agm part 2

herring cove granite boulders / azalea ? mlou's wonderful garden / waterfront Halifax / mlou's front entrance / Dee Dee's ice cream in a waffle cone natch / more herring cove hike / my bedside bouquet / I heart lichen & moss / herring cove coastline / miniature ecosystems on rocks - sigh / mlou's garden / herring cove pathway / along the waterfront landscape / hydrangea / blooming blossoms / herring cove / talay thai take-out yum / big bouquet of coral red roses in the new kitchen

Off in a minute to the nearby bigger town for our monthly shopping excursion - details & itinerary of Day 2 in the sweet city coming a little later - stay tuned - more chatting, walking & driving, events & activities, more talking & most excellent food.

6:45pm - finally back at my desk has been a rather action packed & tres efficient day - oodles of errands, a jewellery design meeting (goodness - sung by les chorus of angels), more errands & topped off with a healthy fish n' chips dinner - roasted oven fries & flour dusted, pan fried haddock hmmm... oranges (sweet as can be) for dessert. As promised les Saturday itinerary - agm 3 part deux.

MLou: So ... what do you feel like doing next ?
Susan: gee ... I don't know, what do you feel like doing ?
MLou: hmmmm ... what do you feel like eating ?
Susan: gee ... I don't know, what do you feel like eating ?
MLou: Um ... what would you like to drink ?
Susan: gee ... I don't know, what do you feel like drinking* ?

Chip + Dale

Saturday - the coffee goes on at 6:30, 10 mins later I'm having coffee in bed in my lovely guest suite at Casa Dingle when I hear MLou & the J girl coming down stairs once MLou's filled her coffee cup we retreat to the bedroom (I sitting up in bed with a million pillows she comfy in a rocking chair) for for our next round of chatting, planning, discussing, talking, chatting some more etc ... 8:30 she goes off to make her daily Skype call to husband L. who works in Thailand (6 weeks there/6 weeks home - he's a geophysicist and I like saying that ;-) while I get dressed & ready for our day. I pop in always briefly to wave & chat with Lauchie for a minute or two. Next while MLou showers I go out into her gorgeous wooded garden to take photos the light is fabulous all day in their gorgeous spot nestled in the trees. Into the car & off to the Farmer's Market (oh my the smells) - you name it Indian food, flowers, fresh pressed cider, so many good smells - decisions, decisions what will breakfast/brunch be ?? we settle on crepes I have a cider (a combo of 4 different apples freshly pressed) Shut ! Up !! so good. Dee's Dee's ice cream for dessert. Then to the Spring Halifax Crafter's show - over 80 artisans & craftspeople - amazing selection of you name it from granola bars, ceramics, embroidery, prints, woodworking - tons of great handmade stuff ... then a visit with MLou's parents (lovely), back home to pick up the J. girl for our hike along the real ocean and granite boulder hill at Herring Cove (most strenuous hike yet complete with spectacular views a cruise ship leaving & incredible geological formations).

We take the scenic route home 'cause every flowering shrub in Halifax is now flowering - azaleas, rhodos, magnolias, cherry, plum, forsythia - gorgeousity. Back at Casa Dingle by 6pm to get the Winnie report - hooray she has left her security spot** been downstairs & outside to do some business, & had a snarf of cat food (anything she wants) & back up to her nest under my desk. Phew - that makes me feel better. Potato chips (an agm ritual), cold drinks + much more chat-a-thon, counter leaning while talking in the big new kitchen - 8pm back in the car & downtown to TalayThai for take-out. We place our order then stroll around downtown (near the railway station) & my old neighborhood during our NSCAD days. Delicious thai food (cocnut soup, fresh spring rolls, tamarind prawns, & vegetable green curry) yum - stuffed we turn at 11:30.

Sunday morning the coffee begins gurgling at 6:00 am (repeat Sat. early morning routine) - back into the car, driving, much more chatting & she drops me off in Truro with the Prince at 10:30 home in Pugwash just past lunch - Missy D (& les Gang) are all thrilled to have Mama home.

* neither of us drinks alcohol
** her bed under  the TTD (teak topped desk)