Preparedness for when

Perplexed_Pineapple

GQ, thank you for reminding me to look at the Mash, which I used to frequent often but had drifted out of sight, out of mind. This article is distressingly relevant to recent discussions on fuel, we're ahead of the curve but it's clearly becomeing a cliche:
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/wood-burning-stove-brings-authenticity-to-middle-class-mans-life-2013110180842

DawnW

Goldiegirl wrote: »

This is exactly what I have begun to do.

I'm working towards an early retirement in 2 years time, so I want to get stores in whilst I have more disposable income.

If I can get a good stock, it'll help for the first year or two of retirement, before my husbands state pension and other work pension kicks in.

This is exactly what I am planning to do GG, but next spring :eek:
I am 60 now, can take my (small) works pension and am planning to do so at the end of March next year when I would have to deal with yet another reorganisation / restructuring at work. We have had 3 in the last year, and enough is enough. Time to let the younger ones have a turn

It won't be easy, as my job is pretty well paid, though stressful, long hours and with a tedious commute. OH took early retirement last year when he was 60 and able to take his tiny works pension, but as I was the main earner in any case, the impact of that was pretty minimal tbh. This time will be very different - we already have a not very lucrative small business (which probably loses a small amount of money at the moment - this will have to change, or go), and will have to rely on this and 2 small pensions instead of my quite good salary :eek:

So, I will also be stocking up. I have always kept a good old style larder, but time to ramp up activities in this area I think!

GreyQueen

Hmmm, I'm a person of no religious faith, although I suppose the Church of England would want to claim me as their own as I have been baptised. I was 2.5 months old and registered my protest in the only way open to me at the time - I screamed my head off in church, apparently.

Despite being irriligious, I like to think of myself as a moral person who wouldn't steal, but if it came down to starving or going cold, in peril of my life, I know fine well I would steal what I needed to survive.

Re killing animals, I would kill to eat something, but I wouldn't kill for sport or ego or simple cruelty; that to me is beyond the pale.

Am feeling pretty rough today (thank youso much, dear jobless nocturnal neighbours) but have managed to do two preptastic things before breakfast, so feeling pretty pleased with myself thus far. I think that's the core of prepping, it isn't about taking a great wadge of cash and running amok in the outdoorsy stores/ supermarket/ bookstores, it's about steadily accruing skills and resources, little by little, in a considered and, dare we say it, stealthy manner.

F'rinstance, if you buy 10 tubes of Basics toothpaste at once, people notice and the cashier remarks on it. Buy one per visit and it looks perfectly normal. I haven't been able to find expiry dates on toothpaste, so am building a little cache. FIFO, and all that jazz.

Right, time for brekkie and getting ready to face the day. Wanders off to find matchsticks to prop open eyelids........nnnnnnhhhhhhhhh.

daz378

im not that religious.....well just enough to claim C of E, i would do what i had to do to care for me and my clan with id like to to think the appropriate moral anxiety if had to cross the line..... but where is line in a SHTF situation.......question if you thank a few people without posting , is that still lurking or semi lurking?

mardatha

I think nobody knows what they'd be capable of in extreme situations until it happens. And I don't have much faith in the innate kindness or morality of the human race under extreme stress.

homesteadchick

I am a moral person and I love nature and trees and respect all life and such... but I chop down trees to keep us warm, and kill our rabbits for food. I'd shoot and skin Bambi if I had to feed us.

I think most religion goes out the door pretty quick in an emergency. The drive to survive is a pretty strong one.
And if my neighbour won't eat the pig because his god says he can't?.. That's okay, I'll do him a service and eat it for him. No bother.

[Deleted User]

Well, that was a very interesting (and very civilised) discussion about religious, moral, and ethical taboos v survival.

The majority view pretty much mirrors my own position, too.

thriftwizard

I wrote a great long reply, then lost my connection!

One thing I will repeat from the Lost Post is that you might be surprised when the pressure's really on, that it can actually bring out the best in a lot of people; think of all those in occupied mainland Europe in WW2 who risked their lives to save Jews or escapers, even when they themselves were close to starvation. My own uncle (one of those who volunteered to stay behind after the Dunkirk rescue) was fed, sheltered & helped clear across Vichy France by people with nothing to gain and potentially everything to lose. So don't assume the worst is inevitable, though it does make sense to be cautious. Not everyone's zombie material.

elaine241

Well I cant say I am religious although technically Church of England.
I think I would follow the majority on here in that in a SHTF situation you would do what you had to survive. Having worked in many communities I can say that I have seen the good, bad and downright ugly of human nature and not in those you would automatically think would fit into each of the categories. From such experiences I must say in a SHTF situation I would not trust anyone who I didnt already know and that then I would still be on alert.

When it comes to kill it , cook it , eat it anything goes as long as my kids and I survive, not a view I am proud of but at least honest! Protein is protein after all!Worm ommlette anyone?

Although not religious one statement comes to mind when thinking about this situation and that is "Hell hath no fury compared to a mother protecting her young!" If my childrens safety were at stake I would do ANYTHING, including lie, cheat, steal and murder! Again not proud of myself but it is the truth!!

Hope after this confession you dont ostracise me!I promise none of you are on the menu unless I have eaten all my animals, neighbours and enemies!!! LOL

midnight_express

I think we are all capable of doing extreme things in extreme circumstances.