And here we have been made to believe, mainly, in my opinion, by the media, that Canadian politics are dull. When CTV interviewed people on the street during our last election, so many people answered “we don’t pay that much attention to Canadian politics, we find the American election so much more exciting.”
Well, it was hard to compete against the newsmaker of the year and, according to Maclean’s, even a historymaker. Not comparing this to Obama’s election, but I think the politics in Canada this last couple of weeks rated a bit above exciting. Even the mighty journalist or commentator Jon Stewart had a blurb on his TV show. All the 16 winters we spent in Arizona we never heard a peep about Canadian news, let alone have it featured on TV.  Americans on the whole, unless they live in Michigan or other border states, don’t know Canada and that there is a country north of them. They just don’t care or are not interested.
When all this exciting politics appeared in Ottawa people were slightly ashamed “not in Canada, we just don’t act like that!”
The following was sent to me by my fighting feminist cousin Evelyn. She is  a computer geek (so I don’t know if this has been around the world and back!) and sends me all the problems we women should be out there fighting for. She has four sons and had a happy marriage, but she seems to be half the time “down with men let the women run the country!” And sometimes I think she is right! When driving with her in Prince George the whole one-way conversation went like this. “Did you see what that pick-up did (that is what they are called in the west), he just went through a red light, stupid man, look at that that driver, (male of course) just cut us off...” on and on it went, I was sure she was going to chase some of them down, so I slid down into a hiding position.
But back to what she sent me — I think you will get a kick out of it.
When Insults Had Class
These glorious insults from an era before English language got boiled down to four letter words.
The exchange between Churchill and Lady Astor: She said, “If you were my husband I’d give you poison.” He said, “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”
A member of Parliament to Disraeli: “Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease.” “That depends, Sir,” said Disraeli, “whether I embrace your policies or your mistress.”
 “He had delusions of adequacy.”
 — Walter Kerr
“He has all the virtues I disliked and none of the vices I admire.” — Churchill
 “I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” — Clarence  Darrow
“He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.”
— William Faulker (about Ernest Hemingway)
“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.”
— Mark Twain
“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” — Oscar Wilde
“I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend ...if you have one.”
— George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill.
“Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second ...if there is one.”
— Winston Churchill in response.
“He is a self-made man and worships his creator.” — John Bright
“He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others.”
— Samuel Johnson
“In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily.”
— Charles, Count Talleyrand
“Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without an address on it?”
— Mark Twain
“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” — Mae West
“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.”
— Oscar Wilde
“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts ...for support rather than illumination.”— Andrew Long
“He has a Van Gogh’s ear for music.”
— Billy Wilder
“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. but this wasn’t it.”  
— Groucho Marx
By now all the Christmas glory will be behind us, and if you are having guests in at any other time the following recipes might be of some help as well as use up that leftover turkey.
Turkey and Broccoli Mornay
8 stalks of of cooked broccoli
8 thin slices breast of turkey
4 teaspoons Hollandaise Sauce
Place stalks of hot cooked broccoli on each serving plate, or in four portions on a platter. Place two turkey slices over broccoli and pour hot Morney Sauce (see recipe below) over each portion. Place a teaspoon of Hollandaise sauce on each and place under broiler until bubbly and brown. It can be a good party dish but all ingredients have to be hot. Serves four.
Mornay Sauce
This makes 1 1/2 quarts, so cut it in four for the above recipe. It is a bit fussy, so feel free to substitute a white sauce with cheese. This is a Helen Corbitt recipe; I have two of her books and I’ve always loved making her recipes, she wrote for the Houston Post for years and worked at Neiman Marcus, the famous Texas department store. You will not think leftovers with this recipe.
Mornay Sauce
1/4 pound of butter
1 cup of flour
4 cups milk
2 pounds Velveeta-type cheese
1 can beer
Melt butter, add flour and cook until bubbly, add milk and cook until smooth. Cut cheese in small pieces and add into hot cream sauce, stirring until smooth. Add beer a little at a time until required consistency is desired. This sauce will keep for several days.
The following is a simpler recipe but still excellent and from my other favourite cook book, Joy of Cooking.
Quick Turkey Hash
Heat one  10 1/2 oz. can cream of mushroom soup over very low heat. Gradually stir in 1/4 cup milk. Add 1 cup cubed cooked turkey (more if desired; ham or chicken can be substituted). Add two sliced hard boiled eggs.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, dried thyme or basil. Don’t over cook.
Serve over hot toast or cornbread, or pastry shells
And if you have leftover turkey gravy:
Turkey Hash
1 1/2 diced turkey or chicken
1/2 cup cooked cut up celery or potatoes
1 cup leftover gravy
1 tbsp. chopped chives or parsley
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice or pastry shells.