Canadays at Home.doc

I would be remiss in not mentioning my ten-day whirlwind of a trip back home to Canada before launching into new and exciting pursuits in Portugal.

For all intensive purposes my stop in Canada felt more like the beginning of more travels than it did a return home. In ten days you can only do so much. It also signaled the end of my fantastic Amsterdam pad, and the lack of a permanent address in Europe until, oh, the first week of August (fingers crossed).

At the same time, I was surprised how quickly I was able to ease back into life with family and friends. Yes, it was a bit of a shock to be able to ask complicated questions in a convenience store without feeling self conscious (but which type of chewing gum do you recommend, sir?), and coffees, parking lots, and cars all seemed beyond the size I was use to seeing, but these trivial joys just became part of the reason why we have that one place to call home.

In Toronto, the visits with friends the first and second weekends were beyond fun. While there were a lot of overdue reunions, we all fell into old patterns quickly. Highlights from my time there include dancing up a storm at Buddies like we always use to do, the opportunity to attend the She Said What photo shoot since I don’t get to see the shows, chance Toronto bump-ins, the Dora awards, a leisurely stroll through Kensington, and one of the most epic BBQs in Toronto history. Honestly, I don’t think we’ll ever have such a great gathering of Queen’s alumni in the near future – maybe at the first wedding.

Back in Thorold, I had an extremely relaxing week with the family. We had wonderful BBQ dinners, nights spent around the TV, paid visits to Aunt Theresa and Uncle Ed as well as Aunt Mary and Uncle Ken, and shared many a memory. It was chicken soup for the soul to see my parents and Todd. Also a highlight was meeting my two nephews Andy and Connor for the first time. It was great to catch up with my half-brother Aaron and his wife Kelly.

It all made for a hectic, but important, ten days. It was also the first destination of my Jetset July: Toronto, London, Lisbon (Sesimbra), Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome.

Doc’s Prescription of the Day: Thanks for making my Canadian visit a memorable one. We live in one of the best countries in the world.