Food in the Madwoman's Family

I've realized over the past bit that I'm very food oriented. When I'm in a new place, I spend a long time in grocery stores just looking at what there is and trying to decipher it assuming that it's not in English. I fondly remember walking around Sainsbury's and Tesco's trying to find what I'm looking for, trying to see what the other options for the type of thing is. I could spend a good fifteen minutes looking at the different kinds of cookies on the shelves at Sainsbury's trying to decide between types and brands.

Here in Osnabrueck, there are three different grocery stores I peek in on a regular basis plus two drugstores. Not to mention the two discount stores (similar to the Dollar Store and Dollar General) and the clothing shop. My point, though, is the grocery stores. Almost every day I go to either Netto and/or AllFrisch. If I leave the house, I'm probably going to end up in there at one point or another. If I go into Netto, I will 100% buy SOMETHING because you can't get out without going through the cash registers and it's rubbish to go through without buying something. Total hassle.

So my point is I'm so food oriented that it's almost funny. The fact that I weigh less than 50 kg is probably rather a miracle. I was blessed with some damn good genetics. My dad and I talked the other day for a few minutes via text messaging. The entire conversation? Food. How often I cook. If I like what they cook. If they like what I cook. Why I don't use canned pumpkin. Wegmans. (Oh Wegmans... How I miss you... If I end up thrilled at a trip there after a few weeks at school, just imagine next June...)

My traditions that are important revolve around food. Birthday dinners. Shrimp on Christmas Eve. The fact that I make the pancakes not Dad. (Mine are always better.) Cherry cheesecake. Jello cake. The list could go on and on. Food is such a big part of events. When I get homesick and ask for a care package, the things I ask for, without fail, are food. American food was all I asked for in London. Yeah, some of it I can get in Europe. (I think M&Ms are universal.)

But its the way my family gathers and shows love. Yes, my dad will hug me. Yes, we say I love you. But mostly we do food. Dad cooks for us. Gramma asks if I want to stop at Tim Hortons. Maybe that's why I have no problem stopping at Netto and letting the girls pick out yogurt with crunchies. Food is a way we show that we care. Like Eric's gramma thinks, "If you're standing you must want to sit. If you're sitting you must want to eat."