Saturday, May 31, 2008

Candy, Enchiladas and Canadians

I took the kids grocery shopping this morning because Ted has now caught Tessi's stomach virus. Figured it would be less painful to drag 3 kids through Woolworth's - the grocery store, not the 5 & Dime store we grew up with in the States - than to drag them off of a sick Ted. Not too bad, we got through fairly unscathed, although one issue was my fault. I needed jelly and that made me turn down the candy isle. Connor, in her neverending quest to be subtle, asks, "What's that?" I cleverly reply, "Candy, and you know that perfectly well and no, you aren't getting any" This leads to the 5 stages of grief:
Denial: "NO Mommy, You say yes!."
Anger: "Why No? I don't love you!!"
Bargaining: "I'll share with my sister...not Teddy, cause he's a boy"
Depression: "I'm very sad right now"
Acceptance: "Hmph!
Fortunately Connor is able to do all of this while walking so I just let her go. This entertains her through 2 more isles. But I do accept that the moment I realized that we were in the candy isle there was going to be a fight and that fight was my fault.
I don't take the kids shopping that often for obvious reasons. When we do go, it's a little humorous though because I can see people taking a a double-take when they hear me speak and realize that we aren't from here. That was very evident today when I realized that I couldn't buy enchilada mix here. I have used up the last of the packets of mix that I brought with us and I thought I could buy more and like the taco seasoning, just pay a ridiculous price. Nope. Don't have it. As I stood there grumbling out loud a passerby heard me and said, "Oh you're Canadian?" Everyone here asks if you're Canadian first, because apparently many Canadians get really mad about being mislabeled an American. As soon as I learned that pearl I started responding, "No, I can pronounce my O's, thank you" I am WAITING for the first Canadian to get pissed about that one...
So now I'm pushing the cart down the isle, Connor still grieving, dragging the other two along only now...I've got the Canadian National Anthem stuck in my mind. It's not fair, I wasn't even supposed to be there today. Get better Ted!