General

Every time you boil a peanut, a kitten dies: Enjoying every other bit of the Fourthtivities in Ottawa

3:53:18 PM
You know, I’ve never celebrated Canada Day abroad in an ambassadorial setting, but you’d have to go a pretty long way to beat this party, as far as I can tell—and it’s barely even begun. The guests are streaming in, many in red and white, some in… those hats, the little straw ones, with striped ribbons. What do you call those? Those, anyway. Lots and lots of uniforms, but also denim and cotton and really, just a lovely, happy crowd.

Also, the food tents are slowly but surely starting to serve food, and the wine is already flowing, so it’s not exactly a hardship to wait around for the show.

4:57:42 PM
No, I haven’t abandoned you, although I’ll cop to a fact-finding mission to the pulled pork tent. Which, incidentally, was delicious, and highly informative. Now I’m trying to track down a civvie-fied Rick Hillier, who is apparently here in a suit, making it possibly the first time any of us have seen him sans uniform. I mean, not that he’s naked, but you know what I mean.

During my mealbreak, I’ll have you know that I dined with an astronaut and his wife. If you can think of a more American moment, I’d like to hear it.

I wonder if Hillier is near the dessert tent. I should totally investigate that possibility.

5:02:55 PM
Okay, this is going to sound horrible, but there is anyone other than John McDermott who is permitted to sing a national anthem in Ottawa?

5:04:12 PM

And there go the planes for the ceremonial flyover! Very impressive—I’m sure everyone is struck with the majesty of mankind’s triumph over gravity. That is, the ones who aren’t busy elbowing their way to the front of the codcake line.

5:05:27 PM
David Wilkins is delivering… pretty much the same speech as earlier, but with a teeny bit more homespun-ness and flavour, and to a more demonstrative audience.

Still charming, of course.

5:09:00 PM

And that appears to be it for the official program, which means I’m going to sign off for the moment. I’ll report back if there’s anything that just can’t wait til morning, but at the moment, I feel like enjoying what’s left of the afternoon without being hunched over the berry. I do promise to send that Hillier picture if I’m able to track it down—and anything else that strikes my fancy—but otherwise, have a wonderful Friday/Fourth, and I’ll be back in a future post.

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