July 9, 2008. Western Head, N.S. House Guests.

Now we have had many, many guests here with us in Nova Scotia. Even Gill commented about these particular guests. They are as pleasant and refined and accomodating as guests could possibly be.. Today they headed out to Lunenberg, right after breakfast, which they had all served their own breakfast. And Bill was up early to make the coffee, so by the time I came down stairs, the coffee was all ready for that first cup. Now it is almost five oclock, and they have just arrived home, and now are sitting on the deck with Ken. Perfect guests. Tonight, our friends are coming for dinner to meet Joyce and Bill and Marion and Allistair. Also Joyce and Bill will be here for the 50th too, so I wanted them to meet some other folks they will also see again in August. We will have a merry time. Someone asked me what we serve for dinner when we entertain, especially when we eat together so often up here in Nova Scotia. I think Mario asked me. Truthfully, I never remember from one time to the next, what we ate the last time. I am sure this is a grave deficiency in my charachter, but even tho I love to eat good food, I do not love tp cook good food, so I do not pay much attention. Here for posterity is the menu: appitizers of cheeses, pate, crackers and nuts. Main corse: mixed grill of pork spareribs, pork loin and sausage, boiled new potatoes, and frozen corn. I must use up the corn because the bag has been in the freezer for a long time, and I hate to waste good food. Dessert: Fresh fruit of local strawberries, honeydew melon and watermelon cut up in a big bowl, along with cookies, fresh baked at the store. It looks easy to me. Lots of wine of course. We are going to open up the 50th wine, and hope it tastes all right. If it tastes awful, we will drink it anyway, as we have 20 cases of the stuff.

Our good friends Wendy and Claussen should be here, but their dog Schooner has bone cancer, so they had to delay their trip one week. They were just told this bad new. We are all feeling very badly about it. Schooner was named after the local beel, chosen while we were all drinking beer in Lanes having lunch and drinking Schooner beer. The dog is part of us up here in Nova Scotia. They hope to leave on Saturday, and will get the Ferry on Sunday. So many trips to Nova Scotia have been cancelled or delayed by illness or death in the Ely family relations or animals. It is almost unbelievable. But it is true. We all wish they were here, and I know they feel the same.