Preparedness for when

hauxwell

I should introduce myself too. I am Hauxwell (after my hero Hannah)and am in my late 30's. I live in semi ruralish Yorkshire with my other half and two cats.We have one allotment and a piece of land up the hill from our house. Oh is a very keen gardener and we are in the process of starting to sell off our excess with friends as a co-op arrangement.

I do a touch of gardening (mainly weeding as its like cleaning and I oddly like to clean!) And I am the canner, drier and all round food storage person in our outfit. We are also getting some livestock next spring, cows for sure and probably some ducks. I am going to have a go and being a dairy maid mainly cos I look like one! Oh and cos I like making cheese

Our aim in the next couple of years is to buy property near our land with our friends so we can grow stuff together and make a little prepping hamlet

Perplexed_Pineapple

Regarding contraception, it may be worth considering the old-fashioned "Dutch cap". I understand the silicon ones are good for 10 years or more, which is a longer useful life than any other prophylactic I can think of (other than the slap of course )..
I've been a bit extravagant and invested a few quid in one of these:
http://smartgreenshop.co.uk/index.php/powerplus-bear-led-camping-lantern.html
I'm hoping it will be a useful prepping item what with the solar-power and wind-up options, although my justification for buying it is that we can charge it from the car's 12V supply and use if for camping. It's quite a bit more expensive than some others I looked at but our recent camping trip confirmed that our current cheapie wind-up lantern is, well, a bit rubbish really. Hopefully the extra cash will be worth it. I'm totally in agreement with posters in the last couple of weeks who have emphasized the benefits of skills over kit, but for lighting it takes a lot of rush and tallow lamps to replace a few LEDs.

maryb

fuddle wrote: »

Even the fashion industry know Jack all about body shape. Every calculator and Marks and Sparkies bra measuring team I might add (although this was in my early 20's) measure my ample chestage as being 38DD. Through standing and trying every size of bra available I am a 34K (sorry.. yes it's a tiresome heft to lug about - my over-the-shoulder-bolder-holder works hard I'm afraid)

One size doesn't fit all and it's ludicrous to base a person's health/disease risk on a height and weight.

My 17 year old DD2 is a 28FF!!. Try buying bras on a teenage clothes budget in that size. Well, of course, she doesn't, Mum does.

had to laugh when I saw an article saying most women wear the wrong size because they are too ashamed to admit they are larger than a C cup. She was sooo chuffed when she measured up at that size. I suppose, if the band size had been bigger it might have been a different story.

But it's an expensive business when you are not a regular size

bluebag

katep23 wrote: »

Thank you MrsL and BlueBag, I know this logically but who knows how I will feel when it comes to it!

MrsL, I made the mistake of talking about it at work with a colleague who was sympathetic but someone else who was earwigging at the time was very judgemental about it, saying that 13 weeks wasn't much of a life until I pointed out that the chicken she bought from the supermarket was probably only 5 - 6 weeks old which did make her (turn green) / keep quiet!

You know a good life and a swift and humane end is all we hope for.

Good enough for me it's good enough for anything.

Judgmental people are very good at trying to impose their idea of morality on others. I like to govern my own morals because I'm the one who takes responsibility for them and pays the consequences or reaps the rewards.

kat360

*delurks*
Hi, I'm Katie and I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis at the ripe old age of 13! I have also been obese throughout my life. I'm now 26 and pregnant with my 4th child. I've had all my children in the last 4 years, (2009, 2010, 2013 and now 2014). The doctors have no idea how this has/will effect my arthritis in later life as most of them have never encountered a pregnant woman with it before! One doc commented that by the time they are all in school I won't be able to work!

On the plus side OH is armed forces so his job is secure(ish) for the next few years. We live in a quite rural area and I don't drive (yet!)
My Oh thinks its funny that I stockpile things like toilet rolls and tinned food.
I have yet to make a Bug Out Bag, honestly including thing for 4 kids, 2 adults and 2 dogs is a bit daunting! Any and all help is welcome as I'm a bit new to all this.

ginnyknit

Welcome Kat, well you won't have to worry much about the arthritis for about 18 years because you will be so busy with your little ones, gosh you have full hands and probably a full heart to go with it.

Ask any questions you like and someone brighter than me will probably have an answer or knows a man who does

Just remembered- when I went blackberrying earlier I was chatting to Smileyt on the phone whilst wandering along and quite oblivious to the world. Suddenly I heard 'oy you!' I looked up and a traveller (by her accent and manner) was asking why I was picking the aforementioned fruit. I mouthed the word 'jam' so as not to put off my friend on the phone. 'But they are poisonous arent they?' I just gave her a Paddington hard stare and carried on. Im half gypsy so I can say this - !!!!!! really a traveller who doesnt know blackberries are edible, what is the world coming to. Next they will be thinking you can't eat hedgehogs

notjustlaura

ginnyknit wrote: »

Laura, check your local council website for the nearest recycling centre (rubbish dump) and see if they sell the compost they make from our recycling bins. Mine sells it 40l for £2.84 which is a good price. Apparently we need to got to the weighbridge area and buy it. Just a thought save you working out where to buy it for a good price. ...

Thanks for the tip, Ginnyknit. I hadn't thought of using 'our' compost. I checked the council's website and can't see anything beyond 'the resultant compost is used for many purposes' type statements so have emailed them.

homesteadchick

katep23 wrote: »

Hi MrsL, sadly ducklings are mostly drakes (8 out of 10!) so we will only be keeping 3 of the brood - 2 ducks and 1 drake, we might have found a home for 1 other drake but the rest we will need to "deal" with which doesn't sit easily with me but was a risk we took when we decided to breed.

Like the poster earlier in the thread with the rabbits (sorry, I forgot your name), we were breeding for table but hoped we might have more laying birds.

Just got to get my head round it

Getting your head around it is the hardest part. Then when you've resolved to do it, you'll be fine. I get a little shaky having to do the actual deed, but it makes me feel better to say a little 'thank you' prayer to the animal.
Us humans, we eat meat. It's how it works. And they've had a great life, better than any meat from the shops.

The meat tastes so, so good! You know what's gone into them, and most importantly, you know what's NOT gone into them.

Lots of research on the you.tubing to make you feel confident in knowing how and such might help too.

notjustlaura

katep23 wrote: »

Having stuck my head above the parapet, think I should introduce myself..

Hi Kate

Welcome from another newbie Like you, my prepping is focussed on 'What if we have bad weather this winter?' 'What if the SHTF?' will come later

[Deleted User]

Hello KAT360 welcome to the thread and hello too to HAUXWELL nice to know a bit more about you both. Glad as always to have new contributors to the thread, with new ideas and experiences to add to the richness, Cheers Lyn xxx.