Category: Daily Blog

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Thanks for the Thumbs-Up!

We were thrilled to discover that our wonderful guests enjoyed themselves this summer as much as enjoyed having them, giving us great reviews and making us the Number-One ranked hotel in Newfoundland and Labrador on Trip Advisor. This was our first season in this industry so we hit a few bumps along the way, and now we’re so pumped to learn that we ultimately did what we sent out to do – give our guests a unique, memorable and purely ‘Newfoundland’ getaway right on the edge of the Atlantic. And we’re so grateful to everyone that gave us reviews – if you’re reading this, a BIG thank you!

In the meantime, we’ve gotten a bunch of lovely guest-book signings, have scanned a couple and are thinking of making them a feature on our site. What do you think?

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Joe Friday Friday

Chances are, if you’ve been to Ocean Delight, you’ve met my brother and fellow Whiteway newbie-turned-devotee, Joe, aka Joe Friday. When we bought these cottages, we were quite ‘green’ to the industry and didn’t know how much work was entailed – and knowing what we know now, there’s no way we could have gotten through this summer without his help.

Like me, Joe left Torbay as a young man looking for something new, and found it as a bartender in Nova Scotia. Also like me, 40 years later, he found himself in Whiteway and knew his life was about to change.  He came out to help me paint a cottage and I couldn’t get him to leave. He fell in love with the community and the people and the lifestyle, as everyone is wont to do when they discover the magic of the place (or when the Wizard of Shag Rock casts his spell over them).

He stayed with us in empty cottages until more guests started arriving with the warmer weather, and we needed a better solution. He found the perfect one – a cottage just up the road which we call Joe Friday’s Cottage on Joe Friday’s Beach. Then after performing his first screech-in, our guest Geoff gave him the jacket you see above. It’s so cool, you have to call him ‘Joe Merlot.’

And ‘Joe Merlot’ is particularly fitting, as he now makes wine in the winery we set up in the basement of The Gannet.  Joe Merlot intends to expand the winery to make beer. Do I see a Joe Labatt coming? I don’t know how many Joe’s there will be here in the future, but there’s one thing for sure – Ocean Delight sure has one Joe Cool.

We love having him around. Whether he’s Joe Byrne, Joe Friday, Joe Merlot, Joe Labatt, or Joe Cool, we love all of them and don’t care which one it is – as long as we still get plain, ol’ Joe! And thanks, Joe, for all that you do – you’ve made life out here even better, and that’s hard to do!

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Radiant Sunsets

I should probably change the name of this blog from ‘Jerry by the Sea’ to ‘Jerry Watching the Sky’ given the number of posts I dedicate to sunsets. And if you’ll indulge me again, we had one the other night that begged to be photographed. Where ever I am I’m drawn to watch each evening, but here and now the cleanliness of the air and the cooling temperatures are making the sunsets more radiant than anything I have seen before.

When photographer Michael Hanson stayed with us, he told me that ‘real’ photographers don’t take pictures of sunsets or sunrises – they take pictures of their effects. I hope I captured some of that here. Not that I’m a ‘real’ photographer yet, but I’m trying!

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Young Artists in the Wonderful World of Whiteway

You know that I can’t rave enough about the artistic talent out here in Whiteway, and that I try to use this space to promote local artists and events – I’ve gotten so much from this community, I’m more than happy to share it. In that vein, well-known Newfoundland artist and friend Clifford George has emailed me some pictures, telling me that he likes to promote young people who show an interest in art. It’s clear from these pictures that Clifford is more than their ‘promoter’ – he is also surely a mentor and teacher, and we are so blessed to have him – and such bright young people – in our community.

So here are some of these young people. First is Dylan, who is interested in painting and the colour wheel, so Clifford has been trying to teach him that. According to Clifford, Dylan has done 5 Shag Rocks, because ‘practice makes perfect.’ You can see in these pictures just how much practice he’s put in – they’re really amazing. Another of Clifford’s informal students is 13 year-old Ashley. I asked Clifford to tell me a little bit about her to include with her pictures, and he wrote this: “She loves to draw and to write poetry. She loves animals and loves to ride horse back. She has been coming down to our house for a few years now, she usually leaves poetic notes around the house.” As you can see from these pictures, Ashley, like Dylan, is an eager and gifted student, and I’m happy to be able to showcase this budding young talent with you. All in all, I wish these young artists the best and am sure they have a bright future ahead of them.

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Tuesdays with Murphy: Fields of Barley

What is not to love about life in the Wonderful World of Whiteway – I moved in with Jerry and The Berry months ago and they’re still finding new places for me to explore. Here I am in Hopeall where Newfoundland ponies normally roam at the Horse and Pony Protection Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. Unfortunately for me, all the horses are out to pasture for the summer. Too bad! I wanted someone new to play with – and I’m almost as big as them, so I thought they might take me as a fellow four-legged.

But I always look on the bright side of life and even though I was alone it was great fun to bound through the fields and smell the barley, flowers and scents of my cousins who run wild in these parts. Jerry promised to take me some new places in Hopeall this week, so, I’ll take him at his word, if you’ll take me at mine that I’ll share my adventures with you when he does. Paws crossed!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN3k3ZLXoSw&feature=youtu.be]

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Judge Jerry

Never too old to do something new, I guess! A few weeks ago, Clifford George asked if we’d be able to fill in as judges for him at the Miss Teen Trinity-Conception Pageant held in Harbour Grace. Never one to turn down a challenge (even if this was a bit out of my wheel-house), that’s what The Berry and I found ourselves doing this weekend.  It was a contest of talent, spontaneous answers to difficult questions, volunteerism, attitude, confidence, poise, dignity and choices.

It was my first time judging anything like this, and what a challenge to choose from such a wonderful slate of caring, considerate and wonderful teenagers ranging from 14 to 17. They were all amazing! I’ve said it before on this blog – despite all the negative things you hear, I’ve always been impressed by this younger, thoughtful generation coming up.

The winner was lovely Jessie Fewer from Cupids; congratulations to her, thanks to all who were involved in the process, and a big kudos to all these young women who are bright lights in their communities. (And sorry for the picture quality – poor lighting and zoom, plus, I had to focus on my scoring!).

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A Wake at Last

Yesterday was a good – make that great – day in the Wonderful World of Whiteway – and one that I was afraid wouldn’t happen for us. It was the official kick-off of 10 more days of the food fishery (where individuals are allowed a small quota of fish each day) and boat troubles that have been plaguing us for the past several weeks made me worried we wouldn’t be able to go out and enjoy it.

But with a great thanks to Alf and Randy Peddle, we converted the boat from two Johnson motors to one 225 HP Yamaha! It was a challenging job made harder by the fact that shaft was 4 inches too short. We had to put an extension on the back of the boat at Woodman’s Welding shop in New Harbour. Craig Newhook and Sam Pitcher are experts and made the bracket in record time – which is just about how much time we had!

So we were able to join our neighbours and all the little boats of Newfoundland that took to the water …. and I caught the first fish – take that, Berry!

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A Lovely Evening with Lovely Guests

Meet Chuck and Michelle, a couple that spent a week in The Partridgeberry. They’re from Michigan, but Michelle has roots both in Arizona and Newfoundland (her mother married a Yank). They were great fun, and in their week here they exemplified how any trip is what you make of it.  Michelle loves meeting new people, so she spent her time getting to know everyone. Chuck wanted to ‘do stuff’ and found no shortage of that – if you remember, it was Chuck who shot the footage of Leslie for us last week.

They were a joy to have around and came over for dinner on their last night. Lucky us – we got to enjoy Joe Friday’s unmatched cod au gratin, steaks, and great company over a wonderful sunset. We can’t wait for them to come back!

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True Love

Here’s Ted and Dianna, a truly sweet and truly inspirational couple from Washington state. At the tender ages of 86 and 87 (not saying which is which, but let’s just say Ted robbed the cradle!), Ted and Dianna just hopped a train in Seattle and rode it to Vancouver, then switched to VIA and rode it to Toronto, then boarded a plane and took it to St. John’s, then rented a car and drove it to the Wonderful World of Whiteway. Most couples half their age wouldn’t have contemplated such a journey! They’re about as far away as they can get from ‘home’ and still be in North America.

Ted was a Yale graduate, got a job with a Wall Street law firm and hated it. He became a teacher and headmaster and loved it. Dianna was a flower child and it’s impossible not to fall in love with her free spirit.

I’ve never met a nicer couple. They have been married for 65 years. Ted sketches and writes a journal, and in the evenings he reads it to Dianna over a glass of wine.

I love them and we loved having them! They really are an example of true love and living well – and don’t we all need to see more of that these days!

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Cupid’s near Heart’s Delight!

Another couple honeymooning to their hearts’ delight at Heart’s Delight! Becky and Brennan are from Nova Scotia and wanted to come to the island to kick off their great journey together. They stayed the first night in our 104 Springdale Street Character Home and then spent two more nights in Heart’s Delight at The Gannet. They borrowed the ATV, used the fishing poles, hiked along the trails, and just loved their time here.

The Berry put together a little basket for them and Joe Friday donated a bottle of his famous wine and a rose – he’s a real softie at heart!

Becky and Brennan said they would be back and will bring friends the next time. We certainly would love to see them again, and regardless wish this sweet couple a lifetime of happiness.

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