What have done towards your prep?

[Mortblanc]

I believe that many of us have come to recognize the folly of putting away more food with a 30 year shelf life.

The past year has also been a valid test of our "bug in" capabilities. Except for the various energy needs and public utility replacements we should have those theories well tested as facts.

Your list is different from my list, but your list is not "wrong". It is your list accumulated from a lifetime of study and analysis of your local and regional conditions.

My only observation is that it is a pity that you can not maintain a larger supply of life sustaining meds. I know that is probably out of your control and no need to feel it is a personal shortfall. You already know it is a problem and have done what you can.

The last of the meds equals our "expiration date" (note that I said OUR, since many of us are in the ranks of the frail and feeble) . No need to sustain a 10 year supply of rations if you only have a 6 month supply of life sustaining meds.

At this point the real question is; Are you happy with your list?

If so then call it "job well done" and go for a holiday in the camper. You can call it more practice if you like.

[Skean Dhude]

I'm happy with my preps now. Sure I could do with more meds but such is socialist medicine. I could also do with some small arms for protection but such is a nanny state.

[Pete Grey]

(27 August 2021, 20:49)Mortblanc Wrote: I believe that many of us have come to recognize the folly of putting away more food with a 30 year shelf life.

The past year has also been a valid test of our "bug in" capabilities. Except for the various energy needs and public utility replacements we should have those theories well tested as facts.

Your list is different from my list, but your list is not "wrong". It is your list accumulated from a lifetime of study and analysis of your local and regional conditions.

My only observation is that it is a pity that you can not maintain a larger supply of life sustaining meds. I know that is probably out of your control and no need to feel it is a personal shortfall. You already know it is a problem and have done what you can.

The last of the meds equals our "expiration date" (note that I said OUR, since many of us are in the ranks of the frail and feeble) . No need to sustain a 10 year supply of rations if you only have a 6 month supply of life sustaining meds.

At this point the real question is; Are you happy with your list?

If so then call it "job well done" and go for a holiday in the camper. You can call it more practice if you like.

Thanks for your comments MB, we both grew up during the cold war and the deprivation after WW2 and I find it does tend to shape your thoughts and your life, something later generations have missed.

As you say our stock of prescription medicines does fall short of our other preps. Unfortunately our doctors are only allowed to prescribe 28 days repeat medication at a time, and only during the last 7 days before the months supply ends.

Over time the way i’ve been able to stretch the blood pressure meds is to reduce the dose slightly a couple of days each week and built up a stock over several years, if there is ever a problem with getting meds I would half the dose permanently and carefully monitor my blood pressure, hawthorn tea is a good natural medicine for high blood pressure, you can also get hawthorn extract in capsules.

Am I happy with my preps ?, yes MB I am, I think i’ve done my best. I would say i’m at 95%, if it was 100%, it would mean I’d have nothing left to do. And yes we will soon be off again in the camper.

[Pete Grey]

As the price of building materials seems to be increasing exponentially at the moment, we’ve just stocked up on tanalized timber, it will be used mainly for fence repairs and in due course for a ground frame for mounting solar panels. We’ve also stocked up on compost for the raised beds.

[Straight Shooter]

Kicked over the generators after checking the oil , they fired up with no problems and are ready to deploy if there’s a power out . Not been firing on all six for weeks health wise so things have been very slow to get done , but they are getting done ! ......the test rig hydroponics has been repositioned and made a bit bigger ready for winter production .

Pickled some of my onions about ten pounds and I am on with the rest ( 8 kilo bag ) I bought last Friday .....they are small ...that’s what we like ! So I will be a while sorting them out , the firewood is all stacked out ready for winter and in plentiful supply , the truck will need new tyres before winter and that should complete the last of the winter preps .

Made some damson jelly along with blackberry jelly ,plum jam and some elderberry syrup , making some lemon ginger and honey this week to counter colds and flu .......been dehydrating chillies and tomatoes .......the apples have made a recovery along with the pears .....I will store some apples as I always do individually wrapped in newspaper and stored in a single layer in plastic trays , the runner beans have been good this year and are cut bagged and in the freezer along with other veg from the garden ........the bees have done well .....we now have six hives on the go ....over 125 pounds of honey this year , not bad all things considered ....we did loose one hive early on but introduced a few more colonies ............my brother is now in charge of the wine (damson) ....that will teach him to offer ! ......I would say charge on .....but I am walking on for a while .

[Pete Grey]

SS take it steady, we all slow down, I’ve got to the stage where I can only graft for three or four hours and then I only manage to do half of what I intend.

[bigpaul]

"slow and steady wins the race" remember the tortoise and the hare??

[Pete Grey]

Slow and steady I like

[Pete Grey]

Our coal merchant rang up to see if we needed any more, while they still have it on offer. I couldn’t say no - but fuel shed is already chocker. Now I must work out where to stack the stuff.

[bigpaul]

I havent seen a coal man for about 30 years, I think its all imported from Australia these days.
not many places have open fire places , all the new houses are all electric.
I dont think many kids know what a coal fire looks like never mind knowing how to lay one, that was my job as a kid, cleaning out the ashes and relaying the fire.