April 30, 2013. Jackson, Mississippi. Interstate 20.

Today we drove along interstate 20, right across Louisiana.   The road is straight and is a typical divided highway full of cars and trucks so the driver must concentrate as the speed limit is 75mph.   It was an easy but boring drive.   Once we crossed the Mississippi River it got better as the Magnolia trees were in bloom.  Then we drove the rest of our way to the condo along the Natchez Trace, a road with two lanes winding through the woods,  all while driving 50.    It is a lovely drive home.

Ken and I joined with the Mississippi family for dinner at their home.  It was a celebration of our arrival.   We drank port from 1977 to toast while we nibbled on cheese and crackers.   The dinner had a festive feel as we all expected our arrival to be tomorrow so the early arrival was cause to celebrated.  Even Molly got into the spirit.   We are pleased to be back at our little place in Jackson and to visit our Mississippi family..

April 29, 2013. Henderson, Texas. Travel.

Today was as perfect a day for travel as you could ever imagine.   The weather was beautiful and the traffic was light.   And it was all so unexpected.

Our plans were to leave the lake on Tuesday, but this morning, while I was still drinking coffee in the bedroom, I mentioned to Ken that we might want to drive a few hours today,  just because we had done everything needed in Texas and we were not seeing the family again this visit.  He agreed.   I did the laundry and changed the sheets while Ken closed up the hot tub and loaded the car.  By 12:30 we were driving away, heading to Mississippi, happy as larks

Texas wildflowers were everywhere today.  I am going to miss them.  Our route took us along highway 79 which is an old modern road.  In other words, it is pre interstate where the road takes you through farm land but where the road is wide and in good condition.   The wild flowers are on both sides of the highway and even across the fields.   It was my intention to drive two or three hours today, but the driving conditions were excellent so we drove almost six hours, which was probably not smart.   Once we get started, it is difficult to get Ken stopped!   We are staying at a Baymont Inn and Suites, in Henderson.  Our room is large and lovely and cost  $100.  But the best part of staying in Henderson is the accents of the people.  Even I can barely understand them.  It is a stitch.  It is worth staying here just to hear the locals talk.  All in all, it was a lovely drive in the countryside of Texas.

April 28, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Birthdays.

This evening at dinner in San Antonio, we celebrated birthdays.  Everyone received their birthday gift and we ate a fancy chocolate birthday cake complete with candles.  No ones birthday was today but Ken and I will not be with them on their respective birthdays so we decided to celebrate them all together...tonight.

I did not start out that way.  Abigail's birthday is in May so at first we decided to celebrate her birthday only.   We were giving her money to spend when they are on their trip to London, England, in June.  Then I realized that this was not fair, so decided to give each of the girls their gift at the same time, even though Sarah's birthday is not until October.  And we ordered a gift for Suzanne and David too, to be delivered on Wednesday.  The girls enjoyed their cards but they especially enjoyed having their own money.

We actually ate the cake first as an appetizer.   David was hungry and dinner was not ready so we all  watched basketball and ate cake.  Dinner was served watching the Spurs sweep the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.  Go Spurs.  Gifts were distributed after dinner.  It was fun and it was festive and it was very relaxed.  Ken and I enjoyed every minute of the day and evening with our Texas family.

April 27, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Lacrosse.

It was a perfect Spring evening in Texas.   We watched the City Lacrosse final between TMI and St. Mary's.   You can not get a better scene.   And the best part was that TMI won the game.  Now the team goes away next weekend to play the state championship.  If they play their next two games as well as they played tonight, they will win.  But the last time these same two teams played, St. Mary's beat TMI easily.  This time, the final score was 18 to 7.

The game was as good a high school game as you could ever see.   The passing and the shooting was excellent.   And the game was not very rough.   The whole scene was pleasant.  The stands have backs on the benches which pleased me.  The stands were full of parents and friends and grandparents.  Great field and excellent play, along with your team winning makes for a lovely evening.  You just can't beat those evenings outside in Texas.

April 26, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Hot Tub.

Ken and I are trying to talk ourselves out of liking a hot tub.    Up until now, we have loved taking a hot tub every evening before bed.    Then we started having difficulties.  The first problem occurred at the farm.  The hot tub started to leak.   Being as we live in a remote, obscure area of Pennsylvania, servicing it was impossible.   For a long time, every time we arrived at the farm, Ken filled up the hot tub and all was well.   When it got worse, we just decided to empty it.   We discovered that we could live happily without a hot tub so we asked Keith, our builder,  to get rid of it.  We now have no hot tub at the farm.

Last summer in Nova Scotia, the hot tub was not fixed until after we had left for the season so, once again, we lived happily without a hot tub all summer.   I was encouraging Ken to have it removed but he thought it better to have it fixed for summer 2013.  We arrived at the lake house in Texas in April to find the hot tub not working.  Ken called for the service man but no one came.   Except when we returned from the ranch today, the hot tub was working but not yet hot enough.  Ken turned up the heat and now we are eagerly awaiting our first hot tub.   I guess we are not totally ready to get rid of our hot tubs!

Our thinking is that sooner or later, we will not be able to get in and out of a hot tub so perhaps we should remove them now.  Also,  the hot tubs we have are fifteen years old and probably need replacing,  so we talk about living with no hot tubs but truth be told, we can not wait to get into that warm water.  I guess we still like them.

April 25, 2013. Harper, Texas. The Electrician.

I believe I can rest easy.   This afternoon, we met with our friend Pat, the electrician, who will install the plugs for the trailers at the 55th celebration.   This project began 18 months ago, fortunately, because although much work has been done, much more is waiting.   Our list to be done is short and I am comfortable,  that when we arrive in mid September, all the electrical work will be done.    I will not worry about at all...I hope.

So far, Pat has installed a new 200 amp pole for the trailers and run wires underground.  The same for water lines.   He also has a crew that does general contracting so they trimmed the trees and painted the out buildings.  And they stacked the wood near the fire pit.  Now they must install the plugs for the trailers, plus bring electricity near the tent.  So we have come a long way.

I hope Pat will come to the celebration.  He has an interesting story, so ask him about it.  We like him a lot and I am counting on the expertise of our friend Pat, the electrician.

April 24, 2013. Harper, Texas. Paintings.

All day I stayed in the house and all day I enjoyed the paintings.   Right now I am sitting at the desk in the small area of our bedroom and right over the desk is a wonderful painting of an outdoor skating rink  in Montreal with ten boys playing hockey, with other children playing in the piles of snow just behind.  In the background you see the cathedral and several houses.  It is beatifically painted and definitely reminds us from growing up in Canada.  The scene pleases me.

Downstairs in the main room we have painting from the west of Canada.  One looks similar to Lake Louise but it is not, but it is just as beautiful.   That painting is hung over the buffet and you see it the moment you enter the house.  On either side are Texas flowers, all in oil.   Another from the Canadian west is on the hall just outside the powder room and is a picture of a lake and trees, a scene you have seen many times before in real life.    A large moored sail boat was painted in Australia and hangs over the mantel.  It reminds us of the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston.

I especially love miniatures and have them all hung in the powder room.    They are all Texas scenes except one piece I purchased in Victoria called tooling.  It is always interesting to me that visitors go into the powder room to use the facilities and return without saying a word about the miniature pieces of art.  I am always inclined to send them back in to see the art.

Today I looked at the paintings carefully, one by one.   The rest of the time I read.  I admit that I am a lucky lady.

April 23, 2013. Harper, Texas. Stores.

Somehow or other, you feel good when you shop in a well run store.  You feel confident and comfortable while shopping, and on the drive home you are happy.   Twice in the past two days that has happened to me.

Yesterday after our purchases, Ken decided to get his hair cut, at a salon that only takes walk ins.   It was in the same mall and was right next to a Target, so I went for my walk all around Target while Ken had his hair cut.  Suzanne loves to shop at Target, as does Christina but I have only been in one store and that was in Jackson, Mississippi.   That store was fine.  I purchased four pairs of shorts and left quickly.   But this store in New Breunfels was new and large and beautiful.  I walked up and down every isle, inspecting the merchandise as I walked quickly past the rows.   The shelves were full and orderly and the staff polite.   With no intention to buy anything, I could not resist buying pillows for the 55th.  Great store and clean as a whistle.  No wonder Target gets such rave reports.

This afternoon on the way to the ranch, Ken and I shopped at the HEB in Fredericksburg.  I was reminded yet again about what a fine store is HEB.   This store has everything a person would want in a grocery store.   It is clean too with plenty of staff to help.  No lines to check out either.   And they sell many many foods that are all prepared, which are perfect for me.  I love HEB, especially the one in Fredericksburg.  The other interesting aspect of grocery shopping here is that the fellow shoppers speak to you as you pass on the isles.  I finally decided that every one is so happy shopping in HEB that they just say hello and smile to everyone.  It is very unusual and kind of nice.

April 22, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. A Black Box.

Ken loves new stuff,  especially technical gadgets.  Now we own a very small black box, purchased at Best Buys and manufactured by Apple.  Today's excursion was to go to lunch at Gruene, then look at back backs as our back packs are 20 years old and heavy.   After we completed our purchases and were driving through the mall in New Breunfals, Ken suggested we just look at this new Apple black box at Best Buys.  He had read that you can play things from the computer through your TV and he wanted to talk to someone about it.  I sat in the car to listen to the radio, while Ken went in to ask questions.

Sure enough, Ken returned with a very small bag.  He had bought it.   His excuse to purchase rather than just talk was because he thought we might give one to Andrew and Christina for their birthdays, and he wanted to find out if they really worked.  When we came home, Ken set it up, then invited me to watch Cat Balou, which we did.  The technology was wonderful.  He had the movie on his I Tune and just streamed it from there to the TV.  And when we finished, which was a horrible movie, we saw a long list of movies that we could down loud, right then and there.  I can see that this new black box will be very useful and enjoyable.   Now he needs to work hard to figure out how to put the hockey and basketball playoff games on the TV, coming from the computer.  Now that would make me happy.

April 21, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Playoffs.

It is certainly true that I enjoy any sporting event either live or on TV, but I especially pay attention during the playoffs.  Professional basketball is the exception.  Unless the San Antonio Spurs are involved with the series, I am not interested and never watch.  Today I was trying to figure out why and finally decided that the games are too predictable.   The best teams seem to win every time.  Through out the season, I never watch any NBA games because half the time the players do not put out much effort, except for the Spurs, and they play hard every game.

This day was different.  During a lazy, enjoyable afternoon, we watched part of two playoff games and all of the game between the Spurs and the Lakers.   Indiana won the first game, which pleased us all, and the Spurs played an excellent game in beating the Lakers so we were happy about that too.   When we left, it appeared that Miami was going to win their game, unfortunately.   They won the championship last year so I would like to see them lose in the first round.  It helped that David was just getting over jet lag so he was happy to just chill out while of course, Suzanne is still on crutches so was happy to just sit.  Our cocktail hour started early. We even ate dinner while watching a game.  It seemed as if we were all on holiday and we were.

And then we ate ice cream for dessert.  What a treat after our lazy, lovely day.  and I enjoyed every game.

April 20, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. A dinner.

It was an ordinary seeming dinner.  I cooked the frozen lasagna while Samantha and Allison set the table.  The salad was brought to them by a friend.   And the bread sticks were left over from a spaghetti dinner brought and cooked by a friend.  We ate at the kitchen table.  Even though it was an ordinary dinner, the meal had a festive quality, perhaps because yesterday evening, David returned from a business trip to London, England.  And Ken and I had returned from the ranch.  It was a homecoming of sorts and it was lovely.

After dinner, Sarah and Abigail cleaned the kitchen, while Alison and Samantha cleared the table, all without asking.  Poor Suzanne is still on crutches so standing is difficult.   The girls have been helpful.   After our lively dinner conversation,  where David talked about the food he ate in London, the adults stayed at the table and one by one, when the chores were completed, the girls joined us in our conversation.   I don't know how we started talking about the girls when they were little, but we did.  We talked about Sarah wanting to return Abigail after a few days because she took up too much time.  And I told of Sarah at 2 always organizing and arranging the chairs on the deck at the lake.  At Suzanne's suggestion, we purchased very heavy deck furniture, just so Sarah could not move them.  And Abigail did not like it with the twins arrived and dominating the whole house.  It was fun and it was funny and what turned from a simple, ordinary dinner into an event to cherish, for both old and young.

April 19, 2013. Harper, Texas. Christmas.

Tonight we celebrated Christmas with our friends Joyce and Robbie.  Ken and I took them out to dinner to a German restaurant in Fredericksburg.  It was our Christmas gift to them this year.  It took until now for us to be able to give them their gift.

A few years ago, we started giving Dave and Irene the same gift.  The rule was that we would take them out for dinner for their Christmas gift but they had to get to where we were.   Last year we celebrated our Christmas with them in July in Nova Scotia.  The year before we celebrated in Texas.  It was fun and it was festive, so we decided to steal the idea with Robbie and Joyce.

It seemed a good idea to give a gift to couples who have everything.   Joyce and Robbie enjoyed the gift too.   It was a treat for us as well,  as Robbie drove his car and we all four enjoyed the food and the company.   The restaurant was in the Bavarian Inn just at the edge of Fredericksburg and is called the Freilich, or something like that.  The food was excellent.   We did not sing any Christmas carols.

April 18, 2013. Harper, Texas. Cheesy fries.

We as humans are very unreliable.   For months and years we go along doing the right thing, eating no butter and fat, just like the doctor ordered.  Then one day, without further ado,  an item is ordered for lunch  that will give indigestion all afternoon, to say nothing of clogging the arteries.  

Ingram is a small town just outside Kerrville.  Our task today was to shop at Walmart.  We still need items for the 55th such as shampoos and soaps for the trailers, chalk for the children, plus more trash cans for outside.   The River Cafe has good food and we have had lunch there many times.   One man runs it all by himself, which is always impressive.  Also his food is good.   Every day he has a special, which we almost always order because it comes faster.    On the way in, I noted the special and thought to myself that neither of us would ever order it.

Ken stopped into the restroom while I ordered for myself and waited for him.  I ordered a Reuben.  Ken ordered the Special, which was cheesy fries with chili.  I was stunned.

I must report that he ate every bit and said that it was delicious.   We human beings are unpredictable for sure.

April 17, 2013. Harper, Texas. Too Old.

So.  Ever since we have returned to the ranch,  the master bathroom center light has not worked at the Top House.   People forget to turn out the light when they leave, and of course, the bulb burns out in our absence.   It could have been the cleaning folks or perhaps the window washers.   The problem for us is that when you walk into the bathroom, you can't turn on the light until you walk across the room.   We have been procrastinating.   Finally, today, we brought a step ladder from the shed and brought it upstairs.  It took two of us.

We set it up in the proper place and realized that the high ceilings made it difficult for us.   I have never been able to maneuver up a ladder and Ken now is quite unsteady, so we decided to leave it alone, and get Pat, the electrician, to replace the bulb.  We both laughed, that we were both too old to change a light bulb.  It is true, that in Nova Scotia, Mal always replaces dead light bulbs when he is visiting.  We have actually taken to leave the bulbs until our friend Mal arrives.  Clearly, we need to invite him to the ranch in Texas.  It is pathetic but it is true.  We are too old to change a light bulb!!

April 16, 2013. Harper, Texas. Getting Old.

A good friend sent me a piece about living in the Winter of your life, with all the regrets when looking back over your life about all the things you should have done but didn't.  Then it goes on to give advice to the younger folks about how to lead their life.    One of the most interesting parts of the essay discusses about the process of getting old.   It appears to the writer that getting to the winter of life seemed to come quickly and caught  him by surprise.   I was reminded of a friend at work when overhearing a conversation about College costs for the 18 year old, "haven't they had 18 years to get ready?"  

You don't get old quickly.  It happens one day at a time.   And we are in the Autumn of our life.  The Winter is when we can no longer move around the world.  There are pluses and minuses about being old, the same as being young.   The choice is always to ignore the deficiencies and accentuate the positive attributes.   It is the same as when you are young.  It certainly is nothing to be sad about.   We did everything we could possible do to make our living and to make a life and for that we are grateful.   Ken can no longer leap across a creek but I could never do it anyway so he has gotten over it.  We both can read and write and walk and eat and for that we are pleased.    And we pay no attention to what we can not do.  It is the Autumn of our lives, not Winter.  That is my story and I will stick to it!!

April 15, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Ace Hardware.

Ken and I go out of our way to shop at the Ace Hardware store in Satler.   The store is large, especially for such a small town, and it has everything a person could want in a modern hardware store.   We buy products in that store that we could purchase in Kerrville or Fredericksburg but we shop in Satler because of the service.   The people are wonderful.  

Today we went to check out the hoses and splitters.  We had no intention of buying as we have not yet determined how many we need but we went specially to check prices and quality.   When we walked in the door, a working person at the front asked if we needed help as Ken and I had a discussion about whether or not I needed to hear the hose information.  Immediately, we told the lady that we were not buying but a man came up and took Ken to the department and gave him a short course in hoses, which is exactly what he needed.

I was on my own, looking for chalk.  Also we had been given a $10. discount card in the mail, whose date expired in our absence.   When I asked about the card, they assured me that they would honor it, as they know that people in Canyon Lake are not always there.  "Very nice", said I.

It is the small things in life that give the greatest pleasure and it is certainly true about the Ace Hardware store in Satler.   They try hard to be better, and it shows.

April 14, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Interstate 10.

It was a big surprise.   We had thought that the bluebonnets would be over.  The drive from the ranch to San Antonio  today was delightful, all because of the wild flowers.   The bluebonnets were everywhere, on the median strip and on both sides or the road.   In addition, we saw yellow daisies and purple what ever they were, all mixed in together.   Interstate 10 is a favorite of mine for several reasons, not the least being the lack of traffic.  Once you leave Boerne, you leave traffic and you drive through the Hill Country which is full of rocks.  You have to like brown.  It is a lovely drive at any time, but today was extra special.

Suzanne is recovering from her knee surgery.  For the first time since the operation Friday, she showered and spent the afternoon on the couch with all of us.   We turned on the golf tournament so she would be sure to fall asleep, and she did.   She returns to the doctor on Monday morning and she hopes she can begin to put some weight on the leg.  These navigating with crutches gives you great appreciation for the handicapped.  Her friends are taking turns bring dinner each night which is appreciated by the whole family.  What would we do without our friends?

April 13, 2013. Harper, Texas. The New Criterion.

I do not think that I have ever had a discussion  about Demosthenes?   And I have never read May Sarton's Journals  nor had thought much about the solitary life.   The section on the music scene in New York is worth the price of admission all by itself.  Just from this March edition I have listed three books that were reviewed that I would love to read.  Mary Soames has published a new memoir of her life with her father Winston Churchill which sounds entrancing.  All this new information I read today in the March edition of The New Criterion.

One reason I enjoy this magazine is because most things are new to me.  Today brought special joy because I had nothing else to do except read the magazine.  It is not particularly easy reading, but I loved it.   My habit is to begin at the end and read the book section first.   And I work backwards.  Every month when reading the music section by Jay Nordlinger I wish again that I was wealthy and could live for just a season to attend all the concerts.  But I live vicariously and enjoy each event.

I have been saving this time when I could read from morning to night and read every article of my New Criterion.  John Mills brother, Wilmer Mills, who died last year had a new poem published in this edition so perhaps that has made this edition special.  Of course, my eyes have given out, but it has given me much reading pleasure today.  It is a great magazine.

April 12, 2013. Harper, Texas. Gwennie.

Dementia is similar to a death.   The old spark and wit and intellect has disappeared, just as if your friend had died.   Gwen has not died but she is in an institution because she has dementia, and she no longer could be cared for by her husband George.   It is sad for them both.

George called me this evening to say they could not attend our 55th in October because Gwen is in an institution and he is not traveling.   The Salvation Army grapevine had kept me current as to her where a bouts so I was aware of Gwen's situation but it home tonight just how difficult it has been for the both of them.  George mentioned that Gwen was first diagnosed with dementia just before our 50th anniversary but Gwen insisted on coming.  In truth, it was difficult for her, because George said tonight that Gwen did not recognize many of the people.   Several friends have commented on Gwen's behaviour at the 50th.  She was quiet and reserved, definitely not the Gwennie we knew and loved.

Gwen was the only child of Salvation Army parents.  But the father died young,  leaving this sweet mother to raise Gwen.  She was blond and noisy and funny.   Her voice sounded as if she had chronic laryngitis, which added to her appeal.  We attended the same school  although she was two years younger and we attended the Corps Cadet Congress together in 1956.   She became a nurse, I a teacher, but we always kept in touch, until now.  She lived in Victoria,  I in Maryland.  She was a force to be reckoned with, was Gwen.   I miss her.

April 11, 2013. Harper, Texas. Dr. Stotz 2.

Ken was the patient today, an appointment to find out whether or not he has Parkinson's Disease.  Our Internist in Mississippi suggest that, as Ken has some symptoms of Parkinson's, he should be evaluated by a neurologist.  We decided to have him see our old friend Dr. Stotz in Fredericksburg.  It was a wise choice.  Ken saw the good doctor promptly at 9:00 and by 10:15 we were leaving the drug store with the new prescription.  Small cities are wonderful, especially when the doctor is competent..

Ken does not have Parkinson's Disease.   But he has congenital symptoms, some similar to Parkinson's.   The new medication should help, at least for the balance and gait.  Next they will discuss the tremor when we return in two weeks.   And no sign of any senility, which we already knew but is nice to be told.   Dr. Stotz though that I was doing very well indeed.  We knew that too.

Dr. Stotz was amused by our life style and called us high class vagabonds.  It seemed to fit and we all laughed.

April 10, 2013. Harper, Texas. Dr. Stotz.

Dr. Stotz gave me good advice, all those years ago.   He told me to stay on the same medication for the rest of my life, and to keep working as long as possible,  both of which I did.    His opinion was that most people who lose their words never recover, because they have not tried hard enough, so he wanted me to force myself to talk, even if it was difficult.   The other piece of advice he gave me was that most of the medical literature says that improvements end at six months after a stroke but he disagreed.    His observation was that improvements continue as long as the person keeps trying.   He was ahead of his time, but he was correct.   I make fewer errors now that I did five years ago so improvement has been continuous over time.

Dr. Stotz is a neurologist working in a small city.  The machines are not as powerful as at a big medical center but he knew his stuff and figured out what had happened and gave me medication to live with.    He was puzzled as to why only one artery was blocked and he never did figure out why.  It took the University of Texas in San Antonio to figure out what had really happened, after I had a relapse.

I was ready to leave Texas and return to work when I lost my words again.  That was when I recalled more advice from Dr. Stotz which was to rest and recover for six weeks before you pick up your life.  So I took his advice and we stayed at the lake while I worked on my words and my strength.   Tomorrow we will visit Dr. Stotz again but this time to have him check Ken.   I will be pleased to see him again and I am sure he will be happy to see me too.

April 9, 2013. Harper, Texas. Friends.

When Gill visited us in Mexico, we discussed the question of why the group of us in Nova Scotia have stayed friends.   We have been friends for over forty years.    Each individual friend is different.  We are all over the political spectrum, but we have stayed friends.   Over the years, there would have been thirty ladies and their children attending picnic group, yet the four of us only have stayed friends.   It is not an easy answer although part of it is simple.    We are all independent people and we all do interesting things.  But lots of other folks crossed our paths and did not end being life long friends.

Tonight, Joyce and Robbie came for dinner.    The live at a ranch just down the road.   They have been good friends from the moment we bought  our place.   They are lively and energetic although they are both  just a bit older than us.   One of the things we like about them is that they are Texans through and through.   In many ways, their life style is different to ours  but we have interests in common with travel and the ranch.   This is the first time we have seen them since the end of November and it is always exciting to see them and catch up with their life.   Good friends bring great joy to our lives and the older we get the more we understand it.  We are fortunate with our friends and our families..

April 8, 2013. Harper, Texas. The Double D.

It is so such a pleasure arriving at the Double D Ranch.  Even though you see rocks and more rocks, the whole place seems welcoming, especially at our home, the Top House.   There is even a bit of green grass here and there.   The first thing we did after unloading the truck upon our arrival this afternoon was to sit down and watch a video, one of the series The North and the South, followed by another episode of Murdoch Mysteries.     I am not in love with the North South movies but Ken enjoys them.  My problem is that the whole series is predictable, even down to the love stories.

But we both love our house on the top of the house.    Each of us has a comfortable chair in our bedroom and of course, we have views in both directions, so after dinner, we retreated upstairs and have been reading ever since.  It is always a surprise to see so many rocks.  Every time, we forget.

In Fredericksburg this afternoon we visited with the caterer for our 55th.   I believe that we are all ready to roll.   They will bring the first dinner on Thursday the 10th and from then on until Monday at noon, they will bring dinner and lunch for the next day.    Dinner on Monday we will eat left overs!!  Breakfast food we will just keep at the ranch with cereal, fruit and muffins along with coffee the order of the day.  My check list is complete.   For the past week, I have spoken to each person who is on tap for the event.  Everyone is ready.  Now I have one more big shopping at Costco before we can relax and enjoy ourselves.

It is always lovely being home at the ranch in Texas.

April 7, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Knees.

Out of the blue, Suzanne felt a pop in her right knee.  It was Easter Sunday evening and she and Abigail, who is almost 14, were dancing.   Along with the noise came the pain.  Her knee hurt a lot.  She knew right off that this was not a good thing.   After a trip to the emergency room where they gave her a brace, followed the next day by a visit to the orthopedic doctor and then an MRI, Suzanne is hobbling around on crutches, trying to do her best.  On Wednesday, she will meet with the doctor to determine what she did, then do whatever needs to be done to fix it.  She does not have time for bad knees.

It must have been a funny scene in the grocery store this afternoon.   Suzanne was using a motorized basket while Sarah accompanied her to pick up the objects to be purchased and use her own cart..  Suzanne can not use the crutches plus push the cart so she has taken to using the motorized baskets loved by the very old... and the obese...and Suzanne.   The problem today was that the motor stopped working when it was on the far side of the store so Sarah pushed the motorized cart with her own basket, which Sarah said was very difficult to do.   They finally got home and regaled us with their stories.   It took twice as long to shop today as normal.  I am sure that will be the norm until Suzanne gets full use of her knee.  At the moment, she is on crutches and has quite a lot of discomfort, which with a full schedule is not good.  Those old knees really are a weak part of the body.

VolleyBall2

VolleyBall1

April 7, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Volleyball.

The standard of the volleyball games was high, especially for girls in the 8th and 9th grades.  I was astonished at the caliber of their play.   Starting at 12:30, Sarah and Abigail played in a volleyball tournament.   It was club volleyball.   For me, it was a wonderful event,  because at any time throughout the afternoon and evening, I could watch volleyball games.  Four courts were active all the time so if our team was not playing, there were four other options.  We finally got home at 9:00.  I think I had a better time than anyone.

Our club team is primarily the same team from school but many of the other teams are not associated with a school at all.   The first game I saw was a neighborhood team and were mostly Hispanic.  They wore red shorts and man, could they play.  We left before the final was over but it looked as if they would win the tournament.  But all the teams played well and they all looked like volleyball players with their skin tight shorts and long sleeved tight shirts.  And of course, every girl wears knee pads.  Everyone was enjoying the games, whether they were winning or losing.  That is one of the virtues of sports.  When the game is over, life continues on it's merry way, whether you won or lost.

It was quite an event.  12 teams in the tournament with each team guaranteed three games.  4 games being played at the same time.  Massive numbers of parents and friends were there to cheer on their team so the gym was packed.  Referees, linesman, score keepers were all at the ready.  I loved every minute and both Sarah and Abigail played well.  I did discover that neither of my grandchildren were perfect.  What a shock!!

April 5, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Bees.

David has installed a frame inside his new office/garage where you will be able to observe the bees at work.  A small opening to the outside allows the bees to come and go at will.  It will have ten honeycomb frames when it is all up and running.  The new bees will arrive next week.  It will be great fun to observe the bees from the comfort of the garage but it will be a trick to get the bees into the new big hive.

The bees will arrive in the mail and while wearing his bee keeper outfit,  David must, one by one, fit the five sets into the frame.   He will do it outside, very carefully.  When the glass has been installed in the garage,  David will attach the hive to the frame on the wall,  then slide the opening to the outside.   Evidently, bees like the dark, so both sides of the hive will be covered with a board so the bees will be happy.  But every so often, David will let us remove the board so we will be able to watch the bees at work making honey.

Several years ago, David read an article about allergies and honey.  It said that if you eat a spoonful of local honey every day, your allergies will disappear, so David decided to raise bees.  It has worked.  Every day, each child takes their spoonful of honey and now they are no longer allergic.  Magic and all because of the hard working bees, and of course to David's diligence.

April 4, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Softball 8th Grade.

I loved every minute of the game at Abigail's softball team.  The girls in their spiffy uniforms looked terrific with their black baseball pants and orange knee socks and orange shirts.   The opposing team looked even better, wearing white pants and dark blue shirts tucked into their white pants with their blue socks.  But Abigail's team won, just barely.   The girls looked great with their gloves and eye shades.  The only problem is that they can't catch or throw well, which in softball is a problem.   And the game is so complicated that learning all the rules is difficult.

Our team is up by three runs and we are at bat with the bases loaded with two out.   The runner at second base moves off the base.   The umpire waits for the pitch and immediately calls the runner out at second  because she left the bag too soon.  The inning ended but the culprit was dumbfounded.  I heard her say to the coach,  "I see that all the time in the baseball games.   Nobody told me that rule."

A girl hits a pop fly that she thinks will roll foul so stands watching the ball instead of running to first base.  The catcher runs to catch the ball but it bounces out of her glove while the catcher is on the field. The umpire calls Fair Ball.  Finally, the batter begins to run to first but by then it was too late because the catcher threw the ball to the first baseman who tagged the runner out.  "I thought it was going to roll foul", said the batter.  Oops.

Watching an 8th grade softball game requires a sense of humor but the girls try hard and enjoy the game.  Next year, Abigail will not play softball in the Spring.  "Too much standing and waiting", says our Abigail.  But I loved it!!

April 3, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. Simple Pleasures.

Ken and I have spent two afternoons this week watching Murdock Mysteries.    Dave and Irene gave us the new discs for Christmas and we have saved them for just the right time.    It seems as if we are playing hooky, when we watch in the middle of the day.

This simple pleasure starts with a nap.  Normally we do not nap but we are both getting over our allergy sneezing and coughing  problems so we both decided to take a nap both yesterday and today.  It was a great and simple pleasure.   Then we watched two episodes of the mystery each day.   The plots are engaging plus the series were filmed in Hamilton and Toronto so we are always watching for places we recognize, which lends us added pleasure.

I had just read a review of the Murdock Mysteries in The Weekly Standard when the gift to us arrived.  I was delighted.   And I am more delighted now.  We can't recall where we left the beginning of the series but eventually they will turn up.  In the meantime, we are thoroughly enjoying the Murdock Mysteries in Canyon Lake on a rainy cool day.  It is a perfect simple pleasure.

April 2, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Deer.

Once upon a time, a river made a small canyon.   The whole area was wooded except for the river at the bottom.  The woods were full of deer.  In the early 60s, the Corps of Engineers, made a dam which made a lake,  now called Canyon Lake.   It has been a huge success for the people who live  and fish and swim and boat.   The Texans think it is a big lake but it really is a small lake, at least by Ontario standards.  

The deer are still here.  They wander the streets and yards and eat everything in sight, except oleanders.  The deer are very small, about as tall as your waist and they are very tame.    Ken and I went for a walk this afternoon and the deer don't even move away as you walk not three feet in front of them.   And they are sweet too.  People feed the deer.  When you bring groceries into the house,  the deer are right close, waiting for a hand out, or rooting into the bags when you are not looking.   Bit by bit the empty lots are being built on.   What then will the deer do next?  Right now, they hang out in the woods on the empty lots but soon there will be no empty lots.  The lake has been great for the people but not so good for the deer.

April 1, 2013. Canyon Lake, Texas. April Fool.

It is no joke.   Both Ken and I like Texas.  This afternoon we arrived at the lake house and we were both delighted to be here.   Now I know that the house has a lovely view and that the facilities are comfortable but it is certainly not fancy but we do enjoy living here.   We left the time share today due to the weather but Ken commented to me while sitting on the deck this evening  that this view was certainly better here than in our little log cabin in Flint, Texas.  He was right.  It is better here, even though the hot tub is not working.

Perhaps we like Texas so much because it was the first place we lived in the US.   In 1964, we drove with all our belongings in our new fancy car to Galveston.   People were friendly and welcoming and we fit right in.  We loved it, especially the warm evenings.    It is always a bit chilly in the evenings in Ontario but in Texas, you could sit outdoors all evening without a sweater.  We lived there 6 years.  Both boys were born in Galveston.  David gets great credit by being a BOI,  born on the island, and attending Baylor for his MBA.   Eventually,  he tells the real story, that he only lived in Galveston for 11 months and returned for college and graduate school.  But he is a true Texan and I think Ken and I are too.  Now for the month of April, we will be living in Texas and we will enjoy every minute.