Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Part Two: Can You Guess?

After spending several hours at the Houston Zoo we decided the perfect way to end the day was to get some good old fashioned ice cream! Who doesn't love ice cream, right? So, once we got settled in the car, I pulled out my supposedly trusty GPS system and had it look up the nearest ice cream shops. There were three listed that were just a fraction of a distance in miles so we chose Amy's Ice Cream. I've only had Amy's ice cream a handful of times and it has always been a special treat. Actually, the last time we ate there was on the day we found out Violet would be joining our family seven months later! How could we NOT go to Amy's?!!!

[picture courtesy of forbes.com]

The directions that pulled up on my GPS looked simple enough and we were confident in our choice of locations. Let me tell you something though, things aren't always what they appear to be! Miss. GPS had me going in circles within a matter of minutes. I'm sure the road construction had a lot to do with this. Not to mention traffic. Oh, I forgot to mention, we left the zoo shortly after 4 PM, right when traffic starts to get snarled. (Yeah, admittedly not my smartest move.)

I followed Miss. GPS's directions until I finally got frustrated and announced, "We're going to the Dairy Queen that's a few blocks from home!". Mom was okay with that (she had a vice-grip on her seat at this point) but Violet was clearly disappointed. I pulled over in to a parking lot, yanked down Miss. GPS, and entered the address for HOME! I was convinced at this point that she and I had gotten off on the wrong foot and she has had it out for me ever since. Yeah, that's the logic that was bouncing around in my brain after maneuvering around in downtown Houston traffic for over half an hour.

So, here we are, taking a bit of a breather and regaining our wits as I enter our new destination. Things were starting to look better because I knew, I KNEW, where we were headed!!! Umm, yeah right. Little did I know that Miss. GPS had a different idea of where we were headed. And wouldn't you know it? She took us directly to Amy's Ice Cream!!! Of course, we didn't know this. I was plugging along in traffic when my Mom screeches, "THERE IT IS!!!". What happened next is a testament of how insane I can actually be...

I slammed on my brakes and took a 90 degree turn into the parking lot of Amy's Ice Cream!!! My Mom swears the car was only on two tires at one point. She may, or may not, be right on that. I'll never tell. But I think I actually heard Violet say, "Whee!" at some point from her little seat in the back. It's a miracle that there wasn't anyone else on that little patch of the road at that time, otherwise things may not have gone as well as they did. In my defense though, you don't scream out in a car when in the middle of traffic. If you do, then expect for brakes to be slammed!

[photo courtesy of Amy's Ice Creams.com]

I made my Mom get Bourbon Chocolate Walnut ice cream because I decided she needed to be liquored up a little. Yes, it has real bourbon in it. And no, I didn't make my Mom get it. She chose to get it willingly. I kid! Actually, I don't remember what she got but Violet had the best chocolate ice cream ever and I had an excellent sweet cream ice cream mixed with fresh strawberries. Yumm!

I have to be the only person in the US who has a GPS and can STILL get lost!!! Can you guess what I wanted to do with Miss. GPS once I got home? I wanted to chunk her. Toss her to the curb!!! Since she was a Christmas gift from my parents (who know all too well that I am directionally challenged) I felt obligated to keep her. At least until my Mom left for her business trip the next day. (Just kidding Mom. I still have her!) My parents thought they were giving us a good gift since I end up calling my dear hubby at least three times whenever I'm out and about, begging him to get me out of the mess I'd managed to get myself in to. Unlike me, my husband can get us anywhere we want to go. I think that has something to do with him being an Eagle Scout, and he's a guy.

3 comments:

Kimberly said...

LOL! What a story!!! I was hanging in there, hoping you'd find your way to Amy's. And you DID!!!

Anonymous said...

OK - I have to say that Ms. GPS worked for Mom and Dad when we came for our Christmas visit. Did you break it?????

Kimberly said...

no, dear anonymous, i did not break her. mom can testify to the fact that she was acting up for us. getting lost, three times in one day, was NOT my fault. she kept taking me all over the place. lol. clearly, Miss GPS doesn't like me! lol.