Just a couple of days after an article in local paper said Seven Eleven was the only chain store going to touch Y2K prep with a 10-food pole (due to worry about folks returning unused stuff) this week's Fleet Farm sale is to help you "Be Prepared For: system failures, power outages, loss of heat and hot water, lack of healthy drinking water, food shortages ...." The term Y2K is not used. But in the middle top of the front page is the "Millennium Lighting Kit." The sale includes some stuff I have never noticed at Fleet Farm before. Kerosene heaters, several kinds of woodstoves, emergency sump pump, freeze-dried food, generators, oil lamps, 55 gal. water drums, a safe, mucho more stuff, and of course the wonderful Luggable Loo. Prices good in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Fargo, ND till Sept. 4th.

-- Shivani Arjuna (SArjuna@aol.com), August 30, 1999

Answers

Hmm. Didn't see the flyer, but happened to be in one of the area's Farm and Fleets last week. They had a couple different kerosene space heaters. But "All sales final -- repairs need to be handled through the manufacturer" type sign displayed. I figured they didn't want the things returned if there turns out to be no problem from y2k, but also had to wonder if there were problems with the quality of the product.

Didn't see any water barrels, but wasn't actually looking for them at the time. May have to check into those.

The 'super' type hardware store in the area (menards), while not putting out flyers that I've noticed, did have some prominently displayed "Buy today for Y2K" signs posted around there store. Some 'items to have on hand' checklists were also posted.

Has anyone here used any kerosene heaters manufactured by Sengoku or Sengoka? If so, what have your experiences been? (I have to admit I have wondered if they just started mfg. these due to y2k-- especially since they reference y2k prominently on the packaging...).

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), September 01, 1999.

Called farm and fleet-- turns out they are separate from "fleet farm". Just thought I'd clarify since it was an area I was confused about... Wasn't able to get any dept. at Farm and Fleet that knew about 55 gal. barrels.

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), September 01, 1999.