“It’s a zoo in there!” Penny called out over the wind as she passed me heading into Walmart. “Really? How long is the wait?” I hollered back. “30 minutes!” she replied. “Good luck!”

She was right. It was crazy in there. The aisles were full of shoppers and the shelves in certain sections were empty. Interesting to see what people buy when they might need to hole up for a while. Eggs were gone and the milk section was down to skim. Not many mac and cheese boxes left and not much salsa either! Water – definitely empty. Only store-brand bread left on the shelf. When I did finally make it to the check out, my clerk Bertie told me that this was worse than Black Friday!

The first really nasty winter storm of the season was bearing down on our little town, along with most of the Midwest. Winter storm watches had turned into warnings, temps were dropping into the sub-zero range, and some people were whispering the “blizzard” word under their breaths. Hence, the mad rush to stock up on groceries and gasoline. Homeowners were checking their propane tanks, and Rural King had a run on generators. Even here at Central, we noticed a surge of payment calls from policyholders like Tanie, Glenn, Bonnie, Sherwood, Mark, Pauline, and Kwan. Just regular folks, making sure that their car and home insurance premiums were paid, just to be on the safe side.

So what do you think? Over-reaction? Panic buying as a result of dire weather forecasts? I had plenty of time to mull it over during my wait in the Walmart line, and I finally decided that I was looking at a very diverse group of people who were choosing to act responsibly.

The four seasons we enjoy are beautiful, but it’s no fun dealing with the dangers of seasonal weather. It’s no fun doing the drudge work of preparing for a potential problem and thinking ahead. But it is the responsible thing to do.

So, here’s a big shout-out to all the folks that put in the time and effort to be responsible. I may not know your name, but I know what kind of people you are. You are the kind of people I want to have as neighbors, as co-workers, and as  friends. You will share those groceries, shovel an extra sidewalk or two, and do the driving for someone in need. You are the people who make the world go round, and get the jobs done.

And you are also the kind of people who know how to have “snow fun” after the “no fun” work is done! Two days after the storm passed through, I noticed these beady little eyes peering out from behind a tree in a yard along the road. This family’s idea of “snow fun” turned their front yard into Jurassic Park, and brightened the day of every passerby.

What’s your idea of “snow fun” once the work is done? Do tell!