u/Secure-Corner-2096

I’m trying to track down an old cookie recipe for my sister. It was a stuffed Christmas cookie and the dough contained ground cloves. The filling was made with walnuts, marmalade, raisins and spices. She remembers getting it from some kind of magazine in 1987. I’m hoping somebody out there knows what this is. It’ll be my first Christmas present for her this year. Please let me know if I’ve posted to the wrong Reddit. Thanks for reading!

The prevailing US opinion seems to be that Canadians are all secretly longing to be Americans. Maybe that’s why Trump thought we’d all applaud at the thought of becoming a US state. Our strength of character and being kind, polite and caring for our fellow citizens, is mocked by the States. Our quiet strength is mistaken for weakness, despite us being the reason for the Geneva convention. No one in our country dies because they can’t afford medical care or goes bankrupt because they couldn’t pay for it. We are one of the most educated countries in the world. Few of our children get shot attending school and it’s generally safe to walk our streets at night. We don’t have the US’s wealth and power, yet, and we are still developing as a nation. But we’re a good country, full of good people. Why would we give that up?

For generations, we’ve been a friendly and helpful neighbour to the USA but rarely valued or respected. Canadian accomplishments are resolutely ignored by US. For example, In the movie Argo, all of the bravery demonstrated by Canadians risking their lives to rescue the American Iranian hostages, was downplayed and the US became the heroes. In a more recent representative example, Canada built the new Gordie Howe International bridge between our two countries, paying 100% of the cost but using half US material and labour. Canada even allowed the US to repay their half with tolls, meaning repayment will probably take longer than the bridge stands. Trump responded by stomping in, behaving like Canada had cheated the US and fired off a blast of demands and grievances.

The last time Trump was in office, he put Canada (and Mexico) through hell to change the North American Free Trade Agreement, but actually changed very little. He ended the ordeal by exclaiming it the BEST TRADE DEAL EVER! Once reelected, Trump ripped up the new and improved NAFTA he created and proudly proclaimed his intention to destroy the Canadian economy with tariffs, so the US could annex Canada. Later, he actually threatened to send the US military into Canada. Why? Because Premier Ford tried to protect the province’s auto industry against Trump’s tariffs and threatened to reduce electricity going to the US.

The US claims it needs nothing from Canada but could not survive without our crude oil, potash, natural gas, green electricity, rare earth minerals and much more. Their lust for Canadian land and resources is blatant and the true impetus behind Trump’s annexation. Which is why we are quietly replacing the US with reliable trade partners and fast tracking projects making Canada impervious to the United State’s perpetual tariff threats and attacks against our economy.

Recently, I won a free trip to Florida. I refused it. I will never go to the US again. Since the word “annexation” crossed Trump‘s lips, I have done everything possible to boycott all US products. Trump doesn’t seem to understand that the boycotts are not being imposed by our governments. The boycotts are driven by individual, infuriated and insulted, Canadian citizens. Even if Trump somehow managed to get US alcohol sold in every province and territory again, few will buy it. My province never stopped selling it and the majority sits on shelves, gathering dust.

The long and unequal friendship between the US and Canada is over. Not just until Trump is gone, not just until US citizens are willing to do 10 minutes researching who they vote for, not just until the majority of American citizens can find Canada on a map — gone for good. Like the wife who catches her husband in bed with her best friend, we are done.

The prevailing US opinion seems to be that Canadians are all secretly longing to be Americans. Maybe that’s why Trump thought we’d all applaud at the thought of becoming a US state. Our strength of character and being kind, polite and caring for our fellow citizens, is mocked by the States. Our quiet strength is mistaken for weakness, despite us being the reason for the Geneva convention. No one in our country dies because they can’t afford medical care or goes bankrupt because they couldn’t pay for it. We are one of the most educated countries in the world. Few of our children get shot attending school and it’s generally safe to walk our streets at night. We don’t have the US’s wealth and power, yet, and we are still developing as a nation. But we’re a good country, full of good people. Why would we give that up?

For generations, we’ve been a friendly and helpful neighbour to the USA but rarely valued or respected. Canadian accomplishments are resolutely ignored by US. For example, In the movie Argo, all of the bravery demonstrated by Canadians risking their lives to rescue the American Iranian hostages, was downplayed and the US became the heroes. In a more recent representative example, Canada built the new Gordie Howe International bridge between our two countries, paying 100% of the cost but using half US material and labour. Canada even allowed the US to repay their half with tolls, meaning repayment will probably take longer than the bridge stands. Trump responded by stomping in, behaving like Canada had cheated the US and fired off a blast of demands and grievances.

The last time Trump was in office, he put Canada (and Mexico) through hell to change the North American Free Trade Agreement, but actually changed very little. He ended the ordeal by exclaiming it the BEST TRADE DEAL EVER! Once reelected, Trump ripped up the new and improved NAFTA he created and proudly proclaimed his intention to destroy the Canadian economy with tariffs, so the US could annex Canada. Later, he actually threatened to send the US military into Canada. Why? Because Premier Ford tried to protect the province’s auto industry against Trump’s tariffs and threatened to reduce electricity going to the US.

The US claims it needs nothing from Canada but could not survive without our crude oil, potash, natural gas, green electricity, rare earth minerals and much more. Their lust for Canadian land and resources is blatant and the true impetus behind Trump’s annexation. Which is why we are quietly replacing the US with reliable trade partners and fast tracking projects making Canada impervious to the United State’s perpetual tariff threats and attacks against our economy.

Recently, I won a free trip to Florida. I refused it. I will never go to the US again. Since the word “annexation” crossed Trump‘s lips, I have done everything possible to boycott all US products. Trump doesn’t seem to understand that the boycotts are not being imposed by our governments. The boycotts are driven by individual, infuriated and insulted, Canadian citizens. Even if Trump somehow managed to get US alcohol sold in every province and territory again, few will buy it. My province never stopped selling it and the majority sits on shelves, gathering dust.

The long and unequal friendship between the US and Canada is over. Not just until Trump is gone, not just until US citizens are willing to do 10 minutes researching who they vote for, not just until the majority of American citizens can find Canada on a map — gone for good. Like the wife who catches her husband in bed with her best friend, we are done.

I’m disabled and use crutches for short distances and a wheelchair for long ones. I just read a Reddit post about a driver stealing several handicap stalls at once and it triggered a memory.

One snowy winter day, I headed off to the library for my weekly book haul. The library had several handicapped parking spots out front but only one ramp.
As I pull up, I noticed a stretch limo, no placard, parked in a handicapped spot. He was also parked directly on top of the only wheelchair ramp.

I was furious. It had snowed that day and it was already going to be a struggle just getting into the library. Now, I would have to roll down the street, dodging cars, until I got to the closest ramp, one block over. I briefly considered cancelling the library and putting off my book fix, but I’m one determined human being and decided this was a mountain I was prepared to die on.

Standing, I’m a little over 5 feet, but seated in my chair, I’m the height of a small child. Because of this, cars don’t always see me in my wheelchair when I have to share the road with them. Consequently, I’ve been hit by cars, twice, because someone was too lazy to walk a few extra feet to a store door or wanted to build their ego by stealing a handicap spot.

Rolling a wheelchair through deep snow and ice is absolutely hell. The wheelchair wheels get clogged with snow or ice and lose traction. That means triple the effort is required to get through. You can protect your hands with gloves but as soon as your gloves get wet, they slide on the metal rail and won’t grip. So, you need to go bare-handed to keep rolling. In extreme cold, your wet hands freeze to the metal rail and each time you remove them to keep propelling your chair, you rip off a thin layer of frozen skin. The snow, ice, dirt and road salt transfer to your hands as you move. You get small cuts on your hands from the sharp snow, ice and debris. The salt gets in the open cuts and makes them sting. By the time you get to your goal, your hands are frozen, dirty, bloody and in agony.

Because of this lazy, limo driver, I would have to roll hundreds of feet through deep snow while dodging cars rather than the few dozen safe feet to the library, that access to the ramp would provide. By the time I’d parked my car and gotten into my wheelchair, I was red hot furious. The snow was about 8 inches high but I was so mad I was practically flying through it to get to the limo driver’s side window.

When I got there, the driver and I locked eyes. He suddenly noticed something particularly spellbinding on the floor mat. I realized his plan was to ignore me. I lost my fragile grip on my temper and completely lost my shit.

I grabbed my reacher and began repeatedly whacking his window with all my might while screaming at him to move his fucking limo. I continued until enough rage was spent that rational thinking was possible. He continue to pretend I didn’t exist.

I yelled that I was getting his license plate and giving him an expensive ticket for Christmas. As I started heading towards the back of his limo, he quickly reversed and floored the gas to back out. Because it was a stretch limo the front end swung dangerously close to me, before he exited the stall and sped off. I was too angry to be scared and serenaded his departure with a few choice words and gestures.

There were numerous other parking spots as the miserable day had made most people stay home. So, he parked in a handicapped stall and on the ramp deliberately. I hope my reaction cured him of the urge to ever steal a handicapped stall again.

Edit: fixed poor word choice and punctuation.

Canadian here. Sorry about the smoke. It’s difficult for everybody, including Canadians.

Trumps latest suggestion, that we cut down our forests to prevent wildfires, misses a very important point.

Canada’s Boreal forests provide 20 to 30% of the planets oxygen. Cut them down and the entire world will be gasping for air full-time.

Perhaps, Trump should rejoin the fight against global warming before they all burn to the ground.

I got out of a long term, abusive relationship and survived the even worse divorce. Now that the war is over, I’m having trouble reconnecting with the world. My abusive relationship made outside friendships impossible, so I’m starting from zero. I’m hoping a local support group would be a good first step. Does anyone know of a local one that meets regularly?