My Brush with Celebrity

Ok, so yesterday after we left the Highlands, we made our normal stop for lunch at one of the greatest restaurants ever...The Dillard House. It's located in Dillard, NC, and the food is awesome! It's family style eating with tons of down home veggies and meats. The restaurant also has a store where they sell all kinds of homemade jellies and knick knacks. It's just a great place.
After we ate our lunch, Channing's mom and I shopped in the store. Last year, I was able to buy several Christmas items at half off, so I thought I would get the same kind of deal this year. Anyway, long story short, I bought several Christmas items that were supposed to be 30% off, but when I paid, they added up to exactly the prices on the stickers. They didn't give me a receipt, so when I went to the car to double check the pricing, I had trouble. Despite my embarrassment, I decided to go back into the store and ask about the prices (aka...I went back in to embarrass myself). Normally I wouldn't go back in, but I was already grumpy based on something that was said in lunch (not by anyone working there...my family), so that kind of fueled my flame. So I went back in and got in line. Another woman was standing in line right behind me, and because I was embarrassed about my questioning of the pricing (I mean, seriously, it was like $5! Embarrassing!), I told her she could go ahead of me. Too, as soon as I saw her, I knew she was an actress but could not, for the life of me, place what movie or shows she's acted in or what her name was. One thing I knew was that I didn't want to be embarrassed about needing a couple of dollars back in front of this actress who could probably care less. Anyway, back to the story...
So I told this "actress" she could go ahead of me, and she was so polite and sweet and made sure it was ok. I assured her it was, but then as luck would have it...or not, her little girl wasn't finished picking out things so she told me to go ahead. Great, right? So I went to the cashier and asked her about pricing. She told me the discounts were already on the stickers (they weren't because I did the math, but whatever). So what do I do? Oh yes...embarrass myself further. I said, "Ok, so maybe the pricing is right on the Christmas items, but these two items were on the shelf that said '40% Off Price as Marked.'" The woman said, "No, it says '40% Off. Price as Marked." I should have let it go, but I didn't. I said, "Well the sign is misleading. Thank you anyway." Then I proceeded to double check the sign, and guess what? She was right. "40% off! Price as marked." How humiliating! I quickly walked out of the store. On the way out, I told the cashier, "Thank you very much (absolutely NOT sarcastically)!"
So I go out to where my family is...at the fabulous petting and feeding zoo located on the property. I try to tell them that I saw an actress whose name and roles I couldn't place (although Melrose Place kept ringing in my head). Do you think they believed me? Absolutely not! They even laughed and made fun of me. "Sure, Annie." Channing kept saying, "Oh Leenore! Annie just saw Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt inside!" The next minute, it was Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, and lots of other big name celebrities.
So then, this "actress" and her family come out to the petting zoo. So I discreetly tell my family. STILL they DO NOT believe me. They made fun of me, laughed, etc. "Sure, Annie." Of course because I wanted to be right (and know who she was), I kept tabs on her. As we were preparing to leave, she was taking a picture of her husband, two girls, and mom/mom-in-law maybe. Knowing that it stinks to be the one behind the camera and always left out of pictures, I offered to take a picture of the whole family together. The mom/mom-in-law said, "Oh would you? That would be great!" "The actress" jumped in, and I took two pictures. She then offered to return the favor, and we agreed (I'll post that picture tomorrow due to my prehistoric computer).
On the way to the car, I was trying to convince Channing and his parents that she was/is an actress. All his mom really said was, "Her daughter's name is Evelyn like your grandmother, Channing." She didn't believe me any more than Channing did. I'm sure you can hearing the resounding, "Sure, Annie."
Lenore didn't realize it at the time, but her hearing that little girl's name allowed me to absolutely confirm who she is.
Today, I took the time to figure out who this woman is. I went to google and searched "actress with black hair and blue eyes". I got TONS, but not the one I was looking for. So I typed in "dark haired actress with blue eyes". Her picture came up along with information about her husband and daughters. Guess what?! The photos matched! She is none other than Rena Sofer, and her husband is director Sanford Bookstaver...the man who took our family picture (and lots of pictures of the horses. Being a director, that explains some things)! Her oldest daughter's name is Avalon (not Evelyn, but pronounced the same or similarly). She was in Melrose Place, Ed, Heroes (I think), and plays Jack Bauer's sister-in-law on 24 (which I don't watch). The funny thing is that Channing's mom is a big fan of the show 24 and didn't recognize her! Ha Leenore! I figured it out!
Anyway, I had a brush with celebrity. I'll probably never clean my camera again. Ha! Yeah right!!!
Rena is really tiny (thin) and very pretty with a handsome husband and gorgeous girls. She was very down to earth, just a normal person. Her blue eyes are really striking. She wasn't all dressed up and fixed up like she is in the picture above. She was just very normal.
It was neat seeing someone famous in such a little local spot. Anyway, that was my brush with celebrity.