Posted on 03/14/2020 9:24:09 AM PDT by ConservativeInPA
Suburban Harrisburg, PA - March 14, 2020
I was somewhat dreading the weekly shopping trip due to all the news stories about shortages and hoarding. On the other hand I was curious to see what it was like. I wanted some fresh vegetables, meat and fish, so off I went shopping.
Traffic was unusually light for a Saturday morning. I was thinking shopping might not be too bad. However, as I turned into the local supermarket (Karns, for folks in South Central PA) the parking lot was jammed packed. Actually, that's not too unusual for a weekend shopping trip.
I get a cart and head towards the entrance. Exiting from the store was a woman with a cart full of toilet paper and bottled water. "So", I say to myself, "there's TP still in the store, but I don't get the water part, maybe that is normal for that woman. She must piss lot."
I go about my normal shopping. Everything is about normal, except a few more people. First stop, veggies. All is normal. Good sale on broccoli, cabbage and mushrooms - all on my list, this is going good. Next up, around the corner to the meat department. (No shrink wrapped meat at this store - all fresh cut/in case) Wow, there's a line! That's where all the people are. The line is almost the length of an aisle. It takes 20 minutes to get to the counter, everyone is friendly, just talking away and taking things in stride. Then a woman walks by. She's wearing an ear loop face mask and latex gloves. I wonder if she's sick. That type of mask doesn't stop the virus going into your lungs, but does protect others from your breath. Anyways, I get my chopped chuck, and score a deal on chicken - $1.09 for boneless/skinless thighs (5 lbs or more)
Onto more shopping ... Pasta aisle, shelves are pretty bare, but there's a 10 item for $10 sale. It must be the sale that has the shelves depleted. But, I get my $1 pasta that I need. Going to make chicken tetrazzini, among other chicken dishes this week.
I venture to the other side of the store to get dairy products and I pass the dreaded TP aisle. It is trashed. Along comes two palettes of TP rolling to the aisle. Hungry vultures await. It really is sort of frenzy. People anxiously waiting, but they take their turn and get what they need. Doesn't seem to be a limit on how much TP you can buy. Alas, I don't need TP. I got my normal amount last week and I'm good for a month.
The rest of the shopping trip is uneventful. Everything seems to be fully stocked. No one is going to go without. I get the feeling the grocer is loving this since there are so many people stocking up.
On the other hand, it may be the result of years of conditioning due to the annual predictions of snow blizzards! At least in Maryland, our crisis mode is so finely tuned that we immediately get stuff for toilet paper sandwiches whenever flakes are in the forecast. We haven’t had even a flake this winter, so I guess people have been primed for months.
:-)
On the other hand, it may be the result of years of conditioning due to the annual predictions of snow blizzards! At least in Maryland, our crisis mode is so finely tuned that we immediately get stuff for toilet paper sandwiches whenever flakes are in the forecast. We haven’t had even a flake this winter, so I guess people have been primed for months.
:-)
Plenty of beer.
I’m a hillbilly.
I know tongue.
:D
[but always open to new suggestions]
Wish you could’ve been with me the first time I ordered 25 pounds of beef hearts from my local supermarket.
The guy who took the order was a whiter shade of pale.
When I picked them up 2 days later, he sort of pushed them towards me, as though he feared I was into some kind of weird cult stuff.
So I let him in on the secret...they’re for the dogs.
[but they also cook up SO good in a crockpot]
I stopped at the store yesterday after meeting for breakfast with my brothers. My experience closely echoes yours. Lots of grim faces but basically civil.
LONG lines at checkout. The checkout clerk I got was clearly new and a bit shaken. Her training obviously didn’t include onslaughts of surly customers. She greeted me with a “How’s your day?” and I answered “good” and added, “So, how are YOU doing?” We chatted (just a little!) as she rang up and I helped bag groceries. She admitted to being a little overwhelmed and I kinda half-whispered “you’re doing fine”.
This too shall pass...
“soft-boiled eggs & bread in a bowl.”
Best thing ever.
I thought of getting some pasta that was on sale a couple weeks ago, when there was still time to prep, but none of it was whole grain, so I ditched the idea. Got plenty of other stuff, though, over the weeks, while there was still time.
People are not usually aware of how many things in your food are simply waiting to be born...later.
:D
That was very kind of you and probably appreciated more than you can imagine.
Our clerk referred to it as the hunger games. She also pointed out that people have no idea how to cook.
I bought two little tubs of Driscoll—I promised my wife some home made biscuits. All the flour was gone. But the Crisco and yeast was still there.
Their biscuits and bread are going to suck.
Headed to my off site wine storage supply which is in the temp controlled section of a liquor wine store. Picked up three cases to ride out any quarantine in style. Only regrets will be when I have to begin drinking the normal swill when this all blows over.
Meanwhile, the store was quiet, not much traffic albeit the Publix across the way had its parking lot jammed.
Thank you.
I finally bit the bullet and retired last year (actually I was sorta forced out but that’s another story) and my stress level has plummeted. I don’t do panic very well but I’ve long been impatient with a-holes.
My “new” attitude allows me to maintain and project my calm when everyone around me is freaking out ;’}
staples also sells tp and paper towels not so much pasta but i can make my own
I wish you all the best!
I’m actually friends with the cashiers at the stores I frequent.
They’re wonderful people and enjoy talking to them immensely.
Heck, I even know their kids and dogs.
I’m more of the surly jerk who stands in the midst of mayhem and screams “What is wrong with your brains?”
:D
Local (rural) store dude said on their best day, $20,000 in sales...Wed. they had $27,000...and that’s only because they ran out of stuff.
I'm stocked up on flour, usually am. I make almost all of my baked goods - breads, bagels, scones, etc. I have English muffins rising now. I use a starter, created from natural yeast in the air, on the flour, etc. So no need to buy yeast, although I have to feed my starter flour & water or keep him in the fridge. He's like a pet, but sticky.
Walmart - Niagara Falls, NY approx 11:30 am...
Had only a few things on the list since I decided on a whim to hit a local competitor (Tops) the morning After Trump’s oval office speech. Hit the store with daughter (age 25) who found shelves bear at another competitor (Wegmans) at about 6:30 am.
We walked in. There are pallets of canned spaghetti for $0.88 each. Gives you the impression things are fine. I notice there’s literally no one in the non-food section, but I notice no long lines.
Now, before I list the following, I must say that team WalMart was in the process of re-stocking, with another truck on the way (so we were told):
Sugar
Flour
Non poultry meats (some but very low in quantity)
hand sanitizer
rubbing alcohol
detergents
Saying this in caps for a reason:
THERE WAS PLENTY OF EVERYTHING ELSE!
[note, I didn’t even look in the TP aisle]
Of course, when I got outside, some woman and her daughter had this cool new sales pitch going:
HEY FOLKS! WE GOT YOUR SURVIVAL FOOD RIGHT HERE! STEP RIGHT UP!
So I bought 4 boxes of those Girl Scout Cookies.
‘Merica !
A FB friend who works at local Ace Hardware posted a pic of last of their TP going out the door (some guy filled his shopping cart)
Also forgot to mention a good thing: Recently Fredo’s brother (Gov Cuomo) signed the law outlawing plastic bags at supermarkets and other places, making shopping very inconvenient for some across New York State. I was pleased to see that those gawd awful plastic bags were back at the Wal-Mart checkout this morning - at no charge.
Kudos to Wal Mart! Way to give the state-sponsored tree-huggers the middle finger!
No one can explain why anyone needs a year’s worth of toilet paper for a respiratory virus
Xxxx
Ian explain it. They wind less than half of the toilet paper on each roll compared to few years ago. So you are really only buying like 4 months worth. Lol.
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