Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

Caterina, the plans you've made for up-skilling sound excellent and it will be great fun. I had to drive a pal to hospital in their car as an emergency matter late one night (hasten to add they had me on their insurance beforehand) and hadn't driven for 2 years at that point and was very nervous. Decided I mustn't leave it that long again or you can lose your bottle.

I gave up my last car in 1997 as cannot afford one but relatives are kind enough to have me on their insurances. Because of my age and full clean driving licence for 25 years, it doesn't cost them anything and it gives me a chance to practice every couple of months and gives us as an extended family a bit more flexibility.

I still recall the next door neighbour who was a bit trad in that she let the OH do everything inc all the driving, she didn't want to learn. Then he had a major heart attack and was in a hospital 14 miles away and she was walking past a car she couldn't use to catch rides with her many friends (inc me) or the bus.

OH recovered and had a few more years but she learned to drive PDQ and he has passed over and she still drives. I think it's important for us ladies to not get stuck in a mindset that he does certain stuff so I don't have to. And the opposite way for fellers as they can be in a heckuva pickle if they've always been catered to by mums and wives and suddenly the missus is in hospital and they can't even boil an egg or set the washer running.

Went into Lidl to stock up on t.p. and some tins. They have their Freshona brand of sweetcorn at 34p at the mo and it's in date til 2015 and of course will be perfectly OK long past that. I had 10. I also replenished the puree pile and got some of their tinned pink salmon (in date til 2016) for the parentals as they don't have a Lidl and really like it. So do their cats if they get half a chance...........:rotfl:

Prepping on...............

BTW, an entry-level bushcraft course probably won't involve hunting your dinner down. Ours was fully catered and our woodpigeons (to practice dressing birds for the pot) were delivered from a game merchant in a box already shot. It's a bit of a yeuch moment when you first do something like that but it's only the modern world which has allowed us to separate the living creature from the meat (in our heads) by having their flesh all neatly packaged. I found it slightly disturbing and at the same time liberating. A pal who was taught to skin and dress a bunny reports the same emotion. Kinda like taking responsibility for where your food comes from. Makes you feel a little bit more adult and in control.

Now I eye up the big fat woodpigeons on the lottie and think they better hope the S doesn't HTF or I shall be lying in wait for them with a net or a throwing stick, cackle cackle.

Caterina

D&DD you are on re. meeting up on my return, I have organised many an OS Meet in the past in SE London but never thought of IKEA in Croydon, will keep it in mind and will resuscitate the OS meet up thread to get some more interest. I know of at least 3 more London based OSers who would be interested (you know who you are, girls!).

GreyQueen thanks for the encouragement re. driving. I need to start it again and no fuss, just one of those things that got to be done, vital skill that could save a family member's life. Will tackle tomorrow, this is a promise. Re. survival skills I am not squeamish as such, when I was 15 I used to fish and then kill the fish with my hands (never gutted them though, my dad did that before cooking them), also when I worked as a postnatal doula (helper of new mums) I used to handle meat to cook it for my clients etc...but have been almost completely vegetarian for many years so unless it was a true survival situation I would really have a problem eating meat. Although I could be persuaded to eat some Prosciutto di Parma, well seasoned, or Saucisson Sec aux fines herbes LOL - good survival food!

Really, I should be in bed by now but been diverted by having had to warm up food for DH's cousin (he could do with a bit of survival teaching hehehehe). Good night for real now!

donnysan

I think the Mormons are absolutely right about their beliefs on always keeping a one year supply of food and other necessities on hand. Here's a nice article I found that explains what they do. I think more people should definitely follow suit.

http://www.mormonwiki.com/Food_Storage

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have long been encouraged to have a year's supply of food and other needed items. President Ezra Taft Benson said,
You do not need to go into debt … to obtain a year's supply. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage each paycheck. Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job. If you are saving and planning for a second car or a TV set or some item, which merely adds to your comfort or pleasure, you may need to change your priorities. We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now (“Prepare for the Days of Tribulation,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 32). Many outside the Church may find this practice a bit odd, or it may seem as if members are a little paranoid, but members are reminded:
The counsel to have a year's supply of food, clothing, and other necessary items is wise counsel for several reasons. A disaster such as a flood, an earthquake, or a snowstorm could hit a city or an entire region, cutting off roads and making it impossible for food and other items to be transported to the markets. Political unrest or strikes by truckers, shippers, or rail workers could interfere with the transport of foods. Other types of disasters, such as famine resulting from drought, hurricanes, floods, and even wars, have occurred in many countries and could occur again. When such disasters affect the entire community, food and other supplies often cannot be obtained, even if money is available. A family can also experience an emergency in the form of illness or unemployment that results in a lack of income, making it necessary to rely on home storage" (The Latter-day Saint Woman, 25:214). How are members supposed to start their food storage? Church leaders suggest beginning with the basic needs. For one adult for one year it is suggested that there be 400 pounds of grains, 60 pounds of legumes, 16 pounds of powdered milk, 10 quarts of cooking oil, 60 pounds of sugar or honey, 8 pounds salt and fourteen gallons of water (this amount of water will only last two weeks). While these basics are a good start, experts also suggest storing other items, specifically the items that your family will eat, since you are supposed to use what you store. For example, if a family has a small baby, or the mother is pregnant, it would also be wise to include baby food and baby formula.
The Church provides facilities such as canneries and dry and wet pack canning options to people wanting to build up their food storage. The items are always offered at cost. For more about food storage visit Provident Living, the Church's site to help members and anyone else achieve self-reliance [1].
Suggested storage methods and programs forwarded by wards and stakes include building up a year's supply of subsistence and emergency foods, as listed above, while creating a three-month's supply of consistently-used foods, including family favorites. The three-month supply would include canned soups, boxed cereals, and other grocery store items. Another program involves creating a 72-hour emergency kit for each member of the family, including copies of records, cash, food, first aid, emergency radio, reading material, a change of clothing, etc. These kits are usually compiled into backpacks in sizes related to the carrying abilities of family members. Extra items can be stored in a plastic tub or trash can. These kits are meant for flight or evacuation. For advice on creating a 72-hour kit, click here.

valk_scot

ginnyknit wrote: »

Do you think if we told Ikea that they are being used for preppers meetings they would help us out - free candles? they are very enlightened and would be interested I am sure.

Lol...they might also wonder if we're going to turn up with Bowie knives and crossbows strapped to our backs, no?

One thing I was thinking though...how about an Ikea Top Ten list for preppers? I'd put tealights and fleece blankets on it for a start, but what else? How about one of their little fold up trollies for dragging water, logs and vegetables around? Any suggestions?

Popperwell

Night Caterina...

I'm in bed, well why sit up in a chair listening to the radio when I can lay down and be warm and cosy...

GQ wish we had a Lidl here but again we don't have an Aldi until it opens it's doors in the coming weeks/months. Our Tesco's are selling sweetcorn for about that price...

They have Princess corned beef for £2 a can at present alright until 2017...still tinned new pots at 19p...the Christmas tubs of Celebrations, Quality Street, Heroes and Roses half price...I nearly succumbed and then changed my mind.

Butterfly_Brain

I was watching RT news and they have said that food prices are going to go through the roof.:eek: Increases of at least 25% on Corn, meat, cereals, pasta, flour, sugar, fruit and vegetables, not forgetting that we have yet another petrol/diesel price hike which will have a knock on effect on all prices in the shops and the recently announced fuel price rise (thieving barstewards) I think that next year is going to be tougher than even I originally thought, and I am a real doom merchant

D&DD

Caterina will look forward to it I don't travel much,got out of the habit by being pretty much housebound with the boys so will do me good to blow away some cobwebs as it were

I've a confession to make I passed my driving test when I was pregnant with DS3 and haven't driven more than twice since :o

Even when OH had cataracts..he drove until he couldn't then we cabbed to and from the hospital for his op *double :o*

My worries stemmed from the fact when I passed we had an older car and we desperately relied on it because of the boys mobility problems and I was literally terrified beyond all normal reason that we would be without a car if I pranged it..I have no such excuse now as we have a mobility car for DS2 due to his ongoing health issues but STILL I won't/can't/don't drive and my next door neighbour is a driving instructor who has offered to take me out for free to try and get going again .. maybe one day!!

grandma247

I stopped driving when 6 months pregnant with my last child who is almost 13. I had a few months when I went back to it when he was 18 months then stopped again until about 5 years ago.

Our car played up whilst at the allotment so I had to drive while dh pushed the car off. I did remember how to bump start it and dh just jumped in the passenger seat and made me drive to dds a few streets away. The rest as they say is history as I have driven ever since.

I am more scared now. Partly because of my accident last year when someone ran into the back of me while I was stopped at a roundabout and wrote my car off and also because in this town we have so many appalling drivers who do terrifying things. I am fine as soon as I leave the town.

meme30

Is it odd that I am curiously attracted to that I*ea trolley? I think it's the 'that will be handy for something' mentality!:rotfl:

I had a look at the 72 Hour Mormon thing, It's very comprehensive and as I read it, I was thinking that it would be too heavy for me to carry. I know I could not carry a gallon of water never mind all the other stuff! If we can't use the car I may need to think of something with wheels, because I can pull rather than carry! My brain is furiously thinking about sorting out light weight things!

[Deleted User]

Morning all, I would add some Ikea kitchen storage boxes to my top 10 list, the ones with the white plastic bottom and the transparent lid with a steam vent and a red plastic rim. They come in a few different sizes and shapes, go in the freezer, microwave and dishwasher. I've had some for years and they never go out of shape, still seal well and don't pick up smells etc. no matter what has been in them. They are so useful I would be lost without mine, Cheers Lyn.