What I've been up to......

my sisters decided that I needed a memorable 50th birthday party1

The four of them, all together, drove up from our old stomping grounds in NE Ohio on Friday. After they came by my place for a little plotting, they went to their hotel, and we reassenbled early on Saturday morning.

After some driving around making decisions, we had breakfast at Ma Fischers, a notorious 24-hour-breakfast restaurant, then pilgrimaged to several stores looking for a piece of medical hardware they wanted to make a present of without going to the internet --- but we didn't find it. So we shrugged shoulders and went to the Penzey's Spices store; I'd heard their fine reputation but never been there. All five of us indulged in spice purchases --- I got bellpepper flakes, orange peel, salt-free Italian herb blend, and salt-free California seasoned pepper.

Next stop was the [temporary] West Allis Farmer's market, where I did all kinds of ogling and bought some snap peas and pattypan squash. and my sisters decided that the Anchor Hold needed just a little something. A few purchases at the Market and a quick K-Mart stop, and back to my place. A big hanging plant with purple flowers now graces the old clothesline rack, and



here's two of my sisters planting my new herb garden with basil, thyme, rosemary, and tarragon. After a late lunch and talk at the Grand Avenue food court, I went home for an evening's rest, and they went to Summerfest with Julie of West Allis, who has been Susan's penpal for 30 years or so.

7:15 am, we are back out and running, to Mass at the Cathedral, then a stop in the Cathedral Treasury [the parish museum] and a few introductions, then breakfast at Mykono's Cafe, just two blocks from the cathedral. To the hotel for change of clothes and assorted phone calls to my brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews, then off to Summerfest for the day!



And this is us, the Five Sister Musketeers, enjoying the fine Lake Michigan shore. We wandered around the stages, then spent most of the afternoon at the gospel choir competition. One of the choirs was All Saints CATHOLIC Church --- the emphasis was theirs --- and they were so good that one of the sisters says that next time they do this we have to assist at Mass there, instead of Cathedral [raised eyebrow?]

For the evening, we went to the Big Backyard stage, where there was a young, quite handsome country singer who was quite good (but I don't recall his name). Only one sis was allowed to be with me on the access platform, but we could see the other three at a picnic table and they must have been enjoying themselves because they were dancing......

They went back to Ohio bright and early this morning, in order to have the holiday with husbands and children before work begins again on Wednesday. Wild and wonderful. And it's right that we really ought to see each othr more often than two or three times per decade!
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