Thursday, January 30, 2025

Only In Canada – part 1

 

Over the years I’ve heard of food stuffs that are pretty much specific to Canada. Here’s the first batch:

 


Timbits

Popular donut holes you can get at the Canadian coffee chain Tim Horton’s. I don’t know how their donut holes differ from American ones, but I would never turn down a donut hole of ANY nationality. And I would like to try their coffee, too. I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to flavored coffees and pastries.

 


 

Halifax Donair

Created in the 1970s by a Greek immigrant. Cooked spiced beef, tomatoes and onion wrapped in a pita with a sweet and garlicky sauce made with condensed milk. Sounds good, except for the tomato and onion. Maybe if the beef was seasoned with onion salt. Wouldn’t mind trying it.

 


Coffee Crisp

A popular candy bar that seems to be like a melding of a KitKat and a wafer cookie. Covered in chocolate. What’s not to like? Of COURSE I would try one! There were other limited versions, such as orange, raspberry and maple that were later discontinued.

 


Montréal smoked meat

A Kosher deli meat that sounds like heaven! Brisket cured with salt and spiced, then smoked and steamed. Put some on buttered dark rye bread with just a touch of mustard, dill pickle and lettuce. Yum!

 


All dressed chips

Interesting idea. Combo flavors all in one: BBQ, sour cream, onion, ketchup, salt and vinegar. Was available in the US for a VERY limited time, then discontinued. I would def try these.

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

 

Random Thought

Taking the first bite of a burger determines where the front of it is.

 


Thursday, January 23, 2025

Skip A Rope

 



Another childhood school game was jump rope. Some had a rhyming song/verse to say while jumping, whether you were jumping alone or had 2 friends swinging the rope for you. You’d get to the end of the song/verse and then it would be the next girl’s turn. And of course, if you flubbed a jump, your turn was over immediately. Other versions had some kind of rhyme that then went into counting. You jumped until you flubbed it. The one who had the highest number of jumps was the winner. Some rhymes called for another person to join in with the first jumper. Sometimes the second jumper stayed, sometimes the first jumper left and the rhyme continued with the second jumper. As for double dutch, I NEVER was able to do that. I was strictly a one-rope jumper.

 

The book pictured above is one I got at the library years ago and was enchanted with it. Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep by Eleanor Farjeon. One of my favorite children’s authors. Many years later I bought it. I love it just as much as I loved it when I was a little girl. Maybe even more…

 

Cinderella, dressed in yella
Went upstairs to kiss a fella
Made a mistake
And kissed a snake
How many doctors
Did it take?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

 

Jane and Johnny (Usually the name of the jumper and one of the cute or ugly guys in the class)
Sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage
Then comes Janey
With a baby carriage.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

 

(This one called for actions by the jumper)

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Touch your shoe.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
That will do.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Say your prayers.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn out the light.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Say good night!

 

(Another one with actions)

Not last night but the night before

Twenty-four robbers came knocking at my door

As I went out to let them in

This is what they said to me

Lady, lady, turn around

Lady, lady touch the ground

Lady, lady show your shoes

Lady, lady that will do.

As I ran out to get my gun

You should have seen those robbers run

Some went East, some went West

Some went over the cuckoo’s nest.

 

Do you have any rhymes from your childhood?

 


 

 

 

 

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Counting 1,2,3

 



Counting rhymes are neat. I vaguely remember them from elementary school days. Seeing who was next in a game, or seeing who was “it” in a game. Or just plain counting for the fun of it. So many. And some of them mashed up into longer rhymes or ones with several verses. Seems to have been first found in England, then made it to America.

 

Eeny, meeny, minny, moe, catch a tiger by the toe, if he hollers let him go, eeny, meeny, minny, moe, my, mother, told, me, to, pick, the, very, best, ONE!

 

Also can be used to play a form of MASH (which was a HUGE thing in junior high!!) You ask the question and then start counting for the answer, using buttons, tokens, etc to count.

 

Q: When shall I marry?

A: This year, next year, sometime, never.

(I guess if you landed on “never” your turn would end right there…)

 

Q: What will my husband be?

A: Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief.

(American version was: Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief)

 

Q: What will I be?

A: Lady, baby, gypsy, queen.

 

Q: What shall I wear?

A: Silk, satin, cotton, rags / silk, satin, velvet, lace / silk, satin, muslin, rags

 

Q: How shall I get it?

A: Given, borrowed, bought, stolen.

 

Q: How shall I get to church?

A: Coach, carriage, wheelbarrow, cart.

 

Q: Where shall I live?

A: Big house, little house, pig sty, barn.

 

Fun times.