I worked on June 30 although most of the staff in my office took the day off. It was one of the last kind things I could do, work so they could have four-days off in a row. As for me after 3 more work days I'll have as many days off as I please.
Canada Day commemorates the coming together of three Canadian colonies into one country within the British Empire in 1867. More specifically, thank you Wikipedia: Canada Day marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867. Canada became a kingdom in its own right on that date, but the British Parliament and Cabinet kept limited rights of political control over the new country that were shed by stages over the years until the last vestiges were surrendered in 1982, when the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution. So there was no revolution, no Roman Empire that died, no Renaissance or Enlightenment to mark Canada's birth, it was merely a ceremonial signing of an agreement. So on July 1, Canada Day, commemorates something very different from the 4th of July in the U.S. from my POV.
And so it was a very different day off as well. My day started with me getting myself, my stuff, Mike, the cat, the house, fridge, etc. ready for retirement. Oh and I continued to knit on the Mock Plaid scarf, a picture shows my progress below. All this is to say the morning turned out to be a rather relaxing time because it will be some time before I have to address any of this again. Well, I'll be doing almost all of it soon, just elsewhere.
Then about 2:30 pm I caught a bus downtown to spend time with friends, Jami and John. They had both just recently returned to Vancouver after having been away. We had a ton of things to catch up on so we happily sat in the sun and 25C/ 83F degree weather on the roof of their condo building. It was very relaxing with no real agenda. We talked, grilled a meal, played Rummikub and drank a bottle of pinot gris. I then caught the bus back about 9:45 pm and reached my home at 10:30 or so.
You might be thinking to yourself right now: Why so much detail about your little Canada Day thingy? Let me explain. For me this type of activity on Canada Day represents the quintessential way most Canadians spend this day. It includes a little fun, a little camaraderie with friends/family, a little drink and perhaps a bit of fireworks (the part I left too early in the evening to see). Sure there are a few who spend the day in a more uproarious fashion, but by and large it is what some might perceive as a rather boring day. I would argue it has nothing to do with boring, instead it is subtle in the way these collective activities can be good for the soul. Still a bit hazy about the point I'm trying to make? Check out this video created by Canadian singing astronaut, Chris Hadfield and his brother, Dave, which both explains in the words of the song and shows in the video how Canadians go about celebrating Canada Day.
Please don't misinterpret the intent in this post. Just because I speak positively about how Canadians celebrate a holiday doesn't mean I am somehow saying U.S. citizens are doing it wrong. Remember I am both a U.S. and a Canadian citizen. Heck I celebrated yesterday with two other U.S. citizens. What I am trying to say is this: at times Canada is referred to as U.S.-lite, but it isn't like that. Canada does do things quite differently from the U.S. in big and small ways and if anyone gets a chance to spend more than a short time in the two countries the contrasts do become apparent. (Sometime I'll get my act together well enough to be quite clear about the difference, but not today.)
So even though I'm a day late -- Hope you had a Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends. And to my U.S. friends and family -- Have a great 4th of July this Friday. I'll be celebrating my independence in a different way that day.
Canada Day commemorates the coming together of three Canadian colonies into one country within the British Empire in 1867. More specifically, thank you Wikipedia: Canada Day marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867. Canada became a kingdom in its own right on that date, but the British Parliament and Cabinet kept limited rights of political control over the new country that were shed by stages over the years until the last vestiges were surrendered in 1982, when the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution. So there was no revolution, no Roman Empire that died, no Renaissance or Enlightenment to mark Canada's birth, it was merely a ceremonial signing of an agreement. So on July 1, Canada Day, commemorates something very different from the 4th of July in the U.S. from my POV.
And so it was a very different day off as well. My day started with me getting myself, my stuff, Mike, the cat, the house, fridge, etc. ready for retirement. Oh and I continued to knit on the Mock Plaid scarf, a picture shows my progress below. All this is to say the morning turned out to be a rather relaxing time because it will be some time before I have to address any of this again. Well, I'll be doing almost all of it soon, just elsewhere.
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| It remains bright and sunny yet today |
Then about 2:30 pm I caught a bus downtown to spend time with friends, Jami and John. They had both just recently returned to Vancouver after having been away. We had a ton of things to catch up on so we happily sat in the sun and 25C/ 83F degree weather on the roof of their condo building. It was very relaxing with no real agenda. We talked, grilled a meal, played Rummikub and drank a bottle of pinot gris. I then caught the bus back about 9:45 pm and reached my home at 10:30 or so.
You might be thinking to yourself right now: Why so much detail about your little Canada Day thingy? Let me explain. For me this type of activity on Canada Day represents the quintessential way most Canadians spend this day. It includes a little fun, a little camaraderie with friends/family, a little drink and perhaps a bit of fireworks (the part I left too early in the evening to see). Sure there are a few who spend the day in a more uproarious fashion, but by and large it is what some might perceive as a rather boring day. I would argue it has nothing to do with boring, instead it is subtle in the way these collective activities can be good for the soul. Still a bit hazy about the point I'm trying to make? Check out this video created by Canadian singing astronaut, Chris Hadfield and his brother, Dave, which both explains in the words of the song and shows in the video how Canadians go about celebrating Canada Day.
Please don't misinterpret the intent in this post. Just because I speak positively about how Canadians celebrate a holiday doesn't mean I am somehow saying U.S. citizens are doing it wrong. Remember I am both a U.S. and a Canadian citizen. Heck I celebrated yesterday with two other U.S. citizens. What I am trying to say is this: at times Canada is referred to as U.S.-lite, but it isn't like that. Canada does do things quite differently from the U.S. in big and small ways and if anyone gets a chance to spend more than a short time in the two countries the contrasts do become apparent. (Sometime I'll get my act together well enough to be quite clear about the difference, but not today.)
So even though I'm a day late -- Hope you had a Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends. And to my U.S. friends and family -- Have a great 4th of July this Friday. I'll be celebrating my independence in a different way that day.
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