The annual July craziness has arrived… The Calgary Stampede.  The city can be safely divided into two camps - those who love it and those who hate it.  The haters tend to dislike the disruption to their routines, the drunk and scantily clad people of all ages spilling out on every street corner, and the decidedly western décor that overtakes almost every area of the city.  (No, we don't normally have haybales in the grocery store.)

The lovers, on the other hand, relish the disruption.  There is suddenly an excuse to play dress-up and act a little crazy for 10 days while consuming all varieties of deep fried foods washed down by endless pitchers of beer.  (Or root beer if you prefer.)  Oh, and the free pancake breakfasts complete with greasy sausages and warm juice boxes?  Legendary.    As for me - I love it.  It's in my blood, I was raised with Stampede fever!  I have taken it upon myself to similarly indoctrinate my children with the same disease and I'm happy to say that I have been successful.

Today was the parade and although it generally draws a huge crowd it was even bigger than usual due to the fact that Will and Kate were making an appearance; this city (actually entire country) has been going royally crazy (pun intended) over the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  It's impossible to open the paper or turn on the tv without the latest update as to where they've been, what they've done, and what she's wearing.  (Okay, I'm a little bit interested in it… I'll admit it.)  It's been fun watching them do typical 'Canadian' things - which until now has been unspecified.  We Canadians suffer from the inability to define ourselves outside of hockey, igloos and beavers.  (Just to be clear - I have never built, nor stayed in, an igloo and I have only seen a beaver once, so am I truly Canadian?)  I have, however, hiked and skied in the Rocky Mountains, been to 9 out of 10 provinces (sorry Newfoundland - you're still on my list!) and dipped my feet in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on either side of this beautiful country.  I've seen tall totem poles and many Mounties on horses, but admittedly most of those fancy Mounties were in parades as the more 'garden variety' ones in regular blue uniforms tend to live in cruisers and hand out speeding tickets.  I've definitely eaten my share of poutine, Alberta beef, and PEI lobster.  I've drank spring water fresh from the mountains, enjoyed the bounty of the Okanagan (both fresh fruit and *ahem* older fruit), had a smoked meat sandwich in Montreal and driven across the endless prairie in Saskatchewan.  So, I think I qualify as a true Canadian!

To make a long story short I embrace everything that makes us who we are - Stampede included.  So giddy-up and enjoy the party!