November 30, 2017. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Lake House.

For 16 years, Ken and I came to the lake house in order to get ready to go to the ranch or to spend the weekend with the family.  We spent no time making improvement to our ease of living because we were not going to be here long enough to make any changes.  Now that this is our Texas home, we have been making improvement in our ability to function easily.

Ken  has been busily putting together a small bedside table.  For full time living, his former music bench did not work as a bed side table.  He is patient when putting together these tables but he will be tired when it is done.  In the past, his manual dexterity was high but now he struggles putting in the screws because of his tremor.  But he does get things done, bit by bit.  Boxes arrive every day to be used in the house.  A new lamp sits on our bedroom desk and another will be added on the office desk.

A new toilet roll container is now in the powder room in the main room.  The toilet roll is on the left side, which is difficult for Ken.  Now we have a new system which is easier to use.  He ordered new small bedside lamps for us, that turn on by a touch of your hand.  They are very convenient.  In the front hall are lined up boxes and lamps and bags of clothes and shoes, all ready to go our to the trash.  The problem is that we must carry everything up to the curb which is not so easy. The old lamps came from Suzanne's grandmothers home so they have definitely served their duty.

The installation of the Internet is a big help.  Next week an appliance man will install a new ice maker.  When the family is only here for the weekend, obtaining a repairman is difficult, but we are here so are able to make appointments.  Bit by bit, we are getting things the way we want.  And we will enjoy our life at the lake, just as we did for the 6 years before we bought the ranch.  Staying in one place might suit us just fine.

September 29, 2017. Canyon Lake, Texas. Walgreen's.

There are a lot of things to like about Walgreen's Pharmacy.   Their computers are meshed with each other so we can get our medications in any store.   We get our prescriptions filled in New Braunfels,  Fredericksburg or  Ridgeland, Mississippi.    No fuss or muss.  In addition, their pharmacy attendants are polite and efficient.   Getting our medications from Walgreen's is a breeze.

The second thing I like about the store is their communication system.  When the drugs are ready, they text you.  If there is a delay, they warn you not to come, all by texting.  You can also order all your meds on line, something that Ken does all the time.

Each store is laid out exactly the same so when I walk around one store I could be walking in any other.  When I need to buy chocolate, I know exactly where to go in any store.  This is a big time saver.  In addition to the pharmacy staff, the rest of the attendants are friendly and helpful.  As soon as you walk in, someone says "Welcome to Walgreen's".  Pretty nice and welcoming.

The last is the cleanliness.  The places are spotless as are the restrooms.  Shopping at Walgreen's is a pleasure, something that Ken and I enjoyed today.  Hats off to Walgreen's.

September 28, 2017. Canyon Lake, Texas. The $100. Light Bulb.

Ken discovered that the light would not go on in our bathroom shower, so he showered in the dark. He also noted that the cover for the lamp had been removed.  He could not find the cover anywhere in our room.  We assumed the light was defective.  The ceiling is high so neither Ken nor I were able to climb a ladder to check the bulb.  We have no handyman here and no neighbors. I called an electrician, Mr. Sparky.

This nice young man was here a year ago with a more serious issue, which he solved.  He remembered what he had done.  Today he checked the light, put in a new light bulb, and the light worked.  Both Ken and I laughed. Being old and infirm means you pay more for everything, even when you change a light bulb.  It certainly helps to have a sense of humor.

September 27, 2017. Canyon Lake, Texas. Progress.

Progress has been made.  The Internet was installed this afternoon.  Since we bought the ranch in 2001, we have been here for just a few days so we have been using Ken's hot spot on his phone.  Now that we are here for longer periods of time, we installed the internet.  We will keep it going all year so the family will be able to use it too.  Our life is easier with internet on all floors and in every room.

I have been opening boxes which have been packed up and stored in David's garage.  While we were in Nova Scotia, Ronnie the carpenter fixed our closet.  The old inefficient closet was fine when we had limited clothes, but now we have brought our ranch clothes here.   I still have one box to open but I think we will fit.  We also moved a bigger chest from the girls room to our room and relocated the two small chests.  Actually, after the nice young man had completed his installation of the internet, I asked if he wanted a bit of extra money, so he moved the chest for me.  And I was so grateful I paid him a handsome sum.

I have a bag of clothes to take to Goodwill, also a bag of shoes.  Two old lamps are by the front door along with a wine rack that has never been used, so we are clearing out the clutter.   We designed the rehab of this house so we could not store a lot of stuff so we must keep ourselves honest and not store object we do not use.  And finally, we are keeping our main computer on the desk in our bedroom.   Our lovely desk has hardly ever been used so now we can sit and work.  More importantly, when Ken works on the computer in the middle of the night he will not need to go up the stairs to get to the computer.  Progress has really been made at our home in Texas.

September 26, 2017. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Lake House.

For the next month, the lake house will be our home.  Since we purchased the ranch, Ken and I have been using the lake house as a stop over on the way to the ranch.  We would stay a few days and then be gone.  Now. this will be our Texas home.

The house has been transposed.  David and Suzanne rearranged the art that was there, then hung lots of paintings from the ranch.    It looks just great.  They have worked very hard.  Poor Suzanne tipped her head up so long that she got vertigo.  Every room is better with the new art.   I had such fun finding my favorite paintings in their new home.   Our glass pieces are a perfect fit on the mantel:  two pieces came from the Wimberley Glass Work and the third is a gift many years ago from Dave and Irene, blown by a lady in Ancaster.  All three look better in their new home.

Our day went well.  The rental car is a new minivan.  It took us 40 minutes to drive here.  Since then I have been puttering.  Our task is to open our boxes and cull our clothes, which is a big job.  I have already started.  I have opened one half of a box and put things away.  Slow and steady, I must remind myself.  Ken and I are already enjoying our lake home with the art in all the new places.  Seems special this time.

September 25, 2017. San Antonio, Texas. Oops.

Enterprise picked us up late which was a bad omen.  When we checked in to obtain the rental car, the polite young man asked for our driver's license so I gave him a paper copy of Ken's.  This copy was not acceptable.  They must have a proper license, not a copy.  We were out of luck for today.  They took us back home.

When we obtained our license in the Spring in Texas, the DMV sent the license to Mississippi, because we would have already left Texas.  When it arrived in late July, we asked Christina to e mail us a licenses because the mails are difficult and slow.  It seemed like a good idea at the time but now we need the original in order to obtain the rental car.

Fortunately, Christina immediately obtained the license from our house and went directly to the Fed Ex office who will overnight the licenses.  They are supposed to be here by 8:00 am.  With any luck, we will receive them and then go along to complete our work with Enterprise, just a day late.  Our plan is to get the car tomorrow morning after they pick us up, then return home here to pack the car.  We will see how we do.  We might stay over and drive to the lake on Wednesday morning.  Fortunately, the family here is accommodating to us but we do not want to wear out our welcome!!

September 24, 2017. San Antonio, Texas. Pedicures.

We were like 5 ducks sitting in a row being groomed.  We all ordered deluxe pedicures, including waxing the feet.  It was fancy.  David was at one end with me at the other end.  The twins and Suzanne were between us.  The 5 attendants were excellent.  Because we were having the deluxe treatment, the massage for our feet and legs were long and wonderful.   I had never done a wax treatment before and neither had Allison or Samantha.  The attendants  bring  warm liquid wax and put it into two plastic bags.  The attendant puts your foot into the bag and covers the wax over your foot.  The warm wax feels wonderful and soothing.  We all felt festive and happy when we left.

After we were home and told Ken about our wax treatment, he told us that the warm wax treatment was one of the first treatments for arthritis pain, so no wonder our feet felt good.  Everyone except me also had a manicure.  The girls are going to a dance on Saturday, so need to look their best.  Hence the manicure and pedicures today.  I just went along for the fun of it.  And generous David paid the bill.  We had a grand time.

September 23, 2017. San Antonio, Texas. Smoking Meat.

David loves to smoke meat.  And he is good at it so the results are worth the effort.  His smoker is fancy, situated just down the stairs and around the corner from the deck so this morning, David, Ken and I sat on the deck while David tended to his neat.  First he smoked salmon, that we were to eat for lunch.  He had purchased one side of coho wild salmon from the Pacific Ocean and two large slabs of Atlantic farmed salmon from Chile.  Late in the morning he put the meat in the smoker, consisting of two whole beef tenderloins and two lamb shanks.  The meat was for dinner.

The salmon for lunch was delicious.  It was moist and tender and tasty.  We just ate salmon while we watched a college football game.  Neither team was ranked but Texas A&M beat Georgia.   We still have enough salmon for breakfast which we will eat with capers and onions.

After a rest in mid afternoon, we reconvened to the deck, talking with Allison and Samantha along with Suzanne and David.  The meat was busily cooking slowly in the smoker while we chatted and enjoyed the yard.  Along with the meat for dinner, we ate tiny potatoes and Brussel sprouts.  The meat was tender and delicious.  Even David was pleased with the results.  Our dinner was fit for a king.  David's does a great job with his smoker, first marinating the meat for three days.  All his efforts paid off with our delicious meals, all cooked in the big smoker.  We are grateful for David and Suzanne...and for the smoker.

September 22, 2017. San Antonio, Texas. Eye Appointment.

This morning, David drove me to my appointment with Dr. Flynn, the eye surgeon.  He was the one who was less than pleased when we drove to Mississippi last fall.  Now he is happy because both eyes are doing well.  The surgeries continue to work.  Straight ahead my vision is 20/20.  My peripheral vision has not deteriorated, so all is well in my eye department.  And David waited for me to drive me home.  My son David is very kind to me.

Last year at that time I was on the edge of a cliff, just about to drop off into the land of the blind, but due to modern medicine and fine surgeons, I am as perfect as I am likely to be.   Dr. Flynn would like to see me in 3 months but we will not be back until May so my appointment must wait.  This time he seemed to accept our life style without comment.  He has learned that I have an excellent eye surgeon in Mississippi who I will see twice before returning to Texas.  I will be well looked after.   Today, all went well at my eye appointment.

September 21, 2017. San Antonio, Texas. Strange Looking People.

Our layover in Newark was long.  Usually we find a lounge and read but yesterday we stayed at the gate while we watched.  I was fascinated at the people.

One young man wearing jeans and a T shirt was standing waiting to get on a plane.  Hw was standing at a corner of a wall, which came out from a restaurant.  He was leaning on the sharp corner rubbing his back.  He was standing about a foot away from the wall.   he moved up and down on the sharp corner just as an animal would to rub their back.   After 10 minutes, he changed to stretch his arms and shoulders.  It was quite a routine.

A young lady walked quickly along the walk way.  She was about 20.  Her clothing was unusual for an airport.  She was wearing a skin tight dress from her neck to her ankles.  She looked like a hooker. I suspect that she had a light sweater in her bag but when she was hot, she was wearing this incredibly tight dress.  Amazing to see.

Everyone uses rolling bags.  I saw only one man carrying a bag by hand.  Everyone getting off a plane looks dazed.  And most people at airports are anxious.  No one looks happy, except for the young children who are delighted and excited.  The young children are still excited about flying.  But not the adults. Everyone yesterday was wearing black.

I was waiting in Newark, NJ. which is an international area but there were many many Asians, Indians and Hispanics in the airport.  And lots of children even though school was in session.  Are all these children being home schooled?  I enjoyed watching the moving people coming and going.  Everyone has a story.

September 20, 2017. San Antonio, Texas. Halifax Airport.

When traveling to the US, be sure you fly directly to an American city.  Do not fly to Toronto or Montreal and than onto an American destination.  Clearing customs in Halifax is a breeze.   The system is designed for efficiency which makes for ease for the traveller.

First at the US section of the airport, the United workers check our passport and boarding pass.  We move directly to the security area, which is not crowded.  The attendants are actually cheerful and helpful.  Next stop is the kiosk where we complete the questions, after scanning our passports.  No waiting at the US Immigration official who quickly checks our papers and tells a cheery "Welcome Home".    We were then officially on American soil.  No fuss.  No muss.  No waiting.   And the whole thing took 15t minutes.

We always eat a bit to eat at the corner restaurant, which is small but has efficient staff and good food.  The first step of our journey had begun smoothly.  The Halifax airport is excellent.

September 19, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Moving on.

The truck is in the garage.  The carry on bags are by the door.   The clothes are clean and put away in drawers and the towels are clean and on the shelf.  The outdoor water taps are trained and turned off.  In other words, we are ready to take the plane to San Antonio.  Mr. Gaskell will pick us up at 8:15 for our flight to Newark where we will wait for our next flight.  Jose is still sitting off shore so we hope the weather does not interfere with our travel plans but anything can happen on any given day.   Our expectation is to arrive in San Antonio at 10:15.

Our summer has been lovely.  The weather has been good and our company enjoyable.  Ken has added several upgrades to allow us to function more easily, such as the three wheeled cart and the hand holds for the showers.  Our garden has been productive.  The catering has been  top drawer.  This is the first year we have had food delivered the whole summer and it has been great fun.  We had them deliver food 5 days a week.  On the weekends we ate leftovers.  All in all, our summer was delightful.  We hope to be able to come next year but of course, we never know when health can interfere.  Our plan is to be here overlooking the seas in June of 2018.  Now here we go to San Antonio to see our wonderful Texas family.

September 18, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Surfers at Gull Bay.

They must have read the forecast.  The storm Jose will bring high winds to Atlantic Canada, whenever Jose comes further north.  The waves were gentle but starting at noon, the surfers appeared.    Throughout the afternoon the waves increased in height but the waves were still whimsy.  But the surfers kept appearing.  The better surfers appeared late in the afternoon, probably after work.   The early surfers were either tourists or students.  The experts arrived after 5:00.  And they surfer until dark.

Even though the surf was not really high, the surfers got many long rides.  The most successful was the man with a board and a paddle.  The ratio of the paddle boarder and the other surfers was 5 to 1.  The waves were perfect for a paddle board.  It looked like fun.  Tomorrow the waves are predicted to be higher but the rains will come too.  We will find out whether or not surfers have fun in the rain.

September 17, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Preparations.

We are preparing to leave Nova Scotia.  Yesterday Rita and I moved tables and chairs to allow the truck to fit in the garage for the winter.   We emptied and unplugged the freezer and fridge and Rita has cleaned them both.  And Rita and I brought all but 6 chairs from the deck into the garage.  We made great progress.

Today we made our last trip to the cottage.   The weather at the cottage was glorious with no wind and full sun but still with a touch of autumn in the air.  We sat by the water and watched 5 ducks act in a peculiar way.  All of  sudden the ducks would race around in circles and duck into the water and splash around.   They would repeat these antics every five minutes.  Very odd.  After lunch I stripped the bed and packed up the towels.  We left the outside furniture for Vinal to use.  He will arrange to remove the dock and raft and empty the fridge.  Then he will contact the plumber to winterize the cottage but not until he has finished his fishing guide trips.

During the winter, Ross, who lives behind us,  will trim the brush by the water and remove a small tree or two.  When we return in June of 2018, the cottage will be ready to be used again except it will look better.  We are fortunate that we have good friends who help us.  We are preparing to fly to Texas on Wednesday.  Ken and I are excited to see our Texas family.  We will be ready.

September 16, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Lillithe.

Who would ever thought that an expensive ladies clothing store would thrive and survive in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.  But here it is, going strong for the fourth year on Main Street.  Certainly, I felt the store was doomed to fail.

Sandra and her artist husband moved to Liverpool five years ago.  They moved from Toronto.  David has made a good living from his art.  Sandra worked for wealthy and famous people.  Her task was dressing these ladies who needed to look good.  They were both approaching retirement age so Sandra suggested they vacation in Nova Scotia.  While there, they fell in love and bought a house by the shore.  After all the details were wrapped up in Toronto, they moved and renovated their new home.  It is beautiful.

Sandra had always wanted to own a dress store.  She needed something to do for herself so she checked out who comes to spend the summers here and discovered that an affluent group of people spend time on the south shore so she opened her little shop.  Much to my great surprise, her shop is a big hit especially with those folks who "come from away".   She has a great eye for fashion so her clothes appeal to lots of people.  When Rita and I were  in her store this week, several other ladies were busily buying clothes.  Rita bought three wonderful shirts from the sale rack.  I was not wanting clothes but Sandra suggested several items she insisted I try on, just for fun.  Of course, I bought them all.  Sandra is a not a bit pushy but she is pleasant and fun and she wants to help.

The store is named after Sandra's Mother.  I am always fascinated with success, especially when it is unexpected.    She had a vision that escaped me.  Hats off to Sandra.

September 15, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Main Street.

Walking our Main Street is gratifying.   The shops are interesting but not numerous.  Rita and I walked from end to end of Main Street to the other and it took us two hours even though we visited 8 stores.  I am not a shopper but at least once every season I check out the shops in town, usually with Rita.   Since last year, there are two new stores.  One is a shoe store, called Sole'd.  Her shoes are well made but expensive.  I can not imagine she will be able to stay in business in our little town.

The Plaid Cat is the other new store.  The shop opened for business in June and it took until today for me to find it.   The owner sells hand crafted objects and they are wonderful.  The best part is she sells some items that are affordable.  Rita bought two sets of mitts and hats, made by the owner.  She will give one set to her daughter at Christmas.  They are made of fleece of interesting and unusual colors.  And I bought miniature paintings to take to Texas.  The store has wonderful objects.  Unfortunately, the store is right at the end of town so I had never seen the store, even though I had driven past many times.  I wish the owner well.  That store is a wonderful addition to our town.  Every year our Main Street gets more interesting.

September 14, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scoria. Saying Goodbye.

Wendy and Clausen leaves tomorrow to drive home to Potomac.  This afternoon they came over with the dogs to say goodbye.  We have all been here since the end of June but now we say goodbye until next year.  This morning we said good bye to Peter and Debbie.  They were driving to Annapolis Royal to check out that old town before taking the ferry at Digby for St.John.  We enjoyed their short visit. Peter Rucci looks to be in excellent  health and spirits as does Debbie.   Tomorrow evening Walt and Mary are coming for dinner to say goodbye.   Ken and I leave on the 20th so we will soon be saying goodbye to Gill and Mary and Cliffie.  Our summer will be over.

Next year Wendy said they intend to be here for 3 full months, while we must leave September 15 in order to get to Ontario for Katey's wedding.   After the wedding and a visit with Dave and Irene, Don and Doreen and Ken and I plan to drive to St.Paul to board our cruise down the Mississippi.

But for now, we remember the summer of 2017, where the weather was delightful and our visitors were stimulating.  We enjoyed our company the whole summer.  We are still enjoying Rita and Ian.  Everything comes to an end so we have been saying goodbye to our friends all summer long.   Rather than saying farewell, I always say "See you soon".    Then I feel better.

September 13, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Peter and Debbie.

The head lights were used for the first time last evening.  Peter and Debbie were good sports.  They also forgot to put on the outside light, nor did they bring the flashlight from the Guest House.  The night was dark with no moon in sight so we urged them to use our new miners lamps.  They worked well.  The oddest part was watching as they walked in the dark because on the back of the harness that fits over your head is a red light.  It was a funny scene.  But the arrived safely, which is the whole purpose.

Once again the weather was perfect.  We all ate a delicious lunch at White Point Resort.   In the morning, Peter and Debbie walked to see the seals in Kedgie.  Unfortunately the seals had gone.   Peter and Debbie walked the whole long loop.  After lunch, we took them to see our artist friend, Bernie Bowles.  We left while they enjoyed his tour but finally broke away after talking with him for 2 hours.  They loved his house and his art.  They even bought a painting to remind them of their happy time in Nova Scotia.  Once again we sat on the deck before dinner.  The evening was glorious.    We will miss Debbie and Peter when they leave tomorrow to catch the Digby ferry.  They are both enjoying their retirement  and they are interested in everything around them.  They both have great spirit and spunk.  They look great.  Now we wish them well.

September 12, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Peter and Debbie.

I have known Peter Rucci my whole real estate career.  In latter years, he worked for Long and Foster.  But I had never met his wife.  He retired in 2008, two years before me and I have not seen him since.   We have exchanged Christmas cards and he knew we lived in Nova Scotia, so when he found that his son was being married in Pictou, he contacted me.  I of course, invited them to visit.  The wedding was held on Labor Day weekend and since that time they have toured the sights of Nova Scotia.  They have had a wonderful time.

Now they are visiting us, spending two nights in the Guest House.  They arrived at 5:30 and after getting organized, they joined us on the deck for a glass of wine.  The evening was glorious and our dinner at 7:30 was delicious.  They both agreed that our system of catering was excellent. Rita and Ian are here too.  I always think that strangers make for the best dinner conversations.  Peter and Debbie are enjoying retirement.  They are active in their community in New Hampshire and are able and energetic.  When they leave Thursday on the ferry, they will have visited most places in Nova Scotia.  Only the Acadian Shore will be left for another vacation.   We are delighted to have them visit us in Nova Scotia at our home by the sea.  We have already had lots of fun.

September 11, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Update.

My friend Marilyn is doing well at home.  She has hired a helper to come 4 hours each day.  The person not only helps Marilyn at home but also takes her to the grocery store and doctors appointments.  Marilyn is doing much better at home with managing her daily tasks that she anticipated.  Most importantly, her spirits are good.

Rita and Ian have had a difficult year with their health.  Both have had issues.  Now they look good.  Ian and Ken worked on the kayak today, applying two coats of resin to the fiberglass.  And Ken and Rita harvested the vegetables from the garden.  We were delighted to see them looking so good.   We had not seen them since last summer here in Nova Scotia.  They are also pleased to be here for a vacation.

The kayak has been worked on this summer.  Ken has been organizing and planning.  Now that Ian is here they are working full steam ahead.  Whoopee.  That little kayak may get finished.  Of course, Ken might not be able to get in and out of the little boat.  Ken is investigating our riggers for the boat so he can use it without falling our.  We will see.  Progress has been made.

September 10, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Social Life.

Friday evening, Wendy and Clausen came for dinner.  I thought that Don and Doreen were leaving on Saturday.  Instead they left on Friday morning which meant I would have had 4 meals delivered to our home, so I called Wendy to help us out.  Our evening was delightful.  As a special treat our cook sent Hodge Podge, which is a Nova Scotia delicacy.

 We had been invited by Jan and Larry to dine with them for Brunch on Saturday at 11:00.  Gill was invited too.  Larry is an excellent cook so our brunch was scrumptious.  Gill picked us up in her new Subaru.   I always enjoy seeing their home because I saw it before their restoration.  Their home is elegent but comfortable.  I even avoided spilling my coffee on their white chairs.  Our conversation was lovely and interesting.  And we finally left at 2:00.

At 3:30, Betty and Final came over for tea.  We sat in the kitchen c hatting for ages.  We both were busy this summer so we enjoyed seeing them.  And Vinal harvested a bunch of vegetables from the garden, which pleased Ken.

This afternoon Rita and Ian arrived from Ottawa, so we have been chattering ever since, catching up with the years absence while also watching the storm on TV.  They were forced to cancel their visits to both Mexico and Mississippi so we were delighted that they were able to come to Nova Scotia.  They arrived in pouring rain but soon the sun came up and was beautiful.  Gill walked over to welcome Rita and Ian.  And we drank a cup of green tea.

Our social life here is never dull.  This weekend was a perfect example of our life by the shore in Nova Scotia.

September 9, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Biography.

At school, Mary Frances has been given an interesting but  difficult task, that of writing a 20 page biography.  The class is an AP English class so this will be an important paper for her.   She has asked me to be her subject.   I am flattered that she has chosen me although the task of sorting through the  details of my life will be daunting.  It also will be fun even when difficult.  As I will not be in Mississippi until late October, we will begin using e mail and telephone.

So far, Mary Frances has asked me to outline the various stages of my life, which I have done.  But it was not easy.  She also asked about the origin of my hats when I was a manager.  That question was easily answered.  In addition, I was required to send her an e mail authorizing  her to use me as her subject of the biography.  When she asked me, she noted that there will be personal questions put before me. I assume I will be expected to answer those personal questions.  I can not imagine what those questions could be but I will be interested in what will be coming next.   Most importantly, I will be delighted to see what my 18 year old granddaughter  thinks about her 80 year old grandmother.  We are going to find out.

September 8, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Boxes.

Boxes arrive at our door almost every day.  Sometimes they are delivered by the official postal truck and sometimes by a courier such as Fed Ex or Purelator.  I never know what is in the boxes and I never open them.   I leave them in the front hall for Ken.  Every day is like Christmas in our home.  I never know what is coming next so it is always fun.

On the desk in the office are two lamps designed to attach to your head.  Ken ordered them for folks  walking back to the guest house when they have forgotten to bring their flashlight.  The lights are similar to miners lights.  You put the lamp on your head so you can use your hands but still have good light.  The two that Ken purchased are bright so would. clearly get a person home without tripping.  The real question we both wonder is whether or not anyone will ever put the lamp on their head?   You look odd when wearing them.  But you certainly would be able to see in the dark.

Sometimes the boxes contain items that we need such as tea and coffee.  Sometimes the boxes contain items that Ken thinks we need.  And sometimes  the boxes contain items that we do not need at all.  Ken subscribes to the concept of "It is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it".   I never know what will arrive next.  Most things are useful even though I was not aware we needed the item.  Ken is always trying to be helpful.  Now I wonder if we will ever get anyone to wear those excellent lamps?

September 7, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. More Departures.

Last winter while they were in Mexico with us, Don and Doreen decided to drive to Nova Scotia at the end of August, bringing Ruth R. too.  But in June, the three of them changed their minds.  The drive was too far so they canceled.  But after driving to friends north of Peterborough Don and Doreen decided that the drive was feasible as long as they spent two nights on the road.  They have been here now for a week and we have had a grand time.  But tomorrow they must drive home.

They did so well on their drive here that Don suggested we might all four of us drive to St.Paul, the start of our cruise in 2018.  They had already agreed to take a bit of a vacation with us in Ontario, after Katey's wedding and before Ken and I flew to St.Paul.  While we were all sitting around chatting in the living room,  they both wondered that instead of vacationing in Ontario we could drive to Minnesota.  We have had great sport deciding on the routes and distances.  Ken has mapped out a tentative journey, which will include a couple of days in Parry Sound, as well as a visit in Sault St.  Marie where Christian and Chantel live with their children.

After we spend a couple of days in St.Paul, Don and Doreen plan to continue west to see their 2 grandsons living in Edmonton.  Then they will drive straight home to Ontario.  Our plan is to rent a big vehicle.  Of course, lots of details must be worked out but the goal has been set.  We are all excited for September, 2018.  And this all came about because they came to visit.

September 6, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Signing.

Today, with Clausen at the wheel, we five drove to the office of the attorney to sign the settlement papers for the sale of a lot in Jordan Bay.  In the car was Gill, Wendy, Ken, Clausen and me, all proud owners of a lot we bought together about 10 years ago.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  We 5 purchased a property and divided into  lots, which we sold.  But it took 5 years to get all 7 lots sold so we decided to sell the second lot without dividing it, which we did.  The property sold last month and will settle on the 18th of this month.   Wendy and Clausen leave on the 15th and we leave on the 20th so today we drove to the office of the attorney and signed our papers.

The funniest part of the signing was when Gill was required to execute the corporate seal.  We had formed a company, Gull Bay Properties, and for that the attorney kept our corporate seal machine.  We all cheered when Gill pressed the seal on the documents.  Three times she was required to affix the seal on the papers.  It was all very impressive.  As we are disbanding the company, the seal no longer needs to reside in the office of the attorney so we presented the machine to Gill, who has been filing the taxes and keeping track of what we owe her.  She is ready to be shed of her tasks.  And we are pleased to have the properties sold.  The idea seemed to be a good one at the time, but it proved to be more bother than it was worth.    Now we will be happy to get our funds in our banks and but it all behind us.  And the corporate seal will become an artifact in Gill's lovely home.   She will be able to impress her friends...maybe.

September 5, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Accidents.

They happen in a twinkling of an eye.  My friend Marilyn went for a walk at the end of July.  She was walking on the same sidewalk she walks on every day, but on that day she tripped and fell.  She has no idea what caused her to trip but what she does know is that the fall shattered her lower leg.  During surgery, there was no hope of using pins because there was nothing to pin anything to another bone so instead she has a rod in her leg.   She will not be able to put any weight on her shattered leg for months, which means she is using a wheel chair.

Marilyn lives in Houston.  The good thing is that neither the hospital nor the rehabilitation center were flooded.  And neither was her house.   Now she is home.  Her sister and brother in law have come to help to change her house to accommodate the wheelchair.  Doors have been removed and showers altered so now she will be able to function on her own.  But it will not be easy.

Friend Tuppen who also lives in Houston was not so lucky with her house.  She lives in a lovely large old home, full of beautiful objects.  And she is a master gardener so her yard was beautiful.  But her house had 2 feet of water in her first floor.  Along with the water comes dirt and debris.  She has been told that everything on the first floor must be trashed and placed on the curb to be hauled away.  That includes furniture, rugs, books and anything on that floor that got wet.   The drywall must be cut down to a level of 4 or 5 feet.  This is a big job and will take time.  At the moment, she is renting an apartment.   This also will not be easy.

Accidents happen quickly but the consequences carry on.  I wish both Marilyn and Tuppen well with their respective tasks in Houston.

September 4, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Subaru Forester.

A new Subaru Forester automobile is sitting in Gill's. garage.  She is the proud owner of a slate gray car.  She ordered it on Tuesday and on Friday she picked it up.  It is a 2018 model.  She drove around a bit, then parked it in the garage.  Her garage is not huge so she said the car peeped at her the whole time she was trying to get it into the garage.  All day Saturday and Sunday she drove her old car, the 18 year old Jetta.  When she was home she read the manual.  She is not finished yet.

This afternoon, she finally got brave enough to get the new car out of the garage.  And she drove over to show it off.  It is a handsome car and she will feel safe driving that car in Nova Scotia.

The interesting thing is that three of us have purchased a Subaru Forester.   Without any prior discussion, all three of us investigated new cars and selected the Subaru.  Mary and Clif purchased their car in Delaware, we bought in Texas and Gill purchased her new Forester in Milton.   At no time did we share information.   Gill's car has all the safety features as the rest of us.  Ken is waiting for a few new upgrades over the next few years before we turn in our old truck on a new Subaru in Nova Scotia.  Ken really wants an automatic automobile but that might take too long to wait.  Gill is thrilled with her new car and we are pleased for her too.   It is a splendid car.

September 3, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Home.

Staying home all day on a Sunday is a wonderful luxury.   Don and Doreen are here with us.  We four were brought up in a Salvation Army homes  which meant a full day of activities.  The band played Sunday morning at 10:00, either at the hospital or at the home of a shut in.  Sunday school was held for everyone else, followed by the 11:00 Holiness meeting.     At least once a month, a music festival was held in the afternoon, which would include the band and songsters.   Open Air meeting was held at 6:00 with a march down the Main Street.  7:00 the evening service was held, called a Salvation Meeting.  The day was long and busy.

After evening church, the young people usually gathered at someones home for tea and goodies.  Finally, after getting home around 10:00 I would have a moment to get down to homework.  Throughout my teenage years I was short of sleep.  

Now that I no longer play in the band or sing in the Songsters I revel in staying home all day on Sundays.  I loved the busy Sundays throughout my life but I now love the luxury of staying home all day, enjoying the quiet and the lack of hassle.   At home, Don and Doreen usually attend the Oshawa Corps of The Salvation Army, but when they are here they love the luxury of staying home.  Today we four read all day at home.  And we all four took a nap.  Now that really is luxury.

September 2, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Our Life.

What a wonderful life we lead, here in Nova Scotia by the sea.  This evening Clausen and Wendy took the four of us to Paul's Bistro, the German restaurant in Liverpool.    The restaurant is small, only 8 tables, and we sat in a separate room they call the VIP room.  I am not sure why, but you feel special, sitting in this room all by ourselves at our table of six.  The placemats were slate, giving us a sense of elegance.  In the rest of restaurant the placemats are woven.  As usual, the food was excellent although heavy.  But the best part was the conversation.  We had lots of laughter coming from our table.

Yesterday Ken harvested potatoes and beans from the garden. This afternoon Wendy walked over to take some home.  We three chatted with Wendy while Ken cooked himself lunch.  The rest of had eaten long before.   After Wendy left and we all took a short nap, Mary and Cliffie came to say hello to Don and Doreen and to get potatoes.   We spent quite a long time dissecting the failures of the Toronto Blue Jays, who are at the bottom of their league.

We four spent a lovely lazy day enjoying each other and our neighbors.  Life at Western Head is splendid.  

September 1, 2017. Western Head, Nova Scotia. My Jean Dress.

I have worn the dress for 15 years.  My friends tell me I should throw it away because there are holes on both sides of the pockets.   And the tops of both pockets are badly frayed.  But I like that dress.  I bought it in Mahone Bay with friends waiting for lunch at The Inlet Cafe.   Mary and I wandered into this dress store.  Mary found the dress and told me to buy it, which I did.  I have been wearing it ever since.   Fancy embroidery was done around the scoop neck and although the fabric has faded, the jean material is intact. Today I took the dress to the dressmaker to sew on new pockets.

Sherry will use a different material to make the new bigger pockets.   She agrees with me that the only thing the matter with that dress is the holes in the front.  For the past two years I have been dithering about new pockets.  Today I took the bull by the horn and took the dress to Sherry.  Actually, Don and Doreen and Ken drove with me to drop on the dress when we were going out to lunch.  Doreen correctly suggested that I could probably find a new dress on line and have it delivered to the door, but it would not be the same.  I bet I can get 5 more years of wear from that old comfortable dress.  And my friends will not be able to complain about the holes because the holes will be covered with new pockets.  I will be happy.