Preparedness for when

Frugalsod

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Just bought myself a Syma X3 Pioneer, Quadcopter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLhFNmQzyaw

It's great fun. :cool:

OTOH. I'm not sure I can find any actual prepping uses for it.

There are prepping uses. You can use it to train yourself to handle a bigger quadcopter which you can attach a camera to so that you can see zombies in the area so avoid them, or even a rudimentary club to smash the brains of zombies. The smaller version could also hold small quantities of brain to lure zombies away or over some pit that you could trap them in.

Also you could use it to carry some line for some prepping purpose. Also if it keeps you occupied when you are having to bug in then that is of some use to you. Over time you will discover more prepping uses for it.

annagaradair

thriftwizard wrote: »

Big Brother is watching me... probably because he wants to sell something to me.

This did make me smile - the selling part rather than the watching. But it's probably true!

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

The s has hit my fan tonight................... Aaaargh I have water pouring out of the ceiling, waiting for an emergency plumber, thank goodness I have pipe insurance :eek:

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Update, it was the pipe under the bath and I now have a big square hole in my kitchen ceiling, DD thought it was brilliant when she could see the light from the kitchen in the bathroom
(

Glad you're getting sorted out, BB.

The 'weather bomb' was a high wind and some nasty rain/hail but I've seen worse. This is what I get for watching the forecast and believing the hype. Of course, the roof may blow off today ... But thinking about a potential weather event has made me think that I'm not really prepped at all. So today's job is to make a list of what I need and I'll add a couple of items to each shop until I'm done.

calicocat

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Just bought myself a Syma X3 Pioneer, Quadcopter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLhFNmQzyaw

It's great fun. :cool:

OTOH. I'm not sure I can find any actual prepping uses for it.

It could be used to distract a zombie whilst you get your weapons together...........:D.

ivyleaf

Butterfly Brain I have a similar hole in my own kitchen ceiling for similar reasons - in our case it was a burst radiator. Been there for ages now, as the whole ceiling needs redoing so as not to look odd - there's a suspended ceiling made of pieces of artexed plasterboard, so the other pieces need replacing as well, so that we can have a nice smooth ceiling, which DS says he will put downlighters into.

But this house is such a can of worms.....the ceiling can't be redone without taking the kitchen wall cabinets down, which will probably cause them to fall apart because they're so old, and in any case the pipework under the bathroom floor needs redoing and it would seem sensible to do that while there's a big hole in the ceiling below...etc

thriftwizard

Posting this here as I can't put it on FB; we are keeping the stove as a surprise for DS3 when he gets home. Lit for the first time this morning & signed off, I can testify that it's going to add a lot of SHTF functionality to our home! Here's our ex-feral friend, who's clearly staking her claim; I think we're going to need a proper fireguard as she's already singed her tail...

"At last the slaves have understood my requirements!"

jk0

ivyleaf wrote: »

Butterfly Brain I have a similar hole in my own kitchen ceiling for similar reasons - in our case it was a burst radiator. Been there for ages now, as the whole ceiling needs redoing so as not to look odd - there's a suspended ceiling made of pieces of artexed plasterboard, so the other pieces need replacing as well, so that we can have a nice smooth ceiling, which DS says he will put downlighters into.

But this house is such a can of worms.....the ceiling can't be redone without taking the kitchen wall cabinets down, which will probably cause them to fall apart because they're so old, and in any case the pipework under the bathroom floor needs redoing and it would seem sensible to do that while there's a big hole in the ceiling below...etc

I often have to repair water damaged ceilings in my (ground floor) flats. You don't have to replace the whole thing:

Enlarge the hole to a square or rectangle, and screw noggins around the edges, overlapping the hole. Cut a new piece of plasterboard to size, and screw into place. Tape some scrim over the joints, then cover the whole thing with filler: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-All-Purpose-Ready-Mixed-Filler-10kg/p/600242 to a depth of about one eighth of an inch.

Then get an old chammy leather bunched up in your hand and make imprints on the filler to mimic the artex pattern.

Wait a couple of days for it to dry, then repaint the whole ceiling.

Edit: If there is any water stained plasterboard left on the ceiling, you may need to paint it with exterior stabilizing solution before you start repairing. Otherwise the new paint may peel off. Also, PVA prime the artex if it hasn't been painted previously.

FTA: Forgot to mention, prime area with PVA & water and allow to dry before applying scrim tape. This will help filler to stick.

Karmacat

Thriftwizard! Thank you for posting that photo, thats lovely!

jk0 - some great tips in that, thank you.

ivyleaf

jk0 wrote: »

I often have to repair water damaged ceilings in my (ground floor) flats. You don't have to replace the whole thing:

Enlarge the hole to a square or rectangle, and screw noggins around the edges, overlapping the hole. Cut a new piece of plasterboard to size, and screw into place. Tape some scrim over the joints, then cover the whole thing with filler: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-All-Purpose-Ready-Mixed-Filler-10kg/p/600242 to a depth of about one eighth of an inch.

Then get an old chammy leather bunched up in your hand and make imprints on the filler to mimic the artex pattern.

Wait a couple of days for it to dry, then repaint the whole ceiling.

Edit: If there is any water stained plasterboard left on the ceiling, you may need to paint it with exterior stabilizing solution before you start repairing. Otherwise the new paint may peel off. Also, PVA prime the artex if it hasn't been painted previously.

Thanks so much. I've bookmarked your helpful reply to show DS

We came home from collecting the grandchildren and taking them to their own house until their Dad got home, to find a burst water main means a big area of the borough has no water. I was going to wash my hair as I'm at hospital tomorrow Fingers x'd it'll have been fixed by the morning and I can shower and wash my hair then, though I don't like having to use the hairdryer. If not, I'll have to do my best using cleansing wipes!


And thanks to GQ's wise warning, we have bottled water to drink. Thanks GQ:beer:

[Deleted User]

Karmacat wrote: »

I was writing a prepping story at the time, and I'm sure they could be used to scout out zombies that are preparing to attack

Unfortunately, this one doesn't come with a video camera built in.

Perplexed_Pineapple

Love the stove, thiftwizard, wood-burning stove jealousy here. Sadly to get a woodburning stove here would need some major structural work because the chimney was blocked off by a former owner :mad:.

Softstuff wrote: »

Starting to feel very fortunate here! They're available just to buy here at the pharmacy. I've come to rely on iodine related products and just see them as the norm here.

You can get iodine dressings here Softstuff, I think a lot of people have got into the mentality of getting stuff on prescription because it is free if you are eligible for free prescriptions, which most pensioners and a lot of other people are. For instance you can get Inadine here but it isn't cheap:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inadine-Dressing-9-5cm-x25/dp/B003TSXKCU
You do hear of ridiculous things, though, like people booking a GP appointment to get a prescription for paracetamol, which costs maybe 50p in the supermarket. Not very preptastic to be without, anyway, I have a small supply of paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin for emergencies and if there were a serious SHTF event, strong painkillers like morphine (very strictly controlled here) would be invaluable. Not something that you can keep in your bug-out bag just in case, though.