Ok, here's the rest!

[tater_mae]

This is super long, so i'm putting it under a cut!!

So, I'm back.

Actually, i've been back for a few days now. Since Monday, to be exact.

I guess I have a few days to catch up on. Ok, so... Friday morning we kind of got to sleep in a little - 7, i think. We ate our Continental Brekkie at the hotel, checked out, and made our way to the Hopewell Rocks.

Stupidly, I didn't think we were going to do a lot of walking, so i wore a skirt.

It wasn't a glorias day, in fact, it was overcast, and a bit rainy, if I recall correctly. Anyhoo, Daddy pays for our tickets, and we make our way to go see the Rocks.

Wearing a skirt? Not such a good idea. I don't know what I was expecting, but i really should have expected trails and such. I don't know why i didn't. Anyway, We walked along the trails (some of which were fairly steep), saw the different rocks/rock formations, saw a group of kayakers. It was actually pretty fun. Not the walking the trails part - but i'm lazy and I don't like walking steep trails. In a skirt. But seeing the rocks was pretty cool. So we took some pics, and made our way back to Moncton.

Actually, I think we were headed to... Miramichi, NB. I think we stopped in Richibucto for some lunch at a place called GK's Family Restaurant. Now, it wasn't the NICEST looking restaurant ever, but damn, the food was good.

I, of course, ordered the Club Sandwich. For those of you who don't know (and I don't know why you would), but there is a little... tradition? i guess, that i have. If i'm out eating somewhere new, and their menu has a Club Sandwich, the chances are that I'm going to get it. I think its something that I picked up from my Mother. She used to travel a little bit for one of her jobs, and when she ordered room service (the rare times she did), she'd usually order a club sandwich. I've done this for a several years now - ordering Club Sandwiches wherever i go.

Anyway, I ordered a club sandwich (just the sandwich, no sides), my dad got the special - the Fish Snack (when the waitress said it, it sounded like Fish Nack), and my sister got a caesar salad and the seafood chowder.

So we're waiting for our food, and our waitress brings out Maren's salad first. and its FRICKIN HUGE!!! like, its HEAPINGLY BIG. I think she kind of got bug eyes when she saw it. After our waitress left, she told me and Daddy that we had to help her eat it. So we gladly did.

it was a really good caesar salad. Not the best i've ever had, but still, VERY good for a restaurant salad. So i had a bit, and then my sandwich came. That was also very good. Not the best i've ever had, but defintely one of the better ones.

We were quite glad we stopped at GK's. It was a delicious and filling experience.

After lunch, we drove through St. Louis where my Grandmother is from, and Dad pointed out a few places he remembered.

Before we got to our hotel in Miramichi, Daddy took us on a little detour to the 'Old McIntyre House'. I don't know if it was his Grandparents' place, but i think it was. Whoever was by Little's store, that's where we went.

I can't remember if I mentioned it here. Earlier this year, my family went to Tsawwassen, BC, to do our taxes. That's where our Accountant is. So, while we're waiting in one of the conference rooms, my dad does his thing and starts walking around the room, looking at the pictures and stuff, when he stops and points to one of the pictures on the wall. He gets all excited, and when the lady comes back with whatever she needed to get, he asks her if she knows where the picture is from. the lady kinda shrugs and is all, that's been there for a long time. So my Dad proudly says that it's a picture of Little's store in New Brunswick. That's right by where he grew up and he went there all the time.

ANYWAY, so We took a couple pics of the Old McIntyre house, and where Little's used to be, and we walked across the foot bridge (which used to be a regular car bridge back in the day. Daddy said that Grandpa used to have this old car (I can't remember the name of it now. Hills-something?) and Grandpa used to have to gain enough momentum to go up the hill that was just a short distance away from the bridge, and Daddy and Grammy used to have to get out of the car and walk up the hill. It was kinda funny). But yeah, the footbridge is at the Dam, and the water there looks pretty nice, and dad used to say how he and the cousins used to swim there and stuff.

We made it to the hotel in Miramichi, and... it was pretty nice. You could rent dvds there, for free! But anyway, that's where a bunch of McIntyre's were staying that first night. so we got settled in our room, and Daddy told us that we'd probably be leaving soon, and that he was going to sit downstairs and see if he could spot anyone. So me and Mares watched John Doe and had some coffee. Actually, that was the last time we watched John Doe, and the very last episode we watched was about an Airplane crisis, of sorts. There was some sort of biological weapon on the plane, and John had to figure out what the frak was going on. So me and Mares just kind of chuckled to ourselves, as we were going to BE on a plane in a few days, and what a great ep that was to finish with.

We went downstairs, and we met a few relatives, and we made our way to Ed and Barb's for the meet & greet.

HOLY HELL, I DID NOT REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE IN MY FAMILY!! and that wasn't even all of them!!

We met a bunch of people (and its a little scary that some people on my dad's side of the family have similar personalities to people on my mom's side of the family). After doing a little bit of mingling (and playing probably the shortest game of hide and go seek i'll ever play), me and Mares went to one of the couches to settle in, and gathered our own little crowd. Emmy and Evy were two of the cousins (or kids of Dad's cousins) that we met at our hotel, so they chilled with us. Emmy was 21 and Evy was 19, so they were kinda close in age with us (Mares is 27 and i'm 24). Well, me and Evy hit it off, since we're kinda similar. We both love musicals (and GLEE!!) and dancing randomly, and we're both kinda weird. Although, Emmy liked HP and Evy didn't, but that's ok. No one is perfect. =P

Oh. I also have this little cousin Ryan who's 10, and he's kind of adorable. We got along really well too. He was the one that wanted to play Hide and Go Seek. So anyway, we're sitting on the couch, and i start dancing to the song that's playing quietly in the background, and he starts dancing with me. We did this little dance, so then he had to go grab his mom and we showed it to her. He was a cute kid. I called him my favourite boy cousin.

By... 11-ish, we started getting tired, and got dad so we could leave. I felt kind of bad, since he was having a GREAT time catching up with all the relatives he never sees, but he was pretty tired too.

Saturday we woke up, had a quick continental brekkie at the hotel, checked out, and made our way to A Hall where we had ANOTHER brekkie, but this time, most of the fam was there (as well as some strangers, as the Hall has brekkies for $5 every saturday i think). Anyway, around 1pm, we had the hall to ourselves. We had a scavenger hunt of sorts - it was kind of... "Look at all the Landmarks of Family History here" - there were numbered landmarks, and 'letters' at certain locations, and when you collected all the letters, it spelled something out.

So most of the points were fairly close to the Hall, and my dad decided that he wanted to walk.

have i mentioned how hot it is back east? what with the raging humidity and everything?

Anyways, they said it wasn't a race, but the first... 3 or 4 teams back got a prize or something. So we were walking, and we got the first couple, and then Dad was all, Ok, I'll go to this point and get the letter, you guys go here and get this one, and then we'll meet up at this one. Mares and I forgot that he had a slight competetive streak in him. But anyways, off we went, going to collect our Letters. We the got the ones we were supposed to, and were making our way to the point where we were going to meet up, and we're walking and we're walking, and then Dad shows up in the car!! He ran to his point and he got soaked because he was so hot. So then after getting his letter, he went back to get the Car (which has A/C). So we drove to the point where we were going to meet up, and let me tell you, i'm SO SO glad we drove. It was a lot further away than any of us anticipated. It would have taken us FOREVER to walk there.

Anyway, about partway through, we figured out what the letters spelled (McIntyre Reunion), but collected all our letters, and made it back in time to be third place.

We chatted with ppl for a while, and then decided to see if our rooms were ready at the hotel we were going to stay in that night (as most of the other McIntyre's were going to stay there as well). So we went, and... I think it was ready. I think we tried checking in sometime after brekkie, but the rooms weren't ready then, so when we went back, they were. But the first time we tried checking in, someone else was checking in and when the Hotel Guy asked Daddy for his name, dad said McIntyre, and the guy who was checking in looked over at us.

It was Greg!! This is one of the cousins I met about a million years ago when I was really little. Like, as in 1 year old or something. So he was checking in, and we said our hello's and he said that he'd see us later. But that was when our rooms weren't ready yet. So when our rooms WERE ready, we dropped all our stuff off and stuff. This place was better than Swift Current and Willard Lake, but just a step above. Not quite a dive, but not as nice as the other places we stayed at before. And we stayed in the motel part - this place had a motel part and some chalets and some cottages. so we got the motel, which wasn't bad, but wasn't great. Actually, the Chalets would have been really nice if they just fixed it up a bit, and kept it maintained and stuff.

Anyway, after we dropped off our stuff and got cleaned up a bit, we went back to the Hall and chilled there for a bit, and then there was a BBQ. I had 2 hot dogs!! But yeah, me and mares taught some of our cousins the Deserted Island Game.

The Deserted Island Game isn't REALLY a game. But its fun!! Pretend that you're going to a Deserted Island for the rest of your life. Make a list of 3 Books, 3 Movies, 3 CDs (real cds, nothing that has been burned or made by you or someone else), 3 Meals (consisting of 3 foods each. These can be homemade stuff. For example you can have: Lethbridge's Ric's Grill's Steak (medium rare), Mimi's Mashed potatoes, and asparagus - that is one meal), we added 3 TV Shows (1 season each. I don't think you can take the complete series of X-Files or anything. It would have to be a specific season), possibly 3 video games (but i think its ok if you need to take 2... cartridges to complete 1 game. I think there are some like that out there) and... 1 person. that isn't your significant other - Please note that you can't share their lists. Basically, its what are your 3 favourite _______ that you could live off of forever. And don't try and be logical or anything, that spoils the game. You aren't going to get rescued, you have electricity, and the meals appear magically or whatever. But your list has to last you the rest of your life. What can't you live without.

Its a lot harder than it sounds. We try and do it every year. Well, we try and KEEP our lists and then when we do them the next year, we look to see what's changed and what's the same and everything. That doesn't always happen. But we still like playing it.

Anyway, after dinner, there was another game - a crossword this time. So we did that, then had a big Group photo (first, the cousins had a picture taken, then again with their families)

and then it was basically time to clean up the hall and go back to the motel. Before we went back to the motel, Daddy picked up about a dozen bottles of water (he was thirsty, and thought maybe others would be thirsty as well)

So anyway, we get back to the motel, and put on our bug spray, because the mosquitos are flying about. Then Ken and Dawn (Ken is my Dad's cousin - he's the one we know the most, and his kids - Shelley, Greg, Heather and Peter. Peter wasn't there this trip. And Greg is the one we saw checking into the lodge. I remember Shelley and Heather the most though. I can't remember how old i was, but once,we stayed with Ken and Dawn for a night or so - I stayed in Heather's room and Maren stayed in Shelley's. Then, at the last reunion we went to 15 years ago, I only saw Shelly and Peter. But still, these are pretty much the cousin's we know best - or at least, the ones i'm most comfortable with) invited us to their Chalet since they had a little closed off porch so the bugs couldn't get in.

the chalet was ok, not the nicest i've ever seen, but not bad. So we chatted with Shelley and Dawn and Ken for a bit, and Greg came over for a little while. Shelley and Heather and Greg all have kids. I think Peter has kids too, but he wasn't there. After we had left the Hall, Heather, her husband Matt, and their 3 yr old daughter Ava, went home, or something. They left their son Parker with Ken and Dawn and them, since we were all seeing each other again in the morning. Oh! Also, Heather is MASSIVELY pregnant. As in, she'll be popping any day now, it seems like. And so is Greg's wife. I think she's having a C-Section done in September or something.

But anyway, we had a nice talk with Dawn and Shelley mostly, even though there were others there, it was the four of us more consistantly (besides that brief interlude where Shelley had to calm her daughter Taylor down as she had a tantrum). But it was nice, since we're all (sorta) adults and can have grown up conversations and stuff. Dad left at abour 11pm, and we left about an hour after that.

Sunday morning, we got up, had our showers, and at 11am the motel fed us breakfast. The other patrons of the motel who weren't McIntyre's got their brekkie from 8-11am, and then they had a special brekkie for us. Well, it was the same food, but because there were so many of us (and some of the rellies were coming from their own houses or different hotels), they let us have brekkie at a special time. So that was nice. Breakfast was good. But seriously, i don't think i'll have to eat Eggs, bacon, and toast for a while. So we ate and mingled until about 1pm, then some people started leaving, and apparently there was going to be a Mass at the church that the cousins used to go to as kids at 2pm. Originally we weren't going to go (we're not religious at all), but someone organized to have Memorial Flowers for the McIntyre's who we've lost over the years. There was one for my Grandpa, and one for my mother. So then we HAD to go. And we went. The church was a little stuffy, but ok. The sermon wasn't horrible, but like I said, i'm not very religious and i wasn't always listening.

When it was time for the Memorial Flowers, I knew what was coming. My dad put a flower in the vase for my grandpa, and then Me and Mares went up to put one in for Mom. That was hard, and we all broke down. I had to fish out some napkins i had in my purse to give them to my dad and sister, and kept one for myself. It's still hard, even after a year and half. Not that I expect it to get easier any time soon, but... I was trying to be strong, but by the time we reached the alter, i think we were all crying, and when i saw my dad break down, i did too.

I didn't really pay attention to anything after that. Nothing much happened after that, actually. The service was pretty much done, and as soon as I made it out the doors, i bee-lined it for the car. I just didn't want to be around people just then - i was still trying to get myself under control. My sister came to check up on me, and i was feeling a bit better. but after the service, that was it. The reunion was basically over. So we stayed and chatted a bit more to people who were brave enough to come up to us (it's still a little uncomfortable breaking down in front of people, even if they ARE family).

But after a little while, the family started to disperse. We had plans to eat dinner with Ken and Dawn and their family, so we took off shortly after they left - first we stopped at a Tim Horton's to get some water for dad, some Ice Caps for us, and made our way to their cottage. it took about a half hour to get there from where we were, but its a nice drive, and it was a nice little Adventure. Naggie didn't REALLY know where she was taking us, but we found it eventually.

But yeah. I think Ken and Dawn and their family are my favourites on my dad's side of the family. they're easy to get along with, and at least we've MET them a few times before, which is nice. There's a bit of history there to fall back on and everything. I mean, Shelley was telling me that she dropped me on my head once, probably when i was a baby. I don't remember (obviously) but she does. They were such great hosts, and they kept asking if we wanted anything to drink besides water, and we kept declining. They asked so much, that i jokingly told Mares the next person who asked, i was just going to say yes to get it over with!! But yeah, we had a nice dinner (muscles to start, caesar salad, steak, steamed veggies, and potatos). They didn't have a dessert or anything, since this was fairly short notice, so we joked about how they ruined the reunion for us. But we had coffee instead. Shelley was refilling her glass of wine and asked if we needed anything, and I asked for some sugar for the coffee, and she joked back saying that's not what she meant, so i asked for Bailey's instead, and she just laughed and said "that's my girls!". Greg brought us little glasses half-full of Baileys, and I dumped most of mine in my coffee. it was good.

Anyway, we had a nice visit with them. They're great.

We went back to moncton, and stayed at the hotel we had stayed at before when we were in moncton. Mares and I repacked all our stuff as we had to fly out in the morning.

We got up at 5am, got our shit together, daddy dropped us off around 6am, we said our goodbyes, and made sure he put us on his mailing list, as we wanted to make sure he was alive and well, and that Naggie wasn't steering him wrong or anything, and he left to continue on home via car. Mares and I bought a few more souveniers and then were on our first flight at 730am. We got to Toronto at about.. i think the local time was 1130, so it would have been 1030 NB time. the flight from Toronto to Vancouver was 5.5 hrs or something - i had time to watch 2 movies - Race to Witch Mountain, and Duplicity. Then we were finally back home!!! Local time Noon, 4pm NB time. We took a cab home, dropped off our stuff, said a quick hello to our kitties, then went out and got some McD's for Lupper (that's lunch and supper combined). We chilled at the apartment for a bit, then i went to my Dad's, as I'm staying with my grandmother until he returns.

oh joy. what fun it is. < /sarcasm>

but yeah. The trip was really great. I had fun, and i got along with my family. Those that i talked to, anyways. There's so many, i didn't get a chance to meet them all, really. Oh well. Next time i guess!!

.

Comments

[timeblind.livejournal.com]

I won't lie, I didn't get through the whole thing. But the part about your dad being competitive was hilarious. ♥ I'll probably read the rest later when I'm more awake.

You know, your 10 yr old cousin Ryan... you've met him before right? When he was a baby? I remember you telling me about a baby boy named Ryan...

Your dad's almost home right? Just a few more days? Yah yah? You can doooo it!