How to Make an A$$ Out of Yourself at the Grocery Store

I have mentioned before about my weekly grocery shopping fiascoes during which I display impressive feats of frugality to get half-price groceries. (And anyone who wants to know more about how I do it, just email me.)

Unfortunately, I am too easily amused and also one of those people who has fuzzy boundary issues. This is a nice way of saying I stick my nose into other people's business.

I'm scared I'm going to be one of those people that's embarrassing to be around. I'll be the crazy old lady that talks to strangers in really personal ways. Oh, who am I kidding... I already do that without being an old lady. That's why I think I'm just screwed already. Should I fight it or just go with it? I'm still trying to decide.

Just in case you'd like to be obnoxious in the grocery store like me, here is a helpful primer on how to make an ass out of yourself:

1) When both lanes of a grocery aisle is full, run quickly toward someone with your basket shouting, "GROCERY CHICKEN!!!!"

2) Force coupons you're not using onto people who really don't want to use coupons.

3) Interrupt a husband and wife trying to decide what to have for dinner and make recommendations complete with recipe. (Bonus points if you manage to sell a product for the grocery store.)

4) Pick up an 8 pound pork butt on sale and dance around with it singing, "I like big butts and I cannot lie...!"

I'm sure I could invent some really embarrassing things to add to the list, but I thought it would be more awesome just to list the ways I've actually been authentically stupid.

Just keepin' it real!

Okay, don't leave me hanging out here alone. Pipe up and tell me how wild and crazy you get in the grocery store!

Precious Moment

Julius and I were driving in the car and had the following conversation:

J: I have an idea, Mom.

Me: Okay, what?

J: I think we should start saving up for our life dream. We need to put money away whenever we can to save up to go to Disney World because that's our life dream and we need to use our life savings to have our life dream.

Me: That's a great idea. We should wait until Tristan can enjoy it, though, like maybe in 2-3 years. He will be about 5 and you will be about 9.

J: Okay, that will be good. I will help save up some money, too. Also, I was thinking I would save up a hundred of my allowances for a laptop computer that I saw on TV. How long will it take me to save up for that?

Me: (after an agonizing moment of calculating in my head) About 2-3 years.

J: I'm gonna do that then. And that's about the time we'll be going to Florida to Disney World and so I will be able to take the laptop with me.

Me: It sounds like you have it all planned out. Sounds good to me!

We rode in silence for quite a while. He started talking again...

J: Mom, I have to ask you a question.

Me: Okay, go ahead.

J: Will my dad be dead by the time I have saved up for my laptop?

Me: (I laughed, but didn't mean to!) No! Three years isn't that far away. Your dad should still be here by then. I'd sure be sad if he wasn't.

J: I'd be sad, too. He's the best dad I've ever met.

Small Town Snapshot Sunday #20

It's Small Town Snapshot Sunday! Read the rules and get the banners here. Be sure you include the link to your post at the bottom of this entry and also, tag your post "stss" or "small town snapshot sunday" so people can search for it and find you! THE LINKING MECHANISM IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST. PLEASE LINK TO YOUR ENTRY TODAY, NOT YOUR MAIN PAGE! Also, please be sure to link back to me so people can go check out all the other people who are playing. That's part of the fun, the small-town-hopping! If you can't get yours done exactly on Sunday, you can always backdate it!

Recently Julius and I did an excursion over to Heber Springs to get some pictures for work. While we were there we took a quick sidetrip to the Greers Ferry Lake dam. It's a beauty.

The park was dedicated by John F. Kennedy on October 3, 1963 and one of this last major public appearances before he was assassinated. Here is a picture of the dedication:

(You can read more about the dedication at the Corps of Engineers web site.)

This is the entrance of the small lookout where you can stand to view the dam. Without knowing it was built in the late 50's, early 60's you can tell just from the architecture.


Originally this was all river going through this valley. Now it's a beautiful lake with three world-class fishing records. It's 22 miles long and has 365 miles of shoreline. Downstream, below the dam the water is cold and deep and routinely stocked from the fish hatchery with several types of trout.

It's hard to see, but there's a man standing by the railing spraying something with a jet of water.






Julius took pictures with me. I was hoping we'd be able to post his own STSS entry on his blog, but I think I left the other camera at work. I'll try to get to it sometime this week! He loved it at the lookout. It's really stunning.


Across the way is a recreational park where people can swim, camp, picnic and launch their boats.


The birds use the updraft below the dam to circle and cruise around looking for dinner.

Have a great Sunday no matter where you are!