July 31, 2014. Western Head. The Cottage.

The cottage is smaller than our condominium in Mississippi, even when you add in the children's loft. It has one small bedroom, just big enough for a double bed with two feel of space to walk around the bed. Ken is always bumping into the foot board and wants to get rid of it but I am reluctant. We bought it from Billie, the owner of our home by the ocean, and I hate to part with it. And we have a bathroom that has great water pressure. The rest of the place is made of pine and is charming, although small. The deck on the front we extended so it is big enough and is pleasant looking at the lake. We are moving to the cottage for two weeks. When I was thinking about functioning at the lake, I could not think of a place to set a basket for dirty laundry, that is how small it is. Last summer, we were asked to rent our main house and as we usually take a trip during August, we agreed. Ken investigated but nothing was appealing so we decided to live at the cottage. The dock and the raft were appealing, also the quiet of the lake, so we are looking forward to our two weeks at the cottage. We return on the 16th. Actually, for three days the house will be empty so we will return to do laundry. The main issue is the Internet. We don't have any at the cottage. Our plan is to investigate Caledonia, but it is a small town so might not have any options. But people live at the lake and work in town so we can always come into town every day for Internet service. Our friends think we are nuts to leave our lovely home by the shore, but we both think we will have a good time. Time will tell.

July 30, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Weather.

Ken and I mostly ignore the weather, especially when traveling. Ken always studies the patterns from the satellites just to find out what to wear, but we seldom are heard complaining. Nova Scotia weather forecasts are almost always wrong. Yesterday was supposed to be raining all day while today was to be sunny. It turned out to be the opposite. Evidently, the problem is the ocean breezes impacting the winds from the land. Fog is most interesting. This morning the sky was clear so Mary and Clif and Gill went sailing. They were barely out of the river when the fog descended and they had to follow the direction of the waves to return to the dock. Of course, by now the air was still so sailing back took a long time. At our house the fog was thick almost all day but when I drove into town, the fog disappeared, only to returns when I drove down the hill to the causeway. The fog horn has been running for days. It has a reassuring sound. When we first moved here, folks told us not to worry about the weather right now, because soon it will change. And they were right. Today, for about ten minutes, it poured down rain and then it stopped and the sun came out for another ten minutes. But it did not last long enough to burn off the fog. Soon we had drizzle off and on all the rest of the day, always with fog. Some times you could not even see the surfers in our Bay. The weather here is never boring and it is never hot, even when the locals tell you it is hot. But it is always interesting.

July 29, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Lockeport.

Once upon a time, the place was busy. and once upon a time, the town was important to the economy of Nova Scotia. But that was long ago. If you look at the map, you can see Lockeport sticking out to the east, will beyond the rest of the coast, so during the days of traveling only by the sea, Lockeport was important as the distance to the fishing banks were short. Large houses were built, four families built beautiful homes right in a row, all looking out at sea. They have all been restored and now are on a historical register called the Cityscape, even though the town was never a city. Today it is a funky little community of summer folks, along with a few hundred permanent residents. The drive down to Lockeport from the main highway 103 takes about 30 minutes so once you get there, you tend to want to stay. It has a beautiful beach, almost a mile long and an interesting museum and gift shop. Ken and I ate lunch at our favorite cafe overlooking the harbor, but when driving around town, we noted an absence of people. After lunch, we discover the end of a Festival in the middle of town, full of people of all ages. They had a band and lots of vendors selling all kinds of stuff. Of course, we found the Festival just after it ended. Other than lunch, we did not spend another dime in Lockeport. People who live there just love it but it is too far away for me. I like to visit and wander around but I prefer living in Western Head.

July 28, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Dinner Parties.

In our early years of living in Nova Scotia our Gull Bay Group got together often for either cocktails or dinner. We were so pleased to be living in the same neighborhood that we got together for any and all occasions. A few years ago, Clif suggested that we scrap dinners and just have cocktails. Now we do both, but only for special events, such as folks arriving or leaving. Tonight we entertained at our home. Wendy and Clausen must leave on Wednesday, so our group along with Walt and Mary dined together. We were a lively group of 9. But we are not totally sad because they will return for three weeks in September. It was just a good excuse for a dinner party. It is not like we don't see each other throughout the day. Last evening as Ken and I were driving home, we met Gill walking alongside Mary who was on her bike. As it was 5:30, we invited them for a drink. When they arrived we called Clif to come, also Wendy and Clausen, so within 5 minutes, we had a party, sitting on our deck. Everyone had to report as to the events of their day. It was great fun and very easy. Dinner parties in my opinion are best if kept simple so I never stress about anything. I assume that the people are more important than the food. It is a lot of work to get ready but it is worth the effort. For dessert tonight we ate cherries and shortbread, baked by Pat and left in the freezer when she left. Good friends and good food are a winning combination.

July 27, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Bob Stafford.

Yesterday morning I stopped by to say hello to Sandra and to have a cup of coffee. It was the first time I had seen her since our arrival. It was also the first time I had visited their home to find no Bob. Over the winter, when we were in the south seas, Bob died. We knew that he has not perfectly well, but it was a shock to hear of his passing. We miss him. He was a good friend. When we first moved here, Bob and Sandra were the first Liverpool folks who took us under their wings. My friends Wendy and Clausen were going to Bob and Sandra's home to inspect a dining room table, custom made for their dining room. I asked to come along to see the table too. When we entered their home, I discovered wonderful antiques, They were gracious enough to show me through their home and to see their beautiful antiques. One thing led to another and we have been friends ever since. We shared an interest in antique furniture and we shared an interest in auctions. Bob was a gracious kindly host and we shared many meals together. The night before we left Liverpool last summer we ate dinner in their home and as usual, enjoyed a lovely evening with them. We will miss his presence in our lives but I am grateful to have known Bob, who was an able, gentle soul. R.I.P.Bob Stafford.

July 26, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Birthdays.

Today, my son David celebrated his birthday. As he was born in 1969, that makes him 45. The big girls came home from camp this afternoon, so now all six are dining together at a fancy steak house in San Antonio. There is nothing better than celebrating with your family. David was born in Galveston, Texas. My Mother was staying with Dave and Irene at the cottage at Redwood Cottages, the same place where Wendy now owns a cottage, which is on Lake Joseph in Ontario. The cottage at that time had no phones but we had arranged to call the pay phone at the corner of the property to announce the new family member. It was all very exciting to have another David in the family. My Mother had a brother David and I had a brother David. Now Andrew had a brother David too. Everyone in the family was thrilled with the birth of our David but no one was more delighted than Ken and me to have a healthy big baby born to us on July 26. We still celebrate his birth and every year we appreciated him more than ever. Now cheers for our David.

July 25, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Rocks.

Apparently, it is impossible in Nova Scotia to leave the rocks alone. Everyone both young and old brings the pretty or unusual rocks back home. I love rocks and in our home can always be found a basket of rocks collected from around the world. My basket of rocks are now being stored but when we get our stuff out of storage, that basket will have a prominent place in our home. In the dining room here at Western Head you will find rocks set along one long window sill. Each rock is different. When we returned this year, I found twice as many rocks as when we left. The new ones were all pretty but several were too small for my collection so I sorted and removed the rocks I did not fancy. Instead I added these rejected rocks to the pile on the deck, collected over the years by the grandchildren and stored under two benches. This evening, Ken and I ate dinner on the deck. From my chair I noticed the picnic table half full of good sized rocks. The picnic table sets at the end of the parking pad but now is a spot for displaying rocks. When we first moved to Western Head, my house keeper pointed out to me that people in Nova Scotia leave the rocks on the beach while we continue to bring the rocks inside, which was true. It is apparent that who ever rented our house was from away, because they certainly carried lots of rocks back home. It is impossible to resist the habit.

July 24, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Karen and Ron.

The people of Nova Scotia make life interesting for us. Last evening, Gill invited us to eat left overs and at the last minute she asked Karen and Ron too. I was pleased because we had not seen them since our arrival and we like them. They are both talented, interesting folks. Karen is the sister of our artist friend Roger. She is an artist in her own right, but she does her work with fabric. Her work is beautiful. In addition, she makes lots of other things, such as placemats. Her work is impressive. Ron and Karen retired back to Nova Scotia after living outside of Toronto all their working lives. Karen worked in the court system of Ontario and Ron retired from the Science Center. He was responsible for making the exhibits. In other words, he knows how to make things work. He still takes short term projects for groups setting up a new Museum or Science center. In August he will return to Toronto for a month to set up a new Science Museum north of the city. In the Spring, three of his buddied biked in eastern Europe and here in Western Head he bikes our loop every day. Yesterday Ron cut out some shapes for Gill with her band saw. She is making another rocking horse and she was afraid to cut into the wood. Ron knows how to get things done, which is a great blessing. Karen and Ron moved here before us, but we were slow to get to know them. I am not sure why but I am pleased to call them friends now. They are both clever, unusual people who live in Nova Scotia. In addition to the scenery and the weather, the people are a major asset.

July 23, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Cottage.

Starting on July 31st, Ken and I will live at the cottage for 16 days. So far, the most we have stayed at the cottage is two nights. The bedroom is small and we sleep on a double bed, and we do not have Internet service, but we are staying there anyway. A year ago, we were asked by our rental agent to rent our main house for one week in August. As we usually take a trip sometime during the summer, we agreed. And we told the agent that we would probably be away for two weeks, so they rented the house for the two weeks. At that time it seemed like a good idea, but when we discussed the trip, we realized that we had gone on too many trips this year, so we decided to just stay at the cottage. Today we went to the cottage for the first time this summer and much to our surprise, we discovered that we are looking forward to our two weeks there. Last year we allowed the rental agents to rent the cottage. We assumed very few folks would want to rent it, so we agreed to use the cottage when it was empty. It turned that we were wrong and we seldom used it last year. This year, we have the cottage to ourselves for the whole time that we are in Nova Scotia. We like the cottage. The cabin is small but charming and the dock and raft function exactly as a cottage should do. Now I have a list of supplies and food needing to be purchased. And we will need to take more clothes. Today at the cottage it was hot. 90 degrees in the sun. When we returned to Western Head it was a chilly 68 at 6:00. It will be an interesting 16 days.

July 22, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Isaac.

We met him first when he was surfing. It was winter and the winds were howling as were the waves, but Isaac and his buddies were surfing. Hour after hour they were surfing. They were all young and thin and fit. They were very pleasant when we chatted with them when they came to their cars. A few years later, I met him installing a bench in the Ely's yard. When I was introduced to him and was told that we lived next door, he reminded me that we had met when he was surfing. He looked different but I took him at his word. Not only was he installing the bench, but he had designed and built the bench himself, over the winter out of thick slabs of wood, using arms from curved branches. It was sturdy and solid and beautiful. The next year Isaac made a lovely arbor for the Ely's, with slate benches on each sides. So far, all I know about him is that he builds lovely outside furniture and he surfs. I think he is a surfer dude. And when Wendy asked him to weed in her absence, he shook his head and said "I am sorry but I am not good at weeding". The next summer I discovered that he had just graduated with a Master's Degree in Education, with a specialty in Special Education, and that he is teaching a Special Ed. class in Bridgewater. And he is making another large bench for the Ely's, in his spare time over the winter. Nova Scotia has a host of talented people, doing things you never expect. I am always astonished with the expertise right in front of our eyes in Liverpool. Today, Isaac came by to get his pay. Over the winter, he made us a small bench and in our absence, set it beside the pond. It is a perfect fit for the space. And he has gotten married last fall. He is one happy man. And he will make us a chair in the same style as the bench, to sit beside the pond. But when the waves are up, you will find him surfing. Somethings never change, at least not for Isaac.

July 21, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Ladies Lunch.

Today, Wendy took the ladies out to lunch. It is unusual in the society of the day for 'ladies only' to gather together so our luncheon was special and we all enjoyed each others company. Connie is Wendy's daughter in law so with the four Gull Bay Group ladies along with Connie, we were a merry group of 5. Lane's Privateer Inn has renovated their restaurant. Their main dining room was at the front of the building, where you looked out at the street. Ken and I always wondered why they put the restaurant at the front, when the back of the building overlooks a lovely scene of the Mersey River. Finally, windows were added to the rear of the building and the restaurant was expanded. A large fireplace and mantel has been added with wing chairs arranged around the fireplace where you can dine close to the fire. The renovations are wonderful. We are always grateful for Lane's. In the past you could dine at the outside patio or in the Bar or in the dining room. Now the old dining room will be used for weddings and special parties only. The expansion and improvement of the bar is where we will always eat, but now we overlook the River not the road. The food was excellent today at lunch and the only complaint from our group of 5 was the noise. The good thing was that the restaurant was full. We do want to keep Lane's open. It is the only restaurant in Liverpool that has predictably good food. It was a perfect spot for our Ladies Lunch.

July 20, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Beauty.

We forget every time, until we are back, and then we remember just how beautiful this place really is. Once when coming into the harbor of Yarmouth on the ferry, I overheard a fellow passenger say, "Every where I look I see another movie set". And he was right. Driving to dinner along the shore on Friday we commented to each other how pretty everything looked. And sitting tonight on our deck before dinner looking out to sea watching for whales was as delightful a scenery as you could ever see. The air was warm and still. It was a perfect summer evening. A renter moved into our Guest House this afternoon. Monique, our rental agent was chatting with her so I walked over to introduce myself, and said, "I live in that white house and my name is Ruth". She responded very quickly by saying, "You are a very lucky lady". We all three laughed and I agreed. But on my way back to my house I realized that I had been forgetting just how fortunate I am. My focus has been on what had been taken away. This total stranger has set me straight. I am living in this beautiful spot, surrounded by dear friends. Just today, Clif came by to say hello, as did Gill, just to see if we were OK. And Wendy came by as we sat on the deck to return Ken's sun glasses. Short visits. Cheery visits. All attempting to lift our spirits. It is working.

July 19, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Readers' Festival.

I love the whole idea of the Port Medway Readers' Festival. They do it every summer. Three times over the summer, a Canadian author comes to Port Medway to read their work. The meetings are held in The Old Meeting House of Port Medway, built in 1832. The seats are on risers up to the top of the building, where the audience faces each other with an isle down the center. The building is small, holding 175. After a 45 minute talk, followed by a 15 minute Q & A, everyone is invited to the fire hall for light refreshments. It is a perfectly splendid event. Tonight it was packed because the visiting author was Jane Urquhart. She has written 7 novels and books of short along with 4 books of poems. Her work has received numerous awards, and is well known in Canada. The whole creative process is a mystery to me so listening to this wonderful writer and her stories filled me with joy. For 20 years she owned a small cottage in Ireland and much of her work is infused with Irish themes. Now she has sold that tiny home, so it will be interesting to note how it affects her writing. Tonight she read from her book Sanctuary Line. And she read from a book to be published in 2015 and that she has not completed. Gill and I went together and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It was a lovely evening, all due to a bunch of volunteers who love reading. Their web site is www.portmedwayreadersfestival.com. My hats are off to them.

July 18, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Friends.

Early this afternoon, my friend Mary came by to say hello and to chat. She had been out for a walk. Pat and Mal joined us sitting around the kitchen drinking tea. And we ate Pat's shortbread to accompany the tea. Our visit was pleasant but short. Later in the afternoon Wendy and Gill stopped to visit. Gill was walking to dinner at Wendy's home and met Wendy as she was walking along the shore. I was upstairs reading my e mails but joined them to visit in the living room. Soon Wendy's 6 year old grandson walked over to our home all by himself and sat joining in the conversation. Ten minutes later, Wendy's son Tojo and grandson #2 came, just to be sure that his son had not lost his way. Again we visited and chatted and enjoyed each other. Soon they were off walking home while we four went to dine at The Best Coast Coffee Cafe. One of the pleasures of living in Western Head for the summer is our friends. We can walk to each other's homes, just to say hello. In past centuries, that was normal, but in today's world, we must make an appointment to get together. Here in Western Head, on Gull Bay, on the Atlantic Ocean, we have the best of all worlds. We spend the summer together, then we scatter to our homes, Gill to Toronto, Mary to Ocean View, Wendy to Potomac and I to Texas, so we never get bored with each other. And we have great fun along with our husbands. It is the best part of living in Western Head.

July 17, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Progress.

Together again!! Last evening Gill hosted a welcome home party for us. It was just for the Gull Bay Group plus Pat and Mal who are staying with us. This is the first time we have seen these good friends since Andrew died and it had the potential to be sad, but it was not sad at all. These friends were part of Andrew's childhood and youth. During dinner, Gill gave a toast to Andrew and his family but although I appreciated the gracious sentiment, I was not yet prepared to join into the cheering. Whenever I focus on Andrew I just feel profoundly sad. But I am making progress. I did not cry, but changed the topic of conversation. Today we made real progress with the house as well. The garage is organized. The truck, which would not start, is now at the mechanic, who will look at it on Tuesday. The pantry is in order. Mal took me to the grocery store and I purchased the essentials, which included toilet paper. Gill popped in to say hello just after lunch and Wendy came to invite Pat and Mal and Ken to dinner on Saturday. Gill and I will attend the Reader's Festival. She joined us in a cup of tea. By this time tomorrow evening, the whole house and Guest House will be in order. Today was a perfect Western Head day: 65 degrees, fog, rain, wind, high waves. It could not be any more opposite than what we experienced in Texas and Mississippi. It is like night and day. Quite astonishing to be on the same continent. Today I wore my wool socks and my denim shirt. And I wore long pants and sneakers. Soon, summer will arrive…but not yet.

July 16, 2014. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Heaven and Hell.

The difference is astonishing. I am surprised every time we arrive. The drives down is different from Texas. Even the rocks don't look the same. And of course, every where you look you see water. The air temperature is 70 degree. The best part is coming to our house when you hear the sound of the sea. I hear the waves washing the shore as I write from inside the bedroom. Our home must be a bit like heaven. For the first time this year we have rented our main house and the guest house. As we were not coming until mid July, it seemed silly to keep them empty. Last summer we rented the guest house but until now, we had never rented our main house. It may be the last. From the time we arrived at 3:00 until we left for dinner at Gill's home, Pat and I organized the kitchen. It did not look terrible but everything was out of place. People just stick stuff into any drawer or cabinet without regard for what belongs there. Finally, the cabinets and drawers are in place. Tomorrow we will attack the pantry. I did not even change my clothes from travel before beginning to make order out of the bit of Hell I found in the kitchen. Bit by bit we will return the whole house to order. Arriving home always requires extra work to organize the garage but this year the whole house will require attention. Fortunately, Pat and Mal are here to help. My compulsive streak requires order in the home, sooner than later too.

July 15, 2014. Newark, N.J. The Best Laid Plans.

It looked dire. We left 2 hours late leaving San Antonio. Upon arrival in Newark, we were told that our flight to Halifax was cancelled. We were now booked tomorrow on the 9:00 flight. The weather caused the cancellation so the airline is not responsible for finding accommodation. When we arrived at the hotel shuttle section, it was crowded with frantic people searching for hotel rooms. I called everyone on the list but they were full. Our situation was dire. It was 8:00pm and more people arrived with flight cancellations, all searching for rooms. People were talking about staying all night at the airport. Ken and I decided to take the shuttle to the best hotel, which turned out to be a Marriott. Our thinking was that the hotel would have a nice restaurant and a large public reception area. We intended to sit in their lobby until they found us a room. "Someone is bound to cancel". we said to each other. So that was what we did. Of course, I talked with the check in people and basically begged for a room but I was pleasant. And Ken with his cane gave us the sympathy vote. We sat in the lobby waiting to have a drink but before we got to order, the nice young man came to say they had found us a room. We are in room 806 and it is lovely. The nice young man who found us a room said to me "You always win when you are nice." We certainly got lucky tonight.

July 14, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Heat.

Ken and I like the heat. Ken actually went into the swimming pool on Sunday and got totally immersed in the water. "It felt good", said Ken. We had been sitting out by the pool watching the children swim. It was pleasant sitting in the shade and talking but it is better when you are wet. I never did put on my bathing suit but just sat in the shade and soaked up the warmth. Soon Ken and I will no longer be hot because tomorrow we fly to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Mr. G. our shuttle driver will pick us up at the Halifax airport at 10:30pm and drive us to our home. Pat and Mal, who are already there, will leave the lights on and the door unlocked. The temperature today at Western Head was 65 degrees while at the lake in Texas it was 97. And the wind will be blowing. But the air will be clean and the waves will be beautiful. And we both know how to keep warm in chilly weather. We wear wool socks!!

July 13, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Families.

My wonderful daughter in law Suzanne has two younger brothers. Sam lives with his wife Kristin and three young children in Seattle. Next weekend, a cousin is getting married in San Antonio, so the Seattle family came a week early for a vacation. They arrived last night at 7:30 just in time for Tex Mex dinner. The children are 6, 4 and 2. Today they all went to church together. The rest of the day was given over to the swimming pool, and of course to The World Cup. There is no better activity than playing in the swimming pool for a 6 year old boy and two girls 2 and 4. Those children will be tired tonight. They started swimming at 2:00 and finally came in at 6:00. David swam with the kids as did Samantha and along with Sam, all three children were delighted. It was a happy scene as I watched from the deck of the pool. Tomorrow they will all go to Sea World. Then on Tuesday we switch. Sam and his family will come to the lake while we leave the lake to fly to Nova Scotia. Suzanne and the girls will join them at the lake on Tuesday evening while David will commute to work from the lake for a few days. Friday they return for the wedding festivities. Ken and I were pleased to see Sam again and to see his family, and we were delighted to be a part of the family event. You can't beat family get togethers, especially when the weather is hot and the swimming pool is cool!! My hats are off for David and Suzanne.

July 12, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. A Smoker.

The next time we are in Texas, which will be in October, a large Smoker will have been installed in the backyard of David and Suzanne's home. Last weekend at the lake, David was reading and watching, giving him information about Smokers. He found a beauty, at least that was what it was called on the video. The first thing Monday morning he ordered his big Smoker. He is very excited to buy himself a birthday present on July 26. Today, he spent all day preparing the area. Two weeks ago he had begun but today his work continued in earnest. The patio area has been expended and the crushed stone spread to form a base. Of course, he ran out of the crushed stone so I accompanied him to pick up a second load. He carries the stone in Sarah's truck to avoid scratching his own new truck. Sarah does not mind. Tomorrow he will pick up a load of white stone covering the crushed rock. Finally he will tamp down the area with a machine we picked up this afternoon. David's solution to machines is to rent whatever he needs rather than keep his own machines that don't work because they have been sitting for three months. It is a very practical solution. This huge Smoker must be custom ordered and must be picked up in Houston. It will be ready in 6 weeks. The patio area will be ready too. David calculates that the Smoker can smoke 30 chickens and 6 turkeys all at the same time. It looks like party time to me!!

July 11, 2014. Harper, Texas. The Top House.

I have spent the whole day in the house, enjoying the Top House. Ken was busy replacing the float valve and driving around the ranch checking on the cattle, but I stayed home. There is something nice about staying home. My chores were minimal. I did laundry and changed the bed and made lunch and dinner. And I exercised with the weights. The rest of the time I read my book on Pompeii. And I thought about my dear son Andrew. It seems a whole life time ago that Andrew died but it really has been twelve weeks. I am better. I only weep when I think of him. Some times when driving or when in the shower the weight of his loss overwhelms me and I weep. But mostly I am better even though I am no closer to understanding. Tomorrow we leave the ranch and drive to San Antonio to spend Saturday and Sunday with David, Suzanne and the girls. Ken and I stay at the lake and drive in each day to their house. And we must get ready to fly to Nova Scotia, where Ken thinks he will be very cool. Unfortunately, our silk long underwear is in storage. He thinks he might need it. We have enjoyed the warmth of Texas, especially the evenings where the temperature drops to a pleasant 75. We are ready to move north.

July 10, 2014. Harper, Texas. Attitude.

A tall, older man came into the waiting room. He was on the way out of the office after seeing Dr. Stotz, the Neurologist. He was walking very slowly. I was waiting while Ken was meeting with the doctor. The older man looked pleasant and I smiled at him and he spoke to me. He said, "It is just a dim memory when I could move anywhere quickly." I laughed and he laughed and he left the office. But I have been thinking of his comment ever since. What the older man should have said to me was that he was still walking, and walking without a cane or walker. And he was talking well too. Here he was accentuating the part of his life that did not work as well as it did fifty years ago, making himself discouraged. It is a foolish attitude. His brain was obviously working well too. Sitting in the waiting room I saw all kinds of different handicaps. I felt sorry for Dr. Stotz. All the patients I observed were old and stooped. But everyone else seemed to be happy being able to walk and talk. Attitude is all. It is the old story of the glass.

July 9, 2014. Harper, Texas. Out To Dinner.

There is something very nice about going out to dinner with friends. Tonight we went to a new Chinese restaurant in Kerrville with Robbie and Joyce. It was very pleasant. And another good aspect of going out to dinner in the summer is you get to drive home in the day light. Robbie drove as he always does which we appreciate. The restaurant is new, at least it was new in May. Tonight when we arrived at 6:00 it was full so we had to wait for ten minutes, which we thought was a good sign. When we saw the menu, we realized why the restaurant was full. The first page had a list of early bird specials, which includes soup and an egg roll, so apparently people came early to be frugal. But the restaurant was full when we left at 7:45, long after the early bird specials ended. The first time in any Chinese restaurant I order Kung Pau Chicken. I have eaten it everywhere in the world so I evaluate the restaurant on that dish. Ken thinks I am nuts, but I do it anyway. Their hot and sour soup was excellent as was my chicken. No wonder the restaurant was full. The Soaring Dragon was the name of the place. I was interested to note that the menu includes Vietnamese food as well as Chinese. There was nothing not to like about our evening. Good food and good company is a winning combination.

July 8, 2014. Harper, Texas. Walgreen's.

Once upon a time, we ordered our medications on line from Medco. They would mail the medications to us and all was well, but we move around, so our life style made it confusing for their system. Our next plan was to send all our medications to our mailing service in Florida but that did not work either because some meds needed refrigeration. Finally, when we moved to Mississippi, we selected Walgreen's as our medication provider. It has proved to be a good choice. The Mississippi drug store we use is on Old Canton Road, just five minutes from our condo. They are extremely helpful and accommodating when dealing with the insurance provider, which wants us to order the medications for only 90 days. Our problem is that we are out of the country for long periods, which requires approval from the insurer. In addition, their computer is nation wide so we can order medications from any Walgreen's. But we have discovered that the Walgreen's in Fredericksburg is not nearly as friendly or competent as our Mississippi Walgreen's. They seem short staffed and the druggists never smile. Today I went in to order just one of my medications for our three month stay in Nova Scotia. I told the lady that it was too early and she would need to speak to the insurer for approval. After ten minutes at the computer, she first could not find me in the computer, then when she did, she came to tell me that it was too soon and that she was being forced to contact the insurer, which is exactly what I had told her. Now I must return tomorrow because she has still not contacted the insurer. I thought that one Walgreen's was the same as any other Walgreen's. But I was wrong. Our Canton Road Drug store deserves a gold star.

July 7, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Oops!!

It is not fun to be caught in the act, but it happens. Our deck is old. You must wear shoes whenever you walk on either deck. The children are good about it. They have often run barefoot on the deck when young and they remember painfully having splinters removed, so now they always wear shoes. The adults are less careful perhaps because they walk more carefully and assume they will not get any slivers. I think the older people are the worst. Last evening we had company, and the mother of the friend quickly removed her shoes while sitting on the deck. I of course, admonished her on the need to wear shoes but she just laughed and ignored me, going barefoot all evening. Keith who is 45 did the same, walking all over the deck barefoot. Ken has gotten in the bad habit too. I should have saved my breath for all the times I encouraged him to wear his shoes. Tonight he got caught and was forced to ask me to remove a splinter in the bottom of his foot. I just laughed. He did say that he would never have asked me to help him if it had not hurt so much. One sliver he removed himself but the second needed a needle and a good light. Ken does not enjoy being caught out, but he did see the humor. But I thought it funnier.

July 6, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Lake Life.

The mornings are quiet. One by one we gather to drink coffee, eat breakfast and talk. David is always the first one up. Abigail almost always is the last. In addition to talking. we all have something to read in our hand, either a magazine, a book or an iPad, so intermittently, we share information. David wants a smoker for his yard so this morning he regaled us with descriptions of the fancy stainless unit he wishes to buy. Mornings at the lake are one of the nicest aspect of life at the lake, where a busy family who likes each other can enjoy the morning without rushing, even on Sunday. The grandparents appreciate it too. Last evenings dinner was typical at the lake. Friends came over and shared a very fancy dinner of four courses, culminating in shrimp and vegetables on sticks. 10 children and 6 adults were hungry after the busy day on the water and dinner extended over a long time period. While the adults talked on the deck, the kids played poker. While we were all eating on the deck, the neighbors down the road had a display of fireworks, lasted 45 minutes. This is the first time we have experienced July 4th weekend at the lake. Usually we are in Nova Scotia by now. But life at the lake is pleasant and life at the lake is warm. The children and the adults are happy, even without television. Lake life in Texas grows on you.

July 5, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Boating.

David has a love hate relationship with boats. He loves to be out on the boat but he hates the fact that the boat often needs to go in for repairs. The dogs just love the boat. They get in the boat the minute it seems that a boat trip is in the future. And they curl up and stay for hours on the boat. The children are like the dogs in that they love to go out on the boat, especially if they will be taken tubing. Ken also loves small boats but now that he is less stable, he has difficulty getting on and off so most of the time he stays at home. I like the idea of boating but do not actually enjoy being out on the water in a small boat. They bounce around too much. This afternoon, David launched his boat so everyone except Ken accompanied him. We had a wonderful afternoon, visiting with friends on their boats where we all anchored out together, followed by 6 of the children convincing David to go take them tubing. 2 boys and our 4 girls took turns, three at a time. The kids were 12 to 16 in age and they had a blast. I even forgot all about the bouncing boat when I could hear the shrieking kids. They loved it. It was not a pretty picture when it was time to get me off the boat. Everyone else just jumps off the bow of the boat onto shore but I elected to sit on the stern and get into the water fully clothes and swim to shore. It was effective, and I got cool after spending a lovely afternoon on the boat. I actually enjoyed the boating.

July 4, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Independence Day.

We celebrated in style. Everything you like about the fourth of July we had in spades. We dined with friends old and new, all 34 of them. Twenty were kids from age 2 to 18 with most adults in their 40's. Ken and I were by far the oldest. Renee and Keith served the perfect meal: hamburgers and all the trimmings, potato salad, cucumber mint salad, and topping it off was old fashioned fresh peach cobbler. It was a typical dinner but it tasted great. In Texas, you are allowed to shoot off private fire works, unless there is a burn ban. For the past two years, because of the dry conditions, no one was allowed to use fire works but this year we have had lots of rain. Sitting on the deck, as soon as it got dark, all around the lake could be seen fireworks displays. It was like magic both far and near. Raymond the neighbor loves to run a fireworks display and tonight, for almost an hour, we saw the most magnificent private display, right from their cove on Canyon Lake. It seemed to be right in front of the deck, and in our laps. Celebrating in style in Texas is just what we have enjoyed tonight. Being old, David brought Ken and me home at 11:00 but Suzanne and the girls are still enjoying the party. And of course, all around our own cove on Canyon Lake can be heard more fire works, but I have had enough fireworks to last a year so I am going to bed!!

July 3, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Fishing Equipment.

David has not fished seriously for twelve years, but this afternoon he decided it was time to get back to his old sport. With that in mind, he asked if the twins would be interested in sorting through all his old fishing gear. Sarah was still taking a nap. So the three of them went down to the shed and brought all the stuff up to the top deck. They brought up ten fishing poles and five tackle boxes, plus assorted bags. One bag held live bait, sealed in a plastic bag but as he had not fished for twelve years the live bait was dead long ago. You can not imagine the smell. One tackle box was broken. David recalled finding that tackle box from the curb in front of our neighbor, Bob Fuchs. When the boys asked if they could use it, he was delighted because he was quitting fishing forever. That was 1976. I was the only one sitting on the deck doing nothing. Samantha and Allison worked hard separating the poles while Ken checked to be sure the lines were intact and that the reels were in working order. Then David and Ken strung new lines on the poles while Samantha and Allison learned to tie the knots to attach the hooks to the lines. It took the four of them over two hours but now there are six fishing poles ready in the shed, just waiting to be taken fishing. Twelve years ago, just after the twins were born, David caught a fish hook in his thumb. It required a trip to the emergency room. It took so long to heal that he got used to not fishing but now he is ready to start again. This holiday weekend would be a perfect time to begin.

July 2, 2014. Harper, Texas. The Duke.

It took me a long time to complete this book, perhaps because the Duke is not an attractive character, but I always enjoy reading of success, so when all was said and done, I enjoyed reading Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington, even though it took me a long time to get to the end. The book was written by Terry Teachout, who is the drama critic of The Wall Street Journal. He also just received a Bradley Award, given for contribution to the arts of the world, which comes with $350,000. Duke was an amazing man. You already knew this before you started reading the book. He had been well known for his music my whole life, but this book sets him apart. He worked until he died, writing music, playing the piano and leading his band. And he was not a wealthy man when he died. Early success is one thing but he had at least four different periods when it appeared his popularity was over, only to have the Duke rise above all the critics and become an even bigger star. I just wished I had a sound track of the music being described as the pieces were being written and recorded by Duke Ellington and his band. It would have been wonderful to hear all those recordings. It is a book worth reading.

July 1, 2014. Harper, Texas. Canada Day.

Once upon a time, it was called Dominion Day, but now all Canadians celebrate Canada Day, a day when they celebrate everything they like about being a Canadian. The list is long and they are proud of their heritage. It is true that it is a new country but for years even though they were a colony, the place operated as a separate entity. The Maritime Provinces existed in the 16th century. Nova Scotia was an important place in the the world in the 18th and 19th centuries, so their history is long. Several years ago, Mark Steyn wrote a piece about Dominion Day. I looked it up today and discovered that he had repeated a part of what he wrote for Dominion Day 2014. It is funny and informative so well worth another look. You can find him at Mark Steyn@steynonline.com. He makes mention of two facts that makes him happy being Canadian. One is that there never was a Fannie Mae or a Freddie Mac and second that the banking system never got loose. Both true but I almost never hear anyone talk about it. We will miss the parades this year in Liverpool. Today the Mersey Band is playing in the Lockport Canada Day Parade. It is a mile long parade. Whew. It pays to be a fit Canadian to march in that parade. Happy Canada Day!!