Gathering of the Clans

On Saturday (August 23rd) I attended the Gathering of the Clans in Jamestown with Angie and the Grand Twins. It was a gorgeous day, we had actually gone 3 or 4 days without rain.

The 96th highlanders of Jamestown and even here in Warren, were fantastic. There is a picture floating somewhere of one of the pipers putting her bonnet on Zoey. Of course I was without a camera. How can you forget your camera on a great day like this. And I have one manual SLR, one auto SLR and one digital. No excuse for no pictures.
I did find a video on myspace talking about it, and with last year's photos. Could have had some great photos. Angie and I were sad about that.

Still, I love bagpipe music and Irish step dancing so I was curious to see what the twins would enjoy about the festival. It's so much fun seeing Zoey's reaction to new things especially. If it's music she's there. She danced a bit to the pipers, charmed a few, and was even given a dress bonnet (I think that's what they're called) to wear. She has crooned to music since she could barely hold her head up, but I've noticed lately she's started working some words into her songs. I told Angie that at 21 months she may be the youngest song writer we'll ever meet. One of her songs had "momma, nana, and bye bye" in it and her singing is pretty to listen to too. Who knows, something to keep in mind as she grows up.

Until today her dancing was all arms and body movements; like rock music dancers but today she saw toe dancing and clogging. She did some of the toe steps but she loved that clogging. Stomp, stomp, step, step, stomp. She was the half time entertainment in that arena. One woman told me to make sure she finds enough creative outlets.. That she could dance, sing or even act. Well who knows.

Eddie thought the pipers were cool. He loved the drummers and watching the marching. He even danced, a wee bit. He got bored with all of it after a while. But what he really liked were the highland games. During a break in all the sweaty, grunting, kilt-clad machismo (hmm, I did see one woman try the caber toss) Eddie ran out onto the field and tried to pick up the weight throw. This looks like a shot put with a chain attached. Of course I think it weighed close to his weight but it did give the game participants a bit of a laugh.

Walmart Competition Brings Friendlier Stores?

I've commented several times on the fact that I now live in rural northwestern PA and love the small town life, but like everyone else we get caught up in the 'get 'er done' attitude. Then, all of the sudden we have a Wal-Mart and a Lowe's.

When these stores first came on the scene their business plans did not include cities the size of ours. However, it looks like they have each created a floor plan that accommodates selling in small towns. I personally don't like the grocery section, mostly prepared foods and frozen prepared foods at Wal-Mart, and for some weird reason even Lowe's doesn't stock the things I seem to need, or the selection is too small, so I still tend to shop my local hometown stores.

This is where I've started to notice a huge change. I call it the Wal-Mart greeter syndrome.

I've shopped the local drug store, grocery, and hardware stores since I relocated here but now I am barely in the door and I'm greeted and offered assistance. Since these stores are small by comparison it was never a problem getting assistance but it seems now they are aware, and appreciate, the loyalty of shoppers. I'm sure they can't compete price-wise with these chains so they need that loyalty. Since I seem to be a member of the self serve generation I'm surprised sometimes by these offers of help and friendliness. {Especially after my six or seven years living in Philadelphia :)}.

One of our three grocery stores closed the week Wal-Mart opened its doors and I heard many of the small store owners voice concern about being able to compete. In fact one small fabric and quilting business shut down when the announcement was made that this store was coming to town and sadly, the Wal-Mart floor plan here does not include fabric, and has very few notions for sale.

I still go to these stores for items that I know they carry at a substantial savings, after all I'm tightening my budget due to the rising gas prices too, but for the majority of my needs I'll still shop local and I may even get used to the "Thanks for coming in" that I hear as I enter and leave these stores.