In 3 days it will be "400 days to Y2k"...it just seemed like it was 500 days a couple of weeks ago. What have you been able to accomplish in the last 100 days regarding preparation, getting out information, convincing others, making decisions??

We have acquired our acreage with house and buildings, are actively searching locally for a generating system, still collecting lots of food and learning how to prepare the grains, which we are not quite familiar with. Looking into a windmill for raising water from the well and familiarising ourselves with the animals we will have for our farm.

We also are seeing many more people willing to talk about a "possible problem" with the computers and no heat and water seems to be the scariest scenario, and others are convinced they will not have jobs, but still others regard the government as the savior of the whole mess and remain unconvinced.

Husband started a consulting business which may or not run after 2000, but in the oil industry, who knows?? You have to have oil to run a War and it seems that that is in the future. Have not decided what to do with our stocks and retirement monies, but will wait a bit longer to decide...Maybe until "300 Days to Y2k"?

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), November 23, 1998

Answers

Hmmm....well, let's see.

We moved into a y2k compliant house finally! . It has the old dug well with heavy duty hand pump outside as auxiliary water source (and should that fail for some reason there's a creek bordering the rear of this property-11 acres), fireplace, propane gas stove, cellar (which makes it warmer and easier to heat), and it's in the country about 3-1/2 hours from the nearest city which isn't that large (about 500,000).

I got my dehydrator today, trying out the banana chips as I type this. I got my sealer for sealing up *stuff*. I've got two large buckets of flour, one of sugar, one of cornmeal, one of beans (all types), and some extra coffees stored away (I just started on the food really).

I got one of the three cords of firewood we are getting just for this winter (in case of power outages this winter), and have 12 more cords on order for during the coming spring/summer.

I got my order of heirloom seeds all stored away and ready for spring planting.

Hubby's drawing up plans for the chicken/rabbit shelters he's going to build this spring. We plan to have chickens and rabbits. We are searching right now for a source for farmpond-raised catfish which we plan to put in the pond on the property.

I had some oil lamps around here, but I purchased four more and now we have enough oil lamps for decent light. Got some lamp oil stashed away, but we plan to use up all our fuel oil by next fall, and then will have our 275 gal. tank filled with kerosene which we can also burn in the furnace and use for lamps. Hubby's going to install a spigot at the bottom of tank once we empty it.

I purchased an entire set of cast-iron cookware including dutch ovens, for fireplace cooking if necessary.

I got a real steal on a treadle sewing machine (I love to sew and figure it will be a good skill to have post-y2k). It's a 1894 Singer in excellent shape, looks great and even better sews like a charm! I stole it at $150. :-)

I have started stocking up on canned goods in the cellar...just started last weekend, but plan to have enough of that within the next 6 months.

I got *some* canning jars, but still need many many many more...

I actually feel good. At least I have some things done and each day that goes by my hubby and I both feel better and more secure as we add to our preparations.

Well....that's about it for now. Onward and upward :-)

-- Bobbi (volfnat@northweb.com), November 23, 1998.

"Sunnybrook" is a good name for a farm.

-- Type r (Sorapreparin@polly.anna), November 23, 1998.

I actually feel good. At least I have some things done and 
each day that goes by my hubby and I both feel better and more secure 
as we add to our preparations. 

Isn't it the truth that, as we finish more of our preparations we begin to feels a little more secure.

In the last 100 days: Diesel generator arrived, so did the start of food storage. Got water drums, got metal drums (kerosene and gasoline storage -- and yes, the gas will be in a fuel depot, 100 yards from the house). Now have 4 more oil lamps. Picked up batteries, ordered inverter.

Began serious church preparations. Began to talk more to people in the community.

-- rocky (rknolls@hotmail.com), November 23, 1998.

In the last 100 days I finally got through my husband and we're now preparing. I also got 2 brothers and a sister with their spouses "awaken" and starting to prepare and make plans.

We purchased a Y2K friendly small house in Y2K friendly environment. Started stockpiling food and made a list of y2k preparations needed.

Installed a slowburning fireplace insert in our primary home and started smaller stockpile of food (in case we can't bug out in time.)

It doesn't sound like much compared to some (in terms of how far I've got in my wish list), but it took all my will and energy just to get through the denial of hubby and getting to this point. I sleep a whole lot better than I did 100 days ago :)

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), November 23, 1998.

7 2000 watt gas generator 7 2 55 gal gas tanks&stabilizer 7 200 watt solar power system 7 3 flourescnt 12V lanterns 7 2 handheld CB radios 7 extra chainsaw 7 2 cords wood 7 8 60 gal water tanks 7 6mo/2 person dehydrated food 7 6mo/2 person canned goods 7 400lb wheat 7 150lb corn 7 100lb rice 7 50lb beans 7 20lb sugar 7 20lb salt 7 a BUNCH of catfood (wife is in charge of that dept.) 7 1 yr supply toiletries 7 AR-15 & 2500 rounds .223 7 12 gauge pump & case assorted shells 7 fortifying areas of house & buying extra lumber 7 3 house hunting trips to NC mtns (nothing suitable in price range yet) 7 taken a lot of crap from friends and family for my "beliefs" 7 spent WAY too much time on the Internet 7 thought I was loosing my mind...still not too sure 7 moved most savings to cash, gold, platnium 7 cashed out 401K/IRA (then chickened out and redeposited it within 60 day window to avoid IRS penalty...hope 4 Jan 99 wont be too late to take it out again!)

-- a (a@a.a), November 23, 1998.

There's that date again--4 Jan. 1999.

It's exactly six weeks now till the first business day of 1999.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), November 24, 1998.

Prayer, Much prayer.

-- loving one (no@aol.com), November 24, 1998.

there's a creek bordering the rear of this property

Remember water filters -- you can't be sure what's happening upstream....

farmpond-raised catfish which we plan to put in the pond Unless it's quite a sizeable pond you may need to feed those catfish. Farm-raised fish have been fed from the start.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), November 24, 1998.

Learned that y2k might affect more than a couple of lifts.

Thought "hey, there could be money in this."

Did some research.

Thought "s***, I could DIE in this."

Panicked.

Did some more research.

Am now here.

--Leo

-- Leo (leo_champion@hotmail.com), November 24, 1998.

Leo, is that meant to be a limerick?

-- Richard Dale (rdale@figroup.co.uk), November 24, 1998.

Actually, it was just a collection of thoughts.

-- Leo (leo_champion@hotmail.com), November 24, 1998.

>Remember water filters -- you can't be sure what's happening >upstream....

Don't need 'em, we will do like we have done for years and years while camping; boil the water. Don't think we will need the creek though, that old well is good, the water's good, and the pump works just fine.

>farmpond-raised catfish which we plan to put in the pond Unless it's >quite a sizeable pond you may need to feed those catfish. Farm- >raised fish have been fed from the start.

It is a *very* sizeable pond. :-)

-- Bobbi (volfnat@northweb.com), November 24, 1998.

Leo, it is de yourdon etiquette to speak in verse from time to time. "de yourdon" derives from the famous ditty "de yourdon posters sing dis song, deedah! deedah! de average rant is far too long, oh deedah day! gwine to flame all night...."

-- Richard Dale (rdale@figroup.co.uk), November 24, 1998.

Bobbi, can I come live with you...?

-- Ben Dair (not@aol.com), November 24, 1998.

>Bobbi, can I come live with you...?

Actually....No. :-) Sorry but we are "full up".

Although if you can bring something really really spiffy that is really really needed, we could maybe talk,.....but doubtful; unless it's *really really* spiffy and *really really* useful! And then, it's subject to a vote of the entire household (myself, my husband, the cat and the dog).

Whatcha got?

-- Bobbi (volfnat@northweb.com), November 24, 1998.

Finally, I think, convinced my folks they only have until the first of the year to install a alternate heat source. I'm of the opinion that with so many DGI's, there will be time for the rest of it . The supply chain isn't broken yet, the supplier's will work like mad to meet the demand and worker's will gobble up the overtime. BUT, when JQP figures out there's a problem, heat sources will dry up quickly and then what? Get the stove, get the stove, get the stove!!!

-- margie mason (mar3 mike@aol.com), November 24, 1998.

Wow...I thought I was doing well until I read this thread. Here's my preps last 100 days: 1500 lbs grain and beans plus containers purchased, lots research, two wilderness survival courses plus some practice. And lots of time on the new job that's financing all this.

-- Shimrod (shimrod@lycosmail.com), December 22, 1998.

I hear alot of talk about storing water. I live in Eastern Wa state. In Jan of 2000 there will be unlimited supply of snow - snow is I believe Y2k Compliant. So I think we have the *water* issue under control here. :)

But then I live 2 blocks from the river, and since we are towards the top of the water chain, I imagine it wont run dry. :)

-- Whitney (Y2kWhit@aol.com), December 22, 1998.