Monday, March 10, 2008

How to Celebrate When you are in Florence With your Granddaughter


As I said, Saturday the wind was blowing like 40 hells and of course we decide that's the day for Mac to go to Florence to get his specks adjusted or replaced (what ever seems best) at the Mall. I have been banned from straying into Barnes and Noble for longer than thirty minutes (Mac having figured I can't do too much damage in that short length of time). So I call the kids and tell them we are coming into Florence. Michael told me that Anna had made the G'daughter an appointment to get her eyes examined at 2 p.m. That worked out well for us, we could all gather at the Mall. We left the house about 9 am because there were other stops to be made on the way. The trip from here to Florence takes about an hour and a half and we stopped off at Lowe's and Wal-Marts in Hartsville before we got there. We have been looking for a "Private Drive" sign. I know they make them, it's just hard to find them. We want to get the problem of other people using our drive way stopped before it becomes a habit impossible to break. But that's another story for another day. No luck on the signs in either store, we headed on to Florence. I know this sounds unbelievable, but I've never been to a Home Depot. Every other store you name, well I've been there. But never Home Depot. So Saturday I spent an hour browsing through my first ever. Good news for Home Depot. Bad news for Mac. I found quite a few things that I would have loved to take back home with me had it not been for the near tornadic winds that were blowing. Mac called it a 40 knot gale. So at 1 pm we headed over to the Mall, Mac took his glasses into Lenscrafters, explained the problem with the new ones (they were uncomfortable and the lineless bifocal was not right). After leaving the specks in their care, we went to Barnes and Noble to meet up with the family. Michael arrived first, saying the girls (my DDIL and G'Daughter)were on the way. I made a vow to myself that I would not spend even a penny inside, since I still had about four books to read. No since in being greedy, right? We took Arianna to get her eyes examined and even though everyone of us are be speckled or contact lensed (I know, I made that word up. It's my blog, I can do that) her baby blues are 20/20. I hugged her and said "this calls for a celebration!" She said in all innocence, "wow Grandma, I like to celebrate in Ruby Tuesday's." Anna spoke up about then, "I was planning on making a Broccoli Casserole, honey". Arianna's eyes opened wide and her mouth fell open. "But Mom, I don't want to celebrate with no Broccoli Casserole!" I quickly corrected her. "I don't want to celebrate with Broccoli Casserole, not no Broccoli Casserole." She turned quickly back to her mother. "See Mom, Grandma doesn't want to celebrate with no broccoli, either." She's 8 years old and her Daddy has been confused ever since her arrival. He hasn't figured out how a four foot girl manages to keep 2 six foot+ men and 5'10 woman wrapped around her little finger and still have room for an uncle and an aunt.

27 comments:

Mockingbird Hill said...

Never been to Home Depot?? I love that place...something about the smell of all that lumber...mmmm

Little girls are masters at that "finger wrap around"...I know, cause I did it and have proudly passed that on to my own little girl ;)

Cassie

kari and kijsa said...

How is it that those sweet little girls can have so many of us wrapped around their fingers?? They are always so fun and brighten our days!!!

Come on over and leave your post link to share a bit of spring and wash away those winter blues! We want to share a bit of cheer across blogland!

blessings,
kari & kijsa

Anonymous said...

What a sweetie. Proud her eyes were good. I know all of Brians side has them and both Rian and April have had since they were small. Poor Chance thought he was left out and had the teacher call me so many times that he couldn't see the board. I took him and his were 20/20. he was sad he wanted to be like the others. Now that he is 19 I think he is proud lol.

Anonymous said...

Oh my! 1st time in a Home Depot! I pity your bank account! LOL!

I can do A LOT OF DAMAGE in Barnes and Noble in 30 minutes!

Jan said...

I love walking around Home Depot when I'm alone...but hate going in with my husband. Go figure!
Little girls....we do learn early, don't we?! She sounds precious!

Jan

Vee said...

Hahahaha...what a cutie! Is it just me or does she resemble Dakota Fanning?

So you didn't get no books? No private drive sign? Say, I have a suggestion for you about that...you could make your own using your own "voice." It would speak volumes more than those everyday signs. ;>

John-Michael said...

I'm having fun enjoying the fun that you are obviously having in telling about the fun that you had. Really!

Sandi McBride said...

Oh yes Cassie, and the smell of dirt and trees and flowers...all signed up Misses K&K thanks hons, and Brenda, Mac said his family thought he only wanted glasses because his brother had them...parents...Seamus, this is our secret...I too can do lots of damage in 30 minutes...lets not let it out! I could have stayed in there hours Jan...just hours! And no Vee, not just you, she's a Dakota Fanning clone...I sneaked one book..wouldn't be human if I didn't..and found my sign on E_bay, go figure! Glad you had fun John Michael...that's what I strive for! Having fun
thanks all
Sandi

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Amazing that you have not been to a Home Depot before! I don't think I could walk into a Barnes and Noble and come out empty handed...just couldn't do it :-).

Little girls are amazing aren't they?
Hugs,
Penny
p.s. I got both of your posts...I have enabled comment moderation, so before they post I see them first. I have been getting some emails with bad links lately, so I had to do it :-(

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

We're all "contact lensed" in my family too! :-)

Your granddaughter is adorable!

Hugs, Pat

Lolly said...

You are too cute! Love the blog!
~Lolly

Mima said...

She looks like such a lovely little girl, you never told us if she got away with it or not!! Did Grandma's comment completely throw things?? How wonderful to have the chance to see them all and spend some time with them.

Even I have been in a Home Depot - wonderful places. We have something similar here, but it is not quite the same. Barnes and Noble I haven't done, but Borders which I think is our equivalent is a wonderful place to spend some time (and money!).

Jeni said...

I rather suspect when kids are able to wrap adults around their little fingers, it has something to do with the word "grand" coming before the word "Children." I was never this gullible when I was simply a mother but give me the title of Gram and I'm that proverbial sucker just born, ya know! Anything better that the Good Lord made after grandchildren, He kept strictly for Himself!
A half-hour in a bookstore, for me, is cutting things close as I dearly love to browse in them for HOURS and HOURS but I can, if I have available funds, still manage to do some serious damage to a checking (or credit) account in 30 minutes if I put my mind to it.

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

Eeeew. Broccoli cassorole. Yuck. Eee. (Sorry Anna!!!) I'm with Arianna...Ruby Tuesdays (love those angel hair onions they have!).

I'm not a Home Depot fan, either...I've always preferred Lowe's, but I'll go to the Depot if I can't find what I'm looking for. They actually have much better light fixtures than Lowe's, in my opinion. And heaven knows, I LOVES me a good light fixture. ha But Randey's threatened to leave home forever more if I buy one more light fixture for him to have to wire to the ceiling. I really don't get his attitude about that, but I guess I'll heed it. For now....

LivingTheLife said...

OMG Sandi...your grand-daughter is a living doll...those eyes...well, with those killer blues...she won't just have her family wrapped around her little finger....just hide and watch...Tell her daddy...he might want to invest in a good guard dog or shot-gun...to keep those boys away from her as long as he can!!

Home Depot...girl...really...seriously...I can NOT believe that...glad you were able to go and soak up some feel good...and then on to B&N....all in the same day...NOW that WAS a good day!! Love me some shopping at HD, B&N...have you got Tractor Supply stores there??...I LOVE Tractor Supply, too...if you haven't been...and you have one nearby...GO!! Not large scale...but oodles of cool ole stuff...reminds me of the "feed store" my dad used to take me to every Saturday morning when I was about your grand daughters age!!...Awwww...sweet memories!

Blessings...
Teresa

Unknown said...

Your grandaughter sounds so cute and funny. It sounds like she just says what she thinks. And no Home Depot before????? Shocking.....LOL

PAT said...

Sounds like a great day, Sandi. I love it when we all seem to converge at the same place at the same time. We often work in a visit to Ruby Tuesday, too.

Did you ever find the sign?

Pat

Lori said...

Arianna sounds like my kind of girl:) what a fun story Sandi!!! and oh boy, i could do all KINDS of damage in 30 minutes, any store...anytime!!! {i walk really fast and make snap decisions}

Justabeachkat said...

What a doll your granddaughter is!!! Wow! I can see why she has you all wrapped around her little finger. Sh'e a cutie pie, for sure!

Never been to Home Depot? I thought everybody had been at least once. LOL!

Huygs!
Kat

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

I have one of those 8 year old darlings. She makes my days. Good post....Mary

CatHerder said...

I love Home Depot...and like mockingbird hill said in her comment, the smell of wood makes me want to just build something!!! Your granddaughter is precious...what a wit, wait till she is 16 lol!!! By the way...I LOVE BROCCOLI CASSEROLE!!! Have a great day!

Terri said...

Of course she's right....Brocoli isn't really a celebratory kind of vegetable is it??? LOL

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

It finally happened to me - I got a snarky comment on one of my posts! lol I e-mailed Jenn and Jacqui and told them I "feel their pain" now. The comment I got wasn't hateful, per se. Just more annoying. Some guy told me to get my panties out of a wad and to get my priorities straight. Little does he know, but IF my panties WERE in a wad, getting them out of said wad would most certainly be my very first priority. I'm all about personal comfort, don't 'cha know! :)
Now I'm off to examine my priorities as they relate to professional and college sports....

Love ya'll,
Sissy

Jeanne said...

Home Depot rocks. I love going in there and trying out all the doorbells. Of course Matt is usually a few aisles away so he isn't seen with me doing that lol. Your granddaughter is a cutie!

San said...

I vote with Arianna. I don't want to celebrate with no broccoli casserole.

That photo of her is a treasure, Sandi. I anticipate many, many being wrapped around that little finger in the years to come.

Carol said...

Bless her...
I thought that you were in Forence Italy! at first.
I think I would give a miss to the broccoli casserolle.....I do need my B12...but not that much!
Carol xx

Susie Q said...

Oh but that little sweetie has just learned a fine art!
Just bat those pretty 20/20 blues Arianna. Now, did you all go to Ruby Tuesdays??? Hmmm??

Oh how I love Home Depot and Lowe's.
I can come up with all sorts of ideas. Bill just adds them to the loooong list with my other ideas he has yet to help me bring to life!

Bookstores are so dangerous...how can you NOT leave without one of their pretty bags?? It is almost sinful!

You tell a story better than anyone sweet Sandi!

Love,
Sue