Yes, Sandy, There is Intrigue in Rural N.america

Last night after the boys had fallen asleep, I looked over at the computer, sighed and decided, No – I don’t really have anything to blog about today. I hadn’t really taken any new pics to post and, while it was an awesome day - Ryan and I had a lunch date where the Meduxnekeag and St.John Rivers meet - I just thought, gee, maybe life is slower here in rural N.America and maybe I won’t do as much blogging.

BOY WAS I WRONG! And thank g-d, too. Today was a day filled up with event and incident including an up-close and personal brush with celebrity, royalty, even!

Today was our 2nd visit to the weekly story time at the Woodstock Library. Gail, Ivo, Burl and I were treated to special guest story-reader, Miss New Brunswick. No, I’m NOT joking! There she sat, in the flesh, in her crown, in her sash and in her super high heels! It was almost too much. This Miss NB 2007-2008 is named Jenna, she hails from Woodstock and is entering her sophomore year at UNB. She was sweet with the kids and friendly in the ways people who make public appearances for a living are. She was generous with the picture taking – but neither Ivo nor Burl were in the mood to be part of such group shots…



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The library kid program is great!!! Each week the kids get to hear stories and do crafts around a theme. This week was spiders - with a princess/crown craft and book tacked on at the end to mesh with the gracious Miss NB.





Ivo made a beautiful spider and web with Grammie Gail but had had it by the time of the crown craft which Burl went for. The kids checked out 4 books including Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise.





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Afterwards, we saw Miss NB at a local health store picking up lunch. Again, very friendly but sashless, tho we all knew who she was. We said hi’s/bye’s and got to the car where Gail asked me if she’d/we’d/anybody’d paid for the paper I had grabbed. I guessed not as the name of the paper is Carleton FREE PRESS, it’s offered just beyond the registers and it definitely looks like the kind of local-ad-driven rag published in so many small towns. In fact, Ryan had seen the Carleton FREE PRESS yesterday at an Irving gas-n-go (we were looking all over for a lollipop to bring Ivo) – and thought it looked too crappy to bother with - even if it was free. So, No – no one had paid for the paper.

I ran back inside and had to wait behind 3 people – and face Miss NB again, this time as a thief and I think we’d both tapped out our small-talk reserves. With accounts settled, I hopped back in the car (I’m the driver cuz I’m learning the roads). And who was pulling out in her silver vw bug with the JENZ vanity plates? That’s right – Miss Jenna NB. I don’t know what to say first… This silver vw is a flashy vehicle – and the vanity plates seal the deal. There’s absolutely no mistaking that JENZ passed Ryan and me, crossing a double yellow line on a quiet two-lane country hiway yesterday at a silly speed.

Now, Woodstock is a town of around 5000 people. It’s definitely the kinda place where you know who’s where by the presence/absence of their cars. It’s the kinda town where pubs have blackened windows so you can’t see who’s in there drinking – even tho you can see their vehicles right out front. I’m not even in town that often and I’ve identified the driver of the one black Cadillac Escalade by face and vehicle.

But, it’s not like Miss NB has had the smoothest reign – oh yes, there has been controversy. Miss NB had to fight for her crown – and it wasn’t pretty.

And come to find out – the unfortunatley-monikered Carleton FREE PRESS is all scandalicious too!

Game on!


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Ivo, Burl, Gail and I took our snack down to the river for a mini-picnic and play.





When we got home we went over to see the cows and on our home, we got caught trespassing thru Nancy and Jerry's yard, so we got to go in and Ivo brought over the cheesecake he and Grammie made to share. YUM!





Here are a few sites to read about Woodstock, the oldest incorporated town in NB - settled by loyalists who fled the US revolution, hee hee hee!!!