May 30, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Water.

What a shock. At 6:30 last evening I went to wash my hands and discovered no water coming from the taps. My next action was to check the kitchen sink. No water. I checked with neighbors but no one was home so I did what I always do which was to call Christina to see if she knew the company providing the water. She did not know but she looked it up and she also gave me the phone number of The Pearl River Water System. I felt sure we had forgotten to pay the bill but when we came home from Mexico I called them to be sure our payments were being paid automatically so I thought that the bills were being paid. Also Christina is paying our bills now and she is efficient and diligent. Once a month or so after moving into the condo we had dinner guests. Just before we were serving dinner the lights went out. Fortunately candles were in the closet so we enjoyed our candlelight meal, amidst great hilarity. Apparently we had not paid our electric bill. We thought it was covered by the condo fee. Everyone remembered that dinner. When I called the water company, I was informed that a water main had broken and 5 subdivisions were without water including Roses Bluff. The water was to be turned on by 9:00. Sure enough, on it came so life returned to normal. Except that for 2 days we must boil the water. What was interesting to me was how helpless we are without running water. I could not rinse the dinner dishes or take a shower. Fortunately we had a case of bottled water in the car so Emma and I retrieved it. We are so used to our life style and comfort that without water we are shocked. Clean water is a great blessing but I only remember to be grateful until the taps do not work. And for the day after too.

May 29, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Decisions.

Our minds are made up. Ken and I are going to Nova Scotia this summer. The easiest thing to do is stay here in Mississippi where we have everything we need to be comfortable, but during our lifetime, we have not always used the easiest paths. I have booked a flight for July 19. Now the fun begins. Ken and I spent most of the morning and early afternoon gathering information. Ken was able to find a company that provides professional drivers. They use our car. The drive would take 4 or 5 days, with stops along the way. I talked with the boss for a long time asking millions of questions. We will use them in the future, especially when we want to go to Texas. But after consulting with David via email, he suggests that the long car ride may be too much for Ken. I must call them tomorrow to let them know that the answer is NO. Ken found another company to fly. The price is about the same as the Air Ambulance but the planes are more comfortable. We have decided to use that company. Now tomorrow we must complete the paperwork. Our plan is to leave July 19 and fly from Jackson to Halifax, non stop. We will organize our own ground transportation. They will arrange it for us but the cost would probably be higher. We are happy with our decision. The two companies we dealt with today will be useful in the future. I spent a lot of time talking with them and the time was well spent. Now here we go, putting all the other pieces in place. Whoopee.

May 28, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Cousins.

Six of our grandchildren were here for the graduation of Mary Frances. They had a good time together. Of course they have not seen each other for several years so they were pleased to see one another. David taught Molly how to cast which apparently she was able to do well, even though she did not catch a fish. Kate using her machine to pierce the twins ears. They disappeared downstairs and returned with pierced ears. So far all is well. The last two times they tried they got infections. All of the girls pitched in to help. Suzanne, Sarah and Samantha went to the grocery store for me. And they helped at every meal. All the cousins plus the Sutherland boys played card games. They must have had fun because they made a lot of noise. The cousins stayed together the whole time, except when sleeping. The Texas family stays at the Hilton. I suspect that if they were together more often they would not get along so well. All day Saturday, Kate worked at Handy's Candies, her summer job so in the afternoon the Texas family stopped to see her and buy some candy. They wanted to see Kate in action. I did not grow up with cousins. Until my cousin, Diane came to live with us in Vancouver when she was training at Grace Hospital I knew no cousins. My Uncle Joe's family lived in Montreal, were Catholic and did not think well of The Salvation Army so we never got to see them even though we would have been about the same age. So watching the cousins have a good time together is new to me. The Texas Family have invited Christina and the girls to Texas this summer, perhaps to stay at the lake house. I hope they go because knowing your cousins is a pleasure in your life. This time in Mississippi was pure pleasure, especially Ken and me.

May 27, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Waffle House.

From the outside, it seems to be the same old Waffle House. The sign and the colors are the same as they were 20 years ago. But something seems to have changed. Mary Frances mentioned a few weeks ago that The Waffle House is the main place for students from Jackson Prep, her school. The kids hang out there after performances or sporting events. She said it is like a home away from home. The place is always open and the workers are polite and attentive. I took notice because there is a Waffle House down the road on Old Canton Road. We pass it often but had never gone in because it looked so dowdy and dull. Last week on the way home from our doctor appointments we decided to go out for a late breakfast or early lunch so we decided to try The Waffle House, the one close to our home. No cars were in the lot. When we went in we were surprised. The interior has been done in black and white tile with cute vintage tables and chairs. The place sparkled. All the workers greeted us as we came into the empty restaurant. I ate breakfast as did our helper but Ken ordered a large lunch. The service was excellent as we were the only folks eating. And the food was good too. By the time we left, the place as still empty. I wonder how they would stay in business. April our other helper mentioned that The Waffle House is full at odd hours, such as midnight or 2:00am. She said that because they are open 24 hours a day, it has become the place to drop in for a small bite at an odd hour. Not long ago she went to a midnight movie. She and her friends popped into The Waffle House after the movie for a waffle. The place was packed and they had to wait for a table. I wondered why they left the outside looking the same while the inside sparkles. Must be a reason. And now I know they stay in business.

May 26, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Dinner Party.

Many hands make light work. Tonight we invited friends for dinner to visit with David and Suzanne and the children. Along with their children, we were a happy group of 24, which makes for a lot of work. But with everyone helping, the house was back to order quickly. By 9:45, everyone had gone and the house looked normal. Grandchildren are a great blessing in many different ways. I ordered food from a local restaurant, The Cock of the Walk. The food was delivered at 5:00 so all we needed to do was to keep the ovens going to keep the food warm, which we did. The evening was easy with the drinks and appetizers on one table and the dinner served from the bar, which can be accessed from both sides. Everything was provided by the restaurant. Everything left over David sent to the trash bins except for the desserts. I ordered a southern meal of catfish, french fries, hush puppies, collard greens, coleslaw and corn muffins. Good southern food. And so easy. The kids sat at the dining table while the adults sat at either the breakfast table or sitting around the living room. The event was celebrating the graduation along with a visit with David and Suzanne and the children. Everyone knew each other from the 55th anniversary in Texas. The only problem was that Mary Frances was competing at the Quiz bowl in New Orleans. We celebrated without her but we did miss her. And Abigail too was missing due to her May semester course. Our evening was delightful and the clean up was easy, with all hands helping out. Now we look forward to seeing our Texas family the next time whenever that will be. Ken and I are appreciative that they drove here for the graduation and to help us. We loved having them here. They leave tomorrow morning at 6:00 to drive home to San Antonio. We wish them safe travels.

May 25, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. A Red Letter Day.

The Dickie Family celebrated today. We ate an early lunch at the best Japanese restaurant in Jackson, Sukaro Bana. Mary Frances was in fine spirits despite her lack of sleep. Celebrating at noon is easier for Ken but in truth we had no choice because Mary Frances competes for the school this weekend in New Orleans at The Quiz Show and they were leaving at 4:00. So we celebrated her graduation at noon today. Christina had pre ordered our food so life was easy because the food just kept coming. Today fish were caught from our dock. Allison caught one fish and David one. And Molly learned to cast. She will be a fine fisherman, I feel sure. David reports that our dock is excellent. It is sturdy and steady. Those three fish were the first caught from our new dock. After dinner, Kate, Allison and Samantha went downstairs. The twins have had two times tried to have their ears pierced but both time they ended with bad infections. Kate felt sure that she would be able to successfully do the job. With both mothers in agreement, Suzanne bought the supplies needed to complete the task. Kate already had a little tool to shoot the hole. The three of them disappeared with the request for having no onlookers. Soon they returned with wearing the new earrings. Kate was successful. And we all cheered. Mid afternoon, we all drove to the VIP and had pedicures, including David. Eight of us invaded the place. Sarah selected a manicure. And I just had my nails painted as I had a pedicure with Christina on Wednesday. But I was not going to miss out on this event. And besides I love the foot and leg massage. So our day was a Red Letter Day. But the most important item of the day was that we were together!!

May 24, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Graduation.

The instructions to the parents was to clap at the end of the presentations to the graduates. No cheering for each student. I had heard that before but most family members ignore the instructions. But not tonight. The head master calling out the names admonished us to keep quiet. Only once did he need to repeat the instructions. That meant the the names were read quickly with just enough time for the graduate to walk across the stage, pick up their diploma, have a picture with the chairman of the board and exit the stage. The good thing was the speed. We were finished in 80 minutes. And we had four speeches. The ceremony was well run which I appreciated. The speeches were short with appropriate content. All in all, the graduation was splendid. We were all happy to cheer on Mary Frances but we were not allowed to cheer until the last graduates name was called. Then we clapped and whistled. Our Texas family brought me home and we ate a bowl of soup made today by our Cuban cook. Tomorrow we will celebrate with Mary Frances for Japanese food, which is her favorite. The beat goes on. And it is all good.

May 23, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Graduation.

David, Suzanne, Sarah, Allison and Samantha have come from Texas to celebrate the graduation of Mary Frances from High School. We are thrilled they have come. They drove from San Antonio today on Highway 10, then north on 55 to Jackson. This evening we ate dinner at our house, along with Christina, Kate and Molly. Only Abigail was missing. She is taking May semester at Furman University. David brought a huge basket of produce from his garden. We have enough tomatoes and green peppers to feed an army. Vine ripened tomatoes straight from the garden are delicious. We will enjoy. His garden production has been better than ever, due to the removal of a center plot of roses. This year he planted the rose bed with vegetables which turned out to be a big success. We are grateful for all his efforts. We are especially pleased they have come to visit. They stay at the Hilton. Tomorrow after breakfast they will appear, then take our Apple products for repair. We have two iPads with black screens and I computer that will not open. After a late lunch, they will take me to the graduation downtown which is at 7:00. The children look wonderful as does Suzanne and David. We are so pleased to be all together.

May 22, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Free Parking.

When I have an appointment, I contact the lady who owns the company who provides helpers for Ken. She finds a helper to drive me and stay with me and brings me home. The system works well for me. Today I had two appointments: one at 8:30 with the Oncologist and one at 12:30 with the eye doctor. The appointments were in the same general area so I decided to have us go out for breakfast in between appointments. The lady driving me was a delight. Everything went well but the best part was the parking. After the first appointment we drove to Fondren, a funky section of Jackson know to have lots of restaurants. We drove past a place that appeared to be a restaurant so we drove into their back parking lot. But when we went in we discovered it was a gift store. I promised them that if they would allow us to stay in their parking lot, I would buy a gift for my granddaughter for graduation. They agreed. And we walked down the street to a coffee shop, the one they told us about. The helper and I found the delightful Swedish coffee shop full of wonderful , tasty food. We ate like Queens and our conversation was lively. First we ate breakfast food, followed by ice cream. She has 4 children and every family member lives in Jackson. Back in the gift store, I bought a gift for Mary Frances even though I already had her gift. But the free parking was worth it. And MF will enjoy her gift. Some days, everything works out well.

May 21, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Options.

Ken is keen to go to Nova Scotia this summer and he is working hard to increase his strength. But getting there is not easy. It seems we have three viable options: 1. Air Ambulance will take us non stop from Jackson to Halifax in 3hours and 45 minutes. Then Mr. Gaskill drives us home. Expensive at $25,000. All done in one day. 2. Commercial Flights. Jackson to Atlanta. 2 hour wait. Atlanta to Boston and stay in the airport hotel. Final leg the next day to Halifax and the same shuttle to home. Two long days and about $4,000. 3. Drive. Hire a driver and a big car and take the ferry from Portland. The car and driver leave us at home in Nova Scotia. We estimate four days and no idea of cost. Maybe $6,000. Motels, food ferry, gas. Stop when ever we need a walk. We are trying to figure out what is the best way to go.. We are still wondering if Ken will be able to make the trip. He is much stronger than when we arrived 8 weeks ago and as we are thinking that by mid July he just might be ready for a journey. We must eventually make a decision. But not today. Our internet is now fixed. AT&T came late this afternoon. Sorry not to post last evening. The big storm did the damage.

May 20, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. A New Restaurant.

We enjoy going to newly opened restaurants. Cantina Laredo opened in Jackson in a newly built area just off Interstate 55. The street address is not known to anyone because it is a newly named street. The two new restaurants are in an office complex that we have noted as construction was going on but we had to use the GPS to get us there. Christina mentioned the two new places so after looking up the menus, I selected the Mexican restaurant, Cantina Laredo. The other is Fine & Dandy which we will check out next time. Today we 7 celebrated birthdays. We had not given gifts to Kate or Mary Frances on their birthdays so today they finally received their gifts. They enjoyed continuing their birthday celebration. And we celebrated Abigail's 19th birthday. Three of us toasted her with our margaritas. The food and service was excellent and we sat at a round table in the bay window all by ourselves, which pleased me. Our lunch was festive. Only once did Ken tear up when we were speaking of Andrew. How we miss him still. Kate and Mary Frances sing in the adult choir so must attend the 11:00 service. No more early brunch for us. This new restaurant is a fine addition to Jackson. They advertise themselves as modern Mexican food. I will agree. I had never before tasted this food but we all enjoyed our meals. And we certainly enjoyed each other.

May 19, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Anticipation.

Nothing brings me more pleasure than the anticipation of beginning a new book. Nothing. I hold books back from beginning to read a new book until I have time to delve deeply and read at length. When I was a child and was given books for Christmas or Birthdays, I would hold back from reading the new books until such time when I could take the time to pay proper attention to the book. I still do the same thing. Beside my chair in the living room is a stack of 5 books, waiting for me to give them justice. Yesterday I finally got up the courage to begin a new book, "The White Road," by Edmund De Waal. He wrote "The Hare With Amber Eyes," which I loved so when I found out that the author had published another book, I asked Ken to order it for me and he did. It has been sitting beside my chair in Mississippi since November, just waiting for me to jump in. Yesterday was the day. I am not disappointed. Just reading the first few chapters has given me great pleasure. But the anticipation and excitement of beginning a new book always surprises me. I am not easily thrilled but I certainly was thrilled to begin this new book. I asked Kendria one of our young helpers if she enjoys reading. "No", she said. How sad I thought to myself. She is missing out of giving herself much joy. But not me. I am excited to be starting a new book, written by a fine author. Anticipation is mine.

May 18, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Clinic.

This afternoon Ken had an appointment with a Physical Therapist who works in a clinic that specifically deals with Parkinson's Disease patients. The purpose of the appointment was for an evaluation to see if Ken could be helped by their specific program. Dr. H., Ken's Neurologist here, suggested it might be helpful so he referred Ken to the clinic. They called for an appointment so we were set. Regina was the therapist we were to see. She was ready when we arrived on time at 2:30, which is always a good sign. First she asked questions about his health history. Next she checked his strength and balance which was scary because she had him stand without holding onto the walker. Then she explained the program, which was developed by NIH specifically for Parkinson's patients. The program is intensive. You must agree to four sessions a week for four weeks with each session taking about an hour. Ken will be given the exercises which he must do the same day at home plus every other day of the week, And he must continue the exercises after the four weeks are finished. Ken was pleased with the program and we registered to begin on June 4th. We were so pleased with ourselves that we stopped at Bop's, where they sell the most delicious frozen custard. Ken ordered a Big Bubba, which turned out to be in a big bowl about 6 inches across full of tasty morsels along with a lot of frozen custard. We celebrated. On the way home we did wonder why it took so long to refer Ken to this clinic. We were asking the good doctor about Ken's exercise program and whether or not Ken should have a personal trainer. We were just at the end of our appointment when we pushed the good doctor for how Ken could get better and stronger. Finally he mentioned the clinic. The clinic has wonderful facilities but no one was there except us. Anyway, we are delighted we pushed for the information because Ken is pleased to be taking this clinic. We hope he will be happy after the first week.

May 17, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Reading.

This morning was devoted to reading. Neither Ken no4 I had appointments so I stayed in my robe and read. Our cook came so our home smelled delightful and April was here looking after Ken so I stayed in my chair and ate breakfast and read...all morning. What a luxury. First I finish the Harold Arlen biography which I have enjoyed. I left at the end of December with a few chapters left so I was pleased to complete the book and his life. The writer all through the book mentions time and again that Arlen was not well known during his life even though he wrote many many songs, including the Wizard of Oz songs. I was skeptical because I was aware of his productivity even though I am not an expert on American songs. But since I have read the book, I have asked many people if they know the name Harold Arlen and they always say NO. So the author was correct. Even though his songs are familiar to folks, they are not aware of even his name let alone what he wrote. I have so enjoyed Lantern On The Levee that I have been reluctant to set it aside totally even after I finished the book, so I reread the forward written by Walker Percy, telling about his uncle, William Percy, the author of Lanterns. Now I am finished and will take it down to the shelves. The book is dated but charming. The rest of the morning I was reading back issues of Commentary and The Weekly Standard. I actually enjoy after the fact events in the old issues. And I like best the book reviews which never go out of date. One situation when reading until 1:00 is the need to get up and walk around the house, so every hour, I complete some task such as loading the laundry. I watch the clock and every hour I get up and walk around the house to help my neuropathy legs. Fortunately from one side to the other in our house takes plenty of steps. Then I dive back into my nest and put my nose back in the book or magazine. To make the morning perfect it started to rain which makes for a morning for reading. Perfect.

May 16, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Clean Eyeglasses.

Very morning when I was a kid my Mother cleaned my glasses. I would walk into the kitchen for breakfast, remove my glasses and put them on the table. I ate breakfast while Mother cleaned my glasses. Since I started wearing glasses at age 8 and got married at age 20, my Mother cleaned my glasses many many times. No one has ever cleaned my glasses since I left home. Now every morning when I clean my own glasses, I think of my Mother and wish she was still with us. Cleaning my glasses every day was a kind, helpful act. When Kenny and Anne visited us this winter in Mexico, they helped us in hundreds of ways. But one thing I noted was that Anne cleaned Ken's glasses every time she visited him in the hospital. The first time they visited Ken, Anne noticed Ken's glasses and cleaned them immediately. She continued throughout their visit. Once she mentioned to me that clean eyeglasses were important to her so she quickly noted Ken's glasses. No one else noticed including me but Anne looked after his glasses throughout her visit. Again, cleaning Ken's glasses every day was a kind, helpful act for Ken and both Ken and I were grateful. Both Kenny and Anne did the large helpful tasks but they also did the small important actions too. Nothing better than wearing clean glasses.

May 15, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Waiting.

I hate waiting. The only time I ever wait is at the office of one of my doctors. It drives me nuts. I know that doctors have emergencies and I know not every patient requires the same amount of time but I still think there must be a better way than keeping patients in the waiting room for an hour. Here in Mississippi, the eye doctors are the worst followed closely by the dermatologist. Then when you are finally called back into the examining rooms, the doctor has asked for tests before you see him which all take time. In fact today I had to wait to take a test. I try to keep calm but I really want to encourage them to have someone check their systems. I never by choice get in a line to get into anything. No restaurant or movie is too good for me to get in line to enter. I find another option. But at the doctors offices, you have no choice. You are captive. The same is true at the post office. They have a corner on the market so we get in their line to get stamps or to mail a package. Except now we do have options with mailing. Right around the corner from our post office is a mailing company where the service is enthusiastic and pleasant. And they will box up your gifts. I try to get early appointments so I do not need to wait but I still end up waiting because the doctor got stuck at the hospital which is right across the street. The smart phone is a great blessing. I clear my e mails while waiting and I watch the people. I seem to be the only one who is agitated by waiting. Mississippi people are polite and patient. But not me. I am only polite. I hate waiting.

May 14, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Mother's Day.

We celebrated Mother's Day at our house. The restaurants are too busy to be comfortable so Christina brought lunch here. And Christina's Mother Linda came too. Our day was warm and wonderful. The first thing they noted upon arrival was that we had no chairs at our dining table. Chantes is taking them apart and glueing them back together so we hope they do not wiggle. Ken, Linda and Kate sat at the breakfast table. The rest of us sat in the living room. We ate lunch from Serin, our favorite Thai restaurant. Christina had ordered the food on Saturday so on Sunday all she had to do was to pick up the food. As usual, the food was excellent. Molly and Kate took turns using the big black massage chair downstairs in the massage parlor. They loved it. For dessert, everyone helped themselves to mini Hershey chocolate bars from the crystal bowl in the center of the table. They were one of the 8 bags of chocolate Ken ordered. The girls were in awe when they saw our chocolate in the pantry. And they loved the dessert. Our Mother's Day was lovely. Talking to our young people is always a joy. Gill is in England, at Cambridge. They celebrate Mother's Day in March or April but definitely not on the second Sunday in May. We celebrated the day in style.

May 13, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Making Plans.

Ken and I do our best work when making plans. Whether it is a building project or a trip, we enjoy figuring out what needs to be done and then making a plan to solve the problem. Right now we have the problem of not being able to figure out what we will be able to do at all. So we concentrate on making every day into a pleasant day. And we talk about what we might be able to do when Ken gets back more strength. We always focus on what we are able to do rather than what we can not do so we stay positive but we would really be able to make a firm plan. But we are not able to do that yet. Ken is keen to go to Nova Scotia this summer. He is stronger and more independent now than when we arrived 7 weeks ago so he thinks he will even be better in 7 more weeks. But we can not count on improvement. He is agreeing to work with a personal trainer which tells something about his determination. He only enjoys exercise if he shows a product such as working in the garden. He hates exercise for exercise sake. Now he knows it is necessary. Also he is stubborn and wants to prove his Mississippi Neurologist wrong when he says he must give up our vagabond life. But just in case, we will explore all our options which include having someone drive us to Nova Scotia. Or pay for a private jet. We are itching to make a plan. But not today.

May 12, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Chairs.

When a piece of furniture is purchased it is reassuring to know that it fits right as soon as it has been delivered. Until then, it crosses your mind that you might have wasted money and I do not like to waste money. Christina and I measure heights and width and were careful with colors but until the furniture is in place, you never know if it will fit. This morning the three chairs were delivered and I am pleased to say that everything fits and looks good. The two chairs for the living room look like they belong and even more importantly, Ken is able to get out of the chair by himself which pleases him. The former chairs were in perfect condition and the lady who owns the consignment shop now has them out on her floor. She said the chairs were made in Mississippi. Buying the two chairs for the living room were worth purchasing because we had no place in the living room where Ken could sit comfortably. Now he can. My chair in the TV room does everything I wanted it to be. It is comfortable, looks good in the space and can swivel so I can watch the birds at the bird feeders without twisting my neck. I am pleased. Miskelly has a good system with delivery. They e mail you the day before telling you a 2 hour window for delivery. Then 20 minute before delivery, they call so say the chairs are on the way. Their system is good and we appreciated their competence. Now our furniture buying is over.

May 11, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Doctor's Advice.

No doctor has ever thought that our vagabond life style was a good idea. In fact, they all want us to be normal and stay at home so they can look after us. Our Neurologist in Mississippi is no exception. He thinks we should stay at home in Mississippi. Today at the meeting with him that was the first piece of advice for Ken. We both laughed and said that we may have no option because getting from here to Nova Scotia is almost impossible for Ken right now. "If we had a direct flight to Halifax, we would book it immediately," said Ken. The good doctor did not laugh with us but he did remind us that nothing is direct from Jackson airport. Our conversation ended about our travel plans. The second piece of advice from him was to keep the night helpers for a bit longer, so we will. He thinks Ken will continue to get stronger if he stays active and works with a personal trainer. The third piece of advice was for Ken to attend a gym and work with a personal trainer so we will investigate places close to home. He reminded us that Parkinson's Disease gets worse bit by bit but generally does not kill anyone. He suggested that Ken probably will not die from either Parkinson's or prostate cancer, but from something else. And he said that people with the disease live for 10 to 20 years. Ken suggested that a breakthrough might appear soon. We all agreed. We are not prone to take all the advice given to us by doctors so we will evaluate our situation and keep positive. And we will figure out whether or not we can get away this summer.

May 10, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Health Update.

I will have another scan on June 18, when we will find out what is really going on inside my body. The Oncologist is checking blood counts every 2 weeks. So far, I am holding my own with my white cells at 3. She is delighted to hear my blood counts but she is also delighted that I am keeping my weight up. Ken would prefer me a bit lighter but the good Dr. S. does not want to hear about it. So I am doing well both with my blood counts and my weight. I am able to do everything I need to do every day. I do the laundry and look after the dishwasher along with organizing meals. I walk most days so I am not short of energy. I put my feet up for an hour every afternoon. I think I could say that I am doing well. Ken is doing better. He walked with the physical therapist on the street today, the first time since we have been home. He is more independent, walking around the house by himself and dressing himself morning and night. He showers all by himself too. We are thinking about not having the night helper. He gets to the bathroom by himself at night and seldom needs help for anything else. Tomorrow we see the Neurologist so we will ask him, Some days Ken thinks he will be able to travel to Nova Scotia but other days he says "Not yet". We think he could function there but getting there is still a problem. The Urologist said last week that the prostate cancer is under control. He will take 30 days of the cancer medicine and then stop them. Ken is on a long dose of the antibiotics for the infection in his testicle but at the moment, things are going well for Ken. Seven weeks ago he could not walk with help so he has come a long way. He is quietly optimistic. Now we must decide about his exercise program. The physical therapist will stop after next week so we must think about whether Ken can do the exercises on his own or hire a personal trainer. I must investigate and we will figure it out. Nice problem to have!

May 9, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Chairs.

No chair in the living room is comfortable for Ken so he does not ever sit there. He is like a little bears: one chair is too soft, one chair is too low and from the couch he needs help not get up. The difference with Ken and the bears is that nothing is right. Today Christina and I went shopping. Miskelly is our store of choice. Two weeks ago we hit a home run. Ken is delighted with his new recliner chair. We were hoping to do as well today. Gloria had purchased 2 small chairs for our living room, which is not huge. They fit perfectly but are too low for Ken so our task was to find a better set of chairs that were the right width but had a higher seat. We measured most of the chairs in the store and we will have 2 chairs delivered on Saturday. We hope they will work for Ken because I have already sent the old chairs to the consignment store. Now our living room looks empty which is a pretty good look. When Ken's new chair was set up in our TV room, my chair looked dowdy. We bought the chair at a consignment chair for $25. Our second task today was to replace my chair with a swivel, where I could watch TV but also turn to see the water and the birds. We hope we were successful. The chair Christina and I selected seemed comfortable in the store. We will find out on Saturday whether or not it is comfortable and fits the space. No matter what, the old one is not coming back. I must keep up with Ken's new spiffy look!!

May 8, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Horses.

I know nothing about horses. But I know that in some respects, I am like a horse. Maybe it is a myth, but rumor has it that horses run faster on the way home. I do the same. When I go for a walk by myself, I walk a same route so if I do not come back in a timely period, someone could come and find me. Just this week, I have discovered that when I turn around and begin the walk home, I walk faster. I am just like the horses, keen to get home. Perhaps I only do this when walking myself. When I am walking with a friend, I pay no attention. But when I am by myself, I want to get home as quickly as possible. Perhaps it is anxiety. The further away I get from home the more anxious I get so when I head for home I pick up speed. I do not feel anxious but what else could it be. Until recently, I paid no attention but now it is obvious. I walk faster on the way home. I am just like a horse.

May 7, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Sal & Phils.

We have driven by Sal & Phils a hundred times but until Sunday, had never gone in to eat. Ken and I thought it was only a bar. And we noticed that the front parking lot was always full so we just drove by. Amerigo, a fancy Italian restaurant we have dined at many times is just across the street and on the same side as Sal & Phils, but still we drove on by. April, our day helper, often took her grandmother out for lunch so she knows all the good restaurants. She had recommended Strawberry Cafe so I asked for another referral. She suggested Sal & Phils or Burgers & Blues. I looked them up and decided on Sal & Phils. As it is often crowded, Christina and I decided on an 11:00 brunch. We did everything right. Our arrival coincided with their opening so we were taken to a room at the far end of the restaurant. And we had the room all to ourselves the whole time. Our friend John had told Christina about their food but somehow or other we paid no attention. Ken and I were correct in that they have a bar which is a separate room but as they got successful, they obviously expanded down the strip mall so now the restaurant is huge. Fortunately the food was excellent. The place is a little funky: kind of a fancy Road Kill Cafe. The first thing we did was order 2 dozen oysters on the half shell. They were delicious. Ken ate 10 all by himself. Fortunately, Mary Frances and Kendria do not eat oysters which left the four of us to eat the other 14. I ate shrimp sautéed in butter. Whew. What a treat. Our brunch was festive as Kate has completed her school year at University. And we were ready to celebrate MF's graduation from high school. The company was excellent as was the food. Once again, April did not lead us astray. Sal & Phils is a great place. And not crowded a bit at 11:00 on a Sunday morning.

May 6, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Old Dogs.

Rumor has it that old dogs can not be taught new tricks. Perhaps that is why I am so bad at the new task I have been assigned. I am an old dog. For almost 60 years I have paid no attention to the medications Ken had taken. He liked to be in charge. He made up his weekly pill boxes and he paid attention to what the doctors were prescribing. When Ken was young and sickly everyone hovered over him which he hated so as an adult, he wanted no one to pay attention to his health or his medications. My role was to cheer not to monitor. But times have changed. I am now in charge of making up the weekly medications, which I have done once. In addition I am supposed to be sure Ken gets his required pills. In Mexico the nurses were in charge so my new role is recent. The first task I could handle thanks to the organization set up by Rita. But the remembering to be sure Ken get his medications is beyond me. I always forget. Fortunately the helpers ask me so most of the time he gets his pills but not always on time. For instance, we met Christina and the girls for brunch at 11:00 so Ken did not eat breakfast, which meant he did not sit at the breakfast table, where his morning pill box sets. When we came home at 1:00, Kendria asked is Ken had taken his morning pills. Of course, I had forgotten. The helpers are good at being sure he takes the Parkinsons meds every 4 hours but not always. I forget until about an hour late and ask. This evening, we ate supper downstairs watching the hockey game. When we came up at 8:30, Emma asked if Ken had taken his evening pills. No was the answer. I am hopeless. Perhaps I will improve. After all, I have only been at this task for 6 weeks while I have been ignoring his medications for almost 60 years. We will find out whether or not this old dog can learn new tricks.

May 5, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Helpers.

Since returning from Mexico we have had a helper in the home all day and all night. During the day time, the helpers are young women who alternate, with one week Kendria working 4 days in a row and text week 3. I have been interested to note the differences. Theoretically, their task is the same, which is to help Ken to do anything he needs. At first, Ken needed help for everything so when Ken needed to move from one place to another, they walked behind him holding his arms. And he needed to have help getting up from a chair. Bit by bit, Ken has been getting stronger and more independent. Today he showered totally on his own so progress has been made. April helps Ken to get things done such as fill the bird feeders and install grippers under chair legs. Kendria is uncomfortable doing those tasks. When Ken opens boxes, April breaks down the boxes and takes the flat cardboard into the recycle bin. Kendria takes the boxes to the garage if asked. Their difference approach to their job is interesting to me. Kendria will do anything you ask her to do and do it cheerfully but she does not initiate activities except for helping Ken. The three ladies who work at night had a hard task in the early weeks. Ken needed help going to the bathroom every time. And he often did not sleep week so walked around the house at any hours which of course made them anxious. These ladies are not young but they are pleasant and kindly and pay attention to Ken. We have enjoyed getting to know all five of our helpers. Now Ken is doing better and is more independent. Ken and I have suggested to each other that we do not need the night shift helpers. They work 12 hours, from 7 to 7. For the last three nights, he has not needed help. He puts on his own night shirt. They make sure he has his night medication and that he has 2 glasses of juice by his bed and make sure he has his 6:00 am meds. But we are anxious. Ken has been without another infection but we are apprehensive about the future. We are having difficulty figuring out when to cut the cord with the helpers. I feel sure that the right way will show itself but it is not apparent at the moment. We have done well with the helpers so now we must make a decision. But not tonight.

May 4, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Cat Fish.

The fried cat fish was the highlight of our day. Ken and I had not eaten catfish since the Harper Volunteer Firemen held their fish fry last Spring. Today we ate our delicious food from Primos, a Jackson treasure. Ken had an appointment with Dr. Collins, his Urologist. Kendria drove us in our car for his 9:30 appointment. All went well and Ken's plumbing is in order and the doctor thinks the cancer is under control. Now we see him again in 4 weeks. On the way home, I suggested to Kendra that we stop at Primos to pick up their special lunch meal. Their lunch menu starts at 10:45 so we were in good time. Four weeks ago when we stopped we were too early but today we were later so we were in luck. Primos always has two options. Kendria selected the beef tips while Ken and I ordered fried catfish. For sides we selected creamed spinach and butter peas, which turned out to be small lima beans. Delicious. I also ordered peach cobbler for dessert and 2 bowls of vegetable gumbo for supper. My cooking needs were over for the day. In our home, 1:00 is our time to eat lunch but by the time we got home and smelled the good food, we all felt hungry so sat down and ate at 11:30. We three wolfed down our whole meal followed by a short nap. I tried to read but kept falling asleep so finally gave up and we all three took a nap. You know life is simple when a catfish meal was the highlight of our day. Ah the simple pleasures of life.

May 3, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Accent.

Years ago when we were in Ireland traveling with Andrew's soccer team and spending time with the local players and parents, we experienced a new phenomenon. We knew they were speaking English but we could not understand what they were saying, so would ask them to repeat their words slowly. They thought that was very funny. "We can understand you. Now how come you can not understand us", they said. We agreed and we all laughed. Eventually, when they were speaking to us we could understand just fine but when they talked to each other we had no clue. They were not speaking Gaelic. Now I have the same problem. Our helpers are all born and raised in the Jackson area. They speak with a broad Mississippi accent. Most of the time I am forced to ask them to repeat their words. And I try to translate those words that I can understand. I know they are speaking English but I can not understand their words. Ken actually does better but not me. The pronunciation of their words is so different than a Canadian that I do not catch what they are saying to me. Emma and Bettye are identical twins, born in a small town east of Laurel, which itself is a small town. Their speaking patterns are remarkable and interesting. They work at night and are not young. They were born in 1947. They actually mispronounce many words which make life even more difficult for me. I actually love to hear them speak even if I must work hard to figure out what they are saying to me. Their accents are charming. April and Kendria, the young ladies who work during the day both have a broad Mississippi accent which is lovely. But I always am forced to ask them to repeat themselves even though I have no problem with hearing. Th vowels fool me. So far, I have not told them of my difficulty. I suspect that they think I am a bit slow. After all I am 80. I love their accents. Soon I may be able to understand what they are saying.

May 2, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Silver Sauce Bowls.

The farm houses had been organized but both looked a mess. Wendy had come to help along with Rita and Ian. To my knowledge, our organization worked perfectly except for a pair of silver sauce bowls. The packers came first. Our system was simple. If an object was on the floor, it was to be packed and put into storage. Objects left in the cabinets or drawers were to be sold at auction. And all the art was to be packed and stored too. We had thousands of books so we did the same with them. Books on the floor were to come with us. Left on the shelf meant being sold at the auction. The packers had an easy time and soon our valuable stuff drove off in the van to storage. After we bought our house, our belongings were delivered to us in Mississippi. The auction was held in June and it went well. Every object was sold which meant the house was free of furniture and objects and broom clean. Wonderful Wendy came to Mississippi and unpacked our boxes. A few days after everything was put away, I was not able to find two silver sauce bowls, which had been in our dining hutch. I looked everywhere as did Wendy. The bowls were not to be found. Ken and I had purchased those 2 bowls in Toronto from an antique dealer in Yorkville. They were sterling and they were Irish. They may have been the most expensive objects we owned. Now I had lost them. I suspect that for some reason, they did not get packed so were sold at the auction. Or perhaps someone noticed it's value and took them, which would surprise me because I do not think any of the packers were knowledgable. But whatever happened, I lost my silver sauce bowls. I notice again a few days ago when I needed a sauce bowl. Once again, I felt badly about the lost bowls. They were beautiful and they were old. But they were merely objects. I quickly found another container for the salad dressing the other night. And I admonished myself to be more careful in the future. No sense crying over spilled milk.

May 1, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Work Habits.

Today was my sister Carol's birthday. Born in 1935, she would be 83 today. We would love her to be 83. She was a wonderful sister to me and I miss her. The new cleaning service sent another lady to clean. Elizabeth was the best house cleaner I have ever had. Everything was moved and dusted and the carpets were vacuumed and moved from their place. Today I was at home observing the new cleaning lady. Elizabeth would be horrified. Sandy was her name. I watched her polishing the dining table. She actually did not move the crystal bowl from the center of the table. And no rugs were moved. The kitchen trash was taken to the garage after I took her to the garage and showed her the different cans but she never did remove the small trash containers scattered around the house. After she left, I gathered them up and took the trash to the garage. It is not my job. Sandy works full time at one of the hospitals in town, helping in the orthopedic ward. It took her three years to be certified but now she is a nurse assistant. She cleans just to be helpful she said. Now I have to decide whether or not I should point out her deficiencies to Beverley, the lady who owns the company. Maybe she could just read my little blog. Sandy was a nice lady and my house was cleaned...kind of. I have had many different people cleaning my house. I have loved them all, even when their work habits were not up to standard. In Nova Scotia, Stephanie cleaned our house in 2 hours. And she thought the house was clean. I was just happy to have the kitchen and bathrooms washed so I never complained. Tammy at the farm was a the wife of a farmer so busy. She would bring one or two of the children along to clean the house and be done in less than an hour. Again, I was happy the house got cleaned. I certainly never complained. But in my heart of hearts, I appreciate good work habits. I already miss Elizabeth and her good patterns. Also my sister Carol. She had the best work habits of anyone I knew. She was a worker bee.