My last day of worship at FG

This morning we went to Bible study and worship at First German. I knew it was going to be wonderful because my young friend, Naomi, was playing for the service, with her gentleman friend, David, joining her on the bench for a pre-service hymn. The church 'band' also played and the choir sang "In Christ Alone" for this special service where three new teachers were being installed. This was why we attended the late service---to witness the installation, hear the special music, and enjoy the pot luck luncheon afterward. 

Mom and I contributed delicious (if I do say so myself) baked beans

Linda and Tommy were privileged to have their son and his two little girls with them in church today. It has been about three years since I last saw Matthew and it was great to see him. Linda had been keeping his oldest daughter, Amanda, for a week or so and she joined us for occasional outings. She even went to Bible study with Linda and me last Thursday and enjoyed playing with the other kids. Linda couldn't get over what a good girl she was on these outings, made her grandma proud. With Dad back in the picture, he had his hands full with his little girls.

Having the church band accompany our worship was an added delight to this visit. The brass, horns, and timpani made the hymn singing even better, with Naomi on the bench, well, tears flowed! It was simply a wonderful service, installation, and feast which I greatly enjoyed.

Tonight I made dinner for Mom, Lynn, Jill, and me including sausage (brats), peppers 'n onions. Mom just loves this meal and I am glad she does. It's really no trouble to throw together. Besides that, I made fresh cucumber salad using the produce I got yesterday at the farmer's market. What a bowlful that made! We had a spoonful of beans leftover from the pot luck to go with the meal and all went away happy and full. I just love the cucumber salad and wonder why I don't make it more often...Perhaps I will when I get home!

It's a little fuzzy but that dish contains the sliced onions in the vinegar, sugar, and milk sauce, awaiting the sliced cucumbers. Yum!!

It's a blessed day!!!

Yay!!!  Lori sent me a text message last night just before 11:00 pm that the missing keys had found their way into her purse by mistake. She is sending them back to Mom posthaste! Mom was already asleep when the message came and I sure wasn't going to wake her, so I wrote her a big note with the words "It's a blessed day" on it, and put it in the bathroom. She found it when she got up in the night to use the potty and was so relieved to know where they were. Whew!!!  These things happen and it has little to nothing to do with age. Yay!

Today Mom, Lynn, and I had a good time. We started out at Manitowoc Coffee where I enjoyed a soda and a peanut square. The two ladies had their gourmet coffee and a baked treat as well. From there we checked out once again the gift shop adjacent to the coffee house where I picked up a couple of things including some bookmarks and little pair of slipper socks for Mom. She said the ones she had been using were wearing out. 

We walked down the street and went over to the Farmer's Market. I just love the market---all the variety and the people I know there. Love that! Here are some photos from the day:

We have enjoyed lovely weather, even I think 77 is a good temperature. This sign greets us at the entrance to the Farmer's Market

The Hmong farmers really produce (ha, ha) for the weekend markets. I did buy some cucumbers from them which we will have for dinner one night before I leave. I also got my mom a pair of earrings from a vendor, hot pink ones, for $2. Can't go wrong with that!

This view is looking across the river at the Manitowoc Maritime Museum where the submarine 'Cobia' is moored. 

The lost keys

When I was here in March my mom had an episode where she experienced an upset stomach and that which accompanies such. I didn't like it one little bit---hated to see her feeling and looking so puny. The next morning Mom was over her 'bug' and was able to attend worship and Bible study. 

This time her malady is not necessarily a physical one but still causes her great upset. Her keys are missing. They are nowhere, absolutely nowhere, to be found. Lynn and I have looked in the car, in the trunk, every room in the house, and Mom even checked in the trash to see if they were accidentally disposed of. Nope! I called every restaurant and establishment we'd visited since she last used them to get home after helping at church yesterday. I called The Charcoal Grille, Sassy Salon, and The Green Street Tavern with no keys being turned in. Mom is quite perturbed about this. 

Lynn, Jill, and I went out to dinner tonight to a local golf and country club for a perch dinner. Mom opted to stay in, just not up to going out this evening. By LIKING them on Facebook, I was able to get us discounted meals, at least for two of us, at the Branch CC.  It was a lovely dining room, sort of rustic but with a nice ambiance, great view of the links and all that. There we saw an old friend of ours from First German days. Kris was a year ahead of me in school but we were still friends. It was great to see her husband and her again. 

The only thing we can think of that happened with those keys is somehow Lori might have picked them up by mistake when she left this a.m. I have called her and let her know of the situation. She is setting up at a market tonight to sell her jewelry which was another reason why she needed to get back home but promised to look for the keys once she gets situated. 

Until then, my poor mumsy is feeling quite sad and sickened at the thought of replacing her car key (she doesn't drive anymore anyway), her mailbox key and her main door key to the apartment building. I have offered to help her pay for them, but that is not the issue. She won't rest easy until she has those keys in hand but we have to wait for Lori to check things over and see if she has them. Until then, we wait...

Fun with Lori

When Lori arrived at Mom's, she had her bicycle hanging off the back of the car. Her intent was to take a long ride along the lake shore while Mom and I each did our thing. Linda was coming for us around 8:30 to go to church for a while. Mom had 'signed me up' to work on the newsletter without knowing I had made plans to go with Linda to ladies' Bible study in Mishicot. It worked out that I got do both things, at least for a while, as we had plenty of time before having to head out. Another lady at FG was going to take Mom back home after their work was done. 

Linda suggested we go to eat lunch at the Charcoal Grille after class. I sent Lori a text message asking her to gather Mom and meet us at noon for lunch. She was almost to Two Rivers on her bike so instead of telling me she needed more time, she rode like a bat out of you-know-where for home. She flew in the door at Mom's, told Mom the plan and simply threw herself together in a moment's time to make to the restaurant by noon. When Mom told me about it, it was hysterical!

The host seated us in the back of the place, and I told him that my mom wouldn't like the long walk to the table. He said, "I'll carry her..."  From my seat, I could see the front doors and saw him standing there and watching for her. How he knew she was my mom is beyond me, but he did! When Lori pulled in, out he went to the car to escort Mom in, and walked her all the way back to the table. He said to me, "I tried to carry her but she wouldn't let me...." What a nice, nice guy!

After lunch Mom, Lori, and I went to get our toes done, Mom's treat. Such wonderful pampering for $25 each. Not only do they groom the feet but also massage the calves, lather them up, and then rub them with hot stones. Ahhhh....! Thanks, Mom!  She told us she usually gets to go first at Sassy Salon, Mama-san gets special treatment, but today they did me first, and then Lori. Mom had to wait! It was okay with me, though.  

Once home, Lori wanted to go check out a few shops downtown, but Mom and I stayed home. We were meeting our cousins for dinner at The Green Street. I arranged for the transfer of my auntie's walker to Mom, as she wants one to use in the house. It is more dainty in size and shape than the 'big' one Justin and I got for her back in 2003 or '04. So, once brought home, she now has a fleet of 3 walkers, including one stored in Lynn's trunk for use when no shopping carts are available.

My 'cousin', Alex, hugged Mom at The Green Street. He is the son of my parents' long-time friends whom we called Auntie and Uncle, and I have always considered their kids as my cousins. He was having dinner with his son but stopped by to put a hug on his 'auntie'!

We met our cousins Barb and Jon at The Green Street, plus Barb's husband, Jim. Mom, Lynn, Jill, Lori and I finished off the group. It was a great, great night---loved our time together. During my previous visit my sisters and I met up with their brothers, Jimmy and David. That, too, was a hoot. I miss seeing my cousins and it happens that we mostly get together when I am home. Interesting! They all live in this town with my mom and sisters and yet don't hang out much. 

Lori is going home tomorrow as she has a busy social calendar plus is in charge of her church's VBS which means lots of work for her. I am so glad she made the trip over here even for a couple of days into which was packed much activity. For safety purposes, she brought her bike into the house and parked it on the little porch with Mom's lovely flowers. It was wonderful for her to get the bike ride in, even if she had to fly back to Manty to make to lunch on time!

Church 'n perch 'n TV

Mom and I enjoy watching TV together including Jeopardy! in the evenings. It's on earlier here than it is at home, 6:00 pm. At 8:00 JAG comes on, a program I used to watch years ago and really missed. Love being able to see it again. It is the predecessor of "NCIS" which Mom also greatly enjoys. After JAG comes Matlock, another of Mom's favorites, though she has seen them all a time or two already. Like me with the Seinfeld episodes---some are favorites and others I don't need to see again. Mom regrets falling asleep during the shows and missing parts of them, but that happens. If she slept all night long, she might be able to stay awake later at night. It seems like all her life her sleep has been a mess...

Last night, though, I missed some of the evening viewing as I joined Linda for her late nail appointment at Rose Colored Glasses. We have a nice time when there and I get pampered even if not buying a service from them. John, one of the owners, greeted us with hugs, and gave us each neck warmers to put around our shoulders which is quite soothing. Nicole, John's wife, does Linda's nails and is an artist at it. They are also WELS and we have such good visits with the ladies and John. 

From there we went across the street to Harborside to eat dinner. We had to wait for a table as they were quite busy. Several of the diners waiting with us at the bar were in Manty by default as the hotels where they were wishing to be were all booked for the EAA show in Oshkosh. A pair of guys were trying to do business in Fond du Lac and a sales lady was supposed to be in Appleton but there was no room in the Inn. Even though she tried booking six months out, no dice! That is good for business in Manty, then, both hotels and restaurants.

The hostess recognized me from the Facebook page, as I often indicate on their daily posting which menu items I'd like, even though I am far away from them. She said she appreciates that, and remembers that on Friday I always order the fried perch! And, they nicely prepared some for us that evening, even though it was not on the menu. That is good customer service, if you ask me. I will see Linda again soon when she picks me up for Bible study which is in Mishicot. We will take her granddaughter along with us as others bring their kids with them. 

My sister, Lori, is coming to Manty for a visit. She had been here on the weekend but had to go back to Holmen for a meeting at church as she is head of their education program. They have VBS coming up and plans must be made!  She is staying here at Mom's so I put fresh sheets on Mom's bed where Lori will sleep. Mom chooses to take the loveseat and/or her chair, where she does her best sleeping anyway. That way Lori can sleep later in the morning, as is her practice, and we won't bother her as much. I hope not, anyway!

I got to see my boys!

The day I arrived at Mom's house I was dropped off from Pastor Schaefer's car which was driven from MKE to Manty by Joel Ungemach. Pastor bailed on us at North Avenue where he met his wife and daughters in a Wendy's parking lot. He jumped in their van while the other two of us continued on our way home. Mom was at first worried I'd talk Pastor's arm off on the ride home but I hardly got a chance to do that! Anna's brother was in town so they were going to meet up with him for dinner that night and just hang out as a family until then. I didn't care who got me to Mom's, just so I got there!

Angelo in the car

Mom let Lynn know that I had arrived and she brought the boys over. I was so glad to see them again!!  Angelo is getting so big. He is practicing using the potty and says many more words than he had when I was there in March. He is so darn cute! 

My sister, Kerry, has a crazy, mixed-up schedule at work and is not sure when she can get here to Mom's for a visit. We had planned on taking the boys school shopping together but that might not happen. Lynn said we can go one day next week when she has the boys again so they can try on the clothes to make sure they fit. 

Today we went to the ice cream parlor and had a marvelous treat. My sister, Jill, is the manager there which never hurts either! I ordered my cone and then realized my other favorite flavor was there, so ended up with a double. Wow, that was almost too much to eat! Lynn said she will order a banana split and have that as her dinner because it's so filling. And healthy, with all the fruit on it!