June 8, 2017. Harper, Texas. La Quinta.

Ken and I were expecting a step up in accomadations when we checked into Ta Quinta in Fredericksburg.  Last year after staying at our favorite motel in Fredericksburg, Ken thought our room was musty.  I suggested we explore other moderately prices places, so he did.  Much to his surprise, La Quinta was top rated.  This last Tuesday is the first experience and it was disappointing.  When I first booked the room, I noted that it was more expensive than the last two motels so our expectations were even higher.  More money should equate with bigger room and/or better service.  Much to our surprise, there was neither.

I kept looking at the room and trying to figure out what was the matter.  Perhaps my expectations were too high because my complaints were small, but those complaints were irritating.  1. There were not enough outlets with none by the beds.  They had added outlets on the front of the desk but on the front where you could barely see them.  2. There was no table beside the only comfortable chair. so no place for a glass of water or the phone.  3. The only place to watch TV was in bed.  It was impossible to watch TV from the only comfortable chair.  4. The bathroom was large, but with a tiny vanity around the sink with not enough space for both of our stuff.  4. The breakfast room was too small.  Many people were forced to take food back to their room.

The staff was pleasant and the room was clean.  But we will not be returning to La Quinta any time soon.

June 7, 2017. Harper, Texas. A Two Dessert Day.

Yesterday Ken and I had our own little food festival.  We arrived in Fredericksburg with enough time to have lunch before my 1:00 appointment.  Seeing Dr. Cohn means lots of waiting.  We drove along the back road and when driving north on Highway 16, I noticed a new restaurant, just as we were discussing where to have lunch.  This restaurant had once been a hamburger place but a year ago, it closed..  I noticed the new name so we went in, only to discover the wonderful smell of Italian cooking.  The food was delicious.  Both of us ate our whole lunch.  And we ordered dessert without even sharing.  Bella Sera is the name.  Definitely worth another visit.

We were late deciding where to eat for dinner.  Ken looked up restaurants and decided on The Old Mill, a place we have not been for years.  By the time we arrived it was 8:00 but still bright day light.  Their food was excellent.  We both ate an appetizer, main course and dessert.  Their food is excellent but the best was the butternut squash soup.  By the time we left it was pitch dark.  Ken does not drive at night.  Half way home he reminded us both why he does not drive at hight.  Not a good experience.

We ate at two fine eateries yesterday.  It was a bonanza of dining.  Two desserts in one day!!  What a treat.

June 6, 2017. Fredericksburg, Texas. www.mikedail.com

We are in uncharted territory.  Our broker for the sale of the ranch does not use multiple list.  Instead, he is affiliated with several other Texas organizations specializing in the sale of ranch and country property.  So anyone can find the information about our ranch  at his web site or on www.landsoftexas.com.  I am told that ranches for sale get lost in the multiple listing services so the brokers who sell only ranch and country property do not multiple list.  Mike Dail has been in the business for ages so I guess his system is working.  We will see.  Today the information was posted on his site and tomorrow we have two showings set for late afternoon, so something is working.

Today I had an appointment with Dr. Cone, my Ophthalmologist in Fredericksburg.   For the first time, he was happy with my vision.  Usually he is full of doom and gloom about my eyes.  Last time I saw him in the Fall he said I was a week or so away from going blind.  But now I can see well.  He was smiling that he was able to spur me into activity and surgery.  He has dismissed me too.  From now on, I will be followed by the glaucoma specialist and surgeon, Dr. Flynn.   Even though I have no peripheral vision, I can see well straight ahead.  He gave me a high five!!

June 5, 2017. Harper, Texas. The Top House.

The Top House is everything one would want in a retreat in the country.  The ranch house is sturdy and functional but right from the start we knew we would need to build a new home for ourselves on top of the hill.  The ranch house has no view from inside the house but from the Top House we can see in every direction.

We had the house designed in the german tradition of the Hill Country, where there are porches on each floor.  In addition we put porches on the front and back.  The views go on forever.  The house is small and selfish, with one bedroom and one full bath on the second floor.  The first floor has a half bath.  The dimension is 24x32 so is large enough but not too big.  The first floor is one room with everything together.

We thought that the Top House would be the last house we would furnish and our main expenses in life were over.  Both boys had finished graduate school.  We selected furniture by what we wanted not because we were operating on a limited budget as we have done in Nova Scotia and the lake and in our first homes, so the furniture here is elegant but sparse.  And the art is beautiful.  Over Ken's desk is a painting of boys playing hockey on an outside rink, just as he had done all his boyhood.

We will be sorry to leave this house but there is a time to buy and a time to sell.  This is that time.  We purchased the ranch in 2001.  Now we do not know how long this ranch will take to sell but while we are here, we are enjoying ourselves.  We love this little Top House.  It is a beautiful place to live.

June 4, 2017. Harper, Texas. Brunch.

We had been there before.  When we arrived with Joyce and Robbie I realized how much I had forgotten.   Kerrville is a small city but the golf and country club was as beautiful as any club in any city in North America.   The dining room is large and gracious, overlooking a putting green.  The service was excellent, in true Texas style.  And the food was superb.  Both Ken and I ate roast beef.  Today we ate three courses.  Ken has lost 20 pounds this last year.  Todays meal will set him back to gain some pounds which is a good thing.

The whole property was once owned by the Shriner Family.  The spelling may be wrong.  At one time, the husband was in the oil business, plus several other businesses and he owned a large department store in town.  He donated lots of money to found the University named after him, and of course he owned a big ranch in Texas, the YO Ranch.   The dining room and club house were once their home.  At some point, he donated the land and mansion to develop a golf club.  The surrounding land became a subdivision.  Nice to be rich and to do good things.  

We enjoyed our excursion to Kerrville  with Joyce and Robbie.  Robbie drove.  It is definitely a blessing to have generous friends who take us out for lunch.  You can't beat good food and good friends.  Great combination.

June 3, 2017. Harper, Texas. Steve.

Every time we come home to the ranch another light has burned out.  The cleaning service leaves lights on in rooms you never notice, such as the front closet, and now this year the light in the shower was out.  Showering in the almost dark is not easy. The first task Mal does after arriving in Nova Scotia, is to replace every burned out light bulb.  You have no idea how helpful that is.  But Mal is not here.

Steve looks after our cattle.  He works for the County roads department but also works for lots of other people too.  He is competent and pleasant and always polite.  He has the look of a Texas cowboy. Because he works outside he is deeply tanned.  And I have never seen him without a can of beer.  After we arrived on Wednesday, Steve came by the Top House to say hello.   We chatted a bit about the 4 calves.  When he was leaving, he said to be sure to call him if we needed any help.  This afternoon I texted him to see if he could replace some bulbs.  He came within 30 minutes.  It took him 10 minutes to replace 6 bulbs.   Shortly after he left, I showered in the light.  Thank heavens for Steve.

June 2, 2017. Harper, Texas. Our Homes.

Today we listed our ranch for sale.  I was reminded of our first home in Toronto in 1958, which we rented for $70. a month.  We rented from Bernie and Kitty Grey, who owned the Hardware store,  directly below us.  They attended the East Toronto Salvation Army Corps and they rented to us at a discount, just because they were nice.   The original plan was for me to help in the store for two hours a day, but I was teaching and was unable to comply but they did not change our rent.  In fact they never raised the rent for the 5 years we lived there.  Kitty and I exchange e mails regularly and we are still good friends.

Ken and I enjoyed living in that apartment.  The ceilings were high and the windows were huge.  My Aunt Margaret gave us old heavy long drapes which worked perfectly.  Years later when returning to Toronto we drove past our old apartment on Bleeeker Street and found the same drapes on the window but with new tenants.  People living in our neighborhood were students, prostitutes and bums.  But it was safe.  Anytime we had anything to discard was merely left outside the door on the sidewalk.  It was gone by morning.    That apartment was convenient and affordable but it was a far cry from living in our Top House in Texas at the ranch.  But it got us started and was our home number one.  We lived there through difficult times but our five years there became the foundation of love and hard work that has served us well.   Now hats of to Bernie and Kitty.