It is always interesting to read the latest posts on this Forum, and I would like to direct this question to the chaps.
I notice that many of you are interested in the bushcraft, hunting, weapons, well basically the macho manly stuff, posts. The more family-based postings related to healthcare, food and some sorts of food production seem to be given the cursory pass (as if that's the easy part, and now back to the real cowboys and indians stuff), but do you have any ideas how your spouses/partners are going to react in a SHTF situation? Do you think they will be cowering indoors while you man the barricades? Will there be a lot of eye-rolling at yet another lot of chap-stuff; this while your partners start to prep up the next meal? Are they tolerant of your prepping-related activities or do they think you've lost the plot?
I ask because I know my own reaction. Luckily OH is a calm man and would no doubt consider the situation before taking action. Great stuff. In no case, however, am I going to hoick a bag over my shoulder and trek off into the unknown because there are troubles brewing, and I suspect many women would simply roll their eyes and start hoovering.
Do you [/u]think you really know your partners?
Mrs Bucket is the weapons expert. One of the reasons I married her.
She's American (Utah- California border) so knows guns and pretty much knows how to hunt and kill a million time better than me, as that seemed to be the main pastime over there for her family (also the reason I don't tick her off)*, so leave that to her.
In a SHTF situation think she'll be the one tooling up while I'm cowering indoors - I've explained before that the serious prepping was her idea, I'm just trying to catch up.
* Or her Dad, he has an empty shield on his hunting wall (deer heads and the like) with my name on a bronze plaque.
This is a very good question Mary.
I believe that I'm in a very fortunate position where I have a supportive wife who understands the need to prep. She isn't fanatical about it as I am, but if we had to bug out, we've already spoken about which pets will be let free into the wild, which will be put to sleep, and which will come along with us. Obviously, discussion about what to do with bugging in has been spoken about a lot, and we're in the process of converting the garden as well as developing our joined skill sets.
I just asked her and her exact words were "I'd either be really f**king good or really f**king s**t." But she was referring to the emotional level stuff, more than anything else.
With regard to medical and dealing with blood...she's on it and ready as can be. Not squeamish or anything, studied the human anatomy, and is able to suture. She's a damn good shot (better than me, I am happy to admit). Not got green fingers though. Can rebuild/fix a motorbike pretty well. Not bad with a knife. Punches like a beast. Can run a marathon......I have never laid out her brilliant qualities like this. I've married G.I. Jane!!! haha
All joking apart, she genuinely is remarkable.
Lacking a few skills, and sleeps like a hibernating bear, but other than that, she's up there with her ability to survive, I think.
In the case of my own family, both of my aunts served in the US Army during WW2, one as a signals operator and Japanese linguist and the other as a surgical nurse, both in the CBI. My mother was a welder in a ship yard. My grandmother worked the farm with the assistance of POW labor during the war. In rural America self reliant and independent women can still be found, who have not succumbed completely to the brainwashing of modern society.
I cannot say the same for the younger urban population, not raised by Depression babies and war brats who understand hard times. Time will.tell.
My late wife?
We met in a historic reenactment camp. When we married we had 5 vehicles between us, 3 SUV and 2 pickups, two trailers full of camping gear, a caravan and enough tents to sleep more then 50 people.
The first Christmas present to my new bride was a custom made Kentucky flintlock rifle I spent a year building, along with powder horn and shooting bag.
She was an Army vet, same as me, and she was among the first groups of women that were combat trained to the same standards as male troops. She qualified expert w/M16, .45 auto, ran her 2 miles in 8 minutes and met all other requirements.
She was trained to operate forward aid stations. That is where the medics bring the casualties to await airlift to a MASH unit. It's bloody, gory, and dangerous work, usually right in the line of fire. She came home to run ER STAT labs for 25 years.
She had to sons, who she raised as a single parent. Both boys went to the Marine Corps and did 5 combat tours in Iraq between them. (The immediate family had 8 combat tours on 4 continents among us)
After we married I started gardening the back yard. She was not into that but did ask for her own herb patch and did not hesitate to scarf down any fresh veggies I brought through the back door.
Me having and maintaining preps seemed to make her feel more secure, especially the food stores. I never remember her every questioning the necessity of a case of canned veggies or Dinty More beef stew, although she did make comment on the brand of chili I once purchased. Not the purchase, just the brand!
She insisted that I put together 72 hour kits for each of the boys when they married. Oddly enough the drop dead gorgeous girls they married thought that was a fantastic idea. Big family camping trips became the high point of our summers, grandbabies and all.
We were not "bug out" people, but I always knew I had my own army behind me. My own army and responsibility for a bunch of DILs with babies and no way they could survive roaming like hobos across the countryside. The only way we would leave the house was if a cloud of poison gas was coming out direction.
And even if I were not at the house when trouble happened, I would have pitied the poor fool that tried to do harm to that woman, her boys, her DILs or the grandbabies!
No, I never worried about her giving up, not holding up, or whining.
The real problem, she ruined me. I do not anticipate ever finding another that will measure up to her.
wife can shoot pretty good, knows all about herbal medicine and was brought up in a country cottage with no mains water, electricity or drainage then went to work on farms again with no mains services, is a country girl, hates the city nearly as much as I do, and is 100% behind me with regard to prepping and survivalism.
Yeah, she'll do as she's told
