Waiting at Walmart

We must let go of the life we have planned, to accept the one that is waiting for us.   ~ Joseph Campbell

Our brief but jolly holiday is over and the wait for a job has begun. From New Orleans, we spent two nights of laughter and music and celebrations in San Antonio. We were even able to find a little jazz!

We also visited the amazing The Pacific War Museum in Fredericksburg. We’ve all four traveled quite a lot and have been to countless war museums and to a person, we thought this one was outstanding!

And, of course, we also went to the Alamo. Having heard Remember the Alamo! all my life and knowing that everything is bigger in Texas, I can’t tell you how surprised I was at how small it is. That, in no way takes away from the sacrifices made and lives lost there. I was just expecting something the size of the White House. By decree, no building is allowed to be built in San Antonio that could, at any time, cast a shadow on the Alamo. Interesting.

On December 1st, we said goodbye to our dear friends, Bob and Trudy, and returned to Gonzales to wait for our next assignment. I missed meeting Bob and Geri before we left for SA (although Heidi and Henry said they were great), but, if you’re reading this, thank you for the delicious pecan pie you left on our step!

Our little Gate Guard lot here is full and overflowing to Walmart. Betty and Rick pulled out this morning. Betty is starting a gate guarding blog which I’ll likely add to the blog roll down the road.

Speaking of Walmart, we’ve made, maybe,  8  9 trips in 4 days. Walmart is our one-stop-shop. OK, apparently not. It’s more our Oh, and we’d probably better get some more: moth balls, lights bulbs, allergy pills, Velcro, dog treats, toilet paper, comet, yarn, deodorant, floss… before we get assigned far, far away from towns and stores and paved roads again…  stop shop.

I believe in the WalMart school of business. The less people pay, the more they enjoy it.  ~ Garth Brooks

It’s kind of like the Great Depression. You get this panicky feeling that you may never again be close to civilization.  All roads in southern Texas that lead to nowhere else, lead to Walmart!  I know Walmart is a love it or hate it place for many folks, except maybe, Paris Hilton.

Walmart… do they like make walls there? ~ Paris Hilton

People have issues with Walmart. That’s fine and I get it. What I don’t get is people who shop at Walmart and have issues with Walmart. That, I think, is funny. Living in Cedar Rapids for 30 years where there were countless shopping opportunities, I rarely went to WalMart, as a matter of preference, not principle.

One of the things that strikes me is so many of the Walmart critics are people whose lifestyle doesn’t change when the price of fuel changes. ~ Lee Scott

On the way to New Orleans, Heidi and I were both in rather desperate need of haircuts. We stopped for something inconsequential at WalMart and I was stunned to discover a hair salon (I don’t get out a lot). We ended up with ear plugs, ibuprofen and very decent $15 haircuts.

As we waited, the lady next to me spent 20 minutes pontificating about the evils of WalMart, while she waited at WalMart, for a WalMart haircut, clutching her overflowing WalMart shopping bags.

But this post isn’t really about WalMart. It’s about waiting for work and wishing you all the happiest of holiday seasons!