July 08, 2003

Wallyworld, Here We Come

Our plane tickets arrived in the mail yesterday. The kids and I will be spending almost five weeks in the States, Han will join us for the last two. The minute I recognized the envelope as holding the tickets, I went into Henny-Penny mode : we leave in three weeks ! Oh me ! Oh my !

Mike and Sally remember our trips to the States well enough, but now I have begun refreshing Meg's memory. You just can't wake up a three year old one day and say come on, we are going to the States. We talk about the things that we do when we are in the States , favorite being a trip to Wallyworld. About going to the lake in the afternoons ( here I mention the names of the relatives, so that when she sees them, they won't really be strangers), about the different birds ( cardinals, hummingbirds) and animals ( chipmunks, raccoons, squirrels) in Grandpa and Grandma's yard.

We talk about the foods that we like in America ( top on the list : hot dogs and marshmallows), things that Grandma makes that are special favorites ( cookies, her potatoes, cheesecake and pecan pie) and how America has the best ice cream in the world.

We plan what gifts to bring everyone ( coffee cups that have ' Oma 'and ' Opa' on them, boxes of Leonidas chocolate, cookies and coffee for Grandpa), what we shall take, what we shall buy while there.

Ah, what we shall buy while we are there... do you know the best part about traveling with three kids ? You have a luggage allowance with no end. We could- if we wanted to- travel with 10 footlockers of booty, and come pretty close to doing so.

What do I buy ? Top on the list : sheets, all those lovely American sheets that one doesn't have to iron. Fluffy towels, a rainbow of colors to choose from. Lamps ( believe it or not), chunky peanut butter, Miracle Whip, bags of chocolate chips. Printed t-shirts for Mike, sneakers all around, socks, socks, socks.

I like shopping. This will be fun.

Posted by sue at July 8, 2003 11:21 AM
Comments

Definitely socks.

Posted by: Eeksy-Peeksy at July 8, 2003 11:33 AM

Plenty of socks.

Posted by: Mig at July 8, 2003 12:29 PM

And limes....

Posted by: Brian at July 8, 2003 03:16 PM

Socks? Can someone explain?

Posted by: David (TEFL Smiler) at July 9, 2003 03:14 AM

Mr TEFL Smiler probably comes from a land where you can take good socks for granted. Not here, pal. I'd be tempted to knit my own, but I can barely knit my brows.

Posted by: Eeksy-Peeksy at July 9, 2003 05:27 AM

Indeed, Brian, limes. Or maybe some of that lime-in-a-bottle stuff. Have you ever tried that ? Is it close to 'real '?

Posted by: sue at July 9, 2003 06:45 AM

David, the socks here just breed holes within days. I'm constantly buying socks, pairs and pairs and pairs, for our three kids.

I myself gave up on socks once I realised that sweet little anklets were about all that was available for me.

Posted by: sue at July 9, 2003 06:48 AM

I brought back 30 pairs of anklets on my last trip to the US.

(For the women in my life.)

Posted by: Mig at July 9, 2003 07:19 AM

OK, I get it! Right - as a typical Brit I've always bought such things from Marks and Spencer's on trips back to the UK. The exception was when I lived in Finland, when I presumed (correctly) that they'd know more about suitable clothing for their climate.

Posted by: David (TEFL Smiler) at July 10, 2003 02:22 PM