March 31, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Exterminators.

Ever since we moved to Mississippi, I have been the best friend of the exterminator. Within the first six months, we had an infestation of tiny ants, called sugar ants. It happened when we were in Nova Scotia the first summer after we moved into the house. The cleaning lady Elizabet cheaned them up but when we came back home in the Fall, we had more sugar ants. So we called the exterminator. He was good. We paid him a fee and he guaranteed he would send the tiny ants away. And he did. But it took him at least a dozen trips to get rid of the little guys. They are also called Argentine ants. Next I heard scratchings in the attics of the living room and bedroom. Our friendly exterminaor checked for openings and closed them up. And he put out bait to kill the rodents. The handyman inspected and closed up onenings. He assured me that whatever I heard was on the roof. I have lived here since the Spring of 2015 and everytime I come back I hear noises in the attic so I once again call the exterminator. In addition, every quarter he sprays inside and out. I have very few bugs in the house. And he checks for termites too. Every time he comes, he puts out bait and I hear no more noises. But the next time I come, I hear them again. I do not like these noises. This time, what was being done was not working so I asked to speak to the owner. He came to meet with me and inspect the house. Much to his surprise, when he went to the attic, he spotted a racoon. All along the technitian was treating the house for stuff to kill rodents. And he left traps. But still I hear the noise from the attic. Now the boss man has left traps. And he has figured out that the racoon is entering through a vent that the racoon cleverly pulled away from the roof. Every day the boss comes and every day he brings other bait to lure the racoon into the trap. But every day I hear the sounds. Now we are having a battle between the boss and the racoon. And all along, I am getting to be good friends with the owner of the exterminating company. Kind of funny.

March 30, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Gaither # 2.

Gaither ended his professional career as the head of the Methodist Church in the US. He started out as a pastor. When the law was written allowing apartments to be sold to owners he was concerned for the tenants who would not be able to buy into the COOPs that were being established. So he and his wife bought 40 units of the apartment building when it was being converted into Coperatives. Their idea was to buy those units and then allow the tenants to stay in their apartments. The building was on 14th Street. Gaither told me that he expected the tenants would save their money so they could buy the units from him. This was before the laws allowing the purchase of condominiums. New York and DC were the first city that bought the concept. There are still many building in both cities that have Coperatives. I was asked to get the remaining units sold. As they were both in their mid 80s, they did not want their daughter, who lived in New Brunswick, to be forced to deal with them. He still owned 15. I was astonished with his system. He never raised the rent. And he told the tenants that they could buy their unit at any time. He assumed that every tenant, because the rent was low, would be able to buy their own unit. But he was still left with 15 to sell. He told me that if everyone who has funds would do the same thing that he had done, there would be no homeless people. He paid cash for the 40 units so they were always self supporting. But he did it to help poor tenants. I am still astonished with the concept. They were an usual couple and I hav always been grateful that I became their good friend.

March 29, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Gaither Warfield.

This old couple were unusual. One of the best parts of being a real estate agent is the people you meet and Gaither and his wife were one of those memorable people that I would never have met if I had not been a real estate agent. I was referred to them by a young man who was also my client. The first time I met them at their house I knew they were unusual, even before they spoke. The kitchen had recently been renovated which for folks in their 80s was unusual. The more I got to know them the more unusual they became. They told me one part of their system for getting old. After they retired and moved back to Bethesda, ther friends kept dying. They realized that at that rate, they would have no friends. Normally they made friends at work but they were no longer working. Once they turned 80, they decided to try to make two new friends each year.. And their system worked for them. After we had been working together, they announced to me with great glee, that they had both decided that I was a new friend that year. So I was told that after we had completed our transactions, I was still going to be a friend. They would invite me in for tea and to meet their daughter when she visited. They were dear old people and I liked them very much. We stayed friends until they died. Since I turned 80, I have adopted their system. Last year my new friends were Carrie and Brooks. One of my 2021 new friends is Mi Hyang. The year before were two friends from my BSF group, Charlene and Dana. So I am doing well. And I am grateful for Gaither and his wife for the idea.

March 28, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Mi Hyang Faulks.

Mi Hyang is my new friend. When I was in Mexico she and her husband moved into the neighborhood. They purchased the house sold by the folks who moved into the home right beside me. Every day she walks her dog and everyday she admired my house because it is smaller than most of the houses in Roses Bluff and my house is on the water. She also figured out quickly that no one was home. No car and never a light. The week before last, she spotted the car in the front and she was excited so came and knocked on my door and introduced herself. Mi Hyang is tiny and was wearing tennis duds so seemed even smaller. And she is charming and enthusiastic. I invited her in and we chatted a bit. Her parents emigrated from Korea when she was ten in 1970 and moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi. If you turn your back she speaks with a southern accent but when you look at her she looks Asian. She is so small I thought she was from the Phillipines. And she graduated from the U.of Mississippi, Ol Miss. She is married to an American. They lived for many years in Georgia, and her husband worked as a solt ware developer and she as a physical therapist. Her father had lived with them for several years after her mother died and after they sold their store in Vicksburg so she and her husband decided to come back to Mississippi. By then her husband was working from home so they could live anywhere. And they moved into Roses Bluff Subdivision. On Friday, I took Mi Hyang and Donna, my across street neighbor out for lunch. Donna's charming 9th grade daughter came too. We had a fine time. And I have a new friend. She is not working and she has never lived in Jackson so she is not inundated with friends and family responsibilities. She has time for me. I am delighted to have a new friend living down the street. Once again, I got lucky.

March 27, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. A Satisfying Game.

On Saturdat evening, I always watch a part of Hockey Night in Canada. And I always cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, just as I did when I lived there. Today I turned to the third period to discover they were down two goals to the Edmonton Oilers, the team with perhaps the best player in hockey, Connor McDavid. I always enjoy watching Edmonton play because they are so fast and tricky. But I don't cheer for them. I just enjoy watching them play. But something happened in the third period. The Leafs scored two goals to tie the score. And the goals were pretty nifty. During overtime, the Maple Leafs scored, winning the game. Edmonton had been adead during the whole game, until the last few minutes when the score was tied. They must be devastated with the loss. But not me. I was delighted with the win for Toronto. There is really no reason why I feel good just because the Toronto team won a game. But I do.

March 26, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Hockey Stars.

I have no idea how this happens but some players thrive in difficult situations, such as playoffs or overtime periods. They seem to raise the level of play to the next level. And then they win the game. Many years ago, Ken and I were watching Hockey Night in Canada, at the home of Don and Doreen, which we did every Saturday night. The Montreal team was into their third period of overtimes. It was in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The coach was interviewed between the second and third overtime periods. He seemed relaxed and commented that he was not worried because he knew that the Rocket would score in the third overtime and win the game. We four just laughed at his arrogance. But don't you know that Rocket Richard did exactly that. Within a minute, he scored to win the game. That was perhaps in 1960 when Montreal was wining a string of Stanley Cups. The other evening I was watching the end of a hockey game played by the Washington Capitals. I flipped to the channel with ten minutes to play and the Caps down two goals. After a few minutes, Ovechkin scored a goal. With one minute left in the game he scored again and the two teams went into overtime. One of the commentator mentioned that Ovetchkin with undoubtedly score during the five minute overtime and I laughed and thought back to the Rocket Richard comment years ago. But sure enough, that was what happened. Ovi scored within the first minute of overtime. Obviously, this does not happen every time but it occurs often enough that observes predict what will happen. Some players fade in high stress situations and some players rise to the occasion. And I have no idea why. But I love watching it happen.

March 25, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Lisa & Lunch.

I am always interested with the question of how you select friends. I have lived part time since 2009 and I had met Lisa at family gatherings but I did not say anything to her except to say hello or to wave across the room. But one day a few years ago Ken and I were invited to the Sutherland home for Thanksgiving dinner. The whole family was there with the adults at a table for 20 and the children at other tables in the dining room. I had the good fortunae to be seated beside Lisa. We talked and talked and have been fast friends since that time. We get together every few weeks for coffee or lunch. And we have a good time. Wednesday was the first time I had seen her since my return. I had been busy with appointments. Lisa met me at Amerigo for lunch. I always have fun with Lisa. Our times together are never boring. She is a reader so we always exchange our recent readings. She always asks me for recommendations as well. As I am almost twice her age, I have read more books than she, so I dredge up past books that she might have missed such as Angle of Repose. And I am always interested in her children. Her second child, Henry, has just been accepted into the Honor Studies program at the U. of Mississippi, which pleased her. Their eldest is at the same U. studying engineering. Her youngest will be in the 9th grade so one of the things we discuss is what she will do when the children are all on their own. She has home schooled the children, obviously effectively but soon it will be over. I have no idea how we hit it off the first time we got to talk but we did. Lunch with Lisa is always a delight and I feel fortunate to have such a good friend.

March 24, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Alterations.

When I fly, I wear the same clothes. On the lower half, I wear an old silk skirt made of different squares of silk. It is comfortable and is long enough that I can wrap around my legs to keep warm. When I was coming home from Mexico I felt my finger go through a hole which I knew was not a good thing. It took awhile to find the hole. At first when I was searching for the hole I was searching for a join between the squares. But I was wrong. One of the silk squares just disintegrated right in the center of the silk square. This is much more difficult than just sewing up a seam. I am fortunate in having two ladies who will make repairs close to my house. One lady is older who keeps short hours. Kashina never wants to go there because she is never there, at least not when we arrive. And there is another little chinese lady who works long hours and is quick. But she wants to tell you what should be done before you get to tell her what you want. But on Tuesday the older lady ws not there so we went to the second choise. At first I could not find the hole but she found it and was not pleased. She tut tutted a bit and finally said, "I patch". She told me that she would make a patch on the inside so I would not be able to see it. I am thinking an expensive job. But she told me to give her $10. And it would be ready in a week. I was delighted as the skirt is useful and looks good. People are always telling me how much they like my skirt. But the skirt must be 30 years old so no wonder the silk is deteriorating. Now I will be able to wear it travelling for another 10 years. Once again, I am astonished with the price of the repairs. These ladies do not charge enough for their skills. But I paid her the money and left, rejoicing as I left. I was in her shop for maybe 5 minutes. Nifty. I am getting to like that little lady.

March 23, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. The Vaccine.

The day was horrible but Kashina and I had no choice but to get into the car and launch out into the elements, which were miserable. The rain was falling hard and the wind was whipping the trees and the rain making us unable to see what we were going. But we had a mission. The appointment for my first vaccine shot was at 8:45 and the Krogers grocery store on the other side of the spillway. Kashina is fearful of driving beside water but today she was forced to not only drive beside the reservoir but also drive through heavy rain and wind. In Mississippi, people often wait out a bad storm but we could not want to miss my appointment, so we just kept going. The process was smooth, from beginning to end. Cristina booked my appointment on line. The closest location to me was Krogers Pharmacy so she booked it for me. At the same time they made an appointment for the second shot at the same location. Yesterday I received an email reminding me of my appointment and giving instructions, such as wear short sleeves and bring identification and medicair card. When we arrived, there were people standing waiting just outside the pharmacy. They told us that they had already gotten their shors but they were required to stay 20 minutes to check for adverse side effets. We walked past all those folks and sat right infront of the counter where you check in for the shot. I took a seat but three minutes later they called my name, where I registered. They took my ID, and my medicair card. Another two minutes and I was ushered into the office for the shot, which took one minute. The young man gave me a card saying that I had the vaccine with instructions to wait 20 minutes, which we ignored. I was leaving the grocery store at 9:00. Pretty good service. Mississippi has administered almost 1.5 million Covid vaccine shots, which for a small state is a lot. The whole process was effieient. As of 10 days ago, the US has innoculated 22% of the population. I belive the end is in sight.

March 22, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. The Eye Doctor.

Dr. Kosko is a nice young doctor. His area of expertise is advanced glaucoma so he is a perfect fit for me. This morning I met with him to evaluate my eyes. I can report that I am not getting worse with my eyesight which is a good thing. Staying the same is not as good as getting better but it definately is better than deteriorating. When I see him again in mid October I must have a test for the field of vision so will be able to tell if I am really staying the same. My vision is far from perfect but I can function with the vision I have now. So staying the same is certainly a good thing. Dr. Kosko has four young children, all close together with the youngest just about one. Once a year he and his wife get away together for a short time. His wife's parents love to stay with the children which is pleasant to everyone. In the Fall of 2019, when his wife was pregnant, he and his eldest took a trip to Maine together and had a wonderful time. They were hoping to come to Nova Scotia in 2020 but the border was closed. His wife has always wanted to visit the Canadian Rockies so this June, the two of them planned to fly to Calgary and tour the area north to Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. Me was dismayed to discover that it is impossible. The border is still closed. From a medical standpoint, he commented that it makes no sense. He had his inocoulaion in January and his wife in March. They have had no covid but yet they are not able to cross into Canada. And according to the Prime Minister, opening the border is a low priority. Not good if you work in the tourist industry. So Dr. Kosko and his family must wait another year to visit Canada. I am beginning to think that the people who make these rules both in the US and Canada just like making those rules and are not willing to relinquish their power. When is over going to be over? We must wait and see.

March 21, 2021, Madison, Mississippi. Green Beans.

Finally, the huge cans of green beans went out my door. Michael, Chantes' son, took them off my hands and took them to his church, where they prepare many meals for people with limited means. He came last evening to get paid. His friend had checked my computer when the screen went blank, and I was away when I was told the computer could be fixed for $500. So Michael paid his friend the $35. to check it out. I needed to reimburse Michael. When he was coming over, I had the bright idea to see if his church would take my huge cans of green beans. I did a Ken and received something that I did not want even though it was something I had ordered. I intended to order from Amazon 6 cans of green beans. In the Fall, a large, heavy box arrived which I could not carry to the kitchen. I opened the box by the front door to discover 6 industrial cans of beans. The cans looked to be at a summer camp or a Salvation Army center for men. Being eternally optimistic, I told Kashina that I would open a can and eat some, then put the rest in baggies in the freezer. It did not work. My can opener would not open the can easily. And when I froze the baggies and tried to reuse them the beans were soggy and mushy, which happened just this week. So I thought through the places whereI could donate the beans. Michael was the first one I asked. He was delighted to be able to take them to his church. I am so pleased to have them gone from my pantry if for no reason than they were a constant reminder of my stupidity. Now I have empty shelves which please me. Even Kashina was pleased to see them gone. She knew my system would never work but she was too polite to tell me. Today when she saw the empty shelves she admitted to me the my plan would never work. "Too many means is too many beans,"she said. Now they are gone and we are both happy.

March 20, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. My Lyft Driver.

I knew it was too good to be true for it to last. For the past year, Forrest has been my private driver. When I needed a ride, I would call him the day before. He would drive into my driveway and I would call for a Lyft, which he would accept immediately. The system was perfect for me. No waiting. No need for additional directions. No need to give the code. In addition, he was a nice fellow so pleasant to be with and he looked after me well, always walking right into the restaurant. But that is all in the past, at least at the moment. Forrest is retired. He sold his accounting firm and started to drive for Lyft just to have something to do. But a buddy of his asked for help from Forrest. The friend owns his own small business. His mother had always looked after the accounting. But she died a few weeks ago. The friend was trying to look after the paper work on his own but finally cried for help from Forrest. According to Forest, it is a job he did not really want to do but he decided to help until things gor organized then turn over the accounting to someonw else. Forrest called me on Tuesday to give me the news. He discovered a mess. The Mother was still running the accounting system the same way she has done it ever since the son went into business. Forrest must figure out the system, then set it up with modern technology. His friend is fortunate to have Forrest's help because Forrest is a CPA with a degree in accounting. But for me, I have lost my own Lyft driver...and I miss him.

March 19, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Celebration.

Today we celebrated, Molly, Christina and me. We had two things to celebrate: the first was my new scan, which was better. The second was Spring Break. Molly was on Spring Beak all week, which pleased her. So we celebrated. Christina and Molly picked me up at 10:15 to go to an appointment with the VIP pedicure place. We have gone there together from the first time we moved here so they know us. If I get a pedicure by myself they always ask me why I was there without my family. So we are all well treated and have our procedures at the same time, all sitting like ducks in a row. Our next appointment was for lunch at a restaurant in the Renaissance. The last few times we wanted to have lunch, they were full. Then the next time they were not open. Christina had made us a reservation so we were assured to be able to have lunch. Sure enough. Even though we were a bit early, they graciously took us in. And we ate a wonderful lunch. We spent the whole lunch discussing the books we had read. And we talked about the books we had not read. As Molly is 13, there are lot of books she has not yet read. But she had read a surprising number of books she has read. So it was fun discullsing why we all read and how we select those books we do read. We three celebrated in style, as both things were worth celebrating. We were all in a festive spirit and we enjoyed ourselves together. So nice to be home in Mississippi spending time with my loving family.

March 18, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Vaccination.

Mississippi has done a good job with getting the vacinations to the people. Over a million and a quarter people so far and this is with a small populations. When the vacine was first available, people had trouble finding places to get their shots. Katey and Nelson drove to a small town in order to get an appointment and Linda waited 50 minutes to get her shot. But this is not happening now. You have many options to make an appointment. All you do is look up the web site where you can find every place in Mississippi that gives the medication. When you select the place closest to home, you then look for available times. If the closest place to you has no openings, you just go to the next. The vacine is given in many places, including the grogery store pharmacy and the fairgrounds. I have been here for one week. In Mexico, only permanent residents of Mexico could get the shot. Now I have an appointment next Tuesday at Krogers grocery store pharmacy at 8:45. My second shot is scheduled in three weeks. This was all done and verified using the internet. The whole thing was impressive. Like every other places, the system allows people to get the shots at a time approved by your age. Here they are inoculating the people in their 20s. Most people I know have gotten vaccinated. Progress indeed. People here in Mississippi are still using masks in congested areas but they are not required. It is left to the good sense of each individual. We are beginning to become normal!!

March 17, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. High Tech Tests.

This week I had three tests that provide the doctors the information of what is going on inside my body. The tests are impressive and very high tech. I have little idea of how these tests work but I do know that the young people giving those tests are competent. For me, the tests are irritating but not difficult. Doctors these days spend very little time in physical evaluation. They never look at your body. They just want these fancy tests. Today I had two tests ordered by my Cardiologist. The tests were done in his same building. My appointment was for 10:15. After checking in I waited 2 minutes before the young lady called my name. She would perform the tests. The first test was an ultra sound of my carotid arteries. My left is occluded so Dr. Cotton wants to be sure that the right will not change. When we first moved her he wanted to run the test every 6 months. As it had not changed at all for three times I suggested we could do the test once a year. Now I have him convinced that every 2 years woul be acceptable. The youg lady has been running these tests for 17 years so she is good at it. She explains what is happening and urges me not to talk as it interferes with the test. The swooshing of blood through the arteries is always reassuring. Next up and on the same table was an echo cardiagram, also done with ultra sound. I lay on my back and she puts stuff on my chest. Then the swooshes can be heard, which is a good thing. I was back in the car in under 45 minutes. The results are sent via computer to Dr. Cotton, the cardiologist, who after reviewing them will contact me with issues. If all is well I can read the results on my medical chart. The Pet scan on Monday is also impressive. Once again, these highly skilled young men perform these tests. They are pleasant and effeient. I am always impressed with their expertise. Nifty tests, all three. Modern medicine is amazing.

March 16, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Birthday Party.

This afternoon at 4;00, Five girls gathered at the home of the Mills family to celebrate the 13th birthday of Virginia Mills. Molly was the only child that was not a cousin. I was invited with the mothers for wine and cake. The children were staying for dinner and to stay the night. The party may e the most enjoyable party I have ever attended. As the girls arrived, they stopped to say hello on their way to the bedroom and Virginia. I never saw any of them again. I could hear them talking and laughing. Meanwhile the four mothers and me got to spend a lovely hour and a half drinking wine and eating birthday cake and ice ream. We talked about the Arctic freeze air and how they survived. It was a pleasant visit with these wonderful young friends. I enjoyed their company. And then I had an added bonue. Christina was deiving me home. I suggested that we go out to dinner so Christina would not need to cook. As it was raining, she suggested to dine at the Italian restaurant in the Renaissance where the parking places are right in front of the restaurant. So we did. The food is delicious but usually we go there for lunch so neither of us remembered having dinner there. Our dinner was wonderful. Brushetta with crab meat and shrimp. Christina ordered scallops and risotto while I ate salmon and spinich. We ate cake at the party so we ate no dessert. But our dinner was fun and perhap so because it was unexpeted. And Christina got me home just after dark. I was expecting a pleasant time at the birthday party but with the added bonus of dinner with Christina my day was overflowing with joy. It was a wonderful welcome home to Mississippi. I appreciated every minute.

March 15, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Health Update.

Better is always a good thing. This morning I had yet another Pet scan. The results were not perfect but were definately better. We were all pleased at the doctor's office today. One large lesion now has scar tissue rather than active cancer. And another lesion on two ribs is muh smaller than before. Thanks to Ibrance and radiation my scan is better. Evidently, there are other factors too. I was in a warm comfortable climate and I have very little stress in my life. And I stay happy and positive in my attitude which apparently is a factor in the immune system. So once again, my scan looks better than the last one. In the Fall of 2014, I was in a bad situation. I had stage four breast cancer with cancer in my bones, a chest full of liqued breast cancer cells in my left chest cavity called a pleural effusion and a large mass in the middle of my chest. Without treatment, I had 4 to 6 months to live. But with modern medicine, here I am, still walking and talking and living an interesting and enjoyable life. Because of the Ibrance, my immune system is not good but other than that, I am albe to live my life. I just must stay away from groups of people who might have an infection. The infusion chemo got rid of the pleural effusion and the mass, followed by the Ibrance, that has taken care of the cancer in the bones. Fortunately I had no cancer in my long bones, neither legs or arms. The cancer in the rest just keeps coming back. But Ibrance just sends it away. For me, it has been a miracle drug. So here we go. Better is definately good.

March 14, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Home in Mississippi.

I like this house for reasons large and small. The shower is perfect with bars on all four walls. And there is a bar on the outside of the shower for getting in and out. The views from the living room and bedroom are spectacular, overlooking the reservoir and I can hear the geese honking to each other. The toilet seats are high. The size is perfect and I can function on one lever. The house is big enough to walk around but not so large that you get lost. I have good spots to get my work done. I read and eat breakfast in the corner of the living room. I sit on the couch in the living room with my iPad beside me and a charger plugged in by my side. My chair is comfortable in the small TV room where I eat my lunch and dinner. And there is a charger beside my chair in the TV room. So I am effecient while living here with everything in place when I need it. And then there is Kashina. She helps me with the big things . She drives me where I need to go. Tonight she will stay over night here in order to get me to my Pet scan at 7:30. And she will work on Wednesday to take me to two tests at the Cardiologist's office. She does the laundry and empties the dishwasher. And she puts out the trash to the street. She works three mornings a week, arriving at 8:00 and leaving 12 0r 1. I need her twice a week but she prefers to come three times for shorter times, which works fine with me. And she helps me with the small things too, tasks that I am not able to do. This morning she changed all the clocks. The clock beside my bed has such small instructions that it is impossible to see, so Kashina fixes it. Also she filled the automatic soap dispensers in my bathroom. I can not pour and hold the containers. I put the soup all over the counter. Ken bought these two sainless steel automatic soap dispensers for us years ago. When they arrived, I questioned why we needed those dispensers. Ken informed me that he could not hold the soap dispensers and also hold the walker so for him the automatic dispenser was essential to him. Whe I got home Thursday night the one beside Ken's sink would not work at all and mine gave me a dribble of soap. Now they both work perfectly, thanks to Kashina. Yesterday at lunch, I poured myself a glass of milk. Unfortunately I poured a lot of milk on the counter. My eyes failed me. If Kashina had been here she would have poured the milk for me. So she makes my life pleasant by helping me in my Mississippi house. The whole package works well and I like living in this house.

March 13, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Puttering.

Bit by bit, I am getting things done. I have gotten smart. When I arrived Thursday night at 11:20, I did not do what I have done before, which is unloading all my bags, which leaves me very late going to bed. I merely removed the meds I needed before bed time. And I left everything else until the next day. So the first item of business was to put everything away from my cases. I travelled with a backpack, a rolling carryon full of medications and a checked bag with the books. So all three bags needed to be emptied and everything put away. Next I changed purses. I travel with a small purse so like to switch to my larger purse. And I put the Mexican money away, ready for next year. Late in the afternoon I started on the mail and opened the cards which I enjoyed. Today I was still puttering. My task today was to finish the sorting of the mail. Christina has already put the mail into categories so bit by bit I worked through the piles. I sorted while I watched the golf tournament which helps speed things along. And I sorted the magazines. I read Comentary, National Geography and The New Criterion. Now they are set beside my breakfast reading chair placed in reverse chronological order. My system is perverse but works for me. Now I must put away my own piles of things. And next week I must take the tax stuff to the CPA. Now I am ready to live here. I am almost completed the puttering. I even went for a walk in the neighborhood this afternoon. The Homeowners meeting is being held this week and I executed the proxi forms and gave them to my neighbor who is on the board. Whew. I had received two phone calls and one email reminding me to sign the forms immediately upon my return. Now I feel ready for anything that comes my way. Tomorrow I will have brunch with Christina and the girls at Sombra, a very good Mexican restaurant just across from the Renaissance. Monday I have a Pet scan very early. And Tuesday I have been invited to a birthday party for Virginia Mills who will be 13. The Mothers will drop off their girls and stay for cake and a visit while the girls will stay overnight. Life has come alive for me in Mississippi.

March 12, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Flying.

This is certainly a good time to fly. The airline employees are pleasant and energetic. And they are delighted that you are flying with them and they let you know that fact. The planes fly on time. And they are clean. The airports are not crowded and the planes are not full. Now is the time to book a flight. Of course, people are still afraid to leave home so shelter at home. Too bad. This is a great time to booka trip on an airplane. Yesterday I watched carefully at the airport in Puerto Vallarta. I as taken to the gate by a nice young man who placed me in a chair looking directly at the gate. He left me the wheelchair in case I wanted to use it as a walker. And he said he would return to help mo on the plane. Insted of reading, I watched what was heppening at the work station. At first, no one as there, neither were many people waiting to board. I thought we might have a small number of passengers. Soon a young lady appeared wearing her American airlines uniform. She fiddled with machines and papers at the desk. Next appeared three young men with wheelchairs, waiting to take those needing help on the incoming flight. My fliht was to leave at 2:28. The time was 1:30 when the flight arrived and the people began walking down the hall, heading to the immigration. Their crew departed along with the three wheelchairs with passengers. Next several folks arrived and set up a table to check randomly selected hand packages. We were assembling more people to get my flight ready. Next came the next crew and got on the plane. My helper appeared a few minutes prior to boarding so I had him walk with me to the rest room, where he wathed over my bags while I went into the restroom. I decided it was a good idea for the future. My helper assisted me to my seat and put my bag in the overhead. I was set. Soon we were off. Yesterdays journey was as well orchestrated as any trip I have ever had. We left on time. The hundreds of people required to organize the trip all just appeared as if by magic. And we were off. I have never just watched carefully as the good folks went about their business. I did yesterday and was impressed. But i still arrived weary. Even though I arrived on time at 10:30, a Lyft driver came to pick me up to take me home after just a few minutes wait. He brought me right to the door, opened the lock and put my bags inside. Wonderful service from everyone from beginning to end on my jorney yesterday. I appreciated all their efforts.

March 11, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Travel Day.

Today is the day I travel to Mississippi. My flight leaves Puerto Vallarta for Dallas at 2:30. After a few hours in Dallas I take the shorter flight to Jackson. Next I take a Lyft home. Christina will have left the lights on in the house so it will seem that I am being welcomed home, which of course I am. Coming home is always a great pleasure, even if it will be almost midnight. I always hope for all parts of a journey to go well but I fully expect problems. But no matter what, eventually I will get home. During my time on the way I will enjoy myself by watching the funny people. And I will observe all the hundreds of competent workers in action and hope the whole package makes up a well oiled machine. My stay at Playa has been very pleasant. I stayed safe and warm, which was the whole purpose of the visit. I return to a more normal Mississippi. So here I go.

March 10, 2021. Playa Royale. CuriositySteam.com

CuriosityStream is a new streaming system, developed by the same man who started the Discovery channel. CuriosityStream is one of the channels on the TV in Mexico. I only found it a month or so ago. The channel is wonderful. They carry nature shows, science topics, history information, and everything else you might be curious about. Since I discover how good they are, I switch back and forth to the hockey games. I have especilly been grateful with Curiosity Stream since PBS was raising money, which they are still doing. This evening during dinner I watched a beautiful hour on the Alps in winter. The photographs were beautiful and the dialogue was all about the survival of the animals and birds that survive the season. Now when I get home in Mississippi I will see if the CuriosityStream will be a channel on my system. And I will find out all abou their streaming operation. I do not know if the channel is on TV to encourage people to sign up to their streaming programs. I know nothing about them but I will soon find out. But here in Mexico I have certainly enjoyed watching their programs. I also do not know if the channel is brand new or if I just missed it when I was checking out the channels when I first arrived. No matter. I found it eventually and enjoyed the shows. A few nights ago I watched three fifteen minutes films on three different deep sea creatures all unknown to me. It was fascinating. Informative and quick. I certainly hope I can find CuriositySteam in Mississippi. That channel was a good find.

March 9, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Kindness.

Anna has cleaned my condo every Monday morning since I arrived. She is bright and energetic and does a geat job of keeping the place clean. She is also unusual in that she speaks English, so we have chatted a bit. For the first 5 years of her life she lived in Los Angeles but she has lived in Puerto Vallarta ever since. She tells me that she likes cleaning for a living. "I start work at 9:00 and when I am finished my work I have no responsibilities until the next day," she said. Monday she asked me about my Covid test. She knew I was leaving on Thursday and she knew I needed a negative test in order to enter the US. So I told her that I had an appointment on Tuesday at 8:00 at the hospital across the street. I must look pathetic because she wanted to know who was accompaning me. When I told her that I intended to walk over by myself she would not hear of it. "I will come at 7:45 and take you," she said. I was surprised with her offer but I must admit I had been a bit anxious about getting across the road all by myself. I have not left Playa Royale property since my arrival so crossing that busy road would have been a challenge. I was relieved with her ofer of help. Anna was on time and I was ready to go. We walked over with no difficulty and the hospital was well organized. I checked in and paid the bill, waited five minutes to get the test, then walked home. We were home by 8:45, just in time for her to go to work. Their email arrived on my iPad this afternoon with a certificate, which Marlin will print for me tomorrow. I have always been impressed with the number of people who show me deeds of kindness, with no requst on my part. She was a big help to me and I appreciated her help. Tomorrow she is coming to say goodbye. I did give her pesos which she did not really want to accept. But fair is fair. I certainly appreciated her kindness to me.

March 8, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. The Children at Lunch.

When eating by myself at the beach restaurant I do my best to listen in on other peoples conversation. The day was beautiful and as I watched the sparkling of the sea, I listened. I got lucky. Five people sat down only two tables away from me. They were on a lower level so they could not see me. Their group was made up of a Mother, a grandmother and grandfather and two little girls, perhaps 3 and 5 years old. Unfortunately I could not hear the adults so well, but the children with their high pitched voices were clear to me. First they discussed what they were going to eat. The little one said she only wanted french fries. And she wanted a big plate of french fries. The Mother instructed her to select something else too. "You eat french fries along with something else", said the Mother. But the little girl did not agree. After much discussion, she selected a hot dog, along with her big plate of french fries. All was well. The older girl noticed the red flag which was on a post four feet high on the beach, just in front of the restaurant. She evidently had never noticed it before. She asked what it was. So the grandfather gave a short lecture about the flags: red means danger and stay out, yellow go in with caution and green all clear and safe. It took awhile to figure it out but eventually she asked her grandfather this question. "Why did we go into the water when the red flag was flying?" I did laugh to myself but I suspect the adult response was unsatisfactory. Civil disobedience just started in that little girl.

March 7, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Raising Money.

All this past week, PBS has been raising money. They put on specil shows which are supposed to keep you intereted enough for you to call and donate. My issue is that they kick off their regular shows, the ones that I enjoy such as Antiques Roadshow, Finding Your Roots and Nature. All this week I check at 7:00 to see my favorite shows, only to discover they are not being shown tonight. So I am irritated with them. Sometimes, the fund raising shows are excellent but this station is from souther Florida and all they showed all week were either reruns of My Music programs, such as Music fom the 50's or people trying to tell you how to run your life or your finances. I do not like to be preached at even when they may be teaching some new gospet of finance or fitness. Tomorrow evening I am hoping they will be done, so I can watch Antiques Roadshow. My fingers are crossed.

March 6, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Crackers.

I was not used to eating before going to bed. For years, Ken brought us a mug of Ovaltine to the bedroom where we sat in our chairs reading before going to bed. But we never ate anything. Then in the Spring of 2015, I needed to eat somthing while taking the chemotherapy Ibrance. The instructions were for me to take the Ibrance just before going to bed, along with something to eat. Up until that time, I had no trouble with indigestion but as soon as I ate before sleeping, I began to have stomach pains. I tried all sorts of different foods in an attempt to rid me of the indigestion, but nothing helped. Then I discovered crackers. For several years now I eat plain crackers while taking my Ibrance. It is plain and does not seem to make my stomach hurt. I use plain soda crackers. In Mexico, crackers are sold in small packages. I bought a large box of saltine crackers. Inside you find little packages of crackers. With the heat and humidity, crackers left in an open box leave the crackers soggy, so the individual packages are wonderful. While I have been here, I have gone through two big boxes of saltines. Now I must eat plain bread as I have only half of loaf in the fridge. My saltines are gone. The first few evening using a slice of dry bread was not appealing but last evening I ate a piece of toast. I eat half before the meds and eat the rest right after taking the meds. So far no problem. But crackers are the best.

March 5, 2021, Playa Royale, Mexico. My Stupidity.

I know better but somehow or another, the day got away from me and I drank my orange drink very late in the day, followed immediately by dinner. By the time I get to the computer it was after 11:00. Then of course I had to take my Ibrance plus crackers just before going to bed. I was very late getting to bed. And I went to bed with a full stomach which is never a good thing, especially after the large orange drink. The directions with the orange drink tells you not to drink it before or just after a meal, which of course is what I did. When I realized it was already 9:45, I should have just skipped drinking it but I did not do the sensible thing to do. I was stupid and I just proceeded with my routine. Once several years ago the same thing happened, with the same results. But I only recalled it after it was too late. Next I ate a very late regular dinner. I could have skipped dinner, it was so late. But no, I just proceeded with dinner. No wonder I had troubles. I do not suffer with acid reflux so do not keep Tums or any other acid reduction, but Wednesday I had an upset stomach all night. Ken always travels with stuff to help his stomach but he could not help. All night I considered my stupidity. Now I am sure to take my orange drink at 5:00 so I am well over it before dinner, which generally is 7:30 or 8:00. Once again, I got a taste of humble pie. But I will never again be so stupid.

March 4, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Travel Shows.

I enjoy watching travel shows on TV. One of the problems is that Rick Steves programs are almost all about Europe. I like more variety. But yesterday his show was on Egypt, which surprised me. The program as also an hour while most of Rick's shows on PBS are thirdy minutes. I especially like the show because I have never travelled in Egypt. Of course I have read lots and lots of the country but I really enjoyed the program and wished I had visited there myself. Most of the programs I see on TV are old so I assumed the filming was in some earier to travel time. But it was actually done in 2020. I always watch for the year the filming was done, which is always posted at the very end. Rick may be launching out into a new world. I hope he continues. Joseph Rosendo I just discovered last year in Mississippi. I enjoy his shows because he visits places all over the world. Today I watched his show on Southern Alberta, a place I know well. The photos are beautiful and the history was interesting. The Blackfoot tribe lived there for hundrds of years and they still have centers for educating the young folks. And Joseph visited Waterton National Park, which is a beautiful place just on the border. The Prince of Wales Hotel is an old and lovely resort. Ken and I stayed there for a couple of days and the caterer from Liverpool took a job there as the executive chef, much to my sorrow. A month ago Joseph did a show on San Antonio which I also enjoyed. Travelscope is the name of his show. I am glad I found him. Now that I am unable to roam the world, travel shows are the next best thing. I gain information along with beautiful photographs. Works for me.

March 3, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Lunch Today.

The Beach Restaurant is a beautiful place to eat lunch. The ocean sparkles and the sun shines but I sit in the shade, watching the world pass me by. Most of what I see is familiar. People walk up and down the beach. Vendors walk up to people to try to see any interest. Boats near and far. And always the waves, which today were high. But almost always something unusual happens. While waiting for my food, a large iguana came onto the beach. The papapas just the other side of the restaurant were empty so the iguana came onto the beach and headed toward the water. He was big and thick with a long tail and he acted as if he owned the place. I have never seen one of these big guys on the beach so I watched him as he sauntered towads the water. I knew it was a male because he had a large ridge down his back. Also he was big, perhaps 14 inches long in his body and his tail double that. I thought that these guys do not go into the salt water but I actually do not know. As I watched, he disappeared but after watching I realized that there was a small hill down to the water. I suppose he was going to scavenger food on the shore but mostly they eat foliage and flowers. I did wonder what all the people would think with that very large iguana sharing their beach. I never did see him come back off the beach. I always look for the flag when I first sit down. They have three flags, that fly on the beach just infront of the restaurant. Red to warn you not to go into the water, yellow to use cution and green all clear. In all the years I have come here, I have never seen a green flag. Once or twice I have seen a yellow. But mostly the red flag is flying. When I first sat down today I noted that the red flag was faded but while I was eating, a maintenance man installed a new bright red flag, which was double the size. It took him several minutes to remove the old flag and install the new one. He tied it at the top and bottom of the pole. Then I realized why the red flag is always flying. The flag was difficult to install. All along, I thought the management was protecting themselves by always flying the red flag. It is not their fault if these stupid people go into the water even when the red flag is flying. Now that may be true but I suspect it is just practical.. It is easier to leave the red flag flying every day. And that was what I observed while enjoying lunch at the Beach Restaurant..

March 2, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Don & Doreen.

Last week on the phone, I noted that Doreen seemed weary which was certainly unusual. The day before, early in the morning, Don fell off the side of the bd. He had fainted. Doreen called 911 who took him to the ER. Doreen was not allowed to accompany him. Several hours later, Don came home. He was sent home because they could not find anything the matter. His blood pressure had fallen and he fainted. By the time he was at the hospital his blod pressure was normal. Doreen felt helpless and told me that they were talking about moving to an extended care facility so she would be able to get help. My immdiate thought was the question of availability but I said nothing. Today I called her to see how she was feeling. She ws excited. Yesterday, daughter Sandy and her husband Don accompanied them to visit three different facilities who all had spaces for them. As they were visiting the first place, all four agreed that they were just looking. But when they visited the last place, Sandy commented that the place they were looking at had everything. So they signed up. Turned out that no one is movinto into retirement/extended care facilities. The covid has scared everyone off. And family members were taking the elderly family members home to avoid infections. So for the first time in years, space was available. The place they selected is lovely, according to Doreen. Their unit is about the same size as their condo. It is a rental. They pay each month, which includes all meals plus cleaning once a week. To sweeten the deal, the manager allowed Don & Doreen to take posssession in a week but begin paying May 1. Now they will get their condo on the market tomorrow, hoping to sell quickly. They take their own furniture and kitchen stuff but the facility provide towels and sheets. which are changed every week. Doreen is thrilled not to be cooking three meals every day. Now in the middle of the night she is trying to figure out what to take and what to donate. Both Don & Doreen are pleased to be moving on. And I am pleased for them. They are both older than me so it is time to get more help in their life. Time marches on.

March 1, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. Mexican Carrots.

Carrots grown in Mexico taste better. I have no idea what makes them taste so good. Rita decided a few years ago that the carrots were delicious and they are. They are moist and sweet. They are grown just over the mountains from where we live so one reason may be that they are fresh from the ground. I have always enjoyed the humble carrot. One of the best smells remaining in my memory bank comes from the Sunday dinner. My mother put the roast beef in the oven along with the vegetables of potatoes, onions and of course carrots. When we returned from church, the smell in the house was delightful. One Sunday we returned home only to smell nothing. Mother had forgotten to turn on the oven. What a disappointment. I ate carrots in stews, in soups and all by themselves. We were always told that carrots were good for eyes but we all had bad vision except my sister Carol. I cooked carrots today. My favorite was to eat carrots is just plain. I boil them with a bit of salt. I never peel them. If the carrots look old I scrape them but these are new so I just cut off the ends and scrubbed them, then cut them into pieces of about two inches. I cook 4 at a time, eating half each time. I still have four in the fridge which I will eat with the chicken. I eat them with nothing on them, even butter which I have. This winter the only vegetables I have eaten were potatoes and carrots slong with lettuces, totatoes and cucumbers. Fortunately, I like carrots, especially the carrots in Mexico. I cartainly have eaten a lot of them this winter. Maybe my vision will get better. Hmm.