North Country Nicknames

This summer Michaelene and I stayed for a week with my parents up on Chateaugay Lake. It was her first true visit to the lake, with the exception of one boat ride four years ago. I got to see and do just about everything I'd put on my 'To do' list before leaving. We took the canoe out (with Oscar aboard) to picnic on the island. I took the kayak up the South Inlet and Owlyout Creek as far as I could go. I went fishing with my dad and also went out to see the Indian burial mounds I'd been told about. We also went up to visit my Aunt Maggie and to see her horses. While there, Michaelene pointed out something that I guess I'd never really noticed: the fact that almost everybody in the North Country has a nickname. I started thinking about it, and she was right. (Although, the only real nickname I've ever had was given to me at college in Ithaca) So I decided to sit down and make a list of all the nicknames I could think of. Between my father and me, this is what we came up with:

Family members (12):
Uncle Bubby
Uncle Tiny Gilmore
Aunt Huldy Gilmore
Aunt Tootsie
Dooger
Frog
Poncho
Rib Pageau
Buddy Pageau
Red Perreault
Wedge Trombley
Wheels

People I went to school with (36):
Buddy
Beaver
Pecker
Wheels
Fudd
Flash Bosley
Pudge
Iggy Yanulavich
Chickenhead
Poundcake
Bushwhacker
Hambone
Buckshot
Gebo (it's not his name)
Jonas Magee (also not his name)
Guido
Skeeter
Skippy
Popa
Beavis
Psycho
Pickles
Mini Robare
Chester
Choo LaClair
Choo choo Forkey
Filbert
Bubblehead
Booger
Tank
Willow
Half pint
Boots
Wheezy
Tiny
Chia

Other people (40):
Vess Pivetta
Slavin Chase
Zippy
Peanut
Bighead
Toto
Bear
Wacker
Bonhomme
Birddog
Snake
Gump
Plink Terasavich
Frenchie Martin
Flip Brunell
Prune Brunell
Nubby O'Connell
Crusher O'Connell
Duck Manor
Crow Manor
Goose Manor
Crab Abbott
Skeeter Thompson
Jumbo Sorrell
Chewie Sorrell
Bimbo Woods
Pecor Bessett
Frenchie Siskavich
Duke Chase
Porky Bingel
Henny Penny Chase
Bugs Chase
Bubbick Golovach
Huck Chase
Hoss Manor
Pip LaFountain
Jungle Jim Lacey
P-eye Perry
Foxy Gagnon
Goose Gagnon


Those were just the ones we could come up with, without thinking too hard. There are probably more that we've missed, but that's 88 so far. Keep in mind that the combined population of Ellenburg, Lyon Mountain, and Altona, where most of these people live(d), is only about 5,000 people.