We started out our Saturday morning with a trip to the most
incredible farmers’ market I had ever been to. Sterling’s co-workers told us that it was in the middle of a
field. It was definitely in the middle of a field. We had so much fun sampling everything
from homemade Turkish delight, plum-infused vinegar and cinnamon-covered
almonds to Belgian waffles, fresh feta, and homemade herbed sausages. Somehow we ended talking with the woman who grows olives for the olive oil for about 20 minutes. She told us that she lived in Seattle and was very proud of the fact that she went to the
first Costco and Starbuck's while she was there. We all have our claims to fame, I suppose :) The
man who sold us flowers grew up in Arlington. (And today I met a man at church who grew up in the Oak
Hills 4th Ward with Clayne Robison as his Young Men’s leader and
went to Provo High!) Small world,
huh? Sterling and I didn’t make it
out of the farmers' market without doing some damage: Without realizing it, we ended up at our car to go home with rose-flavored Turkish delight, rhubarb-ginger jam, garlic + herb
homemade sausages, leek, rhubarb, and some beautiful exotic looking
flowers. See?
So happy with our market treasures! |
National Botanic Gardens. Sterling was trying to capture me being all natural in nature. Then I just felt self-conscious! |
Kangaroo at the Botanic Gardens |
The Hotel Never Said We Couldn't
In the evening, we attended the unofficial ward Halloween party put on by an American family from Maryland. On the invitation it said that there would be a costume contest, so we thought people were going to dress up. (Turns out that only 2 adults, including the hostess actually did!) We wanted to be thrifty and prudent in our costume endeavors so we simply took the sheets off of our hotel bed to make our togas. The hotel never said we couldn't! Fortunately, we were able to get out of the hotel without the front desk people catching us! We didn’t have time to complete our costumes the way we wanted to, but don’t worry! There is another party on Wednesday, so stay tuned for photos of the real deal! Here’s what we were able to put together for the party Saturday. (Fortunately, we didn't spill any chili from the party on our sheets. Housekeeping would have loved that!)
In the evening, we attended the unofficial ward Halloween party put on by an American family from Maryland. On the invitation it said that there would be a costume contest, so we thought people were going to dress up. (Turns out that only 2 adults, including the hostess actually did!) We wanted to be thrifty and prudent in our costume endeavors so we simply took the sheets off of our hotel bed to make our togas. The hotel never said we couldn't! Fortunately, we were able to get out of the hotel without the front desk people catching us! We didn’t have time to complete our costumes the way we wanted to, but don’t worry! There is another party on Wednesday, so stay tuned for photos of the real deal! Here’s what we were able to put together for the party Saturday. (Fortunately, we didn't spill any chili from the party on our sheets. Housekeeping would have loved that!)
Venus and Cupid before the party. |
Baby Cupid |
Zeus and Cupid going to the party! |
Social Savvy-ness
It is pretty obvious that I am not from around Canberra as
soon as I open my mouth. But, in
case people ever assume that I know how things work around here, I have a few
recent incidences to remove all doubt that I am a foreigner. Here are a few of my socially awkward
moments.
11)
Aldi.
Many of you may be familiar with this gem
of a grocery store. Now, the
quality isn’t that red-hot, but the prices are pretty great. So, sometimes we shop there. The other day, I went there to get some
stuff. Now I have to shove everything
underneath the stroller as I shop because I can’t push a stroller and cart. So, I get to the check-out, reach underneath the stroller in
a skirt (which I’m sure was really attractive) and put each item on the
belt. I always feel like I have
million more things than the person behind me. People here must go shopping everyday—or not eat. I like to make the most of my shopping
trips, so I like to fill up every space under the stroller with food. The cashier rings everything up
including the Nutella-filled chocolate cereal, the roasted tomato pesto, and
over-priced chicken. My credit
card doesn’t work. I try it
again. Declined. Declined. Declined three stinkin’ times. Then I try my debit card. Declined.
By now I am feeling pretty cool.
Everyone is waiting for the American with way too much food to check
out. I tell him sorry and leave
all of my food on the tiny little counter for him to deal with. Now I have to see the same guy every time
I go to Aldi. I honestly try to
avoid him because I feel so silly… (Turns out that we forgot to tell the credit
card company that we would be out of the country, so there was a block on my
cards. Lame.)
2)
Lincraft
Lincraft, is the craftstore jackpot, in case you were wondering. So, I went to pick up some Halloween costume accessories
there. I had to get stuff like gold cord to put around our togas,
and some sort of something to make into armbands, and material to make a
“Cupid” sash for Cora. Really
important things, right?! You
seamstresses out there know that if you need a yard (or in this case, metre) of
a fabric or trim, you take it up to the cutting counter. I took my little bolts of cords,
trimming and bra elastic (to hold Cora’s Cupid wings on) to the cutting
counter. The nice woman at the
counter asked me how much I wanted of each thing. I told her. She
cut them. I was feeling good about
life and Halloween, in general.
Then I forgot something, so she helped the next person in line while I
went to go grab it. At this point
Cora is fussy and I was tired. I
got back to the counter. Then I
waited for her to finish cutting my things. She was done.
Then she just looked at me.
I looked at her. She looked
at me. I was waiting for her to
print out the receipts for each item so I could take them to the cashier. She looked at me some more. Turns out that you pay for everything
at the cutting counter. Again, I
can’t go anywhere without making things way more complicated and having
everyone know that I can’t competently
exist in a complex society like Canberra.
3 3)
The bus.
I ventured out with Cora to the National
Museum of Australia on Tuesday.
This required that we figure out the bus system. I did my research. Figured out where to get my reloadable
fare card, where to pick up the bus, and everything. Bus #7 came exactly when and where it was supposed to, but I
just looked at the bus entrance and there was no way the stroller was going to
fit inside. Fortunately, the bus
driver was so nice. He got out of
his seat. He carried Cora in her
carseat while I broke down the stroller, making everyone wait—again. I plopped Cora down on the floor (still
in her carseat, don’t worry!) and I tried to swipe my fare card under the black
box next to the driver’s seat. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Did I
not get the right fare card? The
driver smiled and showed me where to swipe my card. It wasn’t by the black box at all. I smiled. Sat
down and tried to avoid eye contact with the woman sitting directly across from
me. Yes, I am an American with a
big old stroller that makes everyone wait for me and I have no idea how to use
your sophisticated bus fare thing.
I’m learning. Please be
patient with me J
Grease and Sugar
Sterling and I are pretty lucky people for lots of
reasons. One of those reasons
happens to be that we live above a McDonald’s and across the street from a 7-11 here in Canberra. I still can’t quite figure out this
part of Sterling’s personality, but he absolutely loves McDonald’s. A lot. I think it is because he lived in Asia for so long and it
has many fond memories associated with it there. If you know Sterling, you would probably agree with me that
he is a fit, relatively health conscious guy with a sophisticated palette. I can’t explain it.
I’m not a huge McDonald’s fan, but I am a huge Slurpee fan.
First of all, the word is fun to say. Secondly, it’s fun to put the plastic dome top on a Slurpee
cup and fill it up until it starts to overflow. And lastly, it’s a joy to watch the
colors in my cup melt into a brown, sticky mess. When I was pregnant this last summer, there was nothing that
tasted better to me than a Slurpee.
One night in June, we went to 7-11 and I pulled out the Big Gulp size
while Sterling went for the much more moderate amount. The cashier was surprised when he
realized that the huge one was for me.
And before we sign off, here are a few more photos for the grandparents. We realize that not everyone wants to see dozens of photos of Cora--they are pretty cute, though :)
Cora's lounging pose. |
Ready to go! |
Cora tends to like to eat her fingers... |
What an adorable little Cupid! Also, Bren, you look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI love this! I would have done EXACTLY the same thing at the cutting counter at the craft store! Don't they know that's not the best way? Also, it is hilarious to me that Sterling loves McDonald's. So unexpected from him.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so resourceful, love the costumes! I also love the photos of you in front of the National Botanic Gardens- stunning!
ReplyDeletexo Ashley
chashh.blogspot.com