Ode to Grandad and the Malted Milk Shake

So I'm browsing around the interwebs, looking at this and that, and I come along this incredible tidbit from Lost City: Malted Milk Shakes were invented by Walgreens. Who knew? Who even knew that Walgreens has been around that long? Not me, that is certain. And what's with the Wal prefix? Walmart was invented in the 1940's and presumably named after Walton, the founder. How did this happen?

Firstly, I never knew Walgreens had an early history in New York. While they started out in Chicago, they quickly expanded to New York by the late 1920's. They must have disappeared from the city during my formative years because I do not remember ever seeing one, but in recent years that one appeared in Union Square, making me think that they were an expansion act from somewhere else. But no, they have history here.

Malted milk shakes make me think of my late and beloved father-in-law. I'd never had a malted milk shake until he insisted on driving us far away from his Montana home, to neighboring town (35 miles "down the road") Big Timber, specifically to have a malted milk shake at Cole Drug. Cole Drug is so old fashioned they don't even have a website. We went there a couple more times over the years. Big Timber is a backwater town that is reputed to be swarming with celebrities, though I've never seen one at Cole Drug. In fact, I don't think I ever even saw another human being in Big Timber, it is one sleepy town. But not sleepy enough to not have its own website.

Grandad, New Years Even 2003/4 at Chico Hot Springs - He probably liked a Margarita more than a Malted Milk Shake, but not by much

And I can't resist putting in this photo of dogsledding at Chico.

And finally, you think Montana is so different from New York? They don't want new people moving, complaining and opening Starbucks either.