Friday, December 19, 2008

Stream of Consciousness

I'm going to let you in on nothing in particular, today.

I feel so uninspired to talk about food, and that's not like me. I haven't seen the inside of the gym since before Halloween, so that after-the-fireworks shock has set in sooner than usual, maybe? I won't bore you with woe about my mid-section, since we both know what I can do about it.

I think blogging is a microcosm for real-life relationships. I've got this whole circle of blogging friends, now. People that I don't know in real life, but we "talk" all the time via comments. I also have blogging acquaintances: we know of each other and if we happen to cross paths, we smile and say "hi," but we're not reading each other daily. I've also got blogging friend-of-a-friend situations like, Mother Hood who came over just to say "hi" on my birthday.

Angie at American Homemaker, who has some fab recipes, made me think of all this microcosm business. I have personally tried her Pumpkin Oreo Muffins and her Ham and Spinach Roll Ups. Loved 'em! The best thing about her recipes is that they are so accessible. "Accessible" is a thing wine snobs say to mean "even you screw-top drinkers will enjoy this one." Well, I mean to say that even you non-cooking types can manager Angie's recipes. Many of her ideas start with a box of cake mix and turn into something wonderful and new. She comes up with all sorts of semi-homemade goodies a la Sandra Lee.

Sandra is, in my opinion, the real man's Martha and much craftier. So is Angie. Check her out, she keeps it real.

Oh, so I was headed to the store to pick up a few things and I was thinking about trying one of Angie's recipes, but I couldn't recall all the ingredients. A thought suddenly popped into my head that I'd just call her cell and ask what to buy. Then I remembered (just as suddenly) that I don't really know this person. She's a blogging friend, not a friend in real life. (Don't worry, blogging friends, I'm not going to go cross country and One-Hour-Photo you. )

I forked over the money to buy Only Child a Lightening McQueen lamp that he spotted at Ross and asked so maturely if we could buy. Normally Id say something like, "let's wait and see if Santa gets it for you," but I felt guilty for dragging him in there for the third time this week. We had to find a pillow for The Micker, long story, but it was a successful hunt. I was feeling cheerfully generous, and let him have, it no strings attached. And as an added bonus he went right into his nap with no fussing. So these $7 finds are the reason we keep going back to that (spit) store.

Does anyone else have a Love/Hate relationship with Ross?

The thrill of the hunt is awesome. The wading through clothes on the floor or picking up one pillow and a dozen fall down...that's the price we pay. And I know that Ross ain't trying to be Nordstrom. But every Ross is trashy. Not so much at Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Is Big Lots more upscale in the world of close outs? Because if I was a manager at Big Lots I would not appreciate being compared to Ross.

Just like Walmart, Ross is the third world of shopping and they've got the pigeons in the parking lot to prove it. Do pigeons like a good deal, too? How do they know?

Yet I can't seem to love them or leave them. I know I'm not the only one.

Ross!

One memorable trip to Ross occurred around the time Only was being potty trained. He told me he had to go, number 2. The bathroom had a closed sign on it. I ask if the bathroom was working, because I've got a barely-three-year-old that has to poop, right now. Hourly employee tells me to do what I need to do and walks away.

I explained my predicament to a nice lady shopping outside the bathroom and she went to get a manager. The bathroom was not closed because of a malfunctioning toilet. It was closed because there was no toilet paper to be had in all the city and the shipment from corporate (where Ross gets all of its toilet paper) had not come in. I caused such a stink ( ha!) because, while a hole in the ground is sufficient facilities in many parts of the world, here in the first world it is not. I was willing to argue, threaten to write letters, and raise my voice, lest some paper product be produced to wipe my kid's butt.

I even suggested we use a shirt off the floor, since it had so many basket skids, it couldn't be sold.

Meanwhile, nice shopper lady asked around until she found someone willing to part with a few baby wipes. Just as we were washing our hands and leaving the bathroom, the security guard came running back with some toilet paper scored at the CVS next door. Seems they had TP all along.

Is there a moral to this story? I probably don't want to hear it, but if you read all my ranting you get to say it.

Heather, your request is coming soon. I'm too sluggish to find the camera just now.

Rachel, you'd better not leave town without calling me!

7 comments:

chiara said...

I have found one nice Ross when I used to live up in the Inland Empire - it was actually clean, not frequented by questionable clientele, and not trashy (maybe because it was a newer store). Then we moved down here to North San Diego County and Ross is, again, a hell-hole. But I have gotten some great deals there.

Oddly enough, the Ross in Chandler, AZ is also not that crappy. I have no idea about Big Lots - the name has scared me off from ever setting foot inside one.

Moral? I guess if you have a toddler, the moral or the story is to always carry emergency TP.

jmt said...

Ramblings when you didn't start with a specific topic can be the most fun to read. :) And I guess I'm one of those cooks you described....I don't do it. :) Well, I DO..but not "real" cooking....or baking. I really hate baking.

Mother Hood said...

I totally feel the same way about Ross. I've found some really cute clothes and really good deals...after I pick through racks of garbage like the rest of the scavengers!

Thank you for your comment! It's crazy when kids say weird or gross things around other people.

I get all paranoid that some one is going to think we're a bunch of pervs or something!

Aggie2percenter said...

Why do you keep going back??? I hate that junk store!

jmt said...

Hey, thank you for the ideas you left on my blog....I think I am going to take you up on those...I always love getting books and try to inspire others who need to read to actually READ. LOL We did go by the bookstore, but the PJs are a great idea....never really think about that. Thank you!

(now I just need to go back out and steal some more time to get myself that marshmellow mocha that they were handing out at Barnes and Noble...YUM.)

American Homemaker said...

Thanks for the posting :)

I've been to some nice Ross stores and some trashy ones, it just depends on the area of town they're in. I like the good deals and figure it's worth it to dig through all the crap. But I'm also a Walmart shopper and a BIG TIME thrift store shopper, so I guess it just doesn't bug me.

Anonymous said...

This story has me cracking up. Toddlers have to poop at the worst times, don't they?