Sea to Sea Connector

Well, we are ready to return to Victoria. We have scrubbed and vacuumed the house and washed the car. Dusted and packed too. It looks pretty good! It has been a fine holiday and we have done justice to the Maritimes. I think Halifax will miss me because I am the only person I have seen using a walker. What will I miss? David & Tasha; lobster rolls; leaves turning colour; the end of “The Morning Show” on Apple TV. What do I look forward to? My own bed; good street signage; cable TV; a walkable town. It will be wonderful to see friends and family. ❤️ We say adieu to the Merry-times. Over and Out. Maureen

Correction: Today is the penultimate day not yesterday. I got mixed up because I publish the morning after the night that I write. Anyhow, tomorrow is Saturday, when we leave Halifax for Victoria. So, Friday is the penultimate day!!! We changed up our routine today and did not go for a walk; nor did we wait and have a mid morning brunch. Instead, we headed right into town, had a breakfast sandwich at Tim Hortons and then attended to 3 errands in town - finding some wee gifties to leave for Rick and Anna. Once this was accomplished, the rest of the day was free. So, we continued downtown and took in the Maritime Museum. I am not sure why we passed this up on our initial visit to museums (like Pier 1. ) Anyhow, Maritime Museum is a gem with in-depth looks at the Titanic tragedy and the Halifax Explosion. I even had a lesson on Morse Code and sent ( somewhere) my name in Morse Code under the guidance of a member of the Halifax Wireless Radio Club. And I have a certificate to ...

We awoke to rain. It seemed like a downpour, but the radio man said it was only 5mm. And, then it turned into a dreamy Scotch Mist. The clouds parted around noon, and before we knew it the sky was blue again and the temp was a balmy 27C. Bad weather doesn’t stick around for long here. I feel like we are beginning our internal goodbyes to Halifax. Our junkets are shorter; we talk more about cleaning up the house and we are making plans for next week. Yukon friends, Jan and Pat, are in town ( Victoria) and are coming for dinner on Tuesday. Will I even remember how to put a meal on the table after these weeks of take-out and easy-peasy burgers and tacos? Doug had a scheduled Zoom meeting, but was let off the hook at the last minute. We had the afternoon to ourselves - like being let out of school. So, we decided to have a dip at nearby Kearney Lake ( pronounced Karn-ee Lake). It really is close - less than a 10 minute drive and a water reservoir for the area. If you were ambi...

After a walk and brunch, we got in our oh-so quiet car and drove South. We made a stop at the national historic site York Redoubt. A little like our Fort Rodd Hill - grassy and lots of guns. Boom. Our route took us past many small places like Herring Cove, Ketch Cove and Sambro, now bedroom communities of Halifax, but once would have been sweet fishing villages. A relaxing drive as we wind down our holiday. In the afternoon, we had a reunion with old friend, Chris Majka and his wife Sheilagh. When Doug lived in Moncton in 1971, he became friends with Chris’ mother- the late Mary Majka *. Mary was a force of nature - her enthusiasm for environmental activism knew no bounds. She was a renowned and respected naturalist, and educator and local TV star. She made several trips to Victoria over the years and we maintained our friendship over the miles. And, her son has continued her environmental advocacy and also involvement in Polish culture and Ukrainian refugee sponsorship. W...

So, the car, a 10 year old Subaru, has an issue with the muffler. Doug took it into the shop and they reattached the broken part . He took along a bike and rode the 8 k back home. At 2pm the job was done. So, Doug reversed the exercise and cycled back to retrieve the car. I was relieved at his return- Halifax is hilly, a snake pit of busy arterial roads, not especially bike friendly and everything is far away from our residence. When Doug pulled into driveway, the car was purring like a kitten. No longer do we sound like the Clampetts, as we wheel down the road. But, Doug, himself still looks rather dodgy, with his black eye and scraped face. We took the muffler out for its inaugural drive. How lovely was the silence. We found our way to Bedford and the Scott Manor House. This place operates as a tea house - but not today. The Manor, built in 1770 for Joseph Scott, an Irish immigrant, is the second oldest house in Halifax. Our day has orbited around the car. And, s...

I am going to go off on a tangent now. Please bear with me. As we rolled along the highways of NB, we listened to Matt Galloway on The Current, CBC Radio, interviewing geologist Jeff Bond and First Nations Elders on the discovery of the baby Mammoth - Nun Cho Ga- near Dawson City. I felt huge emotion during his conversation, as did the geologist. And Galloway kept asking Bond, where that emotion came from. I think for myself, it was the reminder that we are but a blip on the canvas of existence and it seems like we could very well blow it. The responsibility and failure is Titanic. I am gratified that this little remnant of another time will remain with the Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation, who will direct how it will be honoured and studied going forward. This brings me to the CBC, especially radio. What a treasure. And, in these divisive political times, in this time of being entertained to death, in this time of the demise of serious news, I fear for the future of CBC. We no...

Today is Sunday. We slept in, dawdled over dressing, and took our morning walk at Mount St.Vincent University. Boy, the Maritimes have a lot of institutions of higher learning. MSVU is a school that was established by women - the Sisters of Charity - for the advancement of women at a time when women could not vote. Social responsibility and social justice. We took a walk on the harbour, where we saw the Bluenose II and Doug walked up Citadel Hill - Maureen took a break in the car listening to radio. We dined at the Canton Garden again, ordering so that we have enough leftovers for tomorrow night. Not an eventful day, but relaxing and enjoyable.

Doug got up very early and took the car into the repair shop. Unfortunately, they could not help us until Monday. But, intrepid Doug crawled under the chassis and managed to tie up the muffler with wire, as a temporary fix. So, we were rough and ready for the Hope for Wildlife Annual Open House. It is a beautiful drive from Halifax to Seaforth . Southeast Nova Scotia is really picturesque and we even recognized some of the landscape from the TV show. But, my heart sank when I saw the parked cars lining the road by the rehab centre. Parking extended 2 k on both sides of the entrance. 1400 people had descended on the site. I doubted I could do the walk. Still, I recalled that the website said the local funeral home was offering a shuttle service. And, sure enough, a black limo pulled up, and offered a lift. In minutes we were dropped off at the entrance and there loomed the next challenge. The driveway to the centre was a huge hill. Aargh. But, no sooner did I sigh in ...

Our trip back to Halifax was dominated by the news of Queen Elizabeth’s death. And, once “home”, we listened to endless broadcasts on theradio, about the late monarch. It was soothing, really. Today, we have a day-off. For the past several days we have been sitting more than standing and it feels good to walk around, do garden chores, laundry and dishes. These mundane tasks give a shape to the day; yet a holiday from them is nice too. We made a trip to Sobey’s where we picked up a ready-made meal, a croissant and a pastry. We also made a return visit to Value Village ( natch), where I found a shirt to meet the demands of slightly cooler temperatures than when we arrived. The nip of Fall is in the air. Doug has gone for a swim at nearby Kearney Lake. I chickened out at the last minute. Instead, I have tuned in to hear King Charles’ first address. G&Ts again tonight to toast the new King! Bad news. We have a problem with the muffler on our car. And it is Saturday. ...

The Queen has died. We learned this on the radio, near Truro. I could feel it coming, and yet it still feels like such a shock and loss. “ A huge oak has been felled” said the commentator. It is an intense moment. Queen Elizabeth has been our Monarch my entire life. I have no memory of our country without her as head of state. She was a figure of grace, above the fray of politics, dignified with a profound devotion to duty. She brought stability to our constitutional system. My Dad was a confirmed monarchist, my Mom more nuanced. So, I grew up admiring her and feeling affection for her. Dad took me out of school when she visited Montreal in 1958, so I could see her ride through the city. ( My parents would never take me out of school for anything but an emergency!) Every Xmas Day we would watch the Queen’s Message on TV. Now I am glued to the radio. I feel very sad at this moment. God Save the King.

Today we see PEI. The sky is clear and the temperature hovers at a pleasant 21C. We got totally screwed up in our travels to and in PEI. First, on the NB side, there was a huge detour, which took us about an hour out of our way to Confederation Bridge. Once on the island, we took wrong turns everywhere, and went down the same stretch of highway 3 times. As Doug said, “. We saw a lot of the island - some of it more than once!” One of the scenic drives led us to spectacular Stanhope Beach. And, Doug, with a little encouragement from moi, had a swim. See picture - Doug is a very tiny figure on a massive beach. On our checklist for the island was “ lobster dinner” - not that we needed to eat even more. But…. We found the place where we had dined 50 years ago - New Glasgow Lobster Dinner. At that time dinner was $10. Now, for a 1 lb lobster, the price is $43! But, we lined up, waited half an hour and had a really wonderful meal. This outfit has upped its game - now an appetize...

Today, for me, was a thrill. We made the 2 hour drive to Fredericton. The downtown was unrecognizable. When I lived there 1968-1972, the main store on Kings Street was Zellers. And it had an escalator! Now the centre is a bustling capital, with many shops and cafes. After a veggie breakfast sandwich ( coconut bacon), we drove toward the campus of UNB and as we rolled up leafy, elegant Charlotte Street, I spotted my woman’s residence, Maggie Jean Chestnut House. It is now Renaissance College. We stopped and I hesitantly poked my head into the entrance. A lovely woman welcomed us. I explained that I had lived here more than 50 years ago and could I just have peek at the main floor. Her graciousness was huge. Not only did she invite us in, she also took us on a tour to the top floor where my room was ( now an office). Circa 1895, this Queen Anne style house has lavishly trimmed verandas and bay windows. It was purchased by the Bank of Montreal in1900 to house its local ...

It is raining this morning - just sprinkling really. Nonetheless, we decided to forego our morning walk and hit the road destined for Moncton. We stopped in Truro and did a walkabout. You could have heard a pin drop so seriously does this town regard Labour Day. We stopped at the City Library, formerly the Normal School. In Sackville NB, we searched for a charming eatery and found the Cranewood Bakery, where I am sure you need to provide ID because no one there was over 20. Also, all the baking was eaten so we retreated to McDonalds. I am sure all the men reading have owned Stanfields underwear and that factory is a going concern in Truro - but not on Labour Day. En route, we drove through Oxford NS, which Johnny Harris visited on his show Still Standing - one of our favourite TV programmes on CBC. It is the Blueberry Capital of the World. We sped passed the Dorchester Penitentiary. And, finally landed in Moncton. David has given us the keys to his apartment ( while he and ...