This is a long weekend in Canada. It is called the Queen Victoria day weekend and marks the remembrance of Queen Victoria's birthday. Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901. She was the monarch who presided over the formation of Canada. She was a rather austere person...not warm and fuzzy.
Now I've been calling this weekend the May long weekend for a long time. I had to look and check today to see if it was still officially the Queen Victoria day weekend. Yes it is.
I have some mixed thoughts over this issue. I'm all for recognizing some one's birthday and achievement. Queen Victoria's reign was long and many important developments happened during her time. On the other hand I am not sure that I'm even luke warm towards the British Monarchy. I have trouble thinking that a foreign monarch is our king or queen. Yes, there's long tradition and tradition counts. I also think that we need to move on. Now I'm referring to the institution.
It also seems hard to to get my head around the fact that monarchs are monarchs due to heredity alone.
Now I don't get wound up over some of the people who are in our present royal family. They are ordinary people who have many restrictions put on their lives. Some of them do well with their royal life style and some of them need an awful lot of help.
The May long weekend is traditionally the first day of summer camping. Everybody has dozens of May long weekend camping stories. Many of these stories involve snow and terrible weather. However, we still go camping. I can remember more than one long weekend huddling around a blazing campfire with my winter coat on. But when it's a nice weekend weather wise it's awesome.
Now I was married on the May long weekend many years ago. The may long weekend is a popular time for teachers to get married. Also my Mom's birthday usually falls on the Victoria Day weekend. Now Mom was a great fan of the royals. Also if Mom was living she would be 100 yeas old on May 20.
So I hope all Canadians have a fine "Queen Vickie" weekend.
I knew that it was a three-day holiday in Canada this weekend, but I didn't know for what. Now, thanks to you, I do. Happy anniversary, Red, and have a great weekend, whatever you do. I sure do appreciate your blog and the comments you leave on mine. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was a get day for gardening yesterday and today it rained all day. Thanks for being a regular reader.
DeleteIt is hard to keep spring at bay and since the weekend is long,I can understand why your citizens want to embrace the outdoors...even early.
ReplyDeleteWith the motor homes of today things are easier but then again not really camping.
Deletehappy anniversary to you! and i agree with you on monarchies and being born into a royal life - seems odd to me. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. Some people really make a big deal out of the inheritance think. There's much more than somebody being born into the role. There is s very large social order that goes with it.
DeleteI'm with you on this. I don't care for the British Monarchy, and I truly believe it's time to move on. Also, in Quebec, it's no longer called Victoria Day. They have changed it to Fête Nationale (National Patriots' Day).
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying the weekend!
I lived in Quebec for two years. They were enjoyable years. It's a quiet week end for us.
DeleteWe would have lots of these weekends if we went with each leader, but have presidents day in Feb.
ReplyDeleteYou also have monstrous monuments to each leader. The Lincoln memorial is gigantic.
DeleteHappy Anniversary and happy Queen Vickie weekend! Our long weekend is next week, Memorial Day, the kick off of our summer fun, and camping and all that. It is frequently raining here in the Pacific Northwest, and camping is under tarps, but diehards still do it. Not me.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I've camped on the coast and the huge tarps set up are pretty cool.
DeleteHow nice to always have a holiday on your wedding aniversary. And so it should be! Have a lovely day/weekend and give thanks for your charmed life.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's good to see you post again.
DeleteToo bad Victoria betrayed Prince Albert's vision of creating an empire based on commerce and mutual respect. She should have listened to Gladstone, not Disraeli.
ReplyDeleteQueen Victoria was a rather strange character.
DeleteI forgot to wish you a Happy anniversary and a pleasant Queen Vickie weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's raining here so we get a small taste of the coast.
DeleteI love learning about different holidays in different countries. I hope you had a lovely holiday! I can understand the mixed feelings about monarchs.
ReplyDeleteIn the U.S., Memorial Day, the last Monday of the month, is considered the "start" of summer.
Since my daughter lives in Chicago, I have to get used to American holidays and she's very good at explaining what they are. So thanks for the reminder.
DeleteI wish you a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you. You probably get lots of us in Montana for the week end.
DeleteI have mixed feelings over the royal family. There is no doubt that they can be a positive 'buffer' between other nations, and I wouldn't want to lose them, provided they never regain absolute power (what is the likelihood anyway?), but there are a few in todays bunch that I have never liked or trusted. Prince Charles and especially Prince Philip, a particularly nasty piece of work. I agree with you that it's about time countries such as Canada were let loose so to speak though, as long as it's what the country as a whole wants.
ReplyDeleteYou have a much higher investment in the monarchy than we have. we also have a people from all over the world living here. For some this idea is a little hard to get your head around.
DeleteThere's a lotta history with Charles n Camilla - don't think they are that popular. He coulda left her back on Royal Soil for all anybody cares. Yes, you will see the "wanna see the Royals" bunch gather up on the sides of streets or wherever they might walk or appear, but did they have to send this particular couple. Now, if it were William n Kate, lovely. Charles n Camilla belong out in a pasture somewhere, where he can paint and she can mingle with her kind. Other than that, long weekend in May - first camping weekend here and glad to have a trailer - roughed it in tents for many, many years, so now the golden years feel great comfort. I feel kinda bad for the tent dwellers - so soggy n all with no letup in this dismal downpour . I'm reading, I'm happy. I agree with Stephen Hayes. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteCharles doesn't seem to have any sense as to what the ordinary person is like. Hey, you're a softy with a trailer! I sold my trailer two years ago.
DeleteGiven your attitude Red I'll relate the following "incident." Some years ago on a summer vacation we were in New Brunswick staying the night at an overcrowded (with furniture and knick knacks) Victorian style house and décor when I needed to spend a few moments in the very very tiny bathroom. Sitting on the stool facing only a few inches away from the door and a huge poster of a rather stern faced lady....... Yes it was the queen and I've never forgotten that moment. :) btw we still love to travel to Canada.
ReplyDeleteThat person really tried to set up the Victorian ambiance! A lot of bed and breakfasts are a little over decorated...busy!
DeleteWell Happy Anniversary to you and you manager!! My husbands parents would be 100 this year also...seems strange to say that. They died at age 80 and 92.
ReplyDeleteHope your Vickie weekend was good..cold here, hope we get some warm weather soon:)
We had one day of rain but the rest of the week looks really good. Thanks for the anniversary wishes.
DeleteI never give much thought to how it is for the countries that share our monarchy so it's interesting to read this. We don't have a Queen Vickie Day here in the UK, not even a Queen Lizzie Day! :)
ReplyDeleteHave w wonderful time! Mo
Our Queen Victoria day also celebrates the birthday of our present queen.
DeleteThat is really something from the past. We have a Royal family too, but for our own country an one Carraibic island, Aruba.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'd really like to go to Aruba some day!
DeleteAhhh... I see you said that Queen Victoria day is also for Queen Elizabeth. Maybe they should call it Royalty Day? I guess we're all fascinated by royalty. I don't know why, but we are. Maybe it's because they seem rather magical and fairy tale like. Must be hard living in a golden fishbowl.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you and your loving wife, Red!
A very Happy Anniversary Red!
ReplyDeleteTraditionally, out here, the long weekend we open cottages and plant our gardens! I'm late, as we were away, but I managed a good start yesterday. We had 67mm of rain while I was away for the week!
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