November 30, 2011. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Waiting Room.

I was by far the youngest person in the waiting room room of a dermatologist  office.    It was fascinating to observe the interaction and the conversations all afternoon.   Ken and I arrived early for his appointment with the surgeon, who was going to cut off the cancer on his nose.  It was diagnosed in Jackson but we were leaving too soon to make an appointment in Mississippi so after many phone calls, Ken arranged to have the surgery in San Antonio.  It was complicated as a Pathologist  and a plastic surgeon were required to be available.

My corner seat allowed me to observe everyone in the room and I was careful to keep my nose buried in my book so I did not engage in any conversation, but everyone in the room talked to each other all afternoon.   For over four hours I watched and listened to all these old folks who were also having cancers removed.   They had just met but they shared their life stories, told of their careers, discussed the state of their activities, observed the additional traffic these days but never talked about their health or their skin cancers.   They were all cheerful and grateful even though it was a long afternoon.  I just wished they would keep quiet so I could read.  I was not looking forward to the next twenty years of Dermatologists offices.

November 29, 2011. Canyon Lake, Texas. Basketball.

This afternoon we will attend two basketball games, one for Abigail and one for Sarah.  I am very excited. One thing I will look for is how much they have changed since last year.  Children grow at different rates and sometimes the youth who was the star last year is clumsy now so it will be interesting to see the team members.  Basketball is a wonderful game because the game changes as the child grows and skill level improves.  High school basketball is actually a more interesting game than at the professional level and is especially fascinating with middle school kids such as Abigail and Sarah.

I will be a typical grandmother and will cheer them on but I also will evaluate the play of all the other girls. Once you are a PE teacher,  you are always a PE teacher and I will evaluate the coaches too.  But I will keep this all to myself and spend my time smiling  and enjoying the play and of course, hoping the girls win!!

November 28, 2011. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Sunny Day.

It is a beautiful day at the lake in Texas.  The sun is shining and the temperature is seventy degrees.  The lake is calm.  Soon, I will go for a walk around the loop by the house.   A bright sunny day, followed by an overcast windy day looks especially appealing.   One summer, Ken and I worked in Arizona at a camp, where every day the sun was shining.  After a bit, we never even noticed the sun, we just stayed out of the direct sun and searched for shade at every opportunity.   Soon we returned to Ontario where a bright sunny day was appreciated, especially in the autumn colors.

Our life here at the lake is pleasant, especially as we are only forty-five minutes from David and Suzanne and the girls.  Yesterday we spent a wonderful but unremarkable day with the family in San Antonio.  I watched an episode of Antiques Roadshow with David.  The girls quietly got their school work ready while Abigail studied with a friend and Sarah watched the movie Titanic.  Mostly we sat in the lovely living room chatting and sipping wine, everyone coming in and out through out the day.   Allison and Samantha opened and put up many Christmas decorations.  Dinner was in the kitchen, eating left over ribs and chicken and sausage, along with salad.   Nothing fancy but delightful.   David served us a new port.

Ken says that every day is a Thanksgiving Day for us, but the days we spend with the family make us extra grateful for another Thanksgiving Day.

November 27, 2011. Canyon Lake. The Tudor Secret.

It is another rollicking historical novel, written by C.W. Gortner, the author of The Last Queen. I enjoyed it thoroughly.  Now I must refresh my memory about the sixteenth century.  I have studied English history but not for a long time and it is clear there are lapses in my knowledge. The mid century was a particularly difficult time for England, before Elizabeth became Queen, with the Tower of London in it's hay day.

Two characters in the book did become responsible for the Elizabethan intelligence system, thought to be one of the best ever in the world.  I knew this, so it was interesting to see them as main people in the book.  The protagonist is purely fiction but the others were based and named for real people, playing their own parts.   The whole book is one fast moving, interesting spy story, taking place in 1653.  Once again, I am so grateful I was born in 1937, and not 1637.  Now I must read some real history to learn what really happened!!

November 26, 2011. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Remote.

How times change.   From 1958 until 1968, we did not own a television set.   We were perfectly happy.  If something good was on TV, such as a hockey game, we were asked by friends to come to their home to watch the game.   Today, we carry our own satellite dish with us, including the remote control and the box.   Each home now has a new thin television set.

Today, we drove from the ranch to the lake house.  Ken set up the TV system and it worked like a charm, actually the first time it worked well the first time he turned it on.  But he was irritated to realize that he left the remote control at the ranch, so he called Dish TV and they are sending us a new one  by overnight courier.  We both laughed that we can not function without the remote.  How times change.

November 25, 2011. Harper, Texas. The Bunk House.

The wheels are all in motion.  The small house is being built by the Mennonites in Temple, Texas and will be delivered to the Kerrville store on Monday.   The place is 12x34.   Chris, the carpenter, will finish the interior,  and will install insulation, wood ceiling, beaded board on the walls, plus a full bathroom and the electricity and plumbing.  He will work on the house in Kerrville.  When complete, the building will be brought to the ranch and installed in it's rightful place, just behind the fire pit.

In addition, Allen Tascht, the septic man from Harper,  will put in the septic system and attach the water.  He already pushed over two trees to make way for the little house.

We hope it can be delivered before we leave for Mexico.  We will tell Robbie, our good neighbor, the proper location, just in case we can not be here when it arrives.  I would hate to have them leave it in the wrong place!!

Loren, our builder, recommend these buildings and assured us it would be cheaper than having it built on sight.   I am sure he was right.  Now it is up to all the players to do their part.  We have started all the balls rolling by ordering the work and signing over the deposit cheques.   We hope for the best.

Replacing the Carriage House

November 24, 2011. Double D Ranch. Harper, Texas. Thanksgiving.

You  can not beat Thanksgiving as a holiday.  No one really needs to think about it, but merely buy and cook the turkey,  mashed potatoes and beans and call it a day.  And don't forget the gravy and cranberry sauce.  It is a wonderful meal.  And after a bit of football on TV,  serve the pumpkin and apple pie for dessert.   It is the nicest and easiest holiday of the year.  

Ken  and I celebrate Thanksgiving every day of the year so we are not really stuck on The Thanksgiving Holiday.  But I love the lack of stress and other responsibilities along with the gathering together of families and friends.  The song says that Christmas is the "most wonderful time of the year" but I will put my money on Thanksgiving as the most enjoyable celebration.  No gifts to exchange or religious tasks to honor, although both have their charm but  give me a good turkey dinner and a football game or two and I am a happy camper.  I love Thanksgiving!!

November 23, 2011. Double D Ranch, Harper, Texas. Another Good Book.

My friend Wendy told me about this book and I am glad she did.   The title is "Emily's Ghost" and is written by a lady named Giardina.  It is a novel, a historical novel and is all about Emily Bronte and her family.   I prefer reading real history but have enjoyed several historical novels this year.  I had also read the book about Jane Austin called Jane's Fame which is not a novel.

This book is engaging and again makes me grateful to be living now rather than the nineteenth century.  The lives led by the women folk were narrow and rigid as shown in this novel.  Most of what we know about the Bronte sisters comes from Charlotte, who outlived all the others, so this novel dealing with Emily is an attempt to flesh out this peculiar lady.  It is worth the time to read this book.

November 22, 2011. Harper, Texas. The Refrigerator.

It is true.  We bought it because of the price.  We walked into Lowe's and headed straight to the appliance department.  In ten minutes. we were back in the car heading for home.    I told Suzanne that we purchased a white Whirlpool with no dispenser on the door for water and ice and it was being delivered on Saturday afternoon.  I was sure of all four facts.

Our broken refrigerator was expensive and lasted only four years so this time we decided to buy the least expensive refrigerator on the market.  We needed a counter depth unit and the store only had five models.  The first one I looked at was selling for well over three thousand dollars while the last one in line was on sale for under nine hundred so as soon as Ken walked up, I said to him "Lets get that one", and we did.

On Saturday afternoon, the two young men carried into the top house a stainless steel refrigerator, made by Frigidaire, with  a dispenser on the door.  I was correct with only one vital fact.  But the most important thing is that it is working just fine so I am happy even though my facts were wrong!!

November 21, 2011. Harper, Texas. The Christmas Gift.

It is certainly the most unusual gift we have ever received but we accepted gratefully.  Our friends Robbie and Joyce are our closest neighbors at the ranch and they are good friends too.  Joyce called me this afternoon to ask if we would be comfortable accepting their Christmas gift.   "Feel free to say no", said Joyce.  By now, we are both laughing.

Next she asked if I had arranged a new cleaning service and I said "No".   She finally told me that  Robbie and Joyce are giving us a though cleaning at both the ranch house and the top house as our Christmas gift.  They will do it together, after hunting season is over but before we return in March.  I laughed so hard I could hardly respond but I was delighted with their gift and said  "Yes".

Our cleaning lady has quit.  She just told me recently.  Joyce and Robbie were having trouble thinking of a good gift for us so when she over heard me telling Suzanne, they decided to give us the one cleaning for Christmas.  It is a wonderful gift and is very timely.  They are good friends indeed.

November 20, 2011. Harper, Texas. Pray For Rain.

The signs are everywhere  but it does not seem to be working.   When you are about to say goodbye, the last thing everyone says to you is "Now be sure to pray for Rain".   In a conversation with anyone in the Hill Country, the subject of rain is always discussed such as:  when is it coming and if you had any rain and what is the forecast?   The lack of rain is in everyones mind.  

The ranch is parched.  We had one inch of rain last Monday, which was the only measurable rain in five months.  There is no green grass anywhere.  Surprisingly, the cattle look good, because we have been feeding them hay.  David gave them treats Saturday and Sunday which made them content but now we must buy more hay, unless it rains and the winter grass grows.  Even the trees look dry.

Perhaps a rain dance would help, but I suspect that sooner or later, the rain will fall and drench the land and we will have flash floods.  When that happens, we will be ready!!  In the meantime,  pray for rain.

November 19, 2011. Harper, Texas. A Big Day.

It has been a wonderful day.  The weather was warm.  The new refrigerator was delivered.  Abigail shot a deer.   We sat around the fire pit pretending to watch the imaginary fire and ate our lunch.   David and Andrew did chores around the ranch such as feeding treats to the cattle and fixing the deer feeders.  Allison and I fed the fish.   Allen, the septic man, met with us and we once again selected the site for the bunk house, probably for the last time.

Tonight, Robbie and Joyce came for dinner with all of us and we ate on the screen porch.  Getting it organized was easy because all four girls helped.  Samantha set the table,  Allison made the salad,  Sarah set out all the food in the dining room and Abigail helped Ken cut up the chicken while David cut up the ribs and sausage.  It was a combined effort.

The biggest effort was not known to anyone except me,  but Suzanne and Sarah cleaned up one years dust from the tables and chairs on the screened porch.  We could not have used the space without their hard work and for that I am grateful.   All 11 of us could sit down together, dining in the lovely evening air, enjoying the food and being together.  It was a big day for me.

November 18, 2011. Harper, Texas. The Comedy of Errors.

It all came out right in the end.  Funny how that happens.  

Our car, the Ford Escape, would not start, despite a battery charge,  so mid morning I called AAA.   My phone works best sitting out by the fire pit so I called them from there.  The call was lengthy and I was cold but finally, the truck was on the way to get us started.    Ken tried one more time to make the engine turn over and to every ones surprise, the car started.  I called AAA to cancel the request.  Ken and I immediately left to drive to Harper to have the car inspected and left the car while we ate lunch at The Longhorn Cafe.

The inspection was completed but the mechanic thought that we needed a new battery so he ordered it, which we were to have installed on Monday.   A company in Fredericksburg handles the Z Booster, a very successful addition to our cell reception at the farm, so as our reception at the ranch is not always good, we wanted to buy one.  I spoke to the lady at the store and asked her to hold the only one they had in stock because we were on the way.

We drove the twenty miles only to discover that the store was closed.  We were irritated.  Then, when Ken tried to start the car, it would not make a sound, so once again, I called AAA and re-activated my request but this time from  downtown  Fredericksburg.  While we were waiting the fifteen minutes, the lady from the store arrived and Ken bought the Z Boost.  AAA arrived and started the car, then installed a new battery, just like that.

At the end of the day, we have a new battery  and we have the Z Boost and we were home by 4:00.  Some days everything turns out well.

November 17, 2011. Harper, Texas. Arriving.

It is always a bit overwhelming, arriving at home for the first time in seven months.  In many ways we are overwhelmed with the charm and beauty of the place and on the other hand we are overwhelmed with all the things that need attention.

Immediately, the computer and Internet must be connected and of course, it will not work.  The television system needs connecting and set up and it also will not work.  The Kitchen Aid refrigerator that is only five years old is not cooling and the freezer will not open.  Our repairman, Pat, who lives in Harper and who has repaired the frig twice before,   came this morning to report that it can not be repaired.  And our Ford Escape, who for the first time we left in the garage at the ranch house, will not start.    So we went to bed with a long list of things that are not working.

By tonight at bed time. the television is working and Ken is watching a Capitols game.  The Internet is obviously working.  The new refrigerator will be delivered on Saturday afternoon and they will remove our damaged Kitchen Aid.  And the automobile is due for a safety check in the morning so if the battery charger does not work over night, we will jump start the car and drive in to get a new battery.

Last but not least, the cleaning lady has quit so both houses need cleaning.  Horrors!!

November15, 2011. Athens, Texas. The House with Art.

Yesterday, Eleanor invited us to view an art collection in the home of a friend.  On Sunday, the host Roy held a party to introduce his friends to another friend who is an artist living in New Orleans.  Roy mentioned casually to Eleanor that she could come back and bring a friend if she wished.   Ken and I were the friends who visited the art collection in Roy's home, along with a repeat visit by Eleanor.   It was an amazing experience.

Roy must have more than a thousand paintings hung on every wall of every room in his house. The art was wonderful, mostly done by Mississippi artists.  He has six of Eleanor's paintings.  The paintings are hung from the top of the walls to the bottom of the walls and on every room and hallway, including bathrooms and kitchen.  The art was wonderful and overwhelming.  We loved it.

In addition, he has a collection of miniatures, probably at least a hundred, many sitting on tables displayed on small easels as well as on the walls.    He has purchased  this art directly from the artists, collected throughout his long life.  Ken and I enjoyed seeing his art and he enjoyed watching our delight.  It was a special treat, all arranged by our friend Eleanor, and we are grateful.

November14, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. White Point Resort.

The main lodge was built in 1928.  It has now been destroyed by fire.    I have been told that the fire started in the kitchen in the middle of the afternoon and that by three thirty the main building was engulfed by fire with flames reaching well up into the sky.  Our friends sent a picture taken from their deck which quickly spread around the Internet.

The fire was confined to the main lodge which housed the reception, the restaurant, the swimming pool and meeting rooms along with the bar and decks.   The old walls were hung with pictures of the olden days of the lodge, with huge tuna hanging beside beaming fishermen.  The two massive fireplaces were original to the old lodge and were lovely spots to read by the roaring fire.  Now it is all gone.  Fortunately, all the other building were saved.

I look forward to hearing what will happen next with White Point Resort.  It is owned by a group of people not one sole owner, which always makes decision making difficult.  I for one, hope they had excellent insurance and that the owners re-build as quickly as possible.  Queens County, where we live in Nova Scotia, needs White Point Resort.

November 13, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. Alfie.

Five years ago, he was a new agent.   Yesterday he called to tell me that he was doing very well with his real estate business and he wanted to thank me for getting him started.   It was a  nice gesture on his part and I appreciated his call.   My response to him was to remind him what I had told him at the initial interview,  which was  that he had all the talents and  energy necessary for success as an agent.   Alfie said that he heard what I said but he did not believe me and figured that I said the same thing to everyone.  But he followed the program and kept going because he knew I believed that he had the talent and energy necessary for great success.

The truth is that over the years,  I had told  the agents everything I knew about how to be an excellent agent,  so now, even though I am not there, they can draw on past experiences to apply them to today.   The world is different and requires different skills and technologies but some things don't change.  It was very nice of Alfie to tell me that he appreciated my efforts.    He also wanted me to know of his success.  I was grateful for both.

November12, 2011. Jackson, Ms. The Last Queen.

C.W. Gortner wrote the book, telling of a period of history that was new to me., so I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I read it quickly, starting it yesterday and finishing it this morning.   It is a novel, based on the true story of a Spanish Queen,   called  Mad Juana.   The time period is the early sixteenth century.  I was startled to realize that I am ignorant about Spanish history.  Once I started reading the book, I could not draw on my memory of what was likely to happen next in Spain.  But the book is riveting and interesting.   And I learned a lot.

By modern standards, being born to rule was preposterous and ridiculous but it was true.   People were born into their position.   Also,  being born into a noble family meant you were at great risk, as Juana found out to her sorrow.  The women were married off to other high born people all over Europe, for purely political purposes and often while they were children.    It is everything opposite to the way we think about how to lead a successful life.   I strongly object to being born to a position, which is how it was done in the Spain of 1500.    Spain thrived in the 16th and 17th Centuries but since then has gone downhill.  I wonder how much of their attitudes have lingered into the 21st Century?

November11, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. Breast Cancer.

It used to be devastating but with early detection and better treatment, the prognosis for recovery is high.   But being told you have breast cancer comes as a big shock to the system.

My friend G. has been told that she has stage two breast cancer.   Regina from work called to tell me, so I called and talked to G. tonight and explained my method of dealing with the disease.  She was very grateful for the call because talking to someone who has gone through it all before is comforting and helpful.  We talked for a long time and I answered all her questions, I think.

I told her that getting breast cancer later in life means for a longer life.  I told her to  treat the disease without any panic.   Just go through the steps from one to the next until she was cured. And I told her to keep working.  My oncologist told me that people handle the treatment better if they keep busy and involved rather than giving over the disease and think only about the cancer.  

We both agreed that she we were both fortunate to be living in the modern era rather than in 1811.  The good old days would have not worked for either of us.

November 10, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. Anniversaries.

Today is an anniversary for me.  I have been retired for one year.   It certainly was the right time.   Ken and I have enjoyed  the year together driving here and there around the country and we have enjoyed our homes in remote spots.   But we have learned some things too.  Our trip to France was difficult for Ken so we will be slow to return.    It seems we don't have enough time to spend with the families in Texas and Mississippi so next year we will only stay two months in Mexico and we won't take a European trip.   We are still learning to be retired.

I still think being retired is a bit of a waste of time.  Indulging yourself is not something I was trained to do and being retired is all about asking   "what do we want to do today?"   I rather enjoy doing exactly what I am going to do today but on the other hand my work ethic kicks in and I wonder what I should be doing today.  But like everything else in life, being retired is a  task in process not an end result.  So I will do what I have always done is to ignore the parts I don't like and  pay attention to the parts of being retired that bring pleasure.

November 9, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. Christmas Cards.

I am one of those unusual people who actually enjoys writing Christmas cards.  I send cards to people who have been important to me over the years so when I write the card I remember the fond memories and it makes me smile.   I actually enjoy doing them.  And of course, I always write a short hand written note to each person.

As you would expect,  I have a system.  First I sign all the cards.   Next I address the envelopes and add the stamps and return address labels.  Then,  ten at a time, I write the short but personal note.  And I prepare them well ahead of time.   With all the time in the world available to me I have no excuse to be rushing at the last moment, so I take my time and get them ready.

Believe it or not, but my cards for Christmas 2011 are all ready to be mailed, which will be done early in December as we have a new address.   I recall the busy years when the Christmas cards were mailed well after the Holiday Season, but now I get them ready early.  I really do hate to be rushed!!

Great Blue

Strolling again

Bridges

November8, 2011. Jackson, MS. Home School.

Going back in time,  most children were taught by a governess at home.   My grandmother Houghton worked as a teacher, hired in a home,  teaching the children who lived in that home. The 20th Century put away most home schooling, although William Buckley and his siblings were all educated at home until such time as he went to Yale for University.  And C.S Lewis was always taught by a tutor at home as was Theodore Roosevelt.  By and large, it was not until the mid 20th Century that people began to be unhappy with the public schools.  Then,  some parents fought hard to teach their children at home.

The battle was not easy but the battle was won and now in the US exists a large organization for home schooled children.   Every legal battle was won by the home schoolers.  It makes perfect sense because the best teaching is always one on one.  If I teach you something I will know immediately when to move on to the next topic, so if the parent is inclined and well educated, the home schooled experience is very efficient.    Now of course, the home schooled children win many prizes.

It is obvious to me.   The  Mississippi children have lots of time to read.  Without car pools and waiting for the slow learners, the girls can speed ahead in their work so have time for knitting classes and piano lessons and reading.   The home schooled children seem to be thriving academically and socially.  It is a new world of schooling.

November 7, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. Getting Old.

Getting old has many blessings.   Drinking a cup of coffee before leaving the bedroom is a fine thing.   And driving the country is always a pleasure as is spending more time with the children and grandchildren.    But one of the problems of getting old is going to the Doctors.

One appointment always seems to require other tests and other appointments.   Our Doctors have all been in Bethesda and Chevy Chase and as we no longer live there, we are moving our medical team to Jackson, MS.   Last week and this,  we are spending our time meeting Doctors.  We started in May but now we are getting serious.

Today Ken saw the Cardiologist, who he had seen last May.  This Thursday,  Ken has two more tests which will take him all morning.   Then last week Ken met with the skin doctor for the first time.  She took three biopsies and sure enough, Ken needs further surgery, to be done tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday morning.    He has cancer cells that must come out.   Tomorrow we both meet the Eye Doctor and on Friday I must have a mammogram.  The whole week has been taken up with appointments.  

I always wonder what would happen if we just stop meeting with Doctors?   Would we die one week or one year sooner?  I won't find out because in my old age I am going to my appointments!!

November 6, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. A Lazy Day.

The Yacht Club is just around the corner from our condo and when we first moved here,  Ken and I joined as social members mainly so we can use it to entertain.  Our apartment is very small so inviting six people for dinner is impossible.   Sunday mornings they serve a wonderful brunch so we have gotten in the habit of meeting Andrew and Christina and the girls there to eat together.  They attend early church and Ken and I read all morning, then meet them at the Yacht Club at 11:30.  Molly, who is three,  loves to eat there, because the food is served buffet style so she can chose whatever she wants, which includes dessert.  Molly can not pronounce the letter Y so she calls it the ought club.  It is very sweet.   It is especially nice that all three girls love to eat there, but Molly loves it the best.

All the rest of the afternoon and into the evening we watched football at Andrew and Christina's home, eating and drinking and enjoying the family.  For a while after Molly woke up from her nap, we sat outside while Kate and Mary Frances rode their bikes and Molly played, but the rest of the time we were very lazy.  We all enjoyed every minute.  Ken is still recovering from a cold and cough so sitting around was just the ticket to make him better.   I am hoping so anyway.

November 5, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. Christmas Shopping.

I don't like crowds  and I certainly don't like to go over my budget so early in my married life I worked out a system for Christmas shopping.   It has never changed.  It works for me  now at aged 73 as well as it did at age 20.  

First I decide on a budget.  For many years we had very little money so it was important to keep within the budget.  Next I made a list and thought long and hard about some clever gifts that would be within my limits.  Starting in September, I started looking for gifts, an hour here and an hour there but never with any stress or anxiety.  I kept my list in my purse and kept track of the purchases.  When the Christmas season rolls around, all my gifts have been purchased.  It is a simple system.  All I must do is to plan ahead.

My observation is that often too much money is spent on gifts that are purchased just because a gift must be opened.  In my life, that can not happen.  I am obnoxious in my organization but it pays off.  I can enjoy the Christmas season with out any pressure to go shopping!!

November 4, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. The Museum.

The official name is The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science  but the girls call it The Science Museum.   By Smithsonian standards, it is small but in fact, is a perfect size for a museum.    You can see the whole place and be out in time for lunch, after arriving at 9:30.    Everything in the museum tells of the creatures of Mississippi with a combination of live examples and  stuffed birds and animals.  Lots of interactive buttons to push and videos to watch to entertain the almost four year old along with the teens and the 74 year old adult.  We had visited the museum previously but this time we went to see the new exhibit on frogs.

We saw big frogs and small frogs, bright colored frogs and dull brown frogs and even Molly will tell you the difference between a toad and a frog.   You could, by pushing a button, hear the sounds of ten different frogs.  The Mississippi tree frogs sound different from the Pennsylvania farm tree frog but they are the same size, which is quite small.  It was a great exhibit.  Large enough to be interesting but small enough to not become faint.

Today we got lucky.  We arrived at the large aquarium just as the man was feeding the small alligators.  It was fascinating.   The tank is large and open at the top to the visitors so even though the tank is five feet high, part is below your vision so the children can watch the turtles and alligators and fish not only under water but also from above to see the rocks and trees.  The handler stood right at the back of the enclosure handing out the squid to the hungry alligators.  It was exciting.  Then we went for lunch ourselves!!

November 3, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. The South.

We like living in the south.     We like the weather,  but of course, we are not here in the summer so perhaps we would change our tune if we lived here year round.    Galveston weather we enjoyed and we lived there happily for six years.   But of course,  Galveston is in Texas and not in the deep south.

And we like the people.  They are pleasant and friendly.    They care about their families.  I accompanied Ken at a Doctor's appointment yesterday and three ladies were waiting with their elderly mothers, chatting away cheerfully about this and that.    The children are mannerly.    It was interesting to watch the children come up for their treats on Hallow e'en night.  Every child said  "thank you" and if asked a question responded with a "Yes Sir".

The people seem to enjoy talking history and their state.   I can not recall any conversation with anyone in Maryland where I discussed any aspect of Maryland history.  In the limited time I have been here I have had several conversations about different aspects of Mississippi history.  People seem to care about their past, here in the south.

Several things I don't understand.  One is the terrible school systems.  It makes no sense.  One day soon I will try to find out why.  In the mean time, I intend to enjoy my life in the south.

November 2, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. The Big Blue Heron.

It was the oddest thing to watch. This very large blue heron flew to a post, ten feet high, at the edge of a,dock right in front of our condo. While sitting on his perch, he proceeded to groom all his feathers. Front and back, top to bottom, he covered every part of his large body while perched on top of the post. He stayed for ages, in fact we gave up and finally went inside.

Another heron was doing what she should, which is standing in shallow water,and search for fish. This heron stayed totally still until, she pounced and speared a fish.

Ken and I went for a walk,around our complex and commented that we had not seen the heron.  Then we sat on our tiny patio and soon we spotted the heron, strutting along the dock not twenty feet away. Soon, up he flew and proceeded to put on a show for us. It was amazing to see how much of his body he could cover with his large beak.

As Ken commented when we first arrived last Saturday "I is nice to be in the South."

Cruising

Strolling

Beaujolais

Halloween

November 1, 2011. Jackson, Mississippi. The Party.

The children had a blast, all dressed up in costume.   Different adults took the children out to do their Trick or Treat rounds, the first group with all the various ages with Christina and Sebastian and later just the older kids with Andrew.   In the middle they ate some soup or just  chocolate and candy but no matter, the children were happy, and very well behaved.

It was a lovely event with neighbors stopping by for dinner and a drink along with friends from church as well as other relatives.  Ken and I were able to meet more Jackson folks, which we enjoyed.   The food and the hot toddies were in the kitchen so at any time the house was full of people as was the large porch.

The weather was perfect, not too hot or not too cold so we were able to sit on the porch comfortably and watch the hundreds of children collect their candy.   The host John has the policy of giving two pieces of candy to each child unless they are over 12.   He then gives them a pencil.  Some older kids are happy to get a pencil while others are not so pleased.  It's a good policy.  It was a happy event for both children and adults and I felt fortunate that John and Greta Barbour invited us.