THE SHIPMENT! Therein lies hours of planning, hours of shopping and hours of dreaming. Don’t be fooled. We could care less about most of the contents… except THE FOOD. The food, the food, the wonderful food. Poor little boxes, cans and bags of food patiently awaiting to fulfill their destiny of providing simple satisfaction and ohhs and awwws to this very hungry family.
I make it sound desperate but it’s really not that bad. I’d say it’s more like we are the Lindsay Lohan’s of food rehab. Do you think she could cold-turkey habits that make her feel amazing for 5 weeks without cravings and slight fall-backs? But she’ll make you think it’s not that bad either. Ok, poor analogy – the girls doesn’t eat and she’s a bad, bad girl, but you get the point.
So yesterday, September 4th, exactly 33 days after our arrival in Shanghai, 35 days after the boxes arrived at port and 47 days after we furiously packed and shipped, our boxes (83 small ones in all) ARRIVED! It was better than Christmas. Imagine our surprise to open more than half to repeat “huh???”, another quarter with “I can do something with this” and the last quarter- the food – with “GOD BLESS THE FOOD”!
We spent hours ripping open boxes to hug and squeeze and kiss each strangely familiar item. Our favorite? Captain Crunchberry. Our second favorite (three of us anyway) – masses of Tampax. They’re about as readily available over here as fresh cow milk (translate to NONE). The parmesan cheese took the biggest beating. It appears the heat and humidity for 35 days takes its toll and the jar was more than half empty – although sealed. There’s a science project for you.
Now Jon and I spend our time patrolling the cupboards, using subtle threats and peeking in the garbage to make sure none of the golden American food is thrown out.
I am sorry to say though the Captain Crunchberry is too sweet and the Velveeta/Hormel chili chip dip upsets the stomach. After 33 days in this country – they wreaked havoc on our stomach at the start and won again in the end.
WE WILL SURVIVE!
Daily Myth Solver – The Nicholas’ have will power. It sounds good but we broke once with $32 in Ben & Jerry ice cream. Must be HUGE containers? No – three little half-quart sizes but we made it last three whole nights. That is simply amazing…and delicious in itself.
I make it sound desperate but it’s really not that bad. I’d say it’s more like we are the Lindsay Lohan’s of food rehab. Do you think she could cold-turkey habits that make her feel amazing for 5 weeks without cravings and slight fall-backs? But she’ll make you think it’s not that bad either. Ok, poor analogy – the girls doesn’t eat and she’s a bad, bad girl, but you get the point.
So yesterday, September 4th, exactly 33 days after our arrival in Shanghai, 35 days after the boxes arrived at port and 47 days after we furiously packed and shipped, our boxes (83 small ones in all) ARRIVED! It was better than Christmas. Imagine our surprise to open more than half to repeat “huh???”, another quarter with “I can do something with this” and the last quarter- the food – with “GOD BLESS THE FOOD”!
We spent hours ripping open boxes to hug and squeeze and kiss each strangely familiar item. Our favorite? Captain Crunchberry. Our second favorite (three of us anyway) – masses of Tampax. They’re about as readily available over here as fresh cow milk (translate to NONE). The parmesan cheese took the biggest beating. It appears the heat and humidity for 35 days takes its toll and the jar was more than half empty – although sealed. There’s a science project for you.
Now Jon and I spend our time patrolling the cupboards, using subtle threats and peeking in the garbage to make sure none of the golden American food is thrown out.
I am sorry to say though the Captain Crunchberry is too sweet and the Velveeta/Hormel chili chip dip upsets the stomach. After 33 days in this country – they wreaked havoc on our stomach at the start and won again in the end.
WE WILL SURVIVE!
Daily Myth Solver – The Nicholas’ have will power. It sounds good but we broke once with $32 in Ben & Jerry ice cream. Must be HUGE containers? No – three little half-quart sizes but we made it last three whole nights. That is simply amazing…and delicious in itself.
OK guys, Hormel chili, Velveeta, and Captain Crunchberry are not food items, yuck really? And Alton Brown of Good Eats has always been dubious of Parmesan cheese in a shaker can -doesn't know what it is but certainly NOT Parmesan cheese. He would love to hear your story of the disappearing cheese, it would confirm his well founded suspicions. Perhaps China will reform your American food habits, ick.
ReplyDeleteActually Laurie said that, how did Sid's name get in here?
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