A New Trail, an Old Trail and some Big Waves

I may not have traveled all that far this summer, but I certainly had the opportunity to do a lot of new things.  In particular, I got to hike a few new trails and explore some new places I had never explored before.  One of the new trails I hiked was at the Ben Eoin Provincial Park.  I actually didn't even know there was a trail there.  I'd been to the park many times but I guess I never noticed the sign pointing to the trail leading up the mountain.

I arrived at the  park in mid-afternoon and ate my lunch before heading up the hill.  It was a beautiful afternoon for that late in September.  There was hardly any wind, it was sunny and the air was just right - not too hot and not too cold, just comfortable. Perfect hiking conditions.  I was the only person there that day and I found that both strange and disturbing considering it was the weekend and the weather was so fantastic.  I can't get my head around the fact that so many people would rather spend such a splendid day in a mall buying material things they don't need when they could be outdoors enjoying the spectacular beaches, trails and natural surroundings of one of the world's most beautiful islands.

With my lunch done and all ready to hit the trail, I made my way up the mountain, not having any idea how far the trail went or how long it would take to get up the hill and back down.  The trail was quite steep for a while until it leveled out.  I swam, walked and biked all summer so I'm quite fit.  The only thing bothered by the incline was my bad knee which seems to act up going up hill and even more so going down hill.

The trail isn't very long but it's nice.  Tall trees with sunlight coming through made it look almost like an enchanted forest.  And the views!  Spectacular!  A clear straight view down to the Bras d'Or Lakes and there happened to be a sailboat right in the middle when I arrived at the top. I lingered for a short while before heading down, which was more difficult on my knee than going up.  I made it safely though.  Instead of driving back the same way I came, I went through Northside East Bay and onto Eskasoni and eventually arriving in Iona and Grand Narrows.

I stopped to rest and enjoy the view from the Highland Village parking lot before continuing on my way.  While driving along the road leading through Boisedale, I came across another road that I thought ended up in George's River.  I had heard about such a road so I took it and got to see an area of the island I don't recall ever seeing before.  And yes, it did end up in George's River and eventually back to the 105 and the route home.

The next day, I ventured to the other side of the island and ended up in Louisbourg at Kennington Cove Beach.  Weather warnings were posted warning the public that the surf around the island would be high that weekend.  Louisbourg is the perfect place to safely enjoy high surf.  And yes, the waves at the beach were very high!  And the water was still warm too.  Not that I went swimming but I couldn't help but put my toes in the water for what just might be the last time this season.  

That evening, I took a sunset stroll to the old fort near the Lingan Wind Farm.  I miscalculated the time it would take to get in and out and ended up walking out of there through some thick forest at night.  It was just starting to get dark when I arrived at the shore and I lost track of time while taking pictures and looking for deer in the field.  It seemed like it took three times longer to walk out than it did to walk in.  Every few feet I would hear something move in the woods and wonder if it was something that could have me for me lunch or just a branch moving in the wind. 

It's Been a While.....

Yes I know it's been a while...months in fact.  I was called back to work back in September and have been flat-out busy since.  I know, I know.....enough with the excuses.  All that matters is that I'm still around and still posting.  I just took an extended break.  I also didn't really have much to post lately as I have not been going many places or doing much due to having to work full time.  One thing I do look forward to in the winter is getting outdoors on those rare, nice days especially if an outing includes some snowshoeing! 

I was a bit late getting out this year for my first snowshoe hike.  The first weekend in January was the first full weekend I had off work since November as I've been diving into the optional overtime again.  Might as well take the hours and the money when you can, right?  Anyway, we received a little more than a light dusting of snow that weekend and Saturday morning the temperatures were just above zero and the sun was shining. I didn't want to travel too far on my first run of the year so I opted to try out a trail near my house that I had never hiked in winter before. 

I grew up in Lingan and played near this trail as a child and hiked it in the warmer months many times since.  The area has changed over the years.  The old house that was there is long gone and the one that replaced it has since been torn down and the land sold to Nova Scotia Power who have a power generating station nearby.  A windfarm with several windmills has gone up in the last dozen years.  Other than these few changes, the trail is still intact and it's still a beautiful area to spend some time outdoors.   

That particular weekend was much anticipated and I planned in advance that I would spend the majority of it outdoors no matter what the weather was like.  Fortunately, it turned out to be quite nice both days.  On Saturday morning, I called my dad, who also loves the outdoors and has recently taken up snowshoeing, and headed to Lingan.  It's only five minutes away so it wasn't a big adventure like I usually write about; the adventure would be seeing the area under a blanket of freshly fallen snow for the first time.

There were no cars in the parking area.  A good sign.  I like the trails to myself and when it comes to snowshoeing, I like to be the first one to break in the fresh snow.  And I was the first one that day because the only tracks on that trail were those of some bunny rabbits who must have been hopping around looking for food the night before.  Perfect!  We slipped on our snowshoes and bundled up and set out towards the narrow path that led to the windmills and the ocean.  The snow was perfect in every way.  Untouched by the dirt of the nearby road and untouched by anyone or anything except those bunnies and some squirrels who must have been munching on the bushes as their crumbs were scattered in little piles in various places.  We came to spot that I instantly fell in love with; a perfectly sheltered place inside the low branches of a spruce tree.  Protected from the wind and almost warm enough to lay down and take a nap. 

I had no idea how long it would take to reach the clearing by the ocean since it had been a while since I took that trail and I was usually walking, not snowshoeing.  We continued along, stopping from time to time to relax while enjoy the pristine, white surroundings and the sounds of birds and wind gently rustling the trees.  I didn't need to bundle up as much as I did because I quickly became overheated and had to remove some layers.  It took about 40 minutes to reach the clearing where the wind turbines were.  As we exited the thick forested, the terrain and sounds changed.  All of a sudden, the wind picked up, the temperature dropped and my layers went back on.  The calm rustling of trees was replaced by the raging Atlantic ocean smashing into the cliffs.  The blades of the windmills made a loud whooshing sound as they turned in the breeze.  The scenery was now that of  a large clearing ending where the Atlantic Ocean started.  The old barracks stood on the edge of the cliff, long abandoned by its original tenants but still used by partying teenagers judging by the broken beer bottles and graffiti spray painted all over the inside and outside.  As I stared out over the ocean, watching a large cargo ship go by, I spotted something odd in my peripheral vision; one of the windmills looked to be swaying dangerously in the wind.  None of the other ones looked to be swaying like this so I don't think it was my eyes playing tricks on me.  All I could think about was the fact that three of these massive things have fallen over in the last couple of years.  Perhaps that is why there are warning signs up in the area.  

We headed back the same way we came but reached the car sooner than anticipated.  We didn't stop for as many breaks and photo ops as we did going in so it only took half as long going back.  The whole hike took about two hours total.  I enjoyed it so much, I went back and did it again the next morning!

I Compiled a List of the Best of the Best and here is the final List of my Favorite Places

Lingan Wind Farm – In the mid-80’s, a large, unsightly and dirty power generating station was built along the shore of Lingan Bay. Today, that generating station is being phased out and replaced by cleaner energy, including windmills which have already been put up in the area. The Lingan Wind Farm is located along that same shore and a gravel road runs alongside those mills to create a very nice walking trail along the shoreline. I love to walk this trail right to the end where there are old barracks perched near the cliffs and the view is spectacular.

The Road that Passes Through Donkin and Port Morien – I love this drive and it is the one I probably do the most often on my daily coffee run. Shoreline, beaches, scenery, wildlife (I often see bald eagles, deer and foxes along this road), very little traffic and its not very far from where I live. What else could one ask for in a daily coffee run?

The Church in Cheticamp – I’m not religious but I often make a stop at this church on the main road in Cheticamp and its something my family has always done whenever we pass through the community. As a child, my mom always took my sisters and I in there to light a candle at the alter and it was said that if you made a wish on one of those candles, it would come true. I don’t know if it was pure coincidence but some of those wishes did come true. The church is old and beautiful inside and its almost haunting in how quiet it is and how every little sound echoes in the stillness within.

The Walking Track at 14 Yard – To many people, exercise sounds like work but for me, it is a necessity. I exercise everyday. It keeps me healthy and disciplined and reduces stress. My daily 5 kilometer walk ( or job depending on how I am feeling) around the track at 14 yard is my escape. It gets me out of the house and lets me escape for an hour into a world of just me and my music (I bring my ipod along with me). This hour allows me to not only do something healthy, but to think and reorganize my thoughts or just go off into another world with my favorite songs setting the backdrop.

The Canso Causeway – A landmark accomplishment on any road trip; on the way out of Cape Breton, it signifies two hours knocked off the journey and a traditional rest stop at the Big Stop gas station and restaurant. On the way home from any road trip, it signifies that I have reached home. Home is always on the Port Hawkesbury side of the causeway even though my house is actually two more hours of driving. On any particularly long trip, the causeway is a sign that I am on that last homestretch!

St. Ann’s Look-off – Near the top of Kelly’s Mountain on the right side heading west is a rest stop that doubles as a scenic look-off over St. Anne’s Bay. I stop here almost every time I pass through the area to eat lunch and enjoy my coffee while looking out over the scenic view that consists of rolling hills, a large bay and distant fields.

Fort Petrie- located only ten minutes from my home, I often go to Fort Petrie to watch the boats come and go in Sydney Harbour and the sun set over the vast horizon. I often see the Newfoundland ferries heading out to sea and wish I was onboard so I, too, could be headed to The Rock and my former home where many of my friends are still living.

Water St., St. John’s, NL – I love main streets in cities. They are so exciting and colorful. I’ve walked many colorful main streets in many cities around North America but none really compare to the main street in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Water St, is a fairly long and narrow street that runs through the downtown district of the city. With it’s colorful and old buildings, unique local shops, numerous cafes catering to every type of coffee drinker, every type of restaurant and live music venue you can think of, professional and amateur buskers displaying their talent to the masses and tons of little parks and benches to just sit and relax, there is no shortage of action on this street. I love to go down there early in the morning and sit on a bench with my coffee and a book. In the evening, I like to just walk the street listening to the music, people-watching and just enjoying the colorful sights and sounds around me.

Grand Narrows/Iona – For some reason, I don’t travel to this part of Cape Breton as much but it is still one of my favorite areas of the island. While I usually prefer to be near the ocean and mountains, it is nice to be lakeside and in “softer” surroundings once and a while. And besides, the Bras d’Or lakes are much like an ocean in size! I love how quiet this area of the island is and how there are less people wandering about. There are so many places to just sit and relax and not have to worry about there being crowds around. I love the little wharf area in Grand Narrows where there is also a little rocky beach and a dock. Sometimes there are even little country markets where you can buy some fresh produce and homemade sweets and listen to some fiddle music.

The Drive Across Newfoundland – Yes, I know, this is not really a place but it is a route that I often take when traveling from my home in Cape Breton to the city of St. John’s in Newfoundland and each and every trip across (and there have been dozens) has been memorable in one way or another. The drive starts in Port Aux Basques and heads along the Trans Canada heading east. Along the way, there are mountains, small towns and villages, scenic look-offs, valleys, rivers and strange places with interesting stories behind them. Take, for example, the Wreckhouse area. No one lives in this beautiful, barren valley surrounded by mountains and there is a reason for that; its too windy! When the winds in the Wreckhouse area are at their highest, traffic comes to a standstill and anyone brave enough to try and pass through may end up in some trouble. Large transport trucks have been known to be blown over by these winds. I usually take the DRL bus across the island and many interesting stories and memories have come out of those many trips. New friendships, bus breakdowns, broken heaters, lost luggage, drunken and rowdy passengers, off-the-wall conversations with complete strangers, near run-ins with moose and snowstorms are just a few of the interesting things I recall!

The Cabot Trail – Again, not a specific place but a scenic drive…one of the most scenic drives on the planet! And that’s not just my opinion, the trail has been voted as such by many travel publications numerous times over the years. A trip around the trail is one of my favorite things I look forward to in the warmer months. I get up early. Load up the car with lunch and beach supplies and go for the day or overnight depending on how much time I have to work with. I go around via Cheticamp, stopping in Inverness and Margaree along the way and spending some time in the village of Cheticamp. I than make my way over the mountains and through Pleasant Bay and Cape North towards Ingonish where I will, again spend some time at the beaches and hiking trails. The drive is peaceful even when there are many people around. Windy, narrow roads snaking over mountains and through valleys and along rugged coastline. It’s heaven on Earth!

And Finally…My car! – I don’t know what I would do without my 2009 black Sonata. The begin with, it’s everything I wanted in a car. When I went car shopping, I was looking for a spacious, black car with a sunroof and great-sounding stereo. The first car I eyed was the one I ended up buying. It had those things and more. Of course, I was smart about it and test drove some other cars around the city but I came back for this one. I took it on a long road trip the first weekend I had it and it met all my standards. Good handling, no weird noises, comfortable…Now it’s my sanctuary. It not only gets me to work and back every day, it gets me out of the house when I am tired of sitting around in one place, it takes me to all my favorite places and beyond and it is where I retreat to when I am having a bad day. I just get behind the wheel, crank the stereo with my favorite tunes and drive off into the unknown and that is my cure-all for any bad day!

Memorable Places

I have been lucky in my life in that I’ve had the opportunity to see and experience so many wonderful places and so much of the beauty that this planet has to offer…So I decided to compile a list of those places to share with the world and to bring me back to the times I spent in those places. Many of them are located around my hometown. Others are located in the city I lived in for over ten years. Some are located in far-flung locations far away from my home. Some of these places encompass a very small area and are a simply places where I like to watch the sunset or gaze upon the ocean. Many of them are not really places at all; they are favorite stretches of highways, coastal drives or bus routes. Below are my some of my favorites but since it is such a long list, I will post them in a multi-part series:

PART 1

The Point – This is one of my all-time favorite places on the entire planet and I only have to drive for two hours to get there. Located in the heart of Ingonish in the Cape Breton Highlands, The Point is more than just a fishing wharf. It’s a meeting place, a central location in the town…and it’s where one can witness some of the best sunsets and moon rises around. Bonus: Majestic Cape Smokey Mountain looms in the background along with a spectacular vista consisting of mountains surrounding a beautiful bay that includes Ingonish Island. A breakwater juts out into the bay and I love to walk to the end of it and sit on the rocks and watch the sun disappear into the horizon and the moon climb high into the sky.

The bench Above Broad Cove Beach – Atop a cliff overlooking this rocky beach is a bench that I’ve spent many a summer evening just staring out at the ocean – watching whales, watching the sun set, watching the moon rise. On some nice summer days, I bring a book or a notepad and do some writing. On many a warm summer’s night, I cuddle up with a blanket and watch the waves roll in the beam of the moonlight while the smell of campfires and roasting marshmallows and hotdogs fill the air and coyotes howl in the distance. A few times, I even fell asleep on that bench to the relaxing sounds of those waves as they came ashore below me.

Lingan Wharves – I moved to Lingan when I was only five years old, moved away to another province at the age of twenty and moved back at age 31 but the wharves in Lingan have always been a favorite place for me whenever I found myself at home. I only have to walk for about two minutes to sit on a dock with my feet dangling over the water, relax on the picnic benches overlooking the beach or climb to the top of the cliffs above the beach to get a better view of the entire area. This place brings back so many good memories of my childhood and the fun us kids had skipping rocks at the beach, fishing off the docks, climbing the cliffs, jumping ice clampers in the bay (I do not advise anyone try this!) and building rafts out of salvaged wood we found on the beach to attempt to float out into the bay (I DEFINITELY do not recommend anyone try this). But, despite our adventurous and, sometimes dangerous endeavors, we survived…and we grew older and moved away but the wharves have not changed a bit!

The parking lot at the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish – Another great view in the scenic town of Ingonish. This parking lot faces the water overlooking the bay. During the day, it’s a great place to sit and watch the boats coming and going or imagine what it would be like to row out to that little island in the middle of it all. At night, it’s a great place to stargaze or watch the moon’s reflection shimmer over the water. On weekends, wedding receptions take place at the hall across the street and it can be quite entertaining to just sit and watch the drunken revelers come out into the parking lot slurring, singing and dancing without a care in the world. Over the years, this parking lot also became a bit of a safe have for me. I don’t like to sleep in my tent during lightning storms, so as soon as I hear a crack of thunder or flash of lightning nearby, I drive away from the storm and to that parking lot where I can watch the zigzagging streaks light up the sky over the water.

Dominion Beach – My family spent many summer days at this beach when I was a kid. It was one of the most popular beaches in Nova Scotia back than. A new boardwalk swept along the ocean, well-groomed paths led to the beach and a road led all the way to the end of the sand bar and cars would be parked all along it. Thousands of people congregated on that beach on an average day but over the years, many people moved out west to work, the beach fell to disrepair and people started frequenting other nearby beaches. Some work was done over the years to bring the beach back to its old self. People started to trickle back but nowhere near the numbers that once did. I continue to go there summer after summer for a number of reasons; It’s sandy, it’s long, it makes for the perfect morning walk or run, its almost always deserted, the sunsets are spectacular and there is a family of foxes that make their home near the boardwalk and come out to play at dusk. At night, I love to just sit in the sand and listen to the sounds of summer and watch the stars and the moon overhead.

Cemetery in ? – I discovered this place quite by accident one day while I was out for my daily coffee. Instead of just driving around town, I decided to go for a longer drive to a village further away. When it came time to turn around and head back home, I turned into a driveway that was actually a cemetery. I don’t want to say which cemetery it is because I discovered something there that I would like to keep a secret from as many people as possible. No offense, it’s just that what I discovered is something I don’t want to see disturbed. You see, when I looked up into the large trees in the middle of the graveyard, I noticed a large nest. There were two bald eagles nearby, obviously the owners of this large nest. There was no one else in the area at the time and I have no idea how many people know about the nest but, since it is occupied by two beautiful eagles who’ve carved a cozy and quiet home away from crowds, I would like to see it stay that way for their safety and well-being. I do return to that cemetery often to check on my feathered friends and every spring, there are new additions to the family! I’ve spent hours watching them in and around the nest with their young ones, hunting for food and bringing it back to the nest and pushing them to learn how to fly until finally, they set off to find their own territory, leaving the parents with, yet again, an empty nest.

The lifeguard chair at Ingonish Beach – Ingonish Beach is supervised during the day in the summer months but in the evenings, the lifeguard chair is empty. This chair is located at the main area of the beach just behind the parking lot and provides a spectacular view of the ocean, Cape Smokey Mountain, Middle Head Peninsula, The Keltic Lodge and the entire beach. Some evenings, I love to grab a coffee and drive to the beach just before sunset and if no one else raced me to it, I climb to the top of the chair and park myself there to watch the sun go down, the moon come up and the stars appear overhead. These visual delights, combined with the sounds of crickets in the nearby lake and the waves crashing ashore are something I can only describe as therapeutic!

Morrison Beach – Long, deserted, sandy, beautiful. Describes a typical beach one would see in the Caribbean…but wait, it’s not in the Caribbean at all, it’s on the south coast of Cape Breton Island in a remote area of the island that not many locals are even familiar with. I go to this beach for many reasons. One, I have been going there since I was a child and have very fond memories of it. Two, I am usually the only person there. Three, wildlife is plentiful and it is not out of the ordinary to see seals, deer, fox, bald eagles and coyotes all in one day. Four, the surf is wild and the sound of those large waves hitting shore is so relaxing.

Cheticamp Cemetery – I know a cemetery sounds like an odd place to just chill but this cemetery, in particular, has special meaning to me. My mom grew up in Cheticamp so many of my relatives have been laid to rest there, including my grandfather. I never met him. He passed away at a very young age when my mom was just a baby but I go to that cemetery every once and a while to find his headstone and repaint the wording on it because it fades over time. My mom recently passed away and this mini pilgrimage has taken on a whole new meaning as she once did this with her father’s gravestone too and now it’s been passed down to me. The view from the cemetery is also spectacular and the area is quiet and remote so I know no one will ever bother me there.

The Old Plot of Land in Framboise – Once upon a time, a little cabin rested on a small plot of land on a dirt road in a remote and isolated area of Cape Breton. Framboise was always my dad’s favorite place so, naturally, he purchased a little bungalow that became a little home-away-from home. That little home is no longer there but the plot of land is. It is overgrown with weeds and shrubs now but I can still find it because every time I drive down that road, waves of nostalgia come over me as I approach that place where I spent much of my childhood. Visions of the bats that used to fly out from behind the shutters when they were opened, the guitar pillow and other knick knacks that were left behind by the previous owner start flooding back. The sound of those old floors creaking echo in my head. Then I see that familiar little place where my sisters and I used to play and remember how much fun I had there as a child.

The Bean Barn – I always use to say I wanted to, one day, open a coffee shop in Ingonish. Well, someone else beat me to it! But, although it wasn’t me who opened The Bean Barn Cafe in the center of the town, I’m glad someone finally did because that was the one thing that was lacking in Ingonish. I spend a lot of time in that area. I love coffee and before The Bean Barn, I had to drive to Baddeck or Cheticamp for a half decent cup. I love coffee shops but hate the noise and informal atmosphere at large coffee chains so this place provides a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. And because I am a freelancer, I take my work with me when I travel and this coffee shop is the perfect place to spend a few hours writing from my laptop with a cup of coffee and a slice of homemade carrot cake!

The lighthouse in the Magdelan Islands – Although I’ve only been there once, my time there was unforgettable. I always wanted to travel to the Magdelan Islands and so did my mom so we took a trip there in 2009 and it ended up being the last, long road trip I took with Mom because she passed away not long after. The memory I have of that spectacular evening is made that more special by that fact. The lighthouse is located on the main island at the far, south end near a little ice cream truck. We traveled to that area of the island after supper one evening with the intention of getting some ice cream and heading back to our campground but the sight of that lighthouse perched over the water with the sun about to set was too much to pass up. We spent a few hours sitting on the rocks and watching the sun go down over the horizon…and that sunset was definitely in the top five sunsets I have ever watched!

Cave Hunting in Lingan, Nova Scotia

I am fortunate enough to have grown up in a rural area of Cape Breton that allowed me to pursue many memorable childhood adventures. I can barely recall staying indoors playing with dolls or watching television but I do remember days spent exploring the woods behind my house, scouring the beach for lost treasures, digging in the gravel pits behind the ball field looking for dinosaur bones, scaling cliffs along the shore, playing spotlight at night with no boundaries and riding my bike into town to explore the back roads and alleys and hiding in the bushes near the park to avoid the curfew whistle that went off every night at 8:30 which we were led to believe by our parents meant we had to be home or the police would round us up. One adventure in particular was a day spent looking for a cave that was said to be located in an area further down the beach that was on private property owned by Nova Scotia Power. Being the adventurous (and maybe a bit mischievous) kid that I was, I rounded up a group of neighborhood friends and we set off on Labour Day when we knew there would be no one at work that day and did what we did best; walked the length of the beach until there was nothing more to do but trudge through knee-deep water, climb a few cliffs, crawl under a metal fence and continue to crawl over some large tanks (crawling to avoid any security cameras picking us up) and over some more large boulders and down another cliff until we found what we were looking for. The only thing was, during the time it took us to get there, the tide had come up and the cave was submerged in water.

Almost 25 years to-the-day later, the idea of finding that cave returned to the forefront of my mind after hearing other people in the area talking about it. After carefully studying the tides and the long range forecast, I picked a day and set out in search of that long-forgotten about cave I tried to find so many years before.

I calculated that 2:00 pm would be the best time to leave the house and reach the cave at a time when the tide was at its lowest. I made the same journey over the beach, up and down cliffs, through knee-deep water and up onto the large tanks that had the fence we had had to crawl under. The hole was still in the fence and, although the area was still owned by Nova Scotia Power and it would technically be trespassing, it was no longer under surveillance in that particular area and there were no signs telling me to keep out. I personally believe that no one has the right to block access to any natural wonders of this planet; they should be accessible for everyone to see. Blocking access to this cave is likened to the newcomers to the area who think they can build a mansion on a beach and than deem the beach private property so no one else can enjoy it when in fact, in the province of Nova Scotia, you can build a house on a beach but it is illegal to deem it private property. Beaches are public property. The hole in the fence was much smaller than I remembered or maybe it was that I was much bigger. A few scrapes and bruises later, I made it to the other side and down the last cliff to round the bend where the cave is located.

I was right, the cave was there just as I remembered except this time, it was not flooded with water. I was able to walk right in, explore the various little nooks and crannies that were tucked away within the main part of the cave, took some pictures of the inside and the view of the surrounding area from the opening and read the writings that various cave explorers had left on the walls over the years (not that most of this writing was what you would expect from cave explorers...more like the writing of teenagers who obviously used the well-hidden cave as a hideout for their Saturday night drinking binges).

As the tide started to rise and water started to, once again, flood the cave, I made my way back up the cliffs and down to the beach just as a fierce thunder storm rolled in and a torrential downpour ensued. Just another day...and another adventure knocked off my list!

Just an Update....

Well, here I am still without internet. I managed to find some time to get to a coffee shop and avail of their wireless services but despite the lack of service at home, I have been kept quite busy these past few weeks. Things got a bit hectic at the end of my time at 2791 Lingan Rd. The day before we were supposed to vacate the property and have everything out, it still looked like a tornado had struck but with a few helpful neighbors with trucks and an extension that allowed us to have the entire next day to get everything out, we managed to have the place completely cleared by 5PM that day. I tried not to get emotional when the time came to leave for good but I just couldn’t hold it back no matter how hard I tried. I mean, I did spend my entire childhood there and it was really the only home I ever knew not to mention the memories attached to the house and the familiar surroundings that I could always retreat back to even after I went into the world on my own.

This past week, I found myself with a slightly difficult adjustment but not as hard as I thought it would be. I am still in Lingan at a house a few doors down from 2791 and have finally reorganized myself somewhat with pretty much everything I need to sustain a comfortable living with me and the rest in storage for the time being. I am staying with a friend for now until I find my own place closer to work. Speaking of work, I started that new job I mentioned in the last post and it is going very well although the adjustment from full-time freelancer working from home on my own hours to full-time 8-hour work days on someone else's schedule has been a bit trying. I am used to working at my own pace for as long or as little as I want each day and have done this for a little over two years after loosing my job in St. John’s and moving back to Nova Scotia. I now have a serious lack of free time but a few good things are already coming out of it; my hectic schedule means I am not sitting at my computer eating junk food and drinking wine in the evenings and this means I have already lost a few pounds of that little bit of extra weight I was carrying around since last winter. The biggest adjustment will, no doubt, be the lack of free time I will have to spend writing but having a job outside the house for a while will allow me to at least branch out and learn some new things, meet some new people, make some new contacts and spend some time outside of the confines of my room which I spent numerous hours holed up in trying to meet various deadlines to make a few extra bucks to keep me afloat while I searched for a “real” job.

Despite being so busy lately, I did manage to do the one thing that I absolutely cannot miss every Fall; a drive around the Cabot Trail. I went later in the season this time but, for some reason, the leaves are staying on the trees longer than normal and the colors seem to be brighter than in the past. I picked the best possible day to go too! The weather was perfect with a cloudless sky and temperatures hovering around 15 degrees the entire day! This past Saturday was the Annual Halloween dance at the Lingan Hall so I also made some time to put a quick costume together and enjoy the weekend with friends and a few drinks before starting a new week off with my first official day at the new job after a week of training.