15 August: A Goodbye and Plans Change.

Early…oh so early…we woke at 215am. Quick ablutions completed, I carried our luggage down three flights of stairs to load them into the car. After a last check of our room, I grabbed our breakfast wraps (provided by Postmaster’s B&B) and we were off to the airport.

        Checking into Air Canada (AC), for our separate flights, was smooth and the rental key drop-off was as simple as letting the keys fall into the box slot. Security was light and we walked to a spot where we could sit and just be together for a time. We would be apart for two weeks. Many variations of “I’ll miss you” were said with emotive glances sent back and forth. Then, always too soon, it was time.

        I escorted my wife to her gate for a 5am departure. With hugs and kisses she went to show her ticket and ID then entered the passageway to board her plane. Next stop for her was Toronto then a connecting flight to Victoria.

I found a spot near my gate, had the breakfast wrap, and wrote/typed my travelogue. I had a lot to catch up on yet another part of my brain also needed to catch up on something else. Sleep. I fought hard to stay awake by walking the length of St. John’s airport and back, which worked for thirty minutes. 

There was an announcement. My flight, which was supposed to leave at 7am, was delayed until 8am. The reason was crew delay. When we went through security, my wife and I noticed that the only flight cancelled was the arriving AC flight from Montreal. Now I wondered if that flight was the one that I was to take to go to Halifax. Sure enough, after another hour, there was an announcement that the passengers on the flight to Halifax would now be travelling with Porter Air at 9am. Yay?

I continued being active to stay awake, boarded the plane, got settled, and promptly fell asleep. I was nudged awake for breakfast, as I had asked the flight attendant to do so, and after finishing the food went back to sleep. I needed it as I would be renting a car once the plane landed.

Once landed the baggage retrieval and car rental went quick. I phoned mom, to let her know I landed and my ETA. After a Costco stop, I went to Walmart to get a cell phone holder to help navigate without looking down at my phone on the passenger seat. After following directions, I arrived in Bridgewater (near Lunenburg) and buzzed her room at the independent living seniors home. While I waited, I could see residents enjoying putting puzzles together, playing pool, or chatting in a large open gathering space. Looked nice inside and out. Modern, but not cold.

No answer. Just voice mail. I phoned her cell…nothing. What the heck? She said to go to the main entrance and buzz her. What gives? I waited, then tried both numbers again. Then again. 

Being worried I buzzed the main desk and let the person know who I was trying to contact, mom’s room number, I was expected, and my concern. The lady paused then told me my mom would be right down. When mom arrived, she told me there was a main entrance, one level up and adjacent to the main road, and she was waiting there for me. Regardless of the lack of detailed instructions that this was the plan she took me around to show me the building and also showed me off to some friends and staff. She signed me in using a tablet at the main entrance and we went upstairs to her room.

She showed me around the nice one-bedroom apartment, took her dog Cookie out for a bathroom break, and we went back downstairs to the parking lot so we could drive around for some errands mom needed to do. We chatted while driving around and again once back at her place. For supper she paid for my meal in the common dining room and we ate with her friends. The conversation around the dinner table was about how well mom is getting used to the place, what I did for work before I retired, and what places I went to in Newfoundland.

After getting back to mom’s room, we chatted some more until my internal energy reserve approached empty. I flossed, brushed, and expanded my portable air mattress to sleep on the couch while mom went into her room to read. 4.6 km.

14 Aug: I Wanna Rock, more Rabble, and Packed like Mackerel.

Today, after a full English breakfast at our B&B, it was time to rock! The Johnson Geo Centre, on the Battery Field on Signal Hill, educates visitors about deep time geology in Newfoundland and Labrador. They use geothermal wells to heat/cool the building, most of which lies underground to show off the ancient rock formations of the upper Precambrian era (500 million years ago).

    We spent two and a half hours within the centre seeing the temptations of the gift shop, mystical creatures exhibit (including the wild bologna), oil drilling in and around Newfoundland (with incredible models), an octopi hard at work in their office cubicle, animal science (featuring Puffins), general geology with samples, the influence of Dr. Harold “Hank” Williams to the science of geology, and space science. They also had kids sections where you can be more interactive with the displays…but I was too old…waaaaaaaaah!

    While walking back, towards downtown, a fog began rolling in so we spent time admiring the changing scene before us.

    We also passed the “George the Fifth Institute”, which I now know was built to provide “wholesome” temporary accommodations to fishermen, sealers, and naval reservists visiting St.John’s. It also provided accommodations, through a separate entrance and living area, to daughters of fishermen and seamen who came to the city for work. It was opened, in 1912, remotely by a telegram from King George the Fifth. It is a grand brick building. Books, education, lectures, and alcohol free festivities were provided here to improve the lives of people within.

    For lunch we were back at The Rabble. The place was almost empty at 1pm so we must have missed the lunch rush.

    Shared a beet salad (with cucumber frisee, whipped Tahini, and shawarma spiced vinaigrette).

    Then we had halibut and cod chowder with focaccia, and a plate of two ham sandwiches (with Gruyere & pickles with fries on the side). All were yummy and filled us up just right.

    We shopped for most of the afternoon at kitschy tourist places, handmade yarn clothing stores, and thrift stores. It was a much better selection of stores than the drudgery of Victoria’s tourist row along Government street. We also made a quick stop at “Sword n’ Steel”, a game store chock a block full within their small square footage using clever shelving to display it all.

    Back at our B&B we repacked our luggage for tomorrow then left for an early supper. We had a few places in mind, but settled on Annie’s Wine Bar. The place was PACKED like sardines, which was convenient because one of their specialities is canned fancy fish!

    Also notice Annie, the owner, was a fan of MF Doom with some action figures of the late rapper on a high shelf.

    We started with some bubbles with Syfany wine from Czechia’s Andre Pet Nat Rose winery. Its taste was quite complex and delicious.

    Next were crackers and beef tartare (with dijonnaise, pickles, capers, shallots, and parmesan), tinned horse mackerel in brava sauce (wow oh wow was it great).

    We ended with a mixed cheese plate of Manchego (firm sheep's cheese from Spain), Bresse Bleu (soft cow cheese from France), Midnight Moon (firm goat cheese from Holland), and le Riopelle de L’isle (soft cow from Quebec). All the cheese was accompanied by a lovely cranberry sauce. It was a fantastic assortment for our final night in Newfoundland.

    The walk back was a requirement and once back at the Postmaster’s Inn we were ready for bed. We had four hours to get some sleep before we would wake up at 215am. 9.1km and 45 flights of stairs climbed.

13 Aug: Temporary separation, a RA RA day, and eating with the Rabble.

We spent a morning chatting, discussing more D&D bard adventure ideas, eating lunch, and loading the car. A pact was made (no blood involved) to come back sometime in the future, host K&A again when they came out to Victoria, and go on a trip together somewhere because we travel well together. For now, though, we would be saying goodbye to them and Saint Joan’s Within. Time to head back to St. John’s.

    My wife drove first, because of the winding pothole-laden roads, and we switched out halfway there. Arriving mid-afternoon at the Postmaster’s B&B we met Mark, one of the owners. He is a friendly person and after chatting we put our luggage in our room and walked around.

    It was a wonderful sunny day with no fog. In one of the tourist shops, another tourist asked the cashier, “It’s my first day here and everything is so bright and sunny. Is it always like this?” The cashier responded with riotous laughter and, when she got her breath back, mentioned today was a rare sunny day this summer. Giving thanks to the sun god, RA RA RA, we continued our meeting with the Rabble for supper.

    The Rabble is an eclectic mix of bistro and a high-end restaurant with a quirky vibe. We really liked the decor and the food was small plate style. Started with in house made molasses bread and house churned butter. 

    Then came the seared scallops with spruce beurre blanc and almonds (loved the delicate woodsy flavour). 

    With it came our bottle of wine, something Natalie was looking forward to trying, a Gigondas from Saint-Damien winery in France. 

    Next was daily greens with fresh citrus and olive oil vinaigrette followed by harissa lions mane mushroom in curry aragulan and Tajin pepita (a very tasty meat alternative). 

    Next to lastly was a confit of oyster mushroom brochette with peppers, salsa verde, and coconut & lime emulsion (consistency of meat with vibrant flavours). 

    We ended the meal with flourless chocolate cake and full bellies.

    On the walk back we took the road by the water to see Signal Hill (without fog) and the nice graffiti art. Slept well that night. 4.5km walked and 18 flights climbed.

10, 11, and 12th of August: Dice & Little Men, Planning the Playing of Roles, as well as Herring & Cod.

10th: Today it was time to be board and by that I mean boardgames! Laundry too, but that’s boring. We tried some new games, like Touring and Thurn & Taxis, and some that we played before, like 7 Wonders.

    In the afternoon, the weather cleared up so we set out to catch delicious mackerel. First, we tried one spot, with rod and reel, then another and another. What we got was…herring!

    Turns out, herring swim at a depth just above mackerel. Each time we let our weighted lure drop it continuously impacted into something that felt like the sea bottom. This was incorrect as what our weights impacted into were incredibly dense schools of herring.

    We met a few other fishermen that had the same problem. For every 20 fish they caught only 1 would be mackerel. Alas, we took our four good herring back to the harbour. After filleting, there wasn’t a lot left. 

    After supper, conversation, and more boardgames our energy dimmed and we headed off to bed.

11th: The next day we divided and conquered. The ladies went to a gathering in Terra Nova Park while the gents spitballed ideas for Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) adventures and engaged in conquest and cooperation.

    In the morning and early afternoon, we discussed K’s ideas for running a series of D&D roleplaying games. K said all the players would be the same class, Bard, which is normally a supportive role for other players. Since they would be all Bards it would require some “out of the box” thinking on how to achieve common objectives.

    The adventures would be run to be completed in one session when their regular gamesmaster (GM) needed a break. Each adventure would have common themes and clues that would help when the final session took place. Oh, and for each session the players would have to play together as a band. Each one-shot would have some mystery, combat, intrigue, and/or diplomacy. K and I ruminated through overall plot ideas and deliberated on three in detail. We spitballed the possible scenes, came up with solutions to problems, and ways to connect the scenes. It was quite fun and gave me a glimpse into how collaborative storytelling works.

    In the afternoon a friend of K&A came over and we played two boardgames; 7 Wonders (against each other) and Pandemic (cooperative). It was at the tail end of a game of Pandemic that Natalie and A messaged us. They were coming home. K quickly got some things together for burgers and vegetables so it was nearly ready when they got home.

    They arrived and said they had a good time. After supper we played a game of Carcassonne then went to bed.

12th: Today was to be the last full day spent at K&A’s place. In the morning we chatted and re-packed our luggage so we would be ready. In the afternoon we gathered at the dining room table to right a wrong…to seek justice…to solve a mystery.

    Unsolved Case Files is a solo or cooperative game contained in a see-through plastic ziplock bag. Once you tear off the bag top, you open the ziplock and pull out the file folder. Everyone looks through the evidence list, multiple pictures, witness statements, interrogations, and other items of note. There are a sequence of sealed envelopes that can only be opened once you answer a question. In the envelope are more recent facts of the case.

    I read the witness statements and for the interrogations I adopted different voices for the characters. It was great fun and took two and a half hours.

    We then had a supper of stir-fried cod, played another game, then skittered off to bed knowing justice was served.