To the store

Going to the grocery store during a mid-level winter storm is an interesting experience. This week, we were projected to get about six inches of snow one day. We only had about two inches on the ground when school started, so the girls got on the bus as normal and off they went. And Greg went off to tackle his usually-40-minute commute on slippery, snow-covered roads.

And later I headed off to the grocery store. The storm had been predicted well in advance, so I suspect that the store had been very busy the day before--all those people stocking up on milk and bread in case the whole world shut down for a week or two. But on this day, the parking lot was almost deserted. I parked and headed in, slogging through about (by this time) four inches of snow in my winter boots.

The store only had two checkouts open. The produce section was deserted (and they had no celery available--weird). The bakery had one other patron. The meat section was empty. It was quite odd. I felt like I'd wandered to the grocery store late, late at night. There was no competition for pork shoulder or ham slices. The shelves in the dairy section were fully stocked. And I when I'd finished my list, I checked out really rapidly.

Then it was time to head outside. Pushing an almost fun grocery cart partially uphill through 4 1/2 inches of snow was not too easy. And in really cold weather, the hydraulics on my hatchback don't hold it up, so it wasn't too fun getting the groceries in the car.

On the plus side, I didn't have to keep a hand on the cart to keep it from rolling away on the slope--it wasn't going anywhere. I didn't worry about the popsicles melting (though that's rarely a concern in Wisconsin in the winter). And I didn't have to back up the car when I left because the lot was so empty I could pull forward.

Just a bit surreal.