Not a Cart to be Found

Holy Chaos batman!

I left the house around 10 a.m., as cold as a witches ta-ta. It's warmed up to 24 degrees now.

It took me 20 minutes just to clear the snow off my car and warm it up enough to clear the windows for driving. Made my way to Walgreens to use up some coupons that expire today ... spent less than $10 for three 4 packs of the good toilet paper, a thing of peanut butter, two things of packaging tape, and 6 bags of chocolate. Yeah, I done good.

Cabellas was pretty easy ... the parking lot was a sheet of ice but people seemed to be taking their time. Safeway was the same...I had to take advantage of their soda deal to get more cheap Dr. Pepper. I might have to give it up in the new year though...I think I'm addicted.

Fred Meyer was INSANE. Seriously.

First of all...no parking spots. I don't think I've ever parked as far away as I did today. Second ... NO carts. I'm not joking. I went to three different entraces to try to find carts and not a single one was there. I talked to one of the staff who talked to the guy who does the carts and he said that he keeps going out to get them but there are none in the parking lot. They were ALL being used!!! Can you friggin' believe that? It's not a small store and there are a lot of carts.

Needless to say... it took me a good ten minutes just to find a cart - which I did by going to the furthest, least used entrance and going back outside to find an abandoned one. There were a total of three. I got one. Another lady who I met in my journey grabbed one and I suggested to a couple that they grab the last one on their way in.

So I start to get the things on my list ... milk, eggs, the usual. There are so many people in the store and I always hate being in crowds that large but everyone was smiling and really friendly. It was such a weird situation but everyone was being really great.

I finally made my way up to the front to check out and was floored. So floored that I even took pictures with my phone, but have no idea how to download them so you'll have to take my word for it. The lines were pure insanity. I had no idea where any line started. They were going back into the ailses. I joked with one of the cashiers not on duty (my favorite cashier who had just started her lunch) that by the time she got back from lunch I'd still be there in line.

Literally, I've been going to this same Fred Meyer since I was a little girl and I have never seen it like this. Even before Thanksgiving, Easter, etc. Again, everyone had a great attitude about it since it was so bizarre. I gave the guy in line behind me coupons for his batteries. When I finally got up to the cashier she said it was like this yesterday too.

People have been trapped in their homes because of the snow and finally ventured out today to get supplies. Except we have a new storm system that wasn't supposed to hit until tomorrow but it is here today. And it started even earlier than the news said. So apparently everyone was stocking up...the cashier said it wasn't Christmas items being purchased, it was all food.

As I was leaving I had someone ask if they could walk back to my car with me and take my cart after I unloaded!!! hahahahaha Talk about funny. I've never had that happen before. Of course I said yes...though I should have tried for the highest bidder. *grin*

I'm glad that everyone was happy and in great spirits. No one was rude or angry or fighting over carts. I'm glad to be out of it though ... home and snug with the fireplace roaring and the snow falling outside.

Now it's time for a nap. God Bless vacations! =)