Eastern Canada Summer Holiday

Downloaded 350 plus photos onto Brendan's computer so hopefully will be able to include a few here?? This has been an amazing trip down memory lane, especially the six day jag to Halifax and area staying with old friends Bob Hudson/Carol Anne James and Brad Hodgins/Ella Holmes otherwise known as Brad'n'ella. We arrived there in a downpour. Hudson met us and took us to the Chickenburger in Bedford, a very old institution where I tasted my first real maritime fish and chips in 19 years.

We visited Peggy's Cove twice since Heather and Jill Hudson busk there every summer and we had a great lobster feast. This is Heather who just graduated from high school. Over the week we climbed the Dingle tower in Flemming park, wandered the grounds of York Redoubt, enjoyed the beautiful Public Gardens and toured Citadel Hill. While Dylan swam with friends at Centennial Pool Hudson and I hiked Point Pleasant Park.

Dylan took this shot on the ferry to Dartmouth. We travelled over with Bob Lawrence and very briefly saw Sue Dexter at the other side before catching the ferry back to Halifax.

Bob drove Carol Anne, Dylan and I down to Lunenburg via Chester and Mahone Bay with its five churches. Here is Dylan beside the Bluenose.

On Friday Hudson drove us down to the waterfront where we met Brad and Ella for lunch. They haven't changed and graciously said the same about me - but we know that 19 years must have done something to us! Out at their beautiful home on Grand Lake near Enfield Dylan helped Brad raise their swimming platform and we enjoyed a refreshing dip on an otherwise very warm day. Their son Taylor had changed from the last time I'd seen hi at four to a handsome young man of 22. After visiting the Elmsdale Saturday morning market Dr. Bob came out for a visit and we had another swim. He looked younger than any of us [well, except Dylan]. I had chased all over for batteries for my camera and am ticked that I didn't even get a photo of him.

On the flight back to Toronto in the dark we flew over a wild lightning storm, took a taxi and got to Trish and Brendan's about midnight. After a lazy morning Sunday we took the King streetcar outside their flat and had a wonderful brunch buffet - waffles with mounds of real whipped cream and strawberries, couscous, shrimp, mussels , salmon nd everything else you can think of.

We have walked miles in this city and visited lots of great music and book stores. Dylan got the new Harry Potter but was more intrigued by Suicidal Bunnies that Brendan showed him. Here they are looking at it walking down Front St.

It is such a treat to watch my two boys interact. Two nights Dylan went with Brendan while he did his plays and I visited and stayed overnight with my good friend and mentor Caroline Goodfellow. Her co-op apartment is just a short walk from King and Jarvis and the streetcar has been so handy. Its hard to believe that she's 91 as she continues to challenge my mind as she did when we met at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax/Bedford in 1985.

On Tuesday Trish and Brendan and his high school buddie James took Dylan to Canada's Wonderland while I took the GoBus to Milton to visit Shelagh and Alan Dobson. We had a great pub lunch where Alan had his last pint-or so he says and Shelagh and I sipped club soda. Before I had to leave the next day we hiked up and around Rattlesnake on the Bruce Trail which is a beautiful piece of the Niagara Escarpment.