Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

jk0 wrote: »

What do you say if someone's car is obstructing the service ramp?

You would ring the store, and ask the manager to move the car.

The PA announcement is for the benefit of the Security personnel.

Hollyberry

DawnW wrote: »

Yes, having kept most fowls over the years except for exotic things like guinea fowl, turkeys are definitely the dimmest...

I can vouch for guinea fowl not being feathered Mensa candidates either. I used to drive past a chicken farm that kept them, and they would regularly be wandering the lane in a daze. No matter what you did to encourage them to head back into the yard they would just carry on milling around aimlessly, and totally blocking the lane. Maybe the plan was to get me to take exercise, because they often "encouraged" me to leave my car in the layby, and hike the remaining half mile to my stepfather's place. Fitness guru guinea fowl?

Today I've spent productive time avoiding the shops and have sorted out upwards of 500 books to go to the charity shop. Clearly I am something of a bookworm, but it's time for the kindle rather than my shelves to take the strain. I have kept anything that might be difficult to replace, but things like classics can definitely exist as bytes rather than pages in my life. The study is looking much tidier, and I can actually see shelves between the books which feels very satisfying. I've also found some treasures I had forgotten, which are now lined up ready to re-read , and a selection of useful bits and bobs, such as a compass and another torch.

OH was working today and when driving home had to sit for a while on the bypass with the engine turned off, such was the spectacular meltdown around the local Mr A late this afternoon. I'm pleased that I copped out and ordered delivery from Mr O some time back. It may not be the most frugal decision I've ever made, but I think the lack of hassle will more than make up for it.

Thinking on the comments about emergency announcements, one that you don't want to hear on cruise ships is "Bright Star" which I believe means a fire. We've had one or two near scrapes with big emergencies close to office blocks where I have worked, one of which resulted in us taking the decision to have the windows coated with bomb film. I remember vividly sitting around the meeting room table talking about how fortunate we had been, and how we should be way better prepared to get people out. Scary stuff, but it did, and continues to, focus the mind wonderfully on the what-ifs.

Goldiegirl

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Many moons ago, I worked in a shopping mall, and the message to the security staff, of a bomb threat, was a PA announcement saying:-

"Would the manager of <insert name of store with the bomb threat> please remove his car from the service ramp, as it is causing an obstruction".

When I'm out and about, I'm going to be looking for hidden meanings in all PA announcements from now on!

Perplexed_Pineapple

A lot of posts today, haven't read all of them yet but a few thoughts

pineapple wrote: »

I can't help feeling we've lost more than we gained in this 24 hour convenience society. I sort of miss the times when days were marked by distinct differences. And I don't have a religious bone in my body! The week now is acquiring the sort of sameness that is overtaking our town centres.
To those who say 'well you don't have to go shopping' - well that's not the point. It's amazing to think how we coped in those dark days when 24hr opening was unknown, when some shops might be closed a whole day - maybe a half day too!:eek: and we weren't welded to our 'puters in the early hours buying up Amazon :rotfl:

Too right, the 24/7 society has more more or less distributed our productive activity through the entire wek. It's a bit like Parkinson's law, that activity expands to fill the time available. If everything had to be done between Monday-Saturday with a half day on Wednesday we'd all be more efficient and many people would have a better work-life balance.

Goldiegirl wrote: »

It's much more likely to catch something like noro or flu - in fact it happens to me with regularity


When you board a cruise ship, you have to complete a health questionnaire, to confirm you've had no noro or flu like symptoms within the previous few days.


But I think people routinely lie on these questionnaires.


I don't think it's a coincidence that within two days of boarding my September cruise I had a cold, and last Saturday we did a day visit to a ship, and by Monday I had started to get a cold. A bloke actually sneezed on me Saturday, so I'm fairly sure that's the moment I was infected!


Fortunately I've never contracted the noro -I am very careful with hand washing etc, but even that is no guarantee.


On the subject of fire in public places - on the Sky News ticker they are saying there's a fire at Chessington World of Adventure - don't know anything more than that at present

Goldiegirl, it may be more than luck. Norovirus is picked up by specific receptors, some people people have genetic resistance to norovirus infection by virtue of not having the right receptors (I used to know somebody who was into researching this). I'm pretty sure that I'm one of them - I've had multiple family members fall victim to diarrhoea and vomiting simultaneously while I and DD1 are strangely immune.

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Cheaper at GO Outdoors.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/highlander-solid-fuel-cooker-p277803?gclid=CK_I1MuPwrsCFY_MtAodDi0A_g

Good spot BB, I think the offer I posted had a few extra bits but the Go Outdoors deal is a better regular price. Does anyone have one of their discount cards? I've been thinking of getting one but can't work out whether it is worth it...
Well it's nearly the Christmas break, here's wishing everyone a merry and preptastic Xmas!

GreyQueen

westcoastscot wrote: »

Well I'm back - absolutely exhausted! The SNO concert was fantastic, but the people! everywhere!!
I went into the biggest supermarket i've ever seen and to be honest it all felt a bit obscene - just thousands of people buying trollies full of stuff. A total contrast to the homeless people sitting in the streets under blankets - so so sad. Really concerning also that the supermarket is only closed christmas day - when you people get a break? it's even open new years day. I do wonder how we've got to a point that we cannot manage to do our shopping in the other days of the week and give the shop-keepers a day off with their families.
Still, I bought some wool in the market of course, tea in Braithwaites and some lovely cheese from an indy cheese shop. I am so happy to be home.
WCS

Glad you had a nice break.

I've never forgotten what a pal who does very long distance solo trailwalking in various parts of the world told me. When she's used to being on her own on the trail for a week or more at a time, and someone else hoves into view, her inclination is to hide up and let them go on by, as she's become so accustomed to her own company.

Re shopping mania, years ago I happened to be with my Dad in a Sainsbugs just before a bank holiday weekend where the shops would be closed for one whole day. This was pre-retirement for him and shops were somewhat terra incognita.

You can imagine the scene; stressed and shoving wimmin with trollies loaded past the gunwales, perpared to elbow and shove for the last pack of brussels sprouts. Poor Dad was a bit white around the eyes and skittish and kept muttering They're mad! They're mad! :rotfl:

If you think about it, this open all hours of the day/ night and just about all days of the year must be costing the stores more. We don't grow an extra sofa's-worth of expenditure per annum, or a third stomach, just becuase they're almost never closed. I guess it's a case of when one store opens, the others are terrified of losing market share and feel they have to open, too.

It obviously doesn't affect their fixed costs such as rents and business rates, but it must be ramping up their variable costs such as staff and utilities. So we pay for it in the end and tell ourselves that it's convenient, and so much better than the old days.

Carlislelass, I've seen Easter eggs before Xmas, too, the world has gone absolutely bonkers, hasn't it?

PP, I have one of those discount cards, have had one for 3 years now. Depending on what you buy, it can pay for itself in one trip. One thing I would say is that they send you mini-catalogues and offers every few weeks if you're a cardholder, so if your will is weak, maybe you'd want to avoid temptation.

I have a bit of a love/ hate realtionship with that company as I have caught them out at what I consider to be sharp practice many a time, such as making big palaver over discounting things from a price which they'd only raised them to for a week or two. I guess the moral is to always shop around. Their staff, when you can track them down, are always very helpful, if a bit thin on the ground.

Plus they have some tents pitched for big kids like me to crawl into.

westcoastscot

Was thinking about it a bit more overnight and it isn't healthy is it? 24 hour a day consumption? Apart from the financial cost a lot of people now have lost the value of the small things in life - for instance truly seasonal eating - even really poor people had a variety to their diet with the seasons, and having seasonal clothes that go away and come out again affords me the same thrill as some find in a new purchase.
I think for me a treat can be a tiny, financially worthless thing, and that is where you win the battle with consumerism. I know most of us feel the same on this thread, but seeing the thousands of people fighting to buy mountains of stuff that many would still be paying for in the new year made me kinda sad for us all really. The shift in society of how we measure our own and each other's worth is definitely not healthy.
Apologies for banging on a bit about this - just fair shocked me as it's been several months since I've been near a big population for shopping purposes. Shall turn my head back to more cheerful thoughts.
WCS

[Deleted User]

Perplexed_Pineapple wrote: »

I've been thinking of getting one but can't work out whether it is worth it...

Personally, if I wanted a cheap and lightweight cooking stove, I'd go for a gas one.

Priced at just £4-20, with free delivery.

It's more controllable than hexamine, powerful (3000W), lightweight (27g), and fuel is available practically anywhere.

GreyQueen

I walked through the main shopping streets yesterday, late morning. They were busy, but less busy than I have seen them this close to Christmas.

I took the time to study people's faces as I strolled. I would say that 9 out of 10 people looked stressed and unhappy, the odd person was sharing a laugh with a partner/ child, but nearly everyone else looked as if they'd rather be doing something, anything, bar what they were doing.

Today I have decided to attend to some domestic matters as I am working up until close of business on Xmas eve then scarpering for a coach across the region to spend a few days with the family. Will need to make sure all the food is eaten up, everything tidy and in good order.

Heavens, imagine if you were burgled and the place was already in a muddle?

I've noticed in my local paper that there is a tendancy to refer to "an untidy search" being made of a burgled property, rather than a "ransacking". Having a fey sense of humour, I wonder how and where the line is drawn.

At The Scene of the Crime, 6 Any Street, Anytown.

PC; Sarge, the Press are on the line; is this Untidy or Ransacked?

Both officers look around, judging what was the baseline level of untidiness before the villian(s) started their search. Some tut-tutting may possibly be heard.

Sarge; I reckon they're just untidy beggars, call it a Ransacking, might make the householder feel a bit better.

[Deleted User]

The burglars would have to tidy my place up, before they could ransack it.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I think we should have a preppers guide to chirstimas never mind SHTF....


I totally agree westcoastscot... I think chirstmas and the original new year sales has sort of mashed up..


Traditionally shops were closed for a few days, or even the week between Christmas and new year... so this is why people HAD TO stock up with food etc... and then the sales used to start on/in the new year..


BUT in the greed of the big retailers over the years, they have tried out doing themselves to get our money.soooo they then started the boxing day sales... so all shops then opened up.


But mentally the BIG SHOP to tied us over the Christmas and new year has still carried on... as it has been ingrained into us by the memory of our parents shopping, and the supermarkets telling us we should be buying all this food because its Christmas, and we are going to have loads of people round to feed....


All I can say is... if we did have a SHTF moment.. then we can x this shopping chaos by god knows how much....