We are back in the land of cheaper gas....It is much better to pay $3.69/gallon vs nearly $5. 30-$5.60 Canadian Dollar per gallon!!
We left Prince Edward Island by the southern route and traveled along the beach towns. Taking the 8 mile bridge back was unique and it was a sunny day so very pretty. We traveled through south New Brunswick and stopped several times and explored the small towns and then went to the Fundy River Valley where we discovered the Chocolate River and actually walked on the ocean floor. We must of walked for 2 miles through mounds of seaweed, tunnels and caves that one can not see when the tide is in. When the tide comes in it is acutally 7 feet deep in the area that we walked. We ...or Tom decided to take another route back to the car so we got to climb over some rock piles...not always an easy task... We were not sure if were headed in the right direction but then we saw the flags going into the forest and breathed a sigh of relief as did not really want to walk all the way back..were not sure if we would make it before the tide started coming in.
Note to ourselves...always take water..we expected it to take about 30 minutes vs 2 hours!!!
We then drove through the national forest and saw some beautiful scenery. Stopped in St John, New Brunswick and walked about the wharf and had a nice dinner...fish and chips again!!
We then headed for Maine. It started to pour rain as we crossed over the Canadian Border for our last time this trip. We were going to camp but it was raining so hard and Tom was not tired so we drove on...amazingly he deceided he was tried in Feeport,Maine...home of L.L. BEAN!!! So we spent the night there and awoke to a beautiful morning...and headed to LL Bean store and had a lobster roll and then headed south to Plymouth.
What memories we have from traveling across Canada...it was an experience that we would not have missed.
We arrived on Pete and Linda's doorstep and what a warm welcome we had...as always. They are renting a place here. Plymouth is a neat little town. Tom and I have taken a walk a couple mornings and our route takes us along the shore and "THE PLYMOUTH ROCK" and thru the town. It has been special to see where they grew up. We have also gotten to meet Pete and Linda's relatives and they have been so kind and generous to make us feel like we are home!!! Pete and Linda know the best restaurants and of course we have had to go to all our favorites...LINDSEYS in Buzzard Bay...about 30 minutes from here. Pete and Linda told us about Lindseys several years ago when we first visited this area. We have been to Lindseys at least 10 times in the years we have visited this area...and the food always brings us back. Their family was going to a clam bake on Saturday and they were able to get us tickets..which was not an easy task as they are always sold out..there were about 600+ people there. It was "Carver Days"..a town just up the road. We had never been to a real clam bake and how fascinating to see them prepare the fire and place all the food...clams, fish, hot dogs, sausage, sweet and white potatoes, onions, corn, stuffing, bread all on the hot coals and then cover with sea weed and put tarps on and then it cooks for about 1.5 hours and then ready to eat. They had about 25 people serving so all was very efficient. Maryann had not ever eaten steamed clams...she ate 5 and said they were good. Everyone else ate about 50...it was all you could eat. Then they served ice cream and watermelon. There were several rows of long tables and they would just come and dump buckets of clams at about every 4th person ...time after time to be eaten It was a nice breezy day sitting under the pine trees..everyone was so friendly..felt just like we were at home!!!
It was our 40th wedding anniversary..so was nice to celebrate doing an event we had never done. Of course we could barely move as so full...but about 7PM that night decided we were hungary for dessert so drove down to Lindseys..again... for Strawberry Short Cake. I am not sure how many times since we arrived here, we vowed could not eat another bite until the next day...but somehow managed to do so!!! We even drove up to Boston one day to spend the day with Pete's brother and wife. Tom, Pete and Mike went and did a guided tour of Wrigley Field...what fun they had. Linda and Maryann spent the day with Beth and then we all went to a restaurant on the water and had another great fish dinner ..with POPOVERS...ymmmmm.
We also shared a family get together with Pete's cousin and Linda's family and even had guests from Copenhagen..an international dinner!!! Yesterday we went to the beach...the water was chilly...but after lots of encouragement and having Maryann get wet first...Tom made the plunge!! I think the lifegaurd said the water was 60 degrees....We also had the best Pizza yesterday at a neat Cafe in the town where Pete grew up. And have stopped along the ocean to have clam chowder. As Pete says..."""SO MUCH FOOd...s00 LITTLE TIME"..and we must tell you about the stops for ice cream....hmmmm. The small cone is like a 3-4 dip cone back home!!! Somehow we forget that every time we stop!! Discussed that my sister Joan and her Tom would be in heaven here as they love ice cream.
We finally figured out SKYPE so we all were able to enjoy seeing Kelly and Bryan and the girls the other night. They were so excited to show us Molly's birthday stuff, Samantha's school art and Kirsten her dolls. It was so good to see them all...nice to know that they continue to want to share so much with their grandparents!! Molly and Samantha are enjoying being back in school.
The weather has been just perfect here. We attended a concert in the park at the water the other night....it was a bit nippy as Linda and Maryann had sweaters etc...Maryann had a blanket but decided to give to Linda's Aunt Jean who said she was cold. She is going to be 90 next year and is just amazing..acts more like 60!!! Amazingly Maryann was able to tolerate the "cold"!!! hmmm
We have talked with Carrie and Buddi..also Carrie has sent pictures and has a video of Buddi playing ball on FACEBOOK...what a miracle. He is back to being hungary all the time and activity improved 100% from 4 weeks ago. Still looks thin. He will have more labs done this week to see if medications need to be changed or can stop the prednisone. Carrie is delighted to have her Buddi back!!!
We were able to attend a neat old church on Sunday with Pete and Linda right here in Plymouth. We certainly know that God has been with us every minute of the day as have had so many blessings. We continue to keep you all in our prayers and thank you for your thoughts and prayers for this journey.
We are so blessed to have had 40 years together...through difficult and great times..one thing we know is that we were meant to be together and to be able to share our lives with our family and our friends, no matter near or far..memories are always with us...and we so appreciate being able to make even more memories as we look toward many more years.
We were so thankful to hear that our friend George had his last chemo treatment..please keep him in your prayers as he has his PET Scan in August....he and Pat have been so positive and have continued to travel in between Chemo treatments...heard from them today and are in Flagstaff, AZ with 48 degree temperatures....and had rain yesterday...if we remember correctly..they brought the rain the last time they came to AZ too.
We have also had a roudy night playing SKIPO with Pete and Linda...Tom and Pete won 2 out of 3 as they had so many skipo wild cards...how could they help but not win( this is Maryann's point of view!!) but Linda and Maryann hope to win a round before we leave...
Tomorrow, 3 Aug, we plan to head to Maryann's Mom's in Pennsylvania. It will be difficult to leave the comfort of being with Pete and Linda as we have certainly shared a week of great moments and will always have many fond memories of the days we have been with them...we cannot thank them enough for these wonderfilled days!!!!!
Sending special hugs to you all..you are never far from our thoughts as we motor down the road to another adventure.
Love
Tom and Maryann
