Today is a big day. The long-awaited Simpson's movie comes out and me and the boys are heading to Fundy for Dave Skead's stag. It's hot out there, we are into the lazy dog-dangling days of summer, but hopefully it will be a little cooler down on the coast. Here is a clip of one of my favourite Simpson's episodes where he uses the famous "dog-dangling" line. Tear into the weekend!
Apparently parts of Britain are in the midst of apocolyptic flooding and the media was warning of devastation not unlike the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Well it doesn't look as that is quite the case. There is serious property damage and it's not over but the Brits, as always, are stoic in their resolve. You gotta get to the pub somehow...If you look closely at that picture you will see that the sturdy vessel in question is none other then an Old Town Discovery. That makes this picture look like just a nice trip down the street with the family; not unlike this one:Same canoe different circumstances.
I spent Sunday afternoon in Quispamsis lounging by the pool. A warm sunny day in Saint John tastes a little bit sweeter because it is a slightly rarer fruit then a sunny day in Freddy Beach; although current trends haven't graced either town with a whole lotta sun.
After dinner we decided to take advantage of the weather and take the scenic route over the Kinston Peninsula, across the river via ferry to Westfield, and up the river road to Fredericton to Gagetown. The drive across the Peninsula was a little longer then we expected and the throngs of weekenders heading back to the Big Smoke led to a 3 sailing wait at the Crystal Beach ferry. I did manage to get a shot of the sunset from the ferry but we decided to forego the river road in favour of the highway in the interest of time. As it was we turned the one hour rip from SJ home into at two and a half hour trip. Next time we'll leave a little earlier and make that drive though; from Grand Bay-Westfield to Gagetown along the river road is one of my favourite drives in the province. Besides, it's summer, take the long way home.
In honour of the long awaited Simpson's movie coming out next week Cracked came up with a list of the Top 12 Simpson's-created words. It's a good list but I am truly amazed that my personal favourite Simpson's word didn't even make the list.
Lisa: Look on the bright side, Dad. Did you know that the Chinese use the same word for "crisis" as they do for "opportunity"? Homer: Yes Lisa! Cris-atunity!
We played our last Super League game of the season on Sunday in NFLD and that game doubled as Scotty's last game. He didn't tell the boys before or after the game. He let us know with an email and a link to his blog (check it out). I had an idea that it would be his last Spruce game but I never gave it too much thought knowing I'll be playing with him again for the Loyalists in a few weeks. But as I read his look back on his provincial career the accomplishments are staggering. Scotty played over 70 games representing New Brunswick. That in itself is amazing. What's more amazing is that the number does not show the huge amount of time spent traveling around the province getting to training, or the countless trips to Gary Keeling (Physio) to compensate for a reckless disregard for his own body, or the untold thousands of dollars needed to step on the field all over the country. That number also doesn't mention that he is most likely the Super League's all time leading point scorer and that opposing team's knew a close game was only a stroke away if Scotty was on the field. Most importantly, that number can in no way translate how much fun he (and we) have had doing it; that can't be quantified. He started 16 years ago playing with local legends and became one of the most decorated players ever to represent the province and a legend in his own right. Now he will spend his early summers on the sidelines with Team MacAfee.
His late summers and falls though, well, we still get those. As I've told him before, you can retire from provincial rugby but you can't retire from club rugby. You can only change roles. Like becoming a kicking coach so someone else can slot them from 50. Get on that.
When I was visiting mom last weekend we were listening to the radio and the Arcade Fire came on. She told me that she really liked their music and, when I asked how she knew them, told me that heard them on the CBC of course. She then told me that she also like the Great Lake Swimmers to which I said "me too", not wanting to admit that my mom might have a better handle on Canadian music then I do. When I got home I went to do some unrelated digging into the Shoreline Festival because on our drive around the Island we drove by the Rollo Bay Festival Grounds where Shoreline takes place. Their website informs that there is no festival this year but does provide a link to last year's lineup. The Great Lake Swimmers were on the bill. Good story? Not really, I just thought it was interesting.
Apropos of something, this did remind me to remind you (anyone?) about the Polaris Music Prize. The Polaris Music Prize is....oh just check out the website here. Canada is full of great talent these days so you probably wouldn't be disapointed with any of this stuff. I only knew 3 of the bands but great to see an NB name in there (Julie Doiron).
Thanks, as always, to Big Santo for shinning a light on this two. It should be noted though that although the bands may be indie the sponsors are Rogers, Yahoo, Sirius, MySpace, and the Ipod, among others, proving once again that Craig's a Corporate Whore.
...and with that it's over. My first ever vacation went by in the blink of an eye. I guess that is to be expected; time flies when you are drinking rum as they say (or something like that).
Here is the short version of "What I did on my summer vacation":
I had a big Canada Day; we played a game (a disapointing lost to TO) and had the obligatory post game fun afterwards. They didn't spend the night but did stay long enough to know that we have it pretty good down here. The party went on late into the evening (morning?) and that made for a slow Monday. Nevertheless I was able to pull myself out of be and pack the car for a trip to Mount Carleton.
If you picture the province of New Brunswick you should be able to picture a vast and empty center once directly North of Freddy. Well in the center of that vast expanse site Mount Carleton, the highest peak in the Maritimes and Newfoundland (higher than Gros Morne; check it out). I had never been and wanted to cross this one off my list. It was everything I expected and maybe a little more. Maybe because I had a pretty sweet tour guide courtesy of Hockey New Brunswick (that's jut how they roll). Here's a picture of her on top of my world: Wednesday I relaxed and got my fill of reggae beats. It was the perfect warmup for a slow trip to PEI to visit Mom at South Lake. Sarah and I drove over arriving just in time for dinner (I have always been blessed with this talent). We didn't do a damn thing which was just about perfect. The next day we went for a long drive looking at properties that Mom would like to own and I would like to have pictures of in my living room one day. The weather didn't cooperate for most of the day but just before dinner it cleared up and I got to go for a paddle in the South Lake and found my way to the dunes on the far side of the lake. They are inaccessible except by boat or through private property. That being the case, when I got out of the canoe and walked the beach for an hour I didn't see another soul. Here is a shot from the top of one of the dunes:On the left of the picture is South "Lake" on the right is the Norhthumberland "Strait". The beach at South Lake is now battling with Long Beach in Pac Rim National Park for the top spot on my list of favourite beaches in Canada.
After another kick ass dinner the three of us went for another beach walk on the Singing Sands of Bothwell Beach which was equally sweet, although much busier with at least a dozen people crowding the place.
Saturday we hit the road again this time taking the long way (relatively speaking; it is PEI after all, there is no real long way) to Charlottetown to visit my grandparents. We all went out for a great meal at the Culinary Instistute (food school for us laymen) which offers what has to be the best view in PEI. After dinner we considered a night on the town in Charlottetown but a)I thought that to top my vacation I would do what I would not normally do on a Saturday night and b)well...it's Charlottetown.
Sarah and I hit the road home Sunday am and I feeling healthy from all my Vitamins (M, F, R, SS, etc.). I made it home to Freddy in time to spend time with my rugby family at the Loyalist Family day. It was a great time and a great way to end my vacation. So all in all a very relaxing week. I think if given then opportunity I would probably do one of these vacations again.
So I didn't get a chance to post anything on Canada Day which, if you sit as close to Jackman as I do, is a mortal sin. I feel bad but I am comfortable enough in my patriotism to post a Canada Day post on Independence Day and to wear a pink shirt on Canada Day. I think I might be mixing metaphors but I'm lost.
I am currently wishing that my vacation was about a week longer and that I could hop in a car and hit the TCH and go on a cross Canada cannonball run. There is no better way to see the country then by ripping coast to coast in a semi road worthy vehicle. I've done it 3 times now and reccomend the trip to anyone who doesn't plan on doing it in a 15 year old convertible in January.
I hope everyone had a great day and got to enjoy this country. I was very impressed at the festive scene downtown on Sunday night but then again I was also wildly impressed with the poutine I ate so maybe my perception was askew.
I don't like that we Canadians often embrace our un-americanisms as our strongest features. I think America is a great country with most of the same problems we have just magnified They are kind of like our rich, drunken, gambling addict big brother who will lend you money when you need it but ask for it back with interest from you when he's in the hole. I think the Simpson's said it best:
I think the first time I saw this I actually got the chills....Moe has the voice of an Angel.
