We haven’t been to Wal-Mart in a month. I’ve blogged about it before, but I just don’t like Wal-Mart. I try to avoid it, even though it’s hard in a small town where Wal-Mart is the largest and cheapest store. We usually drive to the next town over to shop, about seven miles without much traffic but a few traffic lights. Anyhow, even avoiding it, Wal-Mart is still on the tip of my tongue and the front of my mind. When Kate pushes her shopping cart around the house, she is always “going to Wal-mart!” When I recommend my favorite homeopathic teething remedy, I tell where they usually shelve it at Wal-Mart.
On a related note, I would like to confess publicly that I like Starbucks. I really like independent coffee shops as well, but Starbucks is the closest coffee shop to me and they have above average hot chocolate and decaf drinks. Due to the kindness of my marvelous husband, I go to Starbucks almost every Monday evening, get something to drink and read for a few hours. Over the course of the last free months, I’ve come to know several of the employees and we chit-chat about life and books. I am always surprised that they remember my name and story and was tickled when they made me an extra drink “on the hiz-ouse” this week and gave me a Bearista for Kate.  Some empires, not so evil.
