Minnie’s Musings

After a bit of hunting the following morning we found a supermarket called ‘No Frills’, expecting a cut price Lidl. Instead we got shelves and shelves laden with all things good to eat in startlingly large packets. Canadians clearly take the American approach to the purchase of food as they have fridges large enough to accommodate oversized tubs of butter and gallons of milk.

I sent the menfolk off to purchase meat, while I stocked up on vegetables and dairy. No need to hunt for tea bags as I had bought enough builder’s brew to last the duration (including treating my sister to proper tea in a proper mug made with properly boiling water – am saint).

Given that the Canadians are buying ‘Canadian’ these days my sister’s partner was almost as much at sea as we were when trying to identify which cereal most clearly resembled the one at home.

And everything was labelled in French as well as English. I have what I call ‘Supermarket French’ so I was quite happy translating ‘sucre’ and ‘sans’ as one would in a large out of town LeClerc after a long drive on a route national (for the purpose of avoiding tolls and August traffic jams). This made me feel like I was on holiday but with the additional benefit of an English translation when said Supermarket French failed me.

I had already found my kind of paradise in the form of a do-it-all camping, clothing and hardware store where I could purchase a snorkel and flippers which I need for swimming (long story concerning a hole in the back of my nose). After a second evening of fly swatting I directed my brother-in-law to said store to purchase two electrified tennis bat fly swatting thingies I spotted at the checkout (but forgot to mention that they were at the checkout so he spent 20 minutes hunting through tightly packed shelves of outdoor paraphernalia).

I may also have blotted my copy book by going in search of my own industrial strength insect repellent in the humongous drug emporium opposite the supermarket. As a veteran of the Scottish midge I knew that only tropical grade repellent would do, as the 67 bites accrued on Skye a couple of years ago could testified to. If DDT was still legal I would smother myself in that.