Oh Canada

So here I am in Canada again. I say again because I can't count the number of times I've traveled back and forth between Canada and the US. First, it was family trips to Niagara Falls from Erie, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. I also visited Smiths Falls with a friend whose aunt and uncle lived there. Finally, when I married John, we moved to Canada where we lived for 12 years, first in Peterborough and then in Toronto. A constant in those years (1966-1978) were regular trips to Southampton where some close friends vacationed with their families. One of my stipulations about moving back to the States in 1978 was my insistence on returning to Southampton every year. And we did. And we still do. Why, you might ask, and that is something I'm still trying to understand. First, it's a lovely little town on the shores of Lake Huron populated by nice people. (It's largely true what they say about Canadians!) Also, our close friends retired here which made it even more appealing. Sadly, both Dunc and my second husband Bruce passed away in April 2024, but Mary and I keep chugging along, visiting, shopping, wining, eating, and going to the beach. but I think the real reason for wanting to be in Canada is that it keeps me close to John, the early years of our marriage, and the friends that we made. Our two sons were born here. Our older adopted son feels his ties very strongly. In fact he has found his birth mother, still in the Toronto area, and visits her annually on his way up to "South," as the locals call it. I'm grateful for this connection, for this country, for this welcome I receive. [and sick about the way Canada is being treated by our president]