LESS THAN THREE MONTHS

Just under ninety days from now, we will be pulling out for points South, once again, a new camper, same old truck, but still a great desire to avoid the snow and cold of Canada, Snowbirds and Winter Texans once again!
First to Florida and then wind our way to West Texas, with a lovely stop in Leesville,  Louisiana ,  we hope once again to attend the Cowboy poetry Gathering in Alpine, Texas, along with visiting friends in Zapata, south of Laredo. Six months, just cruising around in the Sun, now, that's our kind of fun! 

Unofficial hosting

On our way home from being campground hosts in Cape Breton, we stayed at a private campground in Harve Boucher near Antigonish. In drove the longest hard top tent camper we had ever seen, along with three vehicles.  Ten children pile out, turned out to be the nicest group of  rug rats we have ever encountered. All foster children from the Ottawa area, bar one who was Jannette's bilogical child.  Jannette and John had got off the Nfld Ferry that morning, believe it or not they travelled from Ottawa to Labrador City to Goose Bay, ferry to Newfoundland and then went to Gros Morne.  Not all the kids made it over to our site, so we had to ask, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE THERE?.  We had  a wonderful time talking to them, we covered a lot of subjects, some told us about their many foster care situations, it was more than interesting. Janet joined us for a night cap, after all  were in bed, they also had a few tents with them.   Can you imagine driving almost a thousand miles with absolutely nothing but trees on each side of the dirt road and constantly, it's "are we there yet?"  Hello to Michelle, Ashton, Brook, Taylor, Johnny, Brandon, Katherine, Shayla, Cole, and Isaac, honorable mention to the two other adults assisting, Tony & Gena!  Jannette, thanks for the aperitif !  It was so good before our Kraft dinner and canned tomatoes!

"Final Cut"

The weather here in Cape Breton is just not co-operating,last night was the first of Parks Days, all kids events had to be cancelled, mud everywhere, all the trailers coming in are eating up the roads and grass. That didn't stop "FINAL CUT" from performing with an audience that  expanded to a dozen people at one point, despite pouring down rain they performed for the full three hours, at one point about half dozen gathered around the bonfire ,under umbrellas and others drifted over during the evening. Joe, Shaelene and Joel belted out all types of tunes, there is nothing they can't play. They told me they had day jobs, but I couldn't believe they didn't perform professionally on a full time basis. How they got started performing here in the park  was interesting.  One night a few years ago they were singing around their campfire when security asked them to tone it down , because it was past ten o'clock.  Next day the scheduled band didn't show, the security officer, Gary, saw them in the audience and asked if they would play for the afternoon, now it's an annual paying gig!!!  

Lunch in louisburg

Our first day off from our heavy duties out on the Mira, we went to Louisburg to do laundry and have a restaurant meal. Drove out to see the Fortress from afar. Not interested in the guided tour! Going to be hard to return to the rat race after all this relaxation! 

OUT ON THE MIRA

On July 4th we celebrated Independence Day at Mira Provincial Park in Cape Breton. To make our celebration more enjoyable we played the Saints CD that was given to us by Miss Jo at Post 145 in Leesville, LA, while listening to the music it brought back great memories of the Saints Game.
Today we went to the Two Rivers Wildlife Park, okay but so hot ! Seen a bunch of teenagers getting ready to jump off Marion Bridge, its a tradition around here.  

Less tha 5 months

Less than five months, and we will be on the road for Florida. Tomorrow, we will attend the Tattoo, and then it's off to the Mira in Cape Breton, Paul has already memorized 3 stanzas of "Out On the Mira", and the chorus.
We will arrive the afternoon of July 4th and if there are any Americans in the park, we plan to invite them to our campfire and wish them Happy Independence Day!  H. I. Day  to our friends at Post 145 in Leesville, Louisiana.

Can you imagine a piece of the universe,                                                                                                 more fit for princes and kings,
I'll trade you ten of your cities, for Marion Bridge,
and the pleasures it brings.

Out on the Mire on soft summer nights,
Bonfires blaze ,to the children's delight!

Here's the new camper...don't feel sorry for the truck, this one weighs 1000 lbs. less than the old camper !

New camper

Well, we did it, finally purchased a new truck camper, broke it in  attending the Nova Scotia Campground Host training program. We are now official hosts, spent the week-end at Amherst Shore Provincial Campground meeting many of the people that have been doing it for years, some as long as 15 years.  Our first stint will be in Mira River Prov. Park in Cape Breton,  first two weeks of July. You are just there to answer any questions tourists or campers may have when park staff are not available. We had run into many such hosts on our camping forays in many states and at home and always wanted to volunteer, so now we have!
The new camper has a few things the old one didn't ,  ie:   a shower & furnace plus a queen size bed and a larger fridge. Also an awning and outside stereo speakers!  Five and one-half months and we hope to pull out once again for points South, ie:  Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and especially Louisiana!!

Look up the lyrics to "Out On The Mira"   

Six months

Six months to go, then we head for the land of  no snow, we may experience a little on the trip South, first part of December, but then no snow for one year again as we soak up rays from the southern states  for six months and then six months back here in Canada's Ocean Playground ! We purchased  a new truck camper instead of a trailer, don't want to learn to tow a monster at our age, we have lots of experience with the camper style and plan to stick with it. Besides with the truck camper you don't need registration or safety checks.  This one has a shower. Next week-end, heading out to a Nova Scotia campground to learn to be campground hosts, volunteer hosts camp free, with electricity!!! Our first two weeks as hosts will be in July "Out On the Mira" Stay tuned!!!

1st of May

Hooray, Hooray, it's the second of May, in Nova Scotia, outdoor screwing started yesterday!
We were too busy to Blog yesterday, and we didn't have the laptop with us!!
It's also a national election today, whatever the results, we all get screwed ,it's the Cdn way!!
Seven months and we pull out for points South, ie: Florida, Texas and especially Louisiana!!
Hope that Canadian dollar stays up there, right now it's worth $1.05 American. Only costs us
95 cents to buy an American buck. Two years ago, every dollar cost us $1.30, that hurt!

Sitting out on the deck today with a glass of wine, remembering where we were last St. Patrick's Day, walking around Beacon Hill park in Victoria BC with Trish recalling her childhood days in the park!, We then travelled to Comox for two weeks. Even though it's only 40 farhenheit, sitting in the direct Sun with no wind is like heaven, it's been a hard winter. Watching our neighbour collect his maple syrup sap, it takes forty gallons of sap  to make one gallon of syrup.. We talk of nothing but pulling out of here next November prior to the snow falling. Just about 8 months!  

10 month plan

The ten month plan is now down to 9 months and counting, we conceived the idea last month to move into a trailer and spend six months South and six months back here in Nova Scotia.  We will go to a RV show again this month, but we pretty well have our minds made up, as to which trailer, we  will spend the rest of our lives in!!!  Yes, No more apartments, "Trailer Life", for the rest of our days, seeking the Sun at all times, this winter has been different because we spent last winter down South, we are not the first people to do this , but we plan to have fun doing it, we hope our friends and family will follow us on Home Sweet Highway.  You will notice I always say South with a capital "S", that's because sunshine deserves a capital letter.

I read something last week where the person used the term "Sunworshippers" as something derogatory, please tell me, what is wrong with worshipping the Sun!!! 

The Hawk has always been our Guardian in all our trips. Even when we do not see a Hawk all I have to do is look at the gorgeous gold Hawk earrings that I received on my last birthday from Lucy & Andy ( they are our Guardian Angels in Leesville, LA ) . As the months and seasons go by in our 10 Month Plan the pictures of the Hawks will change, but our friendship with the Laverty's will last forever !

THE TEN MONTH PLAN!

Here we go again, we are reviving Home Sweet Highway, if you are interested you can follow us on our ten month plan to pull out for the Southern states and sunshine on December 1st, 2011.  The plan is to buy a travel trailer and live in it continously, yes, we are giving up our apartment totally, getting rid of more stuff and living year round in the trailer, we thought of this when we were on the road to California last year, now we have made up our minds, just as we had the six month plan in 2009 to travel from Nova Scotia to British Columbia via Florida and California, the ten month plan WILL come to fruition.  We don't have the trailer yet, but we went to a R.V. show recently and have made up our minds which one it will be. We welcome your comments!