An Indicator of Y2K Awareness: firewood sales

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Just had my 3d cord of hardwood delivered tonight. Marshall looked sort of beat. "Working hard?" "Doc, you can't believe how busy I've been. I've started turning people away -- told 'em to find someone else to deliver their wood." "Oh? Business picking up?" "Well, you wouldn't believe -- in a normal season (September to March) I sell a total of 100 cord of wood -- but here it is only Thanksgiving and I've already delivered more than 100."

"Oh? Who's buying all that stuff?" "Why it's the Y2K, people, Doc -- didn't you know?"

And this in a county where the Community leaders in a July 17th meeting said, "None of us are preparing in the way of anything -- why should you?!"

Word must be getting around in the good ole boy network.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), November 24, 1999

Answers

What part of the country are you in?

-- Kitty in Chesapeake VA (kittyfelton@webtv.net), November 24, 1999.

I finally got 3 more cords delivered today. My guy said he had 2 1/2 cords left to deliver Friday, then off to Costa Rica. Seems he has sold 7,000 cords this season in Central/Northern CA and Nevada - usually sells 1,000. Somebody is quietly stocking up on firewood.

-- (snoozin@no.more), November 24, 1999.

Here in Chico, CA (90 miles north of Sacramento) the firewood price is same as last year, about 150 a cord, while Nevada City area it has risen to over $200 I believe and hard to get.

Lucky me. NOBODY is preparing in my town.

-- johno (jobriy2k@yahoo.com), November 25, 1999.


My firewood dealer sold out very early--about a month ago--and attributed it to Y2K. I gave him a $10 tip on each of two deliveries to make sure he remembers me if I need more and he knows where to find some, green or not. Incidentally, we have had an extremely mild fall here in central NC, highs of 60s-70s for the most part, only two brief, light freezes--not the kind of weather to cause a run on firewood.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), November 25, 1999.

Hi, Doc! Yes, the wood guy and the wood stove guy here both reported demand 2-3x normal this year. Both credit y2k awareness as the impetus. I asked both what they thought about the problem, and both (Joe sixer's, if I ever saw one) replied the same; "Ya never know. It could happen."

TNX FOR QSO OM E

-- Pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), November 25, 1999.



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