PatDawnMontreal2022

The day after we returned safely from PEI, we started hearing about a ferry fire??  We crossed back over to Nova Scotia on Thursday, and the fire happened on Friday.  We made the Monday crossing to PEI on the Holiday Island, and on Friday of the same week, a fire started in the engine room.  It was contained there with no injury or loss of life to the crew, passengers, or cargo (cars).  It was just short of docking at Wood Islands, PEI when the fire started.  All 182 passengers had to don life jackets and exit via the slides.  Cars were stranded on board for up to 2 days before they were able to get them offloaded.  It has created a giant disruption in the travel to/from PEI for the tourist season.  There is another (larger) ferry that will continue to do 4 round trips per day year round, but nearly half of the billets are gone for the season.  The Holiday Island is put in service for the high-demand summer season, but will be out of service ...

 For Sister Johnson, no trip to Prince Edward Island, or anywhere in the proximity of it, would be complete without the total Anne of Green Gables experience.  So this was the highlight of our trip.  For those of you who aren't immersed in this saga, it was a book which led to a series of books written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, starting in 1908.  It is a fictional tale in a semi-fictional place:  Avonlea is actually Cavendish, PEI, where some of Lucy M's relatives lived.  The family cottage has been restored and it is well kept, and a big worldwide fan and tourist draw.  Of course there was intermittent rain when we arrived, but Sister Johnson was not deterred from heading right to the house. She pauses briefly for a photo before disappearing inside to check it out. This is the actual typewriter that L. M. Montgomery used to type the novel.  There is a visitor's centre, and gift shop (of course) with memorabilia and souvenirs.  Her novels abou...

 On Monday, 18 July, we began our long-awaited trip to Prince Edward Island.  It is actually an island, and it's own Province.  The capital is Charlottetown, which is also the birthplace of the Canadian Confederation, like Philadelphia is in our move from colonies to the USA.  There are 2 ways you can get a car on the island:  The second (which we did not do) is the Confederation Bridge that runs across Northumberland Sound from New Brunswick to PEI.  It is way out to the west, and it would have taken a full day to drive that far.  The primary way to get across with your car is by ferry.  We started with a 3.5 hour drive from our apartment to Caribou, NS to the ferry terminal. We had prepaid reservations for a 1:30pm crossing.  That means we have a reserved spot on the ferry, and priority loading.  It's a multi-deck ferry, we were on the upper car level.  The large ferry is powered forward or reverse, does not have to back off and t...

 Our missionary service includes quite a variety of experiences and projects.  Last week, we helped our friends Norm and Karen repaint their porch.  Sister Johnson painted the details on the lattice work and stair railings. We are not finished after 1 day, and will be going back to finish.  I went to the store and got some sandpaper and a backing pad that could be put on the end of a broomhandle, and sanded down the deck, to get the old paint off and prep the surface for new. A little out of chronological order, but along the same lines, we helped friends Jim and Rhonda weed their commercial garden.  The growing conditions here on Cape Breton are nearly ideal, warm days and adequate rain, so the grass and weeds overgrew the newly planted beets.  We spent several hours clearing this patch to give the beets a chance.  The rest of the rows are so overgrown that there are hardly any surviving beets left.  And any there are are so small that they get p...

Our very enthusiastic Primary President, Sister Debbie, organized a Family History night for the Primary kids, and asked us to assist.  We were able to open a FamilySearch account for them, making sure that their user name, password, and recovery number are well documented in case they are ever forgotten.  We know from experience that this vital information sometimes gets misplaced - even with adults, so we took special care to make sure their first experience with Family History is a good one. My young friend was able to open his own account and enter the names of his parents and grandparents to start his own Family Tree!  You will note that we don't publish children's names, and use only first names or pseudonyns for adults.  It's all part of security and privacy these days. Sister Johnson's VERY ENTHUSIASTIC little friend was able to do the same.  We love Family History, as y'all well know, and are appreciative of the opportunity to help anyone get started....

Sister Johnson makes new friends wherever we go.  She's having a delightful and very animated discussion with her new friend Joann, who does amazing afghans and needlework.  Joann also knows where all the clever "how to" videos are on youTube. Sister J and Sister Teresita are inviting their friend Phuong to a Relief Society movie night. Sister J with Saralynn and her beautiful daughter It's Movie Night!  The Relief Society had plush seating and refreshments all set up (with appropriate decorations, of course).  We made a quick loop and picked up Sisters Phuong and Joan for the event.  I am after all, the guy who chauffers Sister Johnson around.  The movie was "The Fighting Preacher", and was enjoyed by all the sisters.

  As part of our missionary service in Sydney, we seek out opportunities to serve, and get involved in the community.  One worthy venture is Loaves & Fishes, a combination kitchen and food bank.  Unfortunately (and it's not unique to Sydney), there is a segment of the people who for whatever reason, just don't have the opportunity for even 1 hot meal per day.  L&F has outstanding leadership and support from the community, and the opportunity is provided 365 days per year for a hot meal prepared from whatever is in the kitchen and pantry.  Marguerite (brown shirt, back turned) is the director of the meal operations, and she runs a tight ship!  No smoking, drugs, dogs, or bad behavior, and she means it.   We try to help once per week, usually on Friday mornings, but we have gotten early calls when Marguerite has been shorthanded, and luckily we have been able to quickly shift our schedules to come down and help.  In good weather, the me...

 We're all about getting into the local culture!  Here in the northern tip of Cape Breton Island, that has to include the coal mining history, going back to the 1700's.  54 years ago, a men's chorus was formed, they've been together ever since, with many new members coming in and old ones going out .  .  .  .  The only requirement was that you had to be an actual coal miner (active or retired), and could sing.  They are the Men of the Deeps, deeps referring to the mines themselves.  The gentleman in the front row, left, has been with them for 52 of those years. They are regionally famous, and have performed throughout Canada and the NE USA.  They are going on tour in 2022 after a 2-year hiatus due to covid.  They also have a new CD coming out in September, which we will for sure get, it has most of the songs they sang during this concert. I'd have to say that they are quite good, and have several soloists among them who sang ballads...

If you're wondering why there have been 5 posts in 1 day?  The answer is:  Sister Johnson has a positive on a rapid covid test!  So we're keeping to ourselves for several days, and I've made about all the phone calls I can.  We're thinking she got it from a sweet Sister we visited last Thursday who Sis J hugged when we greeted her, and also when we left - who called us the next day very contrite and told us she just tested positive. The good news is that Sister J has a very mild case:  no fever, but dry cough, sore throat, and general body aches.  She rates the discomfort about 3-4 out of 10.  She's improved much today, and we hope to be back on light duty by Wednesday and at full strength by next week.  So far I am asymptomatic.