Courtney in Dartmouth

Our granddaughter came to Dartmouth to tend Nathan and Tara's children for a week so Nathan and Tara could spend a week in Calgary.  Courtney took an overnight flight from Calgary and we picked her up at the airport at seven a.m. on July 2nd and drove straight to Pugwash for the Canada Day celebration.  We had a beautiful day in Pugwash.

We arrived back in Dartmouth  Monday evening and the Baines left Tuesday morning.  Bob and I
moved in as backup for the week.

Courtney had a busy few days - especially Friday as we had Zone Conference all day and then the Temple from five p.m. until ten p.m. - but she did very well and the children loved her.  On Sunday I took the easy way out and stayed home with the two youngest children while everyone else attended church in the Dartmouth ward and then I attended in the Cole Harbour ward in the afternoon.

Monday was Orson's fourteenth birthday.  Bob and Courtney drove him to the paddling club and then Courtney and Bob went to Halifax to see what they could see.

Orson and Courtney Near the Clubhouse at Banook Lake

 Ferry Ride Across the Harbour to Halifax

 The Town Hall

 The City Clock

 The Building where the Halifax Tatoo is Held  

(We had planned on going to the Tatoo, but it didn't happen either year.)

 Canon at the Citadel

(It goes off every day at noon and we often hear it in Dartmouth.)

It was Orson's birthday so we celebrated by having pizza, pop and birthday cake for supper.

 All Candles Blown Out - Good, No Girlfriends Yet

On Tuesday morning Orson left for Youth Conference and the rest of us piled in the van and drove to Martinique Beach for the day.

 One Way to Keep a Boy from Running into the Waves

That evening Nathan and Tara returned about 6:25 p.m. and we went out the door at 6:27 p.m. to take Courtney to the airport.  She must be back in Taber by now - or is she at the Calgary Stampede?

We have been experiencing very warm weather lately.  Many people swim in the lake behind our house in this weather.  At night there have been parties going on and Wednesday night there was a loud one still going well after the ten p.m. closing of the public areas.  Bob heard on the news that a party at the lake was raided by the police that night and someone was arrested for carrying a gun and for drugs.  Oh, dear!

Pugwash - Again

On July 2nd we celebrated Canada Day by traveling to Pugwash where Orson and Liam marched in the Parade and competed at the Highland games.

It was much a repeat of last year.  The parade had fire engines, old tractors, old cars, a few floats and a few pipe bands.

 Canada Day Hair

 Tatamagouche Fire Truck for My Cousin, Maggie

 War of 1812

 Stagecoach for Langley

 Shrine Pictures for my Shriner Brothers

 Another Stagecoach

 View from the Competition Field

Orson earned two second place medals and Liam received a second for his drumming.  Liam competed with the Darmouth band in a drum fanfare which was excellent.  Both the Dartmouth bands received first place.

 Liam Competing on Drums

 Bob Saw a Durant for the First Time

Finale - The Pipe Bands United for an Amazing Performance

Out of the Past

Bob was surprised on Tuesday to be called out of district meeting (I had stayed home so Keaton and Lachlan could come over while Tara took a couple of the boys to the Dr.).  Earl Wyman, who had been one of Bob's room-mates the eight months previous to our marriage was touring Nova Scotia and had looked us up.  On the first date I had with Bob, Earl double dated with us.  We have corresponded sporadically at Christmas over the past 46 years, but have never gotten together before.

Earl came to the Temple on Wednesday and then we went down to the Halifax Waterfront and had dinner and wondered around and reminisced.

 A Large Container Ship Passing By

 Beautiful Weather to Eat Outside

 Pirate Ship Sailing Down the Harbour

On the Boardwalk

Crossing to Dartmouth on the Ferry

Last Sunday was Father's Day and we had supper with Nathan and Tara & Family.

Monday evening we went to Liam's soccer game and then got him to the Oakland Terrace (a Senior's home) in time to play his drums in a program that a couple of families were putting on for the residents.

June is Half Gone

We don't live a very exciting life here in Nova Scotia.  The only thing that I can think to write about is the second crop of dandelions that are again colouring the lawns yellow.

Yesterday was a busy day at the Temple.  A group of new missionaries arrived in the Halifax mission and they all came to the Temple in the morning.  One of the missionaries is a Thompson from Mountainview (one of Oakley Thompson's great grandsons).  The missionaries who have finished their mission and are heading home will attend the temple tonight.

The Dartmouth Pipe Band has started their summer practices in the outdoors.  This year they are practicing at the Dartmouth Common over near the harbour close to the McDonald Bridge.  Yesterday Bob drove the boys to their practice and took a few pictures while he was there.

Liam is on the far left and Orson is wearing a red shirt.

 

It was a good evening for sailboats.

 An icebreaker was in the harbour.

 Downtown Halifax

The Citadel can be seen up on the hill.

The Dandelions are White Already to Harvest

Last Tuesday morning we drove over to Halifax to visit with Lori Bleaney, who was Bob's secretary many years ago when lawyers had secretaries (not assistants or whatever they are called now).  Lori lives in Cranbrook but was here for her daughter's graduation from Dalhousie.  Lori's parents were also there.  It was raining that morning.

Wednesday we had one of the quietest Wednesdays we have had at the Temple, but Thursday evening was busier than usual.  Friday and Saturday were quiet as well.

Not much has been happening.  We've had some rain and some sun.  Today has been very cold.

A Gorgeous Victoria Day Week-end

The beginning of our week was pretty usual except that we went out for lunch on Tuesday (our 47th wedding anniversary) and on Thursday we inspected a missionary apartment and then went out to lunch with the two Elders from the apartment.  One of them is Ken and Ruth Hudson's grandson (Jim's son) from Raymond.  The Elder whose place he took was Elder Moore from Magrath.  Lots of southern Alberta missionaries in the Halifax,Nova Scotia mission (Elder Redd from Cardston, Elder Proux from Lethbridge, Elder Hill from Medicine Hat).

In striking contrast to last May 24th week-end which was wet, windy and cold,  we had beautiful weather this year.

Saturday we were at the temple until later than usual because of a busload of PEI people, but later Nathan's family came to our house for a weiner roast.  Sunday was great as well, but we didn't go anywhere.

Today we set out about 9:30 a.m. to "The Valley" (Annapolis Valley) to look at the apple trees in bloom.  We followed Nathan's van.  An older member of Nathan's ward has wanted to show Nathan the valley so he was the guide.  The apple orchards weren't what I had envisioned (or Nathan either) so we passed them all waiting to stop and take pictures of the big apple trees totally covered in blossoms, but we found out that all the orchards had small trees with not many branches and so we never got any pictures.

We drove to Aylesford to visit the zoo.  There were tons of people at the zoo.  While there we ran into the Pillings who are leaving this summer to live in Raymond.

I saw a zonkey for the first time.  It is a cross between a donkey and a zebra.  It is the animal on the right in  the following picture.  It looks like a donkey but has a striped back leg.

The two things that impressed me were the tortoises and the panther.  I couldn't get a picture of the tortoises because they moved so fast.  I was surprised.  For some reason I didn't take a picture of the panther.

The boys had a great day, although I did hear the word boring from one of the older ones.

We left the zoo and drove back to New Minas and had dinner and then left the valley and drove towards Chester.  There we visited the Ross Family Farm Museum.  They had all kinds of old style farming equipment, a wood working shop, a cooper shop etc. but the one that most interested me was the blacksmith shop.  My great great grandfather who came to Pictou County, Nova Scotia in 1831  was a blacksmith and my great grandfather followed the same trade.  It was surprising to hear that oxen were still brought in to the blacksmith shop for shoes.  There had been one that day that had come from Windsor, but we got there after it had left.  I would have liked to see it.

We drove back by way of Halifax and arrived home about 7:30 p.m.

Busy Busy

A week ago last Wednesday we had a large group of missionaries attend the temple.  The next day the missionaries who were finished their mission and returning home attended again.  There was an extra session that day.

That Saturday we had supper at Nathan and Tara's and then stayed with the boys for a while when Nathan and Tara went out shopping.

Monday we were again at Nathan and Tara's for family home evening and Tuesday afternoon we spent some time there.  I took Matti out for a walk and the two other boys played in the back yard while Tara worked in the flower beds.

Wednesday evening I subbed at the Family History Center and Bob drove Orson and Liam to their piping and drumming practices.

Thursday was Zone Conference.  It was the last Zone Conference for President and Sister Simpson as they leave to go back to Idaho at the end of June. 

Sunday was Mother's Day.  After church on Sunday there was a reception for the Mothers out on the parking lot.  They set up a table and some chairs and served cake.  That afternoon we went to Nathan and Tara's and had turkey dinner.  Tara and I and the little boys went out for a walk while the rest did the dishes.  When we got back Nathan, Orson and Liam played the pipes and drums for us.  Liam, Orson and Bob had a long game of  Risk and at the end all three claimed to be the winner.

 Mother's Day Walk around Russell Lake