Thursday Tidbits

Posted on August 16, 2018 under Thursday Tidbits with one comment

St. Francis Xavier University

“See you in September,

See you, when the summer’s through.”

See You in September. The Happenings

It starts as a trickle and turns into a torrent.

It’s that time of the year. St.F.X. students are returning to Antigonish. Around mid -August, the first wave appears. This is usually Student Union folks and athletes from several sports teams. The change in energy level in the community is palpable. The intensity level will peek the first week in September. It will be visible and audible. Yes. There will be some parties that will raise eyebrows and anxiety levels for citizens of the town and university administration. But this goes with the territory of being a university town.

St.F.X. is a major driver of the local economy. It is hard to imagine what it would be like if it weren’t here. It is one of these things that makes Antigonish an extraordinary small town. It is the single largest employer and helps keep the economy from suffering wild fluctuations. The university continues to improve infrastructure which is essential in the hyper competitive world of education. There always seems to be a construction project going on which provides more jobs and helps stimulate the economy. And make no mistake, the recently concluded National Special Olympics would never have been held here were in not for the facilities at X.

Yes indeed, September is lurking around the corner and that means the start of school and the Eastern Nova Scotia Exhibition.

I was a teacher back in the days when mastodons roamed the earth. I do have a long memory and back then, right around the middle of August, I would be getting a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. The summer would have passed far too quickly (don’t they always?) and I would know that, in spite of two weeks of freedom remaining, my head was already in “school mode”. Teachers out there know exactly what I mean.

Agriculture is yet another important driver of the economy.

The Eastern Nova Scotia Exhibition is a first rate event showcasing the agricultural community. It is also a time to get your fingers sticky with cotton candy at the midway. You can share yours with the wasps that crawl out of hiding and make their way to the Exhibition grounds every year at this time. Sadly, I will miss this year’s “Ex” as I will be traversing Canada with my son who is moving back to the east coast. Take some time and visit the ENSE. Like and share their Facebook page and you can win a pass to this year’s Ex.

And please, keep your eyes posted for information about the proposed new Farmer’s Market building. They are in the midst of a fundraising drive to erect a new, modern, year round facility.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. I always pick the wrong checkout at any store I enter.  Hard to believe but yesterday, I even got behind the wrong person in the quick checkout (1-5 items) at the grocery store.

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