September 30, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Old Houses.

The house that Suzanne and David bought was built in 1918. The kitchen and bathrooms have all been redone and the kitchen is open to the family room which was what they were looking for. And the old house has a screened porch. Without even going upstairs, they knew they could own that house because of the kitchen and the porch. Fortunately, the upstairs was fine. So they bought it. But they wanted to make some changes. When the contractor was demolishing the small office on the second floor, he discovered trhat at one time the space was a full bathroom, complete with tile floo and pipes for water. The master bedroom was always built with it's own bathroom, but at some point, the other two bedrooms had small full bathrooms added. At one time, the two bedrooms shared the hall bathroom. Then the original hall bathroom was turned into an office and a laundry added in a closet next door, which will now become a closet. The original bathroom will become a laundry room. No one suspected that a bathroom had once been in the same spot in what now was an office. We have wondered where clothes were washed in 1918 and decided that it was probably sent out to be laundered. Or perhaps in the space that became the guest house. In order to get the plumbing to the third floor, the contracr was required to open a space adjacent to the fireplace in the master bedroom. He discovered that the original tiles are still around the hearth, covered up by fancy slate. At some point, David and Suzanne will open up that fireplace but not on this go around. But with old houises, you never know what you will find. This afternoon we were at the house meeting with the construction coordinator. On the way home, we decided that everytime we see the house we like it better. This old house has character and lots of surprises.

September 29, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Moving.

Suzanne and David have been busily packing. And they are sorting as they go. At first they considered a packer but then realized that the culling and discarding was the most important part so they are doing the packing themselves. They also decided to have all the repairs done prior to moving in so the organizing is extensive. Already they have taken boxes to the storage units. The paintings are in a temperature controlled storage unit. On Saturday morning I packed the china and crystal from the kitchen cabinets. In the afternoon we took those boxes to storage. They are taking belongings to the lake too, so in the afternoon on Saturday we took some tables and boxes to the lake and left Allisons truck there. They must mark the furinture to be put into the guest house along with limited dishes and cooking utensils because they will live there for several months. The rest must go into the storage units, taken there by the movers. In addition, the housekeeper is happy to take discards because her daughter and her husband just bought a new house so they have a stack for Aurora. The process is complicated but is also fun. Moving Day is October 12. Moving seems to be a good idea at the beginning, but when you are in the middle, you wonder what on earth you were thinking. And absolutely everyone will say just after moving in, they will never move again. David has already stated that he hopes to be in that house for 20 years or more. I could not help them with the sorting and culling so I have not been much help to them. But I am doing what I do best, which is to cheer!!

September 28, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Diving For Treasure.

Suzanne keeps a wonderful array of food in her refrigerator. When I am ready for lunch, I have everything in the fridge at my disposal to eat. Suzanne has given me those instructions. When I am visiting, David comes home for lunch and he dives for lunch too but he knows what is in the fridge so immediately takes what he wants, while I muct check out everything. I have a wonderful time. I spotted smoked salmon that David has smoked on Friday. We ate it for my dinner on Friday night. Also I found lots of left over Texas barbecue that we ate for dinner on Saturday. And David made delicious poppers for dinner on Sunday and I found some of them. Marvelous cheeses I found too along with lots of fruit. Therte are wonderful foods to be found in that fridge. For lunch today I ate smoked salmon, leftover mashed potatoes and broccoli along with one barbecued rib. It was delicious and I enjoyed every bite. I am already salivating about lunch tomorrow. I think I will eat more of the salmon along with the leftover brussel sprouts and coliflower that Suzanne stir fried tonight for dinner. And I might just eat another rib. Diving into someones refrigerator is very satisfying. Suzanne's fridge is much more interesting than mine. And whoopee. I will be here for two weeks so every day I can dig a little deeper into the fridge. I am fortunate to have such an aggreable daughter in law. And I am also grateful for her well stocked fridge. I have great fun diving for treasure into Suzanne's fridge.

September 27, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. The New House.

This afternoon David and Suzanne took me to see their new home. The home is everything I wanted the house to do for them. The kitchen is open to the family room which is what they wanted. Suzanne definately did not want to be shut up in the kitchen preparing dinners. And there is a lovely screened porch. In Texas you can use a screened porch 8 months of the year so they will enjoy that porch. The home is a colonial style with the living room on one side of the entrance hall and the dining room is on the other side. Both rooms are large but not enormour. The whole first floor is lovely. The floors are hardwood. The kitchen has been recently renovated so looks spiffy with a large island, with 6 stools at the island, left for them by the former owners. The second floor has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The master is large with enough space for comfortable chairs. They will add a laundry room on the second floor. The present laundry room is in a tiny space, just enough for the machines so they will reconfigure a small office into a good laundry room. Each room has wonderful windows so all rooms are bright and light. Samantha and Allison will use those bedrooms on the second floor. The third floor will have a bedroom for Sarah and an office for David. They will add a bathroom on that floor. The space is elegent and spacious without being enormous. At the back of the yard is a guest house with a kitchen and sitting area and one bedroom. While the work is going on in the new home David and Suzanne will live in the guest house while their belongings will go into storage. Abigail has claimed the guest house when she is home. I am excited for them and I really love their new home. They have chosen well.

September 26, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Traveling Safely.

Before any passender boards the plan, the staff wipes down the arms and the little tables at each chair. The whole plane is misted with disinfectant kincluding all the chairs. The bathrooms are scrubbed thoroughly before every flight. And now there is a four times filtering of the air. In the olden pre covid era, we always suggested that when travelling by plane, it was difficult to avoid getting a cold or an infection. But now the air is exchanged every hour, I am told in addition to all the other precautions. Every passenger also wears a mask as does the staff. In the years when I was flying when I was taking chemotherapy and my immune system was not good, I wore a mask to ward off infections. Now everyone else does the same which is better for me. It is my guess that flying by planes now is safer than it ever has been, at least from the health issue. The problem is that no one wants to fly anywhere in addition to the borders being closed. Friend Walt sent me an e mail this week telling me the countries you could accept you as a visitor. The list is actually quite long, most of them places you would not wish to travel. But the first one was Aruba which is a charming small island in the Caribbean. Now that is a place worth visiting. And you could fly safely.

September 25, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Travel Day.

This was one of those days when everything went exactly as it was supposed to do. It seldom happens. But today it did. Every plane left on time, all three of them. Every time I got off the plane an attendant was standing beside a wheelchair waiting to take me to the next flight. Even in Toronto, which I was fearful I would miss my connecting flight worked out even thoiugh I had to clear customs. I actually had 5 minutes before boarding the flight to Dulles. Even the lunch I ate on the plane between Halifax and Toronto was good. I arrived early in San Antonio but David and Suzanne were there to pick me up. I was so excited to see them. Toronto airport looks like a ghost town. All restaurants are still closed. The Air Canada told me that that in August this year, Air Canada flew 10% of the flights they flew in 2019. Brutal. I had no delays going through security. Same with Customs and Immigration. No waiting in line. It really is a good time to travel. The most important thing is that I am here in San Antonio with Suzanne and David. Tomorrow we pack dishes!!

September 24, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Moving On.

This afternoon Mr.G. will drive me to the airport hotel where I will stay the night. Tomorrow I fly a circuitous route to San Antonio. I fly to Toronto. Then to Dulles, outside Washington, and finally on to San Antonio where I will be delighted to see Suzanne and David. This is the third time of booking my flight. The first two times the flights were cancelled so this was the only way to get from here to San Antonio. I am expecting delays and missed flights but perhaps I will get lucky. Anna is here helping today. Everything in the house has been arranged. The binoculars are put away. All objects on top of the coffee table and dining table have been removed. And elecxtrical appliances unplugged. Right now Anna is doing the laundry, the bedding, towels and clothes so when I arrive in 2021 everything will be clean. The refrigerator is empty with just a few things in the freezer. I have done a good job of finishing all the food. Anna will take just a few things home with her. When a home is left for a long period of time, the check list is long. But I believe everything is now in order. Soon Gill will come to say goodbye. The sea is calm and the day is beautiful so I hate to say goodbye to this delightful place. But I am moving on to Texas where I will stay for two weeks. I am certainly looking forward to seeing David and Suzanne and their new home. I am excited to be moving on.

September 23, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Kindness.

I have been the benifiary of much kindness this summer. Today, late thgis afternoon friend Mary called to tell me that she would be bringing me fresh made chowder. I ate the whole thing along with warm rolls. It was the perfect meal for my last dinner in Western Head, all because of the kindness of Mary. And I have enjoyed home made mushroom soup, made by Mary and left in my fridge when I was out on Sunday. Friday evening, Gill and I enjoyed chicken curry, made by Larry. On Thursday, Larry and Jan brought lunch, which was a large greek salad and a home made lasagna. He also made a chicken curry for me, after I commented that I was disappointed the new owner who is from India, had not added a curry dish to the menu. I ate the left over lasagna for two meals while Gill and I enjoyed the curry dish and the left over salad. Larry and Jan will get gold stars for their kindness to me this summer. David drove us for a Sunday drive along the shore. I loved it. All the way he told me the history of the Nickerson Family. And we saw huge number of acres of tidal marshes and salt flats with oodles and oddles of shore birds. We saw many kinds of ducks and herons, egrets big and small and gulls. He enjoyed the drive but mostly he took me to be kind. This summer he has stopped in just to say hello and to have a bit of a conversation. He did not want me to be lonely and I appreciated his kindness. Friend Gill has been a good friend this summer. Even though she was quarentined several times, we spoke on the phone often and since she has been out of isolation she has stopped in every day. And my Liverpool friends have been more than kind to pick me up for lunch. So my summer has been just fine, all thanks to the kindness of my friends. And I am grateful.

September 22, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Hurricane Teddy.

Teddy has already shown himself in Gull Bay, although the brunt of the storm will not arrive until nighfall. It has been raining since noon. And the waves and wind are already too dangerous for the surfers. The gusting winds would blow them off the boards. Yesterday they surfer all day. I fully expect the power to go out sometiome over the night so I will keep the flashlights near at hand. And I will fill the bathtub. The furniture has been taken into the garage all set for the winter and the storm. Perfect timing. Anna and Jacky, my cleaning lady organized the garage and brough the furniture inside. So I am set. The waves are beautiful: large and with rooster tails blowing off the top of the waves. All morning the waves have increased in height as has the wind. Last year during the storm Dorian the waves were huge because we had the wind blowing from two directions. When the two waves met, the height obliterated Gills house from my sight Not this year. The waves are all coming from the south but they are frequent, so the waves just pour into the shore, including my shoreline. No telling what erosian is happening. But the sight is beautiful. Last year during Dorian, I was by myself as I am now. I am not fearful. This house has soon on this site since the beginning of the 20th Century so I expect to be safe and sound. I even love the roar of the wind which is loud as it whips around the dormers. So here we go as Teddy drives toward our shore. The forecast is for lots of rain and high winds along with storm surges. The storm is supposed to skirt our shore, finally coming on land in Cape Breton Island. But we will feel the strength. And we are as ready as possible.

September 21, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Vinnie.

Vinnie os a retired physician from New York City. He was a specialist in Oby/Gyn. His grandparents emigrated from Italy to New York and worked delivering oil. And he did well so his grandson was able to attend medical school. Vinnie married Diane who was a nurse and also an artist. They owned a big sailboat. In 1997, they sailed to Nova Scotia with two friends. They anchored in a bay and promptly bought the property. They used an immigration lawyer in New York and in 1998 the moved to Nova Scotia. They have enjoyed their life here. Ken and I met Diane and Vinnie through oiur friends Mary and Walt. Vinniw was a good cook while Diane painted. And he makes wine every year. He and his friends bottle about 1000 bottles of wine. They buy the grapes, then press them and do whatever needs to do to turn the juice into wine. But Diane died from ovarian cancer in 2019 and life changed for Vinnie. They bought a very old house and kept adding on rooms. Many friends and relatives visited with Vinnie always doing all the cooking. Ken and I have enjoyed his meals. Once I commented that cooking was a lot like chemistry. "No", said Vinnie. "Cooking is all about love". He was and is a charachter. David and I stopped in to chat with Vinnie on Sunday. The house is at the end of a long road anmd very remote. When we arrived he was sitting on the porch, smoking a cigarette and watching the ocean. As the day was chilly, he invited us into the sitting room adjacent to the kitchen. He has two big dogs. And we talked. This year has been difficult for Vinnie with no visitors coming to keep him company. We talked about lots of things. But I did not think he was doing well. His head works well which is good but he had trouble getting out of the couch to pour a glass of wine. Buit he was delighted to see and talk with us. David was invited to come for the pressing of the wine on October 3, which he will attend. I do not think he gets any exercise at all except just getting around the rambling house. But I was pleased to see him and he was pleased to see us. He is a good fellow.

September 20, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The London Creek Lodge.

Today, David Nickerson drove me along the shore up towards Yarmouth. The Nickerson families move to Nova Scotia in the 17th Century so his roots go deep here. They settled in Cape Sable Island. There are still lots of Nickersons on that island and the cemetaries are full of Nickersons. David's grandfather and his brother moved to Liverpool in the early 20th Century when he obtained the fishing rights to Coffin Island. In 1935 he built his house in town, where David lives now. In 1937, David's gramndfather and his brother along with 4 other men from town bought 100 acres of land along the creek which included Robertson's Lake. And they built a lodge. Every Wednesday afternoon, the 6 men would close their businesses and offices and invite the men in town to join them for an afternoon at the lodge. Everyone was welcome. The purpose was pleasure only. No politics. No religion, no discussion of women. They played poker and drank whiskey. And they smoked cigars. Men joined them from other towns. And for 75 years the lodge survives as it was intended. The six men did not leave their part of the ownership to their own estate. If anyone died, the other five would own in. The feeling of the men was that the last man alive could decide what to do but they all wanted the property to be used for the men of the community. Everyone fished and hunted on the lake. When three of the owners were alive, the son of one of the three suggested that the property be sold to a deleloper with the proceeds shared with the three remaining owners. But this was turned down. So the son allowed the lodge to burn down. He was thinking dollar signs because by then the property was valuable. But the owners still would not sell. Then the son's father died which meant the son was out of the picture. Finally, David's grandfather was the only man still living so he donated the land to the county for the use of the people to hunt and fish. Ken and I often sat on a bench overlooking the lake but we did not know the history. On the same spot where the lodge used to be is a brass plaque giving the history and the names of the original and only owners. David showed me the spot today during our excursion. This is another bit of Liverpool history I gleaned to day from David.

September 19, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Fehr Family.

Anna I know well. Her husband Abe I have met several times. Their 19 year old son Isaace did some work for me last summer and once we went out to lunch together. Last year, the three of the Fehr family had dinner together the last Saturday before I left. We had such a good time last year that we did it again. We even ate at the same place: Pauls German Bistro. Anna and Abe have 6 children and 20 grandchildren. Isaac is the only one living at home. For the last year he has been working but I am hopeful that he get some furthur training. The family no longer attend the Mennonite church but the attitude toward higher education still sticks and though both Anna and Abe are urging Isaac to obtain credentials to become a mechanic the old attitude still lingers with Isaac.. So far this year he has done nothing about it except think. I hope by the same time next year he will have made progress. He is smart and pleasant but we don't know about his backbone and his determination. But we are going to find out. Paul's Bistro has done well. He has expanded the outside dining and covered the front deck. And he has obtained his liquor license which is good. Tonight the place was full. Of course, he only allows one seating a night. While we were there two couples wanting to have dinner but without reservations were turned away. The food has always been good but the service was slow. But not tonight. Everything was perfect and we had a good time. The chef, Hans, was speaking German with a couple at an adjacent table. As the Fehr Family all speak low German, they started talking together in German. The couple live in Halifax and often come to Liverpool for the weekends. They always dine at Pauls. They overheard my conversation with Isaac about obtaining credentials and they chimed in. I hope it helps Isaac. On the way home we drove in to look at Moose Harbor, The Western Head Lighthouse and the homes of the Elys and Mitchells. The evening was beautiful and we had just enough light to enjoy the scenery. The evening was fun and festive. It was the 39th anniversary of Anna and Abe. Certainly worth celebrating.

September 18, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Cottage.

Our cottage has been transformed. Heather and Ross have done a wonderful job. Anna and I went visiting today. Of course we missed the road into Moosehorn Estates but when we turned around eventuall we discovered that the road was still the same. But driving into the cottage had changed. Ross cut down the pine trees along the drive, which made it much easier to find the cottage. And the cottage has changed. They took off the old siding and insulated the place. They dug out a basement and extended the house 12 feet. When you drive in you see a whole new home with a new deck and new siding. The cottage looks wonderful But the transformation inside is even more dramatic. Big new windows were installed looking out at the lake. The windows are low so even when sitting you have a clear view. And there is a skylight. The ceiling is still pine but the rest of the new room is drywall and paint. The kitchen has an island with 4 benches and there is a table and four chairs. Everything is open. We sat in the living room in comfortable chairs and couches and enjoyed the beauty of the place. Ross and Heather were the perfect folks to buy the cottage. On the lower level they are putting a bedroom and bath and a small sitting room. They will probably use that bedroom as their one as the bedroom on the main floor is small. Heather is a good cook and an even better baker. For dessert we ate home made pie, with a chaice of cxhocolate or lemon. For lunch we ate delicious chopped egg sandwiches which were deliciou. Heather and Ross have sold their Milton house and now are living full time at the cottage. It certainly is a lovely place to live. The new place is splendid and I was delighted to see the finished product. Hats off to them.

September 17, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia, The Painters.

Finally, the painters have gone. The house looks splendid. Now I have the deck to myself. Two men worked on the house, one the owner of the business and one older man who was a skilled painter. A third younger man came to paint when lots of painting needed to be done but for the most part two men did the work. The main man told me that they both enjoyed working by the shore. Perhaps that was why they took so long to complete the job. The older man was skinny. He painted the most difficult tasks. I liked him. He had a nice face with a great smile and even though he must have been 70, he went up and down the long ladders with the best of them. This house requires fancy painting. The brackets under the eaves have a strips alomng both sides, matching the trim. And the dental mouldings over the windows have white on the front. Amd there are medallions at the top corner of the windows that are painted white too. So the older painter in addition to painting the window frames also made the whole house look fancy. The owner of the business always wanted to tell me what a good job he is doing so I tried not to talk to him much. He loves to talk. He noticed the historic plates in the kitchen cabinets and he brought me a Royal Doulton plate of the Bluenose, which now can be seen in the last empty spot in the cabinets. And he is bringing me a gift tomorrow when he comes to get his funds. He did a great job of preparing the house to paint. And he repaired all the damaged and rotted shingles, which were extensive. But friend David, who is a skilled carpenter, has pointed out several defects in the shingling. So I must get George to fix it. But now the painters have gone and the house looks good. Even Gill noticed when she stopped over and she did not even know the house was being painted. The house is now set for the nexzt ten years.

September 16, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Wind.

This morning I awoke to the noisy sound of the wind. And there were white caps as far as you can see. The heavy surf of the past two days has gone. No surfing today at Gull Bay. But the wind was fierce this morning and only increased in strength during the day. The painters were forced to stop painting because it was dangerous to get on the ladder. And the drips came off the brush between the paint can and the wall. Getting in and out of the house was a trick so I stayed indoors. One of the charms and difficulties of living on the shore of Nova Scotia is the changing weather. Last evening the fishing fleet could be seen out at sea. They use bright lights to attract the mackeral so when you look out at sea, you think you are looking at ciry lights. Except you are looking out at sea where there is nothing to see except wateer. Last night you could see them all night. But not tonight. No fisherman would go out to sea in this kind of wind. Tonight the fisherman must stay home, which will not please them. Two days ago when the waves started to get high Gill thought it was a helecoptor overhead, the waves crashing on the shore were so loud. Tonight she can not hear her radio for the wind. My house is great in a sorm. The wind whips around the dormers and the winds are loud. I like the sound but it is an astonishing difference to what I have seen and heard this summer. By morning, the wind may be gone. When we first moved here someone commented to us that if we did not like the weather right now just wait, because it will change. And they were right.

September 15, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Sea.

I have no idea how it happens. There seems to be no storms out in the Atlantic Ocean but all of a sudden the sea is noisy and the waves are high. Perhaps it happens bit by bit and I just do not notice what has happened but by noon the waves were high and by 5:00 the surfers were out in force. All night the waves kept crashing into the shore making the whole house noisy. This morning the waves were again high. And they were beautiful. Just watching them was worth the journey here. Yet more surfers appeared to try their luck. At one time there were 9 surfers out in the water. When Anna and I returned from our excursion there were 6 cars on our side of the causeway and 9 over by the church. Three of them were small RV's or vans which means the surfers are sleeping in their vehicles or at least changing into their wet suits in private. Mostly these fit folks just strip down beside their cars, ignoring the few cars driving by. From my bedroom with the windows closed I can hear the loud waves. But some time soon, for no apparent reason the noise will cease and I will return to calm seas. And I will never know why.

September 14, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Home Made Soup.

Every Saturday for lunch we ate my home made soup. During my cooking days, I kept a tupper ware container in the freezer, where I put any left over food from the dinner pots. Then on Friday, I would take either turkey or chicken broth that I had previously made with the bones, put it into a pot, then add whatever was in the tupper wear container. Once I stirred and seasoned the mixture, it was ready for lunch on Saturday. Of course we called it left over souip, which was delicious and nourishing, and never the same. My cooking days are well behind me but today I made left over soup. Mary left me with the chicken and dumplings from her dinner. I have been slowly enjoying it at lunch but today I noted quite a lot of broth and a few dumplings still in the pot. I hate throwing good food away so this afternoon I added a box of chicken broth to the pot and stirred. And I cut up the dumplongs. I also added the last of the cranberry sauce plus some seasonings. Mary uses no salt for Walt with her cooking so a added a little of this and a little of that to the pot. Much to my surprise, the soup tasted good so I will eat a bowl of my home made soup every day for lunch. So hurrah for me. Once again I manufactured soup out of nothing. I was pleased with myself.

September 13, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Kayak Brunch.

We called it The Kayak Brunch. And Fran paid the bill. A year ago when I arrived, the workshop was full. My task was to clear it out because I needed the space to use as a bedroom for Ian and Godfrey. I gave the little trackter and cart to George. I suspended Ken's project from the ceiling and I cajoled Gill in to taking the kayak and conoe. The trouble for her was space. She already has two kayaks. After a few weeks, she suggested I give the conoe to George, who now lives on the river. That was a good solution because George and Sheila were delighted to have it. And life went on. Two weeks ago I had lunch with Celeste and she told me about the training day she and Fran had with an expert kayaker. The next time I met Fran she told me about the training session which she enjoyed. And she was looking for a used kayak. I did not say a word but when Gill came home from New Jersey I asked about Ken's kayak and suggested we could let Fran use it. She thought it was a splendid idea because the kayak would be used. If she has a houseful and she needs three, she could get it back while her company had gone home. Then I called and e mailed to Fran who was thrilled. And she picked the kayak up the next day. She and Celeste have already used their kayaks on the White Point lake and on Wednesday this week they will kayak on Victoria Lake, the lake by me just on the other side of the causeway. Ken would be pleased that his kayak is being used and enjoyed. So today Fran paid the bill and we celebrated at our kayak brunch.

September 12, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Change at Lanes.

There has been a change at Lane's Privateer Inn. Susan Lane, the manager and co-owner, sold the place along with the house next door where she lived. Susan's grandparents built the house and Inn. When we moved to Liverpool in 1999, Susan had just recently taken over ater her father had retired. They lived next door in the big house. When both parents died a few years ago, Susan and her boyfriend moved in and renovated it. The first meal we ate in Liverpool was at Lanes. Ken and I both ate chowder. It is still delicious now. We noted with interest the small sign in front of the house next door which said Privateer Bed and Breakfast. The next year the sign for the B&B was gone. Walt laughed when I asked. He told me that the father two years before had received a grant from the province to change the house into a B&B, which he did. But the sign only stayed up for two years. I dined at Lanes last evening with Sandra, Nancy and John. First we had a glass of wine at Sandra's home. Then John drove us to Lanes and were delighted to know that the restaurant was full. Fortunately I had made a reservation. The new owner is from India and his young nephew is the manager. His accent is strong so I wondered what folks would think about the strong accent at the other end of the phone. But things seem just fine. I was hoping for some curry dishes but so far the menu is unchanged. During Susans tenure, the rooms were redecorated, patios were added overlooking the river and the dining room was moved to the back of the Inn overlooking the river. Now Susan has moved to Bear River on the other side of the province where they are renovating a large house to turn it into an Inn. Bear River has become a magnet for artists and artisans and right now is trendy. Now I want Lanes to continue to thrive. Dinner last evening was certainly a treat. A small group played Celtic music which was fun. So here we go for another 20 years at Lane's Privateere Inn.

September 11, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Hunts Point Market.

Gaven is the chef and the owner. Today Anna and I ate there for lunch. In addition I chatted with Tina about catering for next year so I was pleased with the food and with the idea that they can help me next summer. This summer I had no company but next summer will be a different story. Gavin bought a house in Hunts Point and build his market and cafe in front of the house on Highway 3. He has limited seating in the building and several picnic tables outside. It opened last summer and has done well even through the covid shutdown.. He did carry out. Early last summer, Tina retired to Liverpool after selling her catering business in Toronto. She bought a house just down the road from Larry and Jan. After she settled into her house, Tina went to meet Gavin and offered her help part time. By then he was getting busy and overworked so was glad of the help. No question that Tina is the most experienced chef in the Liverpool area. Their menu is limited but unusual and their food is delicious. And they also cater which pleases me. The market is clean as a whistle and charming. I love it when things work out. Gavin rents the house behind the market and lives in the apartment above the market. We ate inside the market but when we were eating, there was a steady stream of people coming in to get carryout food. Every day they prepare a dinner that people can buy, take home and cook. Very clever. Today Tina told us that they never have food left over at the end of the day so they are running a successful business. All summer, Tina worked full time which she did not really want to do. But now in the Fall she will work part time, which pleases her. Our goal at the beginning of the summer was to have lunch in every restaurant in the area. Now we can cross off Hunts Point Market. We had lunch there today and it was good.

September 10, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Friends.

My Mother taught me than in order to have a friend, I must be a friends. I must have heeded her words because In my life, I have always been blessed wih good friends. On Wednesday, friends Larry and Jan brouight lunch, cooked by Larry. We sat at the dining table and ate Larry's delicious chicken pot pie, with water melon for dessert. And we talked in the living room so they not only nourished my body but also my soul and spirit. They are good friends. Tomorrow evening I will have dinner with friend Sandra, along with friends John and Nancy. Anna will drop me at Sandra's home and then Sandra will drive us to Lane's for dinner. The new owner is Indian so I am hoping the menu will include some curry dishes. Friend Frances and I will have brunch together on Sunday, also at Lane's Privateer Inn. She has been kind to have lunch with me too this summer. For the past month, David has stopped in for a conversation which I have enjoyued. And of course, Walt and Mary brought dinner last Sunday, which was delightful. It is true that several friends are still not leaving their little bubble but I have enjoyed the brave friends who were willing to attend a restaurant. Celeste met me for lunch too. In addition, I talk on the phone with Mary and Walt several times a week. The same with Gill. She is once again quarantined after her return from New Jersey so we chat on the phone frequently. So between Anna, my helper, and my friends in Liverpool, I have not been alone for long. And for that I am grateful.

September 9, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Odd Behavior.

Today I received a request for a favor which I thought was odd, because the sender of the e mail was once a good friend. When we sold the cottage to someone else, our friend sent us a series of hostile e mails. And when we sold the boat to the new owner, the hostility increased ending our former friend telling us that he did not wish to see us ever again. i did not even get a sympathy note when Ken died. Now today I am asked for a favor which was for me to obtain a card for him from a local store. I said no but I thought the request was odd. Evidently he did not recall about bridges and burning them. Then on Friday I received a phone call from my handyman in Jackson asking me to lend him $10,000. He and his sons have purchased a piece of land. And he has a contract with the city to build low cost houses. I could not figure out what my money would to to help him, unless he was asking from several other people. I spoke to son David who gave mw good words. "I am not in any position to lend money," which were the words he gave. And I told that to the handyman who was fine. But again, I thought the behaviour odd. I think that forced isolation has made everyone a little nutty so I am expecting more odd behaviou in the future. And as things tend to run in threes, I suspect that someone soon will ask for a favor or for money. I seem to be on a roll.

September 8, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Canada's Special Places.

The program is wonderful: half an hour of pictures and dialogue about the special places in Canada. I catch them on the Eastlink Channel. The first one I spotted was on Spirit Island, off the coast of British Columbia. Ten percent of the black bears on the island are white, called by the natives, spirit bears. If both bears have the recessive gene and mate, there is a chance of having a white bear. The picutures were wonderful. A tourist could hire a guide and find some bears, but not very many every year are allowed. The next show I saw was on the National Park on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. I have seen on the Cabot Trail several times but other than a hike, we had never spent much time there. The pictures again were wonderful and make me want to go back to take another look. The program tonight was on Algonquin Park in Ontario. I enjoyed it although I knew quite a bit about the park. Again the pictures were great. Even though the program was filmed in 1990, the scenery does not change, nor the history of the park. But I was left with questions. 370 cottages were built by private parties in the early part of the 20th Century. The leases were to expire in 2017. So what has happened to those cottages? Next were the wolves. There were 30 packs of wolves in the huge park but the researchers discovered that they migrate out of the park during the winter. Half the wolves get killed. Three counties have protected the wolves during the 5 winter months but the progrsm was encouraging the government to protect the whole bountry of the park. So what was done? Logging was still being done in the park but folks were urging the authorities to eleminate all logging in the park. I do not have the answer. Canada has many beautiful places. Now I must be careful to find the programs. I have enjoyed them all.

September 7, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Painting the House.

At first I thoiught well of the painter, whose name is Wes. The only issue was that he talked too much, both on the phone and in person. But I hired him because he was doing an excellent job painting the house for Walt and Mary. They are more exacting than me, so I felt that all would be well. He certainly worked diligently to prepare the house. He scraped for four days. And he promised to repair any rotten shingles which pleased me. But he is still at the job after four weeks. I want the job completed. At this rate the job will not be done before I leave. I have several issues with this painter. He arrives at 10:00 and leaves at 3:30. And he does not come every day. Sometimes he tells me when he is not coming and sometimes not. The problem with living on the shore is the fog. You can not paint in the fog. But you can repair rotted shingles in the fog. Yet the painters are not here. The other issue that does not please me is that he is always telling me what a good job he is doing and has done. I have no parience with people who always blow their own horn. We all have met agents who tell you how many houses they have sold this year. I was never impressed. I only care about the transaction we are dealing with. I have taken to avoid talking with Wes because of his propensity to brag about his expertise with painting houses. But I keep my mouth shut because he is actually doing a good job. But there are still shingles to be replaced and the finishing up of the house to be painted. But he and his crew are slow as snails. When the job is ever completed, I will pay him. And I will have a spectacular looking house. But how long will it take? I am going to find out.

September 6, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Dinner with Walt & Mary.

This year, so many common events have been denied us, such as having dinner in the home of friends. We were told to stay home and we did. Folks who were older had to take extra precautions to avoid the covid infection. And if you had underlying health issues you were even more at risk. Walt comes into that category so both Mary and Walt have worked hard to keep Walt away from anyone who might give him an infection. They have stayed home. They have walked every day in the parking lot of the school just across the street as school were closed. They have taken drives to check their listings and to just get out but their business has been done on line or over the phone and the comittees that Mary must attend have all been on Zoom. I have not seen them since I arrived at the end of June. I talk on the phone regularly and at length. But all the things I normally do here we have not done. I ususlly would pop by for coffee each week, or Mary would invite us to dinner every couple of weeks. And they always came to dinner here whenever we had company. So dining with Walt and Mary was common. But not this year with the covid. Mary called me a couple of days ago to ask if they could bring dinner tonight. I was astonished but delighted. So they arrived with all the fixings for dinner at 5:00. We chatted in the living room while dinner stayed warm in the oven. It just seemed like old times with all three of us pleased to be together. Mary cooked chicken and dumplings which we ate with rolls and a salad. As usual, Mary's dinner was delicious. She is a good cook. After dinner we sat in the living room for our tirimisu dessert. The food was excellent and the conversation was lively. And as usual, they left before 8:00. As they left, Mary commented that I was the only person they have seen for the past several months. I felt honored that they came to my home for dinner. We sat at the dining table and looked normal except I did stretch out the distances with Walt at one end of the table and Mary at one side while I sat at the other end. It was pretty special except we all acted normal. Certainly, a special event for me.

September 5, 2020. Western head, Nova Scotia. Lunenburg.

Lunenbueg is a charming town, much visited by tourists and art lovers. Ken and I have visited many many times. And we have urged our visitors to visit there too because there is lots to like and see. But in recent years we stopped going because it was too crowded. Parking was difficult and the restaurants were always full so when David offered to drived to Lunenburg along the shore road I jumped at the chance. We had a wonderful time. The day had three parts. First we drove the shore road and up the LaHavre River. Except David knew lots of little harbors along the way that I had never seen which were charming. But when we drove along Green Cove just outside Petite Livierre we discover in addition to all the cottages an array or aeveral trailer parks. They were at the far end of the little town and there were lots of them. David was apalled. The ferry across the river did not take our tickets. Now it is free, at last for the moment. But I am not throwing out my old tickets. We drove to Lunenburg via Riverport, definately not a direct routs. But the scenery was magnificent, and a road I had not visited for years. It was a wonderful, scenic drive all the way. Next up we spent over an hour at the Purcell galery. Joseph died two years ago but his wife and granddaughter were there. We had a grand time. David has two large paintings of the artist on his living room, inherited by his grandfather. David had never visited the gallery so he was delighted to talk with his wife. And surprised at the prices of similar pieces. There is so much wonderful art on the walls. And Joseph's wife Tela is now making prints so some of the art is affordable. Next we ate a very late lunch at the Dockside restaurant, where we sat outside at the railing overlooking the harbor, the museum and the schooners. The haddock was delicious. After driving up and down slowly seeing all the beautiful old homes, we headed straight back on the main highway 103. This was one of those days when everything worked out well. Parking spaces were always available closeby and the traffic was light so we could poke along enjoying the town. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and am grateful that David made the day possible. Fortunately, he enjoyed it too.

September 4, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Title IX.

Several Universities have announced the cancellation of many sports at their University. Stanford has cancelled 21 and the U. of Virginia 11. I know that the whole. budget at Universities and Colleges is funded by football and basketball. This has always the way. I also know that a school such as Stanford has a huge endowment so they could fund the sports for the coming season even if basketball and football do not have any games this season, but they have decided to cancer 21 sports. I was irritated. I only heard the list of cancelled sports once so I do not have the whole list but they cancelling sports that I did not know they supported such as badminton, field hockey and sailing. Both mens and womens sports were cancelled. Other schools are doing the same. I was a graduate student at the U. Of Maryland when Title IX was passed, when schools were required to fund men and women equally. Most women supported the law but several of the older women professors thought that the law would ultimately allow the University to reduce the number of sports that were supported at the schools. They did not want to have womens sports to be tied to the men. Their anxiety proved to be true. These cancelled sports do not only effect American student athletes. When you watch the world championships in any sport, you hear that many athlets attended american universities so these cancelled sports will impact athletes all over the worls. I will be interested to know if all those sports will ever return to be funded at Stanford even when the money makers return to play and make money. I am betting not. We will see.

September 3, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Retirement Home.

When both Ken and Carol retired, they decided to live full time at the lake south of Owen Sound. But the cottage was too small so they concocted an ingeneous plan. First they took down the little cottage. Next they installed a small trailer at the back of the property almost in the woods. Then they came up with the plan for the house. It worked spectacularly well. They built a two story house with both floors having the same footpInrint. In other words, the kitchen was in the same position on both floors as were the bahrooms and bedrooms. The second floor was Ken and Carol's home, with wood cabinets, granite counters and hardwood floors. And a wood store. Right out the french doors was a deck. It had two bedrooms and one bathroom. There was a door at the top of the stairs. The place looked like a home with furnishings to match, definately not a cottage. The first floor looked like a cottage. Everything was in the same spot except for one bedroom, which was small for the furnace and hot water heatere. So the space and function was the same. Except it had formica cabinets and cxounters and industrial carpet on the floors. That space looked like a cottage. So their children and their grandchildren could come to the cottage and function without interfering with Carol and Ken. When Ken and Carol entertaimned large groups of people, which they did often, Carol worked and served out of the lower floor, so again their home upstairs did not get to be a mess. I had never heard of such a plan until I talked with Carol and I have no idea who came up with the idea but that retirement home worked well both for the hosts and the guests. I thought the concept splendid and still do.

September 2, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Lavender Oil.

Recently I read a small essay on the virtue and value of lavender oil. Just thinking of it reminded me of the time when Ken was ill in Mexico. Ken was home in the condo but he was weak and needed 24 hour care. The nurses worked 12 hour shifts with young med working at night. Ken struggled with pains in his legs so the head of the nurses suggested that she bring a bottle of lavender oil which could be used to massage Ken's legs before bedtime. She also thought that just having the smell of lavender in the bedroom would help Ken sleep. The bottle she brought was tiny, about 2 inches high, but it lasted the whole time we were there. I can still recall the wonderful scent in the room. Every evening, the male nurse , the one who worked most of the time, would massage Ken's legs and back with the lavender oil. He did it every evening. And he kept it up for a long time. Ken loved it and somehow Ken slept better. This young man was helpful in every way possible. Ken did not even need to ask. And of course, the scent permeated the bedroom so I benefitted from it too. Even thoiugh the three months in Mexico were difficult, there were times that gave great pleasure during those anxious times. One was remembering the leg massages using lavender oil. When we were home in Mississippi, Ken often wished for the massages with lavender oil. But we did not have a strong, willing young nurse to administer the treatment. Ken appreciated every massage.

September 1, 2020. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Carol & Ken's Cottage.

The cottage was neither large nor elegant, but that cottage worked perfectly. Carol and Ken were generous with the use of the cottage. As soon as Andrew and David could fly by themselves they flew to Buffalo where Dave and Irene would pick them up and drive their home for a few days, then take them on to Carol and Ken's cottage at McCullough Lake. After two weeks, Ken and I would drive from Maryland to pick them up. Of course we stayed for a few days for a visit before driving on to Parry Sound to see Ken's Mother. The boys loved that cottage. All day they hung down by the dock and the raft. Ken was always willing to run the boat for skiing so they water skiied several times a day. A fire was always built for the evenings and after the fire died down they played board games with Gary and Marion, who lived at the cottage next door owned by Marions grandparents. Andrew and David lived the life of Riley. The cottage was small. There were three bedrooms for the boys. Each room had built in bunks with a two drawers under the bunks. Each bunk had a good reading light so at any time the child could crawl in bed and read. There was two feet of floor space beside the bunks with hooks opposite on the wall. So each child had a bed, a drawer and 4 hoots. It was perfect. Carol and Ken's bedroom was big enough to hold a double bed and two dressers. The rest of the cottage was one room with the kitchen at one end and the sitting area at the other. The cottage was utilitarian and the boys loved it. At Carol's funeral, my David commented to fiends about how much fun he had at the little cottage. "I had everything I needed to have a good time," he said. That little cottage gave many people great pleasure all thanks to the generosity of Carol and Ken.