Preparedness for when

born_blonde

I've got the Westphalia one, though I'm not sure how much electricity it uses.
As it was cheap I don't worry about using it.
It's great for mushrooms often yellow sticker candidates and when dry they go in a jar and then into soups and stews. I've even blitzed some into powder, useful when your 10 year old hates mushrooms.
He loves apple crisps though, thin slices dipped in lemon juice and dried until crisp - they never make it into a jar!
I've even made jerky and sorry mardatha, kale crisps.

GreyQueen

wondercollie wrote: »

:eek:

Last winter I walked into my store room (no, don't get all excited, it contains my furnace, hot water tank, drying lines and my pantry shelves). A mouse was sat in the middle of the floor watching me. I went and got my kids and the !!!!!! was still sitting there. They sccoped him up and set him free over the fence. The beast had eaten 500 grams of chocolate chips and started on a bag of icing sugar. I think he must have been in a diabetic coma when I found him

The mouse in Nan's larder didn't respond to trad bait (cheese) so I picked chocolate because it had eaten chocolate and even wanted it enough to chew thru a very heavy duty plastic container to get to it. Much later, I was listening to something on Radio 4 and it was mentioned that chocolate is the best bait for mice.

Good job you rescued your mouse as it would've got very very fat on a diet of icing sugar and choc chips.

mardatha wrote: »

I've never heard of blackberry leaf tea being similar Jojo.
I had no idea a dehydrator was that cheap- that westphalia one is only £34, I had thought £100-ish. I might get one but would I use it enough to justify?? A conscience is a terrible thing ! SHUD I GET IT? How much elect do they use?

Consciences don't use electricity.............oh! Engage brain before typing, GQ........


Nuatha, very pleased to hear that your OH is out of the hospital for a while and here's hoping for a quick identifying of whatever it is and a speedy full recovery.

Vanoonoo, I'm sorry to hear of your aunt's passing. She sounds like a fantastic lady. I wish I lived closer to some of my younger relatives so I could be a better (great) auntie.

I've lost count of the number of times I've heard people over the years express the opinion that making a will is as good as signing your own death warrant. There is a powerful adversion to doing this simple thing, even among people who, on the basis of their age, are nearer to the inevitable than others.

I've had a will since I was 30. Don't have a lot to leave but would like to simplify things for whomever has to clear away my goods and chattels (hi Bro!). Having seen firsthand the mess and stress caused by relatives passing without a will, I wouldn't want to inflict that on my worst enemy, never mind my loved ones.

On to happier matters, I am awaiting the delivery of another h.m. underbed rollling storage trolley (recipe; piece of leftover MDF board from another project, pack of castors from £1, edging strips of 1 x 1 inch (other leftovers), a large screw-eye (to hook it if it rolls too far under the bed) and sticky-back plastic to stick over the MDF (optional, £land). It would be preferable to have a cupboard to keep things in but, as I have recently detailed on the Hoarders thread, my home is silly-small and needs must.

OK, time to do something else. GQ x

thriftwizard

Vanoonoo, I'm sad to hear of your loss. It may be a merciful release for her, but it still hurts those left behind.

Born blonde, I've just filled my dehydrator with HG apple slices, dipped in a mixture of lemon, (yellow-stickered) maple syrup & cinnamon - excellent snacks for a festive party! Another thing I dry regularly, having an enormous cherry plum tree at the bottom of the garden & two of its offspring elsewhere, are cherry plums (ours are quite tart, off the original tree) dipped in syrup; when dry, they taste & feel very much like Haribo's Tangfastics but are probably somewhat better for you! Also nettles, when they pop up; I use them like dried herbs in winter as they have long roots & bring a lot of useful minerals up to the surface.

Need to concentrate on building my little indoor larder for the next few days, if it's going to rain. And if it doesn't (or at least, doesn't hang around for long - it is raining now, but not very determinedly) then I should be working on the chicken run and re-stocking; I lost two more birds than I would have expected to this year, thanks to a mangy little fox (that's an accurate description, not an insult - poor little beast was probably on his last legs) so need to boost the numbers a bit before we go into winter.

D&DD

Wondercollie your storeroom sounds lovely and I had to laugh about the mouse being in a diabetic coma

Gooood morning all happy to report Rosiedog hasn't left me presents of any sort of yukkiness this morning I slept on the couch with her just in case..

I'll have a rummage through some of my weirder cookery books today and see what tea recipes I can come up with seeing as I'll be taste testing! I have a few from the turn of the century and before and I also have some like culpeppers homeopathy,james wong..I'm bound to find some interesting stuff and I'm so tired from all the decluttering and cleaning I really need a day just sat on my bum

My current dehydrator is el cheapo from tchibo one and has been really great I bought leather trays from the states for it but use easyleave from lakelands too sometimes.

I am upgrading to a scally though as the amount I grow and dry its now become worthwhile getting one and my freezer situation is getting rather ridiculous

Alison I'm a hider too its great for sneaking stuff in isn't it lol

Right off to dust down some recipe books then

Have a great day all XXX

ps I pre-ordered Cockneys vs Zombies in the end..couldn't resist

Mrs_Doom

Frankly I am a little shocked at some people's over reaction to my posts. Just trying to add another perspective to the issue of preparedness and whether some people are going a bit over board.

Clearly some folks do not want to have a rounded discussion of the issue. Ah well, no problem.


PS: I am not a troll or bully just because I disagree with your point of view.

hummingfridge

Good morning, shtf-ers, and hugs for this who need them.
Thank you for your advice, GreyQueen- I am planning to grow broad beans next year, and it's good to know that they don't need to be blanched first before freezing.
I like the idea of doing a dummy run -I had just started putting a 'going into hospital bag' together when the floods happened in our area. We are not on the Environment Agency's map of roads that might become flooded, but nearby roads were, and you just never know.
The fridge in our last house made a humming sound, then proceeded to gurgle. Mercifully, the fridge in our current house is silent!

born_blonde

thriftwizard, I've got to try the plums my son would love anything that tasted like a tangfastic!

I'm considering entertainment now, especially with a 10 year old.

I've a lot of books from the 70's that talk about self sufficient communities and they stress the importance of down time.

We have enough books in general ( about 6000 in the attic, who needs insulation) to provide reading material but need more than reading.

So in a short term problem, books, dvd's, board games.

Pack of cards/ dominoes in BOB bag.

If no electricity for days just books and games.
Anything bigger / longer need to prepare at least a plan.

Once again specific to my family and our needs.

D&DD

Mrs_Doom wrote: »

Frankly I am a little shocked at some people's over reaction to my posts. Just trying to add another perspective to the issue of preparedness and whether some people are going a bit over board.

Clearly some folks do not want to have a rounded discussion of the issue. Ah well, no problem.


PS: I am not a troll or bully just because I disagree with your point of view.

Mrs D we do love to talk about why we prep if you read back earlier in the thread there are quite a few posts from people myself included talking about why we first started.I've explained also why I prep in a certain way and why I feel the need to store what I do as have other posters its a very personal thing prepping and whilst some may be happy with a file with important papers in it others need to have food stores etc etc.

I think sometimes the tone and intention of posts can be misread..

We have over the years on Oldstyle had a few less than kind comments posted when we mention we prep..when we have tried to explain why we do what we do,thats not right either as we're trying to 'outdo' each other...comments such as these are hurtful to posters and there is no need for them but as in life there will always be people who disagree..I have no problem with that but do find rudeness upsetting and unneccesary *dodgy spelling?*

Please do join in I for one need to hear more about this bunker of yours

Sunshine4

Vanoonoo Sorry to hear of your aunts passing

Nuatha Glad to see your OH is out of hospital, hoping for a speedy recovery/

I love dried pineapple so I think that my next purchase is going to be a dehydrator.Also the shops always have fruits and vegs on YS.
Off to have a look.

VJsmum

D&DD wrote: »

Mrs D we do love to talk about why we prep if you read back earlier in the thread there are quite a few posts from people myself included talking about why we first started.I've explained also why I prep in a certain way and why I feel the need to store what I do as have other posters its a very personal thing prepping and whilst some may be happy with a file with important papers in it others need to have food stores etc etc.

I think sometimes the tone and intention of posts can be misread..

We have over the years on Oldstyle had a few less than kind comments posted when we mention we prep..when we have tried to explain why we do what we do,thats not right either as we're trying to 'outdo' each other...comments such as these are hurtful to posters and there is no need for them but as in life there will always be people who disagree..I have no problem with that but do find rudeness upsetting and unneccesary *dodgy spelling?*

Please do join in I for one need to hear more about this bunker of yours

Mrs D - D&DD have said it far more eloquently than I ever could. Please join in - especially with a name like yours!

I was studying OH's pyjamas - as you do - earlier. He wears a scruffy old t shirt and a pair of shorts to bed, and I was thinking that if he had to suddenly go into hospital I'd be ashamed to visit him dressed like that! So I think I will purchase him some new ones - I may put a pair in a bag with other essentials to grab if it were necessary.