We read by the sea

Posted on a Monday evening after a few beverages but started much earlier. The latest update on us having fun.

What better time to catch you up but on a Sunday morning? Especially one where I don’t have any particular responsibilities because I’m on likely the only vacation I will have this summer. Well, that is not entirely true as I spent Sunday to Tuesday doing mostly only tasks I wanted to do such as reading on a lounge chair, walking the dog, catching with up with email etc. But I digress.

Daughter #1 and I have spent Friday to Sunday enjoying all that Nova Scotia has to offer. It began when she and her father apparently returned from Cape Cod at 2 a.m. on Friday morning and I say apparently as I wasn’t home to be part of the welcoming party as I worked Thursday night. Due to some staff illness, this was the logical solution as I don’t mind nights and most of my coworkers do just about anything to not have to do extra of them. So, this meant I was only subjected to a LD on Wednesday and then off Thursday to putter and prepare for my road trip. I hit the hay on Friday morning at 8 a.m. and forced myself to set the alarm for 11 a.m. and we were off.

A quick stop along the way to purchase a flat screen monitor which someone had posted on the electronic bulletin board for the Tri-District, a good buy which will not make the man cave so claustrophobic. Off to the city to connect with daughter #2 and take in the NSCUBA association Moncada Day celebrations in one of the parks. Nice music by Jeff Goodspeed and Los Primos – he does exchange programs with students from NS to Cuba. Our invitation had come from the new son-in-laws grandmother, and artist doing projects between NS and Cuba. The soon to be Grade P/1 teacher aka daughter #2 is looking forward to being a part of that this year as well. It was exceedingly warm, although not as humid as Cuba this time of year. We headed down to the NS Designer Crafts Council there. I treated myself to a pair of silver earrings, a key chain made from a piece of silverware handle with my initial on it and a wooden spoon and letter opener made from beautiful maple. We headed back to Pete’s Frootique and picked up groceries for our weekend – and very scrumptious/gourmet ones they were too. A quick stop in Truro to pick up folding camp chairs, this being required as the previous ones were tossed onto the pile at the Paul McCartney concert in the Commons last summer. Of course there were no sales on and a pair of Team Canada logoed chairs at $18 each were the best choice. A straightforward run to the Pictou area, with a photo op for the cormorant colony and then off to find our cottage. It was a bit of a hunt due to very low key signage and remote location but we eventually made our way and checked it. A quick supper and a welcome bed.

Up early, breakfast and off for the full day planned. We headed into River John for the Read by the Sea writing workshop with Helen Humphries held at the local school. An eclectic group of us were led through some exercises, discovered various facts about the author and the writing life and enjoyed delicious homemade oatcakes and muffins. Daughter #1 has a wonderful writing voice! And I have promised myself to read more titles by this author - Coventry was great but she’s published quite a few and has a new one coming out next fall entitled Adele – it’s set in Paris in the 1800s and is about Victor Hugo’s wife Adele and the literary critic/minor poet she has an affair with.

We were off to explore Tatamagouche for lunch and discovered a roadside place called the Dino Burger – how could this be anything other than good? It’s an old (very old actually) bus which has a patio built around it and an extensive menu. Giving your order to the sturdy middle aged woman who bellowed to Andre the cook was a blast from my past. My lobster wrap and battered mushrooms were excellent and poutine and clam roll hit the spot for the daughter. We continued in to Tatamagouche to take in the sights, many of which hadn’t changed since my childhood day trips over from River Phillip. The Anna Swam (giantess) museum has changed venues but the material is the same, the Creamery has been completely revamped (it was a working facility until a few years ago) and holds a market which was just closing down. Daughter #1 sat for a caricature artist who did her portrait and the result was an excellent likeness. He captured the sparkle in her eyes and dimpled smile exactly. A nice memento of the vacation.

Back to River John for the continuation of the day at the Legion where there are lovely grounds called a Victory Garden. There were areas of shade with some of the trees, a gazebo where the authors read from, a large mowed field, books to buy, raffle tickets for prizes and goodies to snack on. Our new chairs (good enough for Sidney Crosby they should be good enough for us according to the daughter) were just great – a cup holder to set the raspberry sparkler in which we washed the huge brownie down with – these folks know how to set things up. The authors were all great from playwright Catherine Banks, Helen Humphries, J. Kenneth Harvey and Austin Clarke. The MC was Stephanie Domet of CBC Radio Mainstreet fame and several local authors did the introductions. A gentle breeze, warm sunshine, great readings and relaxing with about 200 other book lovers what could be better? Apparently this is the 12th year for the festival and it runs very smoothly. Supper was held inside and it was wonderful and all you could eat! Smoked pork chops, potato, bean, pasta and mixed green salads with homemade rolls. A decent glass of white wine from the cash bar to wash it down with as well with dessert of strawberry shortcake – homemade biscuits, local berries and real whipped cream with tea and coffee. There were folks managing to get back for second helpings but not us. The wait staff was great. We especially enjoyed the charming British gentleman who chatted us up and then assured us that he didn’t usually speak to ladies he didn’t know like that. Yeah right! It turns out (through further questioning) that he is from the channel island of Guernsey and comes to River John for the summer for some years now. He was telling me that the book – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – has really helped their tourism. He did admit that he hadn’t read it yet, so I encouraged him to.

The evening was capped off by a drive to check out the sights and some scenic photo ops. The sunset at Cape John did not disappoint. Overlooking a red sand/gravel beach with water warmed by the Northumberland Strait with rugged cliffs the sunset was spectacular. As the daughter enjoyed the beach I chatted with a long time summer resident who was dog sitting. When the chubby little beagle mix came over and knocked her things off the bench, in an obvious bid to get moving or at least get more attention she told him “no, you’re mistaken, you’re with me, I’m not with you so you go sit down and be good”. A classic line. We made it back to our little nest on the river and after a slideshow of the road trip to Cape Cod it was lights out for two tired explorers.

Sunday's itinerary included a nice Sunday breakfast, then a side trip to Pictou to check out things and a run into the city where a barbeque lunch at Q with family and friends before heading home 11 p.m. The schedule tonight called for a fire on the beach below the house and there were hotdogs and marshmallows (of course) purchased for that. But due to high winds the fire has been postponed until tomorrow as the local fire department are volunteers.