Preparedness for when

RAS

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

You bought one carrot :huh:

Yes........................

If you live in a centrally heated building and have very little storage, that is going to be more effective than buying a kg or even 500g and having them dessicate or worse go slimy and rot in the bag.

GreyQueen

RAS wrote: »

Yes........................

If you live in a centrally heated building and have very little storage, that is going to be more effective than buying a kg or even 500g and having them dessicate or worse go slimy and rot in the bag.

That's exactly it. I had a bag of parsnips already, I have h.g. onions, and red lentils and added my one carrot to them, plus a tin of spuds, lots of herbs and the whoopsied stewing beef, plus soy sauce (I'm an erratic but occasionally inspired cook, lol) and have just served myself a luscious casserole.

If you buy more and waste it, it ain't a bargain and it contributes to the degradation of the the world.

Chomping on down happily right now.

BigMummaF

GreyQueen wrote: »

....
Cotton is an environmental catastophe. Used a staggering amount of all the irrigation and pesticides used on agriculture and we treat it almost as a throwaway item. Isn't a patch on wool, but a lot of people probably have never owned a woollen garment and don't know what they're missing. I mean, to handle a fine merino is a joy and a privilege...

I'm a fully paid up member of the Allergy to Wool Club I'm afraid, so I'd be totally stuffed if that's the only fibre available Maybe I should start research into stabilizing the polymers in those awful carrier bags that disintegrate as soon as you look at them, to weave my own fleece

GreyQueen wrote: »

....I'm the only bono fide tin hat wearer in the family. Can't persuade them to have more food by them, either. I am a rubbish proponent of the preptastic way. Same here
....

Anyone know if there are any American public holidays between now and Good Friday? I want to diarise potential trouble spots and manoever accordingly. I'm suspicious that a four day Easter weekend might be being pencilled in for a Cyprussing, and then there's the two May BH to consider....

I've got a feeling that the Easter weekend is very swiftly followed by the first May Day Monday, so what's the betting they've already concocted a "computer glitch" for then :mad:

the_cake

A few thoughts from cakeland ....
I'm growing black Tuscan kale (sorry Mar!)for the first time this winter, and it's doing really well. It has quite a strong taste (which I like) and it's best if you chop the central stem part out of each leaf and cook it separately from the leafy bit. Strongly recommended as a winter veg.
I've just had a delivery from Approved Foods - I avoid all the processed stuff (OK, I did get 2 small bars of Gr**n & Blacks chocolate), and concentrate on jam, honey, coffee beans (my one extravagance, but affordable with AF) and plenty of spices, mustard, that sort of thing. And pasta. My stash is now much healthier. I intend to make a list over the weekend, so I can see what I've got, and what I need.
I'm keeping the solar powered lantern to hand, especially when the wind is as fearsome as it was last night, but so far we've been fine.
I work part-time in a shop selling wellies (NO, NOT WILLIES!!!! Stop it, rude autocorrect), warm waterproof jackets, etc. - country gear. We are unsurprisingly doing pretty well at the moment.
Someone asked about woollen blankets - I have had some very lucky CS finds, and always buy them if they are in good condition. They are definitely warmer than fleece, and I was incredibly lucky to find some Yak Trak Pro shoe thingies for £1 at a car boot last year. (Anyone else miss car boots when the season ends?) I also buy up Kilner jars and big candles when I see them. Actually I snap up anything useful and prepperish, and am constantly surprised at what people get rid of ..... and how cheaply they can be bought.

greenbee

nuatha wrote: »

I'd go for May 26, Memorial Day in the USA and what used to be Whit Monday here.

Presidents' Day on Feb 17th. I know, because work have stuck it in my diary. Not sure whether they're a. giving me the day off b. totally unaware of where I actually live or c. reminding me I'll have to cover for US colleagues...

GreyQueen

:T Diarised. I feel that there's something BAAAAAAAAAADDDD incoming. Don't trust the boogers. Going to look at paying my telephone line rental for the year before 17th to make sure that money isn't in the account and then swooping on the salary as soon as it arrives. Got to be done by late March or I'll have to pay monthly. Got to leave some money in to cover the DDs towards month's end but want to have maximum folding stuff in the wallet and plenty of grub and water.

You can only try your best to manoever around the potholes in the dual carriageway of life. I'm pretty sure that when it comes, it will be so fast, and global, that it will catch some of us literally napping and we'll wake up to some seriously-bad news.:(

If you're going to panic, panic early and get in ahead of the rush. Better still, be preptastic and sit calmly counting your tins and waiting for the brouhaha to subside.

I told Mum if it all goes pete tong and she can't get the grocery money I shall a) say Itoldyerso and b) sub her cash.

Tell ya, it's been a long time since I've hovered so closely over my bank account and kept printing so many mini-statements to keep on top of it to the penny. I'm determined that if they go down, they'll take as little of my moolah with them as possible.

Oh for the days when you got paid cash and could pay bills in cash. So very much simpler...........

the cake, I greviously miss the bootsales and have had some preptastic bargains, although not as good as Yax thingies for £1 (bought mine new) but last Aug BH I did get two new-to-me water carriers which were sterilised with Milton and are filled and awaiting their hour of need, or their quarterly refilling, whichever comes first.

siegemode

One day OH and I left the house rushed and disorganised, my head was so full and my thoughts were racing. I turned to OH and explained I'd been rushing about like a blue @sed chicken:rotfl:. The two phrases had become muddled as had everything else I was trying to say and do.

Right now I'm having an extended Blue @rsed Chicken moment. I have to confess at being an information junkie and maybe ever so slightly addicted to bimbling and a bumbling on the webulator. One thing leads to another and I digress and find something else that catches my eye. Before I know it the clock hands have gone past silly 'o' clock and reached ridiculous 'o' clock although I've always had trouble sleeping anyway. If I'm not on the lappy my mind is going over stuff I've read and learnt or seen on the news and more questions pop into my head till I'm back on the lappy. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to switch off and relax, even when physically exhausted. So much is happening and although I feel safe-ish in our personal bubble right now I know it's likely to change. We have no floods to contend with, enough to eat , we are warm and dry with a roof over our heads.
We are so fortunate compared to so many right now and I can't begin to imagine how those trying to cope with the floods must feel. I'm horrified and feel angry :mad: that TPTB have shown themselves to be both incompetent and indifferent to the plight of so many. Then again it doesn't surprise me either and just shows that when tshtf we have to be able to cope and look after ourselves without any expectation of help or support from others or TPTB.
One thing I don't understand is why they can't build more resevoirs to store the flood water, so alleviating the floods and also the effects of drought or water shortages in the future.

I worry about price rises and fuel bills, bird flu, fr@cking, peak oil, water shortages, the economy and what the future holds:(. I'm puzzled and concerned about so much that others I know think nothing about. I'm torn between living for now and preparing for tomorrow.

So much that's happening makes no sense to me and I find it difficult to understand why we are pushed in one direction and encouraged to go in another conflicting one. What I am able to understand however is that TPTB and corporations continue to get rich and more powerful in all the chaos and confusion whilst the rest of us become poorer. I worry about the effects of the banks and economy going pop. I find it rather confusing, but know it's a matter of when not if and fear it will be sooner rather than later. I have no savings, but FIL does and trying to convey the severity of the issues that can and are likely to effect him is near impossible and worrying.

So I feel angry, frustrated and driven to find out everything I can whilst we still can. Looking for the truth and keeping an eye out for things that are side lined or skimmed over because of other news deemed more important, reading between the lines and looking deeper. Trying to be aware to lessen the negative effects and be prepared for what is ahead, be it price rises or major calamity.

And breath....

Sorry for the rant, but I'm feeling so stressed and overwhelmed by so much. In the mean time my search for info seems to have me distracted and disorganised in other areas of life. I really need to address the garden situation, only small and north facing, but a mess. The house is full and cluttered, but I feel almost everything has a current or future use and find it impossible to part with stuff. In a shtf moment when speed and organisation are key my preps would be in vain:eek: so I desparately need to do something. Decluttering and organisational jobs are overwhelming and dependant on energy levels. I find it difficult to focus and complete one task as I become distracted by another.

I wish I could select shut down and give my brain a rest or just put it into sleep mode. If only I could empty the recycling bin and give my brain space to defrag and optimise. Perhaps a reboot ?
Maybe just a big boot up the backside to get my priorities sorted and organise myself for optimum performance.

Off to look for cake or chocolate, maybe that will help me decide what to do first.

GreyQueen

(((((seigemode)))))) breathe slowly and don't implode all over us, lovey, we need you to ride shotgun on the preppers express and it's no place for panicking and hyperventilation. You can do it, we can help.

I have a personal rule that I don't stay online until bedtime, and will indeed be popping off shortly to do some light reading. Last night I was finishing a zombie novel and tonight I'm reading something by Sue Townsend.

I find I need a gap of 1-2 hours away from the screen or I don't sleep properly. I have also watched 2 episodes of some enjoyable tosh on DVD (True Blood, yeah!) One needs to have a safety valve, whatever it is. Chocolate's always good.

First off, in trying to make sense of the world, it helps to understand that politicians are not acting in the best interests of us all. They are acting in the best interests of themselves and their crowd. With a few noble exceptions, the wealthy and powerful do not give a toss for the wellbeing of the poor and the weak. They will cheerfully fabricate conflicts which will see beloved people killed just to increase their wealth. They know no shame and they care for nothing that will not benefit them and their cronies and their peers.

If you want to know why something is being told to you, whilst there is a deafening silence about other things in the msm, always ask yourself Cui bono? Who is going to profit? Follow the money and you'll not go far wrong.

As that US comedian said; It's a big club, and you ain't in it.

And I'm not either. And what makes me that subspecies of human called a 'PITA', not a 'sheep', is that I've known that for decades now.

Put the webs to bed, don't watch or read the news late at night, and carve out some downtime. When TSHTF, it'll require a well-rested brain firing on all cylinders to make the best judgement calls.

And my judgement is that I shall do the dishes, have a cup of rooibos tea and read something light and fluffy before beddy-byes.

See y'all tomoz and does anyone know the best (OS) way to clean the screen of a CRT monitior without buying a product?

pineapple

Hot on the heels of the revelation that our centralised NHS data can be accessed by insurance companies and other bodies - unless you opt out - comes the news that whether or not you opt out ,the police can have access - without any sort of warrant.
I'm not sure I understand this as I thought opting out meant you weren't on the database at all but here's the article.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/06/police-backdoor-access-nhs-health-records

ALIBOBSY

Hollyberry wrote: »

That's really made me think, TeaCake, thanks.

So in a SHTF situation, I would be thinking about cheap and easy one pan cooking recipes. Perhaps some info on outdoor cooking too. Also quick gardening if needed - sprouting seeds? Something on nutrition, to try and ensure some balance when there are more restricted options for food.

Looking at past history there were periods like in tudor times where the diet of the day would be potage, followed by potage and the next day potage. But the contents would change with the seasons and availability. So basically in the past when food is limited people went for soupy/stew type one pot food. Partly this would be when cooking on an open flame its easier to have one pot and chuck it all in.

Ali x