Novocastrian

Given that it's now September, I hope you've eaten it all up. And only 4 more months before you can get another one!

KenD

Before it became Benton Brothers, it was called Forsters (i believe) and I took a sample of blue cheese that looked like it was fizzing! I could taste it for a week afterwards.

Both great little shops!

If you like Goat cheese, Whole Foods have one called Bouillot from Quebec, Fantastic!

Oink

I usually buy a nice wedge of stilton at Christmas as it, along with some pickled onions, really makes left-over turkey sizzle. I only eat cheese occasionally as it's not terribly good for you and we on the west coast like to live a more healthly lifestyle.

Novocastrian

Of course you do. One of things that I've discovered in my mellower years is that cheese is terribly bad for you. There are those who say it could make you sympathetic to francophiles! Whatever next?

Sizzling left over turkey is just more, well really just more, British.

Oink

Life is to be lived but as with lots of things, the key to eating or dinking not so healthful food and drinks is, 'moderation'.

lwilli63

Thanks to all the well wishers and to all the tips provided. I went along to Costco and Wall-Mart and it made one heck of a difference. I should now review my original post regarding the cost of groceries etc... If you know where to shop it can in fact be cheaper than the UK.

Novocastrian

dinkng? Tom Waits might have said it. "The piano has been dinking, not me".

dboy

good to hear. It takes a bit of getting used to here and does not work the same way as the UK. Even some of the corner grocery stores can be cheaper for fruit and veg.

For very good quality and prices, check out Kins - they have one at the Quay.

cheers

Oink

Sushi is much better and cheaper here than in the UK and you can get proper sausages in the Canadian Superstore.

ExKiwilass

Another vote for Kins

iaink

Nothing at all wrong with the "Extra Old" MAple Dale Cheddar I get at No Frills, at least, not as far as I can tell anyway.

And dont get me started on the benefits of limiting access to booze Alan!

dbd33

From past threads, I thought your view on that was that the difficulty and high cost of puchasing alcohol by all people in Ontario was justified because it, arguably, results in less drunk youths on the streets. This argument is routinely countered by consideration of the large numbers of stoned youths on the streets and the threads get bogged down in discussions of the merits of meth and weed vs. booze and cultural inclinations to one or the other.

Do you have some case for prohibition beyond tidy and docile teenagers?

iaink

You could go down the "mass purchasing power" lowering prices route or the "heavy drinkers offsetting my tax burden" route if you prefer, but this is probably not the thread to be dragging off topic. Ill settle for "Making it harder for kids and teens to get pissed" and agree to differ.

Animal

How did the kids enjoy the first couple of days at their new schools?

lwilli63

Youngest one (8 yrs) loved it. When we dropped him off today (we arrived 20 mins early as it is difficult to judge traffic from North Van to Coquitlam) he wanted to go in straight away.

The transition for my 12 year old is going to be more difficult in one respect as he is quite shy, reserved, very bright but socially a little bit awkward, he also joined middle school in year 7 (the middle year) so most kids already have their circle of friends. In another respect he was in a very academic private school in the UK so he should find things easier from the academic perspective and have more time to do things that kids should do: like having fun (strange: I've only been here 3 weeks and my priorities and perspective on life are changing. Kids having fun god forbid!). I'm hoping that it will be a matter of time before he integrates. His reaction to his first day was ambivalent.

I have also enrolled them in skating classes which they are very keen on doing. I want to have a go myself but my kids tell me I'm too old and might break a bone or worse

Thanks for asking.