Snowpocalypse 2014

[Dreamstalker]

So the area is supposed to get just over a foot of snow in the next few days, and the store was packed all day. I got cursed out with some regularity later in my shift when informing SCs that they had to lift the case of water/soda/dog food/cat litter from the cart for me to scan, I can't reach that far and even if I could my back was hurting from standing behind a register and I didn't want to do anything to piss it off. While I don't have any back problems per se (yet), I do have some posture issues and am too tall to use the keypad comfortably.

We have chicken legs on sale for $1/pound. The DC only sent my store 2 boxes. ASM was letting people substitute anything and everything for sale items that in most cases we were not actually out of, the SCs didn't bother to read or look. We don't do substitutions.

In an 8 hour shift, I only got a 15-minute break (it was crazy busy so the shift lead wanted me to split my break, since we were so busy I wasn't able to take my remaining 15) and wasn't able to punch out for the 30 minutes I was supposed to. If I had punched out, there was no guarantee I'd be able to punch back in. Hopefully I won't get in trouble for that. 15 minutes in 8 hours...yeah (and one of the shift leads told ASM I got my full break). I was not a happy puppy come about 7PM. Somehow I managed not to bite someone's hand off or make any mistakes.

Shift lead wanted to lock the door at 8:55 (we closed at 9 tonight). Usual procedure is to lock the In doors at five of close. ASM flips out, yelling that "we have a snow scare, people need to feed their children and babies!". He also flips out when, due to not locking the doors at the regular time, nobody punches out until 9:15...gee, I wonder why?

I'm not that worried about the snow, after the Uberblizzard nothing under two feet really fazes me.

[DerangedHermit]

I worked 4:30-9 yesterday and 6-10 today. When I got in yesterday, it was busier than Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving eve. It died down but was still brisk. Today didn't seem that bad, but I imagine there was a rush before I got in (plus the rush from NYE), because the shelves looked demolished.

I had to laugh when one of the relatively new CS desk hires said "What am I gonna do tomorrow? Will the store close early?"

Me and the CDH both laughed. This place didn't close for Sandy, nor any of these Class 5 Killstorms, it's not going to close for this. Even being in the jackpot area during the blizzard last year (33.5 inches, tops on LI for that blizzard) didn't stop them.

[DeltaSierra]

Hubby's in MA working his normal 3rd shift, I'm just hoping the snow isn't so bad that it affects his coming home in the morning. It started falling an hour ago, we shall see.

[Arcus]

As luck would have it, I'm going to be following that storm across the country as I head to a temp job in Marlborough, MA. This should be an interesting 2400 mile drive.

[AccountingDrone]

Well, we got about 1 inch down here in the eastern end of Connecticut. Pissed off the geese a bit, miffed the guineas and chooks - I can hear them muttering in the coop. Heard a rabbit scream last night about 2 am, Rob found cat tracks in hot pursuit of bunny tracks but no sign of any of the outdoor cats so no idea who got lucky.

[Dreamstalker]

This place didn't close for Sandy, nor any of these Class 5 Killstorms, it's not going to close for this. Even being in the jackpot area during the blizzard last year (33.5 inches, tops on LI for that blizzard) didn't stop them.

I remember that. 14-hour shift not knowing if the power was going to stay on, and did any of the three of us peons who risked our asses to make it in that day get even a thank-you (I was running the front with zero training)? Of course not.

My mom had to do the grocery shopping for her clients this morning, she just called me and said the shelves are bare and people are already freaking out. We didn't close for the blizzard last year either ('essential personnel') so won't for this. Seeing as I'm not even on the schedule (someone put me down as on vacation this week when I took it last week) I'm debating whether to just show up; AwesomeCW is on selfscan and mom said he was hoping I'd be in at noon to take over. ASM said he would call me when he got in around 2...if he gets in. He's driving from Quincy.

It's actually not that bad out (for walking anyway). Mom said driving is another story, everyone's acting as if the traffic laws were suspended.

[DeltaSierra]

Well we've only had about 1/2 an inch fall, but the forecast says that it really hasn't "hit" yet...
Hubby said that there were no less than 6 accidents on the way home, as the snow that did fall covered black ice and it never fails to astound me how people who live in New England and have lived here all their lives still have no clue how to drive in the snow.

[Food Lady]

Meanwhile we just have crippling cold (as in you have trouble walking because your pants are sheets of ice hitting your skin).

[Dreamstalker]

We're supposed to get that tomorrow and Saturday. I did have a pair of fleece-lined jeans, but I think mom gave them away in the last great clothing purge (dammit, those were not cheap)

[DerangedHermit]

Today was pretty miserable nonstop. I was supposed to be on selfscan 1-6, but they called in someone who knows only SS so they had another cashier who could ring. We had people from Floral, GM, Starbucks and PUP ringing most of the afternoon.

Also, Governor Cuomo has ordered the LIE (Long Island's only interstate highway; the main east-west route on LI) closed at midnight, from the NYC line to the eastern end of the LIE in Riverhead.

[Dreamstalker]

I was supposed to be in 2-9 yesterday, but ASM informed me "you're staying til 11, you and CW live closest" So 2-11. Thrown on register for the worst of the rush...joy. People were being told to stay off the roads after 8AM, so of course everyone descended on the store. Everyone available was ringing and bagging. Someone got hurt--I'm not sure exactly what happened, but the cops and paramedics showed up and a CW left the office crying. I wouldn't be surprised if they slipped in the muck on the floor--the porter couldn't keep up with the mopping as it was too busy. I actually ran out of money on my register; everyone was either paying with $50s or $100s or getting large amounts of cash back. I shut down until FEM could get me change....people were still reaching over the scanner to scan their crap. Knowing that people were reaching over I wasn't about to open my drawer; after a few minutes of this fuckery I left the register and stood blocking the lane so FEM could do the swap.

When it died down I got put on returns--which I actually enjoy doing--and I did get my full break which was nice. The produce section was bare at about 5PM save for a few lonely cabbages. We got bitched at about there being no bagged salad..you had a day or more to prepare for this (don't you have leftovers from the holidays anyway?). People were buying everything; there was also a run on chips, salsa and pancake syrup. FEM wanted to know would we close early if we ran out of food--great idea, but not gonna happen. After 10PM we were the only ones in the store. I know we got a grocery load in last night, not sure about produce (probably not).

Not sure if I'll be asked to come in today...I kinda hope not.

[WoodenSunshine]

We got a few more inches in Northern CT. They let us out at 3:30 yesterday (instead of five) and since I came in at the normal start time today, I get out at 3. Happy Friday...

[bbbr]

One of the last blizzards I worked at the grocery store, the place was dead shortly after dark. Looked like the end of times right up till then though- the store ran out of bread and milk (despite a mid day delivery on both), chips, steak and beer. The only thing left was the N/A stuff and even some of that sold. There were 4 of us after 6pm- the manager, deli guy and a cashier I was friends with (i was in charge of the registers). We got all our work done, made the shelves look great and then went sledding on the snow mounds out front because we had nothing else to do. The manager walked out and asked what we were doing- told him we were on break and he wandered off to go read his book. Ended up spending a good hour outside building jumps and improvising sleds out of cardboard boxes.

This storm, I took the day off from the battery factory. Nothing I had to do was worth a 2 hour drive to get 30 miles inland and into worse conditions than were present on the coast. Especially since I'm still on half days thanks to a knee surgery done in late November.

[Shyla]

Bagged salad? That seems an odd choice to want for the snowstorm. I figured I'd be stuck at home all day Friday (today). After that things will be ok. No reason to buy out the store.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Bagged salad? That seems an odd choice to want for the snowstorm.

Eh, they don't need cooking so could be eaten if the power goes out and some of them have preservatives so they could last a week not in the fridge. Every time we have a storm coming stores all run out of tv dinners which I find much odder. Why pick one of the few things in the store that cant easily be eaten cold/raw or somehow cooked in a fireplace? People are strange.