From my journal, September 30, 2014

Today is September 30, 2014, our first full day at the house on Cape  Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. I slept better last night than I have in a long, long time. The bed is just soft enough and has the exact right amount of cover. I cracked a window to get the fresh cold air into the room. When I turned off the lamp, darkness settled over me so black I couldn’t see anything. I closed my eyes and immediately fell asleep.

This is an unusual occurrence for me. I have been an insomniac all my life. Being thousands of miles from my responsibilities makes a huge difference I think, even though my waking hours are often filled with concern about my work and my house. Will my plants die while I am gone? Did I get the article into the newspapers soon enough? Will I stay healthy for this week away from home?

But those thoughts didn't enter my mind last night. I am on vacation with my sister and brother-in- law and they are great traveling companions. 

We left their house in Roswell, GA  Sunday at 8:30 a.m. We arrived in Halifax, NS around 3:45 but did not leave the airport in the rental car until nearly five. We had no GPS and no good directions to the hotel in Dartmouth, so we became lost and finally found the place after dark.  Thankfully a restaurant, on the premises, had a fine menu. A large bowl of seafood chowder, brimming with lobster, scallops, crab and fish was all I could eat. After our meal I collapsed on the bed and slept for nine hours.

I had called ahead and asked for a chemical free room. I was told it was no problem and I found out the entire hotel, A Best Western Plus, used no polluting air freshener or fragranced cleaners. The lobby had no odor and the rooms were completely clean and free of synthetic scents.

I love Canada. The people are far more conscious of the earth than where I have lived and they know how to care for it. Recycle containers are everywhere and people seem to know how to use them. Even in my hotel room, I found recycle containers available.

I remembered that I had heard of a hospital in Halifax for those with chemical sensitivities. Wish I had had time to investigate that place.

The view from the house we rented in Nova Scotia

Today is a bit overcast and the temperature is in the sixties, but that is fine with me. We decided we needed today to rest from the long trip and maybe tomorrow we will get out and drive the Cabot trail around the island. We hear that the views are fantastic to behold.

For now, I think I will take a nap.