September 30, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Baseball.

The playoffs are beginning. Tomorrow, The Mariners will play a double header to determine the winner of their division. A few weeks ago, the Cubs were ahead by five games. But the Mariners went on a tear and won 9 out of the last 10 games, so they are tied for the league. That is one of the things I like about baseball: anything can happen. So here we go. I get ready for anything. If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Boston. The play baseball well. I love watching them play. But the Astros are good too. Also the Dodgers. The playoff season is long. But I am ready and I will enjoy every game. Except I can not usually watch a whole game. I come and go, watching for fifteen minutes every hour or so. The games go on so long that sitting is difficult. The playoffs are beginning. So here we go. And the hockey season begins on Wednesday too. I predict that the Capitals will not win the cup again. Bet on the Preds. Whoopee.

September 29, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Full House.

Every bedroom is full, except the children's room. We have a full house. Kathy and Ted arrived on Thursday. They are staying in the same bedroom as the last time they were here two years ago. They are also the good friends who helped me in Mexico. They have come to visit us from Newfoundland, where they stay the summer. They are headed for Manitoba before returning to their Mings Bite home in Newfoundland. They saw Ken at his weakest. Now they are delighted with his progress. Tonight for supper Kathy prepared cod, fresh caught by Ted at Mings Bite. It was delicious. We were especially pleased to see them now because they will spend three months in New Zealand and Australia this winter so they will not be coming to Mexico. Tom and Joyce are staying in the Guest House where they are enjoying the peace and quiet. We were pleased they could come for a bit of a respite as they continue with the details of rebuilding after their fire. Having your main house burn to the ground is not easy, especially in their mid 80's. They are enjoying themselves here in Nova Scotia. They have visited their grandson at Acadia University and driven around the province. Today they visited The Sculpture Gardens and loved it. We had not seen them since the 55th. Now we have had a good time together. Don and Doreen are in the other upstairs bedroom. They wee not able to come to Mexico this winter so we were happy they could visit was in Nova Scotia. And they helped us by staying with Ken while I was at the wedding in Ontario. They prefer to stay in the main house so here they are. Doreen kind of takes over the kitchen, which is lovely for me. Don has difficulty with stairs and is suggesting that they might not be able to visit us in Nova Scotia. Perhaps we could ask for the use of The Baby Bogf next year. No matter what, we are delighted to have them visit us. Today for lunch, the eight of us ate at Lane's Privateer Inn. We celebrated in style. Good company and good food is always a welcome combination. A few years ago our house was full. Now it is again...and we are having fun.

September 28, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Elora Mill, Hotel and Spa.

The Elora Mill, Hotel and Spa has a spectacular setting right on a gorge of the Grand River and just down from the water falls. Ken and I stayed there years ago. The setting was the same but for the past 18 months the place has been revamped and expanded. It is beautiful. They have retained the exterior stone so from the outside the hotel looks the same, except bigger. But inside is all new and fancy. I enjoyed staying there. The public dining areas overlooking the falls are wonderful. The staff were unfailingly pleasant, enthusiastic and friendly. I was impressed with their attitude. But from the time I entered my large room I felt like I had become like Adrea. A pleasant young man accompanied me to my room. The room temperature was cold so I asked him to check the thermostat, which he did. He assured me my room would get warm. When I returned to my room after Dave and Irene's dinner, my room was still too cold so I put on my reading glasses and changed the thermostat myself. Nothing happened so I called the front desk. An engineer came to check and promised me he would return but he never did. I stayed warm only under the duvet. Mr room never got warmer than 70. After I changed into my nightshirt, I wanted to watch college football on TV, but the remote control would now work. The young lady came immediately and brought another remote. While she was standing beside the TV, the remote worked but as soon as she left and I sat down, the remote failed again so she brought me another, which also would not work. I turned it off and went to bed. The next morning, the engineer came to change the little box on the TV. That night after I returned , the TV worked perfectly. Bu the next morning I had no signal at all. I gave up. No more calls to the front desk for me. The first morning I was in my room I tried to make coffee but the maker was set on a counter that has a shelf right over it so the handle will not open. In order to open the machine to install the pod, I was required to hold the heavy machine half off the counter, so I gave up. The whole room is fancy and high tech but they forgot a thing or two. The setting is spectacular. The staff id friendly, polite and enthusiastic. The renovations are superb. But perhaps in a month or so they will work out the kinks. I enjoyed my visit at Elora Mill. I would like to return in a year where I will find a warm room, a TV that works properly and a coffee maker that actually makes coffee. Fortunately, I have a sense of humor.

September 27, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Kenny and Anne.

Kenny and Anne and their grown children Eric and Elise attended the wedding in Elora, Ontario. I had not seen them since their visit in Mexico when they came for fun in the sun and ended up helping me and visiting Ken in the hospital. They were an enormous help and I will forever be indebted to them, so I was delighted to see them again. I had not seen Eric or Elise since the 55th and I found them both charming and elegant. In Mexico, Kenny and Anne spent a lot of time talking with us, as we were together so much of the time. We talked options for their life at sea. At the wedding I was brought up with the rest of their home sale and purchase. As of now, they are homeless. This Tuesday the movers did their job, Wednesday the cleaners came and today they attended settlement. Now they are living on their boat. In a month and a half they settle on their new purchase, which is a smaller house. The present owner will rent back for four months so they will take possession in five months. They have rented a storage unit for winter clothes. If living on the boat is too chilly, they will move into a garage apartment. They have made great strides toward their goal of retiring and traveling on the high seas. So far, they have done spectacularly well. They were strong sellers first. Then when they had a non contingent contract on their house they became strong buyers. They came up on top in all directions. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing their stories. Now I will watch with pleasure the next steps of their journey. Their goal is to be retired by January 1, 2020 and to be sailing the seven seas. I wish them well.

September 26, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Storm.

This morning, every chair on the deck had been moved by the wind, along with the heavy barbecue. The chairs are someplace, but not on the main deck. The storm started at 8:00 last evening. First the wind followed by heavy rain. The wind was fierce with a sustained speed of 50 mph with gusts to 90. The sound was deafening. All night the rain fell hard giving relief to the dry wells. Nothing in life is better than being in a warm cosy bed listening to the storm. The whole experience is wonderful. This morning the sight of the waves were impressive too. The wind and the rain let up now and then but mostly the storm continues with high wind. Trying to get out the door from the garage was impossible. The young lady bringing dinner was almost knocked over by the wind. To get to the garage we were forced to use the big garage door. And the winds are still high tonight with the rain falling all night. Doreen loves the stormy seas. While we watched the high waves this afternoon we both agreed that it was difficult to compare the ocean today to the one last week, where the sea was calm and looked like a lake. Today the ocean looks like a real ocean. And the ocean looks and sounds angry. No fishing boats are out tonight, even though the herring are running. The forecast for the rain and wind will stop tomorrow. In the meantime, I will retreat to my cosy bed and listen. And I will love the sounds of the storm.

September 25, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. My Wardrobe.

I travelled to the wedding with a small roll on case and a backpack. I planned carefully every event and garment. But a few things went awry. As I was coming down the stairs for lunch the first day at Dave and Irene's home, I felt my pants begin slipping down. I was wearing a top, pants and a jacket to match the pants. All seemed fine until I put my cell phone in the pocket. The guests were arriving. Clearly the elastic in my pants were failing. My solution was to untuck the top to put over the slipping pants and take the cell phone out of my pocket. All was well during lunch. The pants are now in for alterations. The next event was at Wendy's home. I wore a shirt with a silk sleeveless top over top, with black tight pants. When I saw a picture, I realized that I had put on the dress backwards. I had purchased at Lilithe in town and had not worn it before. The white was never supposed to be at the front. No one noticed and I never said a word. For the wedding ceremony I wore the same dress as our 50th anniversary. I brought it with me from Mississippi. It consists of a skirt and jacket but when I put it on, I realized that a blouse must have accompanied the outfit. It certainly was revealing when I put on just the jacket. Fortunately I used the same white shell top I had worn at dinner the night before. The white did not match but again, no one noticed. Now my question is where is the top that belongs with the skirt and jacket? For the wedding I was to wear a new silk dress the comes just belong my knees. As we were to be inside for the reception I thought a light dress would work. But the bride and groom requested pictures at the park at 3:45. It was chilly and I was fearful I would be cold so I wore the same black pants. The dress was never intended to use with pants but my solution was perfect. Again, no one noticed and I was warm. So my wardrobe worked. The clothes fit in my small case and nothing terrible happened. But it was a close call.

September 24, 2018. Ancaster, Ontario. Irene.

Her attention to detail has astonished me. Every comdort was provided for my visit from the large to the small. I was impressed but not surprised because I know Irene. In my own bathroom I found everything I needed,including two types of shampoo, and even to a spray bottle of lens cleaner for my glasses. Of course, the big fluffy towels were in abundance. When she heard me cough, she left a bottle of Buckley’ cough syrup on the vanity. And in my bedroom on the dresser was a note pad and pencil. With a little bear in the center of my bed, I was ready for a good night sleep. While I sat in the living room drinking coffee, Irene prepared my breakfast of crumpet, Canadian cheese and fruit, all served on the vintage china that once belonged to Irene’s parents. The Apple blossom pattern is beautiful and delicate and I loved using the old plates. We all agreed that the wedding was splendid. We enjoyed all the events and had fun with the relatives. Last evening at Wendy’s new home we had dinner with Ken, Anne, Eric, Alana, along with Dave and Irene and Ken B. and Wendy. It was a fitting final event. I am glad I came. Now Wendy will drive me to the Hamilton airport and after a flight on Swoop, Mr. G. will take me home. And that will be good. But I must say that I fall down when guests stay with us. Maybe I will pay more attention to my guest house. I certainly loved all Irene’s Preparation for me. I felt pampered and loved, which she intended to do. Thanks for Dave for all the driving and for Irene for looking after me. I enjoyed my visit a great deal.

September 23, 2018. Ancaster, Ontario. Wedding Reception.

First off, no one serves fruit cake at weddings anymore in Canada. Three tier cake covered with lovely roses surrounded by bees was served. The cake was chocolate. The bride and groom did the traditional cutting of the cake. It that was the only traditional part of the wedding reception. The whole event was great sport. The reception was held in a local brew pup. The whole place was taken over by the wedding party. The first floor which held the bar also included a table loaded with appetizers. For an hour, we were meeting and greeting. Prior to that, pictures were taken at the park, the same place where the wedding should have been held. Yesterday, the weather was perfect so the family pictures would be beautiful too. After the main floor hour of beer and wine, we climber the stairs for dinner. Nothing traditional was done. The meal was served family style, where mounds of food bowls were placed in front of every table. In between the main course and dessert, speeches were given. Every person in the bridal party made brief and funny speeches, along with the parents. The whole event was casual and people enjoyed themselves. Most importantly, the bride and groom had a good time. I have never attended a wedding reception in a brew pub but it worked just fine. The reception was fun and festive. Katey and Brock were married in style.

September 22, 2018. Elora, Ontario. Breakfast.

Peameal bacon can not be purchased in the US but fortunately for me, it was on the breakfast menu. Our restaurant was the room directly over the room we enjoyed last evening at dinner, where the scenery is wonderful. So at breakfast, we were one floor up, overlooking the river and the gorge. Granite was everywhere. Between the scenery and the good food, I was in hog heaven. Dave, Irene Nd I finally got up from our breakfast table at 11:30. Actually, it was only in Ontario when you can buy peameal bacon. It is expensive, but worth every penny. For breakfast I ate a big piece of peameal bacon, crispy fried potatoes and a bagel with cream cheese. Along with a pot of English Breakfast tea, I ate a breakfast for a queen, all the while enjoying the magnificent view. I enjoyed every bite. For lunch and in the same restaurant at 1:30 we will have lunch with Kenny, Anne, Eric and Elise, who are here for the wedding. Then this afternoon in the park, pictures will be taken. Then on to the celebration of the wedding, including the toasts and the cutting of the cake, which in Canada will be a fruit cake. So we will have a busy day. But the breakfast will be difficult to beat.

September 21, 2018. Elora, Ontario. The Wedding.

I have never attended a wedding I have not enjoyed. Today was no exception. My wonderful Wendy’s daughter Katey was married this afternoon to Brock. He was the bee man at our 55th anniversary and we like him so I was delighted to attend their wedding. Actually their wedding consisted of two parts: today was the legal ceremony where the vows were exchanged. They wanted the ceremony to be intimate so for the ceremony they invited only 19 people which included the bridal party, parents and grandparents and grand aunt. They intended the ceremony to be in a lovely park. It rained so the event was moved inside. It was lovely and I was pleased to be a part of the event. My brother and sister in law hosted a dinner for them at the inn we are staying, which sits right next to the river and the gorge of the river. The room overlooking the rapids was beautiful and the dinner was enjoyed by all. The dinner was fun and festive. Tomorrow the circle will expand and we will celebrate again at a reception with the big group. I have no idea how many folks will be attending tomorrow but today was special for the bride and groom and their immediate families. Dave and Irene and I are staying in the Inn where the dinner was held. The renovations are spectacular and my room is gracious, modern and spacious. I am enjoying my stay here, all thanks to Katey and Brock who selected Elora as the site for their wedding. I do love weddings.

September. 20, 2018. Ancaster, Ontario. My Day..

What a day. My cup runneth over. I have gone from one highlight evenT to another. Irene set me up for the day by fussing over me Nd I loved it. From the time of my arrival, Irene has had everything ready for me and at breakfast she brought me crumpets and fruit and coffee. Marion and Gary and Diane came for a delicious lunch. Irene served us on the best china, silver and crystal. I had been served on those implements many tims, and they seemed to be old friends. We were sitting in the living room chatting after lunch, when the bride and groom, Katey and Brock came by to say hello, which was an unexpected surprise. Shortly after our late lunch, I went with Diane to see their renovation. We sat in their charming back yard and drank a cup of espresso. Norman and Diane are busy people and we always wish we could see more of them so for me to be able to chat with them was a real leasure. Their renovation is lovely and I was delighted to see it. Then we were off to Wendy for a barbecue dinner for the family. Tonight we used the chine that used to belong to my parents. When my mother died, the set was given to Wendy, who was the only granddaughter. And we used the silver that belonged to my parents too. It was a delight to use my mother’s dishes and to know both the China and the silver was in good hands. And for the first time I saw wendy’s New home. I had seen pictures and descriptions but nothing beats seeing a home in person. Norm and Diane were there, along with Alana, Dave, Irene and Ken B. Our dinner was delicious. Smoked salmon and vegetables on the patio and succulent lamb chops, rice and carrots for dinner. Blueberry pie for desert. Tomorrow, more members of the clan will gather for the wedding in Elora. Brock and his family arrived yesterday in Elora and tomorrow, the rest of the Buckley family will arrive from far and wide. The circle is growing but today, I got to get a head start. I feel privileged to be able to see my family members again...and the see them all doing well. I feel fortunate to be able to attend this family wedding in Ontario.

September 19, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Traveling.

Ken is apprehensive. I am travelling by myself to Ontario where I will attend a family wedding. He thinks that an eighty year old who is half blind with a compromised immune system should not be travswelling alone. And he asks regularly if I am sure I will always be with someone in Ontario. I assure him that I will be fine. Certainly when I get to Hamilton when Norm and Diane pick me up I will always have a family member or another by my side. But he is nervous for me. And he wanted to be sure I have a return ticket which made us all laugh. I leave the house at 4:30. Mr. Gaskell will pick me up. Then the adventure by myself begins. My visit will be busy. I arrive at 10:06 which is why Diane and Norm are picking me up. I will stay with Dave and Irene, then on Friday we drive to a restored mill in Elora where we will stay two nights. All the festivities take place in and around the little town which I am told is charming. I am keen to visit my relatives and old friends and I am looking forward to meeting new people. I have observed that most young folks have little interest in talking with old ladies so I will be interested with the response. No matter what, I will have a good time. I have not seen Wendy’s new home, nor have I seen the new look at Dave and Irene’s home. Many years have elapsed since we were n Ontario so I am pleased to return. Ken will be well looked after by Katie each day and by Don and Doreen the rest of the time. Joyce and Tom will help too I am sure. The four are exploring Liverpool with a stop at the Visitors Center for maps and brochures. Then after our late lunch of seafood Chowder and a nap, I will be gone. But Ken will not be pleased. I return on Monday evening.

September 18, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Joyce and Tom.

Joyce and Tom attended the Earlscourt Corps of the Salvation Army, while we attended the Danforth Corps. We got to be good friends at Youth Fellowship camps at Jackson's Point. Ken had not yet come to Toronto and when he arrived in 1955, he was too busy at University to attend any camps. And they married in 1955 too so Ken does not know them as well as I did. But we did spend time together. We have been friends ever since. Ken played hockey against Tom in the Salvation Army hockey league. Joyce and I took all our swimming credentials together and we got to be good friends during those years. And of course we have kept our friendship over all those years. They came to both our 50th and 55th anniversary celebrations. Now they are visiting with us now in Nova Scotia. We are delighted to have them here. About 2 months ago, their home burned down. Ken and I know about fires but having your main house burn down is something different than when your guest house burned. The shock must have been terrible. But now they are on the way to recovery. We were delighted to know they are taking a respite from all the details of the rebuilding. We hope they have a wonderful time of rest and recreation. They are staying in the Guest House. Fortunately for us, they brought the rain. All afternoon the rain has been falling. It is still raining now. We hope it keeps up during the night. For their sake, we hope the sun will shine but tomorrow we are supposed to have more rain. But the sun will come up some day, but perhaps not tomorrow. In the meantime, we will enjoy Joyce and Tom...and the rain.

September 17, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Fort Point Light.

A simple pleasure is to visit Fort Point Lighthouse. The beautifully restored lighthoused and surrounding area has turned into a charming park. Don and Doreen and Ken and I visited on Saturday. Instead of walking at the arena, we walked at the lighthouse park. All around the walking area signs have been placed to give information about the area. The lighthouse is right in town at the mouth of the Mersey River. The big rocks and stone walls are attractive, as are the plantings. Old canons are set on the hills. Between the river, rocks, seals and the signs, we had more than enough action. And of course, we walked the loop. The best part of our visit was the cup of coffee and the pastry we ate sitting on the bench in the sun gazing out to sea. We watched as a big sailboat practiced their drills in the harbor. The Fort Point Lighthouse Park is a little gem that we often overlook. But on Saturday we enjoyed every minute of our visit. When the children are here we climb the lighthouse to blow the fog horn but now we walk around admiring the scenery before sitting for our goodies. Simple pleasure indeed.

September 16, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Match.

Andy left me the book. He had finished it and was not taking it home so he left it for me. He thought I would enjoy the read. And I did. The match was played at Pebble Beach, California in 1956, between two professionals and two amateurs. It by itself would have been of little interest except the times for golf were changing. The author, Mark Frost gives a short history of golf. At that time, the attitude was changing between the two groups. The golf world has changed dramatically so I enjoyed filling in my lack of the history of golf. At that time, the Olympic ideal of gentlemen sports was being being debated, which included the world of golf. In that match were Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson for the professionals and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward for the amateurs. Each player has a chapter or two, so as the reader, I get to know the players. The match is descriobed, hole by hole, which is riveting. But I enjoyed the history and the evolution of golf the best. Golf has changed so much since that time but it is interesting to read of the beginnings of the golf professional. Bob Jones was an amateur. Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson were early professionals. They barely made a living. But along came Arnold Palmer. The writing is flowery and overblown but I was pleased to read this book. Thanks to Andy for leaving "The Match" for me to read. He was correct. I did enjoy it.

September 15, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Water.

We take water for granted. We wash our clothes and we wash our dishes without thinking a thing about it. Nova Scotia has had three years of drought and the water table is low. For the first time, the universities are evaluating the level of wells around the province. Until now, the abundance of water was never an issue and no one ever bothered to track water levels. Rain fall so so far in 2018 is half the usual amount. Lots Of wells are dry. Up until now, we have been fortunate. Our old dug well has not failed us. In addition, we have a deep drilled well at the guest house. On Thursday night, Doreen went up to bed to discover no water in the taps of the upstairs bathrooms. The dishwasher had just finished and the taps were still running in the kitchen. I gave her two bottles of water and suggested she not flush the toilet. And I knew our well was going dry. That evening, Mary and Walt came for dinner. As she usually does, Mary cleaned up the kitchen, rinsing the dishes under the tap before loading the dishwasher. Then I ran the dishwasher, which apparently was too much drain on our well. We all went to sleep, hoping the well would recover over night. Sure enough, the water ran from the taps in the morning. But to be sure, Katie helped Ken to hook up the hose from the guest house and run the water into our ailing well for an hour. No problems with the taps yesterday. But to be cautious, Doreen and I showered in the workshop bathroom. And Doreen did some laundry in the guest house. This afternoon, Don and Doreen helped Ken to again run an hours worth of water from the guest house well into our dug well. Now our water pressure is fine . But we will be cautious with our water. Most of the time, we pay no attention to our water supply, even though we know we are on well water. But since the taps ran dry, we are now careful. Everyone is hoping the forecast for rain for next week proves to be accurate. We are supposed to have rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. Mostly we love sunshine but now we are hoping for rain, which reminds us of living in Texas. Pray for rain!

September 14, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Decisions.

Sometimes, small decisions are harder to make than large ones. Today was a perfect example. We moved the table on the deck from the main deck to the glass enclosure for the former hot tub. Our thinking is that we can eat outside if the wind is blowing. So now the table looks ridiculous with no chairs around the table. Also we thought we could get some chairs on sale. Also we leave soon so why spend money to leave the chairs in the garage all winter. On the other hand, we seldomr eat outdoors. Don, Doreen and I decided to look for sales, first in Liverpool, then at Canadian Tire in Bridgewater. But we had problems. If we took the truck, the person in the back seat would be uncomfortable. And the truck has no air conditioning, and today was hot. It if we drove in the comfortable rental car, we would not be able to bring back any chairs. Finally, we decided to leave Don at home with Ken and Katie, while Doreen and I would. Heck out any sale chairs in Liverpool. Don thought that Canadian Tire would have put away their sale chairs long ago. katie tries to find the sales on line to no avail. Doreen and I went to Brady’s Home Hardware. They have no furniture at all. The Super Store had sold all their chairs, as did Home Hardware in town. We struck out. The only thing we bought was extra strength Tylenol for Ken. We five people apent an hour trying to decide what and how to proceed. We changed our minds multiple times. Our decision now is to do nothing right now. If we wish to eat outside we will merely move the chairs from the deck to sit around the table. Our problem is now solved, at least for the moment. These small decisions kind of drive you nuts.

September 13, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Learning To Skate.

children here in Canada learn to skate almost as soon as they can walk. In the summer here in Liverpool, the ice surface is kept in the arena all year so during the summer, different groups are able to skate. Today from 1 to 2 tots and adults could skate. I am easily amused but today while walking, I also watched a young boy learning to skate. The boy was about 3 years old. Today was not his first skate because his ankles were straight but he was a beginner. During the time I watched him, he must have fallen 50 times. He quickly got up, with the use of the frame he was using. Then off he went again. His father, who was a good skater would circle around him, encouraging him all the way. The only help the child received was when the frame was returned to him when it got too far away. The child held onto the frame, which is a wonderful learning tool. After a fall, the child can easily get up, with the help of the frame. When the child tried to get up by himself he was unable to stand so would fall again but with the learning tool, he could stand all by himself. His drill was to skate a bit, fall and get up and do it again. Time after time. The child loved skating fast, at least as fast as he could move his feet. But of course, he would fall sooner when he skated fast. He would skate as fast as possible right at the other frames which were sitting at the end of the rink. He was having a wonderful time. And I had a wonderful time watching him as I walked my 10 laps. I chatted to a mother watching a hockey school, and commented on the expertise of the skating. The mother said that at this stage, the kids should be good skaters because they started skating at age 2 and have spent many hours on skates each month ever since. Ken did not learn to skate until 8 or 9 because at that time the only place to skate was on frozen ponds and for several winters the ponds and lakes did not freeze. But now, most towns have arenas so most skating is done inside, just like today. Ice skating is like swimming or bike riding. Once you can master the task, it stays with you for life. That little boy will never remember all the falling he did today but he will remember how well he skates. And I smile every time I recall him getting up, time after time. Such fun watching.

September 12, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Friends.

Hundreds of years ago, everyone lived within walking distance of friends. But not now...except in Western Head. One of the charms of living here is our friends. They walk over to say hello regularly. Gill comes by and stays five minutes, or perhap fifteen. She does not come for anything special but just to check on us and to say hello. For instance, this evening we were sitting on the deck watching the surfers when Gill drove over to give a welcome to Don and Doreen, which was very nice. And Wendy and Clausen walked over with the dogs to say goodbye to us all. We love it when they walK over and allow us to pet their lovely dogs. The evening was beautiful so perfect for the visits. But the summer is ending. Tomorrow Wendy and Clausen leave tomorrow and will take a leisurely drive home, taking four days to drive the required 24 hour drive. We will miss their visits and their dogs. At the end of the month, Mary and Clifton return to Deleware. Gill will stay until the end of October because she will host folks attending the Theater Fesrival in Liverpool. And we leave October 7. Our summer will end but we will miss our friends visiting us here at Western Head. No one just drops in to say hello to us in Madison. Here, even Mary and Walt pop in regularly to bring us goodies and to say hello. That part of the good old days we enjoy. And we will miss our friends and our home by the sea. We hope we all get together next year. The s year was a bonus.

September 11, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Katie.

Ken calls her his angel. She helps him with everything. This weekend, when I was fumbling to help remove his shoes, he laughed Nd suggested that tomorrow his angel would come to help. We got the job done. But Katie does everything better. She helps Ken with his exercises twice a day and heckles him if he slacks off. and she joshes him if he gets cross. In addition to helping with Ken, Katie also helps in the home. Every few days she does laundry. Tomorrow she will change the beds. First thing in the morning when she arrives at 9:00 she unloads the dishwasher. Ken can dress himself but Katie helps, which makes everything faster. And she makes Ken’s breakfast every day. Katie’s lot in life is not easy. Both her parents died early. She has made some bad choices. She lived with a man she thought she would marry but when she got pregnant, he left and now has nothing to do with either her or the child. Legal aid told her that if she asks for child support, he will demand partial customary. So she is raising her daughter on her own. Money is an issue and she is having trouble getting ahead. This morning she broke a tooth, which ached all day so this afternoon she was able to get a dental appointment at 4:30 which means she must leave work early, thus missing 90 minutes of pay. She has no savings at all. During the years when Ken was in medical school and I was teaching, Ken and I were poor. We spent no money that was not essential. But we always had savings we built up bit by bit so there was money available for emergencies. Our own safety net was each other and our good family. katie has neither. These young women with whom we have gotten to know have a difficult row to hoe. We wish Katie well. She has helped us this summer. Getting ahead is not easy. All I know is that Katie is trying very hard to raise her daughter and stay solvent. Ken and I hope she makes it.

September 10, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Don and Doreen.

We have had a wonderful day. Don and Doreen arrived last evening, brought to us by Mr. Gaskell. They were quick at the airport. After arriving at 3:55, they walked into our home at 6:20. Pretty good timing. Seeing good friends after a long time is always a pleasure. We talked and talked before having a good nights aleep. The first thing we did after breakfast was to go to Enterprise car rentals. I am trying out a new system. The car rental rates at Halifax airport are high, twice the cost of a rental in Vancouver. So we had our shuttle man bring Don and Doreen, then rent a car from Bridgewater, which is much cheaper. Three weeks car rental in Bridgewater was $900 with a full sized car. Now I need to know what Dave and Irene paid for their three week rental from the airport. Then we will see if we saved money. Wendy took us to Lanes for lunch. They leave on Thursday so that was our last meal together for 2018. the summer has flown by. This afternoon we all took a nap. Ken has his exercises both morning and afternoon. katie is good to make sure he does them twice a day. We sat out on the deck, which was chilly. The weather is changing. Don was so cold he wore one of our coyote vests, which did keep him warm. But when Doreen tried to wear the other one we discovered that the fur was falling apart. Tomorrow I will speak to a furrier in Halifax to see if we could have them repaired. My fleece vest kept me cosy too. Fish chowder was our mystery meal of the day. Perfect for a welcome to Nova Scotia. At lunch today, we commented that very few people we know today also know all our parents. Today was the exception. There is something very nice to have friends we have known for almost 65 years. We are delighted to have Don and Doreen visit us here in Nova Scotia.

September 9, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Sound of the Se.

Today the water is glistening in the sun but yesterday it was flat and shiny as ice. The ocean appeared to be a Lake. Except the sound from the sea never ends. The waves keep coming in, a force of nature that never stops. Even though the water is still, the sounds from the sea keep coming. Yesterday I sat on the deck listening to the sound as I watched the waves lap the shore. The first aound I could hear was the seals singing from the rocks in front of Gill’s house. They yelp and moan. When the wind is up, we can not hear them but yesterday I could hear them loud and clear. They are noisy. We have no idea what they see saying. Then the small waves break on the shore making a crash for such a small wave. The noise comes when the wave breaks whether right on th shore or further out Peeole speak of the wave crashing into the shore, which is exactly what I hear. The next sound is when the wave rushed back to sea. So I heat two different sounds, in and out, in and out and never stopping. But this next sound is the most interesting, which is the sound of the rocks rolling against each other as the water retreats from the shore. In thousands of years, we will be sand beach, when here we have a cobble beach. The rocks rolling aganst each other week after week making a lovely sound, quite different from the water sounds coming from the waves. When the wind is up and the waves are high, we expect noise from the sea, but when the sea is quiet, the sound is muted but never silent. This force of nature never stops, twice a day coming in and going out. The sound is wonderful and we will miss it when we leave. One of the charms of living at Western Head is to hear the sounds of the sea. I

September 8, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Gillian.

Once upon a time, many years ago, Gill burned the soup. From that time on, we always laughed about her cooking skills. But somehow or another, Gill started to pay attention to cooking. Now she is an excellent cook and a gracious and generous host. Tonight she hosted the DWEMs for our last supper at her home. Before we arrived, she moved furniture to open up the living room so Ken could function with the walker. Her home is wonderful for entertaining, with one large room overlooking the ocean with the kitchen, dining area and living room all open with an island between the living room and kitchen for serving the food. The whole scene iS element and comfortable, just as Gill had planned. On the drive over we stopped to see three young men checking out the surf. They reported no decent surf but saw many seals. On the rocks in front of Gills you see hundreds os seals, bellowing and singing. While at dinner, a bald eagle was seen sitting on the top of a spruce tree. He was huge and close to us. And several Eider ducks had assembled in the bay, getting ready to head south. Tonight we saw lots of local color. Gill outdid herself. We ate an array of appetizers which was quite a spread. For dinner we ate fresh haddock cooked with onions, along with tiny new potatoes and fresh green beans. The meal was delicious. And she baked her own bread. For dessert she served ice cream, blueberries and macaroons and chocolate. By then, Ken was tired out so he needed to go home so the Ely's drove us home. We missed out on tea. The Ely's leave for Potomac this week so this is our last supper together for 2018. This summer, Ken and I almost missed the summer in Nova Scotia so we all 7 of us felt grateful we are all together. Tonight's dinner was a highlight of the summer. Dining with our good friends and eating the local fresh food is a special treat, all thanks to Gillian, our good friend.

September 7, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Up To Date.

Getting to the end of the to do list gives a get sense of satisfaction. This evening, I have gotten everything done. Cameron came with a bill for the deck so I gave him a cheque, which pleased him. Workmen here are slow to give a bill so I was pleased he came by. He also put two blanks in the electrical box. So now we are totally finished. And I had Katie mail our cheque to the Earth Angels. They send me a bill via e mail and I write a cheque and send the funds via snail mail, just as we did years ago. When we first hired them, I gave them our new credit card but it failed to work. Turned out that I gave them a debit card which will not work. They were happy for me to just send them a cheque. Today I received via e mail a bill from Jaspro, our cleaning service. I had them put that bill on the credit card. I also received a bill from the caterer so I have a cheque in an envelope which they will pick up on Monday. So I am up to date with my bills. David e mailed me that he had paid our tax bill for Queens County and also our Band of Montreal credit card bill. So we are in good shape in Western Head. And after transferring funds from the investment account to our hearing account we should be solvent until we leave October 7. I took two months membership at the Emera Center where we walk so soon I must add on some weeks. One week the track was closed due to thew Hank Snow Festival so they extended the number of days we were unable to use the track. We must soon be out of membership. But I will wait to be told. For some reason, I like to clear my desk and keep current with my responsibilities. Now I am up to date in Western Head, at least for the moment. And I am pleased.

September 6, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Update.

Ken walked a whole loop at the walking track today without holding on the anything or anybody. Katie pushed the walker beside him and he walked right along the hand rail. But he did the whole thing by himself. Those who saw him months ago would be surprised to see his progress. Katie was thrilled with his accomplishment. This afternoon they walked to the garden with Ken as usual using the walker., But inside the garden, Ken used a cane so that is the first time he has used the cane since getting ill. Ken walks more laps but today was a first by himself. Last week he walked half way around but today was a milestone both at the arena and in the garden. On the other hand, he has swollen feet and legs and he has cellulitis in his lower legs. He has increased his meds for the water retention and he has started augmenten for the cellulitis, both approved by Ken's doctor in Mississippi. Ken is stronger, no question about that. He is up and down the stairs three or four times a day. Ken walks 4 laps at a time at the walking track, which is about one kilometer. I seem about the same. I am on the week off from Ibrance so my immune system has a chance to recover. I put my legs up every afternoon for an hour. I walk 8 loop[s at the arena with no difficulty. I am still heavy which the Oncologist says is just fine. She does not want to hear about any weight loss. Katie is a big help at home. She does the laundry every few days and she unloads the dishwasher. She changes the bed which I appreciate as making the bed is difficult for me. I often ponder whether or not we were smart to come to Nova Scotia, especially when Ken has health issues. Ken never wavers on that issue. We did the right thing in Ken's op[inion. Of course, time will tell. We have just over a month before we take the commercial flights to St. Paul and then the cruise down the mighty Mississippi. So far, we have done well I think. I am coping well with the limits on our social life. At the moment, our updates are both positive and for that we are grateful. Thanks Be To God.

September 5, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Bernard Bowles.

We arrived to find the china pot and cups all set out ready for our tea party with Bernie. Everything looked elegant and the tea was delicious too. Ken had wanted to chat with Bernie so we decided to ask if we could come for a cup of tea which he was delighted to oblige. I had called him at eleven this morning and gave hime the option of us coming in 45 minutes or mid afternoon. "The sooner the better," said Bernie. I had also warned him that Ken had no staying power and our visit would be relatively short. I also tried to prepare Katie as to what she was going to hear and see. Bernies home is eccentric. Today was the first time I had actually sat in his living room to admire his new look. I knew from his e mails that he had painted every room and switched around all his art. The new look is muted with the walls a mellow yellow but in the kitchen, living room and front hall. Last year each room was different, with the kitchen orange, the living room red and the hall green. His art shows well. Of course, sea gulls still hang from the ceiling of the living room, the snowflake Christmas ornaments on the kitchen ceiling and a hundred birds on the ceiling of his studio. So his home is muted but still a remarkable sight. He is still not painting. He said he is being domestic, making relishes and freezing vegetables. And he enjoyed sitting on his deck in the sunshine. He did make 18 charming cards, all; done on the three hot days when it was too hot to work outdoors. He iS 85 years old and fit. And he has oodles of energy and enthusiasm. He is a tonic. Katie was charmed by him. She loved seeing his home and seeing his art. He loves his life. It was a pleasure to spend 90 minutes with him today.

September 4, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Photobiomodulation.

Ken calls it lighting up his head. He does it once a day even though we have no idea if i9t does anything good. The system has been tested for depression and senility and has found effective. People get better. And there are one dotal stories of improvement with patients afflicted with Parkinson's disease. But there are no studies. But as the good doctor said to both of us, "There has never had anyone say it was harmful". So Kewn takes a treatment every day. The whole thing may be hokus pokes. Being a bit cynical, even the placebo effect will probably not work. And we have no real standard to compare one week to the next because PD changes almost every day. One day Ken's balance is good and the next day terrible. Ken thinks he is more alert since the treatment but we do not really know. A study is being done at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto so perhaps there will be results eventually. But at the moment, Ken hooks his head set to the charger every day and for twenty minutes he sits and chills...and hopes the device will do some good. The thing is, nothing else works so at least Ken is trying something even though it proves out to be doing no good. At least it is doing no hard. We just keep on going with this Photobiomodulation and laugh.

September 3, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. September.

September is a hidden gem in Nova Scotia. Often the weather is best. The days are sunny and the evenings are cool. And the breeze has just a hint of what is coming. The bushes are still in bloom as are the flowers. They have all past their prime but they are still beautiful. September is a lovely time of year here at Western Head. Carol and Ken used to be the only folks who came here in the Fall. They lived on a lake just south of Owen Sopund so their summer was busy. But by mid September they were able to get out of town and come to visit. They loved September in the Maritimes. This year we are having company in September, perhaps because we did not arrive until late in July. We will enjoy our company and hope the weather holds. There is no signs of changing leaves. I think we could not expect colored leaves until October. We hope to see Autumn colors in Minnesota and when cruising down the Mississippi. Our friends will be leaving in September. We begin the last suppers. We feel fortunate we were able to come this summer so we are enjoying our friends. This afternoon I sat on the deck by myself enjoying the stiff breeze and the warm sun. I knew it was September. And was pleased.

September 2, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Beets.

Who would ever dream of eating beets and fried potatoes for dinner? But when the beets and potatoes come from our own garden and are freshly harvested, they make a meal for a king. Beets were not a favorite for me until we began eating the beets straight out of the garden. Rita was here and we needed instructions from the internet. We had no clue how to cook them. All I know was that beets were often pickled and I did not like them. But we learned to boil them with about one inch of the tops still on. When tender to a fork, we put the beets straight out of the boiling water into a bowl of cold water, where we peeled the skins. The tops and skin roll right off. Then we cut them into a bowl and dabbed them with butter. Much to our surprise, they're delicious. We use the same system now. All we do is wash the beets and cut off the tops. And cook them in a pot covered with water. Even I can cook beets. The potatoes speak for themselves and were also delicious. But the beets made the meal. I never buy beets at the grocery store. I wait until we have them straight out of the garden. Joe is coming tomorrow to harvest the rest of the garden so we will have more beets to eat. Whenever I mention beets to people they always tell me they do not like eating fresh beets. My response is always the same I say,"but you have not tasted our beets straight from the garden. You would love them." Tonight was a perfect Sunday night dinner...beets and potatoes. Fit for a king and Queen.

September 1, 2018. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Deck.

The glass enclosure needed attention. One of the standards had moved just a bit which meant everything had shifted too. When the hot tub has been removed, we decided to remove a set of stairs between the hot tub and our deck and extend the deck. We never used those stairs anyway. In fact, the rose bushes had grown so tall and thick that no one could have possible used those stairs. The man who bought the hot tub is a carpenter so we hired him and his crew to extend the deck, fill in the open space where the hot tub used to sit and shore up the glass enclosure. We will then move the table to the area of the enclosure so we could eat outside without the breeze. The two men started work this morning. They made progress. The glass enclosure is now secure. The foundation under the new deck over the stairs has been done. Tomorrow they will put down the planks for the decking. Next they will remove the hot tub and fill in the space. Ken and I will be pleased with the new look. For some reason, Ken and I never made a decision to install the new/used hot tub. I thought we were going to have George cover up the empty space and Ken thought we were installing the used one. So the hot tub appeared. Fortunately it was not expensive. But I will be happy to have it gone. And we thing the table in the enclosure will work well. The workmen today reported that the area behind the enclosure is much warmer than just the deck. Ken and I enjoy watching projects unfold. So today we were pleased with the progress. They have promised to be finished tomorrow but I expect the work might finish up on Monday morning. Then we can sit and admire the new look.