W. Lloyd Williams

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Biscuit Eater Closes Today


IMG 0099

Source: Watercolor by Leslie Snidal

The Biscuit Eater in Mahone Bay closes today. I rode the bike over and Pamela meet me there. The place was hopping as friends from all over the province came to say goodbye to a community icon. We all had a tea or coffee and one of the famous biscuits and mourned the loss of our favorite gathering place. 

Rumor is there may be hope of a buyer, we cross our fingers and hope. Though we know whatever comes will not be the same, but hopefully different in a good way. Dawn, Alden, Patterson, Deb, Jo, and Robin thank you for so many wonderful memories and good times.

A Few Cruise Photos

[caption id="attachment_5442" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Rotterdam at dock"][/caption][caption id="attachment_5443" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="At sea with our wrap around balcony"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5444" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Writing the Waves Group (Cynthia Whitcomb, our leader in red boa)"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5445" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Pamela in Cork, Ireland"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5447" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Dublin, Ireland street scene"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5448" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Dublin guitarist with home-made electric guitar and amp"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5449" align="alignnone" width="334" caption="Found a pub in Dublin, wonder how?"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5450" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="London and Big Ben"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5451" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Traffic jam on the Thames River in London"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5452" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Found a theatre bookstore and another pub."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5454" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Bayeux, France"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5455" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Bayeux, France museum"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5456" align="alignnone" width="375" caption="Bayeux, France Cathedral"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5457" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Brugge, Belguim, out favorite medieval town"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5458" align="alignnone" width="375" caption="The famous Brugge canals"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5459" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Market Day in Brugge"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5460" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Spires everywhere"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5461" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Canal repose, Brugge."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5462" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Brugge is a historic swan sanctuary."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5464" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="The painted houses of Brugge reminded me of home in Lunenburg."][/caption]

Rotterdam, The Netherlands [caption id="attachment_5466" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Rotterdam a city of diminishing canals"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5467" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Our patio H2otel room beside the canal"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5468" align="alignnone" width="375" caption="Boats seem to outnumber cars in Rotterdam"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5469" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Rotterdam, a modern city rebuilt after WWII"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5470" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Modern suspension bridge in Rotterdam"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5471" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Canal side cafes in old town Rotterdam"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5472" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Captain Pamela at the wheel in Rotterdam"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_5473" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="A few of the classic sail boats and barges"][/caption]

Creative Screenwriting Expo

Ocober 7-10, 2010 Our fourth year at CS Expo. It's a whirlwind every year, but I'll summarize a few highlights.

Shane Black makes his way through the room, escorted by two police officers and ... Lloyd!

Our dear friend, Den, asked Lloyd to be Shane's handler while Den juggled his keynote speaker agenda.

If you don't know Shane by name, you already know his work: "Lethal Weapon", "The Last Boy Scout", "The Long Kiss Goodnight", "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", among others. In the mid-90s Shane gained the distinction of being the highest paid screenwriter; he earned $4,000,000 for his "The Long Kiss Goodnight" spec script. He's also known for his potty mouth.

Regardless, Shane is a given on our agenda. Not only is he a Hollywood success, he's a funny, sincere, passionate, and likable guy. Shane and Den the moderator:

John August wrote "Go", "Charlie's Angels" (2000 & 2003), "Big Fish", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Corpse Bride", "The Nines" and more. John also created and runs one of the best ever blogs for screenwriters. John and Den:

Gary Whitta and Den:

Gary is best known for writing the script for "The Book of Eli", "A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind".

We attended educational sessions hosted by screenwriting "experts" including producers, managers, story/script consultants, and screenwriters with produced credits. Our favourites: Erik Bork ("Band of Brothers"), Linda Heys, Bill Lundy, Michael Hauge, and Bill Marsilii (another record breaker: co-wrote "Deja Vu" with "Pirates of the Caribbean" scribe Terry Rossio, which sold for $5,000,000).

As always, we spend just as much time socializing and catching up with fellow writers from L.A. and from around the globe.

Best screenwriting event of the year, anywhere.

-P

A Whale of a Time

Aug 14, 2010 Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton, NS

After the captain fiddled us a tune we were on our way and on the lookout in Pleasant Bay:

We spotted a pod of pilot whales, my favourite. Google images here.

The whales were shy and mostly kept their distance.

Once in a while they surprised us with a closer look.

Two popped up beside the boat and swam right under us then disappeared.

Captain Jay heads back to the harbour.

Pleasant Bay is one of the best whale watching spots in Nova Scotia.

-P

Fortress of Louisbourg

August 12, 2010 Lousibourg, Cape Breton, NS

Louisbourg RV Park on the waterfront:

From the wharves we can see the Fortress of Louisbourg looming over the sea.

Louisbourg is the largest reconstructed 18th-century French fortified town in North America.

The French came to Louisbourg in 1713 after loss of territory to the English in Newfoundland and Acadia (Nova Scotia) in the War of the Spanish Succession. Louisbourg soon became France's most important stronghold and seaport in the Atlantic on account of trade and the thriving fishing industry.

In addition to arms and imported goods, livestock and gardens were integral to the community's health and survival.

By 1760 the English ruled and the fortifications lay in ruin. The reconstruction and reenactments are based on life as it was in 1744.

Red Coat and Blue Coat interpreters march, pipe, drum and fire off a cannon.

Lloyd buys bread the size, and half the weight, of a cannonball. And about the equivalent in flavour.

Jay's workout for the day: cannonball presses.

The crier reads aloud from a scroll which states that the guy in white stole a bottle of wine. The French officers will parade him through the streets, drumming all the way, then fasten him to a pole with an iron collar where he will serve his time: 2 hours a day for several days. In fact, he served five minutes before the interpreters ignored the unsympathetic crowd and let him go.

Jay writes his name with a quill pen next to the recently freed thief.

Since we couldn't elect Eric for public punishment we ordered him into the lime kiln for a time out. ;)

Back at the campsites, the boys strum it up. It's difficult to see, but Jay and Eric each trade a hand to play: Jay's left hand plays Eric's fretboard and vice versa (their right hands strum their own guitars).

In the evening we attended a ceilidh next door at the Louisbourg Playhouse featuring Jason Kempt, Beverly MacLean, Erin Martell, Lyndon MacKenzie, and Troy Young. Celtic music is expected and oatcakes hoped for, but this ceilidh included a box drum called a cajón and comedic costumed sketches too.

In the morning we had time to enjoy the sun and cereal by the sea.

-P

Up the Canal

August 11-12, 2010 St. Peter's, Cape Breton, NS

Battery Provincial Park

After Deb and I drove around in circles, we chose a seascape and a site large enough for both busses.

All five of us took a morning walk to St. Peter's Canal, just outside the campground, and arrived in time to see the canal in action.

The bridge our busses crossed to turn into Battery Provincial Park is high enough for small vessels, like Reel Happy from Antigonish, NS.

The bridge swings open ...

... to accommodate the biggies. A park employee mans the controls on top of the bridge.

Three boats arrived close together. They're corralled behind a lock until everyone's ready to go.

Her sailboat secured by bow and aft lines, a sailor from Donegal chats with Jay.

Aphrodite from the BVIs waits her turn:

The final lock opens.

Everyone's free.

The 800 metre canal links Bras d'Or Lake to the Atlantic Ocean. St. Peter's Canal is a National Historic Site and the only functioning lock system in Nova Scotia.

-P

Waypoint Halifax

August 10, 2010 Halifax, NS

I hoped we could explore the Canadian School of Lutherie with George Ryzsani, builder of Voyageur, a Six String Nation guitar built from 63 pieces of  Canadian wood "representing many different cultures, communities and characters from all across the country", "including a piece of decking from the Bluenosoe II, a piece of Wayne Gretzky's hockey stick and wood from Pier 21". One of goals for the Six String Nation project is "to tell the story of a country from the roots to the trunk rather than the other way around; and to encourage us to tell that story to ourselves and the world through music".

George ran luthier workshops at the Canadian School of Lutherie, a centre for studying guitar building that specializes in building hand-made, custom guitars. He has made guitars for James Taylor, Keith Richards, Sting, Peter Gabriel and more. However, George is on his last guitar building project for the centre and will retire from his line of guitars. I believe his last is the only with a built in vile of ashes--the ashes of a beloved friend and musician. The upright guitar on the far right:

George put me in touch with Jeremy. Jeremy et al were fine hosts, happy to explain their projects and processes, answer all of our questions, and allow Jay to try out their wares.

Project central:

The Faireses left feeling like they could finally tackle the guitar kit they have back home.

We left the school for waterfront Halifax and found a Buskers Festival we didn't expect. Normally, the waterfront makes for nice strolling grounds peppered with the occasional musician or painter, but festival goers crowded the wharfs.

We watched boats cruise by in the harbour and wandered the wharf for a bit.

We found some local music, but, tired of crowds, we broke away for a seat and a drink ...

at The Old Triangle, one of several great pubs in Halifax.

Jay had another chance to say goodbye to Carmel Mikol; she was just outside on the pub patio.

We had been working up to dinner since morning, when we decided we wanted good Indian food for supper. The private circle room was a perfect fit at Taj Mahal, open just two days following a six-month closure due to fire:

We feasted and waddled away.

Of course, we could spend a week or more in the city, but with just one night's stay we had time for just a few highlights.

We also highly recommend the maritime museum, Neptune Theatre, Paper Chase cafe, The Wooden Monkey restaurant, Opa! restaurant, Maxwell's Plum English pub, Pogue Fado pub, Split Crow pub, The Economy Shoe Shop cafe/bar and any live music you can find.

-P

Peggy's Cove

August 9, 2010 One of the most photographed sites in Canada:

We love watching the waves slam and spray over the cliffs.

There's something on the horizon?

A slew of buoys caught our attention from the edge of the village.

Apparently they make excellent bouncy balls.

Not pictured: Swissair Flight 111 Memorial, a moving and haunting installation.

Back at King Neptune Campground we were pleasantly surprised to learn about the lobster pound within a minute's walk from our sites.

We didn't expect a lobster handstand either, nor a one in a million ...

... blue lobster!

We chose the less talented of the lobsters and ate 'em later with Jim and Nancy who popped over from Prospect.

Ah! Can't forget. Debbie whipped up Brandy Alexanders. Sinfully delicious. It's a 1:1:1 mix:

1 oz  Brandy (good stuff)

1 oz  Creme de Cacao

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Beat it up in the blender and it's win:win:win. :) Yum!

-P

Folk Fest Sunday Finale

Lloyd and I skipped out on the last session of the afternoon for a recharge at The Knot. Keith's ale, caesar salad, potato skins, mussels, and peanut butter pie. That ought'a do it. The boys outside the tent: Scott, Nik, Eric and Lloyd.

Scott made us beautiful rings for my birthday, despite "no gifts" allowed. Yes, we lashed him. ;) Well, I think he got kisses and hugs from me... Anyway, we love our rings; they're carved from wood with gorgeous grains. Just our style. We've looked for rings for a while now and never did we find rings we liked so much as the ones our own friend made for us as a surprise. Thank you, Scott!

All of us seated in the wind tunnel/exit row (note the extra layers, extra blankets and extra tongue sticking out of Scott):

One more time, the Mainstage Evening Concert lineup (I guess I was too cold to take photos):

Carmel Mikol - glad for another performance. We like everything about her musically.

Tom Chapin & The Chapin Sisters - a family with local ties. Tom is a Grammy-award winner, but is probably best known as Harry Chapin's brother. He often sings Harry's "Cat's in the Cradle" in tribute.

Maria Dunn from Edmonton sang a haunting song called "We Were Good People" about a 1932 Hunger March in Edmonton where peaceful protesters were met by police wielding clubs and running even women and children off to scatter the march. View the lyrics and learn more here. Maria has a clear and commanding singing voice and award-winning songwriting talents.

Artisan - a zany a cappella trio from England.

Suzie Vinnick & Rick Fines. Suzie and songwriting partner Dan Kershaw won the International Songwriting Competition - Blues Category this year. She's said to have a "crystalline voice", even a voice "spun of gold". We like it, however you describe it.

Matt Andersen won this year's International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He makes a fitting finale, especially when joined by a variety of the festival's top performers.

As always, the festival evening ends with the singing of Nova Scotia Song.

Our dear friend, Deb, stops by for a post-festival visit and a photo opp with Jay. We miss you already, Deb!

Another Folk Harbour Festival done, another reservation at the Blockhouse Hill Campground (Lunenburg Board of Trade Campground) for next August. If you want to join us, please make your reservations soon!

-P