Happy Canada Day 2014

Today is Canada Day and would have been my cousin Brian's 50th birthday (DUDE....the BIG 50....how is THAT possible?) and also Princess Diana's 53th birthday. 

GJA's jazz band is playing downtown again this year at around 2.  Its going to be a hot one this year...which is good and bad...means we have to attempt to come and listen.  PJ is excited to go to the mall downtown because we rarely even make it down there once a year.  At least I'll get a lot of walking in....

As would be expected, I think a lot about Brian at this time of year because Canada Day always meant HIS birthday.   I looked back at prior July 1 posts and noticed that I missed one last year (we were in Saskatoon) and the one prior was talking about how I realized that I don't laugh much any more and how he and I would laugh until we cried.  I miss those big belly laughs.  I believe that I might have smiled and laughed a lot more this past year...so that's positive!   We have our family reunion this summer and the last time I saw him was at the last family reunion....I really don't want to go...I regret that I didn't have a lot of time to chat with him that day (PJ was just over a year old and trying to walk).

I remember that in the year we turned 25, the BRAT (I was going to use a stronger word...starts with "B"...ends in "astard" - WHICH I did call him that day) sent me a condolence card.

I miss you Brian - Happy Birthday!  Quit laughing and rolling your eyes at me that I'm still here and aging and you get to stay forever young??

Brian with my goofing around brother - the last time we saw him

(See more about Brian here)