December 31, 2015. Madison, Ms. New Years Eve.

I like to stay home on New Years Eve.  When the pictures can be seen on TV of the hoards of people standing in New York waiting for the ball to drop at midnight I remind myself of how pleased I am to be at home.  It is especially nice when the football games are on TV.

But I have been busy today.  On Saturday we fly to Puerto Vallarta so today I organized and packed clothes and medications.   Our life in Mexico is a bit complicated because we will be staying at an all inclusive resort for two weeks, before moving to our own condo so we need clothes for the two weeks. And once again, I am traveling with three months supply of my oral chemotherapy.

This evening I also put away the Christmas decorations and gave the plants to Chantes.  Tomorrow I will put food into the freezer and the rest of the food in bags to give to Christina and the girls.  I seem to have more food in the fridge this time and I am wondering why.   I usually am good at eliminating the food supply by the time we leave, but not this time.  We are almost ready to leave, which pleases us because next week will be cold and raining in Jackson.  Puerto Vallarta on Saturday will be 82 in the daytime and 65 at night.  Perfect weather.

I will not see the New Year strike.  I will be in my cosy bed, dreaming of the happy and healthy new year of 2016.

December 30, 2015. Madison, Ms. A Busy Day.

The children just vanish when we visit the Sutherland's home.  The adults sit in the living room sipping wine by the fire discussing the scenic byways in Mississippi while the children play happily some other place on the property.  I don't even know what the kids are doing but I do know they are happy and content and are having a good time.  Today we were all invited to visit.  I asked to bring lunch.   My offer was accepted which suited everyone just fine.  I of course, kept it simple.  I took left over poppyseed chicken from Monday's party, along with the leftover salad, rolls and desert.  In addition I took 50 pieces of friend chicken from the deli at our local grocery store.  And we brought lemonade, iced tea and wine.  At the end of the Christmas season, the last thing Eleanor, the hostess, wants to do is cook, so we took that task away from her and she was grateful.  We also brought paper plates and plastic forks to ease the clean up but unfortunately, we left with the kitchen not neat and tidy.  Greta Barbour promised she would clear up.

 We had a wonderful time, sitting in the beautiful dining room eating our lunch and talking.  The home is especially lovely at Christmas so I was pleased that the Texas family was able to see the home during the holiday season.  After our late lunch, the men retreated to the top balcony to see if they could spot any deer while the ladies talked by the fire in the living room.  It was a delightful afternoon.

A special treat today was the tour of Eleanor's studio.  She will have a show in March so she allowed us to view the work in progress.  To our eyes, the paintings appear finished,  but not to the artist.  Unfortunately, we will still be in Mexico when the show opens.   The Sutherland's home is a wonderful home and they are unfailingly hospitable and gracious to invite us to visit.  Both children and adults had a fine time.

December 29, 2015. Madison, Ms. Together Again.

There is something very special about having the whole family together.    All day today, we spent time together.  We ate lunch together at Newks.  While they all shopped this afternoon, Ken and I rested.  David and Suzanne and I visited the Mississippi Craft Center, then had a drink at the yacht club, which was unique and pleasant.  Actually, by the time I got to the Craft Center to join them, they were finished so we decided to have a drink.  Everyone gather at our place for a visit before we dined at the Yacht Club, which is just three minutes away.

The girls sat together at one end of our 12 person table while the adults sat together at the other end.  Everyone was happy and enjoyed themselves.  The girls bought sweaters at Renaissance Shopping, also books, the result of spending gift cards.  David and Suzanne and the girls have come a long way to spend time with us and we are enjoying every minute.  There is always a special time when the whole family is together.

December 28, 2015. Madison, Ms. The First Party.

Everything turned out well.    The caterer arrived on time.  The house was prepared with the beverage table set up and ready.  The beer was chilled as was the white wine.  The only question was the house.  Our new home is not huge and we do not have enough chairs to have everyone sit at tables.  Our dining table could accommodate 16 if we add the three leaves but we are limited by chairs.  We have six at the breakfast table and eight in the dining table.  Fortunately, the 10 teenagers took over the living room to eat so with the three younger children at the table and the rest of the adults at the tables we could accommodate everyone comfortably for dinner.

The house worked well too because after dinner, all the children all went downstairs to play games so the adults could take over the living room.  And there was enough open areas of the home for the cocktail hour for people to mingle..  This was the first party in our new home.  30 people fit nicely.

David and Suzanne and the girls arrived this afternoon from New Orleans.  After touring the house, they went through three wooden boxes of pictures I have set out on shelves in the living room.  It was great sport for all.  Christina and the girls arrived and the cousins greeted each other joyfully.  The party was beginning.

December 27, 2015. Madison, Ms. 2 Chairs and a Barstool.

We had a mission.  For Christmas, Christina made us each a cake, a cranberry almond cake for me and a chocolate cake for Ken.   They look pretty but they do not store well wrapped in tin foil.    At the farm I had left two containers for holding fancy cakes, one on a pedestal with a glass dome cover and another made for transporting cakes in the car.  Here in Mississippi I had neither.  I wanted to show off the gifts as well as protect them from drying out.  Ken remembered a kitchen supply store across the street from the consignment shop, so off we went.  It was the day before Christmas and we did not want to get into the crowds.

At the kitchen store we bought 3 dozen glasses and one large salad bowl but no cake plate and dome.  Being as we were close, we stopped to see the lady at the Consignment store.   Much to my great surprise, I bought a cake plate with a pedestal and a crystal dome to cover, all for $18.  In addition we bought two leather chairs and one leather bar stool.   The man who helps move furniture loaded the chairs into the truck.  When we got home, we realized that Ken and I could not get them out of the back of the truck, so we were forced to wait on Chandes to unload the truck.  But now everything is in place and we have two new chairs for the breakfast room and another bar stool that matches well with the two that are in place and were purchased by Gloria.  This bar stool has a back, which pleases me.

We purchased half of the objects we set out on our mission but we returned with other objects that we did not need at all.   Tomorrow night will be the first time to have a crowd of people in our new home.  I bet the new chairs and bar stool will be useful.    

December 26, 2015. Madison, Ms. Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is useful  after the hectic activities of the Christmas Season.   For the children, using the new toys is the most important activities.  And the adults have time to delve into their new books.  I don't know if this really true or not but we have always felt that Boxing Day was the day spent with friends while Christmas was devoted to family.   We often spent Christmas with Dave and Irene in Ancaster.  My sister always rented a skating rink on Boxing Day,  and invited family and friends.  Our boys learned to skate with all the relatives helping them along.  It was a pleasant day.

David and Suzanne and the Texas girls drove to New Orleans today on Boxing Day.  Tonight, they ate a delicious dinner in the French Quarter.  Tomorrow they will tour Tulane University, and poke around town.  The next day they will drive to see us in Jackson.   We are looking forward to seeing them and are delighted they are coming for a visit.

Today, our Boxing Day was taken up with stopping by our Jackson friends to say Merry Christmas.  We stayed a short time but we enjoyed our visits.  Our friends in Jackson are loyal and helpful and Ken and I wanted to let them know how much we appreciate their friendship.  We liked our Boxing Day visits.

December 25, 2015. Madison, Ms. Christmas Day.

Christmas Day is an unusual day to do business but this morning Chantes, our handyman, called to ask if he could bring over the estimate for rebuilding and expanding the deck.  And he wanted to say Merry Christmas too.  We invited him over.  Ken was preparing breakfast while I was listening to Christmas music and looking at e mails so we had nothing pressing.  He is a busy man so after they made their Christmas prayers at church, he came over to talk with us.  It was kind of fun to be discussing estimates on Christmas Day.  "The better the day, the better the deed", we used to say.

And I talked on the phone to friends and relatives.  From Texas to Ontario to British Columbia and Maryland, I kept the phone lines busy.  Busy signals  on the line made my life difficult and sometimes I never was able to get calls through.

The girls still enjoy their bags of  Christmas goodies from us.  And Christina too.  We sat and drank a cup of Christmas tea before dining at the chinese restaurant.  The food was excellent, a true feast and we left with several boxes of food which we sent home with Christina.  The girls love to nibble at midnight.  This evening, Ken and I ate a piece of Christina's chocolate cake, given to Ken for Christmas.  It was a fitting end to an excellent Christmas Day in Mississippi.

December 24, 2015. Madison, Ms. Sukura Bana.

Linda is Christina's Mother.   Every Christmas Eve,  Linda invites the Creath family to dinner at Sukura Bana, an excellent Japanese restaurant in Jackson.  Fortunately, we are invited as part of the family.   First Presbyterian Church holds their Christmas Eve service at 4:00 and lasts an hour, so everyone in the family goes to church together, then goes right on to dinner.   Ken and I met everyone at the restaurant.  The food is pre-ordered by Nelson so when we arrive, the food just magically appears.  The cousins have a wonderful time as do the adults.  This tradition of the family gathering together in the restaurant where no one is required to work is excellent.  Hats off to Linda so continuing such a fine tradition.

Christmas Eve is always an anniversary for Ken and me because this was the first time we noticed each other.   I had organized the young people at church to drive in multiple cars to sing to the shut ins.   After we sang at a half dozen older folks homes, we ended up at the Fairbanks for tea and butter tarts.  Ken and I have been a pair ever since.  That was in 1955.  Ken and I have not changed a bit!!

December 23, 2015. Madison, Ms. The King's Singers.

In 1970, when we moved to Maryland, our friends Carolyn and Tom visited us from their home in Hampden Sydney, Virginia.  While they were there, we four attended a concert at The Smithsonian Museum.    The featured artists were The King's Singers.  It was their first tour in The United States.  The group was new to us too.  But they were wonderful and still are today, although the personnel has changed.  I have been listening to them ever since.

Tonight I listened to a new Christmas You Tube video by The King's Singers..  For 53 minutes I heard all the new and old christmas songs sung with great finesse and enthusiasm.  This group is as good as ever.  When we were in New Zealand, a young man from that country had just been hired by The King's Singers, the first time a non British member had joined the group.   The news was all over the television stations, radio and newspapers.  Now I got to hear and see the new young member of the group in action.  They chose well.

After the concert in 1970, we four went to Georgetown for dessert.  While we were walking down Wisconsin  Avenue, we ran into The King's Singers, who were looking like tourists too.  We stopped to chat and told them how much we had enjoyed their concert.  They were so surprised that anyone recognized them.  And they were delighted too.  The group was fairly new and were not used to have people recognize them, especially in the US.  They clearly were pleased to be recognized.  I wonder what they would feel about that today, now they are famous?

The You Tube video is wonderful.  Now I am really ready for Christmas.

December 22, 2015. Madison, Ms. Christmas Nuts.

The little things of Christmas give much pleasure.  Neighborhood visits are one such tradition.  The neighbors here in Roses Bluff have lived here for a long time.   They have a full calendar of social events.  In addition every neighbor spends only part of the year here or else visits their place in the country, so we never see our neighbors.   I decided to take nuts to the immediate neighbors as a way to have a little visit.  It worked.  I am delighted.

When I took the nuts to my immediate neighbor, she invited me in immediately and we had a pleasant visit.  Shortly after they returned from North Carolina, just before Thanksgiving,  the husband fell so they have been spending lots of time in doctor's office.   And she had a bag of cookies which she had baked to bring to me, but I beat her to it.   The neighbor right across the street has no railing on their 6 steps and I was not sure how I would navigate, but fortunately their teen aged son was home and graciously lent me his arm on my back down the stairs.   This evening, the wife and daughter came over to thank me and give me a Christmas goodie so we had a short but pleasant visit.

I have never seen a soul in the house caty corner from us, until I took him the nuts.  He is a widower and still works as a pediatric surgeon full time.  He was delighted to meet me and we had a pleasant chat.  Now the folks on our other side I have not yet met but I intend to knock on their door and introduce myself and give them some nuts.  These Christmas customs have more than one goal.

December 21, 2015. Madison, Ms. Christmas Dinner.

Today, Christina and I selected the food for our Christmas Dinner feast.    At 11:00 this morning, we met at our local Chinese restaurant and we carefully selected our courses.  We want our Christmas dinner to seem like a party, not like we have just gone to a restaurant for dinner, so we have selected three appetizers, plus two plates of food for three courses.  If we have left over food we will bring it home.

Several years ago I read an article telling of the history of the Jews eating Chinese food for Christmas Day.   At first I felt that the story was not true but after asking several Jewish friends what they eat on Christmas Day and being told they eat out for Chinese food I decided the article was correct.   When Christina and I were speaking about Christmas dinner, I told her the customs and asked if the girls would like to go out for a chinese dinner.  Fortunately, the restaurant will be open.  Everyone agreed so this year we will be following the Jewish custom and eat chinese food on Christmas Day.  This is a first for us but it may not be the last.

December 20, 2015. Madison, Ms. Traditions.

Kate thinks it is creepy.  Several weeks ago, I listened to a TV program on PBS called Mississippi Roads.   One segment was about an old parish in Madison County who make their burial arrangements the old fashioned way.  The small chapel was built in the mid 19th century before the era of machines.  At that time, the graves were dug with shovels by family members and members of the church.   That custom has continued to this day.  Yesterday at the committal for Mrs. Greaves, I realized that I was watching the whole process in front of my own eyes.  The Chapel of the Cross was the church of the Greaves family, which was the same church I heard on TV.

The day before the funeral, family members and the church committee folks met to dig the grave for Mrs. Greaves.  Both the men and women took their turns.  It is an exhausting task.   After the grave site service and committal, the casket was lowered all the way to the bottom of the grave.  In fact as the casket was removed from the straps, the casket splashed as it hit the ground.  That was what made Kate feel was creepy and she was right.  But immediately after, the family members picked up shovels and took turns putting dirt on the casket and filling in the grave.   The church members feel it is part of the act of love to see the loved ones in their final resting place.   When we left, the casket was totally covered and the grave was almost level.

It was interesting to observe and had I not seen the short segment on Mississippi Roads I would not have known what was going on.  It was fascinating.  The Chapel of the Cross is the only Episcopal chapel that continues the old fashioned ritual of digging the grave.  The church members still think it a good idea.  I was fascinated with the tradition.

December 19, 2015. Madison, Ms. Feeling Cold..

Even the wool socks I was wearing that were hand knit in Nova Scotia did not keep me warm today.  When I left for the funeral at 9:00,  the truck was registering 36 degrees.  I was wearing a shirt, a long sleeved sweater and a wool coat, along with a large red scarf.  And I wore my leather gloves.  It took quite a lot of searching to find the gloves.  I finally warmed up in the truck.  A visitation with the family was arranged prior to the funeral, so I drove with Christina and the big girls to meet with the family in the Parish Meeting room.  I never took off my coat.

The chapel in Madison where the funeral was held was charming but has no heat so I was chilled throughout the service.  The committal was in the church yard so we stayed…and got colder.  In the afternoon, Ken and I visited with the family at the farm house.  All five children and the 14 grandchildren were there along with several friends.  The farm house is big and charming but these large old Mississippi homes are meant to keep you cool, not hot so I was cold the whole time I was there, even though I wore a fleece vest and a jacket, which I kept on.  This evening I watched football and hockey in our sun room, the room with the single panes of glass.    Again I was cold.  I think I have gotten thin blood.  I have often told people that Canadians know how to keep themselves warm, which I think is true.  But I seem to have forgotten the rules.

December 18, 2015. Madison, Ms. Our Cuban Cook.

Lourdes came to the US from Cuba so of course she cooks Cuban food.   Ken commented the other day that he never expected at age 79 to be eating Cuban food.   Nor did I.  In addition both she and Chantes are keenly interested in eating healthy food so they want us to eat and drink special foods.  And they want us to drink what we make in the Nutribullet.  Every day I am supposed to mix up my drink consisting of vegetables and fruit and seeds, along with water.  Sometimes Ken will have a drink and sometimes not.  I always drink one while Lourdes is here but I do not make one every day.  But I don't tell her.  She is trying to be helpful and I do not wish to interfere.

This afternoon she came to cook for three hours.   She leaves several dishes for us to eat over the next week.   We like the system.  We eat lots of rice and beans and vegetables and very little meat and fish.  And she always makes a large salad.   We just peck away at the food in the fridge she had left.  Today for lunch we ate soup she had made the last time she was here and for supper we ate fish and salad, again, the fish had been made last week and the salad she made this afternoon.  She enjoys looking after us and we do too.  

When she goes shopping for us she always buys health food stuff, always buying organic fruits and vegetables and meat.  She has not noticed or perhaps has not commented but I just buy regular stuff.  Her English is poor and I can not really tell her what I think about the organic business so she shops and I shop and we do not communicate about it.   She is happy.  So am I.  Ken likes it the best because he no longer needs to cook at all, so he never complains about the Cuban food.

December 17, 2015. Madison, Ms. One Year.

My friend Wendy commented to me in an e mail that I was better now than I was earlier in the year.  I had said that my present chemo therapy has side effects, which it does.  But it is nothing like the initial infusion of medications.  If I consider where I was last year at that time I have made much progress.

One year ago I still had a chest full of fluid plus a large mass, all breast cancer cells.  I had a permanent drain installed in my chest so I could drain the fluid every four days.  We flew to Mexico without any contact with an Oncologist who would give me my chemotherapy.  Don and Doreen came to look after us, followed by Rita and Ian.  Much to everyones surprise,  everything worked out in Mexico.  The Oncologist was excellent and administered the medication.  When I was anemic she gave me a blood transfusion.  I rested and walked and ate good food.

When we returned to Mississippi, my main Oncologist continued the same infusions for two more sessions, but my body was breaking down so she switched me to Ibrance and Letrozole.  But the original chemotherapy had done the job.  My chest fluid disappeared and the drain was removed.   The sojourn in Texas gave me much rest.  We stayed almost the whole time at the ranch and did almost nothing.  And I got stronger.   The Texas Oncologist was also excellent.

 In Nova Scotia I began to get better as the summer wore on.  The combination of modern medicine, good friends and excellent food in addition to clear air and sea breezes did the trick.   When we returned to Mississippi the Oncologist was surprised to see me looking well.  Now I walk every day and I go out into society to attend social events.  I have gained weight and my color is good.  What a difference a year makes.

December 16, 2015. Madison, Ms. Mrs. Greaves.

No matter how old your Mother is when she dies, she is always the same amount older than you.  And you will never have another Mother so the loss of your Mother is difficult.  This morning, Mrs. Greaves died.  She seemed to be in good health, but she died.  I have only been with Mrs. Greaves a few times but I remember her well.  She was a great lady.  Now she has gone.

Mrs. Greaves is the Mother of our good friends Eleanor, Greta Barbour, Arnie, Sebastian and Henry.  She lived on the family farm in Madison.  When Mr. and Mrs. Greaves moved with their five children to Madison everyone thought them to be nuts.  Madison was not trendy…yet.  And they home schooled their children, way before anyone else was doing it.   When we asked Eleanor about the decision to home school, she thought that her parents, especially her Mother, tended to be ornery about life in general.  Mrs. Greaves was unfailingly gracious but she definitely did not dance to anyone else's tune.   She hated it when people came up to her to tell her their name, thinking that she would not remember.  Until recently, she knew exactly who you were and even what you did.  And she was in her upper 80's.  She was a sharp one and a true southern lady.   We will miss her.

December 15, 2015. Madison, Ms. New Restaurants.

There is something comforting about going to the same old restaurant.   The owners and the waiters greet you like old friends.   It feels similar to sitting in an old comfortable chair.  But Ken and I like to try new restaurants so we are always looking for the new and the unusual.  Ken is excellent about looking up the new places. He checks out the reviews and decides if it is a place worth our time and money.  This past week we hit the jackpot.

Sunday morning we ate at Table 100 in Flowood.   We asked Christina if she knew of any new restaurant for brunch and she mentioned Table 100 in addition to several others.  Ken and I had never even heard of it although it turned out to be one of the best restaurants in town.  Both the food and the service were excellent.  Along with the linen table clothes and the wandering jazz musicians, we all 6 decided that it was a keeper.

On Friday, the weather was excellent so after Ken and I visited the drug store, we decided to drive up Highway 51 to have lunch at The Trace Cafe.  Ken had read about it but we had never dined there because we could not find it, even though we were using the GPS.  But I had gotten directions so this time we were not to be denied and we ate a delicious lunch.  The restaurant advertises itself as being Italian but the menu may be just a bit Italian and the rest southern.  We ate ribs and brought half home.

I suspect Molly prefers to have brunch at the tried and true.  Left to her own devices she often selects The Yacht Club.  We like it too but we prefer to take a chance on the new places.  Fortunately, new restaurants are always opening, which keeps us happy.  We are easily amused.

December 14, 2015. Madison, Ms. Bradley.

Our outside lights were installed a long time ago, probably when the house was built.  Ken has spent a lot of time inspecting the wires and the lights.  The wiring and the lighting was extensive, but today almost none of the lights work.  Of course we do not know what switch works what lights so perhaps the bulbs are merely burnt out, but I doubt it.  Bradley is a young man who installs lights for the outdoors so we asked him to evaluate our old system and to make recommendations.

Bradley is young, perhaps 30.  Both Ken and I think it is a good sign that young men are running their own businesses in Jackson and they are energetic and competent.  We spent an hour with him today and we like him.  He will do an estimate to remove all the old lights and wires attached to the trees and make recommendations to increase the lighting in the front and give minimal lighting in the back.   Our neighbors have lights on almost every tree in the backyard.  We don't like the look so will not install new lights shining up the trees.

Bradley has a wife who is a school teacher.  For Christmas, they will drive to a ski hill in West Virginia, along with 25 of the rest of the in-laws.  Bradley has never been on skis.   He was born and raised in Mississippi and has never lived with snow.  He has borrowed clothes.  He is excited.  We urged him to take lessons.  And he thinks our life style is astonishing, following the weather like the birds.  Now we just hope we can afford his services.  We certainly enjoyed chatting with him today.

December 13, 2015. Madison, Ms. No Electricity.

All of a sudden, we were in the dark,  I in the living room and Ken in the adjacent breakfast room.   The rooms were pitch black.  When you have lived in a house for awhile, you have a pattern of behavior of what to do when the power goes out, but we have never experienced no lights at night in this home.   At first we sat still and hoped the power would be restored quickly, but no such luck.

The wind had been strong all day and had gotten worse in the evening but we had no rain or thunder storms so we took no precautions.    We were smart enough to keep flashlights in both bed side tables, and I knew we had placed two flashlights in a drawer in the kitchen. The problem for me was getting to that drawer.  After a few minutes in the dark, I felt my way to the kitchen to find the flashlights and we were in business.   The house was quiet.  No machines or television or music so we both read by flashlight.

The power company keeps in touch by texting.  They tell you quickly what is the matter and when the power will be restored.   Sure enough, in 60 minutes our house was again bright and we could put away our flashlights.  And the power company asks you to tell them if you are still without power.  I am impressed with their diligence.  And I was grateful when the lights came on again all over the house.   Next time, when the wind is blowing hard, I will keep a small flashlight in my pocket just in case.

December 12, 2015. Madison, Ms. Leaves.

The leaves on the trees in Mississippi stay on the tree for a long time after they have turned color.  The first day we arrived in mid October, the yard maintenance company were here blowing away the leaves.  They have been here each week doing the same thing.  And the trees are still full of leaves.  Ken and I don't know if this is normal.  In the condominium we did not notice but now that we look at the lake through the trees, we watch the leaves falling…but very slowly.

Today,  Mr. Albritton came to evaluate our trees.  We have 23 on the property.  Specifically, we think some of the limbs need cutting back from the house.  We do not like tree limbs overhanging the roof.  In fact, we really prefer the trees be planted well away from the house. But several beautiful big old trees are fairly close so several limbs need trimming.  Also vines have grown up the trunks which we do not like either, so he will cut the vines off too.  He will do the work in the new year but we are on his schedule.

I asked him about the leaves.  His response seemed reasonable.  It is common in Mississippi to have a frost of two in the Fall, so the leaves turn color and fall in a normal pattern.  But this year this autumn we had lots of rain and no cold weather so he said that the leaves just stayed on the trees even after they are dead.  He told me that he is not blowing his leaves until they are all down.  He is still waiting.  Ken and I are still learning about Mississippi horticulture.

December 11, 2015. Madison, Ms. Wave Sound Touch.

We have been without any music in our house until yesterday.  A box addressed for me arrived at our front door.  Ken told me it was my birthday gift.  For years, we have not exchanged birthday gifts as it is impossible to find appropriate gifts for each other, so instead we buy what we want for ourselves.  Then tell the other it is for them.  My gift was a new Bose Wave Sound Touch music system, something that Ken has wanted since we moved here.

All today I have been listening to Christmas music.  Ken turned it on before we got out of bed.  The system is fancy.  We listen to internet music and can get stations all over the world.   I have no idea how it happens but I know I like it.  I can change the music or the volume from my iPad or phone.  But the most important thing is the great sound and the size, which is small.

Our old system at the farm was old, purchased when we owned our house on Old Spring Road, so we left them and were sold at the auction.  Now we have a new, better sound system.  I feel modern  listening music which is streaming to me on the internet.  This is a wonderful world.  Now I am listening to one of several classical stations.  I like my birthday gift.

December 10, 2015, Madison, Ms. Carols at Christmas.

Jackson Prep, the school that Mary Frances attends, presented their six choral groups tonight.  The event was thrilling.    I loved every minute of the hour long event.   The school wisely started the evening at an early time, and on time, at 6:30.  The choirs left the stage to one side while the next choir was entering on the other side so there was no dead time.  And there was no talking between items on the program, so we were in our car to leave at 7:30.  The whole evening was a delight.

The most important part was of course the singing.  The choirs were excellent.   I had only heard Mary Frances' group once, outside,  but when I heard them in the theater, which has excellent acoustics, I was even more impressed.  They are a small group, with no accompaniment.   They sing with a pure sweet tone.  And they sing in tune and sing joyfully.

The show choir sings with a big sound, as you would expect from a group of 100.  When they first entered the auditorium, the lights were off and they came in holding a candle.  The room was surrounded by the singers, as they sang the Carol of the Bells.   The sound was astonishing and beautiful.  They sing with no sign of strain even though they sing at a high volume.  The lady in charge of the Performing Arts Choir knows her stuff.  She was responsible for putting on the whole event.  It was a task done well.  Now I look forward to the next event from the Performing Arts Department.

December 9, 2015. Madison, Ms. Showers.

Taking a shower pleases me.  My age is such that when young,  we used the bathtub to get clean. No showers in my house growing up, so I appreciate taking a shower, especially when all the parts of the shower works well.   When we first moved into this house, the master bedroom shower was in bad shape.   Wonderful Wendy's shower down stairs was worse so once she used ours.  She declined the second time.  The water pressure was weak and the taps were difficult to use.   And there was no hand held spray.    Very soon the plumber fixed everything.  He actually spent two full days making plumbing repairs in the house, but now all is well.  Our shower is perfect as are all other sinks and showers.

 Ken, David and I went to Japan to visit Andrew.   Every time you showered or used the hot baths,  you used a hand held spray.  We liked them so upon our return, we installed them in our bathroom and in all subsequent bathrooms.   The water pressure is too weak in the Top House in Texas but we have them everywhere.  I have learned that the little things in life bring great pleasures so every time I shower in our new home in Mississippi, I am pleased.  Everything in our shower works perfectly to our satisfaction.

When Ken was in medical school, we lived over Gray's hardware store.  We had a bathtub.  Every Saturday night, Ken and I visited Don and Doreen's apartment to watch the hockey game.  They had a shower,  so in between periods, Ken took a shower.  No wonder we are still good friends.

December 8, 2015. Madison, Ms. Birthday Lunch.

And the beat goes on.   Today Linda, Christina's Mother, took Ken and me for a birthday lunch.  Christina came too to help celebrate.   Linda selected Lou's Cafe, a new restaurant in Fondren.  I love going to new restaurants, especially when I discover the ample parking and the quiet atmosphere.   The place is popular so Linda suggested we meet at 11:30, which was smart.  By the time we left at 1:00, the place was full with folks waiting for a table.

There is something special about being taken out for lunch.  I never understand why because we go out for lunch often, but when a friend makes a date with you and pays the bill, the whole world seems brighter.  Of course we had a good time and the food was excellent but the whole event had a special glow.  I loved every minute.

Years ago, Peppy took me out for afternoon tea for my birthday.  It had the same rosy glow.  Peppy always chose fancy places  which lent an additional level of elegance.  But the feeling was the same as today.   Being taken out for my birthday makes me feel like the cat's meow.  But I believe the celebrations for my birthday are over.  Now we will move along to Christmas.

December 7, 2015. Madison, Ms. Bud and Mary.

Bud and Mary are old friends but I lost them…temporarily.   I was delighted the other night when I was able to contact them on the phone.  We talked for ages.  Ken talked with Bud for so long that he could not talk any more and turned the phone back to me.  I of course can talk for ever.

Bud went to school with Ken in Parry Sound.  And Ken was Best Man at Bud's wedding to Mary.  We married the same summer and we have been in touch ever since.  Every summer, when we visited Parry Sound to see Ken's Mother, we camped at Bud and Mary's summer place at Otter Lake.   It was great fun.  A candid picture of our family, taken by Bud on their dock,  hangs in our house in Mississippi.  I am wearing an unmatched 2 piece bathing suit washing clothes in a tub, while both boys are beside me and Ken just behind.  I almost fit my bathing suit while Ken had lots of hair.  We look like hippies.

Last year I was unable to send Christmas cards.  The year before, their card to us was returned.  We had moved.  For a year and a half we did not communicate, so during the phone conversation, Ken told Bud that Andrew had died, I had a recurrence of my breast cancer and he, Ken,  had a type of Parkinson's Disease.   It had been quite an 18 months.  But we were able to report that we were still walking and talking…and having a good time.   I am so pleased to have talked with them.   Now I must do a better job of keeping in touch.

December 6, 2015. Madison, Ms. My Birthday.

When we arrived home from my birthday brunch, flowers were waiting by the front door.  They were special for me from David, Suzanne and the girls in Texas.  And they sent me a video singing me happy birthday and sending love.  Each girl sang a different line.  By the end, they were convulsed with laughter.  It was very funny and very sweet.  And the flowers are beautiful.

Christina and the girls met us for a birthday brunch.  Ken found us a new restaurant, Dragos, on County Line, right beside the Hilton where the family stayed.  It is a New Orleans style sea food restaurant which we all enjoyed.  It was worthy of a special event.  The food was excellent and of course the conversation was spirited.  I enjoyed the food and the company.  All six of us ate dessert to celebrate.

The weather today in Jackson has been perfect with full sun and 65 degrees.  The rest of the afternoon I spent reading and responding to birthday greetings on Facebook and e mail.  It by itself was a treat.  I have decided that I am pleased to be 78 years old.  I have survived and thrived my 77th year.  This day has been a memorable day for me.

MS Back Yard after Ruth's Birthday Brunch Dec 6, 2015

December 5, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Party.

Once upon a time, many years ago, I went through the whole day without anyone remembering it was my birthday.  I decided that it was no fun so I changed tactics and  began to plan a party around my birthday, which is December 6.  I did not make it a birthday party for me.  It was just organized as an event to begin the holiday season.   Sometimes we would have a dinner party at home and sometimes we would have a party at a restaurant.  They were always festive and fun.   Even though I might be the only one who knew I was celebrating my birthday, I was still happy.

Since living in Jackson,  we have been inviting our friends and their children for dinner to a Mexican restaurant.  Last evening we celebrated at Sombro.  We served fajitas so the children could help themselves whenever they were hungry, which they liked.  The evening was relaxed and enjoyable. Both adults and children seemed to get into the spirit of the holiday season.  It is always interesting to watch the children sit together.  Immediately as they arrive, they take up their tables and without anyone saying anything, the newly arrived children join in the children's tables, even though no one has said a word.  The food was excellent and the company top drawer, which makes for a good party.  And the best part was that Ken and I had no clean up at the end.   We both enjoyed the company and the food.  And I celebrated my birthday in style.

December 4, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Baby Jesus.

I found the baby Jesus in my jewelry box.   What a surprise.  Up until tonight,  The Baby Jesus in our small nativity set was a rolled up tissue made by Kate many years ago.  It has been years since the Baby Jesus has been part of the nativity set, but now the whole set is complete.

We moved to Texas in 1964.  Our Christmas decorations did not exist and our funds were limited but I bought a very small nativity set, made of plastic.  Each figure was about one and a half inches tall but it was a full set complete with sheep and shepherds and wise men along with Mary and Joseph and the Baby.  Over the years, each Christmas, I kept the original nativity in a place on honor, even though we owned larger sets.   One year when setting out our decorations the Baby Jesus was missing.  Kate made a substitute, which included eyes and ears.  We were happy with our nativity set and have been using the substitute ever since.

Once when I was organizing for a move, I found the baby Jesus and put him in a safe place but I have not seen him since. This morning,  Christina asked about it when she saw the nativity setting on a table and I told her that I remembered putting the Baby Jesus in a jewelry box many years ago but I did not recall which box.  Tonight, I made a thorough check here in Mississippi and to my great surprise, I found the Baby Jesus tucked in a corner along with some old rings.  Now our tiny old Nativity set is perfect.

December 3, 2015. Madison, Ms. Our Neighborhood.

Most every day I walk around our new neighborhood, but I never see a soul.  There are never any signs of life at the houses.  No children are ever seen in the yards.   Each home is different so it is interesting to look at each house, but it appears to be a neighborhood devoid of people.  I know that is not true because I see cars coming and going and I see cars parked in the driveways but if I depended on my neighbors for my social life I would be out of luck.

We are only living in our home part of the year and we think many other people are in the same situation.  Our immediate neighbors spend 6 months in North Carolina and it is obvious many others have similar patterns.  Most homes were built 25 years ago so many of the original owners will still be here and will be old, so don't work around their yard.  The younger folks both work so are gone all day.  When we moved here in the Spring, our across the street neighbors sent over a full dinner to welcome us to the neighborhood, which was a lovely gesture.  I have not seen any of them since.  Even though they are very pleasant and friendly, their social calendar is full.

One really good aspect of living in Roses Bluff is the quiet.  No dogs are ever in the road. and there are few cars.  The only sound we hear is the companies doing maintenance on the yards.  Nobody and I mean nobody does their own yard, including us, so I see workmen when I walk but I never see anyone who lives here.  Sunday evening there is a party for the neighborhood folks but Ken is not at his best in the evening and walking in the dark is difficult for both of us, so we probably will not attend.  The others will think we are unfriendly.  We like our home and we like our neighborhood but it is the most unusual place we have ever lived.

December 2, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Eye Doctor.

Dr. Kosek is young.  And he is unfailingly optimistic and enthusiastic.  The Eye Doctor in Fredericksburg was also young but he was a hand wringer.  The sky was always falling, and specifically, my eyes were not doing right.  Dr. Cone thought my glaucoma was getting worse and I needed surgery, which I could not have,  due to my blood counts.

Then we moved back to Mississippi.  Dr. Kosek told me to switch to a brand new eye drop twice a day.  The medication was newly approved for the market.  He first gave me three trial bottles to be sure it would help my pressures.  Much to my great surprise, when I was examined by Dr. Kosek today to check my pressures, my levels were 14, which is as low as they ever get.  A miracle has occurred.  A modern medical miracle.  Now a prescription is waiting for me at the drug store which I will use for the next four months, when I will once again visit the good doctor in Mississippi.

My drill is two types of eye drops twice each day, making it four drops plus a different drop for bedtime.  I can do this!!

December 1, 2015. Madison, Ms. Christmas Cards.

I like sending and receiving Christmas cards.  Many folks will say it is old fashioned, or that it is a silly custom  that is also expensive.  But I disagree.  For me, it is a time of the year when I can stop by and say hello to someone who was once a big part of my life and now lives a long way away.  I do the same as if I would stop by for a cup of Christmas tea.

My cards are always written long before Christmas because I do not wish to be rushed.  In the years when I was very busy I often sent cards after the new year because I did not want to be pressured to write the cards.  I enjoy writing a brief note to say hello.  Of course, my writing is so bad the recipient may not be able to decipher the note but they will recognize the signature and they will smile to receive the card.

Last year was the first time in my life since I was married when I was unable to get out cards,  so this year brings me special pleasure as I write the notes and envelopes.  I did notice when I received our first Christmas card from Canada that the stamp cost $1.20.   Whew.  Poor Canadians.  No wonder people have stopped sending Christmas cards.  But not me.  We will send them out even if I must eat beans.  I like sending and receiving Christmas cards.  I am definitely old fashioned.

November 30, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Mills Family.

They feel like family.  In fact I may adopt John as a surrogate son.  Sunday afternoon Greta Barbour, John and the three children came over for afternoon tea.   John and the children, aged 11 to 7, had not seen the house, so the first thing we did was tour both inside and out.

Next we sat at the dining table for dessert and tea, using the good china and silver.  Greta poured while I served the goodies, which were pecan pie and cranberry cake, made by Christina.  Of course, the children ate some of both desserts and came back for more.  They were perfectly behaved children and I think they enjoyed the fancy setting.

After we finished our tea, the adults sat in the living room and talked while the children explored the outside.  Eventually they found the TV and watched football which they don't do at home.   Since moving to Mississippi, I have observed that children who are home schooled know how to look after themselves and seem to enjoy each other.  The whole time the adults talked in the living room, we heard not a peep from the children.

John was Andrew's very good friend so of course we talked about Andrew.  It was a comfortable talk, with all four of us trying to figure out what happened.  Ken and I feel fortunate to have the Mills family in our lives and we certainly enjoyed the Sunday afternoon together.

November 29, 2015. Madison, Ms. Treasures.

Yesterday Ken found boxes under our bottom deck.  I had never even gone down to that outside level and Ken had never looked at the back of the deck.  This afternoon, John and Greta Barbour and their three children came over for a cup of tea and a goodie so while they were here, Ken asked if John could pull the boxes out and inspect them.

The boxes were full of silver and pottery.  John brought them into the garage.  Most of the silver seems to be sterling but badly tarnished.  Tomorrow I will call Susan our real estate agent who will contact the seller.  The objects do not belong to me but I am wondering why they were left outside in boxes under a deck.    I might never know.  If the former owner wants the stuff they are welcome to come and get  them.  I do not need more goodies even if they turn out to be treasures.  It was fun finding these treasures hidden in our new home, but if the seller does not want them I will be forced to sort the stuff and evaluate them carefully.   No reason to be stupid even though I don't want them.

November 28, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Christmas Tree.

The trees looks so much smaller in the lot.  But when you get it home,  it seems to have grown.  My habit is to select a bigger tree, but Christina knows me,  so today she measured the room to be sure the tree would be the correct height when we brought it home.  Sure enough.  She was correct.  

This morning, Molly, Christina and I went to Lakeland Garden Shop to buy a Christmas tree.  It took us five minutes to select the tree.  Christina had decided on a 6 foot tree, so we looked at the correct row.  I of course,  thought it looked too small.   Christina selected the tree immediately and the young men trimmed the bottom and put it on the stand.  Clever Christina had brought it with us.  They also put the tree on the top of the car.    Wonderful service.

I don't know what has happened to the price of trees but the cost seems less than in the past.  I know that many people are using artificial trees so perhaps there is a glut on the market of live trees,  making the prices low.    When the tree came home and set in the corner, we three decided that we had selected the perfect tree for the space, all thanks to Christina and her measuring tape.

With such success with the tree, we decided to reward our behavior by eating lunch at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant.  We enjoyed every bite.

November 27, 2015. Madison, Ms. Christmas.

Now we set our sights on Christmas.    Our habit is always to put up Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving.  But of course I gave most of my decorations away several years ago so I have very little to decorate the house with.  Last year I could not begin to open the few boxes I had at the condo but this year I will get them out and set them around the house.   They might look ridiculous but I will use them anyway.   For a well decorated home I will visit Christina.  I certainly will not purchase more decorations.

I am organized for Christmas this year.  The gifts for the Texas family was left with Suzanne ready to be brought out on Christmas morning.  I still have shopping for the girls here in Mississippi.  Christina's gifts are ready.  For years, Patty, who lives in Vermont, has made wreaths for me, and sent them as gifts to friends and relatives, except not in Canada.  Every year I have expanded my list.  Unfortunately, Patty omitted to send a gift card with the wreath, so only some will know the wreath has come from us.  I guess I will e mail to tell of the wreath's arrival.  Usually, Patty sends them right after Thanksgiving.  I send one to myself too and mine arrived today, and looks lovely on our front door.

Last year I sent no Christmas cards but this year I am ready to get down to business and send them out. For the first time ever we are sending a card with a picture of Ken and me on the front.  We could not find a card specific for Mississippi so instead Christina took a picture of us standing on our deck with our backs to the lake.  And it says "Merry Christmas Y'All".   We are almost ready for Christmas.

November 26, 2015. Madison, Ms. Thanksgiving.

Soon I will turn 78.  December 6 is my birthday.  I am thankful to become 78.  My sister died when she was 77.  I am two and a half years her junior and after she died at age 77, and I turned 75 that same year, I joked that I was in good health at 75, but I would need to watch out when I was 77.  I thought it was funny.   Little did I know that without modern medicine and many prayers and healing hugs from family and friends that I might not be here to turn 78.  So Thanksgiving 2015 was a special day.

I was able to do everything I enjoy on Thanksgiving Day.  The Macy's parade was spectacular.  I went for a walk with Ken in our neighborhood as the day was 70 and sunny.  The family came for dinner in the middle of the afternoon.  I talked to son David and brother David on the phone.   And I got to watch football on TV.  Turkey and football is a winning combination.  And soon I will be 78 where I will have another thanksgiving day.  Giving thanks is a wonderful thing.

November 25, 2015. Madison, Ms. Primos.

There was an element you feel on Christmas Eve where everyone is happy, just waiting for the big day to arrive.   I walked into Primos this afternoon to see at least ten people behind the counter waiting to be helpful, all primed to go home at 5:00.  I was at Primos to pick up my holiday feast.  It was 3:00, the time the food had been ordered.   The place was a buzz of activity.  Much to my surprise, everything was in order and efficient.  There was no waiting.

A lady checked the computer and handed a ticket to a young man, who walked into the kitchen and returned in one minute with a big box full of my food.  I asked if it was heavy and he said it was.  But he also told me he would carry the box to the car for me, which I appreciated.  All the people seemed delighted picking up their food.   The spirit of the season prevailed.  I noticed that many folks were picking up just deserts and left with 6 pies.  Another man carried out just a turkey.  The thing that impressed me was how many people were there picking up food.  I was only there for 5 or 10 minutes but I saw a lot of people coming and going.  And they all looked happy, especially me.  No cooking for me tomorrow.

November 24, 2015. Madison, Ms. Birthday Girl.

Today, Molly turned 8.  Becoming 8 years old is exciting for Molly,  so much so that she woke up at 5:00 in the morning, ready to get on with her birthday.  She was never able to go back to sleep, just stayed in bed and stared at the ceiling waiting for 7:00 so she could get up.   By her own recording, she had a wonderful birthday.   Just before Thanksgiving is not a time for a party with friends because so many families are already out of town so Molly did not have a traditional party yet.  But she chose to go to the place where you build a bear, accompanied by Mary Frances, who built a wonderful bear too.    Then lunch out with the other grandmother rounded out her morning.

For supper she asked to dine at Five Guys, the restaurant serving hamburgers and hot dogs, so Kate joined us and the family ate dinner at the low key place in the Renaissance.   Interesting choose I thought for an 8 year old.  The hamburgers were great, big and juicy and the french fries too.  No wonder they are doing so well all over the country.

I have always thought that gifts for children are best spread out over the whole day.  Molly opened gifts from Christina and Mary Frances first thing in the morning and she was able to play with her new goodies.  Then at noon, Linda gave Molly her gifts.  Tonight at the restaurant, Molly was excitedly waiting for her birthday dinner and also anticipating a gift from us.  While we were waiting for our food, she opened her gifts and was delighted.   We had given her an early painting of Ann Smith, one that had hung at the farm.   When Molly unwrapped the gift, she exclaimed,  "This is my favorite painting".  And I also gave her a  hand made wooden box from the Mississippi craft store, along with a sculpture of a wise owl, all items to cherish for a lifetime.   Molly was one very happy 8 year old tonight, although I am sure she was ready to go to bed after her long and happy birthday.

November 23, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Disappearing Bill.

The seller of our home, Mrs. Jones,  hired Bill to make the four pages of repairs required from the home inspection.  The listing agent knew Bill.  He worked hard and completed his tasks, just in time for settlement so we were grateful for his work.  After settlement we hired him for several jobs and he was competent.   But Ken and I always wondered why he was working as a handyman as he was well educated and had trained as a minister.  He was pleasant too.  We early noticed that he had difficulty sticking with a task so we wondered if he had ADD.   We were only in our new home for three weeks but several times I would get a text from Bill telling me he would be there at 8:00, except he would appear at 4:00 with no words of explanation.

We left for Texas at the end of April and left two tasks for Bill to complete before our return in October.  Much to our surprise, we have not seen him since we left.  I have received several phone calls with reasons for his inability to complete the tasks and several texts telling me he would be here tomorrow at 8:00, but he never appeared.  He has vanished.   Clearly he has gone off the deep end but in the meantime, we hired other people to assemble the cook top and to complete the hand rail.   And we have a new handyman, Chantes, so we are fine, but what has happened to Bill?

I am reminded of the old adage about finding something that was too good to be true only to find that they were not really true.  Bill seemed to be too good to be true.  He could do everything and anything. And he was smart.  But something was not right with Bill.  I wonder if he will ever surface?  I know that he will not work for us again, as he is too undependable.    But I would like to know what has happened to disappearing Bill.  I want the end of the story.

November 22, 2015. Madison, Ms. Lourdes.

Lourdes is the wife of our new handyman, Chantes.  They moved here from Cuba.  In one conversation with Chantes, he mentioned that his wife, Lourdes, was a good cook.  I quickly asked him if she might be interested in cooking for us.  We have agreed that Lourdes will come and cook in our kitchen  one day a week and will prepare meals that can be heated up as needed.  So far she has come twice and so far, all has been well.

Lourdes is first a person who wants to help us and she can tell we are not capable of doing our own food preparation.  Ken has been the main cook for the past 30 years and he can not do it now.   All I do now is to move food around but I do not actually cook.  So Lourdes is kind.

Lourdes is also a person who wants us to eat only healthy food.  She has already lectured me many times as to what we must be eating.  We must eat only organic food.  We must not eat red meat or ice cream or butter.  Before she comes to cook, she visits the grocery store and buys what she needs to cook this week.  And she wants us eating gluten free.   I am older than her but she lectures me as if I am her daughter.  Fortunately, her English is limited so much of what she tells me is in Spanish so I just laugh.  She has already encouraged us to buy a NutriBullet, to mix up healthy drinks, which I have used twice.  She really believes that when we eat properly, we will become strong.

Lourdes is a charming lovely lady and she is also an excellent cook.  I am delighted to find food in the fridge we can eat for our meals.  But I suspect that we will never match her standards of eating well.  But we will try our best..

November 21, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Choirs.

The choir singing before Mary Frances' on Friday was excellent.   They sang in tune and they sang with a lovely sweet sound.   Although they were a choir from a Jackson High School, they wore robes reaching to their shoes.  If I had of closed my eyes, I would have thought they came from the local Episcopal church.  What rang tilt for me was that every singer was black, including the leader.  No swinging or swaying or snapping of fingers.  No up tempo gospel songs.  They sang perfectly straight Christmas carols and they sang them very well.

The next choir, from Jackson Prep, which Mary Frances sang with,  did well too.  But their songs were  up beat and jazzy with finger snapping and chortles with lots of different rhythms.   Close your eyes and one might think this might be a black choir, but of the 22 singers, 2 were black.  It seemed to me that the choirs just switched their roles, at least temporarily.  It was fascinating to listen and to try to understand why.  Their dress of this choir was dark skirts and white blouses with a rose scarf or vest for the girls.  Very cute and trendy but definitely not a church robe.  Living in the south brings a whole lot of things to try to figure out what is happening.  The choice of songs from these two choirs was definitely not one I understand.

November 20, 2015. Madison, Ms. Television.

You must look hard but if you do, you may be rewarded.   This evening, Ken and I watched a program about the making of musical instruments in the United States.  It was called Craft making Instruments, or something like that.   Right in our midst we have talented people making beautiful instruments by hand.  We heard the steps to making a banjo and why one banjo sounds different from another.  And we watched the parts of a timpani being assembled, including the varieties of the sticks.  Fascinating.  Finally, we saw the building of a guitar.  This short program was excellent.

A couple of days ago I spotted a program called Culinary Travel.  I had neither heard nor seen it before but that day  it turned out to be about traveling and eating in winter in the Muskoka Lake area in Ontario.   Now the next time I go to the area I will know about all the good places to dine and where to eat ice cream.  As I know the area well I had fun recalling the towns and the Inns and Lodges.

Ken has made our favorite channels into the categories so when I am too weary to read or work, I am able to find interesting material on the TV.   I am surprised that a half hour here and a half hour there brings me great pleasure.

November 19, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Acapello Choir.

Fondren, a funky and charming neighborhood in Jackson, held a festival this evening.   The side streets were lined with craft booths and bake sales.  At one end of the block was Santa Clause, sitting in his carriage, waiting for the children to sit on his knee for a photo opportunity.   On the same street as Santa Clause was a building with a set of stairs.  Starting at 5:00, a different choir from Jackson schools sang. One of the choirs was the Acapello choir from Jackson Prep, the school attended by Mary Frances.  And she sings in the choir.

The choir has 22 students, 11 girls and 11 boys.  They sang beautifully.   The young lady leader is a student at one of the local Universities and she is good.  The students obviously enjoyed singing the songs which were spirited and upbeat, a mix of Christmas and secular songs.   There were at least 10 different kids singing solo parts throughout the half hour presentation, which made for great interest.  The choir sang musically and tunefully and I could hear every word.   My Mother would have enjoyed the performance as did I.

Christina, Molly and I drove Mary Frances for her meeting at 4:30.  Their time to sing was 5:30, which left the three of us to enjoy a beverage and a small taco at Baba Ganu while we waited.  It was the perfect spot.  We could enjoy our goodies while still watching for the choir to walk across the street for their performance.  Our timing was perfect.

November 18, 2015. Madison, Ms. Brad.

Brad went to school with David and Andrew.  They attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School from the 7th to the 12th grades.  They played together on the school teams.  Brad and David ran cross country in the fall when Andrew played soccer but they all played basketball together.   David played lacrosse in the spring and I think Brad ran track.  Brad is the same age as David but the group of athletes from the school all hung around together throughout the year so Brad was in and out of our house regularly.  And Brad came skiing with us a couple of times too.  He attended the weddings of both David and Andrew.  We have always considered Brad a friend.

This evening we had dinner with Brad.  He lives and works in London, England but he has a business meeting in Jackson tomorrow so he came early enough to contact us.   I give Brad a gold star for going out of his way to see the aged parents of old friends.    We love to talk to young people.  And I give Brad extra points for doing such a good job of staying in touch with his old school friends.  David always has a drink with Brad when in London.  Ken and I enjoyed visiting with him tonight even though the evening was simple.  We chatted for a bit at our home, then we, along with Christina, all went to the Yacht Club for dinner.   The only problem was the noise and the service.  They were crowded.   But we had a good time and we were delighted that Brad had come to Jackson for business and that he remembered that we lived here.  Hats off to Brad.

November 17, 2015. Madison, Ms. The Blue Jacket.

When you are as old as me, every object has a story…and a fond memory.  This morning I went walking.  Before leaving the house, I looked through the jackets hung in the kitchen closet.  I needed a jacket with pockets and I needed one that was wind proof.  But I did not want one too warm.  Yesterday the fleece jacket I wore was too hot.  We had brought jackets from the condo and the farm, so we have lots from which to select.  Right at the back of the closet I found my favorite walking jacket.  And I smiled and put it on.

Thirty years ago, I gave that jacket to Andrew for Christmas, along with lots and lots of other clothes.  He thanked me and hung it in his closet.  But he never wore it.  When he went to college, I was packing his clothes to move to our new home when I found the jacket and I took it for my own.  The jacket is cotton,  like a heavy T shirt, and it has buttons.   It is long, coming down to mid thigh on me.  The waist can be snugged in tight, as is the bottom, so in a high wind, you can keep out the cold.  And the fabric breathes, so you do not get hot.  It is a wonderful walking jacket, but it is definitely not fashionable.  Andrew never did discover I had confiscated his jacket but I had been wearing it ever since when I went walking.  I am pleased to have discovered this old friend, the blue jacket and I will wear it for my walks every day here in Mississippi.  And I will smile with the memory.

November 16, 2015. Madison, Ms. Susan Mimms.

Saturday morning Susan came over for coffee and to see the finished product of our new home.  She also brought us a gift.  Susan knows we live part time in Nova Scotia and she brought us a gift that thrilled us both.  It is a map of French settlements of North America, published in London, England in 1747, where Nova Scotia was called Acadia.  The map must be older than the magazine publication because by then the English were moving in and beginning to take over.  But there it is, bold as brass.  Acadia is printed on the map.  I have hung it here in Mississippi but perhaps we will take it to Nova Scotia.  It is a great map.

Susan is our real estate agent.  Ken was having trouble finding enough condominiums in the Internet and we asked a friend of Andrew's why the scarcity.  He told us to call Susan Mimms and gave us her number.  She attended the same church.  We met and she helped us find our condo.  She also helped Christina and Andrew buy their home and she worked with us to buy our present home.  And she sold our condo too.   She is a good agent.  And she is interested in antique maps.  She owns many and displays them at her home.  In addition, her daughters in law became interested too so Susan still combs through the antique map stores searching maps of the south and of North America.  She found ours at a map store in New Orleans.

15 years ago, Susan had cancer, a type of a blood disease.  In order to keep her mind off her disease, she became a real estate agent.  This was when she was 55.  Much to her surprise, she likes her job and is very good at it too.  She is cancer free still so she will continue to work as long as she is able.  So she and I have much in common, including an interest in antique maps.  And I do know something about a good real estate agent and how they work!!

November 15, 2015. Madison, Ms. Sunday Brunch.

The tradition is good.  Most Sunday  we meet the family at 11:15 for Brunch.   They attend early church while we are lazy.  Then we all meet for brunch.  The girls enjoy dining out and we like to see the girls dressed up.  But most importantly, we visit and we talk.

Today we learned about the initiation service for the sorority that Kate is joining.   Tomorrow, she will receive her pin and now will be officially a member.  And we talked about the dangerous place that Universities have become.  Amazing but true.

Today we enjoyed our brunch at the Thai restaurant I stumbled on last week with Doreen.   Surin of Thailand is the proper name.  It is located on Old Canton Road in Jackson.  When we arrived just after 11:00, we were the first customers but when we left at 12:30, the place was full.   They must be doing something right.  While we were there, a man in chef's jacket stopped by our table to ask about our food, which we said was great.  When we asked if he was the head cook, he told us that he is a consulting chef, who travels all over North America to evaluate menus and food taste.   Who would have thought you could make your living traveling around the country evaluating restaurants?   He is independent and has been hired by the owner of Surin of Thailand to broaden the range of food, to make the Thai food more palatable to Americans.   For instance, we ordered the special appetizer, which was a waffle with chicken and seasonings on top.  It was delicious.  The consulting chef said that it was one of the new items he had introduced to the restaurant.

I just hope the visiting consultant does not mess up the food.  It already was wonderful.

November 14, 2015. Madison, Ms. Organizing.

Yesterday I organized.  I once again looked at all the family photographs and put more out on the shelves in the TV room.  Gloria did a great job putting many photos on the shelves beside the stairs to the lower level.  People like them but most of all, I love to see them every time I walk down the stairs.

I organized a party for December 4, at Sombro, a Mexican restaurant in Ridgeland.  It is a dinner party for our Jackson friends and their children, but is actually a party to celebrate my birthday, which is on December 6.  I booked the night at the restaurant and I phoned the folks to invite them and to save the date.  But I never say a word about my birthday.  The contract is signed and the menu is ordered so we are set and ready to go.

Thanksgiving dinner will be held in our new home.  I heard that places in town will prepare the whole feast, which you pick up and reheat on the big day.   It seems lazy but I spoke to the restaurant close to us, Primo,  and I immediately drove over and ordered and paid for our dinner.   Christina and I had discussed the options and when I heard that Katy and Nelson had used the service last year from Whole Food I was sold on the idea.  I have cooked many turkeys over my life but this year, I will pick up the whole meal the day before.  They will give me directions for the re heating.  I am getting smart in my old age.

My last organizing task was to phone our agent Susan Mimms to come and see the house.  She has seen the transformation so I wanted her to see the final product.  She came this morning for coffee.  And she brought us an antique map, showing the French possessions in 1747, where Nova Scotia is labelled Acadia.  We were delighted.  I have hung it here but I may take it to Nova Scotia, where it belongs.  That was a lot of organizing for one day.

November 13, 2015. Madison, Ms. Ice Cream.

My brain was out of gear when I chose the ice cream.   I arrived home with two types of ice cream that no one liked.  But they ate it anyway.   Somehow or other, I picked up a different box of ice cream than I had looked at in the freezer because when I opened the bag at home to put them in the fridge, the flavors of ice cream were different than I had intended to bring home.  

Even I did not like the flavors of ice cream and I have never known an ice cream that I did not like.  Some ice cream I just like better.   Chocolate ice cream with donuts was one.  It was awful with chunks of dough throughout the ice cream.   The other kind was chocolate malt.  The problem with it was the small balls of malt in the ice cream.  They were hard and you felt as if your teeth might break at any moment.  And there were lots of those hard malt balls.  I will not ever bring either types home again.  But of course, as I was not paying attention the other day, I could have another lapse.  Perhaps it is called getting old.

Yesterday when Doreen and I went shopping, we were admonished by our men for Doreen to chose the ice cream.  And she did.   Butter pecan and rocky road ice cream were perfectly acceptable by all four.  Next time I shop I must be more careful.

November 12, 2015. Madison, Ms. Don and Doreen.

Doreen and Don have driven from Toronto to visit us in our new home in Mississippi.   They have been here for two weeks and two days.  We will miss them when they leave tomorrow.  They are easy guests to have in the house and they help us with tasks both large and small.  Today was a perfect example.

Don accompanied Ken a week ago when he went to have surgery to remover more of the cancer cells from near his ear.  Today once again Don drove Ken to the surgeons office to have the stitches removed.  Don is good company for Ken plus saving me time and energy.  Both Ken and I appreciate Don's efforts.

This afternoon, Doreen and I went grocery shopping to stock the freezer, fridge and pantry.  Both of us wheeled a cart, picking up goodies as we went, Doreen on one side of the store and me on the other.  Our baskets were loaded and the back seat of the truck full.  When we got home,  Doreen brought all the bags in from the truck while I put  the items away in the pantry, fridge and freezer.  We were both weary when we were finished but Ken and I are set for the rest of our time in Mississippi.  It would have taken me 30 trips to bring the grocery bags into the kitchen without the help from Doreen.

Then after we sat down for a glass of water, Doreen cooked the salmon and fried potatoes for dinner.  My contribution was the rolls and the salad, both purchased at the store.   Our dinner was pleasant and delicious, as usual, all thanks to Doreen.

We will miss their presence in our life and we will miss all their help.  Now we wish them safe travels.

November 11, 2015. Madison, Ms. Unexpected Events.

The unexpected event was delightful.  Yesterday, on the way home from seeing the Oncologist, I drove a different way, just to show Doreen another part of Jackson.  My path took me up State Street, then through Fondren, a funky little section of town much beloved by the locals.  On my right side I spotted a new restaurant, plus a parking lot and a sign that said Thai food.  It was just past noon so I quickly turned into the lot and found a handicapped spot right at the door.   The new restaurant was wonderful with excellent service and tasty food.  Doreen and I enjoyed our Pad Thai and took lunch home to the men.  We did not expect to eat lunch at this fine restaurant but we both we pleased with our decision.

Today after lunch, I called Christina to see if it would be possible for all five of us to have a pedicure when the girls finished school.   She thought it sounded delightful so within five minutes, she called to say that we had an appointment at 3:30.   When Doreen and Don arrived home from shopping, I told Doreen the good news.   And when Christina picked up both girls they hooted with glee.  For Doreen, todays pedicure was the second in her life, which was the same for Molly.  The difference is that Molly will soon be 8 while Doreen is 80.   We all five sat in a row enjoying the luxury of being pampered and knowing that it was a lovely surprise.

We have just experienced two unexpected events, both of which turned into pleasures.  We are definitely on a roll.

November 10, 2015. Madison, Ms. Argentine Ants.

One thing is true.  We have had no ants in our pants.  But we have had ants in the kitchen and in the living room and in Ken's office.  They love our iPads and computers.  Our exterminator has become our new best friend.   And we know a lot about Argentine ants.

These Argentine ants were introduced into the south just a few years ago and nothing really eats them.  They are tiny, less than a millimeter in length.  And they hate rain, so when the rain comes down, these ants search for dry spots,  so find their way indoors.   Their homes are in trees and only come out of the tree when it pours.  They do not like wet feet.

So far, the exterminator has come to our house six times in the last two weeks.   We thought we had gotten ahead of the problem but yesterday morning when the house was being washed, thousands of these tiny ants could be seen in the living room just under the windows.  We sprayed and this afternoon, our bug man came once again and sprayed both inside and out.  We are making head way.   We now see thousands rather than the millions of last week.  And if the rains will stop, these ants will stay up where they belong.

The exterminator tells us that they have never before had an infestation of these ants such as this year.  Fortunately, they do not bite and are tiny.  But I am ready to have them gone.    The exterminator is having good business but even he is ready to get them gone.  Once again, a good sense of humor is a major asset.  We are grateful for having no ants in our pants.

November 9, 2015. Madison, Ms. Grandparents Day.

Molly attends Christ Covenant School.  Last Friday, the school held an event specifically for grandparents.  Parents were not invited.   Now I have attended grandparents day before, both in Potomac for Kate and Mary Frances and in Texas for Sarah, Abigail, Allison and Samantha, and I have enjoyed every one.  Each event has been special, both for the grandparent and the child.  Molly was extremely excited to think that both grandmothers would be attending and would be visiting her class room.

I was astonished at the number of people in attendance.  The large double gym was full of tables and people.  The place was jammed.  and it was well organized.  The program moved along quickly, with each grade singing a song, with the 5th grade students giving information about the piece to be sung.  The comments were brief and the singing was spirited.   The music teacher must be good because she chose pieces that the children loved.  They obviously enjoyed their singing.  And the last piece was sung by all students.

The songs were all upbeat and jazzy, which the kids loved.  I would like to point out that Molly could sing the syncopated parts, which is not true for many students.  She must have music in her soul.  And many of the pieces could have been heard in a Salvation Army service, which was fun for me.   The other grandmother took us out for lunch, chosen by Molly.  She selected the bagel place.  It was fun and festive.  Molly loved the whole day and so did I, even though I know full well that the grandparents day is a fund raiser for the school as well as a day for public relations.  The teachers and administrators obviously work hard to help the children learn.  For that a grandmother is grateful.

November 8, 2015. Madison, Ms. The TV and Internet.

We have certainly lived without them but for two days, we went without either once again.   Starting around noon yesterday, both our TV and Internet would not work.  Ken and I decided the torrential rains were impacting the line and when I called AT&T, they agreed that the problem was with the line.   Every time I am forced to call the customer service department it takes me almost an hour, which eventually ends with an appointment with the technician coming to check our system…tomorrow.   This will be the third visit to our home.  Yesterday evening and today, we were cut off from the world.

Much to our surprise, the tech was a woman.   We enjoyed talking with her.  She is one semester away from getting her degree in IT, which she is obtaining on line.  She works full time with AT&T while she gets her education on line.  She arrived today at 4:00 and left at 5:30 for her next appointment.  Her twin sons, who are two,  are with her parents when she works in the evening.   Her course with AT&T lasted 10 weeks.  When she graduates, she will go to graduate school, again on line.   She said that it is the only way she could get her education and work full time as well as care for her children.

We were irritated with our lack of TV and Internet but now all is well.  And we were delighted to meet Constance, our new technician, who fixed our system and was cute and personable too.  She also gave me her cell phone so I no longer need to call customer service.  I asker her one question which was "Where did you get your IT training?"  And we all learned something new.

November 6, 2015. Madison, Ms. Rain. Rain. Rain.

Ever since Don and Doreen arrived on October 28 it has been raining.  Ken checks the weather forecast each morning, which predicts alternately cloudy and sunshine.  But the forecast is always wrong.  What we get is more rain.  Christina and the girls came home from Nova Scotia in mid July.  There had been no rain until we arrived October 19.  Since then, the rain has fallen on parts of every day.  It is like living in a monsoon.

The good thing is that the reservoir is filling up and the plantings are getting a well deserved drenching.   The difficulty this weekend is the PGA golf tournament being held this weekend in Jackson, sponsored by Sanderson Farms, a Mississippi institution.  It rained most of Thursday and all today.  It is pouring right now and is expected to rain all day tomorrow.  Sunday might be cloudy.  I don't expect the golfers will be able to play in this weather.

The interesting thing is that the rains have followed us around the country.  We had huge rains and flooding in Texas in the Spring and are experiencing torrential rains here in Jackson.  Fortunately we like the rain, but when visitors are here, they might like to go for a walk every now and then.   Jackson does get 52 inches of rain on average per year but neither Ken nor I have experienced this sustained rain, day after day and all night too.  Don and Doreen will just have to visit us again, when the sun might shine.  But I don't think it will happen this visit.

November 5, 2015. Madison, Ms. Baldomero Chantes.

He wants us to call him Chantes, which I fully understand.  Baldomero is quite a handful to use on a regular basis.  So everyone calls him Chantes.  He is one of the more interesting person we have met recently.

Our old handyman Bill was excellent but when we left in the Spring, we left him with three major tasks left undone.   We returned recently to find nothing done but with many text messages promising to come soon to complete the work.  For a few days we believed him but Bill seems to have disappeared so we went ahead to try to find another handyman.  That person was Chantes, a referral from our mover John and our cleaning lady Elizabeth.

Chantes is from Cuba.  He and his family emigrated in 2007.  He is 59 and thin as a rail.  He arrived in Jackson in 2009.  "Most Cubans end up in Miami", said Chantes, "But we prefer the quiet of Jackson."  He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cuba, with an advanced degree from Moscow.  When he arrived in the US, he had three tasks:  to learn English, to take the exams to obtain papers in his field and to earn a living.   Two tasks were accomplished.  He went into the construction business, working with a real estate company fixing up houses.  And he has his own business working as a handyman.   And a good handyman he is.  In addition, he is enthusiastic and reliable.

I would love to know what compelled the family to leave Cuba.  They have been to Toronto only once, when they changed planes at the airport.  One day I might get the story but at the moment, I am delighted that he has installed the pulls in the kitchen cabinets.  He has made my life easier so I am grateful for Chantes.  I suspect he will not disappear.

November 4, 2015. Madison, Ms. Workmen.

The men who come to work on our house are all young, except for the handyman, who is 59.  I think it is a good sign for the community when the skilled craftsmen are young.  The plumbers are young who work for the company we use.  They are competent and pleasant and seem to enjoy their job.  Today we had a young man arrive from the company we hired to clean the windows.  He was working by himself and cleans the windows by hand.  Unfortunately, he could not clean many of the outside windows because they are too high off the ground.  Tomorrow he will return and power wash the outside of the house.  I have yet to figure out how to get the outside windows clean.

The new fridge was delivered today.  Last week when we ordered it, at Lowes,  delivery date was three weeks, but yesterday it had arrived so this morning bright and early the store called to say it would be delivered between 8 and 10.  At 9, the doorbell rang and the fridge was there.  The old huge fridge was hauled away and the brand new freezer/fridge is now in place.   The young men had trouble removing the old fridge but they persevered and soon it was gone.  Tomorrow morning the plumber will attach the water line and we will be up and running.

Thanks to all these young competent hard working men, our house is bit by bit shaping up.  We are fortunate to have this many workers available.

November 3, 2015. Madison, Ms. An Excursion.

This morning we took a small excursion.  Don and Doreen have been here almost a week so I thought a little drive around the Reservoir was in order.  After such a long journey in the car from Toronto to Mississippi, you do not want to get back into the car for any drive, short or long, so up until today, we just drove to places around town.  But today we drove around part of the Reservoir.  We all enjoyed our small excursion.

The Natchez Trace follows right along the side of the Reservoir.   I was driving and drove the cars behind me nuts because I do not drive the speed limit.  I am seeing the sights.  We saw several Giant Egrets and bunches of little ones.  For a walk we stopped at the State wildlife management area where we usually walk out to a hut to see all the ducks.  Except today there were no ducks.  Ken and I have walked in the same place many times and always seen many more types of ducks than we can recognize.  But today there were no ducks.  In the distance we saw half a dozen egrets so we were happy.

Right at the end of the Reservoir close to home,  Ken suggested we drive right along the shore.  By then we were hungry so ate lunch at the Pelican Cove Cafe.  The windows were open right beside our table.  At the end of a pier,  not 20 feet away, was a Great Blue Heron devouring a fish he had just caught.  Then he sat and slept while we ate our delicious lunch of crawfish pasta and gumbo.  Soon we four were home for our own nap after our small but happy excursion.

November 2, 2015. Madison, Ms. Light Bulbs.

How many men does it take to change a light bulb?   In our house, the answer is three, especially one man is 82 and  another is 79.

Our breakfast room had one pot light burned out.  The ceiling is high so Ken and Don bought a long pole that holds attachments to push up and twist the light out.  We had something similar in Texas and it worked just fine.  Ken opened the package and set it up for the correct size.  Then Ken and Don tried to remove the dead bulb.  Doreen and I were listening from our secure perch in the living room, but we could hear every word.

First the pole came apart, then the part wrapped around the bulb would not budge.  Great hilarity was coming from the breakfast room.  Next Ken decided to use the suction cup of the mechanism to remove the bulb, but this time the whole end stuck to the build and would not move an inch.  By now they had two pieces attached to the bulb that was showing no signs of moving.  They decided to get the ladder.

Doreen and I were not pleased to hear of either of them going up the ladder so Doreen volunteered to climb up and remove the two parts by hand.  Even with the ladder she was unable to do anything.  More chortling and chuckling were heard.

Finally today, our new handyman Chantes installed the new bulb, which took 5 minutes.  So the answer to the question of how many men does it take to change a light bulb is really one, but it must be one under 60.  Our old guys had great fun but it needed the young one to get the job done.

November 1, 2015. Madison, Ms. Consignment Shops.

The consignment shops in the Jackson area are excellent.  There are four worth visiting.  They are large and the quality of the items for sale is high.   I can not figure out why they are so good.  Other places with much larger populations don't come close to the variety and options available here.

When Don and Doreen were coming to visit, I was checking the guest room  and discovered that, although the room was pleasant, the room had no drawers, so the four of us went shopping at the consignment shops to find a long chest or buffet to fit the space.   We fanned out into the first store and checked out all available options.  When an object seemed feasible, we called to each other to check it out.  We had fun.

The first object Ken found was a beautiful buffet, made of solid mahogany but it was too big for the guest room.  He decided it would look great in our bedroom but I was not sure it would fit.  But I found a white, long low chest perfect for the guest room, so we bought it.  Our plan was to measure, then call the owner to tell her our decision on the lovely piece.  It took us 20 minutes.

We celebrated our purchase by eating lunch at a wonderful Italian restaurant in the Renaissance.   And when we got home we measured, then bought the buffet for the bedroom.  The chests were delivered the next day and both look as if they were always in place.  we four were pleased with our shopping.

October 31, 2015. Madison, Ms. A Celebration.

Today we celebrated by eating more friend food than we have had for over a year.    Today, Don turned 82 so Doreen suggested she take us all out for a birthday dinner.  As we had eaten a late breakfast, we decided to go for a late lunch to celebrate.  Ken suggested Shuckers, a restaurant and bar that is close to home.

 The rain was coming down cats and dogs, so Don kindly brought his new car into the garage.  We all walked along the covered walkway into the garage and the car.   At the restaurant, he dropped us at the canopy leading to the restaurant.  Pretty good service from Don on his birthday, as none of us got a drop on rain.

Shuckers is a place with plenty of local color.   It looks very like a Mississippi joint, except it is big.  Today the waitresses were all in costume and a live band was playing beginning at 3:00.  It was certainly not a place you could dine in Toronto.  We had a good time, and the food was excellent.  We were full after the appetizers.   But the worst part was that Don payed the bill, even though it was his birthday.  We were happy to celebrate the 82nd birthday with our friend Don, to whom we have been friends for over 60 years.   All 4 of us will remember our good time at Shuckers celebrating the birthday of Don even though it was an odd place to celebrate.  It was definitely not a fancy restaurant!!

October 30, 2015. Madison, Ms. Hallowe'en.

Tomorrow night is supposed to rain so the powers that be in Jackson and the surrounding area  encouraged everyone to celebrate Trick or Treating tonight instead of tomorrow.  Here,  weather forecasts are mostly accurate so people paid attention and tonight became Hallowe'en.  John and Greta Barbour had invited us to their Hallowe'en party tomorrow night so they too moved their party up a day.  We all obliged so tonight we went to their porch Trick or Treating Party.

John had made white chili made of chicken cooked in his smoker.  We enjoyed dinner sitting on their front porch watching the parade of costumed children coming for their treats.   Tonight the numbers of children was low but they still ran out of candy.  The party was delightful.  They suspect that tomorrow evening they will have many more Trick or Treaters tomorrow night too.  We left a bowl of candy on our steps but no one came to our door.  This switching of Hallowe'en is confusing.  But tonight we thoroughly enjoyed the porch party at the Mills Family.  But the children liked it best of all.

October 29, 2015. Madison, Mississippi. The Yacht Club.

The Sunday Brunch was even better than it used to be.   Last Sunday, for the first time since we moved into our new house,  Christina and the girls joined us for Brunch.  Molly was delighted.  And we were pleased to see Kate, who drove back from Mississippi College to be with us for Brunch.   She seems to be managing well at college and is getting to classes and turning in assignments in a timely fashion. And she reports good grades too.  She looks grown up and happy.

Molly now calls the Yacht Club by the proper pronunciation.  Years ago, when she did not pronounce the y, she called it the Aucht Club.  Then it evolved to be The Hot Club.  Now that she reads, she calls it The Yacht Club, so no more baby talk for her.    For a while, we all called it the Aucht Club, but no more.

Their food Sunday was excellent.  The executive chef is the same,  so you would expect to be served excellent food.  Along with all the breakfast foods, they served rack of lamb, chicken and fish with many vegetables and salads.   This coming Sunday we will bring Don and Doreen and with the family will celebrate our Sunday Brunch at The Yacht Club.  We will all enjoy our tradition.

October 28, 2015. Madison, Mississippi. Wee Willie.

Our new bull in Texas had no name.  The old bull was called Big Tex, so named by the Texas granddaughters for obvious reasons.   But the new bull had no name.  The girls could not name the bull without seeing him so he stayed nameless….until now.  Now his name is Wee Willie.

Last evening, son David was having a drink with a man from London, England, who he has known in the past.  They were both at an insurance meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.   For some reason, they were discussing ranches in Texas, specifically  Longhorn cattle.  In passing, the question of our new bull came up.  It turns out that the young mans son, who is 3, would like to name the bull Willie after himself, whose name is William.  I received a text asking about the name but as I was watching the baseball game, I did not answer until this morning.  Of course I agreed to Willie but added the Wee in honor of the young man, who is probably wee in height.

The young man has never seen a longhorn bull so he is wanting David to send a picture of his namesake.  Wee Willie is definitely not wee but the name will be a reminder of the young English lad of 3 who is fascinated with Texas ranches and Longhorn cattle.  We will smile every time we use his name.  Wee Willie is a ridiculous name for this bull and we love the name.  Wee Willie is our bull.