Corner Brook: Home of the VLT Zombies

01:23 AM, Sunday, September 11, 2011

I write this entry with a very heavy heart. Bro Ron & I arrived Corner Brook, NL late this afternoon. Drank a couple of beers here in the hotel room and headed downtown for eats & drinks.

Visited many bars & pubs only to find the elderly pumping their precious money into the f^%$^)!@ VLTs and recognizing NOBODY. SAD! SAD! SAD! Tragic! Many of the pubs & bars we visited had maybe 6 to 8 people including Ron & myself.

The worse experience was the Cloud Nine bar where the clientelle sat at individual VLT booths pumping their money into the accursed machines while the bar tender reculantly served us beer and then disappeared to the back room to watch TV!? Surreal!!!

Hill Road Manor B&B, Grand Falls, NL

5:46 PM, September 9, 2011

Bro Ron & I just checked in to the the Hill Road Manor B&B located in Grand Falls, NL. Currently writing this entry from the Mary March Room located on the 3rd floor of the B&B. The house itself is somewhat historic and was built in 1933 for the Grand Falls Pulp & Paper mill management.

Had a great visit with Uncle Wendell & Aunt Marg Ball earlier in the afternoon in Bishop Falls, NL. Enjoyed a beer, lunch & some great stories with Wendell & Marg before departing for Grand Falls.

Tomorrow, Bro & I will travel to Buchans to visit our aging Aunt Lil Blundon with our Uncle Wendell. Then it on to Corner Brook, NL for two nights.

The Mary March Room at the Hill Road Manor B&B, Grand Falls, NL

Bones' Departure

O.K. Here at Gate D32 at Calgary International awaiting my departure to St. John's, NL. It's currently 10:02 PM MDST and the flight is scheduled to depart at 11:00 PM. Flight duration is 5h 24m with arrival in St. John's @ 7:54 AM local time (NDST). That would be 4:24 AM MDST!!! Yuck!!! Hopefully I can catch some shut eye.

MV Atlantic Vision

Ron & Brendan boarded Marine Atlantic's MV Atlatic Vision passenger ferry at North Sydney, NS today at 15:30 ADST. They now have a 14 hour ferry ride to Argentia, NL in store but luckly they've booked a cabin to catch some shut eye.

Marine Atlantic's MV Atlantic Vision Passenger Ferry

Godspeed to Brother Ron & Nephew Brendan

My brother Ron & nephew Brendan left Stittsville, ON this morning at 4:00 AM EDST on their way to St. John's, NL.

Brendan will be attending Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's where his father Ron attended, as well as his Uncles Gary & Brian Hoffe (that would be me) and Aunt Lisa Hoffe attended. Expected arrival in St. John's for these two road warriors is Saturday PM, September 3rd.

Be safe and Godspeed gentlemen!