Today Mary-Kate had a follow-up appointment with her back surgeon.  So, off to Syracuse we went after Mass this morning.  This has been a much anticipated visit for me because we have been struggling with what she can do and what she cannot do.

I was told that the time in the hospital and when she was wearing her brace was going to be difficult and that I would have trouble keeping her quiet.  WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Now is when we are having trouble.  She looks well, she feels well and all her friends can do whatever they like so why can't she? 

So it was up to Dr. Palomino to lay down the law.  No running, not twisting of the torso, no excessive bending, no heavy lifting.  No being jostled, bumped or pushed.  No flexion or extension.  That means be careful with your back.  I think she gets it now.  She is starting a physical therapy program to strengthen her back and stomach muscles and she can do Pilates do accomplish the same.  She can ride her bike to her hearts delight on smooth ground. (no going off road) and she can walk as much as she likes.

Too bad the pool isn't open still 'cause she could use that too.  Anyway she has a definitive list of do's and don'ts  that we can work with.  Now mom is happy and that should cut down on the arguments and discussions. 

I am happy that she is getting better.  Let us hope that the recovery continues and my mental health can improve too. 

Jason is home this weekend.  Yesterday I got an impassioned call, "please come and get me."  Now this is my very tough and brave 19 year-old son.  He has always felt he is following in the footsteps of his three older brothers.  So he has tried to be as tough as he could be. 

Yesterday he wasn't being tough.  Much that he didn't like and  was actually frighted about was going on on campus and he wanted out. 

During the past two weeks there had been many major fights.  One of them sent and RA to the hospital with knife wounds.  Another fight involved guns.  The fire alarms have been going off nightly, pulled by students playing pranks. 

Jason's bike has been turned into a pretzel by some student bent on doing as much damage all over campus as he could affect before he got caught.  Many other bikes have had the same damage.  Now my son is one of the few students who are poor enough not to have a vehicle and depend on his bike to get him around the campus and the town.

The last straw was an apparant attempt by a student to hack into the campus computer system and plant a virus or series of viruses there.  Now many students have trouble with their computers.  Jason is just trying to learn and get his degree and get out of there.

So today he is at a college nearby trying to transfer there so that he will at least be closer to home.  What do you tell a child who is not niave by any means but who has never experienced so much evil so close at hand?  How I wish I could turn back the clock and keep him a little boy where a kiss would fix his bumps and bruises and make it all better.  Not the answer I know but I would surely minister to a mother's heart that is breaking for her son.

Tomorrow I have to borrow the neighbor and his truck and trailer to truck a bull and our last cow up to the auction.  Now our new neighbor is a great guy.  I know that he won't let me pay him for his services.  I also know that the way to a man's heart is definitely through his stomach.  (I have a great deal of experience with the male of the species, having had 6 brothers, 5 sons, one father and one husband.)  So I decided to bake today so that I can present Chris with adequate remuneration for his services.  (remuneration is a big word that here means trade)

So here are my carrot cakes.  They aren't pretty.  If I make a cake for a reason it is never pretty.  If it is just because it will be a work of art.  But I can promise you that they are delicious.

And here are three of the four loaves of bread that I baked today.  The fourth I took to give to Mary-Kate's Dr. when she went for her shot this afternoon.  Dr. Irene has been a friend of the family for many years now and I often bring baked goods to her.

And here is Adam's dog, Lupus, licking the beater after I made the cream cheese frosting for the cakes.

She is a very goofy animal.  She likes vegetables too.  And she drinks beer. 

Now she is sleeping on the daybed.  I think that she thinks that we put that there for her use.  I just washed all the bedding today and she is particularly comfortable because of that.  She is snoring.  Wish you boys were here to enjoy the cake and bread.  It's no fun cooking for so few.

Last week the love of my life worked for a contractor building a barn.  I haven't seen that man so tired in a long time.  But he gave them a full day work for a full days pay, and more.

The first day he got there and the poles were already in the ground.  They worked bracing the poles and putting the plate on.  The next day the crane came and they worked, very hard, putting rafters up on the center portion of the barn.  The next day they put up steel on the roof and built something that they called a dog house which is used to vent the top of the barn.

Next Doug took down bracing while the other men put up other roof boards.

Then they used a lift and they put up the rafters on one of the side sections of the barn.  That night I brought an exhausted man home from work.  I was very thankful that he was not driving himself home from work.  I don't think that he would have made it.

It took quite a while that night to massage the knots out of muscles that know how to work but haven't worked like that in a long time.

He was so tired he couldn't even talk.  For my man that is exhaustion.  But we are all proud of him and thankful for what he does for this family. 

Thanks be to God for the good husband that he has given to me.  Today he is back on the job site putting rafters up on the other side section of the barn.

While on a drive around the country Sunday I snapped these pitures.  I can't get enough of the beautiful scenery in the fall in central New York. 

Now I know that other parts of the country are beautiful but I am of the opinion that nothing can compare with central New York, especially in the fall.  Even the sight of farmers harvesting their corn is a satisfying sight.  It speaks to the farmer in me and the wife and mother in me.

 The air has been crisp in the mornings warming to the 60's by the afternoon.  (very typical for this time of year)  Nights are cold and clear.  The weather man was calling for rain on Tuesday and Wednesday so we decided to make Sunday an outdoor day.

The colors have been spectacular this year because we have had very few rainy days.  It has been a long warm fall.  It makes me wonder what this winter is going to be like.

Our outdoor Sunday went right into the evening and we enjoyed this beautiful moon rising.  Such an pleasure on a cool clear night.  The neighbors provided us with a lovely bonfire and I provided the macaroni and cheese.

What a secure and warm feeling to go to bed under that moon knowing the day that the Lord has given you. 

Last night the neighbor hit and killed Mary-Kate's dog Shadow.  In the neighbors defense, Shadow had a talent for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I was always convinced that she had ADHD.  We kind of knew that if she didn't live to a ripe old age and die in her sleep, that this was how she was going to go.  But Mary-Kate is heart broken.  She has the right perspective but still and all Shadow was her pet and she is going to miss her.  Every day after school she would great Shadow and play with her.  She was faithful about feeding her and cleaning up her pen.  She let her in every night and put her out every morning and lowered the boom on the person foolish enough to let Shadow out without putting her in her pen or on her lead. 

I could wax philosophical here and say that this is all a part of life and a good lesson for her to learn.  But this is the girl who listen to half of our milking herd die in a barn fire this past January and who lost all but two of her chickens in the same fire.  Who has willingly helped slaughter chickens and pigs for the freezer.  She knows about the "circle of life", a term that I despise.  Perhaps a lesson in detachment from possessions?  But this is a girl who gladly has given away some of her dearest possessions to her younger brother and to the neighbor girls.  No, I just think that it is part of life and time for Shadow to go.  Rest in peace shadow.

After the rosary rally we all went with the youth group to Pepi's Pizza for a pizza party. 

Here's Mr. Steve and Mr. Allen posing with Timmy and Christopher.

Heidi and Grace arm wrestle while Theresa, Robert and Zach cheer them on.

Irene just poses for the camera. 

That was before Carrie beat her arm wrestling.  These farm girls are awfully strong.

Jason and Nick are smart enough not to even challenge the girls.  Wise choice guys. 

A good time was had by all.  Lets do it again next year.

 Saturday was the 90th anniversary of the miracle of the sun at Fatima.  When Our Lady came to the three children in Fatima, Portugal and performed a miracle.

 So to commemorate that happening a rosary rally was held in Oneida by St. Joseph's parish.  It was pretty well attended.  Father Castronovo, Father Matt and several lay people led the crowd in all twenty decades of the rosary.

Some of the altar boys of the parish were present for the procession to and from the rally. 

In spite of the cool fall weather and the breeze that was blowing quite a few people showed up and persevered for the whole rosary.  I'm quite sure Our Lord and Our Lady are pleased with the outpouring of love and devotion that was shone on Saturday.

More to come!!!!!!!!!!!