The New Mall

Last fall, Tangier Outlets built a new mall in Mebane, NC - just around the corner from where my darling grand daughters live. It is a glorified strip mall filled with the mark-down version outlets of pricey name-brand stores - Osh Kosh and Polo Ralph Lauren and sax 5th ave and such. The complex is complete with covered outdoor walkways and numerous little eating places plus - the big draw for Katie and Kelly - a playground!

Despite the snow and ice that had made an appearance in North Carolina previous to my arrival, we headed out in high hopes of a delightful time. I am not much on shopping (meaning I never have money to spend on such stuff), but the thought of playing with the girls was very enticing.

We drove around and around looking for a parking lot and finally managed to squeeze their big black maxi van into a corner spot. The wind whipped our hair and stung our cheeks with dust as we trudged along the sidewalk to the mall entrance. Ice lined the walkways and we slipped and slithered along despite stepping carefully. It didn't bode well for the playground.

Alas! When we finally made it to the slides and swings, they were slopping wet from snow melt off. The spongy flooring beneath our feet was laced with puddles. Katie cried. She wanted to go down the slide, but it was so wet. Her Mom tried to dry it off enough for her to go down without getting drenched, but it wasn't an entirely dry ride.

Kelly was afraid to climb up, and even the coaxing of the two rowdy uncles did little to convince her to venture forth. The best we could manage was to stand where the sun was shining, away from the awning that was showering down icy cold water, and bounce on the rubber matting. The girls finally allowed us to lead them tearfully away from the uncooperative playground and wander the streets of the mini mall.

We went in a few stores, but in the end, decided to just go to McDonald's for lunch where we found a wonderful indoors playground with a musical slide and lots of climbing apparatus to play on. Not a totally lost cause, but certainly not what we had in mind when we started out.