Posts Tagged ‘Travel’

Home Again…Home Again!

Monday, July 11th, 2011

a passenger planeAs the plane touched down at “Can Do” Street airport Arthur J, Annie and Kathy looked at each other and said,”We’re home”!

When they looked out the window they saw their parents and friends waiting for them. All of a sudden they were no longer sad, just glad to be home! There was so much to share about their trip; all the things they saw and did on the cruise ship and in the ports they visited in Canada.

They ran up to their parents and hugged them. They even hugged their cousins and friends! It was so good to be home, back on “Can Do” Street. It seemed like they had been away from home a lot longer than 10 days!

Grandpa John announced that there was a little get together at the community center to welcome them home. So off they went, meeting up with their neighbors and classmates and sharing a wonderful lunch with them.

Arthur J, Annie and Kathy each got up and told a bit about their trip. Grandma Maureen promised to process the pictures she took and put them on display, at the community center, where all could see them by the following Saturday.

Just as Grandma Maureen was finishing her talk, Annie tugged her sleeve and pointed to Arthur J who was sound asleep, lying on the floor, his head on his suitcase.

Grandma smiled and announced, “It looks like we have a weary traveler that needs to go home. Traveling is wonderful, but coming home is the best”!

Pocket

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Anne of Green Gables

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Grandma Maureen was standing on the balcony smiling as she watched the ship docking at Prince Edward Island. “Why are you smiling, grandma,” asked Arthur J as he joined her on the balcony. “Yeah, why are you smiling,” asked Annie as she stepped out to see the ship come along side the dock.

Anne of Green Gables“Ever since I was a little girl I’ve  wanted to see Prince Edward Island and now I am here,” answered grandma. “Here is where my favorite childhood story took place. Oh, it wasn’t a true story, it was fiction, but the author used the places and the things and the people as they were in 1878 on Prince Edward Island  to tell a story about an orphan girl that comes to live here. The orphan girl is Annie Shirley and the book is Anne of Green Gables. It was written by Lucy Maud Montgomery who used her own childhood memories growing up in rural Prince Edward Island to write the book. Since it was published, in 1908, it has sold over 50 million copies.”

“I never heard of it , grandma,” said Arthur J. Grandma looked sad for a moment and said, “That’s too bad. When I was a girl Anne of Green Gables was required reading for school.”

Well, no matter, you will learn all about Anne of Green Gables today from our tour and walking around Prince Edward Island. Our first stop on the tour is Green Gables where Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author, grew up. So hurry and get dressed so we can have breakfast and get off the ship and start learning about Anne of Green Gables.”

After the tour of Green Gables, grandma took Arthur J, Kathy and Annie on a walking tour of Charlottetown, the main city on Prince Edward Island. There, on one of the corners in the downtown area was a store totally devoted to Anne of Green Gables. It had books and DVDS, music, clothes and, of course, dolls. They had a great time exploring the store for over an hour.

Arthur J took Kathy and Annie aside when grandma wasn’t looking and asked the girls to keep grandma busy while he bought her an the original story of Anne of Green Gables. The girls took grandma over to another section of the store and Arthur J bought the book with spending money his parents gave him for the trip. He hid it in his backpack.

Later that night, just before bed, Annie asked grandma to read them a story. “I don’t have any books with me,” said grandma. Arthur J reached into his backpack and pulled out the gift-wrapped book.

Grandma’s eye’s misted over as she opened the package and saw the book…Anne of Green Gables. She hugged and thanked her grandchildren for their thoughtfulness and said, “Under the covers you go, children. Where are my glasses? It is time to return to an earlier time and join Annie Shirley in her new life on Prince Edward Island.

For more pictures of Anne of Green Gables go to http://greengables-1.tripod.com/pictures/

Pocket

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The Biggest Fiddle in the World

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Arthur J woke to the sound of voices that were coming from outside the ship. How could that be? They were at sea. He got up, opened the drapes, pulled open the glass door and went out on the balcony of  his cabin. He looked below. They were in port, tied to the dock in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The voices were coming from the people on the dock; he hadn’t imagined hearing voices. They were real.

He turned to the right and saw the biggest instrument he had ever seen. It looked like a big version of the violin that Yundi played in the “Can Do” Street Community Center orchestra back home.

Just then Grandma Maureen joined him on the balcony. Arthur J said, ” Look Grandma, a large violin.” Grandmas Maureen gave him a smiled and gave him a morning hug.

larget fiddle in the worldShe replied,”No Arthur J. That is a fiddle. The largest fiddle in the world.”

Arthur J looked confused and asked, “But why is the largest fiddle in the world here and not in a big city”?

Grandma Maureen answered saying, “It is here to remind visitors of how important fiddle playing is the the people who live in this part of Canada and just how many wonderful fiddle players and other musicians come from this region.”

Arthur J thought a moment and asked, “When we get off the ship, can I get my picture taken with the fiddle for show and tell at school in September”?  Arthur J and Grandma Maureen were too busy looking at the fiddle to realize that the girls were up and standing right behind them until they began to say, “Me too, me too we want our pictures taken with the big fiddle!”

So that is just what they did after getting dressed and having breakfast; they got off the ship and got their pictures taken with the Biggest Fiddle in the World!

Be sure to come back soon to read more about Arthur J’s,  Annie’s and Kathy’s continuing cruise adventures!

Pocket

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It’s Cruise Day!

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Arthur J, Kathy and Annie were so excited as they made their way into the cruise terminal with Grandma Maureen.

Their cruise ship looked so tall and long to them !

The night before their parents saw them off at “Can Do” Airport. They flew to New York City where they spent the night in a hotel. It was their first time on a plane and they loved it! They watched a movie and had a snack on the plane.

When they got in the cruise terminal, they had to go through a security check. Then they had their pictures taken and were given an ID card to wear on board.

When they got on the cruise ship they couldn’t believe their eyes! It was beautiful! Their stateroom had a small sitting area, bathroom, refrigerator, TV and bedroom area with four beds and an outside balcony. Kathy said, “I love this cruise already.”

Everyone quickly unpacked so they could have lunch in the buffet restaurant. For dinner they would go to the dining room. Kathy said, “Grandma, you went over dining room manners, but what do we need to know about eating in the buffet restaurant”?  Grandma Maureen thought a moment and said, ” Just use you school cafeteria manners and you will be fine.” Arthur J looked nervous and said, ” Um, my cafeteria manners aren’t so good. Please tell me what I should and shouldn’t do.”

Grandma Maureen sat Arthur J, Kathy and Annie down and went over the following manners for cruise buffet dining:

  • Get on line at the end of the line and don’t cut in line
  • Don’t jump ahead of someone as they are selecting their food; wait your turn
  • Take only what you think you can eat;you can always go back for more if you are still hungry
  • Once you put food on your plate you cannot put it back on the serving dish
  • After you get what you want, wait for each other and we will all find a table together
  • If you go back for seconds, get a clean plate; don’t use the plate you just finished eating from
  • Don’t look for napkins and utensils; they will be at the table when we get there
  • Don’t look for something to drink; when we sit down the waiter will get us what we want to drink

The “Can Dos” were amazed to see all the foods they had to choose from in the cruise buffet…salads, fruits, sandwiches, hot meals, breads, cakes and cookies.  They tried a little bit of everything and then went out to the ice cream bar and got cones.

After lunch they signed up for a crafts activity and Grandma Maureen took a nap. After the craft session, they all went swimming and then back to their room to change for dinner.

Soon it was time to use their cruise dining room manners. They were seated with a grandma and grandpa traveling with their grandchildren, Billy and Julie who turned out to be around the same age as Kathy, Annie and Arthur J . By the time dinner was over, they were all friends. The kids went to an evening movie in the kids cruise camp and Grandma Maureen went to a show in the theater with her new friends from dinner.

That night, as the kids were falling asleep, they all thanked Grandma Maureen. Arthur J spoke for Kathy and Annie when he said, I can’t wait until tomorrow. Taking a cruise is the best!”

To Be Continued…

Pocket

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