..looked around and and there 'e was... gone...

A Bear Cat Long Track, more than 100Km/hr  - Thanks Bruce

We are now down to our last day, where has 3 months gone?

On Saturday we will drive back to St John's for the weekend to have a final mooch around and a restful day on Sunday in preparation for a 3 am wake up call on Monday morning for our 5 am flight (weather permitting:) We have booked the same accommodation as when we went up for the Buddy concert. Coincidentally it is the same street as Dustin's house so we will get together for a farewell dinner and end our Newfie trip the same way it started; dinner with Dustin:)

Alan is out on a snowmobile trip with one of the guys from the village. I am so glad he managed a ride he was really looking forward to it. It's a glorious day bright sunny and cold (-7) so I hope he doesn't come home too frozen!

I am starting the long ordeal of sorting packing and agonising about how to get 30 kilos of weight into 20 kilos of baggage allowance! Not that we have bought too much here in Newfoundland, but internet shopping is a dangerous thing:) The little bits and pieces didn't seem to weigh much individually but when I look at the mound of stuff now on our bed it looks a bit bigger. Maybe 2 electric beaters was a bit of overkill?.....

Dee hard at work soldering...

I have spent the last 2 weeks frantically trying to finish my stained glass project and now have 6 glass inserts to take back to the boat and install into the waiting cupboard doors. Oh dear that's another couple of kilos.....

Oh and I mustn’t forget the boaty bits we are having sent to London......

We had a little drive around yesterday as it was another gorgeous sunny day. Dunfield is such a dull name compared with some of the whimsical place names around; Trouty, Dildo, Tickle, Hearts Ease, Joe Batts Arm, Jerrys Nose and my favourite...Paradise! I love seeing the real estate ads; 'house for sale in Paradise', how could you resist?

We have also managed to learn some of the language while we've been here: 'oh me nerves, you've got me drove' means 'you're driving me crazy'. 'B'y' doesn't mean farewell, it means mate/man, so 'I'se the b'y means 'I'm the man', 'yes b'y' = yes mate!

Canadians in general have a quirky sense of humour. The dollar coin has a picture of a Loon bird on it, so naturally it's called a Looney, so then they call the $2 coin a twoony. It's not unusual to see discounted items displayed in Looney bins!

A Cabin on the edge of a frozen lake

You need a lot of toys to be a Newfie Bayman (as opposed to a Townie) As well as a 4 wheel drive vehicle and it has to be a truck so you can get the quad bike in the back. You need a quad bike to get into the pine woods so you can cut fire wood. Then you need a snowmobile so you can get to your remote cabin in the middle of the woods. You need a cabin in the woods so you can go hunting. Moose season has just closed, but the ice fishing season is now open along with duck and Turrs. Just about everyone in Dunfield has caught their moose and has a freezer full of moose meat. B'ys come around most mornings to our cove to check the duck and Turr situation. Turrs are sea birds which by all accounts are very tasty. All you need is a boat , a shotgun and a big net to fish them out of the water. Then you need a plucking machine.! Newfoundland Turr hunting is the only legal non-aboriginal hunting of sea birds in North America and was a condition of Newfoundland's confederation with Canada.

Spectacular scenery from a hill top, looking towards Trinity

Ice fishing is a popular past time although the appeal is a bit lost on me. All the lakes and ponds are frozen now so you need a massive hand drill, a fishing rod, a stool, lots of warm clothes and patience and you drill a hole through the ice, dip your fishing rod and wait for a trout to nibble your

lure. The really keen ice fishers take a tent and pitch it on the frozen lake!

If you fancy a drop of vino to wash down your trout, moose, duck or Turr, try a bottle of Moose Juice or Funky Puffin! They are both local wines made from the local berries, partridge berry, blue berry and bake apple.

Must get on and get packed, we have really enjoyed our winter sojourn, it lived up to all our expectations and it feels good to cross something off the 'bucket list':)