October 31, 2014. Harper, Texas. Immigration.

The topic is controversial. Everyone agrees that the border should be protected. No one knows what to do with the millions of illegals who have lived and worked in the US for many years. But everyone knows someone who deserves the opportunity to be a legal resident. I certainly do. For the past year, our property at the lake is being tended to by a man who speaks little English. Without being called, he drives by and trims the bushes both front and back. He is energetic and enthusiastic and hard working. David found him after the last two companies Ken and I had hired failed to show up. They were too busy. David responded to a flyer left at the house. Ken can no longer trim or cut and David has little time so this man was a blessing to all of us. We all suspect he is not a legal resident but we have not asked. But we certainly want this man to get his papers and he would be a model citizen. He works hard. His wife works hard. His children are all born here. This business of the illegal immigration is complicated.

October 30. 2014. Harper, Texas. Fredericksburg Memorial Hospital.

The volunteers greet you with a big smile. After you register, which is done immediately, the volunteers walk with you to your first appointment, chatting all the way. When they leave you, they take your arm and give you a squeeze and wish you well. Of course, they have already given your paperwork to the working folks. This introduction is a forecast of what will come. Every person was competent. Every person was careful. And everyone seemed to care very much with my welfare. It was really quite astonishing. Today I arrived at 9:45 and left at noon. During that time I had blood drawn. Then they withdrew 1500 cc's of fluid from my chest, followed by an ekg. The whole procedure surprised me in that I was sitting on the side of a stretcher the whole time, the radiologist telling me what was happening every step of the way. I assumed I would feel better when the fluid had been removed but that was not the case. Evidently my left lung has been deflated so long that it must inflate at it's own time. Now with any luck I will never have that procedure done again, but as I have no idea how I developed this pleural effusion, I will not be able to prevent it happening again. This does not please me. But if you need a procedure, the Fredericksburg Memorial Hospital would be the right place to have it done.

October 29, 2014. Harper, Texas. Loading the Truck.

Watching us would have been like observing the halt and the lame. It took us a long time, but we did it. Fortunately, we both have a good sense of humor. The first thing I said to myself this morning was "Ruth. Do not be a wimp. You can do this". Today we drove to the ranch. Normally we only load everything in the truck when we drive to Mississippi but my procedure tomorrow is supposed to determine what is the matter with me. Presumably, the next step is to fix what is broken, but we do not know what we will face, so I suggested we load up all our stuff. I suggested that we might get stuck at the ranch. We carry a file box and a container of technology along with stuff going to Mississippi. I was not looking forward to loading the truck, especially as I am so short of breath. We took our time. Ken helped me carry the heavy boxes and bit by bit we got the job done. But I will tell you that the picture was not pretty!!

October 28, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. A Barber Shop.

Ken was looking like a mad scientist. His hair was sticking straight up in every direction. His new barber in Nova Scotia, Mr. Payzant, left his hair too long on the top so Ken was in need of a haircut. He looked up in the computer to find a barber close by. It seems there are fewer barbers around these days but he found one in Startsville. Yesterday it was closed so this afternoon we tried our luck again. Have you ever seen a lady barber? I never had. And the barber shop was decorated for Halloween. Along with the lady barber there was also a six year old granddaughter, who promptly blew up a balloon for me. The barber was efficient and quick and Ken was soon finished. Outside is a sign saying "under new management". A young man came in while I was waiting for Ken so she must be building up her customer base. I wish her well and hope she stays in business a long time. Ken's new barber is very nice and she is cheap but I wonder if a lady barber will be popular? We are going to find out.

October 27, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Birthday Dinner.

Sarah's birthday has stretched out for 12 days and she has enjoyed every celebration. Last evening was the last event, where the family gathered to dine on hamburgers and salad, followed by two birthday cakes. Of course, we sang Happy Birthday. One cake was fancy, with fruit and cream while the other was plain American cheese cake. All eight of us had a piece of each cakes with enough left over for another meal. Sarah is 17 years old. It has been such fun watching her grow up. Right now, she is ready to take charge of her life. Starting in the summer, they will visit colleges. She does not want to attend college in Texas and she is determined to make the list of school visits be hers. Right now, she told me that she is too busy trying to get good grades to think about school visits. And I could not interest her in studying in Canada. I brought her a set of worry beads from Nova Scotia which she keeps in her backpack. I certainly do not want my wonderful Sarah worrying, even though this is a tough age not to worry. Sarah is 17 and energetic and enthusiastic. As the grandmother, I can say that Sarah is a pleasure to be with. I was delighted to be a part of her birthday celebrations.

October 26, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Pleural Effusion.

Well who knew? Not Ken and not me. The good doctor in Fredericksburg along with the chest Xray decided that I have Pleural Effusion, which means fluid in the chest. We all have a bit but I have a lot. Next week they will perform a Thoracentesis which is a fancy word that means sticking a needle into my chest to withdraw the fluid. Next will be the biopsy of the fluid to try to figure out what on earth is causing the fluid in my chest. Normally, I ignore ill health and take Iboprofen and water until I feel better, but my cough was persisting. And I was short of breath. When I walked upstairs at the Top House I was forced to sit down to catch my breath, so I knew that something was not right. And I was not getting any better. I must be off blood thinner for five days before the procedure can be done, which means late this week. David and Suzanne are installing TV at the lake for us. The last time we were here for an extended time was when I went loopy. They ordered TV for me that time too. David thinks we may be in for a long siege but I hope not. The moral of the story is that you just never know what is just around the corner!!

October 25, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Listening In.

It was perfect. I was sitting on the deck all by myself, enjoying the beautiful evening and the lake, minding my own business, when my neighbor Sharon and a friend came out on their new deck. Ken was inside preparing dinner. He wisely planted a tree 18 years ago that has grown quickly and now totally occludes our deck from their home, so I was hidden from view. Now I could have gotten up and called a hello to them but I stayed quiet as a mouse and listened in on their conversation. It was just like listening into an old fashioned telephone party line, when you could hear but no one knew you were there. The two ladies were discussing interior decorating. It was a fascinating discussion. The husbands were in the house. Sharon and Tim are in the midst of a large outdoor project to add a large deck and a lower level for the hot tub. Sharon was describing the furniture that will come, also the plantings. I think the second lady is the interior designer because she made many suggestions, some of which Sharon approved and some she did not. Sharon said nothing about the unfinished mess in the yard. Soon the men come out and they all four joke about the construction. Tim laughed and proceeded to tell the story of their problem with the permits, which is why the job has not been completed. Their builder told Tim that permits would not be a problem so much construction was done, including installing the hot tub on a large lower deck. But they can not get the plan approved. Tim thinks it is funny. Sharon does not. Our neighbors are very nice people and are excellent neighbors. They take in our trash cans and keep a car in the driveway regularly. And I loved listening into their conversations tonight. Nosy Rosie, that was me tonight.

October 24, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Commentary.

Finally, I have it all straight. Now I am able to read Commentary magazine on my iPad. Somehow or other, the subscription department thought we lived in Canada full time, which meant I should be sending them more money. Why magazines and lots of other things cost more in Canada I do not know. It makes no sense to me. But for almost a year, I was not able to read full articles on my iPad. I could read excerpts and I could read 8 articles a month, but even though I was a subscriber I was unable to down load the full article. I thought it was all cleared up six months ago, but nothing happened. In order to deal with a subscription department you require two qualities, which are time and patience. Last week I had both, so I screwed up my courage and phoned. E mailing was impossible. Now everything works as it should, but it took an hour. The magazine is excellent and controversial and I missed reading the full texts of the articles. One aspect of the periodical leaves me cold. Every month, Joseph Epstein tells a Jewish joke. Readers respond and send comments telling why the joke is funny. But I never think the jokes are funny at all and I can not figure out why Joseph thinks they are funny. I just don't get it, I suppose because I am not Jewish. Who would have thought there is such a difference.

October 23, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. The New Doctor.

I am sure he is not yet 20, but after all, he has completed College, Medical school and Internal Medicine Residency, which totals 11 years. If you assume graduation from high school at 18, he must be at least 29 nine. To me he looks to be 20. I liked him. He is serious and efficient and he listened to my symptoms carefully. He did not tell me that I looked well. Because I have rosy checks, most doctors think I am perfectly fine. He did everything right. He ordered blood work and a chest x ray. He set up a pulmonary function chest. And he listened to my chest. My allergies are out of control so he prescribed medications. He suspects from listening that I have fluid in my chest. The radiologist said the same thing. Evidently, this shortness of breath is not lack of conditioning. The Medical community in Fredericksburg is excellent. Except for the pulmonary function test, everything was completed this morning and I was home at the ranch by 12:30. We are delighted to have found an excellent young doctor at the Fredericksburg Clinic. Not only is he competent and efficient but he did not waste a minute in small talk. Some days you just get lucky.

October 22, 2014. Harper, Texas. The Texas White House.

For years, Ken and I have driven past the entrance to the Lyndon Johnson National Historic Park. Instead, we stopped to use the facilities at the LBJ Rest Stop on Highway 290, and we swore that the next visit to the Hill Country we would promise to visit the Johnson ranch. But we never did, until now that is. Joyce, Robbie, Ken and I visited the Texas White House today. It was a splendid trip. The setting is beautiful. The ranch owned by the Johnsons had 2800 acres, so the drive around the ranch and along the Pedernalas River is lovely, The visit includes the site of LBJ's birth, the graveyard of the family and a tour of the first level of the ranch house. We were able to get all our questions answered. One thing for sure is that neither the President or his wife were interested in fancy furniture. The setting is lovely but the rooms in the Texas White House are small and the furniture ordinary. The four of us enjoyed the visit. Then we followed up by having lunch in Johnson City, the town where Lyndon was brought up. The Hill Country still reveres Lyndon Johnson, because as a young congressman, he brought electricity to the whole Hill Country. His energy and expertise was just beginning.

October 21, 2014. Harper, Texas. The World Series.

Finally, the World Series began tonight. The thrill of another series has been diminished for me because I did not want the Giants to play in yet another World Series. Kansas City playing is good but I will be upset if the Giants win and become champions. And we even have a television at our home so I can watch the games. Unfortunately, we drive to the lake on Thursday where we have no TV. We can't visit David and Suzanne every day so I bet I will miss some games. Such a life I lead. There is something nostalgic for me watching the World Series. It does not really make much sense because I never watch baseball though out the regular season but at Series time I am reminded of my 7th and 8th grade classes at Edith Cavell School in Vancouver. And I recall my Father's interest in The World Series. It was a happy time and I suspect that watching the series brings back those days. For whatever reasons, I am ready to watch some baseball!!

October 20, 2014. Harper, Texas. Recluse.

Right across the street from us in Nova Scotia lives a couple. We never see them. They live there all year but they never come outside. When we first moved, I stopped over to say hello and to invite them to a party. They were both pleasant and friendly. They came to the party and stayed for thirty minutes. The wife has difficulty walking. As I was accompanying them to their car, she thanked me for inviting them but asked me not to invite them again, as she said "We do not do anything social". I have not seen them since. They are much younger than us and they both work for their living as writers. It is still amazing to me that these good folks live directly across the street from me, both living as a recluse. Several days this week I have lived as a recluse. Today I never left the Top House. I read and e mailed and I was happy as a clam. Perhaps when I get older, I too will become a recluse and stay home all the time. This concept for myself never crossed my mind, until now. My cough is still with me and my energy has not returned. Perhaps that has turned me into a recluse. I can see that some time in the future I will just want to stay home. It will be interesting.

Old Folks, New Zealand

October 19, 2014. Harper, Texas. Carpets.

Some things I do make me look nuts. This afternoon, I loaded 8 Persian rugs into the back of the truck. The rugs had been on the floor of our Top House, piled one on top of the other at each end of the dining table. But Joyce and Robbie were coming for supper so the rugs needed to be moved. Ken had already tripped. The carpets had travelled from the farm in the back of the truck. Rather than put the rugs into storage, I decided to keep them with us. Rita and Wendy rolled the carpets and Joe loaded them onto the truck. The belongings going to Mississippi were packed onto the back seat, while the goods for Texas were in the back of the truck. It was impossible to get at the rugs when we got to Mississippi, even though some of them were to stay. When we got to Texas, the girls unloaded some of the carpets. Several were to be used in David and Suzanne's home. The rest stayed in the truck but I did not wish to keep the rugs rolled up all summer in a hot truck so I unloaded the carpets myself and put them on the floor of the Top House. Now these rugs will travel back to Mississippi with us. When we arrive, I will ask Kate and Mary Frances to bring the carpets into our small condo, where I will once again stack them on the floor. If, as and well the farm is sold and we purchase a larger home, the carpets will be transferred by the moving company. I am not moving those rugs again!!

October 18. 2014. Harper, Texas. Foresight.

The main street through the center of Fredericksburg is very wide. Four lanes of traffic plus an angled lane for parking on each side allows the traffic to flow. What interest me is that the good folks who laid out the town in the mid 19th century planned for the width. The old buildings on either side of the street have not been moved since they were built. I always wonder what the founding fathers were thinking. Did they think their town would become a city so the wide streets would be needed for heavy traffic? Winnipeg, Manitoba is the only city I have seen that originally, had their downtown streets made wide enough to allow a modern traffic flow. The streets are so wide that you must hustle to walk across with the change of the lights, but it has also allowed the city planners to avoid bulldozing buildings to allow for wider streets. The down town streets were always 8 lanes wide. Their city fathers knew that Winnipeg would one day become a major city and a gateway to the west. Actually, when Fredericksburg was first started in 1846, right in the center of their wide street they built their church so folks coming from either directions would not miss the church. The church stayed in place until the 60's when it was moved to a park area which houses all the festivals. It is still astonishing to me at the foresight of these good folks, all those years ago.

October 17, 2014. Harper, Texas. Facebook.

When I retired, Ken signed us both up with a Facebook account. It lasted two weeks, then he cancelled Facebook for himself. Four years later, I still have my page and receive messages every day from my Facebook friends. But probably not for long. Ken disapproves of putting pictures and information about yourself on the Internet. Although only your own friends are supposed to be able to access your information, in real life, Ken knows that clever people can get at your information. Until now, it has not been a problem. Yesterday, someone hacked into my account and contacted lots of my friends. Fortunately, my friends were able to figure it out and let me know, but not before this person was advocating investments and sending money. For a time, there were two F.Ruth Dickie Facebook pages. But I think it has gone away, thanks to so many folks complaining. I am stupid with Facebook and computers. Yesterday, when my friend Maureen told me to change my password immediately, I could not even recall my password, let alone figure out how to change it. My blog mentor, Sarah T., sent me direction in an article telling me what to do to get rid of the impostor, but I could not even access the proper screen. I was hopeless. Then the Internet went down for repairs so I was really lost. Now I think I should cancel my Facebook association. The only problem is that I don't know how to do it. Where is Regina when I need her??

October 16, 2014. Harper, Texas. The Ranch.

All day today a machine could be heard down the hill from our Top House. The dead trees and the cedar trees are being removed from the ranch. Two families purchased the adjacent ranch: a couple our age and their son and his wife and two children. They sold their construction business in Corpus Christie and retired here, bringing with them big machines. They have done a masterful job of fixing up their ranch. In one huge shed they built an apartment for the elder couple and at the ranch house they built a large deck overlooking their pastures. But the most impressive thing they did was to upgrade their fields. We overlook one of their hills. There is not a cedar tree in sight, nor any dead trees. The fields look wonderful. In addition they built three dams and dug holes so now they have water tanks on their property. Yesterday, the son, who is about 50, came by to say hello. As their tasks on their ranch are complete, he is able to take jobs for other folks, so we quickly hired him for the week. Ken and I had just decided to find about someone to get rid of the cedar trees. Actually, the trees we want gone are Juniper and are not native to Texas but in Texas they are called Cedar trees. They also take over the oak trees, so everyone wants them removed. He will work for a week and then we will see how far he gets. It was perfect timing when he came by yesterday. The ranch is getting better.

October 15, 2014. Harper, Texas. The Heir Apparent.

Once again, I am reading a book about one of the so called Royals. I really hate the system of inherited positions so perhaps it gives me secret pleasure when the people involved behave so badly. I am enjoying this book, which is a new biography. It tells the story of the future king who is given no authority or position, until the death of his mother, Queen Victoria. This author paints a far different picture of Albert that I read in the latest biography of him, who treats him as a paragon of virtue in every sense of the word. The full title is "The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, The Playboy Prince", written by Jane Ridley. The book is well written but long. As the book goes along and the future King gets older, I surprised myself by getting to like him. He grew on me which I suspect happened to the author too. Anyway, it fills in a gap to my knowledge of the history of british life after Queen Victoria. But I still think that inherited positions are ridiculous.

October 14, 2014. Harper, Texas. Joyce.

Joyce lives down the street from us at the ranch. She is quite a lady. Not only does she clean her own house but she also invites us over for delicious dinners. Several years ago she became interested in my wee web log. I told her all about mine, and encouraged her do write one herself, so she did. The main difference is our goals. I am not trying to make political points. Rather, I am wanting to allow the grandchildren to know us after we are dead and gone. Joyce is more interested in the world of politics and cares deeply about this country, so on her blog she speaks her mind about the ways of the world, the USA and Texas. Her blog can be found at www.kommonsentsjane.com either on Google or Yahoo. She takes great care with her work and it shows. Everyday she has responses to her latest blog as her writing is interesting and controversial. This evening we were invited for dinner with Joyce and Robbie in their home. The dinner was delicious and the conversation lively. It is always a pleasure spending time with our friends at the ranch.

October 13, 2014. Harper, Texas. Connie Myers.

Connie fought a long battle with cancer. Two days ago she died. She and her husband had moved to Liverpool in 2000, just after we did, except they moved permanently when they retired from Frederickton, New Brunswick. Connie was a nurse and Ross a doctor. They built a wonderful home overlooking the bold Atlantic, just down the shore from us. We new folks all dined in each other's homes. Connie was energetic and talented. She played the piano well and also the fiddle while Ross played the bagpipes. They often held kitchen parties in their home. Two years before their retirement, Connie had breast cancer. She and I discussed the process and the probabilities. She was upbeat and positive but two summers ago, her cancer returned. Her chemotherapy treatments began, one after the other. She was not expected to survive the summer of 2013 but she did, although on a restricted routine. Now she has gone. Her attitude was to fight against the disease with every tool in her arsenal and to stay alive as long as possible. She did fight the good fight and lived longer than anyone dreamed she would. Now we say Rest In Peace friend Connie. We will miss her.

October 12, 2014. Harper, Texas. Crush.

Crush is one of David and Suzanne's dogs. He is a fine, obedient dog although he is almost 12, which is old for a yellow labrador retriever. Yesterday, when they first arrived at the ranch, Crush took off running as if he was a dog of 5 and kept up running alongside Moose as the girls and David drove around the ranch in the Mule. But after that initial run, Crush was happy to jump in the Mule as they drove around the ranch. While not in the Mule, he was content to sleep by the fire. This afternoon, Robbie and Joyce came over to say hello and welcome. David, Samantha, Allison, Ken and I had been sitting by the fire chatting with Joyce and Robbie, when at 4:00, David suggested they should leave. Moose bounded after them to the house while they all three gathered their belongings and cleaned up the house. All the while, Crush was asleep by the fire. The three came to say goodbye and they drove off. It took me five minutes to notice that Crush was still asleep by the fire. David had left his beloved dog behind at the ranch. We four laughed. My cell phone is not working at all so Joyce drove home to call David. But before she returned, David and the twins were back to retrieve their lost dog. It turned out that David also left his wallet so was required to return, no matter what. Ah yes. These things do keep us humble.

October 11, 2014. Harper, Texas. Double D Ranch.

The cares of the world disappear when you are sitting watching a flickering fire. I wonder why? Ken and I arrived at the ranch to find David, Samantha and Allison sitting around a very large fire. Of course we joined them. Later in the after we reconvened by the fire and we never left off talking and laughing. David smoked meat, so we never left the fire, even for dinner. Samantha and Allison and I talked for a long time discussing the age differences in siblings. The thought of being an only child was abhorrent to both twins. They told me the good aspects of having your sibling close in age, citing Sarah and Abigail as perfect at 18 months apart because they are going through everything together. And they play with the same friends. They suggested that a four year difference is difficult because you have no similar activities. The insights and variables were interesting coming from two 7th grade girls. I hesitated to bring up the issue of being a twin as they never mentioned it themselves. I feel sure that we would never have had that discussion had we not been sitting around the fire in the dusk. All is well at the ranch. The computer is working well but the Dish TV is not. The outside water trough has been broken, probably by pigs, so Ken has some chores inshore. Neither of our cell phones work. Tonight the temperature will be 55, which is perfect for sleeping and tomorrow will be 75, which is perfect for walking. Life at the ranch is a joy.

October 10, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. 80 Degrees.

Ken is happy. At the lake today it was 82 degrees. This afternoon, while I was at the grocery store, he sat on the lower deck luxuriating in the warmth. Of course, he sat on one of the lounge chairs and now he has a sore upper back. Normally he has a sore lower back. When you are over 75 years old, there is always an ache or pain somewhere. According to Ken, the 80 degree temperature makes everything feel better, which is why we, like the birds, follow the 80 degree. Our kitchen at the lake has a brand new refrigerator, a definite upgrade. It is fancy. And a new wine and beverage fridge has replaced the old one. David and Suzanne purchased them both without telling us, which means they have purchased them for the house all by themselves. The four of us own the house together. In the beginning, we all agreed on a system of purchasing. If the object needed to be purchased and the cost was under $100. you could get reimbursed out of our kitty of funds. If the cost exceeded $100. all four needed to agree to the purchase and we would share the cost. If you bought an object without consultation and approval, you purchased it on your own. So by David and Suzanne not consulting us, they bought the new refrigerators all by themselves. I did offer to split the cost but they said no. It was their gift to the house, which was very nice indeed. In the early years, we kept a kitty of funds. We both put in $500. Suzanne paid the utilities and other expenses. When she ran out of money, we each contributed another $500. Our system worked well. We have had no difficulty owning the house together. Some time ago, Ken and I realized that we were not being asked to contribute to the kitty. When we asked, they told us that when I retired. they took over the bills, which again was very kind. Our cup is flowing over. First 80 degrees, and a new fridge and beverage cooler. Some days you just get lucky.

October 9, 2014. San Antonio, Texas. Volleyball.

Samantha and Abigail are in the 7th grade but they play on the 8th grade team. What is amazing to me is the quality of the volleyball played by the 8th grade team. 65 years ago I played on the school team in the 8th grade at Edith Cavell School in Vancouver but I can tell you that the twins volleyball team would have beaten our team, hands down. This team does everything volleyball players do in the modern team of volleyball. Their overhand serves are superb. The girls only missed three serves all afternoon. They dive for balls. They move around the court. They bump and they set. It was a wonder to behold. Our team started out slowly and made several errors of the type an 8th grade class would make. But they won the first game 25 to 16. Then they came into their own and won the second game 25 to 2. Now I am the grandmother and am supposed to brag about my granddaughters but those girls played well. The coach has taught them all the skills required by volleyball and the girls have learned them well. Now they need to grow taller. When those same girls get on the Varsity team just watch. That team will excel. And most importantly, the girls look like volleyball players. They are all thin and wear skin tight shorts, which are very short and their uniform tops are tight. Knee socks and knee pads round out the women volley player's uniform. The girls look and feel like real volleyball players and they play like them too. It was a great pleasure watching the San Antonio Episcopal School 8th grade volleyball game this afternoon. I was also very surprised at the quality of the play.

October 8, 2014. San Antonio, Texas. Finally.

Finally, we arrived in San Antonio. Today was a long, tedious day. Our original reservation took us from Halifax to Newark with a two hour layover followed by a direct flight to San Antonio. But our flight was changed and the airline did not alert us so we were unable to leave Halifax on Tuesday. Instead, we were rebooked to Newark early this morning, then to Houston and finally to San Antonio. The problem was that we were unable to get a seat until 5:30, even though we arrived in Houston before noon. Finally, David picked us up at the airport at 6:30 so we were able to see the family. But we are weary. I spent the afternoon watching humanity. Normally I can turn it into a game but not today. Perhaps it is my ridiculous cough!! After a good nights sleep, all will be well tomorrow. I am counting on it.

October 7, 2014. Halifax, N.S. Other Plans.

In life, it is what happens with the unexpected that makes all the difference. The Alt Hotel is new. It is also attached to the airport. Tonight, whether we wanted to or not, we are staying in the Alt Hotel. Our flights were changed but no one told us. Someone made a mistake so now we will leave tomorrow. Rather than getting upset and yell and scream, we are taking their voucher and staying for the night at The Alt Hotel. The hotel is convenient and pleasant and we will enjoy our visit here, although we would rather meet our family in Texas!!

October 6, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Temperatures.

Suzanne reported to me that Texas was experiencing a chilly spell. Evidently everyone in San Antonio is enjoying the cool weather where the sky is blue, with a cool breeze in the air. She thought that we would enjoy the weather in San Antonio as the temperature was 82 degrees. I laughed. An 82 degree temperature in Nova Scotia means a hot summer day. But we all know that temperature is relative to what you are accustomed to feeling. Definitely, Suzanne said that I did not need to bring my woolen socks to Texas. Today we decided to remove the hot tub. It will soon be gone. By the time we return in June the deck will be redone too, of course by George. And in our absence the dining table and the buffet tops will be refinished. Progress will be made in our absence. We are ready. I did laundry all day. The deck furniture has been put away and tomorrow morning I will drive the truck into the garage. I will feed the fish for the last time tomorrow morning. We are ready for the 82 degrees in Texas!!

October 5, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Closing Up.

We did it all by ourselves. The odds and ends of food from the cottage was packed into the car, along with the sheets and towels. Our truck was full by the time we drove home. The furniture down by the lake is now safely tucked away. Yesterday I brought the furniture to a central spot and this afternoon Ken and I loaded the stuff on the truck and stored the tables and chairs in either the boat house or the change house. I was not sure we could do it, all by ourselves, but we did. Ken says that it takes him four times longer than normal to accomplish any task, but the point is, the task gets done. We huffed and puffed and we took breaks to catch our breath, but we got it done. Now Vinal will remove the raft and the dock and call for the plumber to set the cottage up for the winter. But Ken and I have done our job and the cottage is officially closed up for the winter.

October 4, 2014. Pleasantfield, N.S. The Tribute.

Kelly planned the whole event. He wished no solemn funeral with everyone weeping. Two week after his death, he wished friends and relatives to gather together at White Point to have a party, complete with good food and wine and plenty of music. The Swing Band played, as did the Ukulele Strummers. That was what we did, celebrate Kelly's life. Several e mails were read from his former students along with relatives who could not travel from the west for the event. And people told funny stories of Kelly. Throughout the afternoon was a continuous slide show of Kelly and Frances and relatives and friends. It was a splendid event but over everything was the huge loss of Kelly in the lives of people gathered together today. One aspect of the event was interesting to me. Everyone was dressed up, except us. The ladies wore fancy dresses while the men were in jacket and ties. Our plan was to drive directly to the cottage so we were casually dressed. We did stick out but as there were 200 people there I assume no one noticed, at least they did until I stood to tell a funny story about Kelly. At least I was wearing a gray sweater and a black top. It was the black heavy sweat pants that gave me away. Kelly would not have minded. He had a wonderful sense of humor.

October 3, 2014. Western Head, N.S. The Sea.

For two days the surfers have been walking down our driveway on their way to the point, where for two days the surf has been better. The days have been overcast and windy with the wind coming from the north, which brings huge rooster tails off the top of each breaking wave. And each hour the waves have grown bigger. It has been a wild and wooly sea at Western Head. Evidently there is a storm out at sea so we have big waves. Only the best surfers go to the point. The waves break right on the big rocks giving the surfer little margin for error. Last evening I chatted briefly with a surfer as he was walking past our home. It was already well past dusk so he was cold and tired but happy. Both yesterday and today there were surfers in the water every minute of the day. Between watching the high seas and the surfers I was kept busy deciding what to see next. Right in front of Gill's house the high waves were crashing on her rocks. It is quite a sight to see the whole side of the bay covered with foam. Both morning we awake to see surfers in the water. They are a dedicated bunch. For the past two days, life was exciting for the surfers out at Western Head. And exciting for us too. Those waves were high.

October 2, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Marigold Hotel.

Christmas arrived early in Western Head. A Christmas package arrived yesterday complete with Christmas wrapping and a set of instructions, which told me to open the gift immediately, which I did. Our early Christmas gift was from Dave and Irene, who keep us supplied in DVD's. They know that we mostly have no TV so we enjoy the series of movies and TV shows that they have given to us over the years. This movie was "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". We watched it this afternoon and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was exactly as described on the package: "Charming, Funny and Heartwarming." In addition, the photographs of India are worth the price of admission. An early Christmas is a good thing!! Yesterday, we went to watch the new gift but the DVD player was not in place. We figured that we threw it out. Last summer we must have used the player we carry in the truck. So far this summer we had not played any movies as our TV room is so small that company could not fit. First thing this morning we buy a new DVD player at Source. While Ken is connecting the player and setting it up, he finds an identical player leaning on the back of the desk on the floor. So now we have two. This movie is all about change and the aging process and as neither of us have any recollection of buying the DVD player last summer, we just laughed and will use the second player at the cottage or the guest house. Of course, neither place has a TV set…yet. Fortunately the player was cheap.

October 1, 2014. Western Head, N.S. Playoffs.

The world of baseball playoffs used to be simple. When your team won their division, you went to the playoffs. For purists like me, the system was wonderful as it meant that the beginning of the season was just as important as the end. But the baseball wizards changed the system and three years ago an additional wrinkle was added so now I don't even know the system. The playoffs have begun which pleases me. Last evening was the wild card teams of the American league playing a one game, winner take all, and advance to the playoffs game. The game was between the Oakland A's and the Kansas City Royals. It was a humdinger of a game. Ken and I got lucky. We watched until the 6th inning when the A's were up by 4 runs, then headed upstairs. This morning, Ken checked the Internet to discover to our surprise that Kansas City had won the game. This afternoon while checking the weather on TV, Ken discovered that the game from last night was being replayed. We had found it in the 7th inning, so we got to watch the whole exciting game right to the end of the 12th inning. For the first time, I approved of the change in the rules for the playoffs. It was great fun watching the game. Kansas City stole 8 bases!! There is a National League wild card game going on tonight but it was boring compared to yesterdays game. The playoffs have begun. October is a wonderful month.