New Haven, Connecticut

Hi Everyone - it has been sometime since I have had internet access so here is a quick update!

From Saint John, we went to Augusta, Maine where we camped overnight, then onto Portland, Maine the next day where we walked Old Port. Quaint city, we saw where the fast cat ferry from Yarmouth docks.
From Portland, onto outside of Boston where we stayed at a KOA Cape Cod, about an hour away. We did a trolley tour of Boston on Sunday and then Plymouth, where the Pilgrims landed.
I will update more later, as Damian needs the laptop.
We are now in Connecticut, New Haven and off to New York tomorrow.
Bye for now.

Nova Scotia...South Shore - Lighthouse Route

Hi - no we did not stop in Peggy's Cove to see the most photographed lighthouse in the world. Although I would highly recommend this tourist favourite, the boys have already seen it and I have been there many times, so we skipped it this time.

Thursday - Out of Yarmouth we headed toward Barrington and took the scenic route through Pubnico (Acadian area, French)and Wood's Harbour, where Colin is from. It is a series of villages along the water and commercial fishing plants. Seems quite prosperous. We continued to Barrington Passage where we stopped for lunch. I reminded Todd that years ago he went to the McDonald's across the street where he had a lobster roll, as local McDonald's made them and most locals do not eat them.

From there we stopped in Clyde River, where the house my parents lived in and before that my great grandparents lived in it, is. It is empty now after it was renovated into a bed & breakfast after my parents sold it and built a new house on the river. It was a hotel in the 1920's & 30's and when we were back at my parents we took a look through the guest registry. I still remember names and dates inside the closet door of my room. My window also looked out over the church next door and the old graveyard, perfect for Hallowe'en, but a little spooky when the fog rolled out! Little has changed in Clyde River, from there we took the Port Clyde road as I wanted to see Roseway beach, which is gorgeous (&cold).

We headed into Shelburne where you know you are old when the high school you graduated from has been torn down and a new one built in a different location. I love the quaint waterfront. I worked at the tourist bureau for two summers after high school - and the highlight was when Princess Diana and Prince Charles came to town for the 200th anniversary if Shelburne. I was about 3ft from her and I remember how beautiful she was. We learned they just finished shooting Moby Dick in town.

We moved onto Lunenburg in search of the Bluenose II which the highway sign said was in port. We ate dinner right on the water and I think I has the best fresh haddock I have ever had. I but haddock in BC, but it is frozen and not the same. My favourite cold water ocean fish, done in an ale batter, mmm!

Drove through Mahone Bay, it was dark by then and we got back to my parents about 9:30pm.

There are lots of waterfront homes for sale and of course we stopped and checked out a few of them, mostly cottage material or tear downs. Great for retirement, someday, right now we have enough projects on the go! Friday we went to Pier 21, in Halifax, where over 1 million immigrants came to this great country, and many soldiers left to fight in the wars. You get a passport and see first hand what it was like to arrive in a new country - interestingly most were told not to stay in Nova Scotia as there was nothing but rocks, most moved on to the Prairies.

Nova Scotia...not much has changed

Last time I updated I stopped at Sunday. Here is my attempt to catch up! (In the picture - left to right - Lexie, Damian, Dillon, Alexander, Spencer, and Jadyn. Only grandchild for my parents missing is Nicole, the oldest.)

Picture on the left is me with my grandmother, Betty and her husband Arthur.

Monday - We went to Sabrina and Colin's house and my brother Chris, wife Heidi and sons Spencer and Alexander came over as well. Colin had the BBQ going and we ate and had a great time. The cousins all spent time outside playing in the yard. It is amazing how much the boys have grown since we saw them two years ago.

Sabrina made a pumpkin cheesecake - very good! The boys and men all were in the backyard shooting the gun - a pellet rifle to be precise. They were shooting targets - cans, pop cans, styrofoamcups, sticks, the air in Dillon's case. Sabrina had to go out there and show them how to do it! Kidding aside, it was cold out and I spent more time in the house.

Tuesday - Not my best day, did not feel well. We did get to see Todd's family which was neat. The Forest side, his Dad Archie's brothers, Bernie, Norman and wife Shirley, Archie's sister Carmen, Norman's son (Todd's cousin) Steven and his son Matthew. We tried to see Georgie after and he was not home. Despite living in Halifax years ago, this was the first time I met all these relatives. I did get to meet Todd's grandmother several times - Nanny Forest, when we were in Halifax together. We had some birthday cake after dinner and I felt much better, probably a case of a bad allergic reaction to having another birthday. I am over it now. I booked Nicole and Jordan's flights to Orlando, they will arrive on the 29 December and leave on the 7 January, 2010. Should be fun and good to see them again.

Wednesday - We left on Wednesday morning for the Annapolis Valley. First stop was Wolfville, where we called Nicole's friend Christina, I left a message and while we were at Hennigar's market a few minutes away, she called back and we went back to Crowell Tower and had a quick visit with Christina at Acadia University. It is hard to believe it has been 25 years since I was there. Not much has changed. In fact, as we toured the Evangeline Trail through the valley and around the Lighthouse Route along the South Shore, the theme was definitely that little has changed over the years. From Wolfville, it was after 1pm and we were discussing lunch, then we were discussing donairs and how they are not the same in BC, so it was decided we would search for a place to introduce the boys to the meaty donair. Did not take long to find one in New Minas and the boys were delighted with the size and taste of the east coast donair. The sauce - Todd says that is the difference. (I do not like donairs and did not eat one - I also dislike the smell and endured the lingering odour for the rest of the day!) We saw the cliffs on the Bay of Fundy from Margaretville, poked through Greenwood, and the farm Todd grew up on, then we continued onto Yarmouth. We had dinner at the lighthouse at Cape Forchu, then drove back into Yarmouth and visited my grandmother. We had a wonderful visit with my Gram and Arthur, saw their new place and took some pictures. It has been so great to see so many of our family members!

Thursday and our drive along where I grew up...

Nova Scotia...

Hello! We have been busy since we arrived,let me take you back over the last few days. I still need to upload pictures and let you see what has been happening.

Friday - school for the boys and errands for us. Todd did some work on the tow dolly and wanted to change the oil on the motorhome, although my job of purchasing the filter did not result in one, he had to go to an autoparts store to get it. I went with Mom for groceries, wine, and we stopped at Starbucks for a mug for Dad, although there were none to be found. I knew (I should have bought one when I saw it in Cranbrook.) I did laundry - lots of it as the last time was Niagara Falls. So far no laundromats, either family homes or RV parks, which makes internet and laundry two of our requirements for a good park.
Saturday - it is giving rain and the men are planning to go fishing, so my sister, Mom, and I plan a girls day. Damian wants to go with us and I tell him no boys allowed, go with your father and learn to be a man. Well it is pouring rain and the boys go fishing and we all say we give them until noon and they'll be back. Sabrina calls Colin around then and no they are fishing and having fun and Dillon has caught alot of fish so they are staying and the rain has let up anyway. They had rubber boots and garbage bags for the rain and layers to keep warm. So for the girls, we went to the Mic Mac Mall, shopping, which was really window shopping, but the only way to walk in the dryness.
Sunday - Todd and the boys and I went to Elmsdale Baptist Church.
Very small congregation, everyone knew we were from out of town, very friendly and traditional. By the time we got back, dinner was almost ready. Turkey dinner I did not have to cook, somehow it tastes even better! We feasted with my parents, sister, Sabrina and Colin, their daughters, Jadyn(3) and Lexie(1). The meal finished with pumpkin cheescake and coffee, mmmm..!
Monday - check back later for Monday to Thursday!

Nova Scotia

We are in Nova Scotia!

Let me retrace our steps since I last updated the blog.
Ottawa, day 2 was a tour of the Parliament buildings in the morning, followed by lunch at Rideau Centre. We then took the boys to the Ottawa Library for some school and their virtual classes (v class). Todd and I left them and walked to the War Museum, stopped by the Supreme Court of Canada and went through security to check out the lobby - that is as far as they let you go. The War Museum was amazing and well presented with interactive displays and video - a must see when you are in Ottawa and it is complimentary admission for serving ir retired members of the military. After our long walk back we headed back to the motorhome and off to Montreal.

We stayed outside of Montreal that night and made the mistake of deciding to drive through the city the next morning - wall to wall traffic and narrow lanes do not make for a relaxing drive in a large vehicle. Todd was driving and we were glad to get out of there! We did not spend time visiting Montreal, instead opting to see Quebec City. So we drove to Levis and took the ferry over to the old city, left the car there and walked around. It was great to see the Chateau Frontenac, all the buildings, got to practice some francais, un peu, and take alot of pictures.
We then headed for Riviere du Loup along the St. Lawrence River and when we could not find an open campground, we kept driving, all the way to Edmunston, Nouveau Brunswick. We forgot about the time zone change from Eastern to Atlantic and when we stopped for dinner at 9pm it was really 10pm, so the next morning we were slow to get up. Todd went into Wal Mart to get some water and when he was in there someone came up to him and asked him, en francais, if he was a customer, Todd replied he was and the man told him the store was closed, again, Todd had checked and closing time was 10pm and the doors were open so he did not think anything of it. Of course, he apologized and left.
Saint John - the next day we went to Saint John, New Brunswick, always spelled S-A-I-N-T, not abbreviated as I remember learning in school, and not like Newfoundland's St. John's, always different. we stopped briefly on the way in Welsford, a small village where Todd has family. (Todd's Mom, Jean grew up in Saint John, NB, eldest of 17, and many have left, and many have stayed.) We did not get to see Eric and Georgette, and we continued on to Reggie Holden's in Saint John. We went out for dinner and stayed with Reggie overnight. The boys got to sleep in separate accomodations from each other and look forward to any opprtunity to do so! the next morning, Dorothy and husband Rod came over for a visit. I had not met any of Jean's family so my question is which order of birth they fit into, Reggie was #7 and Dorothy #9, and she says their Mom left her in charge. It was great to meet them and they were off to Halifax for their son Matt's wedding.
We left there on Thursday, yesterday, and had made the decision to go to PEI and the Magdalen Islands after Thanksgiving. If we went before we would have to miss Thanksgiving with family. So we are here and when I called Mom from Amherst, she was surprised, and it is true we have not really arrived early anywhere.
So today is laundry and grocery shopping for me, Todd is changing the oil in the motorhome, and doing maintenance on the tow dolly, while the boys get some school work done. Dad is at work and feeling much better. Mom is baking the pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving dinner. I have signed up to make cranberry sauce, dinner tonight, and whatever else needs to get done. I need to get some exercise for 'turkey weekend' and it is not raining, so I have no excuse!

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving everyone and enjoy the blissful state of triptophan after filling up on your turkey!

Remember to give thanks for the abundance of blessings in our lives from the Giver of all good and perfect gifts.
I will add some pictures later today - cheers!

Toronto & Ottawa

Toronto was a short visit on Friday, mostly to see the Hockey Hall of Fame. I did not go as I had seen it a few years ago at a Starbucks function - the entire place was ours and I failed miserably stopping Wayne's and Mark's shots! Rush hour traffic was fun and reinforced the idea that a large city is not for me unless I do not have to drive. We have decided we could live in Ontario. Southern Ontario to be exact and that of course is said in the fall after the humidity has subsided. Worthwhile stop for the boys and the boys had better luck getting shots past the virtual goalie.

We spent today with Todd's friends, breakfast with Jeff Martin, his wife Elaine and 14 year old son Dexter. Todd had last seen Jeff 7 years ago while on a course in the military, I had never met them, along with our boys. Jeff and Todd were friends since grade 3 at Greenwood Elementary in Nova Scotia, friends until grade 6 when Jeff moved to California, then Todd moved on to Winnipeg and Ottawa. Then when they were 18, they met up again in Ottawa and started a band. Todd has always reminisced about his band days and it was interesting to meet Jeff. They actually had some gigs in both Hull and Ottawa, including the Junior Ranks Mess. To hear Todd tell it, they were pretty good, and a lot of fun. Their name was 'Headache' which I am sure was true to their music style - punk rock. Jeff plays and sings in a band to this day and was jamming Saturday night. He gave us a CD and we listened to it on the way to the Savoys. There is also a vinyl record that will have to wait until we get home. I so love hearing about Todd's younger years! And every year there are more and more of them!

Then we drove to The Savoy's and we spent the day with Bonnie and Mac, son Richard, Todd's longtime friend, daughter Dana, husband Lynden and their daughters (Alisa and Kate - sorry if the spelling is wrong) who live next door. Kevin and Karen, their youngest son and their two boys (Byron and Nathan). We stayed for friendship, good times, food, wine, laughter, stories and catching up on where we are now. Todd last saw the Savoy's in 2002, same as Jeff, while on course for work. Bonnie and Mac are good friends with Jean and Archie, Todd' parents, first backyard friends at a posting in Trenton in the early 60's. Bonnie says she and Jean were both expecting babies when youngest Monica, Todd's sister was born and Kevin, so they are apparently close in age. We went to Kevin's house to check out the music studio. Wow - I hope Todd doesn't get any ideas for another project. They played a bit of guitar, and I learned that Kevin was inspired to learn guitar when he saw Todd and Linda playing and that Linda taught him alot about the guitar. He is also in a band and is an excellent guitar player.
Hockey was discussed, we stayed away from politics, and of course how much better the Canucks are than the Leafs...well I must have been dreaming...
Thanks for opening your home and your hearts to some 'old' friends.

Niagara Falls, ON

Hi there - Niagara Falls was a great place to stop and we enjoyed the falls the first day we were there. we took lots of pictures and we bought a few souveniers. We spent the next day touring wineries while the boys did school work. Not so much fun for them, but I enjoyed the day immenselym one of the best so far! We toured Jackson Triggs first, one of the few to allow you to view the actual process of winemaking. Of course a tasting at the end to conclude our visit, and the tastings in the Niagara region typically conclude with icewine. Let's discuss icewine, it is my new favourite dessert and we bought several bottles that day! I also actually learned the proper steps to taste wine, I thought of Dan, my peer at Starbucks, who once gave me a quick lesson about wine, needless to say, I know what to do when you order a bottle of wine at a restaurant and the waiter lingers while you are supposed to give your approval for the bottle they have uncorked. The other winery we toured was Inniskillen, also a great experience and very informative.
Today we are in Ottawa and hopefully about to visit some of Todd's old friends. I will add pictures once we have a better connection, with the stick, I cannot upload pictures.