Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Doing The Drugstore Thing...!
My mom was needing a script filled at the drug store, so being the nice guy that I am...I went to pick it up for her!
This is actually a good time of the year to go to the local Walgreen's, if for no other reason than they are changing over from school supplies, to Halloween Candy!
If you have been reading here for a while, you know that I really love anything chocolate! So when I make my way to the candy isle, I scope out all the chocolate first thing! Sure there are lots and lots of other types of candy, but unless it's chocolate based...I'm really not interested! Bet I gained about 3 pounds just browsing the isle...
I also noticed something that we, as Preppers, should start paying attention to. The price of most of the candy has gone the way of nearly everything else now days...increasing in price! However, the same does NOT hold true for the candy marked as "sugar free"! Even the "sugar free" chocolate is lower in price as the regular!
Now, what does that mean to us? To me, it's an indication that sugar is going up in cost, thus causing the candy makers to raise the cost in order to cover the rise in manufacturing. You can bet that if it's showing up already in manufactured foods, it won't be long until it starts showing up on the sugar prices on the shelf, if it hasn't already gone up in your area! I think that this is a very good reason to start stocking up on some extra for your preps...but I know that some of you have already have done that very thing!
The next thing I learned while I was there is that there are a LOT of sick people right now! For the first time since I started going to this particular Walgreen's store, I had to stand in line at the pick up counter...I was like number 6 in line!
Now, for a neighborhood drug store, that's a lot of folks picking up prescriptions. I would guess that if that many are getting scripts now, when the really bad weather gets here it will only get a lot worse!
Not a goo0d sign for people that have to be out in public, that's for sure! I'm glad that I no longer work in retail and have daily dealings with the public!
Well, that's really all I had today...just wanted to mention about the sugar going up and to let you know that there seems to be a lot of illness showing up already here. Seems like there's always something, huh?
So, stock up on sugar, stay out of public places as much as possible, and eat a LOT of chocolate! Won't keep the illness away, but it might help you find a little comfort when you have to stay at home! Besides, it can't hurt...chocolate never does!
Let's get some coffee and sit outside for a bit, my friends! I'll even share my Reese's peanut butter cups with ya, OK?
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18 comments:
Hey Jim,
Various crops that are used to produce sugar have been hit hard this year. There's also talk that producers are holding back the supply to take advantage of a "shortage" and its corresponding higher prices.
Chocolate. That's a sore subject around here.
There was a Hersheys plant the next town over up until a couple of years ago.
They packed up and went to Mexico.
They can stay there and sell their quasi-chocolate confections (not alot of chocolate in Hershey's Chocolate) to the folks south of the border.
When they decided American workers weren't worth paying, I decided their products weren't worth my American dollars.
Mmm, chocolate - a fine way to start the day, Mister Hermit, sir...or (in my case) end it.
I used to make homemade hard candy during the holidays and had thought to start again now the Evil Genius is old enough to understand the dangers of blundering into me while pouring off hot syrup...but have decided against. Too expensive.
I am wondering if fuel prices are also contributing to the rising costs of sugar and other staples? I must profess ignorance in this - my understanding of market forces is limited to pricing based on supply, demand, and what the market will bear.
How long does granulated sugar keep, anyway? Does it go off? Or is it like plutonium in a paper sack, with a half life rather than a shelf life?
Shade and Sweetwater,
K (who will bring the Twix bars, her current weakness)
Hiya Uncle Hermit~
I'll meet your Reese's Peanut Butter cups and raise you some Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate & Mint Squares :D
Anytime I can find an excuse to eat chocolate, I'll use it. LOL!
Have a great day, my friend!
Hugs~Felinae~
Hadn't been paying attention to the price of candy lately, but noticed the other day at the local national chainstore that nearly all the flour was gone. Hope it was a temporary thing--like to avoid using actual storage as long as possible. Thanks for the heads up on sugar--learned from the posts and the comments on this one!
...yep,prices keep creeping up here too,on everything...
...not a big candy fan,although i enjoy sweettarts...they're my weakness as far as 'candy' goes,chocolate doesn't do much for me...
Hi there...I haven't noticed the price of candy, I try and stay away from the stuff. As for the sick people, wow, do I know a thing or two. Like you I worked retail for years. I could not believe just how many sick people shop and touch everything. One case that stands out in my mind was the time while I was checking out this customer groceries. She was coughing etc, and I thot it was just an allergy, well after handling her groceries she says to me, "I wouldn't handle my credit card too much, I have strep throat." I finished her order, sanitized not only my hands but stop my line till I sanitized my register and the food belt, just anywhere I thot she touched. Can you imagine that she touched things thru out the store...Sheesh!!!
OMG Reese's Oh my Very Special Friend, am I there yet? See how much alike we really are thats scary. By the way did you pick up the radio while you were there?
OK pass the Reese's and the coffee you sweet thing. And by the way good morning.
Ummmmm Jim, just how many of those peanut butter cups did yah buy?!?! hahahaha
As for prices...yup same up here! Sugar is well stocked - 120 lbs.
Flour - about the same. It actually came down in price - but they're not stocking much of it at the stores. Lots of chocolate in my pantry too! Ummm, I like to bake! Sad eh?!
We did a big shop in the last couple of weeks for all the flu preps - check out Hallland when yah get a chance. As for sick people, I haven't seen many here YET!! Thankfully!
Gotta run, no time for more coffee, but I will sneak a bite of those pb cups!! Have a grand day!
Hey Catman...
I hear ya on that one. brother! Hersey's used to be my favorite, but they have really dropped the quality and the amount that they put in the stores...and because of that (as well as the move) they are losing their customer base.
Oh, how I miss the "old days" and 5 cent candy bars!
Hey, thanks for the visit, buddy!
Hey K...
The shelf life of sugar is a long time...providing that you keep ANY moisture from it. Also, it's not a good idea to keep any oxygen absorbers in with the sugar, as it will make it lump up!
You're right about it costing more to make things at home now days...and I think that's a shame! But that's one reason why home made gifts are so special!
I have seen sugar cones from the Civil War that are still intact. Back then, of course, the sugar was all brown, as they didn't have the processing in place too make white sugar!
Hey, girl...I appreciate the visit!
Hey Felinae...
MMMMMM, dark chocolate and mint squares! Perfect with coffee! That's the trouble with this stuff...it just taste too good!
I'm starting to drool again! Thanks for coming by today!
Hey Marie...
Haven't seen it on the short list and missing from our shelves yet, but everyone seems to be of the thinking there will be a shortage soon. I would be getting some more, or getting some wheat to grind! You might want to consider getting some sealed #10 cans from a supplier like "www.beprepared.com" as it will last longer (white flour doesn't last as long as wheat), but the best thing I could suggest is to get a grinder and grind your own as needed.
Thanks for stopping by today!
Hey Ken...
Don't worry, buddy! Being the nice guy that I am, I'll take care of your portion of the chocolate...and you can have my sweettarts! Good trade, huh?
Hey, thanks for the visit, buddy!
Hey Diane...
You have to wonder what is going on in the minds of people like that, to make them risk infecting so many other people!
I sure don't miss the retail days at all! I'll bet that you don't either!
Thanks, my friend, for stopping by!
Hey JoJo...
We do have a lot in common, that's for sure! Reese's was my second choice, but they were out of my favorite...if there is such a thing in chocolate!
I sure do appreciate the visit today, sweetie!
Hey Cath...
I may have to go back for some more! Good idea to be stocked up on flour, sugar, all that as the baking holidays are coming up fast!
Besides, you may want to bake your gifts this year, ya know?
Glad you haven't seen as many sick folks there yet, and hope there aren't that many...
I sure do thank you for your visit today!
Good afternoon Jim;
M & M's along with the cups will do me fine, and of course chocolate covered cherries(health food),oreo cookies,Ding Dongs,Snickers,more of all the above....I'm having a chocolate attack...help.
I'm afraid sick people don't realize the harm they can do while shopping.
Have more chocolate.
See Ya
Hey Tony...
Reading your list makes me want to have another attack myself!
Sure is nice to finally get to an age where we can say "I earned it" and eat what we want regardless of what people say, isn't it?
Hey, thanks for stopping by today!
I´m like You when it comes to candy, it must be some kind of chocolate in it :-)
But here the prices has gone down for a longer time now. For a long time we had the most expensive food in Europe, but nowdyas low price stores has com from other european countries and they have forced our stores to lower their prices. For once things are going the right way :-)
Have a great day now!
Christer.
Hey Christer...
Glad to hear that you are getting a break on the food prices for a change! Sometimes, a little competition turns out to work in our favor, doesn't it?
Thanks for coming by today...!
Great thoughts! your absolutley right.
Trucks should drop off chocolate and pepto bismal right at the front door.
My boss was diagnosed with swine flu a few weeks ago. he flys all over the place at least 10 times a month.
Another good reason to move to terlingua and throw rocks at sick visitors. lol
Hey Off Grid...
Right on, my man! We'll sit on the porch and sic the dog on the sick folks, while keeping ourselves fortified with some good strong snake bite medicine!
Hey, thanks for stopping by today!
I love dark chocolate, the darker the better... can't beat the bitter ones especially when surrounding sweet mint paste.. mmm try bendicks bittermints if you can get hold of them.
Hey hey HEY! I yield to no man in my love for chocolate but Halloween is the season for "candy corn", a delight not available year-round in Tinytown stores. And methinks Kyddryn has it right about sugar having a half-life if, I assume, it's kept from moisture, say, if vacuum packed.
Hey Sage...
Don't know if we get Bendick's Bittermints here, but I'll look around and see! I do like the mints, though...
Thanks for the visit today...
Hey Remus...
Seems like I remember some "candy pumpkins" with the "candy corn"...haven't seen them around much, but I sure have some memories of eating them! We used to start at the top, biting off the point first and working our way down!
Nice thing about those pieces, you could carry them in your shirt pocket without them melting...and have some for a snack!
Thanks for coming by today, Remus!
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