So...
it's March.
I'm back in zee Alpes
after three weeks on the West Coast of Canada.
after three weeks on the West Coast of Canada.
Since arriving in France on Wednesday night,
I've been battling jetlag {ugh},
trying to get back into a routine {double ugh},
tidying up {triple ugh}
& - oh joy! - unpacking.
***
Did you ever play the "suitcase game" when you were a kid?
My siblings & I used to play it in the car during long drives.
Even now, I break it out in my ESL classes once in a while
{when I feel like being "the fun teacher".}
{when I feel like being "the fun teacher".}
Basically, it's a memory game that involves
making an alphabetical list
of things in a suitcase:
Person 1: I'm packing my suitcase and I'm taking an ALARM CLOCK.
Person 2: I'm packing my suitcase and I'm taking
an ALARM CLOCK & a BEACH TOWEL.
Person 3: I'm packing my suitcase and I'm taking
an ALARM CLOCK, a BEACH TOWEL & a CD.
{You get the idea, n'est-ce pas?}
***
While unpacking, I thought it would be fun to play "the suitcase game"
& show you what I brought back from Canada.
{You get the idea, n'est-ce pas?}
***
While unpacking, I thought it would be fun to play "the suitcase game"
& show you what I brought back from Canada.
Red Rose tea
While France has lots of tea, there's nothing here
nearly strong enough for my morning cuppa.
Echinaecea
France is the land of pharmacies-on-every-corner,
yet they don't know about popping a few of these to ward off colds.
Acetaminophen
This exists in France {it's called "Paracetamol" here}
but good luck finding such a huge package.
{Merci, Costco!}
Molasses
I've been looking for this in French supermarkets
& health food stores for a while now, to no avail.
I see some gingersnap cookies in my near future!
Earl Grey tea
Will go well with those gingersnaps, non?
Canned pumpkin
Because you just never know
when you might have a sudden craving for pumpkin pie.
Nice big container of baking powder
It's available in France, of course,
but sold in teeny individual-dose envelopes.
Call me picky, but that's just annoying.
Syrups
Blueberry & maple.
I'm all set for Pancake Day next week!
Chocolate chips & cinnamon
I can buy both those things in France,
but chocolate chips are super expensive here (why??!)
& spices come in puny NON-Costco-sized containers.
{That big thing of cinnamon = a heck of a lot of gingersnaps!}
***
So it looks like me & my Canadian goodies
have a lot of baking & drinking tea to do.
{Hopefully no headaches or sniffles, though...}
***
Now quick!
Close this window &
tell me what I packed in my suitcase.
Extra points if you can list everything in alphabetical order!
Ready? Set? Go!
Okay, here goes!
ReplyDeletePeanut butter {which you didn't mention but I noticed right away because I brought you two jars that summer I came to visit!}, molasses, cinnamon, canned pumpkin, chocolate chips, Red Rose tea and Earl Grey tea {for making London Fogs}, baking powder, echinacea, acetaminophen, maple syrup and another kind {raspberry? blueberry?} and Craisins {which you also didn't mention but YUM... I love Craisins}
How did I do? I'm usually pretty good at games like that.
Wow, that was one full suitcase! Wish I could come by to drink tea and bake gingersnaps with you. Someday... In the meantime, I just so glad for all that girl time we did manage to get! That mousse you made was delicious, by the way.
Tu me manques.
xoxo
Well done, Erin!
ReplyDelete{I can't believe I forgot to list the peanut butter & the Craisins! I blame jetlag. Still, it's strange, especially because they were the reasons my suitcase was just a teeny bit too heavy - ok, a few kilos too heavy - at check-in!}
Yes, the girl time in Victoria and Kits was fabulous. But when we finally sit in my kitchen en France, drink tea & nibble on something delicious? That will be beyond great.
XOXO!
Your blog version of the suitcase game would be easier for me if you listed the things in alphabetical order to start with. The photo was very colorful and well organized, I thought. Perhaps a career in ad photography is in your future?
ReplyDeletehey there! It's Crystal, a fellow Canadian in France popping over from my blog to yours! I had to laugh when I saw the compulsory "this is what I brought back in my suitcase from the motherland" photo. I must have about 6 or 7 like that in my blog archives. That can of yellow and brown baking soda? Check. I have the exact one on my pantry shelf. Maple syrup? Check. Any self respecting Canadian has that, no matter where we live. Chocolate chips? Sadly, no. I ran out and have to wait til the next trip back to Ontario to stock up on Nestle and Tollhouse goodness.
ReplyDeleteHopefully see you in Annecy one day soon ;)
You ladies make me smile. (No, laugh!) Thanks for these lovely blog posts. Yes, I've taken the very same photos! Even some of the same ingredients made it onto my list, and for the same reasons.
ReplyDeleteI realised I was truly becoming Canadian when I returned to Africa for a 6-week trip last year and took maple syrup back with me, but then didn't pack my usual goodies from "home" on the return journey to Alberta. (My sister more than made up for any space I saved in my suitcase, though, by weighing me down with gifts!)
Welcome home, eh?