Enjoying a New Brunswick Stay-Cation
Chapter 1: Monday
Today was Day 1 of Stay-Cation. Sophia, Silvana, Krista, and Stephane, were in PEI to go camping in tents. Debbie, Tricia, Gray, Kristina, and I, all went in our brand-new just-won Kia Sedona van with automatic-almost-anything, and went to Rockwood Park to walk and picnic. Then we went bowling at Bowlarama. The first string Debbie had 95 as total, I had 87, Kristina had 82, Tricia had 73, and Gray had 70. Debbie won that one. And in the 2nd and final string I had 94, Debbie had 93, Kristina had 90, Gray had 78, and Tricia had 73, so I won that game.
Chapter 2: Tuesday
Today Jocelyn, Debbie, Gray, Kristina, Karen (Kristina’s Mother), and I all went to Campobello Island via 2 ferries: one to Deer Island, and one to Campobello Island. On Campobello Island we picnicked with Karen’s niece who was a Border Patrol officer. Then we walked to the nearby beach to the picnic table. We got a tour of Eleanor Roosevelt’s cottage. I took pictures of these with my Blackberry’s camera app. Then we had Tea with Eleanor Roosevelt, where we had tea (in my case water) and lemon cookies and gingersnaps as we listened in on a speech on all of Eleanor Roosevelt’s great accomplishments. Then we got a cookbook on cookies. Then we went to the beach. Then we went for a nice scenic drive, stopped at a restaurant where all of us, except Kristina and Debbie, had fish and chips (Kristina had chicken strips and a baked potato and Debbie had a cheeseburger with ketchup and relish and fries). Debbie was allergic to fish, and Kristina’s eyebrow went up on chicken strips and a baked potato. Then we headed home by ferry.
Chapter 3: Wednesday
Today Debbie, Kristina, Tricia, Jocelyn, Gray, and I all went to the Kennebecasis Island for some time and supper at Jo’s camp. On the way we took the Peninsula Princess, then a smaller ferry. I played the guitar and sang some songs from Frozen, Camp Rock, and The Wave. We barbecued sweet potatoes, and salmon and pork chops for Debbie who, again, is allergic to fish, and me, who only likes fish if it is fish and chips. We then had s’mores. Then we headed home, taking the same 2 ferries.
Chapter 4: Thursday
Today was like living all 4 Free Willy movies, Flipper, and Andre. Debbie, Stephane, Krista, Kristina, Jocelyn, Sophia, Silvana, Justine, Gray, and I, all went to St. Andrew’s to witness a whale-watching cruise. It was my first whale watching tour. First we picnicked again, and then we went to a store to buy a rainproof hat for the tour and a St. Andrew’s hat with a whale on it. We then went to the building, paid for our boarding tickets, and then waited to board a boat. Then we boarded the ship and within moments it took off as fast as an Air Canada Jazz jet on takeoff mode, so, imitating an airline captain, I told a joke, “Please make sure your seat and tray tables are in their upright, locked positions.” Within moments we passed where we had taken the ferries to Deer Island on Tuesday en route to Campobello Island, then we came to a little island where a whole bunch of seals and porpoises were playing together, so it would be safe to say we took this trip on porpoise! Get it? Then we took off again. Later we saw some eagles and 2 kinds of seagulls: gray-backed, and black-backed. We also saw some dolphins. Then we passed Campobello Island and its ferry. Later, within moments, we saw a few whales! I tried to capture it with my Blackberry’s camera app.
Sorry, Free Willy fans, no orcas, no Willy. After an hour and a half, we turned around. A tour guide then came with a tank, and in it were a starfish, a baby starfish, urchins, crabs, and other sea creatures. Later we docked at the wharf from which we had taken off. Then we headed home and celebrated Jocelyn’s Birthday!
Whale-Watching off St. Andrew's New Brunswick
Chapter 5: Friday
This was the nostalgic day. Today Silvana, Stephane, Justine, and I took the rental, a Nissan Pathfinder, to Fundy National Park. The reason this was nostalgic was, back in the day, while I was a child and we lived on Taylor’s Lane, Mom, Dad, Erin, Stephanie, Jennifer, Melody, and I, all, several times, took the Ford van to Fundy Park to go camping, listening to Dirty Dancing, Lionel Richie, The Big Chill, Stand By Me and other memorable music along the way, all three dogs: Nicky our mongrel, Katie our older Golden Retriever, and Simon our young Golden Retriever, all with us.
Back to now.
We hiked in the Caribou trail, or should I say, the Karibu Trail? (Karibu is Justine’s language, Swahili, for “Welcome”).
Hiking the trails in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick.
Then we picnicked, and we went to the visitors centre as I remembered, as a kid, this had a series of shops, and I had a question: Why the direction signs had changed colors from dark desert tan with yellow lettering like some that remained, to dark green with white lettering, and they said the previous color was for Provincial Parks and this was a National Park. I noticed they had Jennifer’s second book in stock: White Cave Escape. And I totally forgot to tell the salesperson that the author was my sister. I had already told the salesperson in the Digby Ferry’s gift shop that the Chocolate River Rescue author was my sister. Then we took a scenic route to Moncton, and on the way I gave a Harbour Hopper-style narrated tour of Albert County, Hillsborough, Riverview, and all points in between, then we passed Bessborough School and I showed them. Then we went to my Mom’s house, and we talked over a Pellegrino mixed with orange juice and Greek yogurt. Then we walked to Jennifer’s house to show them Danny and the house. We were just about to leave when Jennifer showed up with Brennan and Connor, who all got brand new electric guitars! So they gave me back my electric. We headed back up to Mom’s house and a couple expected guests showed up. Mom prepared supper and we had it here. Then, using my returned electric guitar, I gave everyone a concert of Catholic hymns and well known old songs. I played a song written by one of my fellow Key Industries In-Key Choir members, called Passion for Music. Then we headed back, and I took my stuffed Collie from Universal Florida, which I named Troy, and my black and white stuffed dog, which I had gotten Christmas of Grade 12, which I named Kevin, after Kevin Jonas from Camp Rock.
So ended Stay-Cation 2014! Stay tuned for a story of Vacation 2014!
Same L’Arche Time, Same L’Arche Channel!