The Sad State Of Shopping In Hillmomba

The ice/sleet/snow over the past week has not only wreaked havoc with schools starting up after Christmas break, but also with people trying to lay in supplies for sustenance. Snow removal services can only do so much. Some do much more than others.

On my second day out during these majorly inconvenient shenanigans from Mother Nature, I encountered difficulties. I went over to Sis-Town to mail my health insurance premium at the main post office. My knees were complaining, so I had decided to use the drive-thru mailbox on the back parking lot. Au contraire! Something had destroyed that mailbox! It was on its back or side. I couldn't tell which, because it was so mutilated. I'm guessing a snowplow got too close. Or maybe a car went out of control on the ice and hit it. Anyhoo... I had to drive around front and go inside. At least the parking lot is covered, so no snow or ice to tread upon.

The Save A Lot in Sis-Town was not handicap friendly! I risked life and limb to get inside. No cart was in the return, and the pavement was NOT clear!

That's a picture after I returned to T-Hoe, and put my groceries in the hatch. A truck was parked in that space by the building when I arrived. I had to walk out and around all that slushy stuff to get to a cart and go inside.

Another lady parked down to my right was trying to take her cart back when I was. They got stuck! I said, "That's good enough!" And she said, "Somebody else will want a cart, and take them in." So true. I wish I had one when I arrived.

I would have skipped this stop, but I really needed some salsa. I LOVE salsa. But only the medium kind that's the Save A Lot brand. I bought 8 jars! Along with some frozen curly fries for Farmer H, and two half-loaves of bread, and romaine lettuce.

From there I went to the post office, and then Country Mart. Another adventure in accessibility.

Again, this is after I returned to T-Hoe with my groceries. When I arrived, there was a car parked in the closest handicap space. And a cart jammed into the snowbank. I took the cart, and had to wheel it along the edge of the driving lane past the stop sign.

That's where I parked my cart when I was ready to leave. I didn't have the knee strength to wheel it all the way back inside. And there was no getting it through that snowbank. Besides, some other handicapped person might have been glad to have a cart available when they parked.

As I said, I know these businesses hire private contractors to clear their parking lots. I think they should stipulate that walkways should be cleared as well. Especially areas where the handicap people must park and walk! Back in the olden days, a proprietor would hand a stockboy a shovel, and perhaps some salt pellets to spread around. I guess such a chore is beneath the teen workforce of today.