Wild goose chase

January 23 is CSP’s dad’s birthday.  Yesterday we decided to meet up for coffee.  CSP & I had some errands to run first.  I had lunch with Holly (one of my oldest & dearest friends who lives in Arizona now).  We had the always fab soup & salad & breadsticks deal at Olive Garden.  We talked for 2 hours and could have talked even more if she hadn’t had to catch a flight.  Plus we were getting the stink eye from our waitress for hogging a table for 2 hours on a very busy day.  Holly is one of my very favorite people in the world.  The kind of friend where when you get together it’s as if no time has passed at all.  But man, has time passed.  Her daughter was just 3 years old when we met and now she’s going to be 15 shortly.  Wow- we’re old!  But we still feel like kids.  I could go on….but on to the goose chase… *Disclaimer- normally I wouldn’t give you a play by play like this (you can see that on Foursquare), but it’s essential to the story.

So I went home from lunch and picked up CSP.  We headed to IKEA first to buy a tray for under the pugs’ water dish.  Their old tray broke when CSP knocked the giant spoon off the wall.  The pugs get water everywhere if there isn’t a tray under their bowl so this was a must.  I was proud we got out of IKEA with only spending $6. It’s easy to do when you’re poor!  Isn’t the new tray cute?  Love the birds & colors.

After IKEA we stopped at Trader Joe’s for a few things.  We hadn’t been in a long time and we both just love that store.  From there we hurried to Starbucks to meet up with CSP’s parents.  We arrived at 4:45, a full 15 minutes early.  Please, hold your applause.  I know you’re all shocked that I managed to get anywhere early.  We waited until just after 5 then CSP put in a call to see where they were.  They were just then leaving their house which was 30 minutes away.  So we said we’ll meet you in the middle.  They said IKEA.  Back in the truck we went.

Back at IKEA we went up to the cafe to grab a table.  By now it’s 5:30 on a Sunday and our IKEA closes at 7 on Sunday so we thought we were in the clear.  But as we approached the cafe they were roping it off.  Private employee function.  Doh!  CSP called his parents again.  While he talked to them I browsed the kids’ section and found this.  So cute! Parents had just pulled into the parking lot.  Ok, now where to?  They said let’s go get dinner at Five Guys.  Back in the truck.

Now, here’s where it all got tricky.  See all of the places I’ve mentioned are just off a main highway.  We live off exit 79 (not the real #) and IKEA was South at exit 76.  Trader Joe’s is 78.  We got back on the highway and headed up to Five Guys, which is right next door to the Starbucks where we were at 5 pm.  On exit 79.  Everything would have been fine if CSP hadn’t driven like his ass was on fire and the only water was at Five Guys!  But he did, and when we pulled in to the parking lot CSP’s phone rang.

Where are you?

Five Guys.  Where are you?

Five Guys.  I don’t see you.  Which Five Guys did you go to?

Huh?  There’s more than one?

OMG.  Turns out we blew right past the Five Guys they were talking about.  Apparently there’s one in the same shopping center as Trader Joe’s, on exit 78.  Oy.  Back on the highway.  Finally we were able to eat!  We had driven what felt like 100 miles but never left a 10 square mile area!  Thank goodness for mobile phones!