I've been thinking...

I have been thinking of Canada a lot lately. Perhaps because I am in constant communication with so many people in many different countries and I am learning a multitude of new terms and words, who knows? Anyhow, I have been thinking of things that are (as far as I know ) strictly Canadianisms. I am always quite amazed when I mention one of these things and some of my friends will say: "What's that?"

(Although I must admit that NO ONE has more unusual terms than Australia!!)

Back bacon. It's Canadian bacon and it's rolled in peameal, which is like cornmeal, but it's made from (you guessed it) peas.

Timbits. Doughnut (or, if you are from the US.."donut") holes from Tim Horton's.

Screech. A type of rum from Newfoundland. We sell it where I work, I am afraid to try it...who calls their liquor "screech"???

Macintosh toffee. (a type of chocolate bar, which in itself is a Cdn term as the Americans say "candy bar") But back to the toffee. It comes in a plaid box and you WHACK it on a hard surface to shatter it into bite size chunks.

Nanaimo bar. The ultimate in a sweet and delectible dessert bar.

Poutine. French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy (if you are from the east, westerners use mozzarella cheese) MMMMMMmmmmm!!

Loonie. A dollar.

Boxing Day. The day after X-mas.

Toque. A winter hat. Rhymes with "kook".

Deke. "I deked around him", means to move really fast. It's a hockey term.

no-see-ums. Little tiny black flies that bite. When I was a kid in northern Quebec we used to wear old pantyhose on our heads, pulled down to our necks to protect us from the no-see-ums. Their bites draw blood, so we'd run around looking like a gang of mini-thugs out to cause mayhem. The poor kid who tore a hole in his while trying to pull it on would suffer the bites and would go home with blood running down his face. It happened to all of us at one time or another. Even if you were lucky enough to not get a bite if you were pantyhose-less, you'd be choking and snorting as you inhaled them or breathed them up your nose. Ahhh yes, Quebec in the summertime, c'est tres bonne!

Tortierre. A meat pie. Mostly in Quebec. I used to eat lots of it until a little "friend" told me that it was made with snot. I never ate it again, even now that I am old enough to know better. Why are kids so mean anyhow?

We don't sell beer in gas stations here.

We can buy ASA (acetaminophen) with codeine simply by asking for it.

Hockey is everywhere. In Cranbrook, where we have only 18,000 people. we have THREE hockey arenas on one street. All within sight of each other.

I'll bet that most Canadians can NOT name 5 prime ministers (go on...try it!) But I'll bet we can all name at least a dozen or more hockey players

Boy, we are a pretty exotic country when you get down to brass tacks. (Or Robertson screws (and drivers) for that matter. It's a screw with a square hole in the top, as opposed to the straight or the X, and they come in standard colours to indicate their size. Apparently they are almost impossible to strip, unlike the Phillips head ones.

I could go on I'm sure, but hark! I hear Don Cherry on the TV which means...It's Hockey Night In Canada...