HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday, Natalie Dawn MacDonald DuBois -- Saturday, July 23. Thirty years ago we had a bouncing baby 7 lb 11 oz girl, our favorite daughter.

Happy birthday, Daughter -- wish you were closer, wish you were here, wish we were there.

Mom & Dad
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Wandering Off

Yes, Granny, we'll try and not go too far away. This morning I went to Kingsley/Estey's Bridge to get my facial hair removed. You know what happens when you hit your 50's -- hair grows where you don't want it to -- like eyebrows and moustaches. Imagine - a woman with a moustache! Who would think it? But at least I have a slight one -- but no more, not after Tammy's magical touch (and wax). Precious Moments Spa -- go to Tammy for the best service! (A little plug there).

Got favour at the Superstore today -- plants FREE for the taking out front. Wow -- brought home quite a few, but been too busy today to plant them. Plus it was no tax day. Always gotta love that.

Took a trip to Harvey to find a girl, but forgot the directions, so went on a hunt adventure, and through a series of driving up and down driveways, backing onto highways and asking questions of people on the street and in houses, found the woman. Whew. Directions home on the dishwasher, where they shouldn't be. Oh brain -- please work better???

Made supper for Doug and we relaxed under the pines, with wind blowing through our hair (what hair we do have). Then talked to Nat on the phone as we lay on the verandah couches, feeling the gentle breezes. Then into the driveway, two friends came from Saint John and we talked some more into the dark evening hours. We love it when people drop in. This is the Maritimes, isn't? Then a romantic walk with Doug, with a light rain falling on our heads. Sounds like a song, doesn't it?

Tomorrow takes me back to Estey's Bridge for foot care, and later to Mill Cove to get a hairdo. I'm getting all gussied up. I've been by the ocean too long and need a spritz-up. Oh, I could use one of those right about now, too.

Home again home again jiggety jig. We arrived home on Sunday at 3 pm. Boo hoo. To a hot and humid town. Living part in the RV, part in the house. Don't know where I'm sleepin' tonight -- depends on how hot it is in the house. Although now the air conditioner is working in the RV, so may sleep out there.

Just feel like I'm biding my time til I can take off again to my summer home -- Century Farm and St. Martins. Granny feels the same. Missing our Scrabble tourneys and walks on the beach and Huttges grocer, and Byard going by on his golf cart, and seeing Linda's smile every day.

I was sitting in the RV yesterday morning thinking that I don't leave my cottage -- it comes with us! Everywhere I go I'm on vacation. Thank you, Doug, for building this 'house' on the road.

Today I spent most of the day listening and talking to people -- mostly listening. Here in the yard, under the pines, and in the cool dark kitchen. Strawberries and freshly picked raspberries, a walk with hubby around the streets, and now I'm ready to find a place to lie down and rest again. Tomorrow is a jam packed day -- eyebrows done in Kingsley, a trip to the beautiful village of Harvey and who knows what else. Have CRV must travel. Have RV must travel.

Doug said tonight that he would just like to 'walk' away and leave everything and just 'wander off.' I said we could if we wanted to. I guess we're just a couple of hippie nomads.

Games Games

Update on games here by the ocean: the Scrabble tourney is undecided due to accounting errors and will be continued when Granny and I come back here to Century Farm. Right now it stands in limbo.

I met the Frapz girls and we all wore Frapz while playing 140's, which I relearned. I did not win but one round, but had a lot of fun with these fun loving ladies from Oromocto Lake and Texas.

Also got to drink some Moxie, a strange Maine soda concoction that Mr. Nancy (Frank) touts everywhere he goes. Thanks, Frank. Thanks, Nancy, 'Life' (Zoey), and Rose (Sharon).

See you back here in the Martins.

Should I Go or Should I Stay?

For the past two days, we have been dry camping by the apple tree. We were scheduled to leave on Friday morning, like Jed & Granny, but I just couldn't bring myself to go back to Heat City. So, out to the apple tree, with a fantastic view of the ocean, just no services other than what we have on board on this ship.

It's the start of Old Home Week here in the Village of St. Martins. Yesterday was a community yard sale -- the whole village. We did a drive-by of the vendors, looking for Woody's. I have a collection of Toy Story Woody's. For the stuff I do with kids. But alas, no Woody to be found. Eh, Nat? I know YOU have a Woody out there in The Pas. I've met him -- a very nice guy, he is.

We met Jon & Alicia at the Four Corners in Sussex and retrieved two young children -- Jack and Ivy, who came with us to St. Martins. Jack says he LOVES St. Martins. Can I blame him? We had a great time here by the apple tree. At 6:30, up at the hall, we sang Christmas carols and then who did appear but Santa Claus and his wife, Mrs. Claus, with presents and candy for all the children. Jack and Ivy were mesmerized and when their names were called, they went up and hugged them. I took some pics. Will I get them downloaded? Who knows. Too busy.

We had a campfire of all campfires last night and let Jack stay up til 11:30 (don't tell Jon & Alicia). He loved it. We had a great sleep together in the RV, and Papa cooked bacon on the barbie this morning, and I made my famous eggs (Jack loves my eggs, probably because I make such a big time about them so he'll eat them).

Then Papa took them to the beach and they flew a kite (one of Jack's presents). Ivy flew it a bit, too, but mainly put rocks in her boots for fun. Oh, the joys of being a child.
here
It is too nice here to leave. Should I go or should I stay? Those are the lines in a song I believe. Being here is like living in a song.

We're going to take the kids and meet their parents somewhere and have a picnic on the road, perhaps at Eagle Rock. OR stay here. If not, I'll be back real soon. Y'all come back now, ya here? is probably what Linda and Byard are sayin' about now.

Thanks for everything -- until we meet again (isn't that a song?)

Sad in St. Martins

Scrabble and Weather Comparisons

The reason we come to St. Martins in July is to escape the hot weather in Fredericton. It is 12 degrees here this morning at 9 o'clock. Should reach a high of 23 today here. Checked Environment Canada this morning to see what's happening in Fredericton (I haven't been there since June 30!). It will be hot there again today and on the weekend. Thot I would check The Pas, where Nat lives, and discovered that it is actually HOTTER in The Pas than it is here in New Brunswick! Go figure. Go north right now? No thanks. I'll wait til it's cooler. Let me know, Nat, when it cools down up there.

Another reason I like it in St. Martins is that Granny and I play Scrabble every day. We've been having our annual St. Martins Scrabble Tourney. The score as of last night? Deb -- 5 games....Granny -- 4 games. Today is an important game here by the sea -- Will Granny pull up her socks and pull out a tie? Will there have to be a doubleheader today to see who is the REAL winner of the great St. Martins Century Farm Family Campground Scrabble Tournament?

I'll let you know. Must get breakfast. Just takin' my time. (I'm really relaxin'; it's amazin').

Happy Birthday, Son!

On this day in 1980, I gave birth to a healthy bouncing baby boy:
Jonathan Alton Douglas MacDonald. He is 31 today. Hard to imagine he's that old.

Happy Birthday, Son boy! or as I used to call him: "ManniePie"

Mom
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and Dad
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The wind is blowing so hard that I feel like I'm on a ship. If I sit low enough in the RV and look out the window, it looks like I am sailing on the ocean. It's a balmy 18 or 19 here. Rain is soon coming. Apparently it is 36 degrees in Fredericton, so I'm glad I'm here. Sorry, Doug, that you have to be there in that type of heat.

Nat -- fly home -- I miss you and yours. Or I'll fly out, grab you and the children and fly back and we'll stay here all summer. Definitely wish you were here. Next year, plan on staying the whole summer.

In the meantime, why don't you check out some cheap flights if you have time? I'm working on the Southshore Sister.

I should be home and have access to a telephone by Sunday. Then we can chat and catch up. My phone doesn't work down here.

OR there is SKYPE -- this would be a good time for that, as I am fully set up here in the RV with Skype. But, alas, you are not. SMILE and love to you, my dear....

Mom by the Sea

PS: You, too, Krista -- hope to see you next week!

Should I stay here forever??

One day before Jonathan turns 31. Can you imagine? Can I imagine? My baby boy who has all these babies himself is in his 30's! And Natalie turns 30 on July 23rd. Oh dear, I feel old. I'm sure they do, too.

St. Martins -- still not tired of this place. Could I, would I, should I? Doug left this morning at 0500 to travel back to Freddytown to work for a couple of days. Comes back on Wednesday for another long weekend for him.

I walked the beach this morning down to the harbor and sat there watching the waves, the boats, the covered bridges, the gift shops, people walking, people passing with smile after smile. Oh, sounds like a song I won't sing right now. Too early. Sat there on the bench in front of the shipbuilder placard. Just sat. And prayed. Prayed for lots of things. Thankful that I'm here and that God has given me the opportunity to be here for so long. Prayed for St. Martins, that the village will continue on and thrive and retain its charm and peace. I was even overwhelmed with emotion about the village. I've been coming here since the 90's -- has a very special place in my heart. I think Granny feels the same way. She's having a great time with Jed. I don't think she wants to go home, either.

The water flowing into the cove from the ocean reminded me of the corrugated cardboard in the fire last night (our Greco pizza box burning). Here's what the water looked like:

"The water soothed itself towards me like liquid corrugated cardboard." Quite a sentence, eh? Waxing poetic.

I need new earrings -- mine are tarnished. I'm almost embarrassed to wear them. No silver polish down here or jewellery cleaner. So I've taken them off. Only brought one pair with me. Trying to live simply you know. Can I really go earringless? I feel naked without them. Oh well, I guess I could -- I was bald not too long ago. What's a naked ear, anyway? Perhaps Elaine could craft me new earrings out of the sea glass we find. I'll have to ask her.

I feel like a Bobbsey twin, down at the sea, sea starin' at me, me starin' at the sea.

Been here 12 days now -- five more to go. Granny and I have been playing Scrabble mostly every day. I was on a losing streak for awhile and was concerned as to why. But the past four games I have won. Last night -- 90 points on one word: 'yarding,' hooked onto another word -- used all my letters on a double word score. My score 381, about 40 ahead of Granny. She's wondering what's happening and says that SHE is going to win today. We'll see about that.

I think I'm now relaxing and able to focus on words -- even did a couple of Cryptoquotes out of the newspaper, something I've never been able to do before. And read -- I can focus. The ocean is good for helping one relax.

Must go eat an omelette and salad I made for lunch, cup of green tea with ginseng and astragulus. Doesn't that sound yummy, now?

Signing off from the sea....I remain

Deb

Sorry Croy!

How could I forget adorable Baby Boy Croy? Of course, he was here -- he was so quiet that you hardly notice him -- down on a blanket, playing with grass, eating bugs (only once LOL), sitting on someone's lap. What a sweetie. Sorry, Croy -- I knew you were here!

Gram Deb

PS: Thanks for pointing this out, Holly Martha/Krista

Mellow in St. Martins

I have been in St. Martins since last Thursday. Oh, what a life it is here. Quiet, calm, serene, the ocean calling to me constantly -- "Look at me, look at me!" So I do. Sometimes I walk by the ocean, too, or walk right IN the ocean -- like today, when D and took a walk in the water. Alas, I came upon a huge rock or cement buttment, don't know which, and BANG! my leg and blood poured. Such a nice feeling it was. The only consolation was the salt water that healed the wound. D also hit her foot. Granny gave me some 100-year-old first aid cream (it looked that old) to doctor my wound. I'm sure there will be a bruise tomorrow.

Had a great weekend with the family here, camped out on the lawn. Jon, Alicia, Afton, Jack & Ivy tented, Aaron tented, and the Southshore Sister stayed in our RV on the couch. Granny & Jed have their own site with their trailer. Lots of good food, eating together, walking and biking with the children. Campfires for hours -- what could be nicer? The only thing nicer would be to have Nat, Josh, Aiden and Sarah here == that would make it all complete. Come home again, Nat???

It's taking me a week just to recover from the past month. I'm not doing nothin' (excuse my grammar), other than biking, walking, eating, word finds, and Scrabble with Granny and Southshore Sister (who is now in Perth). I won the last two games of Scrabble, for the record.

Doris came down overnight and for this day. She went fishin' with Jed, and they hooked a few fish -- enough for supper. I had some fiddles in the freezer and we had quite a Maritime meal. Doris just left, and I am waiting for Nurse Cherry to arrive for overnight. A regular bed and breakfast here in Century Farm. Thank you, Byard and Linda, once again, for providing such a great place to camp and RV. Come on down if you need a vacation -- bring your tent or your RV!

Well, must go get on my bike.

PS: did my first Cryptoquote yesterday and finished it. Quite proud of myself. THIS is how mellow I am. Like Mary, a friend of mine who also loves St. Martins used to say, "I'm as mellow as a puddle."

PSS: Els, Granny is painting a picture of one of your tree photos; very nice...Wish I could take pictures like you.

PSSS: Els and Ann -- make sure you practice your piano.

PSSSS: Helen -- say hello to everyone at Morning Gate church, OK?