A snap of cold weather caused local residents to bundle up thelast few days.

Most people in the area had gotten prepared for winter a fewmonths ago, but a few still found the need to stock up on importantitems.

They hit the stores looking for ways to fully prepare themselvesand their homes for a forecast showing highs in the 40s and lows inthe teens.

“We’ve sold electric heaters, gas heaters and quite a bit ofpipe wrap, but it hasn’t been a big rush,” said Linda Pickett,co-owner of a local hardware store where a steady stream of peoplecould be seen all day yesterday.

Homes weren’t the only thing on customers’ minds, though. WhenTuesday’s weather reports called for possible frost and ice, carowners stepped up their maintenance.

Ice scrapers and de-icers were a couple of the items auto partsstores checked out Wednesday.

Bill Lloyd, assistant manager of an auto supply store inBrookhaven, said the majority of people seemed to be prepared forthe cold spell.

“Mostly we sold a lot of anti-freeze at the beginning ofwinter,” he said.

The chilly weather also affected the routines of homeowners withyards filled with plants and flowers.

Diane VanVleck and Mrs. Warren Holmes, both North Jackson Streetresidents, took efforts to ensure beautiful blooms in the spring byhelping protect their buds and blooms.

“I have been working on the yard for three years and I didn’twant to have to start over,” said VanVleck.

They two neighbors used blankets, sheets, table cloths, and evendust ruffles to drape over their plants.

The coverage helped protect the plants from the wind, which hascreated wind chills in the single-digits, as well as from thefrost.

“It’s like a person wearing a coat in the wintertime,” saidVanVleck.