Sunday, April 3, 2011

how to not be lame.

Rule #1: When you see someone in a store that you recognize from a blog, try to hide your double take and jaw-drop-expression.

OK, so basically, this is THE ONLY rule.

Today, my husband indulged my need to find new ideas for our home...mind you, we don't know what the future has in store for us even living in this home, but I always need to check. We went to World Market, Target and Home Goods after church. It. Was. Awesome.

We got some new curtain panels...they're gorgeous. Then we picked up some last minute stuff I needed for my kids at Target. Then we stopped by Home Goods. On the way through the parking lot, I joke "Haha, John & Sherry (yes, in my blog-filled mind we're on a first name basis) from Young House Love talk about shopping here ALL the time. Wouldn't it be crazy if we saw them?" You see, a few months back when my stepfather was ill with cancer, I was at my mom's for weeks. Every day at 2 p.m. I could be found OBSESSIVELY watching the Nate Berkus show. Seriously, we'd be out running an errand and I'd say, "I'd really like to be home by 2." Mind you, when someone's dying, you may only leave the house ever 4 days. I cherished the time with my stepfather in those days. I also cherished home design shows that we don't get in Newport News. One day, they had a DIY challenge and "guest hosts" named John and Sherry. No big deal...until they said, "We're from Richmond, VA." WHAAAT?! I love that stuff. One time TAPS from Ghost Hunters came to Chesapeake and I was all, "THEY WERE IN HAMPTON ROADS!" So, I checked out their blog and realized that I LOVED their ideas...better yet, they're frugal (cough:: cheap ::cough) like me...but their house looks a.ma.zing. So...during my hours of sitting, nursing, watching Nate Berkus, etc...I read the archives of their blog.

Well. My excitement for home re-design and DIY projects inspired me to finally clean out my office. Anyone who has ever seen my office can attest to the enormity of this project. Anyone who has been to my house and has not seen my office...well...there's a reason for that. Pictures of that will come when...I'm ready to admit my clutter problem in more detail. Chris & I were driving to church one day when I saw this lovely white house on the corner of Chamberlayne & Wilkinson. I said to him, "I swear I've seen that house before." It bugged me for HOURS. Finally, we got home and I thought, "Could it possibly be one of the houses that YHL crashed? Nahhh. That'd be so crazy, it's right by our church." Um. Yes. Yes it is. So...I called my dear soon-to-be-roommate Jess and squealed into the phone that my blog obsessions & real life were colliding and I was super duper excited.

Today. Worlds collided. Again. Chris & I walked through Home Goods and discussed lamps, rugs, nightstands, GLASS GAZING GLOBES (I have no idea why I want one so badly), faux coral (not as cheap as the one we got from Kohl's), and lanterns (I love them). On the way out, I checked the displays by their registers because it was MOBBED when we walked in and I didn't want to be around people. I'm sure you can see where this is heading.

I make a loop around the last display and see this woman on the other side of the aisle...then I do a double take and realize that her husband CATCHES me double taking like a creep. Holy. Crap. Ya know those people whose blog I stalk follow every day?! Why, yes. It's John & Sherry Petersik (in real life, I realize we're not on a first-name basis). I say, "I might pee my pants." SERIOUSLY, JESSICA. THOSE WERE YOUR FIRST WORDS TO A COMPLETE STRANGER?! Yes. Yes they were. Fortunately, he made a joke, introduced me to their super-cute daughter Clara (thank God he realizes that his blog is not real life...as though I haven't seen their 52-week project), Sherry turned around and introduced herself, I proceeded to apologize over and over for interrupting their Sunday afternoon outing- professing that I do realize that they are normal people and I'm usually not so star-struck/crazy in the middle of Home Goods. Thank you, Jesus, my husband was there. He introduced himself, said he'd heard a lot about them (yes, his wife is, indeed, their blog-stalker reader) and I continued to apologize, saying how weird it was because we run errands often on Sundays in Richmond and I never imagined I'd actually meet them. Yup. They think I'm a total loser.

So again, rule #1: When you see someone in a store that you recognize from a blog, try to hide your double take and jaw-drop-expression.

Quickly followed by rule #2: Don't open up with a joke about a bodily function.

Ugh. Positive note- they were lovely and charming and didn't- AT ALL- treat me like I was a psycho. So thanks for that, John & Sherry (sorry, we're back to a first-name basis- apparently I can only be un-creepy for so long)!

5 comments:

  1. You're a hoot, but truly, I have a feeling the Petersiks were flattered. They're probably used to it on some level. Next time you want to freak out in HomeGoods, just post that you're going and I'll jump out from behind and end cap and hug you. Then you can pee your pants and not worry about me thinking you're lame. I know you're not. Come on, it'd be fun, right? :) Love ya, funny girl. ~ Laura K

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  2. Awesome. You should have talked about poop, too.

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  3. Haha, I didn't even hear the "I might pee my pants" thing, so John told me that part in the car and I died. You're awesome and we love you. Sorry I looked so crazy (I was coming down with a nasty cold, hence the big Rudolph-ish nose). Haha, I'm vain so that was what was running through my head "oh man I hope she doesn't think I look crazy." So essentially we both had the same goal. Not to look crazy.

    xoxoxoxo,
    Sherry (& John)

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  4. I should add that I only shared your funny first line with Sherry because she had literally said the same thing to me moments before (she was headed for the bathroom when we passed you guys). Lucky for all of us, everyone's bladders held out long enough to say "Hi." :)

    -John

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  5. I found you from your comment on their post, and I've gotta say, you seem adorable! I don't fangirl out easily, but I'd probably have freaked a bit if I ran into them in a store.

    TMI time! I know you were speaking in a "OH LORD!" sort of way with the pee comment, but there is something in the air vents in my Home Goods because EVERY time I go there I end up doing the peepee dance. I'm a-okay. I walk in and stroll around for five minutes and BOOM... yeah.

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