I have a Aunt and Uncle that live there and we were going to stay that night with them and visit.My sister had not seen our Aunt for about 30 years? My Uncle has come up to AK a few times for fishing and stuff so would get to see him.
I got up at 6am and did my thing and pestered my sister till she got up and got some breakfast and was on the road. We were getting excited as the trip was coming to an end.
It was only a few hours drive till we got to the U.S.A. border. Now I have to confess. I know that you're not supposed to bring plants across but I was not going to leave some of my favorite plants behind in AK. That was not going to happen on my watch. When we came into Canada, the border guard was laid back. He asked some questions and said to have a nice trip. Easy and painless. Not so with the U.S.A. border guard. (I think somebody peed in her cornflakes before she came to work. ) She asked what we were doing in Canada. Right there I started to get mad.
I wanted to tell her it was none of her beeswax what I was doing in Canada. I'm an American and I can go where I want if another country will let me in!
My sister is saying under her breath for me just to shut up, be nice. So I did. My sister was correct. I told the lady that I was moving from AK to WI and that's why I had been in Canada. ( Like the AK plates on the truck didn't give it away ) She looked at all our ID's and then asked why I didn't have more household goods? ( Again, not her business! )
I started to get cranky again, my sister is whispering to "be nice". I took a deep breath and told her that I had shipped them ahead ( Sweet deal with the airline I worked for in AK ) . She then asked me to pull forward a car length. I pulled ahead 2 lengths just to make sure that there was plenty of room for vehicles that might come up behind. She made me back up a length.
In the bed of my truck I had all my pictures, wrapped in bubble wrap, styrofoam and blankets and then in a tarp . I then had all that strapped down so that they wouldn't shift. Also in the back of the truck I had a truck box. In that we had our boots and winter jackets and some extra blankets. Oh, also my chain saw, skill saw and stuff. She wanted to see in the box. She climbed in the bed of the truck and I asked her, very nice, not to step on the tarp as that I had all my pictures under that. She didn't but she wanted to see in that box. She opened it up and poked around. Sorry, no illegal aliens there.
I did have a log in the back that I was using to wedge the tarp so that it wouldn't flap in the wind. She gave me a lecture about bugs and stuff and took my log and put it in the trash can. If she was that worried about bugs shouldn't she have put it in a bag so the bugs wouldn't get away?
Finally we got out of there. She never saw my live plants in the back seat of the truck! HA HA!I got one over on her! HA HA ( I can be immature sometimes)
We got to Grand Rapids in the late afternoon. One of our cousins was driving up to visit with us. When we got there my Uncle and Aunt took us out to a real nice dinner. After that we went back home and visited.
My Aunt is wicked with a crochet hook. She gave me some table runners and stuff that she had made. ( Doilies? ) In the bedroom that we stayed in she had the following wall hanging that she had made. Isn't this incredible ? I never asked her how long it took for her to make it.
My hubby has had some cranky border guards too on their many fishing trips into Canada. We had to get passports for this year's trips.
ReplyDeleteThe picture is awesome. I know my mom had a pattern for a picture like that and always wanted to make it, but she never got around to doing it.
Wow, didn't realize the US Border Control is so picky. I suppose there's been lots of problems and that's why they are so stern. I can image that everyone coming or going is a potential criminal...so they think!
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying your day by day travels. The storytelling is very interesting.
I didn't know Aunt Darlene crocheted stuff like that. That's pretty amazing. I like reading about your trip even though I think I've heard most of it already. I didn't know the part about the border patrol - some people just rankel you, don't they. Parked in any handicapped spots after hours recently?
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty much always like that whenever we go down South. I always feel liked I passed an interview and final exam once we are in the US, lol!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job on that picture,it's amazing!
Annie
I enjoy your blog so much!
ReplyDeleteIt's shocking to me how "nosey" the US border patrol is. I guess they have to be... I've never traveled outside the border, but if I ever do, I'll know what to expect. I get so bent out of shape when I'm expected to show the contents of my purse!
When I crossed the border from Canada back in to the US with my boyfriend they asked what our professions were. I kindly advised I was a student when the boyfriend answered he was a commercial fisherman it was like he answered he was a spy. The guy became real serious, had us pull over to one of the parking spots and then they tore our vehicle apart while we sat in the building. Then we had to put it back together. It was full of all my personal items since I was moving to Montana for school. Scary!
ReplyDeleteHi Krissy,
ReplyDeleteI just smile real big and act like myself, a sweet, friendly middle-aged lady who wouldn't know how to be a problem to the government and would not care if they wanted to check me out! :) I have never had a of problem. This seems to work whether I am going thru border customs or airport security. Our friend Lisa on the other hand, got patted down when going thru the Anchorage security and she complained the entire trip. I am not sure which bothered her more, being patted down or being told she looked a bit "thick or chunky".
Happy weekend!
janice
Wow! That picture is crocheted?! It's beautiful! I really do not have the talent for that. I'll stick with hats and blankets. ;)
ReplyDeleteWe were staying in northern MN for a trip one time, and took a day trip to Thunder Bay. Going into Canada was a breeze. We were asked why we were vising, "Just to see what's here!" "Ok, have fun!" No issues.
Coming back had a lot of questions and took longer and was actually quite stressful. "Did you meet anyone? Do you know anyone in Canada? What did you do? Do you have receipts?" etc.
I get the whole security thing, but sheesh. This was about three years ago.