How Entertaining!

Wow, do I really feel out of the loop - what a great feeling!!

It's a hot and sticky day here in Alberton, PEI, and Michael and I are using the free wifi at the local library.  The first thing I had to find out when I was finally able to get on the internet was the time of the men's 100m dash this coming Sunday (I'm rooting for Usain Bolt!). No matter that's its summer holidays and that it might be a gorgeous sunny day I'll be rooted in front of the TV rooting on Usain!

Yes, this is our island TV! We've left behind our 40" HD colour TV and we're watching our 3" x 4" black and white relic that Michael has owned since the 80's.  One channel, no Netflix. Whenever we're home it's on. We can tell by the volume and tone of the announcer's voice when something exciting is happening and then we run and squint at the screen. The vertical hold was causing a few problems one day but I've found that reception is much better in the living room with the antenna pointed southwest. Entertainment at its best!  If it weren't for the Olympics we would only be using the radio function (yes, it has a radio TOO!!) to listen to one of the local PEI radio stations - Michael especially likes the station that plays "music to set your traps to!" which is especially relevant as "setting day" for our local fishermen is next Thursday.  If I can get myself up at 5am we'll  go and watch.  Now THAT will be entertaining!

When we're not glued to the Olympic coverage we're taking in other forms of entertainment - here's a few examples:

 Our friend Julie's (centre) CD launch; she's also a server at the Albert and Crown pub. Over the summer she travels around the island with her band playing at a number of bluegrass festivals. Her band includes her mom who Julie calls her best friend. Family is #1 on the island and multi-generational get togethers (parties, drinking at the local pub, celebrations, musical groups) are commonplace. The people of PEI value their elders very much which is why many of our friends are "young people". This is very different from the way we are treated by the younger generation in Ontario....VERY different!

 Nothing beats gazing into the firepit!

Unless it's listening to Matt Minglewood, a well known Maritime musician.

A parliamentary re-enactment was quite impressive...

and getting to share an evening with the Hay Babies before they left for Europe was quite a treat!

No PEI summer would be complete without a jam sessions with Jay and Tammy at their recently purchased home in Skinners Pond.

 They also play at our local pub and it's just one big singalong with lots of folks getting up to sing at the extra mike or using Jay or Tammy's guitar to play along.

 The Alberton parade was good fun - we got to meet Miss Alberton in person when she came in to celebrate her win at the pub the night before the parade!!

One of my favorite entertainments was the STRONGMAN competition which took place during the local exhibition. During this contest the men had to lift a series of concrete balls of increasing weight up onto platforms!! Yikes! The final competition was lifting and carrying a 310 lb. field stone as far as they could. The fellow in the above picture carried the field stone for 183' which clinched the competition for him. He and the second place winner will be going to Quebec to compete in the national strongman competition!

So as you can see life is pretty entertaining around here. Even when there is nothing to do at all but sit and watch the weather!