Funny olí place Canada. We went to see some of the celebration yesterday. We got very little sleep around here the night before, as a holiday is a holiday and every opportunity must be taken to placate the liquor gods. Buter gos on toest. Aww fuck, my spell checker is busted again. Well there's something Canadian Ö My edukayshun. I wish theyíd taught me spelling instead of "poetry". (I studied during a heavy Can-Lit-pigs-at-the-troughing in the 70ísÖ donít get me started.)

AnyhooÖ Iím up before 10 and feeling pretty chipper considering. So we take a couple of coffee travelers and walk to the parade route. The warm coffee helped brace us for the spectacle, as we sat on the curb recovering from our half block walk. CROWDED TODAY. Sorry to shout, but it was noisy too. I didnít know we had so many kids in the neighborhood.

Okay, Iíll admit most of it is a bit of a blur now that weíve had a whole day of it (glug, wink) but I do remember the Vancouver motorcycle cops driving up and down the street really fast, and weaving all over the place, nearly hitting each other. Quite a show, and suspenseful too. I say that because, well Ö theyíre Vancouver Cops and I live in North Van. We have RCMP here. So Iím thinking itís Canada day in Vancouver too, so they must be having a parade or two there as well. Now Iím thinking "how many of these guys are there?" and that leads me to wondering if motorcycle demonstration squads are like sports teams and have a first, second, and third string of players. The thought of a bunch of fat third string Vancouver Motorcycle cops imitating DNA strands at 50 clicks right in front of me made me pull my legs a bit closer to the curb.

I think I remember some young dancers and a bunch of guys in kilts. Oh and the Mayor too. I shouted "I forgot to vote this year but I might vote for you next time!" She just looked at me like I was busy buggering a walrus and had just asked her for a wrench and a pair of hamsters. She forgot to wave for a half a block, and I remember some kid beside me saying "You forgot to vote too, daddyÖ so who voted for her then?"

Later we went down to Waterfront Park and caught a bit of a band playing some of that Canadian stuff, looked at the old cars and visited the guy that makes airplanes out of coke cans. Same olí same olí but quite pleasant just the same.

We took in a street show by Joel Walmsley.. Iíve seen this guy a couple of timesÖ heís great. I even gave some money when he passed the hat. Later I asked him why he wasnít in the Just for Laughs Festival and I think I pissed him off.

What I came away with today was a sense that Canada is the world in a blender and that we still like each otherÖ except for the French, of course. Nobody likes them much.