TLJ Thoughts

Sizzlin' Supertunias

2011-09-21T15:06:00.007-03:00

Well, the time passes by and not much has changed here at the old Chatterbox Cafe. The summer season has been a busy one, albeit a little slower than last year. The Spring and Summer weather was terrible with an excess of rain and cool temperatures. However, ever since late August there has been plenty of good weather to be happy about. Nights and mornings are cool but the sun has been shining(mostly) for some time now. A typically gorgeous Pugwash Indian Summer!
Each summer we(read 'N') put up several hanging baskets and barrels filled with a locally developed variety of petunia(Supertunia®Bordeaux). This has been created by Sunrise Greenhouses, about 10 years ago. It is truly a beautiful and hardy flower. When you buy the flowers in the Spring the owner, Ken, says, "Just transplant them into a hanging basket. Add fertilizer. Give 'em a good soaking and STAND back." Well he wasn't kidding! This year the plants didn't explode like they usually do because of the weather. But lately they have been enjoying a new life. Right now, in late September, our Supertunias are magnificent. Every day N goes out to water them and pick off the dead heads and these plants have thrived. And in our little herb garden our dancing fish responds to every puff of wind and flits among the flowers. I've taken a few photos and posted some of them here. Hope you like them.

You Win some. You Lose some

2010-07-20T11:34:00.002-03:00

Last week was a week filled with great joy at the birth of our first grand child on the 13th and followed by great sorrow with the passing of N's dad and my father-in-law on the 14th.

Our older daughter was married in a beautiful outdoor wedding at our old Farm property in Wallace Bay last August and, at Christmas, we learned that the newly weds were pregnant with a baby due in early July. And, true to the promise, the baby was born at about 3:00am last Tuesday. N and I drove to Halifax and back twice to see the little family and we were thrilled to see such a beautiful new life come into the world.

But the next day we received a call from our relatives in BC informing us that N's dad had finally succumbed to health problems he has been battling for several months. He only lasted one month in a seniors care facility. Our joy quickly turned to sorrow with that news even though it was not unexpected. Grandpa would have been excited to meet his first great grand child but instead I believe he passed his life force along to someone else who needed it. I hope she will represent it well.

Do you believe that one life can be passed to another?

Beach Day

2010-07-07T18:58:00.009-03:00

I know! I know! No comment.

But, since N and I bought the Cafe I have not had one real beach day. Last year, when the relatives were here

to celebrate our daughter's wedding, I went to the beach for one hour. But today I had the day off and it was a scorcher. About 28 degrees C and the tide was high early this morning. So, I thought I'd take a trip to our favorite beach with Toby. We have to hike over to an island across the sand f

lats and find our spot on the beach which is about 2 kilometres long. It was very busy. I counted 11 people

walking along during the 2 hours we were there. We took the floating dog frisbee and Toby was singularly focused on that for the entire time as you can see from the photos. I wish we could get more time to do this because it was spectacular.

Recent music at the Cafe came from our House Band at our Friday Night Kitchen parties and from Rose Cousins, Christina Martin and Kelly Sloan. This week we are presenting Marimba Stew from Chester.

I figure, if I place short posts I might get a few more. Cheers.

Toby and the Magic Mist

2009-02-08T09:29:00.006-04:00

Toby is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and he lives up to the retriever part very well. In the summer we go to the little beach here in the Village nearly every day and throw sticks or a ball into the water for him. He plunges into the water without reservation and brings the object back, dropping it at my feet every time. And he never wants to quit. I also take him to open areas and throw a soft(foam covered in sturdy cloth) frisbee for him. He loves to charge after it and pluck it out of the air as it flies. My phrase has been, "if I can get it up in the air, he can catch it". This is all very much fun and pretty cool but like many things, compulsiveness is not always endearing.

The bad part of Toby's retrieving craziness is that he cannot be around a snow shovel. As soon as the blade is dipped in snow he becomes a monster. If I try to gently lift the snow and set it down he will be under the shovel biting at it and trying to swallow the snow. This usually leads to him getting hit in the head or the mouth with the shovel. If I'm more careful and avoid him by throwing the snow a little higher, he leaps and tries to catch the snow just like it was a frisbee. Although this behaviour is hilarious to watch, it's very frustrating to try to get the job done with a dog flying around the work area. Recently, I was shovelling the sidewalk for friends who are basking in the Florida sunshine and Toby was with me. His shenanigans were so distracting that I had to lock him in the car. But, so keen was he that he howled and barked from inside the car every time I lifted a shovelful of snow. I have included a couple of photos of him jumping and landing in the magic mist and leaping for a frisbee.

This week's snowfall was about 30-35cms deep before it stopped. In fact we had another few with the light flurries that continued for a day or two after the storm ended. After each storm our neighbour, who runs a gas station, clears the snow from our 12 car parking lot. I'm always amazed at the old tractor he uses for a snowblower. It's hard to believe that the thing still works. But it does a pretty good job still and I'm glad to see that Charles, the owner, has managed to keep it going all of these years. Nowadays, after every storm, the village is cleaned up by by a few modern four-wheel drive diesel tractors with heated compartments and stereos. The young drivers do their work in T-shirted comfort. Not like the old days when we had to 'walk 30 miles through waist deep snow just to'.....

No Pizza Tonight, Sugar

2009-02-03T16:46:00.007-04:00

As I sit here typing, the snow continues to fall. So far today we have had 10 cms(4 in) or so and the forecast is calling for 30 cms before it's over. Needless to say, our Tuesday night supper is cancelled and there are at least a dozen women disappointed to miss a winter gastronomic event. We are now wondering what to do with all the ingredients for a half dozen large homemade gourmet pizzas. I guess we will be offering pizza for our special this Friday. Or, maybe my loyal reader will call in and order one. I'll deliver if you wish.

This snowy winter weather is a great setup for our impending vacation in Florida. N and I are looking forward to our trip. Not only are we staying with Pugwash friends, we know of several other couples who will be in the same area when we're there. So, I'm expecting some get togethers. Remember folks. What happens in Florida stays in Florida. But really, a little sun and sand at this time of year is a welcome relief.

When we return, I expect we'll hear our customers asking us to be open more often in the off-season. Pugwash is a wasteland for eateries in the Fall and Winter. The Sandpiper is closed for the season, the Hillcrest has closed for good. The Ahoy Mate pub is closed and Shillelagh Sheila's Country Inn is also closed for the season. That leaves the Chatterbox Cafe which is also closed for the season, almost. There are plenty of opportunities to serve the market in a greater way, but we were attracted here by the seasonal nature of the Cafe. It's tempting to open for longer but we remember those 100 hour weeks in the summer when all we could think about was our leisurely winter break.

And N needs her time to create her beautiful paintings. Here is a sample of one of my favourites.Later, in the Spring, I'll try posting some of her new paintings which are in the works now as she prepares for a gallery show in Lunenburg this Spring. With her permission of course. What are you doing to keep the winter's blues away?

A Gripping Adventure at the Beach

2009-01-24T12:04:00.009-04:00

Lately our weather has been variable. We have had days with temperatures in the -25C range with wind chills making it feel like -35C. And we have had some days where the mercury rose to the positive side. This morning it was raining and the forecast is for temperatures falling back to the numbing ones again. Needless to say, with all of this change, we have some very icy patches lurking around and under thin layers of snow. This is a recipe for broken bones. Or at least embarrasing moments. Toby and I generally go for about three walks each day and lately it has been so slippery that, even with four legs, he has had trouble getting a grip. So far, I've fallen three times. Thankfully, I've only ended up with a few bruises. More importantly, my falls have all been in the dark so I don't think anyone saw me go down.

But Santa came to the rescue! In my stocking I received a new pair of ice grippers. These stretchy rubbers pull over shoes or boots and present several small steel studs between my sole and the ice. Suddenly, I am able to skip across icy surfaces and climb frozen slopes as if it was summer. Well, almost. The little studs really do dig in to the ice and provide stability and confidence to an old guy. So now, when we go out, poor Toby has to wait while I put on several layers to keep warm and then struggle with my Grippers. By the time I'm ready to go he is usually dancing with his legs crossed by the back door. But now he can't drag me in an out-of-control slide along the street while I wave my arms for balance and implore him to, "Take it easy on me, Buddy".

Yesterday the Cafe was open for the usual Friday fare. Around noon my friend Alan dropped in as he was on a trip from New Brunswick back home to Halifax. He decided to stop in to the Cafe to see if I wanted to join him for a hike over to his cottage. Oh boy, I thought. This will be an adventure!. You see Alan's cottage is on an island in an inlet of the Northumberland Strait called Fox Harbour. He was proposing that we hike across the ice to the island where we would check to make sure the building was secure. It was a beautiful afternoon with temperatures about -12C and sunny. The wind was blowing in off the Strait so it required us to bundle up well to keep warm. I donned my trusty Grippers and confidently crossed the ice with nary a slip. Unfortunately the Grippers don't hold well on my worn out winter boots and I had to take a number of embarassing backtracks to locate my lost studs, but all in all they worked out pretty well. The cottage was in good shape and all doors and windows were well closed. Although we didn't stay very long it was a wonderful two hour hike in a glorious winter setting.

I couldn't help but think of the contrast between the beach in our favourite summer season and the way it is now. It is no less beautiful in the winter. As I walked across the ice, squinting from the glare, I thought of the summer days when the sand can get so hot that you have to put sandals back on or head to the water to cool your feet off. And I'm sure that I'll be able to keep cool at the beach next summer by just closing my eyes and remembering the day we had yesterday. Since Alan suggested we take another hike out to the island this winter and stay overnight, there may be a continuing story here. Stay tuned.

Have you got any favorite places where the contrast between seasons is dramatic? And more importantly, do you like them equally?

It's All a Blurrrr.....

2009-01-11T10:10:00.009-04:00

Well, it's been a while. I just can't seem to get my thoughts organized to write something thoughtful and creative. So, once again, I'll just ramble and see what happens. The harbour is completely frozen over now and the shipping season ended with that barge load headed for Mulgrave. What have I been doing? It seems like Christmas lasted a month. Indeed it is that long since Christmas-by-the-Sea and we were busy.

We were invited to a few gatherings during December at peoples' homes in the area and enjoyed celebrating with them. On the 18th, we hosted our annual Christmas party. The Cafe was decorated and the tree was in the front window. We had a large turnout of about 60 people. All of them have become friends and customers since we moved here. I am touched by the love and support we have received. We ate and drank and there was wall-to-wall chatter.

A week later N and I drove to our daughter's house near Halifax to spend Christmas with the family. This year we were fortunate to meet and share it with the fiance's parents. In all there were seven adults. And, oh yeah, between us we also had six dogs and two cats. But it all worked well and we had a lovely time with stockings, presents and turkey. During that trip we also went to a Christmas Eve gathering with old friends and stayed in the City long enough to take in our Boxing Day movie(I actually liked this one. Called Slumdog Millionaire, it was worth the watch).

We arrived back in Pugwash and spent a day getting re-organized. Then we went to our Farm in Wallace Bay where we were joined by Jon & Karen. We went for walks in the snow, played games, ate and drank too much, read books by the fire and of course, I performed my New Year's au naturel run around the house in the snow. We were there from Sunday thru New Year's and arrived home in time to open the Cafe on Friday morning. There was a 24 hour blizzard on New Years and I had to shovel some rather large snow drifts before our guests could come in. The open areas were blown clear by the 120 kmph winds but there were huge drifts in many places. Storm surges had driven ice up onto the shore and driving was impossible for a day or so.

Now that the holidays are over, I have been trying to get our year-end completed and things are settling in. The curling rink has offered a nice diversion as I have been playing 2 or 3 times a week. N goes occasionally too. On Thursday she left on her annual writers' retreat to an abbey in Rogersville, NB. She and a few other women take the train and spend 10 days together with daily periods set aside for writing and personal relection. Meanwhile I'll be doing the cooking and running the Cafe by myself.

Did you receive any Christmas gifts that were fun or special? I did. I got some good books and some things I find useful such as a new digital kitchen thermometer and a coin sorter. But there are a couple of items I specially wanted to note. From my daughters I received a 2 day/5 draw package of tickets to the World Curling Championships being held in Moncton in April. I will surely attend those games to see the best teams in the world. And I also received 2 CDs with impossible to find music from John Allen Cameron and Gene MacLellan which I will treasure. It seems that my friend received a turntable for Christmas last year which is designed to play and digitize LPs. Ever since then I have been bugging her about not having copied any of her records yet. So, to shut me up, I have been rewarded. But doesn't she realize that now I'll probably be even more of a pain?

Thanks to everyone for making our holiday season so wonderful! I hope yours was just as much fun.

Did You Feel the Earth Move?

2008-12-15T19:42:00.006-04:00

The other night at midnight we were lying in bed and N said, "Did you feel the Earth move?". I thought about that question for a moment and how I should respond. Finally I said, "Uh huh, that was great!".
Then she said, "No jerk face; that was the explosion at the mine".
"Oh, of course. That's what I meant", I replied.

Every night near midnight, we do feel the earth shake briefly. That's the time that there is the daily blast at the Windsor Salt mine. I understand that each of these explosions generates another 5000 tons of the white stuff. Did you know that, according to Windsor Salt Company, there are over 14000 uses for salt? Much of the salt produced at the mine in Pugwash is used as road salt but table salt and water softener salt is also processed here. There were over 30 shipments by salt boat or barge this season and now that winter is closing in upon us, the shipping season will soon be complete. But for now the shipments continue. Recently the barge "Sault au Cochon" arrived to collect a load. I managed to snap a photo as it was being pushed out of the harbour by the tug, "Tony MacKay". With winter storms raging through the region, I wondered how difficult it would be for a tug boat to handle a fully laden barge out on the Strait and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I think that this load was just going to Mulgrave in the Canso Strait so it would only take a few hours. The skipper must put a lot of faith in the Marine forecast.

I started this post a few days ago and felt that that could have been the last shipment of the season, but since then, the same tug and barge have returned to get another load. Surely that must be the end of things as the harbour has started to ice over this week. Presently we are having a severe winter storm with official wind warnings, snowfall warnings and storm surge warnings. With wind gusts near 80 kph I wouldn't want to be out in any boat today.

Christmas-by-the-Sea

2008-11-30T16:07:00.006-04:00

For many years Pugwash had a very successful manufacturer of pewter products that attracted buyers from far and wide. In the Fall each year they and other merchants organized an event called Merry Madness which attracted hundreds of shoppers to Pugwash. Alas, Se agull Pewter no longer manufactures here and the 'big draw' no longer exists. In an effort to revive the event and create the excitement of those heady years, a committee of the Chamber of Commerce organized a community event which they called Christmas-by-the-Sea. It was held for the first time in 2007 and was reasonably successful. But the 2008 version of CBTS was larger and even more successful. The event was held over 2 days, Friday and Saturday and featured a number of activities around the Village. There was a Tree Fest featuring over 30 trees decorated by members of various community groups and businesses. There was a chowder supper at the Curling Club, family activities at the High School, a dessert fest at the Cumberland Lodge, readings and a sing-along at our Cafe, and a Parade of Light through the Village which culminated with the lighting and hanging stars of Peace on the Village Christmas tree. There were several other events held as well. Almost all of them were well attended and a wonderful spirit of sharing and co-operation was created.

We were open as usual on Friday, but this week we added Saturday afternoon to our hours and hosted a reading and sing-along event. We had eight people who are known throughout the community read a short Christmas story or poem. Some of the readers offered their personal works and others read something a little more traditional. The Cafe was full with about 30 people and all were enthusiastic. The crowd contained young school aged children and senior citizens. I was particularly moved by the poem of peace written by Maya Angelou entitled Amazing Peace. Its simple message gave everyone a chance to reflect on what Peace means to them. The afternoon concluded with Ben Smith leading the audience in singing some Christmas songs. All in all the weekend was a great success and already the organizers are thinking of ways to make next year's CBTS even bigger and better.

It's a real reward to find something that brings the Villagers together and leaves them with a feeling of peaceful togetherness. On Friday evening after the tree was lit we stood around it and sang Christmas carols. Some of us had lights and some of us had copies of the lyrics. I shone my light on a young man's page and we sang the words together. I had never met him before but at the end of the caroling he turned to me introduced himself and shook my hand. It was one of those special moments that makes these things worthwhile. What will you be doing this holiday season that will give you that warm fuzzy feeling and verify once again that there is still hope for humanity?

Not Happening Today

2008-11-22T10:51:00.009-04:00

Even though the Chatterbox is closed for the season we still prepare Tuesday night suppers, open Fridays from 10-2 and hold other events. During the last few weeks N has organized a series of workshops. There were watercolour, creative writing, hand built pottery and introductory music sessions. Today she had another watercolour workshop planned. The soup is made, salad materials bought, tables brought up from the basement and all ready to go.

But, mother nature got in the way again. We are hunkered down and watching our first blizzard of the season blast its way through. Power outages are being reported throughout the Maritimes and so far we have about 30 cms of snow. I had to lean my weight against the door this morning to get Toby out for a brief walk. The harbour is angry and sending spray up over the rocks. Needless to say the workshop is canceled and it looks like I'll be eating soup and salad for the next few days.

For those of you who have enjoyed a seat on our deck in the summer, here is a picture taken this morning. For those who have not sat on the deck in the summer here is a picture of what you missed. We'd love to have you come for a sit next season. You too can enjoy a nice lunch or a refreshing beverage. We had many happy customers this season but few were more laid back and contented that our young friend, Avery shown here in one of his more relaxing poses.

What's a few months?

2008-11-16T21:17:00.010-04:00

OK, my blogging frequency has slipped a bit. It's about 6 months since I wrote anything here. Not because I didn't think about it or want to do it. In fact I had big plans. I wanted to write about life in the Cafe and post some of the very interesting stories we heard daily. But, sometimes things just don't work out like we want them to. Our season in the Cafe was another busy one to say the least. We worked long hours, sometimes totaling as much as 100 hours/week when we had music on Friday and Saturday nights. So, I was generally not interested in sitting down and writing a blog in the evenings. Each day when the Cafe was closed and cleaned with the cash done, we either went upstairs and collapsed or went out for dinner and then came home and collapsed. There were many interesting things happening this summer and I'll try to catch up in future posts.

Music continues to be an important part of our lives. Every Friday night this season we held an 'open mic' night. Our host, Ben Smith sang a few songs then invited others to come up to the microphone and sing, or tell a joke, or read a story or poem. We had many and varied guests, including local guitar players, percussionists, bass players and singers, visiting professionals, fledgling writers, story tellers and comedians. By the end of the season we had built up a modest audience. On Saturday nights we hired musicians to perform. There were some wonderful performances from a variety of singer/songwriters. I'll write a post giving more details on our musical entertainment in the coming weeks but the highlights included a magical night with Bill Langstroth, jazz performances by the Djangoholics, several nights with Mark MacMillan, Mark Raddin and Barb Sharples. Music nights were fun but they caused us to work 16 or 17 hour days, two days in a row and that's hard on this old body. And there were many live music events that we attended too. We didn't go to the Eagles concert in August(even though we bought tickets) but since then we have seen Matt Anderson, Penny Lang, Elton John, Dave Gunning, Ron Hynes, Gordie Sampson, Chantal Kreviazuk, Joel Plaskett, Ron Sexsmith and Eric Fresia and the Offsprings. As soon as the Cafe was closed for the season we kinda binged out. Pay back time I guess!

But now the Fall has set in and the pace has eased off somewhat. For me, that is. N seems to have picked up the pace. Since we closed the Cafe she has taken on the job of Writer in Residence for the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library. That means that she travels every week to one or more of three libraries to work with writers. Part of her time is supposed to be spent writing and I know of at least two children's books she is currently working on. In addition to that job she is participating in a program called, "Writers in Schools". She gets assigned to do 1/2 day programs in Nova Scotia schools with students. All of this keeps her busy. She also plans to paint this winter and continues to belong to various community groups, such as 'Friends of the Library' and 'Communities in Bloom'. I get tired just listing these involvements! I plan to do some work around the building over the next few months, bring our books up-to-date, and get some rest. Also, we've joined the Northumberland Community Curling Club and have started learning how to play the game.

So, even though I've missed a few blog posts, I am back and will do my best to make new posts on a regular basis. Last year I felt pressure to think of a topic that might be interesting to the reader. I spent too many hours thinking and composing. This led to writer's block and less frequent posting. So...this year I'm going to try to write more briefly and more frequently. We'll all see how I do. Meanwhile, if you've come back to this blog one more time to see if I've updated it, I would be delighted if you'd leave a comment so that I know you're out there.

Getting Ready...From Here...Mayfly

2008-05-10T09:47:00.010-03:00

Well, it's almost a year since Norene and I bought the Cafe in Pugwash. And a fun year it was too! Last summer was pretty crazy and tiring but we made it through. And we learned a lot! The promise was to move to a small Village and work for half the year and do what we want to do for the other half. And that promise has been fulfilled. Almost... But work never really ends and the vacation part is all too short. Over the winter we've made a number of changes. We will be rolling out the new name, "Chatterbox Cafe"; we've painted the interior, replaced the antique stove with a new mobile island, re-organized the basement so that Norene can have a painting studio and made a number of other small changes.

As mentioned in other posts we have been open for a few hours each Friday. We held Tuesday suppers and hosted a number of community events. This has helped us meet more people and keep in touch with the local news. But now we are almost ready to start season two. There's a lot more to be done but we open for the season next Friday(Victoria Day weekend) for four days. We'll ease into the season by staying open on weekends at first. Then, in mid-June we switch to six day weeks. During July and August we'll be open every day. Already the cottagers and snow birds are landing and we are starting to see some faces we haven't seen since the Fall. In some ways it seems like we've been working all along. In fact, we have. But at a slower pace.
In between bursts of work Norene has completed a series of paintings and is now displaying them at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth. She and two friends have a show called From Here. Last Sunday we went to the opening. It was well attended and the reviews were excellent. I loved the different styles of the artists. Norene did portraits of people in places they connect with, Diane explored her roots in Lunenburg County and Shannon expressed her feelings about the roads she has travelled between PEI and Nova Scotia. Three very unique views. I loved them all. Well done ladies! Here is a photo of one of Norene's paintings. It's called "Running Away to Sea".

Last week I enlisted the help of my talented young friend Alex and we went over to our Farm in Wallace Bay. While there, we removed the toilet and rebuilt the floor under it. Of course, this also involved replacing some floor tiles and wall board. Finally the project is complete and the toilet is functional again. I would not have done nearly as good a job if it hadn't been for Alex's skills. See the photo for an example of the complex cuts required. Hopefully the repair will last for some time now. Over the years, it seems I've had far too much practice replacing wax seals on toilets.

One of the things I've done every year for the last 30 years or so is go Mayfly fishing at Gibraltar Lake. Last weekend Jon and I were able to paddle out to a fishing camp and spend the night. The fishing was spotty but we each caught one. Jon got his on a wet fly and I was delighted to catch one while using a Mayfly pattern. I love to go out to the Camp. Many times the weather will be windy and rainy but this trip was perfect. The lake was dead calm and signs of the advancement of Spring could be seen everywhere. It was Toby's first trip in a canoe and that was exciting. He was terrified and had to be bodily lifted into the canoe but once he was calmed down and seated between my legs, he really seemed to enjoy it. At one point I had to haul him back as he pushed his head overboard and tried to drink while we were paddling in the middle of the lake. However, when Jon started casting, Toby could not contain himself. He's a Retriever! When the fly was on the back cast Toby tried to chase it and when the fly landed on the water he wanted to jump in and fetch it. Needless to say, very little fishing occurred while Toby was aboard.

Last night the Pugwash 'Friends of the Library' hosted a visiting author who gave a reading at the church hall. Prior to the event Norene and I hosted the author, Marq de Villiers and his wife Sheila Hirtle(along with four of our local friends who are involved with Friends of the Library) for a dinner at the Cafe. It was a great chance to meet and talk with Marq and Sheila and we all had fun. About 20 people came to the reading which was very entertaining. Marq read from his books Witch in the Wind and Timbuktu.

And now it's back to work. There are many more tasks to be completed before next week and I have little time to sit and create new blog posts. It has been fun so far. Hopefully the coming season will bring even more.

Of Brown Trout, Soup and Flying Things

2008-04-23T08:09:00.008-03:00

Now that the weather has warmed some, it's interesting to see how the Village has come alive. People are on the streets more and wearing fewer clothes. There's a bit of a spring in their steps as if a great weight has been lifted. I think we all feel a little more cheerful.

Last week we were open on Friday for 4 hours as usual. There was a large crowd in the Cafe and they created quite a hubub. Norene and I have added a daily special of soup and sandwich and it has been well received. The Communities in Bloom folks were here and made centre pieces for our tables to prepare for the first annual Communities in Bloom Soupfest.

The event was held on Saturday as a fundraiser. Norene and I donated the Cafe and provided the soup, tea and coffee at our cost. The CIB committee provided a good group of volunteers to help run the show. They sold over 80 tickets which entitled the purchaser to a bowl of soup with tea biscuit, coffee or tea, and homemade sweets. Thank goodness the weather was excellent as I was able to unearth our outdoor furniture and set up the deck. It was just like the summertime when customers fill the Cafe and the deck. Ben Smith played troubadour and wandered around with his guitar and sang and the CIB volunteers seated customers and took their orders. We had vegetable and vegetable-barley soups and a corn chowder. The event was very successful and raised almost $1000 for CIB's projects. Hopefully we can go on to make this an annual event. Thanks to the volunteers who helped serve and clean-up. It sure saved Norene and I a bunch of work.

After the Soupfest, Norene and I packed up and went over to our Farm where Jon and Karen were spending the weekend. As usual we ate fabulously. On Saturday night we fired up the BarBQ and had a meal of steak, potatoes and salad. Definitely a yummy meal. It felt very summery. The next day Jon and I went fly fishing on the Wallace River. This time I had a license so I was able to fish too. At the Cable pool we were just getting ready to fish when the people who own the property next to the river came down to relax by the water and bring their dogs for a little walk. This gave us an audience which made me a bit nervous as I don't handle a fishing rod all that confidently but I made an effort to fish through the pool. When I was done, Jon gave it a go. Apparently the audience didn't bother him. He was able to hook and land a beautiful Brown Trout weighing around 3 lbs. As he released it the onlookers were flabbergasted that he did that. "Why did you do that?", they asked. "You could have given the fish to us. Don't you like to eat fish?". We explained that we release the fish we catch so there will be some here to catch another time. And yes, we do eat fish. It's available in the grocery store anytime we want it. Jon lost his balance while landing the fish and fell into the water so we didn't stay too long after he released the trout. We needed to get him back to a warm place and let him change into dry clothes. It was good fun and very entertaining.

After we put away our fishing gear and Jon got changed we decided that the wind was perfect for flying the kite. So we assembled our HQ performance kite and took turns flying it for about an hour. Toby went ballistic and ran around barking and chasing it so we had to put him indoors. What a perfect day for kite flying! Jon and I did loops and spins and ground skimming without a single crash. And in the end I was able to land it directly into Jon's hand. One of the best kite flying days ever!

Work continues to get the Cafe ready to open next month. We have completed building a new set of shelves and cupboard and they are installed. Hopefully, before this week is out, we will also have a new condiment trolley to replace the old stove which we currently use for that purpose. The stove adds atmosphere but the new trolley will be more efficient giving us storage and a more usable work space. I'll post some photos here when available. Stay tuned...

Yep...they're harbingers all right

2008-04-09T09:06:00.007-03:00

Well, the signs are everywhere that winter will end in northern Nova Scotia, eventually. Most days I go over and check on our friends' house as they are in Florida for another few weeks. Although the weather has been sunny for the past few days the breeze blowing in off the Strait has been chilly. But, on the sheltered side of the house there was a small cluster of crocuses peeking their heads out from the soil. They seemed so 'out of place' surrounded by frozen ground and chunks of ice. But the hardy little buggers cannot be restrained. Seeing them there just made me smile and gave me hope.
This past weekend Toby and I joined Jon & Karen at the Farm. I do love to 'go to the country' for the weekend even though it is only a seven minute drive. On Saturday the weather was nasty with rain, sleet and wind but Sunday turned out to be lovely day with temperatures well above freezing. Jon suggested that it was finally time to burn that pile of brush and scrap wood that we've been collecting out back since last Spring. Burning is permitted without a permit until April 15th so we managed to light the pile(sadly, accelerants were not required) and have our annual burn. The ground is still wet and frozen and, even though the fire was plenty hot, it did not spread to the old grass that surrounded it. Later that day Jon went trout fishing on the Wallace River(the season opened on the South side of the Trans Canada Highway on April 1). Since I haven't bought a license yet I just went along for the adventure but it was lovely sitting on the river bank watching him cover the water and enjoy being outside. As we drove home there were numerous robins in the fields and along the roadside.

Finally the ice has left the Pugwash Harbour. Oh, there's still ice, but now the pans move in and out with the tide and current. Pieces still swirl around and fetch up on shore as the tide recedes but there is no longer a continuous pack that blocks the harbour. And, since most of the ice is gone, Toby and I were able to spot a seal swimming and playing as we took our morning walk today. And another sure sign: the salt trucks have begun to dump their loads into the large shed across the road in anticipation of the arrival of the first salt boats of the season. As the winter was very severe and most municipalities have used all of their road salt it is expected that this will be a big shipping season for the Windsor Salt mine here in Pugwash.So, could it be that we've made it through another winter? Will we all be re-born one day? Stay tuned...

These are the Good Old Days

2008-03-29T19:02:00.005-03:00

A friend of mine used the phrase, "These are the Good Old Days", back when we were in our twenties. And we always knew he was right. But to think we can't retrieve them, at least for a little while, is a little short-sighted.

Two weekends ago four old friends gathered in the Cafe to play some games. A group of College friends, we hadn't all been together since 1971. During our days at University we would get together regularly to play historical simulation games. You know the kind with a map of some famous battlefield and all the little cardboard counters that represent armies, navies, air forces or supplies. We played a number of these games. Sometimes a single game was set up and played over many days, weeks or even months. We also played Bridge, Risk and assorted other games. We had fun and laughed a lot.

So, when we re-united after all those years, I wondered how it would go. And so did the others. We certainly had to re-read the rules(except for Bridge) but I was amazed to see how we were all so ready to get back into a game. And all the old banter and bad jokes came back too. We combined that, as we did in the past, with beer and pizza and sure enough we were returned to the good old days. We recalled old stories and told a few new ones but all four of us were delighted to get back together. And better still, we agreed to make sure that we do it again and never never let another thirty-seven years go by without getting together.

Winter Holidays

2008-03-17T15:36:00.011-03:00

Well, I can see from all the comment on this blog that it's time for me to create a new post. There is a lot of pressure to write something regularly while knowing you don't have much to say. But....

A few things have happened in the month or so since I last posted. Back around the end of the first week of February, my brother arrived for a visit from his home in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. He came to Pugwash to buy a house. Last year he retired from his job as a metalwork specialist in the aviation industry and wants to move to Nova Scotia. Since Norene and I have moved to Pugwash he decided to look in this area. Sure enough he found a place that meets his criteria and made an offer to purchase which was accepted. If all goes well he and his wife will move here from BC later this Spring or early summer. This will be very interesting as neither Norene or I have lived near our families since we were teenagers. And now I expect to have a brother living almost within line of sight(If it weren't for a large building across the street we would be able to see the house). He hopes to buy a boat to take advantage of living by the sea and use it for pleasure cruises in the Northumberland Strait and along the coast. He spent several years in an earlier career as a helmsman on large bulk carriers that plied the Great Lakes and Eastern Seaboard. So he comes by his interest honestly.

At about the end of Don's visit Norene and I went to Florida for two weeks for a little winter vacation. Now, Norene has been to Florida several times in recent years but I have only been once. That was many years ago when our kids were young and we spent a week visiting Disney World and other attractions in Central Florida. So, I wasn't sure what to expect. I really only hoped to play a round or two of golf and go to the beach. When asked what I wanted to do, I couldn't really answer because I didn't know anything about the possiblities. But after two weeks with our dear friends I was ready to pronounce it, "the best vacation...ever!" We did so many things but we were never rushed or feeling pressured. This was in contrast to my only previous visit when it was, "C'mon run, we've got 354 more things to see before the end of the day and it's already 2:15". There were many highlights to this visit which included, the Broadway musical 'Jersey Boys' in Tampa, the Ringling Museum and Estate in Sarasota, the Art Gallery in Naples, Margaritas on Sunset Pier in Key West, a tour of part of the Everglades in Shark Valley National Park, rounds of golf, trips to the beach(where I learned how to spot shark's teeth), happy hour with other Snowbirds, visits to the Moose Lodge, Eagles Club and Snook Haven(where the local Floridians hang out and party), an amazing pancake breakfast for 1000 people in a Methodist Church hall and an overnight visit to another friend's home in Naples. We had a wonderful time with plenty of laughter, food, drinks, games and friendship. I spent part of the last day on the beach in 35 degree Celsius weather(hoping to store a little sunshine to get me through the rest of the winter) and then fell on the ice as I arrived home in Pugwash. All in all, it was a wonderful trip and one I shall not forget for a long time. Thank you so much to our hosts for putting up with us.

But I must say that such trips point out the excesses of North Americans and makes one realize that we(collectively) cannot sustain this 'high life' forever. My mind is boggled as I try to compute the thousands of tonnes of aviation fuel burned daily to take tourists South; the millions of gallons of fuel burned on the Interstates as we sit immobile in traffic; the thousands of pleasure boats that navigate the canals, intercoastals, the Gulf and the Atlantic continuously(and that's only a fraction of the total number of boats. The rest are stacked in multi-storied boat condos or parked in multi-acre storage yards); the trillions of dollars spent on luxury homes that only get used a few days or weeks per year. How can we possibly keep living this extravagant lifestyle and using the world's resources for much longer? When I ask people why they have such large houses and so many toys, they generally scratch their heads, look at me like I'm an idiot and say, "because we can". I understand that, and smile because if I could I probably would too. And I wouldn't apologize. But, holy smokes people, this can't last forever!

On the day after we returned from Florida I drove to Parrsboro to pick up my Toby boy from Emma and Ian. He had been visiting his cousins Maya and Lola while we were away, and we had a joyful reunion. What a contrast in topography and climate! And only four hours away by plane too. South Florida has no hills and, of course the temperatures were 30 degrees plus almost every day. The trip to Parrsboro was partly through the Cobequid Hills, along snow covered roads. On Monday I saw alligators basking in the sun and on Tuesday I saw a herd of deer grazing on a snowy field.

I thought it would be difficult to return to our dreary winter life here in Pugwash after such a nice trip South. But it wasn't so bad. The weather is marginally better than it was in January and February and it was nice to see our friends and customers again when we opened our little Cafe on Friday. And they must have missed us too because they arrived in larger numbers than we usually get during winter Fridays. That was comforting.

This past weekend I had another interesting reunion but I think I'll save it for another post tomorrow or the next day. Stay tuned.

Small World, Big Ideas

2008-02-04T10:58:00.000-04:00

It's funny how coincidences just seem to happen! As usual we have been talking with the regulars who come into the Cafe about a variety of topics. One recurring theme is that the Village of Pugwash has so much potential to offer tourists a memorable visit and to provide residents with an enhanced quality of life. There are many things going on in the community but only a small number of people willing to organize them. There is a core group who get involved in many things but, every time a new event comes up, those people are targeted to organize it. Eventually it just becomes too much for them to handle as volunteers and their services get spread too thinly. As it gets more difficult to keep these many projects going, things get more desperate. Imagine, I've only lived in the community for about seven months and was asked if I'd like to Chair the 2008 Gathering of the Clans Committee! That's just the largest annual project that the Village has and it occurs when our business is at its busiest time. So it's out of the question for either Norene or I to do that. But it does show how communities have difficulties in finding volunteers. And other members of the business community are in the same boat. Many of us have to rely on the busy summer trade to exist from year to year and can't take the time away in our peak season.

But having said that, Pugwash has begun to adopt an overall Strategic Development Plan which should be a guide to the future development of the community. And looking at the Northumberland shore as a District, the future looks exciting. On Saturday Norene and I drove to Tatamagouche(about a 20 minute drive to the East along the Northumberland shore). While we were there we stopped in to visit some people we know to find out how they were making out during this long winter and then had lunch at the Sunrise Mercantile(a store offering imported gourmet foods and a cafe offering delicious light lunches). The lunch was yummy and we introduced ourselves to Suzy, one of the owners. It was very nice to chat and talk about the excellent job they have done in creating their business and learning about their vision for its growth. It's amazing how much busier and more alive it appears to be in Tatamagouche on a Sautrday morning than it is in Pugwash.

While we were visiting, we learned a bit about that Village's plan for development. They have hung their hats on a multi-phase development plan for Creamery Square which utilizes the old Tatamagouche Creamery building along the waterfront. The Village has formed a society to own and manage a three-phased development. Last summer the first-phase was completed with the opening of a Farmers' Market which is housed in a purpose-built building. In the summer of 2008 the old Creamery will be opened as a Heritage Centre featuring displays and exhibits from several heritage and historical groups. And the final phase will be completed in 2010. That will include a performing arts centre with three theatres! We were amazed at this project and how it has the potential to bring many more visitors to the Village and(by extension) to other attractions along the shore. Pretty heady stuff for such a small population. It shows what can be done when people agree on a vision and pull together.

Coincidentally, Norene and I were invited to a get-together on Saturday evening. At the gathering I was introduced to a gentleman who is the Project Manager for the Creamery Square Association and I had a chance to hear more details from someone close to it. All in all, a very exciting development which will certainly contribute to the overall development of the Sunrise Trail. And I can only hope that Pugwash will develop its focus as a symbol for world peace so that the communities along the shore can mutually benefit from their re-branding activities too.

Blue Monday

2008-01-21T08:58:00.000-04:00

When I woke up this morning the outdoor air temperature was -21C and the wind chill made it feel like -34C. I thought of the often heard radio warning, "exposed skin freezes" as I put on my long johns and bundled up to take Toby for his morning walk. And indeed, it was stinging cold as the light breeze blew in off the Strait. We walked for about 15 minutes starting just a little after 7 am and by the time we returned to the Cafe my exposed skin was aching. It was still semi-dark; the ice on the harbour had thickened; and the moon was setting just as the sun was rising. I thought, "How beautiful is that?", so I snapped a quick photo. In the few seconds it took me to get my camera out, my exposed hands were numbed by the cold. Since it was quite dark still you may have to enlarge the photo to see the setting moon as I saw it. Last night there was a spectacular sunset and I just happened to be out walking with Toby and got a shot of that too! It seems that, every day there are simple things that make me smile and I realize how lucky I am.

With that in mind I heard on the radio that today is Blue Monday. According to Wikipedia, Blue Monday is a calculated date regarded as the most depressing day of the year. The calculation is made using the number of days since Christmas, personal debt load, time since failed New Year's resolutions, etc. The date always seems to be the third Monday in January. In reading the entry, I couldn't help but wonder if I should feel depressed today. And today is also National Hugging Day, a day when everyone is encouraged to give someone a hug. A word of warning: if you are going to go out and hug strangers, please ask them first. The idea is that everyone needs a little hug from time to time and by sharing that human contact you can do your bit to improve someone's life. I don't know if it's coincidental that National Hugging Day falls on Blue Monday but the two certainly work in harmony. So, get out there and make a contribution to ending the need for Blue Monday by giving out a few hugs. Who knows, maybe you will feel better too, having given them.

I had intended to post this blog this morning and, just as I was about to click 'Publish', the power went out. Of course, the internet and our internal network stopped working and we had no water(we have a well so need power for the pump) or heat. The Nova Scotia Power phone message said that there was no power from Wallace to Oxford but they hoped to have it restored by 2:00 pm. And, being the coldest day of the year, I was quite concerned that there might be some frozen and broken pipes. Thankfully the power has come back on about an hour ago and all seems well. Did I just miss having a Blue Monday and needing a hug?

It's Baaaack!

2008-01-15T16:17:00.000-04:00

With a vengeance....

In the last week we have been having our customary January thaw. All the snow melted except for the plowed snow banks. The ice had left the harbour and I saw a seal cavorting in open water. Toby and I slogged through some very wet spots on our daily walk and I contemplated Spring and getting ready to open the Cafe full-time. Then last evening, just before sunset it started snowing. You know...those nice little flakes that seem to pile up quickly, even though they're so small? Well, it's now almost 24 hours later and they're still coming down and accumulating. We had the parking lot snow blowed(?) this morning and it needs it again now. Our Tuesday night supper group has called and cancelled and everything in Northern Nova Scotia is closed. This link to a Nova Scotia Highways web cam shows a good view of conditions. Of course, it depends when you are reading this post. It could be a beautiful summer day or night, but as of this writing, there is a whiteout on the highway. You may think that I'm not happy about all this 'bad' weather but I like it. It somehow validates the desire to make a change from our old life in the City to our cozy little Cafe in a rural village.
Now, I do see the other side. Many of our friends and acquaintances from Puwash are leaving(or have left for warmer places). This area is known for its warm waters and sunny weather and it makes sense that people would want to live here, either as summer cottagers or as full-time residents. But many do go South, and Florida seems to be the place. Just last week our friends, Bill & Helen left after much anticipation and not a little impatience with our local weather. They couldn't wait to go really. Can you blame them? Take a look at the accompanying photos. The first shows what they left and the second shows their destination. And who could resist a close-up of their fruit trees?

But, poor dears, they have to cover up to protect themselves from the sun's harmful rays; they have to spend all that time tending their flowers and mowing the lawn; they have to book tee times early or the good morning times will be gone. And there's more! Getting together every afternoon for Happy Hour and clipping all those coupons for discounts at restaurants must be very taxing. And sometimes the beach is crowded and noisy, too!

They can have it. I get lots of exercise shoveling snow and slogging down the Bito trail. There's plenty of peace and quiet, with time to work on the books and no worries about sunburn and no handicap agony. Secretly, I'll bet they're having second thoughts. Oh, they'll put on a brave front but we know the truth....

Where does it go?

2008-01-10T18:22:00.000-04:00

Remember when you were young and time moved more slowly? When you got out of school at the end of June and you had two whole months to hang out? And that seemed like forever. Remember when Christmas would be two long months away and that it would take an eternity to arrive? Well, what the hell happened to the time - space continuum?

Just yesterday(it seems) I was sitting at my desk in Halifax and dreaming about going Salmon fishing in Newfoundland in July. And poof........ Here we are in January, in Pugwash working at finishing 'the books' and already Christmas and New Years have come and gone. Can anyone tell me where the time actually goes? I do know that you cannot get it back and my calendar continues to fill up and gobble up more of it.

But we continue to have fun. We had a nice Christmas dinner on the 24th with Emma & Ian and the Mathesons. Nine people in total. We played Bugger Bridge after dinner and had some good laughs. On Christmas day we drove to visit our daughter Erin and her beau Darrell in Miramichi, New Brunswick. Lots of presents and more turkey added to a nice get together.

The snow disappeared on Christmas Eve due to a rain storm but it came back with a vengeance. Over the next 7 days we had 4 snow storms! We made our annual journey to the Farm for New Years to spend some time with friends and relax, play games, read and go for walks. The joke this year was that Norene and I loaded tons of stuff into the car as we always have and then drove the 7 minutes it takes to get there. It actually took longer to load and unload the car than the drive time. But still, it felt like our annual expedition, and we had a fine time. Jon and Karen, Esther and Peter, and Cathy joined us. In addition to the list of activities above, we ate a lot. Jon cooked Beef Wellington wrapped in phylo pastry. Norene made some gourmet pizzas. And there were plenty of other treats too! We got lots of fresh air with all the shoveling we had to do and also went snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The snowstorm put a damper on our New Year's Eve party as none of the others were able to venture through the night. In fact everyone had gone to bed by midnight and I alone managed to stay up until the stroke. I did my usual purification ritual(a one lapper of the house in my birthday suit) and went to bed. The old feet can't take the cold and crusty snow like they could 30 years ago when I started this event. Would it be OK to wear little neoprene surf shoes or something?

Since then we've been going for walks or snowshoe treks every day. Norene was able to snap a shot of an owl the other afternoon. I believe it may be a Barred Owl. But now the snow has melted again. We've had our January thaw and all that winter wonderfulness is gone. So more time slips by as our new routines are developing. The days go quickly even though I'm sitting at my desk with the bookkeeping. And I'm wondering if I'll ever go Salmon fishing again? Perhaps we just take the 'used up' time and turn it into traditions and memories...

Songsters and Songstress

2008-01-03T16:09:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in my most recent post, Norene and I drove to Halifax on December 20th and attended our fifth(or perhaps our sixth) Songwriters Circle. It was held at Casino Nova Scotia and hosted by nine times ECMA winner Bruce Gut hro. Every three months Bruce brings three guests with him to the Casino, all Canadian songwriters. The presentation consists of each writer, playing some of their original songs in turns. It's a great format, allowing the entertainers to interact with each other and with the audience. Seating is in the round. This time we were treated to songs from Bruce, Charlie A'Court, Cat herine MacLellan and Gordie Sampson. Since we know the ropes now, we went early, waited in line for the doors to open and then found seats in the front row next to where Bruce and Gordie were sitting. We then went to the restaurant, had dinner then returned to our excellent seats. Our music buddies, Susan and Vince went with us, as they have gone to all of the other Circles too. We were close enough to Bruce that he turned around and spoke to me two or three times. What an absolutely outstanding evening! All of the performers sounded so good and put a lot of feeling into their songs. And I love it when they back each other up and sing background vocals or add a few guitar licks of their own. I own music by all of these artists and was glad to hear some of those songs performed live. I think this was the best of the Circles we have attended. We followed up with a late night 2 hour drive back to Pugwash, arriving home just after midnight. And, of course, I played tunes from these songwriters exclusively all the way home. We're looking forward to the next round when Bruce threatens to bring three women to the stage. There's certainly no shortage of talent in this neck of the woods: male or female. I'll be watching for the tickets to go on sale and hope I'll be able to attend again.

Merrily We Roll Along...

2007-12-23T16:55:00.000-04:00

The busy pre-Christmas week is over now and we managed to get through it. On Monday I was able to count a few more beans while Norene completed her charity trip to Halifax and did some grocery shopping. On Tuesday we hosted a staff party for Basic Spirit. They provided their own food and we supplied the facility. I was just able to clean-up when it was time to hold the Tuesday night ladies' dinner. There were 11 guests this week who enjoyed Norene's gourmet pizzas, salad and raspberry kuchen. We always have fun with this group and they enjoy being together. It's nice that we continue to attract a few new members to this group. As we cleaned up the cafe for the second time in one day we thought, "This is just like being open in the summer; in the cafe early in the morning, and still there late in the evening". It's not so bad. We're just out of shape.

On Wednesday we held our Christmas drop-in from 4 - 7pm. We were thrilled that about 50 people showed up and had a bite to eat and a glass of wine or a cup of egg nog 'old fashioned'. Although we invited about 80 people we had no idea who would actually come. It was good that we were were able to thank so many people who have supported us since we arrived in Pugwash last May. For 30 years we held a similar drop-in for our friends in Halifax. This party was always held on Christmas Eve and it set the mood for the entire holiday. Although the date for our new party was moved to the week before Christmas, it was a real chance to begin establishing another tradition. It's also comforting to know that some of our Halifax friends will continue to hold a Christmas Eve drop-in and keep the old tradition intact.

Norene and I drove to Halifax on Thursday where I had a nice visit with ex-business partner and good friend Jon. I managed to get some Christmas shopping done and quiet the "tick, tick, ticking" that was haunting me. In the evening we met our friends Susan and Vince at the Casino where we had dinner and enjoyed our fifth Songwriters' Circle. It was a wonderful evening of live music from some terrific musicians and songwriters. The lineup included Bruce Guthro(host), Charlie A'Court, Catherine MacLellan and Gordie Sampson. This event deserves a separate post and I intend to follow-up with that here soon.

We drove home that night and opened the Cafe for our regular hours on Friday. Not only did we see our regular Friday customers but we also had a couple of tourists from Australia who dropped in for lunch as they were on their way to PEI for the holidays. It reminds me of the many interesting guests who pass this way throughout the summer. It's so much fun to talk to people and get their impressions of travelling in Atlantic Canada. It's one of the benefits of operating a cafe in the country. There is always someone else rolling down the road who has a new story and we delight in meeting these people and hearing about their adventures.

For the first time ever, I have actually wrapped Christmas presents before Christmas Eve! I'm still a bit panicky because my gift ideas are a bit lame but I'm also feeling quite mellow(and maybe a little smug) because we're actually ready.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we are hosting dinner for Emma(our daughter) and Ian(her beau), Bill and Helen and some of their family. Then on Christmas morning, we'll set out for Miramichi, NB to spend Christmas day with Erin and Darrell(our other daughter and her boyfriend). Although some of our old traditions are being lost, we are determined to start some new ones.

We hope that you and yours have a special Christmas and a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year.

Tick, Tick, Tick

2007-12-17T09:42:00.000-04:00

As the relentless countdown to Christmas continues, I get more and more tense. I go through the same thing every year and haven't learned how to change my ways. At first Christmas is a long way off and I tell myself that I should get my ideas together so I can go out and buy my gifts. I'm like a lot of men. I don't shop, I buy. I like to go out to a specific store for a specific item, then get the Hell out of there. I find that curious since I spent about 35 years working in a retail store. For some reason I can't just look around and get good gift ideas. As usual, I've left things to the last minute again and I still don't have any good ideas. And to make things worse I haven't been given a single wish list either. Now, it's one week until Christmas Eve and we have a very busy week planned. Even if I do get a brilliant flash of genius, I won't find the time to get the 'killer' gift. Instead, I'll probably sneak around and buy a few things that will allow my loved ones to smile and say thank you, while thinking, "What the Hell is that?" So the stress level goes up. I know that this is entirely my own fault and that there is a way to improve. But every year it's the same thing.

As part of our busy week we have our usual Tuesday night supper, a Christmas party for 30 people, an Open House in the Cafe, a trip to Halifax to see the Song Writer's Circle and our regular Friday hours. Then we're into the Christmas period and it's too late to think about gift buying.

There have been severe winter storms throughout Eastern Canada this weekend. As I write this blog entry, I can hear the wind howling and feel the building shaking so it isn't very pleasant to be outside. Most of our snow came last night but it was followed by rain, so the accumulation wasn't much in the end. But the driving is treacherous.

Last week the Harbour was starting to show signs of icing up. I thought it would take a long while to freeze, if it did at all. So I was quite surprised on Saturday morning when I took my usual walk along the Waterfront to find that pack ice had completely filled in the entire channel. Since then enough ice has come in that it looks like one could walk across it to Brickyard Road. Perhaps that's not a good idea yet though.

When we moved from Halifax last summer, I forgot to look in the rafters of my old basement for things I may have forgotten. So, when I began looking for my cross-country skis and poles recently they were not to be found. I have made inquiries from the new owner of my house and hope to be able to collect my skis this week. There are several pairs including old wooden ones, fibreglass models, waxable and no-wax. And this appears to be the winter to use them. So far we have had snow on the ground continuously since the middle of November and there should be plenty of chances to try them out.

And maybe we'll try some curling too! A new curling club has just opened in the Village and there are teams being formed to play. I've never curled, but always have been a big fan. So last week we went to try an introductory lesson. After a few attempts I was finally able to deliver a rock to the other end of the sheet so I think I could play the game at the recreational level. But what an effort that's been made by a group of volunteers. The entire project was executed by members of the community. They formed a curling club and made it happen. There is a major effort to involve everyone who would be interested and an Open House was held to give everyone a chance to come and see the place in action. A lot of credit has to be given to the volunteers who have worked so hard to make the facility a reality and who plan to continue running it with volunteer time. It's been a huge effort but a real asset to the life of the community.

Enough for now. I'm off to fret some more about my Christmas gifts...

We All Have Our Daemons

2007-12-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

Norene has been talking a lot lately about seeing the movie, The Golden Compass. As part of the promo, people are invited to go to the movie's web site and take a quiz. After the quiz you are given a daemon to go out into the world with you. I'm a bit of a klutz so I've taken the quiz three times and given slightly different answers. So, I've had three different daemons. The first was a mouse, then a lion and now it's Rire the moth. She's female of course as all daemons are of the opposite gender. Apparently, I'm humble, dependable, modest, flexible and assertive. In case you didn't already know, a daemon is defined as, "an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force".

Now, I don't mind having a moth as my daemon but I find the selection method suspect. Here's a better way in my view. This afternoon I was taking Toby in the car to go for a walk. As we drove down a narrow road with trees on both sides, we came upon two juvenile bald eagles who were sitting in the middle of the road. As the car approached they took off and flew directly over the road at treetop level in the same direction as we were traveling. I was able to drive directly underneath the eagles for some distance. They were close enough that I could see individual feathers rippling down their backs. One kept looking over his shoulder at me and we were eye-to-eye. As we approached the spot where we would start our walk, one of the eagles landed in a tree right at the trailhead. We got out of the car and the eagle just sat silently and watched as we went into the woods. I couldn't help but think of my moth daemon. I don't think she would have been very comfortable on the trail today as it is -13 Celsius. But could it be that my daemon is really the mighty bald eagle? Who knows? Are they honest, dependable, modest, flexible and assertive too?

Avoiding the Beans

2007-12-06T16:27:00.000-04:00

While I am somewhat of a bean counter type, I am having a hard time facing my year-end accounting job. I have to look at every receipt and figure out what General Ledger account(s) to apply the amounts to. After that, each item has to be entered into our accounting program. This has to be complete by the end of the month as we have to remit our GST(Goods and Services Tax - for those of you who don't live in a Canadian Province that starts with 'N'). But, in the last two days, I have made some progress. Another two days and I should be able to start data entry. I find that I can only sit and look at receipts for so long and I have to find an excuse to do something else. I have not really touched the books all summer and now the monster job is trying to consume me. But I won't let it!

After a few hours of slaving over hot receipts, Toby and I decided that we needed to go to the 'Bito' for a walk. The Bito is located at the head of the Wallace Bay and is officially part of the Wallace Bay Wildlife Area. An aboiteau is a gate that allows fresh water to drain out of an area into salt water but will not permit the salt water to flow back into the fresh water. It was a technique used by the Acadians to turn salt water marshes into fresh water marshes, thus providing them with the use of the fertile land adjacent to the marsh. The Wallace Bay Wildlife area is a perfect place to go for a walk. It has a several kilometre trail which circles the marsh. There are many varieties of wildlife to be seen and it gives Toby a fun place to romp. And he loves to charge down the trail, leaping over dead falls and following rabbit tracks. We walked for about 45 minutes and enjoyed the quiet of the woods and the new snow. As we arrived back at the car, we saw a work crew which had just replaced the old gate in the aboiteau with a brand new one. I managed to take a photo of the backhoe as it folded up the old gate so it could be more easily loaded onto a truck and taken for disposal.

It was a nice walk and a great diversion, but, alas, I return to the beans....

Winter Arrives in Time

2007-12-04T18:43:00.000-04:00

Right on cue, I'd say. This weekend we participated in Christmas by the Sea. This was a new event for Pugwash and it was organized by a group of volunteers on behalf of the Village Commission. In the past, a few merchants held a 'Merry Madness' sales event in the village for one evening, but this year there were many events which included: placing a message of Peace on a tree in the Cenotaph park, decorating theme trees in a church hall, open houses at the High School, Library, Fire Hall, etc. readings for kids, tree lighting, carol singing. storytelling and many other things. We opened the Cafe all day on both Friday and Saturday. Bill Matheson appeared on Saturday and gave us a storytelling session. There were about 20 people here and it was very pleasant with the snow falling. It was somewhat magical with the lights, decorations and the snow. Norene made a chowder and some chili. We served several hot chocolates and sold cookies and cakes. Unfortunately, the snow turned into a full blown storm and some activities had to be cancelled. The Library Comittee had planned a fund raiser with Bill Matheson telling stories, Bill Langstroth playing music and Sue Goyette reading her poems. But the travel was impossible so the event had to be cancelled. On the upside, we were able to invite Bill and Helen and Kate(their daughter) over for a nice spaghetti dinner. It was Helen's birthday so it was nice to spend it with them.

On Sunday Norene and I drove to Halifax and picked up a friend, then continued on to First Peninsula near Lunenburg and had a wonderful dinner with our friends Susan and Brian. Lyon and Diane came too. Susan and Brian have a young Flat-Coated Retriever and he played with Toby for hours until they were both exhausted. We spent the night at Lyon and Diane's house near Blockhouse. The next morning we went to Mahone Bay to visit the Biscuit Eater, a cafe that has had a lot of success and has many similarities to ours. They sell used books and run a few community events like readings and such. The owners were very helpful and offered us some suggestions on things to look out for in our business. It seems that everyone has been so nice and helpful to us as we navigate the pitfalls of this new business.

By the time we got back to Blockhouse the storm was raging again. we got our car into the driveway which is on a slope but we weren't getting it out again yesterday. Last night the snow turned to rain and Lyon and I went out to shovel and pretty well cleaned it up. This morning I was able to get up the driveway again. We went to Chester where I had a meeting with our accountant then drove back to Pugwash. As we reached Truro we could see that another storm was crossing that part of the Province. The drive wasn't too bad but we did travel over snow covered roads and areas where there was drifting. We arrived home to find that the parking lot at the Cafe was filled with snow and there was no place for us to park. I quickly went to arrange for a plow to come and clean things up, then set about shovelling the walkway, steps, etc. As I write this the snow continues to fall. We had about 15 cm on the weekend and another 15 or so now. More is expected on Thursday. All told, we've probably had as much snow so far this year as we did for the entire winter last year.

The other morning I was walking in the park and had a first hand demonstration of the phrase 'freezing spray'. The wind had whipped the waves up and the park benches, the light standards and the bandstand were all covered with several inches of ice from the waves crashing up on the rocks and spraying the surfaces. The water froze instantly and coated everything. Interestingly, the ice isn't clear like the freezing rain that coats branches and trees. Instead it seemed opaque or milky in appearance and was laced with bits of seaweed and other debris.

The snow continues to fall outside the Cafe and it's beautiful! The Christmas lights are sparkling and twinkling. Johnny Mathis is singing Blue Christmas on the stereo and it's mellow. Think I'll have a hot chocolate and some cookies.....

Songs and Merry Making

2007-11-27T14:47:00.000-04:00

Wow, the Christmas season starts early here!

On Saturday night we attended a party for the local members of the Pugwash Peace Exchange. The Peace Exchange was born out of the original Thinkers Conference held in 1957 in Pugwash and attended by some of the world's great scientists. The Pugwash Movement has active groups in many countries throughout the world. The event was lovely. It was held at a spectacular private home and attended by many Pugwash residents and several who had driven a considerable distance to attend. There was plenty of food, wine and good conversation, making us all feel that the Christmas spirit was taking hold. Thanks so much to our hosts for opening their home to us all.

On Sunday night we were invited to a Grey Cup party. It was also held in a beautiful house on the Gulf Shore. There were 50 people there and each paid $10 for a chance to enter the football pool. Numbers from 1-10 were drawn from five coloured sets of paper. The winners were the ones who had the number which matched the point spread. Since the final score was 23-19, the spread was 4. Five people holding the number 4 won $100 each. I had a 3 so didn't win, but Norene had a 4 and collected one of the prizes.

This coming weekend there will be many activities in the Village under the banner of Christmas-by-the-Sea. We are trying to get ready by decorating the Cafe, but so far we aren't able to buy a tree yet as there are no tree lots open. We could do it the old fashioned way and cut one from a friend's property but we'll wait to buy a cultivated tree. So we have a bit of an empty spot in the front window where the tree will go.

All summer I played a list of songs in the Cafe that I thought would be appropriate for our clientele. The mix consisted mostly of Atlantic folk/roots singers and song writers, some Indie music, old folk tunes and some golden oldies. I liked it and received many good comments. But, I thought it time for a change. So, I went to my song library and created a 1500 song playlist at random. I knew I would pick up some stuff I hadn't been listening to(898 songs to be exact). Today, I've been playing them and I'm so happy that I've re-visited some stuff I'd almost forgotten. Such as: Liam Titcomb, JP LeBlanc, Dan Reeder, U2, Sloan, Rose Mellburg, Kathleen Edwards and more. I've mentioned in previous posts that the sound is good in the Cafe. I like to sit and listen. In general, I'm a pretty emotional person and music always brings that out in me. Speaking of music. Yesterday I received tickets to the Songwriter's Circle at the Halifax Casino on December 20th. It's hosted by Bruce Guthro and will feature Gordie Sampson, Charlie A'Court and Catherine MacLellan. I'm sure this will be one of the best Circles so far. I've been to four others and enjoyed them all. That will be a nice pre-Christmas trip to the city. Can't wait!

War & Feast

2007-11-24T15:51:00.000-04:00

Last night we were invited over to Bill & Helen's for dinner. Bill cooked a roast of venison and served it with roasted potatoes, turnip and a lovely salad. Now, I normally don't care for the taste of game and Norene is even worse. But Bill had marinated the meat in a little red wine and cooked it slowly. It was delicious! After second helpings, dessert and tea we retired to the TV to watch Saint Marys get pummeled by the Manitoba Bisons in the Vanier Cup final. Just a little disappointment there. It was a nice evening. Today was interesting too, but a contrast to our indulgent lives here in Pugwash.
We hosted a meeting at the Cafe between interested local citizens and Dr. Thomas Turay and his wife Mary Hawa Turay. Thomas is a professor at the Cody Institute in Antigonish and Mary is taking her Masters Degree in Education at St Francis Xavier University. Their homeland in Sierra Leone was ravaged by civil war from 1991-2002. They discussed the causes of this horrible conflict and how how it has effected their people. In 1992 Thomas and Mary co-founded the Centre for Development and Peace Education and assumed the responsibility for building a culture of peace and non-violence, reconciliation and sustainable development in Sierra Leone. Today they were bringing their message to a group of interested listeners in Pugwash. There was plenty of discussion and Thomas and Mary are amazingly positive people, even after the horrors they have seen. About 15 guests stayed for lunch and chatted. Norene made a vegetarian chili and a seafood chowder for lunch. Our organic green salad was delicious as usual. Nothing like a serious pile of dishes to cap off a busy day.
The Christmas season is shaping up to be a busy one. Tonight we are going to a gathering of the Pugwash Peace exchange and tomorrow night to a Grey Cup party. Next weekend we participate in the Christmas by the Sea activities. We'll have the Cafe open on Saturday with storytelling. On the following Wednesday the Hidden Jewel Gift Shop is running a Merry Madness sale until midnight. So we will open the Cafe from 6 - 10. Tomorrow we begin decorating the Cafe for Christmas. In exactly one month it will be Christmas Eve! It's hard to believe that I have been here since May 13th. Time goes quickly when you're having fun...

Toulouse & Serge

2007-11-21T15:27:00.000-04:00

Late one afternoon in August we were sitting on the deck of the Cafe chatting with some friends and customers when a SUV drives up towing a trailer. Out steps our friend Carl(a whole post wouldn't be enough for Carl) and he says, "Hey, I brought you something." He entered his trailer and promptly returned with a life-sized wooden carving of a Mountie. It was made of cedar and wore a painted dress uniform. Then he returns to the trailer and comes back with another carving. This time it was a moose dressed as a Mountie. Two very impressive carved folk art statues, and Carl says, "Let's put them on either side of the door. It'll be great!" And that is how we came to have a pair of mascots. The next day we started a contest to name them. We placed a jar at the cash counter and promised gift certificates to the persons who could think up the best names. Throughout the next month we had plenty of fun getting people to enter the contest. Eventually, we selected the best suggestions and gave $20 gift certificates to the people who suggested the names. The Mountie is called Serge Deepwater and the Moose is called Toulouse Pagweak. The names fit very well since Pugwash is derived from a Miqmaq word meaning 'deep water'. Every morning, if the weather is good, I take Serge and Toulouse outside and secure them on either side of the front entrance. And every evening I take them back inside. It feels just like putting the oil out at the gas station. But our new wooden friends have become real conversation pieces. Many visitors stop and have their pictures taken with them and they add to the uniqueness of the Cafe.
Carl purchased them when he lived in Vancouver at a time when he had more cash than he has today. He's dragged them from one coast to another and needed a place to display them. He didn't really give them to us but has kind of placed them on long-term loan. We're looking after them just as we are providing a home for the croquinole set, the bike rack and the three foot high Kermit the Frog puppet.

We're thinking of making Carl our Director of kitsch...

Running Away to Sea

2007-11-20T20:24:00.000-04:00

Many young boys have grown up with the idea that running away to sea would be a romantic and adventurous thing to do. I am one of them. All summer I saw the salt boats as they zig-zag'ed their way into the harbour and secured to the Windsor Salt wharf. In my boy's mind they were loading exotic cargo and sailing to mystical ports. Actually they were delivering salt to ports in Quebec and Newfoundland. But the dream of going to sea had captured me. When the boats were in port we had many of their crew as customers and we even got to know the Chief Engineer of one of the ships. I asked if there might be a chance for me to take a ride on one of the ships as it delivered its cargo to Baie Comeau or Rimouski and he thought that it might be possible. Now that we are 'sort of' closed for the season I find myself hanging about the gate to the wharf. I have my duffel packed and over my shoulder but so far they won't let me past the security check point.

On Sunday, Emma(my daughter) returned from a 5 week trip to Central America. We had been babysitting her dogs, Maya and Lola, while she was away. She stopped by the Cafe on her way home to Parrsboro to collect her dogs. Toby, our young Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, has been wrestling continuously, with Maya and Lola, since Emma left. This was good for him as he was clearly depressed after our 14 year old Labrador Retriever died in September. Now that Emma's dogs have gone he is finally on his own. All day Monday and Tuesday he has been a little 'clingy' but doesn't seem to be depressed. Now, I'm not one to impute human traits into our pets but he was truly depressed when Winnie died. He chewed away the hair on his very bushy tail and moped around all day for several days. I'm not sure that he is fully recovered yet since he now barks at every noise(real or imagined). But he seems happy enough.

Yesterday, Toby and I were out for a walk and we came across a trailer load of used clothing in bales. It was being unloaded by the owners of the local used clothing store, Monty's. Toby and I stopped to help them unload the bales. There was a total of six tons of compressed clothing in about 10 large compressed bundles. With the help of a local fork lift and a pallet jack we were able to get the material off the trailer and into the storage area. It was fun. We boys like to play with power tools and heavy equipment at any opportunity.

Norene arrived home today from Halifax, where she teaches a Creative Writing course for the Writer's Federation. She made some gourmet pizzas, a salad and a raspberry shortcake for the Tuesday night ladies' dinner. We had about 10 guests tonight. We enjoy these opportunities to see our new friends and hear about what is happening in the community. There are so many events going on and projects to be completed. Many of the Tuesday night women are volunteers at the new curling rink which is due to open before the end of this month. It is a credit to them that Pugwash has been able to complete such a large project.

There are several more dates when we will be open over the Christmas period. The Cafe seems to have a life of its own. It's our job to ensure that that life is nourished.

More later...

That's What Friends Are For

2007-11-18T10:21:00.000-04:00

At the end of October we put the Cafe into off-season mode and ended most of our regular hours. At that time, I took a vacation and went to Ontario to visit with old friends and attend a High School reunion. I also visited family. As usual, I came home to Nova Scotia in a bit of turmoil. I was missing the old friends and feeling sorry for myself that I couldn't be closer to them. I felt 'out of sorts'. Now that I've been home for almost 2 weeks, I was asked by one of those friends if I have been able to put my visit into perspective yet. This week's events have certainly helped to do just that.

I mentioned in a previous post that our dear friend Wendy had passed away after fighting cancer for the last five years. This weekend her funeral was held and a large group assembled to mourn and celebrate her life. Within the larger group that attended, there is a group of friends who have a connection with 'The Farm'. This group consists of around 20 adults and their children and grandchildren. As a group it has had life for over 35 years. I don't normally think of it as a separate entity but it is. We have shared many good times and some bad ones, but this time we had lost one of our own. Wendy was the first to leave us and the impact was profound. The women of the group prepared a tribute which consisted of a photo gallery and a talk delivered by Helen. Everyone was offered a chance to provide input and in the end some personal words and our collective thoughts were presented. The remarks summed up Wendy's impact on others and expressed the love that we all feel for her, David and the family. It was especially comforting to be surrounded by such good friends. They provided strength and gave the perspective we needed. It was OK to laugh, to cry and to be yourself. This was a gathering of our extended family. And I know we will all be stronger from sharing this experience.

I loved the time I spent with friends from my youth and I want to see them all again. I'm determined to keep in touch with them. They mean a great deal to me and have helped me in many ways, to be the person I am today. But, try as I may, I cannot bring back the past. I cannot bring Wendy back. We can only go forward. With a little help from all my friends, I'm going to do just that!

Of Signs and Signposts

2007-11-15T22:34:00.001-04:00

This morning I went out on Highway 6 with Bill to remove the Cafe Open signs from the Hidden Jewel Gift Shop billboards. We had to take a ladder and electric screw drill to four locations and take down the signs. Aside from the fact that it was pouring rain, We had a good time.
Later, I took the dogs over to the Farm for a walk and gathered up our old photo albums to see if we could pick out a photo or two for Wendy's tribute this weekend in Halifax. We will be going tomorrow to visit at the funeral home. The funeral will be held Saturday. I'm looking forward to getting together with all our fiends in celebration of Wendy's life.
As we went through the photo albums, I was overwhelmed to see how much history we have as a group of friends. There were photos of the first Farm when we all looked like we had spent the summer with The Band at Big Pink. There were photos of all the kids in the many stages of growing up. There were photos of many dogs. And dozens more memories. It made me realize how very lucky I am to have such a wonderful extended family. These are people who care about each other and truly share in a strange sort of communal living. Oh, we don't live together now. But in some ways we are one big family who come together in good times and in bad. Each one of our group has given a unique contribution our lives.
This weekend we will come together and we will grieve and we will love.

Writing through the Tears

2007-11-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday morning I attended a meeting between local business people and an urban planner, who is working for the County. He is preparing a development plan for the Village and is asking for input into the plan as it is so far. As the new boy in the group I had very little to say, but watched and listened to the others as they made comments. The plan includes zoning the two main streets, Durham and Water as 'Commercial'. Presently the entire Village is zoned as 'General', which means that anybody can do anything they want with their properties. ie. someone could start a trucking business in the heart of the residential part of town, or build a 57 unit condo village, or... After the plan is completed there would be some restrictions on those things. One of the major flaws in the plan is that it only includes the Village proper. However many of the businesses and their owners live outside the Village limits. Our single biggest recommendation was that the plan should be broadened to include the entire District. It is our objective to set forth a plan that will encourage development in the community without losing the character and charm that attracts so many people. I'm sure there will be many other meetings and plenty of chance for me to form opinions and make comments. It was interesting to note that certain key business people were not present. There aren't very many thriving businesses here and it would be a shame to see the Village wither and die like so many others in the Province.
Tuesday night we hosted our regular group of ladies for dinner. We have been preparing dinner on Tuesday evening for about 5 weeks now. We get from 5 - 12 women who just like to get together, eat dinner and have a little wine. I've enjoyed these brief openings of the Cafe. We get a little business but we aren't tied to being here for long hours. This morning a group dropped in for coffee after an event at the High School. We have a few more lined up between now and Christmas. It helps us feel connected to the community.
A very sad day today! Our dear friend Wendy has lost her battle with cancer which she has been fighting for several years. A deep sadness has crept into my heart. I feel badly for David, the family and friends. For the last three years or so, the 'Farm Girls' have made sure they got together regularly to spend time with Wendy. They knew that their time with her was limited and wanted to make the most of it. We would have gone to Dartmouth today to say goodbye but we were too late. Wendy remained a lady until the end. She fought so stoically and always remained positive. We can all learn from her brave example. She will be missed.

Croquinole Ain't What It Used to Be

2007-11-12T14:50:00.001-04:00

Last night we ended a whirlwind weekend of socializing with dinner at the Cafe. J & K and B & H came over. I played the new Eagles album on the Cafe stereo. I love to listen to music in that room. There are high ceilings and hardwood floors. The sound is great and the new speakers fill the room easily. After supper we got out Carl's(an entire post won't be enough for Carl) croquinole board for a little game. Now, I used to be a pretty fair player in my youth, but I don't know why they place those stupid little pegs so close together. Thankfully, I had a good partner. Billy was able sink the 20 point shot at will and carried the team.,
This morning I drove to Amherst to buy groceries for the Cafe and go to the wholesalers for some other supplies. With only a light dusting of snow in Pugwash, I was surpised to find that there was about 10cm of the stuff in Amherst. The plows and salt trucks had been out but there was still snow on the roads and in the parking lots. We can't fight it now. I'll just have to get a new pair of touring skis and take Toby out on the trails for a morning slide.
I usually like the drive into town. All summer the colours were brilliant as the road follows the coast through some rolling farmland. But today the sky was angry. Every song that played on my iPod seemed to make me sad and I couldn't help feeling like I'd lost something important.
N's gone to Halifax to teach a creative writing class and I sit in the Cafe, again listening to the Eagles. In the semi-darkness it is quiet and empty. So am I.

Lest We Forget

2007-11-11T15:46:00.000-04:00

A nasty day! The wind is blowing in off the Strait and the water is angry. We had a bit of mixed snow and rain last night and the sense was that winter won't wait any longer. The water was all muddy from being churned up by the waves. Thank goodness I've found most of my cold weather clothing. The temperature is about +3C and it's raining steadily.
At 10:30 I looked out the window and saw that every parking space in the immediate area was full and people were huddled in the cars. The small cenotaph which adjoins our property was decorated with wreaths, the leaves freshly raked and the lawn mowed. We put our rain coats on and went outside to the fence around the little park. In the distance we could hear the sound of a drum and then there appeared a colour guard marching down Durham St. The party of veterans and younger folks left the Firehall and marched into the park. There followed a brief ceremony consisting of the singing of Oh Canada, reading the names of local boys who died in service, the Last Post, a Benediction by one of the many female pastors who lead congregations in Pugwash, laying of wreaths and singing God Save the Queen. I was truly touched to see the huge turnout from the community. No one seemed to mind the cold and rain and one person mentioned that it pointed out the suffering that ours soldiers had endured in many wars. Somehow, our discomfort seemed very minor.

After the ceremony, Bill & Helen came in to the Cafe and I made them hot chocolate and N found some cookies. After they warmed up, B & H left for Wallace(about 8 miles along the highway) to pay tribute to a young man who lost his life in Afghanistan. Their own son has now served two terms in that war and has returned safely. But, in spite of WWI being 'the war to end all wars', the killing continues. We all hope for peace, but I don't expect we'll see it in our lifetime. At least we can uphold the promise to never forget those who have given everything in service of the country.

Last night we played dominoes at B & H's house. There were no ejections as predicted, but we did get threatened with explusion. I think our position was more secure as there were only five players and, had the men been expelled, there wouldn't have been enough women to continue. We let H win the game so she treated us with Gingerbread topped with apple sauce, whipped cream and maple syrup. I didn't mind being the big loser.

Geese and Gulls

2007-11-10T15:06:00.000-04:00

Well, this morning we took our walk through Eaton Park along the waterfront at about 7:30. We noted that there was no movement in the Village. It was almost as if deserted at that time. The wind is definately more raw and blowing in off the Strait. I saw a flight of geese looking like they were in a big hurry to head south. There aren't as many as there were last month. I always look at their flight pattern and can't help but think of Joni Mitchell's - Urge for Going lyrics, "See the geese in chevron flight..."

Later, I was making breakfast for Norene and me in the Cafe when Jon dropped in. He was taking his 1966 Volvo Amazon station wagon over to Bill's garage where he will store it for the winter. Jon put a lot of time and money into that car. He brought it up from Arizona several years ago and then rebuilt it. A great old car but it is starting to show its years now. I guess we can all say that. So I went over to pick him up, then went over to the Farm to complete the task of putting plastic around our screen porch. Like so many projects this one was dragging on. It's at least 4 weeks ago that I bought the plastic and a new bundle of laths. I got started with help from Charlie(my other ex-business partner), then let the job sit because I needed another pair of hands to help stretch the plastic and couldn't seem to hook up with Jon. So we finished it today finally.

While procrastinating over hauling wood in to the porch we watched as a farmer was ploughing his field and 100 or so sea gulls swarmed to the freshly plowed land looking for goodies to munch on. The wind was blowing strongly and the gulls were circling en masse. They struggled on the upwind legs of their circuits and gained tremendous ground speed on the downwind run. I enjoyed watching as they turned out of those high speed flights and burned all their speed off in the turns. They must have been 'pulling a few g's'.

Last night we went to the Farm and had dinner with Jon and Karen. It was a lovely meal of barbecued salmon, brown rice, brocolli, green beans and Waldorf salad. As usual, I didn't do much to prepare the meal but I did one hell of a job on the dishes afterward.

We had lots of conversation around our big table. Sometimes a fellow can't squeeze a word in edgewise. And sometimes when you do, it just goes by without notice. But it was very nice. All of the time we were there the dogs raced around, both in and outside the house. I get tired just watching.

Tonight....it's off to Helen and Bill's house to play some dominoes. I'm sure the game will go on for a while, then someone will get disruptive and all the gentlemen will be asked to leave the game. We'll see....

A First Post

2007-11-08T16:01:00.000-04:00

I've just started my first blog and have the feeling that I have nothing to say, but it may be necessary to say it anyway. My original intent was to expose you to a series of rants, which I could easily support. However, I've read some other blogs and I see that ranting is all too easy. So, I thought I would start with the story of my recent exploits and take it from there.

I spent over 30 years in the retail industry(Outdoor Sporting goods) as a manager and then as an owner. After a spell at this I asked my business partners if they would join me in selling our business. They agreed and we found a buyer. I worked for a year and a half as a Quality Assurance Tester for a small software firm owned by a previous employee, then purchased a cafe in the small Nova Scotia village of Pugwash.

My wife and I came into the cafe as rookies. Although I've been a retailer, the task of running a small cafe and used bookstore was daunting. Thanks to my always competent wife we managed to get through the summer. Exhausted, but we made it. Now it's the Fall and we are 'closed' for the season. I say it that way because it looks like we aren't allowed to close. Last spirng when we opened our doors for the season, we were immediately supported by a group of local residents who came in and bought coffee and muffins every Friday. They never missed a Friday all summer! So, when they expressed regrets that we were closing for the season, we said we would open every Friday for a few hours to give our loyal customers a place to gather at least once a week. It looks like we'll do this throughout the winter, unless we happen to go away on a vacation. It's great for us as well. because it allows us to stay connected with what is going on in town.

The village is on the Northumberland Shore of Nova Scotia facing PEI. Known worldwide for the Thinker's Conference in 1957, Pugwash is the home of the Pugwash Peace Movement; and its founder, Joseph Rotblat won the Nobel Prize for peace in 1995. It has a population of a few hundred permanent residents and is the local service centre for a larger community of cottagers who have summer places(and increasingly, full-time homes) along the Gulf Shore. There are many fine sandy beaches with warm water, golf courses and a gentler natural landscape than other parts of Nova Scotia. It is into this gem of a place that Norene and I, along with our animals, landed this spring. I'll save the story of that change in lifestyle for another post.

After living in Halifax for 40 years, we are adapting to our new life. This morning we walked out our back door, across the street and were immediately at the waterfront park. There is a good harbour here. In fact Pugwash is a corruption of the Miqmaq word, "Pagweak", which means Deepwater. Aside from the resident lobster boats which moor at the government wharf along Brickyard Rd. the only boats which use the harbour are the salt boats. Pugwash is home to the Windsor Salt Mine and the ships come to take a load of salt about 3 times a month. The air was very clear this morning and the light was brilliant. We watched a flight of gulls over the harbour and commented on the strong light as they flew. You could see well into the Strait and feel the brisk breeze bringing the temperature down to about 5 degrees. After we walked the length of the Park and part way back, Norene wondered out loud if there would be seals in the Harbour this winter with their pups. Just then we saw two seals swimming a little way from shore making us think that we will indeed see more this winter. Strangely, it was the first time I've seen seals in the Harbour since we moved here in the Spring. I guess they just needed to be cued.

We have our own Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retreiver, Toby; and we are looking after our daughter's two dogs while she travels in Central America. so, taking the dogs for a walk can be a real challenge for one person. It's tough in town where we feel we need a leash, but much more fun when we can let them all go to run and wrestle. I took them to the beach at midday and marvelled at how they can play with such abandon and have no agenda, other than just having a ball. I thought that they are so lucky that they can just be crazy all day long without any responsibilities except to run wild. If only we humans could just follow our whims that way and be as crazy or reckless as the dogs. But, alas, we are so proper and composed that we couldn't let ourselves go like that even if we tried.

Back at the Cafe, there was a good crowd of supporters. Many were having soup or salad with their coffees and Norene had a sturdy Italian Chick Pea soup ready for them, served with a nice buttered whole wheat roll. We closed at 2 o'clock and cleaned up. This gives us until Tuesday night when we make supper for a group of women who call themselves 'Liquor Pigs on Tour'. In the meantime Norene has gotten involved in several projects so there will be a few meetings to attend and a trip to Halifax to teach a creative writing class. I will attend a meeting of local business owners to talk about zoning in the village. Hopefully we can find a way that the Village will grow and become vibrant again without destroying the charm that it now has. More on that later.

We have a country place that is jusy seven minutes drive from our Pugwash home and we own it jointly with two other couples. One couple lives in Labrador and we don't see them much, but Jon and Karen will be arriving today from Halifax to stay for the Remembrance Day weekend. Think I'll take the dogs over to the Farm and see if J & K are there yet. Maybe Norene and I will spend a night or two there this weekend. We always loved to go to the Farm when we lived in the city. I'm no less excited about that now.

More later.......