Just spoke to my Daughter on phone. Compelled to tell her I cannot feed her and husband, only their minor child. I had warned them (Son and Daughter) a year ago. She te-heed, said they would come to my house, I said "No, I have warned you, and you chose not to act, I will feed only your small Daughter, because she cannot fend for herself, and my money ran out". I told her I will feed only the children, since I had warned the parents last year, and they have not acted. Oh please, is this evidence of the passage that "Brother will turn against Brother?"

-- Small Children Abound (HopeIamparanoid@com.net), November 15, 1999

Answers

Not knowing your past family/in-law history of how well you got along in the past, I agree that you MUST take care of the child FIRST.

Here is what you MIGHT consider doing: IF there is any way you can stretch your money, or "borrow" from a true-blue friend, you could perhaps lay in enough provisions for all three of them, but not tell them. BUT first you must feign poverty and maintain the same HARD LINE against the 2 adults, right up to the last minute, to put "the fear of God" into them, and to teach them a BIG lesson.

Chances are that they will all three show up at the door at the same time, anyway, right? Else, how will you take possession of the granddaughter?

It is a lesson they will never forget.

In tough times it's difficult enough to find resources for those who absolutely cannot prepare, due to financial hardship, working 2 or 3 jobs and not having time to research Y2K, physical shortcomings, etc. That is why behavior of your in-laws in INEXCUSABLE--they are only adding to the number of people who must be looked after out of the resources and foresight of others. It strains the system, regardless of if you are a believer in the Christian principle of Brotherly Love.

-- profit of doom (doom@helltopay.ca), November 15, 1999.

You've done your best with your own resources.

We don't any of us know how it is all going to peak or what the aftermath of the worst peak will be. To some extent one can only hang loose and see what happens.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 15, 1999.

----boy, that has to be tough. I just "DGI" with folks who can't lay in some canned veggies, some pasta stuff, and some rice and beans. what does it cost, anyway? I give up some of what would have been restaurant meals, pizza-stuff you can do without, and just recycle that money into straight storage food. I spend no more than i normally would, just change priorities. now, I've pretty much have had between 3-4 months of food stored for maybe 25 years now, i guess, maybe a smidgen longer. just this year i bumped it up considerable, and will continue to do so. I ask people--you go to the movies? drink beer? buy new clothes you don't really need? you can't skip one thing for real "life' insurance? questions like that, the money is always there, just a realignment of priorities. I still can NOT understand parents who would recklessly endanger their children to prove some sort of vague point, and the point in this case is that they obviously will not look at any evidence of possible calamities or disruptions. met too many folks like that. I get better results with DGI strangers. two days ago at gas station, just coming out of grocery. scored extra case of corn, 10 lbs more rice, more salt, some stew, etc. extra stuff, but cheap all told. got into conversation with the lady at the otherside of the pumps, yada, yada--anywho, got onto y2k, my eyes lit up, popped the trunk lid and showed her-"See, this is for supper today and tomorrow, but this over here is the little extra i get every time at the store"..dang it, that's all it took for that lady. sez she "well, I've been hearing about it, but just didn't know, and the tv..." so THEN, I stops her, point my finger at her and do my king klintunes imitation "I didn't have sex with that woman"-- "y2k is all fixed" hahahahahahaha she "got it', bigtime! don't trust the liars zog

oh ya, brother against brother--you can pick your friends but not your relatives--stick by your guns, feed the grandaughter, but on your terms, let that daughter and retard son in law go out in woods and harvest acorns and dandelions--only bummer is that january is in the winter...........

doncha just want to SLAP some of these wiseacres? sometimes? like yell WAKE UP! I DO.....

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 15, 1999.

TROLL

-- I (can@spot.em), November 15, 1999.

Oh, good gigantic smile o' the brown old earth,

This autumn morning! How he sets his bones

To bask i' the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet

For the ripple to run over in its mirth;

Listening the while, where on the heap of stones

The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.

That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;

Such is life's trial, as old earth smiles and knows.

If you loved only what were worth your love,

Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:

Make the low nature better by your throes!

Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!

Robert Browning

-- Commit Random (Acts@of.Poetry), November 15, 1999.

You can surely pray for guidance. Best for your all.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 16, 1999.

It is possible to take life TOO seriously and to trust God TOO little.

-- (...@.......), November 16, 1999.

Anyone who tells me that they cannot afford to prepare, just read and apply the ideas in the article "Finding Y2K Prep Time and $$" (from my website).

Next problem?

my site: www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), November 16, 1999.