alexist

Waldbaums (local supermarket chain) has an annoying tactic. They design all their own label products to look very, very similar to the brand name equivalent. Lots of stores do this, and it's annoying-but-legal (though Waldbaums/A&P seem to have consulted with lawyers to see just how close they could go before getting sued). But Waldbaums take it a step further--they mix up their own brand products with the name brand. Usually they separate it by product line (so, chicken Rice-a-Roni, chicken "Rice Mix", beef Rice-a-Roni, etc) but sometimes it's a total jumble.

It's deceptive, annoying, and means I have to check every package of everything to make sure I buy what I want.

That'll be another reason I only shop at Waldbaums in a pinch.

We took Aliza to the park today. I was wearing sandals. Unknown to me, there's a chestnut tree in the park. Ow. (I was actually very surprised and didn't recognize the spiky balls--there are very few chestnuts left in the US thanks to a blight).

Neil thought it was a horse chestnut--just an odd variety that was much spikier! I did manage to get one of the nuts out to throw but I wouldn't try it again without gloves.

One of the other trees was, if my tree identification is correct, a black walnut. (I was curious because they looked like big green fruits but I couldn't guess what they were.) Nut gatherers, come have fun at my local park. I'm not going to try because 1) I don't 100% trust my identification or know that that variety of chestnut is edible, and 2) black walnuts stain like hell and are hard to crack. But it's still kind of cool, especially since I do know some foragers (hi ewtikins :) )