June 30, 2015. Western Head, N.S. The Garage.

The floor of the garage was built with heat so when the grandchildren played, they would be comfortable.   Our house has no play room so we wanted the garage to become a play space.  It has worked well.  We have two carpets plus two trunks full of toys ready for the children to play.  In the winter, we store the truck and the deck furniture but when we arrive, I move everything in place.  The problem this year is that I can not do it myself. so Mary and Gill came and helped put the garage into a proper order so it will be useful when the family arrives.

In addition, I asked them to move the trunks and the other objects to be placed so they would not need to move for the winter.  I will not be able to put things back either.   They are willing, efficient workers.  Now the garage is ready for the summer.   Once again, my friends have come to my aid.

I am getting good at asking for help.  When the East Link technician was going upstairs I asked him to carry up a basket full of clean clothes to our bedroom.  He said he was pleased to help.   And on several occasions I have asked total strangers the use of their arm to help me.  Now I keep my walker in the truck.  I guess my Salvation Army background has given me the ability to ask for help.   I have noticed that folks are very helpful, fortunately for me.  Now the garage is ready for the season, thanks to my friends Mary and Gill.

June 29, 2015. Western Head, N.S. East Link.

This afternoon, East Link came to fix our TV.   When we arrived on Thursday, at least 12 channels were not working but it took until Saturday evening that I called the company.   Their plan was to have the technician arrive on Monday afternoon.  Of  course, I could not watch the Canadian football game so was irritated, but I was polite.    The technician arrived at 5:30 and not only could he not fix the TV, but in trying to make the repair he disabled the Internet line.   He promised us he would come tomorrow at noon.  

Tonight we are having dinner at Gill's beautiful home, so I have borrowed her Internet service.  The view from her home is spectacular.   The waves crash  on the rocks right in front of her house.  She has the best view of all of our homes.  And she made some renovations in her home, moving a powder room and enlarging her bedroom so I was happy to see the finished product.    The MacDonalds and the Mitchells are here for dinner too.   This is the first of the many meals we will share this summer.   We are all delighted to be together again.   And I am especially delighted to be borrowing Gill's Internet.

June 28, 2015. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Fierce Weather.

Today, you could not possibly ignore the weather here at Western Head.  The waves are large and noisy and the rain is pounding on the windows, reminding us that we live  beside the bold Atlantic Ocean.   The day started innocently enough but things deteriorated.  First a light sprinkle of rain which increased in insensitivity all afternoon.  By the time we came upstairs to our bedroom, the scene out to sea was spectacular and we were pleased to be home in our cosy little nest.

Our attitude to weather is to ignore it and wear enough clothes to be comfortable, but the temperature had fallen through the day and our bedroom was chilly so I climbed into bed to get warm.   It was 8:30.  Ken turned up the thermostat so eventually the room was warm enough for me to get out of bed.   Our life these days is odd but comfortable.   I am prone to take a 30 minute nap before lunch and we retreat to our bedroom at 8:00 to read and answer e mails even though we retire to bed late.  Ken often takes a 15 minute nap right when we come upstairs, then reads late into the night.  There are advantages in being old.

The sounds of the waves are best heard from our bedroom.  The crashing of the waves make us pleased to be here in Nova Scotia at our house by the sea even when the weather is fierce.

June 27, 2015. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Privateers Weekend.

We missed the parade this morning.  Our Mersey Band marched but we were not there to cheer them on, which will be our story for the rest of the weekend.  Too many people and too far to walk for us to attend.   The event celebrates the history of Liverpool as an active place for Privateers, even though many young folks do not know what a Privateer was all about.   The first weekend we were ever in Liverpool we asked the waitress at Lanes Privateer Inn what the term Privateer meant and she did not know, but after asking in the kitchen, she sent us to the lighthouse just down the road, where they told us all about those old Privateers.   Interesting history and well worth learning

The weekend is packed full of activities for the old and the young.   They have Dory races and encampments supposed to look like the 18th Century, and rubber duck races too. The music tent will be active all day and all evening.   It is good fun.  Maybe next year we will be able to join in the festivities but this year we will cheer from our spot on the shore.  Today, the shore was again beautiful.  The sky was blue and the sun was bright and of course with always a good steady breeze.  Nice place to spend the day.

June 26, 2015. Western Head, Nova Scotia. The Hot Tub.

Finally we have a new hot tub in Nova Scotia.   Magic occurred this evening before dinner when, in the broad daylight,  Ken and I shed our clothes and wore our heavy robes to try out our new acquisition.  Our old hot tub was leaking and two jets refused to work so we decided to have it removed and do without a hot tub in Nova Scotia.  I thought we were both too unstable to get in and out of the tub safely.  And we both decided that the new tubs were too expensive.

Robert found us a good refurbished hot tub so Ken decided to proceed with the installation.   In our absence, the old tub was removed, the new tub installed and new decking build around the new smaller tub.  In addition, George installed a railing for ease of access.  Ken thought we should try the new system at least once in the day light, so after the exterminator man left, we figured we would be safe to go to the hot tub without anyone coming to visit.

All went well.  We could both get in and out of the tub without difficulty.  The water was hot.  The air was warm.  The sun was setting.  The magic of the hot tub in Western Head has returned.

June 25, 2015. Western Head, Nova Scotia, Canada. Home Again.

Today, everything was perfect.  Every time we arrive, we had forgotten how beautiful this place really is.  The weather was spectacular.  The sky was blue.  The sun was shining.  The breeze was constant.  The drive from the airport was beautiful.   And everything at the house was working.  Mary McD. had filled the fridge and freezer.  The Internet was working as was the television.  When we left in the Fall, our painter refinished the dining table and buffet and it looks great.  And our friend Mary M. left dinner for us: stew, salad, fresh bread and home made brownies.   Our welcome home was  royal.   Ken and I are delighted to be here.  This is a lovely spot.

June 24, 2015. Newark, N.J. Step One.

Stage one of our journey is complete.  And it was a success.   Our flight from San Antonio was uneventful.  Everyone we dealt with treated us well.  I am amazed how kind people are.  We get lugged around the airports in wheelchairs and are treated with great courtesy and not like the nuisance that we really are.  Ken booked us into business class so we were well fed but by the end of the three and a half hour flight, we were ready to lie flat on the bed in our comfortable hotel.

Today, everything ran perfectly.  The folks took us in wheel chairs to the place we were to wait for the shuttle to the Marriott.  We waited for two minutes.  Our room is lovely.    Ken booked us into the concierge level and when we went for a snack we discovered they served a whole small meal, so we had no need for room service dinner.  A wheelchair was available for Ken in the hotel and I even brought a yogurt container back with me from our dinner time to eat with my Ibrance.  It is not often when everything you plan  works perfectly.  Today was one of those days.  We are grateful.