QUEEN VICTORIA'S BIRTHDAY

A real Canadian Victoria Day we had
A cousin from Britain to celebrate with us
A morning trip to Barbecue Country to replace a part for a Weber Grill
Not easy to find in Europe”,” he said.

A Chili Combo lunch at Tim Horton’s.
We taught him the language of Double Double, and he drank it black.
A bracing hike in Elk Island National Park.
Red-winged blackbirds, beaver lodges.
“Victoria Day in Edmonton,” we said, “can be cold as an August afternoon at the beach near Cardiff.”

A thirst-quenching root beer at A&W.
“Tastes like toothpaste,” he said, “Really good toothpaste.”

A trip to Rona, that Canadian How-To store for a small Canadian Axe.
“We’ll use it camping, he said.
Ï won’t carry it in my hand luggage.”

Then on to Best Buy and Campers Village.
Alberta beef for dinner, barbecued, though not on a Weber Grill.

A walk by the river and then?”
That holiday spectacular, only in Edmonton!
The High Level Bridge waterfall, pink and misty in the setting sun.
Edmonton’s Niagara.

"How wonderful it is,"says he, "To be in this family that reaches out to touch across the Atlantic."
He is right. It is wonderful.

Next day he is on his way back to Britain, where they don’t celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday.
And the High Level Bridge dryly waits for another holiday.