Preparedness for when

midnight_express

Popperwell wrote: »

Whatever our political views this is going around Twitter...and fits in with this thread...

☒ No money for the disabled
☒ No money for the unemployed
☒ No money for the NHS
☑ £8 million for a funeral

It’s called austerity.

Not that I've EVER been a tory or a Maggie fan but £8 million is a drop in the ocean compared to the billions spent on the disabled, the unemployed, and the NHS. In fact more is spent than is raised in tax.

[Deleted User]

Have just been doing a little reading on the H7N9 Flu in China, it seems they are developing a strain specific vaccine to deal with it and they are fairly sure it will respond to retrovirals in existence now. The next two weeks will tell if there will be a large infection rate in people and if so they are expecting a pandemic event but do not say if this is just within China or world wide. They have not yet found the vector for infecting humans with a bird virus according to all the available reports. Interesting times???

Paul_Varjak

Just bought a 2 man tent from Lidl. Cost just £14.99p. No fly sheet. Weight 1.5Kg. Quite happy with it after sleeping one night in the back garden.

I knew one of my cats would probably visit me during the night but what I did not envisage was that the cat would actually want to sleep ON the tent, rather than in the tent!

The Fresnel lens also arrived today so I just tried using it on a piece of char cloth and it worked just fine - producing an ember within seconds.

Popperwell

Tesco did something similar late last year and I let the offer go by. Lidl are a bit more difficult to visit but Aldi may do something similar in the future perhaps...I'd have to look into a sleeping bag of some kind too...

CUL8R

Popperwell wrote: »

Thank Kezlou perhaps I will have to have a look in town sometime soon...you want to see the fun I'm having getting home from the Arc on Thursday...

My first and probably only time...

craigywv, will do they snow again for tomorrow:( then again we seem to do ok in general...I'm quite good at packing a rucksack with plenty of decent snacks, drinks, fruit etc...and it gets lighter as the day goes on.

Cosy in bed with my clothes on, hot water bottles, had the heating on a little for hot water so heated the bedroom too.

For anyone with an Aldi some fleece jackets and items for those who like to walk are coming soon and this weekend filled mattress protectors well priced. Thinking I may buy one and that will add warmth and padding to the mattress.

Then should I use my fleece throws, HWB's or electric blanket again I'll be cosy even without the CH. interesting what you said about the coal situation...

Amazingly Kezlou, did I say I was impressed with Chester Le Street on Saturday going to Newcastle, seemed to have a fair selection of local and national shops, a market and all on the flat and next to each other.

Hi All
Been lurking and now would like join in. To pad the mattress I suggest that cheap single duvet from MrA or similar fits a double mattress so place under sheet with tapes or elastic sewn near corners to hold in place - might stay in place without. This is warmer but about same cost as mattress protector.
Bit late for this winter but may still be useful.

cul8r

pineapple

CUL8R wrote: »

Hi All
Been lurking and now would like join in.

Do you swear the Batty Oath of Allegiance?
Do you have at least 10 cans of beans under the bed/on the bookcase/in the shed?
Can you make a nuclear bunker out of a ball of string, some sellotape and a pair of marigolds?
Plus (important) do you have at least 5 bags of out of date pasta in your store cupboard?
If so - welcome! :rotfl:

GreyQueen

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Have just been doing a little reading on the H7N9 Flu in China, it seems they are developing a strain specific vaccine to deal with it and they are fairly sure it will respond to retrovirals in existence now. The next two weeks will tell if there will be a large infection rate in people and if so they are expecting a pandemic event but do not say if this is just within China or world wide. They have not yet found the vector for infecting humans with a bird virus according to all the available reports. Interesting times???

Scary, isn't it? 31 confirmed cases and 9 deaths, that's a powerful virus, all right. I've read a book about pandemic flu and the speed which it travelled the globe in 1918 was astonishing, never mind what we would have to cope with now. Here's hoping that the boffins are on it.

Hello to CUL8R, glad to have you with us in the Metal Haberdashery Dept, the more the merrier. A lot of us don't think about having covers underneath us as well as above but it really does work. One OS thing which used to be done in my family was to put a cellular blanket under the bottom sheet.

Been to work. Came home again. Rinse and repeat again tomorrow. I suppose I could do some housework. Technically, I mean; there's no just impediment other than idleness.;)

Paul_Varjak

maryb wrote: »

BTW Grey Queen, meant to say, Lidl seem to have a special offer on big candles at the moment. Can't really visualise whether they are good size for the price without seeing them but thought I'd mention

I'm not keen on candles, due to the fire risk. Much better to use LED torches and have plenty of spare batteries and a wind-up torch as well - yes Lidl do sell wind-up torches from time to time!

I also have a permanently plugged-in nightlight from Lidl, which comes on when someone walks near at night. If the mains fails the light comes on automatically and you can also remove the torch from its cradle and carry it with you.

If you need batteries and somewhere to store them (so they don't short and cause a fire) Maplin have a fantastic deal of 60 long-life alkaline batteries, a storage case and battery checker for £12.99p delivered! Other places would charge as much as that for just a battery storage case!

http://www.maplin.co.uk/extra-longlife-alkaline-60-piece-assorted-battery-box-with-battery-tester-532753

My aunt's neighbour died in a house fire caused by using candles in her bedroom and here is what shorting batteries can cause...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE7NFthtwXo

CUL8R

pineapple wrote: »

Do you swear the Batty Oath of Allegiance?
Do you have at least 10 cans of beans under the bed/on the bookcase/in the shed?
Can you make a nuclear bunker out of a piece of string, some sellotape and a pair of marigolds?
Plus (important) do you have at least 5 bags of out of date pasta in your store cupboard?
If so - welcome! :rotfl:

Don't usually swear but will make an exception just this time.
Have the required beans - different varieties - and I think I would include a crochet hook for the bunker.

No OOD pasta but old hoard of brown rice - does that count?

The cellular blankets are still in storage, folded below duvet on spare bed, an often overlooked storage area!

cul8r

Paul_Varjak

Imagine you have to prepare for an emergency 72 hour bug-out but you can only take three things with you, what three items would you take and why? There is a total weight limit too - just 1 oz (1 oz = 28 grams)

Here are the three things I would take (total weight < 5g)

1. A cloudless sky - that means it probably won't be raining so you have a chance of keeping warm and dry under the sun

2. A condom - it can be used as a water carrier and once you have filled up your condom with water you can use it as a magnifying glass to light a fire. If it is a super-stretchy condom you could also use it as a waterproof bivvy bag and a sling shot to kill game.

3. A tampon - use as kindling to light a fire or to stuff that bullet hole when the zombie killers shoot you!


I guess you get the idea - sensible and ridiculous answers equally welcome!