S'mores and sand

As of August 1, we have lived in Toronto for seven years. Not itching yet (though I've just read a short story entitled 'The Itch'. Coincidence? I think so).

We thought that we still had further time to wait before becoming eligible for citizenship, but rumor has it that government policy has changed since the advent of Le Trudeau as prime minister.  It may be that we are now deemed ripe and ready to apply for a maple leaf passport.

I check my patriotic pulse. Am I truly prepared to become a Canadian citizen? I can't be sure. There are of course many hoops to jump through, some of them bureaucratic and official, but the true citizenship test seems to be more experiential, or maybe existential.

The checklist looks like this:

Have you
1) canoed?
2)  consumed poutine?
3) camped?

And now, for me, the answer is yes to all three. Earlier this month, daughter and I joined friends who know what they're doing, wilderness-wise, at Sandbanks Provincial Park on the shores of Lake Ontario. A delightfully sticky, sandy time was had by all.

I'm at least a step closer to feeling Canadian. Just let's not talk about hockey.

Tent erection team

S'more s'mores 

Lake Ontario 

Heading home....

...and I always thought they just knew to do it naturally.