September 28, 2008. Western Head, N.S. Closing Up.

The surfers have been out in the bay since early this morning, and they are still there now at four o'clock. The waves continue to get higher, but it seems that the big storm is going further west, so all we will experience is strong wind and some rain. I hope so, because we have dinner guests tonight, ten in all, to welcome Susie and Jeff Bond and to say farewell to us. I still had chowder from the 50TH, which I froze, but it won't survive in the freezer until next year, so we are serving it to our friends. Now Betty told me that chowder freezes very well, but I am not so sure it will be as good as the first time. Betty makes the most wonderful chowder, so I guess it will be fine. My basic concept is that people come to visit and to talk, and that the food is incidental. Not everyone thinks that way about entertaining, but it works well for me. Normally I do not serve any appetizers, but tonight I am having shrimp and sausage rolls, so if the chowder is not so good, at least some food will keep people full. And with a heavy carrot cake for dessert I think the dinner will be fine.

Our checklist is complete. Ken has closed up the hot tub, I have left a cheque and note to Jackie, my clothes are all ready for the morning, the clothes are clean except the sheets and Jackie will do them after we leave, and we are ready for our next adventure. Our truck is in the garage with the battery on a slow charge and the fountain is out of the pond. I always like to have everything completed the day before we depart, as for some reason, I don't think very well on the day of a trip. When we return, the weather will be cold, but we will still turn on the old Victrola we bought at an auction on Saturday. It came with fifty records so we will have fun. We also bought another bike and a wicker rocking chair for the cottage, also an old steamer trunk. We enjoyed the day, as we usually do at auctions. The items we bought will all be waiting our return. Now we are ready to hit the road.