Back in 1939 to 1941 we lived in DePere, Wisconsin. Mom and Dad, for fun, played a card game called "Sheepshead" or "Schafskopf" almost every Friday evening with two other couples in our small apartment building (5 various sized apartments) located above Mr VanGimert's tombstone/monument making company. Sheepshead often was played in the many small taverns in town, over a dozen in a two block area. Farmers would come in town every weekend to play and drink beer. They were sort of like the poker halls in other American towns.

Sometimes after moving back to Indiana, Dad's Wisconsin brothers would visit and play this popular card game, so I was taught how to play it as a teenager....since sometimes they needed another player. It really is a very complex and difficult game with lots of strategy....harder than Contract Bridge in many ways. After so many years, I'd forgotten how to play it so googled it to read the rules again. Yes it is extremely complicated....one of the things about it I had remembered!

They say some Wisconsin farmers would gamble their livestock or even the farm away when playing this game! I remember some of the terms: picker, the blind, the fail cards, schmearing, and going for "least", etc. Outside of Wisconsin, not many people have even heard of this fascinating....and often addicting game! 

I was very, very good this week in exercising every day at the Cardiac-Rehab Center. I manage to work up a sweat and get my heart (pulse) rate up 30 to 40 beats higher than at rest. It really helps to have an "exercise partner" ... a person nearby to converse with to make the time pass....or seem to pass....more quickly. My doctor told me I didn't need to lose any weight, but since I've been going to the center the past 3 + months, I have lost around seven pounds....just by exercising more than before. I'm also getting good biceps. In the meantime, my condo is still for sale. It's been on the market almost a year. Unfortunately there are about 6 or 7 others in this condo community also for sale, and the local housing market has a long way to go.....and I did bury St. Joseph upside down by the "For Sale" sign and did all the prayers and the Novena for nine days including the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. My cousin in New Mexico who was a very successful realtor for more than 20 years and who also is Catholic by the way....and a former nun to boot, said it works about as well as tossing chicken bones over the left shoulder. Will do that next, ha!

For fun I've been turning photos in to paintings via PhotoMania. Here are some that I've done of the daughters, etc.

From left to right: Daughters Andrea, Val (aka murisopsis), Stephanie, G'ma Joyce, and granddaughter Colleen. It is fun to do this. I did notice Val's eyes look dark brown instead of their actual color.....but still fun and very addictive too!

Fro