I’ll Try Not to Bore you.

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 bank managers. And, later purchased by the university for women’s housing. The original wood-panelled interiors, etched glass windows, hand-carved fireplaces and beautiful staircase ( plus a servants staircase) were just as I remembered. ( the interior picture is just a stock photo. I don’t know these people) From this beautiful building, we carried on ‘up the hill’ to UNB campus. UNB never scores on McLean’s annual university rankings. But, I am sure if there was a category for Really Pretty Leafy Nostalgic Campus, UNB would be at the top of the list. The buildings - even the new ones- continue in the red brick Georgian style of the original college. It is so integrated and has the feel of a very old place of learning which it is. Quick facts: UNB is the oldest English-language university in Canada. UNB’s Fredericton campus was established in 1785. We returned to Moncton to watch the Tidal Bore, only minutes from David’s apartment. And, then a pub dinner. A very good day.