Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Starting With Melissa

I appreciate your questions, everyone! I'm going to start with Melissa Bastow's list of questions because I feel the strongest about the issues she raises. Plus, I'm sure they're the things you're all really wondering about. Her questions in green and my answers in black:

Do you wear socks to bed in the winter? Are they slipper socks with the grippy things on the bottom?
I never wear socks to bed. How in the world can you move around if you're wearing socks? And the grippy things? I always wear slippers (this is Poland and you don't wear shoes in the house. Not even my house, unless you're an American visitor. Then you do whatever you want.) so I don't need the grippy things. Plus, I'm more than two years old. My slippers usually look something like this, only darker (they get much darker with age, and usually last maybe six months?and there are lots of different designs and patterns) and I don't like this kind of sole. After a few years of wearing this kind I discovered the kind that have a softer sole glued on the bottom. Much better. Plus the kind pictured here creak when you walk.

European slippers leather hand made in Poland NEW 8
photo swiped off of Ebay. Can you do that?
(But my current pair are made of that foamy material that those sorta cloggy shoes are made from. You know the ones that cost an arm and a leg and are made of air? Only my slippers cost three bucks.)

Do they have microwave popcorn in Poland? What about microwave kettle corn? What about popcorn at the movie theater? Is it extra buttery? Do they have butter there? Do you have to make your own butter?
There is microwave popcorn. I've never heard of kettle corn. Popcorn at the theater is as gross as the kind in America. But then I don't like popcorn. Plus we don't have a microwave. (We did for like a total of one year of our marriage. I'm not a huge fan of the microwave) But I do pop popcorn on the stove in a pan when the kids watch movies with their friends or we watch one as a family. The kids love to watch it pop through the glass lid. (please forgive me for not liking popcorn and not having a microwave)

If they didn't have butter here we wouldn't live here. I only bake with butter (and oil). The butter is probably European butter. In the states I think that means "extra super fancy quality." It is not salted. I have only ever made my own butter in kindergarten and then once in a preschool class I taught. So if they ever stop having butter here, I can make my own because I have lots of baby food jars for shaking cream in.

Do they have good diapers there? (This, of course, is crucial.)
They have cloth diapers. And also they have disposable ones. I use the disposable kind. Over here they call them "Pampersy." That means "disposable diapers." There are also Huggies and then lots of local brands.

How many times a day do you hop on one foot? Because I highly recommend hopping at least 3 times (but only on the left foot.)
I can't believe you asked such a personal question, but I'll answer because I have nothing to hide. I don't hop on one foot. Not even the left. Sometimes when I remember, while I'm brushing my teeth I go up and down on my tip-toes, slowly up and down, up and down, for the full two minutes-ish of brushing for exercise. My good friend in high school did this every day, twice a day. I thought it was a good and pretty funny idea. My favorite kind of ideas are the good, funny ones. And the kind that might some day bring some sort of definition to your calves. Do you say calves, or is that only for multiple baby cows? Calfs? Oh, no no no. Calves.

18 comments:

Annette Lyon said...

Wow--deep questions.

I grew up with a European mother and lived there for three years. I STILL can't wear shoes in the house, and my family is ordered to remove their shoes, too. But I do wear socks all the time, because my feet freeze, even in the summer.

I also grew up w/out a microwave, so I get that. (Even though I have one now. :)

Great list.

Kazzy said...

Great post to show us some of your personality! I love the tooth-brushing ritual. I find any daily ritual interesting. We have a little boy in our spec ed class that smells everything we hand him- food, paper, scissors. It is so funny!

Lara Neves said...

I always feel like I should be doing some sort of exercise while brushing my teeth, too.

Romanians call them Pampersi...all disposable diapers. Interesting.

Heidi said...

You are a hoot--and so is Melissa Barstow. I had thought of something clever to say but it has already left me. Anyone seen *Mary*?

melissabastow said...

I'm so flattered to have my questions answere first!!! WOW, I'm like a mini-celebrity, or maybe it would be more accurate to say that I'm like an mini-interviewer...of sorts. Kind of like a much younger Barbara Walters. Except that I don't have that weird lisp and I'm not on tv. But I think your blog is better than tv, so I guess that makes me better than Barbara. Totally cool.

And I've just got to say, thank goodness for butter and Huggies! (Oh, and Kettle corn is sweeter...and yummier....and I like popcorn....and we'd die without a microwave.....and I don't wear shoes in my house either, but that's out of pure laziness...)

Becky said...

You've never heard of kettle corn!? Seriously? Gasp! It's delectable. It's popcorn that's sweet. But still salty.

Mmm, mmm, good!

Heather said...

I don't know Lisa, your blog is getting a little too controversial for my taste. :)
They call them pampersi in Ukraine too, just for the record. People usually giggle when they say it, I think because of the novelty of it. Most babies I saw on my mission just wore tights that got changed a lot. Nikolay started putting tights on our little boy under his pajamas and on top of his diaper, for extra leg warmth at night.
I like to do those exercises while I am waiting for the microwave.

Randi said...

You know, I was totally prepared to forgive you for the microwave thing. But the popcorn thing may be insurmountable. Popcorn is my favorite food.
I guess that means I don't have to share if we ever go to the movies, eh?

Maybe we can still be friends.

Debbie said...

I feel like I know so much about you now. I stretch my hamstrings while I blow my hair dry. Kinda like the up and down on the feet thing for you.

Anonymous said...

You DON'T like popcorn? Was that true BEFORE you left the states, or did that happen only AFTER you went all Euro on us?

I feel a gauntlet has been thrown. I may just have to make it my personal mission to change your mind.

See, we have this AMAZING stuff in Oregon called "Moose Munch" that is TO DIE FOR. Fluffy, white popcorn blended with cashews and almonds, then coated with caramel AND THEN dipped in your choice of
Dark, Milk, or Semi-Sweet Chocolate.

Deeeeeeelectable. I may just have to send you some for Christmas (or Groundhog day, depending on how long it takes to send stuff to Europe.)


OH!! And THANKS, by the way, for referring your sister to my blog! I'm so excited that I might actually get to sew for somebody I met online! What an honor! What a privilege! Keep me posted, will ya?

Mama Cher, Ok, fine, it's Sharon said...

Lisa, you are too funny! I have a love/hate relationship with popcorn. It's tasty (yumm, kettle corn...) but I HATE it when little pieces of kernels get stuck in my teeth.

And that Moose Munch really is delicious! Take her up on that offer! :)

Anne said...

I think Kazzy is rightfully comparing you to special ed kids. Great questions to answer Lis! Love ya!

Melanie Jacobson said...

You're really brave to answer hopping questions in such a public forum.

Heather of the EO said...

You're hilarious. I was all prepared for a very serious post about all the things you feel strongly about.

Oh wait. Maybe you feel VERY strongly about your calves...or calfs...no CALVES!

I love your posts.

Lesley said...

Inquiring minds wanted to know...and now we do. No microwave? You're a better woman than I am!

Melissa said...

I grew up without a microwave and I also do not like popcorn! Same line, I'm tellin' ya! Oh, and we also take our shoes off in the house, but it's a Japanese thing here.

Andi Kate, Children's Author said...

You are HILARIOUS. Sometimes I forget. And then I read again. Love the serious, serious, ultra serious responses. And questions, for that matter. Anyway, I'm in total agreeance about the sock thing, although for me it is more of a revulsion to the entire idea than for movement--ugh, I get the heebies just thinking about it. I do not ALLOW Chris to wear socks anywhere near the bed. Gross. Double gross. I need to go throw-up now.

Little GrumpyAngel said...

Okay, how do you survive without a microwave? Microwave is seriously my friend :-)

I'm happy to hear you guys don't wear shoes in the house. No one is allowed to wear shoes in my house. Slippers,socks or bare feet only. Next time I ask somebody to remove their shoes, I'll tell them it's this classy culture thing I picked up from Europe. That will make shoelessness sound cool :-)