So, the consensus seems to be that we’re going to get some weather starting Wednesday night and it will continue into Thursday.  Depending on the model one is looking at, we could be looking at 3″of snow, or 20″.  Either way, I suspect my classmates with Thursday night classes will get the evening off.  (I’m a little jealous and a tad disgruntled that the storm isn’t coming a day early.  Not because I dislike my Wednesday night class, but because I am student and even at the age of 41, a snow day is awesome.)

That being said, even the smallest snowstorms provoke massive runs on the markets here – when all is said and done, everyone has all the fixings for a french toast extravaganza and runny noses – bread, milk, eggs, and toilet paper.  I don’t blame people for making the grocery store run – you don’t know how bad the roads will be, how quickly they will be cleared and you look in the fridge and there is 2″ of milk left in the bottle and you’re down to 2 rolls of toilet paper…yeah, you’ve got to hit the store.  I’ve gotten to the point where I’m used to it, and if I see you buying 3 gallons of milk before we get 2″ of snow, I just assume you have teenagers in the house.

What really gets to me is the fact that invariably the day before a snowstorm is also the day that I have to do my regular grocery shopping.  Every swingin’ time.  And though I don’t care if you are doing panic shopping, I am somehow very self-conscious of the fact that it looks like I am doing panic shopping.

But I’m not panic shopping!  Really!  I have to shop today not because it will start snowing sometime tomorrow night, but because I want to make dinner tonight.  I ran out of milk yesterday, the toilet paper is almost gone, and the last roll of paper towels just came out of the package.  I’m low on chicken broth, the grits tin is almost empty, and kielbasa is on sale this week.  (Mmmm, kielbasa and mac & cheese for dinner…)  I also have a craving for ham salad sandwiches.  Or chicken salad sandwiches.  Well, I want both.  (I should probably have lunch before I go to the market.)

So, if you see me at the market and I’m peering in your basket – I’m not judging you for panic shopping.  I love to see what others consider snow day comfort food.  (Last storm, sandwich fixings seemed to be a popular choice.)  I’m also looking for ideas.

So, I’m not panic shopping  because of the snow.  Pay no attention to the extra loaf of bread I just threw in my basket.