In the spirit of prudent preparations, there were some things that were best put off until the last days of the year. We have been "drumming" into each other many such things of late.

Here are some of mine in no particular order:
Over water every plant and tree in front & back yard.
Change water in barrels that I filled 6 months ago.Keep the tanks full in all autos.
Some 2 gallon cans full of gas for moped.
Get another propane tank filled.
Keep the 2 power-source units fully charged.
Continue to pick up short shelf life food products.
Add some more paper products.
Think, think, think ......Am I forgetting anything?

-- rb (ronbanks_2000@yahoo.com), December 22, 1999

Do a bold off... Check to make sure.

-- rb (ronbanks_2000@yahoo.com), December 22, 1999.

TP! Tomorrow the TP!

Just emptied our water barrels with a clean water hose as a siphon, very easy.

-- helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), December 22, 1999.

Your sanitation situation is OK?

Heat situation is good?

First aid kit stocked?

Several manual can openers?

......Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), December 22, 1999.

Fruitcakes and Hickory Farm gift boxes on sale after Christmas.

-- mommacarestx (nospam@thanks.com), December 22, 1999.

Potatoes Onions Root Veggies Bread (freeze, will last a week or two) Packages of dried fruits Cheerios, Shredded Wheat, etc.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), December 22, 1999.

I don't know about the fruitcakes but the Hickory Farms kiosks in the malls typically start marking stuff way, way down after Christmas. Those beef sticks and related foods will keep for months unopened if you keep them in the dark and reasonably cool (easy to do now). I used to pick up four or five pounds of beef sticks every year that way.

........Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), December 22, 1999.

Haircut ??????

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), December 22, 1999.

"Haircut?????"

If things get awful, I figure I'll just shave the mop. Cooler in the summer, too.

-- panjandrum (panjandrum@samfoote.net), December 22, 1999.

Haircut?? I bought my wife a pair of haircutting scissors back in the 1970's and haven't paid for a haircut since. Did get a couple more pairs of hair scissors, though, and I'm getting better at trimming her hair, too.

-- Jim (jiminwis@yahoo.com), December 22, 1999.

Ron:

BEFORE YOU DUMP THAT WATER, READ THIS:

"Brigham Young Univ. has done much research on stored water. It has been found that water that has been stored in sealed containers (drinkable water in the first place) ended up better the longer it was stored. It seems that the microbes and other undesirables in the water self destructed after a while as there was nothing more for them to feed on. Don't rotate water that has been stored for awhile as it will probably be better than the water you will replace it with. On older water, when it is used, it may have to be poured back and forth between a couple of containers to get oxygen back into it and give it better flavor instead of a flat taste."

Saw this on Michael Hyatt's forum last night.

http://www.michaelhyatt.com/discuss/ubb/Forum20/HTML/000311.html

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), December 22, 1999.

Chap stick. I use chap stick for everything. It will make a sore hangnail better, chaffed skin from clothes rubbing your skin, windblown skin, scrapes from falls. Does anyone have the recipe for chap stick?

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), December 22, 1999.

Milk, cheese, and other dairy products. Fresh vegetables. Last minute dental work. Final filling of gasoline cans. Final filling of car gas tanks. Minimize travel after 28th.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), December 22, 1999.

If you think about it, it is wonderful that we actually can get a "last minute" shopping trip in -- I had always figured that by this time, such a thing would not be possible, especially for things like lamp oil, etc.

I have made two huge trips to WalMart within the past week, and will probably make one final one soon. I am just combing every aisle, picking up yet another quart of motor oil, roll of duct tape, can of WD-40, etc. (All of which I will use, regardless of anything.)

9 days.

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.~net), December 22, 1999.

Today just washed all the activated carbon/charcoal that I purchased for water filtering. Get all that carbon dust off of it so your water doesn't have any in it. This has got to be the most boring job ever!

Anyway, washed it in a Melitta permanent screen filter and laid it out on a towel to dry. At least I won't have any dust in the water, might be boring now, but not when it will be needed.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), December 23, 1999.

For transferring water from the faucet to the water drumbs and back out .... get a non-toxic hose at the RV stores. In fact, walk the aisles of the RV stores and you will find a great deal of self-sufficient items since an RV must be self-sufficient. For instance: non-toxic anti-freeze to put in the toilet bowls, washing machine, dishwasher, hot water heater to keep the water from freezing! DON'T USE THE REGULAR ANTI-FREEZE AS IT IS TOXIC! They have a lot of solar panel items, portable potties and liquids, etc. Check it out!

-- Lee Barber (LeeeeeeB@webtv.net), December 23, 1999.

Steam clean carpet

Fish food and filters

Flea collars for kitty

-- Kenin Marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), December 23, 1999.

Pick up 50 lbs. taters on sale for $5.99. If you keep them cool, and in the dark, they will keep till spring.

-- && (&&@&&.&), December 24, 1999.

Sammie, may I ask where I might be able to find bulk Activated Charcoal? All I've found so far are small btls. at exhorborant prices.

-- susan (number9@mindspring.com), December 24, 1999.

RE: Carbon/activated charcoal - I got some large container (in plastic bottles) at Wally World for $5.50 - bought a couple, they are pure activated carbon.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), December 24, 1999.

Charge rechargeable batteries, get more Ziplocks (Just read LUCIFER'S HAMMER)

-- Sylvia (bluebirdms@aol.com), December 24, 1999.

Per someone else's excellent advise.

Go to the library and check out books. I got books on medicine, anatomy, first aid, knots, gunsmithing, healing herbs, car repair, home repair, and some inspirational reading.

All are due back by Jan 10. If things go south quickly after the first, I will be glad they are on my shelf and not the libraries.

-- Stars and Stripes (stars_n_stripes@my-deja.com), December 25, 1999.

Stay on top of the dirty laundry situation, it may be awhile before you can wash clothes again.

Pack your bugout bag and place in garage or car trunk.

Review your bugout plan.

Let your relatives know what they should bring and what jobs they will be expected to perform, should they decide to come to your house.

-- Amy Leone (leoneamy@aol.com), December 27, 1999.