Preparedness for when

VJsmum

Thanks for the pictures Lyrolee. Hard to believe I was there in the summer. Recognise some of the places - particularly those around 14th st (had to go there as one of my fave songs is called 14th st!!).

Actually GQ you are right about having shelf handy foods as well as frozen. I think i will invest in some tinned peas and sweetcorn, a tin or two of spuds (tho don't much like them) and maybe some ham and corned beef. I always say that I don't need alternative means of cooking as I have the caravan just over the road, but if the weather was really bad that would be extremely difficult so i think a little primus stove might be a useful thing to have.

I need tea...

Hillbilly1

This thread is great. It has started me planning for SHTF! Have got
- wind up torches and lanterns
waterproof and windproof matches
gas camping stove and canisters
thermals
silver foil blankets
silver foil tents
mess tins/kettle
big flask/thermal cups
tinned food and water for 1 week (plus freezer stuff)
candles
solid fuel for BBQ cooking
cat food and meds
baby wipes

Still need
-meds stockpile for both of us
? wind up radio
batteries

Anything else? Planning to have bag with essentials in cat basket in bedroom. Then we have means to move cat and paperwork/meds in one area!

TeaCake

Im sure its been covered before but what books would people recommend on have to hand in the home for a SHTF situation?

GreyQueen

TeaCake wrote: »

Im sure its been covered before but what books would people recommend on have to hand in the home for a SHTF situation?

The SAS Survival Guide is highly-regarded. There is a Collins Gem (i.e. very small) version of it. Over a million copies sold...........

I would say that an up-to-date First Aid book would be handy, preferably to accompany one's up-to-date training and kit.

Prepareathome (PAH) told us that she made up a pocket-sized book of her own prepping advice and that this was very useful when her grown son got into difficulties in the Australian Outback (he had a copy with him).

There's an old line about books, as in not needing them once you've learned the contents. If you were looking at a long-term SHTF situation you'd need all sorts of stuff, inc gardening, animal husbandry, preserving etc, short term you might need stuff to see you safe and well.

And appropriate kit. I've never mentioned to my parents that I'm a prepper although they've known I'm a trifle odd for well over 40 years (family catchphrases are there's one in every litter and if you hadn't been born at home I would've been sure someone had swopped you at the hospital) but tonight Mum was talking about how they'd manage in their home without the electricity, off the back of the news about the USA.

Just was reminded of something I'd foolishly forgotten; one of my extended family is married to an American and lives on Long Island. We haven't heard from them but we have to assume all is well. A colleague today said she'd been texted by a mate in New Jersey yestereve just before the storm hit to say it was getting a bit scary and hasn't heard from them today so is assuming that they're OK but conserving their phone battery.

I came thru the attempts on my home OK although I am always ready to bail out of the flat. The Police officer who attended told me to remove my doormat and lay Pyrex dishes filled with water in front of the door in case my attacker came back and tried to put something afire through the letter box. So I had the entire collection of Pyrex out there every night until the letterbox got sealed up.

Got a metal plate behind it now, courtesy of the Police. This time last year they were lurking outside SuperGran's overnight because she'd overheard one of our scariest neighbours tell someone else that they were going to stuff a lit firework thru her letterbox. She reported it to the Police on the non-emergency number then got on with her life.

What we didn't know til afterwards was that they were so concerned (scary neighbour being very scary) that they mounted a guard on her flat overnight. He didn't do anything but the Police witnessed some interesting criminality at other addresses so the night wasn't entirely wasted. Lurking at Shoebox Towers is always a good way to find some crims.

SG is cool as a cucumber; she's nursed for the Red Cross as a volunteer in war zones, so she can out-bollix some real hardcases without breaking sweat.

It often amuses me that these young men think they're sooo hard and that these little old ladies have never lived, whereas the likes of SG and her peers have seen and done stuff which would see them wetting themselves with terror.

I've had some gumph from Go Outd0ors and they have several preppish things in their sale which is on until 4th. Online and in stores. Inc a windup& solar radio. I shall be buying wellies (live on the flood plain). I really don't need to have a Leatherman Wave multi tool, do I?

OK, got to continue with making a Halloween costume, whilst surfing the internet and planning supper. I am Woman, watch me multitask............:rotfl:

short_bird

I know I've said this elsewhere today: reliable mechanical can opener or 2:D

Hillbilly1

2 excellent posts..

I need to read back about SG and Shoebox Towers!

Can opener noted... will check go 0utdoors for radio!

GreyQueen

Shoebox Towers is a notorious concrete tower block squatting in the centre of a small southern English city. Under it's RL name it's infamous among those tasked with maintaining law 'n' order in the region. If you need drugs, do call in; we have lots of dealers.............:rotfl:

SuperGran is the nom de internet of my friend and neighbour. She's a retired nurse, pushing 70, and one of the most fascinating people you'll ever talk to. All wrapped up in an innocuous lil ole lady package.

If I was ever tempted to underestimate little old ladies in the past, having known SG and met several of her peers has forever disbused me of the idea that they're innocent and harmless critters. SG knows no end of people and has connections in the most surprising of places.

Never judge a book by it's cover. Particularly if it's five feet nothing and busily-pretending to be harmless and a trifle soft in the head.

Butterfly_Brain

There is a programme on BBC1 tonight called Britain's secret hungry at 10.25 or it might be 10.35 ...It looks very interesting

sb44

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

There is a programme on BBC1 tonight called Britain's secret hungry at 10.25 or it might be 10.35 ...It looks very interesting

Britain's Hidden Hungry http://www.tvguide.co.uk/titlesearch.asp?title=Britain%27s%20Hidden%20Hungry may be worth recording.

sb44

Regarding storing dried food ie rice, lentils etc does anyone put a bay leaf in with their food?

Jut found this http://www.earthineer.com/content.php?blogid=1574 which may be of interest.

Also, is it ok to leave spices in plastic bottles for a long time?

I read recently that you should store things in glass containers rather than plastic, the person on the blog above says it is liquids that shouldn't be kept in plastic for long periods of time.