July 31, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Hoggies.

In an attempt to empty out the garage, I called Art, who owns the used furniture store in town.  He calls his place Hoggies.  He is a nice man, who came back to Liverpool to live when he retired from his job in Toronto.  He had been an accountant.  We have gotten to know him over the years, buying pieces and bringing things to him when no longer needed.  Our habit was to just give him the objects to sell and not expect any money.  We wanted him to stay in business.

During the visit of the grandchildren, no one played with the antique cradle,  the old wagon or the gramophone so I decided to gives all three to Hoggies.   According to Art, most people expect him to buy the object outright so he was delighted when I told him that he could just keep them and sell them and pocket the money.    And I wanted to clear out the garage to get rid of clutter that was not being used.   I spoke to him this morning and he came directly from the store closing, which was at 4:00.   He was pleased and quickly loaded the three pieces on his truck.

Then he went to his truck and brought me back a gift.   As he approached me, all I could think was that he was giving me a large object, while I was trying to get rid of large objects.   I could see that the gift was heavy but how could I refuse a gift?   He seemed so pleased to be giving me what ever was in the bag.   Then he let me off the hook.  He said, "Ruth, if you don't like this bowl, feel free to give it to one of your friends.  You and your friends have always been so helpful to me at my business".   Now I am the proud owner of a beautiful cut glass pin wheel pedestal bowl.   It is heavy and is now sitting in the middle of the dining table.   I will see how long it sits there until I donate it to a friend.

July 30, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Parking Lot.

 Parking at the hospital costs money.  To get out, you must pay $4.   It is simple.  You take two coins of $2. each.    The gate goes up so you can drive out.   In Canada, the dollars are coins with a picture of a loon, thus called a loonie.  And there is also a two dollar coin and named a toonie.    The first time Gill and I arrived at the gate to get out of the parking lot, we discovered we had no coins, so we tried to use a credit card, but to no avail.  No credit cards allowed, so we sat and talked about what to do.  Finally a nice young man let us out with his pass to open the gate.

The next time I was by myself.  As I was visiting the doctor, they gave me a token which activates the gate, but when I tried to put the token into the slot, my left hand refused to co-operate and the token fell to the ground.  While I was peering out the window trying to figure out how to get the token, another nice young man came with his pass to open the gate.  Free again.

The problem was my left hand which has a lot of neuropothy, so I decided in the future to get out of the truck and put the money into the slot with my right hand, which works better than my left.  So I did, but I was too close to the gate for the door to open properly so I was forced to squeeze out the door, put the 2 toonies in the slot,  and get back in the truck before the gate closed again.  It was not pretty but it was effective.

Today we had the drill down perfectly.  Doreen came with me.  When we were ready to leave, I gave her two toonies and when we approached the gate she got out of the truck and put the two coins in the slot.  When the gate opened, I drove out and she walked out to get into the truck.  Our system must have looked odd but it was a smooth operation.  No coins were dropped and no one needed to rescue us.  We have this parking lot  drill down pat.  But it is clear to me that to exit the parking lot at the hospital, I must have two people in the truck.  Then I am good to go!!

July 29, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Dave and Irene.

Dave and Irene today will fly home to Ancaster.   They take the direct flight on West Jet to Hamilton, leaving at 5:10 and arriving, with the one hour different in time, at 6:10, making it a most convenient flight.   Because of the 2 hour drive to Halifax, they left our home at just after 12:30, which meant a leisurely morning and an early lunch with us before heading out to return the rental car before checking in for their flight.   As the weather is glorious, there should be no delays but I am always relieved to have our friends and relatives safely home in their own home.  Almost no flights these days are without delays so we hope for the best for them.

Dave commented last evening that although they did not really do much, they enjoyed their visit.   Of course, Ken and I are not able to drive around the province so they kept to our schedule of staying home and enjoying themselves.  They both did a tremendous amount of reading.  Most of all,  they were pleased that their suggestion of continuing the catering was so  much enjoyed by the 6 of us.  I don't know what I was thinking when I told Dave that it was not necessary.   A temporary lapse on my part and I am pleased that they over-ruled me and insisted.   Every evening, the good food fairy arrived with a wonderful meal for the 6 of us.   Such an unusual treat for us and such a good idea.   For the past 14 years, we have  enjoyed their visits to us in Nova Scotia, but this year was special.  So hats off to Dave and Irene for making the suggestion and for paying the bill.    Now we await their arrival home.

July 28, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Bats in the Belfry.

Fortunately, we have no bats in our belfry, but we do have squirrels in the ceiling.   Most of our folks can not hear the pitter patter over head.  They are hard of hearing.  But when no one else is there, I can hear the sounds coming from the ceiling of the living room right over my head where I sit on the couch.

Ten years ago we heard the same sounds and discovered that a little red squirrel was sneaking into the cellar and running up the walls and having a party over our heads.   The red squirrels in Nova Scotia are very cute.  They are half the size of a normal gray squirrel and have a bushy long curly tail.   At first we thought it might be mice but one day I spotted a red squirrel sitting on the post looking into the room.   When I approached, he ran down the path and disappeared.  He had run into the drain running from the cellar.  Right off I knew how he was getting into our walls.   Ken checked the drain to discover the mesh was no longer covering the drain so he replaced the mesh on both ends of the drain and the squirrel was not heard from again..until now.

The exterminator has placed two traps in our cellar along with bait to entice the squirrels.   And we will have someone check the drain.  Ken can no longer get down to check them.  Soon I hope to hear only silence over my head when sitting in the living room.    It is interesting to know that I seem to be the only one who can hear these little feet scurrying along over my head.  I know these red squirrels are sweet looking but I want neither bats nor squirrels in my belfry.

July 27, 2015. Nova Scotia, N.S. The Weather.

Yesterday I chatted with my son David, who lives in San Antonio.  The temperature was 105 degrees.   Daughter in law Christina reported temperatures in Jackson of 95.    Our friends the Elys have son Tucker and his family visiting from Atlanta which has been very hot and humid.  They arrived yesterday evening and today enjoyed the 72 degree day.  They are loving the cool breezes too.

Cliff stops by most days to say hello and today we discussed the weather.  Both of us have forgotten the feeling of hot humid  summer weather.  We have been spoiled living in Nova Scotia these past 15 years.  These days I am almost always cold so I am still wearing my wool socks but others are wearing sandals and shorts.  August is the warmest month here so I may be able to keep my wool socks in the drawer.

In the middle of the night the rains came down in buckets.  It rained almost all night.  But today we had no rain at all.  Just alternating sun and cloud.  When we first came here, folks told us that if we did not like the weather at any given time, just wait, as the weather will always be changing.  They were correct.  After lunch, Doreen took her book to the deck but when the sun went behind the cloud she got chilly and came indoors.   Later in the afternoon we sat by the pond enjoying the warmth of the sun, and watching the fish eat their food.  It was perfect weather in Nova Scotia.

July 26, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Beluga Whale.

Normally, we have no Beluga Whales in the harbor of Liverpool but for the few weeks, this young creature has been hanging out around the channel markers at the entrance to the Mersey River.   Many folks have told us about it,  so today after brunch,  we drove to Fort Point lighthouse to see for ourselves.  Sure enough, we saw it surface a few times.   Ten other people plus two small boats full of people  were also watching to see if it was really there.

Tuesday evening there will be a talk at the Astor Theater  telling about Beluga Whales.   Evidently it is unusual to see them this close to shore but this lecture will give migration patterns and family structures, as well as their food.  The Coast Guard is encouraging people to keep boats well away from the whale,   but this whale seems to be friendly and has come right beside the little boats.   Our friend Isaac said he could have reached out to pat him.   Some folks think they have seen two whales.   In Liverpool, the Beluga Whale is the talk of the town.

July 25, 2015. Western Head, N.S. My Present Life.

There is no question that I am leading an unusual life.   Fortunately, I have good friends and relatives.  Most of the time I stay at home.  I exercise using the walker up and down the driveway.  When it is raining I walk around the inside of the house to try to keep my legs busy.  Friends stop by to say hello to chat for a few minutes most days and we have Dave and Irene and Doreen and Don staying with us to keep us company but mostly Ken and I stay at home.

What comes as a surprise to me is that I are enjoying our reclusive life.  I read and keep up with the world on the Internet and I have enjoyed the Pan American Games on TV, as well as the Canadian football games.  We are not driving around the province much as my back hurts me after a short time in the car or truck so the cottage is as far as we have travelled.  And we avoid crowds of people,  so events at the Astor Theater are off limits to me.  Party invitations I gracefully decline too in an attempt to stay bacteria free.  My immune system right now is almost non-existent so we keep away from potential infections.  Our system has worked but it leaves us living an odd life but not an unhappy one.  Slowing down and staying in place is unusual for me but  much to my surprise, I am enjoying it.

July 24, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Art Show.

The show was the first for Karen.  She is a fabric artist and a good one. but she has never held a show showing her work.  I had been urging her to display her pieces of art not the least being that I could purchase one of her works.   Her work would be on the walls of her own home but there was no place I could purchase one of her unusual pieces of art.  Finally she had her first solo show, held in the lower level of her own home.  The show will run for two weeks but this afternoon from 4 to 7,  friends were invited to preview her works prior to being open to the public.    At her suggestion, I went early to avoid meeting up with many people, so Doreen and I went at 3:15.  I was able to be the first person to purchase the art.  Not fair I know but I was pleased to have the opportunity.

Karen has the artistic gene.  Her brother Roger is a well know water color artist here.  We have several of his pieces.  But Karen has turned to fabric to be creative.  I can not imagine why one would select fabric to make a piece of art.  It is so difficult.   But the final results are worth all the efforts.  Now I must find space on the walls in our house at Western Head.  One of the pieces I purchased is a favorite of Karen's so she needs to be able to come and see it every so often.  The picture is of a house in Newfoundland, with a curtain blowing out the window.  Doreen loves it.  Now it will reside with us.  Karen and Ron have been given visiting rights.  I was very excited to see her beautiful pieces on the walls at the show.  And Karen was pleased too.  Now I wish her every success.

July 23, 2015. Western Head, N.S. River Bank General Store.

The River Bank General Store is the official name.  I have called them all sorts of wrong names but I now have it straight, although once a name gets into my brain the wrong way sometime it never gets back to becoming correct.   The name has been The River's Edge Cafe in my mind but I was wrong.  It is  River Bank General Store and their address is 8 Medway River Road, Mill Village, N.S.

They got into the catering business accidentally.  Penny Lane is a day care center for challenged adults and young people.   Housed in Milton, the staff teach the clients different tasks depending on their abilities.   They shred paper and repair furniture and make crafts for sale.  Four years ago,  the old General Store in Mill Village came for sale and the Penny Lane folks bought it and restored it.  The clients helped with the restoration and now 6 to 8 work each day in the store and the cafe.   The Penny Lane people thought it would work well as a project to teach skills and develop self reliance in their clients.  The clients love working there.

First they ran the grocery store.  Next  a Sunday Brunch was added once a month, then every Sunday.  Finally, they opened for lunch every day.  And a few months ago they began catering.  Today, the food editor of the Halifax paper reviewed the restaurant and complained about the length of time it took to get his food.   It does not seem fair to compare a Halifax restaurant with a cafe is Mill Village that is primarily a social service project.   All of us at Western Head have been delighted with the food from River Bank General Store.  And the customers are pleased too.  The restaurant section is always full.  Hats off to the staff of River Bank General Store.  Phooey to the food editor of that Halifax paper.

July 22, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Dave and Irene.

This summer has been a special treat to be all together in Nova Scotia.   First off we were not sure Ken and I could get to spend the summer here and secondly  Dave and Irene until just recently were cleared for David to fly from Hamilton to Halifax.    Dave has developed heart problems so is getting used to a new normal.   But we are having a good time together along with Don and Doreen, our friends of over 60 years.

Dave and Irene suggested we continue the catering while they are still here.   At first I thought it unnecessary but Dave suggested that Irene and Doreen may enjoy the break, so I arranged for the caterers to bring dinner each evening for the 6 of us.   It has turned out to be delightful.  Every evening around 5:30 Faye brings us a surprise dinner which we thoroughly enjoy.  Tonight we dined on a beef tenderloin vegetable soup and fresh buns along with a large summer salad full of spinach and strawberries.  Chocolate mousse tarts for dessert.   The River Bend folks were not sure they could continue the service but with our new program of having them just bring the food plus eliminating the Saturday and Sunday they were able to continue.   And we are happy they were able to accommodate us.  Every night we dine around 6:30 and enjoy our home cooked meal that none of us has had to prepare.

I can brag because it was not my idea.   Dave and Irene came up with the suggestion and have paid the bill.  we are all grateful that we are enjoying this summer together and we are especially grateful that we 6 are enjoying our delicious mystery dinners every night.  Gold stars for Dave and Irene.

July 21, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Update on My Health.

Doreen and Don both say I look much better than I looked in Mexico.  Ken says I look better too.  I am no longer loosing weight.  My hair has begun to grow.   Our system for monitoring my blood counts seems to be working.   The real question is the one we do not know yet which is whether the Ibrance chemotherapy I am taking is keeping my breast cancer at bay.   We will not know until we get more scans and this will not be done until we are in Texas or Mississippi.   For now I am content to take my medicine,  try to avoid infections and keep from being over tired.

On the good side, I sleep well and have a good appetite.   And I have energy.   But I am far from normal.   I walk with the walker and can walk for 15 minutes at a time.  Doreen and Irene help at home the things I can not do myself, such as carry the laundry basket up or down the stairs.   We invite friends to dinner.  Tonight Gill, Mary and Walt joined us for dinner and I am able to enjoy the evening.

My hair is coming in neither red nor curly.  I hoped for both.   Salt and pepper seems to be the color although I have only one half inch of hair.   And it looks to be coming in straight.   That is the present state of my health as best as I can tell.

July 20, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Beautiful Nova Scotia.

I have always wondered why people don't visit Nova Scotia.  It is beautiful here.   Most Canadians have never vacationed in Nova Scotia and most American don't even know where it is.   But it is a beautiful part of the world.   Of course, one of the charms of Nova Scotia is the lack of people so we can visit a beach and be by ourselves.  And the traffic is sparse.   If hordes of people arrive for their vacation we would no longer have the roads to ourselves.  Right now the Canadian dollar is down so I am surprised that Americans are not streaming into the province for their vacations.   You get to spend $120. of Canadian dollars to spend for every $100. of American so it is a good deal.

In the years at work when folks were given the offer to stay in our house by the shore, very few people took advantage of the opportunity and I never understood why.   Perhaps they did not wish to impose.  But perhaps it is the same reason why people don't visit to Nova Scotia.  It seems foreign and it seems to be a long way away, so folks stay away.

In addition to the charming scenery, the Nova Scotians are delightful too.  They are polite and energetic and competent.    And in the summer, the temperature does not get over 80 degrees, with always a cool breeze coming from the sea.  Nova Scotia is a beautiful place and we are fortunate to be living here for the summers.

July 19, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Rain.

Today was the first time the weather was more like Nova Scotia.   We enjoyed our rainy overcast day.   The rains began in the middle of the night and it has rained off and on all the rest of the day.  The day was perfect for reading and staying home.  And of course for taking a nap.   The gardeners in the group were grateful for the rain.  Since we have arrived,  the sun has been shining almost every day, with just a small amount of rain.  Gardeners here are not used to watering their gardens.  People also begin to worry about their wells.  A sustained rain was welcomed by everyone.  Tomorrow will also be alternately rain and clouds.

Dave and Irene have arranged for the caterers to bring dinner for the six of us every evening, except for Saturday and Sunday.   It has been a treat not to think about dinner.  But this weekend we have eaten in style.  Saturday dinner was a tenderloin of beef and tonight was scallops served over rice.  Wonderful meals.  I have enjoyed every bite!!  And Doreen and Irene then clean the kitchen as the caterers just deliver the food along with instructions for heating and serving.   We are all enjoying the mystery meals  that arrive each night and we give gold stars to Dave and Irene for providing us such a luxury.

Now after two days of rain we will be ready for the sunshine.  I wonder if we will get it?

July 18, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Pan American Games.

When I was a high school student in Vancouver, The Pan American Games were a big deal.   One of the students, who was in the 12th grade, was running in the games that year.  If my memory is correct, her name was Gerry Bemmister.    Movies from the games were shown at assemblies,  and when she returned she was a star.    To my knowledge, I have not heard about the Pan American Games since that time, which must have been in 1951 or 1952.   I know the games are held every four years, but I never noticed them and  have no idea why.

But now the games are being held in Toronto.   I am now watching the games every day on CBC and thoroughly enjoying them.  It helps that the Canadians are doing well and that I am watching a Canadian channel but the quality of the competition is high.  In the fall, most sports will be holding the World Championships, when the delegates to the Olympics will be selected, so the athletes are working up to their peak.  Perhaps that is why the competitors are so keen.   Unfortunately, we only get one cable channel showing the games so I am missing lots of the minor sports.  But I am loving it.   In four years I will watch for the games again.

July 17, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Cottage.

The weather the last two days have been perfect.   Definitely the best we have had so far this season.   Don and Doreen and Ken and I went to the cottage.   Don drove in his car as our truck has no air conditioning.  Our goal was to enjoy the quiet of the cottage and to take our trash to the bin for use by cottage owners.   It is much easier to take our trash in our truck and dump it in the bin than it is to drag it down our long driveway and leave it by the road.  The last time we did that the crows pecked into the bags and spread the trash all over the roads.  Today we filled Don's trunk with our trash.

The cottage was lovely and we enjoyed our lunch sitting on the deck by the little house.   After lunch, Doreen and I sat by the water enjoying the peace and quiet.  Unfortunately, our immediate neighbors are building a cottage so between the chain saw and the compressor we got very little quiet.  I like construction projects so don't mind the noise when progress is being made.  It was a lovely day at the cottage and we returned home to find another dinner had been delivered.

Only in Nova Scotia could this happen.  When we looked at the food, we realized that we had too much food so at 5:30 we called the Ely's to join us for dinner.  Spur of the moment dinners are the best. Good food and good company makes for a wonderful dinner.

July 16, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Internet.

I know better than try to publish my wee web log while Ken is asleep.  Something always goes awry.  All was well with the internet last night.  I read and responded to all my e mails.  By then it was late because Don and I had been watching a Canadian football game while Ken had wisely gone to bed.  By the time I was ready to write my blog, the Internet was not working.  Ken was sleeping and he was unwilling to wake up and fix the problem, even though I tried.  I went to bed blogless.

Don and Doreen arrived yesterday just in time for dinner.  We have not seen them since Mexico so we were delighted to see them again.  They in turn think we both look just fine.  We six enjoyed a lovely dinner together.  The caterer is continuing to bring us dinner,  thanks to Dave and Irene.  My task last night was to heat the lasagna.   When Irene and I brought in the food and we began to eat, Ken asked whether or not the food was supposed to be warm or cool, because it certainly was cool.   Ken and I ate our dinner cool while everyone else used the microwave.   I am certainly out of touch with the kitchen!!.

July 15, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Dinner.

Tonight the DWEM's had dinner at the Mitchell's home, along with Dave and Irene of course.  This is the first time we have had dinner out of our home since our arrival.   Going out for me is difficult.  I can tolerate dining chairs for only a short time before I must move to a comfortable couch.  The same is true for restaurants.  Dave and Irene ate lunch at The Quarterdeck, a favorite spot on the shore, but we elected to stay home.  There are too many people for me to be around and the chairs I know are hard.  Dining outside is easier, but there are few outdoor restaurants in Nova Scotia, so we will probably stay at home all summer and forget about dining out.

Tonight was a treat for the families to get together.  This was the first time this summer.  We will all be here until the end of August, which is the first time this has happened.  Starting next week and for the next two weeks, the Ely's will have family company so we will enjoy more young people around.  And I am sure we will share more dinners!!

July 14, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Saying Goodbye.

Our young people are leaving us in Nova Scotia and returning to their lives at home.  We have enjoyed their energy and their enthusiasm these past two weeks.  It has been a great pleasure to watch these young folks in action.  And they were a great help too.  They served us at dinner each night.  Beginning in the fall of this year, Kate and Jessica begin their University years, Kate to attend Mississippi College and Jessica to the University of Ottawa.  Sarah will be in the 12th grade while Abigail is in the 11th.   Rachel and Mary Frances will be in the tenth grade with Samantha and Allison in the 8th.  Molly begins in the 2nd grade.    It has been a pleasure being with these 9 wonderful young people.

 Ofter you hear of rude and uncooperative young people but we saw none of that.  They were a pleasure to be with and we will miss them when they are home.   Gaby and Randy, Jessica and Rachel left this morning for their long drive home to Ontario.  Christina, Kate, Mary Frances and Molly leave tomorrow to fly home to Mississippi.   Ken commented tonight that he hears of older folks delighted to see the last of the visit with their grandchildren.  But he has never felt that way.  He loves to have the young folks around.  We are both delighted they were able to come for this visit and pleased that Dave and Irene were able to share in the joy.  It has been a happy time.

July 13, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Gillian.

Gill has always been very helpful with our grandchildren and our young house guests.  When the girls were younger,  Gill took two at a time on an excursion requiring great exertion.  The girls loved these outings.  Sometimes they hiked and some times they kayaked .  They were always a high point of the vacations.   And Gill has a basement of games for kids, even though until recently she had no grandchildren.    She has air hockey and ping pong along with lots of other stuff.  The other evening,  Gill invited all 18 of us for a cocktail party.  The girls disappeared into the basement and were not seen again, except for when they came up to eat the goodies.  Gill has always been gracious and encouraging to the girls and they all love her.

Tonight was another example.  Gill called this morning to invite the four girls to the movie at the Astor Theater.  The movie was Jarrassic Park   Of course the girls were thrilled to be invited so Gill picked them up at 6:30 and returned them at 9:30.  And she paid their tickets  and bought them popcorn too.   All four girls loved the new movie and they arrived home buzzing with enthusiasm.  Gill hit another home run with the girls.    Once again, I am grateful for my good friend Gill.

July 12, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Living Here.

Pleasant living is what I call it.  Yesterday while sitting out by the pond, David N. drove by to say hello.  He is a wonderful carpenter who has made lovely pieces for us, including our coffee table.  He had not seen us this year so came by just to say welcome.  And this morning, Wendy stopped by for a cup of coffee and a visit.  While she was still here Mary walked over to invite us to dinner this week.   Shortly after Wendy and Mary left to walk home, Mary and Walt came to say welcome to Dave and Irene.   They were showing a house at Mersey Point and came early for a short visit.

Living here is pleasant.  The weather each day is moderately warm with always a cool breeze and we have the constantly changing view of the sea.  Until today, the ocean looked more like a calm lake but today we saw white caps and waves.   The Eider Ducks are beginning to assemble to start their journey south.   Our view of the Atlantic always changes.

Our company is pleasant too.  Dave and Irene are enjoying the Guest House while the Toronto Dickies are still in the Baby Bog of the Ely's.  And Christina and the girls are in our main house with us,  so we are well looked after.  Between the weather,  the sea, our friends and our house guests we have a pleasant life here in Western Head.

July 11, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Sand Dollar Beach.

Every day has been a good day at Western Head.  Today is no exception.  This morning, the four girls made pancakes and bacon and we sat together at the table for brunch.  Everyone except Ken and I wore pajamas.   Last night,  they made their decision sitting around the fire and Ken and I had already retreated to our bedroom, so we missed the pajama routine.   But Ken and I would not have come downstairs in our night attire anyway.  We sleep in inelegant night shirts!!

After brunch, everyone drove to what we call the Sand Dollar Beach.   Every time we go there we have found sand dollars, thus the name.  The beach is in South West Port Mouton and is mostly without people so you can walk the mile of this pristine beach all by yourself.  The girls spend time running in and out of the water, but they don't stay long in the frigid water.  It is a beautiful spot.  They all fit into Randy and Gabe's car as Ken and I along with Dave and Irene stayed home.  All the girls returned with a bag of sand dollars, now drying on the picnic table.

On the way home they stopped for fish and chips at the Seascape, perhaps the best in Nova Scotia.  Once again, the weather is fine.  Since our relatives have been here, every day the weather has been fine, which is amazing.    Every day has been a happy day.

July 10, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Fire By The Shore.

The setting is perfect.  Our fire pit is on the grass area by the shore, very close to the deck overlooking the ocean.  While you sit and watch the fire, you also hear the waves lapping  the shore.  And of course, if you look up,  you  see the millions of stars and the Milky Way.  

David loves to make fires.  Every evening after dinner he makes a fire and the youngsters and the younger adults congregate around the fire.  He started the tradition at our 50th anniversary here and he has continues the practice.  They have a wonderful time, talking and playing games together, adults and kids together.  One night they played a rousing game of Duck, Duck, Goose, which Abigail recalled playing last in kindergarten.  She is now in the 11th grade.  The first thing David did upon his arrival was to order a cord of wood.  He likes his fires to be big.   Often in the late afternoon, or when waiting for dinner,  the girls will put wood on the fire or add kindling to bring the old coals back to life, so by the time the dinner is over, the fire is well under way.

Now The Texas family has gone but tonight the five remaining girls plus Christina, Gaby and Randy enjoyed a night fire.  The fires by the shore may be what  the girls  remember most of their vacation in Nova Scotia.   The fires by the shore have been  perfect.

July 21, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Painting Rocks.

Not one of The 8 Dickie Chicks mentioned painting rocks.  They are ages 14 to 18.  But Molly is 7 and this morning after breakfast, she asked to paint the rocks, so Christina took the paints and brushes and shirts down to the shore.  We had installed a type of sea wall along the shore to prevent erosion, and the rocks are huge.  It has been a tradition to paint those rocks.

First Molly painted.  After about thirty minutes Samantha and Allison joined in the fun, of course each one selecting a different rock.  By the end of the day, every girl had painted a rock.  Now we have the fanciest rocks on the shore, at least until the rains come down and wash away the paint.  The painting of rocks is a long tradition and clearly is still alive and well.

July 8, 2015. Western Head, N.SD. The Cottage.

It is a charming little cottage.  Today we 16 folks enjoyed a wonderful time at that little spot.  First, David and Randy went with Vinal on a fishing trip, meeting at 7:00.  When the rest of us arrived at 11:30, they were delighted to show off their prowess.  They caught a lot of fish but only kept the four biggest fish, which they gave to Vinal.

Immediately, the girls and the men took the kayaks and canoes to the water from the boat house.  After finding life vests, the girls were off.  Eventually, they all spent two hours playing on the raft.  They had a wonderful time, playing first one game and then another.  While they were in the water, the adults ate lunch on the deck by the cottage  We tried to find the easiest lunch, and settled on chicken pot pies and cookies.  Great lunch and easy to prepare.  While the adults sat by the water, the girls eventually came in from the raft for their lunch.   Then they joined us and stretched out on towels getting dray and warm.

Fortunately, Ken checked the weather forecast, to alert us that the rains were coming so within 15 minutes, we cleaned up the kitchen and put the boats back in the boat house.  By 3:45 we were ready to head for home.  The cottage is small but provided endless fun for both kids and adults.  And Molly still loved playing the Barbies in the loft.

July 7, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Happy Birthday Mary.

After the Mersey Band Concert tonight, our friends of The Gull Bay Group gathered for dinner at Lanes, but Ken and I could not join them as we had16 for dinner at our own home.   I mentioned at dinner that perhaps we could stop by the restaurant just to give Mary birthday greetings.  With the girls chiming in their ideas, we finally decided that the girls would each make a card for Mary, with one from the men and then from each lady individually.  And we decided for all the girls and ladies would  go into the restaurant and sing Happy Birthday to Mary,  standing in a circle around their table, so that is what we did.

All in a row, we 13 walked  across the crowded restaurant and made a circle around their table.  The five of them looked astonished.    Without a word, we sang lustily, Happy Birthday Dear Mary, then each presented their card to Mary and left.   Everyone enjoyed our stunt.  The girls did a great job with their cards and everyone at the birthday table were surprised.  I hope they were also pleased.   The distaff side of the Dickie family enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

July 6, 2015. Western Head, N.S. A True Story.

Yesterday morning, Suzanne and Gabe decided to go for a walk.   They discussed taking a long walk or a short walk and settled on a long walk.  In their minds, the long walk would take them about an hour.  So off they went, across the causeway and up the big hill, intending to walk around the loop, the one we drive every day and does not seem far in the car.   The problem with the loop is that there are no short cuts to return home a shorter way.  Once you are committed and you get half way around, you are committed to go the whole way around.

We have been kidding them ever since.  These two sensible ladies started out for this long walk with no cell phones and no water.   And Gabe returned home bleeding from four blisters on her feet.  She wore shoes perfect for a short walk but not for a three hour walk.

Twice during their walk they were passed by two men on bicycles, who commented to them that they were walking a long way.  The men were unknown to them but last night at our dinner party, two men arrived who looked familiar.   Our friends who joined us at dinner were the same men who spoke to them in the morning.   They did point out that anyone living around the loop would have been happy to have driven them back home.  Nova Scotians are always willing to help.   But these two ladies were determined to finish what they started.  This is a true story.

July 5, 2015. Western Head, N.S. A Beehive of Activity.

Our family was tired of traveling so today everyone stayed  home and kept busy.  Our home was a center of activity.   The girls checked all the lights and replaced any bulbs that had burned out.  Ken asked them to do it.  Usually, Mal completes that task but he is not coming this summer so the girls have completed that job.

 Yesterday, David ordered a cord of wood delivered to the house.  He loves to make big fires.  This morning the wood was delivered so with David and Randy down by the fire pit, the wood was transported from beside the house to down by the shore, using the small trailer behind the lawn mower. Randy taught the girls to stack wood properly so with Sarah, Abigail and Jessica loading the trailer and driving it down by the water, and Samantha, Allison and Rachel doing the stacking, the wood was successfully transported to the proper place.  Now we look like we have a regular  Canadian wood pile.

After breakfast, Suzanne and Gabe went for a walk.  I was ready to send for a search mission because after two hours they were not home.  Eventually, they walked up the path, after walking all around the loop, a distance of over 8 miles.  Goodness.

All afternoon, David and the girls flew kites.  The wind was not perfect but they had great success.  And 19 for dinner again made for a jolly time.  Now all the young ones are again down by the fire.  The weather today was almost hot..   It was a perfect day of activity here by the shore.

July 4, 2015. Western Head, N.S. A Fire by the Shore.

When I look out my bedroom window I see a fire down by the shore.  David made the fire  this afternoon.   Right now our dinner guests have gone.  It is after all after 10:00 which for me is late.    The fire illuminates the shapes and I can hear the individual voices.   Gabe and Randy are by the fire as are David and Suzanne along with the six girls, who are delighted to be together.  They don't get to see each other very often so they are excited.   When you see a fire by the shore you know that David is here.  It is a great spot for a fire.

Tonight was the first night of our caterer and both David and I were pleased.  The food was excellent and nicely served.  The girls helped too to clear the table and serve the dishes.   We both think they will do well.   Walt and Mary came for dinner to welcome our family, along with Wendy and Clausen and Brian and Cathy, a couple unknown to David and Suzanne.  Our evening was lively and fun.  Today we have gathered here in Nova Scotia.  We have already begun to enjoy our selves.

July 3, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Forgetting.

I searched everywhere.   After looking everyplace on the main floor, I was forced to go back up the stairs to our bedroom.  Surely my glasses were there.  But I could not find them.   My glasses are really only necessary when I drive and as I was just about to drive to the bank in town I needed my glasses, but they were no place to be found.    For years I wore no glasses as I had perfect vision after my surgery but several weeks ago my vision deteriorated, probably due to the chemotherapy, so now I must wear glasses.   I take them off for reading and if the print is small, I use reading glasses.  I have gotten in the habit of taking my glasses off and setting them on the adjacent table.  Of course, I forget where I leave them.

Yesterday, I was forced to drive into town without my glasses.   As I tried to recall when I last wore them, I was fearful that I had left them at the cottage, which would have meant another drive.    And I was irritated.  I hate forgetting where I left my glasses.  Usually I can recall immediately where I was last reading, so left my glasses beside that chair.  But not yesterday.   Last evening, when writing my wee web log, my glasses appeared on the desk at the back where there is no light.  The night before, I did what I just did tonight, which was to remove my glasses.  Unfortunately, I moved them to the back of the desk.  Tonight I placed my glasses on a sheet of paper which makes them easy for me to spot.  I really do hate forgetting my glasses.  Makes me feel very old!!

July 2, 2015. Western Head, N.S. Summer Systems.

Everything is set for the summer.   Our friends are here now so we are all in our places with sun shining faces.  This afternoon Wendy and Clausen walked over for a few minutes just to say hello, coming on the path from our house to theirs.  And this morning, Gill took me to the hospital to have blood drawn.  There is something very nice about walking over to your good friends, something we have lost in the modern world.

And my medical system seems to be working too.  This morning I registered at the local hospital and had blood drawn.  Then I went to the business office to pay for the service.   The person in charge of the business office is the wife of our shuttle driver.   The lab will fax the results of my blood work to my Oncologist in Texas.   On Monday, I have an appointment with a local GP who has agreed to look after me if I get ill with an infection, so I should be well looked after here in Nova Scotia.  I must say that I was not looking forward to driving to Halifax to see the Oncologists.  Amazing how things work out, one way or another.

Starting Saturday when David and Suzanne and the girls arrive, we will have friends or relatives with us until just before we leave for Texas in September, so I will have help at home. Mary McD. has been doing the grocery shopping for me and Gill has stopped in each day to help.   There is always something I can not do by myself, such as carry the laundry basket up and down stairs.  Now we are set for the summer.  And we will just enjoy our friends and the view!!

July 1, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The River Bend.

Every day,  Mr. Gaskell, who drives us from the airport, picks up 8 people at the workshop in Milton and drops them off at The River Bend Grocery and Cafe, where they work until 3:00 when they return.  These folks are challenged and come to the workshop each day from their homes.  At the center, tasks are assigned, depending on abilities.   Years ago, we had our chairs repaired.  An older man was a skilled carpenter and when he retired he worked at the workshop, teaching skills.  Ken had tried to fix the chairs twice, but after the workshop folks worked on them they have never come apart again.  

Four years ago, an old run down little grocery store came up for sale in Mill Village.  Someone had the brilliant idea to buy the store and have it as a project for the folks who come each day to the shelter.  So they did.   At first, the task was to fix it up and run it as a little store, so the shelter folks would learn more skills.  Next, someone suggested they hold brunch once a month, and they did, all the while teaching the folks from the shelter the specific tasks that fits their abilities.  One thing turned into another.  Now the River Bend serves lunch every day and brunch every Sunday.  The workers from the shelter work 2 or 3 days each week.  They get paid and the River Bend contributes to the cash flow of the shelter.   Now they are catering for us at our home.

On the way home from the airport, the River Bend prepared a box lunch for us.  Our driver was chatting with one of the workers, who was obviously from the shelter.  She was busy filling candy boxes and bringing them from the back room.  She was asked if she liked her job.  She said,"Oh yes.  I love my job and I love The River Bend.  I have learned so much working here".  It is quite a remarkable endeavor  and my hats are off to the good folks who have  patience and  perseverance .  Dealing with challenging individuals is not an easy task.