Wheat Kings

I've lived in the U.S. of A for the last 30+ years, but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for Canada, the land where I was born and raised for my first 14 years. I love where I live now and I have no plans on eventually moving back to the Great White North, but that doesn't mean I'll ever stop rooting for the Leafs and Jays or listening to Canadian rock bands.

And on this day, which is Canada Day (formerly known as Dominion Day), I always feel a kinship with my Canuck homies. It's the opening day of NHL free agency, so I end up spending a lot of time on Twitter following the latest deals. I'm sure there are fellow American hockey fans who are doing the same, but it doesn't compare to the national frenzy going on in Canadia right now. I get up there every few years or so, usually to Toronto. We're planning on going to Montreal in August for about five days, so that should be fun. It's a great city, but I haven't done a family trip there in many moons (drunken escapades are another story).

Ultimately, I've accepted the crazy twists and turns of my life, but I'll never be ashamed of where I came from. And now I'll crack open the ceremonial Labatt's Blue and celebrate this fine occasion.