October 29, 2005
Well, 2 or 3 major storm systems converged on New England earlier this week so we've seen more than our fair share of heavy wind & rains lately. One of these storms was the tail end of Wilma, working her way up the coast. It's actually been a very wet October. We haven't experienced any damage due to the rain although many areas were/are flooded. Thankfully the last two days have been dry and we've seen some blue sky.
All this wet weather has made me very thankful for the warm and dry week we had during Mom & Dad's visit Sunday Oct 2nd - Sat. Oct 8th. Our visit with them was so nice and the weather allowed us to get out and do things. They arrived late Sunday night after driving down from the ferry landing in New Brunswick (they took the ferry from Nova Scotia that morning).
Monday we took a beautiful fall drive through the countryside around here. The destination for our drive was Ricker Hill orchards in Turner. But on the way we stopped at our close friend's so they could meet Mom & Dad. Then we stopped at Nezinscot farm for a fresh baked snack. Mom & Dad enjoyed egg sandwiches with everything made or grown on the premises. The eggs, the fresh baked bagels, the tomatoes, the cheese, the basil - all from the farm. It's a really cool place. We finally made it to the orchard and picked some apples for the week. The view was beautiful - rolling hills in fall colors. That night after supper we celebrated birthdays. Mom & Dad brought all our gifts and bought a cake to have a true birthday party. This was a fun surprise and everyone opening presents.
Tuesday morning we had a little scare. Dad hadn't been feeling well (a bacterial or viral throat/chest cold? - Mom would know all the details of this) the whole weekend and he was getting worse. He hadn't been sleeping well and was concerned about his immune system and his kidney. So, it was a day of Dr phone calls to AB and a trip to a local Dr. Thankfully he got some antibiotics and improved during the week. So, Tuesday was a rest day. Mom and the kids and I also walked to Bates to see Damien.
Wednesday we went back to Bates to have lunch with Damien and to show Dad where Damien works. Mom & I went downtown to the library and the used book store (maybe did this Tuesday - can't remember). We watched a couple movies during the week - Friday Night Lights & Hidalgo.
Thursday Damien took the day off and we all went to the Fryeburg Fair . This is a huge agricultural fair that takes days to see everything. We did the best we could in the 4 hours we spent there. The kids rode some rides, we saw animals, ate fried foods, and walked through some the craft exhibitions. The drive there and back were highlights of the trip for me. This time of year is so pleasant to drive in Maine - the winding country roads decked out in fall colors.
Friday morning we went to the farm to get our veggies. It was so nice to take Mom & Dad here since this is a big part of our lives in the summer. We picked some apples for snacking and fed the chickens and showed Mom the flower gardens. While there I was stung by a bee but Mom was quick to come to the rescue with plantain. Now I know what it is and that it really does work. That night we drove to Portland to the Old Port and went out for dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant. It started raining on the way home and hasn't stopped since - just kidding. Although it seems that way somedays.
Saturday morning we had a nice breakfast all together and then Mom & Dad left mid morning for New Brunswick.
So, that was our visit with Mom & Dad. I may have forgotten something, maybe Mom could add more details. I sent the photos to your e-amils. Damien has been researching digital cameras so we may be back to posting photos soon - I sure hope so.
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barbara on Oct. 30, 2005, 7:16 a.m.
Renee, you said it all beautifully, thank you. I would like to add that you are a wonderful cook, we really enjoyed all your vegetarian dishes very much. And we had a wonderful visit too, even if Dad was sick. (We are already looking forward to another visit next year.) We have some pictures that we would like to put on the site but we will have to wait until we go to Melanie's and scan them into the computer.
Unfortunately, by the time we reached Gisele's place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I was sick with a very sore throat too. I managed to get through the Thanksgiving festivities, (Gisele outdid herself with a magnificent Thanksgiving turkey dinner), but when we returned home my sore throat blossomed into a full-blown head cold so bad I had to take four sick days from work! It is now the end of October and I still don't have my voice back. But I am finally getting better, slowly. Dad was lucky. He took penicillin. I can't take antibiotics so I had to fight it on my own.
Anyways, getting back to our mini "family reunion" at Gisele's, Uncle Laurie, Uncle Bob, Aunty Denise, and Ed and Joanne were there. Albert gave us a tour of his Survival Systems business. It was a fascinating tour. Albert is an amazing man! So brilliant! And he makes good home made bread too! And home made oatmeal, and a morning power drink made from fresh fruit that really kicks off the morning in a fine way! Gisele took us on a tour of Peggy's cove and then shopping for live lobster. My goodness... What an experience! That night we had our first real lobster dinner. First, Albert cooks them in a big pot out on the deck. (Uncle Laurie and I kept him company out there while they cooked and we sipped wine.) Then we all put on bibs and ate lobster dipped in butter. We picked those lobsters clean with tiny little lobster forks! An unforgettable experience! The next day, before we left to come home, Gisele took us on a walking tour of their property. A very lovely property surrounded by lake on three sides. They even have their very own climbing wall! We are looking forward to going back for a longer visit. There is so much more to see and do.
Our flight back was delayed because there was heavy fog in Hamilton so we had to fly to Toronto instead and wait for them to bus the Hamilton people to Toronto before we could take off again. Poor Melanie. She came to pick us up at the airport and didn't know of the flight changes. She thought we had missed our plane, until some kind person told her of the time and flight number changes. So now we are home and already dreaming of our next "holiday".
renee on Nov. 7, 2005, 2:30 a.m.
Mom,
We watched this movie this weekend, finally. Lots of food for thought - I do believe fear is very pervasive in our culture. We don't watch TV so we are insulated somewhat but everytime we listen to the radio it's all about the next disaster, disease etc... After watching I was curious how safe a place Maine is to actually live. I've always perceived it as very safe and seen it billed as such. So, I thought I'd do some research. Moore's film kind of concerned me - I don't feel unsafe here, should I?
As it turns out, in 2000 Maine ranked 26th nationwide for firearms ownership yet Maine ranked 47th for homicides committed with firearms and 49th in homicides overall. In fact Maine's homicide rate (1.3/100,000) is lower than Alberta's (2/100,000). Not necessarily a nice topic to talk about - sorry don't mean to disturb anyone, but Mom I thought you'd like to know that we are very safe here. The only crimes that have ever been committed against us in fact have happened while holidaying in Canada - how ironic. Which is not a slight against Canada at all, just that Maine is not as bad as Michael Moore paints the USA to be. Good movie though I recommend it.
barbara on Nov. 8, 2005, 8:35 a.m.
Renee,
Taking "Bowling for Columbine" to the next level, JFK, the movie, is a 'must see'. I say this because if you only look at Maine, and it's low crime rate, you are not getting the 'big picture'. Two of your children were born on American soil. When they are old enough to vote, they will be asking a lot of questions about their government, and your well-researched opinions will be valuable to them. JFK will open your eyes and help you, to help your children, make some wise decisions when they are old enough to have opinions about their government's choices to go to war. Dad and I vividly remember the assasination of JFK, Vietnam, conscription...draft dodgers... JFK, the movie, will help you to understand why Canada didn't support the USA in the war against Iraq. You will understand Bush's anger at Canada for making that choice and the many different ways the American government is attempting to express that anger toward Canada.
As far as comparing the crime rate in Maine to the crime rate in Alberta, you are comparing apples to oranges. Alberta is THE RICHEST PROVINCE IN CANADA. Money attracts some very undesirable, greedy people... Drug lords fighting, (drive-by shootings and murders) over territory and money disputes, and thieves, are much more common in areas where people are affluent. There is much more illegal money to be made and many more expensive items to steal. In all fairness, you should compare the crime rate of Alberta with the crime rate of the richest state of USA, and compare the crime rate of Maine to, say, Saskatchewan, Manitoba (how about Morden, where Lauren lives), or New Brunswick or even Newfoundland.
Yes, Maine did feel like a pretty safe place to live when we were visiting there. And the back country atmosphere is quaint and refreshing. Much like Rocky Mountain House or Morden, where Lauren and Amanda live. Maybe even a little like Wetaskiwin as far as being a safer place to live.