Friday, August 2nd - Happy Birthday Nancy

It's a bit early to wish Nancy a Happy Birthday as it's on Sunday but I usually miss it so better too early than too late! They should be having the same weather as us. Right now it's 17' but later we'll reach a humid high of 23' that will feel more like 27'. However it could be cloudy with showers so it might not be so quite so hot.

Yesterday was quite warm but not so humid and it was a lovely evening to sit outside and have our tea. Brenda and Bernie came over for a bite to eat, at Lloyd's invitation. It was very impromptu but he did a mighty fine job. Bernie's heading off on another biker excursion this morning, so we're really wishing him the best of luck.  He may be gone almost two weeks this time. Guess there could be some nachos and patios for us girls sometime soon.

We had planned that very thing for this evening only to discover that there's a wedding at the rec centre tonight so there go those plans.  I guess the up side is that it frees up Saturday night to do something else.

Last Sunday was the Church BBQ. Because the weather was really all over the map, it was decided late in the day to hold it indoors at the rec centre. It turned out to be the right decision. It didn't rain but it was much nicer to do it indoors. So much so, that we would like to do it indoors all the time. The clean up is so much easier when you have the kitchen right there. There was a really good turnout and everyone seemed to hang around a little longer and listen to the entertainers.  We'll see what happens in the future. Once again, the mussels turned out great and we had nothing left of the 100 lbs that we cooked.

We will get the opportunity to do the mussels again really soon. It's all in the networking. We're meeting with a young woman on Sunday morning who needs some last minute assistance with a wedding very close to our place next weekend. She needs someone to cook mussels and pasta for their home based reception and we heard about it through someone I worked with at the university.  Should be an interesting experience for us.

Lastly, we had rain one evening earlier in the week.  When Lloyd went out to close up a couple of things, he called to me to come and look. The sun came out for a couple of minutes and we had this wonderful rainbow that was visible at the end of the lane over the river. Just caught it on camera before it disappeared.

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.