And then she said, "It's Just Like The Philippines"!

[Mark Berkowitz]

16 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

But snow in your future? Nah... been there, done that - grew up walking uphill through 3 feet of snow on my way to school and uphill too, on the way home every day in Canada. Having my nose hairs and eyelids freeze, my hands stick to the steering wheel of my car, scraping the ice off the windshield while in university? I hope you and she enjoy that... I will pass...hahaha

I've made many visits to the 'Great White North' (mostly Ontario) during Winters, and my beard and mustache would instantly turn into a popsicle within seconds, whenever I was outdoors.

Interesting story:  During one of my visits, the US Customs detained my college friends and me on our re-entry in the US, because the dogs were barking 'ape-shi*t' at our VW Bus. 

They took me up into a second floor room to undress, which took about 15 minutes, since I was wearing several layers of clothes (inluding multiple layers of underwear) because the heater was broken on the VW Bus.  It took so long that one of the Customs people came running up the stairs and pushed the door open with his pistol drawn.

I had to sign a release that I would never sue the USA for detaining me, before they let me go.

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by Mark Berkowitz

[Tommy T.]

17 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

I had to sign a release that I would never sue the USA for detaining me, before they let me go.

 

Hmmm... I had a similar experience coming back to USA from Toronto.

I declared to  customs that I had one case of Molson's Canadian beer. They had me pull over to pay the duty. When me and my two friends returned to the car - my GOD! - they had the rear seat pulled out, the hood up and were searching throughout. The three of us were questioned individually while being strip-searched. Nothing... Then they had me unlock the trunk, open the glove box and remove the air cleaner on the engine (?). Nothing. Then we had to sign disclaimer forms of some kind - that none of us read because we wanted to just go back to school. At least we kept the beer!

[Mark Berkowitz]

1 minute ago, Tommy T. said:

At least we kept the beer!

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

I had to sign a release that I would never sue the USA for detaining me, before they let me go.

 

Hmmm... Do you think that attempted bust had anything to do with us all having shoulder length hair and me with a beard, leather jacket with fringes, bell-bottomed jeans and cowboy boots? And no luggage either?

[Mark Berkowitz]

4 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Hmmm... Do you think that attempted bust had anything to do with us all having shoulder length hair and me with a beard, leather jacket with fringes, bell-bottomed jeans and cowboy boots? And no luggage either?

Definitely a case of being profiled.

[Tommy T.]

2 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Definitely a case of being profiled.

Yup... before that term became derogatory....

[Tommy T.]

6 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Definitely a case of being profiled.

Off the topic a bit, but I need a hit of Americana after all this culture talk.

I am thinking about baking some chocolate chip with salted caramel cookies today...comfort food I used to make in USA...sound good to you?

[Jack Peterson]

3 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

I need a hit of Americana after all this culture talk.

 Tom the whole Topic is Americana based 

[Tommy T.]

1 minute ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Tom the whole Topic is Americana based 

Agreed, Jack... But it makes me want something other than adobo or any of the local sweet breads or treats made with coconut oil - much as I love all of that most of the time. I just want to make and eat something from what used to be "home."

[Mark Berkowitz]

46 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Definitely a case of being profiled.

 

44 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Yup... before that term became derogatory....

I thought that it had always been derogatory... but now I'm not really sure.