How I Spent my Summer Vacation Part 2

So where did I leave you all off? Ah yes. We were packing our Bags and packing up the van again at the Garrison Inn in Annapolis Royal. I was a tad bummed I didn't get to the Museum across the street but on our walk? we did get to read up on some of the local history and we took the kids to a playground, and a walk along the board walk. A majority of the Inns and B&Bs back out from the main strip to the Ocean. It's not swimming ocean but it's beautiful.
This is Mr10 on the exercise equipment found in the playground.  Mr13 is over there on the swing leg thing in the back ground.  These pieces of equipment are rated for 10 and up.

Also regular playground equipment

What's a Boating Community without a Boat play Structure?

beautiful views behind the playground

 

 

The View from the Wharf

So after playing off some steam we took the boys out to Upper Clements Park. Wait until you see the fun they had there! I really want to show you everything but it's hard to do without me feeling like your sitting through a old fashion slide show. Okay so a Glimpse of Upper Clements Park...

the Flume

The Train

The Free Ride given by Mr 10

How I spent my Summer Vacation

I had mentioned in August I'd update on how our Summer vacation went. Well now I've got some time to sit here and just ramble away. There will be pics too.

This summer we wanted to take the boys somewhere other than just to the island. I sometimes call it "home" but it's home because well I grew up there. I spent 22yrs there before leaving with a Husband for a new to me life.  This year we left on a Tuesday morning, with our middle son in a team sport this year for his summer activity we wanted him to miss less of it than if it was just something to fill in the summer. He really enjoyed fast pitch this year. He plans to go again next year and we may enroll #3 son too.

So we left NB on Tuesday and got on the Ferry to Digby, NS from Saint John. It was a great ride. The water was nice and calm, the boat was a smooth ride. I was nervous. I'm not sure if I mentioned it here in the last 7yrs but I'm not a "good" swimmer. I avoid the deep end of pools unless I'm doing laps and coming exactly right back.  We loaded on the ferry at about 11am on the 7th of August. 

This is the view from Saint John Harbour pre-boarding. We took more pics but well everyone had sunglasses or ball caps on or as one child does a lot squinting at the sun. LOL



Princess of Acadia returning from Digby(sorry blurry)



Calm waters... this was about 2/3rds across the Bay of Fundy to NS. We hate lunch on board and then settled in to watch a movie that was playing on the main level. There were also video Games in a mini arcade, a gift shop, 2 different tour guides to discuss different topics and lots of places to sit and read if you just wanted to do that. The cafeteria was playing a children's movie. The main level was playing Mirror Mirror and the upper deck/lounge was playing the Olympics. If you needed liquid courage to make it across you could even get yourself a drink. There was satellite Internet service, laptops for public use and wifi-ish, (that kind of was hit and miss depending how far from shore you were). I'd totally take this trip again. As the boys said we weren't just stuck in a car looking at trees.

The two tours on board were different. They had employees form Tourism NS on board (since you are headed in that direction) talking about whale watching  and all the wildlife in the Bay of Fundy and the second Guide was talking about the History of NS and First Peoples and tribes of the Main Land of NS. I didn't stick around for these as I was busy watching the movie and keeping Mr 7 from walking too close to the rail. "look Mom (crawling on the deck) there's a hole" and me saying "why don't we go sit on the bench that holds the life jackets." The Older boys were all kinds of enthralled with watching Dad beat a 1980's Arcade game. Dad's goal was to get the Highest Score. 

Once we got into Digby we headed for Annapolis Royal. Hubby is a bit of a obsessive planner, so he had an itinerary, we are seeing this at this time and that that time, but you know when it's planned like that? You can move things around or let go of a few things if you in one place longer and it just works. You aren't wondering if you have extra time to fill and no bored kids. 



Mad Scientists or Future Engineers investigating Model



On the way to Annapolis Royal we stopped at the NS Power Tidal Electric Generating Station... The boys were too young for the tour of the Turbine but hubby went down for a look. The boys and I took the time to take pics, and nose around. There is also a NS Tourism office there on the ground level so you can pick up some pamphlets and talk to the locals. Oh and Restrooms.

Our next step was to find our Inn where we had reservations, The Garrison Inn in Annapolis Royal. What do you think kids do when they find a room with a view? yep....



Vacation Mom! This is the Life!



Once we checked in we went for a walk, a drive to find somewhere to eat. The Majority of the downtown strip of Annapolis Royal closed at 5pm. Our Inn had a nice Restaurant but we went to find pizza.  In the words of Mr 10 "I've had Better". I would totally agree Mr. 10.  Then in helping me keep up with my summer weight loss plans and goals we walked the strip again.







Mr13 looking for elbow room



Monkey See, Monkey Do and Monkey 3!

So on Wednesday Morning we packed up and headed out for more adventure. I'll post more for tomorrow....

Random Tuesday Thoughts Sept 11th

There is very little Random about this Tuesday. There will be no Random Thoughts, all my thoughts will be a video in my head off the morning news as I started my day in New Hampshire. I lived in NH for 5yrs. I loved it there most of the time but after 2001 it didn't feel like home anymore.  It was at that point that America started to question everyone living in America nad their reasons for  being there. It was when the economy started to spiral into the darkness of doom.  Jobs were lost and questioned.  We were questioned, if not directly indirectly so in August of 2003 almost 2yrs later we left. We were no longer "home". 

Thinking of all those Americans that were left without family 11yrs ago today. To the EMT's the Firefighters, the healthcare staff that worked so hard to save who they could and lost their own lives trying.

Today I think of those of NYC. I remember waiting for a friend to email while waiting for her husband to call and say he was safe. He had left for work that day late. He was late! and it was the best day ever to be late to work.

I'm thinking of my friend who was stuck on a plane in Newfoundland. She was made to feel welcome in Canada while all planes were grounded coming into America. Newfoundland, Thank you for keeping them safe.

And so today it's just a ramble of memories, tears and prayers.

And 11yrs today I was going to see my OBGYN because my almost 11yrold son was about 31wks gestation. I did question what I was doing adding another person to a world that could do this much damage. I'm so very glad he's here, he and his brothers are the smiles that tells me YES the world will be better with him in it.


Linking up for Random Rebel over at Stacy's...