What I miss most

My mom's coming in a few weeks and she asked me what she can bring for me and for the first time I really had to think about it.  I used to have this HUGE MUST HAVE list of things I miss from Canada but over the years that list has gotten small and smaller.  Sure when I come home from Canada, my suitcase is full of purchases but now it is mostly clothes (clothes are cheaper there than here especially brand names).

My list used to be full of candies (anything grape flavoured - which they don't have here), many chocolate bars (coffee crisps, score bars, eatmore's), red licorice, coffee, relish, chips especially dill pickled and salt and vinegar and those flavoured rice cracker chips and flavoured salts for popcorn.  Not to mention all the pops I missed.

No wonder I weighed so much when I moved here and I was able to lose so much weight after living the Dutch lifestyle after awhile. 

My list (I say my list because my daughter had her own list lol) this time was Coffee Mate Hazelnut Coffee Creamer I Can not drink my morning coffee with out this.  My second request was Tequila Rose.  I had this at my sister in Laws during my last visit and hoped to find it here but with no success. So incredibly yummy, strawberry cream goodness, almost like a strawberry milkshake but better.
My daughters list is mostly just red licorice and gum.  Normally Reece's Pieces and or reece's cups would be on that lists but we still have some from my last list (I monitor them so they don't get eaten up to quickly).
We would normally ask for crystal light packages but we have lots from our last visit and we will probably be going again in April/May.  Relish is also still normally on the list when it is needed - it's a non-Dutch item. 

Can you tell by my list I have done a lot of growing up while here in the Netherlands?  I think I even lost my sweet tooth (as hard as it is for me to say/admit it. 

What I miss about Canada.

• Most of all my family and friends.  When I left for the Netherlands I left many loved ones behind and I think of every single one of them every day.  They are the reason I go back as often as I do.  
• Blue skies - especially days like today I miss blue skies.  When it rained in Ontario it poured for maybe an hour or two then cleared up and there was blue skies again.  Here when it rains it can rain for weeks. 
• Open space.  Here we live on top of each other and most back yards are next to nil. 
• Going out to eat is affordable and family oriented. 
• Frozen concentrated fruit juices!  I wish they had them here!
• Assortment in grocery stores especially for baking but I am starting to find a lot of my needs in Germany now.  It's just finding the right translation now. 
• Shopping - everything is under one roof. Bad weather? Who cares! Go shopping! 
  In the Netherlands Bad weather = stay home. 
• On the same note as shopping - I touched on the subject earlier - clothing especially brand name clothing is much cheaper in Canada compared to the Netherlands.  I do a lot of the children's shopping there. 
• The people!  They are friendly.  You can make friends with the next person standing in line for groceries.  The Dutch on the other hand tend to acquire their friends in school or in their childhood and acquire acquaintances in their adulthood.  I am not saying the Dutch aren't friendly because they are - they just are not about to make you best buds.  
• Tim Horton Coffee - I did buy a tin but it never tasted the same made up as it did in the store - I think there was something in their cream. But it's not just their coffee - it's sitting and socializing with friends.

 

Here's one for my fellow Canadians away from home.