The 12 Days of Christmas

Monday, December 1, 2025

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me,  

A partridge in a pear tree. 

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Two turtle doves.

On the third day of Christmas, 

my true love sent to me, 

Three French hens.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Four calling birds.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Five gold rings.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Six geese a-laying.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Seven swans a-swimming.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Eight maids a-milking.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Nine ladies dancing.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Ten lords a-leaping.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Eleven pipers piping.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, 

Twelve  Drummers drumming.

Thanksgiving 2025

Thursday, November 27, 2025

For table favors I made boxes with a turkey graphic name and printed colored feathers.  I filled them with a trail mix and included a tiny top with a note saying  "Pilgrim children most likely played with tops".  I also made one for each of my second floor neighbors.

Janice was arranging appetizers when Peter and I arrived at 3:00 p.m. at Jay and Laura's; Claude followed right behind.

The aroma of Laura's dry-brined turkey greeted us as we entered.

The main table was arranged and needed extra length to seat twelve.

Rogers and Beate brought Latvian treats.

Guests spread throughout the house engaged in conversation while having beverages and  munching on Janice's delicious assortment of appetizers.

Laura and Jay hosted Annika, Claude, Rogers, Beate, Peter, Marcia, Colin, Jakory, Brad and Janice.

Claude poured Prosecco, Annika filled water glasses before we sat down.  Besides the most flavorful turkey, we feasted on an eight-plaited bread, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, green beans and cranberries.  

Beate attempted to help clear the table and was surprised to find that the men are in charge of that job.  Hopefully, she'll replicate that practice in Latvia.  

The tops provided some amusement seeing how long they would keep spinning; some, surprisingly long.

After such a full meal, Laura always chooses a light dessert, that still includes pumpkin (but no pumpkin pie).  She served a glass with a gingersnap, broken meringue and a delicate pumpkin sauce.  We also had some of the Latvian treats that included baklava. 

Everyone left with smiles and thankful to have been together.

Holiday Folk Fair

 Saturday, November 22, 2025

Peter and I went to the Folk Fair in the afternoon.  We had to park some distance away on 85th Street; I was glad that I had my walker.

We enjoyed two session of the dancers.  Seating was limited, so I sat on my walker, which was very handy with its elevated seat.  Peter sat behind in the bleachers.  I could hear him having a conversation with someone seated next to him.  Sure enough, there is bound to be someone he knows, or someone who knows someone he knows.  The person was someone who was related to someone Peter worked with at Briggs & Stratton.  This person was a member of a Czech soccer team who knew my former neighbor Jerry Panek.

We each had a crepe with strawberry jam to tide us over until we would have a more substantial meal at Pegasus.

We viewed the cultural booths and then took the long walk back to our car.

Because I was unsuccessful getting an egiftcard for Jay's Birthday present on my computer, we drove to Lake Park Bistro to buy one in person.  Peter waited in the car while I went inside.  The bartender asked if I'd like a coffee of wine while I waited.  I never thought about that.  I went out and asked Peter to come in for a nightcap.  Peter had a wine, I had a warmed Grand Marnier; I never had it warmed, and the aroma was intoxicating.

We were almost finished when another bartender asked if we were hungry.  I told him we had eaten already.  He was offering us complementary salmon dinners because there were some unclaimed dinners or something.  So sorry that we had to refuse.

Holy Hill

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

I had a sleepless night, worried that I would not hear the 4:00 a.m. wake-up alarm to be ready for Janice's 4:45 a.m. pick-up to attend the 6:00 a.m. mass at Holy Hill.

There were announcements in the church bulletin regarding the veneration of the relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux; Janice also emailed me the information and asked if I'd like to go.

It was still dark and we drove in a light drizzle in light traffic.  We parked in general parking and I had difficulty going up an incline to the entrance, that I knew I'd never be able to go down with my walker.  There was ample handicapped parking which Janice moved to.

The cathedral was decorated in huge bouquets of roses around the altar, side altars and in front of the St. Therese shrine.  People were filing down the aisle to kneel and touch the that bore the relics; some touched the with pictures, prayer books or rosaries.  The church was filled almost to capacity by the time mass began with at least six priests celebrating the mass along with sacristans.

This article has all the information, more than I could ever provide.

https://catholicherald.org/local/crowds-welcome-relics-of-st-therese-of-lisieux/?fbclid=IwdGRleAOJ1X1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xNzM4NDc2NDI2NzAzNzAAAR4xwj_R7JZKoJ6NeYOqGHI3ewn9UMMs9x4W_xnQATYxnp1BDu283inW702mEg_aem_hXiXksXbyJ2AlkWY7cuoaw#iLightbox[gallery_image_1]/15

People were lined up after mass to continue venerating the relics; we left for Janice and Brad's home.

Brad had fresh coffee brewing and ready.  Janice had a faux egg dish and hash-browned potatoes and sweet potatoes with other vegetables for breakfast that we finished off with organic muffins.

I needed to catch up on my sleep when I got home.

I played sheepshead, took a full bag of gathered shawls to the Prayer Shawl Ministry and read scripture at the 4:00 p.m. mass.

Clean-up and More With Claude

Saturday, November 1, 2025

I drove in light rain to my hair appointment, and the rain continued as I drove home.  Claude still wanted to collect my dragon leaf begonias to store at his house.

Claude came about 1:30 p.m. and put the begonias in his car.  I took some stems and, hopefully, will get them to root.

Claude told me about Beethoven's symphonies that will be playing during the New York marathon and I wanted to show him  how I listen to music through my speakers.  Unfortunately, I wasn't getting any sound from them.  He fixed that by securing the wires; now they work fine.  I'm looking forward to listening to a new station.

My digital clock hasn't had the correct information since I hung it up.  Claude put that in order.

Laura's CARE package dinner from last night came in handy to share with Claude: bacon-wrapped meat loaf, mashed potatoes and red cabbage from her garden.  We started with pumpkin soup that I made yesterday, and finished with cream cheese topped brownies that I made for a memorial service.

Claude finished my balcony by pulling out the entire root systems  from the two planters.  I have two large plastic bags for composting.

I'm leaving the coleus until the frost kills them.  They are still so lovely.

I finished a shawl while I watched the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in a heart-breaking game.  The Jays were leading the entire game until the ninth inning when the Dodgers tied it; they won 5 - 4 in the 11th inning. 

2025 Skeletons

 Thursday, October 23, 2025

Today was much better than yesterday's gloomy, cold, windy day to take a drive to see the Hubertus skeleton display.

The theme celebrates the 250th Birthday of America.

Again the creator's imagination went wild with costumes incorporating colors, slogans and symbols on tee shirts, hats and outrageous positions.

Evil Knievel rose from the dead to join the party.

And dominating the scene is the Statue of Liberty.

Read more about the skeletons here:

https://www.tmj4.com/news/washington-county/red-white-and-boo-the-26th-annual-holy-hill-skeleton-display-is-bone-afide-patriotic

My 93rd Birthday

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

After circling the block a couple of times to find parking, I bought a pound of cookies at Peter Sciortino Bakery to serve the breakfast group.

I brought my cereal and a hard roll (it wasn't as hard as I'd like) that I bought at the bakery to find Terri Miller, Rod DePue, Russ Langford, Edie Zutz and Barbara Todd at the table.  They sang "Happy Birthday"; they sang it again when Cecile Langford arrived, and once more when Jackie Haessley came.  I had quite a few cookies left that I shared with some people in the lower trattoria, also the cook.

It was bumper to bumper Brewer traffic that made driving extremely slow going to Maggiano's for lunch with the Ladies of Lee-sure.  I got off at 35th Street and took Wisconsin Avenue until the street was closed.  Bluemound Road was better and I got to the restaurant exactly at noon.  I had lunch with Karen Sauer, Vicky Barton, Wendy Selestow and Cindy Swenson.  I had shrimp scampi with a lot of pasta that I could take home. 

The waitress brought a Birthday treat that was an oval of white chocolate with "Happy Birthday" and crescent shaped lemon-flavored cookies that I shared with the ladies; there was also a strawberry.

                    

I got to Dr. Gundamraj's office about 2:00 p.m. for my 3:00 p.m. appointment  When the nurse assistant asked how I was spending my Birthday, I told her that I had lunch with the teachers from Lee School. "I went to Lee School", she said, and we tried remembering some teachers.   Dr. G  completed the DMV form before going over my lab results; the only concern was high glucose (borderline diabetes).  I also got a flu shot.

It took me about 30 minutes to get to the DMV on Grange Ave.  Because it was so close to closing time, my information had to be sent to Madison for review and I won't get approval for a license until tomorrow when they will call me.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

At breakfast when I told the group that I had an appointment with the audiologist because my right hearing aid was dead, I got a lot of advice about not driving with an expired license.  Dwight Morgan cautioned that if I hit someone all of my assets could vanish.  Paco Martorell offered to drive me, but I declined, not knowing how long my appointment would last.  I decided to call Lyft.

Dawn arrived with a Jeep and almost lost control when I told her that I was 93 and was able to get into the Jeep.  We had a lively chat and she got me to Dr. Martin's office on time, even after missing an exit.  That ride was $23.93.

My hearing aid was filled with wax and needed a cleaning and a new guard; I also got different tops

David picked me up at 11:55 a.m. and got me to SRS at 12:20 p.m.  That ride was $13.93; my transportation cost $37.68.

Claude treated me to dinner at Pitch's.  We each had a half rack of ribs (buy one get the second at half price), I had a Pinot G, Claude had a beer.  The meals were delicious.  I expected a Birthday treat since the waitress knew it was my Birthday, but Claude was not charged for my Pinot.  I toasted the waitress; it was much better than a piece of cake.

Friday, September 26, 2025

Janice came with a noodle dish, salad and a iced banana dessert.  She gave me a card with a Pick 'n Save gift card.  It was a beautiful day to have our lunch on the balcony.

Annika and I had dinner at the Twisted Fisherman; I knew she'd like the mussels on the menu.  Even though the day was warm earlier, it was too cool to eat outdoors.  We shared a calamari appetizer, Annika devoured a bowl of mussels and I had shrimp tacos.  Annika said she was mussels happy.

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Peter treated me to dinner at Parkside 23 as my Birthday gift.  I had charred salmon; Peter had Amish chicken breast.  Both were delicious.  We shared a complementary Crème Brulee.

We finished the evening at O'Donohue's.