You all know, of course, that My Beloved died almost a year ago. While she was still with me, we didn’t celebrate birthdays to any great extent, but we always did something special for our wedding anniversaries. So, my choice this year was to go and visit eldest child, daughter Sharleen, and her family in Montreal and do or have something on April 9th.
If you are a Facebook adherent, you may have read this issue of From Time to Time, but for those who do not use FB, this and two subsequent posts will be new.
I used to accomplish the seven hour drive from Halifax to Edmunston very easily. With my Darling wife, Beryl, by my side.
On April 1st, I did it again – just as easily, with Beryl in the passenger seat saying, “Silva (our car), I think you may be going a bit over the limit.” With the same result: a momentary decrease in speed.
I had to make three pit stops, but that’s OK for a 91-year old. And I made an atrocious error in where I was at one point. I told Karen on the phone that I was approaching Moncton and there was a huge hold up in traffic, which took 45 minutes to get through at 8kph. In actual fact we were approaching the NS-NB border, where a very large protest was going on over the new 3c/litre Carbon Tax the Fed Government implemented on April Fools’ Day.
Why I said approaching Moncton, I have no idea. I know, you are all going to say it is old age and he’s losing it. If that’s what you think, OK, but if you don’t get a Birthday card from me, it will not be because I just forgot to send you one!
On arrival at the Travelodge in Edmunston, the delightful Marium (Mari as in Mary, mother of Jesus, and ium is the Islamic ending – the two faiths can get together – neat, eh?) signed me in and recommended a couple of restaurants. The one I chose, L’Ecluse, turned out to be spectacular and I understand why she goes there often.
The setting is almost indescribably beautiful. But it’s obviously not indescribable, as I will show you. Imagine a river, a wrought iron pedestrian mini-Sydney harbour bridge, but two of them, using a mid-stream foundation to provide the fulcrum point where the two meet, painted a cheerful green and, later, as the sun sets, beautifully lighted. Your eyes then turn to the equally well-lit restaurant and you see three glass domes, each large enough for four people to sit and enjoy a meal comfortably. Unfortunately, I was not one of those persons and so, I was shown to a very pleasant table inside the restaurant, right beside a window through which I could see the bridge and the domes.
Unfortunately, my phone died at that point, so I am unable to show the inside of the restaurant or the menu. However, I asked for a glass of red 9oz (why is a glass of wine always in ounces? Why not mls?). And, after reviewing the quite extensive menu ranging from fish and chips to Gai Pad Khing, sauteed sliced chicken with mushrooms, peppers, cabbage, carrots and onions in a fresh ginger sauce, I chose the seared tuna. It was so yummy, I could not have chosen anything better for a finish to the end of the day’s journey. Based on a rice bowl, it contained sliced radish, tomatoes, black olives, a little lettuce, some watercress, which I haven’t had in a restaurant since leaving England 70 years ago, some sort of small crispy wontons and six very delicately seared tuna pieces, leaving it as sushi inside, all in a tasty aioli sauce. Some restaurant; some meal! (Nova Scotian for it’s very good.)
I told my server, I would be back when I return from Sharleen’s.
A bit of a restless night saw me looking for my shaving cream. Not! Yesterday morning’s review of Wednesday weather around Riviere du Loup, which I would have had if I left as intended on Tuesday, made me change my mind and I was then in furious packing: meds and essentials, asking Jackie for forgiveness for not being able to take her out for the dinner I had promised (she was very gracious and forgave me). The fact is, she will have gone to Newfoundland to join her husband by the time I get back and the pair of them have been such good friends since we moved into our apartment, I won’t get to say goodbye. Then I found this morning I had not packed my shaving cream, so I went to the IGA and bought a can, only to discover I had also forgotten the razor!!!
No, don’t say it again: remember I was in a great rush and also remember what I said near the start of this post about you not getting a birthday card.
Onward we go in a few minutes.
From time to time... 