Funerals, water heaters and my first feed of Lobsters...

The very next morning after arriving in Charlottetown (with two very excited kids) we packed it up and headed to Pictou, Nova Scotia for my aunt's funeral. Sad, I know, but I was glad to be able to go. Many funerals go on without the California link to the Palmer/Cutcliffe family, so being able to visit the place of my birth (Pictou), and on my birthday no less, was a gift.

Tate and Elliott met Great Aunts and Uncles and numerous cousins. We visited River Bank cemetary where many of the Hendersons (my mom's family) are buried and Elliott finally understood the origins of her name.

Two days later, I got to see my sweet cottage, still intact after a long winter. The cottage-y smell hit me as soon as I opened the screen door...a combination of beach towels and wilted flowers...and I knew I was home. The kids rushed to their bedrooms while I checked everything out. Day one was fantastic but day two brought a little surprise. The water heater decided to give us only one day of hot water before succumbing to old age. I was a bit put out at first but soon realized there will be many more surprises with an old cottage like this none.

With sporadic cell phone coverage and a week long wait to have the main line hooked up, I was communication challenged, but thanks for neighbors. Keith, my closest neighbor to the north, came down the path and gave plenty of advice on how to go about fixing it. After a long chat, mostly about the comings and goings of the other cottagers, we settled on calling Home Depot and ordering a brand new water heater. "At least you'll know the history straight off," he said.
Couldn't agree more.

While waiting for delivery, the kids and I decided to visit my sister and two girls in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Our little road trip started with a stop at a restaurant that served lobster rolls...not bad, but I had better. Almost a tease to what I know will happen soon...my first feed of Island lobsters.

We spent the weekend watching my sixteen old neice swim the butterfly in a swim meet (she was like a dolphin) and driving my fifteen year old neice to camp, complete with numbered cabins, food hall and goofy punsihments. Talk about great book material. My head was spinning with ideas!

Then...TaDa Da DAH! We had lobsters for dinner Sunday night. My sister's boyfreind, David, cooked up a slew of "sters" as he calls them and we dug in. Yummo!!!

Now, its back to my cottage to install a new water heater, set up my laundry room and have a cool one on my deck.