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  • Thank you, Chris, for sharing this journey. I remember Anne from the early days of KAS. She was part of the blanket drive for the Soweto Gospel Choir performance here in Philadelphia about 10 years ago. We had many email conversations and I was saddened to hear of her passing. I’m glad you had a chance to meet her daughters.
    Best wishes,
    Debbie Posmontier
  • That was a beautiful account of your journey and lovely photos that you shared with us. I'm very envious ! My absolute phobia of flying stops me now from venturing so far from home.

  • In 2019, my son Andrew and I were planning to celebrate his 40th birthday with a trip to Canada in 2020. Well, we all know what happened to travel plans for 2020In 2019, my son Andrew and I planned to celebrate his 40th birthday with a trip to Canada; well we all know what happened to travel plans for 2020 and 2021! 

    Happily we have been able to visit in June 2022!
    We each had a short wish list, thankfully we were able to accommodate both of us! I had always wanted to visit Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (I loved the scenery in the Anne of Green Gables Films), Andrew wanted to visit Niagara Falls and we both wanted visit The Rockies.
    I had another reason for wanting to visit Nova Scotia, it is the home of Gloria Grandy (Glo). At one time I didn’t understand how friendships could develop online, but they do, and I can understand how. The KAS forum enables like minded people to work together to help vulnerable children, and somehow, along the way friendships develop. I had a feeling that Glo and I would hit it off and we sure did!

    Andrew and I were staying a short drive away from River John. Glo and her husband Don, kindly offered to be our North Shore guides as well as offering us hospitality. I enjoyed every minute of their company, and I know Andrew did too; there was a fair bit of chatting, hugging, laughing, eating, sightseeing and crocheting.

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    Don sat in the front in the car with Andrew, they were chatting away most of the time, while Glo and I sat silently in the back….. not! It felt like we had known each other for years and we had so much to talk about. Apparently at one point Andrew told us there was a black bear walking along at the side of the road, but neither Glo or I heard him, as we were so busy chatting! 


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    We visited beautiful beaches, a lavender farm and Lismore sheep farm & shop, to be truthful, Andrew and Don visited the sheep, Glo and I visited the yarn shop (no surprises there), the yarn was beautiful and I loved seeing some of Glo’s work for sale, her Tunisian crochet is superb! 

    A special visit for all  for of us, was to have a picnic and wait to see an amazing sight, (no, Glo and I weren’t silent), it was a tidal bore. A tidal bore is a tumbling wavefront which moves upstream in a river, announcing the incoming tide  The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world, and twice a day at predicted times a tidal bore occurs on the Salmon River, near Truro, Nova Scotia. It was an amazing sight and sharing the experience with Glo, Don and Andrew was wonderful! 
     
    I was also introduced to Michael’s!  I’ve read on the forum about members visiting there and having yarn bargains and I finally got to visit! I was like a child in a sweet shop as I wandered through the yarn on sale, and it was lovely to be doing it with Glo! I knew I had to be sensible, as our suit cases were pretty full, but I couldn’t resist some beautifully coloured merino yarn that was on clearance, a 1/4 of the normal price, I simply couldn’t leave it there, I would have to sit on my suitcase to close it! 
    Andrew and I very much enjoyed sharing delicious suppers with Glo and Don at their cottage after a day out (Glo’s ‘Impossible Pie’ is delicious!), the relaxed atmosphere was lovely and they treated us like family. 
    We also enjoyed a visit to the wonderful bakery and coffee shop  that Glo and other ladies from the RJSK  sometimes sit outside and knit on ‘knit in public day’ each year. Some of their dishcloths were on sale there to help raise the much needed postal costs for their KAS parcels, it is 4 times more expensive to send from Canada than the UK! 
    Of course we needed to try their delicious cakes too!
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    Well,  Glo saved the best visit until our final day, visiting the RJSK ladies at the library on a Friday morning. What a friendly, welcoming and industrious group of ladies they are, we both enjoyed our visit very much, I think Andrew was drawn more to the cake than the crafting! I’d love to join them every week, if only I lived just a little nearer!
    10616880700?profile=RESIZE_710xGlo, June, Andrew (caught mid blink) and me

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    Glo in person is how she comes across on the forum, she has a great sense of humour, she is caring, thoughtful and kind. I’m so very glad that we have met and were able to spend a few days together, we have plans to FaceTime in the future. 
    She is a gem, as is her kind husband Don, they made our trip to Nova Scotia extra special, it was sad having to say goodbye at the ferry terminal, we will never forget their kindness and hospitality and I will always value their friendship.
          
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    10616896297?profile=RESIZE_710x                                                                 Anne and Glo
                                                                   
    I mentioned earlier Andrew’s desire to visit Niagara Falls, I agreed readily, as Anne Powell lived just an hour away from Toronto which would be our base. Sadly, as you know Anne, (who started this discussion) passed away in March 2020. Prior to this, Anne was eager to learn of our Canada plans and was going to take us to the L.M.Montgomery museum, near her home in Leaskdale.

    I was sad that I wouldn’t get to meet Anne, I admired her very much, she was very hard working, a real ‘doer’ for KAS, she was a people person, who had a kind heart and had real empathy for those in need.

    I was delighted that Wendy wanted to meet us, together with her sister Kelly. Kelly and Wendy provided us with a delicious lunch, during which I learned a lot about Anne, I felt we would have got on well, just like Glo and I had. It was great to see where Anne had lived and meet her family. We then visited the LMM museum and church, which was very interesting.

    A bronze statue of Louise Maud Montgomery, me, Kelly and Wendy

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    I had asked to visit the cemetery so that I could pay my respects to Anne. It was a beautiful place, and I’m so glad that her daughters were with me, Anne would I’m sure be so pleased that both Wendy and Kelly ‘stepped in’ and made us feel so welcome.

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    I have been very fortunate to meet a wonderful KAS sister in Glo and the two loving daughters of Anne….. and Canada was pretty great too!

    • Such an interesting read, Chris. Thank you so much for letting us all share in your visit.

    • Chris, your account of your travels just warms my heart!  The picture you chose of Anne and me brings back the best of memories of our dear friend.  I remember it like it was yesterday!  That was my first meeting with Anne and it felt like I'd known her forever - just like it felt on my first meeting with you!  Wendy and Kelly were absolute angels to step in for their Mom and welcome you.  Anne would be thrilled!

      I'm so very glad you and Andrew were able to experience and enjoy so much of Canada's beauty.  I enjoyed every minute of our time together and wish it could have been much, much longer.  You both left Don and me with many treasured memories and as soon as they get the highway and the B-I-G bridge built, Bev and I will both join you in Wales ... hahaha

      I hope you don't mind if I share a pic of just one of your lovely gifts to me.  I have received many ooohs and aaaahs over this and it has become my new 'cottage' project bag.  Isn't it just the sweetest thing!!!

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      And now, dear Chris, I am looking forward to 'getting together' with you again via technology so we can pick up where we left off.  Do you suppose we'll be able to think of anything to say to each other? 

      Honestly, folks, true KASsisters and kindred spirits never run out of words ...  hahaha ... xo

      • Well Glo, I think you need to cast your mind back to the 1970’s and a particular Carpenters song, the title and one line in the lyrics is the the answer to your question, the song title is  ‘We’ve only just begun’, and the line is the lyrics is ’Talkin’ it over, just the two of us’

        I agree, we will never run out of words! x

    • Oh how I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for all the adventures you had in Canada.  You were so lucky to see Glo's hideaway in RJ.

      The RJ ladies are the best.  Stitching and visiting is just the right way to do things.

      Weren't you so lucky to catch up with Anne's daughters.  A lovely tribute to a dedicated KAS member and Forum founder.

      Thank you so much for sharing this story!

    • Apologies for the first paragraph, I didn’t check it after I copied and pasted it!

    • Chris thanks ever so much for this - I loved it!   I'm so chuffed that you've made such an incredible journey + had such a terrific time.   Fabulous memories in your heart now,  which you can rethink any time you crochet.    I was teary too....

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