Wow we were lucky. We had so much flooding in Denton (most unusual) that they covered us on the news! However I live on a hill (the neighbors live on the bottom of it) LOL No wind, no hail and 6 inches of rain---the only damage was that my Sexy Rexy roses seem to be suffering from ED (giggle). That is their flowers were so heavy with the rain the canes all drooped and had to be staked. I just thought it was funny that it was only the Sexy Rexy's! Betsy

I try but do forget. I have also purchased items that were not out of date where they had gone bad. I don't live around the corner from where we purchase our fresh and other non bulk purchases. It is a chain grocery(not national). If I get something spoiled I call and let them know. They have told me twice to throw out the food and they will refund my money at the next trip. They do it no questions asked and with a smile. I asked my most regular checkout lady once if people take advantage of and she said she thought it was rare because customers appreciate their service. I have also noticed they don't do price checks if something won't scan. They ask if you know what it was and will take whatever you say unless they thinks it is too high. Another experience where I was supposed to get a free ham ( points program) they computer system was not programmed correctly and I swiped my cc before the cashier realized. I had to spend some time at customer service to get it refunded because it was busy. I was given a 25 dollar gift card for my trouble. (I wasn't complaining even in my head, it was a mistake) I was able to bless an acquaintance with card who could very much use it. They have captured the idea that I will drive a little extra and be very patient because I know they are focused on the customer.

The NY Times put it nicely: "Mother Nature is in a perpetual state of war with California." Nonetheless, it's all mostly good, especially if you live around the coast as we do. Just came back from a 5 day trip to Monterey/Carmel and am leaving soon for 6 days on the Sonoma County coast. Left the Midwest in 1969 and don't wish to live there again. Hate winter and hate humidity, so that leaves 2 wks in the spring and 2 wks in the fall when I'm willing to visit (but I do miss those museums!).

Like Rob, I tend to not be as excited about sell by dates, especially when dealing with canned goods. I know that it's not, by and large, a safety issue, it's a quality issue, with quality declining after a period of time. I know that mustard won't be dangerous if it's a month outdated and I recently opened a can of evaporated milk with a "best by" date of July, 2018, and used it in a batch of fudge. Smelled fine, tasted fine, worked fine. Fudge was promptly consumed by the grandkids, LOL. Dairy products like milk and sour cream I'm more careful with, because I don't use them quickly and so I want them to last as long as possible. Other things, like that flavored coffee creamer my Mother loves? I think it lasts nearly forever, as it's nothing but chemicals. My local stores are good about pulling old products, and when they are nearing expiration you'll find them in the "clearance" section, so you can buy them or not, your choice. That's what those labels and dates are for, so you can determine whether you wish to buy them. I certainly do not expect any large corporations to be acting with my best interests in mind, and it's not the responsibility of small local businesses either. I am a label reader, as I'm watching for gluten-containing ingredients, chemical additives, GMO products, even country of origin. The lowest price isn't always the choice I go with, although it's where I start. I do have the privilege of producing my own beef, chickens, eggs, many fruits and vegetables. I make many of my own condiments, from pickles to plum sauce. I buy organic, non-GMO wheat and grind flour, I make my own yogurt from milk sourced from a local organic dairy. Those things do take more time and effort than just picking up a container of yogurt or a loaf of Wonder bread, but it's something that matters to me. I've done it since my girls were small, when I was working full time, when I was a single mother, so it's second nature. I try to be realistic. I know the government isn't going to protect me, that big corporations are primarily worried about their financial bottom line, and that agribusiness doesn't care how much something must be sprayed or poisoned as long as they produce a profitable crop. As a result, I read the labels. Annie