A Quick Trip to the Store

This is one of our new trams...the one I rode this morning is much older.

New Ex-patriot proverb: "Ask your small group for tacos
AFTER you possess hamburger, not before"

Remembering how easy it is to jump in the car and make a quick trip to Walmart for a package of hamburger, anytime, any day, I think my morning deserves a blog entry:
Hungarians have good meats and wonderful little butcher shops where most Hungarian women have the butcher grind their hamburger fresh, specifying which cuts and how much fat they want. Without good language skills, I prefer to buy my hamburger at a French store called Auchan, (Hungary's version of Walmart). The trick is getting the 90% lean burger so you can avoid the gristle in the fattier cuts, and there was only one small package available on Friday afternoon. So I got out early this morning despite the persistent rain, walked to a bus, and road to a tram stop where I waited in the rain for about 10 minutes for a tram. After getting on the tram, I rode 3 stops when the driver informed us we must get off because something was wrong with the track. Fortunately, there was a young student in the seat across from me who explained in English that we must walk two stops to pick up another tram. So I joined the little parade of tram riders trudging through mud puddles and rain for about a mile to the place where the tram was again running. Finally at Auchan, I went immediately to the meat department where I found no lean burger. Between my Hungarian and the meat lady's English, I was able to find out that they only had the lean burger on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and on weekends. So, back home again...without my burger...and my small group coming on Thursday expecting Mexican food. I'll make another "quick" trip tomorrow and pray I get there while there's still some lean burger available. I'm not complaining...just drawing a contrast between my two lifestyles.

Update: The following day, Michael made the trip to Auchan to get the lean burger only to find none available. He asked the meat man about this problem and was told to return the following morning! But something in Michael's demeanor must have made the meat man reconsider, and he told Michael (in Hungarian) to wait 5 minutes while he ground the lean burger fresh. I was so glad to get the meat the day before I prepared Mexican food for the 20 hungry singles who descended on our flat last night. Praise the Lord for this kind meat man!