We set off mid-afternoon to catch the 7:00 PM (red-eye) from Comox to Halifax with a stop over in Calgary (Did you see me waving Jenifer?) The first leg of the flight was supposed to take just over an hour but our flight was late and the what can we do for an hour and a half stop over turned into Oh My God! They've changed the gate number. RUN! The rest of the trip was to take just over five hours. I had bought a pair of earphones so I could watch the in flight TV. So, about 30 minutes into the flight the attendants passed with their trolley of freebies and I requested water with ice and the cookies. What I received was a small drink glass full of ice with a thimble's worth of water and two carefully packaged discs of sawdust. I pulled down my tray and placed my snack on it. I plugged in my headphones and channel surfed until I found something that looked interesting, placed my travel pillow behind my head, reclined my seat back and settled in for the long flight. Within seconds I realized there was a face hovering over me.

It was the lady in the seat next to mine (I had the isle seat). She was smiling apologetically and I instinctively knew she needed to use the washroom. I removed my headphones and as I undid my seat belt my pillow fell to the floor and rolled just out of my reach. I picked up my cup of water and little bag of cookies with one hand and pushed and locked the tray out of the way. When I attempted to stand up my headphone card got tangled in my seat belt and the plug was violently torn from the jack. I handed DH, who was across the isle from me, my water and snack and retrieved my pillow. Then I stepped out of the way for the brain dead, bladder filled cow to pass. I did not return her smile nor did I acknowledge her mumbled thank you. Seeing there was a small line up at the biffy door I took my seat and sat waiting for her to return. Later, the lady in the window seat saw her friend returning and decided she might as well head off to the head as well. I couldn't believe it. They were adults. Not four year olds. Why didn't they go BEFORE they got on the plane? It's not like they'd been sitting there holding it for five hours. We had only just taken off. I was compensated by being allowed to use her armrest. OK, so she didn't actually allow me to but there was no room for her arm with mine there.....for the rest of the flight. I think I'd had an hours sleep when we landed in Halifax at 6:30 AM Atlantic time.

The flight home was much more enjoyable. When I found my seat I was horrified to discover a young mother and one year old occupying the seats beside me. As soon as I sat down the one year old took one look at me and started to howl (I have that effect on children). I sympathetically smiled at the young mother and tried to mentally prepare myself for five hours of screaming tot when a stewardess asked the mom if she would like to move to the three empty seats at the back and the mom gratefully accepted her offer. She and whiny brat moved as soon as to seat belt sign went off and I had three glorious seats to myself where I sat knitting, happy as a clam for the next five and a bit hours. I knew I would have to pay for those hours of freedom and pay I did when we boarded out flight from Calgary (Did you see me wave again Jenifer?) to Comox I discovered my seatmate was none other than John Goodman (Remember the old TV show Roseanne? He played her husband.). Then, as I got close enough to ask for an autograph I realized it wasn't him at all, just someone the same SIZE as John Goodman. Not only did I not get both armrests but he took up some of my seat as well.


DH with the rental car we used while in the Maritimes.


We didn't use this old jalopy. It's just a cute picture of my granddaughter.


Near St Stephen, New Brunswick, an old covered bridge along the way.


Alma, NB. Low tide.


High tide.


Confederation Bridge links Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick and is 8 miles long.


We did a fair bit of walking and in that heat my feet were so swollen my ankles all but disapeared.