Leaving Yarmouth...and on to Woodstock.

It was a tearful good-bye as we left my cousin in her driveway and drove down the road to say good-bye to my Uncle Leo who made me cry again! The time was too short and we weren't ready to leave the ocean view, the salt air and our loved ones behind. But we had a reservation on the Princess of Acadia to cross from Digby to St. John and more loved ones awaited us in Woodstock for a few more days of vacation before the drive home.

The experience on the boat was one I was glad the kids could have. The smell and the sensation of being on the open ocean is a vivid memory from the many trips down home each summer. We saw porpoises swimming right next to us and it was a beautiful clear day for sailing. Still a chunk of our hearts were still on Grove Road in Yarmouth.

We were bound for Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground in Woodstock. And we arrived just in time for the evening Hay Ride with Yogi himself! We learned the Yogi Camp song and then watched while Yogi lowered the flag and gave good-night hugs before the bedtime story in the Boo-Boo Bear Pavilion. Then after a campfire with Auntie, Uncle Glen and the kids we retired to our cabin.

More to come about our camping adventures, killer waterslides and the smelly drive home!! Stay tuned!

Last Big Day in Yarmouth!!

We leave today on the Princess of Acadia for St. John. Then we will travel to Woodstock to camp with my brother and sister. We are so sad to leave and so thankful we had this time. Hope this ache doesn't linger.

Here are just a few pics from our last day here.




After a day at Upper Clements theme park we had our final feed and a bond fire.




Karen's neighbor Willard

The harbour at night from Karen's fron lawn

We squeezed into one van to go the picnic area for lunch...James was goosing Dylan i think.




They loved this one!!

Group shot & just one of the many gorgeous hyderangea bushes around Nova Scotia

So much Fun!!!

Keeping touch with Auntie Princess Christa

James & Dylan Taking Noah for the ride of his life!

The Grand Finally ~ Courtesy of James! Listen for the "oh nuts" right before he almost set himself on fire!!

Remembering and dreading the Goodbyes

So the time is drawing closer for us to start thinking about getting ready to pack up and leave this land we love! :( It's very bittersweet for me. I have so many fond memories from my childhood of the many summers spent visiting here and even more special people here that I see to infrequently.
To have this time to reconnect with my sweet Karen and her kids and to see my cousins and Aunts and Uncles is a reminder of how blessed I am to have been born a Williams. Each of them has had a special touch on my life. I have specific memories of each of them too. My Cousin Brian and his wife Bonnie just left here after one last visit with them before we go. I have a special memory that is mine alone of Brian...besides the "elephant call"...I got a special ride on the back of Brian's beloved, shiney motorcycle one summer...back when he had hair *winks* and I melted my way cool North Stars all over his tail pipe!!! He was so gracious and never made me feel bad about it and I was always impressed by that and so grateful.
I remember running around the property of my Aunt Gwen's house with Timmy, Jeffery and Graham...we would hunt for treasures in their big garage and climb into the boat that was inevitably parked in their yard and pretend we were Lobster men just like Big Gord.
I remember being up in Karen's room in Hebrun and telling secrects into the wee hours of the morning and falling asleep sometime before the bakery workers(next door) started baking the bread that we would wake up to the smell of. We also were the filters for each other as we processed the loss of our Grandmother when we were 15 & 14.

We have loved being here and could easily live here. Even with the fog!! It's like a facial every day! I have salt water running through my veins and feel very at home here...but this is not where God has planted us....yet!

We are planning a day in Annapolis Royal tomorrow at a water park that has a safari. Hopefully we will make it home in time to get to the lobster pound down at the beach! Got to get one last taste!
Today Terry & James installed a new front door here for Karen to help earn our keep...with the help of Noah of course.
I did laundry and watched them (from our bedroom window) blowing in the salt air with the ocean in the distance...sigh

Well I will write more later...Dylan just got home with a bag-o-treats from the Bulk Barn where he works...we haven't had enough sugar this trip so I feel obligated to partake!!
More later....

A few more pics

After Church Noah pitched right in to help put the chairs away

Gracie & Sandra loving Aunt Audrey

Gracie Lovin' Aunt Elenor








We visited the old Homestead. The farm house is gone, but part of the stone wall and the Barn are still standing. Dad & Uncle Leo remembering.






Uncle George & the Barn we spent many summers playing in








James & Uncle Mike talking about what it would be like to see the house you grew up in, gone.





From this angle you can see where the house stood. We then visited the grave yard.





We picked water lilies to place on the stones.








My Great Grandmother's Grave & My Grampie and Nana's Graves

Family Reunion Pictures

Terry, Jeff Spinney(Aunt Gwen's son) Me and Jeff''s wife Pam


Karen's Daughter Kady holding Sierra (Debbie's Grandaughter)




Me with my Cousin Graham Spinney (Aunt Gwen's son)



4 of the six Williams kids (oldest to youngest)
Uncle Leo, Uncle George, Dad and Aunt Gwen
(Absent, Uncle Charlie and Uncle Gordie)


With spouses Left to right
Aunt Elenor, Big Gord, Aunt Audrey & Mom


Williams Family


All the Cousins!
Front Row: L to R
Peggy, Debbie, Sharon, Glen, Graham, Gweny
Back Row: L to R
Timmy, Karen, Me, Jeffery, Sandra, Brian
Absent: Susan(deceased), Greg & Robbie


The Kids' Table!

My crazy cousin Brian!! Can never stop laughing when he's around!


Sandra, Sharon Willams Emberly and Emma Spinney


Gracie lovin' on Emma


James fixing the decorations






No Better way to end the day then with a very LOUD game of Appples to Apples!