Preparedness for when

jk0

About a year ago I told you guys about my ex's little boy who I loved like my own son for two years.

Since she left me, I have bought him Christmas & birthday presents, and also Easter eggs. My ex never made this easy, as she did not tell me where they moved to, so I dropped the items with her mum or sister.

Just now, I took an Easter egg & book over to my ex's sister, and though she kindly accepted them, she says my ex asks not to have anything more.

I have a lump in my throat, but I hope maybe the lad will seek me out when he is older. Relationships eh? Who'd have em?

[Deleted User]

JKO you might not be able to treat the youngster to presents any longer but you both have the cherished memories of those years you spent together and no one can ever take those from either one of you can they? Don't be down, if you hadn't had the relationship with his Mum you'd not have had the relationship with the laddie either so something good has come of it even if it makes you sad that it can't continue. Chin up, this world has more good things in it than bad pet!

Karmacat

jk0, that must be hard, you have my sympathies on that. He might well seek you out in the future, its true, he'll have those memories of you, and he'll have his aunt's word about how hard you tried to keep in touch.

I used to live with a Chilean family at one stage - there was a little 3 year old there. I was only there about 4 months, but a year later I saw her in the street, called out to her, and after a moment she ran to me and held me so tightly, we were both in tears .... and I saw her again when she was about 10, she took a few minutes to remember me, but she did. And I was just a visitor of 4 months standing, not a partner in the position of being a stepdad. Take heart.

thriftwizard

For anyone who thinks prepping is - just not necessary:

Are we ready for the next big volcanic eruption like Tambora?

jk0, how sad for you. But you have touched that child's life with kindness & I'm sure you'll never be forgotten.

nuatha

Karmacat wrote: »

nuatha, I'm certainly not hearing criticism, no problem - I'm not sure what you're saying about my post at all, to be honest ... is it this bit of yours "Why would I need to consider anything else short of moving the entire house content?

Your post crystallised something that had been bugging me for a few days that I couldn't put my finger on.
Its the idea of a layered approach depending on the timeframe. To me a 12 hour weather warning is either take the necessary precautions for staying put, or round up the critters and an 11 hour 55 minute headstart to the alternate location.
What I am wondering is have I missed something, where we would benefit from if there is x time we could do y and z. At the moment my approach is as soon as there is reason to bug out, grab the go bag and go. Herself's major criteria is that the cats are sorted, but otherwise the same.

We're all different and have differing approaches to things, the fact that I don't have a layered approach I didn't want to be seen as my criticising those who do. Though I do want to learn what the perceived advantages are in case they make a difference to my approach.

Late night phonecalls notifications.
I have no problem with receiving notifications at anytime, i do consider the circumstances of the person I'm contacting before making a phone call.
What I strongly objected to was an early hours phone call asking for an update on MiLs condition from a relative who "couldn't phone earlier because he'd been partying and they'd gone on to a nightclub" at least he phoned me rather than Herself.

JKO you both have memories to treasure that you wouldn't have had otherwise. Hugs

Frugalsod

I think a layered approach has lots of merit.

If there were a weather warning you would be considerably safer indoors than on the road, unless of course it was a tsunami warning and you lived on the coast, or similar. Landslides and avalanches would also require evacuation. It really all does depend on the local risks.

Bugging out has significant risks in extreme weather and most people would have inadequate preparation so would be a liability to every one. As per the impact of a major volcano the preppers would be significantly better prepared than the rest of the general population. I have enough food indoors for several months, though it would get monotonous after a while.

[Deleted User]

Apologies for being pedantic, but a tsunami isn't actually weather.

Karmacat

nuatha wrote: »

Your post crystallised something that had been bugging me for a few days that I couldn't put my finger on.
Its the idea of a layered approach depending on the timeframe. To me a 12 hour weather warning is either take the necessary precautions for staying put, or round up the critters and an 11 hour 55 minute headstart to the alternate location.
What I am wondering is have I missed something, where we would benefit from if there is x time we could do y and z. At the moment my approach is as soon as there is reason to bug out, grab the go bag and go. Herself's major criteria is that the cats are sorted, but otherwise the same.

We're all different and have differing approaches to things, the fact that I don't have a layered approach I didn't want to be seen as my criticising those who do. Though I do want to learn what the perceived advantages are in case they make a difference to my approach.

I see what you mean now! Well, I gave examples on my original post, of the sort of thing - its not always about weather, sometimes its about other events, or about other humans - the 12 hour timeframe was why I originally mentioned getting a lateish evening call about my dad, it can be about a bereavement, and bugging out setups give us an advantage in getting going without extra stress about packing. I think of it the way Shane does - you might have to go, might not. My local "river" has become erratic in what and where it floods, and that *might* affect me some day soon.

What I've found in carrying on working on it today (cos I'm not sorted, no way no how!) is that the 5 minute and 15 minute are really identical, so I've tried to do little things that will smooth the way: the documents I'll need to take from a fireproof case are now held together by an elastic band so I can pick them up and run. Keys to relatives' houses are with them instead of with the other keys. Those two things together could save me two minutes, and if I'm running from the effects of a chemical spill, two minutes could be really important. But having keys to where I'm going would be really important too.

So the layers I have are 1 minute, 15 minutes, and 12 hours. Ish.

What I strongly objected to was an early hours phone call asking for an update on MiLs condition from a relative who "couldn't phone earlier because he'd been partying and they'd gone on to a nightclub" at least he phoned me rather than Herself.

:eek: words fail me, that anyone can do that ...

mrsmortenharket

Hello all, sorry I'm more of a lurker.

There was a slight shtf earlier this week.

The water was off for some people. Low pressure for me so I filled buckets.

Fb was full of statuses about being unable to send the children to school as they couldn't brush their teeth.

Can't imagine any if hem would be prepared for anything long term or worse.

Nuatha, sorry about your mil. Hope she's better soon.

JKO, I'm sorry for you as well.

I'm apprehensive of a scenario where we would have to leave our home. Youngest has disabilities including autism & ADHD. That would be fun for those sharing a community centre with us eh! If it was localised, we have funds for a hotel or my sister would squeeze us in.

Sorry I don't post more, I do enjoy reading.

GreyQueen

Aaah, I like the term 'layered approach', it gives a convenient handle to what I've been developing.

F'rinstance, you're on a beach somewhere and you see the ocean suddenly suck out - and out- and out. Some people survivied the Indian Ocean disaster in 2004 beacuse they knew that was the first sign of a tsunami and that the appropriate response is to run like hell for higher ground that moment. Some other people died because they stood around lolly-gagging.

As a dweller in a flat, rather than a freestanding home, my risks are magnified by the actions of my neighbours. Some of my neighbours are known to be mentally-ill. Seriously, heavily-medicated, occasionally sectioned mentally-ill. A lot more are drunkards. There are a few hoarded flats. The fire service has told the council as landlord that they believe it to only be a matter of time before there is a fire in flats in the UK involving major loss of life due to people using the stairwells as storerooms/ rubbish tips.

And yet people still do insane things like bring motorcycles into tower flats, and clog up the communal stairwells (aka fire exits) with their clutter. And snarl when they are told that it must be moved asap and not deposited again. I get to hear the fallout from those letters and visits on a weekly basis.

So, an emergency exit from my flat, as a result of fire/ gas explosion, isn't an unreasonable thing to prep for. If you were here, I could take you around to the far side, where SG lives, and show you where the block had a partial rebuild after a gas explosion. Caused by the stupidity of a neighbour who was very drunk. Several flats were utterly destroyed and it's a miracle that there was no loss of life - and that was during the night and caused an evac into a community hall. SG remembers how quickly the place went up (seconds) and the firemen running around the landings pounding on doors yelling GET OUT!!! GET OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!

Having been menaced by a flamegun attack at the only external door to my home, I can tell you that the risk of being burned is terrifying beyond belief. You will not be thinking clearly. You will not be picking out a reasoned selection of items from several different places and making up your go-bag. You will be lucky if you can remember to grab your pre-packed go-bag and the more likely scenario is you being out on the street in your skivvies, blinking dazedly and wondering !!!!!!!?