Canadian shopping

 September 21,2024

Plattsburg RV site 51

Plattsburg, NY  

Why are you digging out your passports?  Do I need a passport too?  Oh, you're just going shopping over the border into Canada.  Okay, I'll wait here for you.  Don't forget to shop for me.

How is the name of this border crossing pronounced?  I guess it's a good thing having the proper pronounciation wasn't mandatory to continue over the the border into the province of Quebec.

The closest Walmart and Canadian Tire to Plattsburg is in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, just an hour drive from our campground.  Pam finally got to see why Steve likes Canadian Tire.  It wasn't at all what she had pictured.  It was so much more than just tires and tools.  She called it 'impressive'.  

And of course, Dad found some things that made him smile.

Those bristles on that round brush are sooooo soft.  It can be used and not leave any scratches on the surface you are cleaning.  And it looks like Dad found the perfect item to reach across the front truck window so Momma's pictures won't be taken thru dirty glass.  Way to go Dad!!

Momma was so excited when they arrived at Walmart because Walmart stocks the shelves with her favorite Robin Hood flour that is not available in the US.  

All that shopping worked up a thirst.  How convenient, an A & W right around the corner.  They were greeted with a welcome 'Bonjour' and as soon as they requested a root beer float, the gal passed them off to another employee.  I think it had something to do with speaking English rather then French.  Another discovery was made.  Canadian A & W stores do not have ice cream.  The gal made them the item closest to their request.  It was a root beer with creme frappe.  She set the cup in the machine, pressed the buttons for the proper combination and the machine spit out ice, root beer, heavy, thick creme and then proceeded to whip it all into a froth.

Come on Dad.  You know you LOVE that flour when it gets turned into bread.  I'm sure we really aren't adding a thousand pounds of weight to our rig.  I know there are several bags but they are only 2.5 kg each.   Momma could have purchased the 8 kg bags you know.  Just tuck the flour away for travel.  Out of sight - out of mind.

Traveling across the border back into the US didn't cause any issues.

The couple camping in the site next to us shared their story with us.  He was here to FINALLY get his citizenship.  His wife was born in the US and he had a green card which allowed them to live and work in the US.  He said his green card was two years past renewal but they are so backed up with issuing new cards he was told not to worry as the card would still be good past it's date.  He said the citizenship process not only was an extremely lengthy process, it was an expensive ... as in the thousands... proceedure.   He had over seventeen thousand invested.  His comment was, "no wonder there are so many illegal imigrants".  The paperwork is daunting.  Out of 100 possible questions, they ask ten and you have to correctly answer at least 6.  Most questions US citizens don't  even know the answers to, unless they know US history and how the US government operates.  He still has more hoops to jump through as he has to file his certificate etc. but he is almost through the process.

Because he still has relatives in Canada, they cross the border quite often.  He asked if we were aware of the newest change involving bringing dogs across the border...they travel with four dogs.  Each dog not only has to have an updated shot record, they have to have a microchip.  I have one of those, so I guess I'm equipped for a border crossing.  It's not crossing into Canada that would be the issue, it's the US crossing and getting back on homeland.  

I'm Chloe