Grocery-wise: We mostly shop at Walmart (as they are everywhere and less expensive and near by, everywhere). And Costco.
The wife also shops Sprouts -- mostly for produce -- on a regular basis. And our Kroger owned store, Smith's, gets visited once a month or so for stuff as it is actually the very closest to us but a lot more expensive. Most of the other grocery stores in our valley are much further away from us so only get visited infrequently or when we have a special need.
I have this love/hate relationship with Walmart. I like that it is cheaper and that they actually employ a lot of people productively who would otherwise have a hard time getting a job (my ignorant observations). Luckily we don't really have "people of Walmart" types in this area so you don't see too much weird stuff there. But I hate that it feels like they think that appearances don't matter much -- random stuff on shelves, and re-stocking with pallets of stuff clogging the aisles during "normal business hours" when lots of people are there. And while some workers there go above and beyond to help when you ask, others are more indifferent. And while they have a good selection of basic food stuffs etc., they really only carry, for the most part, the really high volume stuff. So more esoteric things you might want may be there but usually not. So you end up having to go elsewhere anyway. (Though some of our Walmarts are getting a lot better on this point -- I even found Dr Squatch soap bars at Walmart. (My son bought some online to try after a friend let him try some once after a swim practice and I will say it is way nice if expensive -- but Walmart helps you save $1 a bar but they only stock 3 or 4 scents/types).
On the house front: Friday the Window company (located in CO) said they were shipping and that the truck would be there at 8am Monday (today). I told them NO. They or the delivery company needed to call and make arrangements in advance. $40k worth of custom windows and glass doors is not a package of cheap Chinese crap from Amazon you can just toss on the doorstep (sorry Louis)... The window company said they would tell the delivery company to call and arrange. I needed to arrange some help as some of the wall size glass door/window combos are 8' wide and 7 -- 7 1/2' tall or so and weigh 500 lbs or more. And one other 3-window set in one frame was like 10' wide and 6' tall and per the window company was like 500-600 lbs.
Of course no one called and the poor driver showed up at the storage place (a neighbors house and large garage -- since we are not at the point in construction where we need windows). I couldn't get anyone on short notice but got my son out of bed (young strapping guy of almost 19 who works as a package handler at UPS) and we went up there. Between the man and his wife whose house we are storing at, my son and myself, and the driver (who wasn't supposed to help unless we wanted to pay extra -- which they never even offered to me when arranging), we got everything out, and then after the guy left, put into the garage. A couple hours out of my day I was not expecting to be moving windows. I had really hoped they would call to arrange so I could arrange a few burly guys to be there to help... But we got it done. The driver was a really nice guy and patient and helpful.
