Around the next bend in the mall appeared the jewelry store where we bought our wedding rings. We have cards that go with our rings that promise free repair if we bring our rings in every 6 months for cleaning and inspection. (The first 4 years of marriage, we went in every six months like clockwork. Now it's a miracle if we remember twice in the same calendar year.) The last time we went in was in February, so we figured September was close enough. When we presented our cards with our rings, the saleslady exclaimed, before even opening the cards to see all the dates, how surprised she was that we have had those cards for so long! She used this certain tone of voice that I just had to ask if most people got divorced before visiting 14 times. I couldn't figure out any other reason for her surprise. She just laughed and said most people aren't very careful to keep their cards in a safe place. She also said that next time we come in, we can get all the scratches buffed out. My ring would only cost $20 and my husband's would be free! Definitely something to keep in mind for our anniversary next year...
Today was very long, epically long. It also started early, which probably perpetuated its long-ness. Awake at 8:30, but I was woken up by the sweetest little boy in the world, so it was okay. We picked up Granny and went to Grammy's house where the four cousins were spending the day, and we were immediately greeted with noise and action. The baby (well, he just turned one) can't walk yet but is almost there and has the absolute cutest grin. The three year old has a very LOUD voice and he's very difficult to understand (if you haven't learned his language yet), but his giggle is so cute. The four year old is too sweet, asking me if I was a good ballet dancer (um, no!) and later asking "Are you leaving your son here to play?" (I had to do a double take on that question, and yes, we did). In between those two questions I overheard her asking Grammy, "When will it be my turn on the pluter?" (How adorable is that!!) Because: The six year old played on the computer most of the time, enjoying quiet company with my own six year old as he worked on his Brain Quest workbook. We spent almost two hours with the cousins, and not a single picture. My camera was on the coffee table at home. (I would take a picture of it on the coffee table to show you just how bleak the situation was, but for brain-cell killing reasons, I can't even do that.) We left for my doctor's appointment, which I will post about after the results of the test come in next week. We got back just in time to jet down to the mall where we had pictures waiting for pick-up at Sears. I double-checked before we left home: hours for Thursday, 10-3. They are closed every day from 2-3 for lunch, but I thought, surely if they close at 3, they won't take lunch from 2-3. I was wrong. Apparently, hours for Thursday are really 10-2, but they don't want to say that so they say they're open until 3, and then the worker just leaves at 2. The closed sign that was up proclaimed "closed for lunch" and the drawer was chock full of the day's money. The lights were all shining brightly, and the box fan was laboriously keeping the wall a balmy 68 degrees. The time read 2:48, and after alerting a Sears employee of our predicament, we patiently waited (the youngest of us "played bored"--I was regretting again forgetting my camera) until 3:10, when it was obvious no one was coming back. The employee had originally told us that she was not allowed to hand out pictures, but she would find someone who could and we would get our pictures today. At 3:00, she became agitated and enlisted the help of a co-worker in attempting to track down the missing portrait-taker. They proceeded to call every other Sears in the state, trying to determine where their employee might be and evaluating the possible repercussions if they did indeed hand us our portraits. At 3:10, they both became overly anxious, knowing that they had promised us that we could take our picture but not willing to allow us to actually do so (because I left the receipt at home, thinking at the last minute that we wouldn't make it in time after the doctor). And then I saw it: a little placard that read "All payments must be made in full at time of session." We showed it to the Sears ladies and they (begrudgingly) handed over our (free with a coupon) 10x30 photo of our son. Whew! After that long ordeal, we were parched. There is a shop in this mall that sells tea, and scattered throughout the items for sale are pitchers and pots of tea for prospective customers to sample. (My husband thought the store was on the second floor of the mall and I thought it was on the first. He was right.) For some reason, I always feel self-conscious when sampling food or drink when the goal of the owners is for me to buy something. I never actually buy, so I feel bad sampling. My husband sits at the opposite end of that spectrum. So in we went to sample the tea. It was quite refreshing. I'm glad I avoided eye contact and gulped down the oolong. It was worth it. Around the next bend in the mall appeared the jewelry store where we bought our wedding rings. We have cards that go with our rings that promise free repair if we bring our rings in every 6 months for cleaning and inspection. (The first 4 years of marriage, we went in every six months like clockwork. Now it's a miracle if we remember twice in the same calendar year.) The last time we went in was in February, so we figured September was close enough. When we presented our cards with our rings, the saleslady exclaimed, before even opening the cards to see all the dates, how surprised she was that we have had those cards for so long! She used this certain tone of voice that I just had to ask if most people got divorced before visiting 14 times. I couldn't figure out any other reason for her surprise. She just laughed and said most people aren't very careful to keep their cards in a safe place. She also said that next time we come in, we can get all the scratches buffed out. My ring would only cost $20 and my husband's would be free! Definitely something to keep in mind for our anniversary next year... We rounded the last corner before deciding to continue our journey through the day elsewhere when the lovely "I wanna rock you all night long" music (music?) wafted up to our ears from the carousel in the middle of the food court. (Now, before further relating the happenings of this event, let me clarify that my brain registered "bad music" but it wasn't until we were halfway to the car afterwards that my husband repeated the lyrics of the song to me.) I had just last week bought a living socials deal for ten rides on the carousel and we thought, after having to "play bored" earlier, we would let our little munchkin have a ride. (Parents got to ride free!) My husband chose a cat with a fish in its mouth and my son and I both chose horses. I think the carousels in movies go around a lot faster. Regardless of the speed, no pictures. :-( I did take this once we got home, though. Nine more to go. We will save the last two for when his west coast cousin comes for a visit at Christmastime: We can't (ever seem to) leave this part of town without first visiting the local second-hand bookstore. They regularly place mass quantities of books outside in Free Bins, and we rabid-hyena our way through the bins. Thankfully, today there were no other predators, I mean, people, scavenging the free books, so we calmly scavenged alone. Once in a while (including today), someone will leave the empty box they used to dump the books outside, so we were able to stockpile our new books as we picked the bins clean. That is the New Testament by Alexander Scourby: Next stop on our incredibly lengthening day: JCPenney 20 minutes away to pick up other pictures of our superhero boy. Ever since the JCP closest to us closed down several months ago, we've been going to the next closest--which happens to be almost an hour from our house. We've been twice to get pictures made, so this was our fourth time to drive to JCP. Today was the first time we drove without directions. We couldn't remember which exit, so we guessed. I knew we had to cross the interstate, so we crossed the bridge and realized this was the wrong way. (I said wrong exit, hubby said wrong direction.) So we turned around and crossed back over and kept going, until I finally convinced him this really was the wrong exit. Back on the interstate down 2 miles, and when we get off, we did not cross the interstate. So I convinced him (again) that this is the wrong way. He says we're just making this an adventure. I say it's time to buy a GPS. :-) Once we find the store, I held my breath in anticipation of a "closed for lunch" welcome. However, we got the pictures, amazingly, with no problems. The lady who works at the JCP portrait studio is so awesomely great. The pictures turned out so nicely. If I had my druthers, we'd only go here, but how can I resist a free picture offer from Sears? (And Sears is half as far away.) JCP picture (Spiderman jommy shirt with a cape--he loves to mix and match his superheros): We still had two more stops before heading home, but I will save those for tomorrow. I'm exhausted all over again just writing this!
2 Comments
Mom
9/28/2012 12:05:55 am
Thanks for letting me ride along on this second trip through your day!! Love the pics!
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1/2/2013 02:32:22 pm
I really love to read your experience and must say you have shared very cute pictures. I also love photography from my childhood and when I got my first device I captured many moments.
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In 2006 I had a stroke, and every day my husband encourages me to use my remaining brain cells to the best of my ability. I love to organize, make crafts, and go on adventures (safe ones). I hope that through my blog posts, you will be encouraged to accept and make the best of challenges God throws at your life. Categories
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