After lunch today with the whole family in attendance the subject of Y2k came up. This was the first time we had spoken of it together as a group.Each household was preparing, some more than others, depending on the financial considerations.Myself and my BIL will be at work 20 miles away. The rest of the family will come together at elder family members homes to ride out the "storm". We have enough to feed 14 people for several months and have a water source. This is not a new idea for us, we have done this before during ice storms when we had no power for many days, but we were not as prepared as we are now. How many families had or will have a similar conversation today? I think we will see more people trying to prepare a little after this week. If one family member mentioned Y2k and the rest of the family payed attention to what was said maybe they will go home with something besides a full stomach. Just a thought. country girl

-- country girl (in@country.com), November 25, 1999

Answers

what's a BIL?

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), November 25, 1999.

Beautiful Irresistable Lover!

-- freddie (Freddie@thefreeloader.com), November 25, 1999.

My eldest daughter and her future husband just left after having our Thanksgiving. My daughter and her boyfriend do not even like to talk about Y2K. My daughter only wants to think happy thoughts, planning her Wedding since she just got engaged about a month ago, so I did not even bring up Y2K again.

As she left I watched her walk with joy and happiness to her car. She giggled with a little light laugh as the wind lifted her shoulder length blonde hair gently blowing it in the breeze. She got in her car and as she started to drive away I tried very hard to imprint her smiling, pretty face in my memory. With what is coming, I don't know when or if I will see her again. It was a good day but sad as it ended. Now I cry.

If Gary N. is anywhere near right I wonder what Thanksgiving will be next year?

-- Onebyone (susanwater@excite.com), November 25, 1999.

BIL=brother in-law

-- country girl (in@country.com), November 25, 1999.

We talked a little about Y2K at the table. My mother finally said she appreciated the fact that we had included her in our preparations. Our renters didn't know what they would do to prep as their lifestyle doesn't leave any money after their bills and credit card bills get paid. They'd like to prep for 14 days, but they aren't going to make any sacrifices for their safety. I imagine they expect that good old Stan, the nice guy that he is, will take care of them-- if the shit hits the fan. I expect they are right, but I imagine that I would wake up every morning and eye them with great contempt-- if things get bad. They are not poor; they just spend all their money at restaurants, in bars, and on vacations-travel (every few months). I get tired just thinking about how much more I have to sacrifice so that my insurance covers them too.

Sincerely,
Stan Faryna

Ready for Y2K? Got 14 days of water, food, way to keep warm and cook?
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001o cf

Cooperative Preps : Have you checked out the deals we can get on  preps?

One time deal on a inexpensive grain mill
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001q Sw

Water filters for less than suggested retail
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001q T8

Gas masks, potassium iodide, solar ovens, etc
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001q TK

Aladdins: the kerosene lamp for readers
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001p 1v

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), November 25, 1999.

"I get tired just thinking about how much more I have to sacrifice so that my insurance covers them too."

Same here with our relatives, plus, we get to be ridiculed for the past year by them too.

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), November 25, 1999.

These "Grasshopper & Ant" stories are as common today just as they were when Aesop's Fables were written. What IS the answer to this real life dilemma? After all these grasshoppers are often our kin and friends...yet we have frequently had to endure their scorn & ridicule for our preps. What to do when they show up hungry and empty handed at our doorstep?

Any sacrifices we've made to have additional supplies for 'others' has been very difficult for us...we weren't able to dine out three times a week, go bar-hopping or jet-set several times a year. Where is the justice in this? What is the reasonable thing to do? Is "tough love" the answer or compassion? It's so easy to get stuck in the middle (indecisive) on this one or go to an extreme.

-- Sceptic (noeasy@way.com), November 25, 1999.

I've had to go for tough love.

And they all thought it was hilarious.

After a phone conversation with youngest sister, I emailed and told my three sisters and their families that unless they chose to forward me enough money for a cheap grain purchase, that there was no room at the inn.

Talked to my dad (GI, but, well, under Mom's thumb, a DWGI) a few weeks later, he kind of laughed, said didn't I know I'd been set up? Told him I really didn't give a damn. The issue is on the table. They have been notified.

For what it is worth, see the thread below.........

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001i5h

-- mushroom (mushroom_bs_too_long@yahoo.com), November 25, 1999.

To onebyone: So sad, so true. Your comments made me cry. May the Almighty God be with us, show us the way, and destroy our enemies who would use Y2k to destroy our nation. I think my husband and I finally got through to his sister today. We had to get vicious! I gave her documents to read. But her daughter and my daughter are much like yours. The young ones don't want to see the ominous clouds on the horizon.

-- cora (cjohnson@seidata.com), November 25, 1999.

If GN is right, Thanksgiving next year will haveroasted rat asthe main course with a side of shoe leather and grass soup. But, the main solution to the grasshopper problem is to avoid it! that is, #1 don't let anybody know you have stuff and #2 don't share it with people if you won't have enough to get through to harvest season.and #3 if people don't fit into the "i can take care of them" category, well,, be prepared to turn them away, or bury them. (by the way that goes for family too, if y2k gets bad, and you'll probably know by Jan 3rd if it is, you won't belkiving in a society anymore, so the rulesof said society will nolonger apply, no rules, not god's or man's... well, maybe god's but expect them to be ignored on a regular basis... not that we observe them now anyway....

-- jeremiah (braponspdetroit@hotmail.com), November 25, 1999.

I was at my parent's home today and y2k came up in the conversation. I usually try to avoid the conversation because my father is rather colosed minded. He was almost yelling at me telling me that if he was a manager at an oil refinery he would throw more money and more engineers at the problem and demand they fix the problem. I role played like an engineer (thanks to this forum) and said thanks for the money and thanks for the personnel but these chips are still not going to get fixed before the end of the year because there isn't enough time to reprogram and test them. He said "time?" and I said yes and I saw it, I saw him get it. He's 77 years old and a very smart man IMHO. I have been prepping for him and the rest of my family for almost a year now. We talked about it for the rest of the day and I answered his questions as best I could. He was some pissed off when he thought about all the lies the politicians were telling us. He said this is going to make the Holocaust look like a picnic in the park. I almost think he is more of a doomer than I am. Now he wants to see all the reports I've printed out. This is the last person on earth I thought would get it. Wonder

-- Melanie (Dalapon@aol.com), November 26, 1999.

My wife and I has a "family meeting" last Thanksgiving. We handed out packets of Y2K info to all the family members and told them that "prudent preparation" was perhaps neccessary. One year later....my wife's aunt begins the diatribe..."so Jennifer, what happened to all those dates that were supposed to be so terrible. I ha

-- shepherd (shepherd@sierratel.com), November 26, 1999.

My wife and I had a "family meeting" last Thanksgiving. We handed out packets of Y2K info to all the family members and told them that "prudent preparation" was perhaps neccessary. One year later....my wife's aunt begins the diatribe..."so Jennifer, what happened to all those dates that were supposed to be so terrible. I have not read or heard of any problems...." to which my wife so diligently responded... "I'm tired of discussing Y2K. All of the deadlines have been missed by all the major fortune 500 companies. The government is not ready either. The major media continues to parrot the party lines that everything is Y2K OK. I am not going to discuss this any further." It was less than 1 minute when the responses came from all the family members (none have prepared...all make substantial incomes)...well, I know where I'll be if TSHTF...up at your house since we know you have preps for at least a year!!! Can you believe it? These F##king idiots think that we will take care of them...and unfortunately, they are probably right. I must say, for the first time, my wife...the softy in the crowd...on our way home, said that they can eat beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the first week until they understand just how much we sacrificed for their "survival". If they don't like it...they know where the door is!!!!God has blessed me with a good wife. Shepherd

-- shepherd (shepherd@sierratel.com), November 26, 1999.

Howdy--

I wondered if anyone else would have good Thanksgiving stories, as it is a time for families to get together and talk. Mine is terribly positive.

Had a GI uncle and aunt visiting who laugh gaily about their preps--generators, water, food and weapons...and talked more soberly about the businesses in their NW Texas community that may or may not be ready. The seating happened to place Uncle and I across from each other on either side of my DWGI father, who listened intently to our conversation regarding utility and cascade failures, the absolute necessity for clean water, etc. I could hear the wheels turning.

Uncle asked if he could pass the hard copy of my humble "What You Should Know" articles about y2k to a local radio station that runs a weekly Millennium show. On a personal note, it was intensely gratifying to spend time with people who both understand the issues, and are preparing...they've been rare in my life in the last year.

What You Should Know About Y2K or cut and paste http://rampages.onramp.net/~bcheek and follow the links.

Then I returned home to a long distance message on my answering machine from a dear friend who told me she spent the day with her family discussing y2k and making lists of what they needed to do.

And thirdly, Wednesday night was told by another friend who got a hard copy of material that he gave a copy to his boss and scared the living daylights out of him. "He got it right away." was the quote.

The games not over, folks. Since the majority are still sitting on their hands, there's still a lot left out there for our friends and family. I urge those of you so inclined to keep talking. We are going to see a lot of last-minute converts.

Running out of money, but talking up a blue streak,

-- William in Dallas (bcheek@onramp.net), November 26, 1999.

I wonder what Thanksgiving would have been like this year if GN's predictions had come true. Those of you who are not newbies and were following North for over a year and a half should know what some of his predictions were.

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), November 26, 1999.

Well, I got a really good lesson in first aid on Turkey Day! We went to a distant relative's house in far north Texas, very rural area, (I WANTED THEIR HOUSE! WHAT A PERFECT PLACE FOR Y2K! Stocked pond, lots of land, huge garden, propane tank, wood stove! The man of the house works for TXU Electric and I was real tempted to talk to him....) there were a lot of little kids playing out back and the boys were pushing an empty wooden swing as high as it could go...my daughter (almost 5 yrs old) walked behind it and turned around just as it came up. Smacked her in the mouth, HARD. My brother came running up to the house with her screaming my name...her entire shirt was SOAKED in blood and she was screaming bloody murder. I just grabbed her, we all ran to the kitchen sink...took a couple of minutes just to see where it was coming from. Her lip was busted good, the inside of her cheek was cut and a top incisor was loose, and her gums were cut up, too. The front of the loose tooth is chipped, as well. Taking her to the dentist today, as it looks like that baby tooth won't be there for very long. This morning the lip looks even worse..despite the ice yesterday. One of my distant cousins who was there is a paramedic, he was a big help. God I had no idea little kids could bleed that much. My brother, who does not have children, was white as a ghost and stared off into space for the next 45 minutes. He was supposed to be watching the kids, but had wandered off for a smoke. He was really pissed off at himself.

Anyway, the lip is cut pretty deep both on the front and underneath. They don't stitch lips generally, though. Disfigures the lip and makes it look like a railroad track. Took 15 min to get it to stop bleeding. Now it is totally swollen and purple. Poor kid. But for how fearless she is, it's pretty amazing she had never done this before.

Y2K wasn't even brought up. It wasn't a topic of conversation. My aunt is expecting a baby Dec. 31 and my mom asked me 2 weeks ago to never mention Y2K again. Fine.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 26, 1999.

Wow... regarding the 5-year old with the cut-up lip... Hope she recovers fully. Probably will. They don't sew up mouth parts because it's usually not necessary. Tongues & gums heal faster than any other part of the body, & of course kids heal faster than adults anyway. Sometimes things heal up so fast you can't believe it ever even happened.

Hope someone took photos?

-- hope I'm (right@about.this), November 26, 1999.

I have been on this forum for a year and a half although lately as a lurker. Haven't posted in a very *long* while.

Our family decreed last Thanksgiving as a day when any talk about Y2k was not allowed. Period. Family consensus. There are over 40 of us when we get together for dinner once a year at this time. Hubby and I are serious GIs, most of family DWGIs, and a few are *almost* GIs but still straddling the fence.

We stopped trying to tell them anything once we realized they really don't want to talk about it. They really don't. Lots of them live in Jersey and L.I., NY and big cities, a few on west coast (SF) and one couple from Florida. We are up here in central NY in very very rural area.

Anyway, this year...same rule applied. NO Y2k talk allowed. Period. It's kind of like it's there but it's not. Sort of lurking in the background but under the surface.

Interesting but frustrating.

Hubby and I have prepped just about as much as we can now. Moved to our new 14 acre spread. Hubby quit his high dollar job, we cashed out, we are off the grid and getting more self-sufficient by the day. We are as ready as we will ever be I suppose. Family will probably show up expecting help. We are unsure exactly what will transpire. We won't turn them away but we *will* put them to work around the place. There's plenty of work to do believe me.

Some days I am wondering if I have lost my mind, other days I am staunchly positive in my mind that we are right to expect a 7-9.

We will see shortly.

Signed... Dung Beetle's Wife (lurker extraordinaire)

-- Dung Beetle's wife (baverell@hotmail.com), November 26, 1999.