It was a whale of a time!

I'm almost afraid to start updating again, I got so out of the habit the past few days. What's even scarier is that I didn't miss having a computer at all and, while I thought every once in a while about my invisible online friends, I wasn't experiencing the pangs of withdrawal that have often plagued me during other cyber separations. Just chalk it up to being incredibly busy and overwhelmed by family.

The whale watching adventure worked out perfectly. The hotel was luxurious, there was even dinner entertainment in the form of a bat which had somehow managed to find its way into the dining room, but was unable to retrace its flight to freedom. A resourceful waiter finally cornered it and used the wine list to direct it out an open window to the tumultuous applause of his appreciative audience. Buddy Boy was in seventh heaven with the dinner buffet. I lost count how many times he loaded up his plate. Breakfast the next morning was just as generous, but I for one was still stuffed from the repast the evening before.

The reason for the trip, however, was to see whales, and see them we did. That part of the St. Lawrence is special in that the fresh water coming downriver is met by the saltwater being swept into the estuary by the tides, causing the ocean fish to be trapped. This is a perfect feeding ground for marine mammals, which includes all kinds of whales and gray seals, of which we saw many. There are also diving birds in abundance. We saw minkes and belugas as well as porpoises. A pair of humpback whales performed for us and several fin whales, which are second in size only to the great blue whale, breached nearby. It was a convention of cetaceans.

The second night out we stayed at La MaIbaie, a town overlooking the river that was picturesque beyond words. Our accommodations were spartan compared to the fancy hotel of the night before, but quite adequate for our needs. The two families had a chalet rustique and my mom got her own room in the motel. We ate in our cabin, after buying groceries in town, and were able to do the same with breakfast.

We spent the trip home moseying along the shoreline, stopping in some of the villages and visiting artists' ateliers. We visited the cathedral at Ste-Anne-de-Beaupr� and marvelled at the abandoned crutches and canes on display and then drove through several towns along the R0ute de N0uveIIe France in search of a certain waterfall which we eventually found, except that cars were streaming into the park at its base for a fireworks festival, so we forebore fighting the crowds and continued homewards.

I spent all of today cooking, it seems. First I made a spectacular brunch of fruit salad and breaded, fried goat-cheese patties on baguette rounds, and then this evening Hubby and I pooled our resources and made a dynamite Mexican meal which was definitely worth all the energy and slaving over hot stoves and barbecues.

My guests leave tomorrow morning early. It's been a great visit (dwell on the positive now), but I need to get my personal space back. There will be time for venting my frustrations later.

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