Parade of Tall Ships

This morning the tall ships slowly sailed out of the Halifax Harbour on their way to Lunenburg.  They were supposed to sail around the harbour before they left, but if they did, we missed it as we arrived at the harbour an hour after start time.  All the ones we saw were across the harbour on the Halifax side.  I guess I should admit that it was a boring as Nathan predicted.

 The Coast Guard boat was the only one that came around the Dartmouth side of Georges Island and it used its engine rather that its sails.

 A Yacht that Impressed Bob

Saturday evening we went to have cake and ice cream for Lochlan's 3rd birthday.  He was born the summer we arrived back from China.  How time flies.

Sunday evening we went to the mission home for a social with the Senior Couples in the mission.  The Temple president and his wife had been in the Abba Nigeria Temple presidency before they came to Halifax and they gave a slide presentation about Nigeria.

Tall Ships 2012

This year Tall Ships is commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812.  (Why anyone would want to make a big deal of a war that was a waste and ended in a tie, I don't know, but I believe because my gr gr grandfather was a soldier in this war, he gained his land in Brock Township, Ontario.  He didn't have anything to do with the naval part of the war.)

This morning we went down to the Halifax waterfront with hoards of other people (okay not hoards as in China, but a huge number anyway) and spent a couple of hours walking around and going on tours of the various tall ships.

The highlight was touring the Bounty, the actual ship that appeared in the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty". The original Bounty, of course, was burned and sunk in the 1700's.

There are many activities going on this week-end.  There is a concert Saturday evening which features the 1812 Overture and one of the temple workers, Chris Palmer, has composed a 2012 Overture which will debut at the concert.

 The Unicorn

The Unicorn is a ship whose crew is entirely female.  The have a program called "Sisters Under Sail" for teen-age girls to learn all about sailing and gain practical experience.

 The Roseway

 The Bounty

Bob and the Captain of the Bounty

 The British

 The Americans

 The Baltimore

 The Glengarys (from Scotland)

The Larinda

The Larinda sank in the Halifax Harbour during hurricane Juan.  This is the first outing since it has been refurbished.

 

 Acrobat on the Mast

Do you See Her?

Upside Down

George's Island

On Sunday there will be tours of George's Island (of Evangeline, a Tale of Acadia fame).

Bob was ill for about  five days.  He had an ear  problem, so we didn't do much this week.  This is our first day out other than to the Drs. and to the Temple.  He is doing fine now.

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