Two Sore Backs

The title sums up many of our fondest memories from our trip. And it all comes together on our last day in Nova Scotia.

LaHave Bakery

We leave Grand Pre and Wolfville and drive down to LaHave Bakery to meet Pat’s Aunt Carol. Uncle Pat and Carol moved from Toronto to Nova Scotia awhile back. Unfortunately Pat passed away a few years ago.

We arrive shortly before Carol and take in the old general store vibe. When Carol spots Pat she recognizes him immediately and says to me ‘he’s a McGuire’!

We settle into those colourful Adirondack chairs outside with our sandwiches and coffee.

Carol brings along photos of Pat. Pat was an artist and loved colour. Through the photos we learn about their Toronto life, move to Nova Scotia, their horse Bertie, their farm and updates on Pat’s cousins Brenndan, Camille and Molly.

Each of us hate to say goodbye.

Port George Lighthouse

On the drive back to Cottage Cove we call Paul McGuire. We are chatting about the family and Paul recalls that his brother Louis got involved in the transfer of the Port George Lighthouse to the community group.

The lighthouse is one of many lighthouses DFO deems surplus to their needs back in the late 1990s.

Incidentally Karen is currently on the lighthouse committee. It seems everyone is separated by one or two degrees at most!

Happy Hour at Cottage Cove

This is a Friday tradition. Rather than the regular beach gathering we are invited to dinner at neighbours – Dave and Cindy. This group have been coming to Cottage Cove for many years and have many stories to share.

The fall migration back home is starting. Tonight will be one of the last Happy Hours. Cindy asks everyone around the table about their winter plans.

At dinner, Pat is seated between Dave and Jim and it turns out that Jim has known Paul McGuire for ages (sons played hockey together and Paul coached the team). Jim is also involved in the Port George Lighthouse Society. The society formed to save the lighthouse when DFO declared it surplus. The negotiations had broken down and Jim had mentioned it Paul. Paul contacted his brother Louis (then working in Ottawa as a deputy minister to Herb Dhaliwal) and the negotiations were complete the next day. Jim’s govt ‘contact’ told him ‘I’m not sure who you know in Ottawa but …..’.

Great story!!

Small world!!

What a fabulous day!

Morden

It is fitting that we start our next morning just down the road, at the Morden community breakfast. A special treat, fish cakes!

These breakfasts are volunteer run and keep the village community halls running year round. I think you could avoid cooking breakfast on the weekend all summer long; every community puts on several free-will breakfasts.

The French Cross at Morden is our farewell point. This memorial is to a group of French Acadians fleeing expulsion from Nova Scotia in 1755. They hoped to go to New Brunswick but do not survive their first winter in Morden.

We are heading home.