Holidays...

I've been a slack poster...because I've been holidaying.  It has been great seeing people, reconnecting, and eating Canadian food again.

What have I missed?  Honey...I like Canadian honey better.  Avocados- I like Chilean avocados best.  Food highlights for me?  Food courts are more fun in Canada!  Sushi from Park Royal (which the kids -and I- have been starting and self-correcting the impulse to say par-kay roy-al-complete with rolling "r" because the mall in Santiago is Parque Arauco-which ends up sounding like par-kay...the ay leads directly into the rau-koh sound).  Indian food from the Halima Grill in the Capilano Mall food court.  Tim Hortons in, well, everywhere--Pearson airport, highway stops from Vancouver to Saskatoon, and in PA.  My niece and nephew also have big love for Timbits, so it was fun watching them get excited over it too!

I've been trying lots of the gluten free treats here, but I think they still have too many ingredients for me.  I need to simplify again--once I finish the box of chocolate chunk cookies.  I've found the great smoothies again at Superstore, Arthur's Farm and Happy Planet green and purple varieties...and I've been to the Costco.  Yes, THE Costco.  (That's there for my traveling Canadian friends...we salivate over Costco finds when we're in Santiago-and then we laugh, and then we salivate some more!).

Clothes have been ever-so-friendly here...and the sizes are a hoot!  I've been shopping in unfamiliar sizes in Santiago, so it's been great fun seeing the much smaller sizes I've returned to here.  And they fit better, because I'm very short from the shoulder to the waist, so the smaller sizes are better with less length, and the fitting room is a happy place.  The visa though...pretty hard worker these days!  I've found great deals...like workout wear at Costco - practically free!  Basics in great fabrics from Mark's...nearly free as well- seriously, 2.25 for tanks, because I found a great sale. 

I can justify anything...warmer wear for the winter we're heading back to, summer wear for now, and the summer that will follow the winter we're heading back to--it's fantastic!  I've been quite disciplined, sticking to my policy of "love it or leave it on the rack".  I am now the happy wearer of white jeans, which I have previously eschewed...  I do have a few papers for the scrapbooks though...you know, just in case I don't have the exact right shade on my desk at home.

What else have I been at?  Mostly just having great visits with friends and family...little fitness when I can manage it, more would be better of course.  I think I bugged out my neck again though...will seek chiro care in S'toon so I'm not too bent out of shape. 

With Jeff making another pass through Canada before we go, I'll be carefully weighing out how much maple syrup and molasses he can carry.  And-the following story has been a running joke between he and I for about 14 months now.  "Do you want me to bring anything back for you?" and I answer "a two drawer filing cabinet would be nice".  Every trip, same exchange.  Guess what I bought and filled?

It's breakfast upstairs now that the kids are awake, so I'll say bye, chao, and au revoir!