Happy Fathers' Day and Fiesta Week Parade

Oshawa is celebrating Fiesta Week and we attended the annual Fiesta Parade today. I get a kick out of waving back at the people on the floats and even having snippits of conversations with them. It was fun to see the floats, the Shriner mini-cars and bikes, two Bagpipe Marching bands (my personal favs), two steel drum floats, all the Miss Whatevers and Jr. Miss Whatevers, Caribana costumes and, this year, for the first time, Falun Gong had two contingents participating. They were very happy and you could tell they were pleased by the positive reception. I don't know very much about them but I support their right to believe whatever they want. That's what is great about being Canadian, there's room for other faiths, doctrines, beliefs here and our country is richer for the variety.

"In China, this spiritual movement has been the target of an enormous State security sweep over the past two years, a crackdown that has led to tens of thousands of followers being imprisoned. Amnesty International says at least ten followers died in custody in the first year of the crackdown. Falun Gong says that number is now closer to 200, but China won't allow any independent verification.

The Communist Party in China has branded Falun Gong an evil cult with a political agenda to destabilise Chinese society. This is a campaign that has been led from the very top by the Party boss and President, Jiang Zemin." ABC Radio National Background Briefing

We had dinner with my Dad, he wanted to cook for us (I offered to go out for dinner). He made pork chops, potatoes, salad and a new recipe: cabbage sauteed with onions and bacon bits - yummy!

After dinner, Emma went swimming at the local public pool and I read her book from school, "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson (one does what one can when stuck at the pool waiting for an hour and a half!). I actually enjoyed it! And, for my added pleasure, Emma and I discussed the book on the walk back home.

So a very nice day overall. :)