, a traditional prayer of Jewish life Deut 6:4-9 which is just what Jesus preached.   Of course, he was a Jew.   It starts off as "Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only true God."  It goes on to tell us how to be right in this world by following God's laws.

Went to Mom's next.    Mom seemed really tired today.    I am concerned for her.  She looked just beautiful though.   Her hair, freshly permed last Saturday, was coiffed perfectly and shining silver.   When I told her how good she looked, she perked up a bit.

Then I went to the Exchange Bank to have lunch with my friend Peggy before we walked over to BookHeads for our Cream City Writers meeting.   We have a couple of new members, Pattie Mc Kensie and Craig, I forgot his last name but he is a friend of Jena's.   He is a pleasure and sharing assignments from a class he is taking and his own experiments.  

Got home at about 2PM.   I rested for a while.   The got a couple of phone calls, One from my friend Paul Hanson and one from Nancy Roehre.

I have been working on the CWI newsletter.   Want to get it out tomorrow after I review what I wrote.

So.   Dancing with the stars is half over.   I am going to watch the rest of it in bed.

Roxie is getting used to the new arrangement.    I think I have made things pretty kitty friendly for her.   Tomorrow she will have to put up with carpet cleaners and the moving of furniture in the living room.   I suppose she wonders if this agony will ever end.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A beginning of another week.

It has been a lovely beginning.    

Wenig Funeral home, who took care of Dick's funeral for me conduct a memorial service about this time of the year.    I received an invitation of course and was delighted to go as I have been feeling a bit down as the weather glooms up and the holidays approach. 

It was at the Gibbsville Reformed Church - which is lovely, I had never been there before.   The service was so comforting and ended with names birth and death dates and pictures of all those who Wenig helped inter since last year.   The Blessed Trinity Bereavement committee helps John with this event so it is ecumenical which makes it even more special.  

I cried.   But that is OK.   They gave ideas on how to face the upcoming holidays which I will ponder.  Some are very good and we will all benefit from them as we miss our guy so much.

I even got an angel ornament to display this year and for years to come.  

So it has been a hard day but one of those days where one feels lot of support and camaraderie.  I am truly blessed.    I was even reminded of my Tony and am so glad that I went to his resting place this year.   It was long needed and Bret told me how much it meant to him.   He has even gone back.    I wonder what Tony would have become.   He will always be my sweet little baby.

Enough.   Tomorrow will be a good day as I will see Mother and will go to the Cream City Writers.   I am also having lunch with my friend Peggy, whose husband was across the hall from Dick at Plymouth Care and passed away three years ago.   She is a fellow poet and very expressive.

Roxie is slowly accepting the new office.    I figure after the livingroom is cleaned and the furniture finally where it should be she will be just fine.    I am thinking of putting a chair in the bedroom for her to have a place to retreat to.  Though, of course, if I am in the office, she can be alone in the living room.   AHA.

Dia dhuit

Mary

"In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three of more is a congress."   John Adams

This is going to be short. 

This afternoon, the Celtic Women had our book discussion meeting on a book we read called Norah by Cynthia Neale.   We got off into the firtst two books chat Cynthia wrote, which were really pre Norah.  The one we read does stand alone but the first two, which were actually written for young people, do tell Norah's story.

We are going to start the Country Doctor Series by Patrick Taylor.    On the line of the James Herriot books, they take place in Ireland and are totally charming.   When I was making sure that I had the first one, I found out that I am two behind.   

Then I went to Mass where I was Eucharistic Minister, subbing for a friend.

Home, I fed Miss Roxie and then trove to the Bull where the Gathering Place was having a big event.   I stayed for two hours, long enough for me.  You know my bedtime.  Good music, good food, good company and lots of fun things to bid on for silent auction.    Good wine too.

But I am tired and glad to be safe at home with my kitty.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Just a note

I just am checking in to let you know that I am still around.    It was a lovely day in the 50s.   I went out for lunch and then over to Rocky Knoll to visit my neighbor and friend Jan Wilkerson.   She had back surgery.

This evening Alison and I were invited to our neighbors Pat and Roger's home for Heavy hors d'oeuevres and wine.   Mainly because Pat wanted us to test the Irish Cream Cheesecake that she is going to make for an Irish Christmas event at the Plymouth Arts Center. 

All was delicious we gave our approval.

Now it is bedtime for this lady.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Another Full Day

I went to Generations again this morning to exercise.   I put my right hand in my pocket so I couldn't use it and everything went just fine.

After exercising, I came home and continued putting things from the tables and chairs back into the desk and wherever I can find new homes for them.   Roxie feels lost but relaxed a bit when I put her icewater on the desk.   I left for Mom's at about 11:30AM to meet Jeff and finish up a couple to papers that needed signatures.   As I was having lunch with Felicia and Joan at 12:30PM at the Atrium Tea House in the Richardson Furniture Store, it seemed like a good time to connect with the two of them.  Jeff brought me another spaghetti squash and an acorn squash.    Nummy.

The lunch at the Atrium was good and the company was better.   We were discussing the book discussion meeting this Saturday at 1st Congregational.   I am bringing several books for suggested reading and we are also thinking of an Irish film gathering sometimes.    I was shocked to find that these women have never seen The Quiet Man.    This needs to be rectified.

At about 4PM I went to the funeral home.   Pat O'Reilly died on Sunday.   His voice and unending joy will be ever missed in the Irish community and beyond.  His dear wife Joan passed in April.   I think he must have been so very lonely.

Then I came home and ate before going to St. Thomas Aquinas in Elkhart Lake for the last talk by Rich Kearns on The New Evangelism.   My neighbor Jean rode with me.   I am glad that I have been able to hear two of the three talks that he gave.   I was in Louisiana when he gave the first one.
Super speaker.    Gave a lot of direction.  Made us all realize how much Jesus loves us all.

So After 9PM again.   This lady needs to go to bed.

Until tomorrow.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Oops

I have been going all day long.    I had an appointment with Dr. Leben today.    On my way there, I stopped at Bobbie's and dropped off a container of Gumbo for them to try.

Dr. Leben gave me new shots in my neck and shoulder and arm We will see how that goes.  Right now it hurts worse than before.

I then drove to Howards Grove, the Log Cabin, for lunch withe the Class of 58.  I had a fresh Chicken, apple, walnut salad with raspberry vinaigrette.   It was scrumptious.   One of our classmates, Tom Thuene, told me that I look just like he remembers my Mother looking 50 years ago.   Quite a nice complement, I would say.

Home again, I emptied my desk.   Two young men from the wrestling team at the High School came over to move furniture for me.    They were Isaac and Eric.   They moved the chairs out of the "office", took the exercise bike downstairs, took the extra desk out into the garage and moved the other two desks into the office for me.  I am so very proud of myself.    I have the computer all hooked up and working.    HOWEVER.  I seem to have disconnected my phone and I cannot figure it out.    If you need to call me use my cell.   920-912=5345, in case you don't know it.  

I also had to go to Mead Library, via Sy Regan's home , for the Poetry Circle.   We had a nice big group of people.   18 or 19.    Lots of good reads.

And so it is almost ten and I can't stay up any longer.   Tomorrow will be soon enough for this problem and I need to call Ed for carpet cleaning too.    Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Cold, but the sun was shining some

I woke up and it was in the teens outside.   Roxie tried to convince me to open the deck door so that she could look out.     She was disappointed today.

I went to the Generations here in Plymouth for the walking exercise class with my neighbor Pat Cook.   It was fun.   Lasts about 45 minutes.    I kept up with most of it even with my out of shape muscles and I really don't hurt EXCEPT for my right arm. That has been starting to hurt again, and this did not help.    I see Dr. Leben tomorrow morning and she can tell me if I should be doing it.  Perhaps if I strap my right arm to my body so it can't move?

When I got home I went right out to do my grocery shopping and get the lottery ticket.   Lots of cleaning stuff was on sale, so I stocked up.   Also baking things which I will be needing sooner than soon with the holidays coming.

Then I started priming the areas on the walls that Gary Anderson repaired for me.    I will do a bit each day until it is done.    I also called the high school.    Pat Cook told me that the wrestling team members will move furniture around for extra cash for their equipment etc.  The woman in charge, named Barb will call me when she can set it up.  I want to have the living room a living room for Thanksgiving.    If they can get things moved, I can get Schroeder in to clean the carpets next week.

I am also cooking my sugar pumpkins today.   Tomorrow I will roast the seeds and plan on making pumpkin seed brittle with some of it.

So needless to say, I am wearing out pretty quickly tonight.  Tomorrow is pretty busy too but part of it is lunch with my high school classmates.   I am looking forward to that.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Oh No Snow

Yep. It's true.   We had snow today and it actually covered the grass.      Oh well, it is November.

I was on the go from 9AM until I finally got home at 4PM.

My first stop was Blessed Trinity and Bible Study.   I love studying Acts.   The early Christians did cool things.   We are early and Peter just got a lame begger to walk by using Jesus name.   The guy was jumping all over the place.  Sounds so totally natural a reaction if a person just got cured.
We met in the school building as the school is not closed and they are trying to find used for it.

After the study, I went to tell Mother that I would be back at  3PM to pay the bills.   You will understand why when I finish this saga. I went back over to church to pay my respects to Bruce Berlowski, a friend, who died last week.  I wanted to give my condolences to Rose and family.

Then to the Chinese Restaurant near Festival Foods in Sheboygan and lunch with Paul and Carol from the Sheboygan County Writers Club.     We had a nice visit.   Then on to Writers Club.   I read a haiku that I had written for the day and listened to some really super writings from the others.

Then back to Mom's.   She was really tired.  We did however get her bills all paid and I left her settled comfortably in her chair.

So Home by 4PM so that I could give Roxie her Canapes and reassure her that I really amaround.

I finished the daily drudge around here and it is after 8PM already.

I have just about decided that after Christmas, I will go down to Lawton and spend the rest of the holidays with Bart and Barb.  Bart kind of hinted that he would like me for Christmas and I thought this would be the best of both worlds.

Til tomorrow then

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A whole day at home.   I did go over to visit with a neighbor this afternoon, but at least I was able to stay in the neighborhood.

I spent the day writing and I started taping things off for the priming that I have to do in the kitchen and hall.  I did some rearranging in the second bedroom.    I intend to have the carpets cleaned and the living room rearranged by Thanksgiving.

So That was it.   Nothing at all exciting.   Perhaps tomorrow which has turned out to be a real rat race will be more fun to report on.

My neighbor that I visited with gave me one of her paintings.   I am so thrilled.    All I need is another painting but as you know all of mine mean something.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was windy today

The wind was colder than the temperature today.   Is that the chill index?

I went on a cooking frenzy today.   Sometimes I just plain want to cook so - I made andouille and turkey gumbo.   I had a box from the New Orleans Cooking School.   The kit says to mix the package in the box with water then add cooked chicken and the andouille sausages.    I decided to add the Cajun trinity too and used my leftover turkey instead of chicken.   It is good.  

I also made blackberry scones and Scottish shortbread cookies. AND I have a loaf of no knead bread in the oven.   It did not rise like it really should have.   I think my yeast is just too old.   But it did rise so I will have a hearty bread.

I went to the 4PM mass so I can stay home tomorrow.   I am working on my Brigit chapter and she is difficult because there is so MUCH on her and the stories vary.   Too many legends.   To top it off the saint and the goddess stories are all mixed up.

So now it is time to settle in bed with a good book.


Here is something I found in a newspaper somewhere.

HOMEWORK
From a real teacher

Please do one of the following by Tuesday.

1. Master Kung Fu
2. Switch religions for a day.
3. Wear a fake mustache for 24 hours.
4. End world hunger.
5. Find your nemesis, earn their trust, then vanquish them (Preferably with magic.)
6.  In the shower, use conditioner first then shampoo just to see what would happen. (I'm curious)

Dia Dhuit

Mary

The end of a super day.

It was SO cold.   I did not realize how cold it was until I left the house with a comparatively light jacket and started walking around the Lakeland College Campus.   

Today was the first day of Karl Elder's Great Lakes Literary Festival at the campus.    It started at 11AM with two speakers, a poet Nick Lantz and a fiction writer, Allyson Goldon Loomis.  Then at two thirty each of the speakers held a workshop.    I went to lunch in Elkhart Lake with Beverly Shellhaass from the Cream City Writers and a few ladies from Karl's Poetry Circle at Mead.   Then most of us returned to participate in a workshop by one or the other speaker.

I went to Nick Lantz's workshop and found it quite helpful.

When I got home, I had received a call from my neighbor's, Bob and Peg.   This is Thursday and they invited me over for a glass of wine.    Evie, one of our other neighbors, came over too.   The even fed us.   Was a lovely hour.

Lastly, I drove over to church for the 2nd talk by Rich Curran about Catholicism, Creating Stronger Families.    A lot to absorb but the main thing I got out of it is that it is so very important to extend blessings and love to those we care about.    Not just thinking about it but actually expressing it.   So. to each and every one of you.   You are my greatest blessings from God and I pray that you will be safe and that you remain healthy and strong in body and spirit.  And I love you so much.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A good Wednesday

Eileen, Dolores, Nora, Me, Mother
For those that might not know.

Just looking at old pictures and found this one.   Can you believe how young we were?

Bobbie and Bill just left.   We had dinner and they changed the bulbs in my kitchen light.    They had been blinking for a week or so.   Yesterday the blinking stopped but when Bill took the cover off, two were burned out.

We had Venison and beer stew with salad, beer bread and pumpkin cupcakes.    That is such a good stew.    I remember when I couldn't make a stew to save my soul.     Dick and I bought the best stew meat and veggies.   I cooked it all up.   It looked beautiful but was totally tasteless.   It is the beer that saved me.

I do love feeding people.    This way, I could fix a stew.   Sent some home with them, could freeze some and still have a meal or two in the next week.

Bobbie brought me a jar of fresh lemon curd.    I must make some scones but it will taste good on the beer bread tomorrow morning.

So.  Time to get ready for bed.  Tomorrow will be busy.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Well, this has been a very busy Tuesday.

To start with, is is trash day, so I had to get the last of that gathered and out to the pick up place.

Then I filled out a couple of forms and cleared a whole slew of "questions" off of my desk before calling Norton because of two charges for service.   I have that all squared away now.

Then I went to the post office to pick up the Condo mail, the Kettle Country Quilt club's meeting to turn in my placemats that we are donating to the Plymouth Meals on Wheels, then to church to drop off raffle tickets.

On my way to the grocery store, I stopped at Kate's to leave two local newspapers that had her picture in them.   She invited me for a cup of tea.   Nice visit and she also gave me a container of fresh cream of veggie soup.   I had that for my supper.  It was SO good.

I did the grocery shopping next and for my last errand, went to the Kettle Moraine Vet Clinic to get Roxie's supplement.

Whew.   I am glad I get to stay home tomorrow.   Still, as always, lots to do and Bobbie and Bill are coming for supper.    I will be putting a Venison Beer stew into the crock pot in the morning.    I love that stew.

So until later

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Dinner with Bobbie Bill and John Mc Givern

Yesterday was so busy and rather disjointed.    I went over to St. John's to peruse the annual Craft Fair.   It was even bigger than last year.   There were lots of people there, I hope it turned out to be a profitable venture for St. John's and all the crafters.

I bought $5.00 in raffle tickets and made a bid on a basket in the Silent Auction.   I did get the silent auction bid.    All of you will probably EVENTUALLY enjoy the fruits of it.   I have there mini-Christmas Cake pans.   SO CUTE.

Then I went home, did a few things and went to Mass at 3:30PM, picking up the bid that I had won on the way.   Took my friends Tom and Rita communion, fed Roxie and then drove to Grace Episcopal church to have dinner with Bobbie and Bill at the Friends of Mead dinner.   Bernie Markevitch prepared the meal which is always a treat.   Then we were entertained by John McGovern talking to us about his growing up days.   He is a total hoot.

Home again, I was just too tired to do anything but go to bed.   I did remember to change the clock that I look at.   It has really big numbers.   I got it for Dick so that if he woke up he could see it well.  

Today was much quieter.   I started writing St. Brigit's chapter and moved St. Anne's chapter from the laptop to the desktop so they are all together.  I went to Tom and Rita's to view a show that they wanted to share with me.

Then home and I just did a couple things like wrap and sort for the day.   It is now 8PM which was 9PM last night so I am feeling the sleepy coming on me.  

Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Rain

It was a gloomy rainy day again.   I felt better today though.  

I got up at about 7:15AM.   Jody came to clean at 8AM. 

I had an appointment to have the car serviced and winterized at Van Horn's at 10AM.  Everything went well there.   There were friendly people in the waiting room.   I decided to have lunch at the Dairy Queen with the bank ladies.    Hadn't been there for three weeks so had a lot to catch up on.    A cheese burger tasted good too.

I spent the afternoon writing on the Saints book.   Got a lot done.

I was just thinking about warming something up for dinner when my friend, Nancy called.   She was going to the bust up party at Rhine and wondered if I would like to come along.    I figured, why not.   Got to see a lot of friends.  I believe I am healed enough to shoot in the winter league which starts on January 4th.

   Tomorrow morning I can work on the book again in the morning..   Then will be going to church to look at the big craft show.   After Mass I am meeting Bobbie and Bill at Grace Episcopal Church for the Friends dinner.

Sunday should be an at home day.  I will be ready for that by then.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Thursday

I didn't like today.    It was gloomy and made me very funky feeling.

I did attend a meeting at Holiday Inn Express on the changes in the AARP Medicare supplement that Mother and I both have.    I know they send these massive books with volumes of writing but it is so much more useful to be able to have the highlights pointed out to you.

I got home at noon and took a nap after lunch.   See, a gloomy day and I was beat.    I am still beat.   Tomorrow I have to do something to perk myself up.   I will be taking the car in for maintenance.  Maybe that will help.

I am working on St. Anne tonight.   I am behind now.   I wanted to have the first draft of her chapter done BY November 1st.   But I can adapt.   I have extended the deadline to Sunday.

So until tomorrow, perhaps I will be perkier.

Dia Dhuit

Mary


"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." St Augustine of Hippo