October 31, 2016. Harper, Texas. A Mystery.

Someone has been in the cottage in Nova Scotia.  When Vinal arrived this morning to continue work on the deck, he noticed a light on.  He knew he had turned off the main circuit breaker when he left the last time, which was about two weeks ago.   And he had specifically turned off the hot water heater switch.  Today, when he entered the cottage, the electricity was on as was the hot water.  And there was one light on in the hall, so he knew someone had been in the little cottage.  Final called us to ask if we had given permission for anyone to use the cottage.  And he called Ross our neighbors if they had been inside.  Heather cleans for us.   They had not been at their cottage for weeks and we gave no permission.  Thus a mystery.

The mystery guests used dishes and cutlery and washed everything to dry on the rack.  Cushions had been moved from the rocking chair and couch.  There was no signs of a break in.  We keep a key in a lock box for ease of access for workmen and friends so perhaps someone knew the code for the lockbox and wanted to get out of the weather.   Whoever was in the cottage was neat and tidy.  And nothing seemed to be stolen.  Final checked the boat house but nothing has moved there.  Of course, the code is different on the boat house.

Now we must make a decision.  Do we change the locks?  Do we change the lockbox code?  Or do we do both?   Or should we do nothing?  We must figure it out and solve this mystery.

October 30, 2016. Harper, Texas. A Strange Combination.

Our lunch was served to us on a lovely outside patio made of stone.  We ate Texas barbecue while surrounded by dogs in cages, all sitting under huge live oak trees.  It was a most unusual combination, especially because we had never left the Subaru dealership in Boerne.

The dealership invites the Humane Society to bring dogs for adoption.  When people come to see the dogs, they are given a ticket for a barbecue dinner, cooked and served in a big truck parked on the lot.  Subaru gives a donation and they put out lots of advertising.  The dogs are either small dogs or pups and the helpers walk the dogs all the time.  Evidently, dogs are adopted, after the new owner is checked out.  I am always amazed what makes for success.

In addition, anyone who comes to look at a car or talks to a salesman is given tickets for the barbecue.  Again, it is in all their advertising.  "Come to see a Subaru and eat a barbecue dinner", is on a big sign on the road.  The message was also in all the papers.    Our lunch was delicious.  And we enjoyed watching the people playing with the dogs.  Quite an unusual combination of dogs and barbecue, but clearly a success.

October 29, 2016. Harper, Texas. Red Letter Day.

What is it about a new vehicle that smells so good?   For only a few times in our lives, we have had that experience.  Today was one of those days.

Ken has been reading all about the safety features on the new cars.  He decided that we needed all the help we could get with our driving.  So today we drove back to the ranch in our brand new 2017 Subaru Forester.   David purchased the same car a year ago and has been pleased.  Ken finally settled on two options:  The Ford Escape or The Subaru Forester.   After sitting in the Escape, we decided on the Subaru and ordered one with all the features we needed.  On Thursday, while we were driving to the ranch, they called to tell us that our vehicle had arrived.  We agreed to come back on Saturday.

Today was the red letter day for us.  The paper work takes for ages but our sales person is polite and helpful and the business manager was the same.  Eventually, Ken drove home to the ranch.  He reports that it is much easier to drive than the truck so he was pleased.  Now we must figure out what to do with all those buttons.  We are both delighted to be driving our brand new Subaru Forester with all it's safety features.   We  even like the new car smell!!

October 28, 2016. Harper, Texas. Rules.

After a surgery, you are given lots and lots of rules.  For instance, from the surgery, I must not bend over where my head is below my waist.  I must not lift anything.  No driving for me.  Nor may I engage in activities with rythym such as walking or running.  I must wear an eye shield every night.  And I must take 7 drops a day in the eye that had surgery along with the normal glaucoma drops in the other eye.

The problem for concrete thinkers such as me is that I want specifics.  It is ridiculous to say "Do not lift".  Today I did laundry.  I lifted the laundry basket.  Was it too heavy?  I don't know.  They never told me.  I needed to know not to lift more than 3 pounds, then the information would be useful.  And the directions for the drops are to use them after 5 minutes.   I do not know if I must put the drops in only after 5 minutes, or anytime after 5 minutes.  The directions are ridiculous.

My biggest problem is that I lost the list of rules so I do not know whether I must follow the rules for one week or two weeks.  I seem to recall that some things I must continue for two weeks but some can cease after one.   I think I have all the rules in my head but perhaps I have forgotten the rules I do not like.  Next week I will see the surgeon.  I will ask.

October 26, 2016. San Antonio. Success.

So far so good.  This afternoon, the surgeon removed my eye patch and all is well with my right eye.  The pressure in the eye is 11, which has never been that low.    Now I see him for another check up next Wednesday in Kerrville to be sure it is doing well and to make the final decision for my left eye on November 9.  My vision is clear and almost back to normal.  So all went well with the surgery and so far I am pleased with the results.

David has been my driver.  He has driven me to and fro all appointments.  Tuesday, Ken stayed with me the three hours for the surgery while David drove us and today David stayed with me for the brief checkup.  His energy and competence have been reassuring at every step of the way.

These modern surgical centers are marvelous.  Everyone is well trained so all the testing and explanations are completed before the Doctor walks in the door.  No time is wasted.  And the patient does not need to sit around the hospital collecting bugs.  I was very impressed.  Now tomorrow we will drive to the ranch.

October 27, 2016. Harper, Texas. The Disobedient Man.

The man was being wheeled out of the Surgery Center by a smiling chatting nurse.   David and Ken and I were walking from the car,  going to have my surgery.  As we approached, we heard the nurse ask if his ride was ready for him.  With that, he stood up from the chair, quickly walked to his waiting car, opened the cat door, sat in the drivers seat and slammed the door.  The nurse was waving her arms and calling, " No, No, No.  It is not safe for you to drive".  But he drove off anyway in his big Cadillac.   David commented to the nurse that he would be a witness.  And we all laughed.

When you agree to the surgery, you sign to follow their rules.  You must have someone in the waiting room the whole time during surgery.  And you must not drive home yourself.  The reason is obvious.  You have just received anesthetic and you are wearing a new eye patch.   Each item was explained to you and each item must be signed so who certainly knew the rules.  The nurse was not pleased and I suspect the second eye will not receive surgery until he follows the safety rules.

The whole scene happened in a flash.  For my part, I hope he ran into a telephone pole when driving into his yard.  He certainly left the parking lot in a rush.  

October 25, 2016. San Antonio, Texas Surgical Centers.

These new surgical centers are wonderful.  Modern, high tech, well trained and efficient.  And you get to go home after surgery.  My procedure went well.  I have an eye patch on my right eye and my left eye does see much.  TomorrowI see the surgeon and life will get easier.  all is well.

October 24, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. The Housekeeper.

Suzanne and David have a busy home.  Suzanne teaches second grade, David works hard at his business and the girls attend an academically challenging school, as well as playing on the school athletic teams each season.  And they are active in church.   They are all busy people.  The home is always clean and tidy too.  Suzanne told me she has the best housekeeper and it shows.  Today, Ken and I were at home when the housekeeper and her assistant came in to clean.  I was impressed.

They both seemed happy to be doing their work.  They attacked the laundry first, then started in the master bedroom.  Then they methodically cleaned every part of the house, moving from room to room while always attending to the laundry.    When they were ready to leave, the house was spotless and tidy.  All the laundry had been folded and the beds changed.  I noted their vigor and wondered if they were impressing us but I don't think so.  They know how important they are to the Dickie Family and they seem to be happy to be helpful.  

I am always impressed when observing a strong work ethic.  Today I was able to observe it first hand watching a lady and her assistant doing a task that many would think was a menial task.  To this family, her work is essential for everyone to function well.   The housekeeper seems proud of her work which pleased me too.    I enjoyed the action and the spirit and was grateful for her and her helper.

October 23, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. Salmon.

Salmon is my favorite fish, perhaps because when we lived in Vancouver, my Father would buy a fresh caught salmon right off the boat and bring it home, where my Mother would wrap the fish in cheese cloth and bake it in the over with just a bit of water in the pan.  The fish was delicious.  We only ate it when the fish were running.  Fish farms had not yet been developed so it was a treat.

David has a large smoker in his back yard.  Today he smoked two large slabs of salmon, one Pacific Coho salmon and the other Atlantic salmon.  He used a slow smoke with very little heat but for a long time.   With low heat you would think you would not see much smoke but that would be wrong.  The smoke continued to pour out of the smoker.  By three o'clock, we tasted as we three were sitting on the deck.  The salmon was moist and tasty so David turned off any heat and just let the smoke continue to surround the fish.  His smoker is temperature controlled.  It is nothing like smoking meat at the ranch where you control the temperature with the amount of the wood in the firebox.  His smoker is stainless steel and fancy...and big.

Everyone enjoyed the dinner.  David will smoke salmon again.  It was a big hit for everyone, but  especially me.

October 22, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. A Day In the Life.

No question about it.  We had a wonderful day.  Ken and I spent the day with David, Suzanne and the girls at their home in San Antonio.   The day was productive and fun.

David moved a load of mulch from the front driveway to the backyard.  Suzanne helped for an our or so.  The girls slept.  Suzanne made a big brunch of bacon, and pancakes which we all enjoyed as we wandered into the kitchen.  The University of Texas football team lost.

In the afternoon, I accompanied Suzanne to the grocery store and used the time to walk while Suzanne shopped.  Walking for me in grocery stores and drug stores is always good because the floor is level and the lights are bright so I am kept amused looking at all the objects for sale.   On the way home we stopped at the drug store.  I must begin my pre-operation drops tomorrow.

The day was beautiful so we sat on the deck while David cooked poppers and hamburgers.  We seven enjoyed a delicious dinner of grilled vegetables, sweet potato and regular french fries cooked in the oven, along with the hamburgers.  The girls were solicitous of Ken.  In fact they were so concerned about his balance that Abigail moved right close beside him so he would not fall over.  It was all very funny and kindly.

Then we all watched together as the Chicago Cubs beat the Dodgers.  We were all cheering for the Cubs but until the last out, we were never quite sure they would win and get into the World Series.  We spent the whole day with the three girls and David and Suzanne.  It by itself is a bonus but when the Cubs got into the World Series for the first time since 1945, the day was extraordinarily special.    A good day indeed for all.

October 21, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. A Change of Plans.

Instead of driving haveto the ranch on Sunday, we will stay with Suzanne and David a bit longer, because on Tuesday I will have surgery on one eye.  The pressures in my eyes remain high, 27 and 30 and my glaucoma is too advanced for laser surgery so I must have real surgery with cutting and stitches.  At the moment I have tunnel vision and vision that comes and goes.  The surgery will do nothing to bring back vision but we hope it will stop the deterioration.  This will be a good thing.

The plan is to perform the surgery next Tuesday, with a follow up visit with the surgeon the day after. Then Ken and I will go to the ranch.  If all goes well with the first eye, the second eye will be done on November 8, with a followup the day after.  Then shortly after that, we will drive to Mississippi.  Fortunately, Suzanne has volunteered to fly down and drive us.  Ken is good for about 2 hours a day of driving and for awhile, my vision after surgery will be blurry, so once again, Suzanne will help us out.  So here we go again with another round of appointments and treatment.  Modern medicine is coming to my rescue yet again.

October 20, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. This and That.

Joyce and Robbie have bought a home in Kerrville.  For the past couple of years, Robbie has been worrying about getting the ranch looked after properly, so they have been thinking of moving into town.  When they took us out for brunch in the Spring, they drove us around a subdivision they liked and pointed out to us the homes they had seen.  We spent quite a bit of time driving around looking, which meant to us that they were serious about moving.  Today they ratified a purchase for a home in the same area, called River Hills.  Now their ranch is for sale.  We are thrilled for them although we will miss them.

Today, Suzanne met with the girls advisors at school.    Fortunately, all three girls are doing well.   This is the end of the first semester and the only time the parent meets with the advisors, unless things are not going well.  Fortunately, Suzanne has never had that phone call for her to go in for an additional meeting.   All girls are achievement oriented.  They want to do well  so they work hard, get their homework done and study for their exams.  Neither Ken or I had high grades so we think it is wonderful for the girls to do so well.  David too.   Suzanne did well in high school so she expects them to achieve a high level.  Anyway.  Ken and I think our granddaughters are wonderful.  It is nice to hear that the teachers think the same.  

October 19, 2016. Canyon Lake, Texas. Railings.

Bit by bit we are making everything set for our safety.  Today we contracted for hand rails to be installed in the front of the lake house.   Now,  Ken and I will be able to get into the house from the car safely.   Trying to unload the truck and bring the goods into the house has been difficult.   So this is good.

Showering without hand holds  is difficult for both of us.  We have none in the lake house but have at the Top House at the ranch.  We have purchased two to carry with us so we can easily install them at Dave and Suzanne as they are held by suction.  As long as the tiles are big, they will hold.   They will not hold if you pull too hard but mostly we use them to just touch them to stay upright.  Ken installed one in our Nova Scotia home and it works like a charm.

Bit by bit we are finding our way around old age.  And we are enjoying ourselves.  Ken says it is always interesting because he never knows what will happen to him today.    I have observed that people are helpful to us.  Being old and somewhat infirm does have advantages.

October 18, 2016. Canyon Lake, Texas. A Big Mess.

In the middle of the night when walking to the bathroom  at David and Suzanne's home, Ken lost his balance,  fell against the window frame and scraped his arm.  He did not know, but his arm was bleeding   The next morning, there was blood on the sheets, blood on the pillow case and all over his night shirt.  He had made a big mess.  Poor Suzanne and Allison.

We used bandaids, big and small and thought the bleeding had stopped.  Ken drove to the lake.  We first stopped at the drug store,  then for lunch.  By the time we went into the new restaurant, Ken realized that he had blood all over his shirt sleeve.  He sat beside me so I could use napkins to hold the wound and stop the bleeding but by the time we were ready to leave, we had made another big mess.  Blood on his pants, on the chair and the floor.  The folks brought us a clean blue cloth to wrap his arm and they found tape to hold the cloth in place.  And they washed up the blood.    The restaurant had only been open for one week but we will certainly visit them again.  They were gracious, understanding and helpful during our time of need.  In addition, their food was great.

This darn scrape will not stop oozing blood.    Ken has made several messes at the lake too but fortunately, all on the tile floor of our bathroom.  Soon it will stop, says Ken.  I certainly hope so.

October 17, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. Glaucoma.

According to my sister, my Mother was diagnosed with glaucoma when she was 70.  And so did I.  According to the eye doctors, I have the difficult type so it has not been easy to control.  In May when  I saw my eye guy in Mississippi, my pressures were fine but I was having difficulty with bright lights and dark rooms.  I went on my merry way to Texas and then Nova Scotia, using the 5 drops each day.

Over the summer, my eyes deteriorated.  White clouds came in front of my eyes if the light outside was bright which meant I could not drive.  My left eye seemed to have blank spots.  Sometimes both eyes seemed shielded with a sheet.  Reading was difficult.  I knew something was wrong but I also knew I had an appointment immediately upon arrival in Mississippi.

Last Monday, I accompanied Ken to his Ophthalmologist in Fredericksburg.  He asked about my eyes and I gave him my tale.  I also told him that I had tried to make an appointment with him but had no luck.  He made time for me on the Thursday.  After multiple tests, he determined the I had advanced glaucoma.   My pressures were 30 and 34, when they should be 14.  "If you continue on this path, you will be blind in a year," said Dr. C.  He referred me to a specialist in San Antonio so on Friday at 8:15 I meet with the surgeon to see what can be done.

Years ago at work, when Natalie was telling me some issue with her health I said to her,"Natalie.  You are over 70.   There will always be something happening  to you.  Get used to it and move on."  We laughed.  Now I must give myself the same advice.    

October 16, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. Subaru.

When Abigail was ready to drive, David gave her the truck.  Sarah was already using his old truck.  He decided that two trucks in the family was enough, so he went in search of a car to drive himself in the city.  In his orderly way, he read all the reports.  The clear winner for safely was the Subaru so he purchased a Subaru Forester.  He is still happy with that vehicle.

Ken was been reading the reports of the new safety features being installed in the 2017 vehicles and decided that we needed all those features for ourselves.  We are old and need all the help we can get with our driving.  Our plan is to trade in our beautiful big Ford 150 on a new 2017 Subaru Forester, one that has all the bells and whistles to keep us safe.  Saturday we stopped at the dealer to sit in the car and to make sure that the car we are ordering has all the features we need.

While we were in Fredericksburg we looked at the Ford Escape, which on the charts is second to the Subaru for safely.  We rejected the Escape.   Our choice was the Subaru.   Our automobile has been ordered and we hope will be here at the end of the month.  It is very exciting to be buying a new car.  Now we just must learn to drive it and use all those gadgets.   Our Ford truck has been wonderful but it is time to get modern.  We await it's arrival.

October 15, 2016. San Antonio, Teas. Party Preparations.

Ken and I are staying in the home of David and Suzanne.  This weekend has been busy for them.  Sarah at the University of Texas is having a Parents' Weekend.  The same weekend, the school the girls attend was having a home coming weekend, with a party and dance on Saturday evening and athletic events on Sunday afternoon and evening.  David decided to stay at home and tend to the three girls while Suzanne went to Austin to be with Sarah with her festivities, which includes the Texas football game.

Starting around 4:00, more girls arrived to get ready for the party.  All afternoon we heard 6 girls prepare themselves.  Some girls came down with curls to show us while others came with straight hair.  And they used their makeup carefully.  Finally, they put on their fancy dresses  and high heels.  Then came a fashion show.  All six girls paraded in front of us.  While we cheered, they strutted.  They looked beautiful.  The twins and a friend were meeting their dates for dinner so David dropped them off at the restaurant.    The father of one of the boys will take them from dinner to the party, which is being held at school.  Abigail and her  2 friends  are meeting up with other friends for dinner, and will drive themselves to the party.  All three girls will sleep over with their friends so David only needs to pick them up tomorrow morning.

It was great sport listening to the primping and the dressing, something I have never lived with.  One thing is for certain:  the girls looked beautiful all ready for the party, but the skirts certainly were short but I never said a word.

October 14, 2016. Harper, Texas. A Special Lunch.

All four of us felt that we were having a special lunch but in truth, we ate lunch at The Longhorn Cafe, which is anything but fancy.  Tomorrow morning,  Ken and I go to San Antonio for the weekend, then  on to the lake for the rest of the week.   When we return to the ranch, Robbie and Joyce soon leave for Playa Royale, in Nuevo Vallarta so we will not see much of them on our Texas visit this time.  I invited them out to lunch.  Today was the day.  I had intended to try one of the new elegant restaurants in Fredericksburg, but as we had already driven that path twice this week, we decided to stay close at home.

The Longhorn Cafe is popping with activity.  The place is busy.  They have improved and expanded their parking lots and installed a new fancy sign.  Every day they serve one special meat.  You chose two from their list of side dishes.  The meal comes with iced tea and a pop over roll.  All this for $9.00. The food is good and the service quick.

While we were in town, Robbie, who was driving, took us to the post office to pick up our 2 packages so we killed two birds with one stone.  The weather was beautiful and when they picked us up just before noon we were all in good spirits, pleased to be together and happy to be eating reliably good food.   Robbie comment today that they have never had a bad meal at The Longhorn Cafe.  Pretty high praise for this simple place.  And a perfect choice for a special lunch with our friends, Joyce and Robbie.

October 13, 2016. Fredericksburg, Texas. Confidence.

While sitting around the fire last Saturday evening, David and I discussed the impact of confidence on   athletic performance.  You hear about it all the time.  I have never been able to figure out the connection between confidence and your hands and feet but I know it happens.  You see it often in golf.  The commentators will often say that one specific golfer is playing with great confidence and then they go on to win the tournament.  I saw the Rider Cup.  Watching Michelson and Garcia play against each other was a wonder.  Birdie after Birdie, for a total of 19 between the two men.  Was the display of competence  evidence of confidence or competitiveness?   Or both?  I just know it was wonderful round of golf to watch.  

Last evening, a young man, selected by Toronto number one in the last draft, scored 4 goals in his first National League game.  First he tied with three other players who had scored in their first NHL game.  But then he scored another so he was in a class all by himself.  No one had done it before.  Time will tell but perhaps the confidence of being drafter number one led him to score four goals in his very first game.   His Mother, who was at the game, cried.  Unfortunately, his team lost in overtime to Ottawa, despite the fact of his confidence.

On the flip side, you often hear that a team lost because they expected to win.  In other words, they were over-confident.  I guess it is like everything else.  A moderate amount is necessary but an over-abundance kills the golden goose, in sports as in real estate.    Amazing really.

October 12, 2016. Fredericksburg, Texas. Hockey.

Ken and I are watching our first hockey game of this season.  It will not be our last.  We are at our favorite motel with nothing much to do, so I was cruising channels and found a hockey game just before the game was beginning.  And a good game it is:  Chicago against St. Louis.  Since we moved to Mississippi, we have been cheering for the Nashville team.  We had lots of fun watching them move through the playoffs last season.

The interesting thing about hockey is that neither of us recall who won the Stanley Cup.  How soon we forget.

Ken and I enjoy watching hockey but every time I see hockey, I am reminded of my brother in law, Ken Barby.  He would rather watch hockey than do anything else in the world, except perhaps attend a Salvation Army service.  He loved hockey and attended every game of the Owen Sound Junior team.   When he retired, he tracked every junior player from Owen Sound when they moved up into the NHL  My brother visited him in the hospital the day before he died.  He was not interested in the hockey game.  My brother knew he was no longer interested in this world and he passed away the next day.

Ken and I just like to enjoy a good fast game with lots of goals.   But we hope the Predators will get into the playoffs again.

October 11, 2016. Harper, Texas. Good Neighbors.

All my life, I have been blessed with good neighbors, but no neighbors are better than Joyce and Robbie.  They help us in about a hundred different ways.   For a perfect example, we arrived at the ranch late afternoon last Thursday.  Joyce called us that evening to invite us for dinner on Friday to welcome us to the ranch and to catch us up to date with local activities.  Now Joyce is a good cook and last Friday's dinner was another great example of a fine dinner all prepared and served by Joyce.

It is really not fair.  When they come for dinner at our house we eat home made soup or lasagne but at their home we ate appetizers of nuts and cheese and crackers,  a main course of roast beef with rice and corn along with a big salad.  Her home made salad dressing was delicious.  For dessert we ate ice cream covered with strawberries and home made cookies.  It was a feast.  Joyce fusses and it shows.

If we are not here Robbie drives around the pasture just checking that all is well.  And he makes sure the windmill tank is full.  Both Joyce and Robbie are wonderful neighbors and we enjoy their company here at the ranch.  You can not beat a good neighbor.

October 10, 2016. Harper, Texas. The Journey.

The journey was not long into Fredericksburg, but by the time we got home to the ranch, both Ken and I were weary.   Ken drove on the way in.  We went straight to his eye appointment at 1:15.  We had left the Top House at noon and had plenty of time to arrive a bit ahead.

Ken likes this young eye doctor.  He prescribed Ken a prism to be ground into the lens of his glasses.  The eye man in Mississippi told Ken the prisms do not work for double vision, which was one of Ken's problem.  But it works like a charm.  So Ken likes him.  I had not made an appointment with him this year but while I was with Ken while Dr. C. was doing the examination, he asked how I was.  Before I could answer, Ken said. "She is fine, except for her eyes."

This was true so I told my symptoms, and further said that I could not get an appointment.  Dr. C. graciously found me a spot on Thursday with him, when we will try to find out what is happening to my eyes.

After  Mexican food for lunch, we picked up all our prescriptions.  16 for Ken and 7 for me.  I drove home on a back road.  I think Ken is more weary when I drive than when he drives himself.  He does not trust my driving and I drive too slowly.  Even though it was almost 5, we most took a short nap. Our day seemed long and tiring.

October 9, 2016. Harper, Texas. Moose.

Moose is a good dog anywhere but especially at the ranch.  This morning after breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast prepared by David at the ranch house,  David took Moose for his morning run through the pastures.  David drove the Mule while Moose runs. I went along for the ride.  Crush, the yellow lab is old.   His days of running through the fields are over so he rides in the back seat on the floor, enjoying the breezes and the views while Moose runs.

Watching a dog running at full tilt is a lovely sight.  Moose is a Weimereiner  and is sleek and fit.  As he runs ahead of the Mule, I could watch him as he raced hither and thither to both sides of the road, always checking to be sure David was just behind him.  At each corner, he waited to see the next direction.  Then he would head off with ears flapping, running as fast as he could go.  It was a beautiful sight watching him run.  He seemed so joyful and happy.

Ever since Moose was a puppy, he would walk up to me while I was sitting and put his head on my leg, waiting to be petted.  As long as you stroked his head, he kept his head in place.  Last evening while David and I were sitting by the fire in the pitch black, a warm head was placed on my leg.  It was Mouse, looking for some love.  When I stopped stroking his head, he lay down quietly.  There is no fuss or muss with Moose.  He is just a good dog and a beautiful dog too.

October 8, 2016. Harper, Texas. The Fire Pit.

There is no finer place to have a conversation than sitting around the fire pit at the ranch.  When we first purchased the ranch and began to build fires, we wondered why the former owner built his fire pit under the trees but we soon saw the wisdom of his ways.  No matter the time of the day, sitting around this fire always gives you shade.  In Texas this is important.  After Ken trimmed some branches to avoid burning down the trees, we have decided that the fire pit is the best spot on the ranch.

David made a fire shortly after lunch.  He also made a fire in the smoker and smoked pork loin and sausage all afternoon.  We ate dinner sitting around the fire.  The girls came and went, sometimes driving around the pastures in the Mule, then rejoining the conversation at the fire.  The girls cooked marshmallows on the coals while they talked about their college decisions, something they probably would not discuss unless sitting in the dark looking at the fire.

Ken went up to the Top House after dinner so David and I talked about everything in sight.  We had not spoken at length since their college visit to the northwest with Abigail so I was able to hear details of the river trip on the Snake River.  The evening was perfect as was the fire.  I had a fine  evening with son David.

October 7, 2016. Harper, Texas. Living in Texas.

One aspect of living in Texas is the time zone.  Here, in Central Time Zone, the games start two hours  earlier than in Nova Scotia, which is in the Atlantic Time Zone.   I like it better to have the ball game beginning at 7:00 than 9:00.  I know I can sleep late in the morning if I stay out late at night to see the end of the game but often I must get up early for some appointments so I am always short of sleep, which is a bad idea.    Last evening I got to watch to the end of the Boston-Cleveland game and still got to bed at a decent time.  It is a small thing in the whole scheme of life but the time zone is convenient.

The weather is another aspect of life in Texas that pleases us.  Mostly it is warm,  But today the temperature in Liverpool was 70 and at the ranch it was 60.  We are seldom here in the winter or summer so for us the weather in Texas is just fine.  Not too hot or not too cold.  The people are friendly and pleasant.  They have settled here from all over the world and they are hard working and industrious.  We like living in Texas but we only stay for a few months each year, before we are off to the next lovely spot.  While we are here, we enjoy ourselves very much.  Our life in Texas is pleasant.

October 6, 2016. Harper, Texas. Lost.

"You can't miss us", said the salesman.  But we fooled him.  We did not only miss finding him once,  but we also missed him on the second try too.  Too much traffic.  Too many speeding cars.  And very bad directions.

Everything seemed simple.  On the way to the ranch, Ken and I would stop by the Suburu dealer which was at highway 10 an 1604.   We would be driving right past so it was a perfect time to avoid an extra trip...but we could not find it.   The salesman had given directions to Ken on Wednesday morning.  He also told me.  We were told it was right on 10, just after you get off 1604.  We had gone several miles before realizing that we had missed it, so I called the salesman for directions, which we followed.  But we got lost so we stopped at the Pro Shop and asked him to come and find us so we could follow him back.

We are not patient people.  We waited 30 minutes.  I had been trying to contact the salesman but he did not answer his hone, so we just got back on Highway 10, heading for the ranch.  Sooner or later we will find that dealership, but today was not going to be the day. The interesting part of this story is that we still do not know which side of the highway to find the place.  How can this happen?   Ken and I can only recall twice in our lives that we were unable to find our destination.  Today, even with the GPS helping, we were still unable to find the stupid place.  But as I said before, we are not patient people!!

October 5, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. Logistics.

The plan worked perfectly.  David had a meeting in Philadelphia, and was to leave at noon today, so he drove our truck to us at the motel and we dropped him off at the airport.  Our visit with David was short but sweet.  He will come to the ranch this weekend bringing the twins and their friend Grace.  The plan worked well with the truck..

This evening we had dinner with Suzanne and the girls.  Everyone looked great.  I brought them necklaces carved by Bruce Smith who lives on Sand Beach Road in Liverpool.  They loved them.  They chose  from the collection.  Of course, we left one for Sarah, who is at the U. of Texas in her Freshman year.  We stayed too late talking with Suzanne after dinner.  Ken does not like us to drive at night, but we did manage to get back to our Motel in the pitch dark.   He does not enjoy driving at night and he suspects I do not see well in the dark so his rule is to get home before dark.

Tomorrow we will drive to the ranch.  The traffic in San Antonio is a long way from driving in Nova Scotia so we will be happy to be in the country.  On the way, we will stop and look at a new Subaru.  They have many safety features on the 2017 model and Ken thinks we need every one.  We will see.  One thing we know for sure and that is we are happy to be in Texas to be with our family.

October 4, 2016. San Antonio, Texas. The Journey.

You see the oddest people when you travel.    While we were waiting for our flight to San Antonio in Newark, Ken watched as people were getting off the plane, the one we would soon take.  One lady was wearing a shirt that should have gone to her waist, but instead it had inched up over her stomach.   And her tight jeans had slipped down so her fat pannes was exposed.  "She looked awful,"
 said Ken.  

A lady sat down beside me and said hello and proceeded to eat her lunch.   After she had finished, she turned to me and told me that she had walked allover the airport to try to find cheap food, all to no avail.  She was a pleasant lady but clearly had not travelled often.   She gave me details of the cost of her lunch, including a bottle of water that cost $4.00.  The sandwich cost $15.00.   Next she pulled out her cell phone and had the same conversation to 8 people, describing in great detail her food and the cost.  I felt like asking her if anyone would care?  But she kept calling one friend after another.

I first watcher her as she approached the stand for plugging in devices.  She was an attractive young woman.  As she walked she was talking on her phone.  As she continued talking, she took out her cord and plugged in the phone.  Next she removed her iPad and plugged it in too, all done as she was still talking.  Then she curled up on the chair and kept talking.  Finally she stopped talking.   She was like a pretzel.  She was thin and 20 and she could curl up into a ball in the chair, the same chair I was sitting up straight because that was my only option.  She reminded me of a cat.  She curled up in a ball and slept, with nothing jutting out of her ball.  Finally her sister appeared.  Both wore no makeup with long hair pulled back.  They might have been twins but they certainly were sisters.

Amazing what you see when you shamelessly watch the people in the airports.  The good thing is they never know you are watching.

October 3, 2016. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Moving Out.

Tomorrow Mr. G. will pick us up at 8:00 to drive to the Halifax airport.  We will be ready.  Today I did a last load of laundry and put the clean clothes away.  I was late bringing the clean clothes upstairs and for a few minutes I wondered if I could wait until our return to put them away but soon decided to do my duty.  The partial cereal boxes have been transferred to zip lock bags for storage and the fridge is clear of food.  And the truck is in the garage.   All the deck furniture is in the garage.

Our small cases are in the garage ready to go out the door.  All I must do is get off the computer so Ken can pack it away.  In the morning, we will eat a quick breakfast and put medications in our backpack and we will be ready to go.   Although we have nothing to do tomorrow, I know it will be a tiring day.  We fly to Newark.  Four hours later we board the plane for San Antonio.  As we will be late arriving, we will stay at our favorite Comfort Inn.  Then on Wednesday we will have dinner with our Texas family, which will give us great pleasure.

This evening, as I was moving the truck in order to put it into the garage I turned around by the Guest House.  The sun was just setting so I sat watching the sunset along with the sea, making for a lovely farewell scene.  We will miss seeing the ocean but we are moving on to Texas.

October 2, 2016. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Gill's Folly.

Gill is building a Folly, all by herself.  Early in the summer, I suggested we look at the small building built by our friends Barbara and Gary as a surprise birthday gift for Gary built down by the river behind their house.   The structure is a bit like a Folly as it serves no useful purpose, but is charming. As is often the case, just in the nick of time, Gill and I went to look at it this afternoon.  Ken and I leave on Tuesday and Gill leaves for New York on Thursday night.

Barbara and Gary call their little building the cottage.  Before they built their cottage, they never used the Mersey River either to sit beside or the watch it, but since the cottage was built 6 years ago, they have made a walkway over to a small island which holds a lovely sitting area where you can sit surrounded on all sides by water.  A few years ago we had dinner with them at their home.  We had a drink sitting on the porch of the cottage.  It was charming.  Then when light faded, we went up to their home for dinner.

Like Gill's Folly,  the cottage has no plumbing or electricity.   But Gill is on the ocean so she must install good windows and proper doors,  or her Folly will blow away.  The cottage has only a screen door and the windows you can see leak air.  The cottage is charming.  Just adjacent,  Barbara and Gary have built a sitting area surrounded by flowers and plants.  When last we saw the cottage the sitting area was being installed.  Now they can sit and enjoy views of the river and wait for the ducks to come for dinner.

I enjoy looking at a finished product, where people get an idea and implement the plan, especially when the end is just what they intended it to be.   Gill and I enjoyed our excursion to see the cottage.  Now we look forward to seeing Gill's Folly take shape.

October 1, 2016. Pleasantfield, Nova Scotia. The Dock.

This evening when I sat by the water at the cottage, there was not a dock in sight.   Summer is over.  Vinal and four buddies arrived at 8:30 to bring in the dock and the raft.  Betty came to cook us fish cakes for lunch.  When they arrived, Ken and I were both sound asleep...but not for long.   Many hands make light work so soon the dock was on the shore.    For years, Ken and Vinal put the dock and raft in and out of the water by themselves, but several years ago, Vinal suggested to Ken that perhaps Ken give up the task so others have done the the job recently.

Immediately after the job was done, Vinal brought out a small whiskey bottle and ginger ale and the men sat on our deck and had a drink.  Everyone had a pleasant time with just enough whiskey for one drink each.  Success in a job well done always brings pleasure and it was obvious the men were happy with their work this morning.   Two men, Brad and his son, went home immediately.  Vinal and Steve went fishing while Billie sat on the deck talking to Ken.   Betty cooked and organized lunch while I talked to Betty.

Usually, the dock comes out after we have gone south.  But this year we are here into October so we were able to see the whole operation.  The lake is low with many rocks jutting up from the water where I have never seen rocks before.  Sooner or later, the rains will come...maybe.