Category: Current Family Life

Well today was a big day for us. We got up, had breakfast, and drove back to Lunenburg to go Whale watching. It was a 3 hour tour (yes, a 3 hour tour…any Gilligan’s island fans?). The first part was quite relaxing, sailing out of the bay. After about 40 minutes we hit ‘the open waters’ so to speak and there were very big swells. Luckily they didn’t bother the three of us. R was a little spooked that when she tried to stand she’d get pushed over, but by the end she was running around on the boat and running to me and boasting “Mummy I got my sea legs on”.

One poor fellow was quite sea sick. We shared our back of the boat seat with him (supposedly the best place for those sea-sick-prone-people. I also gave him some gravol The whales? Well they were remarakably absent. As R explains it, they were off playing with their friends underwater. So we didn’t see any whales. We did see 2 seals, some birds, and a Puffin. I’ve always wanted to see a Puffin. So I have some blurry far away shots of this one lone Puffin. Still, the whole time we were in the boat the sun shone brightly. As soon as we came back to land it was completely dark and overcast again. So it was good to get some Vitamin D. I’ll post a gallery but as you’ll see, the pictures aren’t remarkable. The one thing that was remarkable was that R stayed glued to her seat for the first 1.5 hours!! A miracle for her.

I didn’t post this on the correct date (if you are following us that closely). The B&B where we stayed didn’t have an internet connection. I was thankful, since these posts do take me a lot of time to put up. I like doing it, but hey I am on vacation, and entitled to some laziness I think.

After another wonderful breakfast, Orange-lemon french toast, we packed up and headed to Lunenburg. The tiny town was packed. I had forgottten there was a folk festival on this weekend. So the streets were packed with people and cars…Now why do I mention cars?? Because on of my favourite things to do in Lunenburg is take pictures of all the fabulous house doors, and most of them were blocked by parked cars. Sign. It was also very overcast, and a bit drizzly towards the end of the day too. Also to my great dissapointment the store that used to carry these paintings I loved doesn’t carry them anymore. Apparently the artist retired. So sad.

It still was a lovely day with my family, but we were quite soggy by late afternoon. We had supper in the “Inlet Cafe” where we also had supper 6 years ago. And you know, it wsa just as good as I remembered.

My lovely find of the day was a small wind chime made of recycled silverware!

We had a relaxing day, if it’s possible to even have more relaxing days on vacation. We started out once again with a delicious breakfast, eggs in a nest (poached eggs, surrounded by a ham ‘nest’ with cheese, homemade bread, and fresh yogurt with berries and museli. From there we were on a lazy walk around some of the towns close by. Some of these towns are very small, not much to see even on the main street. I must say however, there are lots of beautiful murals and pictures painted on the sides of buildings. There was a great picture of a train painted on a warehouse, in corporating the buildings’ windows into the picture. Of course we were driving, and I couldn’t make daddy stop.

Next we went into 2 cute shops in Wolfville here, and the one had a very nice chair outside called “Husband Parking”. Great idea. They have a lot of local arts and crafts here. I bought the cutest little bracelet, made out of recycled silverware. It’s very simple, but such a good idea!

After lunch we had naps, then found a local playground for R to play in. Unfortunately there were no other kids, but she still had a good time. We travelled a few km out of town and found another Pizza Delight for daddy. Nice supper. Now we’re back, clean and ready for bed.

Tomorrow we leave Wolfville for Mahone Bay (near Lunenburg). The weather has been very dark and grey the whole time so far, but the sun acutally peaked out for about 2 hours today. Here’s hoping the rain holds off! A few pictures in the gallery.

We enjoyed a spectacular breakfast of fresh fruit salad, apricot pastries, fresh waffles, bacon and tea. Most enjoyable. After we headed out to find a spot to walk on the ocean floor. We found a beach in Blomindon. The sand is deep red, as the sandstone in the area is that colour. We had a great time exploring together. R found crabs, seaweed, and shells. She really wanted to bring the seaweed home, we had to work hard to convince her that it would start smelling after a while.

Next we stopped at Hall’s Harbour, a small fishing village. The tides here rise about 16ft, so the wharf is quite different at low tide, with all the boats resting down on the rocks. We had lunch here. We have found that R really likes fish. She has requested it for 2 days in a row now, and she can finish of an entire adult size piece. Not a crumb left.

After we drove over to see the Zoo. The largest in the maritimes. Well, not much when you compare it to Toronto zoo, but quite a nice size for Rebecca. The zebras were mighly frisky, and ran around near the fence, kicking and nipping at eat other. We saw many other animals, including many kinds of chickens. I can likely have a whole section of photo cards dedicated to chickens now!

After we had a nice supper, and now it’s bedtime. Sorry, no gallery today!

Another lovely day. After a fancy breakfast, we packed up, and drove off towards Wolfville. Once again, about and hour and a half after breakfast, R tells us she’s hungry, and she actually is! This has been going on for at least a few weeks. At first i thought it was just a delay tactic, but it seems she really is hungry! Anyways, I digress.

As we drove towards Wolfville, I saw an intriguing sign that said “The Tangled Garden”. Since we didn’t really have an agenda, I convinced Albert that I wanted to check it out, and the nice man turned the car around, and we got out to explore. It was a lovely garden to explore. They grown their own herbs and veggies, and have a gift store with all different sorts of vingears, oils, and jams. R and I tried the lavender ice cream, and I must say it was quite delicious. Both R and daddy humoured me and amused themselves while I was snapping pictures left and right….Oh about 200+. I’ll post some in the gallery, but I only have patience to do a few right now. It was just lovely. At the top of the rise we found a wild flower maze. It was so beautiful, the pictures (with the mist) just don’t do it justice.

From there we continued to Wolfville, got some lunch and information and checked in at our new place. “In Wolfsville” Very nice. We managed to all have a nap, and after we checked out the harbour. It was quite chilly. There has a gentleman sailing in the bay, and it was interesting to watch him. R wasn’t really impressed with the water, but she was having a grand time singing at the TOP of her lungs!

After a nice supper, we are now back at our “lodge” (our room is called “Lodge”) and are settling down for the night. We’ll see what tomorrow brings!

I’m calling today day one because I was wayyy ro tired to write about yesterday. So. We are staying in a very nice house, directly on a lake. It feels like cottage country with all the amenities like a soft bed and indoor pluming! A beautiful house and our room is lovely too. There is a covered verandah, and a back deck from which there are steps down to the lake. You park at the top of the hill, and walk down to the house. There is a beautiful perennial garden here and it has a fountain. R is fascinated with the fountain, and loves dipping her hands in it.

We had a great day. I can’t rember a time in recent history when I’ve gone to bed at 9:30 (8:30 Ontario time!). It was a restful night. After going down to the dock and enjoying the lake view, we had a delicious breakfast. From there, we travelled out to Truro, where we had set a time to meet with our friends Leslie & Tony (and Cathy, Sinclaire and Avery). We arrived about 45 minutes early, so we decided to spend a bit of time in a small park. Apparently it used to be the site of one of the first Acadian wells in the area. The well itself was filled in, but there is a lovely little green space surrounding it. There were also a set of swings. After a while we decided to have snack at a picnic table. R was climbing on the rocks and such, then stepped onto daddy’s lap with her shoes on his jeans…see where this is going?? Apparently Nova Scotia is rather lax in its “Poop and Scoop” by-laws…So with Daddy’s jeans and R’s shorts smelling like dog poop, we made a quick pit stop at the drug store for wipes and Fabreez (Fabric ‘freshener’) Albert was still quite put out. (I would have been too) luckily I had yet again over packed the car, and I had a change of pants for both of them!!

We met our friends for lunch, and daddy was excited that there was a laundry mat a few stores down from the restaurant. So while we all enjoyed a delicious lunch, our poopy clothes were getting clean. Hurrah!

Afterwards we went to Victoria park. The kids spent some time in the playground and splashpad. We had time for a quick hike, the men and 2 kids climbed “Jacob’s ladder” a 200 stair stair-case leading to a lookout. Meanwhile thunder continued to rumble, and we quickly walked back to the cars. (oh yes, have I mentioned the HUGE BOAT that we are diving?? a grand Marquis!!!

Next on our agenda we were going to see the tidal bore. After a few wrong turns, and a quick stop at the toursit info for directions, we found the place, and joined the crowds in the rain watching at the side of the river. We only waited a few minutes before you could see this white line of surf coming upstream. It moved quite quickly, and it was amazing to see the river change course, and rise in such a short time. After we scurried out of the rain into the tiny museum which explained how the tidal bore worked. It also said that the video was for sale in the gift shop, and we wondered what sort of tidal-bore items we might find in the shop. Alas we did not stop to find out. It was really pouring rain at this time, and we said good-bye to our friends and headed home. On the way we found a “Pizza Delight”. We all know how fond daddy is of Pizza delight, so we stoped.

We arrived back at our B&B, and again had some time down by the dock. It’s been a lovely day, despite rumblings of thunder and rain. Tomorrow we move on to Wolfsville. I’ll try to post some pictures in the gallery.

Yup, another doozie today. R asks so many questions that there are time at which we tell her she can have one last question, and that’s it. So as daddy is putting R to bed, she keeps the questions flowing. So daddy tells her, “Ok, last question”. He tells me he can’t even remember what she asked, but he answered it, and she was quiet for a while. Later she says “Daddy, I have a question.” Daddy says to her “But R, you already had your last question”. To which she replies “I returned that question, I want a different question”. Can you believe it!! She makes us laugh.

The picture is from a few days ago, R is giving Auntie V “2 thumbs up” for the most excellent cherry pie she had made. I assumed most of you would like a picture with the post, not just my boring words!

I’m not biased at all am I? What a cutie pie!!! She brings much joy into our daily lives here.

So R had her 2nd soccer practice yesterday. It was quite hilarious. She did well during all the skill sessions. Towards the end of the practice, they actually tried a mini game. Half the team got “pinnies” orange mesh tank tops to put over their jerseys to make them the other team. Ok, so their jerseys themselves are huge, and these pinnies are at least 4 times larger than the shirts!

R didn’t really get the concept that in a game, it’s a free for all, and that you can go and kick the ball away from people. At one point I heard her say to someone with the ball, “Ok, it’s my turn now!” We teach them to share, share, share and wait their turns, then in a game, all those rules are changed! It will take a while, but I’m sure she’ll get it. Until them, it gives us a good laugh.

Today my little girl had her very first soccer practice! I was amazed at how well she did, learning to walk and kick the ball, how to stop it, where the base lines were etc. It was just amazing! Also seeing her in the huge soccer jersey that is now hers makes me laugh! She’s growing up.