Preparedness for when

fuddle

Course fishing is only time consuming if the person holding the rod has not got the skill to be able to use kit appropriately to the conditions around him or her.

in SHTF scenario, time consuming or not, our family would be better off using the skills DH has in abundance.

NewShadow

1Tonsil wrote: »

Just a quick visit to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We had to cancel our trip to the UK as my husband was diagnosed with Myeloma and had to begin three cycles of chemo immediately here in Greece where we live. His spine is so fragile because of it that he is not allowed to travel anywhere.

He is about to begin his third and last cycle and the medical treatment here has been amazing. The consultant has been wonderful. The good news is that the first two cycles killed off most of the cancer cells and he is very close to remission. He may need the bone reconstructed when he finished the chemo, but we would have to stay on the mainland at the university hospital for that. Hopefully it wont be too soon as they are going to get very heavy snow fall for the next week and very low temperatures which may get as low as minus twenty over the new year celebrations.

We got some of our money back from the flights and the train tickets for the cancelled journeys. We would have been in York and then trying to get to Glasgow by train in the worst of the flooding! We have been following the news and have seen the terrible damage done by the floods. My heart bleeds for those affected.

Apparently this was her last post in December - Well done for noticing CTC

NewShadow

fuddle wrote: »

in SHTF scenario, time consuming or not, our family would be better off using the skills DH has in abundance.

Plus I enjoy it

Frugalsod

NewShadow wrote: »

I guess the only thing left, really, would be clothes? Or am I missing something?

I'm about half full atm.

Personally I would look at something to sleep in under and on. Without that you could be very cold and wet. Sleeping bags, mats and a tent or tarp would be a start.

It all really depends on the scenario that you think is most likely for you. For me as someone based very close to home a get home bag for when I go away is more important as bugging in is now my preferred solution.

If things get hairy when you are home you might want to prepare a better bug out bag from all your supplies, so having modules will be a great way to make sure that you have everything you need for a bug out. It also allows you to rotate food items in the modules more easily. Also depending on your skills and those within your group take things that will maximise those skills.

GreyQueen

Morning all.

One thing which has come to my attention in the last few working days is the amount of ex-pat Brits who are contacting us about registering to vote. Some of them have been overseas for 30-40 + years and are LIVID that you lose your right to vote in UK elections after 15 years overseas.

I personally think that should be 1 year, but I don't get to write the laws. Of course, if these very long-term ex-patriates had been in contact with British councils more recently, they would have known that they were long out of eligibility to vote. They haven't been interested in parliamentary elections, or local elections, they want to be registered so they can vote in the EU referendum.

Interesting times, hey?

moneyistooshorttomention

One thing striking me is that I cant recall anyone mentioning contraceptive issues if it came to a major SHTF situation (as some anticipate) - ie society itself not being normal for however-long.

Personally - a few "home comforts;)" would help the situation along (if applicable - ie partnered-up).

Just a thought - ie ensuring one didn't have to give up sex for the duration in order to ensure no "unwanted outcomes".:rotfl:

Me - I didn't want children anyway. So it was easier for me to think that one through and take appropriate action. I got sterilised and that was that sorted "once and for all" and I know one of my reasons for that was the concern that my Society might do a U-turn on being pretty liberal about providing The Pill/legal abortions and then I'd have a problem on my hands. Society didn't do that U-turn in the event (and Pill/abortions remained available as long as I would have needed them for) - but it was reassuring to know nothing Society did (or didn't do) could affect my life in that respect.

For anyone who does intend to have child/ren in future - and remain in control as to whether and when though - I guess that equals building up a stash of The Pill just in case.

In all seriousness - with the way the NHS cutbacks are going - do check out cost/availability of getting an abortion privately if need be. I'm hazarding a guess at around £2k or so of savings to one side specifically for women in the relevant childbearing agegroup??? The worse aspect would be if medical technology was no longer available post-whatever to even do one in the first place - in which case Hobsons Choice of having years worth of The Pill stashed away or doing without sex.

moneyistooshorttomention

Re 1Tonsil

- just caught a glimpse of today's online newspaper articles (and going back to read the article) but headline probably pretty much sums up the unpalatable truth for Greece

ie about the fence that has been put up across Macedonia (understandably). Of course - we know fences are going up everywhere to try and stop the sheer mass of people trying to get into Europe. The headline talks about Greece being "sacrificed" to save the EU.

I guess logic says that if those who want to keep the EU together are so determined that they want that at all costs - then..yep....I guess it would be Greece paying those costs (ie being a bottleneck where all these people get trapped and have two options). Wonders whether these people would then go back home or stay put in Greece? If they stay put in Greece - then...yep...it would indeed be Greece sacrificed to keep the EU together.

I guess the harsh truth boils down either the EU breaks up (please! crosses fingers for that!) or the EU turns Greece into a "holding pen" basically.

It sounds awful put like that and I see it as all the more reason for the EU to break up - not to put Greece through that.

Frugalsod

GreyQueen wrote: »

Morning all.

One thing which has come to my attention in the last few working days is the amount of ex-pat Brits who are contacting us about registering to vote. Some of them have been overseas for 30-40 + years and are LIVID that you lose your right to vote in UK elections after 15 years overseas.

I personally think that should be 1 year, but I don't get to write the laws. Of course, if these very long-term ex-patriates had been in contact with British councils more recently, they would have known that they were long out of eligibility to vote. They haven't been interested in parliamentary elections, or local elections, they want to be registered so they can vote in the EU referendum.

Interesting times, hey?

I suspect that they are doing this because of concerns about their pensions. If we exit will they get the same sum paid to them or will the rules be changed so that it is fixed in local figures.

As for the stability of the EU staying together I suspect that Finland could have a referendum sooner or later as their economy is being crushed by the strong Euro so to devalue their currency they would also have to leave the EU. Exit moves are also rising in Netherlands and elsewhere. So even if we do not exit this year this issue will not go away.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Money, this subject has been covered in earlier posts,

I thought you said you didn't want kids because of your very low pain threshold ??? Not becuase of the potential stop of the supply of the pill???

You can not build a big stash up of the pill, plus yes have a small stash of medication, BUT be realistic. Your stash of whatever medication can go out of date, plus its putting extra unnecessary financial strain on the already NHS which is on its knees!!
Yes a small safety net stash of a week or two, for emergencies, due to weather etc.. Is OK.

Thanks newshadow, for finding 2 tonil last post.. I really do hope everything is OK with them both. I really enjoyed reading her posts. As I felt it gave us a proper view of what was actually going on... Plus she sounded like a really lovely genuine person

NewShadow

One thing I'm really not getting - and forgive me if this seems ignorant or racist (I don't think it is, but might be wrong) - Why are we treating the people coming here like migrants?

Why don't we treat them as refugees?

IE (to my mind), don't give them passports and integrate them, give them all a little photo identity card and take their fingerprints (No little red doors or bracelets). House them and feed them and educate their kids if (they want us to). But don't let them apply for work or benefits.

When everything's settled down in Syria - put on transport to help them go 'home' with supplies to start repairing and rebuilding.

Yes, some people will stay illegally (which happens anyway) and some non-syrian migrants will game the system for free food and housing (which is happening anyway), but at the end of it they won't have built an entitlement to benefits (no proof of legal right to remain, no NI number!) and can get shipped 'home' with everyone else.

(I know, I know, too much bureaucracy, but still...)