Sunday, June 29, 2008

the girl who has been and come back (and has the pictures to prove it)

So today I went to Tampa to see this girl who was at the Hilton by the airport giving a seminar on leadership to the management staff there. This girl was my road trip buddy. We drove up in her hubby's Prius and might I say that is a neat little toy. When they make one that can fit a family of six, sign me up!

We had a wonderful conversation on the way up, talking about this and that and before we knew it, we were there! Princess met us in the lobby with sinful black and white cookies from TooJays deli and we all loaded up into the electric toy to go to the mall and have lunch. Um, sorry, brunch.


You can tell it was brunch because there were Mimosa's. And you can tell it was brunch with us because we took pictures of the Mimosa's. gee, you'd think we never got out of the house or something.
After brunch we walked around taking pictures. When we spied this lion we knew we needed to do a photo series with Miss Jen.
Remember this shot? This was taken the day of my baby shower, about a year ago. Also the last time we all saw each other. I think Jen has an affinity for lions (and black tank tops.)
Yeah, I had to get in on the picture taking too. Good thing those blinds were closed because I'm sure the people inside would have thought I was nuts.
Then, a stop at Ruban Rouge. A drool inducing scrappy store in Tampa. (Love this place!) I could have dropped a butt-load of money but restrained myself and walked out within my (very meager) budget. Proud of myself and a little regretful too.

While we were there we met Kelly Noel. Kelly is a HOF'er, a MMMaster, a member of the AC DT, and just an all around gifted scrapper. I recognized her name from her work and then made the (duh!) connection to her PeaName when she clued us in. We exchanged PeaNames and she said, "Ck42? I know you!"

I'm thinking to myself, "Kelly Noel recognizes my PeaName? She must have liked my lo's! Someone who's style I like likes me back! Woo Hoo!"

And then she says, "Yeah, aren't you the one who had a baby in her van?"

Cue deflating balloon.

Of course, we all dissolved into fit of laughter over it all. Jen made the pithy comment later, 'Well Jules, we all gotta be known for something!"

The next stop was a flea market to walk around in the heat and look for knock off designer handbags for da Jens. Me, not so much. But we got to hear some very interesting conversations between stall owners and management and see the place "where dollar store items go to die." I love this pic of Princess making her patented Elsie face.
I was hamming it up and mugging for the camera when this shot was taken. It was near the end of our lap around the (closing) flea market and I had wondered alound where the head shop was. It just isn't a flea market without a head shop. Of course, I had to explain what a head shop was to my poor, naive little friends, and then, I'm sure they wondered why and how I knew the terminology. But we won't discuss it here. All i'll say is that the explanation isn't nearly as salacious as you're probably thinking.

Then we took Princess back to the hotel and drove home. It was way too short of a visit. Of course, I talk to these girls every day , but I still miss our silly times together. Lots of one-liners between the three of us that would never translate well in print, but at one time jokes were cracked about everything from dictionaries to airplanes.


I love these girls and our good times together!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

good grief - I am way too emotional these days... that post was so very sweet!

xoxoxo

And I love the photos! (will be stealing them, along with the one Jen posted)

Unknown said...

and the "cue deflating balloon" has me CRACKING UP!