It's "Dominion" Day, dammit.

Feeling a bit on the patriotic side today, it being Dominion Day and all.....

Why is it called Dominion Day? Here's why: It's the day that Canada became a dominion,  July 1, 1867, so the day is called Dominion Day to commemorate the formation of Canada as a dominion. Pretty straightforward, no?

What actually is a dominion? According to Webster's:

Dominion : a country that was part of the British Empire but had its own government.

There are other definitions as well, but that's the one that defined the Dominion of Canada. And still does, for that matter.

So why the change from a name that defines what our country is, to the bland and everyday Canada Day?  Here's why: (I didn't write the following, it's from a newspaper column)

"It was a case of identity theft, an act of historical vandalism. A quarter-century ago, 13 members of Parliament hastily -- some say indecently -- renamed the country's national birthday in a swift bit of legislative sleight-of-hand.

At 4 o'clock on Friday, July 9, 1982, the House of Commons was almost empty. The 13 parliamentarians taking up space in the 282-seat chamber were, by most accounts, half asleep as they began Private Members' Hour. But then one of the more wakeful Liberals noticed the Tory MPs were slow to arrive in the chamber. Someone -- exactly who has never been firmly identified -- remembered Bill C-201, a private member's bill from Hal Herbert, the Liberal MP from Vaudreuil, that had been gathering dust ever since it had received first reading in May of 1980. "An Act to Amend the Holidays Act" proposed to change the name of the July 1 national holiday from "Dominion Day" to "Canada Day."

In other words, out of 282 seats, only 13 people were there and they quickly decided to pass a law...without even having the legal amount of people there! What?

This wasn't the first time the change had been attempted. Between 1946 and 1982, there were some 30 attempts to push such revisionist legislation through the House of Commons. But there was always enough opposition to hold the postmodern crowd at bay. On this July afternoon, however, MPs seized the opportunity to rewrite history with all the haste of a shoplifter. Deputy Speaker Lloyd Francis called up the languishing legislation and, faster than you can say patronage appointment, sped it through to third reading without much more than a querulous murmur from the attendant parliamentarians. Tory Senator Walter Baker barely managed a befuddled query of "What is going on?" before Francis inquired whether the bill had unanimous consent. Somehow, according to Hansard, it did, despite Baker's apparent opposition. He later referred to Canada Day as "sterile, neutral, dull and somewhat plastic."

The whole process took five minutes. The MPs celebrated by declaring an early end to session at 4:05 p.m. "It is only appropriate that, in celebrating our new holiday called Canada Day, we should at least take a holiday of 55 minutes this afternoon," said New Democrat Mark Rose.

Such insouciance toward a long-held tradition was typical. The bill should never have been brought to a vote. At least 20 MPs were required to be in the House to conduct business. With only 13 members in the House that afternoon, there was no quorum to pass legislation.

- ot that Speaker Jeanne Sauve was troubled. When the procedural irregularity was brought to her attention, she said that since no one called a quorum count, a quorum was deemed to exist, and, ergo, no procedural rules were violated.

Can you imagine if the US government sneakily changed Independance Day to USA Day? Americans would revolt! But sadly, complacent Canadians don't care. There are movements to bring back Dominion Day, and I refuse to call it Canada Day, but we are a dying breed.

I know it's just a name, but it's an important name. And now people are wanting to change it to the closest Friday or Monday so they can enjoy a long weekend.  Eeeeek! 

However, any patriotism is better than none. We can still be proud Canadians without a government to tell us how to do it, or what to say. So, happy Dominion Day and may your thumbs not get blown off by a firecracker.

My Mother's Things.

I am desperately trying to become a minimalist and I am having a fair amount of success actually. The hardest things to get rid of, for me, are books and Xmas wrapping paper (I know....) It has never even occurred to me, in my wildest dreams, to get rid of any of my mothers things. However, today I decided that it's time. My mom died almost 18 years ago and I can hardly believe it. It aches like yesterday.

But anyhow, I have almost a dozen pairs of her shoes, some brand new, that don't even fit me. I couldn't get rid of them before because they seemed so much a part of her. (Plus they are super expensive) She loved to walk and explore her surroundings and I couldn't bear to have someone else's feet in her shoes, walking through dirt and dust and not being my mom, nor could I throw them away. So they sat in my closet for the last 17 years. I looked at them now and then and tried them on and sometimes even wore a pair when walking wasn't on the agenda (weddings, dinners and yes, funerals). But today is the day. I actually feel sick to my stomach, but I am taking them to the thrift store. Most of them. I'm keeping a brand new pair of Bass Saddle shoes and a nifty vintage dressy pair. And some Italian sandals that do fit. But that's all. And maybe the pumps...no, no the pumps. Maybe the...no....no more. Enough. 

And the loafers, can't forget the loafers.

Her jewelry of course stays, it's not expensive but she loved to scour the thrift stores and second hand stores and find brooches and pins, she had really eclectic taste and I love to wear her finds.

I also have her totally awesome trench coat that I've been wearing around the house today. Collar up. Belt tied. Very Mata Hari. Put my hand in the pocket and felt the crunch of paper....a secret note? An assignment? No, just a tiny shopping list that sort of broke my heart.  A dinner never made. 

My mom embroidered me this gnome when I was about 14 years old....hmmmm....did she have a premonition of who I'd marry? (Cause for those that don't know my husband....he kinda looks like this!)

Anyhow. Off to the thrift place before I change my mind. 

The Introvert and the Telephone.

I'm feeling really quite normal tonight. That is to say, I'm feeling very normal about my abnormalities. I know I'm an introvert, but I never truly realized what an introvert was. Another term for "shy"  I thought.

But I now know that they are two entirely different things, and my dislike of telephones fits right into the former. So I'm normally abnormal! Let me explain.

 

I completed the 200 question Meyer-Briggs test, as well as the C Jung humanetrics test and also a psychology test from a certain clinic. I'm assuredly an introvert. And that is no surpise to me.

My score was 12. Yikes.

This one? 100% introvert. Eek.

This test was a bit less professional, but it was based on Meyer Briggs, and I was still 85% introverted.

And this was my snapshot, which told me nothing I didn't already know, but it might explain to others who I am. And why I didn't show up for your wedding shower, bridal shower, baby shower, dinner party, possibly your actual wedding, your Tupperware and other home based party get-togethers.  It's not shyness, it's not rudeness, it's not any type of agoraphobia. Its just extremely stressful for me.

The amount of women who score an 8 is 0.8%. Most women are apparently more social than I am.

An introverted person is not lonely or sad or depressed. We love who we are. We're just not you.

Here's a good definition of an introvert:

 Opposite of extrovert. A person who is energized by spending time alone. Often found in their homes, libraries, quiet parks that not many people know about, or other secluded places, introverts like to think and be alone. 

Contrary to popular belief, not all introverts are shy. Some may have great social lives and love talking to their friends but just need some time to be alone to "recharge" afterwards. The word "Introvert" has negative connotations that need to be destroyed. Introverts are simply misunderstood because the majority of the population consists of extroverts.

And this is how we are at parties, and when I read this, I saw myself in every single statement. I've been known to take over bar tending at a wedding. I've curled up with the family pet. (On a couch, not in a doghouse or something....I'm not a freak.) I abhor small talk. 

• Zoning out
• Sudden quietness
• A desire to leave even though the event/party is just getting started
• Irritability
• A desire to stick closely to familiar people
• An intense interest in books or art in the room
• Special attention given to the house pet
• A desire to perform activities that don’t require conversation (i.e. helping to clean, serve, DJ, take photographs, etc.)
• Unwillingness to indulge in small talk.

Oh my god, the cartoon below even looks like me.

Which brings us to the elephant in the room. The telephone. I hate it. You know I hate it. This is how I feel when it rings:

And it's one of the most prominent traits of a severe introvert.

I find that the telephone is intrusive, especially for introverts, whose brains don’t switch gears all that quickly. When we’re deep in thought, a ringing telephone is like a shrieking alarm clock in the morning. And we often give bad phone—awkward, with pauses. We struggle without visual cues, and our tendency to ponder before we talk doesn’t play well on the telephone. Being stuck on a too-long call makes me want to chew off my own leg to escape. 

There were three people in my life that I could have long, enjoyable phone chats with. One was my mom, so now there are two. My friend, whom I adore, lives on the other side of the province and I don't see her enough. But, she gets me. I think she is like me. We can talk for hours, and we have, and we can travel together and share a room, and it's wonderful. We can be together 24 hours a day, and it's fine. There is a third one in our trio, but she's not a phone talker either. Which is why we travel so well together too, I guess. I have other friends who I love dearly, but to my dismay, I just can't do the phone thing with them....much as I sometimes feel guilty about it. Or if I do, I generally need to be the one to initiate the call.

The other is my son, who is as much of an extrovert as I am an introvert, but we are of the same blood and our phone conversations just work. They just do.

I see people with cell  phones pressed to their ears, chattering and chattering and chattering. What on earth do they find to talk about? I’m incapable of stringing that many words together at one time. Sometimes, I can’t even finish my own sentences, losing interest halfway through and trailing off. (Much to my husband’s irritation). 

I've always been a letter writer, and at first I found email almost as intrusive as a phone....it's too instant, but I've grown accustomed to it, however, don't expect an instant answer. I need to form a reply slowly.

So there you go.  Yes, let's unite indeed! No RSVP needed.

Oh yeah, I'm totes the Phrase & Slang Nazi.

"I love you to the moon and back." I dislike that expression almost as much as I dislike it when people call their pets their "fur-babies". 

It seems to me that people can't use their own minds anymore, to say what they mean. Both in a politically correct manner as well as in a descriptive manner. There are more and more expressions and phrases that I hear day in and day out that drive me crazy.

I understand that language evolves, and that new words are added to any live language quite frequently. I get that we don't speak a dead language like Latin anymore (est enfelix) and I know that young folks need to have their own lexicon...it's part of being young. As well as the fact that humans are social animals who like to imitate each other...."if that person, whom I admire so much, says/does/eats/talks that way, then if I  do it too, well then, I'll be as wonderful and admired as I think they are! And as cool, and trendy and with-it."

But, there is a limit to what I can handle, and luckily I have this platform where I can voice my feelings.

So here are 25 phrases and words that I heartily dislike.

1. My bad. Your bad what? Your bad kid? Your bad back? What? Finish your sentence.

2. No offense, but.... It's as if people think they get a free pass for being offensive if they begin their comment with those three words.  

3.It is what it is. Yes, I know that. You don't have to tell me. If that's indeed what it is, then don't be redundant. 

4.Don't go there...Don't go where? If there's something you don't want to discuss, then tell me what it is. And you'd better not be giving me the "hand flap" while you say it. Double annoyance.

5.His head literally exploded. Or any use of the word "literally" used in the wrong way. I might literally spit in your eye if I hear you use it incorrectly. Which brings me to:

6. Irregardless. Just look it up.

7.I just threw-up a little in my mouth. That might have been funny and a bit shocking when Monica said it in "Friends" fifteen years ago, but it's just annoying now. And speaking of....

8.I just peed a little. See above.

9.Put on your big girl/big boy panties/undies. I find that condescending.

10. Baby Daddy. You're not from an inner city ghetto. Don't talk like it. 

11. Push Present. As in a gift from your partner for having a baby. "Look at the fantastic ring my husband got me as a push present for birthing this baby." Every time I hear someone say that I throw up a little in my mouth.

12. Awwwwkward. Said in that long drawn out tone. You sound like an idiot.

13. Years young. As in "Myrtle is 79 years young." It's not cute. What's more, it's not true. She is 79 years old. And what's even more....she knows that. You don't hear kids saying "Hey, I'm 10 years young today" 

14. Really? Really? Said twice, eyes large, in combination of sarcasm and disbelief, said when things are really quite believable, as in a poor play in a sports game and a fan will turn to strangers and say "Really? Really?"  That goes hand in hand with:

15. Seriously? Are you kidding me right now? I always want to say "No, I'm not kidding you right now. I'll be kidding you later, and I've kidded you before, but right now? Not at all"

16.Totes. Adorbs. Delish. Peeps. Obvi. Ridic. Convo. Vacay. I'm curious as to what youre going to do with all the time you save by not finishing your words. Either that, or are you two years old and haven't learned the correct pronounciation yet? Try talking to your boss this way. "Hey, I think it's obvi that I totes need a vaycay." Or your Doctor. "Hey, my peeps told me I  should have a convo with you about this ridic mole. Personally, I find it totes adorbs." "Whaaaaat? It's cancer? Seriously, are you kidding me right now?" 

17. Cray-cray. Almost goes with #16, but it's so annoying that it needs a number of its own.

18. First world problems. I've written about this particular phrase before. Search for it.

19.Nuff said. Enough said.

20.Passed. As in "Mr. Single suddenly passed". Passed what? Passed a test? Passed gas? Passed a kidney stone? Passed me on the street?  Oh...he died? Ooh. Aaaaaakward.

21.Of. Well, this is more of a grammatical error, and I shouldn't judge, but I do. I hate when people say things like "I might of watched too much TV" Excuse me, you might have watched too much TV. It's not "I might of bought the wrong size." You might have bought the wrong size.

22. Hash tags. I can't even discuss them. The worst is #yolo. Yolo is bad enough, but with a hashtag in front...well, I could totes slap you.

23.Much.  Used in asking a question, in a snarky manner. "Jealous much?" ("Snarky" Yikes, I'll bet there are people out there who hate that word)

24. Blessed. Well, this is a tough one because some folks really believe that they are blessed. I don't like the thought that your god blesses some folks and not others. I'm not going to discuss my lack of belief here, but everyone sure seems to feel blessed these days....it's one of the most overused and cliched expressions out there...so tell me why you think you're blessed and not all the others...,you know who I mean...the poor, the sick, the impoverished and on and on and on.  If you've moved into a new home, or have a lovely family sitting around your dinner table....why do you feel the need to tell us that you think your god has blessed you with that whilst he has forsaken others? 

25. Any and all New Age-y touchy feely stuff. 

However....there are words that are overused that I like, and probably overuse myself. Three of my particular favorites are:

1. Amazeballs. For some reason that word amuses me to no end.

2. Adorable. Its just such an adorable word, it conjures up cuddly and sweet and cozy and warm. 

3. "I'm not a fan of...."(insert word of choice, like cailiflower or The Vancouver Canucks)

Apparently people really dont like that phrase, and I don't understand why.   I think not being a fan of something is a nice, gentle way to explain why you hate/dislike cauliflower. Or the Vancouver Canucks.

I'm going to add awesome to my list because I do use it a lot, but I try to use it in the Webster's Dictionary kind of way: inspiring, an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, awe or fear. I can't say I always use it correctly, the other day I called the garbage man awesome because he backed his truck up so that I didn't have to walk down the street to meet him.  Machu Picchu was awesome, the city garbage truck...not so much. 

I tried to find out what new words and phrases are upcoming so that I could use them first.  These four seem to be becoming popular. 

1.Buttcrutch. Chair or any place to sit. "Grab a Buttcrutch and let's chat."

2. Squee. An expression of joy. I hate it already. " OMG, The new Housewives of Whatever City starts this week, squeeeee!"

3. Jumpy-claps. An even bigger expression of joy. "OMG. The new Housewives of Whatever City starts this week, squee.....jumpy-claps!!!"

4. Omnishambles. Ok, I'll admit I love this one. When a series of disasters happens. "We went on our vacation....everything went wrong, it was an omnishambles."  

So now that I've made myself sound pretentious, I'll let you decide what words and phrases you want to use. The most important thing this, use the words that you enjoy and that make you happy. Just remember, the pen really can be mightier than the sword, so use your words with care.

So, if you  want to use tired old phrases....you go right ahead. Just, please, don't use them simply because everyone else does...just because a Kardashian or a Jayzee or a Beyonce or (insert any rap artist/reality star) does...doesn't mean you should. (Unless its  Angelina Jolie. She can do no wrong. Excuse me? I said no wrong.) 

As for me, imma start using words from the 20's and 30's.  And if you don't like it, well, don't cast a kitten, just use your getaway sticks and skedaddle.

Calgary Getaway.

We had to go to Calgary in January...the dreaded month for travel. You just never know what Mother Nature is going to spring upon you, and I was pretty nervous before we left, especially since we seemed to be having much more snow than usual. I packed extra mitts, touques, scarves and sweaters. A cooler with water, Gatorade, peanut butter sandwiches, chocolate and fruit. Blankets. Pillows. A lighter to start a fire. Books. A journal. After all, we were going through Banff....a person could skitter right over a cliff and not be found until spring. It could happen. And if I should go over, I'm determined to still be there when the snow melts. Alive, that is.

Weather was great and we got there in the usual amount of time. But it never hurts to be prepared.

Gas was amazingly cheap in the city. It was $1.06 a liter when we left home, but in Calgary it was this:

The next day, the same gas station had it at 76.9. I didn't think I'd ever see gas less than $1.00 a liter in my my lifetime, never mind this much less than a buck. We happily filled the tank.

We got to our hotel, and settled in.  Steven was there for a test that required fasting, so we couldn't go for dinner. My peanut butter emergency ration sandwich and snacks came in handy after all, she said smugly. Plus, the weather had decided to turn around and snow...and snow and snow some more. We had travelled at a perfect time to miss the downfall. And it was ok because it was the evening of the WORLD JUNIOR GOLD MEDAL HOCKEY GAME!!! As IF we would be going anywhere else but in front of a TV. Canada vs Russia...once again, a bitter rivalry. For my US and Aussie friends who are reading this, Canada won. After, it is our game. We  sent the American team home last week, and that's another bitter rivalry. There are no friends in hockey. 

Any TV is ok in a pinch, but we recorded it at home so Steven could rewatch in crispy-clear detail.

So, he had his test Tuesday and we went for a light dinner since he had to fast again the next day for another test, and was only supposed to eat light. But after that days test, he was allowed to eat normally again. We planned all day on where to go. 

We stumbled across a little hole-in-the-wall rib joint that smelled sooooo good. It only had about 12 small tables and a tiny bar that had about 6 barstools around it. Some sort of zydeco music was playing, and if I wasn't standing in a foot of snow in -21 degree weather, I'd have though I was in New Orleans.

Who can resist slow roasted ribs? Not Steven. So we stepped inside....I knew right away it was my kinda place, clean but worn tablecloths, wooden floors, warm and cozy, a blues-y feel.

So, I didn't order ribs (I know, I know) but Steven did. 

I have to tell a back story for a second:

Last week we were watching Family Feud and one of the questions was "Name a food that is shaped like a ball." One of the answers was "hush-puppies", and Steven asked me what they were. I told him, and it occurred to me that I'd never had a hush-puppy, and I felt a bit sad. 

Then, a day later, I was watching a movie "Beasts of the Southern Wild" and the main character, a little girl, was  named Hush Puppy.

So, then, when I saw "smoked chicken breast and hush-puppies" on the menu....well, it was a no-brainer.

And, ohhhhh....so good. The baked beans were homemade, with molasses and bacon, the coleslaw had the celery seed/mustard/ vinaigrette dressing, the "real" kind, not that mayonnaise slop that is every where these days. This stuff was like the kind that Stevens dad used to make. The chicken was tender and moist inside, sticky and smokey on the outside. And I think the maple syrup for the hush-puppies was the real stuff. It was one of the better meals I've had in a long time.

The place filled up in no time and there was a line of people waiting to get in. I figured we should hurry and let our table go to some other starving soul so I decided to have a slice of bourbon pecan pie instead.

Our server brought two spoons and extra ice cream. All I can say is...mmmmmm.

Our waitress told us that everything, including the sauces, breads and beans are all homemade from scratch, and the meats are all slow roasted (there was brisket and beef ribs too). So if you have eaten here and happen to know that it all comes from Costco....don't tell me, and I won't believe you anyhow. Let me live in my foodie-fantasy world.

Next day we headed home. The weather was gorgeous for traveling, leaving the city looked like this:

Driving through Banff and area looked like this:

But at the summit of the park, and into Radium, the radio was playing "a hazy shade of winter", which was appropriate as the weather turned to this:

We pretty much were alone on the highway, so we could travel at a speed comfortable to us, and soon we spotted our good old Canadian standby, pulled in and had this:

 

We filled up with Timmy's classic soup, coffee and maple Danish, headed home, and that was that. You take your holiday when you can, and make the best of any situation.  Happy New Year!

Christmas.

I love Christmas, and I also hate it. I guess I mean that I hate what Christmas has become. And everyone says the same thing....all the cliches about how it's so commercial now, it's not how it was when we were kids, its all about the money, and so on.   Everyone agrees.

It's like Disneyland. You know how Disneyland touts itself as The Happiest Place on Earth, yet when you're actually there, your ears are filled with the sounds of crying children, children throwing temper tantrums, overwhelmed, overtired, over excited?.  Everyone is having a meltdown. However, when you're home again, and reliving it through pictures and memories, it's all a rosy bowl of cherries. Christmas is like that. It's full of gimme and greed and "I want, I want, I want ". Everyone agrees. It's too commercial. It's too expensive. The meaning is long gone, be it religious or not, it's not "Christmas" anymore.

But everyone does the same thing every year....they start earlier and spend more.They all agree that we all go overboard. But they start buying next years presents on Boxing Day.  The sooner the better.

I think everyone wants to have the Christmas of the past, the perfect family Christmas. The Norman Rockwell kind. 

An old fashioned Christmas. Sigh.....does that even exist anymore? 

I was reading a letter that someone wrote to a Facebook forum the other day.  In a nutshell, this is what she wrote:

"Just a gentle reminder to all you parents out there to be modest with your gifts from ""Santa"". Not all parents have a ton of cash to spend on making their kids Christmas special, so it doesn't make sense to have Santa give your kid a PlayStation4, a bike, and an iPad, while his best friend at school gets a new hat and mittens from Santa. You know? Give something small from Santa and make the more expensive presents from you. 

You can explain the value of money to kids, but you can't explain Santa's discrimination to a heartbroken kid. Keep that in mind this year and always..."

That's all she said. She said it gently and respectfully. And it makes sense. It's hard to explain to your kid that Santa gave Little Johnnie all those fancy toys, yet he only gave you  a small toy or some new clothes. 

All this woman did was voice her opinion. And Holy Cow, what an uproar she caused.

The comments were all along the lines of:

-Then get a better job.

-Don't tell me what to get my kid.

-It's not my problem if you're too broke (lazy, useless etc) to give your kid a good Christmas .

-Jealous of people that have more money than you?

-I'll do whatever I want, your kid is not my concern.

And the meanest one was:

-So your kid thinks Santa likes the other kids more than her? Suck it up, learn a life lesson.

And the festive "F" word was bandied around quite liberally. Merry Christmas.

It's not like I have an answer or a solution, and I don't have small children, thank goodness, but it's never too late, or too early, to start a new tradition. If not now, then when?

Myself? I need nothing. I have absolutely every material thing I could want. My husband is the same. If I need....and I mean the literal meaning of need....if I need  anything throughout the year, I buy it.  If I want something, I might buy it, or I might not. Depends. So, why spend money on things I don't need, or want, just because its ingrained into us? "It's Christmas....gotta buy, gotta buy, gotta buy...gotta spend, gotta spend, gotta spend..."

My family knows I love them. I don't need to spend money to prove it to anyone else. 

Now, having spouted all that, you may be asking yourself "Didn't she buy her kids anything? Nothing?"

Well of course I did. I now follow the Gift of Four that I read about. I've talked about it before. 

Four gifts. 

1. Something you want. (It's homemade)

2. Something you need. (It's healthy)

3.Something to wear (it's also a "need")

4.Something to read. (Reading is knowledge, and you can never have too much of that.)

Simple. Stress less. Paid for. What's my Christmas credit card bill? Zero. Christmas isn't about having debt. It defeats the purpose to owe a huge corporation money if that's how your Christmas ends.

I have a friend whose family does not buy gifts for each other, they combine the money they would have spent and provide for a needy family. Awesome!

My new daughter-in-law ❤ does not accept nor give gifts, and I am so very proud of that. She is one of the few who "walk the walk". I almost managed to do it this year. 😃. Next year....maybe. I do like stuff a stocking and my Four Gift rule will likely stick around. 

I don't want this:

Or this:

I'd like this:

But I'll happily settle for this:

And I will strive to remember this: 

Think about it:

Black and White.

My new daughter-in-law (a phrase that I will never get tired of saying!) is a photographer, and she was in a challenge to post a Black & White photo each day for five days. She generously invited me to join the challenge, I say "generously" because she does amazing work.

Anyhow, I tried to see things with black and white eyes and these are the five pictures I took:

A deer hoof print.They always remind me of little hearts.

A duck on a chilly, but brilliantly sunny November day.

The same sunny November day!

The results of the first, melting snow of the year in a strangers driveway.

The "eye and eyelid" of an obviously (to me) feminine 1950's car.

Vote!

I

But you never know. Maybe I can talk just one person into voting this this year. 

When I try to talk about why you should vote, I work myself into a dither. My mind goes in 8 different directions, trying to say all the things I want to say in a reasonable and calm manner, but I just get so darn frustrated with the reasons that people give. I've started this post more than once, and just got myself so worked up that I deleted each one. I just feel so strongly about voting.

Maybe I'll start again, and list some of the reasons that people give me, with my response to follow. Like a debate, except I'll be alone and have time to compose an answer without spittle flying from my lips. 

The number one reply I get, when I ask people if they voted is "Meh. I can't be bothered, one vote doesn't make a difference."

Oh really? Tell that to these folks:

General elections in  Canada in these years were won by ONE VOTE:

1887, 1891, 1896, 1935.  

"But, whatever." you say "That was in the olden days."

Well, yes it was. But these ones werent.:

General election in Saint-Jean, Quebec. 1994

General Electon in Shelbbourne, Nova Scotia. 1999

General election in Champlain Quebec. 2003.

General Election in Kitchener Ontario. 2010.

And there are so many more that were won (or lost, depending on your point of view) by 3, or 5 or 20 votes. 

In Germany, the first chancellor after World War 2 was elected by ONE vote. 

In 1920, an Ammendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by ONE vote. Oh, big deal you say...but the Ammendment? It was whether or not women should be allowed to vote.

You can Google "close elections worldwide" and see for yourself. One vote can make a difference, don't ever  kid yourself about that. So next time you want to say that one vote isn't important, just realize this:

 2. "I was away." Pfffft. Poor excuse. There are always advance polls.

 3. "I was away during the advance poll too." Pfffft. Even poorer excuse. You can advance vote via 

     mail. I was in Switzerland during an election once and I had my vote count. I was in Africa during a

     Federal election and I managed to vote. Being away is no excuse anymore.

4. "I forgot" Well. Far be it from me to call you names, but seriously, you're either lying, or an idiot.

     What do you think all those miles of signs on every street and corner are for? The flyers that arrive 

     in your mailbox, the full page ads in the paper, the ads on the radio and TV?  The conversations at 

     The water cooler? You can't not know when an election is afoot.

5. "I didn't have a way to get there". Again....poor excuse. If your friend won't take you, phone who

     ever it is you want to vote for, you can be darn sure that someone at that office has arrangements 

     set up for rides.

6. "I was in the hospital."  Election Officers will bring a ballot box to you if you are hospitalized, or 

     bedridden or in a nursing home.

7. "I am in prison." If you are in a Canadian prison, you still have the right to vote. If you are  in prison 

     elsewhere, well, congratulations, you've found a legitimate reason to not vote, but im thinking you

     have bigger problems and probably aren't even reading this. But good luck.

8. " I had to work." Oh, don't even start that. If your hours of work genuinely interfere with the polling

     hours, then your employer has to give you time off (with pay) to go and vote. Two hours, I think.

So, you see, there are no good reasons to not vote. And if you are a woman, well, come on!! What are you thinking?

I hear a lot of women complain about the discrepancy between men and women in so many ways. We make less money for the same job, we struggle harder to be accepted, we  are "the weaker sex", we are the ones who should stay home and raise the family, "it's a woman's job", "that's women's work" "thats no place for a woman" I could go on and on and on, but that's a whole other blog post. 

The point is, women had to fight to be able to vote, "Silly  little fluff-headed ladies, voting is a man's job. Women don't understand politics. Stay home and make some dinner for your man."

Doesn't that piss you off? Of course it does. 

In 1917, Canada's federal electoral law stipulated that "idiots, madmen, criminals and judges" were not allowed to vote.

It didn't mention women, but they were still not allowed to vote in national elections. Nice group that they lumped us in, isnt it?

Finally, in 1921, women could vote. But wait! Are you of Asian descent? Chinese? Japanese? East Indian? Hindu?  Oh, you can't vote. Not until 1940. Are you aboriginal? Indian? In 1940 to 1959? Oh, you cant vote yet at all.

Do you realize that aboriginal women could not vote in a federal election until 1960? 

How can you, as a woman or an enlightened man, NOT want to exercise your right to vote? 

 And I don't even want to get started on the men and women who died in war, to give us the freedoms that we just toss over our shoulder without a second thought.

"We can replace a leader with ease and comfort and not with bullets and machetes and with blood flowing on the streets like a river.

The system we have today did not come to us easily or accidentaly. It came with a huge price tag by men and women who gave away their lives so that we will live with dignity."

 

There is no excuse not to vote.

And think of this...all those people you consider stupid? Or clueless? Or arrogant? They are going to vote. Aren't you at least going to try and neutralize their vote with one of your own?

There is never an excuse to not vote.

 

A Fast Food Adventure.

I would think the last time I ate at a fast food place in town was maybe two years ago. Not particularly because it's not healthy, because there's no doubt I eat junky stuff occasionally, but mostly because it tastes awful and the ambiance of a fast food place is so depressing....tables and floors are always littered, everything is so plasic-y, and its just not enjoyable.

 Anyhow...yesterday, for reasons that are just too long and boring to get into,  we decided to grab a burger at Dairy Queen. Well, I gotta say, what an experience. I went in and was waiting for Steven to park the truck, and I walked to the cake display (cake display? In a fast food? Who knew? Not me....they were amazing-looking, and I don't even like ice-cream). I wasn't there for literally one minute, and a staff member asked me if I needed help. IN A FAST FOOD PLACE! Nice! That was one thumbs up. Then, when we ordered our meal (it was only $6 for a bacon-cheese burger, fries, drink and a small sundae...two thumbs up), anyhow, when we ordered, she gave us a number. They bring it to your table. IN A FAST FOOD PLACE. That's a third thumbs up.

 And at our table, which was clean, are actual containers of ketchup, mustard, napkins etc. None of those annoying ketchup packs that you never manage to tear open correctly so that when you squeeze them, the ketchup squirts all crooked and on your clothes. Or on to your companion. So now we have four thumbs up. The food was brought over in next to no time, and, to my surprise, it was SO good. The fries were hot, hot, hot, crispy and yummy. The hamburger was not falling apart and slithering out of the bun, and it didn't have that "glob" of condiment dropped on the bun, and/or that giant hunk of lettuce that sticks up 2 inches high, and that tomato slice that makes everything soggy and slippery. It was seriously almost as good as homemade. Maybe as good. I had coffee instead of pop, and it was in a ceramic mug and a staff member actually made the rounds with a pot for refills. Five thumbs up.

(Below-Mmmmmm.....how I felt, perhaps how I even looked)

 We didn't want the sundae, but the woman who took our order was quite horrified by this (given that we were, after all, at a Dairy Queen) so she gave us each a coupon for a free sundae for another time. So, a sixth thumbs up for our local Dairy Queen. I would most assuredly eat there again, and recommend it to anyone. I don't know who owns or manages it, but if you are reading this, and you know them, pass it on.

(Below-our local DQ)

Today's lesson, boys & girls, is about Juniper berries.

The backstory: I have fresh venison in my house, which I'm not generally too fond of, and I've  always heard how juniper berries  make a fantastic flavor pairing with wild meat. For those who do not hunt, venison is not elk and moose, which I do like, venison is deer. And the difference  is like  night and day.

So I decided to forage for some berries. In the 30-odd years that I've been walking in the bush behind our house, I've noticed some huge and berry laden juniper bushes, and I've often wanted to try the berries in a recipe. So today was the day. A beautiful, crisp October day, no frost yet, and this is apparently the time to harvest. 

I'd like to say that I put on my earthy sandals, wore my alpaca poncho that I  picked up while trekking in Peru, and grabbed my Eco-friendly bag, which is woven with old, plastic grocery bags, and headed out into the wilderness to forage, like Euell Gibbons or Laura Engalls Wilder.

Yes, I'd like to say that, but the truth is somewhat different. I put on my Asics runners, outsourced by child labour in India no doubt, and grabbed a plastic ziplock freezer bag, not only "bad" plastic, but purchased at an American owned superstore. *sigh* We have to pick and choose our battles.

I did wear my poncho though. 

Let me tell you what I've learned about juniper berries. The berries take three years to ripen. And since new berries grow each year, one bush will have berries of various stages of ripeness side by side. The newest ones are a bit larger, and quite pale. The ones we want to pick are deep purpleish blue, and are a bit smaller. And they are further in the depths of the bush. Which normally wouldn't matter, but another thing I learned about juniper....the needles are in fact needles. Meaning they are ever so sharp and ever so willing to draw blood. The plumpest berries are alway just behind a protective pale berry and/or a deadly needle.

The needles look soft and inviting, like the misnamed "needles" of a tamarack tree that are soft and feel like cat fur if you brush them. Which I do, I love the tamarack in my yard and yes, I talk to it and stroke the soft branches. But anyhow, I digress.

Now, I was quite surprised at how few purple berries there were. I know that no one else picks them, at least not like people go and pick blueberries, by the bucketful, plus I was off the beaten path, I wanted to make sure that I wasn't at a bush where dogs have peed all over. I know deer don't eat them, nor bears. But, when I reached back into the depths of a prickly bush and plucked one berry, 37 more fell to the ground and vanished into the leaves and twigs. 

"Aha!" I said, "That's why there are so few, the ripe ones fall off at a gentle shake, at the kiss of the wind, at the breeze left by a passing bird or forest animal...I am so at one with nature."  so I figured I could lay my poncho underneath and shake the tree like an olive harvester. 

But apparently these bushes are alert to those tricks. You shake...and nothing happens. Well, all the dead needles fell out and embedded themselves into the fibers of my poncho so that now I need to spend the rest of the day picking sharp twigs and detritus out of my clothing,  But if you gently reach in to get one berry, the others all communicate  in silent berry language and release themselves to hide in the mulch. Who knew?

So I just carefully took my time, trying to not draw blood and was thankful that only 2 or 3 berries are needed for flavor in a marinade for poultry, and just a few more than that for the more powerful flavor of game. They can be used in place of rosemary, which was a helpful hint for me.

As I wandered deeper off the path, I found more bushes and as I came around one corner, I saw this giant:

The sun was hitting it, and I now know how Clark W Griswald felt when he saw the Christmas tree of his dreams. 

I didn't pick too many off of this one, but it was loaded with many, many berries of all shades. It should be prime picking for years. 

On my way home I gathered a few rosé hips as well, they're almost past their prime, but still not bad. One large rosé hip has an extreme amount of vitamin C....far more than an orange. Anywhere between 10 and 50 times more, one hip has more than your daily recommended allowance. I remove the seeds and slice the skin and toss it in a salad. Steven needs extra vitamin C because of his  Crohns and arthritis, and the citric acid in oranges is hard on his gut, but  who wants to buy supplements when you can get a better, healthier and 100% natural product for free?? The seeds are loaded with vitamin E, but they can irritate sensitive stomachs.

I also sometimes add one sliced rosé hip to each muffin, when I make muffins, that way a person gets their vitamin C while having a healthy treat.

But back to juniper:

Antimicrobial and Antifungal Properties

According to researchers at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, juniper berry combats both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria are the cause for E. coli, pneumonia and gonorrhea, while gram-positive bacteria cause Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus is a common infection that people acquire in hospitals and it is often resistant to antibiotics; you have probably heard it called MRSA. Since pharmaceuticals are often ineffective at treating MRSA, juniper berry could be an effective alternative to help combat infections.

Role as an Antioxidant

According to a study published in the medical journal "Pharmacognosy Research," juniper berries contain high amounts of antioxidants. These compounds help to neutralize free radicals in the body, which eventually lead to the development of diseases like cancer, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants also maintain healthy, youthful skin by fighting wrinkles and lines, aiding in cell regeneration and reducing inflammation.

Plus, much, much more. Google for yourself and then go out and pick a handful. Just don't ask me to tell you where my secret stash is.

I'd like say that I dried a few in the Kootenay sunlight on a hemp towel. And in fact, I can say that.