Busy

A couple of things before I get rolling this morning:

1. Episode 3 of The Collective You is out! Check it out.
2. My press release for Talk Dirty To Me it out. You can read that here. 

So yesterday I got a wild hair and decided to drive to Ikea – mainly to see if I could do it up the highway I thought I could and to look at the chair I’m hot to have. It was an hour drive in the heat. We got there and I checked in Sweetie Boy to the kids section and then off I went.

I talked to a great saleslady in the showroom and she gave me some fantastic advice. Since I live far away from Ikea it would be $100+ for delivery. No way! Or you can rent a van for $80/day or $20 for two hours. She suggested if I was going to come back on Sunday to try and reserve the van. So back downstairs I went, weaving through textiles and lighting and self-serve furniture until FINALLY I found the Enterprise phone booth. Whew. It was a long walk too and I had only about 15 minutes before I had to go back and get the Sweetie Boy from the kids section (an hour limit there).

So I get on the phone and it dials automatically and it rang forever. I was about to hang up with this very cheerful (sexy) male voice answered. His name was Nick. So I asked if I could make a reservation for Sunday and told him the situation – that my brother and I were going to split the cost and he lives far far away. He said he’d be happy to and as he’s taking down my information, he’s making small talk. He asks me what I do for a living and I told him I was a marketing assistant by day and a published writer by night – because I figure any chance to self-promote, right?

He seemed quite excited about the fact that I was a published writer and my first book was out on Tuesday. I knew this because he said, “Wow! I am so excited to be talking to a published writer!” So he asked me where he might get the book. I directed him to my website and he was impressed. And of course the book cover is on my home page which always causes quite a stir.

Anyway, after chatting it up, with the reservation made, I hung up and hauled ass to get the kiddo. It’s quite the walk too. After collecting my beautiful child, I head back through the store. But do you think I left there empty-handed? Heck no! I ended up with really cool beer glasses, dish towels for 0.49 cents, a really cool wall clock, and an awesome chair for my desk (I had been sitting in one of my very hard dining room chairs). It took me all of 5 minutes to put together to chair, of which I’m sitting in now. It rocks.

After getting home, exhausted, hot and hungry, we ate a little snack and he played with the cat and watched a movie. Then I cooked dinner. After dinner, we headed to Bed Bath & Beyond where I made a few minor purchases – a lighter for the candles, Sweetie boy picked out this mashy Nerds pillow. Heck he hugged it – how can I NOT buy it? And I got a package of nightlights I needed. The bill came to $20. I spent $10 more than I had intended but it was for the kiddo, so no biggie.

On to Target we I was going to get the baby some PJs that fit but as soon as we hit the store he said, “Mom, we need a game with dice.” And when I asked him what that might be he said, “We need to get Nomopoly.” Which, in grown-up terms, is Monolopoly. So. He suckered me into buying a board game, which I wasn’t terribly opposed to since it will give him something to do when he’s with me. And we, of course, bought PJs. Another $20 and $10 more than I had intended – but, once again, for the kiddo. 🙂

THEN it was grocery shopping time becuase I figured while I was out I may as well get it over with. My child talked THE entire time. I had a list, but I still forgot stuff so I will have to go back this morning. Never made it to the pet store either, so I have to do that this morning before heading to brother’s to do The Collective You. Anyway, he suckered me into getting Go Tarts and orange juice. So I told him he better eat and drink them. How come I can’t say no? I know – it’s becuase he’s so darn cute. So he was messing with me in one of the aisles as I was looking for feminine protection products – I was wearing my capris with the pockets on the side (sort of like cargo pants) and he was sticking his hand down my pocket. It got me to giggling because he was belly laughing in the store. So I turned the cart and wham right into one of those endcap things. It knocks the durn sign down with a loud clatter on the concrete floor.

My kid looks up at me and says, “Now look what you done.”

Yeah, thanks for that. But I couldn’t help but laugh. We ran away from that aisle as fast as possible.

By the time we got home, unloaded and put away the groceries it was like 8:30. Yikes! Into the tub he goes. I wash and dry his hair and put him to bed by 9:30 and that kid lays in bed and talks until nearly 11. So I finally get to bed by 11:30 (by that I mean, crashing on the couch).

I’m telling you – this one bedroom is WAY too small these days. It’s time to start thinking about a new dwelling and quickly. This kid needs his own room!

And this entry was way longer than I had anticipated. I gotta go shower and get to the store before it gets 5000 degrees outside. And oh yeah – have I mentioned the forecast calls for a high of 103? :dead: And that’s in the shade. :hissyfit:

Keep cool, ya’ll.