Canada Day in the Capital...Ottawa!

It's been a check on Mark's mom's list of "things to do before I die", to go to Ottawa with her family. Jane has been after Mark for decades to get him to give up a long weekend at the cottage and join her in Ottawa "just once" and feel the patriotic emotions that will pour from your body. "There isn't a better feeling!" she says.

And year after year, we go to the cottage, content and happy to be sitting on the dock, drink in hand, sun beaming down on our pale bodies, hoping for a miracle. Not having to drive anywhere, go for an ice cream in the boat with the dogs hanging out the side of the boat happily. Their tongues and ears flapping in the wind. You get the idea.

Well, since we have NO cottage to go to this summer, I told Mark, THIS is the summer to go to Ottawa and make your mother happy once and for all. Do it for her!

Except, let's not tell her and just "show up" and see the look on her face! We also brought Suzie along which would amplify the shocked look on Jane's face! Hee Hee!

We looked into taking the train on the Saturday to Monday and it ended up being $900 for all three of us to go. Tegan was free! My truck may be bad on gas, but not that bad! So we drove. Five hours later...with a toddler, who can't finish one movie at a time, constantly wanting drinks and a snack, we reached our destination.

Finally we arrive. Check in. We check to see if Jane has checked in yet, (because they were in Quebec and Montreal that week and ending their trip in Ottawa). No they hadn't checked in. So we went outside and walked the street. Took some photo's with the guards.

Let Tegan run around and chase some birds....let out some steam.

As we were heading back by the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, we saw the rented mini van from Buffalo. We dash inside and one of Jane's friends is standing there happy to see us. Barb tells us, Jane has already gone up to her room. And is waiting for their luggage.

Now what I haven't told you is that. I did call Barb the week before to get the particulars of when and where they were staying because I had a surprise for Jane. A dinner surprise. And if they'd mind if we changed their plans for an evening. She said no problem. And vowed not to tell Jane anything. But that's all she knew. So she wasn't surprised to see us in the lobby. But knew Jane would be over-the-moon to know we had come. They too had heard over and over, how she wanted us to come and wouldn't. (Not to mention, Mark, Suzie and I for 2 weeks had taken her scolds from her every time we saw her about it. But we hung our heads and let her do it....knowing we were already going!!!)

What she didn't know is that I was able to get us all on the same floor! Suzie across from Jane's and us down the hall! We get up there and tell Tegan to knock on this door....we all stand away from the door and leave this kid standing there. Our camera's were ready for the reaction.....

Jane opens the door and says "Well, Hi There. We have a visitor." Suzie and I glance at each other like, "How and the Heck did she know we were coming??" Then Tegan mutters something and runs right by her and into the room.

Jane now looks up to see where the parents are to this child running into other people's rooms. That's when she sees us girls, remove the camera's from the front of our faces and notices Mark. All of a sudden it kicked in who this cute little girl was! Her own Granddaughter! Her mouth hung open and tears filled her eyes. Her hands clasped together over her mouth and her shoulders hung as she cried. She couldn't even speak!

Since no one else offered a hug, I did!! She didn't let go! She was so happy! Meanwhile, Tegan is in their room bouncing on the beds, unzipping the luggage and spreading clothes all over the floor, tossing the room service info off the beds and onto the floor, well, just about everything went onto the floor!

Anyway, that was the big story of how and why we went. Then two more good feelings happened that weekend:

Next day, Canada Day, we had all the festivities to do. The ceremonial Changing of the Guard, the RCMP Musical Ride (on horses), The Raising of the Flag...

Suzie summed it up great by saying it was the perfect place for anyone with A.D.D! (Attention Deficit Disorder, like herself) Little mini parades all day long. Look here, look there! 2 minutes and each one is over!

For me, my patriotic moment was when we were walking in the park with different vendors giving away all sorts of things. One cool thing we got was a tiny maple tree we thought we'd plant at our new cottage as a remembrance of this trip. (Too bad we forgot it in the room when we checked out!)

But as we are walking, we are hearing the National Anthem on a big screen t.v by CBC. It's a 14 year old girl with an amazing voice. And as she gets to the last couple of lines, the Snow Birds fly over head, over the Chateau and the Parliament buildings. So beautiful. Very loud and powerful.

But it wasn't until she was about to hit the last note of the song, the last word...that the Snow Birds flew back and it was deafening. The big finale. My hands went up over my face, (and I'm not a crier!!) but there I was bawling! It was like being put in the middle of a war and seeing it for the first time. You see it on t.v, but it doesn't mean anything. Or do anything. I had shivers down my arms and I needed a "minute" to get myself back together. Which really just meant. Turn quick and start walking!!

The second big deal was: At lunch (this is an hour later), we are dining at Milestones. Three quarters of the way through our meal, I look up and see this guy walking towards me to turn and go down this aisle. He's looking at me, I'm STARING at him. I'm thinking "This guy is HOT! I love his hair like that. Why does he look familiar?" And then I had it!

"Hi Derek!" I say. I stand up and he's looking at me like, "and you are?"
I extend my arm out to Suzie and Mark, (who are looking at me like "what the hell is she doing?")

I say "This is my husband Mark and his sister Suzie, you know Suzie..we are your biggest Buffalo Sabres Fans Ever!"
And Suzie and Mark are STILL looking at me and then him like "Do I know you?"

I say "Mark, Suzie, you know DEREK ROY?"
This is the hysterical part. He is a Buffalo Sabres NHL player!!!
They didn't even recognize him at first, and I did! I'm so pleased with myself. I could run into Lindros in Muskoka and have no idea, but I see Derek and BOOM, I remember!

He stood and chatted with us. I think all of our faces were flushed red! Meanwhile, Tegan is running rampantly through the dining area..and we don't care! Derek Roy is at our table!! Then after she hit Suzie and was having a melt down, I picked her up and said "You don't hit! You don't want Derek Roy to come over here and tickle you do you?"

Sure enough, he comes over and tickles her! She giggled and laughed. Then he said Good Bye and went back to his table. He's from Ottawa and that's why he was there. Apparently Suzie and him are neighbors in Buffalo! She said she didn't recognize him with clothes on! (She was part of the press a couple years ago and they'd all be in the locker rooms for interviews!) LOL! Just kidding! No, she really did work for the press, but I'm not so sure she saw him in his Birthday Suit! Which beats me, why didn't it occur to any of us to take a photo with him??

The streets were closed off, it was mayhem. Drunk, stoned and some sober people all over the place. It was freezing cold too all weekend. Sweater sales were up to say the least!

We watched the fireworks. Spectacular. It was also something when they started the fireworks, that an entire park filled with millions of people starting to sing the National Anthem again. (In fact, we heard it all day!) But this time it was really special.

So if you ever have the chance to go. You should. It's a once in a lifetime experience. Especially if you are Canadian. Everyone wore red somehow somewhere. We wore tattoos. Even Bubby! All the Taylor Girls..,but somehow she didn't get her photo taken!