Happy Canada Day!!

July 01, 2019

Happy Canada Day!  We have talked about being in Ottawa for Canada Day, but the timing of some of the other adventures that we had booked conflicted with that plan. Then we talked about celebrating it in Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan, but we decided that this would impact our travel plans to be in Thompson, Manitoba on time.  We opted to celebrate Canada in Yorkton as it fit into our time plans better than the other ideas  

When I asked at the campground office what plans were in store for the Canada Day celebrations we were met with a blank stare and this immediately deflated me.  This morning we decided to go to the Tourist Information center to see what plans they knew about.  It turned out that there was a family celebration to be held at noon until 4:00 pm at the Western Development Museum. There was to be various talent acts and performances.  No parade was in store and the week starting on July 03, was the annual rodeo and exhibition.  There were fireworks planned at 10:30.  

We decided we would take in these events.  We went to the local WalMart and bought weird Canada hats. They were sold out of T-shirts.  Debbie had finished her Canada banner and we had to hang it up on the trailer as well as flags and lights.  The festivities at the WDM were interesting and there was a very large turn out.  Many events for the kids and a continuous line up of singers, dancers, and even an old time fashion show. The fashion show was interesting as the WDM had organized it and the models were the local high school cheerleaders. The clothes were fashions ranging from the 60’s to the 80’s.  The master of ceremonies explained what fashion designer made the clothes and how they shaped the fashion industry.  It was interesting to hear the importance of the Canadian fashion designers and how they were influential to the world markets.  Several Canadian designers had clothes that were bought and worn by Jackie Onassis, and many celebrities and royals.  

We ate hot dogs and hamburgers, sat in the sun and got sun burnt and mingled with the locals.  It is fun to see how other people celebrate Canada Day, but over all it is evident that we are all proud Canadians and living in a free and great country.  

Later in the afternoon we went to Boston Pizza, for supper. When you are in  Saskatchewan means that you must support the Saskatchewan Roughriders and they are playing tonight against the Toronto Argonauts.  As we were watching the game on the television, an Environment Canada alert interuppted the game and informed us that a tornado warning was issued for the area south of Regina, around Moose Jaw and areas south from there.  About the same time the CFL football game was delayed as a lightning and thunderstorm was occurring in Regina.  We watched the events unfolding on TV and were thankful that we had left the area earlier last week.  We then went out to search the best place to watch the fireworks, and I talked to the guy responsible for the fireworks who assured me that the fireworks were still on schedule even though that big old grey cloud was looming on the horizon. 

We went back to the trailer for a couple of beers to wait for the fireworks and I watched the cloud coming our way.  Within a half an hour the winds became so strong that it was breaking branches in nearby trees and blowing over billboards and road signs!!  The rains and thunder came with it and we listened and watched the storm as it ripped past us.  It was obvious now that there was not to be fireworks tonight.  At about 11:00 we decided to go to bed.  The winds had died down somewhat, but the rain continued.  That big ole black cloud had found us again!!