Preparedness for when

RAS

Community meetings in my area are interesting. The ward tends to be viewed as three patches and as far as some of the hang'um flog'um brigade here are concerned all the other side of the lane are villains.

Unfortunately they have been good at killing/maiming people by mistake or accident instead of the targetted opposition gang, and there used to be/possibly still is a strong dealing culture.

So the local councillors have had police escorts to and from meetings in that area and people there are disinclined to speak out in public.

So you can imagine the jaws dropped when some of the old dears at our local meeting started to describe what they had seen shortly after a major campign of police raids, and who was doing what! The senior officer was trying desparately to shut them up for fear of what might happen to them if the news got out.

It transpired that some of the youngers had shifted location so they could keep trading and at the next meeting the police noted that several were now de-activated.

The police are so used to witnesses not wanting to speak, being intimidated outright if they do and being terrified of court that they could hardly credit the blase attitude of people this side of the lane.

GreyQueen

The best one ever was when SuperGran slipped out to put something in her bin one day and overheard something rather interesting. There was a suited and booted type standing in the stairwell just below her flat talking loudly on his mobile about the price for 'the brown' and 'the crystal'.

SG tip-toed back indoors and called the Polis. They nabbed him as he left the block.

She's a feisty little woman, is SG. She'll confront loitering strangers, too. There was one gormless idjit loitering suspiciously and SG walked right up to him and asked him pointedly if he was lost?

Him Oim lookin' for the bloke who deals.

(NB this doesn't restrict the field much in the Towers )

SG; Crack, smack or weed?

Him Weed.

SG one floor up, corner flat.

:cool: That just happened to be the nearest cannabis dealer, we have several at any one time. SG is a streetwise pensioner, to put it mildly.

moneyistooshorttomention

RAS wrote: »

Community meetings in my area are interesting. The ward tends to be viewed as three patches and as far as some of the hang'um flog'um brigade here are concerned all the other side of the lane are villains.

Unfortunately they have been good at killing/maiming people by mistake or accident instead of the targetted opposition gang, and there used to be/possibly still is a strong dealing culture.

So the local councillors have had police escorts to and from meetings in that area and people there are disinclined to speak out in public.

So you can imagine the jaws dropped when some of the old dears at our local meeting started to describe what they had seen shortly after a major campign of police raids, and who was doing what! The senior officer was trying desparately to shut them up for fear of what might happen to them if the news got out.

It transpired that some of the youngers had shifted location so they could keep trading and at the next meeting the police noted that several were now de-activated.

The police are so used to witnesses not wanting to speak, being intimidated outright if they do and being terrified of court that they could hardly credit the blase attitude of people this side of the lane.

If you know "that sort of thing" doesn't happen on your patch (well....not to your knowledge anyrate...) and you don't basically know "that sort of person" then you do just speak out. Errr...yep...that woulda been me a couple of times then I guess that the Police would have been trying to "hush up for my own safety" I suppose??

Don't know whether that would count as naivety or just strong determination that areas we live in have to remain okay to live in and "how are they supposed to if we don't speak out if we see something outaplace?". Sometimes there are two choices:
- speak out and live easy with yourself for having done the right thing and helped to keep your area a suitable place to live in

OR
- you don't speak out/no-one speaks out and you are darn soon trying to sell your house and move.

Sometimes there IS no Scot Free Option.

thriftwizard

Reporting in to tell you all that my BoB was rushed into use yesterday morning, when I received the news that my stepfather had finally & very peacefully shuffled off this mortal coil. I was able to grab my bag & be with my mother inside half an hour, knowing that I had everything I needed to stay overnight or indeed much longer if needed, that the freezer & cupboards were well-stocked and the girls ready to swing into action. One of my brothers is free to stay with her for the next couple of nights, So I'm home for a bit, but I'm free & able to help her grapple with paperwork, coroners, funeral directors, solicitors, executors and trustees throughout next week.

So to all those who sneer at the idea of preparedness, it's not all about zombie apocalypses. It comes in pretty useful in more prosaic circumstances too.

Mind you, I thought my toothbrush had escaped, and was kicking myself for not having checked. But it turned up, in an unexpected pocket. Phew...

Ryanna2599

thriftwizard wrote: »

Reporting in to tell you all that my BoB was rushed into use yesterday morning, when I received the news that my stepfather had finally & very peacefully shuffled off this mortal coil. I was able to grab my bag & be with my mother inside half an hour, knowing that I had everything I needed to stay overnight or indeed much longer if needed, that the freezer & cupboards were well-stocked and the girls ready to swing into action. One of my brothers is free to stay with her for the next couple of nights, So I'm home for a bit, but I'm free & able to help her grapple with paperwork, coroners, funeral directors, solicitors, executors and trustees throughout next week.

So to all those who sneer at the idea of preparedness, it's not all about zombie apocalypses. It comes in pretty useful in more prosaic circumstances too.

Mind you, I thought my toothbrush had escaped, and was kicking myself for not having checked. But it turned up, in an unexpected pocket. Phew...

Sorry to read you and your family's sad news Thriftwizard. Being prepared comes in so handy especially at such stressful times! I hope the next few weeks are not too traumatic for you.

It's such a relief to get to the weekend. My DS managed to get rid of chicken pox last weekend and three days later has come down with another virus (high temp and lack of appetite). Poor wee mite, as he's only just 2 so can't really tell us how he's feeling! I'm keeping everything crossed for a speedy recovery. At least we have good supplies in so don't need to venture out!

Have a good weekend all...
Anna x

daz378

So sorry to hear your news thriftwizard thoughts to you and yours.........i heard today a colleague i used to work with at my previous care location , had died only 60 years old

clearing some cupboards tomorrow to make room for more stock, my dad now sometimes gives 2 tins a week of salmon or corn beef.... however found 6 jars of mayonaise sealed that ran out 2013.. better not throw them down the shute though
take care stay safe

jk0

When I went into hospital recently I had to pack again as my BoB was too heavy.

I tried to pack the stuff mentioned here:

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/NHShospitals/Pages/going-into-hospital.aspx

But even that was too heavy, so had to be minimised. One tip is not to take all of your pain killing drugs, as the hospital will confiscate them from your bags. I heard about this happening years ago, so only took a very small amount.

Maybe an idea to have a hospital BoB?

greenbee

jKo - my list always says dressing gown and slippers (for walking to theatre). Other than that i'd suggest travel toiletries and maybe a couple of flannels rather than a towel. The biggest weight other than toiletries is likely to be books etc for entertainment as i'd be reluctant to take a kindle or tablet. But i take books I'm prepared to leave behind.

ivyleaf

RAS wrote: »

Community meetings in my area are interesting. The ward tends to be viewed as three patches and as far as some of the hang'um flog'um brigade here are concerned all the other side of the lane are villains.

Unfortunately they have been good at killing/maiming people by mistake or accident instead of the targetted opposition gang, and there used to be/possibly still is a strong dealing culture.

So the local councillors have had police escorts to and from meetings in that area and people there are disinclined to speak out in public.

So you can imagine the jaws dropped when some of the old dears at our local meeting started to describe what they had seen shortly after a major campign of police raids, and who was doing what! The senior officer was trying desparately to shut them up for fear of what might happen to them if the news got out.

It transpired that some of the youngers had shifted location so they could keep trading and at the next meeting the police noted that several were now de-activated.

The police are so used to witnesses not wanting to speak, being intimidated outright if they do and being terrified of court that they could hardly credit the blase attitude of people this side of the lane.

Interesting post RAS, but please don't call people "old dears". It's incredibly patronising. You've read about GQ's neighbour whom she refers to as Supergran; would you call her an "old dear"?

Thriftwizard so sorry to hear the news, but glad all your preps have worked xx

Memory_Girl

Mmm .... I have a group of retired ladies over the wall that refer to themselves collectively as the "Old Dears" ... so I do too.

Mind you .. they have since "rebranded" themselves as the "Silver Saltires" .... so I guess this could be one of those geographical language things across the four countries ....... I bit like "hen" in Glasgow or "duckie" , "sweetie" or "darlin".

MG