Big Box Stores

So I've never made it a secret how much I hate Walmart. It has basically eradicated the little 'mom and pop' stores. My grandfather owned a small little country store and boy do I have such fond memories of that place. I remember always wearing red Keds shoes growing up and don't get me started about the bin of chocolate candy. When we would come into town to visit, we always went to the store first to see my grandfather. Can you guess what part of the store my dad made a bee line for? Yep, the chocolate covered peanuts and the stars. Oh they were SOOO good! So it's the little stores like that, that Walmart is driving or has driven out of business. Don't get me started about my friend Cathy and her oil change saga. For those who missed that story, here it is: She took her car in for an oil change. They over filled it and on the way home she had smoke billowing out everywhere. She took it to the dealer where they analized it and found out it had double the oil. Guess who said they did nothing wrong and refused to take responsibility. They have more money than almost anyone so doing any kind of law suit is about as productive as pissing on a fire. Needless to say, Cathy has a new car. I do still shop at Walmart but the majority of my money goes to Target. They aren't perfect either but it's cleaner and usually quieter.

Then there is the debate between Home Depot and Lowes. I have a friend who spent a lot of money at HD last year and when he went to finish the landscaping with the stones he bought earlier, they no longer carried them and apparently made no attempt to help him find them. BIG mistake for them. He's not the only one unhappy with their customer service either. Their profits are down too. I tried to buy some carpet there for my storage area. I circled the carpet area SEVERAL times, walked past at least 5 employees and no one asked me if I needed help. So I went to Lowes...shamelessly wearing a mini skirt, I got help right away, and got $65 carpet for $15. And they put it in my truck for me too!

I really try to shop at mom and pop stores. There is a mirror I recently saw at cute antique store........hopefully it's still there when I decide to go back and get it! Last fall while looking for mums I found a neat nursery almost down the street. I got 3 HUGE healthy mums and the owner put them in the back of my truck and put them all in boxes so they wouldn't leak. I'm definetly going back in a few weeks to get some spring flowers. For me, it's about customer service!!! Which is why I love QT. They always sell hello, it's always clean and checking out is quick. If you go enough, they will know you by name too :-)

It's again Friday with the weekend just a few hours a way......so it's time to figure out what I'm going to wear to work. Oh that's right........I've got a mandated UNIFORM. I shouldn't complain to loudly because thankfully it isn't all white. So the hospital decided the floor nurses should wear navy, the techs/aids should wear hunter green etc.....actually, we got to vote on the colors but at first NOT the company that we would buy them from. There ends up being lots of hassel with trying on and ordering the uniforms. Finally they come in and they are HORRIBLE. First, the pants were cut weird and I ended up having to buy a small. I know......when was the last time I wore a small? ah, NEVER. They were unisex draw string and way to long. They didn't offer petites so I had to roll them at the top. Long story short, they gave me a rash. I itched like I had bathed in some kind of psycho itching powder. I'd even washed them 4 times before I wore them. It was the LONGEST 12 hour shift of my life. I refused to wear them again. I wasn't the only one with the itching problem and we all revolted and have since returned them, supposedly will get a refund and the hospital voted to change companies....Cherokee. Now we can buy them at any uniform store or order on line. Now, isn't that smarter?? I tried to tell them. Why am I mentioning this? Where did I buy my new uniforms? At the LOCAL uniform store. I've purchased some really cute scrub tops there before and she is now carrying all sizes of the navy scrubs that we have to wear. I've met the owner before and she is very nice. I think she might be the only uniform store here in town so I bet business is doing well! I'm hoping they let us wear cute scrubs for Easter........

Okay, it was a boring blog I know. If you're still with me, thanks. On a side note, I bought a super cool rain gauge. It was pouring the rain while I was out.....and of course after I put up the gauge, it stopped raining! LOL. I put my humming bird feeder out yesterday and hopefully they will find it! Have a great weekend.