Which Way Shall We Go?

Once we complete our anticipated move, we will be roughly between two different shopping areas, each of which includes a Walmart where our prescriptions are filled, per our insurance companies. Today was a weird day where we had to visit both towns for different reasons. 

One has Steve's bank, and an omission by a phone bank employee has left him without the debit card he needs to function while shopping. He needed to identify himself to an on-site bank employee in order to get it straightened out and get some actual cash in hand. This town also has a gas war going on so prices tend to run 30 cents a gallon cheaper, sometimes more.

The other town is across the state border where sales tax was a bit cheaper, at least last year, but I haven't bothered to check this year. Our prescriptions currently are being filled there, and it has a movie theater, should we ever go to a movie again. (Steve says, "NO" because the movies are too loud, and while I agree about the volume, ear plugs are easy, even if just a wadded piece of napkin.) 

We currently live closest to this town. We're moving in the direction of the other one. Today seemed like an excellent day to do mileage checks to each from the new location. Both were marked from where we'd get on the same highway to where we'd get off for either Walmart. Since I got gas at the larger town with the bank, I hit the trip meter there. 

It registered 12.2 miles as we passed the stoplight for our turn to our new home.

I hit the trip meter again, starting it over. Keeping an eye on it as we went to the other town, I noted to Steve that we were at 10 miles just before we crossed the state line. It was going to be close once we climbed the hill to their Walmart. It was a long hill, giving us a chance to watch in suspense as the odometer climbed... climbed... here comes the light where we turn off the highway..... at 12.3 miles!

We were both in stitches as how close it had been and how little it mattered. But, at least now we knew. Once we move, we'll likely hit both towns  the same way we do now, depending on what we need there. The one to the west has more different places to shop, and while their Walmart is harder to find early afternoon parking spots at, especially handicap ones, the store there has items we don't find in the next state.

But the one across state lines will do a better job of filling our eyes and hearts with beautiful scenery as we climb into and out of the river valley.  Yep, both of them is the answer, though the larger town will likely get our prescriptions transferred in a few months. But the other one has truly spectacularly red maple trees  dotting the parking lot in late September!