Canada Day

I am listening to CBC doing just what one of the musicians (Hawksley Workman) said last night at the taping of the Vinyl Cafe show: that Stuart McLean and CBC are all about making us aware of our country, our place, its people and its values.

The dogs and cats are in various places around the house figuring out where they are. It has been a bit of traumatic time for all of us, including their family who have never left them before.

The cats are upstairs in the bathroom with their food, water and kitty litter. Kenya absolutely LOVES the kitten (Kitty) and wants to give her far too many kisses for comfort. The kitten, surprisingly, is not too upset by all this attention. Tom Cat disappeared (who knew where?) but showed up when I came back without Kenya. He wants out ... is not used to being inside all day ... but his family is afraid he will try to come home, so we have no choice. I will visit them often today and introduce Kenya to Tom when he is less skittish.

I have to keep Chelsea, the old lumpy lab, tied when she is outside because of instructions and worries that came with her. Olive, the young lab, was the one I thought would be a breeze, but she did something I've never seen a dog do before; she growled at me and kept her distance ... wouldn't even come for cookies ... terrified.

I brought Kenya out and she played with her, but was still suspicious of me.

After a while I brought Chelsea outside. Well! The difference was instantaneous. Olive ran straight over to us and licked Chelsea all over her face and was calm and good with me. She must have thought I'd done something to Chelsea when she couldn't see her.

Reminded me a bit of a time I babysat Debbie's kids and put on a wicked witch voice while we played. Billy was terrified and ran away from me and hid in a corner. Kati, who was about four, flung herself at me screaming, "Don't you hurt my baby brother!"

Kenya is being very possessive of her bedding, which is also a first. As always she prevents Chelsea from stealing cookies, but this is the first time she has given a damn about her dog pillows. Maybe too many strangers in the house at once? She was not impressed when Olive tried to climb into my lap, either. Maybe she is afraid she will be dispossessed.

I am trying giving everyone as much love as possible, but I was forced to crate Kenya for a few minutes until she could be nicer.

As the day goes on it becomes clear that she would love a kitten or cat of her own to love.

Last night's performance by Stuart McLean and the two groups of musicians that were there with him was wonderful. I hadn't thought about what a radio personality would look like when he was not a disembodied voice and so was surprised by his gestures and body movements which all seemed exaggerated. At first I found myself closing my eyes so that I wouldn't be distracted, but by the time the second half of the evening began, I was used to him, and he had established such a connection with his audience that it no longer mattered. He and the young musicians were all such genuine people with no hint of arrogance that it felt in many ways like being with friends who were entertaining.