Barcelona!

I am heading to Barcelona (first time!) in a few days - any suggestions re places to go/things to see and do?

Carol Ann

The Secret we call Mavillette Beach

Hi there - I am just back from my Nova Scotia vacation - and in particular a trip down memory lane at my high school reunion (MRHS is 60 years old!) I absolutely love reconnecting with those I graduated with in 1964 - such a long time ago and so many memories.

This vacation was different. Lois and I didn't spend as much time in Halifax as we normally do. We actually spent four days in Middleton and that might be the longest I have stayed there in years. We loved every second of it. I hope to stay in touch with everyone I saw - famous last words I know but it's worth a try.

We went to our beloved Mavillette beach - in Digby County. Sunshine every day (for four days!) and not a hint of fog. A post card says, "While touring the scenic, sometimes rocky coast of St. Mary's Bay, Mavillette is an unexpected treat with 1.5 kms of sandy beach." I will say that it is the most beautiful place on earth in my opinion. My mom loved it and so do I. You can get lost walking on the beach and spend hours relaxing and forgetting everything but the sand at your feet. We always stay at the Cape View Motel and Cottages and this year I met Carol and Russell who are new owners since I was there two years ago. Great people and so keen to help their guests in any way. Please visit their website http://www.capeviewmotelandcottages.com/ and consider vacationing there when you need a break.

While I was in that part of my home province I met a woman who first contacted me on October 27, 2007. Tanya lives in Port Maitland - just seconds from Mavillette. I wrote Tanya's story in my latest book, If I Knew Then What I Know Now (page 160) and we decided it was time we met in person. We had a wonderful visit and I know we will stay in touch always. I met her handsome son too!

I drove home this year - 700 kms the first day and 1100 kms the second day - coming and going and it wasn't bad at all. I found my way through Montreal without getting lost (okay, I have a GPS) and I will definitely do it again.

There were many friends I didn't get to see in Halifax but that will happen the next time. I need to go home for even long next year.

Now it's back to a bit of work - some speaking engagements and working on my latest journals.

Hope you are enjoying the summer.

Love
CA

Grandchildren - and the things they say

My grandson, Jalen, recently lost his second tooth. He didn't realize it had come out so did not have it to put under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Mum and Daddy suggested he write a letter explaining all of this to the Tooth Fairy.

During a recent visit with Nana Jalen sat down to compose his letter. Very independent at five years of age he insisted on "doing it myself" and did not want my help in any way. His note read as follows -

"I lost my tooth.
James and Tracey know it.
My name is Jalen."

He then folded his letter, put it in his pocket and proudly showed it to Dad when we arrived at his home the next day.

Life really is simple if we allow it to be.

I am heading East tomorrow for my summer vacation in Nova Scotia.

You enjoy your summer too.

Carol Ann

"Going Home"

This summer my sister, Lois, and I have a road trip planned. We will start with a few days in Halifax, followed by more days in Middleton for our MRHS Reunion, followed by more days at Mavillette Beach followed by more days back in Halifax - and I can hardly wait!

I am driving down in my little MX5 and am hoping I make it through Montreal without any errors in reading the signs. The last time I drove home was back in the early and mid '90's so maybe the signs will make more sense to me this time? (Likely not but we will see.) I seem to end up in the downtown Montreal area and have to head out from there so I clearly have been getting lost in the past. However I have my GPS this time so nothing can go wrong correct?

I leave Toronto on the 15th so may be back here before I leave.

Carol Ann

G8 and G20 aftermath in Toronto

By day's end on Saturday June 26th I had received calls from family and many friends as far away as my home province, Nova Scotia, asking if I was safe and if I needed a place to stay far away from my downtown Toronto condo. There were times when I considered their offer but in the end I felt safe tucked away in my little corner of this vast city that I am trying very hard to call home.

The Black Bloc was unfamiliar to me prior to the protests and riots here this past weekend. It appears the Bloc is a group with no leader and no organization. They show up, wreak havoc as they hide their faces and then they leave. They hid among well intentioned protesters on our steets and then broke away storming through streets, damaging banks and corporate storefronts as well as setting fire to police cruisers. They refer to our city as a State - suggesting, to me, they are from out-of-town. For over 90 minutes here a mass of black-clad protesters took over the streets. "Nobody speaks for anybody in this milieu. They're totally organic structures of people that come together in a certain time and place, and then they disolve," said a graduate student with a US University. Sina Rahmani, a graduate student with the University of California, has written on the history and meaning of the Black Bloc tactic.

On our streets, Bloc members sometimes appeared organized - they used code words to pass along directions and as their rampage came to an end, they formed a tight huddle, changed into street clothes and carefully dispersed into the crowd.

What I was bothered by, almost as much as the Black Bloc, was hearing the many locals who felt they had been wronged by our police when they were simply "out for a walk," or "just wanted to see what was going on and forgot my ID," or "I was just taking my daughter for a walk and we came across the protest." Come on! Imagine how ticked off we would be with our police force if one of the Black Bloc had gotten away from a policeman by saying, "Officer I am just out for a walk and forgot my ID!"

The visible fences are coming down - but the invisible fences will be up for some time to come. Probes will take place, blame will be cast and the police forces from all areas that came to keep us safe will be talked about by so called experts - who really are not experts at all.

This is a tough city to call home - I am working on it.

Carol Ann

Here Comes Summer!

Where did June go? This month has passed in a blur . . . and now we make plans for the summer. This is an exciting time of the year and I love it.

I have a few very different projects on the go but the one taking most of my time and the one I find totally rewarding at the moment is a writing project with the Good Neighbours' Club. I spend each Wednesday morning at the Club working with different members who would like to have their life story (or part of it) captured in words. Many of the men are homeless, most are unemployed and some have various forms of illness to deal with. I find it humbling to work with these individuals - I am learning so much from them. They share their story with ease and spare no detail - most have lived a very hard and difficult life and they are still young men. If we are able to capture a sufficient number of stories I hope to put them all together in a book that would raise much needed money for the GNC. We will see.

I visited with family at beautiful Sylvan Lake (about two hours South of Edmonton) this month and it was nice to have a short vacation at this time of the year. It was so relaxing and much more quiet than downtown Toronto!

Jalen's school year is winding down - next year - Grade ONE.

Enjoy Canada Day - coming up fast.

"HERS" The Sky is the Limit exhibit

Several days after I left Grande Prairie Alberta in late March a new art exhibit came to the Prairie Art Gallery. My sister Lois saw the exhibit right away - she volunteers at the Art Gallery each week - and she loves every second of it!

A few years ago Isabella Orzelski-Konikowski began working on this exhibit. To quote the Prairie Art Gallery, "HERS is a portrait exhibition and the paintings are all women and all artists. In their honour, 32 large-scale portraits of contemporary, innovative Canadian women in the arts have been completed. The artists' goal is to depict each of these women expressing their passion in their respective art forms."

In 2007 I posed for Isabella - in the Edmonton airport when I was en route from Yellowknife to Halifax. I had a brief stop in Edmonton and we had arranged to meet there. Isobella took many photos of me and we got to know each other ever so briefly. You will find a 30 X 40, oil on canvas, completed in 2008 of me as part of the HERS Exhibit. I had never posed for something like this before and I was delighted with the way Isobella captured me - as a writer with my filofax, journal and notes all around.

You can see all of the portraits at Isobella's website - www.artiza.com

Until Lois saw my portrait on the wall at the Gallery she had no idea it was there - small world yes? Too bad my timing was a bit off. I would love to have watched Isobella hang her exhibit.

Take a look at the portraits when you have time. I would love to know what you think.

Enjoy these early days of May...

CA