Milk in bags and other oddities

Well, this is it. We've been here for a year. This time last year, Max was finishing his first week of school and I had just figured out that there was a branch of our bank tucked behind the grocery store. Last week I got caught on Upper Middle Rd behind a nasty accident scene. I was able to navigate myself to my destination without getting lost. For those of you who know me (I'm directionally challenged), that is quite an accomplishment.

What have I adjusted to in the last year? First off- the milk up here comes in bags. Each bag holds milk in 3 smaller bags for a total of 4 litres. You clip the edge off of the bag and tuck it into a pitcher. Not too much of a big deal, but you do have to figure out how to keep the extra bags from falling over in the fridge!

Some of our other adjustments are good ones. It's kind of hard not to run into a Tim Horton's up here. Timmy's, as we call it, is a coffee and donut shop. There are 23 Timmy's in the town where we live. I got turned around in the neighboring town a while back. I turned into a Timmy's to turn around, got going in the right direction and saw yet another Timmy's in front of me. Up here, you go "for a coffee." Even better, you can buy the coffee and brew it yourself at home. For Craig, that means he can get his "Timmy's fix" before he leaves the house. Before he has to drive a whole 1/2 mile to the nearest Tim's.



Another one of our favorite things up here is Canadian beer. You can buy Canadian beer in the states, but it is not the same. For one thing, the alcohol volume up here is higher. (gotta love that) We drink Molson's Canadian when we are flush and Laker Honey Lager when we're broke. Both are fabulous beers. I acquired a taste for Canadian beer at the ripe old age of 4. As a child, I spent my summers up here in Orillia, on Lake Simcoe. We have family friends who have a cottage up here. "The dads" would clean fish down by the lake. That was their job. Our job? Get "the dads" a beer. This was before twist off caps. I had to open the beer on the porch. Then, I had to swig a bit to make sure I didn't spill it on the short trot back to the fish-cleaning station!

Only downside to all this beer and coffee? Between all those mochas and all that beer, I gained almost 20 pounds between February and July of last year. Thanks to my personal trainer and lots of salads, I took most of it back off. Fortunately, we have lots of walking paths and fresh produce up here. A plus? The dog is in better shape as well. I'll update you on him another day.

Another change is road signs. I'll have to get a photo of it, but I crack up every time I pass a sign that indicates that road will narrow from 2 lanes into one. In the states, you see a sign that says "merge". Boy, that's nice. O.K. The signs up here, urge you to "squeeze left". Squeeze left, O.K., I can do that. You betcha. That's an example of kinder, gentler society. Merge or squeeze left, which would you rather do?