We had to make an unexpected trip to Halifax (Nova Scotia) last week. The Boy’s mom isn’t doing all that well and had to be admitted to the hospital with COPD and congestive heart failure. She’s 84 and has battled asthma for years.
Sadly, she won’t be coming home from the hospital. She’ll go a transitional ward until there’s room in a nursing home. I don’t know what’s worse – losing a mother unexpectedly to a heart attack as I did, or losing one slowly due to age.
I have to say though, that only in Nova Scotia would it be considered appropriate to bring someone in the hospital a lobster instead of flowers! ROFL
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
We had to clean out her apartment while we were there, and some unexpected delays came up. That meant that our 5 day stay was extended to 9.
We rented a car and drove down because we had to pack everything and bring it back. We made excellent time to New Brunswick (traveling at night = no traffic) and made it there in about 14 hours. Then all hell broke loose. What at first seemed to be harmless snow:
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
Quickly turned into this:
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
It took us another 9 hours through blinding snow and ice to get to Halifax. While we were there there was another storm that came through and brought with it an incredible deep freeze. Never ever underestimate how cold -47C (-52F) with the wind chill is when the wind is coming in off the harbour at 80 -100 km (50-62 M) per hour.
While we were there, I broke down and visited The Loop Café.
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
| From Nova Scotia 2007 |
I know I’m supposed to be knitting from my stash, but I was sadly in need of some retail therapy. These are “Nova Scotia grown yarns”. I thought that was appropriate
I also bought a nostepinne – now I just need to figure out how to use it!We checked out of the hotel Sunday around noon and left Halifax at 8:30pm. We drove through the night and arrived back in Toronto around 6pm. Clancy was very happy to see us (she’d been camping out with a friend and her cats) and has been absolute Velcro ever since.
I’m glad to be home, but am sad to leave both Halifax and The Boy’s mom. I love it there so much that it gets harder to leave every time. Maybe we’ll retire there. I hear there’s a great crafts community there. And after all, it would get me closer to both Lucy Neatby and my beloved Fleece Artist!
Sorry to hear about your MIL. Congestive heart failure is a very creepy/frightening condition and not a good way to go into the twilight. I lost one parent quickly and one slowly and neither way was easy. My thoughts are with you all.
Nova Scotia looks lovely. Snowy and cold, but lovely. We live in Vermont and I’ve always thought that we should get up there, but oddly it’s a direction very few travelers from here seem to go.
Someday.
I am so sorry about your MIL. It is very difficult when a parent is sick. I went through it with my mom with breast cancer. My dad has Parkinsons but I am in Canada and he is in NYC so I don’t get to see him much. When my mom died 24 years ago I lived at the hospital as much as possible when you have young ones at home. I really don’t know which is easier – when you know what’s coming or when things are sudden. I will keep everyone in my prayers.
Thank you Rochelle, and my sympathies over the loss of your mom and your father’s illness. It’s hard being so far away!
Thanks Jessie. I hope you do get to come to Nova Scotia – it’s stunning in the summer. And somehow beautiful in it’s barrenness (is that a word?) in the winter.
I’ve always wanted to go to Vermont – it seems like it would be similar. Maybe one year we’ll switch!