BigDog has reminded us in a prior post that we should return to focus on preparation for Y2K. I'am about half way to my objectives. How about you?

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 11, 1999

Answers

Thanks, Watchful. We're about 90% to where we hoped to be when we begun last year, yet the last 10% could go on indefinitely, as I'm sure many of you can confirm.

Specifically, we're focusing on big-time first aid kits for families (my wife is a nurse and midwife); fire extinguishers; enhancing our library of skills books, especially livestock since we'll be adding milk goats and beef cattle to our chickens, geese and turkeys; upgrading the greenhouse (preparing to plant, of course, though there is snow everywhere here in the Catskills) .... and more (for example, we're helping my wife stock up on medical supplies and mom-baby life-saving stuff for her home birth practice next year, since the local rural hospital may well go under). Money is growing somewhat short for all this. Sigh.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), March 11, 1999.

I'm about half way done.

When I first started to propare to be self sufficient I decided what I needed to do. But by the time I got half of that done I had realized just how much I had missed in my original assessment. I set a new goal.

By the time I got about half way to my new goal I stopped to asses my overall readiness. Guess what. I was at that point a LOT more informed and educated about what I would need. I realized I need a new goal. So I got that all set up.

And when I was about half way to that goal that goal I got to seriously studying what it really means to be self sufficient - trust me it ain't pintos and a petromaxs. With my eyes a lot wider open now I set anew goal.

By the time I got about half way .........

-- Greybear, who is still about half way done.

- Got Goal(s)?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), March 11, 1999.

Depends how I feel on a perticular day. Some days I'm so optimistic I feel 100% ready, other days I feel 1%. Sorta goes with how I am on the scale of 1 to 10 on that day. Right now, I'm a 6-7. I was a solid 8 last week. I've been a 12, around December. Started at a 3-4 last summer. I wonder if I'll go back to a 3-4 by summer time. No, I don't suffer from PMS, but my moods go up and down with the seasons. The more sun I get, the better I feel. Screen radiation exacerbate my moods, gives me headaches. Some days I say heck, if it gets that bad that I need that much prep, what's life worth living. Other days I want to enroll in survavilist courses. I'm learning to bake bread from scratch now. The info is so conflicting, i'm skeptical about every sides of the issue, not just the Polyanna's but the doomers too.

It's enough to drive an atheist to pray.

So considering how I feel today, I'd say I'm about 75% done in my house, 50% done at my Y2K retreat (which still looks like I'll be going there by myself with the kids.)

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), March 11, 1999.

Greybear's post is a perfect rendition not only of y2k self- sufficiency prep, but also the y2k software remediation process.

Kinda like Xeno's Paradox

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), March 11, 1999.

I thought this would be an appropriate thread to share a thought.

As we are preparing for the future, let us not forget to live for today. I sometimes get so caught up in preparing, researching, reading and thinking about Y2k, that the day is over and gone. I have let time slip past me and not enjoyed it because I am so focused on tomorrow.

I must realize that tomorrow is going to come quick enough. These might be the last good days that we will see for a while. No one knows what the future holds or how bad things might get.

So as each of us go about preparing, take time to stop and enjoy what we have today.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), March 11, 1999.

Though I add to my preparations almost daily, I've been stuck at 90% complete for almost a year now.

That sounds kind of familiar. Is this a programming project?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 11, 1999.

90% The last 1.0% is secret, but I can tell you that it involves aged sirloin and dry ice.

-- Puddintame (dit@dot.com), March 11, 1999.

Well, I don't look at overall readiness - 'cuz I'll never be ready. But on specific issues, they are as follows. Bear in mind, we're preparing for 3 years of independence....

Propane - 50% (need another 500 gallon tank) Gasoline - 25% (waiting 'til last second, already have drums) Kerosene - 25% (laziness) Electricity - 100% generator inverter batteries solar panels (got them today. WOOHOO!) Misc Hardware Medical - 50% (need surgical. waiting to fill prescriptions) Firearms - 100% Ammunition - 150% Food - 80% (around 2.5 years) Farming equipment - 50% Greenhouse - 100% Seeds - 200% Misc Tools - 20% Hydroponics - 0% (if money permits) Transportation 30% 1 road bicycle 1 mountain bike 1 "city" car Y2K library - 90% (new stuff coming all the time) Computer - 50% 1 Laptop (need 2) Entertainment - 80% (need backups for laser disk player, need to round out music collection, and buy several instruments)

I've got another 30 categories or so, most of which are "to do". They're last on the list because they're not "survival" specific and shouldn't run out in a panic. (e.g. Concrete blocks, roofing material, etc)

Jolly Ready

-- Jollyprez (jolly@prez.com), March 11, 1999.

I'll go along with that! We'll never be 100% because there is always something else we wish we had and something we would never have thought of. If I am ready to eat just wheat and honey during months 11 & 12 out of the first year, then my food storage is done . . . but I don't think I am ready for that. Most other things are done, just need lots of odds and ends, first aid things, and to keep the gas tank topped off. And a solar oven, which reminds me, I need to get a new supply of wood for the wood stove, oh, the matches, too . . . You get the idea :)

-- linda (smitmom@hotmail.com), March 11, 1999.

I have no hope of being sufficiently prepared.

So I do the best that I can, which is to spend the same percentage of every paycheck on preparation items. A year and a half of small expenditures will add up to something which will be better than nothing.

My two most prepared aspects are my attitude and my library.

-- GA Russell (garussell@russellga.com), March 11, 1999.

We had planned to acquired all our preps no later than December 31, 1998.

However, an independent third-party audit has revealed we are actually only 75% finished with our prep list, 45% through on aquisition of foodstuffs, & 100% certifiable!

Prep will continue until the very end.

Please, if you haven't yet begun START TODAY!!!

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), March 11, 1999.

Well, thew 3 month goal has come and gone, now we are working on the "to the next harvest" goal. Got minimum of grain for the 3 month scenario, next batch probably in May, and then another in the fall. HBA/OTC MEDS is at about 3 months, catfood is at 6. THis year's seeds on teh way, next year's seeds in consideration phase (have a pair of prepacked cans but....). Still looking for place within the available wherewithal. Cooking and heat have been decided upon, just haven't gotten the kero, haven't decided on kero fridge yet or not.....

Kinda looks like Estabrook 3.75.

Chuck, who with his wife is approaching old fogeyism as a hot date is going out to get glasses for her, AND 3 LITRES of OLIVE OIL . . . . . . . . . . . but . . . . . . . . . . gots no plastic sheets. DARN.

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), March 11, 1999.

Well, I don't mind being different. I'm probably only 30% done, and thats just for the basics and 3 months food. Of course I only really have been a GI since 12/98. I think I purchased my first supplies after Christmas. Hope to be prepared for 3 months by end of March, 6 months by summer (7/1-?) and then we'll see.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), March 11, 1999.

I consider myself to be 100% ready. No hubris in that statement, I've simply been in preparedness mode for a few years more than most on this forum (circa mid-90's), that's all.

I've got the material goods I need, but even more importantly I've got knowledge from reading and putting into practice every scrap of information I could lay my hands on regarding preparedness and self sufficiency over the last six years. For those who don't have the means to fully prepare (whatever that is in your particular situation), I'd suggest getting some of the books mentioned recently and commiting the larger part of them to memory. That way you'll be able to make use of whatever is at hand in whatever situation you find yourself in.

-- sparks (wireless@home.com), March 11, 1999.

I hate percentages, but if I had to I'd say I'm 20% there.

That's a lot since my goals are out to about three years.

This year was mostly to get relocated.

What's left is to get three gardens ready, replacing a mile of 1-1/2" waterline with 6-8" pipe, buried down to six feet, get the chickens started (100 birds), get a year+ worth of firewood in, get the excavator in for some serious add-on site prep.. Lay-out and pour the foundations for the; springhouse, powerhouse, smokehouse, the brewery, and winery.

There's more, but I'm starting to get tired thinking about it.

Other than that, quite happy with the 20%.

Best Regards, TOm mcDOwell

-- Tom McDowell (BullRiver@montana.com), March 11, 1999.

A GI friend said to me last summer, "What I did in 20 years, you need to do in 6 months."

See, he already had his farm stead well established. I had just purchased ours.

The Southern Agarians were Right! re: "I'll Take My Stand".

-- brother rat (rldabney@usa.net), March 11, 1999.

I do not think we will ever be 100% prepared. It will be a day in, and day out work in progress. As for me, if we go back to 1800 I can deal with it. Best of luck!!!!!!!1 Scotty

-- Scotty (BLehman202@aol.com), March 11, 1999.

I'm at about 75% of my original goal.

Unfortunately, I'm not comfortable with that level anymore, so I will simply continue adding more inventory until time runs out.

-- Deborah (info@wars.com), March 12, 1999.

Maybe 5%!!! I'm offline till it's 60%. Adieu Adieu, to yur and yur and yur.

-- humptydumpty (no.6@thevillage.com), March 12, 1999.

As far as aquiring supplies, I'm about 90%. However, I have this stuff piled up all over the place - now the project is to organize it all, and make sure it works.

I'm sure this makes the UPS guys happy......

-- Online2Much (ready_for_y2k@mindspring.com), March 12, 1999.

WE ARE AT 90% and that is probably as high as it gets as there is always "sumpin". Our greatest advantage is that we have lived y2k in Alaska. We know how to raise animals, milk, butcher, hunt, live without power, cut wood, cook on woodstove, etc.,etc. We are now in Florida, but being the old survivalists that we are, we brought all our equipment with us including the mules and the pack saddles. The shelves are full of foods, both commercially canned and lots of meat that I have canned. The garden is in, as it always is. The chickens are laying. The only MAJOR expenditure has been a 40kw diesel generator and 1500 gal of deisel. But with that, hubby can use all of his shop equipment, welder, drill press, etc and "fix" things for people. The generator has a governor that holds the frequency steady allowing me to use my computer and also to do the dialysis on an elderly neighbor. Its all in where you come FROM that dictates where you are going. My number one issue was clothes washing. I WAS NOT GOING BACK TO HAND WASHING AND WRINGING OUT JEANS BY HAND!! We will not use the generator but two hours every 3rd day, to do the washing, get baths, bake bread, cook up food. We will still fill water jugs, bathtub for flushing toilet, and the only refrigerator we will have is the one in our RV. But I look at it this way...grandma had to can in the heat of the summer, on a hot woodstove, in a long black dress, and didn't even have screens on the windows. We will make it even if we run out of diesel. We have an outback oven and a solar oven and know how to use them. Look at it as an adventure and it won't be so overwhelming. You CAN do it and do more than just survive. Don't forget to look for the positives in the situation. Y2k has already brought familys together and husbands and wives and kids all talking together. It doesn't have to be a total disaster for you and your family, but will be a major life style change. That isn't necessarily bad. The bottom line is your attitude and willingness to meet the challenge head on. God Bless

Got window screens ??

-- Taz (tassie@aol.com), March 12, 1999.

90% and still working at it after a frantic 4 month effort. A lot poorer, quite tired, but feel we can survive the worst. Sincerely,

Apple

Please don't skimp on medical supplies....

-- Apple (villarta@itsnet.com), March 12, 1999.

I am 100% ready. I'll always want this or that, but I'm 100% ready.

***Praying daily****

Mr. K

-- Mr. Kennedy (live@Gods.house), March 12, 1999.

I'm at about 95% in terms of acquiring things and at about 60% in terms of putting things together. For example, I've got all my alternative energy system components but they're sitting in boxes in my basement. I've got the cistern in place and the gutters on the barn but no downspouts (that's tomorrow's task) and no pump installed.

It sure did feel good to get to that 95% material level, though. It settled me down a lot. And heck, some of the work can be done post- Y2K, especially if I don't have a job anymore. So I'd encourage everyone to focus on getting what you need and worry about putting it together later.

It's really true that Y2K anxiety can best be met by preparation.

-- Franklin Journier (ready4y2k@yahoo.com), March 12, 1999.

I think we're about 50% of the way there. I'll know better when I can get everything organized and take stock. Sometimes I feel that as each day passes and I learn something new about y2k, my percentage of preparedness goes down...

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), March 12, 1999.

Libby,

When we organized our preps FINALLY this past weekend/week, I was shocked at how much had been accomplished in such a short period of time (since Jan.). I feel SO much better now, I'm much more optimistic about how much we can do by the end of the year.

Hopefully, organizing will be an encouraging experience for you too!

-- Deborah (info@wars.com), March 12, 1999.