Winter / Spring Update

It's been a while. Not a whole lot has happened this past winter. I'm hesitant to even call it a winter!  All that looking forward to downhill skiing, snowshoeing and exploring the pristine winter wonderlands of Cape Breton was for nothing.  We didn't get any snow!  We had a couple of mini storms that saw a few inches of snow fall but no major blizzard.  There wasn't even enough of it to shovel for the most part.  I think I shoveled once.  My lonely snowshoes sat in the back of the car all winter, never used.

Despite the lack of snow, I did manage to be kept busy for the most part.  I wasn't expecting overtime at work but at the last minute, we got the go ahead to do some.  At first, it was only supposed to be for a week, than 2 weeks.....and it ended up stretching into almost 6 weeks. 13 hours a day almost every weekday and chores on the weekends to catch up on.  It made the time go by fast because I blinked and it's now spring. 

Some notable events over the past few months include a lunar eclipse, an early morning sunrise eclipse, a few movie and dinner outings with friends, an arctic owl sighting, a few hikes with a friend at Petersfield Provincial Park and some fox sightings at the beach. I gifted myself season tickets for the Highland Arts Theater so I was kept busy one night a month since January.  There are 2 more productions before the end of the season and I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed what I've seen so far!

So that's about it for the winter of 2025.  Not much to report but thought I should post an update so it doesn't seem like I've forgotten about this blog. 

Lots of adventures planned for spring and summer including some possible trips abroad in the near-ish future!

 

 

 winter 2025...work situation, no snow, eclipses, foxes and snowy owl....

Sorry, I am away from my Keyboard, try again Later

Well, here I am again.  Summer vacation.  That much-anticipated two-week break I book for mid-August every year.  Not to say I haven't been enjoying my summer up to this point.  I am having a fantastic summer.  One of the best in years.  I have more free time, I have a new car that's less of a risk of breaking down that my old one and I have some extra money to work with which is usually not the case these past few years. And because I am enjoying my summer so much, I have been avoiding anything that even remotely seems like work (outside of my regular job, of course) and enjoying life. 

I'll have plenty to write about in the fall, but for the next month or so, you won't find me at my keyboard.  I hope you are all enjoying some nice weather and getting outdoors and having fun and making memories.  Because that's what life should be about!  See you in the fall!

 

 

 

Since Travel is off the Table for Now.....

It's been a whirlwind two years.  That two-week lockdown that started in March of 2020 turned into two months and than into almost two years.  Two years feels like two weeks while also feeling like 20 years.  Makes no sense, I know but neither does anything else.  

I don't even know what year it is let alone what month it is half the time.  Forget seasons.  In my mind, it's still July even though it's October.  Someone said the Celtic Colors International Festival has started and I was surprised at why it was starting so early until I realized this is the time of year it takes place.  I was swimming in the ocean the other day.  It felt like August.  It's fall.  I was wondering why I was the only person in the water until I realized that summer had already come and gone.  The water is unseasonably warm.  Even the seasons and ocean currents are messed up!

Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, I've had many ups and downs and goods and bads.  One major down was not being able to travel, which, if you've been to my blog before, you know travel is something I enjoy doing a lot.  

Despite this negative aspect of the pandemic, some positive did come out of it.  Although travel has been my number one passion (tied with writing) for most of my life, I was able to branch out and learn a lot more about myself and discovered that I like to write about other things too.  With the lack of travel came a lack of things to write about on my travel blog.  

In my lockdown boredom and desire to continue writing, I started to branch out into other related and non-related topics.  Self-help, alternative health, mental health, coping with Covid-19 and many other topics caught my attention and I put pen to paper and fingers to keys and came up with a lot of ideas and drafts to keep me busy through the long winter.  Don't worry, I still have plenty of travel stories to write about from previous trips and my adventures around Cape Breton Island will always be something I love to share with my followers!

 Before I first started this blog, I asked myself What is a Blog because so idea what a bog was let alone what a blog post was.  I know a lot more now but it's always a work in progress and I know there's always so much more to learn in the ever-changing world of blogging! Over the next few months, I intend to take some time to really study the art of blogging so I can improve my blog.

I don't know if this switch will be permanent or just temporary until things get back to normal.  That's because I don't know if things will ever be normal again.  

I'm not even sure I will look at travel the same anymore especially if things don't revert back to pre-pandemic. I'm not thrilled with mandated vaccines.  I mean vaccines are great and I don't have a problem with the odd one but will I have to get a Covid vaccine every time I board a train forever? 

And masks are great too but I can't imagine traveling in a hot climate and having to wear one on my face if I'm at the beach or walking a crowded night market.  Having to remain 6 feet away from everyone is also a bummer when trying to mingle with locals and make new friends on the road.  The lineups and extra steps involved in the current travel world make travel seem like more of a hassle than a relaxing vacation. 

And above all, the fear of another pandemic breaking out while abroad and the fear of being exposed to a deadly novel virus so far away from home are also concerns.  But, I'm normally someone who lets fear get in the way of my passions so I'm going to say that my new angle will one day soon simply be an addition to my travel writing. That being said, domestic travel in Covid-19 is always on the table for me.  International travel will have to wait a while longer.  

Another reason for this switch is the need to take some time to deal with the emotional and mental toll the pandemic has had on my overall physical and mental well-being and writing about it, sharing my feelings and thoughts and connecting with others who are also struggling seems to be the one thing that helps me cope most.  

That being said, I hope you're all keeping well and being productive despite the upheaval to our lives these past two years.  Remaining busy is one of the things that has saved me from a complete meltdown!  

Having something to wake up for that takes my mind of the news and Covid this and Covid that is a blessing and I only hope everyone has something they can escape into when things get rough.  Please stay tuned for a mixed bag of posts to come and stay safe out there, whether you're isolating at home or braving this new world on an adventure abroad!

Routine is Good...Until it's Not

As I sat looking out the window this morning drinking coffee and listening to tropical rainforest sounds as heavy snow fell to the ground outside, I realized something; I haven't traveled outside of the country since I went to Scotland in September of 2016!

This realization might have been brought on by the fact that I am usually sitting on a beach somewhere tropical this time of year but, alas, I am buried in snow instead.  This may not sound like a big deal to you but for someone who is a self-proclaimed travel addict who typically travels to at least one international destination every year, it's a big deal.  And as a freelance travel writer, it's a dishonour to my work. After all, if I don't go anywhere, what stories do I have to tell?

This is why you haven't seen much posted on my blog lately.  It's not that I don't have time or am sick of posting.  I, quite simply, have no stories to tell. That's not to say I haven't been staying true to my writing; I just write what other people want me to write.  In other words, I've been busying myself with a lot of content writing for various sources to get ahead of some bills and take advantage of the free time I have at the moment.  It's too cold and wintery to be outside anyway so why not stay indoors and play catch up!

Travel hasn't been on my radar much in the past couple of years for a number of reasons.  As I'm sure many of you know all too well, there are two big things that get in the way of living the life you really want; work and funds.  Lack of funds is a huge one for me lately.  Prior to 2016, I lived with roommates and paid very little for rent.  When that situation changed, my living expenses almost tripled.  I'm also focusing on putting money down on some debt I'd like to get rid of.  It's all good though.  I'm keeping busy.  I've learned to enjoy summer staycations.  Writing projects occupy my time when the weather is bad and snowshoeing adventures occupy my time when the weather is more cooperative.

To be honest, my life has become a little too routine.  I admit, I think I'm getting a little comfortable with that reality!  This morning, when I started thinking about my past travels, I found myself looking back and feeling proud of what I accomplished. 

I was terrified the first time I took the leap and decided to do my first female solo trip.  Taking that leap opened up so many doors for me.  It enhanced my life in more ways than I could ever have imagined.  The places I've seen, the things I've learned, the skills I mastered, the people I met and the unknown roads I explored.  Just thinking about it makes me beam with happiness because I know one day soon, I will be back on the road....or in the sky which is usually the case with international travel. 

With that renewed sense of adventure and discovery will come more tales to share with the world.  After all, one of my reasons for writing about travel is to inspire others to do the same.  It is one of the most fulfilling things we can do.  To travel is to close the gap that exists when we have little knowledge of other cultures. To travel is to learn about the people we share this planet with.  To travel is to make the world seem smaller and bring us all closer together.  To travel is to experience things outside of our normal everyday lives and make memories we can carry with us for the rest of our lives. 

Not doing a Whole lot of Snowshoeing but I did Find a Shipwreck

So summer is long gone and winter is almost over here in Cape Breton.  Usually winter seems to drag on but since we didn't have a particularly bad one, it flew by quite quick.  I think I only shoveled three times.  We did, however, have a lengthy cold spell with temperatures going into the minus teens for a few weeks.  Occasionally, we got a break from that extreme cold to enjoy a few hours of above zero temperatures only for it to freeze over again and provide us with a lovely (and dangerous) coating of ice.

So what's new in my world?  Well, I will be writing a new column for my local newspaper with the first article being published this Saturday, which also happens to be my birthday!  It's a column focusing on the past, present and future of my local community.  I have lots of ideas but I'm also hoping the people of New Waterford and area will contact me with some ideas.  So if you live in the area and have a business or event you would like to promote, I'd be glad to write about it.

Another very interesting thing happened back in November.  A monster storm caused massive damage to Dominion Beach (again).  I didn't want to see the damage but I had to know just how bad it was.  It was bad.  Debris everywhere, sand dunes flattened, the boardwalk severely damaged.  I walked the entire length of the beach that day like I always do.  It was hard walking with the debris everywhere but I slowly made my way down the beach where I found something that had washed ashore in the storm.  I later found out it was a piece of a very old ship.  The brass nails are an indication that it is quite old and the shape of the wood matches that of an old ship.  I sent some pictures off the a couple of local museums and someone should be out to look at it in the spring.  It's currently covered in ice and snow but still visible. This winter, I also spotted more seals on the beach than usual and the foxes and eagles are still around, seemingly unbothered by the changes to their beach.

So besides a sick cat and an idea for a new blog project, not much else is new.  I've doing a lot of writing and working on creative projects instead of spending time outdoors as it's too icy to be walking most of the time.  The lack of snow certainly makes it hard to do any snowshoeing! 





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A Fantastic Summer...has Turned into a Fantastic Fall

Summer was awesome. Kicked it off with a relaxing (and cold) camping trip to Englishtown Ridge followed by an endless string of events that saw me fully in my element; at the beach, in the sun, outdoors! The Grand Re-opening of the Keltic Lodge, Canada Day at the Fortress, a family reunion in Cheticamp, several trips to Baddeck and Framboise, camping for a total of 9 nights at Broad Cove, hiking the Mabou Highlands (and a number of other trails!), swimming at Inverness Beach and Chimney Corner and a 3-day birthday celebration in Cheticamp on the Labour Day Weekend. On September 16th, I saw summer off with a bang when I jumped on a flight headed to Glasgow, Scotland where Explored the cities and Highlands for nine days. So now you understand why I have not been posting much lately! I've been busy exploring and traveling and gathering ideas for the posts that will be coming in the near future. This is what happens when I work for three summers straight. I go crazy making up for all that lost time spent in the office when I would rather be in the woods, on the beach or jet-setting off to some faraway land.

Fall is off to a great start. Well, except today. We are getting some of the nasty remnants of Hurricane Matthew and it's not pretty. People being evacuated from their homes, cars floating down rivers that were once streets, more than 200 milliliters of rain in some places - and that fell in less than 12 hours. Only 48 hours ago, I was swimming in the ocean at Inverness Beach! Imagine, swimming in the ocean on October 8th one day and being slammed by a tropical storm the next. We've always had crazy, unpredictable weather here in Cape Breton but the last few years, it seems to be getting crazier. So far this fall, I've kayaked in St. Esprit, I've been around the Cabot Trail and I've been doing a lot of beach-combing. Trying to take in as much of that sun and warm air as possible before winter arrives.

Celtic Colours started this week too and I am hoping to take in some of those events. There is a guided Hike of Mica Hill that I would like to do on Wednesday if the weather is good and also a guided walk in Judique I would like to do. Next Saturday is the big final show of the festival that I go to every year so that should be a a blast as it usually is! I also have some air miles I would like to use before they expire on December 31st so I may just jump on a plane once again this fall and head to the Rocky Mountains of Alberta to visit my sisters in Canmore and Banff. So that is where I'm at with the blog. I'm still here. Lots to come. Stay tuned :)

It's Been a While but Rest Assured, I am Still Here...with lots of Posts to come in the Near Future

Yes, for anyone wondering, I did return from my solo trip to Central America, bruised and sunburned, but in one piece.. I just haven't had the chance to blog about it yet. I had some very hard life events to deal with upon my return. Three days after I arrived back in Cape Breton, My mother passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Devastation, shock, exhaustion and sadness settled in and my life was literally turned upside down. I am still feeling pretty down but I think I am ready to jump right back into the blogging and writing because its what Mom would have wanted since she was my biggest fan and supporter and was so proud of my work. I've started working on a few posts already but they are not ready to show to the world just yet but in another week or so, I should be back to my normal pace and posting shall continue as it always did!

Another Day of Grace - The Humble Beginning......

For the first time since I started this blog, someone recently asked me how I came up with the name "Another Day of Grace". Well, I have to admit, I can't really take full credit for the name because the idea for the title was actually pitched to me by a friend. I can, however, take credit for my middle name, which happens to be Grace. The suggestion really jumped out at me and, although I prefer to take credit for my own work and come up with these type of things myself, I was unable to come up with a more suitable name for my first blog. And so Another Day of Grace was born....

I started this blog back in November of 2008. I didn't know a thing about blogging and frankly, I wasn't all that interested in blogging. But at the suggestion of a friend who thought it might be good to at least start one so I have a place to showcase my writing and photography skills, I began the process of setting it up and trying to find loyal readers. When I go back to those first posts, even I can see that this blog has come a long way from that personal diary peppered with random posts about anything and everything that, at best, occurred every few weeks. It was only recently that I decided to take it a step further and try to specialize a bit more and since my main interests are writing, photography and travel and my life pretty much revolves around those three things, I have decided to try and focus my blog around those interests. After all, they are all intertwined. I travel, I take pictures of my travels and I write about my travels so it seems to be working out quite well!

Anyone who has been following me for some time has probably noticed that I've made a lot of changes in the last few months and my posts have taken on a different direction and feel. I am still making some changes here and there and probably will be for the next little while.

That being said, I am thrilled to see that I will soon be reaching the milestone of 60,000 visits to my page. Not a whole lot considering the period of time we are talking about but a large amount of those visits have been in the last year so I guess that is a sign that people are finding me and seeing my work! With that milestone approaching soon, I would like to thank anyone who has taken the time to visit this page, to comment on my posts and for sharing it with others. I take pride in my work and thoroughly enjoy it and I am only glad to share it with the world!