Disaster averted, Y2K problem becomes reducing the stockpile

Extra canned meats might make tasty Halloween treats

By Debbie Farmer

Now that Y2K is here and electricity, computers, and civilization are still functioning, what are we supposed to do with all of the extra supplies in our garage? I like being prepared, but I have enough tuna and powdered milk to sustain my family through 12 natural disasters. Maybe more. And I can tell by the look in my husband's eyes that he's getting tired of having to crawl over the propane stove to get into the car.

It's hard to believe that just last month I was buying a crate of batteries and enough flashlights to light up the Astrodome, and I was considered sane. I was a survivalist parent protecting my family from worldwide food shortages, rampant chaos, the downfall of civilization and all that. Today, I'm just a woman with a useless, well-stockpiled fortress in my garage.

Oh, I know I could return some of the supplies to the store, but I have no idea how to get a 55-gallon drum of water into my trunk. And I can't just move a signal flare and a gas generator into the living room and make a nice centerpiece out of them.

In hindsight, I spent more time preparing for Y2K than for the birth of my two children. In fact, this was the one and only time in my life that I was ever over-prepared. But, despite what you may think, I'm not bitter. After all, you never know when duplicates of important documents likes birth certificates, drivers licenses, bank statements, insurance policies or tax returns will come in handy. It's sort of comforting to know that if someone breaks into the house to steal our life savings--which we withdrew from the bank and stuffed safely inside the cushions of our good sofa--I have not one, but two copies of my voter registration on hand. On top of that, for the first time in my adult life, if I lose a button, I know exactly where to find a needle and thread.

So, I greet the new millennium like so many others: surrounded by my family and friends, and stuck with an overkill of survival supplies that I don't need.

But that's OK. I'll eventually get rid of most of it. In fact, as soon as I'm done here, I'm going to exchange the Colby lantern for a nice, convenient electric lamp and set the tent up in the back yard for the children to play in. Then I'll store the cans of meat in the shed and give them out next Halloween. And after that, maybe I could convert the 55-gallon drum of water into some kind of decorative fountain.

Now please don't get the wrong idea. Of course, I'm relieved that Y2K went so smoothly. Besides, because of my effort, my family now has a great disaster-survival kit. But I can't help feeling that someone could've at least turned the electricity off for an hour or two--just to make us all feel better.

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Readers can contact Debbie Farmer at familydaze@home.com.

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