Thank you for your kind words.
I am now back in Canada.
That was a tough two weeks of keeping my elbows up.
But now I can relax with the comforts of “safe supply” drug use in our parks.
Seeing people do the zombie lean.
Thank goodness for all the Pride flags and stickers.
At least being in Hawaii, it was a comfort to know I was in the Rainbow State.
Looking forward to hearing my first land acknowledgement.
Two weeks without being reminded whose land I’m standing on. Somehow I managed.
It was difficult putting up with friendly people, helpful store staff and drivers giving us room on the roads.
But I made it through.
Elbows down.
Taxes up.
Home sweet home.
On behalf of Canada, I made the sacrifice of flying on a FULL Air Canada plane from Vancouver to Honolulu.
Apparently I wasn’t the only Canadian making this sacrifice.
Made sure to keep my elbows up and push the policies Canadians expect.
Asked shops why they didn’t have Pride stickers in their windows.
Why the bathrooms were clearly marked men or women. No guessing required.
And why the Pride Parade was only a short period on a Saturday during “shoulder season.”
Only part of one day? Not a whole month?
Had conversations with former military. Made sure they knew we were Canadian.
They still wanted to talk to us.
Americans were even offering condolences to our military from Wainwright. They’d seen it on their socials and in the news.
There I was, keeping my elbows up, and they had to go and show they cared.
Asked why their gasoline was about the same price as Vancouver when they have to import all their oil.
Wondered why I wasn’t seeing open drug use on the streets and beaches.
Where was all the “safe supply”?
People were friendly and talkative. Especially in stores.
They actually offered to help.
Orders were correct.
Made sure to keep my elbows up. Can’t let this kind of treatment weaken my commitment.
Drivers must have known we were Canadians in our rental. They even gave us room on the roads.
I’ll keep investigating from the beach.
For Canada.