Mama Jo takes on PEI: 10 Days Left

I can’t deny it any longer. I can’t avoid talking about it. I can’t avoid thinking about it. It’s a reality that I don’t want to believe I am living in but one that I have to accept. I have 10 lefts on the Island. 10. My heart is heavy, my shoulders droop, and my eyes are cast down. I have done so well to avoid it until now.

This past week has had some significant closure. For one I finished work at Anne of Green Gables chocolates on Friday. The day was mostly uneventful except for the part where the cheese factory reached out and grabbed me for another go at cheese! Thankfully I wasn’t vacuuming the cheese, instead they set me up in a cute little room where I helped cut and seal cheese for retail. It was much more enjoyable and there were no cheese mites in site, praise the Lord! I had to twist some ones arm but I managed to work a half day with cheese and the last half packaging chocolate covered potato chips and wrapping gold foil around pieces of almond chocolate. My wonderful co-workers took me out for lunch and gave me beautiful going away gifts that included an apron, block of cheese, and a cheese knife. They are so thoughtful and I was deeply touched and thankful. It was then that I realized I can’t avoid it anymore. I have to accept the fact that I am going home, I have to start thinking about packing and getting somewhat organized. My travel plans are set and I have to make a step forward into seeing those plans through. However, in true procrastination form I still have 10 days at my fingertips to do anything I want with. My plans as of now are vague. I will go to the beach, spend time with the people I will be leaving and eventually start packing. I still have 10 lefts to cover myself in as much Island charm as I can.

This past Saturday was a wonderful day for soaking in some Island charm. A young couple from church, Rebecca and Darryl, and their darling 2 year old daughter Isabella invited me out for lunch on Saturday. We had a marvelous time! It turns out that my favourite café Leonard’s is also their favourite. We dined on delicious European sandwiches, coffee, and pastries. It was perfect. As our conversation spun on I learned that both of them have strong Dutch heritages and that Rebecca can speak Dutch! I knew I liked these people for a reason. There is something so special about realizing you have a connection with people you are just starting to get to know. It instantly takes the roots of your growing friendship and shoots them deeper into the ground to that place of familiarity. You become instant friends that feel like you have known each other for years. It was fascinating to get to know them and be blessed by them and to spend time with them. I learned the Rebecca’s grandfather hid a Jewish family during World War II and I shared that my Opa had also hidden young Dutch draft dodgers and Jews. I learned that her father had a beautiful wooden sail boat and during the war they put canons in it to sink it so that the Germans wouldn’t take it. I found every part of our conversation fascinating, even when we talked about regular life things like work, school, and family.

After lunch we took a marvelously long stretch down to the marina where I met more of her family and saw the wooden sail boat they had spoke of. It was beautiful! I have never seen such an excellent piece of craftsmanship in all my life. It was a 32 foot caramel coloured beauty. She had aged gracefully, was breath taking and indescribable, plus she was a hundred years old! I can only imaging the stories she could tell, the waters she has sailed, the wind she has caught, the storms she has weathered and the mermaids she has seen. I was content to gaze at her and stand next to her on the floating docks.

Rebecca, Isabella, and I walked along the docks chasing sea gulls to Isabella’s joy while Darryl joined Rebecca’s father and uncle on the boat for an afternoon of sailing. Being down by the water was beautiful. A rich ocean breeze swept off the water and ran its salty fingers through my hair tying it into knots. Rebecca, Isabella and I walked through down town Charlottetown and I shared some of my favourite shops with them. We made a stop at Cordelia’s, of course, and strolled through the picturesque Victoria row. I took them to Happy Glass, another one of my favourite jewelry stores. All of the jewelry is hand made by a wonderful lady named BJ who makes hand made glass beads. She uses a flame worked method of glass beading that can be explained by winding molten glass around a steel mandrel. All of her works are breath taking, colourful, playful, transparently gorgeous and makes you smile. While Isabella was entertained by BJ in playing a game of place the bead on the steel mandrel, Rebecca and I looked around the store captured by the beautiful art and we decided to buy matching bracelet’s, how very high school of us. Reluctantly we had to leave because Isabella was beginning to wilt into a nap and to be honest I was a little tired as well.

On the way home we found ourselves behind an antique car and made it our mission to follow it and snap a photo of it. It became quite the car chase was we giggled incessantly following at a respectable distance and speed to make sure Isabella wasn’t jolted out of her nap. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my new friends, it was a very special afternoon, and it makes me even sadder to leave.

As I write this I look down at the bracelet I purchased yesterday, it shimmers back up at me in ocean greens and whites and circles around my wrist as a reminder of this special afternoon, these special friends, and this special Island.