Getting groceries

I was going to go to dance class this morning, but took too long getting ready and decided to abandon that plan. I'm a little annoyed at myself for causing myself to miss class (because it's an awesome class), but the day I've had instead was quite nice.

After realizing that I hadn't been to the market for awhile, I went, and it was lovely (of course). As usual, I took my time looking at everything. I slowed my pace down (I'm realizing that I need to do this more often). I mean, I actively slowed my walking. Slowed my movements and just took my time.

So, it's maple syrup season!
I've decided that the next time I go to the market, I'll get a tire sur neige. I did have a little sample of syrup though. So yummy.
Anyway, lots of people were buying cans of syrup. I don't think I eat pancakes often enough to buy a can. And people were buying multiple cans at a time! Also, cans seem awkward. Do they siphon the syrup into another vessel? I'll need to figure that part of it out.

Some words for you:
Panais - parsnip
Navet - turnip

I got what I needed for lunch and my dinner (which will also be lunch for the week) and headed off to the next grocery stop.

There is an Asian grocery store near the market that I went in once before. When I had gone the last time, it was comforting. Kind of like when I go to Joe Fresh and the Loblaws Superstore nearby. I know it's a little weird, but it's true. There's something reassuring about them. Familiarity, I suppose. (I'll be writing a post about identity and belonging soon.)
I was hoping to find daikon (of course, I would never call it this myself, but I've learned of this name - thanks, Top Chef - and it writes better than my attempt at pin yin) for some soup and figured that this would be my best bet. I could obviously have gone to Chinatown, but it's out of the way for me (in fact, I haven't been since I first arrived, and that was just to walk through it). I've heard that there's an Asian grocery store west of me in a multicultural neighbourhood (that people tend to mention when I talk about things I miss about Toronto - and the comment always seems strange to me), but I haven't gone out there yet either.
Anyway, I'm in the Asian grocery store near the market, taking my time, walking up and down the aisles. I'm looking at the different people, and listening to the different languages. I'm also reading the signs for the different produce...all written in French. I wondered to myself whether or not the writing was correct. In similar shops in Toronto, sometimes the English isn't correct. Spelling mistakes are not uncommon. I wonder if any of the French words in this store as spelled incorrectly. Unfortunately, I am not skilled enough to know.
I found my daikon, and proceeded to check out.

So, when I'm out and about, I try to speak French as often as possible. I appreciate the opportunity to practice it and think it's the right approach to living here. (Again, more about that in a future post.)
Mind you, yesterday when I was shopping, since the salesperson started speaking to me in English and it was a store that when walking around I hear multiple salespeople speaking to each other in English and with a customer base that for the most part may not be Francophone, I responded and conversed in English. I mean, my French isn't horrible, but I'm definitely am not as comfortable and cannot fully express myself and articulate all of my thoughts in French in an eloquent manner. It was nice to just have a 'break' and speak English too. (Seriously, more to come in another post.)
So, I'm in an Asian grocery store. I'm hearing a lot of different Asian languages. I'm not skilled enough to look at someone and guess what part of Asian their from, but when I was at the checkout, I decided to speak Chinese. I mean, it was only a "hello" and "thank you", but the cashier responded in the same language.

It was nice.