Retro dress made with vintage fabric

The fabric I used to test out this pattern came from my mother's dowry box. Back in my mom's days, teenager girls would start a dowry box, so they would have things to put in their first home. My mom's included fabrics, tablecloths, towels, facecloths, dishrags....

Laryngitis from Hell.

It started off with a sore throat on Friday. By Saturday I couldn't swallow. By Sunday I was choking on my own saliva my throat was so swelled and I could not stick my tongue out. It was thick and pasty white. Finally by Sunday morning, I asked him to pick me up Neo-Larygobis. I was in so much pain I could not swallow and of course it would hurt at the bottom of my ears.

Well 24 hours after the 2 doses I could swallow my dinner again without being in excruciating pain. It appears for some reason that I caught this from work. Most others got it as sore throat and cold. Me only in my throat.

Tragically Hip..

I've never been a giant fan of the "Tragically dip" but I do like "Grace too", and "New Orleans is sinking" and a few other songs. I'm sad that Gordon Downie is sick and that it's their last tour.   At least it was pretty cool that their last concert was broadcast coast to coast. One of his last messages is that we have to treat our native people better and he's right.  His last work is also supposed to expose wrong done to this countries natives.

Sandbanks provincial Park

The Dunes Beach at Sand Banks Provincial Park

Beach at the Outlet of Sandbanks Provincial Park

Outlet beach at Sandbanks after it go busy

Super Busy main beach at Sandbanks

We left early Sunday morning in the pissing rain, since he had a band practice at 2pm. Just as well it rained so hard most of the way home. 

Beautiful Sunset on West Lake

Sunset on West lake taken from Sandbanks Beach Resort.

Sandbanks Proivincial Park

We decided to go back to Sandbanks in late August since Zoey was at camp all July and we knew she wanted to go back to Sandbanks. We figured we'd go in late August not on a long week-end and perhaps the park wouldn't be booked solid. We even arrived on a Thursday. They were booked solid. I've never seen a campground where you will never camp without  a reservation. So we went back to Sandbanks Beach resort.

The beach known as "The Dunes"

Next summer I'm going to figure out a week-end and reserve a campsite right on the beach. I noticed that when we went into the park we decided we were going to check out the campsites. We like the campsites near the outlet river, which gives on the outlet beach. We also noticed that most campsites in the outlet had 2 or 3 tents. So if I reserve next summer, I'll make sure to invite both daughters and whatever other friend can fit on the campsite, so we all get to benefit from being on the beach. I might even bring the canoe. I bet it's fun to canoe in that bay.

West lake and the Dunes

Here's wishing things will become easier for my daughter

My eldest has had a busy 2016. For starters, she has been pregnant, then her husband got transferred from Halifax to Ottawa, and of course the move was just a month after the birth of the baby.

The birth was not particularly easy, and the baby was big. And of course then comes the fun of breastfeeding your first baby. While I managed to figure it out, I do distinctly remember that the first month of breast feeding was no picnic. Between the giant hickey I got the first time I ever fed her, and the sores and engorgement I had to navigate through, it took a while to master breastfeeding. Thankfully, usually you navigate through problems with child #1 and after subsequent children are easy to breastfeed. Hell I remember saying to my therapist that most women go through breastfeeding hell the first month with their first born, and if they manage to navigate through it then it's smooth sailing for future children.

While I was bugged about my tiny breasts and that I'd never be able to breastfeed anyone it was never an issue. So in my mind, my daughters who have bigger mammaries were going to have no problems breastfeeding. As it turns out each size might have their own challenges.  My daughter spent the first few weeks afraid she was going to smother her baby while feeding her. I could see it in her eyes. And Madeleine like most babies had to learn to breastfeed and from what I was told had a 'tongue-tie" which made it harder for her to feed. This seems to have disappeared recently as she grew

My daughter started also complaining about feeling a lump. She did all things recommended for that and did not get relief and finally consulted a doctor.  As it turns out it wasn't engorged, but she ended up with an ABSCESS, in her right breast that was 6 cm DEEP and 4 1/2 cm wide. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK??

I've had an abscess in my thigh in my bikini area that started as a boil after shaving. By the time I saw a doctor I needed to have a drain put in it for a week and had to wear skirts until it healed and I still have a scar there.  Here it was probably an ingrown hair that got infected. What the fuck gets infected INSIDE a breast??? Apparently this happens to 3% of women.

She had to have emergency surgery on Saturday, and spent more then 24 hours at the hospital.  She currently has a deep wound in her breast that was measured to be 6 1/2 cm deep.  It has to remain open so it can drain and heal properly so she has to go every other day to see a nurse, recently a deep wound specialist, so that it heals properly and that the oozing crap draining out of her incision does not pour over the baby. That tends to make moms feel very uncomfortable.

Day 14: Pictou, New Glascow, Truro & Atlantic Fabrics

In Pictou, Nova Scotia

Pictou Nova, Scotia

From Atlantic Fabrics in New Glascow

Close-up on this stunning dragonfly cotton print

Flannels from the Atlantic fabrics in Truro

Batiks from the Atlantic fabrics in Truro

On our way home from Caribou Munro Islands Provincial park we stopped in both New Glascow and in Truro at the Atlantic fabrics.  We were so early, the store didn't open till 9:30 I believe we were there at 8. The nice lady did let me in at 9:05. I asked if she had prints with dragonflies. She showed me this beige print with tiny little offwhite dragonflies, but the pinks below caught my attention. Some of the fabrics had a stained glass wannabee look to it and when I pulled out the bolt, I saw the dragonfly. When I showed the clerk she said she'd never noticed it, she asked the other clerk and she'd never noticed it either. The fabric was newly arrived that week,and it was 2/3  gone already. I also picked up a dark cherry red batik with spirals, for about $8.99 a meter. Batiks can go up to $20.00 a meter. 

I also stopped at the one in Truro and there I found some really cool newly arrived flannels. They were also liquidating old batiks fairly inexpensive in 2m coupons which is often enough for me to make a nice dress. I really enjoy making dresses batiks. One has a Navajo feel to it, and the other has a sea theme, in a plum colour and has spirals, octopi, crabs and other sea creatures.

Day 13: Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park

Main-A-Dieu Harbour

Main-a-Dieu Beach.

After we left Mira River provincial park we decided to go back to Mira Gut and up the coast to "Main-a-Dieu". That morning when we passed Mira Gut beach, the parking was full and there was people everywhere. So much so we decided not to stop in and take more photos.  Instead we drove past Catalone and up to Main a dieu. The beach there was spectacular. Soft fine sand. We were there at high tide so I didn't have much luck finding sea glass.  All along the beach there are wooden paths and gazebo's. If you can find enough room to park on the side of the road, you can go to the beach there. Most of the people were closest to the hill near the town, I'm guessing because it blocks the wind. We were further down the long beach not to far from a group of local girls. but compared to Mira gut beach, there was no one and the beach was twice as nice.

Atlantic Ocean seen from Mira Gut

Fisherman statue driving in towards Glace Bay. Could be in Port Caledonia, or even Donkin

Lighthouse on Bras d'or Lake

Simpsons cartoon lawn in Whycocomagh - drive-by photo

This road between water around Pictou, Nova Scotia. There was birds EVERYWHERE!

Beach at Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park

From Cariboo Munro Islands Provincial Park beach

Donair chips

Yum

Donair flavoured covered bridge chips

One thing I like about New Brunswick is the covered bridge chips.  I picked up this bag in Mira river at the convenience store in Albert Bridge. They were absolutely delicious. We had a really hard time finding me plain fritos in most of Cape Breton. Only place we found some was at the COOP in Cheticamp. 

Day 12: Mira River Provincial Park & Mira Gut

Louisbough Lighthouse

Fishing boat near Louisbourg

We had a lobster dinner at the Lobster Kettle in Louisboug.When we walked in my bf felt he was being looked at but with his long hair sometimes it happens. Actually what we didn't think about is that he was wearing his black sweatshirt, with the "Notre Dame" fighting Irish logo and 4 leave clovers. Louisbourg despite it's name is very scottish.

After a few minutes in the restaurant an older lady walked in and sat under the AC vent, which was freezing me. After a few minutes she notices Terry and tells him that this is a Scottish town. Of course he was nonplussed so she started talking to him asking where we were from and telling him about her travels. When our lobsters showed up she showed him how to break a lobster and how to eat it. As it goes she was the daughter of a lobster fisherman. She was quite entertaining and in her late 70s.

The Louisbourg fortress at a distance

Louisbourg Fortress.

Our Campsite at Mira River

Atlantic seen from beach at Mira Gut

Mira Gut Beach

Mira River at Dusk

Mira River at Dusk.

I love coming to Mira River Provincial park and going on spot 141 I believe which is just on the edge of the water. I always wish I had my canoe with me when I go there. Sounds like a great place to canoe. This time we went down the road, after I realized that maybe 5 km down the road is the Atlantic Ocean. At a place called Mira Gut. 

Day 11: Meat Cove, and Cape Breton Highlands National Park

Dawn at Meatcove

There were lots of people camping at Meatcove that night.

Lighthouse and Chowder House at Neil's Harbour

Driving down the Scottish side of the Cabot Trail

Near the ferry at Englishtown

Bridge on Bras d'Or Lake

View on Bras d'Or lake

Lighthouse on Bras d'Or lake

Iconic Lick-A-Chick on the highway to Sydney

Exit for Balls creek!

Our tent didn't survive the last night at meatcove. This morning went we took it down we realized that the posts were broken. We had already ducktaped one part, and there were several more breaks. The tent was retired at Meatcove.

Day 10: Meat Cove

Fishing Cove as seen from the Cabot Trail

Pleasant Bay

Meat Cove Campground

Meatcove beach

MeatCove at Dusk

We drove from Cheticamp all along the cabot trail to Pleasant Bay then headed to meat cove. we were lucky in that it was sunny and not much windy the entire time we were there.