Making a routine errands run into a fun time for my grandson Diego and I. It was Saturday afternoon and I had been putting everything off for a while until I realized that it was in fact getting late, so I took a shower (the only way I can really wake up) and I was ready to hit the road, but not before my little tag along asked me if he could go with me.
So we left the house and went on our way, first stop Hobby Lobby. I was picking up a frame for a future project of mine. Diego was happy to pose in front of Hobby Lobby for the camera.
I am sort of a regular at this store. Not known all over it but in the framing department they all know me by name and actually treat me like a valued repeat customer. So far even though Michael's is nearby about 15 minutes away from me versus five for Hobby Lobby I am trying to remain loyal to this store and it's starting to pay off. I wrote sometime back that I prefer to support my local vendors 100% over taking my business to other areas.
Second stop, Water Works. We needed water so I took all the empty bottles and loaded them in the van... OK I am lying, I told Diego "Diego, here are the keys to the van, take all those empty water bottles and put them in the van". Yeah, that sounds more like the way it happened. So after Hobby Lobby that's were we went.
We got to Water Works and it turned out it was closed. Actually there was a little note on the door saying "Be back in 5 minutes". Well I can't wait that long, luckily I have a few dollar bills which means I can fill my bottles in the outside water dispenser. One bottle here, the other here, a dollar in the slot, press this button, press the other button, great my two bottles are filling up, one side stopped, press the button again, the other side stops press the button again, everything is cool so far. Both sides stop and I put another dollar, press the button and it begins again, press the other button and it begins too, except side one decides not to stop after the one gallon mark and all of a sudden bottle one is full and the water won't stop. I put my hand over trying to close it and it only splattered all over me, then I tried to get it off the dispenser but it's heavy, slippery, and wet, in the meantime water is running down the dispenser and all over the walk way.
In the meantime I put another dollar to continue filling the second bottle and the dollar only fills a little over half the bottle, so Diego tells me, that the store is once again open. I put the full bottle in the van, and my half filled bottles in a cart and I go inside. I show the guy what I have so far and asked him how much more to fill all the other bottles. Well, it took another $2.25.
Never before had getting water been such an Odyssey. Well, I am proud to say I conquered it, but not before spending $5.25 and almost twenty minutes there. Normally five minutes and three dollars and change take care of this task.
Stop number three, WallyWorld. I really shouldn't support this store as it's practices are not exactly what I like but when short of cash you just can't ignore that this store beat the competition hands down.
We went into this store and took care of business very fast. For those of you in the valley when it comes to WalMarts they are always very untidy but the one on Camelback and the 101 for some reason break itself away from the rest and is always for the most part very clean and it always have a huge selection of what I'm looking for. Redemption kindda comes in the way of this one store.
Next stop, Walgreens or as my brother in law calls it Greenwals. Again here we were just picking up something for mi chica and didn't really take too long in there, of course that Diego had to go and push the buttons on a bunch of the Halloween stuff they have in there. Talk about a "Hunted Walgreens" with special sound effects. You want yours to be the same, I'll have Diego email your kids the instructions. It's actually pretty easy and it only requires a little time and willing hands to press lots of buttons.
Fun times running errands and being silly with your grandson. How something so common as going to the store can be easily turned into an awesome adventure.
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