I truly cannot believe that you didn't know that many countries in the world (including the Western-style countries of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and countries in Africa, Aisa and the South Pacific) belong to the British Commonwealth. Many recognise the Queen of England as a creremonial head of stste. We have a completely different system of democracy from the one you have in the US, based on what is called the Westminster system (from the UK).

Why do Americans so often think whole world follows their systems? Oh, of course, i forgot, becus\ase they are the best. Of course.

Sheesh!

M-H expat kiwi in Aus (if you can figure that out)Mary-Helen Ward [mhw@mira.net]

Cleo, cool about your grandparents. What a great story to have in the family. My family on my mom's side traces back to Kaiser Wilhelm--I'd rather have your story. :)

PM is raising Di's love child? I thought PM had a hot affair with Major James Hewitt, stealing him away from Di. So tell us, PM..was he really Major? Or rather minor?

Sandy, I knew that Queen Elizabeth was on Canadian money, but never had a clue why. I figured Canada was led by its Prime Minister. I'm probably just showing my American ignorance here...Kim [gibknits@earthlink.net]

Man, what school did you go to?!? Don't you remember Princess Di's visit to Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police debacle? PM is raising Di's love child. You didn't know?Kerstin

Of course there's a Queen in Canada. All countries belonging to the Commonwealth (previous England colonies) have the same Queen, although Australia is considering ditching her.
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/dynamic/Country.asp
She adorns our money http://www.mint.ca/en/index_home2

And we sometimes get a visit. My grandparents dined with King George during a royal visit. The family still talks about it.Cleo

Well, thank you for the Canadian history lesson. I feel I've had a successful day and learned something new today!
Kerstin, No, I do not remember the debaucle. Maybe I was too young. Oh ya! We're the same age. Oh, actually I think you are younger. Details, details....
Cleo, that is a great story! thanks for sharing it and the great links here. I will educate myself further!
Kim, thank you for joining the ignorance train. I guess us americans are kind of self absorbed, oui?
Ginny and Krista Jo, great explanations. I knew I could count on you canucks for some insight!
Carolyn and Leah, that is a great word. And true today. Swatch? Oh, I've done one, a long time ago. Someone made me. I know....don't come crying to you when I can smooch 2 doesn;t fit me, right?
Chrissy, chrissy, chrissy....you've been leaving me clues all day, just getting my curiosity peaked. Thanks for that !
and Tiffany....I'm glad you figured it all out. Helpful, wasn't I?? not! Kind of mean for the queen to go speeding by the little singing kids, isn't it? Has she no manners??
Thanks to all....sandy [ashurley@attbi.com]

I did figure it out after all 4sts/5.5rows per inch. It just wasn't 'splained very well Lucy... and some of us fumble with lack of sleep from still getting up to feed the little one in the wee hours... trying to find my marbles.

Canada is one of those Commonwealth-Countries. I remember one day in elementary school we lined the boulevard holding Canadian flags in our little hands while the Queen drove by in this dashing black shiny car that had flags in the front. We used to sing "God Save the Queen" in elementary school. We sang in Choir for Charlie and Di once. The Queen is on quite a bit of our money too!
Visit me @ http://knittingiamaprincessdamnit.blogspot.com/

Well you may be swatchless but at least you're not witless. And you do have all those lovely jewels you stole from the guest site tiara! Hey, PM has her own jeweled tiara from a past post, you could make a killing from those babies!

Canada IS run by the Prime Minister. The Queen is simply the Head of State. She doesn't run England, either! Canada is a former British Colony, hence the Queen. The United States was also a British Colony, but became independent by fighting the British, so... no Queen. Your President is also your Head of State (which I feel invests an elected official with too much patriotic symbolism). The Queen (Queen Elizabeth II) does not live in Canada. She lives in England. Since the Queen doesn't hang out in Canada very often, the Governor-General (Adrienne Clarkson, at the moment), a Canadian, takes over her duties, which are basically ceremonial, in her absence.Krista Jo [knit_wits@hotmail.com]

on a much lighter note 'goofus' is a lovely word and i shall steal it immediately. off i go, word in my pocket, sly look in my eye. . . and i won't even mention my hair!Leah

Yep... we have a Queen. She's more a symbolic position than an actual authority figure. That's why we have Jean Chretien dithering around in Parliament for us... he's very good at bumbling.Ginny [gareid@wightman.ca]

you are such a goofus! it means that over one inch you should have 4 stitchs and over one inch you should have 5.5 rows. but you should never really count your gauge over just one in ch as it'll likely not be consistent. that's why you count over 4. but it's just giving you the breakdown in case you're mathematically challenged and can't figure it out. :)carolyn [carolyn@prettyposies.com]