We are not accustomed to snow around here, not big amounts anyway. Every few years we might get some serious accumulation but a typical winter might find us getting a dusting or two. Even so, it's a HUGE deal when there is even the remotest possibility of the white stuff.
Scarcely a month ago, as we wore shorts and ran the air conditioning ON CHRISTMAS DAY (!), we wondered if we would have winter this year.
In January it has arrived, and there is snow in the forecast. So people, as usual, are going crazy.
I had a work-at-home day today and made a mid-day run to the grocery store at the request of Wife.
I wondered why the parking lot was so full and then it dawned on me, of course. The weather folks are predicting snow. And so many people around here seem to believe that also means they will STARVE, which means they go to the grocery store EN MASSE. And as I have previously stated, they buy bread and milk even if they don't eat bread or drink milk.
It's not really that they believe they will starve if it snows -- it's this mentality that we'll get snowed in for days and they'll go through everything in their pantry and won't be able to make it to the grocery store.
Never mind that, even though snow is in the forecast for tomorrow, it is supposed to get above freezing by noon, so driving should not be a problem.
And never mind that the city officials are really good about getting salt on the roads and getting the snow plows out so that, even if there is accumulation, it's very rare that we cannot get out and get to the places we need to go, including the grocery store.
No, as soon as we hear there's a forecast for winter weather, we're not taking any chances and we're stocking up on provisions. That's just the way it is.
I'm supposed to drive to Birmingham for work tomorrow and I don't anticipate that being a problem. I'm leaving early and driving south, and it's supposed to be a bit warmer down there.
We have plenty of food on hand and Wife should not go hungry for the couple of days I am gone, even in the unlikely event she finds herself stranded.
More snow is predicted for Friday so, should we get any accumulation tomorrow, the cautious among us should be able to get out Thursday and stock up again (that wont' be me). Can't take any chances for the weekend, you know.
4 comments:
Never understood the mass grocery stockpiling syndrome either and I have very clear memories of being snowed in for about a week once on the farm before a bulldozer came by and cleared the road. I expect with my current stockpile (no bigger than the normal person) in the refrigerator, freezer, pantry and canned goods, I could go about three months before needing to actually go shopping. It wouldn't be an appealing diet but I wouldn't have to starve!
Yep - the same thing occurs here, though it's more often the threat of ice or freezing rain than snow. And, of course, that threat seldom materializes.
In the case of a zombie apocalypse or some other disaster, we always have a pasture full of cows and plenty of deer, squirrels, and feral hogs. Not my preferred diet, but at that point I doubt I'd care. ;)
It really is funny. The snow and ice did come as predicted but the temperature is supposed to rise above freezing later today. I had no problem driving early this morning. Ed, I'm sure you get quite a chuckle from we southerners and how we deal with cold weather!
Bob, I'll tell you true: it is no different here in Northern PA, people rushing to the store for milk and bread. I've got a little stock pile of bread in my freezer, which is packed full of meat and vegetables. We could probably feed the block, if push came to shove. Hopefully, they'd share their milk if I ran out. :)
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