Randomly on what I think is a Monday

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That weekend blew by me faster than a teenager thirty minutes past curfew with beer on her breath – but let’s try to sum up, shall we?

1. Happy Canada Day!  I swear I was going to put a post up, but yesterday got seriously out of hand, and instead of arriving home in the early afternoon to finish it up and hit post – I arrived home at 11pm and lay helplessly wilted on the chesterfield instead.  Still, don’t take the lack of a post for a lack of enthusiasm.  The post I was going to put up listed so many of the things that make this country great, and then I realized that it’s Luis’ first Canada Day, and thought of what I like best about what growing up Canadian will mean to him.

This country is safe. 
Unbelievably safe.  Our crime rate fell another 5% last year, our homicide rate declined by 10%, the severity index said crimes in general were 6% less nasty. In a country of just over 34 000 000 people, only 554 of them were victims of homicide in 2010.  It’s not just that, we’ve got no really deadly animals, no really nasty insects, and a stunning lack of natural disasters.  We’re politically stable, more educated than any other nation, we have a social safety net that- while it’s far from perfect, provides a great deal of security.  Our health care system covers everybody, and it must work, because only 5 countries have better life expectancies than Canadians do. We enjoy a terrific degree of freedom,  our economy is remarkably stable,  we have no major infectious disease like yellow fever or malaria – and most Canadians enjoy the luxury of flushing the toilet with potable water. We have few enemies,  only share a border with the US, and they haven’t invaded since 1812 – in short, it’s a fabulous place to live, and Lou will be very safe growing up here, and what could you want more than that?

2.  I decided to do the Tour de Fleece.  My goal is to get all the spinning stash to fit back into the bins. I’m afraid to weigh what I have to move out of here, but I spun a chunk on Saturday.  I’ll show you tomorrow.

3.  Yesterday my sister and I (and her charming friend Nina) decided to ride our bikes from Toronto to Port Hope.  That’s about 110 km, and we thought it wouldn’t be that hard. 

(We are seen here smiling before it got too hard.)

4. Then I suggested that we take the waterfront trail. It’s sort of zig-zaggy, which I didn’t think of, but it’s close to the lake, which we all agreed would be cooler.

5. Then we got lost.

6. Then the destination was about 5 km further into Port Hope than we hoped for.

7. When it was all said and done, this is what my odometer said.

That’s right. 141.2 km. (That’s about 88 miles, for anybody who’s wondering.)  That’s so far.  That’s ridiculously far.  That’s so far that when we were about 10 km from the end, I remember thinking, in all seriousness, that it was a shame I was going to die so close to finishing.

We are seen here smiling because we thought we were done – and seconds after a kindly passer-by stopped us from posing right by that sign, and in a large stand of poison ivy, which would have really just been the icing on the cake. (Thanks dude.) If we’d have known then what we know now, which is that the sign was 20km from our destination, we wouldn’t have smiled. We would have called someone to come get us.

8. I am currently not in a civil speaking relationship with my thighs or any part of my body that touched the seat.

9. Wait until they find out we’re riding again this evening. 

10. I didn’t spin yesterday, because I figure that since yesterdays stage of the actual Tour de France was 198 km, and I rode 141 km, that maybe I could let myself off the hook.  I did a lot of spinning.  It just wasn’t at the wheel.

11. If nobody minds, I’m going to do the Karmic Balancing gifts tomorrow. I know I said Monday, but my drivers license expired and I really need to do something about it.

12. I can’t believe I have to ride my bike to get there.

119 thoughts on “Randomly on what I think is a Monday”

  1. I am a new Canadian (long time knitter) I received my citizenship in January and greatly enjoyed my first “official” Canada Day. The day I had my swearing in ceremony there was a family of four in front of me. They had been refugees here. At the end of the ceremony the father turned around with tears in his eyes and said “My children will never know fear.” Yep. Cried like baby.

  2. I was just going to write to congratulate you on the bike ride–way to go! But the comment above has blown me away completely. Tears here, too.

  3. LOL! Would that I could be so lucky to even just visit the great nation of Canada. You are great neighbors and have a beautiful country. Congratulations! and many more ‘days’.

  4. I too, am blown away by Eileen’s comment. Praise God there are places in this world people can feel safe.
    On the biking note, I rode 20.22 miles yesterday and I am not on speaking terms with my thighs. 88 miles? You rock. I would be in the emergency room right now. There’s not enough tylenol to get me through an 88 mile ride!

  5. Look at it this way, Stephanie, you are ready for your long charity ride. If you had any more doubt that you could do it, you have proven that you can. In the immortal words of whomever said them first – “You go, girl!”

  6. As a non-Canadian who likes everything she’s ever heard about Canada except the fact that it can snow pretty much anywhere there, I wish you and that ridiculously adorable Luis (and your respective families) a happy Canada Day. You’re a model for those of us who live in your more aggressive sibling to the south.

  7. Happy Canada Day, Stef … love you, and Canada. We ars so blessed to have you as neighbors.

  8. As happy as I am to be an American, I do believe you Canadians have a leg up on the USA. I am glad you, Louis, Eileen and the family of four ( first post) we’re able to celebrate a wonderful day. I hope Canada continues to be a safe place for Louis to grow up.

  13. Well . . . . I only burned half my face while spinning yesterday but I sure didn’t do 141.2 km!! Soak those bones in hot water. I know you’ll come back spinning!!

  14. Knowing what I know now, and if I had it to do over again, I would have moved to Canada in the 1970’s.

  15. Congrats on the big ride! Whoo hooo – you are ready and a “real” biker now!
    I too cried re: comment number one today, and felt proud to be Canadian.
    Before you go to the DMV for your license … check to see if it is open (danged statuatory holidays on Sunday, mess upp the rest of the week – most civil servants get a day off on Monday) to save your thighs and other body parts that touched the seat the extra ride 😉

  18. My two children are in the process of becoming Canadians and love living in NS, meanwhile I am back in Blighty feeling rather jealous of them! Rather choked by Eileen’s comment Happy Canada Day to all our trans-Atlantic cousins.
    Must admit that I think that you are as mad as a box of chocolate frogs for even thinking about the bike ride let alone doing it ….

  19. I came to Canada when I was 8 and didn’t understand the significance of the ceremony when I became a citizen a few years later. I do now.
    And I gave back last weekend by helping about 90 cyclists bike 400 km in one day (Kelowna to Vancouver, with massive hill climbs) and raise over $400k — all of which will go to cancer research (no overhead/marketing costs).
    Happy Canada Day!

  20. Steph, that is an epic ride! You’re all set for the Big Ride; you have ridden farther than your longest leg by 15km!
    Kudos to you-dos, as my wee boyo would say.

  21. Ditto Roberta at 12;50 PM. Although we are citizens of a particular country by birth, for many of us remaining that citizen is by choice. We forget that there are many people who would LOVE to remain citizens of their birth country if circumstances were different. Thank you Eileen for reminding us about the value and importance of choice and the freedom to make those choices (meaning for her it was a choice not a necessity and we are lucky to be able to do that).

  23. Ha ha ha! We haven’t invaded since 1812! No plans to do so any time soon, either. It’s too hot to think, much less trudge north and stage a takeover.
    Nice ride! Here I was all proud of getting in 40 miles last week over two days. Of course, 15 of those miles were Off Road, in the dirt.

  25. I hope you didn’t tell your thighs or other parts about the driver’s license trip until after you got back–they might have staged a mutiny and refused to go!

  26. Would this have been a good moment to mention the restrictions on the right to protest in Montreal and the student demonstrations? I’m not so sure nationalism is a good thing.

  27. Always an interesting day to hang out in the Comments. Very civil and interesting so far — well done, troops. Keep it up.

  29. Happy Canada Day! I think actual genuine cycling definitely counts towards the Tour de Fleece – particularly when it’s 88 miles! I’m tired just thinking about that. I’m an enthusiastic Tour supporter this year (of both tours) due to the fascination my wheel holds for a certain one year old and the abundance of pointy metal bits on the bit she thinks is most exciting but I’m looking forward to seeing what you spin.

  31. You totally met your Tour de Fleece goal yesterday!
    My dearest daughter is living in Canada as a grad student, and I think that the odds are very good that she’s going to stay. I feel like the region I live in, Northern NY, is a very safe, stable place to live but you are right, Canada has got us beat. And DD knows it.
    Eileen’s post is so very beautiful. Three cheers for her, the family she met, and for lucky Luis.

  32. Steph, you are really making friends with your bike. I’m proud of you!
    p.s. The whole Ravelympics debacle made the national news here in th US and as a result popped up on my news page. It made me chuckle and think of you.

  33. You make me want to be Canadian! I was only in Canada once; Vancouver, but I loved it and can’t wait to come back someday!

  34. I think cycling distance counts equivalent to spinning yardage.
    Is the Tour de Fleece supposed to match the cycling distance, or is it more what you make of it?

  35. “no really deadly animals”
    Waaaait a minute. WHAT ABOUT THE MOOSE?? Did you not spend a good 5 minutes at Knot Hysteria trying to convince us how deadly moose are?? How they are BENT on KILLING humans? How their antlers double as AK-47s??
    That’s ok, I’d still immigrate. I have my body armor from living in LA. 🙂

  36. 88 miles, American? Holy cow. And then back home again? That’s crazy pants, American.

  37. I just spent the weekend at Niagra Falls and Niagra-at-the-lake. I had no idea when DH and I planned it that it would be Cnanda Day while we were there. We had a lovely time!

  38. Happy Canada Day. And we’re gearing up for Independence Day. Neither one of us is perfect but I thank Good we’re neighbors. May we never again fire shots in anger tho that whole 1812 thing was at least partly Napoleons fault. Got us all riled up.

  39. happy canada day to you! canada – home of leonard cohen, joni mitchell, k.d. lang – no need to say more….

  40. I’m glad that you survived the ride, and are alive enough to ride to get your drivers license renewed.
    I wish we were as level headed here in the US as you are in Canada. Maybe then we would work together to solve our problems more often rather than standing on each others faces trying to get to the next prize and making no one happy in the process.

  41. Wow, you rode way over a metric century (I think you’ve ridden a metric century more than once already, haven’t you?). Really cool.
    Happy to be Canadian! I love visiting other countries but it’s always great to come home.

  42. Wow! Sign me up to become a Canadian. The only downside I know of is the cold. We have cold in Pennsylvania too, but it doesn’t seem as long and as bitter as yours. I don’t even go to the Pocono mountains cause it’s colder. But boy, can you sell a country or what? Happy Canada Day!

  43. Happy Day After Canada Day! I did hum a few bars of O Canada yesterday in your honor. If it wasn’t for all the family here in the States, I could move to Canada in a heartbeat (even risking the moose). I do look forward to your Canada Day posts every year.
    Just when we think Luis can’t get any cuter, he does.

  44. Happy Canada Day! We spent one Canada Day in Banff. Fun parade and fireworks! I’m so impressed by you and your sis and your friend riding a ridiculous number of Km! Maybe I should get off my as* and try exercising… Love that little boy. Super cute cheeks!

  46. Happy belated Canada Day! One of my coworkers gave me a very good maple-bacon cupcake that she made in honor of the day. So I felt the patriotism 🙂

  47. Happy Canada Day to you! Love that very pretty cake, btw – and Luis officially broke the cuteness-on-my-monitor scale. 🙂
    It’s amazing to witness a citizenship ceremony, no matter above or below our respective countries’ border. We (those that were born here) take a lot for granted in North America – but seeing it through others’ eyes is always far more emotional than we might expect. I love that Canada is exactly where it is. I wouldn’t want it anywhere else.

  48. Followed Sarah V’s link about the bear attack in Manitoba. Yikes!! I’m going to stay put in the U.S. at my camp in Maine, which fortunately has indoor plumbing… although some of my neighbors do not, and have been known to not shut the door, what with the beautiful view and everything…

  50. Congrats on the biking, spinning, and happy Canada day!
    Bike shorts are the best invention; although the padding under your rear only holds up if you do. And dude you went a lot of miles! I say indulge in a beer.

  52. Steph: I can’t help but notice how wonderfully TRIM you look. All that riding looks GREAT on you!
    Nancy FP in Ferndale CA

  54. Luis is cute; Canada is extremely cool and wonderful; and your cycling ability is awesome!
    Thanks for another wonderful Canada Day post.

  56. back in ’76, i celebrated canada day in, of all places, washington, dc. i was attending a convention of my union (the newspaper guild) and our canadian members gave a helluva party.
    even before that, i knew your anthem (in english, anyway) from hockey games.and i considered “defecting” back in the ’60s.
    so a slightly belated “happy birthday, canada!” from your southern neighbors.
    and congrats on the ginormous (or is that ginoUrmous?) bike ride, stephanie!

  58. “It’s not just that, we’ve got no really deadly animals, no really nasty insects, and a stunning lack of natural disasters. ”
    Oh, dear. Did you touch wood while you typed that? Because if The Big One hits in the next little while and crumbles Vancouver into the sea, you know who’s getting the blame.

  59. I am an American that loves Canadians! Especially those who knit. I live in Alaska so I understand those long chilly winters and the need to constantly be handling wool. I have just discovered your blog, although I have been reading your delightful books. I would love for you to be my best friend, but alas, it seems you have more friends than you can shake a knitting needle at. Happy Canada Day. We celebrate Independence day on the 4th, and so I say: “God bless America and her lovely neighbor, Canada!”

  60. You smile because you can do it.
    You smile because you can do it and it isn’t damp, cold, rainy, and otherwise miserable (not sure if it was on hazy, hot and humid…but the photos look pleasant and you don’t look wilted!).
    I’d say you smile because you were feeling pretty good at the time…but I am thinking that by the time you reached that New Hope sign, you probably realized that parts below your waist were going to make you pay today (and tomorrow).
    Happy Canada Day!

  61. Thoroughly enjoyed reading your comments about your wonderful country. Sounds like a truly great place to live. It’s wonderful to be proud of one’s country!! Worked with a young Canadian woman at my last job in Boston before retiring. She was extremely bright and well educated and one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever known. She actually gave up being an analyst to return to school to become an Occupational Therapist. She could’ve made big bucks in consulting, but she really wanted to help people. Great advertisement for your country.

  62. I live near the waterfront trail and am SURE I saw you on the bike path. The only person with me was my husband who said “I wouldn’t recognize the Yarn Harlot if she knit a net and threw it over my head.” So he was no help, and I’m too afraid (what if I’m wrong?) and polite (don’t want to intrude) to say anything when I see celebrities.*
    In my head I said “Hi! Enjoy your ride!” And it seems like you did. 🙂
    *Except for that time I said “Hi” to Adam Fergus before I realized I didn’t actually know him.

  63. You’ve got no dangerous animals? How about the squirrels?????

  64. You just about had me. Until I thought about Canada in relation to that one, four-letter word:
    C-O-L-D
    Happy Canada Day!

  66. I totally love your post about Canada,but as a former 2 year long resident of Montreal I would like to dispute the statement of lack of deadly and dangerous animals. I personally think the Grizzly bears can be pretty deadline… And the polar bears. And the Canadian moscito is one of the most vicious beasts roaming the planet, and the black flies are essentially teeth with wings attached. By the way, nice invention, very focused on essentials of biting and moving.

  67. Sure hope you didn’t ride out to get your license renewed, only to discover the gov’t office closed for the holiday.

  68. Had I known your Port Hope destination, I could have recommended a great little restaurant (Trattoria Gusto) which serves Beau’s Brewery Lug Tread Ale–husband smacks his lips just thinking about it, and loves visiting just for the beer! And with your incredible ride you definitely deserved a beer break…….
    Cheers, Barbie O.

  69. Happy Canada Day, Stephanie. Awesome bike riding. You are definitely in shape for the BIG RIDE. My OB/GYN doc in 1964 was a McGill grad who migrated to Southern California. Definitely a big asset to America. Canada has some fine educational institutions.

  70. You should get yourself a Hansen e-spinner. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about your legs for spinning. Ever!

  72. You have access to some of the cutest kids I have ever seen.
    And happy Canada day.

  74. I’m delighted for you and your family (and especially young Luis) to have enjoyed your Nation’s holiday – I’m looking forward to my Independence Day this week. I feel pretty sure every place there is has some problems, but we are best fit to help solve the problems if we can celebrate the many good things.

  75. At least you didn’t have to worry about having a breakdown in the middle of nowhere and getting mugged or murdered because of it. 🙂

  76. 88 miles?? In one day?? Holy cow.
    I would love to move to Canada, but I don’t want to follow all those others from my country who said they were going to move to Canada now that the U.S. Affordable Care Act has been declared constitutional. Wait till they find out about Canada’s health care system!

  77. Happy Birthday to Canada and the USA. Spin that wheel some Steph. Then your thighs and other seat won’t be quite so resentful when you do the other spinning….
    Congrats on the 88 miles. The last time I rode a bike I hit the side of a curb with my front tire, fell and broke my ankle. No more bikes for me!
    bjr

  78. Happy belated Canada Day ! Canada is amazing. We should really use you as our role model. And way to kick ass with the bike riding. You will do just fine. Also, congrats to the first poster and the family who were with her. You have chosen well.

  80. Happy Canada Day!!! to you, your thighs, your sitter, and all your countryfolk! Between your post and the first comment, I’m crying happy!

  81. I honestly missed your traditional Canada Day post yesterday, so glad you brought random Canadian facts to us today. Yesterday my Mum and I wandered around downtown, watching free concerts, enjoying kids getting their faces painted, seeing people eat poutine, etc. Was all around a smashing day.(Please note: this does not mean I hate any other country.)
    Oh wait….think that has been covered before….

  82. I got to the line where you said the last time the US (my country) invaded was 1812, and I thought NO! We did not INVADE! We were fighting for our freedom from tyranny….in another country. All of my public schooling was on an American military base, and maybe there was a bias there. Google informs me that the US did invade, and that Canada did not like it.
    Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.
    I know, EVERY year some jerk American gets their yarn tangled by these posts, but I truly love them. I think that everyone should get to think that their nation is the best one in the world, and I love getting to view Canada through your eyes.

  83. Having just escaped family violence, I am with the the first post. My thoughts – ‘at least I don’t have to be scared of that anymore’, and I am not even a refugee from another country.
    I have a lot to be thankful for.

  84. Here’s an invention that’s time has come: a spinning wheel that is connected to your bike. You could spin while riding! Drafting carefully between your hands, steering with your elbows…Not for city traffic maybe but by Montreal? Your stash would definitely fit in its boxes!

  85. I love your Canada Day posts. They take the dry facts I learned in school and far exceed them. These posts bring the flavor of Canada allowing us the luxury and beauty of your country without ever leaving home. Thank you!

  86. If it wasn’t for your Canadian winters, it sounds like an excellent place. 😉 Maybe y’all could give us Yanks some pointers. Lord knows, it looks like we could use some.

  87. Every year I think “yeah, there’s no way she can top last year’s Canada Day post.” Every year you do.
    (Ron, on the other hand, has half the planet believing Don Cherry is Prime Minister in his post. Sorry about that.)

  88. On June 16, 1972 I moved to Canada. A little arithmetic will tell you that a couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 40th anniversary! I am so blessed to be here. As others have pointed out, no place is perfect, but this one is pretty darn good. Trish

  89. How come the temp is in farenheit on your bike computer? I wish I could still go and and ride my bike like that. I did when I was younger and I miss it still.
    I might add the Canada has some awesome cycling country. For real scenary and thigh killing climbs try the Icefields Parkway in Alberta! Can even have bear and moose in your path.

  90. Canada IS an awesome place. If the immigration process hadn’t been so long to even be able to move there, we might’ve been living in BC right now. When we don’t have tiny children, we’re going to come visit. I can’t wait to see it.
    And Luis is every bit as beautiful as my own children. He’s gorgeous. :o) Happy Canada, little one! (And all you big ones, too. :o)

  91. I mis-read odometer as doom-meter which I guess in some ways it is… 😀
    Belated Happy Canada day!

  94. I have to drive to Port Hope from Auburn Hills, MI next week and I was whining (in my head) about having to make the drive cause my butt will hurt after sitting that long. Your post made me rethink that and be very happy I’m driving! I will have a nice ferry ride to Sombra, and then beautiful roads with nice rest areas on the way, and very very polite drivers. they actually move out of your way if you are going faster than them in the fast lane! I love Canada, happy Canada Day!

  96. I didn’t send the wish out on the day, but I did think it – Happy Canada Day! In honor of it, I promise to vote against anyone who campaigns with a plank about invading Canada in their platform.

  97. Rams and I are thinking that your bicycle adventures scared off the annual “Stop dissing the US” commenters.

  98. Happy Canada Day, Lou and Stephanie and all you Canadians! You do live in one of the best countries on earth. If it was warmer I’d move there! Have a great day, sore bottoms and all!

  99. 1) Really jealous of the 77f. on your gauge. We’ve got upper 90’s here in S.E.Ohio.
    2) Beautiful Canada Day post. Lucky you and lucky Luis!
    3) As far as cycling goes: You. Can. Do. It. The Blog knows you can. The Blog supports you.

  100. Congratulations on living through the ride yesterday and belated Happy Canada Day. You are an inspiration to us all.
    Have you seen this yet? It appeared the day after the US Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare and has been making the facebook rounds. It purportedly comes from a Canadian radio station
    Dear Conservative America,
    We heard that you have issues with ObamaCare and were thinking of moving to Canada.
    You would not like Canada at all.
    We have National Health Insurance.
    Our beer is horrible, it’s watery and tasteless.
    We have communities of happily married homosexual couples.
    We have very cold frigid winters.
    We have gov’t supported television and radio.
    We just got electricity, like last year.
    Our banks are very unstable.
    We have Sharks.
    Sharks that can walk.
    You’d hate it here.
    Our apologies in advance, eh,
    Canada

  101. Well done on that bike ride! And happy Canada day from someone who wishes with all their heart they could move there and be Canadian too! 🙂

  102. Happy Canada Day! And a Happy 4th of July from your American neighbors. I’m wildly impressed by your bike ride. I think you are definitely a Biker now. And oh my goodness little Luis is so cute. My two-year-old loves babies right now since he’s expecting a younger sibling in a few months. And when I saw your post yesterday I called him over to look at the pictures. The first thing he announced in his little boy voice was “Look, Mommy, he’s so cute!”.

  103. Good job on the ride to Port Hope. Have you looked at the wider bike seats that provide more support for women? I’ve always had trouble with the bike seat vs. bones and this helped. They fit our frames better.

  104. Ok, you’ve convinced me. I’m packing my things and getting ready to move north….. 🙂 Happy Canada Day!

  106. I’ve lived in the US for 13 years now and on more than one occasion contemplated moving north (even further north, I live in Minnesota).
    Your post really made me want to pack my bags. That bit about Canadian healthcare system covering everybody is particularly awesome.
    Belated happy Canada day!

  107. A friend of mine who rides crazy amounts of kilos, swears by wearing women’s Depends or those super thick old style long maxi pads to help ease the “seat” problem from those riding distances…

  108. Every time I read your Canada Day posts, this year more then usual, I wish there had been a slight historical glitch. It would have made the border sag and include the UP of Michigan and Wisconsin in with Canada—weren’t we part of New France to begin with? We’d even be willing to be our own Provence. I bet I can find a lot of Yoopers and other Sconies that would agree with me. Of course that would give you killer badgers, deadly mosquitoes, and the ever dangerous Winnebago Lakefly!

  109. Alot of Americans don’t realize that Canada’s healthcare is different for each province!! We don’t have a national healthcare plan at retirement like Medicare.For example, BC and Ontarios healthcare plans are drastically different!

  111. First, I am so, so impressed by the way you’re training for this race. SO impressed. Just wanted to say that.
    Second, I do have a half-caveat on the “no deadly animals” thing: Ontario has a ton of timber rattlers, and you do not want to mess with those dudes. On the other hand, I’ve been camping out on the Georgian Bay every year since I was 6 weeks old, and I learned by the time I was a little girl that there’s absolutely no reason that humans and deadly snakes can’t live together peacefully in close proximity. I’m so glad that rattlers are a protected species; it’s meant that I’ve learned the difference between “deadly” and “out to get you.” Same goes for bears, but more so. Is that what you meant?

  112. Happy Canada day to you and soon here it will be the 4th of July, Independance Day in the States! Blessings on both our countries for being at peace with each other for 200 years! Now, we in the US, have got to work on our crime, education and health carei issues.
    I was in Canada in 2002 and enjoyed some very lovely bike touring. One thing that was really cool was a fellow biker put his wallet on the seat and walked away. No one touched his wallet! When he came back everything was still in it. That was amazing! There were a lot of people on the street/sidewalk and not one person touched his wallet.
    Peace!

  113. Thanks for the correction! I was getting my snakes mixed up–the timber rattlers are in Virginia, my home state.

  114. If I can get together a bit more money, I’m going to look into moving to Canada.
    I’ve watched the economy in the US tank, and am currently watching the government melt down, and, depending on the results of the election this fall, I suspect I may be looking at the beginning of either a civil or revolutionary war here.
    It really doesn’t seem like it’s a safe place to live anymore.

  116. Reading your annual Canada Day blog made me realize that this August will be my 40th anniversary on becoming a Canadian Citzen. My parents came over from Britain when I was 3 1/2 years old. I remember it well because I was in day camp at the time with my siblings. They had a celebration for us. I feel truly bless to live in this wonderful country!

  117. Happy belated Canada Day and…if your drivers license just expired, doesn’t that mean a Happy Birthday to you, too?
    Being Canadian is the best…we just don’t get it much of the time. As to our winters, yes, much of Canada is ridiculously cold, but do you remember that mid-March week where all the bars on King St. were packed in the evening, it was so warm? It’s the unexpected joys I love!

  118. Hello Harlot. The first time I heard of you was in an interview on the CBC ~ a wonderful Canadian institution. I keep hearing about your blog lately, so I thought I’d take a peek. And to remind us all of our wonderful country was a beautiful thing to read. Here in Canada, we can become so content with our lives we begin to find faults with the little things. In reality, we do indeed live in one of the best countries in the world. Thanks for the reminder.
    xo Jules
    P.S. By the way, I have riding sympathy. Years ago, a girlfriend and I rode our bikes from Vancouver to Los Angeles…those long days that became unexpectedly longer are still etched in my thighs..er, mind.

  119. Happy Canada Day! I know I’m very lucky to live in this great country.
    To all the “dangerous animal” commenters: When was the last time you’re life was directly endangered by an animal in Canada? Animal attacks (especially deadly ones) are VERY rare in Canada; that’s why they make such big news stories. Can you tell this is one of my pet peeves? 😉

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