NY is slowly opening up, or at least the Central and Upstate regions are. There are many many more cars back on the roads than there have been in months, and parking lots are full again. In fact they’re so packed that I’m betting that the restaurants are failing at keeping tables separated.
The change has been noticeable at my work too. Online orders have slowed (though not back to pre-pandemic levels by any stretch), and instead people are coming into the store to do their shopping. I’ve discovered that my definition of a “slow day” has changed drastically.
We’re still out of pressure treated lumber, and no date yet on when we’ll get a truck. It’s going to take multiple trailer loads to fill back up just the one store, and the whole region looks like this (if not the whole country)!
We’re still sold out of firepits, and are selling out of grills. We can’t keep riding lawn tractors in stock for more than a few days at a time. Walk behind mowers aren’t much better. Blades and basics to maintain them are also running short. Certain models of weed-whackers are also running short to non-existent. Hand garden tools are running out, I hope you don’t need a post hole digger any time soon. Cleaning supplies are still short to non-existent, especially if you want something disinfecting.
Paper goods such as toilet paper or paper towels, might be recovering. My work has managed to have some sort of both in stock on the shelves for a couple weeks now, and the local grocery stores have managed to have some on the shelves every time I’ve been in, though their shelves aren’t full by any stretch.
Meat and grocery prices are still going up. Though my local grocery stores have managed to have flour on the shelves now for a couple weeks.
Needed a couple of 2×4 PT pieces. stopped at the local HD and the ONLY PT they had was 2×10 (or maybe it was 2×8 – way too big for my use). They had a sign at the beginning of the aisle saying that there was a shortage.
Decided to try HD’s rival on the other side of the city and got lucky that they still had a little and I was able to get the 2×4’s I needed. They are still very wet so I put them in the back of the tent garage to dry (out of the sun but open to the air). I knew I would have to let them weather for a couple of weeks before using, so not a big deal to me.