8:28 p.m. - 2002-08-31
Long Weekend
Well, if nothing else, my diary appears to be entertaining my sons. I've caught them reading it a few times. Apparently, some of my turns of phrase are hopelessly outdated - oh well! I guess I'll have to make it more educational so I can get that little extra parenting in.
Today is the beginning of the last long weekend of the summer in Calgary. Most folks are out in the mountains or at the lakes getting in that last bit of fishing, hiking, sunning or whatever they want to do. In a lot of campgrounds it will be standing room only.
Leaves the City pretty empty, which is kind of nice. The grocery store is usually jam packed on Saturday but today there was no more than a dozen shoppers around. Nice quick trip. My one luxury is taking a cab home, since carrying all the food and supplies back home necessary to feed my young men just isn't feasible. When we were first on our own I would go to the store nearly every day then carry whatever I bought back with me. Great upper body workout but health issues have made that a no go for now. There are two or three cab drivers who must listen for my name because one of them will usually show up shortly after I call in. Nice guys who like to tell stories about their home and families - usually half a world away.
It must be really hard starting from scratch as a lot of new Canadians do. A lot of the people I deal with are refugees who have lost everything. They amaze me with their strength and their willingness to do whatever it takes to make a new life for themselves here.
North America draws its strength from its immigrants, like my Mom's parents and my Dad's great great.. grandparents. My Dad's Father's family arrived in the US sometime toward the end of the 1600's direct from the south coast of England - a town called Micklemersh. It is directly south of Stonehenge. Explains some of my eccentricities. They didn't want to be part of the British Navy's conquest of the world and they were also seeking religious freedom. Being Baptist in an Anglican country just wasn't a safe choice. Over time different branches of the family have chosen different paths for themselves with respect to lifestyles and faith but all have savoured the freedom that allowed those choices to be made.
Part of the family moved a little further north and a little more west each generation. A good part of southern Alberta seems to be related to the family clan in one way or another and still the migration north and west continues. Some of my cousins live in British Columbia and my oldest son's partners' family comes from the Northwest corner of B.C. along the Alaska panhandle.
I think it has been a desire on the part of immigrants, like my forebears, to North America to belong and to prove themselves that has fuelled the great strides in the development of our technical, social, and financial leadership in the world. If we can remember to draw from that strength, instead of fearing it as so many do now, I think all of the predictions of North America's demise will be proven wrong.
So, my sons, ends tonight's bedtime story.
Love Mom
�
�
