Canada - Day 4

We awoke to a rather drizzly morning. But, we had all slept well - Samuel slept the entire night in his own bed - Yaaay!! We had a delicious breakfast in the main house of the B&B with beautiful views of the harbour despite of, or maybe because of, the drizzle.

When I looked up Pictou on the internet, one of the main attractions listed was the Grohmann Knives manufacturer. I thought that would have been a fun thing to check out, for me anyway!! I have been longing for a nice knife set for a while. My choppers aren't all that crash hot chopping anymore! But, I knew time wasn't on my side, so scratched it off the list.

As we headed off to the ferry however, I spied, to my dismay, a Grohmann Knives's outlet just a block from our B&B. Uuugghhhh!

So, if anyone is interested, here is the link. I may have had some trouble getting them through airport security, so maybe it was for the best!!

http://www.grohmannknives.com/

The following photos were taken from our deck at The Consulate Inn
http://www.consulateinn.com/

The ferry for Prince Edward Island (PEI) left from Caribou, just a short distance from Pictou. The following photos are from the docks as we were waiting for the ferry or from the ferry as we sailed along. The ferries are considered ice-breakers and are supposed to be able to break through the ice during the winter months. Our tour guide, Joshua, told us that sometimes they do need to be broken out of the ice because they become stuck.

It costs $61 round trip to go across of the ferry. The interesting thing is that you don't pay when you leave to go to PEI, they collect the fare when you come back. They figure you have to leave sometime I guess! It doesn't cost as much to leave by the bridge, which is our intended departure spot, so we will come out of the whole thing with a few extra dollars -yeah right!!

They had a play area for the children - thank goodness - Samuel particularly enjoyed this wagon. He was most perturbed however, because he couldn't get it to budge from its spot in the corner. It was bolted to the wall and floor.

LAND AHOY!!!

Prince Edward Island has been sighted!!

The ferry docked at a place called Wood Islands. From there we drove to Charlottetown. This was Joshua's very first area when he arrived on his mission. We drove around the town for a bit, Joshua showed where his flat (apartment) had been, and then we decided to look for somewhere to eat.

This was the place that Jim chose. Very interesting place.

The waitress acted like we were really putting her out by wanting to eat lunch at their establishment.

Not sure if it was because Jim was American, if it was because I was Australian, or that Joshua was a Mormon missionary.

Maybe it was Jessica's and Sam's fault???

I don't know.

I do know that we waited a very long time for food that wasn't all that good.

One thing I do know is, I like Canadian ketchup. Yum, Yum.

As we left and went to our car. Jim kept saying, rather loudly I might add, "Heeeellllloooooo!" All Purdys in the immediate family of Rick & Carolyn may understand this bizarre behaviour. I'm not going to touch it with a ten foot pole...........

I was really looking forward to coming to PEI. I have been a fan of "Anne of Green Gables" for a very long time and never thought I would visit where the novels are set or where the author lived. No-one else in the family shares my enthusiasm, but graciously joined me on one of my childhood dreams. I used to think that it would be so wonderful to be Anne Shirley!

The following web sites tell more about the Green Gables site, and other sites nearby, such as the author's childhood home. There is nothing left there now except the foundations of the home, but at the bookstore close-by, you can get a very interesting tour by one of her descendants. I think many people forget that the Green Gables series was written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and not actually be Anne Shirley!

www.canadianparks.com/prince_edward/peislnp/index.htm

www.peisland.com/lmm

Samuel loved the barn. It is amazing what holds the rapt attention of one child and not another. Sam would have stayed and tossed hay all day if we had let him. Joshua and Jessica?? Walked right past, no interest whatsoever in a bit of hay throwing. That's all right, Sam through some extra bunches up in the air just for them.....OK, I'm being silly.

Moments before I took this shot, Sam had been sitting on a stool trying to milk this pretend cow. But, instead we have a shot of Sam and Dad. Sam is thinking, "Where did all my hay go and why doesn't this cow say 'MOOOO'?"

GREEN GABLES!

The kitchen at Green Gables

"Anne's" bedroom

Rhubarb. Why you may ask? My Mum always had a rhubarb patch in our garden when I was growing up. I love rhubarb & apple pie. I think I need to try and grow a rhubarb patch in Florida.

This shot was taken after tramping back through the "haunted woods". We had taken a path to the author's childhood home - what was left of it anyway. I know I took photos of it and the pretty gardens, the apple tree, etc., but they are not on my camera - sigh....

We finished our trip to the Green Gables site with a trip to the gift store. I had visions of browsing through all the delights that would be found there. No, not this time. Sam is probably our most dramatic child. He chose then and there to throw a temper tantrum that hit fairly highly on the rector scale. What caused such a outburst you may ask? Probably a mixture of sitting in a car seat for to long and being napless. But the true reason in my opinion is doors. Yep, doors. This kids wants to open and shut doors ALL the time. Dad dared tell him that he couldn't stand in the entrance of the gift shop, blocking the entrance for everyone from the tour buses and rental cars. The true reason for such a blood curdling series of screams and cries, was in deed doors - with a healthy helping of that vulgar word - NO!

After making a speedy get-a-way from the Green Gables gift shop, we headed back to our cottage. We stayed two nights in Cavendish. We stayed at Cavendish Bosom Buddies Cottages http://www.cavendishbosombuddies.com/ We realized when we were planning our trip, that it would be right at the beginning of the "off" season. Most places we were pretty lucky and everything was still up and running. Not at Cavendish. To make it worse, it was also Thanksgiving Day for Canada. If we had realized, we would have picked up supplies and gassed up the car while we were in Charlottetown, but we didn't........

Jim and I drove around for quite a while with the car running on petrol fumes. We found 2 little supermarkets, but they were both closed until the next day. There was a restaurant that was just packed, and I mean people lined up out the door - with reservations. We finally drove back towards the cottages and found one place, one very nice place......

Rachael's

Ristorante

Fabulous Food and

Great Gatherings

They were also only seating people with reservations, but, they had the "take-out" option. HALLELUJAH The only thing on the menu was traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but that sounded pretty good to us! We ordered the take-out, sold a child to pay for it, sooooooo........

HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA!

It may not look very appetizing in a styrofoam box, but it was wonderful. We went to bed full and happy after a rousing game of spades and delicious pie! Unfortunately, the car's gas tank was still pretty empty.

Sally-Ann

Canada - Day 3

Day 3 began bright and early as we repacked our stuff and got ready to go to church. Joshua wanted to spend his last Sunday at North Sydney Branch. He had been in this area for 7 months and had gotten to know and to love the people here.

There were 18 visitors (I think??) at church this particular Sunday and that doubled what would have been the normal attendance for that day. It was a wonderful meeting and we enjoyed meeting members of the church that had been Joshua's family away from home the past 7 months. There wasn't a nursery for Sam, so he came to Relief Society with me. He kept me on my toes to say the least!! It bought back memories from when my Mum and I started going to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints back in the 70's. We met in the kitchen of a dance hall.

The drive to church had been beautiful. We couldn't remember the last time we had seen the Autumn colours. Florida doesn't really have "fall/Autumn", so we soaked it all in.

While in North Sydney we stayed in the home of President and Sister Demeyer. He is the Branch President of the church there. He isn't pictured here because he was moose hunting with some friends from Utah! This wonderful family fed Joshua and his missionary companion every Thursday night.


These photos were taken as we were driving to visit some members of the church in that area before we hit the road again. It reminded me of Tasmania.

Sam needed to stretch his legs, so we stopped at a park to let him run.

Me, I HATE having my photo taken - see the thrilled look on my face??

We stopped at every lookout point on the way! Those of you who experience Autumn/fall, please indulge us in our copious photos of leaves!

These photos were taken on our drive to Pictou. We spent the night there so we could catch the ferry to Prince Edward Island the next morning.

Do you notice something that does not belong in the above photo and in the next few photos below?? Look closely, they aren't hard to miss!

The bane of my photo taking in Canada. Utility wires!! They hung them at a fairly low height which made it impossible to snap a shot over them or under them. I guess I could have edited them out, but being clueless in such adventures, you will see the scenery as we did - lines and all!!

Incidently, we took to last few shots because we thought it was beautiful, but it is also photos of Alexander Graham Bell's family compound. Some of his descendents still live there according to our travel guide Joshua. There was a Bell Museum, but Samuel was asleep, so we were not going to stop for anything!!!

Relaxing at our bed and breakfast. We stayed at "The Consulate". It was once the American Consulate. Very nice accommodations, we were upgraded because an "Oriental gentleman" had not checked out yet. I don't know why we needed to know that he was an "Oriental gentleman", but we appreciated the fact that he didn't check out because we loved our upgraded accommodations!! The remnants of our riceless Chinese food meal lay before us. It raining when we arrived at Pictou, so we didn't get to see very much of this town.

We slept very well - Sam had his own bed!

Sally-Ann

October 29th - A very special day!

I was originally trying to post this on Samuel's birthday, but it took soooo long to download the photographs, it didn't happen! I am going to pretend that it is still the 29th and carry on regardless!

My baby boy turned 3 today. Three years ago I held him in my arms with a great sense of relief and gratitude. When I walked through the front door of our home with him I started to cry and couldn't stop. I cried because this time I got to bring my little baby home. This time there wasn't a cradle by the bed that would stay empty. I only put Samuel down when I had to. I held him when he was awake, and I held him when he was asleep. My arms no longer ached.

You've had a birthday, shout hooray!

We want to sing to you today.

One year older and wiser too.

Happy birthday - to you!!

Today Sam turned 3. His full name is Samuel Wilton Purdy. I always thought there was a Samuel to come into our family. Wilton is the name of my Mother's older brother who was killed in the 2nd World War. Samuel is all boy - dirty face, chapped lips, unbrushed hair and stained shirt.

We tried for quite a while to get Samuel to open his presents, but the flashlight was much more interesting. Our power had gone off this morning.

Finally, the sound of Mum ripping paper perked his interest.

Not for very long however. Mum had to continue to unwrap the present.

Jessica had picked out the Magna Doodle for Sam and was very keen to demonstrate it for him.

Please note that there are 2 other presents sitting there, waiting..........and waiting.

Samuel stamping houses.

Jessica and Sam engrossed in their creations.

Yep, I guess the gift was a hit with all the kids.

Samuel never did open his other presents. We will do that tomorrow! On Saturday we going to Magic Kingdom at Disney World to celebrate Sam's birthday. He loves the rides there and running around Tom Sawyer's island.

Sam keeps us very tired, on our toes, perplexed at times and constantly moving. He smiles and we melt. He throws his arms around my neck, gives me a kiss followed quickly by a fuzzberry and all cares fade away.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMUEL!!

Sally-Ann