Xmas in June!

It’s Christmas in June. My dear friend Beth has come to visit with her lovely 10 year old daughter Cece. We exchanged emails for months planning the trip.

For us here in Brazil, having a friend visit is a huge opportunity to get consumer goods from America at a fraction of the local cost – and of better quality. Beth was game to carry a big suitcase on our behalf – with the intention to fill that same suitcase with souvenirs on her way home. Win win.

So I went online and shopped!

Books, for sure.

Then I went to Bed Bath and Beyond for a number of things – but in particular a spice rack. Who knew a spice rack would be so stupid expensive here in Brazil!? I also got a meat grinder attachment to our Kitchen Aid mixer. Local butchers look at you like you have three heads if you ask for ground turkey meat – or if you want your lamb ground twice.

Zip lock bags. Vacuum bags. Simple stuff.

Printer ink – this is a big one. I bought online and shipped to Beth printer ink cartridges for about US$4.00 each (including shipping). Here those same cartridges cost US$22.00. Crazy. Beth brought a good year’s supply for us.

On the lighter side – Beth brought a supersize bag of Nestle chocolate chips. 72 ounces! That’s like two kilograms! So very Costco. So very American. Lots of fun/chocolate in our future!