at last!, part deux
I’d like to share a charming event that happened after my last post. I thought it would be clever to call it part deux because that was the only word I recognized when we repeated our oath of allegiance in French: the ‘two” in “Queen Elizabeth the Second”.
My, how quickly I digress. I still am imbued with the joy of Canadian citizenship, which ended a nine-year wait.
Anyway, just before we trekked to Nanaimo for that, our neighbours Judith and Ted asked us if we’d like to celebrate later that night with burgers at their place. We begged off because we weren’t sure when we’d get home, asking if we could wait a day. We could.
And that was good, because we got home late and exhausted. The next day, as we prepared to go to our burgerfest, Jude asked me if anyone else was going to be there. “I don’t think so,” I told her, “they didn’t mention anyone else.”
“I bet there will be,” she said. I really thought it was going to be a quiet evening of just the four of us, so we did bet. If it was just us four, Jude would have to sing our new national anthem. If others showed up, I had to recite our oath of allegiance in French.
We had just polished off our meal when Chris and Nena showed up, followed quickly by Bonnie, then Ruth and George, then Brian and Lillian, then . . .
I lost track. Nearly all the community showed up soon after, bringing more food and the inevitable laughter and conviviality.
And gifts: garden-fresh veggies and ocean-fresh fish and beer and books and herbal tub teas and more. Many flags, one of them on a beaver stick. A cake nestled in real maple leaves with maple leaf frosting. The blessings flowed. I was moved to tears by this serendipity.
Our neighbours continue to surprise and delight us. We had our umpteenth consecutive wonderful gathering. In the midst of the frivolity, Jude asked me if I wanted to be let off the hook for our bet. I did, because me speaking French could be a real party poop.
If we had any doubt about the choice we made to stay, it would have ended that night. But we had no doubt.
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Anchor Struck 
I’s say you’re home. As the late, great Maynard G. Krebs might have said, “This is making me a little misty.” Well, I think it was Maynard. Happily most of those reading this comment are too young to know the allusion or whether he said it or not. Age has its advantages.
We say we’re home, too. And thank you for being Maynard-misty. It takes me back, and reminds me that age has advantages.
Congratulations A and J–not just on attaining the long-awaited citizenship, but for having attracted and sustained such a special community of supporters and friends. You both look positively silly but smashing nonetheless in your red headgear. Jude’s definitely prettier.
Hugs to both of you.
Thank you for all that. The camera loves Jude, is indifferent to me. Hugs eagerly accepted.
Welcome aboard…..
Thanks. It’s truly great to be here for the duration.
Hey, congratulations on your Canadian citizenship. A lot of people would like to have it, and I’m glad you and Jude do.
Thanks, Kathy. We’ve still got plenty of room up here for new folks.
Hello, everyone. That “Anonymous” above is me, Allen. For reasons known only to WordPress at this point, I can’t get back into my blog.