Posted on July 27, 2020 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

 

Cranberry almond scone – Dancing Goat Cafe and bakery

 

 

Trials of the Cabot Trail.

Last Wednesday, I took a spin around the Cabot Trail…in a car! I decided that a circumnavigation of the Trail on foot was a once in a lifetime event. The purpose of my trip was to drop off complimentary copies of my new book to people who had provided me food and lodging during my 10 day adventure. I hit the road at 6:15 a.m. under brilliant sunny skies.

My first stop was at the home of Bill Cameron in Margaree Forks. Bill gave me a place to sleep on my very first day of the walk, along with a world class fried baloney sandwich. On this morning, he invited me to go for breakfast at The Dancing Goat Café and Bakery in North East Margaree. I had the best breakfast sandwich that I have ever eaten. Ham and eggs along with genuine cheddar cheese were sandwiched between two pieces of the most delicious bisquits imaginable. There was also a handful of grapes on the plate and the coffee was exquisite. When we were standing in line to order, I noticed a fresh batch of cranberry almond scones. Before leaving the café, I bought a box of 6. If there is even a remote possibility that these are served in heaven, I will immediately change my wayward ways. If you’re driving through the Margarees, you must go there. https://www.facebook.com/DancingGoatCafe

Bill is featured in my book on page 18.

The effects of the pandemic were stark. Countless motels, restaurants, and gift shops were shuttered tight. What was shockingly obvious was the dearth of traffic. Normally at this time of the year, the going is slow with many vehicles and campers clogging the byways. Not on this day. There were long stretches, sometimes 10 kilometers or more that I didn’t see a single vehicle. It was eerie, surreal, and quite sad. Of the dozens of times that I’ve done the Trail, even in winter, it never felt so bleak and deserted It seemed like I was the only one traveling. Having said this, there are still enough businesses open that one shouldn’t be deterred from taking a trip to see this iconic wonder of Nova Scotia.

The last stop of the day was at The Clucking Hen. Their motto? “No Fowl Moods”! This restaurant and bakery is one of my absolute “must go to” places when I’m doing the Trail. Melody and her staff are fantastic and so is the food. Melody accepted my book and handed it to a young staff member. She flipped through the pages and was astonished to see her name in print. Navgot is from the Punjab region of India and she and her friend Jyoti, are students at Cape Breton University. Last summer, the girls were working at the Funky Country Chicks restaurant in Grand Etang, specializing in Indian food. I met them during my walk and I enjoyed some authentic Indian cooking and wonderful conversation. The business has changed ownership and the menu has changed. You can read about my encounter with these lovely people on page 25 of my new book.

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the tourism sector. As part of your staycation this summer, why not take a trip around the Cabot Trail. It remains one of the most spectacular places on the planet.

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I try not to watch too much news south of the border. It is depressing and distressing to watch a once great country unravel at the seams. I also avoid commenting on the current state of affairs in the Dis-United States of America. The continuing scourge of overt racism and the mismanagement of the pandemic fill the airwaves daily.

Another issue that just won’t go away in our country and just about every other country in the world is violence towards women. This takes many forms and I won’t go into this in any detail. We’re all too well aware of this. The other day, a male United States Congressman lobbed a volley of insults towards Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Her response needs to be heard and shared over and over again. I share it with you here. https://youtu.be/_dzqrdHVE2g.

Have a great week.

 

Posted on July 20, 2020 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Book launch this evening

(Pete MacDonald photo)

 

I will be hosting a virtual book launch this evening at 7:30 p.m. on a live Facebook broadcast.

Last May, I did a big 713 kilometer walk across Spain. It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. I met people from all over the world and all walks of life. When I returned home in early June, I continued to do some long walks just to keep in shape. This is when the idea of walking the Cabot Trail started to formulate in my head.

The Cabot Trail is one of the truly great treasures of our province. It is 300 kilometers of verdant valleys and rugged mountains. A good portion of the trail hugs the ocean. The vistas are spectacular.  While this area of Cape Breton boasts some 25 hiking trails, walking on the highway is not one of them! I have driven the Cabot Trail dozens and dozens of times. Why would anyone in their right mind walk the Trail on roads that are heavily travelled and with very limited shoulders in many places? Good question!

On July 11^th of 2019, Simone MacDonald, a much loved cashier at the local Sobey’s grocery store, suffered a devastating stroke. This was so sad as Simone was such an active person in her own right. I decided to try and raise a few dollars to assist her in the aftermath of the stroke. This is when I decided that I would dedicate my walk around the Cabot Trail to Simone. Prior to my departure on August 24^th, 2019, staff members at the local Arts House manufactured a cape with Simone’s name on it. I attached it to my backpack and off I went.

The Long and Winding Road: Walking the Cabot Trail chronicles the events of my 10 day walk of 300 kilometers.

The book has three distinct features. Obviously a part of the narrative is my own thoughts and feelings about my days on the Trail. Secondly, I met many amazing people who showed me kindness. When I set out, I hadn’t booked any accommodations and it didn’t take long to experience legendary Cape Breton hospitality as individuals and businesses opened their doors to me. Virtually all of my meals were given to me gratis. In addition to these acts of generosity, several people pulled off the road to give me a donation for Simone. We managed to raise close to $10,000. The book includes interviews with local people and tourists as well.

The third aspect of the book that some people will find interesting is the inclusion of local history. Although I had travelled through places like Margaree Forks, Cheticamp, Pleasant Bay, Cape North and Ingonish during my lifetime, I didn’t know much of the history of these places. I enlisted the help of local historians who contributed written pieces for my book, for which I am extremely grateful.

The book is a short, quick read at 120 pages but it is packed with information that I hope you will enjoy.

At the launch this evening, I will read a few passages from the book. I hope you can join me.

Copies of my book are available from me. You can also get them at the 5 to $1.00 and The Whale Interpretive Centre in Pleasant Bay. Later this week, it will also be available on Amazon. I also have a limited time offer (until I leave for the North on July 27^th). You can buy a box set of my six books for $50, a 45% saving. I have ten left and they are going fast. A Christmas present for someone?!

Have a great week.

P.S. Last Saturday, I had dinner with all my siblings. After this, I had a chance to do a live Facebook show with Peter and Betsy. If you want to hear a bunch of great old tunes, check out Pete’s music page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/petemacdonaldmusic It was a great evening spent with family.

P.P.S. I plan to do one last Pillow Talk later in the week. Stay tuned.

Posted on July 13, 2020 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

 

Getting ready to go back to school

 

“School days, school days,

Dear old golden rule days.”

I am shocked to be returning to school at the age of nearly 69. I am even more shocked to be teaching at this ripe old age. Actually, I am mostly shocked that I’m almost 70.

Now, normally, I would be doing a “back to school” post in mid-August when everyone’s senses are heightened with the beginning of a new school year. But this year is anything but normal. Returning to school is not even a given in many school districts around the globe because of the Coronavirus pandemic. After what seems an eternity, especially for many parents attempting to work from home while simultaneously trying to entertain young children, school boards are desperately trying to open schools safely.

Make no mistake, in normal times, we would be inundated already with flyers with “back to school” sales and promos. Several decades ago, the list of necessities might include scribblers, pencils, crayons, rulers and possibly a few new articles of clothing. In more recent times, there might be a long list of electronic devices and backpacks. These days, one would be likely to see a list that included designer face masks and hand sanitizer.

These are strange times indeed.

Many of you know that I resumed my teaching career late last fall after a mere 40 -year hiatus. A lot has changed in four decades especially my waistline and hair line. The technology in classrooms today is vastly different, but kids are still kids. That hasn’t changed. Teaching is an extremely demanding profession. I think the pandemic has revealed this in a stark way as parents try their best to home school their children.

I will be heading north in just a few weeks’ time. In many northern communities, school starts in early August and wraps up at the end of May. Exercising extreme caution, teachers in our school who hail from other parts of the country, will be brought back into the community in stages. I will be in the first wave. Of course, as one might expect, we will have to self-isolate for 14 days. Having done this once already, I know that this is not a hardship.

Class sizes in my school tend to be smaller than one might find in southern jurisdictions which will make physical distancing somewhat easier but there will be nothing easy about trying to deliver an educational program in the middle of a global health crisis.

I am trying my best not to try and anticipate how things might unfold because, let’s face it, we’re all in uncharted waters. No matter where you’re living or what your occupation, trying to plan is really a guessing game because no one knows how things will unfold until a vaccine is found.

I am actually quite excited to be heading into the unknown. Some might think that this is reckless and risky of me at this advanced age. You can die from boredom, worry and lethargy too.

I believe that having a purpose every day is one of the determinants of good health and happiness, especially in our golden years.

My latest book is being shipped from the printer this week. I am hoping to receive them at the end of the week. I will do a virtual launch the week of the July 20^th. You can nab me before I leave on the 26^th to get a signed copy and they will also be on sale locally at the 5 to $1.00 in Antigonish and in Pleasant Bay at the Whale Interpretive Centre. They will also be available on Amazon.

Have a great week.