General Chat

Say, Guys, I am enjoying this thread a lot today. Of course we all think that Canadians are best tourists everywhere!! but when Normie and I did our "gap" year in our forties we met fabulous people from all over the world. The most intrepid travellers are from Oz and the most interesting are British. We were invited for a drink to so many campers and trailers (caravans) that we lost count.

Welcome Dorothy. Janey lives somewhere in ON but I live out on Vancouver Island. This is a great thread and we all love Fred as well. I emigrated in 1967 to Saskatoon. I arrived in October and within weeks I was up to my eyeballs in snow. I brought my push chair with me for the kids ( 6 months and a year and a half!!) and everyone laughed at me as I walked down the road in minus 30 degree weather pushing the kids along!! Funny how a person forgets stuff like that.

The Fair has come and gone. I didn't see anyone flying thru the trees nor face down in the hot dog stand!! It was hot yesterday but the rides were packed. There was one I had never seen before. It was totally enclosed and looked like a flying saucer. I asked the kid running it what goes on inside. He said that as it spins you become weightless and it sucks you to the wall....now Janey there's a ride for you!!! LOL

More later
Lesxx

Here i issssss Mary,have been a little busy today getting the hedges done for the last time this year[i hope],I thought i had better get on with it seeing as we have the nether end of the hurricane hitting us tomorrow.
We had just gotten rid of the duck pond covering our patio too lol,
I was getting on with the hedge ,really flying along the inside when i noticed steam coming off the cutters,and thought to myself ,can't be going THAT fast so i had a closer look at the hedge,cor ,i was lucky my cutters work on 110 volts ,he he ,i han't noticed ,but the leaves were still covered in water droplets and were getting heated on the blades.
We go back up the van tomorrow afternoon,unless the weather gets too bad,the weekend was pretty bad,the ground being waterlogged,and some vans ,due to leave had to get the farmer next door to free the vans with a tractor,still,being at the top end most of the water is draining away from our van,and bogging some of the others in,that's what you get on this sort of site,no being designated a pitch,it's first come first served,so i headed straight to the top of the field while no other vans had arrived,got settled in ,sat back and watched the fun as other vans came ,and the squabbling over the other dry pitches ensued .
The wife has the new piccies of the family on Holiday in Blackpool,so ,i will be sending them on as soon as i have had a look at them.
Liz says there is a special one for you Mary,one of our Lewis ,in his school uniform taken this morning before being taken to school for his first day,little man is growing fast lol,no tears from him either ,but a few from his dad as he realised that our Lewi' is no longer a baby he he
I will be taking a few more piccies of the inside of the van now we have got the inside set out properly,with the tv ,and the mic' in place.
The garden is doing very well now,we have cauli ,carrot ,tomatos coming out of our ears,and the cabbage and kale are about ready,and ,i think i see from the window,dwarf beans about ready for the pot.
Well ,thats about it for now,but i have enjoyed reading all the messages onthis thread,looks like being a corker ,thanks to our Les',take a bow lass ,very well done specially on the name.
Fred.

French tourists ... well I'll tell ya, when my mum and I went to Calais for an afternoon, the English tourists were just as bad.

I speak French, so I was chatting with the woman in the bakery, and she said was I English, being surprised that I spoke French. Canadian, I said, English Canadian. But are you English or Canadian? There are English Canadians and French Canadians, I said; I'm English Canadian but I speak French. My mum (smiling obliviously in the corner) is English Canadian and doesn't speak French.

Ah. She said. Comme les Belges! (Like those damned Belgians ...)

But the French schoolchildren in England were horrific. Swarming over Stonehenge while their teachers drank tea in the cafe, pushing and shoving in line at Brighton. I finally spoke sternly to those last, telling them, in French, that there were other people waiting too. They responded by mocking my (Quebec) accent ... and stopping the shoving.

So when we stopped to chat with the gardener in Salisbury Close about his fabulous wisteria, and he said What part of America are you from? and we said The Canadian part, and he got very embarrassed, that was when my mum said That's okay, as long as you don't take us for French! He paused, leaned on his shovel, and said Thank you for that -- we're told we're being bigots. Nah, we said, they're dreadful. ;)

All tourists are, I think. Except Canadians!

Someone in England told me that when dealing with tourists from the southern hemisphere, they always say You're from New Zealand? New Zealanders are like Canadians -- always assumed to be Australians, and they hate it. Australians don't give a hoot. So "assuming" New Zealand works!

hello I have been reading this site for a while and thought it was time tht I joined in I usually am on the friends and neighbours site and am a great fan of fred (badger) and his family and his menu's, I live in barrie ont canada I came to canada at age 15 my dad was transferred from walshaw bury lancs, I am 66 I have a son and daughter in law and three wonderful grandchildren, my sister after years of living in different countries lives in calgary with her husband they also have a place in canmore, I am going to visit her from the 15th of 0ct to the 28th, over the years I have returned home frequently the last trip being last year for five wonderful weeks, does any one on line live near the barrie area, my passions are reading and tennis watching these days not playing, hope you have time for a new recruit regards dorothy

Hey Canucks where is everyone. Evening here and soon time for my bed methinks. Camellias (japonica) are now out and spring is here even if we have cold nights -but more rain please.
~~~~~~~~ãll

JA

Well the parade was the usual mix of tractors,trucks and MP's!!! Plus probably every emergency vehicle in Port Alberni. The Mayor was on a truck flatbed....nobody clapped or cheered....well he is all clapped out anyway!! LOL

The highlite for me was when the local gymkana (??) association came thru with their horses. Bella went beserk, never seen a "dog" quite that large before. Then a dog on the other side of the street got loose and the woman had to chase it thru all the horses and trucks....mayhem!!

And Miss Janey/K I must tell you that there is a smallish roller coaster type thing at the fairground. Now I would never go on it because I would vomit BUT I did overhear a conversation where one guy said "oh they have placed it this year so that if anybody flys off they will land in the trees". The other replied "great idea, last year if you fell off you landed face down in the hot dog stand". I must tell you that life in small town Canada is ALWAYS exciting!!

And for Deb and Janey...lox is best eaten when it has been chilled to almost frozen. There is nothing worse than slimey, warm fish which is why I don't eat sushi but super chilled lox, with a fresh bagel and some nice cream cheese...now that is a treat.

More later. Tomorrow we are off to the fair I will try and take some pics.
Lesxx

Hi Everyone, Fall Fair this weekend and the parade this am. Norm wants to go and take pics.

Hi Alandra. I came here from Hampshire also. Guess you must be in White Rock?or maybe you are were Di is in TisWas?? Anyway visit often...we like evryone on this site.

Glad you are feeling better Mary and JA you are working too hard as always. I see that we have a whole host of new animals to add onto the thread. Pretty soon there will be so many pats and no room for us!! LOL

Dr. Who's granddauhghter...wow Christine you fit in really well with the rest of us!!!

Hi to Everyone else...I am off to the parade!!
Lesxx

Edith a meet half way and me with you for a time (only a little friends like fish go off if kept for twp days lol) and then with Vp for a time, maybe I can see my cousin in between
Whatever, we will work it out - watch out Canada
Mary hope you get up feeling better tomorrow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~everyone else, kep sharing

JA

Morning all.
Welcome to all the new folks.Thanks again Les for
restarting the site. Lets hope everyone stays with
us.
Fred, I now have "red"toms coming out my ears as
after a short hot spell they all decided to ripen.The Roma toms are doing very well so will make a lot of sauce for pasta dishes and spaghetti this winter.
A neighbour downstairs makes a great tom soup so will try that too.
Hi Christine, we here in middle Canada get the
Northern Lights. They are really clear in November and again in April.At times the sky turns an eerie
green and I think that is the best show ever.
We are just above the 49th parallel,and in the middle of the "bush" so viewing is great.
Mary sending you hugs,get well soon. J.A hugs for you too.If you get to Calgary we could have a great
"meet" that is half way between Les and I.
Please pick up Mary on the way by !!!!!
Must get some food in me to start the day so bye for now. Edith XXXX
I for one am proud to be a True Canuck.

Alandra Welcome to a great thread.. . Just lovely people..You dont live far from our Les... Lucky girl.. You two should meet for a coffee..Am counting the day to when I can do that to...

JA Yes we did have a little spill in the state parliament..quite a farce really..if it wasnt so serious it would be funny...I still think its silly...Dont know where we will be going from here.. Such a new boy on the block..Ah well he cant be any worse..

well am off to bed as I am still not the best..Catch you all tomurra..


Love Mary xxx

Wow, one goes away for a few days and comes home to lovely new people as well as loved old ones (old friends I mean (lol)
Sylvia, sounds like hard times for you and Norman, as you will have to shop and have a break you must arrange for carers to come in, stand up to that family of yours and get them to help - opps JA on lecture soap box - not a good look, but we do care about you and want you to look after yourself.
Weather in the northern hemisphere sounds rotten - after a cold few weeks spring seems to have come - 6 degrees last nigtht and 15 today.
Fred the Coffs harbour person sounds like his whinging genes had come to the fore - nice coast up there but not the friendlist of towns when we went through there and stayed awhile. Sounds like Mary had a better experience though.
Mary we could do with some of that rain - I was in Sydney yesterday for work and it rained heavily - no sign of it here when I got home. Mind you the rain was needed to wash the blood off the streets after your bloodless politicalcoup lol - new Premier today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Edith and all
I have a new found relation in Calgary, great great grandmothers were sisters - Evans girls form Barnsley way
Hope you are feeling better Mary.

JA

Hi all, just found this message board, so thought I'd join, being a Canuck. Hope this is the way to join the group?
Born in Hampshire, England, - parents brought us to B.C. many years ago, been here ever since. We live about 20 mins drive south of Vancouver. I've got 2 grown daughters and 3 "grands".
We've got 2 yellow Labs, a little Bichon that nobody wanted and an Abyssinian cat. We love our flower garden, the birds that visit us, plus am into photography, esp the wildlife and birds in our area.
Hello to my neighbour on Vancouver Island :) My brother lives there, Parksville.
best wishes to all, Alandra

Hi all.. We have a very rainy day.. We need it but not this much at a time..

Still not 100% but am getting there..

Glad to see so many new peeps on here.. More the merrier...

Fred Loved your story about the Aussies from Coffs Harbour.. That is about a 6 hour drive north of Sydney.. We actually bought our caravan there and spent a lovely week enjoying it before we brought it home..You seem to be having the sort of weather we are having at the moment,, Cold and wet.. 11c at the moment and that is not nice for us..We had 21c the other day..Good idea to come home with that storm brewing.. much more comfortable..
Did that Aussie chap tell you about the BIG BANNANA at Coffs Harbour.. Will see if I can find a pick of it..or much better google Coffs Harbour Australia and it should come up..nice place..

Sylvia Sorry to hear that Norman had a fall..Hope he is ok,, and you to,,

Well better go and get some lunch.. HAve a nice day all

Love Mary xxx

OK Janey in ON I know the feeling. People always think I am from the USA when I go back to England and I was born there!! but after about 48 hours in Yorkshire....I sound just like a Yorkshire lass...now I know Fred will like that.

Christine I forgot to mention that my uncle was Tom Jones!!! LOL
Lesxx

I will say only: Ontario. ;)

It was the poor Brits that it was thought might not know the term.

You know ... the Brits who asked my mum and me, every single time, as we travelled around England in 1994: "And what part of America are you from?" (People in the States always think we're both English ...)

Of course we replied: "The Canadian part". Canada being equally part of America.

Or at least we did until we embarrassed a couple of nice people. Then we just said we didn't care what they took us for (a white lie), as long as they didn't take us for French tourists. ;)

Hi Y'all,

Christine we don't see the Northern lites....too far south but have seen them and they are wonderful. Maybe OH could just get one of those premade firepits...they don't take much effort and the ambience will be just as good??? We have an old Franklin woodstove in our yard but we don't burn in it. This year I placed a tub of red impatiens in there and so it has been "burning" all summer!!

Janey where are you??? I guess maybe Calgary or Winnipeg or maybe Toronto?? and of course everyone here would know what a Canuck is....a Canadian or if you live in BC....the hockey team!!! yeh!!!! I can tell you that when the hockey team plays poorley we all call them Canuckleheads.....LOL!!!

How ya feeling Mary??? For some unknown reason I am exhausted today....too much shopping!! Hope you're feeling better.

I am off to the kitchen, time for me to be creative or maybe I will phone for pizza!!
Lesxx

I feel I should say something here ... ;)

Picked my name about a month ago, didn't have a chance to use it til this week. Meanwhile, someone here told me that nobody here would know what it meant. So it was right thoughtful of you guys to introduce the concept first!

The Adventures of Janey Canuck in the West (the real adventures of the real Janey Canuck) is on line here:

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/murphy/west/west.html

Huh! University of Pennsylvania, part of "A Celebration of Women Writers".

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/

Our Janey is famous. And of course her author, Emily Murphy, was one of the Famous Five.

~~~ from effete urban Central Canada, where we have racoons (is that stupid word one "c" or two?) and squirrels and skunks, but no bears.

Oh -- but I did see the Northern Lights late one night from my downtown deck. Amazing things. Organ music in technicolour.

Hi Everyone,

Sylvia I am so sorry to hear about Norm....what a worry. I don't suppose there is a "service" that would come in and sit while you had a few hours away....think we've been over all of that before. Anyway take care of you!!

Christine, wow you have a lot of connections to us Canucks you should come and visit. I live on Vancouver Island so we don't get a lot of snow however they do say now that our city, Port Alberni, is the most plauged with bears in all of BC. There are several places where you can park safely and watch them have their evening nosh!! I think I will try and go take some pics one nite and then I can send them out to everyone....maybe you can make a bear card!!

Hey Fred, what's with the weather? We have just had a few days of sun and now again it is overcast and misty. I have been thinking about your van parked in the wilds!! LOL and am thinking that maybe Normie and I should consider something similar except we really would be parked in wilds!! Just north and east of us are two lakes - Horne and Spider. There is a plan underway to put in a second road out for us past these lakes....I think we might see if there is a little spot available and then we could escape every now and then.

Nanaimo was a bit of a bust yesterday, didn't buy anything exciting at all except for some really good meat from the butcher. Our butcher here in town is rubbish so it is a joy to get some good stuff. Last nite we grilled a lovely piece of pork tenderloin and had a fresh patty pan out of the garden, perogies and new peas....can't do much better than that!!

Later....Lesxx

Afternoon peoples cor ,never mind your tom's not ripening Deb,we are having the same bother with the wet and cold,more like the start of winter here ,than the start of fall.
We came home from the van early because there is torrential rain and gale force winds on the way,and ,yes ,i know i said the van is warm and snug[which it is] but with weather like that ,and grass which is waterlogged and damp,Liz dosn't need it ,so we are back until the weather clears up somewhat.
It's a small world lol,a van came in last night [a camper],and i got to speak to the driver this morning,turns out he is a native of coffs Harbour in Marys country of birth.He was telling me ,this place is the countries banana state,and here was i thinking it's only claim to fame was the vineyards.
I had to take the mickey thouigh,he he ,fancy leaving Coffs in their winter to come over here in our autumn to find the top day temperatures of 12 c lol,he would have been better off staying at home .
He was also bemoaning the prices here too,from food to fuel,you ozzies need to know where you are better off ,and it ain't here folks .
Sorry to hear that things are still a bit iffy Sylvia,but i hope things will get better for you before long.
Nice to see a few new peoples on this thread ,plus some off the older thread,come back at last..
Silly though it sounds ,i have had to put the heating on ,it's that cilly,much more of this and i can see the boss and i having an early night lol,dvd in the tv and the covers pulled up.
Hope everyone is doing okay,see you shortly .Fred.

Hello again everyone and thanks for your hugs etc.
I certainly need them at the moment. I went to do some shopping yesterday and left Norman in bed, thinking he would be OK, but when I got home I found him lying on the ground outside, he had fallen down 4 steps which we have at the side entrance to our unit, and couldn't get up. He has a nasty lump on his head and lots of cuts and bruises. The doctor has been to see him and says he will be OK but now I won't dare go out and leave him again. I don't know when all these problems are going to end.
Sorry I never have anything cheerful to say. The grandchildren are getting on well and are all growing up so fast. I will send you some photos of them soon, to the people whose Email addresses I have.
Mary, I'm sorry John is not well and hope you are OK yourself.
Love and best wishes to you all and Happy Fathers Day to all the Australian dads.
Sylvia XX