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. 

For details - check out www.patrickdanielmcgrath.com

An Absolutely Wonderful Family Time!

I had gotten back from vacation and was almost back in the swing of things.  But this Thursday, supposedly to Monday, I was to spend time with Mom and family.  So I bought a round trip to Moncton and took the Maritime Bus system to Moncton.  Mom picked me up and told me (my brother-in-law) Matt and (niece) Clare were there and (sister) Melody was to fly into town that same night.  We got home and I greeted everyone there, including our dogs Liza, Lupin, Ella, and Sprocket. 

Topping up Clare's juice.

I was told Sprocket had developed similar health issues Emma had had before she passed away of the cancer tumor. 

I was also told that after some time off the air, famous TV dog trainer Cesar Milan started a new show called Cesar 911 and I watched part of an episode.  Back in the day the National Geographic Channel showed him on a show called The Dog Whisperer.  There he worked with famous people, like John Grogan the genius behind Marley & Me, a book which became, in my description, The Titanic of Dog Movies, starring Owen Wilson and Friends’ Jennifer Aniston, and the late Ed McMahon.  And nonstop during my visits to Moncton I would watch that show on that channel and whenever Lupin or Mo barks wildly at me or some stranger I do Cesar’s famous “Sssss” or “Shhhhh” sound.  I can also impersonate his accent. 

(Matt’s parents) Chris and Milton showed up and we had lunch and Chris had made her family-famous Orange Salad which I enjoyed with lunch, AND supper later that night.  Mom, Clare, Matt and I went to the Moncton International Airport to pick up Melody and (niece) Emily and Chris and Milton met us there. 

Within just under an hour the plane landed and within minutes Melody and Emily showed up. 

As I do when a new assistant from another town or country comes to L’Arche by plane, I helped Melody with the bags by carrying them to the car and said to them, like I say to anyone moving into L’Arche Saint John from another town or country, “Welcome to New Brunswick!”   

We got home and had supper where Jen, Brian, Brennan and Connor joined us.  They had just gotten new guitars: Les Paul guitars, one blue, one burgundy, one a Gibson, and one an Epiphone. 

We even Face Timed Erin, Christopher, and Oliver. 

The next day we were informed that now Dad had an issue with one of his eyes, so Mom and Melody rushed him to the hospital, and they said he had to be rushed to a Halifax hospital, the only place with a specialist who would do surgery for Dad’s eye condition. 

Later Stephanie and Glen showed up with Mo.  It looked like, though I bought a round trip ticket that would send me back on the 12:30 bus back on Monday, I would have to go back early on Sunday.  But Stephanie and Glen and I were to have a great time. 

Stephanie, Glen, and I went to the Superstore to do some grocery shopping, which was an activity I loved to do all my life, so I helped find the food we needed for the meal, which is why sometimes when an assistant has to go to Sobeys I ask to come along to help.  We got a few pizzas, some sparkling drink, and vegetables with ranch dip in the middle, and some dessert.  Kelly and her children showed up and we exchanged gifts as their birthdays were a few days ago. 

We played Desert Island Discs too.  For my song selection I chose Gangnam Style as if I were on a desert island I would need music to exercise to, as that plays at my Zumba classes. 

Jennifer had brought up a movie called Away to Me.  As any Border collie lover can tell by the title, it’s about sheepdog trials in the States.  This DVD shows an entire tournament with documentaries on each competitor, each dog and where each team is from and what they do when they are not trialing.  It talks about terms I read about in Nop’s Trials and Nop’s Hope. 

I watched it and I loved it so much that Jen said she would watch it and then mail it to me at McKim House to keep!  This would mean I would have Babe, Babe 2, 5 Mist Sheepdog Tales DVDs AND an entire DVD of sheepdog trials. 

The next day Jennifer, Brian, Brennan, Connor, Glen, Stephanie, Matt, Emily, Clare, and I all went to Champlain Place and Glen bought me the DVD set Problem Child 1 and 2.  Since I changed from the Citizen 19” TV/VCR Combo to the Toshiba 19” LED TV, I had missed Problem Child as I only had that on VHS.  I first saw the movie while I was in my second year in Cubs.  Now I had both.  After the purchases we went to Dairy Queen and had our treats there!  I had the Strawberry Cheesequake Blizzard, sharing some of the ice cream with Stephanie after all the great things she and Glen and the family had done together with me.  

Glen tries to steal Clare's Dairy Queen ice cream.

Then we went to Chapters Crystal Palace and I looked at the travel books and local books while the others looked at other kinds of books.  Then we went home, and Emily, Clare, and I watched Problem Child 1 together.  That night the family gathered together and used NetFlix and watched Honey, I Shrunk the Kids together, sharing popcorn together. 

The next day, as planned, Stephanie, Matt, and I, went in Dad’s Toyota Tacoma and headed to the Moncton Bus Terminal, also the VIA Train Station.  I asked if we could change the return ticket to this day instead of Monday, but I was told it that bus was sold out!  It was the first time I heard that with either of the bus services I used.  So we got a ticket that guaranteed me a seat on the 5:00 bus that night.  Stephanie bought a return ticket from Moncton to Bathurst as she had a business trip there. 

Then we went to the Pump House Brewery to have lunch.  It was my first time there, so I had the fish and chips with a Perrier.  I shared some of my fries with Stephanie like I had done with the ice cream from my Blizzard at Champlain Place Dairy Queen. 

Then we dropped Stephanie off at the VIA/Maritime Bus Station. 

Then we went home and within minutes Mom Dad and Melody came home and I told them I was praying everyday for Dad to get better, which I was and still am. 

Later Mom and I got in the car and left after saying goodbye to Melody, Matt, Emily, Clare, Jennifer, Brian, Brennan, Connor, Danny, Sprocket, Ella, Liza, and Lupin. 

We got to the Terminal, and within minutes my bus boarded, and within minutes the bus took off and I texted Stephanie and all my sisters as I had promised I would, and I texted them once I got home and emailed Mom, like I promised.  

An Epic, Fanciful Stay-Cation!

View fullsize

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!