Homeward bound

We left Cavindish National Park about 9 AM on Thursday and soon drove across the Confederation Bridge--8 miles.  YIKES, I don't like bridges a lot.  Not long after that it began to rain and rained all day.  Sometimes it was very heavy and made me uncomfortable.  I'm so glad Royce let me renege from my offer to drive as I would not have been comfortable at all. 
When we entered the US the immigration officer had lots to say and inquire about our Aliner camper.  I'm not sure the folks behind us in line appreciated his friendliness, but it was the nicest 'interrigation' we have ever had at a border.
By supper time we had both agreed that setting up the camper was not what we desired, so we ate at an Applebees and located a motel for the night.  Nice for a change.  It must be that modern conveniences improve Royce's Scrabble skills as he beat me handily.  Of course, it didn't hurt that he got the J, Q, Z, V, F,....need I go on?   My tile rack consistently had duplicates of single point letters often with one vowel at a time.  Sour grapes?  You bet!  Really, I just love playing the game and even though I prefer to win, I still enjoy the activity whether I win or not.
At this rate, we may return home earlier than planned, which will be nice since we'll have to be on the road again for Labor Day weekend to our place in MI.  Truly no grass is going to grow under our feet.
Well, Royce is packed and ready to get on the road so I'll close for now.  I probably will continue to send some posts of things we did on the trip even after we get home so stay tuned.
Eager to be in familiar places with people I love.
Jackie

Proper balance of music and histyory

.  Wednesday, August 1, 2012

                I have such a dear husband.  After we arrived at our campground of Whycocomagh and putting our air conditioning into service for the first time this trip, Royce spent some time with the ranger and learned that there would be a ceilidh—kaley—in a town west of us so we ate a quick supper and headed for the town.

                The music was delightful and sounded much like the music we enjoyed in Ireland, but this was Scottish area.  Three musicians played a keyboard and two violins.  During one number a man at least our age did a step dance to the music.  We thoroughly enjoyed the evening especially since it was not part of our schedule.  However, this meant no Scrabble game so the score remains at: Jackie 5, Royce 1 and 1 tied game.

                This morning we headed across a waterway on another ferry with a cable and wheel configuration that we used previously.  The waterway in called a salt water lake.  Our destination was Iona, where the Highland Village Museum was located.

                Our stroll through the village told the story of the immigration of the Gaels from Scotland and how they adapted to life in Nova Scotia while maintaining their language, culture and customs.  Folks dressed in period costumes were gracious to explain their way of life to us.  It was while visiting one of the houses that I learned why the music we heard last evening sounded so much like the music we heard in Ireland.  It seems that centuries ago folks from Ireland moved to Scotland—it isn’t far across the water from Ireland.  With the intermarrying of the Irish and Scots their music blended also.  However, the Irish do their dancing with lots of exaggerated leg movements while the Scots do step dancing which is done with more restrained movements.

                When we were touring the barn of the village, Royce pointed to a tractor and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a FORDSON tractor—the mascot from my Fordson High School in Dearborn Michigan.  This tractor was much older than our mascot and had not benefitted from the loving care of the automobile shop class, but it was a Fordson tractor nonetheless.

                So there you have it; history that Jackie can tolerate and appreciate.

Museum of Industry

Because we often cannot get WIFI, my posts are usually not sent on the day of the event.   Please forgive the delays.  Jackie

07.31.12 Stellarton Museum of Industry

We just spent a delightful afternoon in the town of Stellarton, NS.  First we visited the Museum of Industry—per my request.  It has been a long-standing agreement between Royce and me that I will visit all his mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, historical places, if he will let me tour a factory now and then.  Although this was not a factory, it did deal with many of the mechanisms or products of factories. 

We found the museum to be both child and adult friendly.  The written explanations were concise and easily understood.  Surprisingly, we were escorted by our own tour guide who was quite informative and interesting.  We learned that hydro power could be accomplished via a variety of methods and were allowed to work the models making it much clearer than someone simply  lecturing us.

I was especially intrigued by a mobile shop classroom that went into the rural areas and picked up the students who were heading to the field of technology for a day’s lesson before moving on to the next rural area.  Inside the bus there were several machines such as a drill press, a small lathe, a gig saw, etc. The tour guide told us the story of finding a very old bus which was refurbished as a project by students.  It was then furnished with the machines.  Once the bus got to the final school of the day, they would plug into the school’s electrical power and have a lesson. Only one problem; there was no motor for the bus built sometime in the 1940’s.  So they wrote to Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan—my hometown—and asked for help in locating a motor.  Several weeks later they got a call telling them that a motor had been found in a warehouse of old parts and was being shipped to them at no cost.  I was glad to hear that my hometown showed compassion.  Another reason why I buy American made automobiles.

            After the tour we went for soup and sandwich to a shop recommended by an employee of the museum.  It was a great recommendation.  We’re on the road again heading to Cape Bretton where we have been told by many that we will be thrilled with the scenery.  No more factories, for a while, I guess.