Preparedness for when

grandma247

I think a kelly kettle might be good for picnics since you would not need to worry about carrying gas with you. Come to think of it it would be useful if you lived in the back of beyond and got stuck in snow in your vehical. You could at least heat water for a hot drink and if you happened to have a pop bottle or something to hold water you could make a makeshift hot water bottle. I have done this when camping last year on the North York moors. It was summer but I forgot how cold it can get up there and it was -4 during the night.

rachbc

I'm with you HJ - I had a certain degree of preparedness by virute of the fact I buy things in quantity cheap and so have stocks and we go camping (because its cheap). But its by accident rather than design.

HariboJunkie

Caterina wrote: »

Hobbies you listed are survival skills even if you don't think of them as such!

I know they are survival skills but as I can't envisage a time when I would NEED to use them I just see them as fun things to be able to do as part of a thrifty, make do and mend lifestyle which, to me is what Old Style should be about.

I'm sure kelly Kettles have their place but I am happy with boiling water on an open fire if outdoors or on the woodburner if at home. Again, I tend not to buy into [STRIKE]most [/STRIKE]any of the "must have" gadgets which are now de riguer on the OS board.

Not knocking anyone btw , just a wee bit worried that some people may be getting themselves in a state reading some of these posts. And I'm lucky enough to live in a place where there is unlikely to be a terrorist attack, flood, water shortage......or Zombie Apocolypse. I suppose the Highland cattle could revolt but they can't move very fast.

[Deleted User]

We have a kelly kettle and the cooking pots that come with it. It boils water really rapidly and will burn any dry vegetation, the smallest twigs get it going and then you can chuck in anything you find. We use ours in the garden in the summer and autumn and take it to the allotment when we're working down there. It's relatively expensive to purchase but so lightweight and useful to have around. We think it's money well spent. Cheers Lyn.

suburbanwifey

You got me interested in those Kelly Kettles. Just found their website, watched the video and ordered a stainless steel one for me and my OH for if TSHTF or at the very least, we can enjoy it and use it when out hiking. Looks awesome and I think a fair price for the facility to be able to boil water for a brew outdoors with bits of wood, pine cones, twigs etc. Awesome! My hubby will probably want to play with this in the garden when it arrives LOL

Caterina

HariboJunkie wrote: »

...I tend not to buy into [STRIKE]most [/STRIKE]any of the "must have" gadgets which are now de riguer on the OS board.

I know what you mean re. gadgets, I don't have most of them, I just got the Kelly kettle because some friends recommended it! I gave away my breadmaker and slow cooker (OMG how un-OS is that :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:) because I am also trying to go light on gadgetry.

Ultimately the greatness of this forum is that we are all so diverse but all have so many different ideas to offer to others and when we post them there is always someone who is interested in what we have to say!

[Deleted User]

HJ - we live in transient times and are not always the masters of our own destiny. It is better to be aware of what could happen in this world and make some provision for that possibility than to assume that nothing will change and it won't happen in your locality. I also think that the title of this particular thread is explicit enough for people who may be distressed by the content to perhaps not venture into an area of thought that will frighten them.

I hope to the utmost that you are right and that we live in a safe and secure place, if it was just down to me I would be able to guarantee just that, but, there are so many unknowns in life I would rather be a little prepared for the possibility that it might just happen,( perish the thought, even where I live) than to assume if the 'it' did happen someone else would solve all the problems and look after me and mine.

I remember the aftermath of the 1987 hurricane when we lived in Kent. We were cut off and told it was dangerous to go outside and had I not had my store of groceries we wouldn't exactly have gone hungry but having them certainly made life easier. In 1986 we had a huge fall of snow, it got to be 4' deep in the back garden and getting around was difficult. Even the local Sainsburys had supply problems with icy roads etc. and again we were able to not only be comfortable but also to help out neighbours when things ran down.

I think most of us make provision more for that type of event than expecting a life threatening event every second of the day, but the preparation is the same whatever you envisage happening.

I too hope that no one has been getting themselves in a state because of the content of this thread but, as I said in an earlier post we all have our own take on the level of preparedness we feel comfortable with and it's up to each of us individually to decide just that. Cheers Lyn.

P>S Keep an eye on those Highland Cattle

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you never know!!!!!!!!

rachbc

HariboJunkie wrote: »

I suppose the Highland cattle could revolt but they can't move very fast.

Now thats the scariest think I've read on this thread - shudder. I HATE cows - I'm fairly certain they are in fact plotting their revenge on us all!!

HariboJunkie

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I remember the aftermath of the 1987 hurricane when we lived in Kent. We were cut off and told it was dangerous to go outside and had I not had my store of groceries we wouldn't exactly have gone hungry but having them certainly made life easier. In 1986 we had a huge fall of snow, it got to be 4' deep in the back garden and getting around was difficult. Even the local Sainsburys had supply problems with icy roads etc. and again we were able to not only be comfortable but also to help out neighbours when things ran down.

!!!!!!!!

I understand about emergencies. I live in one of the most inhospitable parts of the country in some sense and we experienced 3 hurricanes in 9 months last year and the entire town was cut off by a freak snowstorm. I plan for emergencies in that I can cope in a powercut or period of ill health where we couldn't get to the shops, feed my family well for a few weeks (though I can't imagine having to do so for more than a few days even in worst case scenario), and I keep a wee bit of cash at home in case of a bank/atm problem. I am just struggling to see the need for huge stockpiles of food and water, expensive gadgets and the ability to carry out some of the skills listed above. To me they would only be necessary in a true Armageddon situation and if that ever happens I will be standing outside with my family hoping to be the first to be hit by the meteor/contract the killer disease/sucked up in the mushroom cloud/eaten by the zombies....(delete as appropriate).

Anyway, I was only curious as to the scenarios being envisaged on here. As Caterina says, it's a diverse bunch of people on OS.

ginnyknit

A good friend and I have always said we would hate to have to deliver a baby - you know those random fears we all have. When her daughter went into labour it was rather faster than one would expect, we are 10 minutes from St Marys maternity hospital and karen couldnt get anyone to open the doors and let them in so she had to deliver her grandbaby in a mini in the car park. When my dd went into to labour we were stuck in traffic and I did at one point think I would have to do the same but luckily everything slowed down. i did help deliver DGS and can honestly say I would never like to do it again, unless it was totally necessary.

the thread is for those with an interest in prepping and meant to make you feel secure in the knowledge that in any bad circumstance you are looking after you and yours so please do not get stressed. Like I said before, its an insurance policy with no premiums to pay