The Last Bottle of Petta Wine

From Sara B:

Miki Tracy led us in toasts to Frank and Ann with the last bottle of last year's Petta wine -- found unopened in Ann's refrigerator, and just enough for the group's toasts.

Art Livingston regaled our table with tales of early Chicago meetings, including Frank Sheed's appearance. Read more.

I called Bernice Haase, who mothered us through the Milwaukee conventions and took such good care of Fr. Dave Wilbur. She sends on her best to all of you. She is still shoveling her own snow, which doesn't surprise any who know her. She opines that milking cows in the early morning, as she did as a young woman, is far more conducive to a long and active life than sitting at a computer. Amen.

Ann's niece will send out corrected holy cards to those who left addresses in the condolence book. I'm sure Ann got a good laugh from having two years subtracted from her age.

Old timers would have known Bernice from the Milwaukee days. She sat at the back door of the Cousins Center to make sure people weren’t locked out and got their room keys while the rest of us were down the hall at the conference – many met her before they met the rest of the Chestertonians. I don’t think she got to hear a substantive lecture the whole time we were in Milwaukee. I got Dale and Laura to get flowers for Bernice, Frances and Ann one early year in St. Paul as the mothers of the Chesterton conference. Thanks Sara B. for this report.