September 30, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. A Long Day.

I am at home in Mississippi. The day was long but I am home. Everything went as planned. Chris, my Lyft driver picked me up at the airport ar 9:30 Central Time and I was home by 10:15. But of course, I left home at 8:00am in Western Head so now it is 12:30 so I will eat a yogurt, take my medications and go to bed. Everything else will wait for another day.

September 29, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Saying Goodbye.

Today is my last day to be in Nova Scotia so all week, friends have popped by to give me a farewell, which has pleased me. Friend Susie just left after bringing me lunch and having a visit. Last evening after work, David stopped by for our last conversation of 2021. We both agreed that the summer has flown by. "A time warp seems to be taking place," said David. "The summer has come and gone." Our plan was to drive to Brier Island but that must wait for another season. Earlier in the day, Cliffie came by to say hello and goodbye. They were so pleased to be able to get to Nova Scotia this summer that he said they are enjoying every minute here. And Gill popped by too. She leaves for Toronto on October 3rd. Her knee has been giving her trouble so she has appointments back in Toronto with the doctors to find out what is the matter. It has done well with rest but when she walks the old pain comes back. Mary M. came to say a farewell on Monday. She was sailing during the day and she has band practice on Tuesday evening. Now I will see her next year. And I had a farewell lunch with friend Frances Y. So now I am all set to get on my way tomorrow. Jacky is doing a last clean of the house today and will take my little case downstairs. I am able to bring it down the stairs myself but I must be very careful so she will take it for me. Now everything in the house is in order for the winter. My day tomorrow will be long. Mr. Gaskell will pick me up at 8:00 to take me to the airport for my 12:15 flight to Toronto. My next flight is to Washington Reagan and finally to Jackson where I will arrive at 9:15 local time. My Lyft driver Chris will pick me up and take me home. All being well, I should be home around 10:00 pm which will be midnight Atlantic time. So here I go. My next words will come from Jackson, Mississippi.

September 28, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Ryder Cup.

Watching the Ryder Cup this weekend was great fun. If you did not watch, you missed a treat. Every 2 years, the Ryder Cup is held either in the US or Europe. The teams are nade up of 12 players from each side plus one captain and several assistant captains. The European golfers had beated the American golfers 9 timea over the last 12 tournaments. This year the tournament was held in Wisconsin. The American players made us all proud and beat the European team 19 to 9. The golf was wonderful to watch which made things interesting. In addition, winning always feels good. They play match play, which means that each hole you either win or lose so every hole counts. In regular play, you just add up the score day after day but at the Ryder Cup, each of the 5 different types of play stand along. Match play is different and exciting and each of the 5 games were different. I only watched a bit each day but I enjoyed every minute. And I watched the end of the Sunday contest. The players on the US team were young. I knew all 12 players from watching them in other tournaments. This team approach was totally different from the normal golf tournaments where each player is on their own. This team were having a great time but were deadly serious about beating the European tea. This American team did not just win. The stomped the opposing team. I enjoyed watching these wonderful, rich golfers playing their hearts out for not a penny but to play for their country. It was great sport. And it was great fun to watch these young men win the tournament. They were all giddy with joy at the press conderence. And in two years the Ryder Cup will be held in Europe. I hope to be watching.

September 27, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Covid Tests.

In order to get on the plane on Thursday, I must have had a negative Covid test within 72 hours of my flight. This is a requirement of the airlines. Outside my local hospital is a sign telling that they give Covid tests so I called, only to be told that they will give the test but will not provide a statement saying the results. The do not give results in writing for purposes of travel. Instead, I must get my test at a private clinic where I must pay. Gill investigated and discovered that the only private clinics are in Halifax. I made an appointment for today. Anna must drive to Montreal and could not work today so Mr. Gaskell agrees to drive me. Fortunately the day was glorious so we had a pleasant drive. My appointment was for 11;30. He suggested we leave early as construction could be an issue. Plus he was not sure where we were going, which was right downtown in Halifax. Mr. Gaskell made a couple of wrong turns which give me a chance to see more of Halifax which I enjoyed. Actually, downtown Halifax was buzzing. It looked great with lots of restaurants and bistros. Everything was sparkling. The clinic was ready for me and they even had 30 minute parking for us. Mr. Gaskell came in with me and waited with me until I completed the test which took all of 15 minutes total. We headed right back to Liverpool and I was home by 1:15. It was an expensive day but my test is done. I had both tests. The short antigen test I received this afternoon and the longer one should come tomorrow or Wednesday. I had both tests done just because the long test they will not guarantee will arrive by the time I leave. This is a crazy set of rules we must navagate but I do not complain. I just get it done. Now I am set for my flight back to Mississippi on Thursday.

September 26, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Larry & Jan brought lunch.

My friends are kind to me. And for that I am grateful. Today, Larry and Jan brought me lunch. Firat we sat in the living room and talked as we drank a glass of white wine. It was all very civilized. Next Larry tossed and dressed the salad he had prepared, which was a caesar salad with shrimp and avocado. It was delicious. The wind was blistery so the wind was howling around the house. The wind was so strong that getting inside the house was difficult. I had to work hard to open the door when they arrived. For dessert we ate a date square, which are a favorite of mine. Again we digested our lunch sitting in the comfortable chairs before eating dessert. Jan cleaned up the kitchen and before we realized it, the time was 4:30 so they needed to leave. But they kindly left me the rest of the salad so I will dine in style yet another day. Pretty nice for me to have such good friends.

September 25, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Fehr Family.

Anna, Abe and Isaac were my guests tonight for dinner at Paul's German Bistro. This is our tradidition to celebrate my summer successfully in Nova Scotia by dining together. Anna has been a big help to me the past three years. The evening was warm so we sat ourdoors on the covered patio. During the evening, the heat lamp was turned on to keep us cosy. So we had a good time. In addition, Hans the cook was celebrating two weekends of Oktoberfest with a special menu with the waitresses dressed in old fashioned german clothes. It was a special evening all around and we had a good time. Isaac their youngest son is bright but not well educated. I have been after him to get some credentials. The Fehr Family no nonger believe in the Mennonite way of life but lots of their past beliefs come to haunt them, including Isaac. So I told him that if he has done nothing about becoming a mechanic, which he wants to do, I will not invite him to dinner next year. Everyone laughed. But he got the point. He has a good job but it is not what he wants to do for the rest of his life. I outlined a path for him. The Community Colleges in Nova Scotia are excellent. Now it is up to him to make the next step. On Monday, Anna and Abe drive to Montreal to get their final medical check before they receive their green cards. Getting a green card is time consumning and with vovid the time has stretched out. But perhaps the paper work will be completed and they finally will get their green card. Their daughter in Pennsylvania is their sponser. I wish them well but I hope they will be in Nova Scotia next summer so Anna will be able to help me. No matter what, I will keep in touch.

September 24, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Put to Bed.

The Guest House has been put to bed. Pat and Mal have returnded to Ontario. The bike is back in the shed. The towels and sheets are clean and put away. The deck furniture has been brought into the house. The refrigerator has been unplugged and left open. The dishwasher has been left open a crack. The thermostats have been turned to 50. All windows are closed and locked. And finally the doors are locked. The Guest House has been put to bed for the winter. Anna and I made progress with the main house too. Anna brought all the deck furniture into the garage. And she organized the garage so the truck could fit. The refrigerator in the garage was unplugged and left open. The same for the chest freezer in the garage. The thermostat was turned to 50. And the truck is now in the garage, where it will stay until next June. All the thermostats in the house have been turned to 53. Now I must organize my own belongings, ready to leave September 30. Jackie will clean on Wendnesday. So soon, the main house will also be put to bed for the winter. But not yet. I have a few days to enjoy this lovely spot. But I am getting ready!!

September 23, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia House.

The first thing that people notice when entering the house is the view. First off, everyone walks directly to the big windows to look out to sea. Once upon a time, the windows were small but we fixed it and installed three big windows so the view is spectacular. We kept the small windows facing the street as they were because we did not want to change the charachter of the old house but of course, no one can see the windows from the ocean so we installed big windows. The view is the first thing that everyone finds attractive when entering the house. Next thing they turn to see are the paintings. Ken and I have filled our walls with paintings, made by Nova Scotia artists. We just kept looking and buying so soon the walls were full. I have favorites. One painting by Marion Bond hangs over an old chest. The piece was purchased by us in 1962 when we camped in the Maritimes. Marion Bond told us that she lived in New York City but spent summers in Nova Scotia. This painting is a depiction of Paggy's Cove, the most photographed place in Nova Scotia. Ken was still in medical school so we certainly could not afford to buy art. But we did. When we moved to Texas, we left the painting with Dave and Irene, who hung it over the mantel. The picture has been reframed three times. But the painting is still a favorite. Another favorite painting was not made by a Nova Scotia artist. Kate Holmes is the sister of friend Denise from work. Over the bed is a stylized painting of 2 pigs on the shore complete with a lighthouse, balls and the sea. Written on the picture is "By the Sea". I love the painting because I have always said it was just like Ken and me, pigs playing by the sea. All the paintings pleases me but some more than others. "Some pretty", as they say in Nova Scotia.

September 22, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Rock Wall.

21 yesrs ago, Everitt installed a rock wall to cut down erosion. The rocks were large and the girls painted the rocks every year. But recently, I do not go down by the water so this year when looking at the water I was unable to see the rocks. Wonderful Wendy took a picture and sure enough, the large rocks have tumbled down the hill. I now have land eroding into the sea. I can either install a new rock wall to cut down erosion or I can ignore it and allow the land to erode, thus making the lawn by the water smaller. After all, I am 83. Unfortunately, Everitt has died. I contacted the company that looks after the road. They came to inspect and they made a proposal. But they kept asking me what I wanted them to do. I of course have no idea but I had them draw up a sketch of what they would do and give me a price, which they did. As expected, it was a high price. After consulting with son David, we decided to get two other estimates which is not se easy. The first company of excavators was too busy. Another man Jeff came to look and brought his head man to look and told me he would get back to me next week, which was two weeks ago. I still have not received his estimate but at least he told me what I needed to stop erosion. Then friend David suggested another man named Doug to have the work done so I called him. Today he came to inspect. As an aside, he has the most wonderful Nova Scotia accent. He will come back to measure and then give me an estimate. He did not ask me what I wanted. He told me what he would do. So for the past two months, I have been working on trying to decide about the rock wall. I have one week before leaving. No one can do the work this year anyway because they are too busy. Sooner or later I will make a decision. But not yet because I do not have enough information. But maybe soon.

September 21, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Sailing In the Fog.

My friend Mary went sailing on Saturday. Accompanying her were Fran and Kevin a young man who is intellectually chalenged. He loves to sail with Mary. He is also in the band with Mary and Fran. Mary has a 16 foot boat that she enjoys. The day seemed overcast and cloudy but not particularly foggy at the marina. At our house in Gull Bay it was the same. They sailed out of the harbor and were well out to the mouth of the river when all of a sudden the fog descended. Immediately Mary said they could see nothing except fog. She turned around the boat and started sailing back to the marina but she really did not know where she was or where she was going. She could see nothing but fog. The first thing she did was check her phone which was out of battery. Fortunately, Kevin had a phone and had a GPS which Mary was able to find the marina. So all the way back to the marina she followed the red dot on the phone. When she first was able to see the GPS, she realized that she had been sailing right out to sea, even though she thought she had turned the boat around and was heading to shore. Had she kept on going, she could have been half way to Bermuda. On the journey back to shore following the red dot, a large engine could be heard which Mary felt was a big boat. The fog was still dense so even though Mary could hear the engine of a large boat she could not see it. Mary was fearful of the big boat running down her little sailboat so she quickly started her little motor so she could get away from the engine. And she was able to get away and not get run over. The three did return to the dock unharmed but for awhile, they were in dire straights. But everyone kept calm and all was well in the little boat. When Mary told us the story it seemed funny but it was not funny at th time. Trying to sail in fog is impossible. But they got lucky thanks to Kevin's phone.

September 20, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Surfing Paradise.

In the middle of the night the wind began to blow. By 7:00am there were 7 surfers on Gull Bay. The waves were high and grew during the day. The ocean was perfect for the surfers. Pat walked down to the causeway late in the morning and one lady surfer told Pat that the waves were higher than normal and that the waves really tossed her around. "Surfing is hard work today," she said. "But it is great fun." All day Sunday they surferd, sometimes taking a break in their vans. They were still there at 6:00pm but they were gone by dark. The day was glorious with full sun and of course the high wind. We sat outside to watch the action in the afternoon and we were hot. I had no idea what was causing the high waves because this morning they were gone. But for a day, finally, the surfers were happy. And so were we. The surfers just appear on the scene. They have a system to check the height of the waves. Then they alert their bussies. They change into their wet suit standing on the road beside their vehicle. They do the same at the end of their day. So if you wish to see very fit men and women naked by their van this would be the place. They pay no attention to those walking or driving by. Yeaterday it was indeed a surfers paradise, but only for the one day. But it was fun while it lasted.

September 19, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Dinner Party.

Pat and Mal offered to host a dinner party at my house. Their plan was to invite the friends, shop, then cook the whole meal. Tonight was the night for the party and it was splendid. I asked Mal to cook my big bag of scallops which I have had frozen from last year and he did. Along with the scallops they served a green salad and baggets. For appitizers we ate two types of cheese and crackers plus mixed nute. The only thing I did was to set the table while they did everything else. Their guests were Gill, Mary & Cliff and Frances Y. so we were a happy group if seven. All of those guests had entertained Pat and Mal over the years so they were happy to cook for those good friends of mine. And we had a good time. Mary brought cooked squash which was a good addition to the meal. Over the years Ken and I entertained many friends for dinner and it was no problem. But now I only entertain when I have house guests. But tonight with Pat and Mal doing all the organization and the cooking it was a pleasure to be using all my big lonvely bowls. Pat and Mal made the suggestion but the actual event was even better than we anticipated. We all had a good time at our dinner party, put together by Pat and Mal. Gold star to them.

September 18, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Paul's German Bistro.

Paul's German Bistro is the most unlikely restaurant in Liverpool to have survived the pandemic. But it has. Anna and I ate lunch there on Friday and we were pleased to see it was busy. The little restaurant is at the end of the main street in a little old house. You must park across the street or on a side road. The cook and his wife live on the second floor of the little house. The owner of the house is Paul. But he is not the cook, whose name is Hans. He is german with a strong accent and is gruff. His food is only German food which is heavy. His menu is limited. But here he is, going gang buster. The restaurant is small with 7 tables inside. But three patios have been added on th front, which are covered which doubles the capacity. And Hans cooks just when you order. Nothing is prepared ahead so you mut wait for you food. But the food is excellent so you do not mind waiting. Three years ago at lunch we overheard an argument between Hans and the waitress. She stomped off, slamming the door on her way out. Hans always comes and checks with you to be sure your food is to your liking but that time he came to aplogized. And he served us our food. Yesterday all was well. I ate a potato dumpling, which was delicious. Half of it came home with me. I am delighted to see that Paul's Bistro has survived. But I am also surprised.

September 17, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Visit With Walt & Mary.

Pat & Mal have visited us in Nova Scotia every year since we moved here, so they know all our friends. But when we had dinner with Gill, Mary & Clif to welcome them to Nova Scotia, I did not invite Mary & Walt. At two social events recently in other peoples homes for a meal, I thought that Walt was taxed by the length of the event. So I decided to invite Mary & Walt for coffee. But I forgot until this week. But I finally invited them for coffee. They came at 11:00 and we had a good visit. Except they never had anything to eat or drink. Pat was all set to put our mugs and cream and sugar and plates. We had Danish Pastries to serv with the coffee. But I stopped Pat and told her that most likely, Walt & Mary would just visit but not eat or drink. And that was what transpired. We just sat in the living room and talked. It was a pleasant visit. Mary & Walt were happy to see Pat & Mal and Pat & mal were happy to see Mary & Walt. And they stayed just over an hour. No fuss or muss. Mary & Walt were the easiest of guests. And all 5 of us enjoyed ourselves sitting in the living room chatting. Great visit.

September 16, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Quarterdeck.

Once upon a time, there was a funky, charming restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was just south of Hunts Point along highway 3. Beside the very small restaurant are two sections of motel rooms. The restaurant was eccentric and we enjoyed going there. When you first arrived, the waitress brought you cheese buiscuits, enough for everyone. They were small but delicious. The complex was sold and the new owner made many changes. First he expanded the motel. And on the other side of the highway he built a modern set of vacation rentals up the hill so looking out the windows you could see the ocean. Fortunately you can not see the units from the road because it is glitzy and glassy. The old restaurant was demolished and a new buiding expanded. The view is wonderful. When the tide is in, as it was yesterday when we were there, you feel as if you are right over the water. The decor is modern with lots of white and black so although it is pleasant, the building could be anywhere in a big city. So all the charm departed. In addition, they stopped serving those marvelous biscuits. So we stopped going there for lunch. The food stopped being very good too. Yesterday, Pat, Mal and I went to the Quartrdeck for lunch. I have mellowed. If you want biscuits, you can order and pay for them. Our food was good and the service excellent. The view was just as beautiful as ever. I feel sure that I will continue to enjoy that restaurant for the forseeable future because they have the best view in town.

September 15, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Treasures.

Every home holds treasures, mostly valuable only to the owner. One such treasure in my home rests on the buffet in the dining room. No one notices it but to me, it is a beautiful treasure. My brother Dave brought me this small wooden tray from Japan. By itself it is lovely and for quite a while I used the wooden tray at home in Martland and used it for entertaining. Years ago, I brought it to Nova Scotia and elevated its status from holding cheese and crackers. I started collecting little stones and shells and tuned it into a type of Japanese garden. At one end can be seen several small pretty stones. In the center is a perfect sand dollar alongside a round white shell. At the far end is a larger flat stone holding a few very small stones. And in the bottom left corner can ve seen tiny shells. The scene pleases me and I like looking at my Japanese garden. Most Japanese gardens are sparse so I started out with just a few of everything but over the years, additional pieces have been added to the collection. No one tells me when these folks add to my collection. Every so often, I remove objects bcause I wish the tray not to be crowded. But piece by piece, the tray gets crowded again. Clearly, more people than me are paying attention to my little treasure. This wood tray with its stones and shells are not a bit valuable but to me, it is a treasure.

September 14, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Booking Flights.

I do not recall that booking flights were so time consuming. Perhaps that is true because Ken always booked our flights. We would decide on the dates and he arranged our flights using the Internet. A couple of years before he was ill, he asked me to book our flights but I used the travel department at the Platinum card of American Express, because he suggested it to me. My vision is difficult with details on the computer screen. Ever since then, I have been making the plane arrangements by using platinim travel. And they have done a good job. But every year, my time on the phone gets longer. Now I have just completed my next journey. And it took a long time. I leave December 15 for Toronto, where I arrive at 6:15pm. I must first fly to Charlotte. Then January 1st I fly to Puerto Vallarta direct from Toronto, which is nice. Wonderful Wendy and Ken will book on the same plane, which is great for me. I leave PV on February 26, after 2 months in the condo. First I fly to Dallas and then on to Jackson. So I am all set for my next journey. I have spent time questing myself as to whether or not I should extend my visit to PV another few weeks. Finally, today I decided to go home to Jackson after 8 weeks. Next I spoke to son David to see if they would be at home in May. So instead of spending more weeks in Mexico, I will fly to Texas at the beginning of May and spend two weeks with David and Suzanne before flying to Portland to start the cruise. Now I am set. And I am delighted.

September 13, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Arena Walking.

For the first time this season, I was forced inside to walk in the hockey arena. The rain was coming down hard when we were heading into town this morning so even though we brought along our rain coat, waslking outside would have been miserable. So Anna and I went to the arena. Queens Place, also called the Emera Center, is a lovely facility. It houses the hockey rink, a walking oval at the top and a fitness center with lots of machines. It is kept clean as a whistle. During the winter months, it is well used but in the summer few people come to walk. They walk outside. Ever since it opened, we have uses the facility to walk. Gill attends the exercise classes and Clif uses the machines. But I just use the track for walking. Ken and I used the track three times a week. It was an easy place for Ken to walk because even though it is boring, it was safe. The first year I was by myself in 2019, I walked at the arena most of the time for the same reason: it was safe, with the rail close beside. Twice during the summer we walked along the river. Then last year, we walked outside along the river most of the time. Only twice did we walk inside. The same for this year. Anna and I walked along the river every Monday and Friday. The weather had been perfect to walk outside. Today walking inside was interesting. The track is a type of rubber so is easier on my legs. The path along the river is level but is cement so is hard. And because I am close to the rail, I can walk faster. So it is actually easier for me to walk in the arena rather than outside beside the river. Today I even had entertainment because people were skating on the rink, which is kept with ice all summer. But we will continue my walking outside when the weather is good because it is beautiful walking along the park and watching the gulls. But walking today was a hit and a good reminder of the Queens Place facility.

September 12, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. September .

I have always enjoyed September. This is especialy true in Nova Scotia. I love the trees. Of course, the leaves do not turn their bright colors in September but you know it is coming so I anticipate what is coming. Leaves turning red and orange is a memory now but they are still vivid in my mind. In Maryland, where we lived for 40 years the leaves were beautiful too with lots of orange and bright yellows. But not many bright reds. At the farm in Pennsylvania, the whole sides of the hills were aflame with colors. It was beautiful. And I can still picture it in my mind. So when I think of September I look forward to the changing of the leaves. But mostly I like the weather. Right now, the weather is perfect, here in Nova Scotia. It is not too hot nor too cold. And mostly in September the sun shines. Today we went for lunch at The Osprey Nest. We sat outside in a covered patio with a clear plastic covering one wall to protect us from the stiff breeze. It was delightful. I felt like baby bear. And at the shore of Western Hed there is just a wiff of coolness in the breeze, reminding me that cool weather will soon follow, telling me that I must soon follow the birds and head south. I love September but it does remind me to move along. But at the moment, I am enjoying the perfect weather of September.

September 11, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Dinner Party.

This evening we officially welcomed Pat and Mal to Western Head. I invited Gill, Mary & Clif for dinner to my house. Of course, as I no longer cook, entertaining is difficult, but I manage. Hunts Point Market who is catering for me this summer did the cooking. And with Mal carrying the food and making up the plates we did just fine. The market cooked trout almindine and rice along with a coleslaw salad. The fish was delicious. And for dessert we ate blueberry pie, baked by Heather. We nibbled on cheese and crackers before dinner. And we drank a glass of wine sitting in the living room. Pat, Mal and I laughed the day before when we were figuring out the logistics of the dinner. Our problem was that Pat, Clif and I are not really able to carry plated of food. Fortunately, Gill, Mary and Mal did all the lifting and the carrying of the plates. And as usual, Mal loaded the dishwasher. I planned as much as possible early in the day. I set the table and filled the water glasses. And Pat cut up the cheese. So with everyone helping out, we had a successful dinner party. But I could not have done it myself. Now Pat and Mal are officially welcomed.

September 10, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Finally, the Surfers are Happy.

All yesterday the waves were crashing on the shore. I could tell that the waves were high but the fog was so thick you could not even see the water. All night the water roared but this morning it was still foggy. Surfing in the fog is dangerous but for all we knew, the surfers were out in the water. But this afternoon the sun sent away the fog and the surfers came out in droves. The waves were big and noisy and the causeway was lined with the cars of surfers. Finally, Gull Bay was welcoming surfers. We are having the remnants of Tropical Storm Larry. Our seas were high. And the waves were beautiful. We sat on the deck late this afternoon admiring the waves and the surfers. The wind was coming from the land so as the large waves crested, a high rooster tail flew off the top on the waves. And they kept coming. The sun was shining brightly which it made it difficult to see the surfers. But we managed. And the waves were so noisy we had difficulty hearing each other. The waves are still crashing. I hope the surfers will get another chance tomorrow. They have waited so long for the big waves to appear. Today the sulfers were happy and so were we.

September 9, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Pat & Mal.P

Pat & Mal have come to visit. They are friends of long standing. You might say we are old friends. In truth, we are all old. I have probably known Pat most of my life. But the most important thing is we are still friends now. Last year was the only time they have not visited us in Nova Scotia since we first moved here. Mal was always a big help working along with Ken at any project of the time. Ken always had projects. Now Mal replaces any and all burned out lights. You have no idea how helpful that is. Since they arrived about 6:00 this evening we have been talking and catching up with the past two years. Of course due to Covid they were unable to come in 2020. But they are here now and I will enjoy their company. They are staying in the Guest House. They often are here at the same time as Dave & Irene who stay in the Guest House so Pat & Mal stay in the main house with me. But they will enjoy the guest house where Pat often paints from that deck. Our dinners will be delivered from Hunts Point Market. Mal organized the heating and the serving of dinner. And he loaded and started the dishwasher. He is a very helpful fellow. So here we go. I will enjoy the next two weeks with Pat & Mal. And they are delighted to be here.

September 8, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Spectacular Lunch.

Larry and Jan invited me for lunch, along with Walt, Mary and and Gill. Larry is an excellent cook so I knew lunch would be good but lunch today exceeded all expectations. Their home on Main Street in town is beautiful so we started with the lovely setting. Our starting time was 1:00 and we left well after 4:00. And we nibbled and talked the whole time. We started with assorted cheeses and crackers along with green grapes. We six sipped on either wine or water while we talked. We were to be eating a Belgium meal, prepared by Larry. When we moved to the dining room we found a large platter of totatoes, basel, chives and mazarello cheese on a bed of lettuce. It was Gills favorite salad. We enjoyed every bite. Along with the salad we ate fresh bread. Next in the center of the table was a large deep platter of mussels cooked in a wine and butter sauce. We each filled our bowl of mussels and we dug in. To the mussels in our bowl was added small french fries cooked in the oven. Evidently, in Belgium french fries are always served with mussels. We ate and ate those mussels and french fries until we were full. For dessert we returned to the living room for squares of lemon and dates, which were a perfect ending to the spectacular lunch. I felt fortunate to be invited by Larry and Jan.

September 7, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Pond Man.

He is a charachter but I always enjoy talking to him. In front of his house and place of business is a large pond that stretched th full width of his lot. From the road you see bushes and trees to protect the pond from prying eyes. His only sign is on the side of a shed where he keeps supplies for the buying public. Over the years, Ken and I have bought fountains, lillies, fish food and fish. And we have talked to him. He is a gold mine of useful information about fish. Today Anna and I drove to Shelburne to meet Allan and see his ponds. And we wanted to walk the waterfront and eat lunch in Shelburne. When we arrived, his wife came from their house to help. We bought fish food for the winter so Walt could feed the fish. When Alan arrived, Anna asked if ht wa true that he had a pond. His whole place is a bit messy and she could not see a pond. He just laughed. And we followed him to the pond which was in plain view but hidden. Then it was our turn to laugh. We spent the next hour watching all those fish...and picking his brain about fish. When he throws the scoopful of feed into the water you observe a feeding frenzy. The fish come to eat. And we watch them. He has fish over two feet long and he has fish two inches. And everything in between. He has had to keep screeing all around the pond to stop the herons from eating the fish. And he has place rope across the top of the pond too. Yesterday they had a gull try to land on the pond. You could never belive that pond unless you were told about it. In addition he has a plastic covered frame, his greenhouse, where he grows and sells his fish. He sells his large fish for several hudred dollars. We ran out of time. But we enjoyed every minute. And by the way, fish do not stay the winter buried in the mud at the bottom of the pond. At 48 degrees, their metabolish slows way down and they stay all winter in the slushy water below the ice. Only eels bury themselves in mud, he told us. Set me straight. I have been telling folks that our fish survive the winter by getting to the bottom of the pond in the mud. I was wrong. Anna and I had a great time with Allan the pond man.

September 6, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Light House Road.

On Saturday, while driving along the French Shore, David spotted a little light house, jutting out from the shore. We kept looking for a road off to the right. Eventually we came upon a sign, saying Light House Road. As we were driving quite close to the water, we knew we were driving down a peninsula to find the light house. Right beside us was the Bay of Fundy with the tide half way out. Even though the tide was not fully out, we still saw mud flads loaded with water birds. The birds were busily making their living digging for food. We stopped many times on the way to the light house to see the magnificent mud flats. And of course we watched the shore birds of every type. We saw hundreds and hundreds of gulls and sandpipers of every size. The light house is small but has an area to park and walk around. A couple of other cars full of people were also enjoying the place, taking pictures and looking out to the water. It was a lovely little spot. On the way back up, we spotted a row of boats right along the shore stuck on the mud waiting for the tide to come in so they could once again float. It was a great picture. When you fish on the Bay of Fundy, you must pay close attention to the tides or you could get stuck way away from home and then wait for the tide to turn so you to get home. The long road to the light house was worth the whole day of driving. Seeing the mud flats again was special and watching all those birds eating away was also impressive. The Light House Road was worth the price of admission.

September 5, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Smith Cove.

Smith Cove is across the bay from Digby. From the beach you can see the whole town and the ferry, which when we watched was getting ready to leave for St. John. I had never seen Smith Cove until yesterday. David spotted the sign on highway 1, and down we went, doing what we always do which was to go down every obscure road. On the right hand side of the road was a tourist vacility with several rows of units available for rent. Evidently, at one point it was a motel but now the place is fixed up for rentals. No cars were at the units until we reached the lowest row when we saw three cars. One charming brick home was close to the water but it was mostly covered by trees. From every row of the units could be seen the view of the water because the road drops quickly. On the left side could be seen houses, all with wonderful views. At the bottom of the road was a lovely home just a bit higher than the beach. It was too close to the water for me but I could not see evidence of flooding so I guess they were OK. The house had a huge picture window overlooking the sea with a deck across the front of the house. Talk about a house with the view!!. David was off taking pictures and collecting sand glass while I admired the houses. I almost wanted to knock on their door to ask if I could see the inside. Up the road was another lovely home with yet another lovely view but this home with no danger of flooding. And there was yet another home, each one larger than the others. The slope of the hill allowed each home the same view, just a bit higher up the road. The road was gravel and undistinguished in any way. But it was a beautiful part of the world. Nova Scotia has a lot of these beautiful places and I have seen a lot of them during my excursions with David, this one on Saturday. We take the roads less travelled just to see what we can find. Yesterday we found Smith Cove.

September 4, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Bear River.

Bear River began as a home for hippies ecaping from the Vietnahm war in the 60s. You can still see several odd homes, built by people who were not expert builders. It had always been a place for the artists and the misfits. It had always been a bit funky. The location is lovely, at the base of a high granite cliff and a rushing water. It reminded me a bit of being in the Smokies. Starting about ten years ago, artisans and artisans started moving in the town and the surrounding areas. And it became trendy, so in adition of the children and grandchildren from the former hippies, you have the ccomplished artists and craftsmen working at Bear River and selling their wares. A perfect example is Susan Lane. She sold Lanes Privateer Inn in Liverpool and has moved to Bear River with her boyfriend where they are renovating a big old house which will become a B&B. The hit of our drive around Bear River was the drive up River Road, which runs right beside the river. We followed to the top, stopping along the way so David could take pictures. It was a beautiful drive with the steep granite walls on the opposite side and us and the road on the other. We saw multiple water falls and deep pools. And the sound of the rushing river was loud. Bear River is near to the Bay of Fundy, in fact not far along from Bear River the river flattens out and the Bay of Fundy tides take over. You can see where the river rushing to the sea hits the color of the Bay water. David scrambled down the bank several times to take pictures while I sat at the top watching the rushing water. This drive up the river was definately a hit on our Saturday excursion today.

September 3, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Our Neighbors the Hermits.

A blue house sits across the street from me and a bit up the hill. Rochelle and Brad have lived there since 1996. I met them when I invited them to a dinner party in 1999. They came for the cocktail but had told me they would not stay for dinner. When they were leaving, Rochelle said to me,"Please do not invite us to other parties because we do not do social". Belive it or not, I have never seen them since even though they live just across the steet. Brad and Rocllle were writers. Rochelle is physically handicapped with a large hump on her back and hips not ligned up. Mobility is difficult. They were happy closed up in their house. I never saw them on their deck or outside the back. Two weeks ago I eceived a call from Rochelle. A box was delivered to her by mistake. I arranged to have Anna pick up the box the following Friday. During our conversation she told me that Brad had died in March suddenly at 74 from a heart attach. Now Rochelle is living by herself with no help and her cook Brad no longer cooking. Anna and I invited her for coffee which she accepted and came the next week. Our visit was pleasant and she seemed to enjoy the visit. Part of me is sympathetic to her plight but part of me realizes that she has reaped what she sowed. She shut out the world and now her world contains only herself. Sad but true. Anna and I will invite her over again before I leave and I will give her the numer of Earth Angels. But I can not do much else. When she came over last week for coffee I would not have recognized her. But I only met her once in 1999 and I had never seen either of them again. Hard to fathom for sure.

September 2, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia, The Remnants of Ida.

This was a perfect storm for Western Head. Lots of rain, wind and surf but no damage and no power outage. I awoke to hear the rain pounding on the french door. It was noisy. Then I listened to the loud wind. I knew storm Ida had arrived. This bedroom is a perfect place in a storm because of the sounds. The two dormers seem to accntuate the wind because it shrieks and moans. All morning I puttered around the bedroom, listening all the while to the rain and the wind. Finally at 11:30 I went downstairs. I needed my tea and avacado toast. The living room was different. But what I lost with the sounds I gained with the view of the angry seas. I can see the ocean from the bedroom but not as well as from the living room. The waves were pouring into the shore and the white caps were large as far as you could see. The ocean was too dangerous to surf today but perhaps tommow the surfers could catch a wave or two.All day the wind roared. The rains came and went from mid afternoon. Evidently Digby got a huge amount of rain, as did New York and New Jersey. Here we got a lot of rain but no flooding. But the sights and sounds made for a perfect storm. All day I enjoyed my front row seat of the angry ocean. Once again, we dodged the bullet. And once again, I was grateful to be living in Western Head.

September 1, 2021. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Founders House.

Last Sunday, Mary, Walt and I drove to Annapolis Royal for brunch. The weather was perfect and Walt was willing to take an excursion. Larry and Jan told me about the restaurant so off we went. Highway 8 is marked on the map as a scenic highway but it is only pretty during the late Fall when the leaves have turned their glorious color. But on Sunday it is merely a highway through woods. We used the GPS to find the Founders House, which turned out to be on the golf course just out of town. Talk about bad timing. The restaurant has been open for three years which means they have been locked down a good bit of the time. But they were open on Sunday and they seem to be doing well. Certainly our food was delicious. Rumor has it that the chef has come from Toronto. My meal certainly was unusual and tasty. I ordered waffles and fried chicken. What I eceived was a single waffle covering the plate. On top of it was a small amount of maple syrup. On top were two poached eggs and on the other side three small pieces of fried chicken. It was delicious and I ate the whole thing. Walt ate quiche while Mary enjoyed her egs benedict. We were all pleased with our meal. After driving through Annapolis Royal, which seemed to be busy, we headed home. We will visit The Founders House again.