We made it!  The Caribou left just after 11 am yesterday and we were back in our car and driving off the ferry by 4:30 pm.  We put another 3 hours' worth of kms on the odometer, staying the night in Pictou, Nova Scotia.  Today it's 11 hours to Trois-Rivieres and to our cottage near Beaverton tomorrow.  Worth every moment of numb bum.

Can I say from the outset today that as a traveller of some seasoning (garlic pepper, perhaps) I have never ventured somewhere that there were so few other people?  I credit the vastness of this Newfoundland, but the highways were great and sparsely dotted with cars, there was never a problem waiting for people to get out of a good shot so I could take a picture without humans in it (one of my favourite things to do) and the only lineups we encountered were for the ferry and the drive thru at Tim Horton's.

Did I tell you that we were in line at St. Anthony and a guy came in and ordered an extra large four by four?  That's four creams and four sugars, for heaven's sake!  Learn something new every day.

Oh, we tasted something new, too: see the videos of us tasting cod tongues (really a lovely delicacy) and scrunchions (fatty pork fat immersed in, you guessed it, melted fat) HERE.  We weren't "Screeched In" (I don't drink) and we didn't "Kiss the Cod".  We missed bakeapple (a berry), squashberries (another one, like a saskatoon) and partridge berries, but again, we'll just have to come back.  And there are plenty of lighthouses to help guide our return!

The Phare Lighthouse sits in Woody Point in Gros Morne National Park.  What is it about lighthouses that so captures the imagination?  The safety of home?  Someone looking out for us when we might be lost or in trouble?  Or the tragedies that unforeseen obstacles can wreak in our lives - and the hopes that just a small light in the dark could help us avoid them?  I'm not sure.  But I do know that wherever there's a lighthouse (and Newfoundland and Labrador have 69 of them, according to Wikipedia.org), you'll find people like me shooting them.

This one is in Lobster Cove Head.

It is beautifully maintained and includes a display of living quarters plus photos, letters and other pieces of historical memorabilia.

And here's the view, just out of Rocky Harbour, of what Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse protects mariners from.

Up St. Anthony way, on the eastern tip of the Northern Peninsula, is the Lightkeepers.

Is that not the most perfect picture?  I mean, look at the flag!  And believe me, I'm not bragging - just incredulous.  And glad for the camera we bought before we left.

But for sheer rugged beauty - not unlike the attributes of Newfoundland herself - you can't beat Rose Blanche Lighthouse.

What was once likely called roche blanche for the white rocks nearby, Rose Blanche (pronounce Blanche to rhyme with ranch) was built in 1871 by the father and uncle of Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson.  It's not known whether he had a hand in its construction.

It helped steer sailors away from treacherous shores until the 1940s when it fell out of use and began its descent into disrepair, vandalism and neglect.  In 1996, repairs and restoration to the grand granite tower began, all of the work done by locals, then furnished with antiques and replicas of period pieces.  In 1999, Rose Blanche opened to the public.

These granite stairs to the light itself are what helped the tower to stay erect even in its years of disuse.

And here are some of the living quarters.  Yes, lighthouse keepers did live in their places of work, as did their families.  A wood/coal stove in the main living area served to warm the stone walls and its inhabitants, and the only phonograph player in the entire town kept visitors - especially children - coming 'round.

The 40 minute trip from Port aux Basques is completely worth it.  You have to see the views from Rose Blanche!  Here, a gazebo, where the awestruck visitor can sit and watch for whales.

A wishing well is the perfect spot for one to make an intention to return.

And finally, rocks and pools offer places for contemplation - of life, of volatility and of change.  Always change.

On that note - and believe me, I could share 100 more pictures with you, many of this site alone! - I'll wish you a wonderful long weekend.  I'm going to post a bonus journal here on Monday about a man, his bugs and his wish to hear from anyone with a butterfly story.  Read Monday's journal and you'll understand.

Take care, and be well.  And again, thank you for being here with us.  Have a great weekend!

Erin

As you read this, we hope we're either on the ferry, in Nova Scotia or perhaps even New Brunswick, making our way back towards Ontari-ari-ari-o.  (We haven't quite decided whether to floor it and get back for a weekend closer to home or enjoy two more nights on the road.)

Of course, this all depends on the ferry situation.  One of the three that services North Sydney NS and Port aux Basques NF, was taken out of commission yesterday (thanks to a small fire on board the Vision, the same new ferry that was five hours late with us aboard last Wednesday).  So our return ride, the Caribou was expected to be late in leaving today, too.  How late, we don't know (at the time we're publishing this).  I'm going to pack patience and a good book and just roll with it.  Thank goodness we don't have to be back in TO until just before 5:00 am on Tuesday.

The feeling as we prepare to leave Newfoundland is sure bittersweet.  The bitter is in knowing that our long-awaited two week summer holiday is winding down; the sweet comes in the form of memories, pictures and stories of a wonderful trip that we've always wanted to make.  And judging by the number of e-mails and tweets saying that Newfoundland is on your "bucket list", I'm just glad to have been able to share the experience with you.

A large part of our trip up and back down Western Newfoundland was spent enjoying Gros Morne (pronounced: gross morn, not grow morn - something I learned on this trip!) National Park, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its stunning natural beauty and unique geological story.

It was here that we were escorted by National Parks guide Sebastien through the Tablelands - fascinating mountains, hills and valleys left behind by colossal tectonic forces eons ago.  Here, he demonstrates with a couple of rocks.  Tours are conducted at regular and frequent intervals - you've got to hear the story of this unique and fascinating area and see its plants and the things that make it so neat.  And - like the Visitor Centre's award winning film you really can't miss before touring the park - they're free!

The effects of rapid cooling are evident on this serpentine rock.  Neat, huh?

Yes, that's snow in the mountain in the middle of the Tablelands, in fact, in winter, people hike up there with skins on their skis and then just glide on down.

I wouldn't want to need a rescue from up there (no lifts or anything) but I'm sure only the experienced adventurer gives that a go.  At least I hope so.

A trip to Newfoundland is not complete without seeing Western Brook Pond.  If ever there was a misnomer, it's the word "pond" - this is an enormous lake, out of which jut huge mountains.  Another misnomer, is that it's called the "fjord" tour.  Fjords are in Bonne Bay, where it's salt water; these were surrounded by salt water at one time, too, but now it's fresh water.  (Long story; Google it if you care!)

A gentle 3 km hike brought us to our boats which awaited on one of the purest lakes in the world.

Then, off we headed into the tree-covered mountains, where the scenery just took your breath away.  See for yourself!

After our two-hour cruise of the Western Brook Pond, we decided to take the longer loop, a path which we hoped would lead to moose, en route to the parking lot.  I first came across this friendly critter.

But the only wild animal we saw was a very large and seemingly unflappable hare who nibbled on one side of the path, then the other, before deciding to use those big haunches and hop away.

Well, friend, I hope you'll come back tomorrow as we wrap up this trip together.  I'll have more pics next week, just to share some lingering memories, but for now we'll sign off.  While we were sad to be departing Newfoundland, I know we'll be back.  We won't bring our car next time (a fly/drive will let us see more in a shorter time) but we look forward to a safe and uneventful trip home.  Keeping our fingers crossed on the ferry situation!

More for you here tomorrow.  Thanks for coming by and a parting shot from Western Brook Pond.

A recap of yesterday's map - and today's travels - from the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland to her southwestern tip for a night's rest before tomorrow's ferry back to Nova Scotia.

Mother Nature did not go along with our plans to see whales and icebergs on a boat tour yesterday.  We awoke to pouring rain, turned off the alarm and called the tour folks to tell them we wouldn't be coming.  I mean, I'm sure there'd be whales (some 30 were counted on Sunday according to their website) but if I can't take pictures for fog or shivering, I think I'll pass.

Yes, it was the first socked-in or totally rainy day of our trip yesterday, but undeterred, we hopped into the car and went for a drive.  Yes, we saw moose - in fact a mother and calf in this picture!

We ended up at the northern tip of the peninsula in Cape Onion.

We also made a point of seeing L'Anse Aux Meadows, the spot where Vikings first arrived in North America 1000 years ago.  Meantime, in St. Anthony, North America's only sod-covered restaurant, Leifsburdir offers a Viking Feast.  (One hopes you check your horned helmet at the door, lest the person beside you lose an eye when you ask for the butter.)

Also located on Fishing Point, a lighthouse that I showed you a view of from the nearby restaurant yesterday.  Here it is on its own.

And the rocky shores the lighthouse protects sailors from.  (Not to mention bawdy women - gotta protect them from us, too!)

Let me share with you some wet adventures of a more welcoming kind.  I mentioned Norris Point yesterday but didn't go into detail about our kayaking excursion with Gros Morne Adventures.  First, a look at this sweet town.

After being warmly greeted - and with the best homemade muffins this side of mom's house - we were outfitted in the latest equipment, including a "skirt" to keep our laps dry, and headed out with our guide, Claire Belanger into Bonne Bay.

Deep and filled with fish, jellyfish and even the occasional whale, Bonne Bay is a lively and sometimes very wavy spot to kayak.  We had a blast, and during our two-hour excusion, Rob managed to get some shots of a resident eagle.  Claire tells us that, along with its mate, this majestic bird is in the process of teaching its two eaglets to fly.

So attached is Claire to her job and surroundings that she's reluctant to take a day off, in case she misses the babies' first flights!  GMA co-owner Sue took us on a hike through the trails near Bonne Bay and while we did pick some delicious mushrooms...

...the only signs of moose we saw were these little leavings.

Yep - I thought they'd be more cowlike, too.  Apparently when there's more moisture in their diet down in marshy areas, they are.  And that's about all I need to know about moose poop.  You?

Looking up was much more rewarding.  What a view!

Again, had Newfoundland Tourism not suggested it, we'd have passed on the whole kayak experience.  And what a mistake that would have been!  If you're planning a trip this way, you should heed the suggestions of their ads, and give them a call or write an e-mail.  You'll be guided through your trip either step-by-step or in a more general way, just as we were.  They're here to help and if you write, I'll happily share with you the e-mail address of the woman who put this trip together for us.  As you can see, we weren't nailed to any of it - thus our excursion up the peninsula on Monday - but it sure helps if you don't have a clue where to go, with whom to stay, or what to do!  Or you can go where the wind takes you.

Oh, and just so you know, after our drive seeking moose and more sights yesterday in the rain, we figured we'd worked up the perfect appetite for some Newfoundland pea soup.  I am addicted to this stuff with its chunks of root veggies and bits of salt beef.  Over our late lunch the rain subsided, so we decided to take the whale and iceberg sighting boat, only to find that it had been "rained out" as it were.  At least we tried.

Then again, got to save something for the next trip, right?  Tonight we'll bed down in Port Aux Basques and prepare for tomorrow's ferry back to Nova Scotia.  But I'll be back here tomorrow with pictures from a different boat excursion - this one through former fjords - now just mountains jutting from the water - in Western Brook Pond.  Watch for new videos uploaded daily, too.  We got a fast internet connection in St. Anthony!

Welcome to Tuesday.  And what great news that the city workers' strike is coming to an end!  It'll be a while before things are back to "normal" but at least they're on their way.

As you know, we're putting plenty of kms on our odometer, and yesterday we decided to put aside our pre-arranged plans and just head straight north to the tip top of Newfoundland.  At one point, we were just a 90-minute ferry ride to Labrador, and could see it clearly across the water.  We were tempted to head over, but realized that the ferry doesn't exactly go every half hour and our time is so precious on this trip.  And besides, this vacation is about the Rock.

We finally got to see a moose!  Actually, we saw a second moose (in shoulder-deep water) but by the time we'd turned the car around, he was gone.  But we got one!

I was actually pulled over shooting this scenery.  (Rob was surveying a few stone chips from when an idiot passed us doing about 120 km/h on a gravel road).

When I turned around, I saw behind me a moose making his way through a ditch near the highway shoulder.  I took some video (you can see it in the Video Gallery section) but here's how this one looked.  I think it's a calf, and the video indicates it's a male...I think!

Later the same day, we were driving along the Viking Trail, making our way from Gros Morne Park all the way up to the northern point of Newfoundland and a bit down the other side, to a spot called St. Anthony.  (As luck would have it, yesterday, July 27th, was St. Anthony's day).  We had hoped to see moose, but never expected to see this:

It's so funny.  Shortly after we saw that moose near St. Barbe, the spot only 90 minutes by ferry from Labrador, we saw something else.  I told Rob I thought it was an iceberg.  He pulled over, and looked through binoculars.  First he thought it might be some kind of smoke.  Then we figured it had to be holding tanks.  We just couldn't believe it could actually be an iceberg.  But it was.

Then at dinner at the Lightkeepers (near a lighthouse), we saw yet another one.

But it was on our drive around town after dinner that we were really taken by surprise.  As we drove through a quiet little neighbourhood, I turned to my right (hoping to see - what else - a moose) and gasped so loudly Rob hit the brakes.  Here's what we saw:

Practically right in town!  What a way to end a long, but wonderful day.  Oh, and I have to tell you, the little restaurant, the Lightkeepers, is the former home of a lighthouse operator.  Check out the salt shaker - and its inspiration in the background.  Cute, huh?

Ah, restaurants.  We managed to get by on a coffee and a protein bar 'til dinner last night, but otherwise I've eaten so much, even my socks are tight.  The food on this trip has been exceptional.  Had never tried Newfoundland pea soup - but as you can see, its colour is different from, say, what you'd find in a can of Habitant - it's less lardy and is really filling.  One restaurant offered it with dumplings (oh my!) but it was near perfection "as is".

Of course, one has to leave room for lobster...oh, and I have...

But the one item I never expected to eat was a plate of chanterelle mushrooms, picked by our hiking guide Sue with Gros Morne Adventures (in Norris Point), off the forest floor.  We took them back to the chef at our hotel, the Oceanview in Rocky Harbour, and she sautéed them with some garlic butter.  Fresh and fabulous!

And no, I don't make a habit of just eating things off the floor!

While in Norris Point, we had a guided tour of the Bonne Bay Marine Station.  There I met a lobster whose disfigurement probably saved its life.  This little guy has an endocrine problem and it has affected its colouration.  One half dark, one half lighter.  The lobster fisher who pulled him up donated him to the Marine Station because he was so unusual (the lobster, not the fisher).  I guess that saved him from the pot.

If you come to Newfoundland and visit the west wide, Norris Point is a MUST.  I'll include photos (and later, video) of our wild and wonderful kayak trip.  The "wild" part refers to another amazing wildlife moment, and the wonderful was just being out on open water and having a terrific time paddling, talking and learning about this area.

Today, we're off on a boat trip to see whales and icebergs.  There's no end to the incredible sights and experiences and we're glad to be staying two nights in St. Anthony; tomorrow we're going to make a long drive down to the southern tip of the west coast, where we board the ferry to return.  But today - it's all adventures.

Take care and thank you for coming by - hope you've had some fun.  And no, icebergs don't mean we're cold.  We had sunshine and about 22 for most of the drive up the coast yesterday.  Last evening it was 14 or so, but I know I'll be layering like crazy for today's boat trip!

Erin

Good day - welcome in and to our second week away.  I know you're in great hands with Tish, Darren, Gord and Ian, brand new "Wise Guys" each morning, WestJet trips and of course Ticket Blitzeseses!  Rob and I haven't yet marked a week in Newfoundland, as that comes Wednesday, but we've packed in a month's worth of fun, that's for sure.

First, I have to tell you about the videos: we have very slow internet access here (and there's not even Rogers cell service in Newfoundland, if you can believe that) so, despite Rob's efforts - and I'm talking 2 hours a day for three days - to get that ziplining video put together and uploaded, you still aren't seeing the whole thing.  We've taken lots of other video, too, but in the interest of our sanity (and marriage) I'm afraid they're going to have to wait 'til we get a better signal before we can share them with you.

Now, where were we?  Ah yes.  Right here.

Just a short 40 minute drive from Corner Brook, our base for the first two days of our trip, is an idyllic little village called Cox's Cove.  That's not a tourism picture, it's one I took.  It was there that we climbed aboard our next adventure in the trip: a musical fishing tour with Tony Oxford and fellow travellers from as far away as the UK.  Amazingly, because the flight from London is about as long as it is from Toronto, there's a huge number of British visitors (and condo and home owners) here in Newfoundland.  Makes perfect sense when you consider location, affordability and the vast array of activities one can partake in!

After meeting Tony, his wife Joan and daughter April (an RCMP officer living in Whitehorse, home with baby Bree for a summer visit), we got comfortable on his boat and headed off into the calm, sunny day on the water.

Once we'd left port, Tony handed the wheel to his son Antoine, picked up his guitar and harmonica and serenaded us with some of the songs he's written (and a few traditional faves) about Newfoundland.

Witty and well written, the songs - which you can learn more about, along with the tour at www.truenorthtours.ca - tell the stories of hardship and relocation that happened in the years following Newfoundland's joining Confederation.

Resettlement is a chapter in the life of Newfoundlanders that few of us have ever heard about, but it's one filled with bitterness and disharmony.  As part of becoming Canada's 10th province, Newfoundland agreed to close down some of its small communities, those to which services usually extended Canadian towns just couldn't be stretched.  This meant in the 1950's and 60's, houses were moved - many on boats - to larger communities, but in some cases it cleaved families and neighbours apart and wrought heartache.

As we learned some of the history and geography of this spectacular little slice of Newfoundland, we were not only treated to music but to some fishing as well!  These waters are teeming with mackerel and cod, and you're almost guaranteed a catch.

Rob had rod at the ready...

...and caught himself a little black and silver mackerel.  I donned my "adventure hat", grabbed a rod with a big jigger on it (a multi-barbed hook) and let it sink deep into the waters of the Humber Arm.

After just a few minutes, I pulled this fellow from the chilly deep.  I was about as comfortable with him as he was with me, and we were happy to return him to his watery home after this photo and video (again - it's coming) were shot.

A good time was had by all (except perhaps the cod), and all in all, it was a day I will never forget.  Below, how I look having fun and on more than 5 hours' sleep the night before.  Just happy!

We've so many more tales to tell and pictures to share.  I could have added on a few more adventures today but I wanted to pace myself a little better this week.

As I write this, we're in Gros Morne National Park and from mountains and fjords to lakes and rivers, and even some snow (high up, that is), the sights are beyond breathtaking.  An as a native Albertan, I'm a scenery snob - so believe me, this is from the heart.  Honestly, if you're even considering Newfoundland - perhaps this summer, perhaps next - you have got to do it.  And we're already talking about coming back to see the east coast (Avalon peninsula - St. John's included).

More for you tomorrow, but one parting shot for today: a morning view from the Humber Valley Resort.  And no, still no moose.  Droppings, moose tracks (not the ice cream flavour, the real thing) but no moose.  Maybe today!

Erin

Welcome in, once again.  Yesterday was one of the busiest, most fun days we've ever shared and I can't wait to tell you all about it.  The latter half, a musical fishing trip with a couple from nearby Cox's Cove who run True North Charters and Tours, I'll save 'til next week.  It's worth a whole journal.  For now, here's the latest homemade map:

We were up at 7am (yes, on our vacation!) to have breakfast in the chalet and then head off to Marble Mountain.  A spectacular skiing resort in the winter (they have many visitors from the UK each year, as well as many other parts of the planet - and Canada - who want to ski Newfoundland), Marble Zip Tours and owner Martin Flynn have turned it into a huge summertime playground, too.  Here's Marble Mountain...

...where six zip lines have been set up crossing deep gorges with astounding views of mountains, waterfalls, pools and streams.  You don't see the lines in the shot above, but you will.  With great trepidation (I'm not very brave at things that I'm not in control of), I was hooked up to two sets of harnesses, equipped with a helmet, and educated as to how one zip lines.  Here, I'm holding on to Rob for dear life!

Zip lining involves a series of pulleys, harnesses and thick steel cables.  Picture that rolly thing your grandmother had on her clothesline to keep the lines close but still moving.  Then imagine hanging from it, and going from one end of the line to the other.  Okay, now, picture doing it several hundred feet above ground.  That's zip lining!  And it's fast, baby.

Here, I am wondering just what the heck I've signed up for, as John hooks me to the line.  In seconds, I'm going to be stepping off a wooden platform (or jumping, or running and jumping) with absolutely nothing below me for what seems like miles.  If that sounds insane, that's how it feels, too.  Jumping into the abyss is against every fibre of one's being, and yet...we did it!

Now, here is where we should have pictures of my flying, screaming, leap, but Rob shot video instead.  And it's pretty funny (if you like seeing a grown woman turn to jelly and then scream her way through a gorge) - see it here.

The shot above was taken by John - I can't say enough about how patient, funny and enjoyable the Marble Zip team is - and you can see our outright relief (all right, my outright relief; Rob had a blast!) that it's done and I conquered some pretty big fears to take the big leap.

That team consisted of several great guys - three of whom you see here in a "self portrait" taken by John.  I'm thinking that Newfoundland has its own version of The Wise Guys, yes?

Honestly, it was a blast.  One of those "gotta do it" kind of things and I am so glad we did. Marble Zip Tours is the only zip lining outfit in Newfoundland, was the first in Atlantic Canada and the lines traverse what I'm told are among the highest mountains east of the Rockies.  Pretty cool.

We are leaving Corner Brook today and sorry to be doing so, but excited to be heading to Gros Morne National Park, home of a world UNESCO site and, of course, countless other sights that we cannot wait to behold.  As we leave Corner Brook, they're embarking on their annual "East Meets West" festival, a celebration of arts, crafts and music.  Yesterday it kicked off with a marathon that Rob and I inadvertently wandered into, but we found a spot near the Finish line at which to cheer on participants.

Then it was home to do a load of laundry (a washer/dryer is a blessed surprise when you're on the road for two weeks!) and prepare this journal and videos for you.  Since you're likely off the next two days, I'm going to rest the journal for the weekend, too, and give us a little extra time to take in some evening events.  Come back Monday and I'll have lots of stories and pictures for you once again.  Oh, and don't forget the videos!  Here's just another beautiful sight from the highway just outside Corner Brook.  No surprise that we love it here, is it?

Ever wonder how to say the province's name correctly?  Seems there are as many variations are there are syllables in it, but here it is: it has the same emphasis on the same parts as the word "understand".  And I hope that when this trip is over (all too soon) you and I both will have a better understanding of this province, her people and why every Canadian really should try to see this majestic and incredibly hospitable part of our country.

It's not easy to get to - although Air Canada and WestJet both fly here.  The nearest airport is Deer Lake, a short way up the road, or you can drive, which is what we did.  Here's our ferry tale.  It was delayed not by the three hours we were bracing for, but more like five.  At about 4:30 am Rob and I awoke from our nap in the car to start the engine and board the Marine Atlantic "Vision".

The newest of the ferries to and from Newfoundland, it has many of the amenities we've come to expect from cruise ships.  Shiny and welcoming, it features a bright reception area...(and one really happy looking traveller there, huh?)

The cabin was surprisingly well-appointed.  Four beds (two on each side) awaited us, but our tired little selves just needed the two, thanks.

There was a vanity and hair dryer for our use when we awoke a mere 4-1/2 hours after setting our clocks ahead 30 minutes (another time change) and turned out the lights.  A remarkably smooth trip, the ferry's movement felt like mere shudders.  Very comfortable, indeed.

Not unlike a cruise ship's cabin, there was a perfectly practical bathroom (or head) but the shower stall was larger than most you'd find on the nicest ships.  A welcome asset when you're trying to wake up and face a two-hour drive.  We felt refreshed and were glad to have taken the ferry, which cost about $250 for two for the sleeping berth and our car (or roughly the cost of a hotel room).

It's $150 if you choose to sit up in the lounge (although many weary travellers lay down there, too).  Here it is in the morning as we prepared for our arrival in Newfoundland.

The Vision is equipped with a playroom with fun colourful balls for the kiddies, an arcade, a casino and a restaurant.  Out on the deck, a rainy morning met us at our destination.

I wish I'd thought to get a picture of Lily, the Toronto lady who introduced herself to me as I shot the scenery on shore.  She and her husband are also seeing Newfoundland for the first time and from the sounds of her itinery (and ours), we'll meet up again!

The colourful huts and buildings in Port aux Basques brightened the landscape (and our spirits) considerably.

We caught one final glimpse of the Vision, which we hadn't seen in the dark at 4:30 am as we drove right into the car and truck holding area.

Then we hit the smooth and well maintained Highway 1 - the Trans Canada.  Funny story - the lineup at the Tim Hortons on the road just outside the terminal must have been 40 cars long.  We do love our coffee, boy!

Off we headed to Corner Brook, Newfoundland's second largest city by size and third largest by population.  There we met up with Laura Walbourne, the head of tourism for Western Newfoundland, who has put together this adventure for us, and Mike Dolter, City Manager for Corner Brook.

Over lunch at a lovely bistro, Mike and Laura filled in Rob and me about the East Meets West Festival that starts tonight (more on that later this week, 'cause we plan to go) and we talked about this city of 21,000 people, its growth and popularity and the many reasons Corner Brook deserves to be on every traveller's itinerary for all of its summer pleasures, as well as spectacular skiing and hospitality in the winter at Marble Mountain.

Then we took our weary selves home - the only place we're staying more than one night during this trip - to a rental chalet in the gorgeous Humber Valley Resorts.

Nestled among trees, water and amidst a world class golf course, we have been promised that our morning coffee may be accompanied by a moose visit.  (I hope they like bacon and eggs; I didn't pick up any berries or leaves...)

Here's where Rob and I sat last night for a few hours, putting this journal together and trying to upload some video of a close encounter we had later (you'll see pictures in a moment).  All the comforts of home - and then some - as we rested and prepared for today's adventures, hanging from lines on a ski hill.  Ever heard of zip lining?  We're doing it!  Six stages of it!  Then a musical fishing trip - which I await not with bated, but baited breath!  I'll be amazed if my nails survive this day!

Here's the bedroom window from which I'll be looking for moose this morning.  But at around suppertime last night, we were out for a little drive and came across three foxes!  One actually sat down in the middle of the road in front of us, so I decided to get out of the car for a better picture.  Well, down from a bank next to me came this fellow.  Rob said, "Look behind you!" and I did.  I hightailed it back to the car, 'cause this guy did not look amused at my presence.  He just stared me down.  And he won.  I shot some video of another one that accompanied us down the road, and you can click here to view it, hopefully.

But this little guy, with his amazing coat and big hyena feet, seemed just pleased as punch to pose.  Isn't he gorgeous?

I'll sign off today with the thousand words that this next picture provides.  While driving through this western part of Newfoundland - the small sweet slice we've seen - Rob and I remarked on how it reminds us of Scotland.  Or Alaska.  Or the Okanagan.

But I have a feeling that in our future travels, when we see a place that takes our breath away, we'll say instead, "This reminds me of Newfoundland."

Thank you for sharing this trip with us.  Tomorrow I'll share stories and pictures from the zip line-flying, fish-finding, music-loving, festival-flinging day.  Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

Gas in New Brunswick: 92.5¢ a litre.  In Nova Scotia: 98.1¢.  Taking a few weeks to see this glorious country?  Priceless!

We couldn't resist taking this picture just outside North Sydney, NS.  We were so glad to see the rain let up for a bit, and I'll tell you tomorrow what we're paying for gas in Newfoundland.

Ready for today's map?  We'd hoped it would include our landing in Newfoundland by the time this journal published, but the Marine Atlantic ferry had different plans for us.  A three-hour delay meant that our midnight departure was more like 3 am, so as you read this we're either still on the water, or perhaps are catching a few more Zzzz's in our Humber Valley chalet room.

We'll include lots of pictures from the ferry itself here tomorrow (we hope) and some technical problems are standing between us and a video for you.  Hopefully we can get those fixed - something about file sizes, I dunno.  Rob was working on it while I drove yesterday but had some tummy troubles (motion related) and had to postpone the project.  I'm hoping we aren't going to have troubles on the ferry overnight 'cause we're in for high tides.  Lynn D. sent this tidbit to me yesterday:

"The closest Moon of the year occurs on July 21 at a distance of 222,117 miles. Coastal areas will experience higher-than-normal tides. From the Farmer's Almanac."

So, after about eight hours' drive (of which I took the wheel for four, from New Brunswick to Truro, Nova Scotia) we arrived at the northernmost point of Nova Scotia to catch the ferry, or wait to catch the ferry.  We used the time to enjoy a nice dinner at Joe's Warehouse, which happened to be just a short hop from one of Sydney's three casinos.  And guess who was playing quarters (just two at a go) and won $250?  Moi!  An honest-to-goodness royal flush. Then I turned around and won another $100.  So that'll pay for some meals over the coming week, I'm sure.  Anyway, until we can share Newfoundland stories with you, a few thoughts and stories (and pics) about the trip so far.

I've sure had a change of heart about New Brunswick.  Having driven through it in the past just to get to Nova Scotia from Quebec, it wasn't that impressive.  But coming up Highway 2 from St. Stephens up through Moncton and then on to Nova Scotia, one sees everything from pine dotted rocks that jut into the Bay, to rolling farm fields, to marshes and bogs, you get just about everything on this drive.  Once again, I can't say enough about St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. 

Our eight-hour drive from NB to North Sydney was blessedly uneventful, except for rain.  We saw one accident - a smart little Mercedes had spun off into a muddy ditch.  From the looks of things, I'm guessing the damage was in the five figure range.

As we approached the scene, I feared a car had hit a deer or a moose and we might see a tragic aftermath.  The roads were smeared with memories of unfortunate wildlife, but thankfully, the sports car hadn't added to the toll (unless the driver swerved to miss something - always a possibility).

Despite all the signs veritably shouting "Hey! Get the camera - we've got moose comin' up!" or "Look out - deer bound through here every three seconds!", all day long we only saw one deer (off standing in the woods, likely having a cigarette and talking on a cell phone).

Of course, there were too many dead porcupines, skunks and raccoons to count.  It breaks your heart to see the little critters "sleeping" by the side of the road (or spread across it).  But I have to tell you Rob and I have had a few good close encounters with Mother Nature, starting with a surprise on Monday night.  We were out walking and I heard these little sounds.  It was a mewling, cooing kid of sound, one I remember from when there was a tree full of raccoons outside our second-storey office when we lived at Mt. Pleasant & Eglinton.  I thought perhaps there were critters in the tree, so we stuck around to explore and sure enough, we looked up and there were two big dark splotches in the branches of a tree.

It was silly, but "koala" was the first thing that came to mind just from their body shapes and their little claws.  But a closer look left no mistake about what we were seeing: porcupines!  They were up in the branches munching away on leaves and making happy little sounds while they were at it.  This is the best shot I could get.

It occurred to us later that, had these two fellers not been sure-footed, we could have been wearing one awfully painful hat.  After having a sea urchin spike my arm and leg in 2002, I'll pass, thanks!

One other wildlife sighting did take my breath away.  We turned off the highway, just because I wanted to see something other than blacktop.  And boy, did we!  I glanced right and there, on a lawn near a motel just off the highway, was a glorious turkey-sized bald eagle.  Yes, it's most definitely real (I have about 20 pictures of him in different poses).  And it was spectacular!

That now makes two eagles I've seen in real life - the other in Sedona, Arizona as it flew over me with a sun drenched fish in its talons.  Now I feel like this trip has been blessed, too (as if the 98.1¢ for gas didn't cinch it).

Further down that same road, we stopped to shoot a serene little lake dotted with rocks.  In many ways, the beautiful sights of Cape Breton can be compared to those of Ontario's most photographed and painted areas, but I hope you see a few differences.

Well, my friend, today we're in Newfoundland and I promise to show you what the sleep-over cabins on the ferry look like, and tell you just how the crossing went.  My hat's off to Marine Atlantic. They called us Rob's cell phone late yesterday afternoon and were endeavouring to phone everyone booked on the midnight ferry to tell them of the three-hour delay.  Thanks to that courtesy, we had a nice leisurely evening and filled the time doing what we wanted instead of sitting on the tarmac with other frazzled travellers.

Last word today to Claudia (and I know I'm not supposed to be checking my work e-mails, but still...):

Claudia writes:

"Hi Erin, I am so thrilled that you are vacationing to our home and wonderful province of Newfoundland.  Just a little advice, be careful when driving at night as our province highways seem to be a popular place for moose to roam.  Not a nice thing to run into and one other plus, you will not have to worry about skunks, Newfoundland is "Skunk Free". Enjoy your holiday!"

Hello - and welcome to New Brunswick.  Ready for my latest adventure in art and geography?  (I am so getting an "F" in this)...

Below: a map of Monday's Journey....starting in Maine and ending up in idyllic St. Andrews-by-the-Sea.  Yes Sea, not Bay, as I wrote and not Tuesday the 20th, it's Tuesday the 21st of course.  Clearly at least a part of my brain is actually on vacation.

After a looooong drive yesterday of more than six hours on scenic winding Maine highways, we arrived back in Canada around suppertime.  Oh, and despite numerous signs depicting our giant antlered friends, we didn't see one moose.  Not a one.  I did see two live porcupines up a tree last night, but that's about it for wildlife in the past 24 hours.  Maybe moose in Newfoundland?

Ah, but this is a spectacular part of New Brunswick.  Previous trips have had us whipping through on highways into Moncton or Fredericton, but the coast is the most, baby!  Especially this part of it.

We'd have missed it if not for Mike & Debbie Cooper's suggestion.  They had stayed in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea last year and raved about it and the inn we all called home for a few nights.  I hope this town (and even this hotel) might one day be on your "must do" list, too.

The picture above was taken as we waited our turn to come back to Canada in St. Stephens, NB.  That queue was much shorter than the 30 min. we spent waiting to get into the USA at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls.

Just half an hour inside New Brunswick sits one of the most picturesque spots Rob and I have ever visited.  Read more about St. Andrews, long a favourite destination of travellers from Canada, the US and around the world, here.

This is the charming main street, dotted with restaurants and unique shops that are blessedly not laden with ye olde kitschy junque.  Lovely galleries and plenty of art await the welcome visitor.

Speaking of welcomes, you couldn't ask for a warmer one than the one we received from proprietors (former Torontonians) Jerry and Annette Mercer at Water Street's Treadwell Inn.  It's a four-star resort with balconies and rooms facing Passamaquoddy Bay, and guests have a wide array of suites from which to choose.  And the views, as you can see, are spectacular.  From the meticulously kept gardens and the ever-changing tides...

...to private balconies and every amenity you could imagine.

After wishing since Saturday for a bathtub in which to soak off the day's dusty roads, a Jacuzzi was a godsend.  A complete kitchen is just left of that little antique table, but we only made use of the coffee maker and the fridge, in which Mike & Deb had left us some cheese, salsa and Pepsi (plus a little bottle of rye for my weary driver).

Thank you, Coopers!

As it happens, Happy Hour arrives even earlier in St. Andrews!  We pulled in at around 5:30 pm after putting our watches and car clock ahead when we crossed into Canada.  But the tide had pulled out - as you can see in the picture below.

It's an amazing thing to behold and it happens twice daily.  Here in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, the tides are among the highest in the world, especially in late summer & late winter.  This next shot was taken from the deck of a restaurant next to the Treadwell Inn called The Gables (another Mike & Debbie recommendation).  Although we made use of the warm fleece blankets they offer diners, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.  And here comes the tide...

Clearly seen from the restaurant and just a five minute stroll along Water Street is this pier, where one can catch a boat to take in whale watching - another "must" for our next visit to St. Andrews.  And yes, we'll be back, maybe even on our drive home from Newfoundland.  We haven't decided on our route yet.

As we sipped our coffee and plotted this journal, we took one last shot of the setting sun and the returning tide.  Then...home for a nice, warming bath and a soft, welcoming bed.  Aaaaaaaah.

I want you to know that we shot some video for the new E-Clips section of my website, but the wind on the pier made the audio tougher to decipher than Neil Armstrong's message from the moon.  So we'll keep working on that!

Today, after our breakfast with Jerry and Annette, we'll hit the road for what will be the longest driving leg - about 9 hours - as we aim for a 10:30 pm lineup in North Sydney, NS, to catch the ferry to Newfoundland at midnight.  If I can find a spot that's not too windy, we'll give the video another go, and I'll have some more pictures for you here tomorrow.

In the meantime, have a good day and thank you for coming by and sharing in our experiences as we explore more parts of this amazing country we call home.

Erin

Good morning and thank you for coming by.  You know by now that Mike and I are off this week.  But I wanted to share this trip with you, as Rob and I are heading to Newfoundland.  We catch the ferry at around midnight tomorrow, but in the meantime, our journey so far.  Please follow along on the high-tech map below.  Yes, that's a bar napkin.  Those are not stink lines coming up from Niagara Falls; that's water vapour.  And kids, Lake Ontario is not shaped like an egg.

We headed off on Saturday evening from Niagara Falls, Ontario.  Long story short: Rob had a gig that afternoon that delayed our departure.  To feel like we were getting away, we stayed Friday night at a hotel near the Falls.  This was our hotel room view on Saturday morning.

And below, the view Friday night during the fireworks.  Yes, they have fireworks every Friday and Sunday night at 10 o'clock during the summer, plus on holidays like Simcoe Day.  Nice touch, Niagara Falls!

You can see the lights of the falls behind the fireworks explosion; it was pretty spectacular.  Then we hit the hay.  Long day, long week, long year, and time for a vacation.

On Saturday morning we got up to work out, only to find that the hotel charged visitors $10 each to use the gym.  We decided to exercise as much as we could in our room instead (oh, stop it!) and then went for a brisk walk and found a good, reasonably-priced breakfast.  Picked up a Toronto Star to find they'd run an article about radio hosts' vacations and/or maternity leaves.  It was nice to be included in the story, and it seemed to come out rather well.  

While I spent the day in the area, Rob headed back to Toronto for the band gig.  At 6 pm he picked me up and we left for our vacation.

"Are we there yet?"  Heck, we haven't even LEFT yet!  Bear with me.

We drove about six hours straight, through dusk and then darkness, some rain and construction, and made it to our destination for the night.  We stayed in a place near Saratoga Springs, New York (Malta, to be exact) and had a great night's sleep plus a good breakfast buffet Sunday morning.  That's about all you can ask when you're driving 6 hours a day: a good meal and a good sleep.  Nice hotel, too - thank you www.tripadvisor.com!

At 10 am yesterday we set the GPS and headed from upstate NY into Vermont.

I think I solved a mystery!  Remember all of those moose on the streets of Toronto that went missing?  I've found them.  They're in Bennington, Vermont, home of the annual Moose Festival.  The streets are littered with them (perhaps not a great choice of words given TO's state these days) and they're painted and decorated with great humour and character.  Here are a few we shot - again, not a great choice of words - one that I think must be called "Christmoose"...

I thought you might be glad that finally, the moostery had been solved.  Now, back to our lives.  And our trip!  We drove through the verdant rolling hills of Vermont (yes, we took the scenic road and eschewed the high-speed thruways), into New Hampshire and eventually (after about five hours) into Maine.

Our destination: the resort town of Kennebunkport, which is Native American for "soak the tourists!".  Actually, it's a completely charming town, bustling with visitors and residents alike, and rife with galleries, quality gift stores and restaurants, where one has to try the lobster!  Here's one that came shelled for us, and you can see my claw in this picture trying to grab one of Rob's.

We had planned to walk off our dockside dinner, but when we met Charlie (yes, that's his name) the Belgian horse and his driver Vanessa, we opted for a ride through this beautiful little town that George HW Bush and wife Barbara call home.  Actually they have an estate somewhere but we neither sought it out nor saw it.

I don't usually do things like take carriage rides, but Rob talked me into it.  The town so reminded me of Niagara-on-the-Lake with its historical ships captains' homes so lovingly tended and kept up.

Below is where we laid our weary heads last night - at the Kennebunkport Inn.  Thought of our friend Ian (The General) as a fellow sat outside in a courtyard and sang James Taylor songs all afternoon and into the evening.  Ian is a big fan of JT and this guy did him justice.  The singing resonated through the streets of Kennebunkport - it was a delight.  Wish you were here to harmonize, Ian!

Another picture illustrates why this town is such a summer playground.  Aren't the colours just gorgeous?  And of course, in a playground you act like a kid, so my best moment came last evening with a scoop of a homemade local ice cream called Maine Lobster Tracks.  Vanilla with ribbons of chocolate fudge, it included little red chocolate cups filled with caramel.  What a treat in every mouthful!  What is better than ice cream on a summer evening?  What?

Well, friend, that's it for now.  Today we head back into Canada as we drive up the Atlantic Coast from Maine into New Brunswick.  The Coopers are just leaving today but we're staying in the same room they'll be leaving at Treadwell, in St. Andrews.  I've not been to the Bay of Fundy, so I'll have lots to tell you and show you here tomorrow.   In the meantime, have a gentle Monday and thank you for coming by.

Now giddy-up, Charlie.  We've got some miles to cover!

Hey - welcome to Friday.  I have to tell you something funny that happened yesterday.

Our floor at 777 Jarvis is bulging with radio stations.  Within the walls of this building, on this one floor, are four stations that among them share the most listeners in this city - 680 News, The Fan 590, CHFI and our newest sibling, KiSS 92.5.  With all of these stations you can be sure of a few things: the one women's washroom closest to the studios is almost always busy when you get a 2 minute break to pee, and there's no space anywhere to spare.

When a notice went out asking those people who have lockers to please consider giving it up for the new kids down the hall, I didn't pay much attention.  I don't have one.  Then two days ago, Ian "The General" MacArthur showed me an envelope filled with my station photos, or "head shots" from years ago and asked, "Remember these?"

I did - and asked when they were from.

"2002.  That's when we got our lockers.  They've been in there since then - I completely forgot I had one."

We all laughed, I took home a very dusty (but perfect) cooler bag on wheels that he offered up, and then didn't give the whole locker thing another thought.  That is, until yesterday.

I was on my way out when a senior office manager intercepted me at the elevator and asked if I was still going to use my locker.

My response to her was, "My what now?"

She said that yes, I have a locker.  I still didn't believe her.  So Allegra walked me over to a dimly lit hall near the true heart of all of our stations - the engineering department - and showed me a row of lockers, some of them with people's names on them.  Now, while there wasn't a sticker on a locker with my name on it, there were several "anonymous" ones, locked more solidly than Al Capone's vault.  Then I saw one that did have a name and I laughed out loud.  Right there in bold label-maker type: Don Daynard.

He left the station in 1999 - and came back to do weekly tapings until about 2004.  But he still had a locker.  And apparently - even though I left for 2 years from 2003-2005, so did I!  I'm told they were allocated to us when we moved from our former studios at 36 Victoria Street to the address we now call home.  I have no recollection of being given a locker; Mike's and my "stuff" now lives in a metal cabinet in the control room.

I asked Allegra to please let me know, once they cut into that lock, just what was in the one they suspect is mine.  It's a bit like a time capsule and, while it probably only contains a very old Lindt truffle (please, please God, no yogurt) and maybe some pictures of me with one of a few former partners, I'm sure there will be a few things in there that will make me laugh and remind me of a few days and times I'd forgotten.  I am very curious - and promise to tell you here if there's anything interesting.

Come to think of it - the locker may have been given to somebody who came in after me...so it may contain shots of a different head altogether!

Speaking of new faces - although you could hardly call him a stranger to the CHFI family - it's been made official: Darren Osborne has been named new host of the afternoon drive show on 98.1 CHFI.  He's a terrific guy, something I learned firsthand when I worked with Darren in 2005 for a few months while we awaited Mike Cooper's arrival from another station.  Darren's smooth delivery, easy smile and love of our music are all evident when you listen to him - and, of course, we know you will - and if you'd like to read more about Darren, just go to the home page at www.chfi.com.  Up 'til now, Darren has filled in on many shows and hosted evenings and weekends, so he'll no doubt be glad to have a regularly scheduled weekday gig too.  It's a win/win all the way around.

Heck, I think I even know where we can find him a locker!

Thanks for coming by and I'll share some pictures with you Monday of our trip.  Tomorrow we drive to Saratoga Springs NY and then on to Maine.  Join Tish, Gord and Ian on the morning show and have a great weekend!

Here we are at Thursday.  What?  This week is flying by and it may well be because we're jamming so much into each day.  I have been saying of late that when there's light at the end of the tunnel (like a vacation), the train suddenly starts picking up speed.

After going out to see a comedy show Tuesday night, Rob and I were off on a road trip to a place just outside of Brantford yesterday, a stop between TO and London, where we met Rob's mom for lunch.  Enjoyed the hospitality of a place called the Olde School Restaurant, which - as its name suggests - is a former school.  The decor is dotted with charming school house memorabilia - desks, kids' artwork and the like - but also featured "old school" service and dining, which is always nice.  Worth the drive not only for the meal, of course, but the visit.  And Rob was happy just to be enjoying the company of two of his favourite girls.

It was on our way to Brantford that we passed Ancaster and Hamilton and I was reminded of a couple of spectacular photos that my friend Jill took a few weeks ago.  Just outside of Hamilton - literally less than an hour's drive from TO - is one of the most beautiful sights you can imagine.  It reminded me of a trek Rob and I took just off the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler.  We parked the car and walked through rocky forests along rushing waters.  These photos remind me of that magical day.  And talk about a "staycation" destination - you could see this on any Saturday or Sunday you want, or even a weekday afternoon if you found yourself with some spare time and a need to get away from it all.  Look at these then "Google Map" Spencer Gorge, Webster's Falls and Tews Falls.  Here's what you'll find if you make the short trip:

Aren't they amazing?  If you promise to keep it just among us, I'm sure Jill won't mind me telling you about this special spot.  It just goes to show you that there's beauty all around us.  Sometimes we just need to peer a little more closely...or step back and look at the big picture.

Take care, friend, and I'll be back here with you tomorrow.  In the meantime, I guess I'd better get busy and figure out that new camera.  Rob says that I'm going to have to, 'cause he knows who I'll be swearing at when I see a moose in Maine and can't figure out how to take its picture just as it pulls a rabbit out of its hat!

Erin

Welcome to Wednesday.  Glad you could stop by on your way to another busy day.  Michelle Butterly, our sweet and funny friend middays on CHFI, was telling me she read that something like 48% of Canadians don't take the time off they're allowed.  As she was telling me this, I was wading through e-mails, preparing Wise Guys for when we're away and getting other work finished and I said to her, "That's because the work leading up to a vacation and the pile of tasks that people face when they get back add up to more stress than if they hadn't gone away!"  She agreed - and I'm sure to a great degree you do, too.

We have the Newfoundland part of our trip all nailed down and now it's choosing where and when to stop and at what hotels or B&Bs as we wend our way eastwards.  I hate to be tied down to a schedule but travelling in July there are no guarantees of rooms.  Nothing worse than being at the end of a day, at the end of your rope and not being able to find a pillow - any pillow - on which to lay your head.  So we're planning at least a few days in advance.

We've decided to make stops in Saratoga Springs, New York (since Mike and I have been booked at the Disney resort that's modelled after that area), then spend a night in Maine.  After that, we head back into Canada and St. Andrew's on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, where Mike and Deb are going to be.  We'll catch up with the Coopers on Monday night.  Tuesday, it's the ferry to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and away we go!

We picked up a camera yesterday that has higher definition and video capability so that I can share with you the best shots possible of this beautiful part of our land.  Not sure if we can post video but it could be an awful lot of fun.  We plan to shoot other parts of our trip, too, including the fabulous Bay of Fundy, the coastline of Maine (and a tiny town called Belfast that we just love) - stuff like that.

There are a lot of reasons to stay home and play this summer - whether "home" means Canada or right here in Toronto.  One of them is the Just for Laughs comedy festival, which is in its third year here in TO.  Last night, I got a fabulous taste of the week's treats, with the first of six one-man shows by comedian Danny Bhoy.  He was everything I'd hoped for - and I'd only heard of him a few weeks ago when CHFI gave away tickets to see him - funny, charming, quick, endearing and yes, he is one hot Scot.  Just so sweet.  He won us over with a great sight (and sound) gag, he played a lot with the audience with ease and great humour and then had us all laughing uproariously at everything from his adventures meeting The Queen to body piercings and breakfasts of different countries.

I can't guarantee that for the $35.50 ticket you'll get the same show that the mostly sold-out adult audience at the Jane Mallett Theatre on Front Street got.  In fact, I'm quite sure it'll be about 60% different, given how much playing he did with the audience.  But I can guarantee you'll enjoy it.  What a refreshing way to spend a summer evening.  And if you're like me, a 7:00 pm start is just right.  Enjoy dinner before (or after) and you've got a night that doesn't take a toll in the morning.

Check out Danny Bhoy on YouTube if you like, and for more info on tickets you can go to www.hahaha.com.  As I said, it's just a great night's entertainment and a relief from everything that's been weighing us down of late.

A road trip and a visit today as Rob and I catch up with his mom.  We're meeting her for lunch in Brantford - nearly midway between Toronto and her home in London.  It's something we definitely wanted to do before heading off for a few weeks.  Looks like a pretty nice day for a drive, too, if the forecast is accurate.

Thanks again for coming by, you take care and we'll be back with you here tomorrow.  Cheers!

Hey there - thanks for coming by.  Happy Bastille Day.  Go storm something.

Sounds like there may actually be some progress in the city workers' strike.  I hope so.  Seemed strange to hear the union call the mayor "mean" Friday for speaking publicly about the city's latest offer (after he claimed the union had gone 24 hours without responding to it).  You could ask the city's children and the working parents about "mean" when there's nothing for the kids to do and no way parents can just ditch their jobs to care for the children during the strike.  Ask the Caribana organizers, who cross their fingers every year to make ends meet and may not have their party on the island, what they think "mean" means.

Despite the strike being in its fourth week, the people of Toronto have done an absolutely commendable job of keeping their cool and keeping their city beautiful.  There are a lot of places in the world where people live amidst garbage and filth (I'm talking to you, Cairo) but even in the most challenging of circumstances, Toronto businesses and private citizens alike have joined forces and shown that it'll take more than a walkout of 30,000 workers to bring this city to its knees - or its nose.  Despite the "mountains of garbage" that we hear about and that are most definitely there (and the parks - oh, the parks), this city is still ready to offer tourists and residents alike a welcome and a good time.

Speaking of which, the 3rd Toronto Just for Laughs comedy festival is kicking off with the One Person Show Series tonight.  You may have heard us giving away tickets to see Danny Bhoy (yes, that's his name, and he's not Irish, he's Scottish!) as part of the Festival which runs tomorrow through the 19th.  Big names include John Cleese (of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame) and the Matt Damon loving Sarah Silverman.  Want more info on how you can lighten up this summer?  Go to www.hahaha.com.  I'm excited about tonight - there's something so good for the soul about a great communal laugh!  BTW if you haven't heard of Danny Bhoy, simply go to www.youtube.com and do a search.  He's a hottie and very funny.

Well, my friend, I shall sign off for now.  Tuesday means another workout, then a nap and dinner downtown somewhere with Robbie before we go out to the St. Lawrence Centre.  I don't think we'll be eating outside if it's as chilly and windy as it was last night.  And why am I so obsessed with dining al fresco - perhaps because we have such a short season in which to do it?  Maybe because it gets me just that little bit further away from the kitchen?  Not sure.  Anyway, it should be fun.  You have a great day and we'll be back with you here tomorrow.  And thanks for coming by.

Welcome in to Monday.  Thanks for coming by this week - and I want to tell you something special that happens here next week and the week after.

Mike and I are taking our annual two week vacation starting next week.  Not together; we do that in November when we go away for a few days and then are joined by listeners at Sandals!  But this time, this summer, I'd like to bring you along.  Despite knowing that I should probably leave my laptop and work behind (as if I can do that, when you and the show are my life, in so many ways) I'll be posting daily journals with lots of pictures and stories as Rob and I pack up and head east - way east - on a driving trip to see a part of this great country that we've never seen: Newfoundland.

Anyone I've told about our plans has said one of two things: we're absolutely going to love the land and its people, or that they've never been and always wanted to see "the rock".  So join me here and share in this journey to one of the most beautiful and charming places in this great land of ours.  I hope you'll enjoy it.  We're in the process of picking a better camera and may even find a way to post video.  We'll see.

One thing I do know: the weather couldn't be cooler than it's been here in Southern Ontario this summer.  I've often heard that one doesn't go to Newfoundland to work on a tan, and I'm already sorting through clothes that took me through the UK in July of 2004.  I'm prepared for bad hair and brisk winds, a price I'm willing to pay to see new places and meet great people.  But here at home, this is getting to be downright depressing.

I know I'm not alone.  The cranky factor in e-mails that come in to the station (on every bizarre topic imaginable) is as high as it was in May and June when people's hopes for warmer weather were just not being met.

In the past few days we've had tornado strength winds, chills that made it feel like +7 at 10 am and torrential rains, all of which have managed to alter or drown countless events due to inclement weather.  Now that July is approaching the halfway mark, those of us who fantasize on gray, cold days November through May about warmth and sleeveless tops, barbecues, picnics, long walks, dining outside and fun in the sun are starting to get downright anxious.  We're going to be hearing Back to School and CNE ads anyday now, I just know it.

On a spiritual level I know I'm wrong to feel this way.  After all, conscious living means seizing every day, making the most of each moment and cherishing the days that we have, not lamenting what we'd like to have or what's wrong.  We should be grateful that we're not jacking up our hydro bills with air conditioning, that people without air aren't suffering this summer, the smog isn't so bad that it's affecting our health and that the fermenting garbage sites aren't cooking in 30+ degree heat.  Yes, there's a lot to be grateful for...

...but I want my damned summer.  Is that so wrong?

Hey - Friday!  And a steamy one at that, by the looks of things.  Bring it on.  You may have heard Mary Ellen say that so far this summer we've had just one day over 30 degrees.  While most people are just fine with that, it's also a sign of what a cool summer we've gone through so far.

After a day of enjoying the sunshine and running errands yesterday, Rob and I decided to forego our nap and take in a late afternoon movie.  We stopped in at the Famous Players on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill and agreed that depending on which film was first, we'd see either Public Enemies or The Proposal.

Johnny Depp won and we saw a story about 1933/34's "Public Enemy #1" John Dillinger and the FBI agent who pursued him.  Although it ran almost 2 1/2 hours, it didn't drag and Rob and I enjoyed it.  It was an interesting tale, well presented and convincingly played out, even if my later web searches seemed to establish that what was told in the movie and what actually happened didn't coincide all that often.  Worth the money for a ticket, though, I'd say.

Oh, and yes, if anyone saw a grown woman carrying her blanket into the movies, that was me.  You see, we keep a small fleece blanket in the car for the pups to lie on (fortunately they don't shed much) and when I realized I had on just a strappy sundress with no sweater, and was going into what would likely be a chilly theatre, I decided to take "blankie" along with me.  I didn't actually end up needing it.  For once, the theatre wasn't air conditioned to 60 degrees or so, and we were quite comfortable.  Still, never hurts to have a blanket; what if it'd gotten really scary or something?!

While we were enjoying a lovely summer's day yesterday, a precocious and lovable little boy was not far from my mind.  And I have to tell you some great news we got late yesterday: little Tobin's surgery at Sick Kids went very well and, according to Mary Lye at the Childhood Cancer Foundation, his doctor got all of the latest tumour to make Tobin's wonderfully creative and active brain its host.  Thank goodness.  And let this be the end of it.

Well, that's about it from here today.  I don't know if I told you, but Lauren's working again at Starbucks.  She has had three shifts this week at the store that's about a ten minute bike ride from where she lives, and she loves the people there.  So that's all good.  We Skyped just last night (she squeals when the dogs come into the shot) and hope to again tomorrow.  She's a busy girl, which I knew she would be, since she was in Toronto, too.  I just have to get used to her being busy in another city, is all.

Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope you enjoy a great big bite of summertime and the flavours that come with it - whether that's strawberries, watermelon, barbecue or ice cream.  I sure will.  You take care and we'll be back with you here on Monday.

Welcome in - thanks for stopping by.  Rob and I had a little outing last night when I emceed the dinner/awards portion of the evening at the Childhood Cancer Foundation's 4th Annual Gold Ribbon Golf Classic.  Such a great group of people and they're now introducing a Teen Connector program, helping teens across Canada who are fighting cancer do it together and with the help of mentors.  What a wonderful idea and CHFI is proud to be a supporter of CCF.  They are growing in leaps and bounds but need both volunteer support and financial help.  Help for programs like the one that we learned more about last night.

Here's Lauren Donnelly, a "consultant" with Teen Connector, who is all too familiar with the cancer fight: she's battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  Last month, Lauren turned 19.  She's had over 800 procedures - that is not a typo - over 800 and one of them includes a total hip replacement.  Just nine months older than our Lauren, this gorgeous, self-confident and well-spoken young woman has lived through a lifetime worth of pain - as have her parents - and now she's helping set up a social network for other kids going through what she's endured.  Isn't that amazing?

Find out more at www.candlelighters.ca.  And if you can make a donation to help programs like Lauren's, or the scholarship program, then please, please do.  These kids and their families have been through so much.  In fact, last night we watched a video message from a nine-year-old boy named Tobin (whom we met at CHFI at Christmastime a year ago).  On this day, July 9, Tobin is undergoing surgery for the recurrence of a brain tumour; it's his third.  He's such a sweet, sweet boy and all of our hearts go out to him and his family at Sick Kids Hospital today.  Oh my.

Speaking of battles, courage and inspiration, can I just tell you what an amazing tale The Book of Negroes is?  Written by Burlington's Lawrence Hill, it's the first-person account of Aminata Diallo, who is captured as a girl, hooked up to a yoke and marched through her African homeland to a slave ship.  Through horrendous and deadly conditions she is transported to a new land and life (if you can call it that) in America, and then makes her way...

...I'm not telling you any more.  I tore through the book's 486 pages in two days flat (with few interruptions!) and was truly sorry to see it end.  If you're looking for a good book, this is it.  There's a real lesson in Canadian history in here too - and in a GREAT way.  Read it, read it, read it. 

No wonder Hill has won so many accolades for this amazing and touching page-turner.  And yes, as it turns out, he is the son of the late Daniel Hill, former Ontario Ombudsman, and brother of singer/songwriter and fellow author Dan Hill.  What a talented family!  And just a great, great book.

Have a lovely day and we'll be back with you tomorrow to welcome another summer weekend.  Bring it on!

Erin

Hey there - welcome to Wednesday.  What a lovely, understated and dignified salute to Michael Jackson yesterday at the Staples Center.  Not a false note - musically or emotionally - and many moments of genuine love and honesty.  Just lovely.  Most touching - at least to me - Michael's words in his own voice over the end of the beautiful "Will You Be There" sung by Jennifer Hudson.

And those lovely three children.  Over and over again from here on in, you will see the footage of Paris Katherine who briefly took centre stage for a moment to salute Michael as a father in an emotionally charged moment.  You may notice that in the few seconds that Paris spoke, her aunts Janet and LaToya reached in at separate times to position the microphone more closely to her mouth.  Two showbiz aunties making sure her voice was heard (and Janet whispering to her to speak up into the microphone).  And I thought...with all of those years of having mic technique drilled into them, the older girls just couldn't help themselves.  Showbiz just runs through their veins.

I know it's far too much to ask (and far too late), but how great would it be if they could just be left alone to have some semblance of the normal childhood their father so famously missed out on?

To other things...

Yesterday I wrote here about a special moment that happens at 4:56 (on 07/08/09): 4-5-6-7-8-9.  Thanks to Brad and Don who sent me notes including this info:

At 12hr 34 minutes and 56 seconds on the 8th of JULY this year, the time and date will be 12:34:56 07/08/09 OR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.  This will never happen in your life again [except on August 7th].

As we speak of time passing, I wanted to include a few of your notes about Skype.  Mike and I were talking about it Monday, the same day I wrote about it here.  I got a few e-mails about video phones that are already out there (thank you for that information) but what I loved most were the other Skype stories.  The last one I've included, was the sweetest.

In case you're not familiar with it, you go to www.skype.com and download the program.  (The only downside I've found is that it can slow down your computer.)  Provided your laptop or computer has a built-in camera and mic, you're on your way.

Anyway - here are some of the ways that Skype has helped you.  Dianne writes:

"Good morning - How fun you are on Skype. My mom (76 years young) who is one of the technology gurus in our family, introduced our family to it several years ago so she could keep in touch while in Florida and traveling the world. One year for Christmas she gave each family a headset with microphone so we could all get on line with her. More recently we've added cameras - all the parents involved agreed the cameras would be great on the family computer in a common area of the house. Suffice to say it works, we all love it."

"When our daughter lived in Paris for a year (last year), we spoke with her on Skype quite often. She was able to show us around where she lived (we did eventually get there) and show/model any new clothes she bought! Fun! When we had mountains of snow that winter we walked the laptop outside to show her and as we walked down the hall to the back door, she was able to feel a little of home because she could see everything! It's an amazing piece of technology ...Enjoy!!"

"Hi Erin, I'm so glad to read that you've been able to reach out and almost touch Lauren so far away. We've been on Skype for years keeping in touch with relatives in Ireland and Australia.

"It's significance really, really hit home with me though about a month ago. We were hosting some friends of ours for the weekend. Sunday morning they asked if they could place a long distance phone call (charged to their residence in Toronto of course) to their son who like Lauren has left home to carve out his path in life. He unlike Lauren isn't even in the same province though actually it's not even the same country. You see he has gone off to Japan to teach English as a second language.

"We asked if he had a Skype account and they thought that maybe he had so, we emailed him to be sure and arranged a time to Skype him.

"Watching my girlfriend sit and cry tears of joy to not just be hearing his voice over the long distance phone, but to actually be seeing as only a Mother can, that he is really OK brought home the full potential of this little piece of software that like you we had talked about so many years ago. Suffice to say that our friends now have high speed internet and have set up their own Skype account. They contact their son every Sunday. What a great way to let our kids spread their wings as we follow their flight path. Have a great day."

"LOVE Skype....had it for some time now.  My Dad is in England and we can chat or type for FREE!   He can see me too!!

"Use it for other friends and family near and far too.  Once I rang in the New Years with a good friend at her party in England, she logged on and we did and it was their midnight and we all rang it in together.....even though it wasn't our time here yet LOL!  We could see them and they saw us.........pretty neat stuff.  We had our blowers and streamers and drinks all early and again later!

"Glad you are hooked up with that and Lauren too.  GREAT! :-)
Anyway, have a good one and glad you are doing okay and thank goodness for technology eh!"

"Hi Erin! Congratulations, you made it to phase 2!!  I survived (my children) being away because of Skype!

"I'd like to share one other thing that made my year bearable. Every Sunday night we arranged that we would all eat dinner together at the same time. So when dinner was ready, we would get the girls on Skype, put the computers at the table and we would all eat together. It sounds a little corny, I know, but it was wonderful. Breaking bread together when they were so far away was the best thing for me, got me through my week!!"

But what's most important - be it through technology, music, or the old-fashioned telling of stories - is connection.  Let us always, always stay connected.

I want to start with something that you might find fascinating - or not - but tomorrow morning at 4:56 am, something pretty neat will happen.  You may sleep through it, but I won't; just before our show starts, it will be 4:56 on 07/08/09.  That's 4-5-6-7-8-9 - and that's pretty cool, don't you think?  I guess you can catch it later in the day, but purists will say at that point, it's 16:56 and not 4:56.  Purists can be party poopers - and if you can say that three times fast with a mouthful of Ritz Crackers, you win a prize.

Don't know if I'm a purist or just poopy on this one, but my fur got up on Sunday (shortly after I did) about a story on the news.  I kept hearing a 19-year-old arson suspect referred to as a teenager.  "A teenager is in custody, suspected in the multi-million dollar fires that destroyed several Mississauga town houses..." and so on.

I'm sorry, but 19, while it does indeed still have the word "teen" on the end, is not a teenager.  To me, the teen years end when you are old enough to vote, to drink, to sign up in the armed forces and to die for your country.  If the courts treat you as an adult, you shouldn't be referred to as a teen.  For media or lawyers to do so is precious and misleading.  The suspect is a MAN.  A grown-up.  Let him be treated, tried, exonerated or convicted as a man.  But let's not dress up mutton as lamb for the sake of a catchy headline.

On the flip side, it's not unlike when we read a news story that says "Toronto Granny Charged with Selling Crack".  You read on and learn that the woman is all of about 42.  The fact that she has given birth and her issue has also reproduced doesn't make her the sweet little old lady from the Tweety cartoons.  Therefore, calling her a "granny" is manipulative and misleading.  Is it factual?  As a matter of fact, it is.  But is it right?  No.

Am I?  Don't know.  Just an opinion about misleading labels.

And still with sharing...you weighed in with great volume yesterday about Skype and how it's affected you, too.  I'll be sharing some of those e-mails with you tomorrow - it's very cool.

Oh, and Lauren got her driver's license yesterday on her second go-round, this time in Ottawa.  Took her three shots at parallel parking (different car than she'd practised on) but she got it - and while I'm thrilled and terrified for her, I know that time will ease the fears.  I got my license at the same age and all has gone well, so I'll just hope for the same for her and be glad she's now got her wings and her wheels!

Take care and we'll talk more here tomorrow.

I have to tell you that I stepped a little further into the 21st century on Saturday night.  And just as I remember where I was the first time I tried on a Sony Walkman, I will always remember the first time I chatted with my daughter, who lives four hours away, via computer.

Now I know that Oprah's been on Skype and telling us about it for a few years, but until right now, I'd never had the urge or wish to use it.  I was sitting quietly watching yet more CNN coverage on Michael Jackson (yeah, I know, enough already, but it's the anatomy of this man's journey that has me hooked).  It was just me, my little red Dell, the pups and a fire.  Then I received an e-mail from Lauren, saying that she had downloaded Skype and wanted me to, as well.  Once she'd e-patted me on the head and assured me that I could do it, I did.  And within four minutes were we talking face to face.  Me at the cottage, her in Ottawa.

I don't need to tell you about technological miracles.  There are plenty around us every day.  (The mere fact that you're reading this today is astounding on many levels - believe me!)  But do you remember hearing about this as a kid?  Do you remember - around the same time they told us we'd be in flying cars - we heard that one day we'd be able to talk face to face on video phones?

I remember.  Because we lived so far from my grandparents (we were in Ottawa and they were in Alberta) I imagined how amazing it would be just to click something and visit with Gram, rather than write letters.  That's the first thing I thought of - and the year was about 1968.

Grama's gone now, but the high I felt Saturday when I realized that something I'd heard of and fantasized about as a kid was actually happening, was incredible.  I couldn't have imagined that this is how I would communicate with my own child one day, but it was happening.  What a world we live in.  What a world.

People listen to our radio show from Japan, from Australia, from all corners of the world.  I can write a note to my sisters in BC and have them write back within seconds.  A voice from my dashboard tells me how to find a place I've never been.  My telephone tells me how the stock market is doing.  But the best advances are the ones that bring people together.  That lesson hit home - literally - on Saturday at a quiet cottage on a starry summer night.  When my voice and face went into space and landed in my daughter's lap(top) hundreds of kilometres away.

I can't wait to get MY parents on this!  I think if Dad flew passenger jets, he can get airborne on Skype.  (You can check it out at www.skype.com - I'm not recommending it, as I'm not familiar yet with any catches involved - but that's the website if you wish to suss it out yourself.)

Take care and have a great Monday.

Erin

Okay, what?  Friday already?  If yesterday's traffic is any indication, a lot of people have made this a five-day weekend, beginning on Canada Day.  We don't mind them - we'll take our vacation when it's warmer, thanks!

Hey, I wonder what our neighbours south of the border are going to do, in that tomorrow is their Independence Day?  Take today or Monday?  I'll have to check that out for today's show.  Interesting predicament.  I think I'd take Monday if it was up to me - Fridays are so much more fun.

I doubt you'll envy the way I spent my Thursday: three hours in the comfy chair of an affable tune-singin', drill-slingin' endodontist.  Yes, I had not one, not two, but three root canals thanks to some nasty teeth clenching that I do while I sleep (and sometimes during my waking hours, too) that has cracked and ruined some of them.  Rob says I do it to keep from screaming sometimes.  (If you saw my inbox some days, you'd scream too.  Or clench.  Or clench and then scream because you've cracked teeth.)

Anyway, let me tell you that root canal is not nearly as awful as those two words imply.  Back in the 1920's and onward, perhaps.  But in the past decade or so that I've been getting them (yes, I've had a few), it's been no more uncomfortable than, say, getting a filling.  Granted, I do have a pretty good pain threshold, but no greater than average, I'd say.  It helps when the person working on you sings along with the radio (CHFI, I'm glad to say) and is personable and good to the gentle and friendly staff who work with him.  There's a lot to be said for doctors who treat their co-workers with respect and kindness.

After nearly a day with temporary fillings in those holes they made to get at and get rid of the jangling nerves, I'm in my dentist's chair for two hours this morning after the show.  While the whole ordeal is substantial in terms of time, cost and discomfort, I'm just grateful not to be warming up salad and fruit any more (I'm not kidding) or nervous every time I bite down on something.  Although right now, the only thing I'm biting is the proverbial bullet in order to get this all done; it's a relief.  I'm grateful to live in a place where such care is available and the town blacksmith isn't my only option!

And didn't we have the nicest surprise after a long nap yesterday?  We awoke to a call and a message from a nice man telling us to look outside our condo door (we would talk with security, but the guy lives in our building!) as dinner had arrived.  Rob groggily asked me if I'd ordered dinner - I'd been online looking at restaurants that serve congee and dim sum at supper time - and I said, "No...."

Well, a lovely treat of rice wrapped in lotus leaf awaited us in a brown paper bag - courtesy of my partner, our neighbours, Mike and Debbie Cooper.  I laughed and then wolfed it (didn't eat the leaf, but I gave it some thought!) as I hadn't eaten since 7 am.  What a wonderful treat!  So thoughtful - so Cooper.  So, thank you!

Have a great weekend and we'll talk to you tomorrow at 9 am on our "best of" show, and again on Sunday at 6 pm.  Take care...and next time you're visiting him or her, ask your dentist about a night guard.  Might save you from finding out if I'm telling the truth about root canals - which I most definitely am!  (Besides, lying through my teeth might not be a good idea right now.)  Enjoy your weekend.

Erin

Welcome to July.  Whether it was sprinkled with moments of quiet appreciation or filled with hours of boisterous celebration, I hope your Canada Day was a good one!

Rob and I spent ours quietly at the cottage with Pepper and Molly, doing odds and ends and just taking it easy.  Being reunited with the dogs took some of the numb sadness away after having just left Lauren in Ottawa; some semblance of normalcy giving great comfort.

And so did your e-mails.  I wanted to share a few with you last week but with news events and things still too much in flux in our lives, I didn't feel the time was right.  Plus, you probably could use a break!

So today, in a spirit of gratitude and of sharing what may one day give you some comfort, too, here is one e-mail in particular that touched us as a family (I read it aloud in the car to Rob and Lauren) and is just the perfect reminder of so many things, not the least of which is how much you mean to me.

Your comments these last few months about Lauren's pending move have made me laugh and moved me to tears, all at the same time.  But for me, you really captured the essence of it all this morning when you and Mike Cooper talked about this on the radio... Especially the part about how teenagers purposely become unbearable in order to make the next phase in life that much easier on us, the parents.

Your head and heart must be at constant war - your head being responsible for keeping you busy, mothering Lauren for all you - and she - are worth -- and yet I can only imagine your heart fighting this change with just as much passion as you own.

I quite imagine the opposite to be true as well - your heart being excited for Lauren to move forward; your head believing that she is about to prove to herself (and her parents??) what life lessons she has learned combined with what she has yet to learn.

I can completely imagine your moments of "Are you gone yet?" that are immediately followed by "Don't go".

You are right, Erin - we've all watched your girl - our girl, if I may be so bold - grow up before our very eyes... and I do believe that you and Rob have every reason to be SO proud of yourselves and Lauren....  Know, too, that your tears are good tears - I'm only guessing but I believe they are a mixture of your sadness at watching her first steps out as well as excitement (albeit nervous!) as you watch her spread her wings and soar!!

It is my hope that Lauren's first step to this new phase in life is
one that has her constantly looking over her shoulder knowing what solid foundation is behind her in her parents and family and moving forward with much passion and love of life and its unknown adventures.

Go, Lauren, go - but please, please stay in touch with your CHFI family!!

Hugs to all of you....Linda Bentley

Now, let's cross our fingers and pray that July brings a huge improvement over the wet, cool and gray conditions we've been through so far.  We are ready for summer - so bring it on.  We promise to make the most of every moment!

Erin