The calm before the storm

We've been lucky, but our luck is about to run out.  Tomorrow will be the last nice day and then . . . BAM!  Winter is coming to Chicago with a mean attitude and a boatload of snow.  : /  

Okay, three to six inches isn't a boatload of snow, but it's a lot of snow considering we really haven't had any at all this winter.  If I had my way, the upper Midwest would pretend that winter was just a huge game of Hearts and we would go nil.

Not going to happen.

I do understand that no snow or very little snow is an economic nightmare for snowplow drivers, ski resort owners and their employees, winter apparel and sports equipment retailers, and others who make their living off of cold temps and lots of the white stuff.  Heck, even enterprising neighborhood kids lose out when Mrs. Hornsby or Old Man Jensen don't need someone to shovel their driveway and sidewalk.  

Even so, I would be happiest without snow and I am dreading it's arrival on Thursday.

This evening I went to the laundromat to wash all of the clothes G will need for his trip to Orlando.  He doesn't leave until Saturday, but with the storm coming, I didn't want to end up trudging around in the snow to get the laundry done.

After the laundromat, I went to Target.  G asked a few things for his trip, so I decided since I was already out and it wasn't snowing yet, I might as well pick up what he needed.  While I was there, I bought another box of Constant Comment decaf tea bags.  I had just purchased a box of twenty tea bags a few days ago, but you just never know how bad the snow might be.  I would hate to run out of tea and not be able to get to Target to buy more.

Both the laundromat and Target were pleasantly quiet.  Apparently no one else is feeling the same sense of urgency to get things done, to stock up on necessities before the first major snowfall of the season.

I have a few more things I need to get out and do tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure the stores will be a bit more crowded then and people will be filling their shopping carts with bread (bought that tonight), eggs (I have plenty), milk (buying it tomorrow when it goes on sale), and toilet paper (bought it last Saturday).  Someone once said that, based on people's pre-storm purchases, heavy snows apparently bring on a strong craving for French toast.  I would imagine that plenty of people also fill up their shopping carts with cases of beer.

I can always hope that the forecasters are wrong and this storm will bypass us, but sooner or later, winter and snow will arrive.  If Thursday is the day, at least I'll be prepared.