365-8 | Peaches Prattlings

{November 13, 2024} November 13…11:40a…A day that changed our lives!

Mid-January 2015, PSM and I exchanged our first email. And so it began…

Throughout the week, we sent each other hello and nice to meet you emails, which morphed into getting to know you, which morphed into science-y pick up lines, I knew he was a bio-chemist by trade, so I started looking for science related pick-up lines, and lord love him, he thought they were hysterical!

Now…ask me what some of them mean, and you will get a blank stare, I still don’t understand some of them! Zippers, chromosomes, “Hey, want to swap oxidation numbers?” Huh? He laughed, and that’s all that matters!

He started sending me computer pick up lines, he knew I was a software trainer. “You’ve stolen the ASCII to my heart.” HA HA HA. See what I mean!

During our email exchange we learned about each other, little things, one or two things I already knew, from the people who introduced us, but I slowly learned a little more, then he did something no guy had ever done, he came up with six ideas for a first date! What guy does that? Well, as I found out, my guy!

We decided on an Irish pub for our first date, which appealed to me immensly, I had just gotten back from Ireland recently, and if you know me, even before I went to Ireland, I have loved all things Ireland! I once stood next to a family at Disneyworld just to listen to them talk to each other! Love!

We decided on a date and January 30th, PSM picked me up for our first date. January 2015 was the year that…no one went to school, work, or got on a plane every Monday that month because it wouldn’t stop snowing!

He picked me up and we went to a local Irish pub, not far from my sister’s house, we had a lovely time, shut the place down, we did, from just talking and learning about each other!

He took me back to my sister’s house, where I was living at the time, we parted company and wanted to see each other again, so we did. About a week later, he joined my sister and brother-in-law, myself, and another couple at her synagoge for some awful mystery dinner theater, it was fabulous! He wore a suit! So cute!

After the performance, we went to an Irish pub, go figure, for a nightcap of hot tea, we were a couple of wild childs! ha ha! While we were there, we talked about another date and I asked when he was going to take me skiiing, well…funny I should ask that. And the following weekend, which…just happened to be Valentine’s Day weekend, he took me to his ski house in Lincoln, NH! Not bad for a third date!

April, he came with my family to Atlantis, in the Bahamas, that’s a huge step! October of that same year, we took a 3-week trip to Europe, we were trying to decide if we wanted to go to Malaysia or Europe. There was a half marathon in Lisbon, Potugal, so…let’s go to Europe! Why not do a half marathon the day after we land?! We traveled to Portugal, Spain, France, and Hungary. This was when we figured out we could travel well together!

January 2016 came, and PSM moved to Hawai’i for work, I started moving my things slowly, I had just signed a year’s lease for my apartment in Boston, I was traveling for work, and I would be there full time, well, my stuff would be! by the time my lease was up.

January 29th, I surprised PSM in Hawai’i for the weekend, that was awesome! He was definitely surpirsed! Then throughout the year, I traveled to Hawai’i, PSM came back to the mainland, we were definitely dating long distance!

Our next big trip came in November 2016, we did a 2 week trip, this time to Iceland, Copenhagen, and Sweden. We were hoping to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, but wouldn’t you know it… we had cloud cover and rain all week, but what an amazing trip!

Then… we go to Copenhagen and wondered what that big glowing yellow ball in the sky was… yup, you guessed it, the sun! We did some touring around, then on Sunday, November 13th, we went to the Round Tower, yes it’s called the Round Tower!

We walked up the steps, those long, wide steps that horses would walk up into the castles. PSM is not a fan of heights, so he stuck to the walls, and when we came to the top, he hung back while I went out and toured the top of the Round Tower.

I was walking the perimeter, came back to where I started, turned, and there was PSM! On one knee!! Yes! On one knee… at the top of a tower!

He said some wonderful things… you can’t expect me to remember what they were! lol, I was being proposed to! I know they were wonderful because whatever he said…I said yes, of course!

We waited a few hours, until our families were up and called them, did a conference call from Denmark! Who can say that?! Engaged at the top of a tower and made a conference call from Denmark! One amazing moment after another!

Where was he keeping the ring?! We were together the whole time, I never saw the box! Was it in his pocket the whole time? He traveled from Hawai’i to Boston to Iceland with it in his pocket! And a funny part…I had gotten a manicure before we left! I had no idea it was going to happen, but I was ready, just in case, go figure!

We spent the rest of the trip as an engaged couple! I kept staring at my hand and my…fiancé! Yes, my fiancé! Has a nice ring to it…

And then we were back in the states, it was the week of Thanksgiving, we met with different friends and family at different events and I would casually throw my left hand out, I know…way subtle JJ! And…I had something, new, fabulous, and wonderful to be thankful for this year!

And that…my friends, is the story of how I was proposed to at the top of a tower in Denmark. Not too shabby. Happy engagement anniversary PSM. I love you lots.

{November 5, 2024} Today I voted! What’s your super power?!

I know I’m no super hero, but do I have super powers? You bet I do! [And i think I may have used the same post title in the past, who cares!] And you do too! We have the power to make a change, to make a difference!

No, I am not going to tell you who I voted for, it’s honestly no one’s business but my own. Besides, I don’t want to sway you one way or the other, if we’re friends, you might know who I voted for, and if you don’t, I’m ok with that. It’s funny, I have a Facebook account, but I’m rarely on it, but…when I was on it, more actively, you could probably tell, just by some of the posts I liked, what I thought.

We got up, normal time, 6am, although, truth be told, I was up about 430am, par for the course, but we were up at 6am, got ready and headed out the door at 630am. The best part about where we live, at least for today, we hare less than a quarter mile from our voting place, loverly! When we lived in St Louis, we were less than half a mile, we’ve been lucky.

We decided to drive, just in case it was cold, one of us could sit in the truck, take turns staying warm. Luckily, there were spots in front, and when we got there, there were only about 15 people in line. Nice! As the morning progressed, well, the time between 630am, when we arrived and 7am, when they opened the doors, the line got bigger and bigger. By the time they opened the door, the line was around the building, very glad we got there when we did.

We walked in, they verified our IDs/addresses, gave us slips of paper, then we walked to the next table, got our paper ballots, and someone showed us where to sit. The setup was tables and chairs, with white trifolds creating a barrier between you and the people next to you. Each side of the barrier has an American flag and the word Vote on it, and there was a manilla folder taped to the desk/table, to ensure your pen marks would take on the ballot.

Once you completed filling in the little circles, kind of like a statewide exam from when we were in school, you take your paper to a BMD, Ballot Marking Device, a machine you slide your paper ballot into and it tracks your vote.

Then…once you feed your ballot to the machine, you get the coveted I Voted sticker! That sticker is now attached to my tablet cover, I voited!

No matter which way you face, lean, think, or vote, it’s important that we get out there and do just that, vote, make our voices heard. Whether the side we want wins or loses, we voted, our voices were heard, we counted, and that’s what matter, we spoke up and said something. Ever since I was old enough to vote, I made sure that I was able to, and I’m so very glad I have that opportunity.

Did you vote? I sure did, and that’s my super power. What’s yours?!

{August 18, 2024} Mother Nature, what’s up?!

Alarm was set, yes, I know, it’s Sunday JJ, why?! Well, I’ll tell you…

The alarm was set for 7a, I got the dogs up and fed, I didn’t have enough time to take them for a walk, I’m sorry to say, and the weather later, didn’t encourage an evening walk either. Got them fed and settled in the crate, I got dressed, jumped in Annie, the beetle bug, and headed out, got about half a block and realized I didn’t have my phone, what?! Turned around, went back, got my phone, then back on the road.

Top on the car was down, it started sprinkling, but I didn’t get wet, it’s the magic of a convertible! I made it to the Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club clubhouse on time, about 750a. There was a ride today and that meant breakfast and lunch and I was taking orders for breakfast, second time I’ve done it. They start serving breakfast at 8am, you need to be there before 8 to get set up. I wasn’t cooking, so I didn’t have to prep food, I just had to make sure the till, or money drawer, was open and had money in it, I had to make sure I had order slips, a highlighter, and a pen. I also had to know what the specials were, good thing they were on the board!

People started coming in about 8am, not many, the bigger rush was about 930a. I was going to ride today, but yesterday, the weather app said 68% chance of rain, then this morning, it said 15%, but I looked at the sky and nope, not taking a chance! I messed a few orders up, but then I got the swing of things again and I was good to go!

It’s fun taking orders, you get to hang with other members in the kitchen, get to know them better, get to know the members coming up to place orders, a bunch of them know me, well, know us, of course, we’re some of the newbies, so haven’t been around that long, when you join, people remember you, I’m getting there! Turns out, people have their own coffee mugs in the stack! I have a lot to learn!

Breakfast is decent and reasonable. They have set orders, you just have to ask particulars, like how do you want your eggs cooked, what type of meat, toast, do you want the special? The special today was 2 peach pancakes, eggs, and meat for $8.00, that is a good deal to me! Everything is made fresh to order and comes out relatively quickly. All the money goes back to the club.

I’m glad I didn’t ride, it was ok where we were, but some areas, deluge! Confident in my decision! Breakfast is usually done with they run out of things, like the pancakes. So…I helped a little with the cleanup and set up for lunch, said my goodbyes and headed out.

I went to CVS to pick up a prescription, then the grocery store for some supplies, then back home. I made myself a very good breakfast burrito and then as I was taking care of stuff and all of a sudden the sky opened up… yup, there it was. So I went into the living room, got onto one of the dog beds and the two fur beasts curled up with me. I think I’ve told you, Ruby does not like storms, she is freaked out by thunder, she can hear it from a few miles away! I thought my hearing was good!

The rain came down in sheets and buckets on and off for the rest of the evening. I was going to go to a movie, but I did not feel like getting out in that! So, the girls and I hung out together and now I’m talking to you.

Not an exciting day, but a good day. And now… I bid you g’night!

{August 17, 2024} Thank you Mt Gretna Arts Festival for making my garden grow!

That was a mouthful, yes indeed! Today, it was supposed to rain all day, and it rained in the morning, then let up in the afternoon and after talking to PSM, I decided to head to the Mt Gretna Arts Festival, turns out they were celebrating their 50th year of the festival, perfect!

I thought about taking the bike, but I wasn’t sure if the rain would hold off, so I dropped the top on Annie and headed out. I went to where the parking and shuttle buses were and decided to keep going to the festival itself. I got there, Mt Gretna is not a very big place and I didn’t have $10 for parking, nor did I wish to pay the $10 for parking, so…I turned around and went back to where the shuttle buses were, parked for free and hopped on the big yellow school bus with the rest of the folks, and back to Mt Gretna we went!

It felt like a very long ride, it was nice, through the woods, but seemed to take forever, especially when compared to coming back to the car, it was about a 5 or 7 minute drive back… they dropped us off and I was trying to find the crafter vendors, but I wasn’t sure where they were, those are the less expensive artists and creators, those that probably weren’t up for paying the more expensive booth fees to be in the festival, so I paid the $15 and went in.

Last year, we stayed outside and just walked around the crafter vendor section, this time I was on the inside and it was lovely. There were food tents, alcohol tastings and sales, the local shops were open, and the artists had their creations on display. The nice thing was, since it had rained all night and some of the morning, the temperature was very comfortable, as opposed to last year! It’s mid August, after all!

I strolled up and down the aisles, it wasn’t a huge arts festival, so I think I made it around in about an hour, maybe hour and a half, and that’s not stopping at every booth, I looked, but not everything is my jam, so I moved on from those. I was a bit peckish and happy to find the Oasis food truck with their terrific acai bowls! I remember them from last year and acai bowls make PSM and I homesick for Hawai’i, PSM even said when we go back, that’s all he’s having for breakfast every day!

If you don’t know what an acai bowl is, it’s like heaven in a dish. It’s healthy and you feel like you’re getting something bad, let me ‘splain! An acai bowl has frozen acai berries on the bottom, it’s more like in sorbet form. Then it’s topped with some goodness, traditionally it’s fruit like, well, what I had, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, granola, and honey. I also added some peanut butter. Let’s just say Y U M! The hard part is getting to the acai at first, and it’s frozen, so not easy to get into, but…once you get to it, after eating some of the fruit out of the way, you can start scooping the acai with the fruit… yeah, just yum. And filling!

Ok, back to the festival. I was eating my acai bowl, listening to Broadway musicals, walking in and out of some booths, being careful to not spill or bump into anything or anyone while I was eating! I really enjoyed myself, Mt Gretna is so pretty, I think I told you about it last year, but if not… it’s this cute area, in the woods, or at least a wooded area, the streets are narrow, the population is about 200, if that, and some of the houses are residences and a lot of them are rentals. It is so charming to just walk the area, the houses are decorated just so, there are statuary and installations in peoples yards, it definitely lends to the atmosphere for the arts festival.

There was also a band playing here and there, the No Last Call Street Band! They were so much fun! Have a listen!

I didn’t buy much, just a few things, can’t tell you all of them! I did buy a t-shirt from the festival, but what I did buy… we’re adding to the flower box! I bought a metal sunflower, sorry PSM, from one of the shops, and then from the artists, I bought a dragonfly made from steel with glad beaded eyes, a flower made from spoons, and a beautiful glass flower. What I love is that I’m making my garden bloom and there is no chance I’m going to kill any of these flowers… unless Mother Nature has her way and blows them down, but…I think I got them in the flower box pretty well. I hope you like what I’ve grown, I walked by in the evening and the way the sun was hitting the flowerbox, everything really…well… it makes me smile, I hope it does the same for you!

And with that…I bid you farewell, gotta pretend to go to sleep, work in the AM! The dogs are waiting to snuggle, sigh. G’night!

{July 11, 2024} What are your daily walks like?

It doesn’t happen every day, but it happens often enough! I take the dogs for a walk every morning, then, as long as it’s not blistering hot, I take them for a walk in the afternoon/evening. They are ready to go about 5p, that’s when we were taking them, just after we finished work. And when you’re working remotely, it’s easy to keep to a schedule!

Now, they don’t nudge as much if we don’t go for a walk at 5p on the dot, but… they know, after the walk, it’s either a treat or dinner! Very smart individuals! So…I take them for their walk and all is fine and dandy and all of a sudden, the play fighting/wrestling begins. The first time I saw it, it scared me, if you recall, I grew up with cats, yes, they could fight, but it didn’t sound like this! Now that I think about it, cats have their own screech and attack sounds!

Well… they start doing this and there is no stopping them! They do it in the backyard, go for it, they do it in the house, go for it! When we were living in the hotel last year while house hunting, their favorite time to do it, not just the parking lot, but as we were walking into the hotel, ‘can we please move so people can come in/get out?!’ or, my favorite, just in front of the elevators! ‘can you hold off, just until we get to the room, then you can eat each other’s heads if you want!’ sometimes that worked, sometimes I just have to say ‘Ok, STOP! Not here!’ does that work? um… what do you think?!

Now, on our walks through the neighborhood, the road we live on is a main drag and people treat it like a thoroughfare! They drive 50/60/70 miles per hour or more, it’s not a place, when it’s crazy busy, that I even like trying to get across the street to get the mail. Yup, I live in a place where the mailboxes are on one side of the road, new to me too! I do my level best to stop them when they want to do it on the main drag, when we’re on one of the other streets…like in the pics and video below…have at it! I will even let go of the leashes so they can have fun!

Check out the video, they sound vicious! Especially Ruby, but… you’ll notice that Bee is on her back, exposing her belly, she wouldn’t if she wasn’t into it and do you see her jump up and ‘attack’ Ruby to keep going?! Then the kisses at the end?!

What’s your morning walk look like?!

And her is our afternoon walk, we’re on the side road that people treat like another speedway, that’s why you can see my grip on the leashes. They really do love this!

Ruby looks so vicious when the video starts! But you can see how much they love it! Bee instigates, then Ruby instigates, then Bee, then Ruby, then…

And your afternoon walk?

These two crack me up! We got so very lucky with them, they are strange ducks, but they’re our strange ducks and we love them very much. And you know what…we wouldn’t have it or them any other way!

G’night!

{June 14, 2024} Au Revoir Nova Scotia…Bonjour New Brunswick!

Wow, we’re coming up on the last two days of our trip! How does that happen? It feels like just yesterday we were loading up the bikes, hitting the road and meeting a rainstorm in NY. Well…here we are Day 8, if we’re talking the start of the trip in Vermont/New Hampshire, or Day 9, the day we started out, well…either way, we’re still here in Tatamagouche, well, at least for breakfast!

PSM and I were up early, go figure…so, we got dressed and decided to walk…the 800 meters into town, yes, you heard right, the 800 meters into town. I am so looking forward to getting back to the states, I can do feet and miles, I’m terrible at meters and kilometers! The only conversions I can do is 5k [3.1 miles], 10k [6.2 miles], 15k [9.1 miles], and do you know why… those are all race lengths I have participated in! After that, I’m done! ha ha

Well…PSM and I took a lovely walk into town, and along the way we did see the strangest thing…a house on stilts…yup, you heard right, a house on stilts…they were raising it up from the basement. When one of the guys saw me taking a pic, he said “yeah, never thought I’d see that ever either!” interesting…It really was a lovely little walk, started off on the cooler side and very quickly heated up, yeah, we made it to the brewery in about 5 minutes and quickly turned around and went back to the hotel!

Since it was still early, we got a cup of coffee for PSM and a chai latte for me, and an oat bar and a strawberry/rhubarb bar, y u m! We relaxed a bit, then had one last stroll around the place while we waited for everyone else to get up. I really loved this hotel, so serene and peaceful!

We loaded up the bikes, headed to the Chowder House in downtown Tatamagouche, not a very long trip to get there. The place is a favorite with locals, the food was ok, what they got right, and it was open, the best part! Our bodies were fueled, then we headed out of town, stopped at the petrol station to fuel our bikes, then we were on our way!

We had a lovely ride along some wonderful long and winding roads, stopping once in a while to look at the view. Our goal for the next big stop was the Bay of Fundy. Per Google ‘The Bay of Fundy lies between Canada’s Nova Scotia and New Brunswick provinces, and touches the U.S. state of Maine. It’s known for extremely high tides, as at spots like New Brunswick’s Hopewell Rocks. These eroded “flowerpot” formations stand in water or on dry land, depending on the time of day.’

When PSM and I first met, I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday weekend, he wanted to go to The Bay of Fundy…did I know what that was? Of course not! But we were going…we took the ferry from Portland, ME to Yarmouth, NS, same place we docked this time, but the last time, we went up to Hull’s Harbor, part of the Bay of Fundy, so we could see the tidal pools and walk out on the ocean floor. Ah-Mazing!!!

This time, where we stopped…the computers all went down, so we couldn’t get in. All good, almost the entire ride we were riding along the Bay of Fundy…you just had to look to your right and it was dry where it should have been wet! Stunning!

We pulled over for petrol and to use the facilities and MMH and I were wearing short sleeves and we were loving life. Somewhere on the ride, after we crossed the province line into New Brunswick, someone turned off the heat and cranked the AC! What?! We were ffffrrrreeeezing! I had goose bumps on my goose bumps! It was crazy!

I was SO very happy to see the hotel! Never so happy! That sweatshirt came out quicker than you can say bonjour! We were now in St John, New Brunswick , Bienvenu, welcome! Merci beaucoup! We checked into the hotel, a few of us decided to go to the local Harley Davidson dealership, gotta get a t-shirt after all! We were mis-informed…it wasn’t a dealership, it was a motorcycle shop that had bikes and some gear, but not a Harley place. Back to the hotel we went!

CDH and MMH went off to meet family and that left PBP, PSM, LDL, and I. I found the Pub Down Under, it was literally down under the hotel, go figure! Away we went! It was close, we didn’t have to get back on the bikes and my sweatshirt was enough!

The place was packed, bikers and non-bikers alike, those coming off the Cabot Trail, those heading towards it. We had some food and drink, talked to other bikers, made some friends, and regaled each other with fun stories, just took it easy and talked about what time to get started in the AM, we were heading back to the U S of A.

Everyone went back to their rooms, I caught up with a few people, then I came upstairs to talk to you and now friends, I am finally warming up! I am going to get into bed and pretend to sleep, it’s time to ride home tomorrow, not sure how far we’re going to get, but we’ll be home by Sunday.

So to you I say… g’night!

{June 13, 2024} Tatamagouche… Here we come!

Baddeck, NS was fabulous, the Cabot Trail… stunning…the Cabot Trail Motel…relaxing…but it’s time to bid all that farewell…and where are we headed to? Why Tatamagouche, NS of course! Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it either, but now…love it! Come ride with us!

One last sunrise, in Baddeck, don’t get dramatic! and one last walk to the water from the Cabot Trail Motel, that view! We loaded up the bikes and headed into Baddeck for one last meal in this town.

We went to another place on my list, the High Wheeler Cafe & Bakery, it wasn’t open early enough yesterday…resort towns, I tell ya! What a charming and tasty place to have breakfast! Good bagels, made in house, and being from NYC, I am a bit of a bagel snob, I’m ok admitting it! I had a very good chai tea latte and also ordered some of their specialty cookies, oat cakes with peanut butter, covered in chocolate…someone in the line raved about them, so of course, we needed some! We had a lovely breakfast, good conversation, route discussions, looking at photos from the day before and then…it’s time to hit the road.

We ride for a bit on the Cabot Trail and then we are on other roads. It’s a beautiful day, we’ve got some sun, warmth, cool breezes, it feels great. After a few hundred miles, we are in Tatamagouche! Ok, now it’s toasty! but we are at our destination, the Tatamagouche Brewing Company, perfect! It’s an open space, very dog friendly, they have tables made from barrels from Glenora Distillery, how cool is that. They have drinks, food, stickers, and magnets, what more do you want?! We chat with other bikers hanging at the brewery and then it’s time to get back on the bikes for the very long 3 minute trek to the hotel!

We are staying at the Train Station Inn, rooms available May through October, it was meant to be! The 5th most unique hotel in the world really is! It was built in 1887, in 1950 it was a bustling hub, in 1974 Jimmie LeFresne saved the train station from demolition, he had loved the station as a kid, worked there when he got older and bought it in 1974, in 1989 the Train Station Inn opened and it’s still running today!

This place transports you when you roll onto the property, you’re at a train station, and we get to stay here?! I would say all the little touches, and there are, but it’s the bones that make it. The 9 train cars, the lounge car, and the dining car, the greenery, the garden, the signposts, every detail!

There are nine train cars you can stay in, some sleep 2, some sleep 4, some sleep 8, the options are endless! We were in Caboose #10, we had a living room with a fold-out sofa, a kitchenette, a loft area with a table, a decent sized bathroom, and an enormous bedroom with a king sized bed, I think it was actually California King! We rolled and rolled and rolled and never touched each other! ha ha, the bed was huge! I can’t wait to sleep in it tonight!

But it’s not time to get in bed, there is exploring to do! The cafe with breakfast, lunch, baked goods, and beverages, the gift shop, the train memorabilia, the outdoor bar and seating area, play area for the kids, everywhere you look there is a trinket or treat to grab your attention!

We met in the lounge/conservatory car, chatted for a bit about the day and the hotel, and tried our peanut butter-oat cake-chocolate goodness, they had melted in the saddle bag, go figure, but I had put them in the freezer so they were a treat! We also shared them with some kids who were in the lounge with us.

We were able to go into the dining car a little earlier than our reservation, and settled in for a treat! Drinks, starters, a wonderful salad with goat cheese and edible flowers for me, dessert, and great conversation with us and then the people sitting behind us, who were celebrating their friend getting married. It’s nice to talk to someone in your same age group who’s getting married, we don’t meet that many people in that situation, it was fun!

We left the dining car, everyone else went to the bar to get some drinks while it was still open, I went to the cafe and got myself an evening chai latte, and PBP went to get his tin of Left-Right-Center, we were in for a fun evening!

LCR, I know it’s Left-Right-Center, but when you abbreviate, it seems to work better for LCR! PSM and I learned to play last year on the bike trip, we haven’t played since, it’s a lot of fun! It’s a dice game, we played with $3 for each person, you roll the dice and follow what the outcome is. L > give the person on your left $1, R > give the person on your right $1, C > put $1 in the center pot and if you get a dot…you don’t have to do anything. Now… you might have nothing left and someone rolls the die and you end up with something!

We were having a great time! PSM and I both said we’ve never won and guess what… PSM won a round and O M G! I won 4 rounds! I couldn’t believe it! It was fun, when I won one round, if someone needed the $3 to start, I gave them the $3, then each round was like that, it was so goofy and when it was over, I won the pot! We can’t say we never win anymore! Looking forward to the next time!

And now friends…it’s been a very long day and tomorrow…we say adieu to Nova Scotia, leaving one province for another, New Brunswick, here we come! So to you, my friends, I say g’night!

{June 12, 2024} A Ride…A Giant Fiddle…A Pub…A Distillery… and some rain…

Today started out early…again…well, for me anyway, go figure! Another beautiful, but cold day, do you love the gator that CWB gave me?! It matches my hair perfectly, who knew! It was KSU [Kick Stands Up] at 9a, another day we don’t have to load up the bikes with more than just us! We decided to go to a place for breakfast in town that was open, these resort towns, they don’t always open early or stay open late, all good, relaxing…

We started our morning at Bean There Cafe, don’t you love the clever names of some of these places! This is a charming, unassuming, and welcoming0 cafe that offers coffee, tea, bagels, brunch, lunch, and a few other baked goods. We waited in line, ordered one by one, then took our drinks outside while we waited for our breakfast sandwiches.

As PBP and I were outside looking for a place to sit, there was a young guy who asked us if we were on the bikes down the street, yup. We’re the two guys who passed you yesterday! What?! These are the two idiots who passed us going waaayyyy tooooo fast yesterday, uphill, there are 5 of us on bikes, MMH was riding with CDH again today. They passed all 5 of us going at breakneck speed! I can tell you when we had gotten off the bikes at some point, we were talking about the two of them and how crazy they were!

Too funny! What are the odds! I had to call everyone to come outside because of these two guys, who were sitting with their family and their poor mom, she just hung her head because of what she was hearing about her sons! Not that she was too surprised! We chatted with them while we all ate breakfast, then took a photo and we went in one direction, and they went in another.

Next stop…Sydney, NS! Home to the world’s largest fiddle! Yes, you heard me, the world’s largest fiddle! I kid you not! And friends…it was HUGE! It’s called The Big Fiddle because the fiddle and bow reach 60 feet! Do you have a scope of how big that is?! Look up…now look up further…further…further…does your neck hurt? um, yeah, that might be enough…

We walked around, took pictures in front of the giant fiddle, in the giant chair, walked into some of the shops, got a magnet, of course! Did someone say lunch?

Why yes, yes they did! LDL, CDH, and MMH went to a local brewery, Breton Brewery, to check out their selection and production, and MMH got me a magnet!!! while PBP, PSM, and I went across to Governors Pub & Eatery, it was a good looking Irish Pub and they had…yup, PSM’s mother’s milk…Guinness, they even had alcohol-free or non-alcoholic Guinness, imagine that! I tasted it, I couldn’t tell the difference, it tasted just like fully loaded sludge to me! ha ha. PSM could tell the difference, but I’m not a drinker, so I couldn’t tell and PBP was happy, and that’s what matters! Non-alcoholic beverages sure have come a long way! When I was first introduced, it was O’Doul’s, now the list is endless, and here is a site I found with a list, called Proof No More!

We had good food and drink, I love a pub…I can get a pot of tea without being looked at funny! Well, funnier than usual! Kidding. We had good food, drink, and conversation, and left just in time as a few raindrops started to hit our heads, but we were not deterred.

We met everyone at a petrol station near by and then it was on to our next destination…a whiskey distillery that we would have a tour, tasting, and dinner. A triple threat, sounds like a plan! We went to Glenora Distillery, we had passed it yesterday and a few of us thought we were going to stop, you should have seen the look on PSM’s face when we passed by, but not to worry…when we got to dinner last night, MMH called and made a reservation for us.

This place, let me tell you…stun-ning! It’s not only a distillery, it’s a hotel/resort. We were all mesmerized by the grounds, perfectly manicured, the flora and fauna were beautiful, then we went inside, warm, inviting, and welcoming. I know inviting and welcoming could be the same thing, but not in this case, you wanted to be invited in and felt incredibly welcome.

We sat down to have some drinks, a pot of hot tea for me, go figure, waters all around, iced tea for LDL, a non-alcoholic beverage for PBP, harder stuff for MMH and CDH, and for PSM, what else…a flight of their own whiskey. Truth be told, he wasn’t a fan, there was one that tasted like moonshine, straight out of the bottle, the others, I couldn’t tell a difference, but you know me, I don’t care of them, but I taste everything. For him, he approached it like he does all tastings, almost scientifically, go figure, he’s a scientist…

He listened to our server who explained what each one was, the age, the barrel, the best way to try it and try them he did. There was one he liked, it was smokey, but this whiskey just wasn’t for him, and that’s ok, not every drink is to everyone’s taste, and that’s what makes the world go round!

After a bit, it was time for our distillery tour, away we went. I have been on quite a few distillery tours, I may not be a drinker, but I enjoy learning about the process. In Ireland, I went to the Jameson Distillery, in Hawai’i, we went to the Ko’Hana Rum Distillery, in Branson, MO, we went to Smith Creek Moonshine Distillery, you name it, if there’s a distillery and I’m with PSM, we’re going!

We took the tour and learned a lot about the process, the water, the this, the that, the other, I honestly don’t remember, but it was cool and the stories are fun and at the end…a tasting. I tasted…well, a sip, then someone had to finish it for me! That’s my MO…I’ll taste it, then you can get drunk! kidding!

The tour was informational and entertaining, and now it’s time for dinner! We headed back to the restaurant and had a very nice meal. I think someone in our group had poutine at every meal! It’s french fries, topped with cheese curds and gravy. Yeah, doesn’t sound that appetizing to me, but I have to tell you…I had vegan poutine in Chicago years ago, I totally get it!

Dinner was good, the conversation was entertaining, the stories were plentiful, the drinks flowed, and then it was time to go. I got my toffee sticky pudding to go and we were in the parking lot at the bikes just as it started to rain, fun! It’s hard enough putting rain gear on when you’re standing, but standing in the rain…fun!

We made it back to the motel, got into warm comfy clothes, and started to pack up our stuff, in the morning, we’re off to Tatamagouche! I know, can you believe it! First stop…breakfast…next stop…petrol…then the Tatamagouche Brewing Company… then the coolest hotel ever! But that’s for tomorrow!

So for now…our last night in Baddeck, NS…sweet dreams…vroom vroom!

{June 11, 2024} Cabot Trail…Here we come!

Why oh why…even when we ride 500 miles the day before, and asleep between 11pm and 1am, am I up between 4 and 6 am? You are correct, there is something very wrong with me! And you know what? I’m ok with that!

So… as I said, up early, got dressed and walked across the road from the motel to the waterfront. There were almost no cars on the road at that time, easy to cross, walked down to the pier or boat ramp and just took it all in, and yes, I put my feet in the water, cold, but so worth it! I communed with nature about 30 minutes, then headed back to the room to get ready for our day. PSM was up by then, and after telling him how wonderful it was, so we took a stroll hand-in-hand to the water, we of course had to put our feet at the water, but not quite in enough to get wet, I wasn’t barefoot then, and you know my boots aren’t waterproof!

Back across the road, it was almost time to head out. Don’t the bikes look wonderful, gleaming in the sun, ready for today’s adventure!?

Of course my bare feet were in the sea! Ahhhh…

Just listen…

Just listen to the sound of the water…isn’t it divine!?

We got on the bikes, one nice thing about staying somewhere a few days, not worrying about our stuff, we unloaded last night and now, just hop on the bike and go! We headed left, please don’t ask me if it was east or west, we all know I have no idea! Left from the hotel, we were going to ride until we found a place to stop and get some coffee and breakfast fare, we had already done dinner in the hotel, let’s do something else.

We stopped at the Clucking Hen Cafe & Bakery, which was decorated in, yup, you guessed it…puppies! Kidding, sorry, totally decorated in chicken stuff. It was kitschy and cute, just what the Clucking Hen should be! I even got a shirt that says ‘No Clucking Around’! I thought the best sign was the one you see in the pic ‘I dream of a better world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned!’

We all ordered food and drinks, I got a chai latte with oat milk, or so I thought…turns out it was real milk, but I was lucky enough to discover it with one sip and they fixed my drink straight away. They also returned my money, which they didn’t have to, so…when I asked if they had any magnets and they didn’t, they gave me a pen, which I turned around and paid for with some of my refund! She was a very nice human being!

Everything we got was tasty and delicious, especially the thing they are famously known for, their buttertarts and oh my word, they were AHmazing!!! We had one pecan and one raisin and just wow! I don’t know how anyone eats more than one of these things! PSM and I split the two and I think raisin was my favorite, but just thinking about it, I could go for another one right now!

Aside from the service and the food, the view was spectacular. We were on a bit of a hill, overlooking a meadow, leading to the water, wouldn’t you call that spectacular?! Overall, 2 thumbs up in my book. I’d go back for another meal!

Back on the bikes and back onto the Cabot Trail, I really need to get one of those 360 cameras, they take amazing shots and videos 360 degrees, gets it all [wish list!]. We rode for a while, then went down this one road and ended up at a beach, so of course… stop and take pictures and I put my feet at the water once again, I know, I know, not in…but I had my feet at the water’s edge. I stood there, eyes closed, face up to the sky and sun, arms outstretched, taking in the sounds, the smells, the feels, I was most assuredly in my happy place.

Back on the bikes, a few hundred miles more, up mountains, down mountain roads, twists, turns, scenic lookouts, more gorgeous views, stopping for petrol, then the Cardinal Points Gift Shop, a biker friendly souvenir shop, we had to stop of course! We got t-shirts, magnets, stickers, patches, it was a lot of fun looking and picking out some fun things to bring back. Always have to remember, you’re on a motorcycle with limited space, but…I have 4 outside pockets on my bag/backpack, and one is dedicated to magnets and stickers! Nice, small things I can bring home!

Eventually, it was time to head back towards the motel, but it was also time to feed the crowd! One of the things that got established, sort of, last year on our big trip out west, I would look for places to eat, so…I always have a list now, it’s something I do for any trip, I have a list of possible restaurants and sites to see, if we go, we go, if we don’t…oh well. Tonight, it was dinner in Baddeck, at The Narrows Cafe and Bar at the Inverary Resort, about a mile from the hotel and a loverly place for dinner.

We didn’t need a reservation, we could walk in tired and looking like we did, and they welcomed us and made food and drink magically appear on the table! It was a nice vibe and atmosphere, a decent size bar, big tables and a big fireplace, which I bet is toasty and inviting in the winter. Best thing for me…a really good veggie burger!

After dinner, half of us went back to the hotel, the other half went in search of libations for the rest of the evening. We dismounted, changed out of our riding gear, settled in on the porch and watched the sun setting. What more could you want?!

Now my friends, it’s time to say good evening, there’s more riding tomorrow, I have to go in and pretend to go to sleep and do it all again tomorrow. What a life! More, more, more!

{June 10, 2024} Almost 500 miles… but no rain! I’m there!

Slept well, at least I think so, up before the alarm again, go figure. Am I just excited or is this just par for the course for me? Both? No idea!

Well, first, got the text about 630a, “LDL and PBP reporting for duty. Luggage cart is in the hallway.” It’s nice, we arrive at a hotel and someone grabs a luggage cart and we all pile our stuff on it and take it to our rooms, and most of the time our rooms are near each other, works out nicely. Then in the AM or at least the morning we’re leaving, it happens in reverse. Team work to make the dream work! 7a meet for breakfast, KSU 730am. We’re never quite on time, getting to breakfast, pretty close, KSU, mostly!

One thing that we noticed and thought was funny…a bunch of people that were on the ferry with us were at the hotel, a lot of people decided they didn’t want to go any further with the weather, even in a car, and decided to stay at that hotel, some people, it was their destination. So we got to talk to a few folks, it was fun.

First stop…petrol station next to the hotel. The pump did not take a credit card, so first, you select the amount or Fill, pump, then you go in and pay. That is some honor system! Next stop…well…last stop is going to be Baddeck, but along the way, who knows, hopefully somewhere in Nova Scotia!

Our first stop was Bubba Mcgoos & Bistro, right near Peggy’s Cove, which was our main destination here in Halifax. Did you know that Halifax is one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbours in the world? I didn’t either until I looked Halifax up, isn’t that interesting?!

Well, Bubba Mcgoos looked interesting, there was a gift and fudge shop downstairs, upstairs, it was 18 and up, we’re all over 18, we went up! The only people there were the staff, but we went up again to a nice seating area with a beautiful view, I know it would have been more beautiful if it wasn’t overcast, but still beautiful. We were all pretty cold, I brought my rain gear in with me so I could warm up and then put it on.

It was beers for everyone and a very hot tea for me, you knew that, didn’t you? I also was fortunate to have a bowl of vegan chili and some delicious corn bread. For a cold day like today, that was absolutely perfect, forget that it’s JUNE people! We had a lovely lunch, good food, good conversation, lots of laughs, and as we were finishing, two other tables filled up, how nice.

When we left Bubba Mcgoos, rain gear on, we rode on to Peggy’s Cove and lighthouse. It was spectacular and somewhere along the route, Mother Nature decided to smile upon us! The sky was bright and blue, the clouds were fluffy and white, and it was just perfect!

We walked out on the rocks towards the lighthouse and the water, there were several signs “Warning: Injury and death have rewarded careless sight-seers here. The ocean and rocks are treacherous, savour the sea from a distance.” Wise words, a little jarring, but wise. And so…of course I had to lie down next to the sign, on one of said rocks, in a fainting manor. I respect nature, Mother Nature, and the sea, no worries about me!

We wandered on the rocks towards the water, but never getting that close. I have to tell you, there is nothing like this, close your eyes and just hear the wind, the water crashing on the shore and the rocks, and the smell of the sea, and the feel of the wind and sun on your face, what more could you want?!

I’m sorry I didn’t take a longer video.

After Peggy’s Cove, we got back on the bikes, I took off my rain gear, I was pretty confident I would be ok without it for the rest of the ride, and I was just fine. We made it to the Cabot Trail Motel, a lovely place across the street from the water, with a wonderful view. When we got there and checked in, the check-in was in the restaurant, we were lucky enough that the restaurant was still open and could and would take us and feed us!

The food was ok, they had hot tea, I was happy. We talked through the day, talked about what the plan was for tomorrow, KSU [Kick Stands Up] at 930, we’ll get some breakfast on the road.

Now it’s time to get to our rooms, unload our bikes, for a few days, wahoo! take warm showers, put on jammies, talk to you and get some sleep! Alarm is set for 845a, just to be sure we get up and get ready, think we’ll really need it? Nope, better safe than sorry though!

I don’t know about you, but 500 miles is a good number and I think I might be tired! G’night!

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