Vacay - Part 3

The drive back from New Brunswick was pretty uneventful. We had overcast and rainy weather.  We got back to my place at about 9:30 pm. The next day we took a relax day and got the car unpacked, laundry done and the lawn mowed.

On Friday, we went downtown to the Governor General's official residence Rideau Hall and then to Parliament Hill. It was the first time I had been to Rideau Hall.  We went for a tour of the public rooms. You aren't allowed to photograph inside so I don't have any pictures.

This is a picture of the tent room I found online. The walls are wood paneling covered in fabric to look like a tent but at one time these were drapes that could be lowered so that the room could be used for banquets. When it wasn't being used for banquets, it was used as a tennis court. The chandelier wasn't there then. After the tour of Rideau Hall, we spent a little while touring the grounds. It would make a really nice place to go for walks except that dogs are not permitted.

Changing of the Guard

Sentry at Rideau Hall

Fountain in front of the Hall

Rideau Hall

Garden on the grounds

Video taken while at Rideau Hall

Afterwards we went up to Parliament Hill. We had thought to do the tour then have lunch but the next tour that was available was at 2:30 pm so we quickly changed our plan and had lunch first then walked the Sparks Street Mall until it was nearly time for our tour. It looked like it was going to pour rain for awhile and we took shelter under the Peace Tower but we only got a few sprinkles before the clouds passed over. 

Parliament and the Eternal Flame

Lion carving on the Peace Tower

Another stone carving

You are able to take photos inside Parliament but you can't use a flash or a tripod so some of the photos aren't the best.

House of Commons

Stain glass window to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

The Senate

One of the reasons that I wanted to go down to Parliament was that on display in the Hall of Honour are the plaques of each solider who died in Afghanistan. These plaques had been in Kandahar but since Canada's mission is ending they were brought home and will go on tour after being on display in Ottawa.

I worked with Major Ray Ruckpaul and Sergeant Craig Gillam while I was the Quartermaster at the Armour School in Gagetown.

Every soldier was led home by a piper and these bagpipes were used in Kandahar to lead many a soldier home.

The next day Saturday, our youngest sister, Maureen and her partner Steve were coming up from Toronto to stay the night. My sister Juanita and her family hosted dinner so we made a couple salads to add to the dinner fare and had a nice evening together. For my sister Annette, it was the first time she met our nephew's fiancee.  

On Sunday, Annette and I went to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum to see the Star Wars Identities Exhibit. 

Annette at the Aviation Museum

We chose the right time to go, we headed out just before lunch and when we bought our tickets we only had about 45 minutes to wait to see the Star Wars exhibit, by the time we came out the wait was over two hours.  Admission to the air museum was free with your admission the Star Wars exhibit. 

C3PO

Anakin Skywalker

Darth Vadar

Video of Star Wars Identities Exhibit

We didn't do much the next two days as I was having windows installed. Luckily the first day of the install was a beautiful day so we spent it out on the back deck, reading, surfing the net and playing with the dogs. We did go downtown Monday evening to see Mosaika. It's a sound and light show on Parliament Hill using the Parliament buildings as the screen. Pretty cool, if you're ever in Ottawa during the summer, you have to go see it. It's free, just bring your own chair if you don't want to sit on the grass. Here's a link that gives you an idea and has a link to some photos on Flickr.

On Annette's last night we went to dinner and then our nephew's place for dessert and coffee. Annette's last day here was pretty quiet, she got her stuff all packed up and then we went to the mall as I was having some problems with my cell phone and on our way home we picked up something for lunch. Later in the afternoon, it was off to the airport ending the staycation portion of my holidays. 

I'm still on vacation for another week. I don't have much planned so there won't be a part 4. Keltic has the K9 Kup this weekend so we're hoping for nice weather and that he hasn't forgotten how to do agility. Have to get back to teaching that boy to weave!

Vacay - Part 2

After the weekend at Bon Echo, it was home for a couple days to repack before heading out on the second part of my vacation, a trip down east to New Brunswick. But first, I ended up having to make a trip to the urgent care facility as some how during our camping trip I got into some poison ivy or poison sumac, who knows, all I know is that my right hand was all swollen and blistered.  The doctor even had to cut the ring off my finger.

Swollen hand after the ring was removed.

I headed out on Thurs, 8 Aug for the drive down to Fredericton NB. The swollen hand made it a little hard to drive but Benadryl and the steroid cream made things tolerable. We made it to Fredericton at about 9 pm (8 pm Ottawa time). The next day was the start of the Little River trial, I had planned to take the dogs for a walk in Odell park and then head out the trial site but it was raining when we got up so we headed to Moncton and got in a quick visit with my Mum before checking into our hotel and then going to the trial site.  The weekend agility activities you already know about from my post C"ATChC" ing Up. When the trial ended on Sunday, I drove out to Shediac and the cottage I had rented for the week.

On Monday, I went into the nursing home and then to the airport to pick-up my sister from Alberta who was going to spend the week with me.  Two of my other sisters and their families joined us at the cottage that evening and we had a wonderful supper and evening together.

Grandpa with his grandson at the cottage

The next day we were having a picnic lunch at the nursing home with my Mum; her brother, his wife and one of their daughters also joined us for the afternoon.

It was a bit windy and rather warm on the patio so after eating we went inside to a lounge that isn't used too much.

But we also had time for some walks on the beach, doing some touristy stuff and some good meals at local restaurants during the week.  At one restaurant, the Green House on Main, my appetizer was a cold melon, jalapeno soup and man was it ever good.

Beckett and some of the sable sheltie boys

Keltic up to no good

Gryphon, Whistler and Sam

No trip to Shediac would be complete without a trip to the big lobster. My sister and I spent the better part of a morning just taking in the little shops. There's really not that much there but we had to take turns going in as we had the dogs.

Shediac NB

Me and the boys with the big lobster

Have you ever been to sea, Beckett?

Annette and her new friend.

The next weekend, I had the Riverside agility trial which started on Friday afternoon. That afternoon another of my sisters and her husband arrived from PEI to spend the weekend with us.  Friday evening we had a feed of clams, battered fish and chips from a local take-out. It was all quite good too. Saturday, I was at the agility trial but my sisters arranged to take my mother out to lunch and shopping for a few hours.

Sunday after the trial, we all went again to the nursing home to see my Mum. My nieces and nephew from PEI had arrived before lunch and had also had the chance to see Beckett and I run in the Cash Cup. My niece wrote a lovely account of their day in her blog Uniquely Alyssa.

Me, Karen, Mum, Juanita and Annette

Annette and I had to check into our hotel afterwards. I wasn't able to get the cottage a few extra days like last year as it had rented out for the following week. We still had two nice days in Moncton, doing a bit of shopping early in the morning, taking the dogs for walks in Mapleton  and Centennial Parks and visiting with my Mum.

Then it was time to head back home. Annette was coming with me to spend a week in Ottawa before flying home and what we did during the week will be Part 3 of my vacay blog.

Wordless Wednesday

Vacay - Part 1

We started our vacation with an agility girls camping weekend the last weekend of July at Bon Echo Provincial Park. It's about a 3 hour drive from my place just far enough that you feel you've actually gone away. There was only three of us this year but we still had 7 dogs. We got quite a few comments like "are those all your dogs".

Camp site

We had pretty nice weather. It poured rain one night but we were lucky it started after our campfire and ended before I got up for breakfast. We did one rather strenuous (for me anyway since my calf still wasn't 100%) hike. The trail was all rocks and roots so it was hard to walk comfortably as I wanted to make sure I didn't pull or twist anything.  Afterwards back at the trail parking lot, we read the definition of moderate difficulty, it said not for the elderly, young children or people with lower limb injuries.

On the boardwalk

Marsh

View from the trail

Very steep path to the lake (no I didn't go down)

Bon Echo also has a dog beach that is off leash. It is not at an out of the way location but between two of the beaches for the humans. It also had a big grassy area and that was nice as I could have a good game of Frisbee with Beckett.

The dog beach

Keltic stole all the treats

Beckett wading

I think we're out far enough, Mum

Oh all right just a little further.

The bridge to the dog beach

It was just the right way to start out our summer vacation. Relaxing and enjoying good food and good company.

Mazinaw rock 

A Shelties favourite way to swim

Keltic on the Rocks