Snow, fraud, and even more snow

Snowstorms do something strange to people.  I know that because I had to stop by the grocery store while in town yesterday afternoon and the lines for each cash register were four and five deep with carts and cranky people.  When hubby and I chatted with the manager who was running a cash register, he said it had been like that all day.

Yes, there is something about snowstorms that make people want to hunker down... and eat.

The storm was delayed a bit, a very good thing as I had to wait at the usual spot (McDonald's on campus) while Christopher attended his early class this morning.  He was called yesterday by the fraud division of Mastercard to ask if he was spending over a thousand dollars in Pennsylvania on his debit card.  Ummm... no.  It is amazing how the computer scientists have come up with ways to alert "those watching" that purchases may be fraudulent.  He has no idea how someone in Pennsylvania found his debit card number.

Anyhoo... we were told to stop by our branch bank as soon as we could this morning and talk to them.  So far all is well and the fraudulent charges were all caught in time.  Both he and the bank are tracking them for awhile.  In the meantime, he's not to use his debit card.  Yes, there was great relief as he had all of his grant money in his checking account.  He told me a specialist in computer fraud taught their class anyone at anytime is only about 30% to 40% safe when it comes to their private information such as credit card numbers.  Yikes!

The snow began while we were in the bank and by the time we arrived home, the roads were already slick.  He had to return to campus and I would look out the window all day, wondering if he'd make it home or have to stay with a friend.  Thankfully, he made it home just as the sun was setting... saying the roads were horrible.

Once we four were snug as a bug inside (three humans and one feline), my thoughts were all about nesting and food.  The chicken noodle soup had been simmering for hours to be served with grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner.  Chicken and hamburger were removed from the freezer, to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.  Butter is now setting on the kitchen counter to soften for baking in the morning.

Laundry has been washed, dried, folded, and hung where it all belongs.  Dishes are soaking in hot and soapy water... waiting until I finish writing.  The tea kettle will soon be filled with fresh water and brought to a slight boil (for I am having decaf Candy Cane Lane tea and one should not make green tea with fully boiling water).  Very soon I will find a pillow and a throw and curl up on the living room sofa with tea and Goudge... and perhaps a cat.

One looks at snowstorms differently once everyone is home safe and there is no place one has to be for a couple of days.