August 31, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Surf's Up.

Finally, the waves are pouring into our shore.  Starting last evening, the water was noisy with the waves crahing up on the rocks.  All night it was noisy so I knew that as soon as the sun was up, the surfers would be out in the water trying to catch a ride.  I do not know how their day began but their cars were on the causeway all day.

Up until today, the Atlantic Ocean looked like a lake.  But no longer.  The Atlantic Ocean is noisy.  And the waves are big.  All day, there were 10 surfers trying their much.   So far this year, they have been unable to surf but today they are out in force.  Now we will see what the day will look like tomorrow.  

August 30, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Stones # Two.

 A small tray sets on my buffet.  My brother brought that tray from Japan and gave it to me.  That was many years ago.  I have used it ever since.  But when I brought the little tray to Nova Scotia, I turned it into  Japanese rock garden.  I have enjoyed it ever since.

Objects in a Japanese rock garden should have lots of space so my objects were few in number.  Three small smooth stones at one end.  A sand dollar and a sea urchin in the center and a flat stone at the other end.  On top of the flat rocks I placed a few tiny shells.  And that was all.

But over the years, my stones increased to 7.  And the tiny shells have grown too.  Now there is a separate group of tiny shells close to the sea urchin.  And the flat stone is covered with little shells along with a few very small and smooth stones.  No one has ever admitted to adding to my Japanese Rock garden.  And I certainly have not brought any additions.  

Soon, I must whittle down the number of stones on the small tray.  The goal is to keep the spaces empty.  But not yet.  At the moment, my little Japanese garden pleases me.  But I do wonder how my stones are multiplying, just as the window sill collection.  Makes me wonder.

August 29, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Stones.

 The first year we moved to Nova Scotia I brought 6 carefully selected stones from our property and placed them carefully on the window sill in the dining room.  Stones are everywhere here.  Every one unique.  And beautiful.  Just to the right of us is a cobble beach, which is made up of different sizes of cobblestones, on the way to becoming sand.  The cobble beach is beautiful to see but difficult to walk along.  But I like the look.

Now, 24 years later, I have 17 stones on my window sill.  Again, each is unique.  But none brought into the dining room by me.  No one has ever admitted to adding to my collection but I know they did not get there by themselves.  Once upon a time, the stones were nicely spaced apart.  But now they are almost touching.    Some day, I must cull my collection.  But now yet.    Every stone is unique and beautiful.

There are stones everywhere in Nova Scotia, all left over from the age of the glaciers.   We have huge pillow racks and big rocks just setting by themselves.  In fact, you could know you were in Nova Scotia because of the rocks.  And some of them reside in my dining room, left by invisible hands.  Interesting.

August 28, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Weather.

 Today was unbelievably beautiful.  The sky was blue.  The sun shone all day.  And the temperature was 70 degrees.  It was a perfect day.

Sandra and I went to White Point for lunch.  As usual, the place was busy but now crowded.  And we sat with a great view of the water and the rocks.  This place is great asset to Liverpool residents.  Our waitress  returns to Dalhoursie University tomorrow so we were her last official customer for the season.  I have no idea how the resort will staff the place when the students leave.  But once again we were well looked after.  And of course we enjoyed the food too.

Late August and September is a good time to be living at Wester Head.  The weather is perfect.  To celebrate our  good fortune, Sandra and I ate ice cream on the way home.  We sat in the full sun and enjoyed our ice cream treat.  And we felt smug.

August 27, Western Head, Nova Scotia. Friends Who Stop By.

 One of the pleasures of living at Western Head in Nova Scotia it the proximity of my friends.  My best buddies are within walking distance of my house, so they pop into my house just to say hello.  Sometimes they stay for five minutes and other times they stay longer.  But their visits are a highlight of my day.  And they bring me great joy.

For instance, today at 11:30, Gill stopped in during her daily walk.  Very often, she stayed only ten minutes but today she stayed and talked for ages.  She had not yet seen my latest piece of art  now hanging on my wall.  It is a piece given to me by my Maryland friends, called The Glass Ceiling and made by a stain glass artist whose studio is in downtown Liverpool.

Then at 5:00 friend Wendy walked over with one of her dogs so she stayed for a visit.  And we talked.  And I enjoyed her company.  And of course I always like to see Jamie, her newest dog..  He is a short haired collie and is very handsome.  This is only the second year I have seen Jamie so I was pleased to see them both.

Yesterday, Sue and Steve,  who live just along the shore came for a visit.  They brought two bowls for me, one a bowl of salad and the other a bowl of fruit.  And we sat in the living room and talked for an hour.  After they returned home I devoured their good food.  I enjoyed every bite.

I never know what will happen next here at my house by the sea.  I especially appreciate the visits from my good friends.  This never happens in Mississippi.

August 26, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Moving.

This weekend granddaughter Sarah moved into her apartment in Dallas.  She is excited to be renting her very own place.  And I am excited for her too.  David and Suzanne drove in their vehicle to move all her belongings from home, which includes her art.  Sarah drove her own new truck, also full of her belongings.  And today the movers were bringing her furniture from law school, where she was sharing a house with two other girls.

Katey, Brock and Astrid have just driven to Ontario and tomorrow will go to Wendy's cottage in Muskoka.    I will be interested with how Astrid enjoyed the lake.  At one years of age, she might now enjoy the chilly lake.  And they have just moved into a new larger house at Purdue University.  Katey is my Wonderful Wendy's daughter, so is my grand niece.

In Jackson, Sebastian and Cheryl along with their children have moved into the Greaves old farm house in Madison.  They have officially lmoved  out of their Jackson home.  So my friends Eleanor and Jim  have neighbors at their home on the family compound.  They are excited to be out in the country and bit by bit they will make improvements to the old but gracious large home.  I wish them well.

So while I stay in place in Nova Scotia, my family and friends are on the move.  Great fun.  

August 25, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Christmas Lights.

 Christmas is just around the corner, according to the Lighting Company in San Antonio, Texas.  They have contacted me twice to order the Christmas lights at the home of David and Suzanne.  And they asked me if I wanted to add more lights.  David thinks the lights are fine while Suzanne said that anything would be fine.  

Ken loved outside Christmas lights.  The more the merrier in his opinion.  Every year after Christmas, Ken bought more outside lights so come next Christmas, when Ken installed the lights we got brighter.  Sometimes we were garish.  But not for Ken.  He loved them so we had a lot.  In 2015 we moved into our Mississippi home but by Christmas Ken was not able to hang any Christmas lights outside which did not please him at all.  In fact, Ken felt sad.  So later in the year I asked the young man who had just redone our outdoor lights front and back, if he would ever install outdoor holiday lights for us.  He just laughed and told me that was his winter company.

Bradley has been installing our exterior lights ever since.  And as part of their Christmas  gift, he also put  the lights at Christina's home too.  Andrew always installed their lights so after Andrew died, Christina did the job.  But she never enjoyed the task.The next year, i started to do the same for David and Suzanne, again as part of their Christmas gift.  David turned the Christmas lights to Suzanne so she was thrilled to have the task taken off her shoulders.

The company uses their own lights.  And they install the lights and remove them in the new year.  And they store the lights, all set for next year.  Both Christina and Suzanne appreciate the gift.  Now we are all set for Christmas 2023.  Merry Christmas.

August 24, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Diabetic Diet.

I have been eating a strict diabetic diet since mid December, 2022.  Wonderful Wendy made sure I was eating properly.  But still my glucose levels stayed high.  So I was forced to taking medications to reduce my glucose levels.  And it worked.  I ate no carbs.  I ate no sugar.  I ate a healthy diet.  And all was well.

But since late in July , I am not taking any chemotherapy.  My glucose levels have dropped.  First I stopped any meds to bring down my glucose level.  Next I stopped taking Metformin, the diabetic medication.  And still my levels remain between 115 and 130, which is normal.

Beginning two weeks ago, I started eating a small amount of carbs.  I eat toast.  And potatoes.  And even banana nut bread, made by friend Mary Mac.  Today to celebrate, Anna and I went to the ice cream store where we ate an ice cream dish.  So far, my glucose level has stayed at a normal level.  Tomorrow morning I will be interested to find my level.  Soon when I return to Mississippi I will doubtless return to chemo, which will increase my level.  But at the moment, I am enjoying eating regular food.  Nifty.

AUGUST 23, 2023. WESTERN HEAD, NOVA SCOTIA. EMPTY HOUSE.

Once again, my house is empty.  And once again I turn to the television for company.  This evening, I watched a baseball game while drinking my Meta Mucii.  I must say that when I am sitting in the living room visiting with my friends I drink the orange drink more quickly.  When I watched the Padres against the Marlins it took me 7 innings

My lady friends, Doreen and Ruth R. left this morning at 7:00 when Mr. Gaskell picked them up for their journey to the airport.  I heard the garage door close when they left.  But I slept on.  We had a good visit and a lot of fun.  So I will miss them.  But today at 12:30 Gill hosted the DWEM's for lunch at Lanes.  As usual, the food and the company were excellent.

Now I will be alone for two weeks.  But I will continue to thrive and survive.  The weather continues to be excellent which I will enjoy.  So here I  go.  

August 22, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. White Point Resort.

White Point Resort was hopping today.  The whole place looked beautiful.  Anna drove us in her car and Doreen, Ruth and I enjoyed lunch in the lounge.  The day was perfect with blue skies and full sun.  We sat right next to the window and watched the children play in the water.  Perfect.

The golf course was full.  We had to wait while people hit the ball down the fairway before we could drive into the resort.  The whole place was busy with lots of children playing and feeding the rabbits.  The whole atmosphere was lively and fun and we enjoyed our whole experience.  I have been told that the food was spotty but not this time.  We all ordered something different and all equally delicious.  I ate a Rueban sandwich.  I loved every bite.

I am pleased to know that White Point Resort is doing well.  It is a wonderful resource for those who live in Liverpool.  The beach is wonderful and the activities for the children plentiful.  And the resort itself is beautiful.  I am again impressed as were my guests.  Hats off to the White Point Resort..

August 21, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Splendid Day.

 Our day began with fog.  But no rain.  David N. came to finish the shingles but by 11:00 the rains came so he came in to visit with us.  He is good company so Doreen, Ruth R. and I enjoyed chatting, mostly about our cruise of last year.  Our plan for the day was to walk in town before going out to lunch at the Cellar 3 restaurant.  Evidently they have the best food in town.  But the rain spoiled the walk.  Eventually the rain stopped and David went back to work while we went to lunch with Anna driving us in Anna's car.

Our food was delicious and the service excellent so we were pleased.  By the time we got home it was 3:30.  So we all put our feet up for a half an hour.  Fran, who was staying in the Guest House came over to report on her journey to Montreal.  Just when we were getting organized for tea, Mary and Walt brought us out a banana nut loaf.  The timing was perfect so we drank our tea along with a piece of freshly baled banana nut bread, which was still warm.  Walt and Mary would not stay for tea.  And Anna had gone home  but we three ladies along with friend Fran enjoyed our tea and fresh bread.  And we enjoyed the report about Montreal.

After dinner, Doreen and Ruth R.  reorganized the china cabinet.  I am sending Grandma Buckleys dishes back to my niece, Wendy, so they look out the china to go to Ontario and they set up the remaining chins good its.  And Ruth R. polished the silver water pitcher which is also returning to Ontario and the Bucklay family.  So we had a delightful, interesting day.  Not fancy but splendid.

August 20, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Wildfires.

 Fortunately, the wildfires in Nova Scotia are all out.  But the after effect lingers on.  Hundreds of houses burned to the ground.  And huge forests burned.  And the fires in other parts of the world are still raging.  I spoke to my cousin Mary who lives in the Okanagan Valley.  She was visiting her son just outside of Keiowna, and yesterday they both went to her house which is north of Vernon.  So far, she is safe and can stay there.  But they must be prepared to evacuate at any time.  Tomorrow they are hoping for rain.

Yellowknife is another mess.  They expect that the whole town will be in ashes.  And then there is Hawaii.  

I read an article recently that reported that before the 20th Century, north america had many more forest fires.  This before the industrial era.  They have discovered by the tree rings and by bore holes of the ground.  So perhaps we have always subject to massive fires.  But it seems as if we are having lots of fires this year.  Not good for sure.  

August 19, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Playing Cards.

Every evening after dinner, which includes dessert, Doreen and Ruth R. play a card game, Dummy Rummy.  They have fun and they take turns winning and losing.  I do not join them in their game, perhaps because of my vision.  But the truth is that I do not even try.  But it is fun for me just listening to their hoots and hollers.

We played card games growing up but never with actual playing cards.  For some reason, we played Rook but not actual playing cards with hearts and spades.  When the boys were young, we played a lot of games including poker.  We used a rule book and learned the games from that book because neither Ken or I were brought up playing cards.  One day when we were skiing in France, the ski hill was closed because of all the snow so the boys and I played cards all day.  And all evening.  Believe it or not, I lost every game even though we played many different games.  But I lost every time.

Often, I come up to my bedroom while Doreen and Ruth continue their game.  And they turn out alll the lights.  They enjoy their games.

August 18, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Rain.

The rain began at midnight last evening.  And it rained throughout the night.  Every time I woke up, I could hear the rain, which is a nice sound in the middle of the night.  But all day today  the rains kept coming.  Often the rain was hard.  Ruth R. walks every morning before breakfast but not today.  By 1:00 Walt sent a picture of the flooded parking lot in front of the Hardware store.  But still it rained.  Ruth never was able to take a walk.  And still it is raining at almost 11:00.  The forecast tells us the rain will stop at 3:00.  We will see.

My pond is full.  We could not even go out to see our new big fish today due to the rain.  Tomorrow should be alternately sun and clouds which will be good.  I actually love the rain but enough is enough.  We have had a tremendous amount of rain this summer.  The Spring was dry so we are making up for the dry early months.  This is the most rain I have ever experienced here at Western Head.  And still it rains.  I am amazed. 

August 17, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Shelburne.

We drove in Anna's car.  Four will not fit into my old truck.  And Annas car is more comfortable.  First we stopped at the Pond Man's place.  He and his wife are interesting characters.  We were in search of another lily pad.  And we wanted to see the fish being fed.  Of course, we always enjoy talking with them both.  Ruth also wanted to buy two more larger fish for the pond.  We also bought more fish food.  

Next we walked along the harbor.  But it started to rain before we walked far so we had to turn back.  This town of Shelburne is a natural deep harbor which is not used much.  Sad but true.

Our last task was to eat at Charlotte Lane, which has a new owner and cook.  Rolan and Kathleen sold the restaurant in May of 2022 and we wanted to check it out.  I can report that the food was excellent but there were few others dining there for lunch.  Also the new owner removed the gift shop and installed more tables which perhaps was not smart.  In addition, the prices were high.  But we four enjoyed our lunch.  

Our excursion to Shelburne was a success.  

August 16, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Truck & 3 Ladies.

We were quite a sight.  Ruth R. was going to drive the truck.  But she can not get up into the truck without a stool.  So Doreen brings the stool to Ruth whoo climbs in.  Meanwhile I get into the small back seat.  I can not put my walker into the car so Doreen must lift my walker into the back of the truck before she retrieves the stool still sitting beside the drivers seat.  I close my back door while finally Doreen gets into the front seat and closes her door.  And we laugh.  What a sight we were.

When we were ready to get into the truck after lunch, one of the men working on the road came to help.  He made sure I did not fall when I was getting into the truck.  He carried the stool to Ruth to allow her to get in.  He put my walker and the stool in the truck.  And we were ready to drive home.  We did ask him if he might want to come home with us to help him out.  But he declined.

Maybe we will get more efficient but today was not easy.  Tomorrow we are planning to drive to Shelburne but we will all drive in Anna's car.  Only three can fit into my old truck.  

August 15, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Quiet Day.

 Ruth got her walk in before the rains began, but the whole day was cloudy.  With the rain coming and going all day we  decided to stay at home.  We three had a quiet and pleasant day.    David was busily working on the shingles until he got driven in by the rain  in the early afternoon.  For lunch we ate a sandwich, the first one I have eaten since last December.  And I ate a piece of banana bread for dessert.  My glucose levels are low so I am eating some carbs.  Such fun.

After we all three took a nap, Ruth and Doreen enjoyed a rousing card game.  Tina had sent us a stuffed pork loin and vegetables, which was delicious.  And for two nights we had no leftovers which pleases us.  Again, the ladies played cards.  But not me.

Tomorrow we will go out for lunch.  But today we three just stayed home and enjoyed our quiet day at home.  Pretty nice.  

August 14, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Recovery Day.

The day after a journey calls for a day of recovery.  Today, we just stayed at home.  Doreen and Ruth sat outside this afternoon enjoying the beautiful view and the sunshine.  We did not stray from home.  Ruth walked across the causeway and to the end of Sand Beach Road but other than that we three stayed home and talked.   Ken always felt that the older he got, the more days he needed to recover from a journey.  And as Doreen is 88 and Ruth is 83, they needed a day to chill.

We ate good food.  Anna prepared our lunch of left over food, all mixed together.  It tasted delicious.  After an afternoon nap we drank a cup of herbal tea and ate a piece of banana nut bread made by friend Mary Mac.  Our dinner, made by Tina was a chicken pot pie and vegetables.  So we ate well today.

This evening we all three together performed my leg exercises.  We will probably will do those exercises together every day.  Our day was easy and fun.  Good food, wonderful weather and fine conversation makes for a pleasant day.  By tomorrow, Doreen and Ruth will be fully recovered.  Maybe. 

August 13, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Doreen and Ruth.

 Ruth and Doreen are visiting me here in Nova Scotia.  We have had a grand time since they arrived at 1:00.  We have been talking and having fun.  We are all widows.  Don died just a month ago at age 89.  Shelly died six years ago suddenly at age 72 and Ken died in 2018 at 82.  Our situations were different but similar.  We all three had long and successful marriages.  Doreen is getting used to being alone.  Ruth and I will give her advice but each person must figure out their own pattern.

Today, we laughed with Ruth about her first meeting with her husband Shelly.  They met at the Salvation Army camp at Jacksons Point where she was working for the summer.  She did not attend The Salvation Army but they lived right beside the Training College so she applied to work at the camp for the summer.  Her parents were going to Vancouver for the summer and she did not want to go.  Her Mother liked the Sally Anne so she allowed Ruth to work there for the summer where she met her future husband.  She was 16.  She joined the Earlscourt Corps because Shelly played in the band.  And the rest is history.

Doreen has been here many times while Ruth has visited only once.  We will have a good time together.

August 12, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. A Baseball Outing.

This evening, the Houston Astros played the San Francisco Angels in Houston, at 6:00.  David and Suzanne along with Allison and boyfriend Simon attended that game.  And I watched the game on television.  They drove to Houston from San Antonio this morning, just for the game.  Their plan was to get to the stadium early enough to be the first 30,000 fans to receive a Tucker sweat shirt and to watch batting practice.  Their hotel is close to the stadium.  Then tomorrow, they had reservations at Brennans, one of the best restaurants in Houston.  They they will drive home.

Allison played softball at school from the 7th to 12th grades.  And she enjoys watching baseball on TV.  So before she returns to University for her senior year, they are having a baseball outing in Houston.  I watched the game until the 7th inning but I live in the Atlantic time zone so I was forced to bail out when the Astros were ahead 7 to 2.  Now I must wait until tomorrow to find the final score.  No matter the score, I always stayed until the last out and I also liked to get to the stadium early enough to see batting practice.

This baseball outing sounds wonderful  I would have loved to be part of the party.  But for 6 innings I enjoyed the game on TV.  That was nifty too. 

August 11, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Changing of the Guard.

My Maryland friends have gone home.  Their flight out was early Friday morning so the left on Thursday morning, first to pick up breakfast at Tim Hortons, then to spend the day in Halifax.  They enjoyed their visit and spent most of their time hanging out at home, enjoying the beauty of the setting.  But now they are gone.  The bedding has all been laundered and put back in place as have the towels.  Anna did it all.  Now the house is ready for my next friends.

Doreen C. and Ruth R. are coming on Sunday morning.  Mr. G.. will pick them up at the airport and they will drive my truck.  Both ladies have been here before so they know the lay of the land.  Tina will again deliver our dinners each day through the week.  On the weekends we are on our own.  They will stay in the house with me.  Friend Fran Y. will be in the Guest house.

So here we go.  Out with the old.  In with the new at 1531 Shore Road.   

August 10, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Action.

This morning, my house was a bee hive of activity.

At 8:00, Champion Gutters started working to install gutters.  I ordered the work a year ago but the poor man was so backed up that it took until today to begin the installation.  This house had partial installation but now the whole house has gutters.  By 1:00 the job was complete.

David N. was here with his grandson to work on my shingles.  His grandson has been scraping and painting the iron fence and the bell and sign holder.    He also painted the tall lights.  I look very spiffy.

At 9:00, my guests were loading their cases into their car.  They have rented a small SUV and with four big cases plus 4 carry on bags fitting the cases into the car is a trick.  But by 10:00 they were ready to head to Halifax.  Their plan was to pick up coffee and breakfast at Tim Hortons, then spend the day in the city before staying at the airport hotel  before boarding their early flight home.

John, my lawn cutting man appeared mid morning to cut the grass.  And to bring me an invoice .  He is a new worker for me.  He is a cousin of David.  And John has done a great job.  

So my home was a busy place.  Progress has been made today which pleases me. By mid afternoon, the only people working were  David and his grandson.  But my gutters look great as does the yard.  And my house is silent again.

August 9, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Cheating on Food.

 My glucose levels are well below 150.  Today was 121.  And yesterday was 134.  And that is with no Metformin.   I am also taking no chemotherapy.  So for the first time since I was first diagnosed with high glucose levels, I am sneaking in some forbidden foods.  This morning I ate a small amount of friend potatoes .  And two days ago I ate rice.  I have been eating the English Muffin with the egs benedict too.  And my levels have stayed low.

But to really cheat, I ate a slice of banana nut bread, made by friend Mary.    No problem this morning at testing time.  I have yet to eat anything really sweet such as ice cream of carrot cake.  And I do limit the amount of carbohydrate that I eat.  But so far, even though I am cheating on all the forbidden foods, my glucose levels stay low.  This is progress indeed.  

august 8, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Eating Outdoors.

 For both breakfasts and lunch, we five have been eating our meals outside.  The weather has been glorious.  Even with full sun, the breeze keeps us cool enough to be comfortable.  And my guest enjoy the weather even in August.  They are used to the heat of Maryland and the air-conditioning in August.    So our spectacular breakfasts made by Larry we enjoy sitting on the deck.  The glass enclosure that we installed for the hot tub now serves us to protect us from the wind while we are dining.

We usually eat lunch at home when Anna is working so we have been dining outside on the deck for lunch.  Today we ate chicken and potatoes with  gravy along with cucumbers and fresh peppers.  Yesterday we ate left overs.  Our meals are so good at home that we are all enjoying the great food along with the beauty of the outside deck.  We five are really enjoying our outside dining.  For me, it is wonderful to have all the helpers bring the food out to the table.  This is a special time with my five friends.

August 7, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Weekends.

 My weekends are different here at Western Head because of two things.. I have no helper so I must fend for myself.  And even when I have guests, Tina, the caterer does not bring dinner.    What we do  is go out to eat.  We eat a big breakfast.  Then we go out for a late and ample lunch.

On Saturday my guests took me to the Quarterdeck.    Lynn and Margo ate fish and chips and enjoyed it while Larry and Butch ordered a lobster roll, which was not very good.  I ate a salad followed by scallops and shrimp.  Everyone loved the look of the restaurant.  And they liked the view even better.  For supper we ate smoked salmon, capers, creamed cheese and onions.  It was a perfect meal.  Butch said that the smoked salmon was the best he had ever eaten.

On Sunday we went to White Point Resort.  Everyone loved the place.  We sat in the lounge  because we were late.  Butch and Larry ate fish and chips.  And Butch ate a bigger meal  that he has eaten for years.  After we finished our meal, Butch and I sat by the fire while the other three walked the beach.  All four of them were impressed with White Point.  The place was busy with everyone having a good time.

My weekends are pleasant and fun but nothing happens by itself.  I must figure out what we will do.  Kind of fun.  

August 6, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Spectacular Breakfasts.

This morning Larry cooked ua all eggs benedict, complete with hollandaise sauce, Canadian bacon, eggs and an English muffin.  It was delicious.  Along with the eggs we ate a salad of cottage cheese and chopped up fresh apples.  Wow.  What a breakfast.

Yesterday Margo and Lynn cooked us corned beef hast and potatoes topped with a fried egg.  And we ate a side salad of fruit with yogurt.  Again an ample and filling meal.

On Friday, Larry cooked us sausages and scrambled eggs again with a different type of fruit salad.  The day was lovely so we ate our breakfast on the deck sitting at the table protected by the enclosure.

And of course we drank good coffee or tea.  Our breakfasts have been spectacular.  So nice to have guests who will cook.

August 5, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Wendell Berry.

 I love to find new authors especially when the writers who are wonderful  Wendell Berry is not a young man but he is new to me.  And he is an excellent writer.  My friend Lisa gave me a book, "The Distant Land," which is a book of all his short stories.  I keep the book upstairs and every evening I dive into another story.  Mr. Berry is a poet and also a novelists along with short stories.  He is a wonderful writer and I am thoroughly enjoying his short stories.

I think he is a poet first because he selects his words carefully.   His stories are sparse and tight.  No extra words or actions.  I am enjoying this book.  My problem is actually with the small print.  But I am managing.  I am grateful to Lisa for introducing me to such a fine writer.  

August 4, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Health Update.

Ian is now home after 4 days in the hospital.  His urine showed more blood .  This time they put him to sleep and cauterized the tear.  All is well now but he must take things easy for several weeks.

My glucose levels have come back to normal.  I am not taking chemo so my glucose levels have come down.  I stopped any medication to lower glucose levels and when my numbers were below 150 consistently I stopped taking Metformin all instructions given me by Dr. Gregg.  I an eating a bit of carbs too.  My resting heart rate had dropped to 60 so we went back to half dose of the heart medicine.  Now it is 78 right now.  So I am doing well.

But now for the first time in my life,  one week ago my feet and ankles became swollen. I have increased my walking, increased my intake of water and started elevating my feet several times in the day.  Apparently, something new always pops along.  My friends here think I look much better than I did last October.  So all is well with me, except for my feet and ankles.  This too shall pass.

August 3, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Dinner on the Deck.

 The day was glorious so for the first time this season, we ate dinner outside on the deck.  It was a bit chilly but we donned our fleece vests and jackets and ate our delicious dinner.  Tina cooked pillia.   And it was delicious.  Mussels, shrimp, sausage and chicken over rice.  Wow what a dinner.  And my Maryland friends loved feeling the chilly air in August.

Today was a recovery day for my guests.  Larry sat outside in the sun on the deck in the full sun.  And he still felt cool.  Butch took a nap this afternoon.  They went in town for breakfast then ate outside on the deck for lunch and watched for seals.  Tomorrow morning they will explore a bit in town, but first Larry will cook breakfast for everyone: eggs, sausage and toast.  And of course tea and coffee.  So they are enjoying everything they see in Western Head.  They are surprised and delighted with the beauty of the place.  

But our wonderful dinner on the deck was the hit of the day.  Eventually, the cool evening drove us inside even though the purple  sunset was delightful.  Pretty special evening for sure.

August 2, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Happy Five.

 Together again.  Our Happy Five took the train from Vancouver to Toronto with 6 days stop over in Jasper, Lake Houise and Banff.  We had such a good time together, we decided to take another trip together.  After drinks and wine, we all decided to get together at my place in Nova Scotia.  And now they are here.  Butch was the only one I knew when we took the train trip last September.  We have been friends for over 30 years in the world of real estate.  Along with us was Larry, Butche's brother, his wife Lynn and their daughter Margo.  We had a wonderful time together.

Margo took over all the details of the trip.  When we were checking into a hotel, she got our keys.  And every day she confirmed our times for trips and meals.  So I called her Marvelous Margo.    She works as a personal assistant for two attorneys in Tampa so she issued to details.  And she does all her business on time.  She is an impressive young woman and I was delighted to see her again.  Now they are set up with their rooms here at Western Head.  Margo is in the main house with me.  Larry and Lynn are upstairs in the Guest House and friend Butch is in the workshop bedroom.  They will all feel better tomorrow.  But they are delighted to be here.  And I am too.

August 1, 2023. Western Head, Nova Scotia. New Restaurant.

A new restaurant is opening on Main Street in downtown Liverpool.  People are eagerly waiting.   Rumor has it that the county was difficult for the owners to obtain the permits.  But a chef has been hired and the interior is well under way.  My big question has to do with their choice of a restaurant.  It will be offering Japanese  food.   Now will the local people support Japanese food?  I wonder.

The German restaurant opened in 2016.  I thought for sure it wound not survive.  But it is doing very well.  So obviously, I am not an expert os what restaurants will survive.  But there are lots of people in this area who have retired in the area of German heritage.  There are almost no Japanese families here.  Perhaps it will only stay open during the summer season.  We will soon find out.  I for one will delighted to have a Japanese restaurant in town.   We need new blood in our dining options.  I am waiting to try it out.