I was reaching for a carton of Kaukauna Spreadable Swiss Cheese when a neighbor greeted me, adding, “Blizzard predicted. Up to 18 inches of snow. I’m stocking up.”
My original purpose for grocery shopping on this Monday morning was to buy suet for my bird feeder and to see if eggnog was on the shelves.
Now my mission changed. I, too, had listened to the weather forecast and decided to ignore it. But the edge of excitement in my neighbor’s voice was contagious, and as she grabbed a carton of eggs, my mind’s eye scanned the inside of my refrigerator. Surely I had plenty of food at home. Didn’t I? Lots of Thanksgiving leftovers remained. But enough? Half of a 16-pound turkey, a bathtub of dressing and a crock of cranberry sauce. Still…I felt uneasy.
Another thought struck. Coffee? Did I have enough coffee should the storm make driving to town impossible? Can’t be without caffeine. And how about eggs? Maybe I should hard-boil some for an extra makeshift meal if the power went out.
I plopped a dozen eggs in my cart—just in case—skedaddled over to the coffee aisle, bought a pound and backtracked to the dairy department because I’d forgotten about eggnog in my quest for coffee.
My anxiety lessened as I moved in the general direction of suet, but before reaching it, the snack aisle caught my attention. I love old-fashioned, greasy, salty covered potato chips, and the knowledge that they aren’t a real health-promoting food doesn’t stop me from finding every excuse imaginable to buy a bag. A snowstorm was as good a reason as any. I threw several bags into the cart, then stopped at the Chex Mix display, a treat beloved of my husband. It wouldn’t be nice of me to gobble potato chips while he went empty-handed. I grabbed three bags.
Finally, I headed for the checkout counter thinking I’d done my best to buy appropriate emergency food but at the last minute couldn’t resist a carton of chocolate ice cream—just in case.
When I hopped in my vehicle, snow was falling and the streets were slick, but I assured myself I’d be fine. I always feel apprehensive the first time driving in snow and ice. Cautiously I stepped on the gas and crawled onto the road with my precious cargo of storm emergency food.
I drove slowly, crept through town and headed up the Gunflint Trail. Visibility lessened and a slushy snow built up on the pavement, so I flipped the switch into four-wheel drive and kept driving until I safely reached home.
As I carried my supplies through snow and an increasingly stronger wind, I was happy. I’d done all I could to deal with bad weather. Soon I’d be snug in my little house, happy with a full coffee supply, potato chips and chocolate ice cream. As a bonus, I’d survived my first winter driving test.
Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.
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