In 1978 we made our first camping trip to Canada. We headed into Ontario with our ultimate goal to be Sioux Narrows on the opposite side of Lake of the Woods.
Back then the US Canada border was pretty flexible. Where are you going and what are you going to do when you get there. Camp and relax..some were going fishing.
There were eight of us in June of 1978 on that trip. Far Guys Mom (Evelyn) and Dad (Marvin), Me, Far Guy, Trica (6 years old) Jennifer (almost 3 years old), Far Guys sister Janice and her husband Ronald (the fisherman.)
It was the first time that Far Guy and I and the girls visited Canada.
I was impressed with all the tiny islands on the Lake of the Woods, I wanted one then and I would still like to live on one now.
Far Guys parents were retired and they had a Motor Home. If I recall correctly we also took our vehicle and a tent.
Of course with children we stopped along the way, to let the girls stretch their legs and run off some energy.
Here Grandma Evelyn is the door guard and Jennifer has escaped…but Ronald has Trica under control.
I can hear Grandma say “Eugene get out here right now and watch those kids.” She always called him Eugene with the emphasis on the EU.
I think he may have someone’s “blankie” in his hand. Can’t forget our blankie…it was pink and flannel.
It was cool that June in Canada, we only got a day maybe two of sunshine at the sandy beach at the campground. Then it started to rain. We had a river going through our tent and the little girls got cold so they went into the camper to sleep. We managed a day or two of rain checking out the local gift shop and driving around…but Sioux Narrows is almost nowhere.
I introduced the girls to Canadian licorice pipes at the gift shop. A whole bunch of them in a box with red candy in the bowl of the pipe. Back then they were not wrapped in plastic…you just reached in the box and grabbed as many as you wanted. I think they were 10 or 15 cents each. I long for that kind of licorice.
We headed back home..and it was still cold. We stopped again to let the girls climb rocks.
Now about the “A” or “EH” or “eh”. We vacationed many times over the years in Canada, both in Ontario and in Manitoba wherever we went the locals would end a sentence with “A.” Nice weather “A” Where you from “A” So it has been a custom over the past 35 years that when we talk about Canada or our vacations there we always say remember that time in Canada “A”?
Of course I am sure you all have heard the joke?? When they named CANADA they were all standing around thinking of a name and someone said C and they all shouted A, and some one else shouted N and they all shouted A, and someone else finally shouted D and they all in unison holler A. And that is how CANADA got it’s name…
I mean no disrespect to our good neighbors to the North, it was just something we noticed over the years. Now I would like your input…have you heard “A” or “EH” or “eh” in Canada, and what area were you in?
