Wednesday, July 31st - Gaspe - the final chapter

The days are slowly getting shorter and now when I get up it's still quite dark so not quite as easy to quickly determine the weather.What ever did we do without the weather network to tell us that today is currently 18' with a few clouds. It's going to get hot again and reach a high of 24' that will feel more like 28'. Little chance of rain today. Yesterday was a mixed bag of sun and rain but it was quite warm and humid in the afternoon. Good beach day for the tourists today.

So, we'd finished touring the gaspe region and were headed for Quebec City. We had originally thought we would get there early in the day but by the time we finally reached our destination it was roughly 5:00 pm. Of course it was a Monday so that means rush hour with lots of traffic. I can't thank Brenda enough for her wonderful skills in navigating us around the city. I would have been hopelessly lost by myself.
We had no difficulty finding the camp ground and quickly set up the tent while enjoying a glass of wine. (Note- we took three bottles of wine with us and came home with 2 1/2 of those!)

Once that was done, we got changed and headed into the city. We found a place to park and went touring. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening and there were a lot of people out enjoying the energy that is Quebec City. After visiting the tourist centre, we found a table on an outdoor patio at a very nice restaurant. Our meal was wonderful. I had the steak, which was cooked perfectly, and Brenda had a pork chop which was also very delicious (I know cause I had a sample)

We were trying to figure out just where the concert might be taking place but the Plains of Abraham is a very big park.  We walked all around and saw the sights and then eventually went back to get the car. We drove around the park and into as many entrances as we could find but still nothing. We knew the staging was set up and would be pretty easy to see but no luck. We planned our attack for morning. We found a little parking lot at a church beside the park and decided to arrive early in the morning to get a spot.

Brenda guided us back through the maze of highways and construction and we found our way to the campground once more. It had been a really great night. It was very warm and a full moon hung low in the sky. Fingers crossed for the same nice weather on Tuesday.

Tuesday morning we were awake early. It was very overcast and looked like rain - not what we were hoping for. But we packed up our stuff and headed back into the city. Once again we found the little church and parked for the day. $11 to park for 24 hours was perfect.  We left some stuff in the car and only took what we would need for walking around during the day.

We went to the park and it looked much different in the daylight. We found all kinds of beautiful gardens and an information booth. Fortunately there was someone inside preparing for the day and he was able to send us in the right direction to the concert area. We hiked over there and found a number of people already waiting at the gate to be let inside - which wasn't supposed to happen until 6:30.  They were going to have a very long wait.

We continued spending the day touring this beautiful city

Lunch at not another Tim's

The farmers market

When you have a common hobby, language isn't a barrier - you make each other understood.
This lady showed me how she wove her mats and gave me some written instructions but they're all in french.
She said if I could figure that out, I'd be able to speak french!

Around 3:00 we headed over to the gates. It was still going to be a long wait so we found a place to sit on the grass. Usually the sound check takes place around this time. Unfortunately it didn't.  Brenda made the trek to the car to bring our back packs with rain gear, just in case, although by now the day had warmed up and gotten a bit sunny. (turns out it was a good idea)

Sound check didn't start until after 5:00 and wasn't finished by the time we were to be let inside so that was delayed. Then once inside, we were standing in a crowd of people and remained there for several hours. I have to say now, that Brenda deserves the BFF of the year award. Only a true friend would still be speaking to you after that ordeal. I've done it many times before but we all know it's not really what a sane person would do. All we can say is she's been there, done that, and has the T-shirt and I've ever so grateful she did.  The show itself was late starting but was wonderful as usual. The crowd loved Sir Paul, and as always he didn't disappoint.

The one tune he performs with pyrotechnics was made even more spectacular by the addition of fireworks off the top of the stage. They had done the same thing in Halifax in 2009 and it really is quite the sight.

Other than really sore and tired feet and legs, it might have been the perfect evening except for the fact that during the last song of the last encore, it started to rain lightly. Then as some 90,000 people were trying to get out of the park, the skies opened up and it poured!  By the time we got back to the car, we were totally drenched.

We slowly worked our way through the pedestrians and found our way back to the campground. At the one point in the trip when we would have loved to climb into a nice hot bath, we were both sopping wet and crawling into sleeping bags in a tent! Now that is a true friend!

We were up early the next morning to pack up all the wet stuff and head for home. Once on the road, the sun came out and it was another great day. We took the highway back as we only had one day to get back.  A quick stop for snacks once in a while, a visit to a cheese shop and a stop to have a cup of tea with  Bernie's father in Grand Falls and we were finally back on the island.

It had been a busy few days and we packed as much into them as we could. All in all, a really great time was had!! Thank you once again Brenda, for going with me.

PS - a belated happy birthday to Ethan who celebrated his special day yesterday and a big thanks to all the folks who emailed or called to wish me the same thing!

Monday, July 29th - Part 2 -The Gaspe Experience

For the record, it's currently 15'  at 6:15 am. We may be headed for a high of 23' later but could feel more like 29'. Some showers this morning might appear but from the looks of the sky out here, we may not receive much rain. The sun is rising brightly over the river and quickly burning off the cloud cover.

Day two of our adventure started out fairly early. As we told you before we headed out in sea kayaks to circumnavigate the rock.

Our guide, Matthew, was most helpful. First we needed to get fitted into our wetsuits. I'd never worn one before and they are quite a challenge to put on. It felt somewhat like trying to stuff a sausage and I have to admit that's how I felt after it was on (probably looked like it too!) . After the wet suit came the splash jackets, life jackets and then spray skirts - lots more prep than we usually need for the Morrell River.

Then it was down to the water.  We were given a bit of instruction on how to properly get into the kayak and the proper placement of our hands on the paddles. All very useful stuff.  From there we pushed off and headed for the rock.

I have to admit that I was a little nervous at first.  After my little fiasco in the Hillsborough a couple of years ago I really haven't experienced any faster moving water. What a way to start! The first washes that came towards us from boats made me a little apprehensive but after a few minutes I was okay with it and could finally relax and enjoy the trip.

We paddled all the way out past the rock and around to the back side. It was quite a bit wavier on the back side but I managed okay.

All too soon it was time to head back to shore. We paddled back around the other end of the rock. When the tide is out, you can actually walk out to the rock on the shallow end but it's extremely dangerous. Each year roughly 300 tonnes of mass are lost through wind and water erosion so you just never know when a piece will come crashing down.

After getting safely back to shore,  and everything put away, it was time to hit the road again.  The rest of the day was spent following the coast line from one scenic little town to the next.

Again, a big thanks to Brenda and her exceptional navigational skills. We eventually made it to Sainte Anne. Our first stop proved unsuccessful as the motel was completely full but they were able to direct us to one that wasn't. We arrived and checked in just as another traveller was back at the office complaining because their room was right close to some 'bikers' ! Oh my gosh - the horror!  They were told there were no more rooms so they couldn't move. We checked out the bikers on our way to supper and we can assure you, they were not any kind of threat to anyone. They were just ordinary folks like us out for a tour.  Hopefully these people didn't lose any sleep over their unfounded concerns.
We were told there was a restaurant across the street. There was - in the gas station - but it was within walking distance so we were happy about that. Our meal was actually pretty good and then it was back to fall into our beds once more.

Monday morning dawned bright and sunny once again. We had so far had exceptional weather for our travels.  We spent pretty much all day Monday travelling. We followed the coast for part of the day then headed to the main highway to get us there a little faster.  On the way we stopped for ice cream and found that we were along a section of the Appalation Trail. When the boys decide to do it, it's going to be one heck of a trek - it seems to go on forever!

Onward to Quebec City!

Friday, July 26th - what a wonderful few days...Part 1

It's currently a very wet 17'. The much needed rain has finally arrived. We should receive more today and reach a hot and sticky high of 24' that will feel more like 32'.

It's going to take several days to tell you all about our amazing trip to Quebec City and back.
First I MUST say a huge thank you to my traveling companion, Brenda. She was the best person to travel with. She is able to read when she drives, which I'm not able to do, so it worked out very well. She had the guide books and kept us up to date on every little nook and cranny along the way. There was no way we were going to miss anything of any importance.

We got away, pretty much right on time on Saturday morning. We dropped Lloyd's car off at the airport so he would have wheels when he came back to the island later in the afternoon, then we were on our way. We worked our way across the bridge, through part of New Brunswick and on into Quebec.  There was some pretty scenery along the way. We stopped at the first Tourist Information Centre we found and picked up maps, brochures and travel guides to help us along the way. We planned to reach Chandler, QC by the end of the day, which we did. It wasn't far from Perce Rock and it would give us a good start in the morning. We found a motel in town and settled in for our visit. We headed out to the patio adjoining the restaurant for some supper. After way too much food (we couldn't finish it all) and really way too much beer (our half a pitcher of beer arrived as a full pitcher, which we also couldn't finish) we headed out for a walk around town and along the river. It had been a long day for both of us so he called it an early night. But when you call it an early night, then you're wide awake earlier as well.

Because we were up so early, we took a bit of time to explore the local artisan's gallery. It would have been nice to stay and visit longer once it opened but time didn't permit such luxury. We did have time to explore the exhibits outside that told the story of the towns pulp and paper history.

The artisan's gallery

We were eager to head out to Perce Rock, about an hours drive away. We saw in the brochures that we could rent sea kayaks and paddle out and around the rock. That sounded perfect!

Spectacular scenery along the way

The drive to Perce was exceptional. The road was winding and hilly and every new turn presented us with yet another magnificent vista to view. We took pictures but they really don't do the scenery justice. Not every view was of the water! Brenda spotted these unique sculptures as we passed by so we had to turn around and snap a couple of pictures.

Creative driftwood

We arrived in town a little before 8:00 but they weren't able to accommodate us until 10:15. Not to worry.

We spent that time wandering around the town and visiting the numerous little gift shops.

 A very scenic little town, that soon got very busy

A stop at a bakery for some tea and the most amazing pastries I've ever eaten made for a great breakfast.

One of many "Not a Tim's" stops

Finally it was time for us to head out onto the water. More on that next time when I get the pictures from Brenda.

Our first view of the rock

Friday, July 19th - one more sleep till we leave for Quebec City!

It's currently 14' but it really feels like 13' (???). We should reach a high of 24' later but it will feel more like 28'. We may have some rain or thundershowers this evening but who knows. We still really need some rain.

Wednesday and Thursday were perfect weather days. We had lovely sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20's with a slight breeze. Can't really ask for better than that. Wednesday evening threatened rain for quite some time. I stayed in town to pick up a couple of things and by the time I got home the clouds were dark and the wind had really picked up so I was expecting the worst. I spent a fair bit of time making sure everything was secure for the night and that the chickens would be okay. I put a piece of wood in one end of their pen and put straw on top of it so if it did really rain, they were at least up off the ground. They seemed to really like that idea and were happy to snuggle down into the straw.

We were expecting serious things to happen but it really didn't amount to much. There was a little  rain coming down early  in the morning but it didn't last long and we really didn't get enough to do any good.  I still had to water the garden before going to work.  But everything survived the night unscathed!

The morning only improved. Once the sun came out it turned out to be yet another beautiful island day. A slight breeze made it very comfortable and of course, we didn't have the humidity that had been around for the early part of the week. Unfortunately for the Toronto area, the high heat and humidity is  still continuing - Lloyd will be REALLY happy with that - NOT.

Brenda had some errands to run in town on Thursday and we ended up meeting for supper after work. Her cousin Donna joined us as we sat outside on the patio on Victoria Row. It was a very busy spot - lots of locals and tourist alike, out enjoying the evening. There was live music on the row,  cold beer and nachos on our table - does it really get any better?  I don't think so.

When we were done, we all went out separate ways. I came home to do my chores, and get everyone ready for the night. I cleaned out my car and did some laundry so tonight all I have to do is pack and get ready to go.  Oh, by the way, did I mention
 I'm going to see Paul McCartney!!!

This will be Brenda's first really big concert . If nothing else, it will be an experience.

Talked to Lloyd and he met up with Bernie in North Bay (slight change in plans from Sudbury) and all is well. Bernie has the items that needed to be transported to the island and Lloyd's back in Guelph.  Bernie hopes to be home by tomorrow night and Lloyd should be home on Saturday sometime.

Will catch up with you all on Thursday when we get back!

Monday, July 17th - a cool respite from the heat but wait....

It's currently a cool 12' this morning but we should reach a high of 26' that will feel like 31'. Yesterday was such a welcome relief from the severe heat we had on Monday.

The day started out really early, as I mentioned on Monday, having dropped Lloyd off at the airport. By the time I got to work at 7:30 it was warming up quite a bit. The official high reached that day was 32'. Unfortunately the air conditioning at work malfunctioned - overworked I suppose. Trouble is with all those big windows in front it didn't take long to really warm up. By the time I left for lunch at 1:30 it was 30.2' in the showroom. Fortunately my lunch was well timed because by the time I got back at 2:30 it had been fixed and was starting to cool off.

I had called Brenda during the day and we made our plans for the evening. As soon as I got home from work and my chores were done, she picked me up and we went over to Lakeside Beach. What a treat on such a hot day. There were still people there but many were leaving after having spent the entire day I'm sure. But it's such a long beach it's never what you would call 'busy'.  We parked our stuff and our chairs and headed for the water. I found it a bit chilly at first but then I'm really wimpy when it comes to the water. Once in, though, it was wonderful!  The water really wasn't what you could call cold and some spots were actually very warm. depending on the depth. The nice part about Lakeside is it's quite shallow for a fair distance out so there's no chance of me drowning (my non-swimming ability is legendary at the Guelph YMCA - as is my friend Nancy's - but that's a story left for another day).

It was so refreshing and a great way to end a very warm day.  Of course cheese and crackers, nacho chips, salsa and a bottle of wine didn't hurt either.  After a long walk along the beach to check out the far side I've never been to, we headed out. We spent a bit of time driving around looking at some of the cottages then headed home. Tea and strawberry crepes ended our night.

Tuesday was a much nicer day - still warm but not such high temperatures and no humidity. There was even a breeze. This made for a great night to make jam. I had a huge bowl of strawberries in the fridge that needed tending to. I didn't want to make just ordinary strawberry jam so did some research. I came across several recipes for Strawberry Jam with Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper (Fran would like this one!! - but again, that's another story left for another time, but I did think of her as soon as I saw the  recipe)

Brenda came over to help (at least that's our excuse for getting together and drinking strawberry daquiries and eating mini hamburgers). The first batch went together well but we found it just tasted like strawberry jam.  We couldn't really taste the vinegar or the pepper. The second batch had a significant increase in both vinegar and pepper and I think this one worked out much better. You can really taste the pepper although not so much the balsamic.
The third batch was a regular strawberry jam recipe with some Grand Marnier thrown in but again, I really can't taste it but maybe Lloyd will - he has a much better palate than I do.

All in all it was a successful venture. I gave Brenda a jar of each to take home and try and I'm taking one in to my boss to try as well as she volunteered to be a guinea pig too.

Best go and get my chores done. The chickens are much happier outside but it will be interesting to see how they've fared last night. It's the coolest it's been but they now have most of their feathers so they should be fine.

Monday, July 15th - another scorcher on the way!

I'm late today ( writing this post at work ), as I drove Lloyd to the airport at 4:45 am then took a nap in my car until time to go to work. It was so hot at our house last night that sleep didn't come easily. Today will be pretty much the same as yesterday. As I write this at 8:00 it is 21' but feels like 27' and later we'll reach 30' that will feel more like 36'.  This is way too hot for this part of the country, but I suppose we should be grateful we aren't having the extreme weather conditions experienced in other parts of the country.  It does make for great beach weather.

It was a fairly busy weekend but relaxing at the same time. Brenda came over on Saturday night for supper and we BBQ'd mini hamburgers and had salads along with it. Some fresh local strawberries and whipped cream made for a tasty dessert.

Sunday morning we were up bright and early to go over to the neighbouring strawberry farm to pick some berries. I had planned to only pick a couple of boxes for dessert but as Lloyd was with me, we ended up picking several more. Tonight I'll be making jam.

His nephews wife was visiting some friends on the island and was coming for supper so my day was filled with cooking and a bit of cleaning. I got most of the cooking stuff done early in the morning so I could clean up my mess. Brenda called to advise that she was going to the beach after church but I had too little time as Sandy was expected around 2:30. So I had to pass on the beach, much to my disappointment. But I got all my jobs done (with some help from Brenda who stopped in for a bit on her way over to Lakeside)  in spite of the extreme heat, although the house really wasn't so bad inside.

Lloyd spent the better part of the day getting the chickens moved outside. He put a structure out there for them with electric fence around it so the critters can't get at them. It was so hot outside and the poor little things were really feeling the heat. They have shelter over them but it was just so warm with no air movement at all. I suspect today will be the same. Once it  cooled down a bit they seemed really happy to be out pecking in the grass.

Due to a slight change in plans, Lloyd arrived with Sandy around 5:00. We had a nice dinner although Lloyd and I piled too much food on the plates so none of us had room for dessert.  I hadn't met Sandy before and she was a lovely person. We really enjoyed her visit and look forward to others in the future.

It was an early evening as we had to get up at 4:00 to get Lloyd to the airport. He's on his way to Toronto from the island, Bernie is on his way from the west and if all goes well, they should meet somewhere in beautiful downtown Sudbury sometime later this week.

Friday, July 12th - the heats coming back?

It's a pleasant 18' this morning but it feels more like a comfortable 22'. However later this afternoon, under a mix of sun and cloud the high of 22' will feel more like 26' with higher temperatures expected for the weekend.

So, Brenda is home and Bernie is on his way back from California, via Saskatchewan. He'll get back towards the end of next week in time to say good bye to Brenda and she and I head to Quebec City on Saturday morning. She'll just be back a short time and it will be time for him to leave on a bike trip. They are truly Fort Augustus' power couple!  Proof?  Figure out which vehicle was left for her at the airport - the Jag or the Benz!

Not much else to report except Lloyd left very early this morning to travel to Halifax to pick up his nephews wife, who is coming to the island to celebrate a friends birthday. She'll be here for a few days and we hope to have her over for dinner on Sunday. I've never met her (or her husband) but I'm sure we'll get along nicely - after all her name is Sandy Denny.  Her husband is the son of Lloyd's brother - hence the same last name.

It rained a lot yesterday morning so not as much got done on the garage as was planned but as you can see, progress is slowly being made - baby steps.

It's also strawberry season out here on the island. There's been some issues this year with a fungus affecting some of the plants so the berries aren't as plentiful, but we'll still manage to enjoy them while we can. I know Brenda went over to the neighbours yesterday and picked a box for her own enjoyment and I stopped and picked some up on my way home last night. What a treat!

I guess I should be getting off to work. With Lloyd gone early it fell to me to do the chores this morning. The garbage bin has been dragged to the end of the lane, the dog has had his breakfast and the chickens have been fed and watered. It's all good!

Wednesday, July 10 - the heat's returning again

It was a really pleasant day yesterday - 24' without the humidity. This morning is still a pleasant 16' but this afternoon we're heading for a high of 24' that's going to feel more like 28'.

Brenda was supposed to arrive home yesterday afternoon but unfortunately her flight was cancelled so she won't get in until today. We figure it's because of the flooding in Toronto on Monday. Over 90 mm of rain fell between 6:00 and 8:00 pm creating a bit of havoc in places. I read that 126 mm fell at the airport and power was knocked out in a very large area of the GTA and Mississauga. I suspect that may have factored into her plane not arriving in Edmonton from Toronto on Monday evening.

I lived in southern Ontario pretty much my whole life and I never saw anything like that. The photos are a little dramatic but certainly nothing like the folks out west have had to deal with, but certainly a disruption just the same.

So she gets home tonight, and Bernie left this morning - well actually not yet but I suspect they are just getting ready to board the plane in Charlottetown. He's flying out to Bakersfield, California to pick up a piece of equipment and bring it back to the island.  He'll be back sometime next week so in some ways I suppose, Brenda's vacation continues!

It's been a quiet couple of days out here. Not much going on. Progress continues to be made on the garage and help is coming today so the front should be sided by the time I get home tonight. The balcony will take a little longer because I've requested some special treatment on the walls up there. Stay tuned for that. In the meantime hopefully the outside walls will all be done by the end of the day.

 It's been a long process and there's still much to do but it's slowly getting there.  I'm looking forward to when Lloyd gets the drywall put up inside the top. I'm going to do the taping and mudding of the seams. It won't be perfect but at least I'll feel like I helped in some small way. That way he can continue on with other parts of the project. Besides he hates that part of the job so I'm going to give it my best effort.

The chickens continue to grow and will need to be moved to larger quarters very soon.

Supper time!

Monday, July 8th - it seems the heat has finally broken a bit

It's been a very hot few days, making sleeping at night really difficult. Even with fans going in the bedroom it's still been very unpleasant. This morning it's finally a little cooler and you can feel the difference in the air. Right now, at 5:15 am it's 16' that actually feels like 16' and we should reach a high of 23' later that will feel like a much more comfortable 26'.

It was a fairly quiet weekend. I worked on Saturday morning and we were expecting some friends to arrive by motorcycle at some point from the ferry, but we really weren't sure when. Lloyd called me around 2:15 to advise that he was at the boat with the guys and they were on their way home for a BBQ. I was still in town, and made a quick stop to pick up some steaks, new potatoes and some romaine for a Caesar Salad. I arrived home just a few minutes before they did.

There were six on bikes, in total. I set about preparing the potatoes and the lettuce while they sat outside around the picnic table and had a cold drink. I was rushing to get as much done as possible as there was a wedding at the Rec Centre I was needed to work at. I had everything ready so that all Lloyd had to do was cook the steaks and put dressing on the salad.

I left them a little after 5:00 and went over to Fort Augustus. I'd been rushing around to get as much done as possible before leaving and when I got there, everyone was just standing around - they had everything done that they could do and were taking a little break. I told them that was a good thing as I was ready for a break. I had 8 hungry guys at my house who had just arrived by ferry and had been really busy before I left. They told me to go home as they had lots of help. I said I could do that but to call if they needed me later. They apparently had more people coming in than they expected. That was a surprise being as it was a busy weekend on the island with lots of other things going on, including the Cavendish Music Festival.

I left and got home just as they guys were eating. I guess I really didn't need to come back after all. Instead I pulled out another steak, put it on the BBQ and made my own supper.  When everyone was done, they got back on their bikes and departed for Souris. They had planned to take in some of the Rollo Bay fiddle gathering and were staying in Souris over night.

When the guys first arrived, Lloyd had called Bernie to see what he was up to. He was just finished hauling hay and welcomed to prospect of a cold beer and a BBQ steak. He had arrived very soon after the others so he stayed after supper and had tea with Lloyd and I.

Sunday morning was again hot and sunny. The plan was for Lloyd, Bernie and Raymond to drive up to Souris and meet the guys for breakfast. They departed here around 8:15 and I got a phone call from one of the bikers at 8:30 that they were heading straight for the boat, as they heard there were thunderstorms expected on the other side so they wanted to get away as early as possible.  Of course our guys were on the road and Lloyd's phone was here on the counter. I called Bernie's phone and when they stopped for breakfast he could see that I'd called. I gave them the message and they carried on by themselves and had a lovely breakfast and must have toured around a bit because Lloyd didn't make it home until about 12:30. It was way too hot to be biking.

The rest of the day was pretty lazy. He had a long nap, I had a short nap, and just did a couple of things around the house - reading a book, some laundry, reading a book, some tidying, reading a book...
altogether a very relaxing day.

Brenda and the girls are finishing up their tour of western Canada. By all accounts they've been having a wonderful time. I've gotten some pictures from Brenda and Bernie's been getting text messages and of course updates by phone as well.  She gets back home tomorrow and I'm looking forward to hearing all about her adventures and seeing the pictures.

The chickens are getting bigger. We had to remove the covering from the sides of their cage because it was just too hot for them last week. They were really feeling the heat and needed more air circulation. They will soon be big enough to put into their new pen outside. I think they'll really enjoy that.