iPad

I got an iPad today.

TGIF

Thank Goodness It's Friday. yummy sushi

dog-tired

I'm dog-tired ... means: I'm very tired, like a dog that just lays on the floor.

dodge a bullet

is an expression meaning: to escape bad luck (or death) by a miracle for example: the weather forecast was snow yesterday, but we didn't get any snow. We dodged a bullet. or: He had a heart attack, but someone called an ambulance. He dodged a bullet.

"People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

... is an old expression that means: You shouldn't criticize other people because if you do, other people will criticize you (throw stones back at you).

Think Pink

Let sleeping dogs lie.

... is an expression that means: Don't start an argument when nobody notices you.

dear deer

'deer' the animal is spelled with 2 'e's.

'dear' the salutation ("Dear Mr. Smith") is spelled with 'ea'. It sounds the same.
This word is also used as a 'term of endearment' when talking to a child or spouse.
for example, "Don't talk with your mouth full, dear."

SELF-SERVE / FULL-SERVE GAS STATIONS

Some gas stations have one part that is Full-Serve (usually a smaller part) and the larger part is Self-Serve. So they have signs on the posts that say 'SELF' or 'FULL'.

U of T

... is short for "University of Toronto".

sabre-rattling

'sabre-rattling' is an expression often used in the newspapers when countries are threatening each other.

A sabre is a curved sword with a handle like in this photo.

'sabre-rattling' means: to shake a sabre, or to make a threatening noise

For example: Iran made some sabre-rattling statements about its nuclear program.

naturalization

'naturalization' means: the process of becoming natural.

The '-ization' ending is used with a lot of adjectives.

For example, "normalization" means: the process of becoming normal.

price of gas

Regular gas is $1.36.2/litre

Esso Extra is $1.45.9/litre (high octane)

Esso Supreme is $1.51.9/litre (highest octane)

mosaic

'mosaic' means: a picture made of small pieces of coloured tile or glass

Mosaic floors were common in the ancient Roman empire.

'mosaic' also means: a society of people of different colours, for example, red, white, brown, black, yellow

loose cannon

Expression: He's a loose cannon. --- means: He says stupid, rude things without thinking.

This expression comes from the days when cannon were used on wooden navy ships. Usually the cannon were nailed down to the decks of the ships. If a cannon came loose, it was dangerous because it might shoot crewmen of its own ship.

hemisphere

This is a planetarium, a building where people see images of the stars projected on the ceiling. The roof is a hemisphere, from the Greek words "hemi" (half) and sphere (ball shape). We also talk about the western hemisphere (North and South America) and the eastern hemisphere (Europe, Africa and Asia) or the northern hemisphere (the countries above the equator) and the southern hemisphere (where it is summer when the north has winter), like Australia and Brazil.

long weekend

It's a long weekend because Good Friday is a statutory holiday.

Easter Monday is not a statutory holiday, but government employees get the day off.

Good Friday

Good Friday (the Friday of Easter weekend) is a statutory holiday. Workplaces are closed. I went for a walk.

St. Andy's Arch

Monument to Firemen

Monument to Policemen

and women

CONDO

There's a lot of new condos going up everywhere, but they're very expensive.

'Condo' is short for 'condominium'.

A condomnium is an apartment that you buy, instead of renting.