September 30, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Cancellation.

Gill suggested I cancel dinner at our place tonight. Our plan was to have dinner with Susie and Jeff along with my friend Sandra at our home to say goodbye to Gill. Last evening at Walt and Mary's, I started coughing and I could not stop. It turned out that if I talked, I coughed, despite all the cough syrup they gave me. By morning, I had decided to take Gill's suggestion. If I had a bug, it seemed silly to spread it around. This is not my pattern. Normally, I keep on going until my task has been completed. Perhaps now that I am older, I am getting smarter, or perhaps I am merely losing my nerve. Evidently, Walt had the same thing happen a couple of weeks ago. He lacked energy and had a bad cough, which was why he had cough syrup on hand last evening. I believe that this is the first time I have ever cancelled a dinner party. With my Pollyanna attitude, I prefer to think it was the wiser choice for me to call it off. I spent the afternoon and evening being lazy. Now I hope the added rest shortens my recovery. I would not want to have missed a pleasant event for naught.

September 29, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Sea Food Chowder.

Everyone makes seafood chowder a little differently. In Maryland, we used to order Maryland crab soup in restaurants because each time the soup was a bit different. The same is true in Nova Scotia. Each chowder is good but everyone is just a bit different. Some use cream only and some use milk only and some use half cream and half milk. And then there is the type of cream to say nothing of the amount of shrimp, fish and other sea food. Potatoes go into chowder too but in some chowders you eat mainly potatoes while other chowders are mainly fish. Most Nova Scotian cooks do not thicken the chowders either. My brother orders a cup of seafood chowder with every lunch in restaurants. He says he has never eaten a poor chowder in Nova Scotia. Lane's makes the best… maybe. Tonight we dined on seafood chowder at Mary and Walt's home. Mary is our best cook by far and she excels at chowder. There are lots of lobster, shrimp and fish. The potatoes are present but are cut in small pieces so are not obvious. And the seasonings are just right. Mary makes an excellent chowder for my taste. It is a perfect meal to say goodbye to Gill.

September 28, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Coughing.

Ken does not like me coughing. Of course, he coughs all the time, sometimes worse than other times, but he prefers to be the only one in the family with a cough. He tells our friends that, in his line of business, he should be able to stop me from coughing. What he really does not like is the simple fact that I may have something the matter with me when I continue to cough, and that brings on a bit of panic. My habit with my health is to ignore symptoms and keep on doing whatever needs to be done. I certainly never tell Ken my complaints until I really need help from a doctor. But I have had a cough for several weeks so he decided to ask me all the questions, many of course I do not know. The he looked for a stethoscope which we do not have. Neither do we have a thermometer, so he can not possibly play doctor. He does think that when we are in Texas I should have a chest X-ray. I prefer to keep drinking lots of water and take ibuprofen regularly and assume that my coughing is an allergy, so that soon I will be cured. It has always worked in the past!!

September 27, 2014. Pleasantfield, N.S. The Cottage.

Why do we enjoy the cottage? Our home at Western Head looks out at the bold Atlantic Ocean and the house is comfortable, yet we regularly drive the 45 minutes to the tiny cottage by the lake. The view is like every other lake except the boats are scarce and we can not see neighbors. The deck by the water if spacious and comfortable and is a favorite spot for reading but it still does not compare with the view from our ocean house. Yet we continue to enjoy ourselves here and I am not sure why. The isolation at the cottage is complete. These cottages are mostly used during the summer months and right now we are the only folks in residence, except for the 3 families who live here permanently. And we have no phones. When we arrived mid afternoon, I took a gigantic nap, finally getting up at 5:00. As we have no TV, we read. Now that the Internet and WiFi work well, I can check on the scores from the Ryders Cup which has helped. The drive today was pleasant, as the colors of the leaves are springing to life. Perhaps it is merely a change of scene that gives us so much pleasure or maybe we like the force of the water pressure in the showers? Whatever it is, we are enjoying our solitude at our little cottage at Moosehorn Estates, which is a fancy name for a perfectly ordinary group of about 25 cottages. For whatever reasons, we like it here.

September 26, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Departures.

Our group is getting smaller. After tomorrow, we will be down to 3 when Wendy and Clausen depart. And next Wednesday Gill will leave to spend a month in New York. Soon our homes will all be dark. Each of us have travel in 2015 so our leave taking comes with the hope that the winter will be kind and we will all return next June to pick up where we left off and to share our travel experiences. And of course, we e mail to each other too. But we all enjoy having friends within walking distance so we miss proximity to each other. This evening, we five dined at Lane's. Typically, we get together before departures, usually in each others homes but instead we decided not to work but to eat dinner at Lane's. We were delighted to know that the restaurant was full. We want them to keep open as they are really the only good restaurant in town. Their scallops were excellent, big juicy Digby scallops that I will have trouble eating in Texas. Katie in Mississippi hates saying goodbye so instead she always hugs you and says, "I hope to see you tomorrow". We say that we will see each other next June. Then we laugh.

September 25, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Kelly Yeske.

It seems unbelievable. One month ago, Dave and Irene took us all to dinner to celebrate Ken's birthday. Our good friends Frances and Kelly Yeske attended. Kelly seemed fine although Ken commented to me that Kelly did not have a good color and when asked about their garden, he mentioned that he was having difficulty keeping it in check. We all laughed because we all know the feeling. Tuesday afternoon, Kelly died of pancreatic cancer. It seems so unfair. Kelly was energetic, enthusiastic and able. They moved to Liverpool from Edmonton when they retired from teaching. Their intention was to rent a house on the east coast, then do the same on the west coast before deciding where to settle, but after 8 months, during a return visit to Edmonton, they decided to make Liverpool their retirement home. Frances and Kelly worked as a team and made major contributions to the town. We all loved Kelly. He was well organized without being pedantic and of course, his sense of humor never left him. I feel grateful to have known Kelly. He was a hard working gentleman who loved to travel and loved his wife and friends. We will all miss him and his many contributions to our community, but most of all we will miss his rare spirit. RIP Kelly.

September 24, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Short and Sweet Visit.

The visit was short but it certainly was sweet. While we sat on the deck, seals cavorted in front of our home, keeping us all entertained. Two bald eagles fly past the window just as we were eating. We leaped up to watch from the deck as they passed by us several times. It was thrilling to see them so close to the deck, which was almost at eye level. Wendy Buckley Watson is my niece and Katey Watson is her daughter, making her my grand niece. She and her boyfriend Brock and his parents visited us this afternoon, arriving at 3:30 and leaving at 6:45. The day was glorious so we sat and enjoyed the sea and the seals. Our friends Wendy and Clausen came by with the dogs to pick up a goose carving, so they joined in the conversation. Gill had met Brock and Katey at York University so I invited her too. After Wendy and Clausen left, we seven took tea and quiche at the dining table. Along with the tea biscuits they brought and the cucumbers from Ken's garden, we had a pleasant repast. Next stop for them was Digby, where they intend to dine on Digby scallops, which are the world's best. Brock's parents live in Prince George, in British Columbia and had never been to the Maritime provinces before. They loved it so we hope it will not be their last. We thoroughly enjoyed the short but sweet visit with the four of them.

September 23, 2014. Western Head, N.S. A True Story.

Wendy and Clausen spied a handsome horse on the waterfront in Lunenburg. The Bluenose was tied on the dock right in front of them so while Clausen inspected the big ship, Wendy talked to the horse, whose name was Ernie. Ernie the horse was attached to a carriage, that took tourists around the town and as Wendy and Clausen had never taken a buggy ride in the old town, they decided to be a tourists, especially since Wendy liked the horse. The lady leading the tour was interesting and they learned lots of information about the old homes and buildings. When they were at the top of the hill, right beside the beautiful old school, they came upon a dog screaming in the middle of the road, being attended by an older lady, but to no avail. The dog kelp screaming. The horse and buggy stopped but before anything could be done, a lady wearing only a towel, ran out of a house to the dog. Now it was windy, and as the lady in the towel bent over to comfort the dog, her towel fell off. So picture the scene, with a naked lady standing in the middle of the road with a buggy and a handsome horse and passengers looking on. It was quite a sight. Ernie the horse turned his head aside. The young lady leading the carriage commented that as the naked lady was definitely not a 10, they might as well drive on. By then, the towel was secured and the dog had stopped screaming so all was well. You just never know what will happen on a residential street in Lunenburg.

September 22, 2014. Western Head, N.S. They Tricked Me.

When we arrived at the hockey arena on Saturday night, the ice was being flooded. It was 8:35 so Rita and I thought the 1st period had just ended. We easily found Ken and Ian and watched to the end of the period, which we thought was the second period. During the intermission, we walked around the arena and ended up in the bar that overlooks the rink so we sat on bar stools and watched the next period. The score was 5 to 2 for the home team. Rita and I had just seen the 3rd period so I asked Ken if he was ready to go home and he said yes. We four drove directly home in separate cars. The next morning at breakfast, Ken asked about the final score of the hockey game. I thought he was nuts and told him that the final score was 5 to 2. Both Ian and Ken tried to tell me that we left after two periods but we did not agree because we KNEW that we had arrived after the 1st period had ended. Ken took my iPad and looked up the final score that turned our to be 6 to 5 with the home team winning. Ken and Ian were correct. We left after two periods. As the first game of the new team, speeches were made at the beginning of the game. Before the game started, the ice was flooded, which was when Rita and I arrived. Ken knows I like to stay until the end of any sporting event. I will never leave a baseball game until the last batter is out and I certainly do not leave before the 3rd period. But they tricked me and we came home, happy that the home team had won. But I was wrong. The home team did win, but just barely, probably because we were not there to cheer them on!!

September 21, 2014. Western Head. The Weather.

Since 4:00 this afternoon it has been raining. Sometimes the rain falls hard and some times it is just drizzling. It is supposed to rain all night with increased strength and high winds. It is kind of nice to hear the fierce wind and the heavy rain beating on the windows, especially when we are tucked safely in our cosy home by the shore. This morning after our Sunday Brunch, we four drove to the cottage. Ken and I wanted to be sure our new WiFi device would work. Also Rita and Ian had not been to the cottage this trip. Our plan was to sit by the water and read, eat a late lunch on the deck, then come home before dark. Fortunately, Ken checked the weather while we were still sitting on the deck eating lunch. He found that heavy rains were coming to our area beginning at 4:00, so we quickly washed up our dishes and packed the truck and headed for home. We were about 5 minutes away from home when the rain started, right on time at 4:00. It has been raining ever since. The garden needed rain so everyone is pleased, but we were especially happy to watch the heavy rain from the comfort of our home. We would not have enjoyed driving from the cottage in heavy rain. Weather forecasts are definitely a blessing.

September 20, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Hockey.

For a Canadian, nothing beats watching a hockey game. Ken and Ian attended the first game of The Liverpool Privateers, a team newly relocated from outside Halifax. For the past few years, the Liverpool team was a Junior C team but this team is a Junior B team so the quality of hockey should improve. The new arena is a very nice facility which is what attracted the team to come to Liverpool. After a half an hour at the Swing Band Dance, Rita and Ian joined Ken and Ian at the hockey game. There were 30 people at the dance and several thousand at the hockey game. When we arrived at the end of the 1st period the home team was ahead by two goals. It was very satisfying to see the final score, which was 5 to 2 for the Liverpool team. The speed of the game is always more impressive in real life than when you watch on TV although Ken said that he misses the pictures of the replayed goals. Neither Ken or I have seen a hockey game live for many years and we enjoyed every minute. Our team looks to be a well coached team with a couple of very talented players on the team. Evidently the Junior B players are trying to get a college scholarship at an american college. It was a good game and we wish the team well.

September 19, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Friends.

Friends bring us great pleasure, here in Nova Scotia. Some friends and relatives stay with us. Other friends walk over just to say hello. But they all bring zest to our lives. In years past, Ian worked along with Ken with the project of the day. Now Ken helps Ian. They accomplish many tasks and they have a good time too. Rita is a whiz in the kitchen so is a huge help to me organizing the meals. Ken and I do not fuss over house guests. They become part of the family so we enjoy their company. This afternoon, Gill walked over unannounced to ask us about our evening plans for tomorrow. The Swing Band is giving a dance in Milton, while the new Hockey team, The Liverpool Privateers, are playing their first game in the new arena, so we have a problem. First we split a beer because neither of us wanted a whole can. Finally we called Bruce and convinced him to come to the Swing Band with the ladies, while Ken and Ian will attend the hockey game. Rita and I will start at the Swing Band then return to the hockey game when we get bored. Our friends sorted it out, after Gill and I split yet another can of beer. Friends are wonderful, here in Nova Scotia..

September 18, 2014. Western Head, N.S. It is The Age.

When Ken and I moved to Texas in 1964, my Mother and I wrote a letter to each other every week. Ken called my Mother's letters "The death letters", because someone was always dying. She was 62 when we moved and she died at age 73 so during that time period, many of her friends died and of course, she always told me who had died as I knew the people too. Always when reading my Mother's long newsy letters Ken would ask "Who died?" and of course, some one had died. And we laughed. Now I know how she felt. Even though I am older than her at 76, right now in Liverpool, three good friends are suffering from cancers. Kelly was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer ten days ago. No treatment is forthcoming. Connie had another bout of breast cancer last Spring. Her last bout of chemotherapy has ended. David last week was diagnosed with liver cancer. All three friends are younger than me. All are thin and fit. We ask ourselves "how can all this be happening in this small community?" We answer that it is our age. Most of our friends are older even though they are younger than us. All we can do is to keep our sense of humor and keep our prayers going their way. An old client told me that over the age of 80, he and his wife tried to find two new friends each year, as their friends were always dying. Now I know how they felt. Ken and I have reached that same age and I do not like it!!

September 17, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Fresh Fish..

The fish was caught yesterday afternoon. We ate the fish for dinner tonight. That is the closest I have ever been to really fresh fish. It was delightful. Our friends Betty and Vinal get fish directly from a fisherman, who brings it right to their door. She asked if we would like to buy some fresh haddock and of course we said yes. I invited them to bring the fish and stay for dinner, which they did. The best part was that Betty cooked the fish, steaming it in parchment paper in a pot on top of the stove. My role was to cook the rice while Rita steamed the mixed vegetables. I did dessert too; pound cake with fresh strawberries and ice cream. The dinner was delicious, but it all started with the fresh haddock, beatifically and simply prepared by Betty. We are fortunate to live in Nova Scotia.

September 16, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Wool Socks.

Even Rita is now borrowing my wool socks. Her cotton socks were leaving her chilly and if her feet are cold, her whole body feels cold. The weather is pleasant but first thing in the morning and as soon as the sun has set, the temperature drops and all of a sudden, you feel cold. But not when you wear these wonderful wool socks, as Rita is finding out The socks are hand made by the ladies in Liverpool. The yarn has 15% nylon and 85% wool so the socks can be put in the dryer with no shrinkage. And they are light weight so they easily fit into shoes. Tonight all six of us were invited to Wendy and Clausen's home for dinner. Gill came too. We might not have looked elegant but Gill, Rita and I wore wool socks. We were toasty warm. Last evening at Gill's home I was chilly so I decided today to wear my trusty socks. Rita asked me to borrow a pair as she was chilly this morning. We are now officially into the weather of the wool socks.

September 15, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Leaving.

Having people leave is not nearly as much fun as when they arrive. But it happens. This evening we sat on Gill's deck on a beautiful September evening to bid a fond farewell to the Mary and Clif. They leave tomorrow to drive to Delaware. It is early for them to leave Nova Scotia but they are flying soon to see Yellowstone and the Tetons and must get there before much more snow has fallen. Already the park roads are closed due to an early snow storm. This evening, we enjoyed watching the seals and we enjoyed the company. It was a perfect spot for saying goodbye. Throughout the rest of the year we head in different directions but next summer we will all return. As it is mid September, the chill came early, reminding me that summer was over. I was the first one to leave the deck to sit in the living room to get warm. It was the first time this year that I have felt really chilly. And Martha and Dale will leave on Wednesday. It really is "leaving time" in Nova Scotia.

September 14, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Bernard.

Bernard spent almost three hours this afternoon telling us about his work. Martha, before she retired, worked as an Occupational Therapist and for six years after that taught art in an elementary school. In addition, she is clever with art and crafts so after seeing and hearing of Bernie, she asked to meet him and see his work. Rita and Martha and I visited him today. He was as enthusiastic and gracious as ever. In fact, I think he was thrilled that Martha was interested in the details of his craft projects, especially when she took pictures and asked questions. I am always impressed with the breadth of his work. His painting styles are different and all beautiful. He is in the process of making the wings of his 25 seagulls longer. They are made from paper mache and hang from the ceiling of his living room. His goal is to fill his whole house with his crafts. Then he might consider selling some of his cats and birds. He will sell his paintings but he is not selling his crafts. They keep him company. He is a remarkable man. At 81, he is active and energetic and is as much in love with his art as ever. We spoke with another fine artist last week who has stopped painting because he can not sell what he wants to paint. Bernard does not care. He does exactly what he wishes to do at any time. And he has scores more ideas in his brain, said he. "Not Weary Yet", must be his motto. The best part today was that he has been thinking hard about the trombone painting for my brother Dave. Bernard does have a good memory!!

September 13, 2014. Western Head, N.S. A Party.

A successful party includes new people I have always felt, so tonight we hosted a cocktail party to invite our friends from town to meet our house guests. Ken and I have held dinner parties here recently and we have had cocktail parties with just our Gull Bay Group but tonight was the first time since Andrew died that we invited our Liverpool friend to come to a party. It was our coming out party, so to speak, although no one knew but me. Having willing house guests is also wise when you have a party. All six people pitched in to help. Tonight we were a party of 19, which meant that the house was not jammed with. Our dining table was loaded with food which meant that no one really needed to go home and prepare dinner. Once we had set up the bar and the dining table, we relaxed and talked. When you invite interesting lively people, with at least six of the people don't know anyone, you tend to have a good party. Good things happen and the conversations are spirited. That was what happened to night. Ken and I were pleased. And special thanks to Ian and Rita and Martha and Dale for helping!!

September 12, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Martha and Dale.

Martha and I worked together in Galveston in 1965. Over the year we have kept in touch and seen each other a few times but only for short periods of time. Dale and Martha have been married for 20 years but we only met Dale at our 55th celebration in Texas and had little opportunity for sustained conversation. Now we are catching up. It has been great fun. Yesterday they got lost coming to Liverpool but today they drove into Liverpool by themselves and visited the Visitor's Center, The Fort Point Lighthouse and Memories Restaurant and arrived home in plenty of time to take a nap. The rest of the day we sat on the deck enjoying the wonderful weather and each other. But true to form, I could not avoid lecturing. I suggested to her that she was using her stroke of 5 years ago as an excuse. She often refers to what she can not do anymore. I suggested to her that she stop speaking of her stroke but that she figure out what to do to help her deficiencies. Fortunately, she has a good sense of humor so we all laughed together and we all made suggestions. Nothing in her actions would lead you to think she had had a stroke but she still thinks of what she can not do rather than what she can accomplish. This attitude is a menace and an excuse. Rita and Ian and Martha and Dale and Ken and I are having many laughs together. The setting and the weather has contributed to our sense of well being. And tomorrow is another day.

September 11, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Address.

The town of Eastern Harbour is unknown to me, but somehow it ended up as the address for Martha and Dale when they were visiting us in Nova Scotia. There are two places by that name. They drove from Michigan and ended up at 1531 Shore Road, Eastern Harbour, which is definitely not where we live. The place is on the shore just north of Halifax. Evidently I gave them that address. I have asked them to look up the e mail from me giving them that address. I could not imagine how that could have happened, but anything is possible. Martha and Dale were expecting to arrive at our home by 2:00 but after getting lost in Halifax and then stopping for a bite to eat, they finally drove into our yard at 6:00. Fortunately their sense of humor was intact but I still am puzzled by the address. I know I make mistakes but I could not give an address for myself that I don't even know about. Something happened or a devil was in the computer!! But all is well. They are here safe and sound.

September 10, 2014. Western Head, N.S. A Book.

My friend Susan e mailed me today with an idea she had been thinking about for a long time. It involves me. Susan and her husband purchased a home from me when I was an agent and soon after I became a Manager, she came to work with us an an agent in the office. By that time she had three children and she thought that the flexible hours would work for her. She was correct. She was very successful because she became efficient and smart with her use of time. That was a long time ago. As an agent, she saw first hand the growth of the office and she thinks I should write a book, giving the story of how one office grew from one hundred thousand volume to a over a billion per year. She specifically wants me to tell the systematic way an office can grow. Over the years, I have given talks to several real estate companies and their managers giving the five essentials to the growth of an office but that is a long way from writing a book. My problem is contacts. I know no one in the publishing business. And I am not sure my writing is good enough. Several other issues arise immediately, not the least is "Who would want to read such a book?" It requires much thought.

September 9, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Garden.

The vegetables from the garden have been excellent this year. Tonight for dinner we ate cucumbers, beets and beans, all from our own garden. There is nothing better than eating vegetables that have come straight from the garden to the kitchen. In past years, we have already left Nova Scotia by now so we have missed the bulk of the produce but this year we will be here until October 7 so we will enjoy the labors of Vinal and Ken. The fresh picked vegetables along with roast pork made for a delicious dinner for the four of us. Once again we drank our pre dinner glass on the deck. The air was warm with no breeze. So far, September weather has been perfect. We hope it will continue.

September 8, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Rita and Ian.

They drove today from Shediac, a town in New Brunswick, after spending the weekend visiting with friends from Sudbury. It turns out that Shediac is the self proclaimed lobster capitol of the world. Rita ate two lobsters for dinner on Saturday night. Moncton is close by as is The Bay of Fundy so it is a spot worth visiting. My sister and brother in law, Carol and Ken, often stayed a night or two with friends who moved to Shediac from Owen Sound, when they drove here every Fall. Rita and Ian report that both Ken and I are looking better. The last time we saw them was when they helped us organize the farm after Andrew died. Their two week assistance to us was a true act of love and compassion. They were a huge help both psychologically and practically. Now we greet them in neutral ground in beautiful surroundings ready to enjoy ourselves, together. This is the first time they have seen the new Guest House. The last time they visited the carriage house was being demolished. Now they are enjoying the new spot although Ian misses the beauty of the Carriage House. We turned on the good weather for their arrival. And the sunset was spectacular. We are pleased to see them again in Nova Scotia.

September 7, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Puttering.

For two days I have not left home. Today I never even got dressed but stayed in my nightshirt all day. We have had no house guests nor have we entertained. All I did was putter around the house doing a little of this and a little of that. It was a productive two days but it does show up my compulsive behavior. Yesterday I moved my tea cups out of their cupboard. Now 10 cups are available for use but hidden while the other ten are in the top of the liquor cabinet. As I have not used those ten cups and saucers since we moved here I decided to put them on a top shelf. The flower vases are now on display and look very pretty. And I moved the cook books to a shelf that makes the reading easier. Today I continued my organizing. One painting was partially hidden by the buffet. My friend Doreen thought it a pity to have such a lovely painting by Hugh Crosby not exposed and admired. I agreed with her, so this morning I re-arranged six paintings. Now she would be happy. When people rent our house, they are charmed by the art and the books, at least I am told so by the rental agents. I know they read the books because they do not return the books to the proper book case. Finally, after being here almost two months, I have returned books to their proper places. And I have moved resource books to the office as the bookcase of Canadian authors has gotten full. I must confess I did not check every book because I got lazy, but we are better off now than two days ago. Last summer we bought ten books at a sale. They have been stacked on a table ever since. Now they are on their proper shelf. Staying at home and puttering is good for a home!!

September 6, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Fish.

The good folks of Nova Scotia appreciate fresh fish. In fact, they only eat fresh fish. The same is true when they buy fish, which is why the fish mongers here are excellent. I had a discussion with a couple in the grocery store the other day. The fish department was totally out of fresh scallops so they were peering into the freezer inspecting the frozen scallops. I commented to them that I had purchased and eaten the frozen scallops the other day and that they were excellent. The wife looked at me frowning and said "But I have never eaten frozen scallops before." I of course, buy the scallops frozen just because I don't wish to shop at the fish store every day, but not the Bluenoses. They buy the fish the same day they are eating it. Fishing has been a mainstay of the economy for many hundreds of years in Liverpool. It still is. The dollar amount is not so different today than fifty years ago, when cod and tuna were plentiful but now lobster and scallops and shrimp make the money. The fishermen bring in their catch every day and the fish mongers sell to the public. The best fish store is at Sobey's, a grocery store, but in addition, a truck comes once a week to the Irving Service station and often another fish truck comes to the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. We eat scallops at least once a week, also salmon and trout, but I am not a purist. I freeze the fish or buy it already frozen. One day perhaps I will become like my friends in Liverpool who always buy their fish the day it is consumed, but I doubt it. There is something about old dogs and new tricks.

September 5, 2014. Western Head, N.S. September.

The month of September is often the best month, at least in Nova Scotia. This afternoon I walked along the path from my house, past the Ely's house, then on to the Mitchell's, where I found Mary cleaning her sail boat. The sky was blue and the temperature was 70, which meant it was perfect for walking. It also meant that drinking our tea sitting on their deck in the sun was pleasant. Although we were wearing T shirts, we were both comfortable. Wendy and Clausen are returning on Sunday. They have heard us telling about September being the best month of the year, so this year they are going to discover it themselves. The evenings are cooler so in the middle of the night we close the windows but the sun shines every day and we have little fog. The sunsets are more beautiful too as the sun sets further south. The colors of the leaves change in October so we are still surrounded by green leaves. The flowering shrubs and flowers are still bright too. Today. Mary's outdoor pots and window boxes are still bright and fresh. In September, it is definitely a lovely time to be living in Nova Scotia.

September 4, 2014. Pleasantfield, N.S. Technology.

Twenty years ago we could do without it, but not today. Spending two weeks at the cottage was very pleasant, except for the lack of the Internet, so we decided to fix it. While still at the cottage, we ordered the installation from Eastlink, our provider of service at Western Head. Today, two young men arrived to put up a post directly to the cottage. We expected them to put a dish to the post but instead they attached a 6 foot antennae. A hole was drilled into the cottage and after checking to be sure that the antennae was working and bringing in the signals, the two polite young men attached cords and a power pack and now our computer is working and is connected to the Internet. Modern communication is wonderful but only when you have installed the hardware. And of course, you hope that the systems will work. The first power pack was bad. It was new but it would not work, so the technician brought a new one from their truck. It turned out that the second one had no batteries either but it took two young men to think about batteries. Now all we need is a remote router so we can use our iPads. It is easier to monitor e mails on the iPad than the computer. But for now, the computer is working like a champ at the cottage. Technology is wonderful.

September 3, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Systems.

It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks. When they visited us two years ago, Marg taught me her system of how to deal with multiple house guests. She keeps an extra set of sheets in every bedroom. When the guests are leaving and ask what to do with the sheets and towels, she asks them to put the clean sheets and pillow cases that are in their dresser on the bed and bring the dirty sheets and towels to the laundry room. She told me that guests are always happy to oblige so I stole her idea. All she must do is launder the towels and sheets, which she does at her leisure. Today when Sheldon and Ruth left the Guest House, they left clean sheets on the bed. Ruth even put the sheets in the washing machine and the towels ready to be washed. Doreen did the same. Their bedroom in the main house now has new bedding, all ready for the next guest. When Dave and Irene left on Sunday, their bed was made up with the clean sheets that were in their dresser. The system is excellent, thanks to my friend Marg. All I needed to do was purchase new sheets and say the magic words. My life is easier.

September 2, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Banking.

Perhaps this system was always available, but no one told us. We have lived in Nova Scotia since 1999 and have banked with CIBC and the Scotia Bank. Last year we cancelled our accounts with both banks and opened a new account with The Bank of Montreal because Walt told us the bank gave the best service. He was right. Every staff member has been wonderful. Our new account was opened last summer and all has been well. The first time I was in the bank this summer, the teller asked me about opening an American account along with our current account. I was exchanging American dollars for Canadian and she told me the benefits of opening an American account. When I told Ken, we made an appointment to open the account. It has been extremely useful. Today I gave them three cheques, written on American banks. The funds were deposited into our American account here in Nova Scotia. Last week I gave the bank my own cheque, drawn on my Pennsylvania bank, and the funds were deposited directly into our BOM American account. Their system makes our life easy. Transferring funds from our American accounts to our Canadian accounts has been difficult, but not any more. Now we wonder what is wrong with CIBC and The Bank of Nova Scotia? But I don't care. We will stick with The Bank of Montreal.

September 1, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Quarterdeck.

Mary and Walt named it when they purchased it almost thirty years ago. Now the new owner intends to tear the old building down and build a new and better Quarterdeck Restaurant. We six dined there today at noon. They did everything well. Our table on the porch had an excellent view and the food was outstanding. Sheldon's seafood chowder was the best he had ever eaten and we all agreed that Ruth ordered the best meal, The Neptune Caesar Salad. The restaurant has a wonderful location on Summerville Beach. Where we sat on the porch, the water swirls under the floor as we were sitting on a pier right over the water. We hope the new building will not be too big or too fancy and we certainly hope the food continues to be good. This year, the food is more expensive but seems better too. We wish the new owner well. We 6 certainly enjoyed our meal there today.