RAT-atoullie

Our Amherst bed and breakfast was hohum; the exterior was charming with a cute miniature white picket fence, and the breakfast was delicious..fresh fruit and cheese, but I am not a big fan of sharing a ‘down the hall bathroom’ with other guests, and have you ever heard of a rocking bed? Nancy the hostess is a deacon in the local Baptist Church, and was very hospitable and knowledgable about the area, and she told us that rug hooking is a big craft around there. Her little rug-hooked coasters were darling ….you can be sure we will be back to check out the local artisans!! 

Driving to Saint John through beautiful green mixed forests, with  rocky embankments was lovely, and the roadside meadows brimming with daisies, tiny yellow flowers, pink clover, and lupine took our breaths away…We even saw our first covered bridge!! I wonder how old it was?

Ok I guess I have to report on the only potentially bad thing we might encounter…and when an Orkin (pest control) car passed us on the highway, it reminded me. When we arrived at the Mission Home at 1:00 am Friday we did a quick walk through, and noticed in one of our storage rooms a MOUSE TRAP. Luckily there was nothing in it, but of course it set an alarm in my brain. Then Saturday afternoon when Joanne was helping me get ready for our dinner I questioned her about the mouse trap, and since she pretty much is a fixture around here, I knew she would know the history…I guess several years ago they did have a problem in the mission home but she reassured me that they haven’t seen one for several years…BUT, she did say they are having problems with RATS…(I think I saw a rat once down in the NYC subway, but never want to see another.)  On a quick tour of the backyard I picked up what I thought was a plastic bedding out container, and to my horror was an actual rat trap. I think it was empty!! When we return to Halifax from our travels you can be sure I will be calling Charles to get the shrub pruning done. I guess my lovely lush shrub beds are favourite rat habitat!! On the subject of rats,  Dad just reminded me that a few years ago one of the grandkids asked him why Grandma always said ‘rats,’ maybe thinking I saw a rat or something.!? That little slang curse has come back to haunt me…. oh brother!!!

Our Hampton Elders, Benson and Hoole live in Nauwigewauk, a charming village along the Hammond River which saw flooding earlier this year. They are wonderful, obedient missionaries, who had a baptism last month and have another scheduled for this month. For any of you cleaning gurus…you might wonder if Daryl Hoole is any relative of our Elder Hoole, and yes she is his grandmother!! Elder Hoole hales from Holloday, Utah. Elder Benson, from Providence, Utah, is a distant relative of President Benson. By the way the apartment was spitspot and even smelled clean!!!

We walked across the 1914 Darlings Island covered bridge…who knows why they built bridges and covered them?? We aren’t sure why!!

Drove through more beautiful forests to Saint John, New Brunswick where we met with a trio of wonderful Elders:  Elder Ball from Raymond, Elder Ablett from Cambridge, England, and red-headed Elder Haslam from Centreville, Utah. Great missionaries who are here for the right reason, and work hard to show their devotion. I taught them how to organize the door of their fridge so Elder Ablett’s water bottle would fit. I told them my brothers used to work for the grocery store called Safeway, and they taught me to face off labels, showing the English side. I also taught them about combining their mustard so they only had one bottle in the fridge, and how nice it is to have all salad dressings together etc. I know you are groaning, and thinking she is so OCD….but they genuinely appreciated the tutorial!! I told them their future wives would be happy!! I have so much fun visiting and teaching the missionaries…I love this work!! 

I should tell you that our favourite part of getting ready in the morning is putting on our nametags. What a privilege.

We couldn’t resist visiting the reversing river which actually is the Saint John River meeting the Bay of Fundy at high tide. The force of the ocean meeting the fresh water river causes these huge whirlpools, and rapids. At low tide the situation reverses and the river rushes through. 

Dad is sending a little video clip.

Do you know that Elder Ballard challenged his missionaries in Toronto to talk to at least  10 people everyday about the gospel? That is 20 per companionship.  We have taken that challenge, and so far Dad is the best at it!! Last night at our restaurant even before we had ordered, he had Kenna our waitress committed to talk to the missionaries, and had her phone number texted to the missionaries in about two minutes!! SO BOLD! Quite the amazing missionary and President he is!! And I get to be his companion!!! Today he got the tour guide for the reversing river’s name and texted that to the Saint John Elders!! Impressive eh?!

Tonight we are staying in another lovely B&B, and we have the luxury of having our own bathroom!! (thank goodness!!) We will visit with Sister Vollmer and Sister Johnson in a half an hour, and then will take them to buy popsicles at Super Store!! To celebrate the fourth of July, they are setting up a Book of Mormon booth tomorrow in Eastport, Maine, and are going to pass out the popsicles - what a cute idea!!

And now I will sign off for the day.      Love to you all!!    Gayle