Preparedness for when

ginnyknit

We ran a guinea pig rescue centre here for many years and have had some sorry cases but they all thrived and lived well beyond their years. I only fed them guinea pig food and any greens I could forage and they rarely needed a vet except one who came with a bad chest. DD realised he didnt sound as bad when she had the radio on in their shed whilst she was cleaning the hutches out so we used to leave radio 3 on for them. One day I went in and they were avidly listening to a programme on depression - I told Dd that might make them all a little fed up so she should change the station :rotfl: We only have one mini rescue rabbit at the moment as I dont have the time nowadays but he is the most spoilt little thing who lies on his back in my arms whilst Im checking out the garden.

My heart goes out to the farmers, its a hard job at the best of times but this weather is heart breaking for them - and obviously us when it filters down to us. We need to sow any pot we can find even if its only salad leaves, chives and carrots. I think we will be grateful for any fresh veg we can grow that will cheer up a meal and add vitamins etc. Its also good for your spirits to grow anything.

Ida_Notion

ginnyknit wrote: »

One day I went in and they were avidly listening to a programme on depression - I told Dd that might make them all a little fed up so she should change the station :rotfl:

I can believe that. I used to have a little black gerbil who only ever took any notice of the telly when Crimewatch or true-life murder documentaries came on. They can be very picky

westcoastscot

I recall inheriting a pair of guinia pigs - the first thing the kids asked whas how do you eat them (we were crofters at the time). I felt sorry for them and let them free range in the garden, they went into their wee house everyday until spring, when they disappeared under the compost heap - we were overrun then! Fabbie wee things they were (and no, we didn't eat them - although my sister told that when she lived in cyprus they ate them on a stick!)

Paul_Varjak

I am still preparing my 'bug-out' bag. I just ordered a waterproof/floatable 30 litre backpack...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overboard-Prosport-Dry-Backpack-Litres/dp/B007FAOKJ0

Chose a waterproof bag as we live on a floodplain!

Also ordered a 2m/70cm handheld transceiver for the bug-out bag, which means taking a radio licence in order to use it - around 25 hours of study followed by a 25 question test. I would then be able to transmit up to 10 watts on the amateur bands, rather than being restricted to the PMR446 0.5 watt unlicensed band.

I already have an Eton Scorpion wind-up FM/MW/SW radio/torch (£20 on eBay) and will consider getting a waterproof mobile (around £60) and a Personal Locator Beacon (£200+) to complete the communications equipment for the bug-out bag.

boultdj

Errmm.....if you need parsley a.s.a.p. for the g-pigs then get 1 of the living pot from the supermarket and split it, you should be able to get at least 4 pot's out of it, and if you have trouble getting parsley to germinate try a couple of thing's, first 1 is soak the seed's over night, it help's soften the shell of the seed, and the other thing is pour warm water in to the composte then plant the seed's, don't ask me why that 1 work's 'cause I don't know, but it alway's worked for my Gran.hth.

pineapple

westcoastscot wrote: »

although my sister told that when she lived in cyprus they ate them on a stick!)

:eek::eek::eek:

Popperwell

I have been using the CH an extra hour daily and been snuggly using an electric blanket...phoned my meter readings in today and gas/electric use has doubled for the month:eek:so back to hot water bottles. I paid an extra £31.50 on the phone by credit card.:mad: I did not think blankets were that expensive to run...

GreyQueen

Evening all.

Still largely devoid of the white stuff down here but I guess that could change any day now. Gut-wrenching to look at the pix of farmers struggling with drifts and dead livestock. There was a picture of this one guy standing in the collapsed lambing shed. The weight of the snow brought it down on the ewes and lambs. He looked so shattered and defeated............ poor bloke.

I went about preptastic matters this aft when work was done as I decided that my courier-style workbag (which contains some emergency supplies also) simply wasn't suitable. Have treated myself to a 30 litre ruckie half price, which is a Karrim0r but a 'town bag' as my backpacking type pals would call it. I have several bits (bags and footwear) of this brand and it's good stuff IMO.

I like it because it has contoured straps, a waistbelt and a chest compression strap, all handy if you ended up carrying quite a bit of weight, and yet is plainish black with grey trim and looks perfectly normal in an urban environment. Looking normal is important, particularly if you carry some unconventional supplies.

And I fulfilled the intention to have a survivial bag (one of those strong plastic thingies in blaze orange) when I found one half price at £2.49. There was a lot of other bits and bobs which I would have quite liked but don't need so I restrained myself.

Mrs LW, I experimented with Mr Mash today. It's perfectly edible although I left out the salt you're supposed to add. I tend to avoid putting salt in stuff. Now it's been roadtested, I can add a few cartons to the preps. Lot faster if the fuel is scanty to make spuds that way.

I expect that the recent appalling snow will cause some people to start walking on the prepperish side of the street once it's all over and they can get out. It must be downright miserable to be stuck at home with insufficient supplies of food and warmth and think that, for want of a bit of prepping, you could have been a lot more comfortable.

Quick Q; I saw one of those little square stoves which comes in it's own carrycase today onsale but didn't have time to study on it. Could someone tell me if they run on gas bottles, or if their fuel supply is included in that size? How much use do you get from their fuel and how much are refills/ new cartridges (whatever you call them)? They're sort of about 18 inches square and in rigid plastic cases. At £14.99 I was tempted.....

ETA Pops, I know you're on a very limited income but if you look at it from the perspective that you're paying an extra £1 a day to be warm in the coldest March in 50 years, I would consider that a reasonable trade-off. Pls don't skimp the heat, the consequences for your health won't be good.

VJsmum

I have been thinking about Maslow's hierarchy of needs - you know, as you do (motivational theory). it seems to me that we have got so used to striving for the higher tiers (esteem and self-actualisation) that maybe we have forgotten the lower tiers (physiological - breathing, food, water etc and safety - security of body, health, property etc), or at least that we take them too much for granted. Maslow says that only when you have achieved these basic requirements can you be motivated to move up the hierarchy. I think nowadays we do, or at least have, taken jobs, food etc for granted - we think of them as a right and are therefore less keen to be motivated to achieving them.

But actually, these lower tier requirements are now under threat - parts of the population do strive for the designer handbag or the posh car (self actualisation) without actually having given attention to the lower tier (food, house, job) and now that they have to again - they are not happy about it. In my mother's and certainly my grandmother's time paying the rent, putting food on the table, ensuring people had work were the necessities and they would no more have thought about aquiring a designer handbag than fly to the moon. Food, traditionally would take a far larger proportion of the household budget than it does today. According to one map Ive seen the UK spends 8.8% of its income on food - Indonesia spends 43%:eek: In 1960, the US spent 26% of its income on food and 13% on housing - by 198 food and housing were much more equal at 18 - 19%.

Of course, we are all far more aware now, that there are nice things are available and, well, why shouldn't we have them? (this is "people" thinking - not me, I couldn't give a monkey's for most of the stuff available) and we see ordinary people having them - and, well, we are worth it. I keep saying I blame Maggie and, partially, i do as prior to that time it never occurred to the majority to just go and get what we wanted without having the means to pay for it - credit cards and loans were things to be feared.

Oh, and I have just received the most horrific gas and electricity bill, even though we are prudent users so god knows what others' must be like.:eek:

[Deleted User]

GQ glad the Mr Mash is ok, I find it perfectly acceptable, it is vastly improved if you can add a little margarine or butter to it, but it stands on its own very well as an emergency food. The other thing that I find useful and very acceptable is instant oats, own brand is fine and again you only have to boil water, a consideration if fuel is in short supply. You're right that some folks will start to think about taking responsibility for thier own wellbeing and prepping for difficult situations because of the cold weather we now have, but people have very short memories and give them one week of spring sunshine and the winter problems will be forgotted, mostly, a few will carry on and learn lessons.Cheers Lyn xxx.