Do you have a last week of the year "to do" list?

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OK I'm starting to think about the days after Christmas and what I'm going to do in the last few days before the roll over. "Some thoughts about Water" was a great thread on water! What else needs to be done? Do you have a formalized list yet?

-- Ranger Rick (ranger.rick@tn.org), December 07, 1999

Answers

well, it's not zactly a list, but we just got an oil delivery yesterday. I called up the oil company this morning and told em HEY gimme some more the last week of December!!!!! The lady, she about had a stroke....

-- sugarpie (sugarpie@sugarpie.com), December 07, 1999.

The last few days (daze) are anybody's guess. My notes on the water are probably going to be ok because most of us get our water from a utility. These *should* be ok up until at least 7:00 pm EST. A few things can be left to the last minute. Other things aren't so clear.

If things get messy with last minute shopping (you know how those after Christmas sales can be) there may not be a chance to stock up on chow and others. You MIGHT have to dig into your January stash in late December. May as well allow for that. Plan on having your food, bottled water, gasoline, camping supplies, meds, etc. topped off before Christmas day. December 28 at the latest.

Very last minute preps could be adding nails to the frames of your double hung windows (as recommended by every police dept.) and taking any security measures you think you may need. Charge any batteries, set the home thermostat to 78, do some home weather proofing, etc.

A few supplies you might not think of: two-three rolls of duct tape (good for things you can't imagine until you need it) and plastic drop cloths. Home Depot sells a pack of six 9' by 12' cheapies for a few bucks. Plastic sheeting can be used to cover windows, divide a room from the rest of the house (keep it warmer), cover water and other things. Buy some.

Don't forget battery operated smoke and CO detectors. The smoke units are about $5 each, the CO about $30. I will use these, Y2K or not.

Just don't expect to shop that last week. Get that done now and use the time to do fix ups, the water things and enjoy your family.

-- Gary S. (garys_2k@yahoo.com), December 07, 1999.


That last week I plan to only shop for perishables (produce and a few frozen items that can be eaten within a few days). If things are calm enough to shop prep sales then I will, if not, I've done what I can.

All this month I am cleaning and plan to run the vacuum from cieling to floor and everything in between, while we have electricity.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), December 07, 1999.


As Sammie said, anything having to do with electricity - laundry and vacuuming topping the list.

That last week is when I will need to nail down whether there is a carpooling arrangement that would allow me to go to work (in the big city) with relative assurance I could get back home again if public transportation shuts down. I have asked my company to take care of this sort of thing for the employees (I'd rather not single myself out), but if they can't be bothered, then I'll have to scrounge around myself.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), December 07, 1999.


Yep..got my list right here at the 'puter. Hook up the hay trailer and make two trips and get total of 8 tons of alfalfa to supplement grass hay and pasture next year. Load the flat bed truck with barrels and go up north of Gainsville, Fl and get 4 ton of whole corn, 400 # of which is sealed for humans. The rest for livestock. Go to WalMart and buy 6 bags of Old Roy dog kibble, onto feed store and get 6 more bags of pot bellied pig chow and rabbit pellets. Didn't have enuff room last week's run 'cause I bought two years worth of granulated 10-10-10 fertilizer for the garden. Go to the Ford dealer and get two sets of belts for the two one ton pick ups and one set for my old Taures, stop at WalMart and buy some ammo for the short barreled 410. The rest of it is done except that I plan on getting a bunch of meat out of the freezer and making a pot load of jerky next week. Taz..who is getting tired of it all... and it 'ain't even started yet'

-- Taz (Tassi123@aol.com), December 07, 1999.


Hi all

I will do most of what's been mentioned. In addition I will do a few non-urgent things like make sure the house is clean and tidy, and that the dog is bathed. I will also dye my grey strands! Might as well look as good as possible!

-- citygirl (citygirl@idirect.com), December 07, 1999.


Miss Taz

You might want to expedite laying in a supply of .410 shells.

Administration could shut-off supply at any time.

-- Not Whistlin' Dixie (not_whistlin_dixie@yahoo.com), December 07, 1999.


Plan to do my laundry on the 30th. I'm expecting low water pressure on the 31st from everyone filling their bathtub.

Mikey2k

-- Mikey2k (mikey2k@he.wont.eat.it), December 07, 1999.


Naw, no list yet but I'll make one...

Top off everything, take advantage of post Christmas sales for clothes, check up on my neighbors, target practice, and enjoy myself. I work disaster services so the first weeks of the new year might be a little hectic for me...

My neighbors are prepping some and we've talked about the problems that might arise. Haven't wanted to "freak them out" so we haven't gotten down to brass tacks yet. When I visit at years end I'm going to press them for names of persons they would allow to go to their properties if they aren't there (my 2 closest neighbors homes are their "second" homes and they may not be there). We are bumping up our neighborhood security measures after Christmas and want to make sure anyone who comes out here belongs here. Dependent on whether I get news of problems with break-ins or home invasion assaults will determine if we put the steel cable up across the road (rural, no paved) and man a checkpoint.

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), December 07, 1999.


Go get milk,cheese,eggs & fresh vegetables etc.Clean home,clean & shut down business premises,fill water containers .Then on the 30th cook up a storm of mouth watering exotic dishes for New Years Eve & New Year's Day.On New Year's Eve light the fire,switch on the TV,go on the Net & watch things unfold from 11 am.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), December 08, 1999.


Charge up the batteries from the grid, give a good equalizing charge so if the grid goes down we are starting off with a fully charged battery. Buy a few extra cases of beer. Take all the garbage and trash around the place to the dump. Check the dump for good stuff I might need. Fill the gas tanks of all the vehicles, fill all the gas cans. We can run our water pump with our inverter or use a hand pump, so the neighbors know where to get water. Finish cutting up all next years firewood and refill the chainsaw gas cans. Stock up on some of the fresh fruits and vegetables that we don't have stored or don't grow in the greenhouse. (by the way, tomatoes are getting ripe, might be some ready for New Year's eve.) Call the relatives and make sure they are doing okay, and are as ready as they think that they need to be. Convince my mother to spend some time with a nearby sister who lives in the country.

Get ready for the New Year's Eve party.

Jim

-- Jim (jiminwis@yahoo.com), December 08, 1999.


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