Tales From the Minivan

Can you believe it?  After two years of campaigning the US will finally have their election!  I know you’re probably saying,” But Cara you’re Canadian, what does it matter to you?”  I will admit that I find US politics much more interesting than that here north of the Border.  I’m still having a hard time coming to the realization that our federal election has come and gone within a matter of 6 weeks, and it didn’t even hit the radar at all on CNN.  I don’t think that anyone in  the US is even aware that we had a federal election.  The other thing that bothered me was the fact that our Leaders Debate was scheduled at the same time as the US Veep Debates!  I had a lot of inner turmoil over which one I was going to watch.  In the end my patriotic side one out and May, Harper, Duceppe & Layton got my undivided attention (well in between my Facebook status updates) however I was longing to play along with my US friends in a round of Palin Bingo!  I downloaded the AC360 Podcast and watched it on my iPhone the next day!  I’m a good Canadian girl!

So it will soon come to an end, I’m wondering if my evenings of CNN will also end too?  Nah…I’ll still enjoy Erica and Anderson flirting (yes I know the rumour but I refuse to believe it), Lou’s cantankerousness, and Larry’s suspenders.  Some of the things I’ll miss after the election are: Dana gritting her teeth as she reports from the McCain Trail begrudgingly, Campbell Brown’s “No Bias ,(and) No Bull” and James Carville.  There’s just something about this guy that cracks me up as soon as he speaks. One of my favourite JC moments was when he brought in an inkjetted print of Wasilla, Alaska’s City Hall.  I believe he said something like this… (now make sure you’re reading this in your thickest Southern Louisiana drawl!)

“…to tout her experience as mayor of this town of Alaska, this is a picture of the city hall. It looks like a bait shop in South Louisiana. This is executive experience to be Vice President of the United States? To be a heart beat away from the presidency? To have to take over the country when we are fighting three wars? When we have the biggest credit crisis we’ve had in this country? In the entire Republican Party, this is the best they could come up with?”

OK I think I’ve said enough…but I know you’re all out there…and I’ll leave you all with this tonight compliments of Daisys_mum.  Thanks for letting me post this.

Happy Halloween Everyone!  I’ll post our adventures in the morning. I’ll admit it, I’m too lazy to go downstairs to get my camera!

After I dropped the kids off at school, I decided that it would be a good time to vote.  So I parked the van in the driveway and strapped Finn into the Ergo and walked to the polling station and then down to the waterfront to see one of the last few cruise ships that will be using Saint John as it’s Port of Call.  This morning the Princess Cruiselines Jewel of the Sea was docked. I’ve driven by these boats all summer, but haven’t actually gotten up close and personal.  This ship was almost a whole city block long.  I’ve been on a few of the bigger vessels on vacation but I guess you really don’t realize the scale when you see them in your own city and have something you see everyday to compare it to.

Here’s a few shots I took from my iPhone (as you can see I couldn’t get the whole boat in one shot)

I finished my walk to stop and admire this  beautiful piece of historic property for sale on the corner of my street.  It’s called Caverhill Hall and it truly is a piece of Saint John history.

It was built after the Great Fire of 1877 for a brewer named Simeon Jones to replace his former estate lost in the fire.  It’s architecture is much different than most homes built at that time in Saint John, it was actually a replica of property in Montreal.  Another neat fact, in 1901 the home was loaned to the City of Saint John to serve as the royal residence for the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall during their stay in the city.  One more little piece of trivia you may not find in the history books- Caverhill Hall also was a popular nightclub/danceclub in the late 80’s early 90’s called Caper’s.  Can you believe that this 10,000 sq ft 6 bedroom, 8 bath house is on the market for only$699, 900!!

I rounded the corner back to our little house and started being grateful for it.  Can you imagine what it would cost to heat $10,000 sq ft?? I grabbed a quick shot of our place which then reminded me I need to get my Halloween decor up.!! I’m a little late this year, I normally have it up well before Thanksgiving!  I’ll get some pics later this afternoon. It’s mornings like this when I truly appreciate city living!