Response to " Look What I Found " comments

I was busily typing a response to you girls' comments, when I realized that I was gonna end up with a novel, so decided to move it on over here and make it easier on us - and on the old eyes.
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Sherri and Lib...
You know what? I would move back home in a heartbeat, if it wasn't for my Old Guy. Even IF I could convince him to move (and I really don't think it would take much convincing) Immigration is another matter entirely.

For one thing, I would have to have BIG bucks in the bank (an American bank) and prove to the gov't that I could afford to support him for 2 years. AND he has to stay here until we can get the paperwork dealt with - and I'm earning enough money to support us both.

I just love him too much to leave him on his own. Usually.

Plus, he probably wouldn't pass the psychological test. See, when I told him about your kind offers, he said, "Well, if we lived in the States, it wouldn't cost them as much to send you food". Well HELLO Mr Einstein... if we LIVED in the States, no one would have to ship me anything! DUH! Obviously, the man has attributes, other than brains, or I wouldn't be with him.
I will let you know what they are, when I find out.

Thank You for the offers, girls... and it means a lot to me that you would even offer to do womething so sweet! I'm a bit worried about the postage, but if we could find a cheap way of doing it, I would LOVE to be able to do some swaps with y'all !

Nancy... No, most of those foods on the website aren't popular with Aussies at all. Even finding something as simple as bacon can be a total headache. Their version of bacon is more like Canadian bacon, and it just doesn't have the cured/smoked flavors I'm used to. I miss getting the grease off of (what they term here) "streaky bacon"... but because it just isn't popular with Aussies, it's VERY hard to find - and it makes it stinkin' hard to make country gravy. *sob*

And Crisco ? You probably don't even want to know about Crisco, but I'm going to tell you anyway. Crisco is only available here, in sex shops. Now I don't know about you, but when I'm in the mood to make a pie crust, the last place I want to shop is "Dildo's R Us". Can you just image saying "Hey momma, lets stop in at the sex shop on the way home and get us some fixin's for a crust for some pecan pie tonight." ?
Needless to say, I don't buy Crisco anymore.

And IF you're lucky enough to find Dr. Pepper in the stores (usually Asian markets in the bigger cities), they charge you $2.50 a can and up, and a little 2-pack of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups is almost the same price...
So when I do find them, they're like finding gold and they get hidden in my underwear drawer, so no one will find them and eat them ! My guy can polish off a Reeses PB Cup in about 15 seconds flat - and that's just so wrong - ya gotta savor the flavor... so I keep them hidden !

I do have to admit that Aussie food is all good, but it's just different to what I'm used to. And a girl gets cravings, ya know?

Now before you go thinking that I'm just craving junk food, let me tell you ....I'm not.
I miss Farmer John bacon. Jimmy Dean sausage or pork sausage made by the butcher. I miss proper tortillas and pinto beans. Black eye peas, collards or mustard greens. I miss Vidalia onions. Beefsteak tomatoes. The taste of corn-fed beef. Monterey Jack cheese. I even miss hearing the name "Piggly Wiggly"!

W.O.W. ... Hey, I think you're right on the money there! Maybe the way I'm seeing things has changed ! I dunno. I know that with this New Year, I'm feeling so much more optimistic - it's like I'm seeing things differently or something. Or maybe I'm just seeing things through my friends fresh eyes, eh ? :o)

Up until last year, there was a lovely old Birch tree right next to that purple plum tree - and I think it may have overshadowed the plums a bit. Maybe shade-wise or even just seeing them-wise ? I'm always finding little volunteers popping up all over the yard, so maybe the birds had already gotten to them and dropped the seed before I even knew they were there? I dunno. At least I have plenty of new baby trees starting out!

I lost 6 giant old Birch trees last year ( I have a HUGE backyard, so it's certainly not bare now) due to so many years of drought - and it just broke my heart to lose them. I just had the dead Birches removed in June - which is winter here - so I probably just missed seeing anything else in that area, for one reason or another.

I've even got a Hibiscus that I didn't know that I had, growing against the fence ! Once the Birch tree came out and the undergrowth was cut back... voila ! There she was! Pretty as a picture, but leggy and in need of a good cut-back.

It's going to be a gorgeous day here today, so I think I'll head out and see what else I can find... :o)