Re: Preparing and reluctant family members
Reading over your post gave me an idea on how to respond to the "We'll to come to your place" syndrome:
Write them a friendly letter so they begin to realize the gravity of the situation. Perhaps these friends and relatives could be addressed in this way:
"Well, you are most welcome to come to our house. We would definitely enjoy the company for 1 year.
And by the way, cousin Jeannie and her 3 kids and mother, and Uncle John and his bedridden wife might also be staying here. So the back bedrooms are probably spoken for. We can partition off an area in the basement or in the attic, whichever you would prefer, as you own private hide-away.
This is going to be a fun year! It looks like we will be forming a family commune! How exciting!
(Do you think we could hold a meeting at your place for everyone so we can make up the rules, regulations and cost sharing?)
OH, and Henry's old army buddy will be staying here with his 3 rottweilers. I do hope the dogs don't get into anyones way. He is starting to paper train them now. And they are all over 4 years old! I hope they don't start chasing the cats all over the house at 3 AM every night.
And there is a financial problem here. We cannot afford to feed anyone for the year, not even a month. The cost of food & supplies for you alone is $5,000 for the year. So if you will write me a check for $5,000 I will go and buy you the necessary supplies and store them here for you.
However, we eat a lot of dried vegetables, canned meat, dried eggs and pickled pigs feet. If this is not the kind of diet you like, then by all means you go out now and buy $5,000 worth of food and other supplies that appeal to you and bring it over here for storage.
But go out and buy the shelving to store it on first.. Can you get it here by next weekend? What time can we expect you?
And bring all your warm clothing, bedding, bed and mattress ... and an ax to chop wood. All of these items should be in place prior to the beginning of the pandemic.
I'll make a list of the fuel you can contribute. Don't forget the soap, shampoos and personal items. And your own cell phone.
And a years supply of toilet paper and your own favorite shampoos and cosmetics.
Here's a website with a preparation list, or I will print it out for you.
And we'll figure out what percentage of the rent and bills you will have to contribute later.
There will be rules. Should you go back to your place to check on it, or if you have to leave here for any reason, you will have to spend a week in the garage with a porta potty. No entry in the house will be allowed until we know you are flu free.
You will not be able to have any visitors during your stay.
Pets must remain indoors at all times, and they must be caged if destructive.. No walking the dog.
I'll make you a list of all the herbs and extracts you will need to use daily to keep healthy, and bring 60 N95 masks, goggles, shoe covers, and an oil lamp.
All of these supplies must be here before this pandemic breaks out. If you can't get them all together soon, then start stocking up your own place in the meantime.
Paying us weekly for room and board will not work. Your supplies must actually be here in the house prior to the pandemic, as no leaving the premises will be allowed for any reason. You will not be able to draw on our supplies. To do so will leave us all very short of food, etc.
So put your food & other items in cardboard boxes, labeled, dated and inventoried.
We'll be here all day Saturday and Sunday. Which day do you want to come over with the first carload?
We'd like you to look over the basement and attic to see where we should start making partitions for a room for you and your supplies."
----------------------
Maybe writing up an upbeat friendly letter like the above and sending it to them would be a nice gesture. And also including a list of informative books on flu pandemics would be a plus.
Anybody have any other ideas?
If someone sent me a letter like that, I'd change my mind and stay in my own place.
homestead said:
Reading over your post gave me an idea on how to respond to the "We'll to come to your place" syndrome:
Write them a friendly letter so they begin to realize the gravity of the situation. Perhaps these friends and relatives could be addressed in this way:
"Well, you are most welcome to come to our house. We would definitely enjoy the company for 1 year.
And by the way, cousin Jeannie and her 3 kids and mother, and Uncle John and his bedridden wife might also be staying here. So the back bedrooms are probably spoken for. We can partition off an area in the basement or in the attic, whichever you would prefer, as you own private hide-away.
This is going to be a fun year! It looks like we will be forming a family commune! How exciting!
(Do you think we could hold a meeting at your place for everyone so we can make up the rules, regulations and cost sharing?)
OH, and Henry's old army buddy will be staying here with his 3 rottweilers. I do hope the dogs don't get into anyones way. He is starting to paper train them now. And they are all over 4 years old! I hope they don't start chasing the cats all over the house at 3 AM every night.
And there is a financial problem here. We cannot afford to feed anyone for the year, not even a month. The cost of food & supplies for you alone is $5,000 for the year. So if you will write me a check for $5,000 I will go and buy you the necessary supplies and store them here for you.
However, we eat a lot of dried vegetables, canned meat, dried eggs and pickled pigs feet. If this is not the kind of diet you like, then by all means you go out now and buy $5,000 worth of food and other supplies that appeal to you and bring it over here for storage.
But go out and buy the shelving to store it on first.. Can you get it here by next weekend? What time can we expect you?
And bring all your warm clothing, bedding, bed and mattress ... and an ax to chop wood. All of these items should be in place prior to the beginning of the pandemic.
I'll make a list of the fuel you can contribute. Don't forget the soap, shampoos and personal items. And your own cell phone.
And a years supply of toilet paper and your own favorite shampoos and cosmetics.
Here's a website with a preparation list, or I will print it out for you.
And we'll figure out what percentage of the rent and bills you will have to contribute later.
There will be rules. Should you go back to your place to check on it, or if you have to leave here for any reason, you will have to spend a week in the garage with a porta potty. No entry in the house will be allowed until we know you are flu free.
You will not be able to have any visitors during your stay.
Pets must remain indoors at all times, and they must be caged if destructive.. No walking the dog.
I'll make you a list of all the herbs and extracts you will need to use daily to keep healthy, and bring 60 N95 masks, goggles, shoe covers, and an oil lamp.
All of these supplies must be here before this pandemic breaks out. If you can't get them all together soon, then start stocking up your own place in the meantime.
Paying us weekly for room and board will not work. Your supplies must actually be here in the house prior to the pandemic, as no leaving the premises will be allowed for any reason. You will not be able to draw on our supplies. To do so will leave us all very short of food, etc.
So put your food & other items in cardboard boxes, labeled, dated and inventoried.
We'll be here all day Saturday and Sunday. Which day do you want to come over with the first carload?
We'd like you to look over the basement and attic to see where we should start making partitions for a room for you and your supplies."
----------------------
Maybe writing up an upbeat friendly letter like the above and sending it to them would be a nice gesture. And also including a list of informative books on flu pandemics would be a plus.
Anybody have any other ideas?
If someone sent me a letter like that, I'd change my mind and stay in my own place.
arty:
