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| What to expect in Oz; some differences I have found | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 14 2008, 01:47:41 PM (8,278 Views) | |
| chocopaws | Nov 14 2008, 01:47:41 PM Post #1 |
True Blue Mate
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Went to visit the hubby in Melbourne for a while... and now back in the states (without him). Quite depressing, really. Can't wait to get back over there.  BUT the good thing is that I got to experience living there before I actually move - and I learned a lot of things. I am listing them here so that others can come somewhat prepared! - Ladies, as was mentioned before, tampons are very strange! I could not find any with applicators. So yeah - that's kind of gross! I plan to stock up on a few boxes from Costco before permanently moving to Oz! - I couldn't find tortilla chips. You know, the kind you get as a side order when you go to a Mexican restaurant? Here in the states, I can go to the grocery store and grab some made by a company called Mission. But it seems that there is no product that even slightly resembles tortilla chips on Australian supermarket shelves. Except Doritos, which everybody suggests when I tell them what I'm looking for. XD - The lack of timely video game releases and their insane pricing will definitely lead me to always order from Amazon. Gamers - bring your US systems if you want to stay in touch with the gaming world. - Everything closes early. The mall closes at 5pm on most days except Thursday and Friday. So don't expect any quick trips to the mall after getting out of work. Most restaurants close around 8pm, as well. - Starbucks is shunned. - Flat white, long black, etc. All of those coffee drink names were so confusing, I would order mochas most of the time. - Milkshakes are not what you think!! A milkshake is just milk with flavored syrup. It is not a thick ice cream concoction like from McDonald's! - Speaking of McDonald's... if you love your Sausage Egg McMuffins in the morning, you'll have to learn to live without them. Instead of a sausage patty, they put a hamburger patty in it. Really gross. It's like having a burger for breakfast. XD - Make sure to rinse those plates before using them. It appears that many Aussies really don't rinse the soap off of their plates. They either soap them and dry them, or soap them and plop them into the dish rack to dry. I thought only a few people did this, but it's apparently more widespread than I thought! - The lack of a dryer is also not uncommon. I found it a bit difficult because I had to actually plan when to do laundry. This way, the clothes that I wanted to wear in two days would be dry (but crunchy - yuck!) by the time that day actually rolled around. So those are my thoughts for now. Feel free to add to the list. I may have some more later on, as well. 
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| gpierce | Nov 14 2008, 03:02:45 PM Post #2 |
True Blue Mate
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Couple comments for you that may or may not help:) "- I couldn't find tortilla chips. You know, the kind you get as a side order when you go to a Mexican restaurant? Here in the states, I can go to the grocery store and grab some made by a company called Mission. But it seems that there is no product that even slightly resembles tortilla chips on Australian supermarket shelves. Except Doritos, which everybody suggests when I tell them what I'm looking for. XD" Doritos original in the green package are actually just plain corn tortilla chips. They are not as good as the Mission ones in the US, but they will do in a pinch. " Milkshakes are not what you think!! A milkshake is just milk with flavored syrup. It is not a thick ice cream concoction like from McDonald's!" The term in Australia for US style Milkshakes is a Thickshake. Also, Mcdonald shakes are the same as the US ones, thick. "- Make sure to rinse those plates before using them. It appears that many Aussies really don't rinse the soap off of their plates. They either soap them and dry them, or soap them and plop them into the dish rack to dry. I thought only a few people did this, but it's apparently more widespread than I thought!" My MIL does this as well. However, I would say that she doesn't use anywhere near as much soap as I would when I do the dishes, so its not really a problem. I've eaten at her place so many times before I realized this, and I never got sick or anything, so I don't think it's too big a deal. My wife and I both rinse, so feel free to eat on our plates:) "- Speaking of McDonald's... if you love your Sausage Egg McMuffins in the morning, you'll have to learn to live without them. Instead of a sausage patty, they put a hamburger patty in it. Really gross. It's like having a burger for breakfast. XD" I have no idea where you got your SEM, but all the ones I've had in Sydney have a sausage patty on it. However, it is not the same as the US and maybe that's why you thought it was hamburger. I'm not sure it's pork sausage, but it is sausage. Definitely not seasoned the same as the US, but if you want that taste, there's a recipe on here somewhere to make your own:) "- The lack of a dryer is also not uncommon. I found it a bit difficult because I had to actually plan when to do laundry. This way, the clothes that I wanted to wear in two days would be dry (but crunchy - yuck!) by the time that day actually rolled around." Good news: You can buy a big dryer here. Bad news: It's by Kleenmaid and you need to sell your right kidney to buy it:) Whirlpool were selling a big one, but they just discontinued it. If you want a big natural gas or propane dryer, Kleenmaid is your only choice as far as I know. If I were to move "again" I would have brought a cheap huge natural gas dryer with me. Greg |
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| chocopaws | Nov 14 2008, 03:45:59 PM Post #3 |
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True Blue Mate
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Thanks for those comments, Greg! I was really not too sure about the sausage patty in the SEM. I would take a bite and think it tasted like a hamburger patty... then take another bite and pretend it was a sausage - and could almost fool myself into thinking it was the sausage without the seasoning. But then the next bite would taste like a hamburger again. It was so sad because I do love my SEM's... and I would only treat myself to one every once in a while. But now that I'm back in the states I will probably eat them until I make myself sick - that way I won't miss it in Oz. Ah... the last time I ate food on a plate with soap residue, I had an unhappy time in the restroom. I'll be sure to visit you and your wife's place for dinner!  I thought the reason why people didn't have dryers was due to environmental consciousness rather than a lack of selection. Or maybe it's both. I guess I'll have to save my pennies and get a Kleenmaid! Here's another thought - I really missed my liquid Tide while I was in Melbourne. Are there any comparable laundry detergents that at least smell like Tide? I really missed that scent. ^^; |
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| Janda | Nov 14 2008, 05:01:49 PM Post #4 |
True Blue Mate
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I can only imagine how you feel Choco. That is why I decided to marry my man because I could not have possibly lived a day without him. I seriously was so attached to him that once I had him in my arms I would have been a complete wreck had I had to get on a plane and leave. I wish you luck on getting everything done quickly that will let you come back to say forever! I second the motion on the crunchy clothes...LOL. That is one of my biggest gripes here in Oz. My husband says Americans are just spoiled. I said, "Damn Straight We Are" I'm used to my central heat and air, my Huge Washer, my Huge Dryer, and 10 million other things I'm living without here. I still complain even after a year here. Infact I was hanging clothes on the dry racks in my hallway the other day and was just complaining the entire time. I hate going outside and hanging my laundry on the clothes line so normally my hallway is lined with dry racks. I do own a dryer (funny its mounted on the wall...Go Figure) but I found out very quickly that if I use it, we pay a fortune in electric. We have pay as you go power (something else that is strange, but I like it) and honestly, we can get by with putting $50.00 on it every 2 weeks normally but if I use the dryer just 2-3 times we have to go recharge it early. That alone makes me fight the urge to use it...haha. As Greg mentioned...I too get my Tortilla Chips in the Green Dorito Package. Those are the plain ones but you I have also found other ones a bit cheaper than dorito's in the plain Tortilla Chips at Coles or Wollies. Milkshakes...My son ordered a strawberry milkshake and he was like...What the hell is this? LOL...My husband quickly explained it was simply like strawberry milk and not the thick shake that he really wanted. Tampons..It is funny that they are all applicator free here. They do have Tampax ones with the applicator but they only come in a small box..nothing like you can find in the U.S. Not a problem for me cause my favorites were O.B. anyway, so I feel pretty much at home there. Stores closing early....Drives me NUTS!!! I mean it is so strange to me. In America most people are just getting off work and going shopping after 5 p.m. It was a huge problem for us at first because with my husband working Monday-Friday til 5:30 pm we could never do anything. Now he works 4 days on and 4 days off which totally rocks. Now we have weekdays where we can go get things accomplished and not have to worry about the store being closed. Soap on the dishes...I have never seen that myself. Even my in-laws rinse their dishes. I can only think that maybe the reason some people don't rinse their dishes is because of the size of the sink possibly? I mean the house I live in only has one sink in the kitchen and it just baffles me as to why someone would even do that when they built the kitchen. It is impossible to fill the sink with water and then still rinse the dishes. We have to either keep the water running and keep putting soap on the rag or brush or when we have a lot of dishes we use a small plastic tub that I sit on the side of the sink, fill it with dish water and then use the actual sink to rinse my dishes. Its a real pain but I"m getting used to it..heehee. As far as Coffee goes...I guess I just look like a very confused American when I order it. I don't care though, I ask a lot of questions and sometimes they look at me like I"m crazy but they eventually get the point of what I want with no problems.  I can add a few more... I MISS my YELLOW CHEESE! LOL, I miss Taco Bell, I hate the shopping carts (you have to be a body builder to drive those darn things), I hate paying 9 bucks for American style mayo, It still amazes me that just having Hotdogs (American ones) is like spending as much as you would for a expensive steak dinner back in America, I miss cheap Dr. Pepper, I don't get why people don't automatically put screens on the windows...etc, etc., etc.... I could probably go on and on. With all that said.. I LOVE AUSTRALIA and I want to stay here for the rest of my life. I mean unless something drastic happens in my life I seriously never plan to go live in the States again. I am anxious to take my husband for a visit to show him what America is all about but I'll be ready to come back home (Australia) again. Australia is my home now and I wouldn't trade this cooky experience for the world.  |
 "I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose" www.JandaDesigns.com.au - Custom Web Design, Web Site Hosting, Cheap Domain Name Registration. | |
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| TerritorianTori | Nov 14 2008, 05:55:12 PM Post #5 |
Dance to disco
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Hey chocopaws! Glad you had a good visit!  I would interject that some things are probably specific to where you are living. Just as in the States, there are regional differences here too, though not quite as pronounced. 1. There ARE applicator tampons here! You just have to look around for 'em. But they're made by Tampax and I've seen them at the chemist's. (of course, if you like the nice plastic ones, you'll have to bring over a box from the States!) 2. I remember Mission tortilla chips! Greg is right about the Doritos - when I first came to Oz, my future husband bought the green bag and said, "Try these", as if it was some exotic flavour. Turns out, they were just plain ol' tortilla chips! 3. Even the Aussie gaming community would agree with you on the release/expense (and don't get 'em started on the lack of an "R" rating!  ). 4. Are there many Starbucks still around? I thought most of 'em closed this past year. 5. Like Greg said, order a "thickshake" and you'll be right 6. Like Greg said, definitely sausage, but not the type you're used to. You'll have to make your own if you want it. Someone once posted up a cool recipe for breakfast sausage over in Tucker Time... think it was Audra? 7. I once tried to find out where, exactly, the practice of not-rinsing-your-dishes comes from... some suggested that it was due to water shortage, but then I discovered that the folks on the UK-Yankee site complain about the same thing, making me think that it is likely a carryover from the Motherland.  Anyway, I think your choices are either a) get a dishwasher, or b) do 'em yourself. (I got lucky, this place has a dual sink, but otherwise Janda's method is great too)8. Dryers are expensive to run. So are air conditioners. (found that out the hard way) |
 South Texas to the Northern Territory - since 2004 I'm a huge fan of... Angry Video Game Nerd | The Big Bang Theory | Doctor Who | Pet Shop Boys | Yanks Down Under ~ Americans living in Australia Avatar by Sketch Shop Boys | |
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| chocopaws | Nov 14 2008, 06:35:06 PM Post #6 |
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True Blue Mate
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Tors!! Good to see you (and the site) again! Yay! 1) I definitely like the smooth plastic ones. Cardboard makes me cringe. XD 2) I have asked the hubby to investigate by purchasing a bag of Doritos in the green bag. 3) I was shocked when I saw a Nintendo ds game selling for $70 at Target! 4) There's one on Glenferrie Rd in Melbourne, which is a couple streets down from where the hubby works. But it's surrounded by coffee shops that are soooo much more tasty! I can see why Starbucks is failing. The only people I saw in there were the high school kids on their lunch breaks. XD 5) Thickshake - got it! 6) I'm going to have to check over at Tucker Time. Hubby will be pleased if I can recreate a SEM for him. We don't eat junk food very often, but that's one of our little guilty pleasures.  7) Since hubby is usually the cook, I'm the dishwasher - and I know I rinse them clean! But hubby was raised here in the states, as well, so he rinses the dishes nice and clean as well. In fact, he was the one who warned me that his cousin (whom he boards with) doesn't rinse the dishes and to make sure I rinse them before I put food on them. LOL  Goodness. Air conditioning is a must, though! Especially in the summer... it seemed so hot and humid, without even a breeze! Well, in Melbourne anyway. Oooh I was going to add another one but it totally slipped my mind. I'm sure it'll come back at a later date.
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| chocopaws | Nov 14 2008, 06:39:02 PM Post #7 |
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True Blue Mate
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Janda - you wouldn't believe how upset I was to have to leave! The hubby was very good... he said he didn't cry until later, after I had left through the security gate. It's horrible being apart from each other but we both hope everything will be settled quickly here in the states so we can get back to each other asap! Your story about your son made me laugh. That's exactly what I had ordered - strawberry milkshake - and that was probably my exact reaction. "What the hell is this??" O_o Yellow cheese is right!!! I don't think Colby Jack cheese is something I will readily find in an Aussie supermarket. Too bad that's literally my favorite kind of cheese! Oh! I remember another one! Not being able to pay at the pump for petrol! LOL At least I got used to calling it petrol rather than gas. |
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| Janda | Nov 14 2008, 07:34:04 PM Post #8 |
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True Blue Mate
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LOL Choco...I still call it Gas and then people assume I'm talking about the LP Gas that some people convert their cars to use. |
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"I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose" www.JandaDesigns.com.au - Custom Web Design, Web Site Hosting, Cheap Domain Name Registration. | |
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| KimInMellie | Nov 14 2008, 07:37:39 PM Post #9 |
True Blue Mate
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I've been following this thread with amusement and I feel compelled to second (or third, or fourth) the grousing about the lack of tortilla chips (I've tried the Doritos ones and they're not even close to the fab ones I'm used to from Texas ), the tampons sans applicators (I use the Tampax ones here but boy! do I miss the plastic applicators, even though I know they're bad for the environment) and not being able to pay at the pump for petrol! lol That one really used to irk me, the first couple of months I was here! Apparently there are a few places you can (Michael tells me Mobil is one such place) ... luckily he fills up the tank most of the time so I don't have to worry about it too much. Michael is guilty of leaving the soap on the dishes. (Or I'm guilty of wasting water rinsing it off.) At any rate, our rental has a dishwasher so we're both off the hook now. And as for the A/C, we've had some H-O-T days here recently and Michael's been reluctant to turn it on, leaving me sweltering for hours on end -- and I'm the type of person who would prefer to be hot rather than cold -- but after sweating through one sweltering afternoon I forced the issue. Of course, I know we'll be paying for it next month .... $$$$
Edited by KimInMellie, Nov 14 2008, 10:15:59 PM.
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 Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| i<3sydney | Nov 14 2008, 09:59:13 PM Post #10 |
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True Blue Mate
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tortilla chips are a HUGE disappointment here for me! the doritos ones.. suck! they are wayyyyyy to salty! i miss my blue corn chips or fresh homemade! and the deli fresh black bean salsa i use to eat almost daily with it on a whole i eat more healthy usually.. but when it comes to snacks i always eat more unhealthy snacks here. i can't seem to find healthy snacks i like (back home i usually at my chips and salsa, quakes, skinny cows (yes i know they are here now but they are not the same! and special k bars etc.,.) and the dryer thing.. yes. but at least i am more environmentally friendly now. as embarressing as it is to admit, i use to use the dryer heaps and then also to replace my iron. i NEVER ironed my clothes back home. just threw them in the dryer for a while to get the wrinkles out :| i still HATE ironing! i've seen colby cheese, but never colby jack and certainly never monterey jack cheese. i guess i'm slowly getting use to light tasty cheese. but what i really miss is my FANCY SHREAD! on that note though.. back home i use to be a huge cheese eater.. and here i eat less cheese. probably for the best |
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| RachaelK | Nov 14 2008, 10:05:38 PM Post #11 |
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True Blue Mate
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This post is funny. But it does make me feel better. Having moved from the States to Ireland 2.5 years ago, I've gotten used to a good few of the items you've mentioned so it should make movng to Oz a tiny bit easier. Tip for the dryer (as my washer IS my dryer and it's tiny) is to just throw the crunchy clothes in for 5 or 10 minutes once they're dry. It takes the crunch out but doesn't kill the electric bill. We've also got lack of pay at the pump, thin milkshakes, expensive DS games, funny times ordering coffee (do they do iced coffees? near impossible to get here!), and drying racks/clotheslines galore. It's been brilliant finding this forum. Thanks for all the info! ~Rachael |
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| natasha_alena | Nov 14 2008, 10:36:06 PM Post #12 |
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True Blue Mate
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I do the same thing!! I'm moving in to a place without a dryer and I'm afraid of having to learn how to use the iron properly! Crap. Time to grow up! |
| "You can plan a pretty picnic but you can't predict the weather" | |
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| TerritorianTori | Nov 14 2008, 10:45:53 PM Post #13 |
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Dance to disco
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Yup, I used to fill up at Mobil simply because they had pay-at-the-pump (or bowser), but then all the Mobil stations in town were bought up by United and they disassembled the outside pay machines.  Pumping petrol, then dragging two toddlers into the store to pay, is certainly not for the squeamish, including myself. So, like you, I make the huz fill it up.
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South Texas to the Northern Territory - since 2004 I'm a huge fan of... Angry Video Game Nerd | The Big Bang Theory | Doctor Who | Pet Shop Boys | Yanks Down Under ~ Americans living in Australia Avatar by Sketch Shop Boys | |
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| TerritorianTori | Nov 14 2008, 10:50:04 PM Post #14 |
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Dance to disco
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Welcome Rachael!  We've got something called "iced coffee" here, but it's not the same as what you'd get in the States. It's coffee-flavoured milk. (it's also the official drink of Territorians or some rot, LOL) Glad you like the forum! Would love to hear your story. |
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South Texas to the Northern Territory - since 2004 I'm a huge fan of... Angry Video Game Nerd | The Big Bang Theory | Doctor Who | Pet Shop Boys | Yanks Down Under ~ Americans living in Australia Avatar by Sketch Shop Boys | |
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| (gordon38555) | Nov 14 2008, 10:51:23 PM Post #15 |
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Piker
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I have a bag of blue corn chips right here on this desk. Made in oz. Called Thomas chipman. Manufactured by yarra valley snack foods. located in 64-86 beresford rd, lilydale, vic 3140. there is a shop around the corner from me that sells them. he also makes black bean things. the gf and i had some home made black bean chicken burritos the other weekend. he makes them and sells them from his shop. his shop is chile mojo. sadly no web page but he does have an email address of info@chilemojo.com.au if you want send me a pm and i'd be more than happy to mail you a bag. if you like them you can arrange something with him. edited due to beer typos Edited by (gordon38555), Nov 14 2008, 10:55:55 PM.
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| Janda | Nov 15 2008, 05:24:23 AM Post #16 |
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True Blue Mate
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I'm laughing about ironing. I also had the habit of using my dryer as an iron back in the states. I had to inform my husband that I have no idea how to iron properly. I used one very rarely back in the states. I guess I should be ashamed that I am 41 years old and really don't know how to iron properly. I have devised a little trick where as I put each thing on the dry rack I smooth it out over and over paying close attention and most of the time the clothes look decent enough to wear without ironing but of course some things just look like poop without it and I have to break it out...LOL. Funny but I guess we are just spoiled American's to some extent..heehee. I do feel so much better though when we don't have to pay a fortune in electric bills each month. Bring on the iron...I"ll tackle that bad boy one day! And the tip about using safety pins on the the corners of the doona is a pretty good idea. I may just try it...lets just hope they don't come open and stab me in the middle of the night. I can see it now...I Pull the cover up close to my face and lose an eyeball. I guess its ok..I have 2 of them :P |
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"I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose" www.JandaDesigns.com.au - Custom Web Design, Web Site Hosting, Cheap Domain Name Registration. | |
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| Pamm | Nov 15 2008, 05:25:39 AM Post #17 |
True Blue Mate
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I'm not much for the tortilla chips, I'm addicted to Snyder's Pretzels. I'm going to take a wild guess and say Mom is prolly gonna have to send those in care packages edited for a thought that popped up soon as I hit post, naturally! Do they have hot pretzels there in the malls? Or am I actually gonna have to learn to make those myself? Mom got us all addicted to those damn things on trips to Harundale Mall when we were young. Edited by Pamm, Nov 15 2008, 05:27:05 AM.
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| i<3sydney | Nov 15 2008, 07:44:08 AM Post #18 |
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True Blue Mate
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i live in sydney so, afraid i wouldn't be able pick up any of those blue corn chips. and na, i'm not that desperate to have them mailed to me :P i have to learn to do without. helps the wallet anyway i guess. ive seen black beans at some fruit shops and delicatessens, so maybe i'll give a go on making my own black bean salsa one day. first i have to try making fresh salsa even to get the flavours right. *heads to allrecipe.com* i've never seen hot pretzles here pamm. and yeah.. i'm going to be using the iron a lot more lately. another more embarrassing thing to admit is that my mil does all the ironing. she knows i hate it and she's always done it every single day for my husband (we currently live with her) she's going oveseas soon for 7 weeks and that means i'll be hand washing and ironing my husbands uniform daily! in this household.. both of them are freaks about having every single item of clothing ironed! why can't they be like me and wear slightly wrinkled clothing.. it's not so bad :P Edited by i<3sydney, Nov 15 2008, 07:51:44 AM.
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| chocopaws | Nov 15 2008, 09:28:18 AM Post #19 |
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True Blue Mate
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RachaelK - that's a really good tip! I didn't know there was such a thing as a washer and dryer in one... or am I just completely misreading your post? Luckily, the shirts I wear are form fitting. So all I have to do is pull it on and *tada!* all the wrinkles are gone! With the pants, I just wander around the house flapping them up and down, trying to "snap" all the wrinkles out. The thigh area of my pants are usually pretty close to form fitting, as well, so the wrinkles usually smooth out on their own once I put the pants on. But the calf area is where all the wrinkles are so (embarrassingly) noticeable! And I feel weird ironing a pair of jeans. XD i<3Sydney - apparently we have the same idea regarding slightly wrinkled clothing lol Pamm - I totally adore hot pretzels, too - but only if they are from Auntie Anne's. I know there are some recipes floating around on the net for making your own copycat version. I'm not sure about other brands of hot pretzels, though. Argh I don't know if I should be thanking you for the reminder of another delicacy that I'll be missing! Janda - I'm guessing the doona is a bed cover of some sort? Like a removable quilt cover? XD gordon - Where exactly are you located? I want to know how far away the "store around the corner" is in relation to where I'll be living. XD Kim - Yeah! The weather was really starting to warm up when I left Melbourne (less than a week ago). The hubby said that it was too hot to go out and enjoy his lunch in the park. But then a few days later, it was storming and he said there was a ton of lightning and thunder that kept him awake that night. Needless to say, he was unable to go to the park that day, too. I am planning to be back by January. I'm sure that I'll be begging dh to let me turn on the a/c. Before the warm weather hit, I was secretly turning on the heater in the morning for a couple of hours after he left for work, too.
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| RachaelK | Nov 15 2008, 09:38:54 AM Post #20 |
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True Blue Mate
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Nope - you read it right. The washer and dryer are the same machine. It's slim profile and sits under the kitchen counter. So I wash, hang to dry, and then put them back in on drying mode for a bit to fluff them up. Works a charm! 
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