What Shopping!

Well, we hit one of the factory outlets and OMIGOODNESS. There was one children's store that had 15 laundry bins lined up by the front door and all clothes in those laundry bins were .99 cents. Seriously. I won't mention any names but the lady who is writing this has a husband who was elbow deep digging through the bins.... We did great! We found a bunch of shirts for both kids and some shorts and skorts for Toria. When we were in line at the check-out the lady infront of me asked the clerk if this was the stuff that they were going to have on sale for their post-Thanksgiving Day (Friday) sale and the clerk said "Oh no, we have lots more stuff - that will be a really big sale".

Good Heavens I'm in Shopper Heaven. Not only that but there was a commercial on TV last night for Wal-mart - it is opening at 6:00 AM on Friday. Then there was an add for Kohl's (another department store) it is opening at 5:30 AM and when I thought it couldn't get any earlier - Sears is apparently opening at 5:00 AM. Can you imagine?!

Off to the campground Jacuzzi for a post-shopping soak.

Carmen.

Snow? In Myrtle Beach?

Hi Everyone,

We're in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where we're wearing shorts and t-shirts. OK, I know this warm weather thing that I keep mentioning is growing weary but I can't believe it is November 23 so you'll have to start skipping over the first paragraph in my blogs because as we keep going south it is supposedly going to keep getting warmer - so you're likely to hear about the weather again. I digress from the reason of my post...

It is 9:30am in the morning and my husband has left me & our 2 overly active children stuck at our RV Park while he is GOLFING. He signed up for 3 tee times this WEEK alone!

Are you feeling sorry for me yet????? That's OK, I appreciate your sympathy but did I mention that there are 2 outlet malls and 4 shopping malls here and the Friday after U.S. Thanksgiving is coming! [Apparently it is even a bigger shopping day then Boxing Day in the U.S.]. Now, it is somewhat sad that (a) I have no money for shopping, (b) we need nothing, and (c) I'm in a trailer with no place to put anything but I can overlook that for the adrenaline rush of being amongst a good shopping frenzy.

Todd says my blogs are too long but first I have to tell you the story of when we arrived at this RV Park. We go to the playground and as we're walking in the gate to the play area Tomas stops and goes "MOM, IT'S SNOW!".
"Tomas", I said "it's +23 - there is no snow."
"Mom, I'm not being silly. LOOK there it is" and he points at the ... SAND!

Yes, the sand under the play area was so white and so fine that it really did look like snow. It actually took me a few minutes to convince Tomas that he didn't need to put his boots on and in fact he could take his socks and shoes off!

Take Care, Carmen.

The Good Life...

Hi everyone.

Washington, DC was good - infact, I could go on for hours about all the great things in DC but tonight I ask you to listen carefully.... can you hear it????.... that's the sound of the ocean waves lapping up on the beach AT OUR CAMPSITE.

Yes, we're in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in the Outer Banks drinking a glass of wine, listening to the surf, counting the billions of stars in the sky, and (briefly) internetting as the temperature is around +15C at 9:00 pm. My wonderful children, handsome husband, and I have just finished our walk along the beach with the waves tickling our toesies. AN UPDATE - Here's us in the morning:



We were heading south on I-95 today heading for Myrtle Beach when we said "Hey, let's go see the Outer Banks". And in the true beauty of RV-travelling - the next thing you know we're off the interstate, leisurely coasting past the quaint town of Kitty Hawk (where the Wright brothers first flew) and driving through sand dunes that've formed OVER the road.

Alas, I must go - I will think of you as the ocean waves lull me to sleep tonight!

Carmen.

"Country Roads"

... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River, Country Roads, Take me home to the place I belong... [OK, the song (Country Roads by John Denver) says West Virginia and we're in Virginia but you get the idea.]

Just had a second to post a quick blog as I don't really have internet connection but wanted to let everyone know what beautiful scenery we're seeing. Some of the leaves have fallen off but still some changing of the leaves.

Carmen.

Honky Tonking in Nashville

OK, here we are in Nashville, the Music Capital of the World. I’ve heard that they play both types of music here – Country & Western. OK, lame joke.

Anyway, this morning we stopped at a place called “Legends Corner” next to “Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge” where we listened to a guy play a few songs. Turns out it was Billy Currington. Yes, Billy Currington!!

OK, I have no idea who he is but he must be a somebody because he is performing a song, Party for Two, with Shania Twain on Good Morning America this Friday, November 5, 2004. (And he was recently on Nashville Lifestyle’s 25 most beautiful list!). OK, I really think that I should know who he is but I really don’t.

In fact, that is sort of how I felt touring the Country Music Hall of Fame this morning. I vaguely recognize names but the rest was a mystery to my rock ‘n roll/“pop” music brain cells.

Nonetheless, the entire Good Morning America gang is supposed to be doing a live broadcast from Nashville this Friday – be sure to check it out if YOU want to see Billy (& Shania).

Carmen

Differences between Canada & the U.S.

On the eve of the U.S. election I thought I'd share some of the differences I have noted between Canada and the U.S.

First off, before we left, we kept saying "if we forget it, we can just buy it". Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Of course, most of us have learned that Smarties are a Canadian thing and in the U.S. they use Smarties for the candy we call "Rockets". (If you don't know what a Rocket is - you've definitely seen them - it is kind of hard to describe but they're popular at Halloween. They have a clear plastic wrapper around about 10 smartie-sized candies that lay side by side then the wrapper is twisted at the ends).

But did you also know that this is wrong when it comes to Mars bars. Yes, Mars bars. In the U.S., the company that makes Snickers and M&M's calls themselves Mars, Incorporated but try as I might I can not find a single Mars bar. (And I assure you that I have tried). There website talks about Mars bars and says they're available but I've looked in 5 states in 4 Wal-marts, 3 grocery stores, and many gas stations and still nothing! Very strange. (Hint to my mom, Christmas care package).

Let's talk ice cream. Straightforward enough. I've had lots of ice cream over the years so I consider myself an expert ice cream orderer but imagine my surprise when the clerk at the ice cream store asked me if I would like a 'one dip' cone. Hmm, no, I don't like my cone's dipped. You cannot imagine the look I received until I realized that 'dip' is another word for 'scoop'. Whooda thunk it? (No idea on what happens when a person is having a 1 dip cone who actually wants it dipped in chocolate - is this double dipping?)

We've talked chocolate, we've talked ice cream, let's talk alcohol.

Smirnoff Ice in Canada is made with good old fashioned Vodka and it is 7% alcohol (if I am remembering correctly). Smirnoff Ice in the U.S. is a "Premium Malt Beverage with Natural Flavors" and it has a 5% alcohol content. Yes, on the back of the bottle it actually calls itself "flavored beer". This seems like calling an apple an orange.

Having said that, I think it is time I go and find myself a Jack Daniels Lynchburg Lemonade. (Still hoping to go to the J.D. distillery in Lynchburg later this week - I'll keep you posted).

I guess that I should mention that we're in Nashville now and plan to spend the next few days here.

Feel free to send me an email at clwelta @ hotmail.com

Carmen.