TOO MUCH FOR WORDS

To all winers in building C and elsewhere, greetings. I read that it is very hot in BC and Alberta, very stormy in Quebec and Ontario, very buggy in Algonquin. I actually just guessed that last one. Here in Nova Scotia, it is as pleasant as can be.

Since Kevin’s race in Quebec, a lot has happened. Too much to mention, really: a few days on the Gaspe peninsula, four days in Sackville, NB, a few days here in Nova Scotia. All great stuff. Gail has a video of us descending into Perce Quebec, on a 17% downgrade. It’s too long to get on here (edit maybe?) but it scared her up a little. Me too. Other than that, we have learned a lot about Acadians, been to a good beach, toured a submarine in Ramouski, been to lighthouses, and etc etc. Also got rained on, needed fixes, took wrong turns, and other adversities. Nothing too terribly bad. On Sunday we go to Newfoundland.

Here are two things that I have thought in the last 10 days. That’s one thought per five days.

First, we experienced the greatest of good hospitality in New Brunswick. I won’t say who or where, this being the internet and all, but it was terrific. Just felt right at home for a few days. Which always makes me wonder; is there a connection between worldview and hospitality quotient? I don’t know. It would seem to me that if you see the world as a random accident, and the people in it as bits of protein, that would make you less inclined to hospitality than your neighbor who sees the world as an unfolding drama and the people in it as valued players. Just conjecture on my part, of course, but you’d think the more value you ascribe to things, the more careful you are with them, especially your neighbor. Maybe that’s a stretch, but regardless, we were treated like royalty in New Brunswick, by people who are on the opposite end of the spectrum to “the world is a chance configuration of atoms” folk. Made me think.

Second, we are currently in an RV park right on the ocean, a couple of clicks down the road from Peggy’s Cove. Stunning. Between here and there is a memorial to Swissair 111, which crashed 5k off Peggy’s Cove in 1998, killing 229 people.

We went over there and sat for a while today. The term “achingly beautiful” (a term I never use) popped into my head when we were there; to the left, Peggy’s Cove lighthouse between endless sea and sky, and to the right, just endless sea and sky where all those people died in an instant because somebody did some faulty wiring in their airplane. Or planted an incendiary device on it, depending on who you believe.

Ya. As is my wont, I got all emo at the whole scene, which really is absolutely beautiful, but at the same time unspeakably sorrowful. Such beauty, such sorrow. Achingly beautiful. Too much for words. Same as the rest of life.

I don’t know if you could call that a thought or not, but I had it anyway. After that, we came back to the moho and played crib while the sun sunk into the ocean. Great evening. Good times. For now, we are still here.

Hope you’re all having a good summer.

Magic by Gail and Megan. A video appears.