11:45 EST. We got going at 8:30 this morning, despite my refusal to pack last night (after finishing "The Dunwich Horror" I just wanted to go to bed and dream decadent dreams). The Boy considerately took us through back roads and secondary highways to Truro, a navigational remnant of the days when he drove a truck full of VHS cassettes. It's been all green hills, big trees, twisty roads & fog-painted valleys.

Now that the sun's burnt off the damp, it's clear and bright and warm. Reminds me of the day we arrived in a van full of both determination and miserable feline.

I can't believe we're leaving already. I thought we'd go stir crazy with 10 days of east shore leave, and have to do day trips to Lunenberg and Digby Neck to fill the time. If you leave out our one day in Halifax, we didn't leave the Valley once we'd arrived. Part of it was inertia, the release of a breath held since September (or since the last time we drove away) and part of it was recovering from three long years in the GTA. Part of it was playing house in a comfy bungalow: doing dishes, swatting flies, chasing Blake away from the neighbour's swingset, knitting. And part of it was the feeling that since we were home in some obscure way, we didn't have to push ourselves to explore! and experience!

In a way, seeing the Avalanches was a perfect example of local sight-seeing: comfortable, calm and interesting all at the same time. Plus, they made us smoothies.

Lunch noon - Patterson's Family Restaurant, Sackville, NB

I used to think that family restaurants were a stupid idea. That was before I got my fill of trendy restaurant waiters and their snotty looks at my uncontrollable ragamuffin. And even when the staff is good (see: Acton's), I'm so busy feeding and controlling my monster that I can't properly taste my food. At the cheesey family restaurant I can relax, knowing that there will be a staff who may not welcome Blake's depredations, but will be resigned to them.

This particular family restaurant had a walled-off play area with shabby but excellent toys, a children's menu, booster seats and real food on the menu (i.e. not just diner hash). Exhibit A: my mashed potatoes were genuine. Defence rests. Blake had an all-day breakfast (which has become the lifeline of our restaurant visits with him) & the Boy, despite his repeated announcements that he was ready to drive straight on through to St. Jacob's without stopping for lunch, hoovered his haddock without waiting for appropriate utensils (or stopping to breathe for that matter). After he washed the fish down with more coffee, he was heard to wonder where this restaurant has been all our vacation? It almost makes me wish I'd done my degree at Mount A.

Dinner at Ichiban in Bangor, Maine.

Another excellent find. Top notch sushi, great service & Blake loved the sushi bar. Best sushi I've had in a long time - since Halifax? And lots of people, so we didn't feel sorry for the restaurant (as we did in Flint). I like to imagine that if Neil Gaiman ever visits Stephen King, this is where they go for lunch.

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- Rocketbride's adventure of 7/08/2006 02:38:00 p.m.