Fish Fest and Febrile!

Our village's annual Fish Fest rolled around again, with three full days jam-packed with fun and festivities. This is the only show where we get to be vendors, but also get to participate in our own local festival.

Things started off well with a Friday night concert, complete with a proper stage and sound system set up in the vacant lot where half of Wheatley used to be.....before the explosion. We went down "for an hour" and ended up staying for five hours, as we enjoyed the live music from the newly-expanded Renny's patio.....and kept running into people we knew.....all of whom based on the theme of the evening I kept telling that "I took my Hoedown to Wheatley".

On Saturday, we set up early for a day of vending art, though given the proximity I was also able to sneak off during quiet times to check out the car show, grab some food to bring back, etc. The weather was perfect, warm but not too hot, and the main village intersection was packed with people. Great turnout and more live music to help the day go by faster. After packup, we met friends on the Renny's patio again for a cool-down drink.

In the evening, we attended the community fish fry (and broasted chicken dinner) at the arena with friends of ours. The food was good, as was the company, again with live music in the background. Jody Raffoul would also play later in the evening. I felt a little "off" at dinner but chalked it up to a little too much sun while packing up the van.

Well. I awoke in the night, simultaneously boiling hot and then freezing cold with whole body shivers. After telling Jane that I would be unable to attend the Sunday vendor show down at the harbour, I tried to get a little more rest in the hopes it would help. Around 6:30am, she took my temperature - 40.8 C - and we were off to the hospital.

I spent the next four days in the hospital battling sepsis, with fever and chills and an infection of unknown origin. Much blood was taken. IV fluids were administered constantly, along with IV antibiotics. My IV eventually went "interstitial" and starting filling my arms with fluids.....so I also had "sausage arm" for about a day. I told Jane to enjoy the new bulging bicep while it lasted.

I got out on Canada Day, fittingly, and also spent the next day recuperating and closely monitoring temperatures in between antibiotics and hydration. Fun times, and a Fish Fest to remember!

Dinner and a live concert from the Renny's patio

All set up for Day Two!

Classic Car Show and vendors line the streets on Saturday afternoon

More live music - Saturday blues jam

Some nice machines!

Sweet rides uptown!

Fish and Chicken dinner at the Arena

Sunday morning coming down

Hospital Food

Happy Canada Day from Erie Shores Health Care!

The Aftermath

Gingers love needles and IV's!

 

In Hot Water

So another unexpected expense happened along - we replaced our hot water tank. The old one hadn't become a problem - yet - but it was 13 years old and silting up and apparently improperly installed according to our Handy Bros rep. We opted to not run the risk....but also decided (or could finally afford) to also relocate the tank from the very-poorly placed home in our upstairs bedroom closet, to a much less concerning downstairs location.

Mike from HB was awesome, he removed the old tank - though had to wait a day for some help to get it down the stairs, as it could not be drained first (see "improperly installed" above). He installed a new tank in the laundry room closet, and ran all the plumbing and electrical. No longer would we worry about many gallons of water crashing through the kitchen ceiling!

The FIFA World Cup was in full swing, with Canada as co-host, and we watched a number of matches on Crave or on US networks, including all the Canadian games. Having never even drawn a match let alone won a game, hopes were high. We pulled off a draw in our very first match, played in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.....followed by a glorious 6-0 win over Qatar in Vancouver. A loss to the Swiss still saw us finished second in our group, for yet another historic moment as we advanced to the next round.

The Wheatley Legion re-opened in its new location, after nearly five years following the explosion. A huge crowd turned out on opening night, and we enjoyed a few beers and the new venue, along with a beautiful bench created and donated by friends of ours.

After an early heat wave in late May, the nicer weather returned and June had been rather pleasant.

No more tank of water looming in the bedroom closet!

Pipes drained and sealed in the closet floor

New hot water heater in the laundry room closet!

Watching Canada in World Cup play on the back deck

Branch 324 re-opens!

Sharing a Father's Day Platter on the Renny's patio

East Coast 2026 - Quebec City

Leaving Halifax in early morning, we made the long trek all the way back as far as Quebec City, continuing to listen to Fourth Wing as we drove. We were again blessed with good travelling weather as we stopped at Truro for gas and coffee before we sped through the Cobequid Pass and into New Brunswick at Sackville, stopping for lunch at Oromocto.

An accident on Autoroute 20 saw us detour down through Levis and along the meandering shoreline, for a different view of things. We regained the highway and crossed the Pierre Laporte Bridge and up the west bank of the St. Lawrence into Old Quebec. Google Maps led us on a rather circuitous and entertaining tour of the city, up and over the hill before bringing us back down to the water.

We rented a two-bedroom apartment in the Old Port for two nights, right down at the river, and a great location for exploring this historic town. We climbed the hill several times to enjoy the sights and sounds of Vieux Quebec amidst Montreal Canadiens playoff fever. I even practiced my French a little. We also explored the Parks Canada ruins of Chateau Saint-Louis beneath the boardwalk and current Chateau Frontenac....and for once, the funicular was actually running!

Departing early once again on Friday morning, we regained the Autoroute and headed southwest. Other than a bit of traffic around Montreal, it was another smooth run, and before long we were in Lancaster, Ontario and a stop for food and fuel. Sailing back along the 401 and 407, we started up the 400 on a Friday night and got off at Aurora Road, just before a large backup due to an accident. Driving cross-country, we got back to The Harrows' and spent a quiet evening reminiscing over the past two weeks.

Both wide awake at 545am, we headed out early for home, and stopped to scoop Vincent from boarding before arriving home to unpack and unwind, with a day to spare before returning to work. All told, the Bronco Sport earned full marks on its inaugural road trip of 5994 km.  

 

Les Lofts St. Paul - 139 rue St. Paul

Great location in the Old Port!

Two days to explore Vieux Quebec

Chateau Frontenac looms above

Exploring the ruins of Chateau Saint-Louis under the Dufferin Terrace

Gateway to the Old Town

Riding the funicular up....it's working this time!

Samuel De Champlain

There's even a Cows here too!

The Ass Pate was delicious!

A fitting welcome back to Ontario

East Coast 2026 - PEI

We left Halifax on a Sunday morning. The MacDonald Bridge was closed due to a marathon, with runners literally crossing the bridge as we drove under it and onto the MacKay Bridge instead to traverse The Narrows. Once clear of the city, a seamless run up the 102 saw us in Truro for gas and breakfast.

It was quite the experience. Between our negative experience at the local McDonald's - subject of a comically scathing review later by June at our behest - and watching a deer run down the main street and nearly out into traffic as I pumped gas - the second coffee was greatly needed by this point.

Given that our friends live on the eastern end of PEI, the ferry from Caribou to Wood Islands made more sense than the Confederation Bridge. On the way up to Caribou, another deer ran right out in front of us near the Pictou roundabout.....right AT a deer crossing sign!

After boarding the brand new MV Northumberland, which just came into service last year, Jane remarked that it felt a Norwegian ferry. Lo and behold, once we got looking around....it WAS a Norwegian ferry for the first part of its life before being brought over. We enjoyed a pleasant crossing under sunny skies, and just over an hour later we were speeding north towards Montague.

We had a good visit with our friends, including the obligatory dinner at Peake's Tee.....followed by a surprise deep-dish blueberry pie. Knowing that we were coming, apparently Kay asked her SIL Darlene at the restaurant to make one for us all to have for dessert.

We stayed local at the Riverside Inn, near to our friends but out of their hair for the night. We enjoyed our room and the serene balcony overlooking Montague harbour as sunset came....and still later with lights in the darkness over the fishing fleet.

The next morning, we squeezed in another good visit with Kay and Geoff (and Bibs and Wilson!) for breakfast and coffee, before bidding them farewell. The ferry was full on a holiday Monday, and we hadn't pre-booked since we didn't know how long we were staying. We took the Bridge instead, so we got a different tour of the Island as we wound our way back to Borden....and ended up sitting parked ON the ocean (gulf) for about 15 minutes as they had it reduced to one lane for resurfacing. 

Back briefly into a small corner of New Brunswick, we had a quick washroom and hotdog stop at the Irving before returning to Nova Scotia and making our way back to Halifax and the Harrows for a few more nights of fun. 

A deer ran across in front of us at the deer crossing sign near Pictou

The harbour at Caribou, NS

Boarding the MV Northumberland

Spot the Bronco!

Still closing the tailgate even as we sail away?!

Welcome to PEI!

Visiting with Bibs and Wilson

Thanks Darlene!

Montague harbour at sunset and dusk from our balcony vantage

Parked on the Confederation Bridge before the construction zone

Welcome to Nova Scotia....again!