Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Got to Be the Only Uptick in That Aisle

Yesterday, the end of a long list of errands (post office, Sprouts, Walmart, made long by the time spent at the latter) led us to Albertsons to pick up what apparently is the only decent bread in this valley. It's the only one Mom has found that is tolerable, and we hope to find many good kinds in Henderson and not just one.

Albertsons is also the only store I know of in this valley that sells individual Matchbox cars. Target sells only five-packs, one of which I picked up and considerably expanded my collection of working vehicles. I haven't checked Toys"R"Us because the location here has always felt like the Wal-Mart of toy stores, just where you go to pick up obligatory birthday gifts for someone's kid.

At this Albertsons, in recent weeks, I've bought a forklift, a "concrete specialists" truck, and an "MH Authentic Austin Performance Parts" vehicle, which looks like a close cousin of a hearse. I figure that in supermarkets, at Walmart, at Target, heck, at anywhere that caters to customers, they keep tabs on what sells. Now, whether my purchases of individual working vehicles at Albertsons made such a difference, I don't know, but last night, I went to that empty toy aisle as always (It doesn't seem like anyone buys anything from there), flipped through the individual cars, noted what I already had, and then found in the back a water tanker truck, "Construction Water Supply Delivery." Exactly what I hoped to find just as a working vehicle, and it gives me hope that maybe somewhere in Vegas or in Henderson, the tow truck I want is sold individually, because I surely won't find it here.

The water tanker truck brings me to 11 working vehicles so far, and it'll only keep growing. I was always fascinated by garbage trucks when I was a kid, and I think I like these vehicles because they've got a purpose besides transport. They're not just showing off. They're a part of something. Once I have more room in our new place (even though it's actually smaller square footage than this place, but my DVDs are all in two binders and I'll be moving with less books), I'm thinking of adding big rigs.

3 comments:

  1. Garbage trucks, huh? You should get together with my oldest sister. She has a garbage company and she might let you play with the real trucks. She might even let you go out and pick up garbage with the truck if you pay her enough.

    Love,
    Lola

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  2. That's a cool hobby. Have you looked at Hobby Shops for train villages stuff. They have working vehicles, but they may bee too small. Or are you just holding out of just Matchbox types?

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  3. Lola, that would be fascinating to experience. I'd just go to play with the trucks, though, not to actually go out and do it. I imagine that's a job of great efficiency with an established rhythm, and I don't think I could reach that to her liking.

    Coffeypot, it can generally be Matchbox size or a little bigger. I also have a flour truck (with pinkish-painted bags of flour in the back) the size of my hand that I bought from a supermarket in Las Vegas, and a school bus I bought from Six Flags Magic Mountain is longer than that.

    There are a few hobby shops here in Santa Clarita, but I'd prefer to move with what I have and then add to it once I'm in Henderson, when I can really explore.

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