October 31, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Hallowe'en Party.

Greta Barbour and John have a Halloween party every year≥. They invite their friends, relatives and neighbors. Their neighborhood has sidewalks which means it is a perfect place for the kids to go out trick or treating. The party is called a front porch party which for the most part is fine. But tonight it was a chilly 40 degrees. I sat inside. The children all come in costume, as do many adults. It is a splendid kind of party. Hot buttered rum is served which for tonight was perfect. John cooked chicken and sausage gumbo which was delicious. Someone stayed on the porch giving out the goodies while the rest of us stayed in the living room. Even the kids cut down their collection of candy. Halloween is a perfect kind of party and I am pleased that they continue the tradition and that they invite me. Eleanor always makes gingerbread cookies, which are delicious. Christina ate three, they were so good. And I got to chat with almost every person I know in Jackson. This is a great party, enjoyed by both kids and adults. Now I look forward to next years party.

October 30, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Update.

This morning, Suzanne had surgery to repair the torn ligament in her knee. She hurt her knee water skiing this Fall and has been walking with a brace ever since. She knows she can function without an ACL but she wants a stable knee so she elected to have it properly repaired. Now she is home sleeping off the medications. She expects to be off work for a week. As she knows, the surgery is one thing but the recovery is something else. The therapy is not easy but she is determined. Suzanne's Father had a stroke this weekend. At first it seemed dire but he has recovered his speech and now will go home in a few days, so that is fortunate. Dick and Dede live in Houston. Sarah is busily preparing for the LSAT which she hopes to take before Christmas. She is in her last year ate U.of Texas and wishes to go to law school. Abigail is having a wonderful time in Australia. She is taking four courses which is a heavy load and she has found the grading levels different. But after she figured it out and talked to the professors she is doing well. Samantha and Allison have completed their college applications and now just wait for responses. The only school they are both applying to is the U. of Texas. Their senior year at school is busy but they continue to do well at school. David is back to normal. His energy levels are back and his numbers are zero for prostate. He is ignoring his prostate cancer. Now he is thoroughly enjoying his new dog. Linc has been doing well at their training sessions each Sunday morning. But this Sunday he had an off day. He even stole a dummy from another dog. I guess no dog is perfect all the time. And that is an update from my Texas family.

October 29, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Humble.

In many ways, living in Nova Scotia and Mississippi is similar. The people are polite and friendly. There is no major traffic issues. There are lots of artists in both. And musicians abound. But the biggest similarity is that neither folks in either place boast. You never hear them tell you how wonderful this place is. In other words, they are humble, both in Nova Scotia and Mississippi. The rest of Canada kind of look down on the Maritimes, especially Nova Scotia. But the Nova Scotians do not seem to be worried about it. The same in Mississippi. People seem surprised that you have selected Mississippi to live here. They never brag, telling you how wonderful this place is, even though Mississippi has a long cultural heritage. Texas is another story. I love Texas and I love Texans. They are friendly and outgoing as well as hard working. But they will tell you in a heart beat how Texas is such a great place to live. They are nice about it but they are definitely not humble. They are proud. Mississippi folks are proud too but in a very quiet kind of way. Nova Scotians do not even seem to care that right in the town of Liverpool is a world class sculpture garden. They certainly do not brag about it, let alone advertise it as a cultural treasure, which it is. I was not brought up in Nova Scotia so when we first moved there I read everything I could about the history and culture of Nova Scotia. It has been interesting. Right now there is a resurgence of Canadians retiring in Nova Scotia, especially from Ontario. So those people will change the attitudes. The same is true with Mississippi. I have read many books about the Civil War and Mississippi and of course I have read many Mississippi writers, of which there are many. But I have been surprised at the humble attitude I see in Mississippi. So far, being proud is not part of their DNA. I quite like living here. Writing and the arts seem to be in the air. But you must look hard because no one will brag. They are way too polite.

October 28, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Image.

Shortly after we started living part time in Mississippi, someone I had just met in Mexico commented to me that she could never live in Mississippi. When I asked her why, she said that Mississippi is a backward state. I just laughed and asked if she had ever been there. Of course she had not and had no intention of ever visiting. Clearly, Mississippi has a bad image in the world. Part of this I think is a remnant of the Civil Rights violence in the 1960's. But that was long ago. I discovered that the first College in Mississippi was chartered in 1802. Mississippi College opened as a co-educational College in 1826 and graduated their first woman in 1831. The state was certainly not backward back then. Right now, at the University of Mississippi in Oxford is housed a wonderful archive of the blues, which is open for the public as well as scholars. The University of Southern Mississippi is home to a museum and archival material about Children's Literature. They have over 1500 authors with their material. It is the only such archive in the world. Mississippi State is the home of the Presidential Library and archives for General Grant. In the same building is the Williams collection of President Lincoln's artifacts, all collected by the Williams. The first Junior College started in Mississippi. Right now, every person is within 30 minutes of a junior college. This is not backward. The medical facilities and staff are cutting edge. When I go to a doctor and tests are run, the results appear on my chart that I can access on the internet as soon as I get home. And I can communicate with the nurse or doctor on the same chart. Living here is pleasant. The traffic is not terrible and the people are polite. The trash is collected twice a week. When I ask the folks who live in Mississippi they tell me that living here is the best kept secret. And they urge me to keep the secret. Look at the number of writers from Mississippi. The list is long. The same for musicians. So I do not know what people mean backward. But it is interesting.

October 27, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Cook.

Saturday morning was an important day. My fridge was totally empty. Then Dreisys the cook appeared. Now that she has a baby, she cooks at home and brings me food already cooked and in containers. She brought me lasagna, enough for four meals. In addition she brought a pot of chicken and vegetable soup, a container of meal holding three large pieces of meal, cooked seasoned rice, and a tupper wear full of cooked vegetable. This week I will eat like a queen. I just dish out the quantity I want, put the food in the microwave and eat it. This system is perfect for me. The idea was accidental. Shortly after we moved into our house, I was opening a can of soup for Ken's lunch. Our handyman was walking through the kitchen. I casually asked Chantes if his wife was a good cook. He answered in the affirmative so I asked him to ask his wife if she would cook for us. I thought it was a joke but he asked his wife Lourdes and she was delighted to cook for us. She cooked in our kitchen after stopping at the grocery store. She was from Cuba so she cooked Cuban food: lots of beans, rice, lentils, vegetables and a bit of meat. The food was good and tasty but Ken and I laughed that if we lived here all the time we would need to expand her repertoire. But a wonderful thing happened. Lourdes moved to Miami and gave us Dreisys, who turns out to be a much better cook. Her food is excellent. The system is the sAme. She shops for the groceries, cooks enough for me for the week and I pay her for her hours. I am indeed fortunate. Dreisys actually works in a restaurant in the afternoons and evening. She likes cooking and she likes extra money. And I enjoy her food. The system is perfect for me but it all started casually. I just got lucky.

October 26, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Water.

I know we are supposed to drink water all day. When you are working, things are easy. Every day on my desk would be a glass of water and a carafe full of water. And behind my desk there was always another carafe full of water. By the end of the day, my consumption of water was adequate thanks to Regina. But when I retired, my days were not structured so I often did not drink enough water. My solution was to keep a full glass of water beside everywhere I normally sit. The only problem is, no Regina to fill my glass. Here in Mississippi, I have three favorite chairs. One in the corner by the window where I read and eat breakfast. Another is in the TV room and the last is the end of the couch where I read e mails and write notes. We moved here with four beer steins so by each spot where I sit, Kashina fills a stein of water at the beginning of her day. I like having the water by my side but I especially enjoy looking at the beer steins. One is from Ontario, Blue Mountain Pottery. I have no idea where I got it but I like it because it reminds me of Ontario where I lived many years. Another stein I purchased in Pennsylvania just outside Hershey. I was attending a real estate meeting and stopped at an antique store. This stein is not old but was made with the glaze of the first pottery made in Pennsylvania. It is brown with black markings. One stein is ordinary glass with bevelled edges. And it is big. The last is from the Carolinas and is blue with markings. Again it is made in the style of years ago. One stays on the shelf but the other three are on duty. If I drink the three steins of water, I know I have had enough water for the day. My system only works when Kashina is at work. The rest of the times I fill the containers when they are empty. Now if I can get used to changing the water every morning I would be happy. But do not hold your breath.

October 25, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Free Speech.

Over the years, I have noted that people only want to hear ideas that are the same as themselves. It seems to be getting worse. Universities will not allow speakers to have concepts of which the University does not approve. And if a speaker begins to speak, groups disrupt the speech. So free speech is under attack. Of course, people are polite and do not raise issues at social events. And you always hear not to discuss politics or religion at family gatherings. But these days free speech has been eroded. When I was studying the Constitution, I learned that yelling Fire in a crowded building does not constitute free speech. Rather it is against the law. Many years ago, I raised opposition to abortions. Whoever the group I was with came after me with a-vengeance. We did not have a discussion. They knew I was wrong. I learned not to bring the subject out in public. It was not worth the fight. A few years ago at Playa Royale, several ladies were in the deep end talking pleasantly. One lady mentioned that Hillary Clinton was a wonderful Sect. of State. I asked one question. And I asked it pleasantly. I asked, "What good things has she done?" Rather than tell me the answer, the lady tore into me, telling me how wonderful Hillary was and how terrible I was to question her.. But she did not give me answers. And the lady never spoke to me again, which did not matter a bit. In other countries, people go to jail for expressing ideas that are not to the liking of the authorities. But in the US people have been injured by groups who do not like their ideas. The term Illegal Immigrant has been banned in some places. It is alarming but true that free speech is not what it used to be.

October 24, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Sheets.

Today is a red letter day. My bed was made with flannel sheets. In Nova Scotia, we have always used flannel sheets because the evenings are always chilly. And in Maryland and Texas I only used flannel sheets in the winter. I checked the forecast. No more hot weather coming our way so I decided to switch sheets. I can now be cosy at night. Also, I like these sheets. The flannel is of high quality and there are snow men on the pillows. They make me smile. These are the same sheets that I used at the farm. I actually mailed the sheets from the farm to Mississippi. Ken thought I was nuts. But now I am pleased that I kept them. It pleases me to sleep with those old sheets. When I was a kid living at home I always loved getting into bed when the sheets had just been made. I liked the crisp sheets. And I loved the smell. Of course, my Mother hung the sheets out to dry so the sheets always smelled wonderful. Once I asked my Mother to tell me when she had changed the sheets so I could get in bed earlier in the evening. I clearly had a thing about fresh sheets. And I still do. Tonight will be the first night of the year when I will sleep with flannels sheets. The is indeed a Red Letter Day.

October 23, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. A New Restaurant.

I like Greek food. My friend Greta Barbour knows it. Last week, she and a friend found a new restaurant in Ridgeland. They had lunch and ordered their sample plate which she said was delicious. The restaurant was new three years ago but it is new to us. Yiayia's Greek Kitchen is the name of the place and is run by a couple who appear to be in their 60's. The husband is the cook. He came out to meet us twice while we were there, both times to be sure we were enjoying his cooking. The restaurant is on Highway 51, which is not a fancy part of town but the place is clean and plain. And Greta Barbour was right. Their food was good. I had to go to the bank so Kashina and I headed out after all the chores were finished at home. Then we looked up the new restaurant. When we arrived, four tables were full. Kashina had never eaten Greek food but we decided to eat anyway. I felt sure that something on the menu would suit her. Kashina is not an adventurous eater. In fact she has a limited number of dishes she will eat so I have learned to ignore her selection of restaurants. I keep hoping she will start to try different foods. So far, it has not happened. I ordered humus for an appetizer. Their humus was different but I liked it. The hot bread was delicious. I ordered spanakopita. It was so big I have are in my fridge here at home. Kashina ordered shrimp on a stick. And French fries. We each ate a full serving of Baklava, which was exceptionally good. It was not too sweet, because they give you a container of homey to serve as you eat each bite. I was delighted to find another good restaurant close to home. I hope they stay in business.

October 22, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Nova Scotia/Mississippi.

In many ways, for me, living in Nova Scotia and Mississippi is similar. Most people are polite and friendly in stores. No one pushes in line and elbows you for position. No cars can be heard honking or cutting you off. Since I have been here, the temperatures have been similar. The grocery stores are excellent in both places. And the working people are available and efficient with their work. The traffic in both places is light. Even during rush hour, Mississippi has no real traffic jams. But there are differences. I overlook a large reservoir in Madison, which is lovely. Except in Nova Scotia the Atlantic Ocean is always different. Sometimes here the water is rough but not often. No once comes to my door. In Nova Scotia my friends walk over for a visit which I like. Mary MacD. drives out to bring me soup, totally unannounced. Here I can keep my robe on all day if I wish because I know that no one will come to my door. Even the delivery from Amazon just drops the box at the front door, so I see no one through the day, unless I have scheduled a date for lunch or coffee. My cable TV here is better. If I need to watch something on TV I can always find something to watch. I seem to have to work harder to avoid getting lonely here in Mississippi. My life in both places is pleasant and beautiful and I am grateful. But there are differences. I am actually surprised that so much of living in both places is similar. After all, they are a long way apart and are different in size and culture. Fortunately, both places are fine places to live. Ken and I chose well.

October 21, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Anniversaries.

Sixty six years ago, I was on a train traveling from Vancouver to Toronto with my Mother and Father. We stopped in Calgary for a few days to visit the Dumertons, fellow SA officers who were all in the same session. They had twin boys who were my age. The only thing I recall from that visit was that we played football the whole time. I was the only girl. And I liked one of the twins, Billy, Two years later, Billy was killed in an automobile accident, when traveling in a VW bug. He and his friend were driving to Toronto but he was killed just outside Calgary. It was my first tragedy. Mother, Father and I had been at the wedding of my brother Dave, to Irene Chalk. My Father officiated at the service. My sister Carol was the Maid of Honor. That was October, 1953. When we look at the pictures now, everyone looked so young and very happy. The night before the wedding, my Father took Dave out to dinner. Dave recalls they ate at an inexpensive restaurant with not good food. Dad commented to Dave that if the two newly weds get along as well as he and his wife Frances, things should work out well. Dad was correct. Sixty six years later Dave and Irene are still walking and talking and getting alone with no complaints. When they reach the 70th anniversary, they will have another party. But for this year, they celebrated by going out for a steak lunch. Pretty special event for a pretty special couple.

October 20, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Playoffs.

The game ended in the most dramatic way possible. People tell me think baseball is boring. They should have been watching the 6th game of the ALC championship between the Yankees and the Astros. The game ended with the Astros won the series so the Yankees will now go home. I must admit that I switch channels to also watch the Texas football game. I am terrible with my clicker. I never watch a commercial. Often I am keeping track of several channels. For instance, I also watched the last day of the Gymnastic World championship. But I always came back to the baseball game because it was exciting. The Yankees tied the game at 4 all, in the top of the 9th. The Astros had been ahead the whole game. Then the smallest player in the game hit a home run, thus winning the game and the championship for Houston. If I had been a betting person, I would have bet on the Dodgers and the Yankees to be in the World Series. Fortunately I do not bet because on Tuesday the Washington Nationals will play the Houston Astros. I was stunned when the Dodgers lost, but not surprised that the Astros won. I watched more parts of Yankees games when I was in Nova Scotia and could see they were a great team. But some how or another, they lost their edge during the games with Houston. 4 errors in one game means the team should not win. Now we have a hungry team, the Nationals, who are in the World Series for the first time, and the Astros, who are also hungry to become a dynasty. Both teams play good baseball so watch for a good series. Just don't tell me that the games were boring.

October 19, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Movies.

In Nova Scotia, I attended three movies. And I enjoyed them all. My friends Karen and Gill picked me up ands brought me home and helped me navigate getting in and out. Dark is difficult for me but I did fine with their help. I decided that I could attend afternoon movies in Jackson. Kashina can look after me. She thought it was a good idea too. This week we looked up movies and found one we wanted to see in Madison. We went today, to the 12:20 show. There may have been 20 people in the theater. My problem is that for the past thirty years Ken and I have paid little attention to the movies. We just did not go. Once upon a time we did but for some reason, we stopped going. We were listening to folks reviewing a movie and commented that that particular movie would not appeal to anyone over 55. But they said that it would not matter because people over 50 do not go to movies. Ken and I looked at each other puzzled. We were in our 60's and had not realized we were not going to the movie3s. Now if I am going to attend the theaters I must read up on what is good and what is not. The only movie that was at all appealing to both of us today was Downton Abbey. My Texas family enjoyed it which was why David wanted to watch the series so he could catch up with the people. We enjoyed the movie although it was long for me. Next we ate lunch at Saxby's, a new restaurant for me. I was thinking that I could go to the movies by myself but have decided against it. The interior of the multiplex theater was too dark. I could never have found the correct movie. But I enjoyed the afternoon. Now I must find some good movies.

October 18, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Eye Doctor.

Dr.Oh is my eye doctor. I was referred to her from my glaucoma specialist. She deals with glaucoma surgery and with other glaucoma patients who seem not to be getting better, which is me. I like her. As I am gloriously and foolishly optimistic, I look forward to our appointments because I feel sure she will be able to fix my eyes. Thursday at 12:15 was my appointment. The good thing is my pressures. My left eye is 14 which is acceptable. The right eye is 8, which is still too low. Those pressures protect the optic nerve, which is good. But the low pressure in the right eye does not keep the back of the eye taut and tight so the back of my eye kind of fold from time to time and looks like wall paper that is damp and rippled. My problem is that sometimes I can see well and some times I can not. I often look as if I am looking at a fog. We decided to wait until I return from Mexico to see if the pressure goes up and thus keep the back of the eye tight. In the meantime, I can function. When I went to Liverpool I had new lens in my glasses. At first I was seeing 20/25 in my right eye. But over the summer the acuity in my right eye deteriorated and now I see 20/50. Dr. Oh says it will come and go. At least now I know why I can see well sometimes and not others. At the moment, I can not go out at night by myself. I function well in familiar places such as home and my neighborhood. New places are difficult;t because I must be especially careful for steps. Shadows are difficult. Going into a building from outside means I am blind until my eyes accommodate to the light, which can take ten minutes. But I can see straight aheads pretty well, at least most of the time. My left eye vision is good except I have black blotches in that eye so I do not see much out of that eye, unfortunately. For years, getting the pressures down was the big problem. Now we want to bring the pressure up in the right eye. Kind of crazy but true. As I said to Dr. Oh,"I am able to function quite well, and I am not complaining." My eyes could be much worse.

October 17, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Heat.

The weather in Nova Scotia this summer was the best we have ever experienced. Only twice did I put on the propane stove in the living room. The regular heat was never turned on. Perfect weather. Mississippi temperatures have been high in August and September. The Spring was wet and chilly and June and July hovered around 80, which for Mississippi is cool. The week before I arrived, the temperatures were in the mid 90's. Everyone was longing for cool weather and they got it. Since I arrived, the temperatures have not gotten higher than 70 so I needed neither air conditioning or heat, which I like. Last night, the temperature was 49 so the house was chilly but I was going out so did nothing, assuming that the temperature would go up. But it didn't. All day it has been in the 40's. I came home from my eye appointment to find a chilly home so I put on a fleece vest. After reading e mails and taking a nap, I was cold, so did what any normal person would do which was turn on the heat. Now I am warm. I did wonder how long I would stay cold. Ken would have switched on the heat the moment he was chilly but for some reason or other I had to talk myself into turning on the heat. I felt like my legs were having chill blains, what ever they are. Tomorrow will be warmer so the heat will not turn on. Next time I will not allow myself to get so cold. After all, that is why we have heat.

October 16, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Finding Your Roots.

PBS has an hour show, called Finding Your Roots. I enjoy watching. The format does not change. The host has two or three people who are somewhat well known on the show. Much research has gone into the backgrounds of these people so the guests find out many relatives they had not known in the past. Most of us can only go back to grandparents but with the research, the show often will be able to go back many centuries. It is fun to find out information on these people back hundreds of years. Our Mississippi PBS shows it on Tuesday evening and if I have nothing else to do I watch it. And I find it fascinating. Last evening was no exception. The lady guest knew that her grandmother came to the US from Scotland. But it turned out that her ancestors had lived in Ireland for hundreds of years and only moved to Scotland in the later 19th century. And the gentleman guest who thought he was English turned out to be German. Ancestors of him were found in a little town in the Alps and had lived there for hundreds of years. His great grandfather emigrated to the US in the early part of the 20th century. Soon the First World War broke out and all Germans were put in concentration camps. Then the name was changed. They spoke no German at home and his grandmother never mentioned their German heritage. The great grandfather left for America when he was 18, all by himself with little money. The guest was interested because he left home for Chicago all by himself when he was 18 to find his fortune, moving from the family farm in Kansas. "Something in the genes," he said. Ken always said that the most important thing about ancestors was that they survived and had children. Nothing else mattered. The Finding Your Roots program is always entertaining.

October 15, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Rain.

At 6 this morning I awoke to heavy rain. Since my arrival, people have told me that we needed rain. I heard the same story in Nova Scotia. And friend Wendy tells me that Maryland is parched. When I started out walking on Sunday I discovered that it was raining but lightly so I kept going. During my walk a neighbor commented to me that she hoped it would keep raining. "We have had no rain since late July," she said. The rain increased in intensity so I cut my walk short. But soon the rain stopped. Nothing seems better than snuggled down in bed listening to rain and thunder. I feel so smug for some reason. I went back to sleep but got up to more rain. It has been raining all day, sometimes hard and other times a drizzle, but rain all day. It is still raining and the forecast is to have rain continue until sunrise, with more storms. I stayed home all day and enjoyed the rain. The wind was high so the waves came over the neighbors dock. I could not walk but got in a good amount of walking inside the house. Fortunately the house is wide. Mississippi gets on average 52 inches of rain each year so I seldom hear complaints of drought. Now Jackson folks will be pleased with all the rain today and night. I enjoyed my day at home in the rain.

October 14, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Brunch.

One of the pleasures of living in Mississippi is having Brunch every Sunday with Christina, Kate, Mary Frances and Molly. Even Kashina enjoys the event and specifically asked to work on Sunday so she can dine with the family. The first time after I return is especially exciting. We have a good old time celebration. Molly selected Saren, a good Thai restaurant so we gathered at 11:15 for Brunch. Mary Frances came from her dorm room. She had a series of delays so arrived late which is unusual. First she was asked a question in the hall by her room. Then the exit gate was stuck. She had to wait for a guard to let her out. Thanks to smart phones, she kept us updated. The food part of brunch was quick but after eating we sat talking for half an hour or more. We had seen each other at the beginning of July but lots of events occurred since that time and I needed to hear it all. Kate is a real nurse on the cardiology floor at the University hospital and she had many stories to tell. She is working the night shift. One of her patients asked her to get him a hamburger. As she is not allowed to do that she politely said NO. But the patient called the cops. Soon the police arrived to find out what was the matter. They also refused to get a hamburger and quickly apologized to Kate for bothering her. Molly has played volleyball this season and likes it. She has one game left in the season. Her sixth grade class is to her liking. The teacher is a strong teacher of History which pleases her. They are studying ancient China. "The work is hard," says Molly, "But I have done well on all my tests". So she is pleased with sixth grade. Mary Frances also is working hard at Millsaps. She is taking a creative writing class. Also a course on English literature. And she is still working at the coffee shop just off campus/. Christina is enjoying teaching computer systems to the first to sixth grade students. So everyone looks great and are doing well. These Sunday Brunches gives me a chance to catch up. We all seem to enjoy the event.

October 13, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. My Helpers.

Some things I just can not do by myself. In Nova Scotia, I can not carry a laundry basket either up or down the stairs. I have no trouble going up or down by myself. When I returned to Mississippi, my old helper Kashina, offered to work with me the day after I arrived which I appreciated. Many tasks we did together I could have done myself. I just would have gotten the job more slowly. But I was interested to note the number of tasks she did for me that I could not have been able to accomplish on my own. I tried to set the clock by my bed but the print is too small even with my reading glasses so I was forced to leave the task for Kashina. My computer plug fits into a power bar on the table and I could not see to put in the plug. I needed a small purse calendar so when we were at the drug store to get my prescriptions, we looked on the shelf with all the calendars. By the time I had gotten my reading glasses on, she had found the 2 year calendar I wanted. Task done. It would have taken me fifteen minutes. I am healthy but I do have difficulties. My vision is good straight ahead and I must use reading glasses for everything. The problem is that my vision seems to change from time to time. Every set of reading glasses is different but nothing works very well so close up tasks are difficult. So I need the eyes of my helper. When I get up, it is obvious that I am old. Until I get a bit of speed walking, my balance is not good. Standing alone I must hold on to something. I am like a bicycle. I see the eye doctor on Thursday. My Oncologist is so confident that my next scan is in mid November. The bottom line is that I look great sitting still or walking quickly. But vision remains a challenge. Not bad for someone approaching 82. Thanks to my helpers, I function very well.

October 12, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Home.

Arriving home is always exciting. For me, returning home to Nova Scotia for the season is just as exciting as arriving home to Roses Bluff Drive. I was delighted to come home. Living in this home is a bit bitter sweet. Ken's hands are all over everything and I miss coming home without him. We purchased this home so we could live easily with or without physical ailments. Ken did just fine living in this home during the year he was not well. And for me, this home is an easy place to live. Everything is just want you need objects to be. My helper, Kashina, commented today that this home is large enough to be comfortable but not so big that it is grand. She is correct. This home is comfortable but not fancy. Last evening I organized just enough to be able to function last evening. But today Kashina and I got organized. Other than a pile of papers that I must review, everything has been sorted and put away, including the mail. Kashina opens the mail and I decide what pile to put in. The magazines are set beside my reading chair all set to go. We picked up my new medications at the pharmacy so I am set for the next three months. The small suitcase and backpack are stored in the closet. I am set to live here in Mississippi.

October 11, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. On the Road Again.

I have had a good time here in San Antonio with David and Suzanne and the twins. But now I am flying to Mississippi to see my Mississippi Family and my lovely home by the Reservoir. Flying anywhere these days is an adventure and I am sure today will be no exception. I fly to Houston, then after a few hours wait, I fly to Jackson. Next I will take Lyft back home. Even though the distance is short, the time elapses will be long so I will be weary upon arrival. But tomorrow my helper Kashina will be with me so I will be able to get organized. I am not sure why flying is so tiring. Gill and I had a lengthy discussion while driving to Halifax about the topic of flying today as opposed to thirty years ago. We agreed on several things: the planes are always full, security is always difficult and time consuming and the seats are closer together. In addition I realized that the seats are uncomfortable. Also people carry big bags on the plane so overhead bins are full. But flying is still the fastest way to get to the destination so though although the journey is not pleasant, we fly. So here I go and once again try to have a good excursion. But I will miss my Texas Family.

October 10, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Home Cooking.

Every evening after Suzanne comes home from teaching, she cooks dinner for the family. I have been treated to exceptionally good meals. This evening we dined on Chicken Alfredo with cut up asparagus and capers, which was served in a bowl so we could watch the Astros game. It was delicious. I asked Suzanne during dinner time if she was cooking fancy meals for me but as she said no. She cooks dinner every night for the family but what she did was look up a couple of new recipes, which she tried out on my. One evening we ate a stuffed potato, full of ground sausage, cheese, corn, and beans. And we ate it with a cucumber salad fresh from David's garden. So I have eaten well these past ten days and have enjoyed the fresh cooked dinners. Suzanne had to learn how to be a good gook. Now she tries hard to serve healthy tasty meals for her family. Everyone in the family appreciate her efforts, especially me. Nothing better than good home cooking, especially from Suzanne's kitchen. Hats off to Suzanne.

October 9, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Twins.

Right now in this house we have two sets of twins. The first set is Samantha and Allison, identical twins we now are able to distinguish one from the other. The second set is Moose and Lincoln. They also seem identical twins or at least they look identical. The puppy, six months old, has grown to be the same height as Moose, who is nine years old. If they are side by side you can tell the difference. Moose is heavier in his shoulders and head and his tail a bit longer, but when they are not together they look like identical twins. It is uncanny. Sunday morning David took Linc. to a training session. David wants Linc to be a well trained bird dog. The teacher has Labrador retrievers and are very well trained. David has been pleased with the progress With the training, at least until he saw at the class how much Lincoln has to learn before he is really well trained. David has been working with the dog every day this week. And Linc. is learning, just not as well as David wants him to do. Linc. will sit and stay on command but the teacher wants to dog to go down, which Linc. does not like doing. The command to go down, wants the puppy to lie on his side, which is not acceptable. But he was better today than on Monday. It is actually quite funny to watch him. What Linc. does do well is fetch. And he brings the object back to David immediately and waits until David tells him to release. Moose on the other hand has no interest in fetching although he is obediant with the sitting and then going down. He will also stay until David calls him. I am sorry to be missing the rest of the training but when I return Linc. will be a well trained dog, able to heel, fetch and stay until released. I am counting on it. He is already a friendly well behaved dog in the house. But watching the dogs together looking exactas like twins is a startling sight. I am enjoying watching them.

October 8, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Lunch.

Suzanne gives me free rein in the fridge, which is always full. Wonderful delicacies can be found. Sometimes Suzanne shows me where the leftover food can be found but most of the containers are new to me, so I explore. I have eaten delicious lunches since I have been here. Twice I ate the left overs from the second night I was here. The dish was delicious hot and is almost as good eaten cold. Of course I never heat anything. One day I ate two pieces of pizza. Today I ate the last of the lamb chops. Yesterday I found chicken salad so made a sandwich. Rummaging around someone else refrigerator is great sport. Suzanne always has containers of cheese and olives which I do not eat at lunch. I can always find yoghurt and berries but I eat them at breakfast. I look for the leftovers. One day we ate pork loin for dinner. There is still a bag of sliced pork in the fridge. One day I ate two pieces for lunch which were delicious. I still have containers I have not opened and as I have only two days left here in San Antonio I suspect I will probably leave them for the next person. As a kid, I always enjoyed looking into other peoples refrigerators. Now I am like a kid in a candy store just poking into all the boxes. Suzanne is good natured to allow me to just get at it and I appreciate her generosity. And I must say that my lunches are superb. I sit in the living room in the lovely living room and eat my splendid lunch. And I feel as if I am a Queen.

October 7, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. A Day in My Life

Years ago I would have never dreamed that I could enjoy so many days at home. But I do. Today was a perfect example. My day begins when everyone else leaves for work or school. Then I get up and make my tea, toast and fruit and sit in the living room and read while I eat. Right now I am reading an old edition of The New Criterion. Every hour or so I walk around the inside of the house. Next I read and respond to e mails. I never go outside by myself. David comes home for lunch, especially if there is a baseball game. When David returns to work I make my own lunch, using the leftover food from the fridge. As there were 4 games on TV today, this afternoon I took my nap on the couch in the TV room and found it comfortable. I unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the sink from breakfast. Then I retreated back to the baseball games. During the day I do my exercises and I walk around inside the house. David was the first one home today because he wanted to work with the dogs and to watch more baseball, so we watched together. I watched as he worked with Linc. He caches on quickly which is fun to see. When Suzanne came home she prepared dinner and we watched another game while we ate. The twins attend Youth Group tonight so they come home late. The rest of the evening we sat and talked while we watched yet another game. My days are pleasant and I am enjoying living in the home of David and Suzanne. I am happy being alone. I go out only with the family. For ten days I am just fine without major activities and I am delighted I came to visit. I hope I am not too much of a pest for them.

October 6, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Exciting Games.

Beware of exciting games. They make you stay up late and then do not allow you to go to sleep, at least it did for me. Last evening, everyone went to bed before the end of the game. The Astros were ahead 3 to 0. First David wisely left the group at 10:30. Suzanne jointed him soon after. Just after 11:00, Allison headed upstairs to bed which left only Samantha and me. Finally Samantha left me by myself just at the start of the 8th inning. What happened next was the most exciting part of the game so I kept watching until the end of the game. The Houston Astros ended up winning the game 3 to 1 but not before the Tampa Bay Rays loaded the bases at the top of the 9th with no outs. It was very exciting. The game finally ended just after midnight. After getting ready to bed which meant writing my little blog and taking my night medications I turned out my light just before 1:00. And I stayed awake. And I stayed awake. I had attended the party in the afternoon and missed an hour of putting up my feet, which meant I was already tired. Bt one o'clock, I was wide awake. I stayed in bed and at least rested. But tonight, although the game is interesting, we have all headed to bed at a normal time. Late nights are not good for me. Even though I enjoyed the excitement of the last two innings of the game, I should have checked the score this morning. Tonight I was wiser.

October 5, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. A Texas Party.

Dave H. and David D. Hunt together, along with several other men and ladies. They lease land to hunt doves and quail. David D. had freezer space so all the quails after cleaning were kept in his freezer. Both men decided after last season that they would have a party at Dave H.'s home. But David forgot so Suzanne and David and the family ate the quail. Two weeks ago Dave H. call to make the date for the quail and dove party. Oops. But David D. ordered quail sent frozen and deboned. No one said a words at the party. And everyone enjoyed the birds. I was invited to this most Texas of parties. We arrived early so the men could cook the birds but the party was held in order for everyone to watch the Texas football game which was against West Virginia. Only one person cheered for West Virginia because that man had attended college there. Most of the others attended all the Texas games played in Austin. The home was lovely. The food was plentiful and interesting. The people were energetic, enthusiastic and friendly. I was the oldest person there by far. The TV was large. Another TV was outside on the porch. I enjoyed myself talking to all those Texans. It was a typical Texas party. And Texas won the game so everyone went home happy.

October 4, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Linc. and the Printer.

All was quiet in the TV room. David, Suzanne and I were watching a baseball game. Samantha and Allison were upstairs doing homework. Along with paying attention to the game, Suzanne was working on the computer. Both dogs were asleep on adjacent dog pillows. The room was calm. All of a sudden, Linc. the puppy leaped up from his bed and started barking. He acted as if someone was breaking in. Suzanne figured out immediately what upset Linc. Suzanne had printed some pages at the printer, which was directly over where he had been sleeping. Linc. was not pleased. He finally isolated the printer noise and stood in front of the printer whining and barking. David called him over to reassured him that all was well and finally he settled down and went back to sleep. But after another hour, Suzanne needed to print. We adults thought that Linc. had figured out the printer sound, but no. As he heard the sound of the printer he started barking. He still did not like the sound of the printer and again was trying to protect us from the intruder. We three laughed. It was very cute and very funny. Moose being an old dog never even opened his eyes. He had heard that sound before. But not Linc. This 6 month old puppy thought an intruder had come into the room and he was not happy. The poor puppy has much to learn.

October 3, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Flowers.

This lovely home has flowers everywhere. Suzanne celebrated her 50th birthday on Sunday and several family members sent her flowers. On the coffee table in the living room where I read is a beautiful arrangement of roses whose vase is layered with different colors of sand. It is charming. In the center of the round kitchen table is another large arrangement of fall colored flowers. Ant the buffet in the entrance hall holds two flower arrangements. In addition, David brings fresh cut flowers from his garden so where I sit in the living room I can enjoy two vases full of flowers from the garden. One is on the bar and one on an end table and both are lovely. When I enter the kitchen I find two more small vases full of flowers from David's cutting garden. The piano in the dining room holds two vases full of flowers. In fact, every where I look as I walk around the house I see flowers. I like to see them. David is pleased with his cutting garden so he is turning over two new areas for more flowers for cutting. Our housekeeper, Elvia, who was born and raised in Columbia, lived on a plantation in the country. Her family kept a plot of land for flowers to be cut for the house. She and her sisters had the task to cut and arrange the flowers for their big house. One day she was rearranging flowers that been sent to me. I was impressed so she told me how she gained the expertise. From then on I tried to bring flowers for her to make our home beautiful. She enjoyed doing it but more importantly, it reminded her of happier times. At some point, the government took all the family land and they were forced to move to the city. Time passes and now I am enjoying all the beautiful flowers I see everywhere around the home. They please me.

October 2, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Downton Abbey and Baseball.

To celebrate Suzanne's birthday on Sunday, David and Suzanne, Sarah, Allison and Samantha went out to brunch. Then they went to the new movie, Downton Abbey. David was the only one who missed it when it was on TV, so he now wants to know what happened and how it was done. Since I have arrived, David and I have watched five segments of the first year of the show. I had seen the DVD's with Kate and Mary Frances when they were at the farm. Dave and Irene gave us the discs and actually finished the whole series for us so I had seen the shows. But it was fun watching them again. While I am here, we are going to watch them all, says David. We are having fun. Monday, the day I arrived, he stayed home the rest of the afternoon and today he came home from work at 3:00 so we can watch more Downton Abbey. Baseball playoffs have started so we expect to watch baseball and Downton Abbey all week. Yesterday was the first Wild Card game, between the Brewers and the Nationals. That game was the most satisfying game to watch, especially if you were cheering for the Nationals who won at the last minute. The Brewers magical month of September had ended and their season has ended. But the Washington Nationals live to play another series, which is good. This evening we watched Tampa Bay beat Oakland, which pleased us. Tampa Bay now plays the Houston Astros, who have had trouble beating Oakland through the season. We are looking forward to watching lots of good baseball. We are all cheering for the Astros to win the World Series. I look forward to a week of Baseball and Downton Abbey as I visit with my Family. What could be better?

October 1, 2019. San Antonio, Texas. Volleyball.

Allison is the only senior on her volleyball team. For the most part, that means the team will not be very good. Except her team is actually quite good. This evening at a game against a Catholic girls school Allison's team lost in three straight games. They were even in scoring until about three quarters of the game. The other team went a run of 5 points in a row which Allison's team never recovered. But the team played very well. Several players play recreational league volleyball 12 months of the year. According to Suzanne, several parents think their daughters will get a college scholarship, but I did not see it during tonights game. Nobody was a star. But I enjoyed the game. During the time outs and between the games, music was played in the gym. When this fast music was played the girls on the other team danced to the music, along with arm movements. And other kids watching from the stage joined in the dancing. It was fun watching them with their energy and their expertise. They were having a great time. I love to watch school sports especially when my grandchildren are playing. Because of concussions, Samantha is no longer able to play sports so she helps with the trainers. Allison will also play softball but will not play basketball this winter. The girls look terrific with their team uniforms. Women's volleyball players wear tight shirts and tops so Allison's team fits the pattern. Most importantly, the girls seem to be heaving a great time, which is all that matters.And I, the grandmother loved every bit of it too.