(should be sung in your best off key version of Brad Paisley's song )
Yes, it's a little early for Black Friday.
Yes, it's a little early for Black Friday.
A few weeks ago I mentioned to Kent that a lady whose blog I read had written a book. She was coming to Little Rock and did he think I could go see her. I really expected the conversation to end there. He agreed and I called Robin. She thought meeting THE Pioneer Woman sounded like fun.
I arrived at 10 'til 6 and this is what I found. I knew that PW had a huge Internet following but this is Arkansas. Doesn't most of the country think that we're just now getting Internet here?
I NEVER EVER dreamed there would be so many people.
Yes, the classiness of Arkansas showed through as we hosted a New York Times Best-Selling Author at WalMart!
I met up with not only Robin but some friends of hers as well. Angie and Jess helped us pass the time. We talked about everything under the sun. Verses we'd like to have put on the walls (Jess has Psalm 128:3 in her kitchen and you all know my fondness for Psalm 127: 3-5. I would also love to put 2 Corinthians 2:9 somewhere.), Angie's son that makes my 7 year old sound like Amazon Boy, Robin's lack of showing, man child sized newborns, how to solve the problems of world hunger and war and I'm pretty sure we drafted a final version of the healthcare bill (it simply says LEAVE US ALONE!). See we had plenty of time for all of this because we were in line for OVER 3 HOURS!
We also had the opportunity to chat with these great ladies in front of us. One of them gave birth to a toddler as well! They thought Robin looked familiar. I mentioned that she had a blog. LOL I think 99% of the people there have a blog (that's how Pioneer Woman gained popularity). Robin said she was MckMama . I think they bought it for a second until they realized there was no way MckMama would make the journey with Stellan having a procedure the same day.I do have to say that Henry was a real trooper. Though I think he's counting down the days until he can stay at home with the boys.
Somewhere around this point word got out that Marlboro Man was there. I don't think I have every seen so many women trying to get a peek. It really is a wonder that they didn't call housekeeping to clean up the drool on aisle 3. I think he was almost as much of a draw as Ree. While I'm not in the crowd that's awestruck with MM himself, I did fall for my own cowboy so I see the attraction. :)
Those ladies in front of us also became our photographers. Poor things, they didn't realize they had to work for the privilege to stand with us.
MM signed our books. They're good folk like that.
And the moment we've all been waiting for . . . . . I got to meet Ree. She thought Henry was adorable (of course) and said she loved the name. She said she named a pet Henry early in her marriage and then regretted wasting such a great name on an animal.
Robin and I with the Pioneer Woman. I spent 4 hours driving and 3 hours in line for this
While I am glad I went, I will probably never go to something like this again. It was neat to meet the author of a book and I always enjoy getting together with other ladies for some grown-up conversation. But the time away from home for the few seconds of meet and greet wasn't quite an even trade.
MM signed our books. They're good folk like that.
Because it was now bedtime, I had to talk to all the tired little people at home while holding a very tired little man.
I'm not sure who was more tired, Robin or Henry.
I'm not sure who was more tired, Robin or Henry.
And the moment we've all been waiting for . . . . . I got to meet Ree. She thought Henry was adorable (of course) and said she loved the name. She said she named a pet Henry early in her marriage and then regretted wasting such a great name on an animal.
Robin and I with the Pioneer Woman. I spent 4 hours driving and 3 hours in line for this
While I am glad I went, I will probably never go to something like this again. It was neat to meet the author of a book and I always enjoy getting together with other ladies for some grown-up conversation. But the time away from home for the few seconds of meet and greet wasn't quite an even trade.
For the sake of truth in journalism (you remember when journalist actually told the truth, right? ), you can check out Robin's version of the event here.
what a lovely post! I am a whole lotta envious
ReplyDeleteugh! i cant read it, what is MM's REAL NAME??? something that alludes me that drives me nuts!!
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Francie, I had the same problem! I scoured the book and internet and finally found it on the back flap of the dust jacket. Apparently those in the know, refer to MM as Ladd.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
COOL!!! Your are famous!
ReplyDeletei was there too! i wondered before i arrived how many people would be there. i had a feeling there would be a lot from past signing indications, but i knew that a lot of people i know in arkansas have no idea who pw is or even what a blog is. but now i know there are a few more arkansas bloggers out there.
ReplyDeleteahhhhhhhhhhhhhh thank you! finally sweet satisfaction!!
ReplyDeleteHey! Clicked over from PW and wow that is me in that picture looking like a deer in the headlights!
ReplyDeleteGreat post about the experience...that was a long dang line though.
MM's real full name is Ladd Alexander Drummond
ReplyDeleteDaughter 1 is Alex (probably Alexandra) after her father.
Daughter 2 is Paige
Son 1 is Bryce
Son 2 is Todd (named after Ladd's older brother who died)
If you look hard enough, this info is out there, in public, online. Some of it is even in the archives of Pioneer woman's blog
I am guessing that Ladd was named after Alan Ladd - he played Shane right?
It was so nice to get to speak to you that night. I'm the one who was right behind you. The one with the little man in the stroller. lol My name is Amy, and if you'd like to check out my blog, it is http://amy-shiningmylight.blogspot.com/.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your rendition of the night!! I posted the story of my night at my blog in case you would like to read how it went in Phoenix: http://tr.im/Ep5e I'm also giving away an autographed cookbook (signed by Ree) and also I have a PW Should Have Chickens petition set up. PW did a little Q&A and someone asked how was her chicken project going, she said it was stalled and she needs a petition to present to her husband. The petition is here: http://tr.im/EmEk
ReplyDeleteI love reading all the accounts of people meeting Ree. I'm a big fan of hers and she's going to be within 50 miles of where I live, but my knees are bad and I wouldn't be able to stand in line that long. Plus the fact that I'm an introvert.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me share your experience.
Donna - you need to go! Just take a chair with you. A folding lawn chair would be easy to take and everyone would think you were a genius! LOL It was worth it.
ReplyDeleteAmy - I enjoyed reading your "version". Your little man is adorable, I was really impressed with how agreeable he was the whole time.
Ashley - I checked out your blog, I wish I would have known who you were and I would have linked to you. :)
Melissa - I checked out your blog too. I really liked your photo tips.
Thanks everyone for stopping by and commenting! It's nice to know "who" you are. :)
Stacy
Awesome recount :O)
ReplyDeleteI love that mm/Ladd isn't ashamed of signing on "his page". Ha ha ha.
Great post. A good friend of mine was one of the very last in line and stood there for FIVE HOURS. Love me some PW...was out of state when she was here (bummer).
ReplyDeleteHey Just hopped over from PW's blog, I wish I'd have known she was coming to LR!! It's great to find other arkansas bloggers!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stacy. That's sweet of you to say. I was worried that he might get really tired of being there, but he made it. lol
ReplyDeleteAt some point after 500 A.D., the festival presently known as Christmas was ordered by the Roman Empire. Individuals needed to praise this occasion. Eduardo Saverin
ReplyDelete