Holy Heck!
It worked!
I'm live blogging from outside of a Vons!
Yes, I'm outside of a grocery store. I'm too cheap to go inside the nearby Starbucks and buy something so I can sit at a comfy table. I did try to connect to their wifi from the parking lot, but they must be on to people like me, because it didn't work. So across the parking lot to Vons I went.
I'm glad I did! Although a hot chai latte sounds super good right now.
No, no, I want to blog for FREE. No chai latte for me. The car is not all that comfortable, but the middle console jabbing into my leg is totally worth not having to pay for my connection, even if it's indirectly by drink.
And how did I find myself sitting outside of a Vons with my laptop and some time to kill?
Tonight is Gabi's first night of Awana. It's like The Girl Scouts for Christians. Gabi's group is called the Cubbies, and she and all of her Cubby friends are whooping it up for TWO WHOLE HOURS.
When I called the church to ask about their Awana program and got the amazing news, I wanted to say, Seriously? You want to take me child for two hours every Wednesday night for only $45 a year? SOLD!
But I held my tongue. I didn't need my big mouth messing up an opportunity to get two whole hours of ME time, every week.
Oh, and plus all of that great education and whatnot that Gabi's getting during that time.
Actually, I'm pretty excited that she's going to be an Awana kid. I was one, and have really great memories of earning badges. Though not so great memories of my mom putting my vest in the sewing pile to put on the badges, only to have it sit there week after week after week, still badgeless. We're not big into the whole sewing thing. Or ironing.
Shoot, I'm going to have to sew Gabi's badges on. Maybe I can hire someone to do it for me?
Anyway, while Gabi's off having fun, I get to have fun, too. Two hours worth of fun. And for me, fun is hooking up to the world wide web.
I managed to nab a parking spot off to the side of the store. The only thing is that it's beginning to get dark outside, and my laptop is starting to cast a glow. Unless people think I have radioactive waste in my car, it's pretty obvious I'm on the Internet for free.
It's good timing. Because you know what? I'm suddenly thirsty. VERY thirsty. And now that I'm aware that I'm thirsty, it's all I can think about. I'm going to need to get something to drink. I mean, if I'm in danger of dehydration, I can't exactly ignore my body's vital message, right?
Now, where to go? What to get? Oh, is that a Starbucks?
hahahah, That's great huh. I love Starbucks... When we didn't want to pay for cable internet I used to go to a Starbucks or even another coffee shop nearby to use their internet... at first, I started buying frapucinos... then I noticed I was spending too much money on them, so I started bying iced teas, even though I don't like iced teas they were the cheapest thing ($1.15) just so I could stay inside away from the heat. If it wasn't for that I would try it outside too just so I didn't have to buy anything!
ReplyDeleteNow we have the mobile internet, it's a wireless card from a cell phone company, we just plug it in and it workd anywhere you go. It's the best invention for the internet, now I can even use the internet in my car, while we are on a trip or something... Ok, i wrote too much here. The point is...
you now have your free time, your "ME TIME". I don't have kids yet and I apreciate everytime I get to be alone with myself... wonder how it's going to be once I have kids...oh boy.
Oh to have a laptop. Or Blackberry. Or iAnything.
ReplyDeleteFree blogging. Fun!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who is involved in Awana and has her kids go there. It has been soooo good for them.
I teach something sort of like Awanas and that is a great program for her. Yay for Mommy time! Go ahead and indulge in a Starbucks. Mommy time is not an everyday event!
ReplyDeleteGood thing the cost is only $45 a year because it sounds like you might spend a lot more than that in beverages!
ReplyDeleteYay! How fun! Mommy time AND free blogging :)
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't get much better--I am thinking your new favorite day of the week is going to be Wednesday :)
Good news for you time and two hours of freedom . . . I hope you did splurge on a special drink and enjoyed it - you deserve it!!!
ReplyDeleteWe do Missionettes which is basically the same thing.
ReplyDeleteDH and I use our Wednesday nights for date night while the kids are in church. A nice dinner a bit of shopping. :-)
I'm glad you go some alone time to blog while DD had some time with friends.
LOL go get the Starbucks, already would ya?! ;)
ReplyDeleteWoot for laptops!!
HA! Welcome to the wonderful world of wireless and laptops :)
ReplyDeleteAnd yay for Gabi having fun and you getting time to yourself!
I love that!! She benefits, you benefit...It's win/win. Sometimes, I take my laptop outside while my youngest has a playdate. They play, I blog...LOVE IT:-)
ReplyDeletelmao I hope you got your Starbucks already, you deserve it lady - that post was brilliant and probably made you thirsty just typing it. Don't ask me how, I'm not a scientist or anything but trust me.
ReplyDeleteI think its good... ;)
ReplyDeleteThis post is funny on several things:
ReplyDelete1) you are as cheap as me, or so it sounds
2) my sash was full of badges never sewn on, I pinned each one of them one with safety pins (and it looked fabulous)
3) $45 for a full year, 2 hours, I clicked over to it before I finished your post :)
Okay... wait! They charged you for AWANA???
ReplyDeleteI can't say as I have ever heard of that before.
Eve went last year and LOVED it! The only downer for me was that I had to stay on the church grounds because of her age. It would have been nice to leave but it was worth it... It was her favorite day of the entire week!
Have fun with your two free hours!!
-Andrea
ok i am all about free things - but for the love of all that is holy, please tell me you went in and got yourself a treat???
ReplyDeleteWhoo hoo for two hours of free time! I hope you enjoy every blessed minute of it! :o)
ReplyDeleteYeah! You found one in your area! Isn't it great! If Macy memorizes two more verses, she gets her vest and her first badge! Wooohoooo!
ReplyDeletesmiles,
J
Good news! I used to be an AWANA leader and there's NO MORE SEWING!! It's all pins on badges with fancy little sticker jewels. (At least this is how it is for TNT (3rd to 6th) so I'm guessing Cubbies is the same now!
ReplyDeleteMy mom always just stapled them on the night before any major Den Meetings for my cub scout brother. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh! I loved Awana as a child! You make me laugh though...$45!? Sounds like something I would have thought. Too good to be true? Nope.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh because when my son was in Cub Scouts, I took his vest to a seamstress to sew all of his badges on. I'm not big on sewing, either. Ha. -Julia
ReplyDeleteMy kids couldn't have joined the Scouts unless the badges could have been velcroed on. Needle, thread, and ME don't match up too well, except oddly enough when I take a notion to quilt. Maybe that's they key...taking a notion! Hope you went into Starbucks for something delish...we can't have you fading out on us.
ReplyDeleteAwana girls, free wifi, sheer brilliance!
ReplyDeleteHey you have to get your blogging in somehow!
ReplyDeleteI did Awana when I was growing up and absolutely loved it. I was never a girl scout or brownie so acquiring the badges in Awana filled that little void. I also remember having a blast with other kids my age.
hey, go to the movies next week! :)
ReplyDeleteStarbucks. =) We have a bookstore chain here called Chapters. They all have Starbucks inside. Perfect combination: comfy armchairs, coffee, books/magazines that you can browse right there, and internet access if you want. It's the closest thing to heaven sometimes. :)
i've totally done that! in fact, i've even cruised neighborhoods before in search of an unlocked network... that's sick right?
ReplyDeletego read this post, it's by my friend alicia about her neverending search for wifi... hilarious LOL! http://alistarr.blogspot.com/2008/07/dunkin-donuts.html
I'm with elaine bittencourt...go for the movies!! hahaha I LOVE IT! Love that you are in your car bloggin'! You're tempting me now!
ReplyDeleteOh and that's wonderful about Awana! My friend has her kids in it every year and they absolutely LOVE it! Can't wait until my little one is old enough. Isn't it so great that they have such wonderful programs in the Christian atmosphere?
~melody~
That sounds like an awesome program - I'm going to have to look into it in our area.
ReplyDeleteAlso, chai latte? Now I am drooling and in need of a post-work Starbucks run!!
Thanks for stopping by New Zealand on the BATW. Isn't the Internet a wonderful thing. To have had this development in our lifetime means we can do crazy things like sit in our cars to connect with anyone who's out there and tell them what we think!
ReplyDeleteYou should try Wellington for coffee. There are more coffee houses per head of population than anywhere else in the world. I'm sorry to say Starbucks doesn't cut it for kiwi's. Now Mojo for coffee and real hot chocolate. That's worth taking your laptop in for!
Two hours...that's fabulous! Free wifi from the parking lot, even better!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can buy some of that stuff that makes the patches iron-on...then your daughter won't be patchless!
I've always wanted to do that! I am so bringing my laptop with me next time I go... like in 9 months!
ReplyDelete