Eiders and Socialists

Reviewing the provincial election results of last night – a resounding victory for the NDP, the first time ever in Nova Scotia – with at least a majority government for a change. I'm not sure how this will play out in healthcare but we're about to find out.


As we were leaving work yesterday I instructed the Nurse Manager to "go vote as women didn't always have the vote" and she declined explaining to me that she had been going to cast her ballot for the local liberal candidate but...she had gone to Tim Horton's on Camp Day (this is the sponsored day when proceeds go to Tim Hortons Camp and local celebrities join the staff serving) and the candidate had waited on her. When she got home to enjoy her coffee and bagel she settled back onto the couch, opened up the bag and was very upset to find that she had to throw out the contents as he had given her a frosted doughnut which since she is on a diet she had to discard. Not impressed! was how she described it. If only he realized how easy it would've been to keep that vote. Guess it's a good thing he's not giving up his day job.


Last night at 9 p.m. I fed and put to bed the prodigal son who reappeared after a five day absence. He was working on the boat and gear all day until dark as according to his father - this is what happens when you leave things until the last minute - I was surprised that lightening did not strike when the words came out of the lips of the worlds greatest last-minute man but I digress. Apparently after finishing up the heir to boat jumped in his truck and....it wouldn't start so after walking and catching rides he made the 25 minute trip in an hour and a half, so not really too bad considering the rural nature of the commute. He has arranged for his hired man to pick him up this a.m. so as there will be two pairs of hands tomorrow, things are already looking up.


Let me share a video clip I captured when I came home from work yesterday. I noticed the dog was very interested in what was going on in the water in front of the house so I checked out the view which caused me to grab my camera. I've never tried the video feature so this is a very rough draft but...as the dialup wouldn't handle it - after half an hour of video upload it refused and gave me an error message - I've brought it to work on a flashstick - I am if nothing else a determined broadbandwidth challenged woman. I'll explain that the clip is a group of about 30 sea ducks (eiders) who slowly swam their way up the harbour as Keely and I watched then took flight back down. The white ones are under two years old as apparently it takes them that long to mature to the darker color. I had thought the camera would pick up the noise as they were really creating quite a racket but you'll have to use your imagination.




I did manage to read my library book in the weekend and yes it is that good of a read. Unsettling but well written as all of Donna Morrisey's offerings have been. The shore captain has started it now as he enjoys her work and is willing to attempt even navigating the library due date.


I also did get to scrapbooking on Monday evening (as a reward for surviving the day in the district facility) and have begun my album on our western trip of last fall. My goal is to scrap the vacations before the anniversary date rolls around. Going to be a tall order with the three journeys in three months of last year. And that will still leave the cruise of this spring on the to-do list.


Speaking of which, the outside chores were shaved off the to-do list here on the weekend in beautiful warm temperatures. Mister spread all the crushed stone, which had been left in a pile almost a year ago in the front driveway, making a nice area around the azalea which is just beginning to bloom and fixing me a spot where i planted my Prince Albert sweet peas (or snapdragons whichever they turn out to be). I also transplanted the pansies which I've nutured from seed - sorry to report that on checking last evening something had eaten the entire dozen of them I'd manage to raise - I feel a trip to the garden center coming on. I also transplanted the basil to a pot and rearranged the chocolate and lemon mint so all kinds of herb gardening happening.


The baby daughter is on the closing days of her great adventure having enjoyed Copenhagen despite a spectacular face plant from a rented bicycle due to her short leg length requiring her to throw herself at the bike as in a circus performance. She is in Amsterdam at present and said the lineup was looonnnnnggg to get in to the Anne Frank Museum so she opted out but it's a small city so she is doing a walking tour. Off to Brussels and then Paris before the return to boring old North America. Ah to dream.

How far she has come from being a Brownie I thought as the Brownie leader (that would be Brown Owl to all you non-Brownie folks out there) called to say they were opening a time capsule this evening which the 1999 Brownies had stored away, making her almost 10 years old at the time. All the former Brownies were being advised in case they wished to attend. Apparently there would be three available out of the group as some were working etc. Brown Owl told me that she'd have to source a cassette player as the girls had left a tape of their favorite bands etc. and likely the 2009 Brownies wouldn't even know what a cassette was so this speaks to the speed things move at in a decade now. I filled her in on the travel schedule of missy who would certainly win the 'traveled from the greatest distance award' if she could've made it and Brown Owl promised to forward her submission. We had a good chuckle about how much she had loved Brownies, yes her sisters enjoyed it but no one was more into Brownies than this one. I shared the family legend of her father finding her sitting at the kitchen table when he got up at 4 a.m. to go lobstering. She had her Brownie manual, a piece of looseleaf and a pencil which she was using to create headings to columns.....Badges I Have and Badges I Need to Get. As her Dad said "be afraid, be very afraid of that one" and of course we've come to be very aware of her competitive nature.