Moncton Molly: Caissie Cape, Gagnon Beach & $5 Lobster at Aboiteau Wharf Restaurant and Bar

Summer is winding down. Last weekend, although stupendously hungover from both sun and mixed drinks, we trucked 'er back down to the beaches again. Our two person party started out on a beach in Caissie Cape. There was no one about, it was hot, but windy. We set up camp 10 feet from the murky water, poured some drinks, and started picking apart the crab legs and palourdes. We bought a shellfish knife at Canadian Tire (thinking it would open the palourdes, but in the end we had to use my good ol' Swiss Army knife). Every summer we stop at the same house in Caissie-Cape to buy seafood. I don't eat the palourdes, only the snow crab legs, and the stuff that's in jars - the bar clams. Palourdes are basically just clams, but big ones. They are also known as carpet shell clams, and are super hard to open (which I like because it keeps Frenchie occupied for at least an hour). He fights with them, grunting and swearing - it is true, they put up a very serious fight on being opened. Guess they know where they are headed. Poor things. Then he just sucks 'em back raw. Gross!!

Later we were in Shediac to see all the Hogs riders, and we all know my opinion on that! Somehow I always end up where the annual convention/get-together is. However, all the sun and booze dulled my annoyance of the 200+ old folks revving their Harley engines. After that, a bonfire at a friends trailer at Gagnon Beach. Holy ... does dried-out white birch EVER burn fast. I was just amazed. The next day was brutal, but we bought some umbrellas that attach to chairs at Walmart and headed back out to Gagnon Beach to supposedly swim. Frenchie fell asleep and I was too lazy to move. It's not deep, we walked way out at sunset and it was only waist high.

And at the end of the day, we went to the Quai Aboiteau Wharf Restaurant and Bar for fried clams and $5.00 lobster. It was bittersweet because even though everyone said that it was not the end of summer, it WAS the end of summer.