October 31, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Halloween.

Tonight there is a full moon. And it is a blue moon, so tonight would be the perfect Halloween night. But most events are cancelled. Greta Barbour and John had had to cancell their spendid party. Every Halloween night, they invite their friends, neighbors and family to their house for a Haloween party. John cooks a big pot of something deliciopus such as gumbo or red beans and rice. We sit on their porch and eat John's food and drink hot mulled wine. And we eat ginger cookies made by Eleanor. Then we get to hand out the trick and treaters. The children get taken to get their own treats, always with some parent. And we have a good time. But not this year. No party. Many places have told parents to keep their children home. Some areas have said nothing. But I was home tonight and had no children at my door. So apparently Halloween has been cancelled. Mary Frances made herself a costune. Fondren had a contest yesterday and she won the prize for being the scariest. Being clever, she dreams up the most inventive costunes. This year she was Frankenstein's wife. But there were no other parties. She worked at the coffee shop today but her wig was too cumbersome so she was going to wear another costume from past years. But tonight was a perfect Halloween night, with cool weather, full blue moon and an extra hour to sleep. But not this year. Halloween was mostly cancelled.

October 30, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. The Test.

Today I saw effeciency in action. The test was a wonder to behold. Forrest, my Lyft driver, picked me up at 8:35. The Baptist clinic was on Old Canton Road in Jackson, a place I had driven past hundreds of times but never noticed. But the GPS took us right there. At 8:55 we drove in and followed directions, which was to call the number to tell them we were there, which we did. We waited three minutes. My appointment was for 9:00. While I was waiting I called them back with a couple of questions, which they answered. They did not need any cards as my name and dates were already in the system. I must only isolate until I receive the results. Unfortunately, this comes on the weekend so I will not get results until Monday. But when I am at home, my helper can come and stay in the next room. Same for the cleaning lady on Monday. No restaurants or shopping. Too many people. As soon as I got off the phone, a nurse appeared and while I sat in the car, she swabbed my nostril. She was all gowned up with gloves and mask. And I wore a mask too. The test took two minutes. We drove home and were there at 9:15. For sure, that was the most effecient test I have ever had. I was pleaased. As I have no sign of any illness, I feel sure I will test negative. But I await the result. I can check my chart on the internet on Monday to find out how I did. If I did test positive the nurse will call. That would not be good. But for the moment, all is well.

October 29, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. The Walkway.

I keep my eyes on the floor when I walk. I never looked up at the ceiling of the walkway from the kitchen to the garage. My neighbors have a glass enclosed walkway which they have used as a solarian but our walkway is open with lattice work on both sides and a ceiling keeping us from getting wet. Today, two agile young men speaking spanish were making repairs to something that I did not know was broken. I noticed that 2 of the three lights in the walkway had burned out, so I called Chantes, my handyman. I also noticed that one bulb was burned out in the living room. Two days later, he came and while here, checked all the lights. Turned out that three more of the ceiling bulbs in the kitchen were burned out too, so he replaced them all. Fortunately, Ken had kept a good supply in the pantry. While Chantes was replacing the bulbs in the walklway, he noticed that water had been leaking and the boards were rotten. He had me look at the ceiling. Before he replaced the bulb he needed to repair the roof. Then he needed to repair the ceiling of the walkway. It all began as a simple request. Now it is not so simple. But thanks to Chantes and his crew I will have good light in the walkway. which will not leak. Now I am all set with this house. Lots of light and no water leaks in the walkway. I am glad to have Chantes fix the problems. He is a good fellow for sure.

October 28, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Mexico & Decisions.

I have made my decision but have not yet booked my flight. I have gathered information. And for the life of my, I can not find any reason not to go to Mexico. So I am going. But before I book my flight, I must meet with the radiation doctor to map out the plan for my treatment and I will find that out on Tuesday when I meet with the doctor. I want the radiation to be finished before I head to Mexico. So that is my plan. Over the years, every doctor has encouraged me to travel from place to place, even the year when I was required to have my chemo infusion in Mexico. Also the year I was going to Nova Scotia when I was first taking Ibrance, which was not approved in Canada, and no Oncologist would treat me. But the Texas Oncologist figured out a plan, which worked perfectly. After Ken met his Neurologist in Mississippi after we came back from Nova Scotia and Ken was looking better than he left, the Neurlogist agreed that it was bettewr to be up and going, rather than stay at home. All the doctors have agreed that part of my successful recovery has been due to the interest I take in my journeys. "Keep on going," they all say. Which now includes Mexico this winter. The temperature in Mexico is around 80. The breeze comes right off the Pacific and is clean. T%he resort has done the safe actions in place. The beach and pools are open. Even the beach restaurant is open. And every night the sun sets right over the Ocean. I can isolate just as well in Mexico as when I am in Mississippi. So I am going. As I am an American citizen I can also get beack home. And if the airlines cancel my flight I will get another. So I can not figure out any rational reason to stay at home and miss the winter overlooking those sunsets. My mind is made up. I am going to Mexico in January, 2021.

October 27, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. New Appointments.

These new appointments seem to be unending. Yesterday The nurse from the head of the radiation department called to make an appointment with Dr. Soog. My appointment is for November 3, at 1:00. In addition, the doctor requires me to take a covid test before seeing her. And she told me that the nurse from the hospital would call me to make an appointment. Soon the nurse coordinartor called. The Baptist Hospital evidently has clinics all over the city, so it took awhile to find the closest testing site for me. Then we mad an appointment for Friday of this week at 9:00. Kashina does not work this Friday so I will use Lyft. But I was not finished. I was told that I must have a teleconference with another nurse to interview me. That nurse would text me at 3:20, when I would contact the link and agree to use face time during the interview. It was all high tech. The nurse called at the correct time and we talked. She wanted to know lots about where I have been. And she wanted to know about my health. She told me what would happen during the test and she told me how I would get the results. The interview took almost 30 minutes. I did not quite understand her during the conversation but in thinking about the discussion, I think she said that I needed to isolate until I saw the good doctor on the 3rd. As I have three social events over the weekend, that would be difficult. Perhaps she meant I needed to be distant from anyone. Finally I am set to see the head of radiation on November 3rd. Unfortunately, that will trigger a lot more appointments. These appopintments are unending. But if they make me better, here we go.

October 26, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Eyes.

Good news. The pressures in both eyes are perfect. Dr. Kosko, the glaucoma specialist, has told me that I no longer am likely to go blimd from glaucoma. So this is good news. In addition, my eyes have not changed since my last appointment. My vision straight ahead is crystal clear and the peripheral vision is not getting any worse. So that also is good news. What I have is what I will get in the future, so this is good. I can function quite well now. The ripples in the retina in my right eye still makes me see gray sometimes but not very often. As long as things stay the same, I am good to go. Since 2017 I have refused to take a field of vision test. You click a button whever you see the light. But I always fail the test so I refused to take any more. But today I agreed because I wanted to see if my vision was getting worse. I srtill failed miserable but my results had not gotten any worse, so that was good too. My left eye was actually terrible on that test. I could only click the button once, while I thought I had done well with my right eye. Dr. Kosko told me that the test was changed and now is specically designed for people with mild or medium gloucoma, which is not me. So the fact that my right eye was the same tells me that I may be seeing more out of the right eye. I should have talked to the good doctor before I started taking this herbal medication. Robbie read about this stuff and Joyce sent me the video. It is supposed to help eye issues, specically macular gegeneration and maybe glaucome. So I ordered it, and have been taking three of these pills ever day. Today I took an empty bottle to Dr. Kosko. He knew it well and immediately recommemded I continue to take it. Every herbal compound in the stuff is good for eyes, he said. So tht too was good. My appointment with Dr. Kosko was satisfying. Hurrah.

October 25, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. New but Old.

Today for brunch, Christina and I decided to go to Surin, a Thaie restaurant in the Fondren district of Jackson. But when she mentioned it to Mary Frances, she told Christina that the name had changed to Thailicious. As we all enjoy Thai food, we went. Surin was an excellent restaurant but it was big with a large bar and two main dining areas plus an outside patio. It was always busy but it did not survive the shutdown for the virus. I have read that 40% of all eating and drinking establishments in New York City will be closed by the end of the year. This is the second excellent restaurant in the Jackson area to have closed permantly due to the virus. One charming practice at Surin was to bring you soup immediately after you ordered your beverage but before ordereing food. The soup was light and delicious, served in a very small bowl. The first time we went to Surin, Kate ordered a big bowl of souip for her brunch, it was so good. No soup today unfortunately. The new restaurant has taken over less than half the space. The seating is different and there is no bar. They took on the back portion of the place which does not give access to outside dining. Thailicious has been open for two weeks. Fortunately, we decided that the food is excellent, perhaps better than Surin. As is often the case, the restaurant is family owned and run. The man who speaks excellent english was the owner waited on us. Two ladies helped bring the food. Their english was limited. I ordered Pad Thai, because I have eaten it all over north america and know what good pad thai should taste like. Mary Frances ordered it too as all week she was thinking about eating Pad Thai. We both declared it a winner. The folks waiting on us were charming. We were sad to see that Surin has gone but we are delighted to find the replacement which has superior food. Some days you just get lucky.

October 24, Madison, Mississippi. Food.

i have no idea why I am so preculier about food but i just hate throwing away perfectly good food, even when i do not really like the food. It is very odd. For instance, this summer in Nova Scotia I found three new boxes of cereal in the pantry. They had never been opened so I decided to eat them, even though I do not like cereal for breakfast. Both boxes were left over from the summer of 2019, or perhaps they had been purchased for Ken. i almmost finnished the whole box of mini shredded wheat. But finally I fed the rest to the birds. the other two boxes I gave to Anna. Here in Mississippi, on a shelf in the pantry sits five boxes of cereal, all purxhased for Ken. Three of the boxes have been opened. This morning I decided to use the cereal for breakfast, just to avoid throwing out the perfectly fine food. i ate Cheerios mixed with something else. But I only ate half of the yukky stuff. Now I must have a talk with myself and get up the courage to throw out the opened boxes. the unopened ones I may give away. But for sure, I am not eating that old cereal again.

October 23, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Lisa & Lunch.

Lisa is a good friend and also excellent company. And she meets me for lunch, and then drives me home. I met Lisa at a Thanksgiving dinner, held by Jim and Eleanor for family and friends. Lisa is married to the youngest of the Greaves family, so I knew who she was but had never met her. I was fortunate to be seated next to Lisa so we chattedand we because friends. She has come for coffee and we go out for lunch. Today we had a good time at Amerigo where we had lunch. Lisa is the mother of 4 children. She home schools the children. She was a nurse but has not worked since the children were born. She is also an excellent cook. And she reads a lot so we have many interesting conversations when we share writers and books. Her eldest is now at the University of Mississippi at Oxford, where she is studying engineering. For the last two years of high school, the children attend an accademy to take the science and math classes that Lisa feels she is not qualified to teach. So the second child is in the 11th grade while Lisa still teaches the two younger children. So she is a busy lady, but she still takes the time to come out with me, which I appreciate. One thing she has been doing this semester for school was to invite four other friend's children, who are also home schooled, to come once a week to read Shakespeare. The 7 children have been reading Hamlet outloud together. And they have had fun. She gives out prizes for good readings. Next week, she has asked the kids to select a passage and come in costume. And read their favorite passage. She will present a prize to the best performance. Only in Mississippi I suspect would you find grade school children excited about reading Shakespear outloud. She kept the sessions light without much explanations. And she said the kids have enjoyed the sessions. I have always been fortunate with my friends. I feel fortunate to be a friend of Lisa.

October 22, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Errands.

On Tuesday, Kashina and I ran errands. I am always surprised how many errands I must run each week but we both decided that Tuesday was the day. But first I must shower and have breakfast, which Kashina makes for me. And I always drink a cup of tea. Then we started out. Fortunately, Kashina is a good driver which I appreciate. First we went to the bank to deposit cheques. I received several cheques from the insurance company, a rebate for not driving so many miles during the virus. I have no idea why I have several separate cheques, all relatively small. I have only 2 cars so why so many cheques? I have no idea. The four drive in windows were full so we were forced to get in line. I feel sure it would have been faster to go inside but I am staying away from people. So we waited. Next we went to a new framer. I had used an excellent framer in downtown Jackson but Kashina found a little place in Ridgeland, close to home. I did not remember the street but the GPS took us right to the door, using roads that neither of us knew about. In 2019, a guest sent me a thank you note, hand made, using beach stones and one stem. It is charming so I brought it home to get framed. At first I intended to get it framed in Liverpool but there are no framers left in town. Now I will give it away here in Mississippi. The stones are white with one green stone in the center. It will be ready in a week. Our last stop was the drug store. When I was in Texas I got a recurrance of what I thought was a plantar wort. Suzanne bought stuff for me and tended to my foot so it no longer hurt. But when I was here I went to the dermatologist and she gave me a list of stuff to look after my foot. So Kashina went into the drug srore and found stuff for me. By then our morning was done so we came home. My errands were complete for this week.

October 21, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Radiation.

I knew something was not right because my back was hurting. My Oncologist spoke with the radiologist about the lesion on my back, which had gotten larger. She wanted it measured. During the last scan it was 11. Now it is 17 so it clearly had grown, even though I was on Ibrance. The cancer on my back is the same place orinally, which evidently is a bad sign. So today we decided to use radiation on that spot. Tomorrow, the Radiologist will call me to set it up. As always, when you have one appointment with a doctor it turns into more appointments. So far I have no idea what is involved. My anxiety is that when I had radiation after my lumpectomy, the radiation clipped my left carotid, which mad my left carotic artery hard. That was when I lost my words so I must be sure that nothing else will be impacted with the radiation. But I will proceed with the radiation, along with the Ibrance and letrozole. So here I go again with yet another procedure. The sooner the better for me.

October 20, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. The World Series.

I have paid attention to the games of The World Series since I was in the 6th grade. I attended a small elementary school and two of the teachers liked baseball. Many afternoon games were played so if a game was on, the radio was on and we got to listen to the games while we worked. Also my father enjoyed baseball. When the Salvation Army held meetings for the officers in Toronto, my father always skipped a session to watch a baseball game, much to my Mother's chagrin. So I grew up listening to the World Series on the radio. For many years I paid very little to what as happening in the world of baseball because I was too busy. But I always watched the games of The World Series. This evening was the first game of the 2020 World Series, between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers won the first game 8 to 3. I watched the whole game, except for cooking dinner and walking around the house during the commercials. I saw some spectacular plays. These teams were number 1 and 2 in the league, which does not always happen. So the teams are good so we should be treated to spectacular games. So far the game was not disappopinting. I enjoyed the whole game. I suspect the series will go to 7 games. I am all set to enjoy every game. For some reason, I love watching the World Series, perhaps because it reminds me of my father and my youth. But no matter the reason, I am set to watch every game of The World Series 2020.

October 19, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Living in Mississippi.

Living in Mississippi has many blessings and I am happy to be living here. One aspect that pleases me is that I live in the Central Time Zone, whioch means that Antiques Road Show come on at 7:00 not 9:00 as it does in Nova Scotia. And the baseball games who start at 7:30 Eastern Time comes on at 6:30, thus my bedtimes can be early. And I like the collection of trash. They pick up twice a week, with recycles coming the first day and the secon day picking up anything you put out. And you pay with tax dollars. When I am here, the weather is fine so I am happy with the weather. Peopl;e here exercise early in the morning all year because much of the year during the day it is too hot to exercise so folks have gotten into the hapbit of walking and running early. The best part of living in Mississippi is the people. Everyone is friendly and polite and kind. A friend once called Mississippi backward but that is not the society I see. Literature is in the air and people talk books all the time. The society is very civilized and the races actually seem to like each other. You will note that there was no rioting and looting in Mississippi. The Mayor of Jackson annoiunced to the BLM group who appeared to protest but had a full pallet of bricks downtown that no rioting will be allowed. The Mayor is black and he meant what he said. The police were out in force and the bricks were removed. BLM folks moved on. So the best part of living in Mississippi is the people. I am surprised to be living in Mississippi. But I am enjoying myself.

October 18, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Front Yard Concert.

Friends Carrie and Brooks held a front yard concert this evening. I knewe they had done them in the past but did not know they were holding one today, until I went for a walk. Invitations were sent when I was away so I never received an ionvitartion but I just happenened to go for a walk around 4:00 when folks were gathering. Carrie spotted me and invited me so I stayed. And I enjoyed the music. Carrie and Brooks started these events after going on a cruise and getting to know the musicians. They made a plan to host a concert outside and invite friends and relatives. They charge people $20. which goes to the musicians. People bring lawn chairs and beverage while they provide ice. Today they were holding two sessions because you are only alloweds a certain number for an outside event. Carrie cooks dinner for the two musicians and they stay overnight in their guest rooms. The musicians have stuff to sell too. I always thought it was a splendid idea and now that I attended tonights performance I agree with the concept. I loved every minute. Being talented and a musician does not make for an easy life. The two musicians who performed tonight are from New Orleans which is a big town for musicians. The two young men were talented and good. One on a guitar and the other on a bass. They were professionals in every way. But the last few months have been difficult. All their gigs were cancelled and stayed cancelled. This week, for the first time since the shutdown they have worked, playing backyard concerts to limited people. And Nov.1 they will cut another disc. The studios were also shut down. But they were pleased to drive from New Orleans to perform for us. The weather was perfect and I just got lucky to be out walking at just the right time.

October 17, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. A Different Day.

I am always surprised when I go through a whole day and speak to no one, nor do I see anyone. Today was a day opposite to yesterda. Today I was home indide my house all day. But what is most unusual is that I enjoyed myself being alone all day. Several days in a row might be difficult but today was no problem. I try to spread up the people who come to help, just so I have some company. And I reach out to friends to have lunch or coffee with me. But many days I am by myself. Much to my astonishment I quite enjoy my own company. All morning I read. I subscribe to National Geopgraphic History and Molly enjoys reading it too. As I will see her tomorrow, I wanted to finish reading the issue to take it to Molly. I keep some structure to my days by completing my excercises and my walking. Even though the day was pleasant I decided to walk inside which I did. Today there were two baseball games which were exciting. The Dodgers forced the 7th game of the series this afternoon while the Astros lost to the Rays who now will now be in the World Series. I watch the games intermittantly. For a late lunch I ate my leftover lunch from Amerigo which pleased me because it reminded me of my pleasant lunch with Eleanor, and necause all I had to do was heat it up. Fortunately, this house is pleasant and I like being here. The boats are still on the water and the bird sounds are noisy. But mostly I hear myself or the television. Today I enjoyed a day all by myself. And as my father used to say when he was alone, I enjoyed my own company.

October 16, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. My Day.

I look ridiculous. On my feet are my heaviest wool socks and Ken's fleece slippers. I am wearing my night shirt plus a flannels large nightshirt that used to be Kens. This is all to keep me warm. Today had a high of 63. Right now it is 51 and soon will drop to 48. I should turn on the heat. But tomorrow will be a mild 73 and the day before will get to 83 so I hate to turn on the heat, only to turn back the air conditioner. So I am wearing my winter clothes. The house itself is not really cold at 72 but I know it will get colder. I was watching the baseball game with a wool blanket on my legs. This day feels like a Nova Scotia day. This morning I had coffee with friend Carrie who lives down the street. Then I had lunch with Eleanor, where she look me to lunch which was a lovely treat. Finally Christina and Molly came over after school. I had ordered too much applesauce so they came to pick up the extra case. And she fixed my repeat order. Whew. And we planned our Thanksgiving dinner and cancelled our annual party the first week in December. We made a date to take Molly shopping for her birthday gift and Christina read several pieces I did not understand. We made great strides. And we also had a good visit. My day was full and pleasant. To top it off, I have been watching baseball. Houston won, to force a 7th game in the series. If the Dodgers win their game, there will be a second 7th game. That game is still being played but I am hopeful. My day was everything a person would want an 82 year old to have. And I am grateful.

October 15, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Feet.

I have been blessed with good feet. Other friends have problems with bunions or corns on their feet which causes them problems. My feet are easy to fit for a shoe and my gait is normal so my shoes do not wear out. Over my many years, I have been fortunate to have no troubles with my feet. They have never caused me pain...until now. When I was in Texas the right side of my right side of the ball of my foot started hurting. I thought I knew what was the matter and I told Suzanne. I told her it was a planter wart so she went to the drug store to get some stuff. And she pretended to be a nurse and put on bandages and things to cure the wart. The padding helped the pain so I was able to walk comfortably and I brought the pads and tape back with me. When Suzanne Googles the problem, it said the physician should deal with the problem. On Saturday I called Dr. Flowers, Ken's dermatologist, the lady he saw every few months. He had that bad skin so was always visiting the good doctor to remove cancers. I on the other hand, had seen her in 2014. At that time, she told me not to come again unless I see that a mole was growing, so I stayed away, except I was always with Ken. She disagreed with my diagnosis. I have a corn that is hurting because it is on the bottom of my foot. She pared it down and it felt better. And she told me to use a corn medication and a donut padding to protect the foot. Now Kashina and I must visit the drug store to get my supplies. Actually, the same thing happened to me a few uears ago in Mexico. Rita attended to my foot and it seemed to get better and no longer hurt. But clearly, the same symtoms came back. Dr. Flowers said I should get used to always wearing that padded donut and to wear it the rest of my life, along with a tape to hold it in place. Right now my foot is not hurting. But I will do as I am told. A hurting foot is not pleasant.

October 14, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Home.

Part of my routine when coming home to Mississippi is going to have a PET scan. I do not really enjoy them but the technitians are excellent and friendly so I get through the process. Today was the day. The results were neutral, not much change from the last scan which was done in late June. The cancer in the bones are sre still there but we are continuing along with the same protocal, with Ibrance being the plan. The first time it took 13 months before the scan was clear so it is really too soon to expect much change. Ibrance is fairly new so I do not know if the body stops responding to the meds. More pleasant results of arriving home are my friends. Keshina, my helper worked on Monday to help me get organized and she drove me to my appointments today. My across the street neighbor send me dinner tonight, spaghetti and salad, to welcome me home. It was delicious and I ate the whole thing. Friend Eleanor has invited me to lunch on Friday, at Amerigo, the fine Italian restaurant. And my new friend Carrie, who lives down the street, will have coffee with me at 9:00 on Friday. We will drink coffee on their screened porch. Sunday I will have brunch with Christina and the girls. So I have been welcomed home in fine style. But next time I hope for a better scan.

October 13, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. Aunt Eleanor.

I know few people who have lived to be 100, but Aiunt Eleanor did. She is the aunt of friend Walt MacDonald , who lives in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Aunt Eleanor lived in Hunts Point. Every summer for the past 21 years we would see Eleanor and her husband on special occasions at a dinner party at the MacDonald's home. They were a lovely couple and I enjoyed their company. In the early years, what impressed me the most was Aunt Eleanor's memory. When we arrived, she would make sure of your name. During dinner, she would call you by name and when we left, she would again repeat your name. At that time she was 80. I did not see her this summer but two years ago she could remember my name when we saw her for dinner. She had taught school all her adult life, mostly in Montreal. But after her husband retired from his financial job, they moved back to their place in Nova Scotia. After her husband died ten years ago, she lived by herself and did fine. Mary often took dinner down to her even thouigh Eleanor urged her not to bother. But when Walt arrived with the food, she could not wait to eat Mary's food. This year, after she turned 100, she got sick and was in the hospital. Her only son John decided that living by herself was dangerous so she moved into a Nursing home, where she lived two days. The morning of the third day she ate her breakfast. The attendant came to check on her and she seeme fine. In fact she asked for a second breakfast. By the time the attendant had returned with breakfast number two, Aunt Eleanor had died. And that was the thing I liked best about Aunt Eleanor. She was always looking forward to what was coming next, which she felt sure would be wonderfu. So Aunt Eleanor, RIP.

October 12, 2020. Madison, Mississippi. A Recovery Day.

The day after a travel day is always a recovery day. I have no idea why this happens after a journey but I know you are not at your best. I have noted a lack of judgement and energy levels the day after a trip, so I know not to make decisions or complicated negotiations the day after a flight or a car trip. For the last few years of Ken's life he always said that it took him two days to recover. So I know to be careful. Today the cleaning lady came as did my helper Kashina. Kashina fixed my breakfast, then we started in to sort the mail. We were effecient. She opened the envelopes and gave me a stack at a time. I made a pile of items I needed to read and respond to tomorrow. After she left at 12:30, I started on the magazines and catalogues. After lunch, I needsed to order walnuts from Sunneyland Farms and I did fine. And I spoke to the pharmacy to obtain my medications. After I put my feet up, I decided to order objects from Amazon. All seemed to go well. First I ordered long shelf milk and toilet paper. But after I had completed the order and looked at the order and arrival dates, I realized that I was soon going to be the proud order of 12 packs of applesauce once a month. Somehow or another I had signed on for automatic ordering. How it happened I have no idea but soon I must get it stopped. But not today. I am still in a recovery mode...obviously.

October 11, 2020. San Antonio. Moving On.

At just after noon, I will get on a plane. Final destination is Jackson, Mississippi. But my first flight is to Dallas where I will wait the two hours until my flight to Jackson. My bag is packed except to put in this computer and my backpack is ready. I am ready to move on. Our last dinner together was splendid. We ate steak, from the Allen Brothers steak place, along with a baked potatoes and broccili. It was a wonderful dinner, enjoyed while sitting at the table. No baseball means we dine at the table. David and Suzanne moved into this house when the twins were just a few monghs old so we had many stories to ell of events that occured in this house. We talked so long about the happy times in the house that Suzanne got tears in her eyes. But now the house is almost empty except for all the furniture. When all the furniture has gone, David and Suzanne will be moving on too for their sojourne in the tiny house. They are both looking forward to the next stage of their life. And so am I. Here I go.

October 10, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. The Tiny House.

The Guest House is officially renames. Now we call it the "Tiny House" because I told them that once David and Suzanne move in, the Guest House is no longer accurate so I named it The Tiny House. And it has stuck. Today we took three trips to take stuff. Every time we went, the place looked more like home. A new television was delivered to their old house this morning, to be used in the tiny house. Our first task this morninf was to take more boxes to storage and deliver things to the tiny house. The first thing David did was to roll out the carpet in the main room, which is a small kitchen, table in the corner and the sitting area. Once the carpet was in place, it seemed like home. And he put a welcome mat outside the front door. Next he opened and put in place the TV. Their system of TV is a fancy one, using the internet to stream their programs. Yesterday he installed the fast speed Internet so once the TV was pluggen in and placed on the shelf, we got to watch football on TV. Pretty Fancy. So already with one journey, the tiny house was feeling like home. With two more trips came kitchen stuff, towels and paper towels and toilet paper. Next came hanging clothes and lamps. The old house is almost empty. Monday is moving day so first thing in the morning, the furniture will go to the tiny house. David will return with the movers where all the rest of their belongings will go into storage. Walk through with their sale is Wednesday afternoon with settlement on Thursday so they have a few days to finish up. This house on Bluff Lane has been a good and happy house for their family. Now David and Suzanne are looking forward to their next adventure, the first being living in the Tiny House for a few months. I wish them well.

October 9, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. My Days in Texas.

My day begins when I hear David and Suzanne going to work. I listen and luxuriate that I am able to stay in bed. After they leave juat around 7:00, I get up to visit the bathroom, then retrteat to my bed and fall asleep. And I feel fortunate. I get out of bed around 9:00 and after medications, I prepare breakfast of coffee, nuts, dark chocolate and three types of fruit. While I eat sitting in the living room I read e mails. Every hour I get up to walk around the house. Sometime around 12:30, David comes home for lunch. While he eats sitting in his chair in the living room, we talk. After David returns to work, I dive into Suzanne's fridge, which is full of goodies. I will miss that fridge when I return to my own Mississippi fridge. Next I read until time to put up my feet for an hour. I alternate reading and walking in the house until David comes home when we talk in the living room, unless there is a baseball game on when we watch in the TV room. If David has errands I accompany him just to go for the ride. Today he returned two items for the TV and the internet plus we dropped off his cheques at the bank from work. Finally we went to the tiny house so he could install a type of booster for internet. And we took 2 chairs. Finally, after Suzanne comes home, we eat dinner while watching baseball games. Tonight we ate smoked salmon and salad which was a perfect meal. And I ate ice cream for dessert. My days in Texas are not fancy but they are very pleasant. David goes out of his way to come home earlier than normal and he always takes me along with hie errands. Tomorrow I will again visit the storage units and I will go with them to take stuff to the tiny house. I am not much help but I can cheer. Tomorrow I will spend my last day this trip with David and Suzanne and I will enjoy every minute. They are good company.

October 8, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Decisions.

Soon I must make a decision as to whether or not to spend the winter in Mexico, as has been my habit. So I have been gathering information. The border into Mexico is now open so planes are flying in from both the US and Canada. And I have e mailed Cindy who overlooks the resort to find out what is open and closed. She had just returned from working at Paradise Village for ten days and she reported that the beaches and pools are open as are the restaurants. She attended the Mexican Fiesta at the hotel and she said that people had a good time. The tables were far away from each other and people were wearing masks. The shopping center is also open as are the restaurants. That was good news. Next I e mailed the conceriege, Marlin, at Playa Royale, the resort where I live. She reported that the pools and beaches are open as are the palapas. You must book the palapas through the beach club. The beach club restaurant is not open, nor the restaurant at the golf course, but the El Tigre golf course is open. She reported that masks must be worn and distances from chairs must be far away. But she said that people were there enjoying themselves. In addition she offered to go grocery shopping for me, which I appreciated. And she said that restaurants will deliver. Her news was good too. On Wednesday next week I have yet another PET scan to find out if the Ibrance has once again worked magic with the cancer in my bones. When I have had the scan and met with Dr. Sheehan, my Oncologist, I will decide. But not today. Now I have the information on which to make a decision. I am in good shape.

October 7, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. The Dogs.

David and Suzanne have two dogs. They look identical. They might be twins but they are not. But they are both Weimerreiners. Moose is nine years old and was named after Moose Harbor in Nova Scotia. One of their dogs died and they were visiting us in Nova Scotia when they decided that it was time to get another dog. So as they were at Moose Harbor when the decision was made they selected the name Moose for their next dog. David called the breeder and made an appointment to look at the doga when they returned to Texas. Moose was and is a wonderful dog. When he was a puppy, he would put his head on your knee and wait to be petted. No jumping up and poking with his paws. He still does it. He is a wonderful dog. Lincoln is a puppy just over a year old. He is bigger than Moose and energetic. He lives to work. David has trained him to retrieve so every day they work together. David loves that dog, perhaps because he got lincoln when David was recovering from his surgery so Linc was always with David. And Lincoln loves David right back. The dog follows David everywhere both inside and out. Linc looks identical to Moose except he is a bit bigger. And Linc has a shorter tail. You can tell the difference in their activity too. When the dogs are together and asleep, the dogs could be identical twins. It is almost spooky. David's dogs are always well behaved which is a great blessing when visiting. When the dogs come into the house after dinner, they come and say hello but immediately find a comfortable place to rest on the floor. I like these dogs even though I have trouble telling them apart. These dogs breed true. Even those dogs are 9 years apart, they look identical. Quite amazing.

October 6, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Lunch with Robbie and Joyce.

Texas is a big state and their citizens are used to driving long distances. I discovered to be specific when asking about restaurants. I would mention a place and be told it was close only to find that the place was thirthy minutes drive. Close to me means five minutes drive or an easy walk, not a 45 minute drive. So I always ask how minutes driving when I am deciding whether or not to go for dinner. When my friend Joyce discovered I was coming to San Antonio for two weeks she offered to come for lunch even though it is a 90 minute drive. Robbie does not mind driving so yesterday they drove in to have lunch with me. We set 1:00 as the time to meet at the house. When they arived, we sat and talked for a bit, then we went to The Olive Garden for lunch. It was easy to get to and the food was fine, just not fancy. But it was perfect for us as it was quiet and mostly empty. Their lunch specials include salad or soup and hot bread along with the main dish. We all three ordered chicken parmagiona, which was excellent. We ate and talked,and talked some more. We e mail regularly and Joyce reads my blog so we did not have much to catch up on even though I have not seen them for over a year when they visited me at the lake. But things were new. Robbies brother died just a month ago at age 87. His family live a long time so everyone was surpoised when he died. Both parents lived to be close to 100. He was the brother that coached football and told Robbie about the pickle juice. But other than that, both Joyce and Robbie are doing well, still living at the ranch,. We came home at 3:30, just in time for them to miss rush hour traffic in San Antonio. I appreciated their long drive but I did enjoy lunch with them. They are good friends and I miss living across the road from them at the ranch. I certainly enjoyed my time with them yesterday.

October 5, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. The System.

The system works well. Every Wednesday at 4:30, David and Suzanne meet with Suni, the project co-ordinator at the job site. First they take a walk through to see what has been done. Then they meet to discuss questions and concerns. I attended the last meeting and will attend this week too as a silent observer. Suni is the liason between the owners and the contractor. She is available via text messages every day all day and urges David and Suzanne to alert her if something is amiss. When we met last week, suni brought drawings of the cabinets for the third floor bathroom and the laundry room. David and Suzanne approved the plans. Now Suzanne must make the decisions for tiles. Before she makes the decision, Suni insistist they go together to be sure the tiles are correct. Thursday is the day at 4:30. On this weeks meeting, decisions must be made for the electrical plugs. And so it goes. Eleven years ago, David and Suzanne were going to hire a contractor to renovate their large bathroom. Cabinets, shower, tub, tiles and floor. A big job. They inviewed three contractors including the one who built the new bathroom at the end of the house. All the contractors were good but David and Suzanne were impressed with the systematic way that was done by the one they selected. The bathroom was completed on time and on budget. Once they decided to get the work done prior to moving into their new home, they contacted the same company and he met with them at the house. He took notes and asked questions. Then he sent them a plan outlining cost and time lines. Suni was assigned as the project manager. She is a young lady with a business major at college. From then on, David and Suzanne deal with Suni not the contractor. He is not the cheapest contractor in town but he certainly has an effecient system, which I love. Any changes made by the owner will add to the cost but he guarantees his pricing. And he finishes on time. His business has grown so much that he keeps his own electricians and plumbers so waiting for the sub is not an issue. And Suni meets with the contractor every week so he knows progress. The system is impressive and works well for the home owner too. I have been impressed with the system.

October 4, 2020. San Antonio. Progress.

Today David and I took three trips to the storage units. My role is to accompany him and when I get there I walk on the level parking lot while David carries the boxes. And we made a trip to the tiny house to take some cleaning materieals when Aiurora comes to clean on Thursday. And David hung two pieces of art: one large fish on the wall of the screen porch, which I now call the fish porch, and another large painting in the bedroom of the tiny house. During one of the trips to storage we took the last art to the storage unit, which is a temperature controlled inside unit. It is almost full. David has kept one of his favorite paintings still on the wall of the living room, just to keep at least one beautiful painting on the wall. It is one of our paintings, done by a Russian, and called "If pigs could fly". Progress has been made. Every cabintet and drawer is empty. The only items still in the house are what will go with them into the tiny house. All closets are empty. The dining room table is full of objects for Aurora to take to her home. This afternoon we drove to the lake to leave candles and cleaning materials. Also in another box was food from the pantry. They expect to visit the lake this Fall and Winter, while they are living in small quarters. Normally they do not go to the lake in the autumn because the girls were involved with volleyball. But that is over so they will probably go to the lake. Also the house will not be ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas so the family will gather at the lake. The freezer was defrosted and cleaned today and the garage is mostly empty except for a few tools and light bulbs and a step stool. So the house is pretty ready to turn it over to the new owners. I leave for Mississippi on the 11th. Moving day is the 12th, when both David and Suzanne will take the day off work. Aurora will make one last sweep of the house before the settlement which will be on the 15th. No one gets together at the settlement table these days. It will all be done by remote. This has been a good house for the last 18 years. And they have been good for the house. Every aspect of the house has been improved. Now David and Suzanne are ready for the next phase of their life. They are excited. And so am I.

October 3, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Attitude.

The other evening in Liverpool, I had just finished a delightful coctail hour in the home of my friend Sandra. John and Nancy were there too. Next, we four were to have dinner at Lanes. As we left the house to get in the car, John offered me his arm to navigate the stairs and the walkway. As we walked down the stairs in the late twilight, John commented to me that I must hate to be forced to have help getting down the stairs and into the car. I just laughed and responded that that attitude never crossed my mind. I said that I was just grateful that some kind friend was available to help me. And that is true. As Ken and I got older and began to have diminished expertise, we never spoke about what we could no longer do. Rather, we focused on what we were able to accomplish. What we can do today was what we spoke about. We certainly did not dwell on what we could no longer do in the past. This seems simple and obvious but our neighbors at the ranch, who moved from Corpus Christie in Texas from being in the construction business talked incessintly about what he could not do that he once could do easily. And both he and his wife seemed to be obsessed with their ill health, which was not nearly as bad as ours. Ken and I of course never discussed our health issues. With them always bemoaning their health and their deteriorating activity level they were difficult to talk with. They were a pain. Ken and I had a different attitude and we were happy with our life. Now I know I have real issues to deal with. But unless necessary, I never think about those parts of my body that do not work so well. I merely dwell on what I am able to accomplish. For instance, Suzanne and David are busily organize for their move. The only thing I can do to help is to pack boxes. So that is what I did. I don't feel bad that I can not carry those boxes. I just focus on what I am able to do. And that is enough. I am happy and so are David and Suzanne. Attitude is all.

October 2, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. Baseball Playoffs.

Beginning on Tuesday, baseball playoff games were on TV. On Tuesday, 4 teams played the best of 3 game series. The next day, Wednesday, there were actually 8 games played. Beginning at noon, you could watch baseball all day. And on Thursday, 4 teams played. It was a baseball fans dream. Every evening we watched baseball while eating dinner and we loved every minute. Of course, some of our favorite teams lost in two straight games but there were other teams to cheer for to fill the void. This evening, the third game between the Cardinals and Padres were playing. The Cardinals won the first game and last evening were leading by 4 runs but at last, the Padres came alive and won the game. And they won the game tonight. So the Cardinals will be going home while the Padres get to play the Dodgers, the best team in baseball. Monday will start the best of 5 series, with 8 teams still in the hunt. David and I are off the baseball routine for the weekend, which is a good thing because boxes must be packed. . But beginning on Monday, we will again join the couch to eat dinner and watch basebal. The games have been entertaining. David smoked several pork loins to use for dinners, along with a large piece of salmon. All Suzanne does is make either a salad or vegetables and we are set for dinner. I love watching baseball playoffs and have been paying attention since 1948, when I listened on the radio. On Wednesday, when the games were on all afternoon I put my legs up on the couch in the TV room and closed my syes which seemed just like the old days when I "watched" on the radio. This is an odd year with no fans but the games are just as good. And we enjoyed every game. Now I am looking forward to next week, where the games are played one day after another. Pretty nice for me.

October 1, 2020. San Antonio, Texas. La Rhonda.

San Antonio is a restaurant town. There are hunbdreds of restaurants everywhere both close in town and in the outer suburbs. David and Suzanne's new home is just two blocks from 6 good restaurants. As they had a meeting with the construction coordinator at 4:30, David suggested we dine at La Rhonda, a good Mexican restaurant. I had eaten there years ago but I was startled to discover that we drove for 3 minutes and then we were there. When Suzanne is weary of cooking in their tiny home, they can easily walk the two blocks to La Rhonda for dinner. Lucky them. The weather was delightful yesterday so we asked to sit in the patio, which is charming. I had never eaten outside at La Rhonda because we are not usually here in September but last evening was perfect for outside dining. Ther food is excellent and the service quick and pleasant. Next time we go I will order the same dish as David ate, which was a fairly thin steak, grilled and served with a small amount of a sauce. My dinner was good and I brought half of it home and ate the leftovers for lunch. I am looking forward to dining at La Rhonda very soon. Perhaps next time I will be staying in their new home or perhaps we will get there next week. No matter soon or later, I will enjoy myself at La Rhonda. It is a great restaurant.