What I Miss . . .

. . . the most over here:

One of my uncles recently asked my mom to ask me this question . . . as I approach my 3rd year anniversary and the start of my 4th in Africa, I thought this was a timely question and a fun blog post!

My answer to this question might vary from time to time based on the season or happenings in my life, but I will try to cover my "Top 10" (though, given my long-windedness - yes Uncle Ken, I still love to talk! - my list may be longer than 10! In an effort to keep the list manageable - certain grouping of items (with clarification) will be done as well. So, here goes:

1. It goes without saying that the top of my list is family and friends!!

Well, it apparently needed saying, because my immediate family has "threated" me on facebook that they had better top my list!! But, all jokes aside, it is indeed family and friends who top my list of what I miss!

Sub-categories:

Playing with my nieces: Madelynn and Michella!

Going to the farm in Saskatchewan

Going to the cabin in BC with my parents, brother & his family

2. Pepsi . . . this item may have been forgotten from the list were it not for the reminder of my sister-in-law! However, since about my second year, Pepsi is on occasion imported into the country - so I do get my Pepsi fix in from time to time!

3. Summer Fruits - I've never been a huge fan of apples and bananas, even back home I lived for summer fruits: strawberries, raspberries, peaches, nanking cherries, crab apples.

4. Rhubarb - though a summer fruit, rhubarb demands a category all of it's own - because with rhubarb comes: rhubarb pie, rhubarb juice, rhubarb jelly and the joy of a fresh and wonderfully sour stalk of rhubarb pulled straight out of the ground!

5. Ease of:

a. cooking - cooking out here just seems to take so much more time than at home.

b. shopping - getting to any of the grocery stores and vegetable stands is out of my way . . . no more stopping at Safeway on the way home from work! The other day, I spent 1.5 hours on grocery shopping - driving to three stores and two vegetable stands to get everything on my list!

c. hospitality - this is tied to ease of cooking and ease of shopping. It takes a lot more prep work to host a group of people at my house for the day. To those on facebook, over the holidays - you saw my list: I miss M&M meatballs, tart shells, pre-packaged snacks (like nuts & bolts).

(Though, admittedly, I do remember taking a half-day off work back home to prepare an Indian supper (all from scratch) for 12 at my apartment once. So, I suppose that maybe I just need to learn to be more efficient in my pre-party prep work!)

6. Not needing to prep my food between purchase and cooking . . . I miss:

a. not having to bleach vegetables

b. not having to wash eggs

c. not having to freeze and sift flour before use

7. Fast Food or Drive-Thru:

Yes, I admit, I miss this!

I miss a good old Tim Horton's XL double-double the most! But, I also miss my once or twice a year McDonald's Big Mac. I miss A&W onion rings and bacon 'n eggers. I miss Papa John's pizza. I miss food courts in malls - ginger beef, sushi, japenese stir fries. I miss the turtle blizzard at Dairy Queen . . . this list could go on and on.

Aside from the Tim Horton's XL double double, which I am addicted to - I suppose the biggest reason why I miss fast food (for fast food was not by any means a habit) is for the simplicity or option of finding ready-made food on the days I was too tired to cook!

And lest you think it is all about food - though, we often sit around and talk about the food we miss . . . it does seem to be a prevailing theme out here!! . . . A little variety to my list:

8. Variety of:

a. restaurant choice - here, it is only lebanese cuisine, chinese food (not the same as back home), or a few plate options of French cuisine.

The biggies I miss?? : Ginger Beef, BPs perogy pizza and my favourite salad, Swiss Chalet rotiserie chicken, Tony Roma's BBQ ribs.

Ok - well that one still had to do with food . . . but bear with me - "variety" has a few sub-categories!

b.entertainment options

c. exercise options

d. chocolate - though, I do have a fairly decent European chocolate selection here . . . I miss the variety of Canadian chocolate bars!

OOPS - and the food again!

e. tv shows - yes, I admit to missing tv. Though, on the other side - I have to also admit that missing this is probably a good thing in my life!

9. "New" - this is also somewhat tied to the "ease of" category:

I miss the ease of purchasing new books, music, dvds, etc... Of hearing of a new novel and being able to go out and buy it. Of wanting a new Bible study to do and needing to wait months (ok - at least this time around, I am waiting 2 days, but that is rare!) until someone can bring it out.

Reading has always been a huge part of my life . . . I miss the books that I left in boxes back home. I miss having new books by my favourite authors and books to experiment with in searching for new authors.

Music also tops the list - I love music . . . I love new music. I have been listening to the same 50 odd CDs that I brought along (and appreciate the gifts of CDs that have been sent). I especially miss all the new worship songs that I know are being written and I have not yet heard!

I know . . . I know - there is itunes, but I am not really technically savy and I haven't figured that whole thing out yet. So, I am still fairly old school in my music enjoyment.

10. I miss the fellowship and teaching of my home church. I miss all my friends that I caught up with over coffee before and after the service. I miss planning and helping out with the conferences highlight international work . . . heheh, now I'm just living it!

Well, I guess I did manage to 'keep' the list somewhat to a Top 10!! . . . Though, there are a few stragglers that did not seem to fit a category:

Eggnog - mmm, mmm good stuff. Yes, I miss eggnog. I miss mixing fun stuff in my eggnog with my eggnog friends. And I miss eggnog lattes at Starbucks!

KFC nights - I miss playing ROOK for hours and hours (days . . ) on end with my KFC friends!

Nacho Cheese sauce

Watching: Amazing Race and Gaither Videos with my parents

Scrapbooking - scrapbooking weekends and shopping for scrapbooking supplies

Certain meat options - or at least 'guilt free' meat options - though available here to a certain degree, I miss: pork roast, ham roast, ribs and bacon (particularly pre-cooked and crumbled bacon in a package!)

Hot Springs - Banff hot springs, Radium hot springs . . . really hot tubs in general. I just have a new kind of hot here with hot season!

SNOW . . . Now, before everyone back home tries to throw a snowball over the ocean (yes, I am following the news of the huge snow fall records!). I will clarify this 'miss' with a few points:

a. I don't miss the -30 or -40 that comes with the snow . . .

b. I really just miss the beauty of looking at the snow from inside.

c. Though, I do miss the soft feel of a nice fluffy lazy snowfall.

d. And I also miss the beauty of hoar frost (though not the task to scraping it off my car!)

. . . . AND please feel free to mock me and remind me of these words in 2 years when I am home and bitterly complaining of how cold I am!!

I suppose that I could probably keep adding, but I will cut my list off here for now.

And, stay tuned for the next installment in honour of my anniversary: What I've Gained in Living Here!