Victoria Day

For you in the south who may, or may not know, this is a holiday in Canada. For many here it is a long weekend to go camping. I remember doing this years ago. It was wet and cold then and it is wet and cold now. But, you still go camping.

For me, this holiday was the excitement of being busy at work (IGA) and if it would warm up I'll go kill some weeds too. I like and enjoy working where I feel I'm being useful.

Friday and Saturday morning were the best. Laura, lead person in charge, is very organized and carried most of the load due to the fact she is there first, 5 and 4 am respectively. You have to move it to get everything topped, baked while getting bags and printing labels ready for packaging. On this occasion, having the later hours, I arrive at 8 and 7 am concentrating on packaging and display by the time the store opens. It is a routine and it is not. For me it is exhilarating.

Finding myself more of a follower than the leader of my younger past, content with just doing my job to the best of my ability, not wanting to question why? Yet, every once in awhile I get a notion that someone might be interested in how something was done in the past (which could be yesterday) or elsewhere. Wrong. I get this look, which is the same look I use to give when I was their age. 'What do you know?'

Saturday afternoon was an eye opener. After Laura had left I was surrounded by four young veterans of the afternoon/evening procedures of the job. I got the 'What do you know?' look. It was obvious my presents was no longer needed and I left to enjoy the holiday weekend.

The following is taken from world book on reference encyclopedia.

Victoria Day commemorates the birthday of Queen Victoria on May 24, 1819. The people of the British Commonwealth have always celebrated the birthday of the ruling monarch as a patriotic holiday. During the long lifetime of Queen Victoria, her birthday came to have a special meaning. After Queen Victoria's death, people continued to celebrate her birthday to express their loyalty to the British Empire. In the early 1900's, the people of Canada celebrated Queen Victoria's birthday as Empire Day. The name was changed to Commonwealth Day in 1947. Canadians now celebrate Victoria Day and the official birthday of the reigning monarch as a legal holiday on the Monday before May 25.