This will be my last blog................ from Antigonish!!

I'm sitting on the back deck, trying to stay well out of harm's way while the packers do their magic and turn a house full of our possessions into a pile of boxes.  They are making great progress, and while they're at it, I'm doing some trip planning (my favourite past time).  Our Australia trip is almost looked after, what with only 1 night accommodation left to book...and for that I'm going to wait until the very last minute.  After all, there are many Aussies on this cruise we are going on, and no doubt we will meet SOMEONE on the cruise that has a good tip on a cheap room...as in where to find one, or how to book one.  Now I'm focusing on some excursions and tours for port days.  And as is my way when I book a trip, I can't just book it and leave it....I have to check back, ad nauseum, to make sure a) the price hasn't dropped, or in this case b) a better cabin hasn't come available.  Well, sure enough....there was a better cabin available today on the Princess website....so....I got hold of my travel agent (yes, I used one for this trip and didn't rely on my own booking abilities....and glad I did, cause she saved me $400/person over what I could have gotten on my own) and she worked her magic (seems to be alot of magic going on today....movers....travel agents....) and got our cabin changed.  Some of my research indicated that there is less movement when you are midship or aft (that's the back end for you landlubbers!).  We had an okay cabin, but it was very forward (you guessed it....that's the front end!!).   And I'd also read that besides motion, the closer to the front you are the more likelihood of wind inhibiting your balcony usage...and god knows we paid enough for the damn balcony....I don't want to be unable to use it because of wind!!  So now I'm a happy camper....literally, cause I have no house to live in... and I have an excellent cabin which is the aft side of midship on the port side (that's important because we are traveling counter clockwise around the country and port side allows us to see the sights of Australia vs an endless view of water, water, and more water) ....all's right in my small little world....today....

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  The way to a good doctor....is through their receptionist.  I got the phone number of a new clinic in Saint John as I'm on the hunt for a doctor (female) when I get moved.  I put the call in this morning and had to do some very serious "up-sucking" to sell myself.  Okay, okay, so I didn't get in right away, so my sales pitch wasn't that great...but I'm ever so confident that I will get a call...all because ...and I'm quoting the woman who I spoke with this morning..."in all seriousness, the way to get in is to be nice to the receptionist"...so, of course, my reply was "Do you prefer flowers...or candy?"...

Time to Say Goodbye

2 Harbour View Drive
September 2009

2 Harbour View Drive
June 2010

Here we are spending our last night in the house.  It's been a busy weekend getting things organized and ready for the movers.   Kier and I have been lamenting about the disruption and inconvenience of moving.  But then I told him "we can't get to where we want to be without leaving where we're at"...  He thought that was pretty insightful....every once in a while I do come out with something profound!!   By the look of the pictures above you will see that there was some improvement over the past 1.5 years.  At least the lawn and the landscaping are better than they were.  Of course, the house was sitting vacant for 3 years before we bought it, so a little TLC goes a long way...

As a treat, we went out to Boyd's for supper tonight.  Boyd's is a nice little seafood place at Cribbons Point.  It overlooks the water and has nice seating on a deck...without any insects to feed on you while you feed on your meal.  We had to compare the fried clams there to those at Ossie's and Comeau's.  As nice as the place is, the clams just don't hold a candle to those at Ossie's....or even Comeau's for that matter.  I don't know if it's cause Boyd's are Digby clams or what...but they just taste different...and by different, I mean not as good!  

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:   With all our belongings going into storage for a couple of months, I've been trying to lighten the load as much as possible.  I've come to the conclusion that it's time to let go of some of the things I've been collecting.  And for me, one thing I seem to collect is books.  I don't know why, cause I NEVER re-read a book once I've finished it...so, I packed up 8 bags of books and donated them to the hospital where they sell them as a fundraising initiative.  Today I learned that it's easier to give something away when you know it's going to do more good where you take it than it did where you had it...  hey...is that another nugget of wisdom??...twice in one day....I'm on a roll!!!                                       

And the winner is....

We are 2 days from the arrival of the movers to start packing us up and our freezer is empty....totally...just ice cubes left and we can leave those behind...so it's official...we are the winners of "Freezer Surprise", the game that I invented last month after our house sold.  Mind you, we are eating steak for every meal from now till Monday morning...but hey, it means not having to throw anything out!  Success! 

And it never seems to fail...just when you're about to move, you bump into someone who has been "meaning to get in touch".  I was over at the hospital having coffee with my friends Joan and Heather for the last time (a once a week routine I got into when I retired) when I bumped into Cheryl who was in my first bridge class back before Christmas.  She told me how she'd been hoping to see me cause she's been meaning to get in touch to see if I wanted to be her bridge partner.  As we quickly discovered during our lessons, and as any of you bridge players already know, most people who play take this game verrrry seriously...what part of "game" don't they get????  Anyway, Cheryl and I used to have a laugh or two during class, something that was relatively scarce with all those serious bridge students...and she now says that she identified me as her best fit for a permanent bridge partner.  I agreed wholeheartedly with her, however, had to burst her "bridge bubble" by telling her that the movers were coming on Monday, and I was moving away.  It's a real shame, cause it would have been a match made in "bridge heaven"....oh well, I'm sure I'll find someone in Saint John who can play bridge as poorly as I do and still enjoy the fun of the game....it is JUST A GAME, ya know!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:    It's good to laugh at least once a day...sometimes twice...today's laugh is compliments of cousin Bonnie (my only official, on record, blog "follower" btw) who knows my love of Irish music and cheap flights!!!  This little ditty combines the 2... turn up the sound on your computer and enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/v/HPyl2tOaKxM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3

The Course Giveth and the Course Taketh Away

We finally saw the sun today after what seems like weeks of dull, wet weather.  So, as you probably guessed, we headed to the golf course for what may well be our last round here in Antigonish...and quite possibly the last round for this year.  (Once we get involved with building the house, we'll be working every day.  Our builder and his crew have been working 6 days/week for the past few months, and plan to continue with that schedule with our house.)  We played a round the other day in the damp weather, and because of a tournament last weekend, we had great success in the woods.  I'm in there enough looking for my own balls, so why not look for others while I'm at it?  I "adopted" 10 new balls myself and Kier found another 6.  But, as they say about "adopted" golf balls and first loves..."If you love something, set it free.  If it comes back to you, it's yours.  If it doesn't, it never was".  Well, apparently 5 of those new found balls weren't meant to be mine, so today they chose to return to the woods and lie in wait for their true loves to find them....so ...on Tuesday the course giveth, and today the course taketh away!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  The Town of Quispamsis has granted us a building permit for our new home...we're on our way!!  And Kier is already talking about building another one next year....  one at a time dear, one at a time....

Finnigan, Begin Ag'in...

It was March 2010...2 months before Kier and I and friends Jim and Sue (or is it Sim and Jue??) were scheduled to fly to Belfast, Northern Ireland, via Heathrow airport...a volcano erupts in Iceland and spews enough ash cloud to interrupt air travel in and around London, England.  Do we worry....naw, our trip is 2 months away...nothing to worry about....it'll be cleared up by then.....right??  Wrong!  We did manage to get in to Heathrow back in May 2010, but could not get out.  But after some creative planning/traveling, we made it back on track with only a high car rental bill to show for it.

Fast forward to today...2.5 months before we leave for Sydney...volcanic ash cloud from a volcano in Chile brings Australian air travel to a standstill...bad omen??  I choose to think NOT...ask me again in 2.5 months....

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I'm getting a strong feeling of "deja vu"... AGAIN...and I think I've had this feeling before  ;)

The nightmare of packing

One thing all this rain is good for is staying inside and getting things done...like packing.  Otherwise, I'd be leaving it to the very last minute...and that would lead to panic packing...which would lead to me arriving on the cruise ship with nothing but a bathing suit, jeans, tops and my passport...and all my underwear and socks would be packed away in storage.  So thanks to a comprehensive list, 2 suitcases (one for Australia and one for Saint John), one carry-on and piss pour weather, I'm making my way through a methodical packing process.  I did take a break from the work to get on http://www.princess.com/ to check out some cruise options.  I ordered up my Internet minutes and some special hors d'oeuvres for delivery to our room on board.  And to let Kier off the hook for my BIG Five-Oh birthday present, I told him he could order a special four course Champagne Breakfast to be served on our balcony on the morning of Sept. 10th...and to make sure he got it done right...I did it myself...using his credit card, of course.  And what am I getting for myself on this momentous birthday??  For starters, I pre-booked a pedicure at the on board Spa...beyond that, well, you just never know...

 

Kier, Frank, Ferne and
our ton of luggage at
Gatwick Airport
September 2009


WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:    What was funny 2 years ago is actually more funny today.  Cousins Ferne and Frank came for a visit this past weekend and we had a great time reminiscing about our trip to Ireland in 2009.  And boy, did we laugh!  What about??  Well, let's just say that lessons learned about luggage/packing on that trip will serve Ferne and Frank well on their fall trip to New Zealand.  Ferne assures us she's going to pack light for that trip (we'd like a photo of that please!).  Just remember Ferne...don't pack anything that's too heavy....for Frank to lift...especially if there are stairs and subways to contend with!!  ;)

To bid...or not to bid...

With just 85 days until we head to Australia, I'm finalizing alot of hotel reservations and the like.  I've got one night left to book, being the night the cruise ship arrives back in Sydney before we depart for home.  I've thrown a bid in on http://www.priceline.com/ but was unsuccessful.  Of course, I bid so low that I swear I can hear William Shatner laughing while I await the word back to "try again".  Do I try again, or just keep hoping for a sale offered by one of the hotel lines?  I know for our last trip down under a few years back, I happened upon a fabulous sale which gave us our hotel in Darlings Harbour (an area of Sydney) for approx. $65/night.  This was unheard of....the fact that we were staying there over Christmas may have been a factor.  I did use http://www.hotwire.com/ to book 2 nights before the cruise, and although not THRILLED with the hotel we got, I'm fairly certain we will end up being satisfied with it.  For those of you unfamiliar, hotwire requires you book a hotel blindly, based on star rating and area.  The only thing I have to say about that is....one man's trash is another man's treasure...in other words, the star ratings vary so much depending upon who is designating it.  I've found the same hotel on http://www.expedia.ca/ may have a different rating than, say, http://www.travelocity.ca/ or the hotel chain itself.  It really is a crap shoot.  Oh well, I've got the time to play around with priceline...so I'll give it another go...you know how I always LOVE a deal...and there's no doubt you can get something cheaper through them than you can direct with the hotel.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Air Canada has a seat sale on to thank customers for their patience during the recent strike action.  So...if you're looking to fly somewhere within Canada or the US before December 9th, 2011....then this sale is for you.  However, it must be booked before June 19th, 2011.  Just type THANKYOU in the space for promotion code. 

And while I'm on a travel theme today, I'll outline the value of http://www.seatguru.com/.  Because of the extremely good price we got for our airfare to Sydney, we treated ourselves to paying for premium seats.  It's not a bad deal really, especially if you're on a multi-leg journey like ours is.  You pay one fee based on the length of your journey...in our case on this trip $100/direction (when we do it for Las Vegas, it is generally less expensive) and you get to pick premium seats for each leg all for that one fee.  Now on these big planes with multiple choices for premium seats, which are the best to pick?  That's where seatguru comes in handy.  You enter the type of plane you are flying on and it tells you which to avoid, which are good, which aren't worth the extra money, and even whether there is some free seats that are just as good.  I use it often...especially when it's a type of plane that I'm unfamiliar with.   And of course, don't forget the option to do 24 hour in advance on-line check in....I know with Air Canada they open up even their premium seats within that period on a first come/first served basis...this lets all you people with the same infliction that I have (frontus of the planus syndrome) to improve your "position in life"...even if it is only for the duration of the flight!!

What's with all the old folks?

We got in another round of golf today...as soon as we saw a hint of sunshine we were off to the course.  Safe to say that we weren't the only ones with that thought...it was one of the slowest rounds E-V-E-R!!  OMG!!  It must have been seniors day at the golf course.  And slow!!  You know how golf is supposed to be relaxing??  A nice walk around a scenic course....well, not so much when you're an extreme Type A personality...I was nearly purple from the high blood pressure of watching those in front of us trying to decide what club to use...then change their mind...then change it back.  And each time they'd walk from the cart to their ball and back to the cart, and then back to the ball!  Aaaaggghhh!  That ripping sound is me pulling my hair out!  I know, I know, I can hear you all now..."What do you expect when you retire and golf during the day?  Who else is able to do that?  Other retired people...most of who are of the geriatric vintage."  I think I prefer to golf in the damp weather...at least we can play a quick round cause we're generally the only ones out...everyone else's arthritis is acting up due to the dampness!!  Although the way my hips are feeling right now, it won't be long before I fall into that category as well...

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  In the old days, before computers, emailing and texting, we used to make prank phone calls.  You know the ones I'm talking about...you call someone and ask "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?...well you better let him out"...or the ever popular "Is your refrigerator running?...well you better go and catch it".  Well, in this new technical age, when young people have their Iphones and internet access, they don't often talk on the phone.  They do everything by email or text...so their pranks involve these modes of communication.  Over the past couple of days, in an effort to "lighten our load" with the movers, we've posted a few items on kijiji (yeah, I know, I'm not a big fan, even after having some limited success on it).  I posted a leather chair for sale 2 days ago, and yesterday afternoon I get a response from someone I can only guess is a young woman based on her vernacular...she starts her e-mail with "hey there" and mentions "I NEED to purchase this chair and footstool, I am in love!"...definitely a young girl, right?  She wants to come over right away to buy the chair...so after exchanging e-mails, I give her my address and wait for her to arrive....and wait...and wait.  She's a no show, and doesn't reply to any further e-mails.  Is this akin to having "Prince Albert in a can"?  I'm thinkin' so....

And today's score....Kier +2, Katrina -1

We've got this golf card, you see, which gives us $350 worth of golf for $60...it's for the Antigonish Golf & Country Club and from a company called Dealzilla Promotions.  It gives us 1 free round of golf, 5 '2fer's'  (2 for 1), 2 x1/2 price power carts, and the list goes on.  Here we sit with approximately 15 days left in Antigonish and, before today, had only used 1 2fer and 1 power cart...this translates into a TON of golf for us in the next 2 weeks.  For every box on our punch card that goes unused means the "deal" we got when we purchased it will become less and less of a deal....will I settle for that happening??  Nay, nay!!  So, in spite of the threat of rain today, off we went to the golf course.   It was the first round we played so far this year that we actually walked the course.  You'd think after all the golf up till now we'd be in great shape and the walk would be nothing...not so!  I guess all those power carts really spoiled us!   And we have come up with a new way to score our games of golf...and it's not based on the number of strokes we take (by strokes, I mean how many times we hit the ball, not how many times we keeled over on the course!!). We found ourselves today, not counting our strokes, but keeping track of our golf balls.  Today Kier found 2 more balls than he lost, thus the score of +2.  I, on the other hand, lost 3 balls but only found 2, therefore I ended my day with a -1.  I'm liking this new scoring system much better...I think I'll keep it!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  The excursions are finally available for on-line booking on the Princess Cruise website.  But what I'm seeing is neither grabbing my interest, nor priced reasonably enough to make me want to rush out and reserve.  There was only one excursion that I really had my heart set on, and that was the elephant safari in Bali, and of course, there were no Bali excursions available as yet.  I am signed up on a "roll call" for our cruise with a website called "Cruise Critic".  This site basically provides a forum for all guests of upcoming cruises to meet and chat on-line prior to departure.  I know what you're thinking...people as "sociable" as Kier and I wouldn't want to meet people in advance....heck, we won't want to meet people during the cruise, let alone in advance.  But hey, there's a method to my madness...it also provides a venue to meet other cruisers who may be organizing "non-cruise line sanctioned" excursions...in other words, CHEAPER!!  Anyone who's cruised knows that the cruise line sponsored/organized/endorsed excursions are always much higher priced...emphasis on the HIGHER PRICED!  I'll keep watching the Dawn Princess Roll Call, or else we'll just wait and do the "dock-side scramble"... you know...race off the ship at your port of call, trample those dilly dallying in front of you, and try to reach the dock first to get the best selection of available tours... now doesn't that sound more like us!!

Only 80 days and the building of one house before we leave...can't wait!!!

You can call me....ma'am.

The work is starting to ramp up as we are getting ready to break ground on our new house.  We've got building permit applications completed, accounts set up at building stores, quotes requested on supplies, etc. etc. etc.  We are doing alot of the work ourselves, or in other words, we are going to be our own "general".   Well, I'm going to be the "general" and Kier is going to be a "worker bee".  When I explain this to people, I somehow get the title confused, and have often referred to myself as a "governor".  This has now been modified to "Governor General"...which is kind of apropos as that used to be my long term objective...to be GG.  So, I guess I can now strike that off my bucket list...sort of...although, I must admit, when I first expressed my desire to be GG, I had something a bit more high profile in mind....like GG for Canada...and not just GG of 23 Runnymede Drive.  But hey, mighty oaks from little acorns grow!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I've been making a concerted effort over the past couple of years to be more "vocal" when I'm dissatisfied with services/products.  Well, today I've learned how sometimes these efforts can pay off, even after you thought they already had.  Just after Christmas I sent an e-mail to Nestle Canada about the quality of 2 tins of Quality Street Chocolates that we had rec'd over the holidays.  They responded with forwarding me a $20 Nestle coupon and nice letter explaining the cause of the issue I had with the chocolates.   I was quite pleased with Nestle's response, and felt it quite appropriate and sufficient.  You can imagine my surprise when I arrived home yesterday to find a parcel from Nestle with a Limited Edition Quality Street Tin commemorating the recent Royal Wedding... they must have heard what a big fan I am of.....A)  Chocolates and  B) Royal Weddings....or else....do you suppose they've heard that I'm a new Governor General???

Ossie's or Comeau's?

This is the question for any die hard fried clam fan who lives in southern NB...well, except for the few of you who are shellfish allergic (Sorry Sue G!  You don't know what you're missing!).  Enroute to Sunday River we stopped in for a feed of clams at Ossie's...and I must tell you, as Tony the tiger used to say..."They're ggggrrreat!!!".   Just to be fair, on our return trip yesterday we stopped in at Comeau's.  Alright, I'll fess us....it wasn't entirely to be fair...it was simply that I was hankering for more fried clams, but didn't want to be a part of the food chain....you know, I eat fried clams and the mosquitoes eat me!  I have enough bites already from 5 days on the golf course.  But, as a person who is always looking to make the most of every opportunity, I figured this was a chance to do a bit of a taste comparison.  I have personally always preferred Ossie's.  I find their batter to be much lighter and, well, softer, if that's the right way to describe a fried batter.  (And yes Mom....they were the big fried clams with the bellies on them an all....no old clam strips for me.  Clam strips are nothing more than rubber bands dipped in batter and deep fried!!  No kidding!!)  The price is a bit steep, but the "clams only" at Ossie's are $13.99 and the "clams and fries" run you $14.99.  We went for clams alone and got a healthy portion...but not healthy enough for 2 to share...no way....Kier had to get his own!  Comeau's, on the other hand, didn't have "clams only" on their menu, but only the "clams and fries" at the same price as Ossie's offers the same combo...so no real difference there.  Comeau's batter is much crispier, which, for some, may be better...but for me...not so much.  And, of course, as I previously mentioned, with Comeau's you do get to sit inside, as opposed to sitting inside YOUR CAR at Ossie's....or outside at some dodgy picnic tables to become fodder for the insect population of St. George.  All in all, my suggestion to you is to try them both for yourself and decide.  Although I will say....there were way more people in Comeau's last night then there were sitting in the lot at Ossie's....is that the proof in the pudding...or should I say parking lot????

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I always believed that dealing with people in person was far more effective than dealing with people by phone.  Today....I learned that's not always the case!  I attended Canada Posts main office on Rothesay Avenue to see about getting a superbox key at our new home....or lot.  The person there said that there was no way we could do that until the house was completed and we were moving in.  She did provide me with a 1-800 number to call, but said that I probably wouldn't have much luck.  Low and behold, when I spoke to my new BFF "Brenda", she was more than helpful...and it didn't hurt at all that she was working from a call center in....you won't believe this...Antigonish.  Small world or what!!!  When the little things go your way....you know it's gonna be a good day ;)

Today's blog brought to you by our sponsor.....DEET! No, it's not a dirty word!

We've had three great rounds of golf over the past three days.  We played at the Sunday River GC and then Belgrade Lakes GC.  NOTE TO SELF:  Never play either of these courses w/o a cart.  You'd have to be a mountain goat!  Very hilly, but excellent courses...and the views... just magnificent.  Well, if anyone says that people in Maine don't have $$....just look at this house we saw from one of the holes on the front 9 at

Sunday River.  Just gorgeous!  Today we played a small course in Lovell, Maine called Lake Kezar CC.   A bit rough but a good round none the less.  Today was perhaps the hottest round we played...but I'm not referring to our skills... it was stinkin' hot...!!  And the mosquito's....they've been bad every day we played.  I've switched to a new bug spray which seems to have improved my bite situation...higher DEET content.  I don't care what they say....having a bazillion bug bites can't be good for you either!!

Today is the end of our golfing, and we've certainly had the opportunity to brush up on our skills.  It also served to prove to Kier that I am up for a week long golf holiday in Myrtle Beach.  We've got it booked for the end of March 2012.  Maybe by then I'll be on the LPGA??  Yeah, not likely...but those lessons I took a few years ago continue to serve me well. 

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It is very important to keep my mouth closed when traveling on a golf cart...and not because I'm trying to be all proper and using my golfer's etiquette.  It's strictly to keep the damn bugs out of my mouth!! 

Okay Mr. Ringling....it's time to let your elephants out!

Our week here at the Grand Summit Resort Hotel is compliments of a timeshare coupon that we bought.  Our friends Janet and Scott got us turned on to them.  They can be purchased through the website at http://www.resortcerts.com/.  At least once a year they have a promotion on which sells the coupon for $159 (used to be $149) which can be exchanged for a weeks accommodation at any of a number of resorts throughout the world.  The hitch...there's always a hitch...is that you have to be very flexible on where you want to go, or, at the very least, when you want to go there.  Our first night here was great.  It was like we were almost alone in this huge resort.  But our luck being what it is, we got the one room in the resort that currently has a broken window....so no opening it up for fresh air or smoke removal after Kier's cooked his sausage and eggs for breakfast.  It is clearly stated in the booking confirmation....no refunds, no upgrades, no exchanges....the room you get, is the room you get....PERIOD!  Oh well, the a/c works great in the room, so we just blast it on high...day in....and day out.  Not so bad...we can live with that one inconvenience....until last night when we got back from golf.  Sometime over the previous 24 hours the Ringling Bros. Circus moved in to the room above us.  The constant elephant dance rehearsals are getting to be annoying.  Come on Mr. Ringling....it must be time to take those elephants out for a while!!

Kier washing his balls
at the cart
(okay folks....get your minds
out of the gutters!!)

Today we golfed in Bethel and had a great round.   Just a few rain showers from the 17th hole on.  There were only 3 strokes between Kier's score and mine.  By tomorrow I expect to be able to beat him!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  You know those key cards that you get to open your hotel room doors?  Well, I've always been concerned about them if they got lost or fell into the wrong hands because of all the data available on the magnetic strip.  I had always believed that personal information, like credit card info etc., was stored on them.  While listening to Oprah's channel on Sirius radio today I heard a travel expert who was dispelling old travel myths.  I am happy to report to you that there is nothing stored on these key cards aside from the room number and dates of your stay....so I don't have to worry about that one I lost on the Vegas strip a few months ago!!

Those "no-see-ems" were so big....you could "see-em"!!

It's really quite amazing what deals you can find on the Internet.  Shortly after we booked our trip to Sunday River I started researching golf options in the area.  The way I figured it, there would be little to do in the "non-ski" season besides golf and a side trip to North Conway.  So the hunt was on for deals.  Today we

Androscoggin Valley
Country Club,
Gorham, NH

golfed here.  I found a deal for 18 holes, plus cart for $35.00/person.  I guess I can figure out why the offer was only good after 1 pm...the bugs (in these parts they call them "no-see-ums") were a bit bad, which I should have expected seeing that we were in a heavily wooded area in the White Mountains.  Bugs aside, the weather was great and it was hot, hot, hot...unfortunately, my golf game was not, not, not!!  Oh well, tomorrow we're off to the Bethel Inn and Country Club to play a round.  I also found an online deal there, however, we couldn't take advantage of it because it had to be pre-ordered.  It offered 18 holes, cart AND  lunch for $39/person.  I hate it when I miss a "sale"!!  

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:   Pink golf balls seem to like the woods way more than white golf balls.  Now I don't have an explanation for this phenomenon, but I can say that, so far this season, whenever I play with a pink ball, it ends up lost in the woods.  Yet when I play with a white ball, I often finish my game with the same ball I started with.  And, to take it one step farther, whenever I FIND golf balls in the woods, they are NEVER pink....so where do all the pink balls go?????

What's wrong with this picture??

Here is our new house....well, the lot that it will eventually sit on...

Here we are...in the hot tub at the Grand Summit Resort in Sunday River...away for a week long golf getaway...                                    

Problem with this picture??  I think NOT!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's ALWAYS the right time for a "getaway"....it's officially Day 2 and I loooooove retirement!!!

Time to shed a tear

Here it is, June 1st....my last day at work...kind of anti-climactic seeing that I've been on "holidays" since March 29th...but it is still my last work day before I start my full out retirement.  That sound you hear is the tissue sliding out of the box, and me wiping the tear away....and maybe even the big ugly honking of me blowing my nose...NOT!  In light of this 'full out retirement', we have finally made a housing decision.  We are going to build.  And we completed the sale on our lot.  We are land barons now!!  Well, if you call someone who owns one small little 1100+ square foot lot a land baron....but hey, we choose to use that title!!  We'll be the Baron and Baroness of Quispamsis.  I know, I know, I've been influenced by too much 'royal wedding' crap...  Anyway, it promises to be a BUSY summer...and oh, did I mention....98 days 'till our cruise departs.  Hang on tight....it's going to be a bumpy ride!!!

(l to r) Sue G, Sue M, myself and Janet

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Last night I had what could be considered one of the longest meals in Saint John history.  Myself and three of my oldest friends got together for a meal at a new restaurant in town, Splash.  When we get together, time literally stands still and it's like I've never spent any time away.  We were celebrating Janet's 50th.  I am now, officially, the youngest of the 4 of us....and did I mention the only one that is retired!!  I hear you Janet, Sue G, and Sue M., "shut up already....you mentioned that 5 times last night".  But, hey, it bears repeating....oh, at least a dozen more times I think!!!!  We had a fabulous meal and several laughs.  And ya know....we didn't dwell alot on time gone by, but talked about the future and what lays ahead for us all.   I think it must be a sign of maturity....yeah, yeah, I know, that's just a nice way of saying old age!!  Well, that really only applies to Janet, and the 2 Sue's....I'm the baby of the 4some, remember??   So what I learned today is something I really already knew....old friends never get "old"....