June 30, 2009. Western Head, N.S. Charlotte Lane.

Roland and Kathleen own Charlotte Lane, a charming little restaurant in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Roland is Swiss, trained in Paris and met Kathleen in Banff, Alberta, when they both worked at the Banff Springs Hotel. His family has been in the restaurant business for three generations so cooking is in his genes, although always in Switzerland. Part time jobs for Roland all through high school and college were always in the Family establishments. Kathleen is Canadian and has a degree in the management of hospitality, so when they married, they moved to Toronto, where hospitality was alive and well and jobs were readily available. After a few years working at a fancy restaurant in Toronto, they decided to move to Nova Scotia and open a small restaurant where Roland could cook and Kathleen would run the business. The plan was to open only during the late Spring and Summer months, closing in October, then visit Roland's family in Switzerland helping out if necessary, and travel around in Europe. The plan has worked out well. and they now celebrate twelve years in Shelburne.

First they renovated the small home they purchased for cash, doing all the work themselves. Their home was the second floor of the restaurant. The first room you enter is a gift store, so while you are waiting to be seated and when paying your bill, all these objects are enticing you to buy. Kathleen has wonderful taste so the gifts for sale are unusual and interesting. The restaurant itself seats twenty eight, with a small deck out the back for use when the weather is fine. The town os Shelburne is small, about two thousand souls, and the restaurant is not inexpensive, but this restaurant is full all the time. People come from all over Nova Scotia to eat at Charlotte Lane. Even the noon hour lunch time requires reservation. Roland and Kathleen are lovely people, hard working and pleasant. Just last year they bought the house next door to the restaurant and re-did the place into a show home, where they now live. I love the idea of getting an idea and carrying out the plan and then watching the success grow. Now they stay open in the Fall right up to the American Thanksgiving, then re-open in June. It is a nice life. But I still can not imagine cooking every day for six months of the year. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Roland is a wonderful cook, and I hope they stay in place for many years, because I love eating there.

June 29, 2009. Western Hear, N.S. Welcome Home.

Everything is different here. The temperature is cool, the air is clean and moist, the dogwood trees are in full bloom. The summer is beginning. Tonight we dined at the Mitchell's home with Gill. Tomorrow we dine at the Bond's. Tomorrow we drive down to Shelburne to sign papers at the lawyer's office and we will have lunch at Charlotte Lane, the best restaurant in Nova Scotia. The fog horn is bleating it's mournful sound and the fog has descended at the shore. It will rain tonight I am sure. We are snug as bugs in our home by the shore.

Every time we come we remember how much we love this place. Everything is different and everything is lovely. Now we hope that clean air and moist air will help Ken get rid of his cough. For me, I intend to read and visit my friends. Our trip here was easy, including meeting Gill at the airport and driving together with Mr Gaskill. Now we are settled in for two weeks and we will enjoy.

No Lime, No Roundup = Milkweed

Red Hot Poker & Black Raspberries

The Farm in June, Sunset, Rye and Corn, Turtle in the Corn

June 28, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Simple Pleasures.

Red winged blackbirds have taken up residence at our farm. They are beautiful elegant birds. Up till now, they only stopped by, on their way to someplace else, but this year, they have come to stay. We saw them arrive in May, and thought they would be gone by the time we arrived in June, but not at all. We see them everywhere. I believe they nest in the tall grass because I walked over to the path to go for a walk and two birds were not a bit happy with me, dive bombing and swooping close beside me. Clearly, they wanted me to leave their area, so I did. Every time we look outside or sit on the deck, we see these wonderful birds.

Ken saw an indigo bunting this morning down by the pond. He was out taking pictures and then this bright bird appeared flitting along the branches. And we spotted a Kestrel when we were riding around the farm in the gator yesterday afternoon. They are the smallest of the hawks and perhaps the most beautiful. In every direction at the farm, birds can be seen and heard. We must have hundreds of barn swallows nesting in the barn and sheds. For several years, the number of swallows diminished but this year they are out in force. And the tree swallows are everywhere too, nesting in about half of the bluebird boxes which might be a problem except we see many. many bluebirds too. This has been a wonderful year for birds at the farm. Now I still need my friend Phyllis to tell me the birds I can not recognize.

Tammy and Bryan have increased the size of their garden so on Saturday we stopped by to see what we could buy from them, as we had no vegetables. We came home with onions, zuchini and potatoes which Ken cooked for dinner along with some good Angus beef. Fresh vegetables right from the garden taste so good. The only problem is that Tammy will never let us pay for the vegetables. One day she will let us pay her, but not today.

The sunset Saturday evening was beautiful, full of pink and purple and blue. We sat on the front stoop and watched the evening darken and drank our wine, which we left too long in the wine cellar. Simple Pleasures, coming all day at the farm.

June 26, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Celebrity.

I wonder if it was always like this, where people become celebrities just because they are famous at one thing. It is one aspect of modern life that does not please me. The modern world is the world I love, because of the ease of communications, travel and medicines, but when I hear all about Michael Jackson dying on every station of every radio it makes me nauseated. Here we have a person born with great gifts who worked hard being famous, then could not tolerate the life of a celebrity. Instead he chose to ruin his life by having any and every plastic surgery to his body and face, leaving him looking ridiculous. Then, despite high income, managed to go in debt to the tune of four hundred million dollars. He had a talent but was never grateful. Instead he squandered his life away. Now all you hear is that we, the public, should be sorry for him.

At any time in the life of a famous person, if they can not tolerate the life of a celebrity, they could return to private life and take themselves out of the public domain. Many entertainers have led a full and active private life, all the while keeping their profession of singing or acting or athletics out in the public domain. I have no patience for complaints when the person made themselves famous by doing everything in their power to be in the public eye. I hate the interest in celebrity. I love to know of competent people who can do something well, but have no interest other than what they bring to the table. That is why I don't like the show 'Dancing with the Stars'. First off, these people who dance are not stars, they are just ordinary people who have played some part on TV, and now try to dance well with a professional dancer. I hate celebrity today. Bah Humbug.

June 25, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Taps.

The service for Kay Schuck at Arlington Cemetery was very impressive. The soldiers in full dress uniforms so solemn and proper acting as pall bearers, along with the honor guard with the military gun salute were a fitting end of Jay's life. As I said to Susan, his wife, "Jay would have loved every part of the service". The women who assist in the organization at Arlington are all volunteers and they are efficient and pleasant and empathetic. I was very impressed and of course, just being in the cemetery with all the rows of white crosses gives you a sense of gratitude. The most moving part of the ceremony was Taps, played by one of the military band members, from a distance, so the sound wafted across the air, reminding us that Jay has gone. It was a moving ceremony and a fitting tribute to Jay.

Of course, my memory of Taps begins with Larry. It was a wonderful sound, wafting through the air every night at the end of every day. Larry played flugal horn and I never knew if he was a good player or not, but when he played Taps every night he sounded like the best brass player in the world. I was at camp, in British Columbia, at Hopkins Landing, the Salvation Army camp on Burrard Inlet. I attended both Music camp and Guide camp, and as Larry was the chore boy for several years during the years that I attended, I got to hear Larry playing Taps every evening. It was a beautiful sound. At least it was in my memory. Now every time I hear Taps I am reminded of Larry, who is also dead. Back then, he was full of fun and he was my sister's boy friend. Perhaps that why he played so well.

June 24, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has the highest number of people living there who also were born there. In other words, citizens of Pennsylvania tend to stay put, and live in their communities their whole life. I watched the children Saturday night at the Blue Grass Festival playing with their friends and cousins, totally at ease in their place. They played on the play ground and they played football, with no one paying attention to them at all. They raced all over the place having a wonderful time, knowing that most people they knew or their parents knew so they felt protected and free. They had such a strong sense of being in their place. In fact, their parents played together when they were children and went to school together, and their grandparents played together when the grandparents were children too. The old families are all there and were represented by the baseball players and the coaches and the grandparents who were cheering and enjoying the food and the music.

This scene is so different from the experience of a military family, who are moved around the world on a regular basis. I have often commented that the upbringing in a military family works very well with our modern world, where change comes often. All the changes in your family leaves a person with the experience of a successful change of place whether or not the change was welcomed. The end result I suppose makes for a very different person, with the Pennsylvania folks feeling comfortable only at home and the military family comfortable no where except in their own home. I am in the military mode, where Ken and I are comfortable anywhere and everywhere. But watching those kids play on Saturday night, with such a strong sense of being in their own place makes me wonder whether that is a good thing or a bad thing for their future. Only time will tell.

June 23, 2009. Bethesda, Md. No Connection.

She was the most unusual person. No one part of her body or clothing seemed connected to any other part. I kept looking and looking at her, and never did figure her out. From her neck up she looked fifty-five, with her gray hair worn in a pony tail, and her face the same age. Her legs looked like the legs of an athlete, with well developed muscles in both thighs and calves, so her legs looked to be the legs of a twenty year old young lady. On her feet she wore sneakers and white socks. She wore a short skirt, which would looked great on Kate, who is twelve, but it only looked good if you only looked at her legs. Her middle was round and her shoulders were wide, so she wore a large purple T shirt over the top of her skirt which it made her look ridiculous when you see this over weight lady pretending to be a teen. What was most interesting to see was that the parts of her body and clothes did not match each other at all. I finally figured out that she was connected to one of the musicians but I am not sure that excuses her look.

Now I watched this lady all evening, last Saturday in Artemas at the Blue Grass Festival. I tried hard to figure out how to get to speak to her, but she was always busy. When I thought further about meeting her, I decided that she was probably thinking the same thing about me, because I did look a little off, compared with all the other ladies there. At the farm, I often wear overalls, and have done so for the past thirty-five years. Our friends are used to seeing me in my overalls and they joke about my look. None of the other ladies wear overalls at the farm, only the men. Saturday night I wore my overalls to the dinner and concert, and I knew right off it was a mistake. Everyone else was dressed up in jeans or nice shorts. So I bet this odd looking lady is as we speak, wondering about that older lady wearing overalls to the Festival. But at least I looked of a piece from the top to the bottom. I looked like what I was... a city lady pretending to be a farmer's wife.

June 22, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Managing Together.

Most people say it can not be done. In fact, my friend Beverley from Vancouver specifically asked me to say something about our success with joint management, as many books would say that it does not work. In 1999 we merged the two offices, Bethesda Hampden Square and Bethesda Metro, with both Carole and me as joint Managers. August 19 will be the tenth anniversary of our merger. The synergy was immediately apparent and the joint management worked well, especially for the agents. Then in Jan. 2007, Ned joined us as another manager, which was also an asset to the agents. Now we three manage the office together. I will tell a few reasons for our success.

All three managers care only about the agents. We want to assist the agents with their careers, not further our own. Once a week we three meet together to discuss any issues pertinent at the time and to the office. Our meetings never last over thirty minutes and are held right after our weekly staff meeting. At our manager only meeting we discuss anything and everything that is of concern to any of us. We are not nasty, but our ideas and feelings must be heard. Our active communication skills have helped.

Each of the Manager has a little different set of skills, which meant that when Carole and I joined forces, the agents obtained a manager skilled at detail and a manager who enjoyed the bigger picture, so together the agents got it all. Ned fits between the two of us and is young so skilled with technology. He is quick with his Blackberry which pleases the agents, so his skills have enhanced the agent's lives.

Our system works well because we all three care about the success of the office, without regard for glory, and it is obvious that our system is a benefit for the agents. We have had to learn not to operate in a unilateral mode. Remember we each have been in charge of our own office, but we have all learned not to say I. We have learned to make long term plans and allocate responsibility. For myself, our shared management system should be a model for all offices because it is in the best interests of the agents, and ultimately, the agents pay our bills.

Bluegrass Artemas Style

June 21, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Blue Grass Festival.

It was a big deal for Artemas, our very small community at the farm. The young women put it all together. The purpose of the event was to raise money foe a new baseball diamond for the Little League teams. These young women are a competent group, to plan, organize, cook and serve enough people to raise the funds to build the field for their kids. For years the field was on the property of the Columbia Gas Company and was given free of charge, but someone discovered at the Company, that the community events being held on the property was actually kids playing baseball, and the legal beagles would not allow it, so next season, the kids would be out of a playing field. The wives took over.

They hired a blue grass band from Bedford and they invited everyone in sight. They cooked all the food which was all donated and they put on a bang up event. To raise money, they only ask for donations for the ball field, so whatever you wish to donate goes to the field. Someone else donated the funds for the band. Now this is not a wealthy community, so I will be interested to hear how much money they raised. It would be possible to attend the event, eat dinner, listen to the band and yet not put any money in the pot. They tell me that they make more money at these fund raisers if they just ask for donations rather than set the price of admissions. I have figured out lots of other things they could have done to raise more money, but Tammy said they want and need the good will of all the community, and do not want to be looking like they are a nuisance.

At dinner we talked to a couple from Everett, who came just to hear the band. When they went through the dinner line, no one asked them for money, so during the meal, they asked us when and how they pay. We explained the system, so immediately they went and put twenty dollars in the jar. After the team awards were presented, where two of the three teams won the County championship, they went a bit deeper into their pockes and put twenty more dollars in the pot. The band was great. Very energetic and enthusiastic and talented. The whole event was impressive, all put on by these young women from Artemas.

June 19, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Interview.

I would love to be able to see into the future, because when I interview a prospective agent who is interested in joining our office, I could prevent many hours of useless efforts by many people trying to teach this person, when it turns out that they are lazy so are ultimately never successful. It is so difficult to determine who will be successful in this business of real estate. I know their are tests but when those test are given to successful agents, very often they fail the tests, so I never trust in their reliability. I have observed that the job is too diverse to be easily measured, so I ignore all those tests. What I do is try to let the prospective agent know all about the expectations of the office, so they can determine if this office would be conducive to their style. Even with all this information, not everyone who joins us ends up being a pillar in the office.

This morning I met with Lana, who has just moved here from Peru along with her husband and daughter. She is an architect by training and is very pleasant and bright. I liked her a lot, but she has two strikes against her success. First is her English, which is adequate. Second is her lack of a shere of influence. On the other hand, she speaks Spanish and Italian and has lived in several countries when her husband worked for the EU. In addition, she had already thought about joining several groups and is now active in their church, so I suspect she will work hard to be successful.

Yesterday I met with Diana, who wants to be an agent too. Two of her three children are at college or graduate school and one son is in high school, so even though she is an attorney by training, she wishes to become a real estate agent. She is very personable and pleasant and has a network that any one would envy. The issue for me would be her work ethic. Certainly, everyone will want her to join their office as an agent as she has all the tools for success. On the other hand, she may be inhibited by the productivity in the office and may not really want to work hard. She has not worked for the past 22 years.

Now, to look into the future, in five years, will Lana and Diana be solid pillars in the office, earning their living as agents here? Both they and me must make that decision, as I never allow commitment at the first interview. Now they are busily reading the agent hand book, trying to determine if they will do their best here or will go to another office with less structure and expectations. And of course, Carole, Ned and I have to make the same decision. Truth be told, only time will tell.

June 18, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Baseball.

We have never watched before, but this year we are watching the NCAA baseball playoffs. Every night since we have been home, we have watched an hour or so of a game on TV. Last night we almost saw Virginia beat Arkansas, to advance to the final playoffs, but with to outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Arkansas tied the score with two runs, then went on to win in the eleventh inning. It was a great game, except Ken and I gave up on Virginia when they had several bone headed running errors in the last innings, so we went to bed at the end of the ninth inning. These games are very well played, but the players are still at college so are prone to unpredictable actions. I think that is why Ken has enjoyed these games. You never know what will happen next. Most of the time, Ken does not watch baseball either in person or on TV, but not this time. We are enjoying the games and are tonight are rooting for North Carolina.

We first started to watch when we arrived home from Mississippi and Ken was sorting the mail while he watched a game. As we were home all Saturday evening and all day long on Sunday, we watched several games, at least an hour or so of each game, and then we got hooked for the rest of the week. My custom is to cheer for the team that is geographically located closer to where I am or either boys families. So I cheered for Old Miss until they were eliminated, then Virginia, then North Carolina. LSU probably has the best team, but as we go to the farm tomorrow, where we have no TV and no computer, we may never know who will win. But we have enjoyed these games these past few days. I of course, love to watch baseball, with all the complications of the strategy. The skill level is so high that I am always impressed with the concentration. Ken has never played softball so is not much aware what is happening on the field. But I played softball for a long time and I coached my teams when I taught PE in Toronto. I loved the game and I still do.

June 17, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Staff.

I have always believed in rewarding good behavior. At lunch today, we said a big thank you to all our staff. Morton's, the steak house in Bethesda, was the site of our festivities. Our staff is interesting, in that many members have worked together for a long time, yet as new members join us, the staff efficiency just gets better. Regina and Carol E. started working with me in January, 1989, when I worked for Merrill Lynch Realty. Regina came first and Carol one week later and of course we all came together to Long and Foster in October, 1990. Betty joined us fifteen years ago when we were still the Bethesda Hampden Square office. Then in 1999, Carole Maclure and I joined forces and merged our offices, and the Prosperity loan officers soon followed. Sharon C. our property manager joined us in 2002. Ned is the latest addition to our management team, and has been with us for two years, while Jeff B. is our newest face as an addition to Prosperity Mortgage loan officers. Only one of our receptionists could join us today, and Debbie who loves her receptionist job has worked with us for three years. Rob, our graphic design artist, joined us ten years ago. Today at lunch we had seventeen members celebrating lunch, and a festive air filled the air.

Once a fellow manager from another company outlined to me his philosophy of hiring and firing. His routine was to keep costs low. To do it, he always fired his administrative staff every two years, so he could always keep their pay level low. He was trying to convince me the adopt this smart strategy. I was horrified. It seemed to be perverse to fire a person who gave excellent service, only to hire another worker at a lower salary. My style is exactly opposite. I want the staff to stay with me for ever, and have the staff increase their efficiency. Our volume is ten times higher now that it was in 1987 when I started as a manager, yet we have added only one additional administrative person to the office. The agents appreciate the continuity with the staff and certainly, Carole, Ned and I are thrilled with the energy and enthusiasm shown by all the staff. Today at lunch we showed them, just a bit, how important they are to the success of the office.

June 16, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Condominium.

I am ready to confess. We bought a condo in Jackson, Mississippi. Settlement is not until mid July, and the purchase is contingent on an appraisal and a loan, but if all goes well with those two items, Ken and I will be staying in our own home when we visit Jackson. The condo is situated on the Reservoir, so our unit is twenty feet away from the water. Christina and Andrew live just five miles south of us. Andrew loves to fish and he loves to use his kayak and poke boat, so with the swimming pool and the paddling, a day at our condo will make for a nice little outing for them. When we come to town, we will have a spot to hang our hats and clothes and toothbrushes, without cluttering up the home of Andrew and Christina and the girls.

Our condo is very cute, with only one bedroom and one bathroom, but we bought it complete with furniture, with the exception of the bed and the TV. Between now and when we come to visit Jackson, the only thing we must buy is a bed and a TV. What a bargain. When we get old, the probability of staying in Jackson more than a week or so is high, so as the real estate market is in the doldrums, it seemed wise to buy a unit now, rather than in five or ten years. Our thinking also was to have a spot when Andrew and Christina wanted an outing that was close to home. Actually, the last thing we needed was another property to maintain, but looking a long way down the road seemed to be wise. The bedroom is on the second floor, along with the closet, bathroom and laundry, while the first floor is just one single room, where the kitchen, dining area and living room are open to each other. It is not large, but it is adequate. We did it. We bought a condo in Jackson.

June 15, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Problems.

Every part of the real estate transaction has the possibility of causing a problem. In almost all transactions, something will require the agent to finesse through the rough spots, and because of the efforts or expertise of the agent will allow the sale to proceed towards settlement. In my days as an agent, I used to call it the laying on of the hands by the agent in order to solve the problem, very like the old time Doctors to lay on hands to cure the ill patient, or the preacher to heal the illness of affliction. This would be part of a normal transaction in a normal economic times. This is one of the reasons some agents are successful while others are not, this ability to work through the issues that need resolution.

Now, these are not normal times. Despite the bad press about real estate, our office volume is high. Our number of sales for May was $112,500,000. and for April was $107,000,000., both beating last years volume. But I can tell you, if we could track the hourly rate for every agent, their hourly wage would be half of last year. In other words, if they are earning the same income as last year, they are working twice as hard, all because every part of every transaction is causing problems. Today, my first day at work, I held four serious conferences with four experienced agents, trying to figure out an approach to solve the problem. Now these agents are good agents, but just needed to sort out all the options prior to talking to their client. Appraisals are causing much trouble. Prior contracts with no releases signed by the buyer. Agents with not enough sales and trying to figure out why. Empty houses not being maintained by the seller, who moved to North Carolina when his house sold, but now is back on the market because the buyer number one could not get a loan. The issues go on and on for the agents.

The reasons for the success of the agents are not hard to find. They work hard in a professional and pleasant manner, always caring for the best interests of the client. Most importantly, they help the client to solve the problem, rather than allowing the problem to become the agent's problem. My hats are all off to the agents for solving all these problems.

Ruth, Mary Frances and Kate in Mississippi

The Mighty Mississippi vs Mary Frances

Mississippi The Magnolia State

June 14, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. A Day At Home.

It is unusual to be at home in the apartment all day. But it was productive and pleasant. All my clothes have been put away, and the suitcase returned to the locker. The laundry for the household was done first thing this morning, so now I do not need to do more laundry until just before we go to Nova Scotia June 29. It seems silly, but one problem in my life is when to change our bed. Ken thinks I should use the calender and record whenever I change the sheets but that seems way too compulsive. My way is to leave from the house with clean sheets, so on my return, the sheets are clean. I have always loved clean sheets, probably from the days when sheete were hung out to dry. Notes were sent to the good folks in Mississippi who entertained or helped us. The political magazines who were waiting for our return have all been read, and during meal times, we watched the NCAA baseball playoff games on TV. These college kids are such good baseball players.

Jean moved into the apartment above us two years ago, just s year or two after her husband died. One day, she heard that we live part time in Nova Scotia. Now, every time I see her, she reminds me that she wants us to come up to see a painting done by a Nova Scotia artist, Joe Norris, that she and her husband purchased in 1972. He lived in Lunenburg and is famous but as he is a folk artist and paints in the primitive style, I am not in love with his work. It is certainly difficult to catch us in town, so today, when I met her in the laundry room, she invited us up for a glass of wine and to see the painting, which we did. She is a very pleasant lady and does some art herself, and we enjoyed seeing one of an original Norris paintings. What was interesting though was the difference in ambiance between her apartment and ours. Her paintings are all modern and her decor light and airy. Our units are identical in size, but they certainly did not feel the same.

It is hard to beat a day when he items on the list have all been checked off. As I said before, this was a pleasant and a productive day.

June 13, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. The Swiss Inn.

How on earth can they possibly stay in business with the amount they charge for a room? The room was large, with enough space for two comfortable chairs and a desk, along with a king sized bed and two side tables and reading lamps. In addition to the full bath with shower, a sink and vanity was installed just outside the bathroom in it's own little corner, with bright light for make up. To top it off, the room had been newly decorated with new drapes, bedspread and carpet. The best thing was the TV, as last night was the final game of the hockey playoff between Pittsburgh and Detroit and Ken wanted to watch. We were delighted to be staying in this very clean room with this new large flat screen TV, and expected no less from The Swiss Inn.

The true story is that we just got lucky. Leaving Jackson at 6:30 a.m.. we commented to each other that we should stop driving by 4::00. But the day was fine for driving, so when the hour for stopping arrived, we just kept going, until finally, around 5:30, we suddenly were feeling very fatigued and wanted to stop at the first motel we could find. Abingdon in Southern Virginia was the next town and we discovered that the town was very crowded with the traffic blocked in every direction. A big wedding was being held on the 13TH, and the worst, or best, was The Garden Tour was being held on the same day, so every motel and hotel was full, except the beautiful 'Martha Washington Inn'. It must be some fancy garden tour to attract so many people to town. The Inn was fancy and expensive. Their cheapest room was $250. a night. Now this Inn was beautiful, but I had been in my same clothes all day and did not wish to unpack my suitcase, so all I had in my backpack was a clean T shirt, toothbrush and clean underwear. Under different circumstances, Ken and I would have loved to check into the old and gracious mansion, but not yesterday. So we drove out of Abingdon up to the next exit, which was 19, where we found all those motels full. On we drove to the next exit that offered motels. We were delighted to see The Swiss Inn sign, so we left the highway, found the Swiss Inn and tried to check in.

The Swiss Inn did not look fancy. When I entered the office, I found it empty, and pushed the button to summon the receptionist, which I was instructed to do. After five minutes, a young lady carrying a baby appeared, both looking bright and cheery, but definitely not Swiss. If we were not so tired I would have left, which would have been a shame, because the room turned out to have everything we needed, in addition to a continental breakfast. But the best part was the cost. She charged me $49. for the night. We were pleased with the price, and even more pleased with the cleanliness and the decor. Now how do they make money charging these rates? I will never know.

June 11, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Dinner Out.

It is not pretty to admit, but it is true. We kind of invited ourselves over to Eleanor and Jim's home for dinner. When Jim was visiting for a few minutes on Sunday, after the paddling with Andrew, he admired the three pieces of art we had purchased at a the gallery "Southern Breeze". He commented that we would like to see his wife's paintings, which hang all over their home. Now Ken and I had been told about Eleanor's work, and had tried to figure out how to wangle an invitation., without being rude. This was my opening, and I asked if we could come and see the art. His reply was that they would love to have us over to see the art, but their house is very messy, as they have a six month old baby and three older children, twin boys who are eight and a five year old girl, so they need to get themselves organized for company. Eleanor also home schools the children and is an excellent cook, as well as a painter, so Jim stated that they tidy the house for company, and just keep it clean other times. We assured him that messy we did not care about. When he left on Sunday he commented that he would talk to Eleanor and would get back to us. I felt sure we would not hear from them during this visit to Jackson.

Monday during the day, Christina received a call from Eleanor inviting us all for dinner Thursday evening and to see the paintings. Christina demurred and said that none of us wanted to put her through so much bother. Eleanor's reply was that she actually liked to be bothered, so please she would love us all to come, including the children. We are taking salad and a watermelon for dessert, but really, we invited ourselves over for dinner and they were kind enough to fall for our trap. I am excited to see her work and I will enjoy her delicious cooking too.

Eleanor and Jim are both from Jackson. They never dated, but they knew of each other. Now follow carefully. Jim's sister Cheryl was just about to marry Sebastian, who was the brother of Eleanor. Sebastian and Cheryl suggested to Jim that he go out with Eleanor and further more, that she would be an excellent wife. She already had two degrees in Fine Art and was making her living as an artist, plus she was a great cook. So Jim thought about it. Jim by then had just completed his Residency in Radiology and was ready for a wife. So with no further ado, he went to Eleanor's studio and proposed marriage. No fuss or muss, just outlined all the reasons why they should fall in love and marry. Eleanor thought Jim was crazy, but after talking to her family, which included Sebastian and Cheryl, she said yes. And that is a true story from the twenty first Century in Jackson. Mississippi.

June 10, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Jackson Zoo.

Molly loved the Jackson Zoo. Six months ago, she was not much interested, but this morning she was as excited as I have ever seen her. Most of the time she walked from one animal to the next, refusing to get in the stroller. Pointing with her fingers, exclaiming when the animals moved, laughing out loud with any noise from any creature, she was a child delighted with something new. Christina took the three children to the Jackson Zoo when Molly was one. She enjoyed the day but was not excited. Kate and Mary Frances, who were eleven and seven, were jaded because the National Zoo is so large and beautiful, and the Jackson Zoo is small and old and in the process of getting some much needed renovation. Yesterday we all decided to go to the Zoo this morning, right at nine o'clock when the Zoo is open and where the heat is not so intense. I like the zoo, any zoo, so I suspect that Kate and Mary Frances were humoring me by agreeing to go to the zoo, but we all agreed on the plan to take two cars, so Christina and Molly could come home when Molly was tired.

The day was pleasant, with a light breeze all morning, and almost no one at the Zoo. By the time we were leaving at 11:30, the church buses had arrived with hundreds of children. The Zoo is small, which for us is a good thing. Most of the walkways are shaded, which is also a good thing. But the best part of the trip to the zoo was seeing the zoo through the eyes of an eighteen month old little girl for the first time. All of us saw the animals in a different and more exciting eyes, even Kate and Mary Frances. The trip was a huge success, and after Christina and Molly left at 10:30, Ken and I and Kate and Mary Frances ate an ice cream treat, looked at a few animals, then took a trip on the little train, that runs all around the rest of Jackson Park. We four were the only passengers. Lunch at McAllisters, a local deli, rounded out our day. We four are already looking forward to our next zoo trip, where we will head straight to the alligators and otters, critters we missed this time.

June 9, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Condominiums

Ken thought that the computer must have a new word for them because no matches were showing on the MLS. He was wrong. Only three condominium projects turned up in the whole of Jackson. Now Jackson is the size of Halifax and lots of condos have been built in Halifax, but not in Jackson. I got the idea last week to buy a one bedroom condo here, so we could leave our stuff here for when we visit the next time. In our eighty's, I intend to be in the South all winter, either in Mexico, Texas or Mississippi and as the prices here have dropped, the time might be right to buy one now. When picking up Kate from a church activity last Thursday, I was introduced to Lee, the father of a friend of Kate. I casually mentioned that we were having trouble finding condominiums in Jackson. Lee is a good old Jackson fellow and said that the person to call was Susan Mims, a real estate agent, so we did. This morning Ken and I went looking at properties.

Susan is about my age and is a busy, productive professional, so it was a pleasure being with her. She did everything right, even to bringing a small cooler full of cold water bottles for us to drink. One small thing: she never opened the lock to the back door, so when the car stopped and Susan and Ken got out, I, who was sitting in the back seat, had to find the lock on the door before I could get out. I felt sure that sooner or later she would notice me, always late out of the car, but she never did. Everything else was top drawer treatment. She gave us both a print out for every condo we were to see, along with a market analysis for the past year for the two developments. It was fun being a buyer.

Now this is the best part. I, being nosy, asked Susan how long she had been an agent, and she laughed and told me the story. She got her licence twenty five years ago, but did not do much with it, just selling a house or two a year, but always keeping her license active by taking her CE credits. Five years ago she was diagnosed with lymphoma, and during the chemotherapy, she decided that if she did not have a job, she was going to die, either from boredom or because she had nothing to live for. She began to take her job as a real estate agent seriously. She is very busy and she enjoys her role, helping buyers and sellers with their transactions. She is in good health too, and feels sure that her attention to her job rather than to her health has made all the difference in her life. Her zest for life is catching and it was a pleasure being in her car, looking at the few condos in Jackson.

June 8, 2009, Jackson, Ms. Shopping Trip.

Kate has been very patient. For her birthday February 15, we gave her two things; a basket of fresh flowers sent from the florist and the promise of a shopping trip. She could either shop now with her Mother Christina where I would send funds or wait until we came to Jackson when we could all go shopping together. Last year when she was 11, Ken and I and Christina, Mary Frances and Molly went together to Tyson's Two and shopped for her birthday gifts. Everyone had a wonderful time, but especially Kate. She decided to wait until we arrived. Today was the day.

Ken and I and Kate and Mary Frances arrived at the store right at 10:00, at The Old Navy. We were to shop at the Gap and Old Navy, then meet Christina and Molly and Andrew at the Saigon restaurant for lunch. Ken would then drive home while Christina and Molly would continue with the shopping expedition. Our plans worked well. Ken and Mary Frances had a list of items to be purchased, while Kate and I shopped. Last year, Kate was tentative with her choices and I had to encourage her to say no, rather than look to Christina or me. But not this year. She had the potential to be difficult to fit into clothes, as she is twelve, five feet eight inches tall and very slim. We got lucky. She wears a perfect size 0 in women's jeans, pants and shorts so we were able to buy everything on her list for casual clothes. In addition, the cotton is very light and the styles are cute. The length of the jeans were also perfect.

Everyone enjoyed the Saigon restaurant for lunch. The shoe store right after lunch was a hit with Molly. She showed her tummy in every mirror, while both girls chose shoes. Next up was The Pink Pony, a children's store, where we hoped to get a dress or two for Kate. It was such fun to watch both girls try on dresses that they thought looked awful, only to discover that they looked great. I added a couple of clothing items for Mary Frances, because she received a Wii for her birthday, and she shares her Wii with everyone in the Family, so I felt that something just for her alone was only fair.

We arrived home just in the nick of time for Molly to nap. She was very good when shopping, but had we shopped much longer I think she would have lost her good spirits. The three adults, Ken, Christina and me, then enjoyed a fashion show, with Kate trying on and showing every garment. Mary Frances too modelled her new clothes and she was pleased as punch, once I told her the reason for her gifts. Mary Frances is nine and did not want to horn in on Kate's shopping trip. She was happy to go along with Ken and complete his list. Everyone loved the very large shoe store. The girls tried on very high heeled wedge shoes made of gold and silver. They looked ridiculous and they knew it. It was a wonderful day for all.

June 7, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Birthday Lunch.

It was a celebration at noon today, the celebration of a birthday for both Andrew and Christina. As we were not with them for their birthday's in April, we celebrated together today. Kate, Mary Frances and Molly along with Christina and Andrew and Ken and I ate lunch at the Tokyo Restaurant, where we stuffed ourselves with excellent Japanese food. All the girls loved the food, including Molly who is eighteen months old. On the way home we stopped for frozen custard at a place called Bops, a local carryout spot much loved by Jackson folks. Our stomachs were so full that we were not hungry until eight o'clock for a bit of a snack before bedtime. It was a lovely festive occasion, enjoyed by all.


After lunch Ken and I went looking at neighborhoods and popped into an open house or two. It was fun. Kate and Mary Frances and I swam at Linda's pool the rest of the afternoon, although Linda was not there. The late afternoon was the perfect time for swimming, with the air warm but the sun filtered by the trees so as not to be too hot. Andrew and a friend dropped us off at Linda's house, while he and a friend Jim went for a paddle on a lake, Jim in the poke boat and Andrew in the kayak. Christina and Molly came over to swim after Molly woke up from her nap, and before we realized the time, it was almost seven o'clock. A glass of wine with Jim and soon the evening was gone. It was a happy day for everyone. Tomorrow we go shopping for the birthday shopping trip for Kate, who stated today the she will 'shop till she drops'.

June 6, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Magnolia Hall.

The true story was that Natchez voted against secession, so when General Grant and company came to seize the town from the Confederate forces, they were greeted with open arms and invited to their parties. Natchez came through the War almost unscathed, with the exception of several notable tragedies. Magnolia Hall was built in 1858, and was the last great mansion built prior to the Civil War. Today we all toured the beautiful old home. The tour guide was helpful with the history, but kept referring to the servants, when in fact they were not servants but slaves. The Henderson Family lived in the home until the late 1930's when the home was sold to a garden club. Now these garden clubs are not your little old ladies getting together to swap plantings. In Natchez, two Garden Club organizations own and run several mansions, which are open for the public to tour. In addition they organize The Spring House Tour. One lady got the idea to open the homes as a way of raising funds for maintenance. That was in 1932. Now every year, sixteen homes are open to the public, four each day, for four days in a row. Then three days off, then another four days of showing for a total of twenty days in all. The event has become well known all over the world, and the funding brought in keeps these properties in good condition.

Magnolia Hall is built of brick, with stucco over the brick, and the stucco scored to simulate mortar and stone construction. Even all those years long ago, people tried to fake the look of the more expensive. It is so silly. I have no patience with pretending to be grander than you really are.

Being a tourist and taking a carriage ride over downtown Natchez started our day today. Kate and Mary Frances enjoyed it, and sat in the front two seats for the best view. Our horse walked very slowly, which pleased me, as our driver told us all about the town and the homes and buildings. All the drivers seem to be retired teachers. Our driver was old and very knowledgeable and fun. Maybe when I get old I will give tours and drive a horse and buggy.

Home to Jackson by five o'clock, along the Natchez Trace all the way. Ken and I shared the driving so it did not seem so boring. Perhaps by now I had read my new book about the Trace, so I was armed with facts and figures. And I have a book about the homes in Natchez which I love. Did you know that in 1860 there were more Millionaires percapita than any other city in the U.S? Now I have been to Natchez and I liked it.

June 5, 2009. Natchez, Ms. Beautiful Evening.

It could not be better. The sun set over the mighty Mississippi River while we sat eating dinner at The Magnolia Grill. We then walked along the shore at the Vidalia Landing across the bridge in Louisiana, in front of our hotel The Comfort Suites. Molly still had a cold, so Christina chose to stay at home in Jackson, so tonight Kate, Mary Frances, Andrew, Ken and I dined together in Natchez, in an area called Natchez Under The Hill, right along the Mississippi River. The food was wonderful, but the walk along the river topped the dinner. Almost a full moon too. Some days you just get lucky.

Ken chose the hotel and Ken chose the restaurant so hat's off to Ken.

This morning, driving on the Natchez Trace from Jackson to Natchez was lovely... for about one hour, then the lack of anything but trees started to make Ken fall asleep, so we left the Trace and drove on Highway 61, and enjoyed the houses and businesses and farms, eventually arriving in Natchez. The Visitor Center was our first stop, followed by lunch at the Carriage House, part of the Sanford House, which we toured after lunch. Our guide was succinct so we were not overwhelmed with facts. The home is large, built in 1848 with 17 foot ceilings on the first floor and 14 feet on the second. Many original pieces of furniture are still in the home, also the dishes of the original owner. Natchez is one of those southern cities not destroyed during The War Between The States, as a Union General ordered his men to leave all homes intact. Compare this with Columbus, Ms. where all homes were burned to the ground. After the war, the same General moved to New Orleans, where he build a home very like the Natchez homes.

Tomorrow we will enjoy the old town and tour another home built in 1836, complete with many clothes worn by the women of the day. I want to take a carriage ride, also see the Indian village. More good food for lunch too. Natchez is a very pretty small city, with homes both large and small. We bought three books, so soon I will bore everyone with facts. And I want more than ever to take a trip down the River, from the top to the bottom.

June 4, 2009. Jackson, Ms. The Coast.

For Sale signs are all along the road, on both sides of Highway 90, which runs right along the coast. This is the part of the Mississippi coast hit by Hurricane Katrina. You can see the driveways leading to nothing except a slab of concrete where you know the whole area was covered with homes and buildings. All the debris has gone and many buildings both large and small have been rebuilt but that land in the first tier looking toward the water is for sale. There seems to be few takers. Many homes on the second street are still in need of renovation, but the large trees and the distance back from the Gulf saved the structures from being totally demolished. After the storm, all the large hotels and casinos and houses that were right by the water were just gone. They sailed away in the wind and the rain and the storm surge. I have read about it, but until you see it, everything seems not real. Now I see and feel the destruction. I also see the huge task that was accomplished with the rebuilding. Mississippi has done the best job of rebuilding and restoring the mess left after Katrina, compared with the other areas destroyed.

Today we drove with Andrew to Ocean Springs, a charming spot on the Gulf coast. The little spot is booming with lovely residential neighborhoods and a downtown alive with specialty shops. As often the case, the new businesses are built along the big highway, Interstate 10, but the old town has been preserved and restored and has many full time residents, probably retired folks. The climate is pleasant with a breeze along the shore cooling things a bit, and the population is growing. While Andrew was at his meeting, Ken and I walked around a golf course. We came very close to an alligator, all eight feet of him just stretched out beside the pond. Goodness. Also two great blue herons were sitting close to us, and a large turtle and a green heron. Seeing those big birds are so impressive when they fly right by you, just ten or twelve feet in front of your own eyes. I know how wide their wing span is when flying, but knowing and seeing is two different things. Now I feel the width of the wings flying past and I am doubly impressed.

I really don't much like the gulf coast. I loved Galveston but this part of the coast is too built up for me. I have no interest in further exploration of the Mississippi coast.

June 3, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Hardware Stores.

I was in heaven. Ken had a list of items to buy at the Hardware store, and I chose to sit outside in the truck and await his return. I was in heaven for two reasons. First, Patsy Cline was singing and I love to hear her sing. While driving home with Andrew and Ken from Hattiesburg, we loaded all four of her Cd's into the machine and we started in to listening to them all. I got to hear more of her singing today, while listening all by myself sitting in the truck with the windows open and the volume turned up. I was in heaven. Secondly, I did not have to go into the hardware store. Left to myself, I would never go into a hardware store. On the other hand, Ken loves them, so over the years I have spent many many minutes wishing I could get out of the store. The largest hardware stores are the most difficult, because we get lost and end up calling on our cell phones. Now I learned to just stay out in the car and wait. And enjoy Patsy Cline.

Most customers going into the Hardware store were older men, older retired men I mean. They come up to the door with list in hand, but before going in the door, they check out all the items on display outside. Every lid of every cooker must be opened, and every handle of every spreader checked out for size. Then these old men look at every window in the store, just to see what is being missed. Finally, they go into the store proper and leave the store five minutes later, with one tiny bag that costs one dollar. But before departing, they again check out the grills and the cookers, just in case their own cooker breaks down. They even look at every price. It is fascinating to watch this activity, but I did wonder if they ever noticed why this old lady, sitting in this truck, was playing all these Patsy Cline songs so loudly. They probably told their wives about that scene at dinner tonight.

June 2, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Hattiesburg.

This is the fastest growing city in Mississippi. Many new businesses have opened out by the highway. The whole look of the place is prosperous. New buildings, both large and small with restaurants in every direction. Ken and I accompanied Andrew to Hattiesburg as he had an appointment with a client at 10:00 this morning so we enjoyed the ride while Andrew drove our truck. While we were waiting, Ken and I walked in the huge WalMart store, up and down every isle and around the outside isles twice. It was a good place to walk, as the air conditioning is comfortable and every isle is different so the place is amusing to us. After we walked for forty minutes and Andrew was still working, I decided to look at their bathing suits. The only bathing suit I brought was that old paper bathing suit and tomorrow we are invited to Linda's home for lunch and swimming, where I will disgrace the family if I wear a paper bathing suit. So I bought two bathing suits, both two piece suits and both clearly looking like I purchased them at WalMart.

The Purple Parrot is a wonderful restaurant in Hattiesburg. We found it by accident while driving into the old part of town. The GPS told us the address of another restaurant, and while on the way, we spotted the Purple Parrot. Andrew mentioned that his client had said that it as the best restaurant in town, so we quickly changed plans. The place was lovely, beautifully appointed with linen table cloths and mahogany panelling. Such a surprise. The seafood gumbo is worth driving to Hattiesburg to eat there. All three of us ate fish, and all delicious, but the seafood gumbo was out of this world. We tried to find out from the waiters why Hattiesburg is booming compared to the delta towns we saw last trip such as Vicksburg and Greenville but they had no answer other than the fact that both had recently relocated to the area when their wives took a position at the two Universities in town.

To top off the day, Andrew made Grillades, a Creole dish much beloved by Southerners. It is a type of stew, served over cheese grits and I can tell you that it is a wonderful meal. Andrew put it together last evening, and cooked it all night and all day in the slow cooker. It was a first for both Ken and me, and only the third time Andrew has prepared the dish. But it was good. With cheesecake for dessert, we are living high!!

June 1, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Welcome!!

There is nothing better than a warm welcome . Kate and Mary Frances were delighted to see us arrive on Sunday. They were expecting us to arrive on Monday and when we appeared on Sunday afternoon they were pleased and surprised. Of course Andrew and Christina were equally as happy to see us arrive and they were especially delighted to see all the beef. Tonight for dinner Christina cooked lasagna using the ground beef from the farm. It was delicious. Molly has been slow to warm up to us this time in fact she is scared to death every time Ken coughs and of course he coughs all the time. She was becoming less fearful all during the day. Kate is giving over her room to us and sleeping in Molly's room, who now sleeps in the study upstairs so we are staying with them, which for us is very unusual. Normally we stay in our own places and just visit David and Suzanne and the girls for a few days at a time.

Today we put many plans in place. We are all going to Natchez Friday evening, coming home on Saturday evening. Ken has booked our accommodation.. Two chairs need reupholstered and one chair is broken so this afternoon we found a spot and took the chairs and selected the fabric. Christina and I and Molly went together, which meant we had fifteen minutes to select the fabric as Molly loved this place and would have loved running all over the place. Christina kept her contained which meant she was not happy. Kate, Christina and I went to the wine store and selected the wine for the two weeks. I charged Kate with her task of choosing the best labels, which she did. Our wine tonight had a pink top and a pink label. The wine also was excellent. Tomorrow we are accompanying Andrew to Hattiesberg, a small city new to us. Wednesday we have been invited to Linda Creath's home for lunch and to swim in the afternoon, and Thursday we go with Andrew to Ocean Springs, on the Mississippi coast, so our time here is shaping up very nicely.

There is nothing better than being greeted joyously by your grandchildren. It was worth every minute on the road here.