July 1, 2026- Hana can claim Canada as an ancestral home, along with Korea (her mother’s side); Ireland, Germany, France and the Penobscot Nation (on my side); Scotland, England, Lithuania and Romania (on Penny’s side). The Canadian ties are also on my side of the equation. My paternal grandfather’s forebears hailed from Montreal and Shediac, NB. Nana’s ancestors stopped for several years in Prince Edward Island, before heading “down the turnpike for New England, sweet New England.”-*

Canadians celebrate their National Day today. I’ve been in the country on July 1, once-years ago, in the border town of St. Stephen, NB. There, I saw a joyful parade go by, and I recall picking up a Canadian flag that had been dropped on the sidewalk, and propping it against a shop window. I’ve also been in the country on June 30, and having had to not stick around until the next day, because of the need to get to an American bank on July 1. There are all the other times that I’ve been north of the border, and had fabulous stays-in each of the ten provinces. I wish the Canadian people a grand Canada Day. It has, from my perspective, been a good year to be Canadian.

I will tell Hana lots of stories about my travels, as she gets older-and hopefully will be able to include her in a few that are yet to come. Right now, our jaunts are along neighbouring streets and Hoblitzelle Park; any place that can be accessed by a stroller. I want her to become very familiar with the neighbourhood, so that by the time she is of pre-school and kindergarten age, she will be able to find her way home, in a pinch. (The occasions when that would be necessary are likely to be few and far between, but it can’t hurt to have that knowledge.

HANA’S NOTE: I mostly fall asleep in the stroller, these days. Papa takes me out in the morning, before it gets too hot, but I still get lulled by the motion of the stroller.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE: 1952- Cheryl came to be with us. We moved to Central Street, Saugus. (1951, and ’53, are ciphers. I can’t think of anything that stood out in my life, those years.)