November 30, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Weather.

I once told my friend Clausen that the weather forecast in Mississippi is almost always correct. He disagreed. He was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, which has about the same topography as Jackson and he said that the weatherman is often wrong. But I am always surprised when my phone tells me one thing and the reality is another. Today my phone told me I was going to have rain all day, with a severe storm in the early evening. So far I have seen nothing unusual, just 73 and sunny. This evening on the TV, an alert was sounded. We are having a tornado watch this evening. And we are supposed to have heavy rain and hail later this evening. I do not even hear high wind at the moment so perhaps the storm will miss us here just outside Jackson. The instructions are to go to the lowest part of the house. And for sure, get indoors. I do not wish to go to the lowest part of the house. I intend to crawl into bed and stay there until the morning. I have placed a flashlight beside my bed just in case we have no power. Once again, I was wrong and Clausen was right. The forecast is not correct 100% of the time. But mostly, I can make my plans around the forecast I find on my phone. Last week were supposed to have three days of rain. We got none but we did get heavy wind in the middle of the night. I now have a foot of leaves both front and back even though they were cleaned up on Monday. My trees are almost bare after all the wind. But no rain at all. I have a feeling that we will get no storm this evening. I will go to bed early, just in case. The best place to be in heavy rain and hail is in bed. The sounds are fantastic. After doing a few chores, that is what I intend to do.

November 29, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Getting Old.

I am soon going to turn 82. One of the pleasures of getting old is to watch the younger generation succeed and thrive and then cheer as their children get along with their lives. This summer, Gill and I talked about how sad we felt that Alan never got to experience the success of his sons and his wife. He would be so pleased. And my Father never got to see the grown up grandchildren and of their great success. At least he knew the children had children as Dave and Irene's children were born when he died. My Mother would have loved talking with her great-grandchildren about the English language. She was a wordsmith and as we have one English major in college and one with a PhD is English. She would be proud. But all those folks died too soon. One of my pleasures is keeping track of the children of my friends. The children of the Elys, Mitchells and Wus have always been part of my life. Ion fact we call us "The Other Mothers". And those children now have children and are all doing well with their lives. It is one of the great pleasures of getting old. My Mississippi friends have children at the time in their life when they are selecting a path for their life. I enjoy talking with them about their choices and I talk with my friends about the choices they are making. I often hear people complaining about their ailments as if those maladies were the most important part of their life. But not me. I am delighted to be 82 and to enjoy watching the next generations take their part in the world. And I only wish my relatives and friends had lived as long as I am living. Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, I am grateful for being old.

November 28, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Thanksgiving 2019.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. You don't need to figure anything out. The day takes care of itself. First the parade, followed by the dog show. Next an early dinner of turkey and all the trimmings and finally football. For me I was lucky to be invited to the home of Linda Creath for the Thanksgiving feast along with the other Creath family. That meant around the table were two old ladies, three of the next generation and three grandchildren. We were missing Kate. We were a merry group. The food was delicious as always. My only contribution was to cheer. And to top it off, Christina brought me a meal when she drove me home, so I could eat leftover turkey dinner tomorrow. My cup runneth over. The day after thanksgiving we decorated for Christmas. The same for Christina. But she had three busy weekends coming up so she and the girls decorated their tree and the house two weeks ago. And the outside lights were installed at the same time. Tomorrow she will turn on the outside lights as well as the tree lights. Christmas will be officially just down the road. I on the other hand have had my outside lights glowing brightly for three weeks. My lights are all white so are not so obviously Christmas. And I like them so I keep them going from five to midnight. This year I have decided to be lazy. I am not putting up any Christmas decorations this year. I leave December 18 for Christmas so I will keep the boxes in the closet. I am not sure what that says about me. I am busily writing Christmas cards so I am not a total Scrooge. Christmas 2019 has been pleasant. But this is the first Thanksgiving without Ken. We were all trying not to remember the empty chair at the table. Instead, as always, we counted out blessings.

November 27, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. An Unexpected Excursion.

Kashina was upset when she walked in the door. She could not find her driver's license. She had stopped at the bank to cash her cheque from work and the license was not in her purse. Her plan was to go shopping with her sisters the day after Thanksgiving. So she was stuck. She went through her purse and car twice, to no avail. She thought she left it in the pocket of her work pants. But her home is in Crystal Springs, a 45 minuted drive down highway 55. Ken and I discovered Crystal Springs when we went looking for a fountain. After we bought our fountain, we were hungry and stopped at a service station that also sold fried chicken. The chicken was delicious even though we sat in the truck to eat. Ever since then, we joked that we needed to return to Crystal Springs for chicken. But we never did. I suggested to Kashina that we drive to her house to retrieve her license...and then eat fried chicken for lunch. The day was beautiful. 65 and sunny. It would solve Kashina's problem. So off we went. We drove straight to her home and sure enough, her license was in her pocket. Then we drove around the little town and finally stopped to order lunch. The little place does a booming business. People were pouring out with bags and boxes of chicken. But we had to wait because a new batch of chicken had just been put to cook. We paid so when we returned we only needed to pick up the food. Instead of waiting, we drove to the park so I could walk. I walked for fifteen minutes, then drove around the park itself when the Christmas decorations were being installed. The whole park loop was full of fancy decorations. Businesses and families put up their own decorations along with the town decorations. Starting tomorrow, for $5. a car can drive around after dark to see the many decorations. It was a big deal for a little town. I would love to see it myself. We went back for the chicken, then returned to the park and sat in the shade to eat the delicious lunch. It was worth the trip. Coming home, we drove back roads, which I like. Both of us agreed that we had enjoyed our unexpected excursion. And helped Kashina out of her difficulties. Everyone won today.

November 26, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. William Faulkner.

I spent two delightful hours in the presence of William Faulkner. At least I felt that I was with him. For 30 minutes, PBS showed a tour of the Faulkner family home in Oxford, the one owned and lived in by Maud, the grandmother. The home is still owned and lived in by relatives so it is not open to the public. Lots of original furniture is still in the house along with all the paintings. The show was filmed recently so it was up to date. Next up was a ninety minutes biography filmed in 1979, giving the life story or William. He may be the most famous writer from Mississippi but it was not until late in his life that he was able to make a decent living. And the good folks of Oxford did not think he was wonderful until he died. He was actually more famous in France than in the US and certainly Oxford. His writing is dense and you must keep a dictionary beside you when reading Faulkner. He once was complimenting Hemingways's writing and commented that when you read Hemingway you do not need a dictionary. Talk about damning with faint praise. He wrote in Hollywood whenever he needed money. Finally, although he was under contract, he came back home to Oxford. Ever since his death, his reputation has grown. Anyone studying Souther writers will study Faulkner. The same for American literature. I am just reading an essay about John Ruskin. During his life time, he was famous and had great notoriety. Now most of his books are out of print and almost no one reads him. William Faulkner was not a bit famous during his life but now people flock to tour his home, Rowanoak, in Oxford. And even though reading him requires effort, his books are worth the effort. I keep urging myself to read more Faulkner. My reading speed has decreased so perhaps reading him will be easier. But I know that for two hours last week I seemed to be in the presence of William Faulkner. I loved every minute, thanks to PBS.

November 25, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Messy.

Gladys travelled with us to real estate meetings. She worked in the Potomac office. She was short and a bit round, with a big bosom. To avoid making a mess on her clothes, she wore a fancy bib at meals. They were fancy and once she put them on, she appeared to just be wearing a dress. Ken and I noted her bibs and congratulated her on her good sense. Many years ago, Ken remembered Gladys and her bibs. In 2014, Ken was diagnosed with Parkinsons. His main problem was balance and stability but he also had a tremor in both arms. Also his left arm could not be raised up. As he was left handed and could not eat with his left hand, he was forced to0 eat with his right, which made him spill a lot of food. He was also fastidious with his clothes. His solution was to order lots of bibs and wear one at every meal. He would order a type of bib and not like them so he would order more. Eventually we hat lots and lots of bibs. We always kept on in the car for when we went to a restaurant. He did not care if the bib was fancy or not. He always word a bib. Last Thursday my BSF group went out to lunch together. I belong to a lively, interesting group so we had fun. I ate a chicken sandwich and a broccoli. After I finished eating, I looked down at my black vest to discover remnants of my food all down my chest. I brushed off my front but while I was doing it, my friend who was sitting beside me reached over and continued to clean me up. When I watcher her, it was clear that I had lettuce and other remnants of my lunch all across my vest. I just laughed and thanked her for her help. But on the way home, I did wonder that it might be time for me to use a big. But I decided against it. I do not really care if I have spots on my shirt. I actually can not see them, even with my reading glasses. I will just be more careful not to spill.

November 24, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Molly's Birthday.

Today was Molly's 12th birthday. She selected the restaurant Fine & Dandy to celebrate. We always order a milk shake as an appetizer, following Ken's pattern, which is why she selected it. Keshina brought balloons and a gift. My gift to her filled the whole center of the round table. There were 6 big Christmas bags full. Ken always kept boxes of chocolate in the pantry. Every time Molly came to visit, she would go to what she called "Ken's Stash," and helped herself. The pantry is down to one box so I gave her big boxes of candy bars, for a total of 7, all different. She giggled as she knew the gift was ridiculous. As Christina commented, "Ken would have been delighted." Molly was delighted too. I gave her the option of keeping them all at her house or leaving a few boxes in my pantry so she would have treats when she visited. She took them all home to start. I will see what she will do. The bars would be safe with me as I do not eat milk chocolate. She does have two big boxes on dark chocolate which I do eat so I suspect they will stay at her home. Molly was thrilled with her celebration. After a bit of a quiet time at home, they will have another celebration with Christina's mother. Molly recalled her 7th birthday when we were all at the Hard Rock Resort south of Playa Del Carman. She went through the celebration in great detail. Todays birthday celebration was more sedate but still pleasant. And she now has enough chocolate for the whole year.

November 23, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Canada Geese.

Canada geese are not a problem on the Reservoir. Two pair made nests just along the shore from our condo and we loved watching the goslings every year. They would strut around the grass close to the water and if you got close they would hiss. But they were never a problem because there were only two pair. Now that I live just along the shore from the condo, I seldom see the geese. But I hear them every morning, a sound I like. No nests are close because we are on a bluff. Last Wednesday when driving home with Kashina I spotted a large flock of Canada geese eating on the large grass area between the road and the reservoir. I was surprised to see so many all together. After dark I heard their honking as they flew up and down the shore. And they kept up their chatter all night. It was as if they had gone crazy. Every time I woke up during the night I could hear them. This was such unusual behavior that I stayed awake listening. At sunrise, the noise stopped. And now they have disappeared. No more large flock eating on the grass. I do hear a few geese every morning but only for a few minutes. And there are only a few geese. I do not know enough about the migration patterns of geese but it seemed an unusual time for large flocks to head south. And this Fall we see no white pelicans on the reservoir. I look every day but no luck. I have no idea what was causing so much trouble for the geese that they honked all night. Fortunately they have moved on.

November 22, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Gaither Warfield.

Gaither Warfield was a client of mine. His family had lived in Montgomery County for five generations. He is named after the Gaither of Gaithersburg and Warfield Road. He talked about his family owning all the land from their house close to River Road to the Potomac River. Members of his family owned big victorian homes in Rockville. They were demolished to make way for the ugly Rockville Mall. I was referred to him by another client to help him sell his rental properties in Montgomery County. He and his wife were in their early 80's. They told me that when they turned 80 they made the plan to make two new friends every year. After working together and enjoying the process, they declared to me that I was one of their new friends. I had tea with them every month until he died and she moved to be with their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Warfield were an usual couple. I figured it out the moment I entered their home. The kitchen had been renovated just the year before, with skylights and lots of space. The more I knew about them the more unusual they became. Gaither graduated college, then became a Methodist Minister, gradually going up the organization and ending as the head of the Methodist Church. They kept a home on Tuckerman Lane, sometimes renting it and sometimes just taking vacations in their home. After the riots in DC, they decided to help the low income people who were burned out with the fires so they bought an apartment building on 12th St. in DC. He took no mortgage and he rented the units for low amounts. His rule was to never raise the rent while the tenant stayed and payed the rent. When the laws were passed allowing for people to buy cooperatives, he turned his rental units into co-ops, thinking that the tenants would buy their own units. Many did but when I met him he still owned 25r units that he rented out. Again, his rule was to never raise the rent while the tenant stayed in place. His sole purpose was to help poor people have good homes. By the time he was selling the co-ops, I was no longer an agent but we still stayed connected. He always came into the office to sign the papers. And we always had a chat. I always think of them fondly, especially when an old friend had died. I check myself to be sure I had made two new friends in 2019, just s I had been told to do. Mr. and Mrs. Warfield were charming energetic people and I felt fortunate to be their friend and their agent.

November 21, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Grey Cup.

Sunday at 6:00, two teams will compete to win the Grey Cup, making the winner the champion of the Canadian football league. My father was a sports nut too so we paid attention at home about the Grey Cup. First we listened, next we watched the game on TV. After we moved from Calgary to Vancouver, my father received a large envelope. It was from his good friend Wilf who lived in Calgary. The content when opened out was a large piece of paper about 6 ft by 6 ft.. In large print it gave the score for Calgary. At the bottom in tiny print was the score for Vancouver. Calgary had won the game and Wilf wanted to remind dad of the score. Dad laughed and kept it in his desk. When we moved to Texas we were never able to watch the Grey Cup. But one year, the game was shown in US. Ken and I of course watched. But that year the game was played in Vancouver, which has a moderate climate. The problem was the fog. When you watched, the quarterback would throw the ball...and disappear. You could not see a thing. It was the most hilarious game we had ever seen. Needless to say, the US networks did not show the Grey Cup for many years. I am hoping I can spot the game on my TV on Sunday. I will be cheering for Hamilton!

November 20, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Don Kerr.

Don Kerr is a name from my past. But now he has died. I have not spoken to him for years but I have always thought of him with a smile. Don lived and grew up in Vancouver at the same time as we did. And we attended the same Salvation Army Corps so we all did everything together. His parents were Salvation Army officers and had 5 boys. Mrs. Kerr was a friendly, energetic lady while Major Kerr was not one a young person ever wanted to deal with. He seemed fierce. One amusing story I recall was that the family put 5 clothespins on the line. As each boy returned home, a clothes pin was put in the basket. When the last pin was in the basket, the door was locked. Don was older than me but one day I convinced him to help me put the wood into the basement. We heated with a wood burning furnace. For two days one week, Don came over after school to help with the wood. The wood had been delivered in a pile adjacent to the house. My task was the open the basement window and throw the wood inside. Doing that task by yourself is boring but with a friends, it was great sport. I still remember us throwing the wood through the window from a distance. And we kept track of the score. We had a blast. And that was the last time I was ever with Don. As a young man, he was serious and blushed easily which of course we teased him about. But he became a Salvation Army and rose to the highest position in Canada, the Commissioner. Now he has died, another friend from long ago. Three years ago, my friend Kitty was talking to Don at Sunday morning service. She mentioned to Don that she had received an e mail from me. And she asked him if he remembered me from Vancouver. He said,"Yes. I remember her well. She was a lovely girl". When Kitty told me I hooted with glee and I told Kitty to tell Don that I was never a lovely girl. I may have been energetic and fun but never lovely. When Kitty told Don what I said, he blushed and laughed. He had not changed a bit.

November 19, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Telephone.

I grew up talking on the phone. We had only one phone but between my sister and I, we kept that phone busy. The first year Ken and I met and Ken was working at the glass factory, Ken would call me from a pay phone on his way home from work and we would talk for ages. Ken used to laugh about it because when he lived in Parry Sound, he never used the phone. But until the first Christmas when we met until we married 32 months later we talked on the phone a lot. And of course, in the real estate world, I was on the phone all the time. But things have changed. In this modern world, people do not talk on the phone. They text. I do it too. When I need to ask Christina, I text her with my question. This morning, David and I had several texts back and forth. Finally he phoned me and we talked out the issue, which was all about how Lincoln was doing with his training. I still enjoy talking on the phone and always wish that friends would call me to say hello. Fortunately my brother phones me regularly, which I appreciate. I like to hear my family and friends voices, which makes me very old fashioned. Today I walked at noon. Usually I walk in the late afternoon but sunset is early and I do not wish to walk in the dusk or the dark, so I walked at noon. That meant that I had some time on my hands so I got on the phone. First I called my friend Mary and we got caught up with each others lives since I last saw her in Nova Scotia. Next I called my friend Florence who we always called Bossy Flossie. She was the leader of our timbrel group and so we needed to do what she said. We have been good friends since our teens but I had not spoken to her since late Spring. We had a lot to talk about. And I loved every minute. My hour was filled and with great glee I enjoyed the rest of the evening. I do enjoy talking on the phone.

November 18, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Ken's Slippers.

Just the few months before Ken died, he ordered a new pair of slippers. Like everything else that Ken purchased, the slippers were of high quality with sheep wool inside and leather outers. So I kept them even though they were too big for me. Last winter I left for Mexico shortly after Ken died so the slippers sat on a shelf in my closet. Several times this year I have wondered why I was keeping the slippers because I had not yet worn them. But I left them sitting there, reminding me of Ken's good taste. For the past two weeks, the temperature in Jackson has fallen. The television room has windows top to bottom so sometimes I am chilly even though the thermostat says 74. I have taken to wearing Ken's slippers to keep me warm. If I wear thick socks, I do not trip but I look a little odd, especially as I a wear the large flannel nightshirt owned by Ken. It is made of heavy flannel and comes down to my ankle but it keeps me warm. I might look odd but with Ken's slippers and flannel nightshirt I am cosy and warm.

November 17, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Surprise.

I am not in love with surprises but tonights was a delight. At 5:00 I received a text from my across the street neighbor. She and her husband were preparing dinner and she wanted to know if I would be home, and if she could bring me dinner. Of course I said yes. They are good neighbors. I know if I needed anything I could call them but I never see them. Greg is an anesthesiology and Dona is an executive at a private school so they are busy. Their son is at Mississippi State and their daughter is in 9th grade. So I never see them. They come to our party and we exchange Christmas goodies. When Ken died, she sent over a full meal the first day., So they are good neighbors at least in spirit. Just after 6, all three brought over dinner. Their daughter, Ann Avery had baked cookies for dessert. After they left, I enjoyed eating their food of a chicken pasta with a big salad and hot rolls. When they came with the food, we chatted for a bit. Ann Avery has always been a charming little girl. Now she is a charming 9th grader who is now my height. This year she is playing basketball. She plays on the junior varsity but practices and dresses with the varsity team, so she is busy. They are competent, energetic people and I enjoyed chatting with them. They are just busy. And their cars are parked in their garage at the back of the house so I do not know when they come and go. But tonight I ate like a queen all because my nice neighbors brought me dinner. Now that was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed every bite and have enough food left over for tomorrow. This is another day when I just got lucky.

November 16, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Moon.

My bedroom looks out at the trees, sky and reservoir. Windows are covering the whole side toward the water. Last night when I went to bed and turned toward the water, the whole room was lit up by the moon. When I was laying on my side and opened my eyes, I could see the moon. I thought it was a full moon but without my glasses I could be just guessing. I do know it was bright. I could have walked around the room without turning on the light. I enjoyed the view although I did not get out of bed. I could see it clearly without even moving my head. Then I felt badly because I have no hot tub. There were two aspects of owning a hot tub that we enjoyed. First thing was the warmth. The warm water gets through to your bones. Ken and I enjoyed the warmth. But in addition to the warmth, we liked watching the sky. The stars were bright because our tubs were in remote areas with very little light pollution. And when the moon was out we had the best of views. So as I enjoyed seeing the moon last night, I realized that without a hot tub, I never get to see the stars in all their glory. And I was nostalgic for our hot tubs. One by one we got rid of them. First we sold our Franklin Street house along with the hot tub. Next when the hot tub at the farm started leaking we had it removed. Then we sold the farm. The lake house in Texas started leaking too so we had it removed, mainly because we thought it dangerous for Ken to get in and out. Finally two years ago we removed the tub in Western Head. Both Ken and I thought it best to have it gone. Getting in and out was dangerous for both of us so we thought it best to remove temptation. So finally we had no hot tubs. Now I never think about them, except when I see the full moon out my window and wish I could soak in the water and enjoy the night sky. Then I went to sleep.

November 15, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Lisa's Lunch.

This lunch I ate at Lisa's home today was the best lunch I have ever eaten. When I told Christina that Lisa was hosting a luncheon for me at her home she warned me that Lisa was a wonderful cook. Eleanor and Greta Barbour were invited too. With Christina warning me, I was looking forward to a delicious meal. But the reality exceeded expectations. The whole experience was superb. We started by sitting by the fire eating warm pumpkin soup from a blue willow mug. What a way to start a meal. The soup was delicious as was the conversation. Next we adjourned to the dining room. On the table were three covered dishes with a blue willow plate at each setting. Down the center was a red runner along with red crystal water glasses. Lisa was getting us ready for the holiday season. The table looked beautiful. One dish, in a covered blue willow bowl, held white rice. Another was full of buttered chicken which smelled delicious and tasted even better. It was an Indian dish, which Lisa had never cooked before. Her husband Henry wondered if it was smart to try a new dish on company but it worked out. The third covered dish was full of small fresh green beans. The plate looked pretty and tasted even better. And of course we used the good silver. The table was elegant. For desert Lisa served a dish that I can not spell, but was a chocolate something topped with whipped cream. It sound rich but she served it in a demitasse cup which again looked charming but did not fill you up. Everyone but me drank a cup of coffee. I was impressed with the luncheon. And the best part was when Lisa gave the blessing before lunch, she thanked God for bringing me into their lives. Now that is high praise from your friends.

November 14, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Oliver.

There was much to admire in Oliver. He was the top agent in D.C for many years and he was the top agent in the office. He worked hard every day. He went to Mass every day at 6:00. After breakfast he went to work and he never stopped until dark. He always dressed well, always in a suit and tie. And he was always positive. He never said a negative word so he was cheery and enthusiastic when you met him. He and I worked together in the office as agents but when I was asked to be the manager of the office I said I would not manage Oliver, so he moved with Butch to Potomac. My problem with Oliver was that he took every advantage for himself. I was the opposite as an agent. I called what Oliver did was cheating. Oliver started into the real estate world right out of high school. His system was to obtain listings and sell them himself. This was pre lockbox and computer. Before computers, information on new listings was difficult. Cards were delivered to offices with the new listings so Oliver always sold his own listings before anyone knew about them. In the early days of Oliver's life as an agent in order to see the listings an agent was required to make an appointment either with the seller or with the listing agent. Of course, neither was ever available on his listings. But the lockbox came along, which Oliver hated. Often the lockbox was turned backwards, or no key was in the box on his listings. Next came the computer, which again Oliver did not like. But what Oliver did was to have his listings priced high. When an agent such as me had a buyer write a reasonable offer on his listings, Oliver made no effort to educate the seller on the price. I many times came with the comparable sales in the area but Oliver only supported the high price. After 4 or 5 agents brought offers that were all in the same range, Oliver would them write his own offer and sell it. As an agent, I stopped showing Oliver's listings, which of course was what Oliver wanted. I do not like cheaters although I got along well with Oliver. Butch often said to me that the most interesting part of his job as a manager was trying to keep Oliver out of trouble. I wanted no part of Oliver's business. Most agents felt the same way and were pleased when he was no longer in the office. A bad reputation for one agent taints everyone else in the office. I often thought that Oliver would have made even more money if he co-operated with other agents and not cheated. It worked for all the other agents in the office after he left. But that was not his style.

November 13, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Harriett.

Harriett is a powerful movie. Kashina and I saw it this afternoon at a theater in Madison. The story was well known to me but it is worth repeating. Harriett Tubman, who lived in Dorchester County in Maryland, was a slave along with her parents and siblings. She escaped in the early 1830's, using the Underground Railroad, ending up in Philadelphia. Then she returned time and again, eventually leading 70 slaves to freedom. That is the story. I also knew that during the Civil War she worked as a spy for the Union Army. After the Civil War she worked hard to try to get the women a vote, although those two parts of her life were only read about after the movie was over. She died at age 93 in 1913. The movie is worth seeing. It is a story worth telling. And it is well done and dramatic. My question is why now is the movie hitting the big screen? I have known of the work os Harriett Tubman my life but it is only now that we see the saga in the theater. Is it perhaps that a strong successful woman would not be accepted by the buying customers? I tried to find out from Kashina whether or not the black population would want to see the movie. But she had no idea. Certainly it is not a pretty picture but it is a true story. Kashina wondered if the young people knew anything about the Underground Railroad. One aside; when the Dred Scott case was passed by the Supreme Court, the community of freed slaves who lived in Philadelphia were put into a panic and as soon as possible left for Canada. Kashina and I both agreed that the movie was powerful. And we were pleased we went this cold afternoon. "Harriett" is worth watching.

November 12, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Freeze Warnings.

Ken would know what to do when we have a freeze warning. But I do not. So I just hope for the best. Right now the temperature is 27. My 5:00 tomorrow morning it will be 23. I have no idea if the external water faucets have been turned off. The television is telling everyone to be prepare for severe frost. Of course, I have no clue what I should do. This morning Cheryl came over for a cup of tea. She mentioned that in the Jackson area everyone is worried about freezing pipes because the pipes are not buried very deep. But she is pleased that the soil is still warm so unless we have sustained freezing, the pipes should not freeze. At least she hopes. Tomorrow we will have 50 degrees so tonight will be the only night of really cold weather. Temperature is absolute. 25 degrees is the same temperature in Ottawa and Jackson. But in Jackson it seems much colder for the locals because until recently, the temperature have been in the 80's and 90's. Everyone wears warm boots and heavy coats and warm hats. So people here suffer in the cold weather. I am always interested in interior temperatures. When the temperature is low, the house seems chilly even though I have not changed the thermostat. I wear a vest inside when it is cold outside even though I do not wear anything more than a long sleeved shirt when the temperature is 50. It seems odd to me. For now, I hope my pipes do not freeze. Fortunately, the furnaces are working well. I am cosy in my little house even though it is actually freezing outside. What a surprise.

November 11, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. The Lull Before the Storm.

The air was totally still. I could hear no birds. I could hear no wind. I was spooked. When I go out for a walk, I hear lots of noise. I hear boats on the reservoir and hear airplanes in the distance. And I hear lots of bird songs. But today when I went out to walk at 4:00 there were no sounds at all. Being by the water means having breezes. But not today. Not even any birds. They must have known that something is coming and they were hiding. I talked with George in Liverpool this afternoon. He said that in Nova Scotia everyone was preparing for cold weather, followed by a storm. "We are battening down the hatches," said George. I told him that we in Mississippi were also expecting cold weather. But we will not get as cold as Nova Scotia. When I went walking, the temperature was 70 degrees. At 8:00 the rain started. By 9:00 the temperature was 45. And by sunrise, which is 6:25 the temperature will be 29, which is about as cold as Jackson ever gets. The forecast is for us to have rain all night and we might even have snow. Molly will be delighted if it snows because the schools will be closed. The solution for snow and ice here in Mississippi is to just wait. We will be 50 by Wednesday. Today when I was out walking I knew that bad weather was coming. I have never heard the air so still. Spooky.

November 10, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Switching Horses.

My friend Eleanor picked me up at 3:00. She invited me to attend an art show, to be held at the home of an artist friend. Another artist from New Orleans had come to bring his latest paintings. The home is full of wonderful art. I remembered attending a similar event several years ago so I was happy to attend. The day was glorious and we enjoyed the drive to the house, which was just about ten minutes north of my home. When we arrived we noticed that only one car was in the driveway. Eleanor commented that the show is not over run with people. We rang the bell. Rather than her old friend greeting Eleanor effusively at the door, a little lady opened the door about a crack. Eleanor did not know the lady. Despite the dour look on the ladies face, Eleanor said cheerfully that we were here for the art show. The lady said only one sentence. Then closed the door. "The show was yesterday,"she said. We were bummed. We were so taken aback that we did not ask if friend Roy was at home. Both of us were struck dumb. But we had a lovely afternoon anyway. We drove home to my house and drank a cup of herbal tea, all the time overlooking the reservoir. Eleanor is a busy lady and for her to have 75 minutes of interrupted conversation was a treat, and for me. We talked about Mississippi and the history and culture. We talked about family. We just had a good old time together. So even though we missed the art show, we switched horses in mid stream and spent a delightful chat, which we would never have been able to do if we had visited the show. Some times you just get lucky.

November 9, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Simple Pleasures.

This morning at 10:45 Dreisys walked in my front door. I know she is bringing a basket of nutritious, delicious food. The food is hot because she cooked this morning. She leaves the food on the counter beside the fridge to cool. Then she comes to tell me what she has cooked. And we have a little chat. Her food is important but in addition she brings her spirit and charm. She enjoys cooking for me and she lets me know. Today we talked about her mother because she has told her mother about me and her mother wanted a picture. Dreisys took a selfing of the both of us and sent it to her mother who lives in Cuba. Just before I returned to Mississippi, Dreisys and her husband and son again went to Cuba to buy her mother a little house. Her mother is happy and Dreisys is thrilled to be able to help. Spending just a short time with Dreisys gives me great pleasure and of course I eat her good cooking all week. Friday Molly and Christina had a half day at school so we three went out for lunch. I asked Molly to select a restaurant and she selected a favorite in the Renaissance. But the first place she selected had a waiting list so we went to the elegant Chinese restaurant, I.P.Chang. At both places, Christina dropped us off. Molly was careful to have me hold her arm and when we entered both restaurants she spoke to the hostess and asked for a table. She is 11 so I was impressed that she could handle herself in the fancy restaurants. Our lunch was delicious and lots of fun. We were celebrating my latest scan so we were especially joyful. In truth, it was a simple lunch for the tree of us but it brought me much pleasure. Often, the simple pleasure last the longest. I had the benefit of two simple pleasures the past two days. And I am grateful for them both.

November 8, 2019. Maddison, Mississippi. RFD.

Ken and I discovered the RFD channel when we put a TV at the ranch. The channel deals with farms and ranches and the economics of both. As we owned a ranch and sold our Longhorn calves, we started watching it. I have been watching it ever since even though I no longer own a farm or a ranch. The best part of the channel is their news. Everything on the news has to do with agriculture and the business of farming and ranching. So I hear what the federal government has down with the laws dealing with that topic but nothing about the rest of the political world, which is a great blessing. One of their programs, coming out of Oregon is called Farm Monitor. The program gives lots of information about growing stuff. Another program is PhD Ag. where two PhD brothers give information about pesticides and weeds and plantings. They both work for the U.of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and answer lots of questions submitted to the program. And they play lots of musical groups. On right now is a program called Windsongs, highlighting a different musician every week. I always watch the prices of hogs and corn etc. etc., but I am not sure why. When I sit down to watch TV, I always check to see what is showing on all the channels that I like. And if nothing else of interest catches my fancy I am almost always entertained on RFD, which they advertise as "the most important television channel in the nation". They might be right. After all, agriculture is perhaps the most important aspect of our life. I have asked many people if they know about RFD. No one has told me yes. . But I know about it. I and I enjoy it.

November 7, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Dress/Nightshirt.

Last Friday Christina and Molly stopped by after school. We started this habit last Spring. I still had boxes and boxes of chocolate treats, left over from Ken, is I invited Molly to come for a treat or two. We all three enjoyed this short visit. And Molly always took a treat home for Kate. I still have one box of goodies so I invited them to come on Friday. Also I had my list of questions for Christina. They were coming after 3:00. I read all morning, still wearing my night shirt and long robe. I intended to shower and dress after lunch. But the AC man called to say he was on the way. By now it was 2:15. Just as he was leaving, Lanny the yard man came to the door to chat. I had not seen him since my arrival so he wanted to be sure I was all right. He is a very nice young man. He wanted to chat. His only daughter is being married this weekend so he was excited and wanted to tell me everything. I enjoyed our conversation but by the time he left it was almost three o'clock. I rushed into the shower and hoped that Christina and Molly would not arrive with me in the shower. I got lucky but I knew I needed to dress quickly. I put on a pair of light weight blue and white stripped pants. I looked at the shelves of T shirts and spotted a shirt that seemed to be blue and white. I had no recollection of ever seeing that shirt but I put it on because it matched my pants. But the shirt came just above my knees. I have another long shirt that I wear with pants so I put it on. But I did not remember buying that shirt/dress. I could not find the second nightshirt given to me by Suzanne and David last Christmas, so when Kashina was working on Sunday, I asked her about my nightshirt. She immediately went to the shelves with the shirts. But it was in the laundry. The dress I wore when Christina and Molly came over was actually that lost nightshirt. It was certainly comfortable. When I put it on I thought it was blue and white to match my pants. Turns out is is black and white. I am wearing it now. Next time Kashina folds the laundry she will put that nightshirt in the proper drawer. I got fooled.

November 6, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Good News/Bad News.

My day did not start out well in the Radiology Department of Baptist Hospital. I was on a cot while the technician was checking my glucose level, which was too high to take the test. I asked him to take it again. It went down a bit. I continued to will the number down and asked him to take it again. Bingo. My numbers were low enough to proceed with my scans. But now I have the bad news that my glucose level is high. Next he tried to put in an IV to inject the dye for the test but he was unable to accomplish the task at my elbow. Next he tried my hand, which actually hurts. But he finally got it done. The rest of the test was routine. Next I met Dr. Sheehan, my Oncologist, after having my blood drawn at the lab. The report was excellent. My scan is unchanged from the last one. So all is well. My blood counts are also fine. David calls me cured. I am now on a 6 month schedule for scans. And the good doctor finally agreed to think about me shedding some weight. Up until now, she did not want to hear losing pounds as it is too hard on the body. She wanted me with no stress. Now she agrees to have me, very slowly, reduce my big body. And I do not need to see her until next May, when I will be less fat. I must do something about my glucose level. My solution is to reduce weight and increase walking. Dr. S. was not concerned actually. She thought I looked great. So good news with the scan and bad news with the glucose level. Nothing is perfect.

November 5, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Christmas.

I like to plan ahead. Today, Bradley installed the outside lights. He forgot to set the timer so they did not go on tonight but tomorrow he will turn on the timer so tomorrow evening my entrance will new bright and cheery. Christina unplugged her lights until Thanksgiving, which makes sense.. The Christmas cards are signed and the address labels attached to the envelopes. Tomorrow I begin to address the envelopes. The bags for the girls and Christina have been done and are in my closet awaiting the delivery. Goodies have been ordered for the Texas and Mississippi families. I send them food from several different catalogues. I like to give gifts that keep coming such as the fruit of the month boxes. At the end of the dining table I have set out items that I need to take to Ontario, things I might forget at the last minute, such as gloves and wool socks. The day to board the plane will come quickly, especially at this busy time of the year so I want to be ready without being rushed. And rumor has it that new flannel sheets will be on the bed of the guest room I will be using in Ancaster. I will be warm and cosy during my visit. Christmas is coming and I will be ready.

November 4, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Devotion.

When I turned 70, I decided to write a simple blog. I wrote it for the grandchildren would find about us, after we were dead and gone. I knew my grandmother well but as I got older, I had many questions that I should have asked while she was alive. So I wrote the blog for my heirs. At the end of the first year, Regina offered to bind the years writings. And she always made three copies, one for me and one each to the two families. Betty S. worked her magic to be sure the pages were in the correct order. When I retired, Betty told Christina what needed to be done, and Christina has been doing that task ever since. It was always my intention to write the blog for ten years but I was encouraged to keep it going, which I have done. In just a few days I will receive a package containing three copies of my blog from 2018. Christina will have sent the information and Regina will bind it. That is devotion by both Christina and Regina. This will be 12 years of binding. I turn 82 in just a few weeks. I have not worked with Regina for several years but she still performs that task for me. I call that devotion and I am grateful.

November 3, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. " Margarita's Gridiron Adventure."

Margarita Jurovic is the author of of this book. I have not read the book but I watched her interviewed on the PBS program called Conversations. I was charmed by the whole thing so I will get the book. Margarita is from Slovenia. She has two masters degree and a law degree. Her advisor in Slovenia suggested that she might do well to study in the US. As her professor had contacts with the U.of Mississippi law school in Jackson, she thought it a good idea. She expected to be here for 6 months, then return to Slovenia to work. But she stayed two years and completed her PhD in law along with this book. Her main professor and advisor here was also a big football fan so he and his wife took her with them to games. Her first game was between 7 and * year olds. The professor's grandson was on the team. She was terrified with the violence and commented that in Slovenia it would be child abuse. She said that her legs were shaking the whole time. But she came in learn the culture of football, so she wrote the book. Because her professor was well connected she was able to stand on the side lines along with the teams. She watched many college and high school games but only one professional game, played by the Saints which she did not enjoy. David and I have had many discussions over the past years over the future of football. David thinks there is no future. The concussions are too severe as are the injuries. I think the game as it is played is not much fun due to all the flags. Almost every play at both college and pro games have a penalty. So the games are tedious. But Margarita learned to love the game. She was charming during the interview. Marshall Ramsey, the host of the show, enjoyed the book so I feel sure I will enjoy it too, which is all about the culture of football as seen by a young lady from Slovenia.

November 2, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Alterations.

Last Spring, Kashina and I shopped at Target. I needed more light weight casual tops and pants. As I would not try on the garments, I purchased by size, at least until I got home. The tops were fine. A couple were too big but better too big then too small. As I was already wearing shorts, I never put on the long pants until now. One pair I purchased was so casual that the bottoms were just cut off at the bottom. And two pair were too long, so on Wednesday, Kashina and I went to my favorite seamstress, the one who is almost always closed. A couple of years ago, she and I had a conversation about retiring bit by bit, but last year her hours were impossible. Fortunately I laundered the both pair before I went to take them for alterations just in case they had shrunk. I am always so impressed with this lady. She keeps a comfortable couch in her store so if necessary you must wait, at least you would be comfortable. But what impresses me the most is the 12 foot rack of clothes that she either has altered or will be doing soon. And she has many fancy gowns all set for the holiday season. I asked her about the fancy clothes on the rack and she told me that the biggest part of her business is making and altering prom dresses and wedding gowns. That would scare me to death. She asked me to try on the pants, which I did and discovered that the black pants had shrunk so much they did not need shortening. But the beige pair was shorter when I first tried them on, but still needed cutting off and hemming. We will pick them up next Wednesday and will be ready for me to wear. I paid her $10. I am so impressed with this lady who works all day at her needles and her machines, of which she has three. And I always wonder how they charge so little money. But I am also grateful. and I do not intend to have a discussion with her about her cost. And I hope she stays open regular hours. Last year her hours were ridiculous but this year she took so much heat she is keeping longer hours. Once I had a conversation with Barbara at The Road Kill Cafe. I urged her to raise her prices on the menu. She doubled the prices. From then on, Ken has admonished me to shut my mouth. And I had taken his advice once again.

November 1, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. 42nd Street.

I had never seen 42nd Street. I knew all about it, had read the reviews of the revival and knew a movie was made from the revival, but I never was able to see it in real life. The reason I was so impressed with the show was the amount of tap dancing, which I love. Finally, I saw the movie on PBS on Masterpiece Theater. I loved every minute. Ken would have hated it. He never enjoyed tap dancing and this musical is full of tap dancing. And the dancing was superb. PBS fooled me. I thought the two and a half show was part of the fund raiser so expected to get my dinner during their sales pitches. But I did not realize until the movie started that Masterpiece is not a fund raiser so I was very late getting dinner. But my time was well spent as I enjoyed the whole thing. I have no idea who played in the movie but they were good. Now I have finally seen 42nd Street. Lots of well known songs were in the show. The singing was good too. People are so talented. Next up for me is Carousel, another show I have not seen. And I must watch to see when PBS puts on The King and I, which they will be doing soon. It almost makes me send PBS some money. I certainly was pleased to watch 42nd Street.