We bought a house.... now...
here's an excerpt (that's not a word I normally use) from an email I sent out recently.

Well, we are getting things together for the house smashing. Everything is cinderblock and we want to move a few walls. I went to price out laminate for benchtops. (that's kitchen counters for you North Americans- it took a while to figure that out) Anyway, the man who was 'helping' me said it was "too much money for you!" I went "Huh?!" He says, again, "Laminate, too much money for you...2 hundred dolla!" "too much money for you" again, I say "Huh, wha, It's usually so inexpensive where I come from" He says," Better you go to another store where they have cheaper laminate for you...2hundred dolla, too much for you!" My response.. "but but but .... what , do you even have any?" "NO any, better you go to another store. Too too much money for you, 2 hundred dolla."

that's when my cranium opened up and my brain fell out.

because I'm just a female.


I think you might be apt to agree with him on some fronts but all I was asking was if they actually HAD any!

So, after that, I went home because that was enough enjoyment for my day. Did I mention that the boys were climbing all over the timber and tiles and basically getting into everything? After he was rude to me, I just let them at it!

Evil white woman. (Kaivalungi)

Most stuff is frustrating like that, or you go into a hardware store to buy a tool or some non descript item but they don't know what it is, don't know if they have it and are too lazy to check, or just don;t want YOU to have it, so they send you to the chemist (pharmacy) (aka wild goose chase), who sends you to the barber, who sends you to the timber yard, who sends you to the tourist store, who tells you ... "of coarse we don't sell .... - said non descript item- (fill in the blank) , try at the Vinod Patel Hardware store" "oh, we were just there, they said you might have the - non descript item - " ..... "No ma'am, we don't have them, maybe you should try the fruit and veggie market , I'll bet they have the - non descript item - just go down that street, turn left, ask for Jone" ...... at this point you're morbidly curious if you will actually ever find the item and if it is at the Veggie market you might just jump off the nearest cliff. You are also "this close to going home" and ... it's hot and humid, and .... you are lugging 2 children everywhere...and ... everyone else wants you to come into their shop to just "have a look!" And everyone else wants to grab your babies and hold them and they end up frightened or angry. Of course, you still haven't located - non descript item - and you haven't found it at the fruit and veggie market like you were told you would, because, "who would sell those here?" So, Jone tells you, " no, Ma'am, you can't get that here" I respond, "You mean, in the market?" ... "No, in Fiji." he relies. Back I go to where the car is parked, at least I didn't have to jump any cliffs today, back to the Vinod Patel Hardware parking lot. Now, some one has to go pee and all I know is that it ain't me. Into the Vinod Patel we go, (just tell me I can't take my kid to the toilet, just try it, I'll let him pee where he first suggested, on those nice marble steps up to your customers entrance....) As we walk out of the toilet, I decide to bang my head into brick walls one more time... "Excuse me sir, do you have - non descript item- ?"

.. wait for it ......




"Yes Ma'am, we have it right here, you just walked past it on you way out of the toilet" (with your screaming children)


Purchase made, I will never leave the house again.


That was Tuesday.

So, how was your last trip to Canadian Tire? Was it everything that I remember it to be? Don't burst my bubble, please, it's all I have left!!!