July 7, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Family.

Yesterday we had lunch with Christin and the girls at our home. Our time together was exciting because they had been away in Maine for ten days. While they were gone, we felt like we were on an island. But when the family returns, we feel comfortable and at home. The feeling is interesting because we do have other good friends here who I know would help us if needed but there is something about being around the family that gives confidence. One thing that brings pleasure is the activities of the children. They have many and different ideas so when we are together we can pick their brains. They are out in the world while we just observe it from our home by the reservoir. Tomorrow we will see them again for brunch. Kate suggested we return to Cantina Laredo, a new Mexican restaurant in Jackson. We visited it a couple of months ago and now we will return. And we will enjoy it too. The girls and Christina are always ready and excited to go out for lunch with us and for that we are grateful. I feel sure that a time will come when their activities intrude so they will not be able to join us for lunch, but at the moment, we will enjoy their energy and enthusiasm. And we are grateful that they are all willing to join us. There is nothing better than dining with the family.

July 6, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Eye Drops.

The folks controlling the eye drop business are clever. Each little bottle of eye drops has a different color top so when the eye doctor tells you what to do with the drops, he called the drops by name but also by the color of the top. I have been taking eye drops for ten years and am used to the different colors. The system is clever. Whenever I visit an eye doctor, I come home with a sheet of paper telling me instructions for my drops, first the name of the drops followed by the color of the lid and then what eye. The system is clever and works well. Dr.Oh, who performed the last procedure on my right eye, must think I am daft. As you must know, I am often in error but never in doubt. Wednesday was a perfect example. The nurse asked me what drops I was using so I told her I did not recall the name but the bottle had a white top. She asked me if I was certain it was white. "Absolutely," said I. When the doctor came she asked me the same question and I gave her the same answer. Then the doctor asked me if the drops were milky white and I said yes. Then she asked if I was using Durozol and I said I did not think I was. She asked me again if I was using the milky colored drops and I said yes. Then I asked her if I had been using the wrong drops, but she said I was fine. And I came home. When I went into the bathroom I looked at the only bottle I had been using and it had a red top. Now the bottle was white but the top was definitely red. And I laughed. Both the nurse and doctor think I have lost my memory and am daft. Now I know. The eye drops I am using is red. Fortunately the doctor knew about the milky color so she figured it out but was too polite to say anything. I see her in November. I wonder if she will remember? I will certainly ask.

July 5, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. A Pleasant Surprise.

Visiting the Apple store is not pleasant. First off, the place is always crowded. And when you arrive, you are greeting by a person who assigns you to a technician who will help. But first you must wait. When David and Suzanne took some of our things into the Apple store they waited thirty minutes. You can make an appointment on line but it is always for tomorrow or the day after. But I was desperate because my phone refused to take a charge. For two weeks my phone was not behaving. Sometimes it would charge and sometimes not. So I fiddled with it and used different cords. But I knew I was going to be forced to visit the dreaded Apple store. Last evening my phone gave up. This morning I was out of power with no way to get a charge. Kendria will drive me but we do not leave Ken alone so he agreed to come out for lunch, then wait while I tackled the sApple Store. I was expecting to wait so we had decided that Kendria could drive Ken home and come back for me when I called. I walked in and was immediately assigned to a young man. No waiting. I gave him my tale of woe. He checked my phone and told me that something was blocking the connector to the phone. He took a small tool from his pocket and removed lint from my phone. And like magic, the phone charged immediately. I was stunned. Ken and I both thought we would need a new phone. But no. It took five minutes and there was no charge. It was a very pleasant surprise. Today he Apple Store deserve a gold star.

July 4, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. The Celebration.

The fireworks went on and on. The whole thing was beautifully done, with singers doing their patriotic songs with fireworks bursting in the sky, all behind the Washington monument. Both Ken and I enjoyed the whole concert, celebrating the birthday of the country from the Washington Mall. The concert lasts 90 minutes and moves along quickly from one group to the next. And PBS repeats the concert immediately after, just in case you missed the first part. Ken and I and the boys along with my sister Carol and her sons attended the concert at the Mall in 1976. It seemed to be a patriotic thing to do. We enjoyed the concert and the crowds and the fireworks. Everyone was orderly and had fun. But this years concert was better and bigger. And the fireworks topped any other year. I was happy to enjoy the concert in the comfort of our TV room. In our home it was 76 degrees. On the Mall in DC it was still 90. Great music, great wireworks with not a minute of boredom. Ken and I enjoyed the concert from the Mall. And we enjoyed the pictures of the monuments which are beautiful. I enjoyed visiting them all but I am happy to live away from the action. I enjoy the size of Jackson. Hats off to the folks organizing the concert. It was a top drawer production.

July 3, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Our Day Helpers.

April and Kendria help Ken every day. They have done so since we returned from Mexico at the end of March. They have become part of the family. Ken calls them his assistants. April helps with the bird feeders and the electronic stuff. And Kendria thinks of Ken as her grandfather. The other afternoon she cut his toe nails. I did not know she had done it until Ken told me, so I thanked her. Ken has a problem with his toe nails. He can not have a pedicure because his feet keeps jerking and I can not cut them because of my tremor. Poor Ken tries to do it himself. But Kendria came to his rescue. Kendria told me that she never had a grandfather so she treats him as her own, which is very nice. Just yesterday she commented to me that she will be very sad when we go to Nova Scotia. "You are part of my own family now," she said. The reality of our situation is that our day time helpers have very little to do. Ken is confident walking around the house. He dresses himself both morning and evening and he bathes himself. They keep his water bottles full and remind him of his medications. But mostly, Ken is on his own. Tomorrow we will have no helper. We are trying it out to see what we need in Nova Scotia. We know we need help through the week, but we suspect we can function on our own on the weekends. This Saturday we will also be without April or Kendria. Our helpers are quiet so do not intrude on our life. But we prefer being alone. Tomorrow will be the first day thin year that Ken and I have been by ourselves during the day. We are grateful for the help. But we are delighted to be able to be on our own. Progress indeed.

July 2, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Image.

When people think about Mississippi, they think the 60s and the Civil Rights violence. The image of Mississippi has not changed. The reality is very different. The fact that the races get along and actually like each other must be the best kept secret in the nation. People are polite and well educated. And Jackson and the surrounding areas are pleasant places to live. But when you hear people speaking about Mississippi the words you hear are backward, racist and poor. For me, the image is so different to the reality that I wonder what needs to be done to change the image of Mississippi to bring it up to date.. Lots of writers live in Mississippi. And artists and musicians too. Festivals abound. Oxford has more than 40 writers living and writing in Oxford in addition to all the writer who have either moved or died. I can talk about writers with anyone as this society is well read, more than any place I have lived. PBS produces a half hour program each week called Conversations. The host talks with a person who has done something. I try to watch each week as a way to learn more about Mississippi. The guests are all living in Mississippi. The guest last week was a writer who lives in Oxford. He writes plays and books and film scripts. He spoke of the famous people he had written for. But he has always lived in Oxford even though he wrote for producers working in Los Angeles. I forget his name but the conversation was fascinating. The host asked a final question of the writer, saying, "What would you would like to be done in your future?" The answer surprised me. He said that he wished the legislators would spend some money to change the image of Mississippi and to give out the message about Mississippi, describing the pleasures of working and living in Mississippi. I agreed with him. Mississippi has never gotten over the violence of the 60's. It is time to change the image to the reality of the present day.

July 1, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Canada Day.

Happy Canada Day to all Canadians. It is a day to celebrate. I wonder if it is celebrated in Quebec? From time to time I still hear sounds of separation. Nova Scotia at the time of Confederation was not in favor of becoming a part of Canada. Joseph Howe at first supporters the union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. But when he saw the fine print, he was opposed. It was a close call. Tye relationship of Nova Scotia with New England States was much closer than with Ontario and Quebec so many folks wanted to join the US as another state. But when it was put to a vote, the union prevailed probably because the majority of the residents were on the british payroll. Today, many folks have relatives in Connecticut and Mass. Until 1919, people could go and come across the border at will. It is interesting to listen to the old time residents who are still firmly connected to the US, much more so than in Ontario. Over the years, Canada has done many things well, so living there is a pleasure. Now we wish them well in the future. Happy Canada Day Canadians.