PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

What happen to the good old days when Canadians were quiet modest being who did not rub it in other peoples faces how good they may think it is to be Canadian!?!?! Recently I have spoken to too many Canadians who rave about how great our nation is. Some even go as far to tell me that soon I won't consider England my home... after all Canada is far better!!(?) People shout at me..

"Welcome back to the best Country in the world!"

(spoken like a Stereotypical American?)(British Pride)

Coincidentally, with an increase in Canadian editions of popular American TV shows like Deal or No Deal and Entertainment Tonight we appear to be shedding a stereotype for which the rest of the world once loved us (maybe even adopting another nations stereotype?). Just remember our reputation as a nation is on the line and so to Canadians everywhere I recommend sucking up our pride and avoid others' prejudice.

(You know how in films with old trains the passengers reach their arms out the window to open the door from a handle on the outside? many of GNER's trains are still like that. Fantastic!)

MADE IT BACK - FOR THE LAST TIME?

(Pearson's International Airport - Toronto)

Looks like this may be my last trip back to England. I'm not sure what to make of it.

(Piccadilly Line Underground Train)

Top 5 Reasons to move to back Canada

5. Grilled cheese sandwiches and pancakes (England's versions don't cut it)
4. Never having to carry half my body weight in luggage around London again!
3. Canada will give me a driver's license
2. Water pressure for real showers
1. Sleeping in a room larger than a prison cell

(Underground Map)

Top 5 Reasons to Reconsider

5. Living with parents - not cool.
4. The national pass time (Walmarting)
3. Canadians can't pronounce Stella Artois. Sorry Alanna - that was just funny!
2. I'll start talking like a redneck again eh
1. I'll miss my mates!! (I know... where was being near family in the first list)

(Saying good-bye is hard - Harris wants to come too)

SUPER BRENT

It took a bit of bribery but Brent finally models his Superman pj's for us. We told him the "S" stood for Sturgeon.

(photographed by Franke)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Woohoo!! I got a camera for Christmas. Long live my blog!! The camera allows me to do groovy things like black and white and sepia photos.

CHRISTMAS EVE - GRANDMA STYLE

Brent seems to entertain himself at our family do's by taking lots of horrid photographs of us all. And so to Brent I give credit for most of this season's festive photos.


By the end of the evening my candy jar was empty. I do not recommend anyone try this at home!

Laura anticipates her glass of wine. Her biggest smile of the season.

CHRISTMAS EVE - OLDE SCHOOL STYLE

(Dad and I)

The Olde School Restaurant is exactly that – an old school turned into a restaurant. I think some of my great aunts went to school here.

(Mom and I)

Since 1997 this restaurant's claim to fame is a day in June when her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II parked her bum down for a lunch. The restaurant is covered in photographs and paintings of the day this little Brantfordian restaurant was put on the map (of Brantford :P).

It has now become a massive advertising stunt for the restaurant with business cards reading...….

“Her Majesty the Queen dined here in 1997, you can too!”

(see table above)

O dear.

(Alexander Graham Bell on wall at Olde School)

On another interesting note… Alexander Graham Bell is in the top 10 famous Canadians despite being a Scotsman with American citizenship. Hmmm… either we were really desperate in compiling the famous Canadians list or some people aren’t too swift???

(the billl - a report card)

Despite my mocking the Olde School, its original past and exceptional quality make it stand above the rest.

MIND THE FIRE

Angela dodges a vicious spark from the digital log fire.

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE

LONDON AT CHRISTMAS

(Harrods department store)

Harrods is the largest department store in Europe. It has over 1 millions square feet of shop floor. Harrods is more of a challenge than the hedge maze at Hampton Court Palace. It’s so easy to loose your sense of place. There are no visible windows on the shop floor so you have no concept of what floor you’re on. Apparently it was the first place to use escalators in 1871.

(Piccadilly Circus - London's Times Square)

I love for its special “yester year” charm. Although most the ladies clothing departments are very modern to match the designer clothes within the majority of the stores departments look just as you might imagine they did over 100 years ago when the current store was erected. Indeed it is a museum on its own. Everything is staged so beautifully.

(View from Piccadilly Circus)

On the weekends (particularly those running up to Christmas) the store is packed. It took Lynsey and I about 15 minutes to make the 2 minute walk to the store from the Knightsbridge tube station because of Harrods shoppers crowding the street. Although annoying to have to push through the crowds (of mostly tourists!) at least the security guards don’t follow you about like a criminal. (Just because I can’t afford more than a lollipop here doesn’t mean I’m a thief!)