Reaching Cape Breton Island......

Our Location: Waterfront Park, Louisbourg, NS

 We left Shediac’s Camping Parasol on Tuesday morning around 9 am or so heading out for what we thought would be short distance. As you know things change easily in this lifestyle and so it was to be that our short day turned into a bit longer one.

Some of the views in the past couple of days.

Loved this view off in the distance.

We crossed into Nova Scotia before 10 am and stopped at the Welcome Centre. Leaving New Brunswick behind us for a short time. The welcome centre is on a hill overlooking a vast area of green. A lighthouse and what will be wonderful flowers grace their grounds, which are well manicured and very wind swept. The wind was cold with a bitter bite to it and we had to bundle up to be outside for any length of time. The information centre was extremely well manned and they answered all of our questions including supplying us with a NS map. We headed out once again. The only problem was we followed the GPS directions which had us back on the highway going the wrong way, taking us back to New Brunswick with no where to turn around until we’d already been on the highway for a few miles. Luckily for us we managed to take the first exit and get turned around again and back on the right track. It was right about this time that Jan's daughter Britt asked her mom if she could make it to the ferry by Friday as Britt's hubby Kevin will be off work for a few days. Thus our plans changed from getting to the ferry some time in the early up coming week to the end of this week. Our plans changed.

Water on the sides of the roadway.

 

These types of views just go on and on.

The weather while sunny and cool was indeed warming up and we enjoyed the bright greens and other splashes of colorful houses as we sprinted past. The rolling hills giving us unique and spectacular views at each rise and allowing us to look down into the valleys which were steep and plentiful. The roads are pretty good here, a few pot holes but not bad over all. The sky fills with soft white fluffy clouds and brilliant blue to make a very wonderful day. We stop numerous times when we could find places to pull off and enjoy the breaks as we go. We arrived in New Glasgow at the Walmart there around 3 pm and settled in for the night. We called Dad, had lunch, did some shopping and then wandered across to the mall just across the way. We walked the entire mall, browsing in numerous shops but not buying much of any thing. The night warmed up as it went along but then the wind picked up enough to rattle the TV antenna where it lay on the roof. That’s never happened before. I spent a restless night but the other two slept fine.

First stop in Nova Scotia.

Very scenic but windy, see the flags?

Morning dawned to blue skies once again dotted with fluffy white clouds high over head. The winds had died down quite a bit but we could still feel them as they blew cold enough to make us zipper our sweaters and jackets. We were one of 5 rigs in the parking lot over night. A quick stop and shop at the MacDonald’s netted us our morning drinks, and a quick stop at Walmart for some drinking water which we forgot last night. Then we were once again on the road by about 9 am. The tail wind helped us to roll along at a good clip and what a pleasant surprise to find some fuel to fill the Big Dog’s bowl priced at a wonderfully reasonable $1.22. I filled up the tank for less than $100. I was happy. Onward we rolled, stopping here and there where we could find a place. We crossed over into Cape Breton  via the Canso Causeway and stopped once again at another information centre. We managed to ask a few more questions, get a few more answers and some helpful brochures as well. Once again we were back in the Big Dog and heading north east toward Sydney but turning off on Highway 4 toward the little spot of Louisbourg. We found the town easily enough but couldn’t find the little park we were looking for, a stop at the information booth had us looking out the window and seeing it there behind us. It’s an old RV park that the county has taken over and it’s just sitting here with no one using it. I’ve asked a couple of people and no one has told us no, many have said, others park there so go for it, and so we’re here for a few days. I’ve read that the sewer and electric work in the middle row (which is where we are parked) but I don’t plan on using either of them. We just want to park for a few days until we put Jan on the NFL ferry and then Riley and I will be move elsewhere for a few days until it’s time to pick her up again. After that we’ll be heading out to do the Cabot Trail and other unknown locations. 

Hilly but pretty.

It's very green but in varying shades.

We arrived here in the unnamed park, set up and called Dad by about 3:30 pm. Jan and I walked a number of blocks in town looking for some postcards for her before heading back to the Igloo and finishing up lunch. After that we all did a bit of reading and looking out the door as the trawlers were coming in to dock. About 7:30 pm we all took a walk out along the shore looking at the boats and sights before heading back to Main Street and finding a post box for postcards. From there we headed on down the street to the local Ice Cream shop where we all indulged in cone. We walked back home along the water front and returned to the Igloo by shortly after 8 pm. The wind has died down, the temps are cool but we still enjoyed the walk. Tomorrow we have plans to hit Sydney with laundry, going out for lunch and to find the ferry terminal so we know where we are going on Friday. 

The Canso Causeway.

The causeway ends on the other side of the bridge.

So there you have it, our past couple of days here in Nova Scotia. Hope you enjoy the visit. I'll show the harbour pictures when I do the next post.

Nothing like a nice view.

Until next time… take care, be safe, 

We will be going this way at a later date.

Deb

A quick catch up for most of the summer....

Our Location: Big Buck Resort, 205 Sparks Road, Hornsby, Tn

Hello folks. Still waiting for the jet pack to arrive but thought I’d at least get a post prepared just in case it arrives in a timely fashion. Although we all know that won’t happen, don’t we?

Our summer passed rapidly with us keeping busy most days, doing what, I’m not sure but we seemed busy. I made a few improvements to the Igloo over those island months. Riley’s trundle bed, and 2 bunk beds came out, storage shelves and a single bunk went in to the same space. The storage is under the bed instead of over it. Riley is a tall young lady and therefore always bumping her head on the upper bunk and it was always a mess. So taking it out was a wise idea. I installed a slide out drawer in the new shelving for HRH Miss Kitty’s royal potty making it easier to access and keeping it out of the way as well. The other shelving was made at various heights to allow for air flow as the trundle bed made it musty smelling under the bunks. We now have a a half dozen storage shelves which over time I may actually make into pull out drawers as well. Easier access is always better!! 

Dewy morning walk...look at all the web work...

Also this summer I managed to secure some 6” pipe which I attached to the back bumper and now store some of my sewer hoses inside. Holes in the bottom allow any water and moisture to drain, both end caps have handles to make removal easier, and I attached the end caps to some small chains to ensure they don’t drop off and get lost. A small bumper guard ensures there is no rubbing on the back of the Igloo. 

If any of you are like me, challenged when it comes to having a long reach then you’ll know what I’m about to say. The basement side cubby was always being cleaned out so I could reach something in the ‘far back area’, you know the far back area I mean. The one where you can’t quite reach it but it’s not TOO far back just enough to tease you into thinking if you could add even 1” to your reach you’d be successful. Except it was not to be reached without taking a pile of stuff out so you could lean in and actually reach it. So over the summer I also constructed a slide out drawer for my right side cubby. It’s not a big drawer as the pipes and design of the area don’t allow for it to be big but it extends fully on 36” sliders and makes just about everything on it easily accessible. It’s not fancy, it’s not perfect but it works and I’m happy with it. I can unhook it, pull it out and voila, easy to grab anything I want there. It works fantastic!!! Thanks to my sister Jan and her fella Rick for the help. Mostly Rick, more than Jan. ~laugh~ 

Lovely Lady Slippers

My brother’s oldest son Jason was married this past summer. July 29 seen Jason become the groom of a lovely young lady named Leah. They’ve been together for a long time and have owned a house for a few years as well. Jason and Leah are young, beautiful, exciting people with a warm, friendly and inviting attitude about them. I wish them all the best in the future. For this big event we hooked up and hauled our Igloo to the small hamlet of Providence Bay, Ontario where we parked right on the grounds of the reception venue. No need to drive anywhere after the fun!!

Daughter Riley had her foot assessed at the Desimone Foot clinic in Sudbury. Her problem is a friction callous folded over on itself causing a corn IN her foot. It can’t be removed according to the woman we see at the clinic but I think I’ll ask a dr when we get back in the spring. However it is no longer causing her any issues as Megan has taken the callous down a great deal. I’ll try to keep that up over the winter months but there is nothing I can do about the corn except to ensure she has cushion pads to place around it. 

Fog morning but some family time for these geese!

Riley also had surgery to remove a huge cyst that had formed on her right ovary. Surgery was August 30 and went very well. We spent the night before at my best friends house in Lively and drove into Sudbury the next morning. Riley was out and we were on our way home before 2 pm in the afternoon. A couple of days of easy living and Riley was back to her old self!! Dr. Wallace performed the surgery and upon follow up indicated the cyst was 10 cm in size. HUGE. Everything went well, and looked good at the follow up appointment as well. Thanks again to Dr. Wallace, warm, caring and compassionate, we would recommend her to anyone needing an GYNO/OBGYN in the Sudbury area.

Late September found us hauling our home off the island a few weeks earlier than usual. We hooked up the big Dogsled to the Igloo and hauled our way first to Lively, Ontario for a couple of overnights, a quick visit or two with my best friend Linda and her hubby Randy, an appointment at the foot clinic for Riley and before we knew it we were off to Nepean, Ontario. We put our feet down at Riverbend Park in Pakenham, Ontario for a week while we enjoyed the second wedding of the summer. My sister’s youngest daughter Brittany tied the knot on Sept 30 to a nice young man named Kevin. The bride and groom both work in/around the Ottawa area, own a house in Nepean and have been together for some time. Kevin was leaving a week from the wedding date to attend RCMP training courses out west for 6 months. To them we wish the very best of whatever the future may hold and where ever that may take you. 

beautiful colours...

My sister Jan and her fella Rick stayed at the Igloo with Miss Riley and I. We had some good times, shared a lot of laughs and enjoyed the time together. It was tough saying goodbye to them as I’ll miss them a great deal. As I will everyone on the island but it’s only for a few months!!!

Okay, enough of the catch up for today. I’ll post some more in the next few days to catch up and then I hope to be doing so on a regular basis again. 

So thanks for stopping by, nice to see you again or see you for the first time.

Until next time….be safe, take care……