Prepping: the new world...

Floss

I received a message 2 weeks ago from my GP practice (immuno suppressed) to book my flu & covid jabs - booked in for early October

annieb64

We have our flu jabs booked for 4th October.Managed to get them at the same time this year. Usually I get the text and book mine then by the time DH goes online to book his all the early slots have gone.

We are now too young for the covid jab although since DH has Parkinsons I did wonder if we would get offered it

DigForVictory

@annieb64  I do commend asking anyway, before the clinic. It’s easy enough to put a covid booster in the other arm if they have it out if the freezer already (and monitoring space set up - not all flu jab clinics do).

sammy_kaye18

Hello all
Just popping in to say hello. 
Have been having a heck of a time lately and have lost 3 family members literally within 3 weeks of each other and then me and OH got struck down by some sort of bug and missed one of the funerals. 

Thank you for the reminder about flu jabs, I didnt get mine last year as I was running round like a blue bummed fly but I will this year for sure and making sure the kids have it too. Husband always puts up a fight and mopes even though he has asthma that he doesnt want it so if he gets sick then its on him and I get my 'I told you so!' moment. 

I have been busy looking at a few preps lately. 
 - I invested in a bread maker and whilst I haven't perfected it yet, the bread has come out tasty and edible so thats a bonus. 
- Also invested in a small electric teppenyaki grill plate to make cooking quicker and easier and baking from scratch more. 
- Slow cooker has been dug out and using some frozen veg for soups etc. 
- I also brought some pizza pans and plan to make homemade pizza to stock the freezers and make more on hand meals. 
- I have found a small local butcher, greengrocer and bakery so I am able to shop more independently and I'm learning to make friends and see them often. 
- I found a small farm local to me who also sell eggs and honey as well as meat. 
- I am making plans to start making raised beds for the garden and despite growing hardly anything this year due to time constraints I'm going to use the winter to get it ready for next year. MIL is getting rid of a double divan bed and I plan to use to wood from it as construction materials.
- Brought two power packs that also have a jump lead option for cars too as well as torch and various plugs
- looking into a solar panel for black friday. 
- looking into under counter USB charging lights incase of power cuts. 
- lists of items we actually eat / use. 
- clearing out unnecessary items to make places for a stockpile or needed items

Also I dont know who said about their medicine cupboard and throwing old paracetamol etc but I had no idea it had a BB date but I need to tackle that next and start getting some bits in before the cold/flu season starts. 

Has anyone had any experience or have a recipe for fire cider? Do you find it helped? 

Im looking for natural ways to keep us all healthy especially since my son is a security electrician and will potentially be around elderly and vulnerable people, husband is asthmatic and my daughter is 15 and in school still so will likely either pick up or be the carrier of said lurgies! 

Cherryfudge

sammy_kaye18 said:

Also I dont know who said about their medicine cupboard and throwing old paracetamol etc but I had no idea it had a BB date but I need to tackle that next and start getting some bits in before the cold/flu season starts. 

Ideally, hand old or unused medication in to a pharmacy as they will see it is disposed of safely (away from kids, pets etc). Other things that go out of date are face masks, hand gel, disposable gloves and bandages. Who knew! I don't remember the reasons for all these but obviously in certain cases the materials break down and don't protect us anymore.

boultdj

If you get the beds done before mid october @sammy_kaye18 you can set japaness onions, they over winter lovely in the UK and you harvest about june time the next year, also it's the last time to sow broad beans like the dwarf Sutton, both can go in now till then if that's any help.

fionaandphil

You could stick some rhubarb in before winter and get an early crop in the new year - ask around as people often share it when it gets too big 

Cheapskate

Evening preppers, been MIA for a long time but need to return to the fold due to some big life changes that mean finances will be squeezed hard from this autumn/winter  


Everything has to change, but that's a lot all at once, so for now I'm going to focus on reducing my huge food bill, get the chimney swept, chop up wood in the garden to store inside, order smokeless fuel, and do a food stocktake.

After next week, I'll have more headspace to work out what else I need to do and get my teens on board.

Off to read back, have really missed these threads.  

suzeesu2000

Over the last few weeks I’ve been doing a stock take of what I have on the pantry shelves, in the freezers and the medicine chest.
I've written a list of all the things I need to stock up on. Will be a little difficult as I don’t want to do any shopping in September. 

When I do start to restock, I shall be watching prices very closely. Sadly unable to go to shops as disabled, so Aldi and Lidle are out but I do compare prices online to get the most for my money - I squeeze every penny til it squeaks!

We’re currently eating from the freezer to try to make proper space for proper meals. It’s slow going but we’ll get there. 

Night night all, sleep tight xx

sammy_kaye18

Welcome back @Cheapskate
I have been dipping in and out for a few months but feel ready to get back and tackling things

This morning I have noticed that my polytunnel has apparently taken a bit of a battering and some of the seams have split and its now sitting at a wonk. So I need to try and get a dry day to get outside and fix and tackle it. I also want to move it to a better location. I plan to use the winter to get it sorted and ready for growing next year whilst a lot is out of season and gardening supplies are a bit cheaper or reduced.

 
I also had to pick DD up from school on Wednesday not feeling well and she has been off since with a heavy cold I suspect but there is some virus doing the rounds which is causing dizziness, nausea (tummy issues) and fatigue which is only reaffirming that I need to really go through the medicine cupboard and make a list to stock up 

so we spent yesterday trying out a new biscuit recipe, and then I used the last of the frozen tomatoes from last years harvest to make a tomato and roast pepper soup and now have 3 portions frozen in the freezer for the colder months.

Today Im going to focus on moving over my winter wardrobe and putting the summer wardrobe away
Have some more tomatoes to find a recipe for and need to either buy some duct tape or see how much a polytunnel replacement is!