Riding in Cars with Noise

Yesterday, The Husband God Gave Me, Daughter and I did some Christmas shopping together. I'm not much of a shopper, especially in crowds (i so do not like crowds) but Daughter had some crib bumper pads to exchange. We all headed out together down 28th St. in the black Lincoln rental that THGGM had for work.

Many random acts of weirdness happened on that trip.

First, Daughter noticed that the 'adult' theatre had an amature stripper night on Thursday's. She thought it would be funny for us to participate. Her in her 9th month, and me...well...I've no idea, but she probably just didn't want to go alone. Poor, poor THGGM having to chauffer around two strange women, laughing hysterically at the thought. Daughter seemed to think that our presence on stage would shut the business down for good.

Our first stop was to Schuler Books. This is a wonderful book store. I could spend hours and hours there. But, of course I can't when I went with the two members of my family who do not enjoy books. They got whiny after only 15 minutes. I was disappointed that I did not find what I went there for (magnetic poetry rubberstamps) but I did find many other great things. I got the Joan Steiner "Look-Alikes Christmas" which I find fascinating. As someone who has since toddlerhood been intrigued by things that look like other things, this book is just too fun! The non-readers I brought with me enjoyed it also.

THGGM bought a double CD of Christmas music. He wanted the Bing Crosby and David Bowie "The Little Drummer Boy", so the rest of the day we got to sing along to a startling array of Christmas songs, including "The Chipmunks". The phrase, 'me, I want a hoolahoop' is still twirling around in my head, more than 24 hours later. (anyway, i DON'T want a hoolahoop, not even for amature night.)

Next we went to Baby's R Us. There was no Christmas shopping rush at this store. The tall scary giraffe was walking around in there which just may have been what kept the people away. I know I was terrified. Daughter exchanged the bumper pads, and we were herded out of there by THGGM who was anxiously awaiting furniture shopping. Quite possibly, it was the giraffe that scared him.

Furniture shopping ranks right up there with root canals for me. I don't mind going in if I can buy the first thing I see that I like. THGGM likes to sit on things, lay on things, touch things, put things on layaway, change his mind about things. He thinks this is fun, and necessary. I cannot do this. Daughter found a brightly colored lounge chair and reclined herself and her jumping-bean belly while I kept reminding THGGM that I liked what we had originally put on layaway. But, we went to another furniture store anyway.

At this one, the Black Lincoln started making a loud dragging sound. This happened after we had just passed someone in the same kind of car we REALLY have, but left behind in Chicago because of the nasty weather. As soon as we passed 'our' car, we hit a large lump of snow, and continued to drag it with us down the highway. It sounded as if we were in a snowplow. Apparently, some sort of plastic piece had come lose, and right at the moment that we had given up humility and chosen to pretend that we actually HAD a Black Lincoln and not a black Focus our pretense was shattered, right along with our ear drums.

Shortly after this, we met up with Son-in-law, who was able to remove some of the offensive dragging plastic noise-maker. Although, to do this he had to lay flat out in a snowy cold parking lot, after a day of installing a sign outside in the snowy cold wind. He is a very nice man. He took Daughter with him to buy a real Christmas tree. I'm sure she was happy to be done with us.

THGGM and I went on to finish our errands. The dragging sound continue, as another piece slid down. No longer do we look like cool people driving a Black Lincoln, we look like IDIOTS dragging something under the car that causes people to point and stare. I'm not kidding. People pointed and stared. The sound WAS really bad, but to point and stare is just, well, rude.

After finishing all of the errands, I was finally able to sit down with my "Look-Alikes Christmas" book. And, I also got the "Kids" Martha Stewart magazine which I love. I do hope that besides being robust and healthy, Grandson will love to come to Grandma's house and be creative. This magazine had the coolest 'snow walrus' made from two turkey basters, a blue ornament nose and plastic wire whiskers. I'd make one for myself if I had two turkey basters. Oh, there were also little snowball mice with pastic spoons for ears - but I won't be making those anytime soon.

Speaking of mice...from the time our children were very small, we had a 'mouse' advent calendar to count down to Christmas. The kids took turns moving the mouse each day. We had a 'day to be first' plan. Every third day a different child got to be the first to do things. On your day to be first during advent, you got to move the mouse.

Well, while riding in the car with Daughter yesterday, she had another idea that perhaps I should get that calendar out this year and just add a newly caught mouse to the calendar pocket each day. She's a funny one, that Daughter of mine. I think I'll pass that calendar on to her.

First, I'll have to go fill it for her...