#MicroblogMondays: Holiday

Today is one of those days where the U.S. has a holiday, and we here in Canada do not. We had our May long weekend last week (Victoria Day), and today it's the U.S.'s turn with Memorial Day. Remembrance Day on Nov. 11th here is a solemn occasion that serves the the same general purpose, I think. 

It can sometimes be annoying when our two countries' calendars are out of sync. When we were working, dh's job involved the U.S. financial markets, so he often had to work when I and most others had a day off  (like Victoria Day, last week, and Remembrance Day). Personally, when I was a kid, I loved it because, having American relatives, we got to celebrate Canada Day (although it was known as Dominion Day then) AND the Fourth of July (and we were often at my grandparents' house in Minnesota then), Thanksgiving in mid-October AND in late November. When we lived close enough, my mom would often take my sister & me out of school for a few days and drive south of the border to join our relatives for some turkey, visiting and card games. :)   

And coming from a Ukrainian background (on my dad's side) also meant we got two Christmases, as well as two Easters, although we weren't always around when everyone gathered to celebrate at my paternal grandparents' farm.  I also went to some kick-ass Ukrainian New Year socials ( = parties/dances) -- Malanka, in mid-January -- when I was in university, lol.  

It was the best of both worlds!  

In recent years, I find I'm enjoying our occasionally out-of-sync holiday calendar. (Retirement probably has something to do with it!)  I certainly wouldn't want to be celebrating most holidays (Christmas!) at a different time than my American friends and relatives -- and it does still make me feel somewhat out of sync when my usual TV shows and news hosts aren't on because of special holiday programming on the American channels. 

But I'm also enjoying the fact that, this weekend as well as last, the constant stream of emails flowing into my inbox and notifications popping up on my cellphone have slowed to a trickle. My social media feeds haven't been as busy either. I've caught up on reading my emails as well as the latest chapters of my Cromwell Trilogy slow readalong, finished one book and started another.  I even balanced my chequebook yesterday!  (lol)  

I'm enjoying it while it lasts...!  ;) 

You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.