April 30, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Exercise.

I have never understood why some days the exercise regimen is easy and sometimes it is hard. The exercise is the same. I do not know if the body is weary and so muscles do not work as well as normal or is it the mind. But I do know that sometimes a walk is difficult and some times it is easy., And I have no idea why. But it is irritating. My routine is to walk at the end of the afternoon, then come home and go downstairs to go through a set of exercises with light weights. Friend Mary M. gave us all the set of exercises when she was working at NIH and they published a set of 10 exercises for older people. Ken and I had just turned 65 so she thought all of us could use them. And we did. I still use them with the weights. I only do those exercises three times a week, as they suggested. Today was a breeze. The walk which takes me about 30 minutes was pleasant. The breeze keep me cool although it was a warm 80 degrees. Immediately when I came home I went down to do the arm and leg exercises, again with no difficulty. But yesterday was a different kettle of fish. My legs always hurt when I walk but yesterday I could never get my legs working properly and I have no idea why. I actually only walked for half the time. Truth be told, the time I enjoy my walk the best is when I turn around to head for home. Maybe it is anxiety but I always am happy when I am coming home. Yesterday I wore long pants and a T shirt along with socks and sneakers. Today I wore shorts and a lighter shirt. And I wore Tevas. So maybe the temperature in my body made the difference. And sometimes I struggle to get through my set of exercises and I have no idea why. I suspect that it may all be in my head. Perhaps I am just feeling lazy which makes everything more difficult. Or perhaps there is some change in the body telling me not to exercise today. Who knows. But I know that I must walk and exercise so I keep on going even though some days are not easy. I guess that is called life.

April 29, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Summer Jobs.

Mary Frances is excited. Last week she interviewed for a summer job, the first for her. And she thought it went well. The place is a coffee shop and book store. It is close to her University so she hopes to work there this summer and work part time through the school year. She was hired and has already had one day of training and will finish up this week. Then she will start work on Monday. She likes the place and she likes the people who own it, so all should be well. And they understand that she will be away for two weeks the last week of June and the first of July so she is very pleased. And I am too. Summer jobs are important. One of the things you learn is what you do not want to do for a career. I worked one summer at a Trust Company headquarters. A family friend and fellow Songster had a good job as a head of a department and she offered me a job for the summer. She wanted me to be sure to not let anyone know how well we knew each other so I stayed away from her at work. Many of the young ladies who worked there were fancy. They wore elegant clothes and high heels. The many boys working there paid the girls lots of attention., I on the other hand was not a bit fancy. I was energetic and plain. No jewelry, no make up, no high heels, no fancy clothes, so the young men paid no attention to me, which was fine to me. But one week my father picked me up in a yellow Cadillac convertible, which a friend had asked Dad to drive. Those young men spotted me driving away in the yellow Cadilloac and from then on, they wanted to be my friend. They thought I was rich. But it was too late for them. I already knew their true worth. From then on throughout my life, I was never impressed by people who only want to be nice because of my position. That was a good lesson learned during a summer job.I feel sure Mary Frances will learn many other useful lessons for her too.

April 28, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. A Salvation Army Day.

Saturday was a big day at the Jackson Corps of the Salvation Army. The whole division met, which meant Salvations from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi got together. In the morning a Music Festival was presented by the young people. It included timbrel, both beginners and advanced along with both girls and boys choruses, the girls better than the boys. And there was a small band, which was not good. The gym was full and people seemed enthusiastic with each performance. I clapped along with everyone else but I was not impressed with the quality of the music. But two performances were outstanding, which were short plays written and performed by the young people. I was impressed. In the afternoon a Soldiers Meeting was held. The chapel was full to overflowing with over 400 people attending. People came from the corps all over the division. The purpose of the meeting was a visit to Mississippi from National Headquarters Chief of Staff and his wife. In addition, the Commissioner of the Southern Territory were there too and took their part through the afternoon. The band was big and pretty good. They had girls doing dancing and a woman chorus which was just pretty good. But what was impressive was the leaders. But the Commissioner and his wife and the Chief of Staff and his wive were excellent. Of course, they got to their positions because of their speaking., But with all four, they played their part efficiently and with enthusiasm. And they did not waste time. One of the most impressive part of the day was the enrollment of both Junior and Senior soldiers. 25 senior and 22 juniors. I came home for lunch and a bit of a break between events. I attended because I wanted to see how it would be done. I was impressed with the people but not the music. Today I stayed home and did not attend church. Yesterday was enough c church for the weekend for me. But I was surprised that I enjoyed the day at the Army. I keep trying to figure out if it is nostalgia on my part, or perhaps my need to be around people that keeps me attending. Yesterday was a big day at the Jackson Corps of The Salvation Army. And I was part of the show.

April 27, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Molly Rice.

One of the pleasure of getting old is watching your friends children grow up and become successful. My friend Marilyn has three children. All are productive and competent. I knew them as little children and son Steve came on the horse back riding trip with us in Alberta. Molly, the youngest child, has chosen to be a writer and playwright. For several years she lived a hand to mouth existence in New York city, teaching at Universities and having success having her plays produced off Broadway. Her path I felt was tenuous, but she persevered. Then she and her husband moved to Pittsburgh. She has been active in the theater scene ever sense and she teaches at the University with a full time position. Two years ago she was given a grant to produce a piece of art using Afghan women refugees. With my brain, my slate would be empty but these creative people come up with remarkable ideas. Molly met with several Afghan refugees in Pittsburgh. Initially, Molly thought that sewing would be the trick but food was uppermost in the minds of the women. Molly wrote a play in four parts and she selected five women to be the role models. Molly had the ladies select the actresses who would play their part. And the women did the cooking to give out after the show. The shows were sold out and very well reviewed. Marilyn will go to Pittsburgh for the final show. I am always so impressed but not surprised that creative people come up with creative ideas. I am so impressed. Marilyn sent me the link to read about the productions and I pass it on to you. https:/realtimeinterventions.org/. So congratulations to Molly, and congratulations to Marilyn for having such a creative child. I am so impressed with Molly and her success. Hats off to her.

April 26, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Friday Visits.

For the last few weeks, Molly and Christina have dropped by my home just to say hello and for Molly to have a treat from Ken's stash of chocolate bars. A couple of times I needed something done but now they just come for a goodie and a visit. I like the visit and Molly enjoys the goodies. Ken had ordered a new batch of goodies a couple of weeks before he died. He loved chocolate and always wanted them in the pantry. He kept chocolate bars in his bedside table and on the shelves beside his chair. He orders from Amazon and orders in bulk. When Ken died, there were 8 boxes of different types of chocolate bars, unopened. In addition he ordered six boxes of dark chocolate for me. I do not eat milk chocolate so one Friday afternoon I invited Christina to bring Molly after school to help eat what we call "Ken's Stash". And Molly always takes a bar home for Kate, just in case Kate comes home for part of the weekend. So the stash is getting smaller but we have a way to go. Molly enjoys history and I know they have been studying the 2nd World War so today we talked the whole time about that war. She knows a lot. Her teacher is also interested in History and she has brought history alive for those 5th graders. And we talked about the Russian royal family and the British royals too, where she knows more than I do. So these Friday afternoons give me great pleasure because we talk about interesting things all the while Molly works away at Ken's stash. For Molly, it is a treat at the end of her school week and a reminder of how she loved Ken. For me, it is a quiet time with just Molly and Christina on their own. When the older girls are there Molly takes a back seat during any conversation. But our Friday afternoons are special, which are enjoyed by all three but especially me. I too am interested in history so between the visit and the conversation I am full of glee. These Friday visits are a hit.

April 25, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Second Round.

Ian and I both lost the bet. All the teams we picked to play in the finals of The Stanley Cup have lost in the first round. Every team that led their division at the end of the season lost. This is the first time all four leaders lost in the first round of the playoffs. I always cheer for the underdog but this is ridiculous. And funny. All the big boys are gone. No Washington. No Pittsburgh. No Nashville. No Tampa Bay. No Toronto, Calgary or Winnipeg or Las Vegas. All I have to say is that I am fortunate I do not bet real money. I would have lost. Two teams in the second round got into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. Now the games should be close which should;d make for good hockey. But I like lots of scoring. I always find it interesting to find out what players and teams rise to the occasion. Some players fade away under the great pressure but others just thrive in the bright spotlight. That is one aspect of playoffs that I find interesting. I have no clue who is likely to play for the cup. My picks were wrong before the playoffs started. But I am betting on Boston. We will see. Already it has given me much glee while watching the playoff games. So let the next round continue. I will be watching.

April 24, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Wendy Morris.

I have always been impressed by the American Salvation Army officers. This was true when we attended the Prince Georg's Corps years ago and is still true now. Last week Wendy Morris came to have coffee with me. She is, along with her husband Steve Morris, the Divisional Commander. Their division is large, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. I enjoyed my visit with her husband and their daughter when he came to pick up the crest, and I enjoyed my conversation with Wendy. She is an energetic and enthusiastic officer. One of the reasons I enjoyed talking with her was that she works hard and loves her work. And she has installed systems to keep in touch with their officers. She does not merely respond to problems. She has systems in place to track results. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together. But unfortunately, they were both so successful here that they have been promoted. They will be moving to Atlanta, the headquarters of the southern territory, where they will be in charge of personnel. I do not recall their actual title but as much as I could tell, they are responsible with trying to figure what officer could be placed in what location. In other words, they will be evaluating talent. Their son Andrew is finishing his 11th grade so he will be only one year for his final year at the new school. But he is a good cornet player and should fit well into the music program because he is a good player. Also, he would like to major in Music at college. On the faculty at the U.of Georgia is Phil Smith, an old time Salvation Army bandsman who was also the first chair trumpet player at the New York Phil. And a wonderful player even now. Andrew wants to audition with Phil Smith. So the Salvation Army wheel turns once again. And I will miss the only two officers I know in Jackson, both of whom I like. Wendy is a good lady and I wish them well as they move to Atlanta in June. I appreciated my time with her.

April 23, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Christina's Birthday.

Today is Christina's 50th birthday. She does not look a day over 30. She has been celebrating her birthday for quite a while. Linda, Christinas mother, gave her a trip to Disney World along with the three girls. They looked at the cAlendar carefully and decided that the time before Christmas would be the best time so they went right after Ken died. And they had a wonderful time. So Christina has been celebrating her 50th birthday ever since. Sunday was more her birthday celebration than an Easter dinner. Linda on Sunday gave Christina a shirt with bug repellent already in the shirt. She will wear it in Maine. This morning Linda took over donuts and coffee to Christina and tonight Christina, Molly and Linda will go out for dinner. I can not think what to give Christina for her birthday so I have nothing to give her. The only thing I did was to talk to her on the phone to wish her happy birthday. Ken always gave me many ideas for gifts. Now I have no ideas,. The same is true for Kate. She is graduating from College next month and I have not a clue as to what to give her. This is when I need Ken with his hundreds of ideas. So far we have not celebrated Andrew's birthday which is on April 26. Too soon I think. Eventually I think we will. But for now, I appreciate everything Christina does for me. I call her Clever Christina and for good reasons. In addition she is kind and helpful. I am fortunate to have such a wonderful daughter in law. Now I need to find a suitable gift.

April 22, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. T Shirts.

The T Shirt I wore today has the name on the front printed in a circle surrounding a tree. Cedar Creek is the name in the circle. Wearing that shirt gives me great pleasure. Cedar Creek was a vineyard in the Okanagan Valley south of Kelowna. Ken and I spent two weeks staying in a time share many years ago. We had camped in the valley on our way home from Arizona in 1962 and we always wanted to get back which we did in the 90's. We explored the area. Every day we headed out. My friend Beverley spent five days with us. Every day we visited a winery. And I bought this T shirt. The places were beautiful all built in the grand European style. We tasted the wine and we ate lunch in those lovely places, always overlooking the fields we drank their wine. Bev was a wine snob but even she enjoyed the wine. The whole ambiance was spectacular. So much so that we ordered wine shipped to us in Nova Scotia. Three cases from three different winyards. Unfortunately, when we finally got to drink the wine Ken and I discovered that the wine was not really very good. But I still love my T shirt along with the happy memories. Another shirt I wear reads "The Road Kill Cafe". This place was the little store and cafe, run by Barbara. It was the closest place to the farm so we went there often. I love to wear it. We could order a bowl of soup for $1.50, served in a serving bowl. One day when I was paying the bill I suggested to Barbara that she could charge a bit more for the soup. After all, I told her, Ken and I ate our supper including a drink and a roll for $5. So she did. The next time she printed a new menu the price for the soup was $3. each. Ken suggested that I should keep my mouth shut. Another T shirt that brings happy memories is a shirt I bought at a real estate convention. On the front is printed SOLD, but printed in blocks of houses. I have enjoyed every convention I ever attended so wearing that shirt is a happy reminder of those national conventions. I would book a three bedroom suite and a bunch of agents would bunk in together. We learned and we had fun. Now I enjoy that shirt. Those shirts all all old. I am amazed they are in good shape. I love them all with their happy memories. Amazing what keeps me happy.

April 21, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Easter 2019.

The weather was glorious so we ate our Easter lunch sitting on the porch of Linda Creath's yard enjoying the pool and the foliage. Molly even went swimming although the water was cold. We ate a casual lunch of bagels and chicken salad, panini sandwiches, salad and fruit. For desert we ate Easter cookies and cake. Nelson and Katey were there along with Sophie who was home from Baylor. With Christina and the three girls, friend Sue and Linda and I, we were a happy group. Christina has her 50th birthday on Tuesday so our lunch was as much a birthday celebration as an Easter event. Christina opened her gifts from Nelson and Katey. Also from Linda. She was pleased. Of course, I had no gift to give her. And I took nothing to contribute to the lunch. All I did was cheer everyones efforts. I have a problem helping. I bump into objects and knock things over so I have learned to sit down and keep quiet. The birthday cake was delicious. Spectacular actually. And we sang. Christina was pleased. Even at 50 she looks as beautiful as ever. I enjoyed the company and the good food. And Christina drove me home. Perfect Easter lunch.

April 20, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Playoffs.

There were so many hockey games on the TV that even I stopped watching. Every night there were four games so I started watching the games in ten minutes bits. But I had fun. And it is not over. More is coming. Everyone was counting on Tampa Bay to win the Stanley Cup and for good reasons. They were 23 points higher than the closest team. They only lost 17 games during the season. One of the commentators prior to the playoffs noted that the only thing the Tampa Bay Lightning did not have this season was adversity. They were so much better than every other team that they won most games. But the coach of their first opponent in the playoffs, The Columbus Blue Jackets must have watched all 17 of those games. The Lightning for 6 days could not win a game and they were swept Their offense was shut down. They were stunned. For the first period of the first game when they scored 3 goals they looked invincible. And they looked good during the last period of the 4th game. But they lost four games in a row and are now out of the playoffs. It was stunning. And Pittsburgh was swept in the first round too and lost to the Islanders, who is coached by the man who led the Washington Capitols to win the Stanley Cup last season. Winnipeg Jets lost. I called them to get to the finals. The Calgary Flames lost. They are out. Nashville is down one game and not playing well so I suspect they will not advance to the next round. The Caps are playing for their life as their series is tied. This season has been remarkable with so many of the top teams in their division losing in the first round. Ken would say that the Tampa Bay team peaked too soon. He certainly would have been correct.

April 19, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Local 463.

This was an unexpected treat. Yesterday, late in the evening, I texted Christina to ask if her day tomorrow seemed busy. And I suggested we might go out for breakfast or lunch. I knew that Molly was off school and is generally up to an excursion. The answer was swift that lunch would be good so we made a date. And I left the choice of restaurant up to Molly. It turned out that Molly deligated the task to Mary Frances who selected Local 463, a fairy new restaurant in the Renaissance shopping area. Once upon a time a restaurant named Mint was in that location and we were sad when it closed. We had been to the new Local 463 before but not for a couple of years. The selection was a good one. We enjoyed our lunch. And the desserts were wonderful. I took Lyft to meet them and I expected only Molly but Mary Frances came too so I had an added bonus. Yesterday we had a big storm and Mary Frances was still in school. They herded all the students down to the lowest floor in the dorm, where they chilled for an hour playing games in the corridor. Fortunately Kate's last class ended at 11:00 so she was able to get home prior to the storm. Tress were down all over town. So part of our discussion was the difficulty of getting to the restaurant. And the girls told me all the things they want to do in Nova Scotia this summer, which was fun. Poor Kate has finals coming up and she wants to do well so she stayed home to study. May 10 is her graduation and she is excited. And so am I. Ken would be so proud. Today having an unexpected lunch with my Mississippi family was a bonus to my day. I enjoyed every minute with my time with them. I enjoyed the food and I enjoyed the conversation. And for that I am grateful. There is no better gift to a grandmother than the gift of time.

April 18, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Forecasting the Weather.

In Nova Scotia, the weather forecasting is almost always wrong. Vinal once commented that if he was wrong at work 50% of the time he would be fired. But the weatherman predicts the weather that does not come to pass. The problem of course is the ocean which plays tricks on the patterns. You can not count on the weather forecast in Western Head. You must look outside. The same is true for the DC area. Between the Chesapeake Bay and the Allaghany mountains, trying to find out what the weather will do is difficult if not impossible, so the forecasts are often wrong. Schools are cancelled with the forecast for snow along with meetings and concerts. But the foot of snow predicted overnight does not come, and you look out to see green grass and no snow at all, even though the schools are closed. In Mississippi, the weather forecasting is easier. There is no large b body of water impacting the weather and the topography is level so the weather forecasters can predict the weather heading our well quite easily. And most of the time the forecast is accurate, even to the hour of the day when the storms will arrive. I have never experienced such high level of accuracy from the weather forecasters. Everyone here depends on them. But today they missed it by a few hours. My Lyft driver told me this morning that schools were being closed at 11:30 due to the storm. The morning was pleasant and I had looked to see a storm coming later in the day but I was wrong. The storm was coming at 1:00 so the school system wanted all children safely home by the time of the storm. But the storm came around 4:00 and when it came it was another big one. Heavy rain. Big wind. Loud thunder and bright lightning. The forecast was accurate, but just a bit later than predicted. People stay home with a forecast of storms. The storms come and go quickly so folks just wait out the storm. But today the prediction was just a bit early. I do enjoy watching the weather forecasts here because they are almost always correct. Impressive.

April 17, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Bethesda Gateway Agents.

Thee qualities were required in order to become an agent in the office: 1. You must be ambitious. You wanted to make a decent amount of money. 2. You had to do the job as a real estate agent properly. 3. You must have a life outside of real estate. With those qualities in place, my task as a manager was easy. I knew the agents would work hard. I knew they would do their business ethically and legally and then they could relax with their families or friends. No wonder the agents achieved to a high level. But it all started with the agents. I met with all 40 agents in the office when I began to work as the manager. Every agents said the same thing. They hated having agents in the office who sold one or two houses a year. And they all hated to be associated with agents who cheated. In the years in the office was a top agent who cheated and everyone knew it. The agents did not like it. So when I agreed to become the manager I said I would not accept the job if that agent stayed. He moved with the former manager. And the agents did not want the business to take over their life. As agents joined us, the three qualities were what I looked for. I turned away many agents who had a reputation of sleazy business. They would not have fit in the Gateway Office. From an office of 40 with a volume of $275,000. they became an office of 225 agents with over one billion dollars of the office started with those three qualities.. But it all started by the agents telling me, one by one, who they wanted in the office. The culture in the office comes from those three qualities. And so made my life as a manager easy and a pleasure working with those agents. But it was not luck and it was not the fun and games although there was a lot of that. It was hard nosed selection of the agents.

April 16, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Air Conditioning.

A friend who lived in Vancouver once said to me, "I hate air conditioning." I just laughed and said that if she ever lived in Galveston, she would appreciate it. But I knew what she meant. Even in the hottest days, I must wear a wrap in restaurants because the rooms are too cold. Ken and I always disagreed on temperature in our cars at lease before dual controls came along. Ken was too hot and I was too cool. So I kept a long sleeved denim shirt in the car to keep we warm. I had been holding out turning on the air conditioning. I have no idea why. We have three thermostats to change and they all require me to wear reading glasses and carry a flashlight. But last week when the temperature was going to be 80 I turned the cooling on. And we were all comfortable. Except then the weather got chilly. I assumed it would get warm again so resisted changing the thermostats again. But it got to be 68 in the house and I finally gave up and put the heat on. I was warm and cosy once again. This afternoon when I returned from my walk I was sweating and could not get cooled down. I finally realized that the room temperature was 78. Again I turned on the air-conditioning. I hope I have made the switch for the last time. The house is comfortable and cool. I still laugh when I recall my friend's comment. I on the other hand, understand the need for cool air. I live in the South.

April 15, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. U.S. Post.

Wendy and Ken took a package of documents that needed to go to OPM for me. They paid to have it sent overnight, guaranteed with delivery the next afternoon. Wendy had a tracking number. But it did not appear. The tracking still showed the package was in Jackson. So Wendy investigated. This afternoon, we were told that the package never left Jac son, until today. It is now in Maryland so should arrive tomorrow, six days late. That document was important and I am not happy. At first Wendy and Ken went to Packmail who would have sent it UPS or Fed Ex. But the address was a PO box so in order to send it certified, they were forced to use the US Postal service. Now I must apply for a refund. Last Monday I discovered in the days mail that my supplemental health insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield had been cancelled with Ken's demise. We thought it was automatic. In their computer I receive benefits upon Ken's death. Fortunately I read the letter which really was just alerting Ken that his benefits were terminated. I called Blue Cross who told me that I must contact OPM and gave me their number. But it was always busy. I got up early and was able to get through to find that the information was accurate. I must apply on the proper form and send a death certificate and a copy of our marriage license. Wendy filled in the form and found the two documents. When the proper person logs the information into their computer I am once again covered retroactively to Ken's death. By noon the document was on the way..or so we thought. We had done our job. But the US Post Service did not do its job. I have Medicare for hospitalization and Doctor care but the supplemental insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shiel covers most everything else including the copay on medications. I am keen to have my benefits reinstated. But no sense getting angry. I often think that once one mistake occurs the others will follow. I should have contacted OPM immediately on Ken's death. But now we are on the right track. I hope.

April 14, 2019. Madison. Mississippi. The Gift Card.

In my purse has been a gift card that I know needs to be used this year. Five restaurants honor that card. Ken and I have for years given a gift to the Family as part of their Christmas gift. We wanted them to go out for Sunday brunch even though we were not there to dine with them. When we buy their card, the restaurant gives us a gift for ourselves which we have trouble remembering to use. When Christina, Molly and I were discussing where to have Sunday brunch, I asked if we could go to one of the five places so I could use it up. I asked Molly to select the restaurant and she chose Anjou, a lovely French restaurant off Colony Parkway. I was pleased with the choice because it is close to us and I like the restaurant. Our brunch at 11:30 was delightful and delicious. The bill came and I gave the waiter my credit card. It was only after Christina had executed the bill that I realized that the gift card was still in my purse. I had the choice of getting the waiter to cancel the card and give him my gift card. But we were ready to leave so we just all laughed at my stupidity. And we agreed that the next time we have brunch we will go to one of the other restaurants. I do not wish to carry that gift card around any more. Last year we had lunch with the family at Sombra. It was early in December. When I pulled out my credit cards, I noticed the gift card from the past Christmas and I was delighted to use it. That was when the waitress told me that the time for the card expires at the end of 2018, which I had not known. This year I am determine to use the card early but so far I am not doing a very good job. What was I thinking when the bill came to the table. I think I was having a conversation with Mary Frances. Next time I will remember because I have asked everyone at the table to remind me. I will get that card out of my purse very soon.

April 13, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Another Storm.

What a good thing Wendy and Ken were not traveling around Natchez today as they were a week ago. All day we had a big storm. Right now, heavy rain is falling and thunder can be heard. Today would not be a day to be driving close to the Mississippi River. The day started with a text from Keshina, saying she could not work today. I had planned an excursion to the country but I had no problem being myself today. By mid morning when I was getting ready to walk I realized that the wind was blowing too hard to walk. And the rains came. I stayed at home. The trees were blowing with the wind changing from heavy to light. Then the real storm arrived. Fortunately the tornado warning was west of Madison but the winds were fierce. The television is taken over by the weather people telling everyone to seek a safe place. The noise was deafening. But I did not lose power although I expected it to go out at any time. Between the hockey games and the Masters I had a busy day. I had a flashlight in my pocket ready to retreat to my books. Now we have gone from a tornado watch to a high water warning. Rain is coming down in a deluge. Storms in Mississippi are taken seriously. Today started out with high wind and got worse. But other than heavy rain, the big storm has passed. My house is a spectacular place to watch the impact of a storm. The water in the reservoir hits the shore hard, almost like the ocean. It is all very exciting. What was unusual about today was the duration of the bad weather, which just kept getting worse and worse. Even now I hear thunder closeby. What a day.

April 12, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Recovery.

Ken once commented that getting well is like watching paint dry. David has found it to be the same. All his life, he has been. blessed with high energy so if a task needed to be accomplished, he was up to the job. If a task needed to be completed, he stuck with it until the job was done, even when he might feel weary. But when you are recovering from surgery you must do the opposite. If you get tired you must rest. The whole mind set is different. And irritating to David. But he is doing well. He reports that he is doing much better than two weeks ago and even has some energy. He is going into work for a couple of hours each day. And he is sleeping well at night which is unusual for him. Sleeping has always been difficult for David. He thinks that with two more weeks he will be ready to go. The Doctor admonished hime to go slowly and he is doing just that. Moose, David's dog is loving having David as a house husband. Ever since David came home from the hospital Moose never leaves David's side. He stays beside the chair when David is reading and beside the bed when David is taking a rest. Moose knows that something is not right with David and he wants to help by staying close. Dogs are clever like that. So Moose is the only family member who has been pleased with the recovery. But all the rest of the family are pleased that David is recovering so well. Praise be to God.

April 11, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The lower Level Fridge.

Until; several weeks ago I had forgottten all about it. One evening I was downstairs doing my exercises with the weights when I noticed the fridge, so I opened it to find it empty. We kept drinks for Ken in the little fridge and he kept chocolate bars on the counter but when Ken passed away, Kashina brought the sodas and protein drinks upstairs. She left the candy. And I opened the small door to the freezer. This fridge is an under the counter type. Frost had formed on the front of the freezer door but I could not see how to unplug the fridge because it had been built into place. Problem. When Wendy came, I asked her to look at it and she did. By getting down on her hands and knees she discovered a switch which she turned off. I could never have found that switch because it is on the very bottom, half covered by the rug. Plus the letters were tiny. I could never have been able to read it. The freezer pan was full of ice along with ice over the door. She put down towels to catch the water and waited. The next morning enough ice had melted to see that the whole little freezer section was frozen solid. So she put down bigger towels and she and Ken went to Memphis. When they returned, Wendy discovered three small ice cube trays in the freezer and no ice in sight. The towels were soaked and just a tiny bit of water came onto the carpet. Now the little fridge is clean and turned off. Wendy put an orange towels over the door to be sure no one closes it. My problem with ice in the little fridge has gone away, thanks to Wonderful Wendy. At first I thought there was a bit of ice but the task was bigger. But now it is done, thanks to Wendy. I am so fortunate they decided to come south to avoid the last of winter in Ontario. Once again, I just got lucky.

April 10, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Hockey Playoffs.

The unexpected often occurs in playoffs. That is why the playoffs are so much fun. This evening on the phone Ian and I made a bet. The deal we made was to select the two finalists for the Stanley Cup. If your teams get there you must take the other person out to dinner. I know it makes no sense but it is fun. Ian selected Tampa Bay as the team that will win the cup and they will play the Winnipeg Jets in the finals. I suggested Boston and Nashville as the two teams playing at the end. So we bet. Here we go. One of the things I enjoy about the playoffs is you get the same teams several games in a row so you get to know the players better. Another aspect of playoffs is you get to watch lots of games. I had three games on TV while I was eating dinner. And another game is on now. Tonight was the first night of playoff hockey. You never know what will happen in playoffs. The best team in hockey lost tonight. The Tampa Bay Lightning was up 3 to 0 in the first period and ultimately lost the game. Everyone expects they will win the cup but at the moment they must figure out what happened. They looked lost in the third period. I love playoffs. Now I must see what happens next.

April 9, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Ely's.

We had driven past the sign scores of times on W.Jackson Street in Ridgeland. Once we stopped for lunch with Don and Doreen but the restaurant was not open for lunch. Neither is it open on Sunday. We were stuck. Ken would not drive at night so even though we knew it was an excellent restaurant, we could not dine there. But tonight we did. On Sunday morning, Wendy and I were planning our meals and discovered that we had no food to cook for Tuesday. I suggested that rather than Ken cook dinner, we would go to Ely's for dinner. I knew that Wendy would drive at night. And I invited Molly and Christina to come with us. Wendy made the reservation for 6:00 to be sure Molly would not be late. We all agreed that it was worth the wait. I ate salmon but everyone else ate steak which turned out to be delicious. Of course, it is a steak house. The Ely's sign is small and you enter from the rear. The parking lot is in the back and difficult to find. The restaurant is on the second floor. Even though I knew where it was we had trouble finding the place. But the restaurant has been there for years which is a good sign. We five folks enjoyed our food and the company. This was Wendy and Ken's last evening in Mississippi so we celebrated in style. Finally, I got to eat at Ely's.

April 8, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Projects.

Wendy loves projects. Since arriving here almost 2 weeks ago she has put my house in order. Everything works as it should. Ken would love it. Today Wendy changed the filters in the refrigerators. First she ordered the filters on Amazon and today she installed them. One of the fridges has a place to get water and ice from the door. The water was always slow so we aways used the other fridge which required you to open the door and push a button. But after Wendy changed the filter the flow is high so we can use it. And she and Ken fixed the wiggly handle of the same fridge. The book of instructions was useless but Google came to the rescue. Now it does not wiggle. Wendy and I went through the shelves where Ken put stuff. We moved all his machines into the bottom drawer of the big chest. Now there are empty shelves. And we cleared up Ken's workshop. Several items needed to go to the Goodwill so after loading up the back of their vehicle, we three drove to Goodwill. We took a toaster, microwave, iron, pots, clock, hummingbird feeders, bird feeder and more. Now the workshop is tidy. And we threw bunches of stuff into the recycle bin which had been on the shelves in the garage since we moved in. Wendy filled the bird feeders for the last time. We are officially out of bird seed. I will not reorder until I return in October. I thought that the house was in good order but since Wendy has been here for two weeks, we are almost perfect. Hats off to Wendy and of course Ken who helped out. I am so fortunate that Wendy is competent and that she enjoys projects. I am a lucky lady and so is the house.

April 7, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. A Nervous Breakdown.

"W#hat part of of the democratic system do you not understand?" I said those words and still do not quite understand. I understand they were stunned when their candidate lost the election even though all the polls told them she would win. But the response of the far left to the election of Donald Trump seemed beyond the pale to me. In America, an election is held, and the elected person takes office. No fuss. No muss. But not this year. The far left had a nervous breakdown. Ever since, they have been trying to unseat the newly elected president, as if all the people who voted for him did not matter. My response to my friend who spoke to me in her outrage was to remind her to get over it. This is how Democracy works. But the interesting thing to me is that they are not gotten over it. Now I have hated presidents in the past and disliked everything that was being done in that administration. But I did not rant and rave my hostility. And I certainly did not attempt to remove the president. But the far left has not gotten over it. They are still trying to dig up dirt rather than trying to help governing the country. Even the people in government had a nervous breakdown, working hard to help the candidate they wanted to win and doing everything in their power to not have Mr. Trump elected. They lost their minds. They look foolish now. By law, these FBI staff work for the president who ever the president is at the time. In my opinion, some of those folks should go to jail. I have been watching these antics for two years and really thought that these people would get over their breakdown. But apparently not. Nothing done on infrastructure. Nothing done on immigration. all because of hatred.

April 6, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Trivets.

Beside the chair where I read and eat my breakfasts sits a trivet on the small maple table which used to be in Andrew's room. The tile was purchased by us when Ken and I were driving home from Tucson on to Toronto in 1961. It has outlines of Brith Columbia fish, which are all types of salmon. Washing the trivet over the years has removed a bit of the paint but I still love it. I keep a glass of water on that tile every day. It pleased me. On a small table on my right side is a tile we bought in Mexico many years ago. A group of us from work attended a conference in Puerto Vallarta. One morning we went to town to have lunch and visit the tile shop. By thew time we got to the tile store it had closed as it was Saturday and the little tile factory c loses at 1. But we pounded on the door and called for help. Eventually the man opened the door and let us in. There were 6 of us selecting tiles, all the while the poor man just wanted us gone. I selected carefully and finally paid the bill which turned out to cost $8. It must have taken us almost an hour to select the tiles as there were many options. Everyone bought some tiles but did not amount to much money for the store. Just down the street was a bar selling 2 for 1 drinks so we 6 order beer. 12 bottles of beer arrives on the table. John went to the rest room and when he came back to the table suggested I go to see the rest room areas. When I turned the corner I spotted my tile, the one I carefully selected. Every counter, all the walls were covered by my tiles. There were thousands of my special tiles in this little bar. Now every time I look at that trivet I smile. Happy memories. Every table in he house has a tile, used as a trivet. Every one has a story. I love them all.

April 5, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. South Toward Home.

On the way home from Memphis, Wendy and Ken stopped in Oxford, the home of The University of Texas. There are a lot of reasons to stay in Oxford but one of the best reasons is to visit Square Books, a book store on the corner of the town square. They enjoyed poking around the bookstore. And they brought me home a new book, South Toward Home. I have only one chapter left so you know I have enjoyed the read. The author, Margaret Eby, is a young lady from Alabama and lover of southern literature. In her introduction, she tries to explain why there are so many southern writers, something many folks over the years have tried to figure out. She makes the point that there are many well known southern writers, while there is no similar group of northern writers. The author visits the towns and cities of the 9 authors which were important to their work. And she wrote a synopsis about the town and how it was so important to each of the writers. Only one writer was unfamiliar to me but I enjoyed the short book and the insights into each writer. Many people over the years have cited the sense of place in the southern writers as the reason for their success. Certainly all these writers wrote only about their town. I am grateful that Wendy and Ken brought me home this wonderful little book. I is a charming gem.

April 4, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. A Toast to Broadway.

When I attended the new musical "The Sweet Potato Queens", I noticed a small advertisement in the playbook, telling of a fundraise at The Fairview Inn, a lovely old Inn in downtown Jackson. For a ticket, you got dinner and entertainment. I thought it would be fun to attend, so before we left the theater, I bought two tickets. I knew that when I got home I would talk myself out of attending. Then I had the issue of who could go with me. Neither Christina or Mary Frances could come so Greta Barbour was delighted to join me. And she did. I took Lyft both ways and we met at the Inn. When I arrived, Greta Barbour was waiting for me and told me that all the fancy people in Jackson were in attendance. And the place was packed. The entertainment was show tunes from Broadway, sung by local artists. Such talent. They sang 22 songs. Some in groups some solos or duets. The entertainment itself was worth the price of admission. The songs they sang were from mew shows. Many tunes were unfamiliar to me or Greta Barbour. We both loved them all. In addition, the dinner was delicious. Salad, small filet mignon with vegetables and cheese cake for dessert. And lots of wine. In addition, they held a silent auction. I did not bid on a single thing, which was a first for me. Vision and mobility make life difficult. I enjoyed the evening and am glad I went. Greta Barbour waited the 4 minutes for the Lyft to come and I was on my way. The driver helped me up to the door in the dark and he made sure I could open the door. I am not used to being in crowds of people so I was happy to be home in my quiet home. But I am pleased I went to The Taste of Broadway.

April 3, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Good News.

David call;ed me immediately after seeing the doctor this morning. The results from the pathology report were as good as it possibly could . "This is the best possible results," said the doctor. The prostate was totally removed. The cancer seemed to be localized in the prostate only. The edges around the prostate are clear. His prognosis is good. The recovery is coming nicely. David is beginning to feel some strength in his legs. His head is clear. For four days he said he felt fuzzy in his head. No lifting or strenuous activity for six weeks. And the doctor recommended that David return to a full schedule gradually. So that is what David will do. He can drive. Tomorrow he will go into work for a couple of hours. We are relieved with our good news. And no radiation at the moment. A few weeks ago I asked David how he was handling the future surgery and the knowledge that he had prostate surgery. He told me that he is doing what our family has always done, which is to figure out what needs to do and put the plan into action. Then he would put it out of his mind until it is time for the surgery. "I am not worrying," said David. The only change they made was to hire a chef to come in and cook for the family so Suzanne could look after David. The chef comes four days a week. But they will stop the cook when David gets better. David expects to cut back on the cooks days as he gets better. I have heard from Ken for years that the probability of dying from prostate cancer was small. But the thought of David having surgery at 49 was alarming and threatening. I had to talk to myself and put it out of my mind. Now I am pleased with the report. At the moment I will go with the assessment, that David received as good a result as possible from the surgery. In six weeks, they will check his numbers. So nice to get good news.

April 2, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Sandy.

Three generations ago, Sandy's ancestors purchased a large tract of land in southwest Alabama. Family members lived in Tuscaloosa, Memphis and Jackson. The land was to be used by family members for hunting and recreation. Bit by bit, homes they call cabins were built on the 2000 acre property. Sandy and her husband and children have enjoyed hunting on the property their whole lives. The original purchasers wrote some simple rules for the use of the property. One rule was for the family members/owners would hold a business meeting once a year. The expenses for the place were shared. If family members wished to use the property, they must pay their share. According to Sandy, most families were closely tied together and attended the meetings and contributed their portion of the expenses. The property has never been let out for hunting. Only family members were allowed to hunt and to use the houses. The system has worked well. But now a group of the younger folks are proposing that the place allow other hunters to lease the property. And they want to build bigger accommodation for the hunters. They want the place to earn money so it will be self sufficient. Up till now, the place was simply run. Everyone was responsible for keeping up their own families property. Sandy's family has three cabins on the property that they use and maintain. Some of the cabins are houses while some are just cabins. The only expenses were the utilities and the cost of the caretaker, divided between all the families. The annual expenses were low. The idea of turning the property into a money earner makes sense but is totally against the original intent of the original purchasers which was to keep the land in the family so all can enjoy country property and hunting. But it also makes sense. Land in the country is expensive and hunters will pay a lot of money to find good hunting land. The family must vote. Sandy wisely is taking a back seat. Her point is that she will not be around in 20 years so let the young people decide what to do. It is a nice problem to deal with. Some families are just lucky and Sandy was fortunate to have such a far sighted group. So far, there have been no difficulties within the family but the more complicated the place, the more will be the problems. I hope I get to see the next stage.

April 1, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. A Glass of Wine.

I texted my neighbor, Sandy, to see if she wanted to come with me for a walk. As they had just returned from Bridge, she said no, but she invited me to come in for a glass of wine on my return, which I did. Sandy and Archie are good neighbors but they are busy people. They play Bridge three times a week and they have lived in Jackson for a long time, so their dance cards are full. So I appreciate Sandy taking the time to share a glass of wine with me. Inviting me for a glass of wine at the end of the afternoon is about the nicest thing a person could give me. She and I chatted about everything important to us and we had a lot of fun. Sandy is energetic and full of life and we have a good time together. She wants me to learn how to play bridge. Soon in April they will drive to North Carolina where they spend the summer months, returning in October. While there they play golf, and play Bridge. Several friends have purchased homes in the same golf club community so they keep an active social live there. Sandy is one of those people you would like to spend more time with, but you never will. She is a good neighbor and before they leave I will invite her over for coffee. Inviting me for a glass of wine was a lovely gesture on her part. I enjoyed every minute in her lovely home.