One of my dog clients who lives in Canada wrote this last week talking about how there are no "April Showers" in Edmonton. I replied we were in the same situation, no showers just a yo-yo between halfway decent weather and miserable winter-like conditions. It is bad enough to make your bones creak.

His note reminded me of when we were communicating regularly over the telephone. I was trying to get his dog on an airplane to Calgary in February a few years ago. His distinct northern accent, accompanied by the occasional yet stereotypical, "eh" was fodder for a few humorous conversations between the two of us.

I've been told by east-coasters I have a midwestern accent. When I lived on the west coast, the people there thought I had a southern accent. People in the south think I fake a good southern accent. In a country where people travel and move so frequently, it is a wonder language accents are maintained at all.

Even more than accents, metaphors and regional dialects affect our communication and define our culture, gender or even ethnic heritage. We can speak the same language but still have a profound misunderstanding amongst ourselves. After trying to communicate with Microsoft Tech support in Australia, the difference between "our" English and "their" English is appallingly apparent.

Here are a few of my own colloquialisms. My father's Texas heritage falls out of these all over the place. I actually didn't realize how ensconced in southern slang these are until I wrote them all down.

Fair 'bouts, fair play
Translation: If you can do it to me, I can do it to you. Usually in reference to things like giving someone a wet-willy, pulling on their hair, letting the air out of their car tires ... use your imagination.

Down the road a piece.
Translation: (1)It'll happen at a later date. (2)I don't know how far away X destination is, it's just "down the road a piece." When I was in California a few years ago, one of the natives used this term describing the place I was headed as "about a mile down the road a piece." That must translate to three miles because I walked the whole way and it was NOT just a mile. Next time I'll get a taxi.

Calf Rope
Translation: Equivalent of crying "uncle" or "surrender." It can also be used in exchange with "knock it off." I remember crying this furiously when my dad would stick my head in his armpit or do some other thing equally obnoxious.

Make like horse $*%& and hit the trail
Translation: "Let's get outta here!"
I don't say this particular one very often; it's just fun to have in the library.

Three Sheets To The Wind
Translation: Drunk.
I had to consult the Google god to find out the origins of this particular saying. Apparently it originated from the time of sailing ships.

"Extend this idea to sailors on shore leave, staggering back to the ship after a good night on the town, well tanked up. The irregular and uncertain locomotion of these jolly tars must have reminded onlookers of the way a ship moved in which the sheets [sails] were loose. Perhaps one loose sheet might not have been enough to get the image across, so the speakers borrowed the idea of a three-masted sailing ship with three sheets loose, so the saying became three sheets in the wind."

Apparently there are many other nautical expressions describing drunkenness including "with decks awash," and "half seas over."

There are others I can't think of off the top of my head. These are the ones I've taken the worst teasing for. Listen carefully the next time you are in a new place, or just in a group of people, you might hear something fun and new - or something that will make you wonder if you speak the same language.

Because I can't post anything without photos, here are my snaps from this last weekend. I spent time with the dogs and with the camera. Hopefully this will be winter's last gasp. Read the captions to get the full story - two for one this week!