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Friday, December 4, 2009

Friday Fragments: Scrapbooking, Spying, and More Talk of Chickens

A few weeks back, I canceled a scrapbooking forced march social gathering at my house, saying something along the lines of "Eff scrapbooking, let's get cocktails instead."

I really don't like to scrapbook. It's detail-orientated and fussy and time-intensive. Basically, it's the crafty version of bamboo shoots under the fingernails.

However, I had plunked down a large amount of money for the digital scrapbooking software, a fact that Paul has pointedly shared with me many times. My reasoning was that if I must do the odious activity, I would rather be clicking a mouse than slicing off the top of my finger with a paper guillotine. (I'm sure there is a proper term for "paper guillotine" Those-Who-Scrapbook, but I don't speak your strange language very well.)

I had run into the woman who sold me the software at the gym, and  we determined that if I was to get scrapbooks-as-presents sent by Christmas, they must be made by Sunday. And so, as with most things in life, I had a deadline, and sudden motivation.

I must confess, I liked it. It was relatively painless. The pages are already made, and all I needed to do was choose the pictures and plunk them in the templates. It took me about two hours total to complete a 21 page book.

I feel so not bad-ass about this whole thing. But, yet, when I look at pictures like this...

...I realize that I can stomach some of my personal distaste to record the history of my family.

Speaking of recording history, I'll record some the fragments of my week, courtesy of Mrs. 4444's Friday Fragments. 

Friday Fragments?

***
Owen is planning on asking Santa for a "kid mailbox." I don't get it. What's so cool about a mailbox? You can put the letters in the mailbox...and take them out. Maybe get some toddler bills or toddler junk mail?


I'm hoping to buy the Melissa-and-Doug version shown above, but I know that this is not Owen's first choice. He wants a mailbox that looks like a fishing lure, just like That Guy up the street.

I mean, how cool is this?

If like me, you thought, "Hmmm, not cool at all. Kinda stupid, actually," then join me in the mental picture of my son, shaking his head sadly and saying, "You just don't get it."

***
One of the neighbor's chickens broke free and was running around my back yard last night. Joel stood by the window, hands pressed flat against the window pane, yelling "Quack, quack, quack!"

Owen said, "No Joely, ducks don't live in our backyard. Just chickens."

Yeah, Owen. For now. Who knows what neighbor Jimmy has up his sleeve? Thanks to him, we have five random cats, twelve chickens, and all sorts of feral teenagers running wild through these parts. I'm just waiting for the donkey, or better yet, the Emu.

I will say I appreciated the dozen fresh eggs this morning.

***
Finally, I had the brilliant idea of doing a post about a trip to grocery-store Nirvana, aka Wegman's last week. For those unaware, Wegman's is to Safeway as Ann Taylor is to Old Navy. Same product, worlds apart.

(And by the way, Trader Joe's is not that awesome. It's just...okay. Yes, I said it.)

Anyway, I was taking pictures of the heirloom tomatoes, sushi bar, and imported fine cheeses before an employee told me to put the camera phone away. The "or else" was implied, but present.

I dutifully put it away, but not before asking the employee for a sample of her lovely goat cheese.

If looks could kill...

Who know the grocery business was so cutthroat?

I'm off to enjoy some goat cheese, and then sell a bunch of secretly-obtained film to Safeway. Happy Friday to you all!

15 comments:

Liz Mays said...

You can't take pictures inside of stores? Do they think you're a spy for the competition? If you were, wouldn't you be slightly more underhanded and sneaky about it?

I don't think I can do digital scrapbooking. I feel guilty. Isn't that stupid? I feel like I'm cheating!

adrienzgirl said...

Scrapbooking requires someone without ADD. Yeah, that soooooo would not be me! I feel ya!

erika said...

Digital scrapbooking sounds considerably less painful than the paper-scissor version, and way cooler :) At the same time, doing it as a group activity would be the ultimate geeky-ness, but sadly for me it's still more appealing than traditional social scrapbooking. But it's just me, I mean no harm against the scrapbook fans. And I LOVE your pictures!

I didn't know that they frowned on taking pictures in grocery stores in the US. Is your grocery store THAT fancy? Good thing she didn't take away your camera.

Tracie said...

I enjoy purchasing scrapbook supplies but the actual completion of an entire scrapbook eludes me.

Did they think you were going to sell their secrets to Trader Joes or something? That's weird.

Claudya Martinez said...

I am going to pretend I did not read that part about Trader Joe's. Yes, I said it!

Unknown said...

I suggest you include a few blatant lies in your scrapbooks. Owen's trip to the international space station, or Joel's menagerie of tame parrots, etc.
Am I right or am I right?

Anonymous said...

Other people make the most beautiful books full of personality and flair. Mine usually look like a 3rd grade art project gone awry, so I order the photo books online and LOVE them. They're beautiful, nothing falls out of them when you pick them up and I can actually show off my great pics!

I don't know this wonderful Wegman's of which you speak. In our part of the country, Trader Joe's is as good as it gets, and that's still a 30 minute drive for me. Surprisingly, I live in an over crowded suburban area outside of a very metropolitan city.

Bekah said...

OK, I am one of those traditional, paper and scissors kinda scrapbookers. (it's called a paper trimmer)... and I am SO GLAD you made a book! It's all about the story and the photos.

Stacy Uncorked said...

One of these days I'm sure I'll get sucked into the whole scrapbooking rage...I used to do scrapbooks years ago, but fell off the wagon and probably forgot all the mad skills. ;) I thought about going the digital route, but can't figure out which software would do all the work for me. ;)

Princess Nagger had a toy mailbox when she was younger - not a fishing lure kind, but I bet if she saw the picture of that, she'd be wanting one. She played with that thing for HOURS. So yeah, I would highly recommend it for Owen. ;)

Maybe the chickens are a new breed that quack... ;) Fresh eggs are the best - but hopefully the feral teenagers and potential emu will stay out of your yard.

What is it with paranoia of employees not liking you to take pictures inside the store? Guess they're worried they'll be the subject of a blog post somewhere. ;)

Happy FF a day late! :)

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

Really Trader Joe's not that cool??? Boo. I'll go anywhere for goat cheese though. Ah ha

Coby said...

Welcome to the digital scrapbooking world! I LOVE it! I buy digital papers, embellishments, etc.,and download them to my computer. I'm addicted.

Those folks at Wegman's sound like Nazis. What's so wrong about taking pictures of food???

Corrie Howe said...

Couldn't you make the mailbox that he wants? I think your neighbor should get alpacas next.

Mama-Face said...

I would love to have even one of those awesome grocery stores near us. sigh.

Hey, I am a total scrapbook dropout who discovered (yeah, I discovered it. baha) Shutterfly last year and I love it. I'm a techno-junkie. Just made my Christmas Cards and can't wait to get 'em.

Yep, I know you wanted to know that. :)

Kristin - The Goat said...

Ah! I took out my camera at Whole Foods the other day (it was my first time in one) and I was promptly informed that no photos could be taken unless I was hired by the company to take it. Well! LOL

I don't scrapbook, I tell people, I blog. :)

I love the lure mailbox. but then again, one of my favorites ever was a little John Deere Tractor mailbox.

Kristin - The Goat

Mrs4444 said...

I snuck a photo in Target last weekend; I figured they would say something if they saw me. Thanks for comfirming that.

Sorry, but Wegman's brings back a very bad memory for me. I don't remember all the details, but we lived in NY at the time, I was six months pregnant, alone (Mr.4444 was out of town), and I remember a dead car battery and lots of tears. Poor store manager had to give the bawling woman a ride home! I do remember liking the store a lot, though :)

I consider my blog my scrapbook :)