I’ve been in a state of constant confusion trying to keep deadlines straight for the next two editions of the Regional Optimist. Don’t worry, I have people around me who keep me more or less sorted out, but I’ve certainly been waving my Humpty’s 55 card around with regularity.



It’s always a stretch to fill the op-ed section this time of year. People are mostly in a happy mood, anticipating time spent with friends and family over the Christmas season. They aren’t in the mood to rant about anything much.

article continues below



My family has been engaging in some traditional and new activities, all of which reflect our multicultural society and one even reflects our inability to embrace or reject the metric system.



Reflecting multiculturalism is the Swedes-making-perogies party. Well, most of us are only partly Swede, but it is the ethnicity we embrace to explain many of our endearing eccentricities. Of course we throw a Polish woman into the mix, and the whole enterprise would be a complete flop without our honoured Ukrainian friend, the dough-meister (throw in a little German just for fun).



Last weekend we tackled a batch of antipasto, so the Swedes and friends embraced Italian. It’s a recipe we’ve used before, but as I read it over prior to the chop-chop party I was bemused by the gamut of measurements used. This is a huge undertaking and making one and a half batches we canned 30 pints.



The recipe called for fresh vegetables measured in kilograms and various canned and bottled goods measured in millilitres, but when buying some of these items at a bulk food outlet the cans were labeled in fluid ounces. There were also liquid measurements in cups. Once in the jar the concoction was to be processed at 10 pounds in the pressure cooker.



During the chopping phase there was much conversion anxiety, as I do not have a head for math and kept second guessing my totals.

Canadians are truly messed up when it comes to measurement, but the stuff turned out truly tasty.



Enjoy your traditions and reflect on how they radiate our Canadianism.