Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Radiation rots zips.

Hence, Chernobyl fallout.

S'alright, I'm a gurl, things falling out zippers aren't my problem..... great gag, tho.;)

DD&D, thanks for that wiki link, I read the bit about UK farming restrictions with fascination. I had no idea there were any still in place; from memory, the radiation-affected sheep sort of dropped off the media radar after a year or two so I'd assumed that had sorted itself out.

Amazing how things just keep on keeping on in the background. I'm sure TPTB are just loving how dozy and easily distracted we are.

Been pulling the domestic enviroment around a bit this evening. Working on a deeper level of stashing in case the primary stash gets looted. I'm sourcing smallish insulated foodbags as they're a great way of holding cans neatly in groups and very portable. I'm storing a mix of foodstuffs in each one, thinking that if I had to bug with only one in hand, I'd have a mix of types so there's starch (spuds), protein and fat (tinned fish), sweety stuff (tinned fruit) and indulgence (pkt custard). Prolly would have a nutritionist spinning but covers most of the bases.

I have just done a trial fill of a new water carrier which is in the bath so that I can double-check she's sound. Imagine the nuisance factor of finding emergency supplies were defective when you went to use them?!

Was gardening at the weekend and having brews on the lottie with the KK. Going to be doing a lot more of the over the warmer months - assuming we get some of those. I love getting something for nothing esp if it makes a cuppa.

Coming plans include; a really strong trolley (poss a sack barrow), a couple more ordinance survey maps to refine my knowledge of the area around this city. I intend to do some recce bike rides out towards the hometown, to practice routes and timings. It's 30 miles from here to there.

Time was, I'd think nothing of biking 30 miles in an afternoon to burn off some excess energy, or biking 15 miles to my Nan's, be there by 8 am, do a whole day's decorating and bike 15 miles home again. Not anywhere near than now but need to test myself and see how far I can reasonably go.

I shall choose a pleasant day and pack a picnic and nobody will know I'm a prepper following The Way of the Grey Goat.*

Ooof, need caffeine. Laters, GQ xx

PS. The Goat is gonna be my personal emblem as they're wily and agile and clever. And Grey for greypersonhood, which we cultivate as part of our OPSEC. And Way because it's a play on a martial art form.

PPS I have a multicoloured belt in The Dreaded Origami already. If vexed, I can fold people up into really uncomfortable positions, artistically, of course.

twiglet98

GreyQueen wrote: »

If vexed, I can fold people up into really uncomfortable positions, artistically, of course.

GQ I enjoy your posts immensely - and many, many others on this excellent thread (I wish I had something to contribute, to balance what I learn) - but this just had me splutter with laughter and I spilled hot chocolate down my clean pyjamas, mercifully not the keyboard! Not laughed for a while... it could be a good habit to cultivate.

GreyQueen

twiglet98 wrote: »

GQ I enjoy your posts immensely - and many, many others on this excellent thread (I wish I had something to contribute, to balance what I learn) - but this just had me splutter with laughter and I spilled hot chocolate down my clean pyjamas, mercifully not the keyboard! Not laughed for a while... it could be a good habit to cultivate.

Thanks for the compliment, and I'm really sorry to have been the cause of a laundry incident. Although the number of times I've read something hysterically-funny on these threads and nearly spat tea all over my monitor.............:rotfl:

The Dreaded Orgami was my Dad's joke in response to my learning aikido. I left home at 16 and the parental units worried about my safety out in the big wide world. Then I did some classes and they started to worry about other peoples' safety near me.........:rotfl:Well, I'm nearly 6 feet tall, and know some interesting ways to pull people's joints around from the way nature intended them to go. Well, transferrrable skills and all that; one never knows when the ability to throw someone around might come in handy.

We gurls have an advantage in throws; even when matched against a bloke of identical height, we have a lower centre of gravity which helps. And having been thrown the width of a gymnasium by Mighty Mouse (all 4 feet 10 of her) I can testify that this is true.

I'd like to do aikido again but you do end up being thrown around a lot and smashing face first into tatami mats which is why I used to wear contact lenses back in the day. Wear glasses now and they're not really compatible with training and I don't want to have contacts just for classes. Decisions, decisions.

Plus, a lot of aikido involves throws, which means strangers are grabbing you by the wrists and you end up with finger-shaped bruises, plus friction burns from where you go flying across the canvas. I used to spend a lot of time as a young woman explaining I really wasn't having such a interesting sex life.......

Anyroad, I'm betting you do have something interesting to contribute and should just jump in there and do it.

Today's cunning plan involves going to t'office and talking to many dozens of people on t'phone. I could tell you how I did it but then I'd have to kill you.

Nurse! More tea needed! She's talking nonsense again!

Stage direction: GQ wanders over to the kitchen to put the kettle on, looking out the window as she goes. She doesn't recognise the white van pulling up outside, nor the little men carrying a very unusual item of apparel with longish arms......

thriftwizard

I think I probably need to keep an eye out for the men in white coats here myself! Been super-busy; I've taken a stall in a nearby Vintage/Retro warehouse which is opening a second building this weekend coming; until last week it was a scooter repair workshop & the floor & walls were indescribable! It's been a bit of a challenge to cover them up & make it look homely & inviting, for as near free as possible. So I've been haunting the Tip & snatching half-full tins of more or less any light-coloured paint out of the hands of baffled declutterers, and poring over Freecycle & Gumtree to find things the right height, width & depth to make the most of my tiny floorspace. Then painting them! Half the other stallholders seem to be doing beautifully-painted furniture; all I can say is, due to time constraints, I'm no threat to them! But in my case the dresser, sideboard & rattan shelves are just a backdrop/display surface, so I'm not going to fret about it.

I'm reluctantly parting (or at least, I hope I am) with the bits of my kitchenalia collection that aren't in regular use. I'm looking at the little Spongs & Moulis sat folornly on the shelves down there & wishing them loving new homes - they aren't bright & shiny any more, but by golly, they work, and they work better than anything you can buy in our overpriced trendy Kitchenware shop. And they'd stand you in far better stead in a SHTF situation than a posh stand mixer that relies on a 'leccy supply. Crossing my fingers that some people Out There know that...

VJsmum

Morning all

Well the SHTF for a friend of ours over the weekend. Went away to visit parents and came back to find the dishwasher had caught fire and destroyed the kitchen and caused severe smoke damage in the rest of the house. Luckily they had closed the kitchen door and the fire was contained and burned itself out. They now have no kitchen and all the fabric components of the house are being sent away to be de-smoked. They have to go and buy complete new wardrobes for 4 of them.

Luckily (if that's the word) they have a caravan, so that is now on the drive and they are bugging out in that until all is sorted. I offered my halogen oven, others offered other bits and pieces but they say they are ok in the 'van.

Just goes to show, you never know what's round the corner.

I am off to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) today. It is one of my favouritist places in the world - very "zen". If i get any tips I will share them anon.

BessieBooBoo

maryb wrote: »

Glorious sunshine today, almost too bright for me as I had my second cataract op on Friday and I now realise it was like having sunglasses on a lot of the time. Everything is so bright and vivid!

Making a big effort this year on the growing front as I think this awful spring will result in big price increases in food costs. I've always grown runner beans but never bothered to freeze them as I always had tons to use up. I think I will try and stock the freezer this summer and grow some broccoli and cabbages to have some fresh veg in autumn. I've only really done summer veg up til now plus some onions and potatoes.

This may seem obvious to anyone who does garden on a regular basis but why do people pot on seedlings before planting out or transplant seedlings raised in a seed bed? Does it achieve anything that you couldn't do just by thinning out?

Hello MB

(Waves to all)

We are only amatuers but, when we planted seed outside, at the first sign of growth, slugs ate the lot!

When we planted seeds on, grew them to a better height (not as young and tender), then planted out, we had better luck, still some slug damage, but obviously not as appealing.

So, we are getting are seedlings bigger first (also, its too cold to plant them yet).

HTH

BBB

[Deleted User]

VJsMUM lucky you, I love CAT it's an amazing place, enjoy your visit. I hope you get some dry weather there today, have a good one, Cheers Lyn xxx.

BessieBooBoo

D&DD wrote: »

Is anyone making/taking any extra precautions for the 10th? Just asking as kim ping pong is still ranting away about stuff..
I've not really done anything different besides double checking my essential stores and moving my water storage containers/purifying stuff to a more easily accessible place.

Hello D&DD

Not doing anything; we have stores, alternate heat/light/cooking facilities anyway, BOB's, carBOB, not much else to do.

My fey anntenae aren't even twitching. All these stories on NK, and now wall to wall MT, whilst the benefit and tax changes are being introduced quickly & quietly.

Whats happened to news on these?

Bliddy tories all waxing lyrical, back-stabbing hypocrites who couldn't wait to get shot of her; not my cup of tea....

Anyhoo, keep on prepping, cos the politicians don't give a flying fart about us until election time. Are we periwotsit, traditional workers, the new service poor? Just words/labels... totally meaningless.

We are PEOPLE, who just want to earn a living, keep a roof over our heads, fed and warm, and look after our families and friends.

Personally, I don't want millions/billions, don't get the point of all these politicians or business types wanting more and more, especially if they can take off the rest of us.

Doesn't make you lot happy, you're too busy scared of the masses and looking nervously over your shoulders in case someone wants it.

Yawn. Sooner be in the garden listening to the birds, watching the (surviving)wildlife, see the veg grow, pootle around home, enjoying projects. Just a little job to keep the wolf from the door, enjoy the banter with work mates, see family, a couple of treats like the flicks, I'm easily pleased....:D

BBB

BessieBooBoo

D&DD wrote: »

Well the Cobb was a short lived escapade as my Dad has been taken ill,Mum has had to have the doc home as he took a turn for the worse this afternoon *why does the older generation have such a stiff ruddy lip a refuse to go to the docs*? Cue much panic from me and the boys were lucky to get a bit of slap it on steak and some burgers incase we had to rush off..

So if I suddenly evaporate into the ether you'll know why but for now you're stuck with me

OH gave me Lakeland vouchers for our anniversary *whoop* so will have a meander on there later.

D&DD so sorry to hear about your dad. Sending you a virtual (dodgy) hug :grouphug:, hope he gets well soon.

And its a bit late, but, happy anniversary to you....

BBB

[Deleted User]

BBB I don't know about easily pleased, you sound to me like a mature and sensible person who has her feet firmly in reality and her proprities in the right order, you are so spot on we are PEOPLE not numbers, not inconveniences, not vassals but PEOPLE who have thier own agenda and it's to survive and survive well, not score points off the opposition parties, europe and the rest of the world!!!!!!! Thank you for speaking out for normality and sense, good on you, Cheers Lyn xxx.