Happy non-family day!

Today is Family Day in Ontario. Family Day is a relatively new holiday. Stores are closed, financial markets are closed, and banks are closed, but dear husband is at work. With one-third of the family at work today, Family Day is any other day in our household. The radio is on. The television is blaring because darling daughter refuses to leave the off button alone and I'm still in my pajamas. Let the celebrations begin!

I can take some comfort knowing we aren't alone. Living in a government town like Ottawa, a significant portion of the population works for the federal government. And since Family Day is a provincial holiday, federal employees don't get the day off. (In my head, I can hear some cynics yell in the background, "Please, they work for the federal government! Don't whine!") But for families that have family members working on a holiday named Family Day, it makes for a strange day. Do you know of any other holiday where you get mail delivery?

Since I'm so used to dear husband working on Family Day, I forgot the holiday even existed until I noticed a posting at the local grocery store last week, stating the store would be closed on February 15 for Family Day. Family Day? I thought. Oh yeah, Family Day. That is the holiday where my husband works. Yesterday, I went to Chapters to buy some Starbucks gift certificates. Obviously, Starbucks was busy, but the line up to buy books at Chapters was crazy. It snaked to the front doors. Perhaps many people were buying books to keep themselves occupied on Family Day while one of their loved ones were at work.

I'm not too sure how darling daughter should celebrate Family Day. We could go skating on the Rideau Canal, but I don't think I could do that without dear husband's help. We could go to a museum, but I'm sure it will be busy, since after all it is Family Day. I'd love take a walk in a park, but it is February and Andrew Haydon Park is closed for the winter. Too bad Dalton McGuinty didn't schedule Family Day in a month without snow. It would have made the holiday a little bit more enjoyable for those who have love ones working. We will likely be doing what we do every day, play and watch some television.

So for those who are in the same position as me, I raise my glass of Diet Coke to you and salute you a happy non-family day! Enjoy, my friends.