Election Day 2015 - Written on Hover Board Day!

Fun at the polling station with L'arche Saint John!

(Written on October 21, 2015, as pictured on Back To The Future 2, minus the flying cars and Hover Boards)

On Monday, Election Day, I voted for Liberal.  In fact, unlike last time I voted at the Carlton Community Centre gym, where Stephane and I were playing Special Olympics Basketball some years ago.  The last time an election had happened our voting place was the Assumption Centre down the road from our house. 

That night I was watching coverage of the Election Day and Liberal was schooling Conservative and NDP by a long shot.  In the morning the radio said Liberal won by a lot and that lots of people were tired of 10 years of Stephen Harper and voted Liberal. 

I was personally tired of Harper myself and thought it was time for a change.  Up to that time TV and radio were playing attack ads against Justin Trudeau, which said things like “Justin Trudeau.  He’s in way over his head,” and “Justin Trudeau.  He’s just not ready.”  There was also an attack ad starring Justin Trudeau against Stephen Harper.  Words popped up on stop signs and street and store posts that read “STOP HARPER.”  The attack ads, though they were rude against a certain candidate, were funny at times. 

A week ago from Monday, I saw Mom and Dad go to a nearby daycare for advance polls, which was down the road from the Irishtown Rec Centre at which our Retriever Simon got his training done and I saw it.  I saw Mom and Dad show their ID, get their pamphlet and ballot, and each go behind the voting desk and come out after placing their vote. 

A week later came my turn!  

What is Upper Cape Like After Canada looking like the movie Frozen?

Day 1 saw Stephane, Vic, and me, all going to Moncton in the 2015 Kia Sedona which we used for Quebec City 2015 and staying for lunch En Route to Bouctouche so Stephane could see his family. 

Enjoying the beach.

Later Erin, Christopher, and Oliver, all met Mom and me at Costco, where the Camerons used to take me to browse, watch the TVs play a certain movie, and eat Twist ice cream before I moved into L’Arche. 

They didn’t have much of a DVD or CD selection, but we got groceries and Mom and I looked at TVs as ours upstairs was fading and I liked the LG LED TVs and the Samsung TVs like the one in McKim House, and Erin said she didn’t like the Hi Def TVs because it makes movies look like a BBC show or soap opera. 

We also looked at books and I saw an Eyewitness France book and an Eyewitness Australia book. 

We went home. 

Tonight after supper I watched my DVD of Pitch Perfect, enjoying the music again. 

Day 2 was the day I had been waiting for after 2 Frozen-like blizzard-filled winters and no Upper Cape or Camille’s. 

We love walking the beach when the tide is out.

We packed up the car...and headed out to Upper Cape, leaving our dogs behind.  

 Dad had left early to take his John Deere ride-on mower to mow out a path to the beach and Glen, who was already there with Stephanie and Mo, was mowing. 

Mom and I went in Erin’s red Toyota Rav-4 with Oliver in the car seat, and I enjoyed his company and his excitement and his chattering. 

 We got there and the sight of the cottage and our beach excited me. 

I had brought along, as with every year, my copy of Nop’s Trials, as a tradition which started in 2006 before I lost Molly when I was borrowing Jen’s copy of this particular book, and I read this most of the time while I was here. 

I changed into my bathing suit which went very well with my T-shirt! 

After a lunch of snacks, such as nachos with salsa, crackers and cheese, lots of berries, and lots of Perrier, we headed to the beach for a long-awaited swim in the water. 

I went in and so did Erin and Stephanie, and I enjoyed my swim so much after 2 years I was doing Jean Vanier poses from his pictures on his books.  

After this I went back and relaxed, reading the book while my feet and bathing suit dried. 

Relaxing in the cottage.

As a note, this was also my first Upper Cape visit since I had my BlackBerry Q5. Therefore I used this to take some pictures. 

After hours of relaxation, visits to the water, strolls on the beach, reading Nop’s Trials, and enjoying the cottage we drove to Camille’s and I went with Stephanie and Glen in their new Mini.  

Once we got to Camille’s we waited for the rest of the group. 

Enjoying Camille's with the family.

Then we ordered our traditional summer meals, which in my case was Fish and Chips, and Mom had a Lobster meal, and Erin had Chicken Fingers and Fries, and some had Fried Clams and Fries or just the Clams. 

I brought along a Perrier can as all they served as drinks was Coke and Pepsi pops and water. 

We went home and I went in Dad’s Porsche Macan in which I had gone to Camp Wildwood a couple months ago.  

When we got home I was so tired.  I was like a bicycle because I was “2 Tired” and would have fallen over.  Therefore I went to bed. 

At Camille's!

Day 3 was return-home day. 

I had breakfast again with Erin, Christopher, and Oliver there to have fun with. 

I watched a PVR recording of an episode of Amazing Race Canada set in Halifax and I came up with the idea of L’Arche Saint John being a place where teams would come to do something to collect a clue and I thought in this place I would play a song and the contestants would guess the title of the song and if they guessed it correctly I would hand them their next Amazing Race clue. 

After lunch we went to Chapters to browse at books and I looked at a few travel books and then looked with Erin in the children’s section and I tried looking for, and looking up, Mercer Mayer’s Just For You, my favorite childhood book which when I used to read it had a tape with a song.  But I saw a whole shelf of Robert Munsch stories in big style and little style, like Mortimer, the Paper Bag Princess, Murmel, Murmel, Murmel, Thomas’ Snowsuit, I Have To Go, Pigs, and Mud Puddle, and other Munsch favorites I used to read and listen to as a child.   

Then we went to Shoppers to get a Globe and the Mail, excuse the pun, and I browsed at the movies and I liked one which was a 4-movie collection in which one was Bingo, about a circus Border Collie who saves the life of a boy whose father is a pro football player and the dog and the boy become friends for life, and I wanted this. 

Oliver at the beach.

We went home and I watched another PVR recording of an episode of Amazing Race Canada, here set in Sudbury, Ontario. 

After saying goodbye to Erin, Christopher, and Oliver and kissing Oliver, Mom and I went to the bus station and she bought me a ticket to Saint John and I brought my 12-string guitar, so we checked a suitcase and my guitar. 

We watched the train leave while we awaited the boarding of the bus, which happened within minutes, and later we left and I got home safely. 

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My L’Arche Friends

L'Arche Saint John celebrating at the 10th Anniversary Dinner. 

Gray Gillies, an Assistant from L’Arche Saint John, has helped me with healthy choices, been with me to Toronto for the last Autism Symposium, has been with me for a few vacations, and was with me for most celebrations.  She and I cook together sometimes and she took part in the concert at Imperial Theatre and she was with us for 50 Fest.  She was with us for the Growth ad Goals Meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2015.  She and I were together on my first Exchange to Antigonish and I shopped at Superstore with listening stations, visited other houses, and attended mass at St. Ninian’s Cathedral, on the campus of St. F. X.  A future wish is, to honor Gram, since most of my family, except for me, has been to a Blue Jays home game, is that she and I go to Toronto to catch a home game with my Blue Jays water bottle and a poster that reads L’Arche Saint John loves the Blue Jays so if a Sports Net camera shows us L’Arche friends and family can see us, then we’d get worldwide publicity.  And maybe we can stay in Royal York or Gamble House again.  And maybe I could get my water bottle autographed by Jays past and present and a Blue Jays book about their present and past players and their past successes. 

Gray at a listening station

Jocelyn Worster, the Community Leader, also has helped me with healthy choices, has been with me for Atlanta 2012 and 50 Fest and a few Vacations, and has been to things like Epiphany Concerts, the recent Imperial Theatre concert, the recent 10th Anniversary Dinner at KV Church, AGMs, and other L’Arche Atlantic Region celebrations, like 25th and 30th Anniversaries.  She was at our Growth and Goals Meeting on May 26th.

Victoria Woods, who prefers to be called Vic, was with us for McKim-Mas, and she and I have been good shopping friends together.  She was with us for the 10th Anniversary Supper at KV Church and in fall took part in our number in the concert at Imperial Theatre, which was Hakuna Matata from The Lion King.  She and I cook together sometimes.  She joined us for the Growth and Goals Meeting on May 26th.

Maren (I don’t know how to spell her last name) is one of many of our Assistants from Germany, and she and I also have shopped together and she and I are usually the duo who goes to the Loch Lomond Villa on most Fridays if it is Gray’s Day or Weekend Away or Vacation.  She was with us for the recent 10th Anniversary Supper at KV Church.  She and I cook sometimes.  Maren takes some of us to Zumba on some Wednesdays. 

Brandon Lanteigne and I have shopped together, been to a Sea Dogs game with Stephane, have been to O’Leary’s together, have been to special things like Christmas parties and art days, to church together, and shared a room at the Chocolate Lake Hotel in Halifax for 50 Fest.  He was with us for the recent 10th Anniversary Supper.  He took part in singing Hakuna Matata from The Lion King for the concert at Imperial Theatre and he was at The Sound of Music at Imperial Theatre and Anne of Green Gables at St. Malachy’s Memorial High School with us.  He takes some of us to Zumba on Mondays, though he sits it out and works on his computer. 

Debbie Turnbull and I have been on most Vacations together, summer camps at Hampton Bible Camp, 50 Fest, the concert at Imperial Theatre, Good Shepherd Church, Epiphany Concerts, Faith and Sharing Retreats, the recent 10th Anniversary Supper at KV Church, The Sound of Music at Imperial Theatre, and Anne of Green Gables at St. Mac’s High School.  Years back she joined Gray and me for Fiddler on the Roof at Harbour View High School.  She is in the In Key Choir at Key Industries with me and joins me for Zumba classes on Mondays and some Wednesdays. 

Kristina Cooper, though she cannot speak, has ways to communicate.  When we ask her questions, when she raises her eyebrows, that means yes or that she is happy or excited about something coming up or she is looking forward to.  She has movies in her room that I like.  She has been with me for some vacations, most of the ones where Janet Christy was with us, and she was at 50 Fest and all AGM’s. 

Krista Simmons has almost the same taste in movies and music I do.  We both like the movies Frozen, High School Musical, Camp Rock, Princess Protection Program, and any movie, as long as there is no nudity or cuss words.  She likes country and Disney music, though she likes some of the music they play at Zumba classes we dance to.  She goes to Camp Rotary in summer. 

Stephane Bastarache, originally from Bouctouche, can play guitar and sing hymns, but he cannot play chords, so he sings and goes strum strum strum... on open notes with no fingers.   He prays for priests, the Saint John area bishop, Raise up an Army, his KI and prayer meeting friends, and any problems in the news or with his family and friends.  He plays Wii Bowling on certain days.  He also goes to Hampton Bible Camp with me in summer and winter.  He and I have been to hockey and basketball games together.  We go to and watch movies together.  He is also a member of Key Industries’ In Key Choir. 

Justine (I forgot her last name), from Kenya, taught us some Swahili, like Karibu means “Welcome”.  She and I traveled on Community Exchange to Antigonish close to Halloween not last October, but the October before, and we went to a Halloween Dance, shopped at Wal-mart where I bought Home Alone 2, visited other houses, and went to a couple beaches together.  Last summer she joined us for Community Vacation, also in Antoginish, and we got a tour of St. F. X., where Jennifer, Brian, Dad, and Mom, all graduated from University and I had seen their varsity basketball team play at Halifax Metro Centre various times, 3 times with my Mom, once with Janet Christy, and once with Blake Cameron before I moved out of their house and later lost Molly and later got Ella and later moved into L’Arche Saint John.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, she moved back to Kenya and I wish she’d come back. 

Janet Christy, from Gujarat, India, has been with us for Community Vacations, stepped in as House Leader after Marilyn Moore retired, helped me make healthy choices, and taught us her language, which is in fact called Gujarati.  For example, Mito ane Marie, means “salt and pepper”.  Supratri means in fact “good night.”  Kem Chho and Mazama means “Hello” and “How are you doing?”  Oujo (spelt correctly, Janet?) means “goodbye”.  When she was with us for vacation, the songs she chose for the mix CD, dubbed “Babe Mix”, were both funny and catchy. 

Tiago Ortega, (sorry High School Musical and Dirty Dancing fans, no relation to Kenny the choreographer) from Toronto, was with us for 2 short times:  Once for summer, and once for 2 Christmases seasons ago.  He joined us for Vacation in Antigonish 2 summers ago where we visited other houses and went to beaches where I saw a couple of Border Collies playing Frisbee with their handler, was at Mama George’s Restaurant with us on Canada Day which was the first time I tried clams, and took me shopping before McKim-Mas by bus so I could get a Sony Dream Machine clock radio with 7 time zones and Auto DST option and to buy a DVD.  Some of his favorite movies, also some of mine, included Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Tommy Boy. 

Sophia (I forget her last name), from Germany, was with us for Sea Dogs games, Vacation, McKim-Mas, Epiphany Concerts, movie nights, and snow days. 

Silvana Springer (sorry comedy fans, no relation to Jerry, right?) is also from Germany.  The adventures together for us included my first curling match, last summer’s vacation, Epiphany concerts, and McKim-Mas. 

Anna Bingel, also from Germany, took me and Krista a few times to my first Zumba classes, joined us for the Vacation in Cape Breton, was with us for McKim-Mas and Epiphany Concert, and loved Bob Marley and Eva Cassidy.  She loved to sing Someone like You by Adele, though sometimes she could not sing the high C# originally sung in the chorus. 

Andreanne Grondin, from Quebec, had a friend/relative who took us to the Hilton room he was staying at and I got to see Alpine Country Star in progress on the boardwalk from the 10th floor room and watch the LG flat screen.  She also joined us for Community Vacation in Cape Breton.