Happy belated Canada Day!

this marks the first year since i moved out here that i've celebrated Canada Day in California.

i went to the annual Digital Moose Lounge Canada Day picnic (mind you, it's almost highway robbery when they charge you 26$ per person plus 5$ parking for a picnic - 2 pieces of chicken 2 sausages, then garlic bread, salad and watermelon pieces!!!!!!!!)

anyways, i chalked it up to that 5 years of not celebrating it averages the cost out to 5$/year i did not pay so whatever...
i wore my sweatpants with Roots emblazoned on my butt proudly (it's also amazing how little-to-none of the Canada-themed clothing/accessories/flags/banners i actually own. if you have extra stuff lying around at home that shows Canada, or the flag or whatever, box it up and send it to me and i'll wear them proudly on Canada day)

i guess Canada Day in montreal was never a big deal - it's "Moving Day" - the day when most housing leases start so everyone is moving out of an old place into the new. i'm guessing this neat little 'tradition' was popularized by the french-canadians who did not want to participate in Canada Day celebrations so they have an excuse.

in any case, it was nice to look around and see many Canadians around; however at a glance you can't really tell what the common thread is, we look as diverse as a sea of any Americans here in the valley. There was a McGill Alumni table (yay) and i met 5-6 other McGill-ites who updated with news about the school having bought some hotel for dorm spaces, to the not-too-public marine-biology summer course that is a month-long dream course which takes place in Barbados where the school owns property. (where was this info when i was debating what to take?!?!) we were nostalgic about the good Canadian Corn Pops, coffee crisp, caramilk bars, and Tim Horton coffees, as well as discuss the ingredient differences between Canadian Coke and American Coke. Also the affordable price tag of an education back home...