North American Birthdays

Good grief! I haven't even blogged about Canada Day yet (of course, I haven't blogged about anything lately), and here it is Independence Day down south. As you know, I recently spent time in Arizona, met several of you fellow bloggers, and felt quite at home. Some of you sure speak with funny accents, but Americans that I have met, both recently and formerly, are wonderful people. The description, salt of the Earth, comes to mind. Have a great day in Arizona, California, New Hampshire, Georgia, Washington, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, and the other states where my blogger friends reside; those remaining state names simply aren't springing into my dim consciousness right now.

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Yesterday was Canada Day. (No it wasn't, but I'll leave it as written, just to show that started to write this several days ago. It comforts me somehow.) We celebrated our 139th birthday. Every little community does something. There were concerts and feasts and fireworks at our local park and at all sorts of venues across this vast land. We weren't at the park, however, choosing to celebrate with family and friends at D1's house. D2 and friend were in town and staying with them, so we weren't about to be anywhere else.

As the above picture shows (taken early when there were still relatively few present), many of us were decked out in red and white, and flags were flying everywhere (just not in the picture, so don't strain those eyes). The flags will come down soon, of course: most of them at least. We're very proud of our country, you know, but we don't carry on about it most of the time. It's just not the Canadian way. Eh?

Cuppa and I were the only oldsters in the crowd. Most of the couples were thirty something with a toddler in tow: only one in all cases. It's hard to afford either the funds or the time to raise more these days, I guess. Or maybe second children will make their appearance in due time. Cuppa and I waited six years between our two, for example.

The little folk showed tremendously divergent personalities. Just like the adults, there were loud ones and quiet ones, gregarious ones and shy ones, trusting ones and fearful ones. Then there was the pooch, Frodo, a Shepherd-Border Collie mix (photo below — with yours truly). What a neat dog! He was still there when we left near midnight. His folks tried to take him home when they put their little girl to bed, but he wasn't interested — wanted to mix. He wasn't hyper or demonstrably excited but very undoglike in choosing not to rest or sleep for all those hours.

We sat in the sun and later in the rain although we moved to the protection of a neighbour's gazebo when the rains began. It was quite the gazebo too, with deck flooring, carpeting, electricity, satellite tv, and high speed internet access. Cuppa and I stayed until after eleven o'clock, but, of course, the thirty-somethings partied on until the wee hours.

The next day (after I began to write this in the morning), Cuppa and I headed back to D1's where we had a grand family breakfast. In the afternoon, we drove down to Smiths Falls to visit the Hershey Chocolate Factory, and we had a bbq supper. D2 went back home the next day, but it was great for the little clan to get together one more time.

Today though, I think I'll continue to take life easy and resume watching The World Cup. Despite the fact that, as I opined earlier, I'd like to see a few more goals, I am quite enjoying the competition although with both England and Brazil out, I'm not sure for whom I will cheer. Then, we'll go line dancing tonight. Should be a good Independence Day here in Canada too. Eh?