Two Sore Backs

Maynard and Deborah Brown have been generous with their time over the years, volunteering for the House Committee at Capilano Golf Club. Deborah was also a director during my time at Cap, and I was fortunate to work with them both.

I had recalled talking to Maynard about family summer homes – ours at Savary Island, theirs in Nova Scotia – so I reached out to them when planning our trip thinking it would be great to drop by and see their place – they are located close to Canso, home to the Stan Rogers Folk Festival which was our itinerary.

Maynard and Deborah generously offered to let us stay with them – tenting on their lawn if family was there.

They suggested we stop on the way to see the church in Trachadie. Impressive.

Lucky for us, their Hadleyville home was free, so we arranged to meet Maynard there. Deborah was in Vancouver – we missed her this time. Here’s what we found:

The first person we met there was actually their friend George who was dropping off batteries that are used to run the water pump and to charge battery-powered lights. He’s also the fellow who cuts the grass and helps with repairs and maintenance. A very capable guy – every country homeowner needs someone like George.

Deborah is an interior designer, and one of Maynard’s hobbies is fine carpentry. It shows.

Being able to stay here was very, very fortunate. During Stanfest, Nova Scotia got pounded with record rainfall. And while Canso was spared the worst of it, some of the campers making their way to the festival were a soggy, and sorry, sight.

While Val and I stayed near Hadleyville, Maynard stayed at his other place in Boylston. Formerly the general store, the house is a work in progress, but wow is this place cool.

Our stay in Hadleyville was a great reminder of the influence summer homes can have on families, especially children. Savary Island was incredibly important for our kids. The story below, which we found in the Hadleyville home, sums it up nicely.

Big thanks to Maynard and Deborah. We had a great time and survived the storms!