Now THAT was a Canada Day Weekend

My first one off since 3 years! I’ve worked them all because… I was The Canadian Explorer.

And not gonna lie, the lack of pressure this weekend was fantastic.  I used to explain it like – this is likely how Santa feels on the 25th.

This weekend I did very Canadian things… I went to a BBQ, drank beer and laughed my guts out, watched the fireworks, spent time out of a city in nature, designed my weekend around traffic times, and put my feet up Sunday night on my porch.

Speaking of traffic, get THIS – I heard the traffic Sunday night into Toronto was backed up to…. Napanee O M G (that’s 200km-ish).

Did you know our Coat of Arms has a unicorn?! A UNICORN!

That’s our motto at the bottom, in Latin: A mari usque ad mare – From Sea to Sea

Of course I own one of these.

And lots of things like this:

I went to Ottawa in 2008.

A decade before I was also in Ottawa for Canada Day.

I’d borrowed this guy’s bike to get downtown, but he’d lost his bike lock key, and I had to drag it through the dense crowds.

So if you had your shins taken out by a pedal around this time, that would’ve been me and sorry about that.

To be clear, Episode #80 is … still undone.  Oh I know.  Guarenteed it bugs me more than it bugs you, it’s like this lead ball that hangs back left over my head always.  But.  It’s just……

I’ve sat down one thousand times to edit it, and I physically cannot. It’s my swan song.  It’s summing up 3 years of my life into 8 minutes.  It’s re-editing footage I’ve already spent tens of hours looking at.

I could use an editing helper.  I have it completely storyboarded, look.  My website needs a serious overhaul too, it’s just… to properly close up my show is a couple hundred hours I don’t have right now, it’s so daunting when I think about it.

Leave it with me, it WILL get done.  And I have a little celebration party coming together in my head for when it’s done, and you’re invited.

Viva las KeriCDN and The Canadian Explorer!

Renew Your Oath to Canada

Fast forward to 0:50, it takes only 11 seconds.

Yup, got chocked up there at the end, eh!

But really, it’d be weird if I didn’t; I did dedicate 3 years and 15 000 hours of my life to celebrating Canada.  You bet I used a heart wipe!

Here’s the Oath:

I affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance, to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen.

This was filmed in Harbourfront at a swearing-in-you’re-now-a-citizen ceremony, and if you’ve never been to one, go. It will make you proud of your country. At this one there were 60 new citizens representing 20 different countries.

The oath is a little off in the video because I kinda accosted them at the end of the ceremony; thanks for being great fellas.

Both gentlemen are recipients of the ‘Order of Canada’ – the highest civilian achievement, with only 165 permitted to be in existence at any given time.

I’ve seen one up close here. I’ve made no secret I’d like to have one, too.  I would wear it everywhere.

Love you Canada, thanks for being the best country in which to live! xo Keri