I'll be in Tennessee soon

I left Winnipeg on Monday full of the usual anxiety with a border crossing!  Well, I wasn't disappointed.  They were unusually respectful but not so nice as to just let me pass.  The problem was my story.  I don't own a house, I don't have a job and I am travelling alone with a cat to the southern states for a few months, and no reason to return?  I had no idea they could pull out all that info and make it sound so bad in a few short questions.

They directed me into the garage, unpacked my car and asked me all those questions that totally intimidate a woman travelling alone with her cat - do you have any weapons (does a vegetable peeler count?), have you ever been fingerprinted, that's a long time to travel alone.  Are you sure you aren't meeting up with any other people?  Other people, yes, of course.  My Dad will likely come down and I have several friends who might come down for a visit.  Does that count?

Then, do you have any food in the car?  That was the one that really made me look odd.  I have every spice and herb from aniseed to za'tar.  I have my wonderful chai and Christmas teas from Paris, some dried bing cherries, white vanilla extract, box of Shreddies, baking powder, cornmeal, beautiful multi-grain bread, Morden's chocolate covered ginger, angostura bitters, ham sandwich, bag of raw almonds........well, you get the gist.  And my Weber charcoal grill.

By the end I was baring my soul to this poor woman who was really trying to find a reason why I wouldn't be a risk to their national security.  She even asked how much money was in my bank account.  I think I finally convinced her by saying that if I didn't return to Alberta, I would have no health care and that would be a desperate situation.

I won't have internet for awhile now....so....happy cooking!