Too Prepared

Back in July 2006, as we were packing up all our wordly possessions for Norway, I had a money-saving idea. I had heard how expensive toiletries were in Norwegian stores, so I decided to stock up in the U.S. and haul it all over. I filled two shopping carts full of shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, dental floss, shaving cream, razors, lotion, lip balm and sunscreen. As the cashier started to ring up my purchases, the lady waiting behind me asked me if I had lots of daughters? I told her that I had no children. At that point, she started getting a little nervous about why I was stockpiling toiletries and asked me if I knew something that she didn't. Obviously I should have just explained the logic behind my shopping spree, but I was kind of paranoid that perhaps smuggling $400 worth of toiletries into Norway was slightly illegal. (In retrospect, first, the customs officials have their hands full with the gallons of alcohol and tons of meat smuggled over the Norwegian border every day--no one would have cared about my soap! Second, did I really think that the nosy lady in line behind me at the local WalMart was some sort of Norwegian government mole trying to bust an American soap smuggling ring?) Anyway, she didn't seem satisfied by my lame explanation that I really hate going shopping so I just stock up once a year. Suddenly the cashier and a couple of other customers were involved in the conversation and the paranoia and conspiracy theories were running rampant. As I stuffed my bags of toiletries back into the shopping carts, I firmly restated that no, I had no advance knowledge of any reason to stockpile goods, so everyone should just calm down and continue shopping normally! By the time I reached my car, I was cracking up--even if I had some kind of information and was planning to hole up in my bunker, wouldn't it have made more sense for me to buy canned goods and bottled water instead of shower gel and shaving cream? I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that smelling nice and getting a close shave are less important to survival than adequate nutrition!
Now that we are moving back to the U.S. in a short month, I am annoyed with myself for buying so many toiletries. We still have unopened bottles and tubes and tubs galore which will now have to be moved back. Oh well, at least I won't be freaking out about smuggling goods back across the border--they're just returning to their rightful home after a lengthy Norwegian vacation!