OMA TO OMA

Several months ago I was flipping through my community newspaper when the headline “From Oma to Oma” caught my attention.  The article was promoting a new exhibit at the Conestoga Mall Museum.  My first reaction was “Hmmm?  I didn’t know Conestoga Mall had a museum?”  As it turns out – they do!  It is one room of, to the best of my approximating skills maybe 800 square feet, tucked into an inconspicuous corner of the mall between the movie theatres and The Bay department store.   Now in all honesty, to call it a Museum is nothing short of an overstatement, however, calling it a Buried Treasure would be very true. 

But I am getting ahead of myself. 

The article explained that the museum was having a showing (and eventual sale) of quilts designed and sewn by Canadian grandmothers in support of their counterparts in Africa.  I learned about the plight of African grandmothers who have, by necessity, become very central to the life of their communities.  African grandmothers have stepped in to care for their grandchildren orphaned by AIDS, helping them through the loss of their parents, even as they are grieving themselves.  Often these grandmothers are widowed, with no form of income, yet they are taking on the raising their grandchildren.  The task of providing for their orphaned grandchildren is daunting.  The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign (or Oma to Oma as the paper called it) helps raise funds to enable the African grandmothers to feed, clothe and house their grandchildren, as well as send them to school.

As one Canadian grandmother of Ethiopian descent stated, “I can see that women suffer a lot there – like in other parts of the world.  Grandmothers are the most forgotten part of the society.  There is no social security system that provides support for grandmothers.  When things are bad for everyone else, it is worse for them.  Support one grandmother, and you are making a difference in the lives of generations.  Together we can change the world, one woman – one grandmother – at a time.”

Thus a group of local grandmothers decided to make quilts, the proceeds from which will go directly to the Campaign.

The exhibit of the quilts intrigued me enough to want to go and see them so I checked out the museum’s hours and found that they are only open Tuesday through Friday from

1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Well, that certainly was not going to work for me.  They are open on Sundays during the summer.  At the time I read the article July and August seemed very far away, so I filed the exhibit away in the back of my mind.

In May I read and reviewed (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/925869640) a book by Sue Monk Kidd titled “The Invention of Wings”.  Charlotte, one of the central characters in the book was making a story quilt of her life.  Each square represented a milestone.  The description of the quilt and the quilting process was interesting and it reminded me of my interest in visiting the quilt exhibit.

As craft-y as my mother was she did not do quilting.  I have a couple of crocheted blankets that she made, and many crocheted cotton doilies and tablecloths, which in my opinion are works of art.  I have seen pictures of doilies framed and used as wall art.  (Damn you Pinterest!) Those doilies were labors of love for my mom so someday I think I would like to take a few of my mother’s and do that … SOMEDAY!

Two years ago I was feeling a little maudlin about the upcoming Christmas season.  I wanted to make a gift for my girls that they could keep and remember me by when I wasn’t around anymore, the way I have my mom’s doilies.  Not having much of a talent in the arts and crafts department I couldn’t think of anything that was THAT lasting.  A quilt did come to mind, but I have neither the patience nor the stitching ability for a project like that.  I did come across something called a “Rag Tied Quilt” which involves no sewing what so ever.  That was right up my alley talent-wise.

I enthusiastically undertook the making of two of these “Rag Tied Quilts” and halfway through the process wondered what I had gotten myself into.  Just the measuring and cutting of the squares tested my meager reserves of patience – alas – I persevered.  What choice did I have?  What else was I going to do with hundreds of 10-inch by 10-inch squares of cloth?  I must admit that the faux-quilts did turn out rather well and the girls were very touched when they opened their gifts, especially since I had added a little personalized heart on one corner of the blanket.  My place in family history is assured now!

My youngest daughter has her quilt carefully draped over the corner of a loveseat in her room.My eldest daughter lets the dog sleep on it!  And that, in a nutshell, is the difference between my girls! 

Let’s just say that another quilting project (like wallpapering the bathroom) is not anything I plan to undertake again any time soon.  I do think quilts are beautiful works of art and (after my experience) I totally respect the talent and time investment for the people involved in making them.  That being said, I can’t say that I am overly enthusiastic about quilting in general.

Waterloo region has a very large Mennonite population and every week you can see amazing displays of quilts available at the local Farmer’s Market.  Once a year the region hosts the Mennonite Relief Sale, where the most gorgeous quilts are auctioned off in support of charities.  I do not visit the Farmer’s Market and I have never been to the Relief Sale.  So no, I would not describe myself as quilt-obsessed.  Yet, a thread had been pulled (not literally thank goodness – since we ARE talking about quilts) and I did want to go and see this quilt exhibit.  So on Sunday afternoon I took myself off in search of this mysterious, hitherto unheard of, museum.

I did find it, exactly where the website said it would be.  As I cautiously opened the door a very nice young lady approached me and asked if I had been to the museum before.  I responded that I had not and that, in fact, had not known that it existed until I read the article in the Community News.  She nodded her head and said that she “hears that a lot”.  She explained to me that there was no charge for entering the Museum (room!) and I was free to take my time, but please put on the disposable gloves they provided if I was tempted to touch the quilts.  Chuckling to myself, I told her those would not be necessary.  Let me tell you, I never did don the gloves, but there were a couple of moments where it was extremely tempting.  The quilts were astounding and I defy anyone not to describe them as “art”. 

I made a turn around the room to look at the quilts not bothering to read the cards describing them.  Each one was more intricate than the one before.  When I came to the last quilt about seven minutes later (I emphasize how small this “Museum” is) I finally read the card that was posted beside it.  It was then I realized that some of the quilters had been to Africa; living and working with their “Oma” counterparts and some invested their talent and time only because they felt moved to help.  I started my circuit all over again this time carefully reading each card beside its respective quilt.  When I got to the last quilt I meekly walked over to the desk to ask the girl whether pictures were allowed to which she quickly responded “OH YES!”  (I think she was a tad overly enthusiastic – no doubt at actually having someone in the place.)  I started my circuit again, taking pictures of the quilts with the stories that I found most touching. 

Some of the pieces that particularly spoke to me are below.

By:  Nancy Winn, Waterloo, Ontario

Title:  Footprints for Change

“In the summer of 2011, I traveled to Africa (Uganda) on a mission trip.  I was overwhelmed by the great distances women traveled by foot.  They travel for their basic needs:  food, water, education and worship of God.  By simply putting one foot in front of the other, these women remind us that our daily journeys are something to be thankful for.”

By:  Mary Ann Gilhurst, Waterloo, Ontario

Title:  A Place to Grow

“The Stephen Lewis Foundation publication “Grassroots” (Summer 2009) had a story about a 96-year-old grandmother from Malawi, who was caring for four orphaned grandchildren in a hut with a mud floor and a leaky roof.  The Stephen Lewis Foundation sponsored Hope for the Elderly (HOFE) that repaired her roof and helped her with food.  She had a home that could be repaired but many sub-Saharan African women lose their homes when their husbands die.  If a grandmother has a home and an area to grow food, she can better care for, raise, even educate her grandchildren.  They can go from starving to thriving.”

By:  Dorothy Holdenmeyer

Title:  Women Do the Walking While Men Do the Talking

(Unfortunately I did not make not make note of this quilt’s description)

By: Lynne McCulloch, Burlington, Ontario

Title:  Helping Hope To Rise

“I wanted to represent that Canadian women have provided hope to grandmothers struggling to raise their grandchildren.  The base area contains friendship block in Canadian colours to suggest the support given.  The friendship provides a basis for hope.  The three female figures represent a grandmother, a child and a daughter whose generation is threatened by AIDS.  The dancing women dressed in colourful garments are celebrating their hope for a better future.  The butterflies rising and hovering at the top suggest hopefulness provided by the financial contributions and anti-viral drugs helping to save lives.”

By:  Margaret Hope, Oshawa, Ontario

Title:  Faith, Hope and Charity

“I am truly blessed with good eye sight, hands that work well and a vivid imagination.  My birthday is in May and I will be 91 years old.  If in some small way this art pieces helps the African grandmothers, it will be my way of counting my blessings.”

By:  Elaine Graham, Kitchener, Ontario

Title:  Floating Dandelions

“Dandelions embody many of the same qualities that African and Canadian grandmothers possess.  All are beautiful, playful and deeply committed to grow wherever they land.  Grandmothers, like dandelions, are hardy and strong with deep roots.  Both are bright, playful, and at times a little bit out of control.  Sadly, there are times when both are dismissed or ignored.  In Canada, as dandelions begin to emerge from the winter’s ground, we find hope that spring is on its way and that the long winter is behind us for another year.  Hope, renewal and new life are present in Grandmothers and dandelions.  I hope that this piece of art reflects and celebrates these ideas.”

By:  Judy Pearce, Kitchener, Ontario

Title:  Nyanya

“I am called Nana.  She is called Nyanya (Nyanya means grandmother in Swahili).  When my grandchildren are in my care, my children come home after a few hours.  Her children do not return.  I hope, in some small way, this piece will help her find the resources she needs to cope with her huge responsibility.”

By:  Mary Walsh, Waterloo, Ontaro

Title:  Rooted in Spirit

“Inspired by my great admiration for Africa’s grandmothers, Rooted in Spirit expresses my vision of a grandmother as an Acacia tree, a maternal symbol of protection, provider and link to the past.  Often standing alone, she is tall, strong, resilient and full of grace.  She is firmly rooted in the present as she raises her arms (tree limbs) to embrace her grandchildren while deeply connected to the sleeping souls (in the roots below) of her adult children lost to the AIDS pandemic.  She is caring, full of hope for the future and deeply rooted in spirit.”

I’m glad I went to see these cloth and thread masterpieces.  It amounted to a grand total of about one-half hour out of my Sunday afternoon that I consider very well spent.   

I DID NOT KNOW THAT ABOUT CANADA!

Sometimes things come in little related bunches.  It baffles me because there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.  Just as one thing catches my attention, sure enough something else about the same topic appears in another place just begging to be looked at.  This phenomenon leads to many things … mostly endless hours on the Internet being mysteriously led from one page to another and/or an extraordinary list of titles being added to my “To Be Read” pile.

Well, it happened again this week!

 First, a link was posted to Facebook leading to a quiz titled “How Well Do You Know Canada?” (http://quizified.com/how-well-do-you-know-canada-eh/index2.html)  American friends admitted to failing the quiz miserably.  Naturally I had to try it myself.  I clicked on the link with the absolute surety that I would ace that quiz because, well – I am Canadian.  I passed – but I am embarrassed to admit, the ratio of right to wrong answers was far below what I had been expecting.  In everyone’s defense, including my own, it was a hard quiz!

Then, I was watching Cash Cab, which is what I assume to be a strange and uniquely CANADIAN game show.  It airs on the Comedy Network so I was not surprised when a commercial came on announcing the Robin Williams program that would be airing later in the evening.  Wouldn’t you know it, the one clip they chose to show was Robin Williams making a quip about Canada?

Then, as I was waiting every so patiently in the check out line at the grocery store I happened to notice that a large number of magazines had articles about “Canadiana”.

Granted, the magazine covers should not have come as a huge surprise because July 1^st is Canada Day.  Yes, we are celebrating our 147^th year of Confederation.  Flags are flying in storefronts and on vehicles.  It’s true, with the World Cup going on there are flags of all different colours flying on the vehicles, but there are just as many Maple Leafs flapping happily in the breeze!

As the saying goes “three times is the charm” (and in light of my not so stellar performance on the “How Well Do You Know Canada” quiz) I decided to look into what I may not know about this “Great White North” in which I reside.  Never again will I ridicule our neighbours to south for their unintentional ignorance of my adopted country because, WOW, there exists a barn-load of sh*t I don’t know either.  As the author of one article so aptly put it, “I am not competitive in my personal life, choosing to also praise and exhort others, but I have an ingrained, historically rooted compulsion to out rank the powerful country to the south of me.  Perhaps it is a David and Goliath syndrome”.  Had I thought of it first and were I clever enough with words I could have written that statement myself.  Since I was doing all this accidental learning it seemed a waste not to jot things down.  And of course what better way to remember things than to write them down and post them on a blog where I can totally bore everyone.  So, for my personal edification (and yours) here’s my personal compilation of totally useless facts I like to call “Knowing Canada”.

SOME BASIC FACTS that may help me (and you) pass that aforementioned quiz with flying colours.

… Canada became The Dominion of Canada on July 1^st, 1867 however we did not officially become a country until 1982.

… Canada has a Prime Minister rather than a president and our Parliament is composed of the House of Commons (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).

… Canada currently sits on the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent representative.

… Canada is a member of many international organizations including, NATO, OSCE, OAS and APEC.

… “A Mari Usque ad Mare” (From Sea to Sea) is Canada’s official motto.

 … Canada’s land mass is 9,970,610 square kilometers which makes Canada the second largest country.

… Ottawa (NOT Toronto) is the capital of Canada

… Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories.

… Canada has six time zones.

… Canada’s capital, Ottawa (NOT Toronto!) has the coldest average temperature of any capital city in the world.

… Canada had more lakes than all other countries combined and 20 % of all the world’s fresh water is in Canada and forests take up 31 % of Canada.

  

… The National Emblem is the Maple Leaf and has been associated with Canada since the 1700’s.

… The Canadian flag has two red bars and a white center containing a single red Maple Leaf.  It was adopted as the national flag in 1965.  Before that Canada used the Union Jack.

… The National Anthem for Canada is “O Canada” which was first sung in 1880 but not proclaimed official until July 1^st 1980.

... The beaver has been adopted as our national animal.

… The Canadian Dollar is divided in 100 cents.

… In Canada $1 and $2 are represented by coins nicknames the “Loonie” because it has the image of a loon on the front and, the “Toonie” because – well – ah – no one really knows why.

… Canada no longer has a 1-cent coin (penny) in circulation.

… Canada is one of the first countries to introduce colour into their coins.

I don’t think I am the only one who hopes our government does not decide to introduce a $5 coin because my wallet is getting heavy enough.  And besides, what in the world would we call THAT one?  A Foonie?

… Canada’s current population is approximately 35,345,000.

… The largest city in Canada is Toronto, followed by Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa-Hull, and Edmonton.

… 76.6 % on the population live in cities and towns.

… 31 % of the population combine to live in Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton.

… The life expectancy of a Canadian woman is 80 years and a Canadian man is 73 years.

… Multiculturalism (as opposed to the melting pot ideology) was officially recognized in 1988 with the Multiculturalism Act.

… All Canadians have free access to health care with the exception of dental services.  Most people over 65 receive their prescriptions for free.

… Canada has an extensive social safety network with old age pensions, family allowance, unemployment insurance and welfare.

… The only indigenous culture in Canada is that of the Native peoples since all other Canadians were originally immigrants.

All right, that’s enough of the dry stuff.  There are many Canadian fun facts and claims to fame of which I was not aware.  So here’s some information that will let you leave ‘em in the dust the next time you pull out that Trivial Pursuit board.  Oh yeah, Trivial Pursuit was invented by Chris Hanley and Scott Abbott, two Canadian reporters bored with playing Scrabble so decided to invent their own game.  I’m also including some pictures for those of you more inclined to Pictionary – which, by the way – was also invented by Canadian (ex-pat) Robert Angel in 1986.  To give credit where credit due, the concept of Pictionary was first thought up by Alexander Graham Bell.  Bell would ask his family and friends to write down common words, which someone else would then try to draw, as a parlour game.  Oh wait!  Alexander Graham Bell was Canadian too. I’m certainly on a Canadian roll now, but all that aside, below are some possibly surprising Fun Facts …

… The world’s first UFO landing pad was built in 1967 in St. Paul, Alberta

… There are 1,453 airports in Canada.

… More than two kilometers (a mile) under Sudbury, Ontario is the world’s deepest underground laboratory, SnoLab.

… 2.4 million caribou live in Canada.

… The world’s largest beaver dam (850 metres) was found in Northern Alberta.

… Tens of thousands of garter snakes can be seen mating in snake pits near Winnipeg.

… On average, annually in Canada, there are 247 car accidents involving moose.

… Of the world’s 25,000 polar bear population, 15,500 live in Canada.

… World famous Jumbo the elephant died in St. Thomas Ontario in 1885.  While walking along railroad tracks he tried to save the life of a baby elephant facing an oncoming train by lifting it with his massive trunk and flinging it to safety.  Unfortunately Jumbo was hit by the train causing his death.  Sadly, the baby elephant’s leg was broken from his fall and the young elephant had to be put down as well.

… Canada produces 1.5 % of the world’s food but only consumes 0.6 %.

… In Canada it is illegal to move alcohol between provinces without permission.

… 77 % of the world’s maple syrup is made in Quebec.

… Canada has more doughnut shops, per capita, than anywhere else.  There are lots and lots of do(ugh)nut shops, especially ones called Tim Horton's (named after the hockey player who started the chain).

… 80 % of all alcohol consumed in Canada is beer.  The big mass-market beers are Molson and Labatt, and they're stronger than US beers. Molson Golden was recently reintroduced to the Canadian market, but I hardly ever see anyone drinking it -- I get the feeling Molson ships most of it to the States and tells the Americans it's good.

… Canada has the only town in the world with two exclamation marks in it’s name – Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha!.

… Canada’s largest place name is Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik Lake.

I just included those last two items to mess with SpellCheck which is always trying to correct my typing when I spell “colour”, “neighbour”, “behaviour” and, “labour” the correct Canadian way instead of eliminating the ‘U’.

 … It is illegal to have comics depicting criminal acts in Canada.

… 35 % to 50 % of all music in Canadian radio must be Canadian.

… You can send mail to Canada’s Government for free.

… Canadians can travel to Cuba

… The best view of Niagara Falls is from the Canadian side of the border.

… Canada’s $100 bills are reported to smell of maple syrup.  The Bank of Canada denies this.

… There are 11 points on the Maple Leaf in the center of Canada’s flag.

… License plates in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are shaped like Polar Bears.

… It’s not just a rumour – Americans have been known to masquerade as Canadians when abroad.

And I saved the best one.

… Anyone can write, in any language, to Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0 and receive a letter back from Santa!

When I found out about Trivial Pursuit and Pictionary I wanted to investigate what other life changing things Canadians have invented … besides the obvious ones that everyone, even me, knows such as; the Canadarm for the Space Shuttle, the telephone, and the SkiDoo (out of necessity, probably).  The green ink used in printing American money was invented at McGill University in Montreal Quebec in 1957.  Your welcome!

What else have Canadians been able to come up during those long, cold, dark winter nights when there is nothing else to do but think?

The list is quite long and I am able to make names and dates available for a nominal fee.  Out of respect for time and space here is a list of some rather well known

Great Canadian Inventions …

Yes, we will claim even Pamela Anderson as a native Canadian, British Columbia born and bred when she was discovered on the Jumbotron at a football game.  Canada is considered by many the "Hollywood" of the north with very active film industries in both Vancouver and Toronto so it is no surprise that there are many famous individuals who are well known as Canadians.  I was quite surprised to find out that Porky's was a Canadian made film and is the highest grossing Canadian Made film of all time.

Go figure?  I think it's the Canuck version of Animal House, and might be the first movie that Kim Catrell starred in (but don't quote me on that one).

William Shatner is possibly the most likely person to be mentioned when talking about Canadian actors on television.  In fact Bill (yeah, I call him Bill) has the distinction of being the actor to have uttered the longest scream in small screen history.  It was the scream heard around the world, and has been imitated - although never duplicated - several times since. William Shatner uttered the famous scream "Khaaaannnnnnnnn" in a scene during 1982's 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'. Was it the close up on Shatner's face or the fact he shook while he screamed that made it so powerful? Thirty years later, filmmakers and actors are still trying to outdo Shatner. But some things just can't be beat.

Others were a bit of a surprise to me.  Simpsons creator Matt Groening is Canadian, as is US Presidential candidate Ted Cruz … Ted Cruz NOT Tom Cruise; although Tom Cruise did live in Canada for three years when his father was working here.  When his parents separated his mother moved Tom and his siblings back to the US. 

Glen Ford, Art Linkletter, James Doohan, Yvonne DeCarlo and Selma Diamond were the biggest surprises for me in the long list of People You May or May Not Have Realized are Canadian …

The success these people have achieved in entertainment can only be contributed to their ability to loose that distinctive Canadian accent that Americans seem to complain aboot.  Possibly the casting chesterfield got its fair share of use as well!  And NO, although we are a completely bilingual country we do not all speak French.  We are, however, quite adept at reading street signs, packaging and instructions in both English and French.

As mentioned at the beginning of this blog Canadians do have a Multicultural Act so it is also not uncommon to go into traditionally ethnic areas of major cities such as Little Italy, Chinatown or the Greek area of Toronto and see bilingual signs in other languages as well.  As Canadians we embrace all our ethnic diversity.

Aside from assuming we all speak English and French in Canada there are a number of other stereotypes that Canadians are either proud to live up to or need to dispel completely.  To anyone planning a trip to Canada please adjust yourself accordingly – when you cross the border leave behind those Canadian Stereotypes … 

Yes, as Canadians we do tend towards being overly polite.

We apologize, a lot!

We do not like controversy or protesting.

We know how to pick our battles.

As Canadians, one of national past times is complaining about the weather. Honestly, we have raised it to an art form.  We do have a bit of a hard time deciding on how many seasons we have.

When people ask what we do in the summer, we usually tell them that if it happens on a weekend – we barbeque!

All kidding aside we do have four distinct seasons and each one is beautiful in its own way.  Spring is always a pleasant surprise after a long winter of snow and ice.  June, July, August and most of September are, of course, considered Summer.  Autumn can last from the end of September, through October and sometimes well into November.  Other years we have snow at Halloween.  It keeps us on our toes and our toes in our boots!

Please do not ask if we all live in igloos.  We do not … they would melt in the summer heat.  BUT when we do construct igloos we do it right!

No, we do not have polar bears wandering the streets in Toronto.  I have never seen a polar bear outside of a zoo.  If you happen to live in the Northern Territories it is a different story … they do have seasonal Polar Bear Crossing areas.  In Northern Ontario it is not uncommon to see brown bears, so if you are camping in Algonquin Park put your food away!

… No, we do not ski to work every morning.  We drive our cars like everyone else.  Except the Mennonites, they use their horse and buggy.

… Do not tell us our money looks like Monopoly money (it does but its pretty).

… Do not ask us to say Oot and Aboot,

… I live in Ontario so no, I do not know your friend Doug in Vancouver; its 4000 miles away.

You shouldn’t worry though you will Know You Are in Canada when …

… Everything is labeled in English and French.

… Everything is measured in metric. (No, the temperature does not drop fifty degrees when you cross the border, and the speed limit doesn't double.)

… Milk comes in plastic bags as well as in cartons – not jugs.

… Restaurants serve vinegar with French Fries and mayonnaise with hamburgers.

… The Trans-Canada Highway – Canada’s analogue to the US Interstates – is two lanes wide for most of its length. (There are great big huge wide highways around the major cities. The 401 north of Toronto is sixteen lanes wide in places.)

… The CBC's evening news anchor is bald and doesn't wear a toupee.

… Contests run by anyone other than the government have "skill-testing questions" that winners must answer correctly before they can claim a prize. These are usually math problems, and are administered to get around the law that only the government can administer lotteries.

… The major cigarette labels are Player's, Craven A, DuMaurier, Matinee, and Export A. … Canadian cigarettes are milder than American ones.

… Coke and Pepsi use real sugar instead of corn syrup.

… Everyone knows what a Timmies Run is!

… Instead of seeing Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores, you see Coles and SmithBooks and Chapters Indigo.

… There are billboards advertising vacations in Cuba, and Cuban cigars are freely available.

… In pharmacies, you can buy acetaminophen or ASA with codeine over the counter, but you can't buy hydrocortisone ointments or creams without a prescription.

… At county fairs and the Canadian National Exhibition, red ribbons indicate first place and blue ribbons indicate second. (Canadians: it's the other way around in the States.)

… Cars (especially on the Prairies) have electrical plugs sticking out from under the hoods. These are for block heaters, to prevent engines from freezing when it's -40.

…In Ontario, you can buy beer only at the Beer Store (formerly known as "Brewers' Retail").

… In Ontario, you can only buy Liquor and wine at the LCBO (known as the Liquor Control Board of Ontario).

… There is no mail delivered on Saturdays.

… "Lieutenant" is pronounced "leftenant."

… Most Canadians will tell you that the last letter of the alphabet is pronounced "zed." Sharon, Lois, and Bram, popular children's entertainers, make it a point in their performances of "The Alphabet Song" to say "zed" instead of "zee."

… People end sentences with "eh," eh?

Coming to Canada for a long weekend may surprise you too because we have some national holiday not celebrated in the US and some of our Holidays fall on different days altogether …

Boxing Day – the day after Christmas. So named because of the British tradition of giving gift boxes to people such as mail carriers, milkmen, etc., on December 26. In Canada, Boxing Day is the date for many huge annual sales.

Canada Day – Canada's birthday. July 1, the anniversary of the Confederation of Canada in 1867. Parties and fireworks mark the day.

Remembrance Day – November 11, known in the US as "Veterans' Day." Canadians were important and valiant fighters in the two world wars, and are still known and respected as military peacekeepers. The wearing of poppies inspired by the famous poem In Flanders Fields commemorates this day.

Thanksgiving – celebrated on the second Monday of October, to reflect that Canada's harvest comes earlier than the American one. Very similar to the American Thanksgiving – family get-togethers, big turkey dinner with potatoes, gravy, etc. -- but not as big a deal here, and there's no mention at all of Pilgrims.

Victoria Day – Queen Victoria's birthday, May 24th. It's celebrated the Monday before Memorial Day. Also commonly known as May two-four.

Canadians don't celebrate Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, or Presidents' Day.

I don’t know if there is such a thing as a national “Canadian” food?  We have a pretty eclectic mix of offerings depending on where you are in Canada.  I can think of a few things that are uniquely Canadian in my mind when I think of FOOD …

… Canadian Bacon – “Back Bacon” – usually rolled in peameal, which is like cornmeal but make with peas.  It is served for breakfast as, well, as bacon.  Sandwiches are made for lunches and dinners.

… Poutine (pronouned poo-TEEN) – a Quebecois specialty. French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. This contains (at least)10000 calories and will surely kill you eventually.  My disgust with soggy food prevents me from EVER ordering this but many people are addicted.

… Beavertails – NO, not real tails of beavers!  It’s a pastry topped with cinnamon and sugar and pretty much anything else you want to put on it.

… The Caesar – a drink very similar to a Bloody Mary but made with Clamato Juice (not available in the US of A) instead of plain tomato juice.  Sometimes called a Bloody Caesar.

… Homo milk – “Homogenized milk” – known in the States as whole milk. Nobody here thinks twice about what images milk cartons with the word "HOMO" in big letters on the side conjure up in the minds of Americans. Note: The term whole milk is actually used in Canada too, but refers to something different. Homo milk is homogenized milk with a butterfat content of 3.25%. Whole milk is not homogenized (it will separate if left standing for any period of time; this is the milk our parents drank). Almost all milk today is homogenized, although whole milk can still be found if one looks.

… Nanaimo bar – a confection, named for the town of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia where it was invented.  It resembles a brownie but is topped with a layer of white butter cream icing and another of solid chocolate. The brownie part usually has coconut.

… Tortière – a kind of meat pie, most popular in Quebec.

And of course there are also the foods that we have in Canada that are not available in the US.  

I would gladly trade some of these for US products that are not available in Canada due to our bilingual packaging requirements, but that’s a complaint for another time.

I have been extolling the virtues of my country but, as much as it pains me admit them, there are a few things that could do with a little improvement.  

Netflix Canada could do with a little more of the content that Netflix USA provides.

Sometimes I get a link sent to me and I hopefully click on it only to find yet another example of geoblocking.

More often than not the US dollar is valued higher than the Canadian dollar, but on those few occasions the money is at par or the Canadian dollar is (gulp) higher we do not reap the pricing benefits.

With that I’ll end my rambling about Canada.  I started with the boring stuff, ended with the yummy stuff and even included some (double gulp) negatives.  It does seem fitting to post this for Canada Day.

I still think this is the greatest rant ever ...

Happy Canada Day to us on July 1^st and

Happy 4^th of July to everyone south of our border.