Saturday morning....

[fajrdrako]

I was caught up in writing and wouldn't have gone out at all this morning, except I had nothing to eat. I breakfasted on soy milk, and then headed off to the Indian grocery store at 675 Somerset St. W. I'd never been there before.

It was easy enough to find, and fun to browse the shelves. I found the moong dal I was looking for easily enough, but had to ask the gentleman at the cash about neem. I had no idea what it would look like. He was engrossed in his newspaper and had to think for a minute about what I wanted - perhaps my accent was strange? I would never have found it on my own - it was in bags in their refrigerator. It looked like laurel leaves.

"It's for a recipe," I explained, because the proprietor was giving me a funny look. What, is it a controlled substance?

"If you have a recipe, I guess it's all right," he said.

Hey, it'll turn out fine. Trust me. I'm an international kind of girl. I just look white, okay?

I walked back, keeping to shady streets. Because the store was west of where I usually have to walk to go to work, it was fun to see a different locale, even if not that far from home. I stumbled upon a yard sale - mostly furniture, nothing I need - except my eye fell upon an item I've been wanting for months.

A Monopoly game.

I've had it in my head for a while that I wanted to make, and play with, a Smallville Monopoly game. Since the manufacturers haven't cooperated - yet - I have to make my own. Now I have the raw materials.

Then I passed by a second-hand clothing shop and, on a whim, went in to buy a red V-necked T-shirt. See, Tuesday is Canada Day. And though I am (as noted above) an international kind of girl who really isn't entirely a nationalist, I love Canada Day. I really love it. Ottawa goes all out: even yesterday, there was music and a show going on on Parliament Hill. I had to stop myself from buying maple-leaf earrings when I saw them on sale on Thursday - just as well, I already have a pair - and I have this sudden urge to buy anything with a maple leaf on it.

Well, I didn't. Just a v-necked t-shirt, exactly what I wanted, and in a size I can wear, too. Cost: $3.75.

What a great morning!

And thinking happily about my story all the way.

Comments

Just a Dash of Neem...

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

You are indeed an international kind of girl. Much too mentally without borders to realize the delightful ironies in the Indian grocery story: One, a mutual friend (Harry!) has occasionally mentioned to me that your accent sounds Irish; were you strolling through one of the many ethnic neighborhoods of Pittsburgh (Italian, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Jewish, and on and on), you would attract glances because you also look very strikingly Irish, to blended-immigrant-American eyes; and, in the finest kind of irony, in the early nineteenth century in America, the Irish were looked at as being strongly apart from anyone of English heritage, and actually not considered completely "white," as you say it. Cross my heart. You don't look white, girlfriend, you look Irish!

That may be because nobody thinks of the Scots, not around here, for some silly mental shorthand reason I can't fathom, but think only of the Engish and the Irish when considering the British Isles. Despite the popularity of Sean Connery, and Scotch whiskey. Hm, and also the Welsh get overlooked as well; ever a sting to my own pride, and also just a major miff, as Johnstown, the largest town around here, was founded by Welsh immigrants and still celebrates St. David's Day every March 1.

What did the neem do to the recipe, eh?

Re: Just a Dash of Neem...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

When I lived in England, every used to guess I was Irish, from my accent. People in Ottawa tend to find my accent strange, an inexplicable and unique blend which I've heard described as "continental", though I'm not sure what that means.

Everyone thinks of Scots around here: they are ubiquitous. But Ottawa was founded by the Irish, and maybe the accent has lingered - along with the French and every other accent in the universe.

Neem probably added a little flavour to the recipe and I should probably add more. But I like it bland.