THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

[Deleted User] · 14 July 2018 at 10:04PM

frosty wrote: »

You can buy chargers that recharge ordinary batteries ( for anyone who doesn't know).I have never tried one.

Since I won't be using it on a regular basis, I'll be OK with disposable batteries.

A pack of the AA batteries I mentioned above, will give 10 sets for this lantern.

[Deleted User] · 14 July 2018 at 10:54PM

Just done a quick test of the lantern, and it's very (almost uncomfortably) bright.

I plan to leave it running overnight, to see how long the batteries last.

silverwhistle · 14 July 2018 at 11:41PM

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

The put downs don't actually bother me MAR I've the courage of my own convictions when it comes to prepping for anything.

I think the degree and _what_ you are prepared for makes a difference, and perhaps some people take it to excess?

It seems the case that in the US the movement is associated with right-wing nutters with guns, and perhaps some of that has rubbed off on the general view.

I'm not a prepper and the fact that I've something like 7 dozen bottles of wine, plus various spirits, is unconnected! Decent stocks of flour, yeast and tinned anchovies too, plus other stores mean I'd still eat well in the short term. At least two winters fuel for my stove in the wood store.

So power outages would not be too bad an issue. I think the danger is envisaging extreme chaos, as although I can wield a mean and sharp wood splitter, I'm not sure I'd be able to defend my 80 bottles!

Any major issues will be political, which is why I am slightly uncomfortable with the more individualistic manifestations of prepping, which deny the necessity of group and social solidarity. I don't include this thread in that category, by the way!

[Deleted User] · 15 July 2018 at 8:37AM

Define extreme? on the other thread someone actually questioned the validity of talking about tea from bramble leaves in 2018, couldn't believe it was being raised as an idea, Bramble leaf tea Honestly? was the response. Extreme unconcern perhaps, total inexperience perhaps, complacency perhaps? I prepare for an uncertain future not so much with physical things although we will keep a reasonable store of food and water and have some tools and camping equipment to let us at least have a small chance of going to a safe place in the event of something untoward happening no matter how unlikely that seems. My real prepping weapon is knowledge and knowing how to do things old fashioned 'country' style. I can make a shelter to keep us dry, I can forage for edibles that won't poison us, I know how to find and make clean drinking water, I can do rudimentary flint knapping, at least well enough to make a cutting implement. I know how to make cordage from nettles, flax, tree bark, I know how to collect springy boughs to make a warm raised bed and 'punk' in the form of dry leaves etc with which to fill my shelter on top of my bed to keep us warm. Is this extreme? or is this just knowledge that has gone from the mainstream because of the very manufactured and 'pampered' safety of 21st century life? I don't feel line an extreme person, I'm a 70 year old grandmother so why is there so much derision to knowing things today that were common knowledge and existed for centuries before my own grandmother was born?

Changing tack altogether I've just been watching the CNN news on the television and heard possibly the most frightening thing I've ever heard in my life, the interview was with an American university professor who is at a UK university and his take is that Donald Trump sees Vladimir Putin as his preferred partner along with the Chinese Premier in controlling the world, sees that as a power base to run things with and sees the EU as competition he doesn't like. If there is even a grain of truth in that as a statement I'm terrified at the implications!

[Deleted User] · 15 July 2018 at 8:44AM

I have planned for my multi fuel stove with a flat top, to slow cook a casserole or slow boil a kettle. I have a le creuset whistling kettle for my induction hob, takes less space than an electric kettle. I am not sure if I would need a heavy flat bottomed kettle for the new stove but later, I still have to wait for the survey results.

Then, when I am in, I need to stockpile fuel. I am hoping to find a nice delivery driver who will back up to the garage and carry the 20kg bags in for a few yards, rather than dumping me with a pallet. If not, the alternative will be what I always have to do with heavy sacks, to roll into my 2 wheeled barrow, wheel in and tip. I am more inclined to get the smokeless oval eggs because thay are hotter and more efficient than logs. Reading the blurb, I would need to get logs that are < 25% moisture anyway.

Food prep will be much easier but I have to work out storage. At present I have a vermin proof cool, dark place. It is going to have to be cans in the garage and flours etc inside. Maybe I will find a metal animal feed container, I used to have 3 big ones for horses. I can always get food delivered and will have to be in bulk, ready for this winter

[Deleted User] · 15 July 2018 at 8:51AM

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I'm a 70 year old grandmother so why is there so much derision to knowing things today that were common knowledge and existed for centuries before my own grandmother was born?

they deride to cover their own ignorance because thay haven`t got a clue. Most youngsters cannot even knit spin or sew because `they haven`t got time` I quietly grin inside my head. Haven`t got time! yes right, we had less time in our day but never made a fuss, we got on with it. Maybe it was because we were content with the simple things, including second hand free furniture and lino. As another 70 year old grandmother, I just keep my mouth shut and my thoughts to myself when anyone mentions the time factor, while putting a rm pizza in the oven

[Deleted User] · 15 July 2018 at 9:18AM

The lantern was not as bright, but still lit this morning, so a set of batteries lasts a good 8 hours.

VJsmum · 15 July 2018 at 9:22AM

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Changing tack altogether I've just been watching the CNN news on the television and heard possibly the most frightening thing I've ever heard in my life, the interview was with an American university professor who is at a UK university and his take is that Donald Trump sees Vladimir Putin as his preferred partner along with the Chinese Premier in controlling the world, sees that as a power base to run things with and sees the EU as competition he doesn't like. If there is even a grain of truth in that as a statement I'm terrified at the implications!

I think there's more than a grain of truth Mrs LW, particularly about Pootin (the way Americans pronounce it, I always want to say rootin' tootin' Putin), I am not sure if the Chinese are their allies or rivals. I am following the Mueller investigation very closely, waiting for impeachment, and the hold the Russians appear to have over trump, is really unfathomable. And began back in 2012 / 2013 with trump wanting trump tower in Moscow and staging miss universe there.. The cyber interference in the American election (yes, and Brexit, as I read from Carole Cadwallada in the guardian) aided by Cambridge Analytica and Facebook and others was unprecedented and all geared towards the break up of NATO and the EU. Although I think it may have had the opposite effect on the EU as the other countries are looking at ours and going "maybe we'd better stay". Time will tell, I guess

I think knowledge is power and shared knowledge is even better. I appreciate your posts on old methods. Even if I think I wouldn't necessarily use some of those things, I really appreciate you sharing it so that we can pick and choose what we need. Thank you.

Talking of people knitting, I was on a train on Thursday and there was a man, a massively built man, sat there knitting a tiny purple hat... How fab is that...

[Deleted User] · 15 July 2018 at 10:00AM

The weather is making it easier to prep my house for photos, except for windows which I will try and do in the cool first thing tomorrow. I can dry towels quickly and put away out of sight. MrsLW said that her house was not looking like a home any more, mine still is but it looks like a show home, rather than my home. Everywhere is light, airy, spotless and fresh and the feng shui flow is in place. I will be glad when the photos are done but daren`t go back to normal, in case my EA has a passing vendor, before the house goes on rightmove in september. They just need to realise that I cannot leave until late october at the earliest

I got yet another tip from mrsLW, re colour coding my packing and have ordered upteem packs of 19mm peel-off coloured stickers. Very good tip

I am still thinking about vermin proof storage and tbh it is going to have to be freezer drawers. It can be on at a higher temperature but would be very effective for food prep storage. I am going to look for a suitable freezer as I write and know that beko is good in a garage but will have to have drawers

edit; one prepping problem is solved, yes the tall beko is perfect. It has deep drawers and can be put on at -14 so is freezing but slightly cheaper to run, anyway only costs about £30 a year to run and will be brilliant as another spare freezer. I have a small beko chest freezer in the garage, over a few winters and it runs perfectly, filled with empty lock n locks right now and switched off

jk0 · 15 July 2018 at 10:55AM

Here's an odd one guys...

Remember I mentioned my credit card got hacked, so I had to wait for a new one? The new one arrived on Friday. However, in order to function in the meantime I had linked my debit card to bPay and Paypal, and also set it as my default Amazon card.

I have not used my new credit card since getting it, so it should not be on anyone's system as an option. However, I just bought some items with Paypal from Jolliman, and I was given the option to pay via my debit card or my new credit card.

Spooky, eh?

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THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

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