Preparedness for when

hunters wrote: »

Silly? No I don't think so but I do think I would be annoyed if my colleagues were checking out what people placed in our similar food bank box.

When I have purchased anything for the box its been a duplicate can of whatever I buy myself and certainly not snobbery.

It was an observation. The way the box has been cut you can see from quite a distance whats been put in. I just found it odd seeing people bringing in packed lunches and having say supermarket or value brand cup a soup/crackers/crisps etc that everything in the box that could see was a big brand i.e. not what I'm seeing people with at their desks.

sb44 wrote: »

Don't forget that the Shtf for birds too in weather like this, it is -4 here in North Staffs, lots of water frozen over.

Make sure you add some hot water to any water bowls you have in the garden for them.

I just tried getting the ice out of the bowls I put out but is frozen solid (water about 5" deep!

They need some stodgy stuff to eat too so I have just baked some chocolate oat bran muffins which they seem to like.

You could try putting a ping pong ball or a little bath toy--anything that floats--in the water bowl; folk with fish ponds do that to stop the tops getting completely frozen as once you lift said object, the seal is broken & the ice cracks easily.
Muvva likes to see the birds so we tried some food on her balcony, but then she moaned about their contributions to the decorating :rotfl:

I'll get The Offsring the links to those little stoves as I'm sure they will be happy to provide drinks cans of some description :doh:m'be the residue & fumes would help light them

Dear all

Cold winds here and rain, hope everyone is safe and dry and warm.

Now we're not o/d OH is keen for us to restock, having seen how useful emergency stores are when cash flow, er, ceases to flow so readily. Having to restrain him from going into a baked bean and tinned tomato frenzy.

Forgot to report that we are now a mice free zone, (sorry UIV free zone). 4 of the little blighters are now in that big mouse hole in the sky. RIP. Did think briefly of giving them a viking burial on the pond, little wooden raft all aflame to give them a send-off, but OH pointed out the goldfish might get poisoned.

And the neighbours already believe we are slightly one brick short of a full hod.

So, anyways, feel we are well catered for against the cold, still have some stocks, and getting better night's sleep. I'm hoping Santa is feeling generous at Xmas and leaving a Kindle in my sock, then I can down-load all those great e-books & get a solar charger for it....

I am absolutely fascinated with what everyone is finding, and love 2T's posts, keep us informed as I do feel things will get worse.

I used to work for a LA (shall remain nameless), and they were staggering their redundancies over the next 4 years, so it's not happening all at once like in Greece. So, a few years down the line things may get worse, not better, even Chameeleon's gov is admitting things will take longer to 'solve'.

With private sector not soaking up public sector redundancies (big shock), I can see a long struggle ahead. I am also saving as well as prepping, as I truly think we will need it, you know the saying 'Prepare for the worst, but, hope for the best'...

Stay well all!

Keeeeppppp preeeeepppppppinnnng!

BBB

sb44 wrote: »

To what extent Popperwell?

How bad do you think things will get in this country?

It depends how much the population are prepared to take SB44. Whether they accept all the austere measures and cuts/changes to the benefit system that affects the disadvantaged etc, with a shrug of the shoulders or make their feelings known in the only way that they can and that usually means some kind of unrest either an ordinary march/walk or more robust.

The trouble is that will result in two reactions from the Government, "ordinary" people will be ignored or condemned, when the chancellor was challenged over the explosion of Food Banks yesterday by a parliamentary committee over his autumn budget statement he hardly batted an eyelid.

Yesterday the Daily Mail(I hardly read newspapers these days)as the price of a newspaper can give me a meal and radio/TV/internet news is more upto date but there is a European League table on living standards and we have dropped from 4th to 6th place between 2010 and 2011 where other countries have mainly stayed in the same position.

I will say this thread is proving invaluable to me as my sister has just moved into a van in a friends woodland. It's an ex-army ambulance which she's converting into living space. Of course that means that she's in rather reduced circumstances and we're going to have to look at various alternatives, efficient solar lighting for winter - gas fridge and cooker - wood burning stove - insulation etc. But good for her. She's got support from people who've done the conversion jobs before and it should lead to a good 'off grid' lifestyle. She's getting a pressure cooker for Christmas and some self sufficiency books. Must suggest the bubble wrap insulation to her for her windows.