Jim and Kim's Travels: July 2022

We were very excited! Alex, our 11-year-old grandson from Calgary, was coming to visit. We hadn't seen him since September 2019 due to Covid.

Because he was flying unaccompanied, he had to have a non-stop flight. Closest airport for that was Halifax. It's been a few years since we've been in an airport!

I noticed a few welcome balloons that had gone astray...

Still saying he was on time...

Yay!! There he is. We were so happy to see him and very proud of him for flying alone.

Poor Alex...the first of many selfies that I coerced him into.

Grandpa and Grandma and Alex...so happy.

We stayed overnight and, of course, there was pool time...

Even though he was on a different time zone, he conked out pretty early. A busy day!

We stopped at the Green Pig market in Salisbury for lunch. I've thought of going there many times, but we always seem to be in hurry. It was super...great bakery, fresh vegetables, a good restaurant and lots of knick knacks.

Alex at the piano in our building's social room. He banged out some "music!"

A new game for his Nintendo switch...of course, checked out by Inspector Pepper.

The shoes also passed approval...

Pepper in a box...he loves the kids so much.

We went to visit Pam and Trevor and got some supplies for rock painting, as well as a portable DVD player. We were soon heading to a cottage near Bathurst without wifi (gasp!).

We did some touring...a stop at UNB where Alex's father, Patrick, went to school.

Lady Beaverbrook residence...

A visit to Delish ice cream...

Some instructions from Grandpa on the exercise bike (or "energy" bike as Alex liked to call it).

Lego building...he was fast!

The next day, a visit to the water park...

This area used to be just a wading pool and I had great memories of going there with Damian and Dominic. It's now a well-used splash park. Waiting for the bucket to fill...

Success!

Even though we hadn't seen Alex for almost three years, he was at ease with us and game to try anything.

Follow the foot prints...

One last splash...

It was time to head to Bathurst for our family reunion. We were renting cottages at Salmon Beach. Alex loved the DVD player for the drive.

We arrived...a great location.

A rainbow to welcome us...it had rained really hard on the drive there.

Beautiful sunset...

This boat was visible from our cottages, so we went for a walk to inspect it.

We all managed to take a picture of the lighthouse with a cement block on it. Hard to pretend it was a big lighthouse!

The beach was quite rocky, which Alex loved. He was collecting shells (which instead became rocks) to take home to his sister, Hailey.

The skies were threatening rain, but it blew over...

We had four cottages in a row...

Some catch was played...

When not using your glove, it can be worn as a hat apparently.

Stephanie and Erik in a friendly game of ladder toss...

Most of the guys...

We went to Fresco Kitchen for dinner one night. I forgot to take a photo of the food, which was excellent, but I did get Chef Joel and Alex to pose. Alex's dad, Patrick, and Joel went to school together.

I got to visit with my brother, Chris, and his partner, Sylvie. Nothing like a brother forcing you into the photo.

The much photographed shacks in the Acadian colours...

Family photo time!

Cousins...

And then a competitive tournament of ladder toss...Stephanie vs. Alex

Brother against brother...

Grandson and grandmother...

Jim in action...

Father and son...

What the heck? I have no idea what I was doing here. Is there a prize for highest throw?

Nadine cracking up as I retrieve my balls off the ground...

Alex thinking "so this is my family..."

The peanut gallery...

Dominic declared the winner, Randy was runner-up and Alex got the booby prize. Oh yes, there was money involved!

Mmmm...BBQ

And time for a swim...it was hot.

Beautiful sunsets...

Trying to coax Alex out of the water...

Damian trying to get the football without getting wet!

We went to Ritchie's Wharf in Miramichi to enjoy a cruise on the river.

Lots of little shops...Big Daddy's for pulled pork was amazing!

Killing time after lunch...

Momma and her ducklings...

Still killing time...I was amazed they didn't break the chains!

Time for a boat ride!

Selfies are wearing thin...

Still game for a hug though...

The Centennial Bridge...I didn't realize that was the official name. It's always just been the Chatham bridge.

Apparently you sing as you go under to wish someone a happy birthday or happy anniversary.

Chatham and Newcastle amalgamated to form Miramichi, but this will always be Chatham to most.

Great time for chatting...

Captain Alex sailing the boat!

And after the boat ride and ice cream, it was off to go zip-lining.

The moment where you get to wait and contemplate what you're doing...

Whee! Jeff returning...

Alex wasn't too sure about the idea but loved it!

I spent the whole time trying to get turned around!

Lots of fun! A highlight of the trip for Alex.

Back at the cottages and time for some catch...

Randy's fire making skills were put to good use...

Serene...

S'mores!

A panoramic view...

The next morning we had breakfast at Pür and Simple...it was delish.

Home again! Pepper was happy to see us.

We went to Moxon's vegetable stand to get some corn.

And feed the animals. You can see the baby goat in the background. You had to distract this big guy so you could feed the little ones. He was pretty pushy.

Never too old to swing!

And a photo stop at the Big Potato!

We went swimming at Killarney Lake...it was warmer and definitely less rocky than at the cottages.

Alex played football with some of the other kids...

You never know what acrobatics you'll see...

Always fun to bury someone!

Pam had lent us some paints and we did some rock painting...

Pretty messy, but it was quite enjoyable.

Alex beat me seven games straight at Sorry...and no, he wasn't sorry!

We went geocaching and managed to find three caches.

Alex traded one of his painted rocks for a sticker that went on his phone.

This is one tiny cache...the clue said "Do you think the people that live in these apartments ever take the bus?" We looked in flowerpots and everywhere else we could think of before we spotted this tiny tube on the back of the bus stop sign. Inside was a teeny, tiny log to sign. Clever!

We took a photo at the old cemetery for Alex's mom. She remembered doing a ghost walk when they visited. And notice the ghostly apparition on the bottom right! Cue the spooky music...