The next ferry docked right on schedule. We boarded, set sail and our good humour was restored. The day was gorgeous, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful. It was going to be a very good day!
After a mere half hour or so, we landed in Brentwood Bay and disembarked. Bess drove the ‘back way’ along Patricia Bay past the marine biology centre, lush farm lands, the expansive backside of the airport and into what was once the tiny village of Sidney. I had not been there for over 35 years and was astounded at its growth including the many condo buildings thoughtfully limited in height so as not to spoil the view and the character of the town. Sidney by the Sea lived up to its name as the sea could be easily seen from almost everywhere in town.
Bess parked the car within the designated parking lines. All four of us confirmed this! Apparently, it was noted that one of us, never checks. That person shall remain anonymous. It was decided that we definitely needed sustenance so off we went on our quest. One of the divas spotted a Scandinavian bakery/cafe. We went in and enjoyed delicious coffee and the best rye toast we had ever had. The nourishment recharged us and we were now firing on all cylinders-not a good sign. Next on our divine tour was a visit to the renowned Tanner’s Book Store, one of Sidney’s landmarks. Thousands of books lined its aisles. We explored them all and commented on the vast genre of literature offered. We also kept checking to see that all of us were still in the store. A certain person, whom I chose not to name, has a tendency to explore beyond the agreed to boundaries.
Leaving the books behind, we went on (a couple of us, well me actually, skipped) to window shop down the main street towards dock. Excitedly, we hurled shouts of “Look at this” and “wow this is so cute” to all and sundry and garnered a few strange looks. Oh well. Finally, we reached the pier which was nothing like the little one I remembered from years ago. It had been expanded with the addition of little shops and cafes as well as a museum. Very impressive.
After a quick walk-about, Bess decided we needed lunch. Gracie herded us together as we searched of the perfect place. An inviting small restaurant with sea views and patios was deemed to be divine. We quietly entered and found a lovely spot to view the seafront activities. Service was prompt and the server friendly, at that point. We made ordering fairly easy by making our meal decisions as simple as possible. We unanimously agreed to ordering pear ciders. It was divine. The food quickly and was very tasty. We ate with relish and drank with delight. I suspect we got a bit boisterous because soon as our meal was eaten, our server appeared and asked if we were ready to leave. Following her rather blatant hint, we instructed her to bring the bill that was to be divided between three of us. We had agreed to treat Bess. The server was somewhat disgruntled by the request and went off to consult with somebody and returned with 2 bills, not three as asked. I suggested we total the two bills and divide by three. The server was beginning to look a bit peckish. Meanwhile, Gracie inspected the bill and found some errors. We mulled the bill over, rationalized the error and asked that the bill be divided by three. The server looked flummoxed. Jude said forget it, “I will give you my share and then divide the bill by two.” The server began to growl. It seems she could not do that. I tried to reassure her that I would give a nice tip but please simply divide the bill by two. Over the edge the server went as she gnashed her teeth followed by a barked, “I do not care if you pay the bill or not — just get out of here!” Our response was to howl with laughter. The bill was finally paid as somebody in management was able to divide the bill by 2. Still guffawing, we left the restaurant and its stunned silent staff. Gracie pretended she did not know us. Somebody needed to use the loo as need that was instantly contagious, bar one. Fortunately, there was one that shared the foyer with the restaurant. Horrors, the Women’s was full. Desperate, three Divine Divas went into the men’s room. I was somewhat taken aback and stayed in the foyer. Erroneous trips into the men’s room was something I was working hard to forget. Realizing I had been left out on my own, Gracie came and hauled me into the men’s bathroom locking the door behind us, a safety measure to protect any male trying to enter. I was bit unsettled being locked inside a men’s room but that was nothing compared to the shock of seeing our esteemed organizer pretending to use the urinal. My laughter was maniacal as I pointed out Bess’s feat out to the other ladies. They had been distracted by the mirrors reflecting images of their mothers. In unison, the divas turned to look at Bess and were gobsmacked. We all roared with laughter between gasping for air. Now I appreciate the meaning of “kill yourself laughing’.
