Preparedness for when

elaine241

Hello All! Whewwww! this thread is like a courgette plant, take your eyes off it for a few days and you have marrows everywhere, talk about growing fast!! Finally caught up with all the reading!

As for my courgettes some are like lethal weapons, great for caveman clubs. I have been missing in action trying to keep up with preserving all my veg from the garden and picking/scrumping fruit. I have also kept to my theme of alcoholic preps with more wine, fruit brandy and chilli vodka (never tried b4) on the go. Anyone know of a drinkable recipe for courgette wine! found some but I need someone with experience of it to give me their opinion ( gut rot or drinkable plonk).:beer:
Other preps include stealth acquisition of more useable parrafin lamps (pretty ornaments!) and one not so stealthy storm lamp (Vapalux? or something like that). Its never been used and the man I bought it off said he can remember it hanging in the garage when he was a kid. It seems very sturdy and I will probably use it for stock checking/lambing as it casts an all round light rather than directional like a torch, you need to see what you are doing when lambing.
Been quietly building up dry food preps, freezer fodder, bottled and salted a little to see if I like it, dehydrator going now with courgettes (what else) and YS red onions bought for pence.

I have rediscovered two Mag lites in cupboards but both need spare bulbs/parts any ideas BB?

As it is likely to rain over the weekend I am going to list all my camping/practical supplies and organise them rather than stuffing in cupboards/hiding from OH. I have to repack my winter Get Home Bag that I keep in the car and sort some grab bags to keep ready in the house. The grab bags will only be basic as in most SHTF situations we are staying put, more along hospital/overnight bags with paperwork and details/cash etc.

One prep OH loves is stacking logs, we go through tons literally through the winter. We fill the old cowshed with stacks 4' high and usually enough to see us through the winter. I have also "aquired!" green oak for next winter and a few tree trunks that are weathered ready for logs. I cheat with log splitting, OH puts them in rings and I use the tractor and hydraulic log splitter on the back of it, still have to barrow them and stack.

Reading the hurtfull things family members have said to forum members really brought back some, I thought, buried feelings. My experience wasnt regarding weight but I think the comments were equally cutting. My mothers new OH (Many yrs ago now) seemed to take pleasure in making comments that would cause trouble, upset and arguements. Mainly they were snide asides or he would deny ever saying things to you when challenged. My mother failed to stand up for us and sided with him saying we were over reacting/sensitive. In the end , after he accused me of walking by an old man who was having a heart attack saying that I had said to others that I was too busy to help I decided enough was enough. I cut contact except for the very odd day and a single xmas visit. The xmas vists stopped after he used the day to try to cause trouble regarding my children (I,m not married) and then tried it on with me behind my mums back!!!!!!!! After I told her she also said I was a liar!
My life has been happier ever since I decided to cut contact. My dad has a new partner so nannies are not an issue for the kids, with my OH parents. My sister tried to keep contact and ended up in the same situation as me.
Anyway small rant over! I am just realising that sometimes you have to cut contact to preserve your sanity.

I must confess the worrying Syria situation and the onset of Autumn has definately focussed the mind for prepping. Sunny warm weather isnt condusive to worring about SHTF situations on our doorstep, its sunny what can go wrong!!


Can anyone recommend any good books, I seem to have read most of the ones I can find in my library and need some inspiration.

AnywayI seem to have rambled on enough, hope everyone who has been in the wars is feeling better or at least less sore. Having fallen off horses, crashed motorbikes and had the odd bump in a car trust me I know how you are feeling!!! All I can say is dont try to do too much to soon, I did and ended up back in hospital when trying to be superwoman!

I love this thread so many people who think like me! I love reading all your prepps, ideas, opinions etc as I know as a whole we can probably cover a lot of situations, I for one would never be able to think of all the ideas, solutions etc that have been raised on here! Take care everyone x

short_bird

elaine241 wrote: »

I have rediscovered two Mag lites in cupboards but both need spare bulbs/parts any ideas BB?

Have you checked the base of the Maglite for a spare bulb? You lift out the bit with the spring attached and there's one underneath. HTH. We have a spare head for the one that takes 2 AA batteries, officially known as the Mini Maglite AA, as someone converted one of ours to LED.

pineapple

Did anyone see last night's episode? Someone is brought to hospital with a rocket flare embedded in his chest. Turns out he's a 'prepper' and was making flares for protection.
'Preppers' - mad as a box of frogs.... :eek:

grandma247

VJ'S Mum
I found these two sites about hfcs and there are loads more.

It is hidden in a lot of factory made food stuff and is used because it is cheaper than sugar. Knowing the different names helps.

ALIBOBSY

Margaret54 wrote: »

Hi I am a size 16 as well I am only 5 ft 1 I would like to shift some weight a stone would be great, and I have health problems so cannot walk the way I used to which I always loved to do. After 6 children I am never going to have a washboard stomach but I don't fret over my weight. My dh loves me just the way I am he tells me. I have learned to dress for my shape and would never spend money I don't have to get skinny. I was never skinny and my Mother and sister used to love telling me "You are the size of a house" and this was when I was 8 and a half stone. Nasty comments a lot of the time which I used to take from them. They were always dieting and swopped clothes at times as they were both "petite" I don't see them any more for sanity's sake and my life has been happier for it. Think toxic family and you will get a glimpse of what I mean.

Have a look for my old threads called "can I vent about my mother". My Mum is the master of the backhanded compliment.

E.G. "That's a lovely dress, but would look even better if you lost a couple of stone." Or "well done on the weight loss, pity you didn't do it years ago" or "still a log way to go though."
See my thread for her other lovely comments on my life.

I seriously considered stopping seeing her, but in the end found it better for the kids (who still wanted to see granny and grandad) to confront her and take away her "power position". Now we laugh if she trys to make a comment and she ends up biting her lip a lot of times or says things like "you don't care what I say do you, you will do your own thing anyway" and tbh we both then laugh about it. Thing worked out for us, but it wasn't easy to confront her and it took stopping seeing her for a while for things to move on. I can TOTALLY understand why some people simply move on from a toxic family.

Regarding the weight I had in the last 10 years or so stopped the diet roundabout and decided I would just stay as I am, but recently the weight was effecting me in everyday life. After watching the Horizon programme regarding intermittent fasting I have gone on the 5-2 diet. Since then its seems to have exploded and is being touted as a "fad diet". But I have found it really worked for me. The weight loss is slow but steady and the fast days get easier the longer you do it. I also find the sugar/carb cravings I used to get are almost gone completely.

I feel healthier than I have for years and even though the weight loss has slowed right down, it makes me feel so good I would still do the fasting for the health benefits even if the weight loss stopped. Its less a diet despite what the media brand it as and more a way of life.

Might be worth a shot for you?

Good Luck

Ali x

ragz_2

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Feuerhand?

Yes, it's just arrived. Feels fairly decent, time will tell... now I suppose I should test it... what shall I fuel it with and where is best for getting the fuel? DH said he has parrafin in the garage, I don't like the smell, is there an alternative? Can still use it when camping though...

Opinel arrived too, lovely and sharp! And also pretty and purple
Also got a few safety lights (glorified glow sticks) and some more paracord.

[QUOTE=Perplexed Pineapple;63034213
ragz, Opinel knives are really useful, just be aware (I'm sure you are) that the metal ring that twists round makes it a lock knife which is not legal to carry in the Uk without "good reason". [/QUOTE]

Ahh I know about that (a bit, I read a paragraph on it when ordering the knife, though there's confusion about foldable and lockable, I think), I shan't be carrying it in my handbag, it may live in the 'useful stuff' box (soon to be more of a BOB) in my car though. Shame, as it's just so pretty...

Alibobsy - another happy 5:2 dieter here Love it, means I can still bake!

Margaret54

Ah Thank you for your very kind words GreyQueen. I have been catching up and just read your post there.
I see I also missed a question from Shropshirelass? I take two kelp tablets one in the morning and one at night. I have health problems but cannot believe the new found energy levels I have. I wrote down a list of my medication and my dh took it to our local chemist and the pharmacist said I could take them okay.
I feel so well, honestly and it has made a huge difference to me.

Margaret54

Sorry meant to add the Kelp I am on I bought from Holland and Barratt. They are called Sea Kelp and there are 250 tablets in a container and if you paid a penny extra you got another container of them too. They might have been £5.99? My dh bought me them so trying to remember the price.

alfsmum

GreyQueen wrote: »

I didn't read ZH this morning as was in a bit of a hurry to get to work.

Just given a fast pass over that linked article now.

I'm not competant enough in IT to know whether its a hack or a psuedo hack. I agree that the phraseology is naff but having seen written communications from people who teach English for a living, I have been astonished at the level of incompetance among professionals, even ones who teach at degree level. My personal favourite bug bear is draw when they mean drawer.

My stance on much of what is called "news", even news from ordinarily reputable sources, is that it's speculation. I used to recieve cast-off Observers and Guardians, which might be anything from a week to ten days old when I got them. I got rolling news from the radio but wanted to read in more depth.

What struck me, time after time, was that a few days' seasoning had revealed even quality journalism to be mostly ill-informed speculation which was revealed to be wholly or substantively wrong by a few more days' worth of developments.

I think I might be able to get a handle on what is happening in Syria in 2013 in about 2043, when the dust has settled and some quality historians have been on the case for decades.

For now, my attitude is this; it benefits certain countries for there to be war in Syria. Said Middle Eastern countries are fabulously wealthy. There have been mercenaries around since the beginning of time. Let them hire mercenaries on the open market and get on with it, and leave the national armies of countries like the UK alone.

If you see a politician warmongering, offer to buy him a rifle and a pair of boots and put him down in the middle of it. If he won't lead from the front, he's a diabolical coward who wants other people's relatives to bleed and die for his political gain.

Yep, I often wonder how many politicians would vote for war if they or their children were going to be in the front line. OK to send someone else's sons and daughters.....

Margaret54

I would prefer to pay by cash too. We have direct debits set up for a few things about 5 and we have a gas meter and an electricity meter. This is great as you pay up front and no bills. We can pay with cash for both locally, which we do fortnightly, and always have a bit more in ahead when able to. The heating hasn't been on all summer so we have saved a lot with the gas, so just put the money in anyway to let it build up. The rent is paid in cash at our local supermarket as it has a paypoint service there, so you can pay bills and buy gas and electricity, very handy. You used to be able to pay the rent in the local office but they stopped doing that ages ago now. They have said you can set up a direct debit for it or pay online which has a 3% charge(don't think so we pay enough to them) We draw out what we need to pay for other things and I like to pay with cash too rather than a card. We have a debit card not a credit one.