For the purposes of continuity, and before we get back on
the plane to Grenada, I think it is appropriate to include one weblog entry on
how Dawn and I kept busy (or not) during summer, 2016.
We've been home since early May, and are just about ready to
leave for the sunny south in mid-November.
The cottage was pretty much as we left it, thanks in great measure to
the watchful eye of Hugh Whalen. Besides
the regular home maintenance chores that most people have, I stayed out of
major projects. Even neighbourly
assistance was just routine this year.
I enjoyed a great canoeing adventure when I joined my
brother, Ken, and two of his friends, for a 5-day trip down the Nepisiguit
River, in early June. As the trip also
entailed two nights in Scott Kennah's fishing camp, enjoying Scott's
hospitality, it was even more special.
The trip included trailer trauma, excitement, dangerous rapids,
outrageous portages, amazing food both inside the camp and on the river banks,
snowy riverbanks, cold and rainy weather, and a total lack of edible-sized
trout. I'd do it again in a heartbeat -
on a kinder river.
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| A group photo after all survived the Nepisiguit Narrows Gorge, no small thing! |
Dawn had her trips as well:
to Grand Manan, and upriver for a cross-border shopping trip; both in
the company of friends.
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| Neighbours Liz and Judy standing with former neighbour Pam on a foggy Grand Manan beach. |
Sailing the Hobie 21 was all in light winds, and barely
eclipsed the time to commission and decommission the boat, but still enjoyable.
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| Hugh and Debbi, two neighbours, join our catamaran by powerboat on the water for a snack. |
A notable event was the transition of Dawn's mother, Jean,
from her condominium to a retirement home,
It was a lot of work, especially for Dawn, but resulted in a lot of
enjoyment with Jean, and Dawn' sisters Kathy and Lorna (and husbands). The work included significant paring down of
clothing, furniture and household items, finding and refinishing furniture,
moving itself, and accommodation for the workers (Lorna and Brian visited at
our cottage for a fun time).
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| Dawn searches the stores for the perfect chair for her mother Jean's new home. |
We hosted other guests from time to time, and were also
involved in weekly parties among our neighbours - so it was a major social
season.
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| The Brothers Corbett and Wives got together on the occasion of Paul and Lida's visit from Calgary |
In September, we traveled to Prince Edward Island to attend
Emma Cabel's wedding to Ryan Seymour, a truly enjoyable experience that
included many old friends. While over
there, we stayed 3 extra nights and enjoyed bicycling for three days, just the
two of us. The seafood meals everywhere
over there were amazing.
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| Bill Cabel, "giving away" daughter Emma |
So, now it is over, you are caught up, and we'll attempt to
write as soon as we can from Grenada.
We'll try to blog from the boatyard, before launch. We'll be staying on dry land, recommissioning
the boat for at least a week.
