A double-edged sword

I'm in St. John's, NL, on my way for a trip to my tiny hometown tomorrow to surprise my Dad on his 70th birthday. (He doesn't read the blog.) It's also Canada Day, but the local newspaper, the Telegram, doesn't have the usual festive Canadiana on the front page that papers across the country will today. Instead, it had a story about commemorations of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel, which also took place on July 1, and which had a place in Newfoundlanders' hearts and culture long before the country ever became a province in 1949.

This is what Canada Day is like here. In the morning, everyone goes to the Cenotaph downtown and remembers the blackest day in the Newfoundland Regiment's history; then, after 12:00 noon, it's deemed proper to turn our thoughts to celebrating our country (and people have been doing it in a big way, all day).

I took a picture with my Blackberry that I tried to post to my blog but it failed. My BB coverage is very spotty here. Take my word for it - even on a grey, now-drizzly day, St. John's is still heartbreakingly pretty.

Tomorrow - off to the hinterlands. Probably no internet access, so see ya Saturday.

ronnie