Just a few things we're planning on picking up shortly...I'd like to hear what everyone else's list looks like!

Chimney brush, more TP, more canned fruit, a few more bulk spices, vinegar, bleach, one more bag of flour, coffee creamers, more toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, canning lids, pickling salt, seeds...maybe a better hammer...

Anyone else?

-- dan (dbuchner@fdxsupplychain.com), November 08, 1999

Answers

More canned corn and fruit, more TP, get teeth worked on. Go in for vision test & get new glasses (if can scrape up $$$), buy more coal, and cut another cord of wood. Finish barn (paint if it warms up). Get Christmas presents mailed before the rush.

Try to get some extra prescription meds too.

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), November 08, 1999.

Condoms, KY Jelly, Monistat, Tampax, Kotex, Prep H, Vaseline, and more ammo.

-- I'm ready then (I'm ready then@rreadyy.xcom), November 08, 1999.

I will be asking my husband's employer to stop withholding taxes, as we are already all paid up and I don't want to WWWAAAIIITTT for a refund. I need some keychain squeeze lights for the kids to wear around their necks.

Also, tell me if you thought of this one: Bread machine bread mix. That way I don't have to worry about running out of one critical ingredient. You can line a box with foil and heat it with a charcoal briquette per 11 degrees needed, put the lid on and have quite a treat once in a while.

Becky

-- Becky (rmbolte@wvadventures.net), November 08, 1999.

mayo, brown sugar, chocolate, more gas, KI

-- seraphima (seraphima@aol.com), November 08, 1999.

scanner,more precription meds,wax more cheese,box all loose food items and move to a faster loading location,sox,long underware,coats,gloves,wood cooking spoons,more powd milk,shampoo and cond,more batteries.

-- me (y2kme1@hotmail.com), November 08, 1999.

Recharge your NiCd's - if you got them earlier in the year. They tend to lose a significant amount of power after a few weeks in the desk drawer.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 08, 1999.

Three things more:

1. vitamins with iron and minerals 2. Potassium Iodide 3. candy for energy

-- Susan Barrett (sue59@bellsouth.net), November 08, 1999.

Testing equipment and cycling stored gas. Also having cars and people checkups performed this month. Buying food and last minute stuff during sales.

-- squid (Itsdark@down.here), November 08, 1999.

Gasoline, chain oil, Halloween candy, batteries (rechargeable nicads and regular), more TP.

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), November 08, 1999.

Lots of fresh batteries at CostCo.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 08, 1999.

Last minute item:

That boxed milk that can sit in your cupboard. It has only a few month shelf life, so I can't get it too early.

-- Duke 1983 (Duke1983@AOL.com), November 08, 1999.

potassium iodide

tetracycline

miscellaneous tire patch kits (tubeless and tube type)

more matches and lighters

-- clayton (ratchetass@hotmail.com), November 08, 1999.

Digital TV, Sattelite Dish, new computer and printer, new dining room set, Sega Dreamcast, new Lexus

-- (ho@ho.ho), November 08, 1999.

The time has come for me to get into buying all of the short shelf life (less than 6 months) items that have been put off until these final weeks.

I'm thinking cold cereals, evap milk cans, waxed cheeses, crackers, dried cat food (?).

Bleach, some of the fuels, and some of the meds.

The easy way for me to do this is to again walk all of the stores, look at each item and ask myself, "has the time now come to stock up on this?"

-- rb (ronbanks_2000@yahoo.com), November 08, 1999.

Activated charcoal

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), November 08, 1999.

A lot of things including a little red wagon to haul water from the river. Many nonessentials--nonessential since we do have mostly everything but we could use more, more, more. Oh yes, fishing rod and reels for surf casting along with soft plastic bait.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 08, 1999.

(I recently purchased 5 of the boxed milks. K-Mart sells the Dinty Moore shelf microwave meals which are far better tasting than frozen. I had gotten the meals and the boxed micouldn't mentally cope with shelf milk and meat so both are cheap and always available.)

I'm going to pick up a few more space blankets and some Bridegford summer sausages. I do have my eye on one rechargeable spotlight lantern, should I ever be caught at night needing a powerful light for a detailed repair or emergency. I think I'll toss in one more carton of cigarettes as well.

I'm just puttering per se. I'm so ready at this point and have been for some time. I did order some more audio books for entertainment but they won't come in until early Decemeber. The movie Y2K: Year To Kill hasn't come and a limited edition Mattel Chatty Cathy Doll I've waited a year on.

I've been working on a wardrobe that will be appropriate for the coming SoCA cold snap and a possible outage happening at the same time. That potential has concerned me. I've bought tons of thermal underwear, some pullover sweaters, a new jacket, and should now add some new pants. I have a lot of jeans, the hitch is, while taking care of two infant cat litters one after the other, I wasn't getting sleep with the night feedings required which were hourly round the clock, I ate for energy and put on ten pounds. I've given myself a month to get that weight off, and if it isn't off then I'll purchase at least a few pair of jeans in the "new" size to make due with until the 10 pounds is off.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 08, 1999.

After I left something for a minute too late, my Platoon Sgt, Eddie Thomas, told me, "Lesson learned, Sir! Never leave the last thing until the last minute!"

-- Mr. Mike (mikeabn@aol.com), November 08, 1999.

New venetian blinds for the room where I've stored my preps. Would prefer that people not peek inside.

-- none (of@your.business), November 08, 1999.

Good list. Here is mine: Test your preps, Figure out how to use that one burner stove. Check stored water for leaks, inventory your supplies, get the car serviced, get up to date on doctor and dentist appointments (pets too), get in the habit of driving on the top half of the gas tank, experiment with growing sprouts, move stored supplies into the house if you can find room, get the furnace serviced and fireplace chimney cleaned. Eat up the frozen meat that might turn during an outage. Use the freezer space to freeze bottles of water.

30 days before, finish tax planning. This is not the year to expect a prompt refund. Get a hair cut, make decisions on prepaying any bills. Clean out suspicious stuff from the fridge. Check pantry for any stray critters.

take a deep breath

One week before. Do laundry, clean the house from top to bottom, fill the water barrel, check batteries one last time,

take another deep breath. In whatever form, this too shall pass.

-- Nancy (wellsnl@hotmail.com), November 08, 1999.

Got an oil lamp? Need parts. See the cooperative preps.

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), November 08, 1999.

Thanx for all the ideas. Found a few here to add to my list.Our list: chimney brushes, 2nd pair glasses, KI, rechargeable batteries and charger for C/D's, replacement tires for wheelbarrows and wagons, fertilizers and cover crop seed for next year's garden, shampoo, canned food, chicken feed for the ducks, canned cat food, supplements for cats here who have allergies, arthritis, kidney disease, etc.; CAT LITTER! (for 7 of them-they don't like to go out in the rain here in the winter), vitamin supplements for us, yerba mate tea, coffee, more flannel shirts and turtlenecks, better boots for the Pacific NW rains (will be planting all winter this year), a few gardening/herbs books left to get for the reference library here, still need to build a shed to house all wood for woodstove, need to install a big gate at the end of our long driveway, and if I can get my act together, swap out the electric range in the kitchen for a gas one to run off our propane tank.

-- Kathryn (ahimsa@mindspring.com), November 08, 1999.

Apples, Oranges, Potatoes, Garlic Strands, other "fresh" items that will over winter and make those can goods taste a little better.

-- Helium (Heliumavid@yahoo.com), November 08, 1999.

We bought three screen doors. Might not be able to use air con next July -don't like flying thingies in my house! Bought a spare blower motor for the furnace - and spare parts for the toilets - still looking around trying to second guess what small things would be crucial if we couldn't get them next year. Found battery operated personal fans at Walmart in a mark down basket for $2 each.

-- April (Alwzapril@home.com), November 08, 1999.

Airgun pellets...10 pigeons for every man, woman, and child in U.S.A.!

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It's ALL going away in January.com), November 08, 1999.

My husband Gets It, but DGI, in my situation that doesn't matter because he is so damn practical and extemely supportive of my needs and concerns. When I finally decided to go full board with my preperations he said do what you feel you need to do, tell me what you need me to do, If you are worried thats enough for me. When I told him it was time to buy Powdered Milk he looked at me and said, "honey we live in Clover Land, we're surrounded by Dairy's." "I know," I said, "but how are we going to pay for it." He replied, "babe, have you ever heard of bartering?" At that moment, he made my heart melt "again". I just gave my husband Chris his list of things to acquire within the next two weeks. A couple of listed items made my gut turn. At the bottom of the list I put GUN. He did not bat an eye. We have friends that own weapons and we have discussed the pros and cons of purchase, type, use etc. But to actually have it on the prep list as an item to acquire and check off was a huge step. He took the step with me. He believes it will only be the proverbial BITR. But, he also believes in insurance, its only practical. God I love him.

-- karla (karlacalif@aol.com), November 08, 1999.

"10 pigeons for every man, woman, and child in U.S.A.!"

So what. The future belongs to the buzzards.

-- and also to packs (of@feral.dogs), November 08, 1999.

Root cellar items: yams, cabbages, taters, apples, turnips, rutabegas, etc. More garden supplies: lime, 10-10-10, cold frame. Fresh seeds from Burpee's. Spare bike tires & tubes.

-- Steve Golden (y2krazy@usa.net), November 08, 1999.

There's always something.....Add OFF to my list the other day (assuming the supply chain has recovered from NYC officials buying all of it and giving it away). There may be good reason to fear mosquitos next year.

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), November 08, 1999.

Yeast.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), November 08, 1999.

Dog Gone: your item reminded me of a different item: Clotrimazole 2% (Otherwise known as Monistat 7) Hee hee hee.

True, though.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 08, 1999.

If you live where it is cool or cold, Mayonaise to mix with all the tunafish! Also, I have been buying dried instant nonfat milk for some time. Best Yet brand has dates stamped on it good til '01. The box in front of me says SELL BY MAY2501. I hope I'm reading this correctly. And lots of deli roast beef to enjoy now just in case it isn't there next year! Pam.

-- pamela (jpjgood@penn.com), November 08, 1999.

OOOOHHHH -- Good List!!!!

Got to add a chimney brush and pickling salt!

Our list includes reloading kits for the .38 and 30-06, couple of bags of lime, more plumbing anti-freeze, additional chemical toilet chemicals, a cigarette rolling machine, more bulk spices (pepper, LOTS of pepper, red, white and black), and a couple more cords of wood.

-- just another (another@engineer.com), November 08, 1999.

If you can't find a chimney brush, a gunny sack of tire chains tied on the end of a rope does a super job of cleaning.

Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), November 09, 1999.

In testing our lighting resources we were so proud that we have these fabulous old fashioned oil lamps. They are pretty and practical. Well, we stocked up on plenty of lamp oil and lit up. Ah, lovely. But then we noticed how fast we were burning through our wick! We hadn't even thought of that! We thought it would last days, but at the burn rate we saw, it would last a few hours if we were lucky.

Get more wicks. More matches, too.

-- Lara (nprbuff@hotmail.com), November 09, 1999.

Leatherman(wearable tool kit) High intensity LED keychain squeeze light, plastic trash bags,portable toilet,entrenching tool,copies of all important papers, birth cert.,marriage license,financial statements, deeds, in a plastic see through carrying pouch, money and document waist belt or body belt. Wine and can openers, your favorite wine, curtains for the van, backpacks filled with everything you need, automobile DCto AC converter (fits in cigar car lighter hole), bags of nuts(cashews,macadamia,pistasio) nut butters in jars last a long time, picnic kit in the car, we have a frisbee that doubles for a plate to cu

-- Marilyn (Me@MarilynEllis.com), November 09, 1999.

All the things that don't stay fresh well and don't store well, even with precautions, like medicines, water soluable vitamins, dried herbs and spices, batteries; things that you can't have too much of and that last very well, like matches, TP, feminine necessities, and paper products. As well as continuing to replace + as I use from the larder.

Good question, Dan, and good answers, too. Thanks all.

-- Tricia the Canuck (tricia_canuck@hotmail.com), November 10, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Lots of good last minute suggestions above... Here are a few more: take a long hot shower and appreciate the privledge. No spa use last few days after a full water change, since filtration may go out. Wash out the tub & sinks, washing machine, buckets. Fill tub, sink, pots, pans & tupperwares as early as possible before 7PM EST (main water storage containers should be filled now, though). Turn off the water at the main valve. Unplug things (TVs, Stereos, Computers, lamps, small appliances, washer & dryer), read utility meters, check e-mail, purchase poloroid film with late expiry, buy velveeta.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), November 10, 1999.