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Hello, Elle!
I suppose the Masonic link makes sense?
They do have various rituals, I believe.
I have a great pic of Miss O "kissing" a dolphin.
And one of her in a diving suit and helmet looking for sea urchins.
It appears to be a great place to holiday.
That is good about the puppy.
And good to hear your grandson had a good time.
Where has your cousin gone to?

Hi, Rusty!
I am in danger of losing track of who is related to whom - and how and why, in "Centennial".
I am amazed that you remember the plot so well, as it is some time since you read it.
I think I should have been drawing the equivalent to a "family tree" as I've gone along!
Levi and his family seem to be a dominant thread throughout.
I can see romance ahead for Levi's daughter and Jim Lloyd?
I cannot remember where my cousin said she was going.
Just that she wouldn't be home until late!
How much longer will Miss O be away?

Hello, Elle.
Centennial was one of his better books, so I remember these better.
I remember Chesapeake and Alaska quite well, too, and Poland.
You will soon be coming to a part about irrigation and aquifers which I found very interesting.
Jim Lloyd is a major character in the book.
Clemma is a heartbreaker!
There are many more characters to come!
Finlay Perkin is a favourite of mine. A canny Scot!
I am not sure about Miss O.
Probably another few days left.

Good morning, Rusty!
A dull day as yet.
I had a good walk this morning, brisk and energising.
Just made a coffee and am settling down at the computer for half an hour.
What is your day like?
What are you up to?

Good morning, Elle!
Fine day here but cool.
No real plans today.
I was out earlier and shall head out later for a walk.
One of my heroes has died.
Arnold Palmer, the American golfer.
Time I had a coffee and an oatcake, too!

My plans for today got scuppered, so I am sorting decades-worth of family history papers.
I came across this gravestone inscription in my notebook and thought you might be interested, rusty, since it refers to your neck of the woods (I think)

Newcastle, Westgate Cemetery

The grave of Corsair infant son of Shon-ta-Yiga and Okee-we-Me, Native American Indians of the IOWAY tribe who died at Dundee 8th of the 2nd month 1845 aged 8 months

In 1844 several members of this tribe crossed the Atlantic in the "Corsair" to demonstrate their "war dances and savage songs" in the UK, at the behest of P.T.Barnum. The baby was born during the voyage. On tour in Newcastle they were befriended by some Quakers (who wanted to convert them). After the little boy died in Dundee, they took his body the 200 miles to Newcastle for burial- why, nobody knows unless it was to be on top of a hill. At the time Quakers hardly marked graves, let alone had long inscriptions on tombstones.
Okee-we-Me died soon after.

Hi, Rusty!
I definitely think that Autumn is setting in......the mornings are so dark when I get up!
I don't mind the darker evenings, but I do HATE these dark mornings.
Roll on the end of October, when the clocks change!
I was sorry to hear about Arnold Palmer's dying.
I do not watch golf, but even I remember "Arnie".
What would he have been.......ninety?
My "free" week is gradually filling up.......!
I like being busy though........
A crossword clue for you ....nothing strange or startling about it.....
I just liked it!
From the Times QC........
2D: Philosopher bumped into a medical practitioner (13)



Hello, Ros!
That is an interesting titbit of information you found among your family papers!
How does it tie into your family history?

Hi elle
It doesn't! But going through parish registers, cemetery records etc in the days before computers, I wrote down things that interested me as well as material that might, or might not, be relevant. I have shelf yards of notebooks which I am now sorting by cutting out pages and assigning them to their proper family files. Boring but may turn up something new!

Hello, Rosalind!
I have no knowledge of this little boy.
But, Dundee is built on an extinct volcano and is a very hilly city. We have one graveyard built on top of a hill, but I do not know if it was open in 1845.
So, I would have thought it would be doubtful if the reason he was buried in Newcastle was because of a hill?
Dundee and its hinterland are very hilly.
Could it be that the baby should be buried in England, rather than Scotland, for whatever reason, with Newcastle being not too far over the border?

Hello, Elle!
I have no idea of the answer to your puzzle!
Yes, Autumn is very nigh!
Arnold was 87.
He has not looked well for some time.
He was "Mr Palmer" to all the younger golfers on the PGA Tour.
I liked that!
What is "unfreeing" your week?
I bought a pair of trail shoes two years ago and have never worn them.
Today I am going to try them out.
I shall head up to the nature trail and see how they are!