I went to my local Stop'n'Shop tonight only to learn that they'd experienced a power surge that knocked all of their electronic registers out of commission. One enterprising cashier was open, adding prices in his head and accepting cash payments. Those were on an exact change only basis, though after he'd made a few sales, he was able to make some change from the funds received. As I was leaving, they brought him a cash drawer with rolls of change in it.

I expect that was going to throw their inventory processes off a bit, but I admire and appreciate the cashier's "we can make this work" attitude. For those items that had prices marked or were otherwise known, that is.

The experience made me appreciate all the more the mess the folks in New York and New Jersey are coping with.

In storm-related news, a repair crew from Battle Creek, Michigan, is working to restore electricity in western Massachusetts. Apparently, they're already familiar with the area as the same crew worked here following last year's Halloween Snowpocalypse. Small world.