Yesterday I did my usual Saturday shopping. I was at the grocery store when I made an observation. Do with it what you will:
An Amish (Mennonite?) family was at another till beside me and I noticed some of the food they were buying: pizza pops, potato chips, other pre-packaged convenience foods. It made me mentally go, "huh".
Side note: we have many, many Amish and Mennonite people living in our area. Seeing these people was not the unusual observation for me, it was the food they were buying. One has the preconceived notion that Amish families bake their own treats, can their fruits and vegetables, make things from scratch... No judgement about potato chips - I can take on a bag of Doritos with the best of them!
It's been blustery and rainy today. Our cat Samson seems to be not doing well. He is quite thin and just not himself. Hopefully we can get him in to see the vet in the next couple of days. I have been working my way through a big bin of marking. Ughhhhhh - sometimes it's like pulling teeth. I need to complete a bit more so I am ready for our first round of report cards, which are due to admin. in less than two weeks. Just part of the profession.
Tonight is another new episode of the Durrells in Corfu. I love this series. Do any of you watch it?
One thing I do not miss about teaching is writing reports!We watched all of the Durrells when it was on here.Very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I don't have too many more sets of report cards to do (including this set, four).
DeleteYes, I've watched "The Durrells in Corfu" mini-series since it started 3 seasons ago. I understand this is its 4th and final season. I've enjoyed it! I loved Gerald Durrell's book "My Family and Other Animals" and read it several times in my 20s.
ReplyDeleteI've not read that book. Maybe I should look into it at the library.
DeleteMust be Schadenfreude, I fear. Reading about your pile of grading makes me stop and savor retirement. But your day will come, I promise.
ReplyDeleteLOVE, LOVE the Durrells. Still have my childhood copy of A Zoo in My Luggage by Gerald Durrell.
Yes, I definitely need to look these up at the library.
DeleteI am surprised too. I would have thought they make all their own food from scratch!
ReplyDeleteI do know that they utilize grocery stores, but it was still a bit of a surprise.
DeleteLove the Durrells. So many things wrong with it if you live in Greece but who cares. It's pure enjoyment. Hope they'll reshow it here, again. I heard they're filming a new season. Hope so
ReplyDeleteOh, I heard this was the final season. I hope you're right!
DeleteOh how used to procrastinate with marking!
ReplyDeleteNormally I don't let it pile up, but I've been sooo busy with organizing all the pizza and milk orders for the school. Also, this particular class is sucking a bit of the life out of me.
DeleteHated marking and report cards! That's why I opted to be the school librarian. Am watching the Durrells too, I love all the beautiful scenery. Maybe the Amish family were going to a non-Amish party and thought they should take something suitable. Poor old Samson, hope it's not anything too serious.
ReplyDeleteNo such thing as full time school librarians anymore. We are concerned about Samson, hopefully he can be seen tomorrow.
DeleteI was also a school librarian, until we were made redundant.
DeleteA horse named Cadillac.
ReplyDeleteMost of them travel with horse and buggy, although motorized farm vehicles are used, depending on the "sect". Sometimes they get rides with "the English".
DeleteI'm not familiar with the mini-series you talk about. I wonder if I can get it on Netflix this winter?
ReplyDeleteSo hard when one of our animals starts to decline. Hoping the vet visit can put new life into him.
If I understand correctly (and I may be all wet), there are several different "orders" of Amish and/or Mennonites, some more "old school" and some more integrated with today's society. I, too, would have wondered about the groceries the ones you saw were purchasing.
Hang in there on the papers and grading. This is your last year, right?
It's not on Canadian Netflix. I watch it on PBS here. We just got Samson to eat some tinned salmon. Yes, there are different orders - some can have electricity for their businesses or farms, others cannot, some have rubber tires on their buggies, others do not... This is not quite my last year. I have to finish this year, then I go to January of the following year (2012).
DeleteThere are Amish communities near where I live in the summer, or used to, and near my rest of the year home. I've seen this for years. Food is not something regulated for the Amish. They do cook a lot of their own food, but it isn't especially healthy. Mennonites do a better job of this by my ideas...Both groups (which is hundreds of different small groups) are rather frugal.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with everything you are saying.
DeleteJenn, Once I went to Shipshawana in northern Indiana...the out door craft market. I found some small wooden fishing lures so I bought some. The Amish are known for the handmade crafts. Well I walked two booths down and the same small lures there had little stickers that said "Make In China." What?? I felt insulted . I could not even believe they would allow junk from China in the markets. LOL. Now that is my opinion. LOL Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteOh dear, that doesn't sound quite above board.
DeleteI just love the Durrells! I wish the series could go on forever.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching it right now!
DeleteThe Durrells is such a tonic!! You have another endorsement of GD's book, My Family etc.. from me. One of my favourite reads and re-reads from childhood.
ReplyDeleteQuality control almost destroyed our annual "Color Tour" when one man set up a unapproved booth selling his cider. Terrible food poisoning. It took two years before the event was approved and went on. Apparently this had been true of other foods they sold from a roadside stand. It was tragic, but the town regained ground and started over again.
ReplyDeleteFingers crosses for Samson. It's soooo hard to see our fur babies be unwell.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that they were buying such things as well, but I am not sure why it surprises me. I guess I just expected that most of their food would be homemade. I am fully aware that there are many Amish stores. My daughter and I visit one regularly. I hope that your cat is better soon. Our pets being sick is stressful.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not only the group of people you mentioned, but so many others as well. Whenever we are in a grocery store checkout line, I’m always amazed at the number of frozen, processed and packaged items people are buying. Seems many people really have given up on cooking simple meals for the sake of convenience. Hope your pet will be feeling better after a vet visit.
ReplyDeleteHard to say about buying all the junk food. They must have not wanted to cook. I always wonder what people think when I'm getting a week's worth of groceries and everyone around me has just enough for tonight? I hope Sampson gets feeling better. Maybe it is just the winter blues. You have my sympathy grading papers. Our school is year around, so it is never ending. I would take a big stack home once a week and sit on the couch drinking coffee and grading. Then I would come back to school on Monday and find out one of the students I spent the weekend grading his/her papers left the program. Little buggers.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'd be surprised if I saw them buying that type of food, but we all like a little convenience now and again, don't we? :)
ReplyDeleteI hope all goes well with Samson!
How I hate paperwork of any kind! I was under the same assumption of our local Mennonite families. They opened a store that is all homesteady and yet, when you read the (mandatory) labels on all of their homemade products, they are all based on highly processed ingredients. Not a whole grain to be seen. I think it is a matter of profit, in this case. Ah, your poor kitty. Is he older? It is so heartbreaking to see them sick.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear Samson is under the weather. I hope you've been able to get him to the vet and that it isn't anything major. Please keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteAnd I ADORE the Durrells. Have you ever read "My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald? He's a fabulous writer. I laughed so hard when they went on the picnic I watched it three times!
That is very interesting about the Amish, I would have had the same reaction! Sorry about Samson, I hope it's nothing serious...poor little fella.
ReplyDeleteJenn, I've wondered many times why I miss seeing your posts. Well, because of not not following your blog. Now I am a follower! I enjoy what you write about and the way you write. I've never heard of the Durrells. Will look for them. Hope your Samson will be okay. That about the Amish shopping surprises me too. Henny
ReplyDeleteI took a one week course about the Amish. One of the things we did was to visit a house for a tour. The woman was baking cakes in her kitchen when we walked through, she sold every Sat at the local Farmers Market. We were astonished to see a row of cake mixes which she was using. Now I would bet that, when she sells those cakes every week, people assume they are created from scratch!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the lady was getting things for a party that she just did not have time to bake for. As for the program, no I haven't seen it. I hope your Samson will be okay. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDelete