Monday, July 13, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
July 11, 2009. Western Head, N.S. Shore Drive.
It is a favorite drive for me, the drive along the shore from Liverpool to Bridgewater. This morning, for the third day in a row, the day was glorious, so Ken and I decided to drive along the shore to see what had changed since last year. We drive through Beach Meadows and Port Medway, Eagle Head, Voglers Cove, Broad Cove, Cherry Hill, Petite Reverie and finally Brigewater. It is a lovely drive. Sometimes we take the ferry across the river and then on to Lunenburg, but today our plan was to be home by early afternoon, as Ken had more gardening to be done. Actually, he worked all day yesterday so I felt that he needed a break from working, so this morning we planned a trip.
One of the best parts of the drive is stopping to chat with people we know. Brian and Cathy have just built themselves a new home in Eagle Harbor, and they asked us to stop by to see their home, so we did. Brian built the Ely's house and is an excellent builder so we wanted to see what they have done. It is beautiful, much smaller than their last home, but very lovely. The best part was that Cathy has lost about thirty pounds and is exercising regularly, so she looks spectacular. Next stop was lunch at Broad Cove. Three years ago two ladies opened a lunch spot and we were delighted to know they are still in business. They open from Memorial day to Columbus Day and are open for lunch only except for Pasta Night on Tuesday and A Three Course Dinner Night on Friday. You just eat what-ever they cook that day. They are doing well and were delighted to see us back this year. The Joy of Antiques has been in business since before we moved here. Tom and Don restore old furniture and are open about six months of the year. We have purchased many pieces from them and we know them well. Of course, we bought a painting, also some day lilies. Don is a world renowned day lily expert so Ken wanted some of his lilies for the garden here.
One of the pleasures of the drive is the obvious pride the good folks show in their homes. The homes are beautifully maintained and the properties ablaze with flowers. Of course, with the sun shining and the water sparkling, everything looks gorgeous. Even the clothes drying on the clothes lines looks charming. It's worth the drive.
One of the best parts of the drive is stopping to chat with people we know. Brian and Cathy have just built themselves a new home in Eagle Harbor, and they asked us to stop by to see their home, so we did. Brian built the Ely's house and is an excellent builder so we wanted to see what they have done. It is beautiful, much smaller than their last home, but very lovely. The best part was that Cathy has lost about thirty pounds and is exercising regularly, so she looks spectacular. Next stop was lunch at Broad Cove. Three years ago two ladies opened a lunch spot and we were delighted to know they are still in business. They open from Memorial day to Columbus Day and are open for lunch only except for Pasta Night on Tuesday and A Three Course Dinner Night on Friday. You just eat what-ever they cook that day. They are doing well and were delighted to see us back this year. The Joy of Antiques has been in business since before we moved here. Tom and Don restore old furniture and are open about six months of the year. We have purchased many pieces from them and we know them well. Of course, we bought a painting, also some day lilies. Don is a world renowned day lily expert so Ken wanted some of his lilies for the garden here.
One of the pleasures of the drive is the obvious pride the good folks show in their homes. The homes are beautifully maintained and the properties ablaze with flowers. Of course, with the sun shining and the water sparkling, everything looks gorgeous. Even the clothes drying on the clothes lines looks charming. It's worth the drive.
Friday, July 10, 2009
July 10, 2009. Western Head, N.S. Grandchildren.
Last evening I spoke with both Samantha and Allison on the telephone. They were at the lake, after spending the day at The Children's Museum in San Antonio. They were excited and chattered away about their summer and their activities. Right now they are enjoying being the only children at home, as Sarah and Abigail are at sleep-away camp. One of the charms of being a grandmother is that I can join in with their enthusiasms but do not need to either organize the activities nor worry about their response. Suzanne must set the plan in motion, then monitor to be sure this event is valuable for the child. I just talk and encourage and complement. And their enthusiasm is contagious. Those two little girls are very energetic and enthusiastic about everything they do. Their whole life is exciting. And of course it is, because almost everything is new to them. Two new tubes were purchased this year, and Allison told me how much better the new tube is over the old one. I did not say anything, but I wondered why a new tube could really be better than the old one, but she was clearly thrilled with the new ones. It is my guess that they will carry their enthusiasm and joy into all their tasks for the rest of their life. I certainly hope so, because it is an endearing quality.
Samantha and Allison are identical twins. They are seven years old. In identical bathing suits with hair soaking wet, they look absolutely identical, until they speak, then you know that Allison's voice is a bit lower than Samantha. And their personalities are different too. Now, they almost never wear the same clothes, and their hair styles are different. Once you know them apart, you can tell who is who. Suzanne has always been able to tell them apart, and so have I, but every so often you can get fooled. One day at school I was waiting for Suzanne, along with the twins and Sarah and a friend. The friend commented to Sarah that the twins do not seem identical. Sarah asked back to her friend "Which twin is Allison?', and of course, the friend had no idea. Both Allison and Samantha are good about correcting people when they are called the wrong name. They are polite, but I have heard them say many times "Actually, I am Allison." In the Fall, for the first time ever, the girls will be in different classes at school. Betty at work was a twin, and she told me that when she was separated from her twin at school, she cried every day all day for a week, and so did her twin. Then they decided to get over it and they never cried again. Allison and Samantha are ready to be in different classes I think, at least they cheerfully tell me all about it. The reason for the different classes is that Allison prompts Samantha with the answer, or she will answer for Samantha, so the teacher thought that Allison knew more than Samantha. But the standardized test were taken this Spring, and much to every ones surprise Allison and Samantha had identical scores and had identical tests. They sat a long way away from each other too . So I guess we should stop being surprised, because they are identical!! What we do know now is that Allison is quicker on the uptake. These grandchildren provide me a whole host of blessings and will for the rest of my life.
Samantha and Allison are identical twins. They are seven years old. In identical bathing suits with hair soaking wet, they look absolutely identical, until they speak, then you know that Allison's voice is a bit lower than Samantha. And their personalities are different too. Now, they almost never wear the same clothes, and their hair styles are different. Once you know them apart, you can tell who is who. Suzanne has always been able to tell them apart, and so have I, but every so often you can get fooled. One day at school I was waiting for Suzanne, along with the twins and Sarah and a friend. The friend commented to Sarah that the twins do not seem identical. Sarah asked back to her friend "Which twin is Allison?', and of course, the friend had no idea. Both Allison and Samantha are good about correcting people when they are called the wrong name. They are polite, but I have heard them say many times "Actually, I am Allison." In the Fall, for the first time ever, the girls will be in different classes at school. Betty at work was a twin, and she told me that when she was separated from her twin at school, she cried every day all day for a week, and so did her twin. Then they decided to get over it and they never cried again. Allison and Samantha are ready to be in different classes I think, at least they cheerfully tell me all about it. The reason for the different classes is that Allison prompts Samantha with the answer, or she will answer for Samantha, so the teacher thought that Allison knew more than Samantha. But the standardized test were taken this Spring, and much to every ones surprise Allison and Samantha had identical scores and had identical tests. They sat a long way away from each other too . So I guess we should stop being surprised, because they are identical!! What we do know now is that Allison is quicker on the uptake. These grandchildren provide me a whole host of blessings and will for the rest of my life.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
July 9, 2009. Western Head, N.S. Seventy and Sunny.
You can't beat it. All day long, not a cloud in the sky, the sun shining, and the breeze just a light wind in your hair. This is the kind of day you love. The breeze always has a bit of cooling in the air, so even when walking in the full sun, you always feel comfortable. In fact, this is the kind of day you could get a sun burn, because you always feel comfortable, but at the end of the day, your face is burned. I spoke with Suzanne tonight, also Samantha and Allison. They are at the lake for July, with Sarah and Abigail at sleep over camp for one week at the T Bar Tennis camp. Next week Samantha and Allison attend day camp at the same facility. They love the time for themselves with Suzanne. Today they went to the Children's Museum, and tomorrow they are having a day in the boat. David commutes to work for July. The temperature in Texas today was 105 degrees in the shade, and the lake is very low, due to the lack of rain. In fact, the lake is at it's lowest level since the damn was built and the water started to fill up. I am happy to be here, where we are sunny and seventy.
Today, our intention was to drive to the lake to check the marine battery number needed for the boat, then go and send off our package via courier for our purchase in Mississippi. In addition, the truck was full of food and supplies and furniture for the cottage. After we unloaded the truck, I organized the stuff while Ken was checking the battery. As we were leaving, taking the short cut to Bridgewater, we realized that we had forgotten the package of signed papers, so back home we went to retrieve it, before driving to Bridgewater and the courier service. Now it has gone and I hope it arrives on time. Stupidity in action, that was what we were today. The best part of the day was lunch at the Swiss Chalet, a reminder of our youth in Toronto. Ken tried to wire money for the settlement, only to be unsuccessful, so he sent funds electronically with a cheque. They will never accept this at the settlement office, so it is my guess the settlement must be delayed, which will make everyone angry. My goodness, this is difficult.
Today, our intention was to drive to the lake to check the marine battery number needed for the boat, then go and send off our package via courier for our purchase in Mississippi. In addition, the truck was full of food and supplies and furniture for the cottage. After we unloaded the truck, I organized the stuff while Ken was checking the battery. As we were leaving, taking the short cut to Bridgewater, we realized that we had forgotten the package of signed papers, so back home we went to retrieve it, before driving to Bridgewater and the courier service. Now it has gone and I hope it arrives on time. Stupidity in action, that was what we were today. The best part of the day was lunch at the Swiss Chalet, a reminder of our youth in Toronto. Ken tried to wire money for the settlement, only to be unsuccessful, so he sent funds electronically with a cheque. They will never accept this at the settlement office, so it is my guess the settlement must be delayed, which will make everyone angry. My goodness, this is difficult.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
July 8, 2009. Western Head, N.S. Documents.
I was the only one laughing, but the scene seemed to me hilarious, so I started to laugh out loud. No one else saw the humor so no one laughed, except me, and I was convulsed with laughter. Not even Ken laughed. This was the scene taking place in an office of an attorney in Liverpool. In this small office were five people: one lawyer, two administrative ladies and Ken and me. We were there to sign and have notarized lots of papers. We are purchasing a condo in Jackson but we will not be able to attend settlement, so we asked for Christina have power of attorney for us. The mortgage company insists on original signatures on the loan documents, so today at noon, they e mailed all the documents, which consisted of 74 pages to sign and initial. 11 must be notarized. Now in Canada, this is not as easy as in the U.S. Only lawyers can be notaries, so we had to find an attorney in town and get the papers completed. It took two competent ladies and one attorney to figure out the papers. I thought it was ridiculous, so I started laughing. But I soon straightened up and got serious and we did complete the signing. It took us two hours.
Getting these papers to us here has not been easy. I started asking three weeks ago, after the loan was approved, but as most mortgage companies work only to the deadlines of tomorrow, it took Susan, our agent in Jackson to explain to them that over night courier service does not work from Nova Scotia. On Monday they promised them to us on Tuesday morning, then perhaps first thing Wednesday. Finally they arrived at two o'clock, just in time to get the papers signed and notarized and drive to the courier service in Bridgewater. They pick up until one o'clock here in Liverpool, but we missed that deadline. By three o'clock it was clear to me we would not meet the four o'clock deadline in Bridgewater. So now our plan is to drive the package to the courier service first thing in the morning, and hope it arrives in time for the settlement on the fifteenth. Nothing is easy here. Everything takes four times the time it does at home. But for the life of me, I do not know why it takes four days or more to deliver an over-night package. It is a mystery.
Another mystery is that the attorney we met today was not the person I thought he was. I thought the attorney was the head of the firm, but it turns out that he is a new partner and I don't even know his name. Now I am wondering if I called him Mr Conrad during this whole ordeal. I'll never know.
Getting these papers to us here has not been easy. I started asking three weeks ago, after the loan was approved, but as most mortgage companies work only to the deadlines of tomorrow, it took Susan, our agent in Jackson to explain to them that over night courier service does not work from Nova Scotia. On Monday they promised them to us on Tuesday morning, then perhaps first thing Wednesday. Finally they arrived at two o'clock, just in time to get the papers signed and notarized and drive to the courier service in Bridgewater. They pick up until one o'clock here in Liverpool, but we missed that deadline. By three o'clock it was clear to me we would not meet the four o'clock deadline in Bridgewater. So now our plan is to drive the package to the courier service first thing in the morning, and hope it arrives in time for the settlement on the fifteenth. Nothing is easy here. Everything takes four times the time it does at home. But for the life of me, I do not know why it takes four days or more to deliver an over-night package. It is a mystery.
Another mystery is that the attorney we met today was not the person I thought he was. I thought the attorney was the head of the firm, but it turns out that he is a new partner and I don't even know his name. Now I am wondering if I called him Mr Conrad during this whole ordeal. I'll never know.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 7, 2009. Western Head, N.S. The Quarterdeck.
My friend Eleanor and her cousin Stephanie have been staying in the Carriage House for ten days, but tomorrow they must return home, Eleanor to Bethesda and Stephanie to Miami. Their rental car has served them well. They spent four days in Cape Breton driving around the Cabot Trail and another day to Brier Island to go whale watching. They visited beaches and museums and galleries and did not notice, much, that the sun was not shining all the time. For Stephanie, this a first visit to Canada. Last night they took us for dinner. Eleanor has been to Nova Scotia many times, and she likes the quarterdeck as does the both of us, so by seven 0'clock, we were sitting on the porch of the Quarterdeck which is right over the water, sipping our drinks and enjoying the sounds of the sea. The food was excellent and has gotten better every year. Stephanie ordered scallops. Actually, it was pointed out by Eleanor that Stephanie has eaten scallops ten times this trip. Stephanie retorted that it was only seven times that she ordered Digby scallops in Nova Scotia and she wished she had ordered them every time. The scallops are big and juicy and sweet, so definitely worth ordering for either lunch or dinner. Tonight is their last evening here and to celebrate they are going down to Charlotte Lane in Shelburne, my favorite restaurant in Nova Scotia.
On the way home from the Quarterdeck, I asked if they would like to stop to meet our artist friend Bernie, as he makes wonderful crafts as well as paintings. In addition, he is quite eccentric. As we were driving through his little town of Hunt's Point, they decided to stop for a visit, even though it was past nine thirty. I knocked on the door and he greeted us with open arms, and proceeded to give us a full tour of his whole house and crafts and paintings. Bt ten-thirty we were weary, so we begged off seeing all the paintings, although he did give me a set of prints of his sketches from Nova Scotia and I bought a big crow, which I love and now is hanging in a guest room. We all four enjoyed the tour, and when we left, Stephanie gave Bernie a used pizza box she found in her trunk. Bernie recycles everything he can get his hands on, so he was delighted to acquire this thick box to be used as some future work of art.
The whole evening was a great success, both the dinner and the tour. Ken and I have enjoyed these ladies visiting to Nova Scotia. This modern world is odd. Stephanie had a degree in business who has been a teacher for years and now runs the athletic program at a High School. I have a degree in Physical Education who has been in business for over thirty years. It is a weird and wonderful world.
On the way home from the Quarterdeck, I asked if they would like to stop to meet our artist friend Bernie, as he makes wonderful crafts as well as paintings. In addition, he is quite eccentric. As we were driving through his little town of Hunt's Point, they decided to stop for a visit, even though it was past nine thirty. I knocked on the door and he greeted us with open arms, and proceeded to give us a full tour of his whole house and crafts and paintings. Bt ten-thirty we were weary, so we begged off seeing all the paintings, although he did give me a set of prints of his sketches from Nova Scotia and I bought a big crow, which I love and now is hanging in a guest room. We all four enjoyed the tour, and when we left, Stephanie gave Bernie a used pizza box she found in her trunk. Bernie recycles everything he can get his hands on, so he was delighted to acquire this thick box to be used as some future work of art.
The whole evening was a great success, both the dinner and the tour. Ken and I have enjoyed these ladies visiting to Nova Scotia. This modern world is odd. Stephanie had a degree in business who has been a teacher for years and now runs the athletic program at a High School. I have a degree in Physical Education who has been in business for over thirty years. It is a weird and wonderful world.
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