Welllll...I'm trying to figure out this blogspot. Hey, it's no fun being a 75 year old with your savvy grandchildren away or busy. But at least I found where to post again! It's been a weird year for me...strange surgery last December and a long recuperation. I'm getting back in the swing of things now. I started volunteering at a small school library (Courtesy of the Christ Child Society!) and I just love it. Books, Books, and more Books! and then you add in the kids and it's a great experience. I haven't gone back to the Pabst Mansion yet. My back is still a problem. But I hope to this month. I miss the other docents and I definitely miss the Pabst. It's regaled in Christmas finery right now. I can hardly wait to see it. Patrick, my oldest grandson, is working at First Stage here in Milwaukee. He is very involved in Three Holy Women Parish and I get to go with him to a Taize' service on Tuesday. I've never been, but it sounds meditative. I think I'll like it. DanS, my son-in-law, just bought the right to be on stage in the Music Man production at the Skylight, here in Milwaukee. He had fun...and I am going with a group of friends and relatives to see it this week. AND...I'm having my second Cataract surgery. Wish me luck.

White out!

Omigosh! I don't know what the exact definition of a blizzard is,but it looks like we're in one, right after a day where the grass was showing tufts of green and the temperature was near 50! Door County is always a treat! We're sort of snowed in, because the wind has blocked out even the lake, a short 300 yards from our patio window.

How did the Indians ever do it? I'm sitting at my computer in a safe, warm and dry house...and thinking about not only their teepees,...but of the brown and grey chinked log cabins built by hand and hard labor and that abound in Door County. You can't help but be reminded that settling here must have been a real trial. Why would they do it? Freedom from servitude and freedom for their Moravian religion is the obvious answer. But I think of the mothers, trying to keep the kids warm, making a home of a small cabin. I'm an only child. I cherish the times when I can be by myself. I have always wondered how the families dealt with the lack of privacy. There was nowhere in the cabin to be by oneself. And think of the noise. The wind wails around the corner of our condominium! What would it be like in a little cabin? I guess you accommodate to whatever life gives you. Hopefully these pioneers were able to take a breath and recognize the beauty of the place that they had chosen to make their home.

And after I think about these negative parts of a snow storm, I look out and see the absolutely stunningly beautiful white landscape, punctuated with exclamation points of birch trees along the shore of Kangaroo Lake. The cedars are bending their dark green branches with heavy white snow, waving in the winds. And the wind! It send snow perpendicular to the large meadow that leads to the lake.

And here we are. Jerry makes a fire. We read. We sit. We make some soup and enjoy the warmth as we watch winter invade our Door County. And we count our blessings.

In like a lamb...

Well, we're in Door County and March has come in like a lamb. It's close to
60 degrees, the snow is melting and we've just come away from our silly
wine and cheese party at the Rushes. It's a lot of fun to see where
everyone is from...and how long they've been owners at the Rushes. This has
to be one of the most loyal group of time share owners. Many of the
folks tonight have been here more than 10 years, some of us more than 20!
We munch on veggies, dip and meatballs, enjoy a glass of wine and love Brenda, the activities director who has been with us for almost 20 years. She is celebrating her 50th birthday this year (in September) and reminds us every week. She is collecting a bunch of cards and gifts as the year progresses. What a prolonged celebration.
The dark pencil marks of the silhoetted trees punctuate the winter sky. This season, like all, has a special beauty.

Somehow I've lost track of this blog...and my LIFE since my December 16th gastric reorganization!
Anyhow, I'm thinking I'm back to normal...and lo and behold, I do one day of normal housework...a couple loads of laundry, general cleanup and a cleaning of the oven...and today I thought I'd just take small nap after Laurie and I did a few errands...and I CRASHED! For 4 hours! But on to the real news. Barb was 'late' for our St Sebastian Meeting tonight. She was given a President's Awaard from Johnson Controls for her work on the Energy Forum that has been part of her life for the past several years the second week in June and in Washington DC. She quickly changed gears and was right up to speed with our 100th celebration. What a kid! I'm so proud of all that she has accomplished.

January 19, 2011
So...It's just five weeks since my gastric volvulus surgery, and recuperation is certainly going as predicted...SLOWLY! I, as predicted by Dr. Wallace, hate the gastric tube. It's just obnoxious. I wonder how long I'll have to have this thing? Oh well, my resolve is to think of at least one forward going or uplifting thing that happens each day. That will make the recuperative time go better, I hope...so here goes.
I spend part of each afternoon at the Rec Center at the Rushes...just watching life go by. Today, the Hartmans from Appleton - folks we've know for 28 years, were there, playing bingo! I had a nice visit with Marilyn and Pete, catching up on the year's activities. Marilyn has had both knees replaced and broke her pelvis. She's doing great and hoping that the next doctor's appointment will give her permission to go back to the x-country skiing that they love so much. It's always nice to meet them every year.