Tuesday, January 4, 2011

New Spark

I was reading some other posts over the holidays and like I said before, it seamed everyone was lining out what they plan to do this new year. One in particular is http://womanrunswithhorses.blogspot.com/ .
Her blog "Hoof 'n Barrel" created a spark in me and the wife on being prepared and ready.
I call it "IT", with "IT" being whatever it may be. Like for instance, being laid off from work, a sudden disability, natural disasters or yes even the end.
Now I am not real big on the whole "The world is coming to an end" thing because I plan to be taken before all that happens. What I am worried about is all the other "ITs". I understand you cannot be prepared for every "IT" but with some preparation, "IT" does not have to be so bad.  If I am prepared for lets say a lay off from work, then I could get a stocking job at Walmart for a few months till something better comes along and still be ok.

So that's what I have been working on the last couple of days. I have compiled a list of everything we need to live on for at least six months. I started with a one year supply list but quickly found I would have to build another barn to hold it all. I am feeding and providing for a family of five and I asked myself, "Where am I going to store 100 rolls of toilet paper?" With a six month supply of everything we use and under those conditions, I bet we could stretch that supply out to eight months if we needed to. I need to loose some weight anyway.

She is working on a blog post to let everybody know how her and her husband have set it up and how they did it. She has helped me on mine and now I am ready to get started.
Just to see where I stood at the present, I took a quick inventory of my pantry to see if "IT" happened tomorrow how would I be set up. I hate to say it but I could not last a month without needing some help. Scary hu.  So check her blog out and see if you learn something. "IT" might just save your life.

This is the way I look at "IT". "IT" may not happen or "IT" may happen in just a few minutes from now. If I am not ready for "IT" when "IT" happens, then "IT" will be devastating. If I am kinda ready for "IT", then "IT" may not be as bad as "IT" could be.
(I just wanted to see how many times I could use "IT")       

To sum it all up   "IT" happens.   (If you did not think that's funny, then something is wrong with you)
 

10 comments:

  1. Now THAT is funny! I need to check on my stash too. I don't think I could last a week right now. I'm out of toilet papaer. lol. Good post!

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  2. Aw, shucks, Redneck! You made me blush and then chuckle all in the same post!

    I'm glad you found the list useful in starting a list of your own. We ALL have different needs/circumstances. Now I had better get busy on that how-to post, huh!

    : )

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  3. For those women in your life, they might want to look into making their own menstrual pads out of cloth. Saves a heck of a lot of money and you dont have to stockpile all those items either (too bad I didnt know about this before I quit) Saves room in the trash too. DH also has extra ammo. We have started buying silver coins as well just in case the dollar becomes worthless. I have been canning and dehydrating food stuffs as well. Been down the road where we only had mac and cheese to eat and dont want to go there again. I also have been making sourdough (saves on yeast), kefir (fermented beverage that you flavor with juice) and kombucha (also a fermented drink which if you leave it go long enough turns into vinegar ask me how I know this :) We also have been getting a lot of seeds on clearance (get the heirloom varieties) and then I plan on saving the seeds from them so we will always have seeds to sow. I also got some foraging books and have been reading up on that as well. Can never have too much information on surviving.

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  4. I swear you and I are long lost twins! I am going through the same thought processes. We are also a family of 5 and could probably last 2 weeks if IT ever hit the proverbial fan. I'm adding your blog to my newly created blog http://halfassedacres.blogspot.com/. I'm learning alot from you, so keep it up!

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  5. Steve, My twin,
    I just read your first post and thought it was a great start on your new adventure. Keep up the good work.
    Thank you for the comment.

    Denise,
    It only took the women in my life to say "Heck No" on that stuff. So I guess the cashier will have one puzzled look when they see me at 6'4" and 280 lbs buying cases of pads. LOL, that will be funny right there.
    I have the seed stock to last a while and plan to rotate some new ones in this year. We do use the Heirloom varieties and this was our first year to save seeds and found out we did not get all the moisture out of the ones we put up. You can guess what happened!
    I am interested in kefir and the kombucha. I have never heard of them. I think I want to look into them a little more.
    Thank you for the comment.

    WWRWH,
    I was hoping I did not pressure you on the post but now you have too. I am looking for it every day. Thanks again for getting me motivated. Thank you for the comment.

    SFG,
    In a situation like that, that is why you buy so many paper towels. Thank you for the comment.

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  6. I'm working on it, Redneck, but don't hold your breath. You might pass out before I get it posted! Most of my writing time for serious stuff is on the weekends. I'll give you a heads up when I'm close though. Might even let you have a sneak preview. Never hurts to have an extra set of eyes looking for typo's or confusing content.

    : )

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  7. I did not know this was getting serious. LOL
    I will be looking forward to seeing it.

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  8. there a lot of preparedness web sites out there also that can be very helpful congrats on the desition a very wise one

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  9. Anonymous, I have read a few sites the past few days and got some good pointers about product shelf life. Other than that they all say about the same on what to stock, but each give a different opinion on where to store the items.
    Thanks for the comment.

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  10. denise you shut your mouth about using cloth instead of faminine protection pads its gonna have to get awful hard before I would go back to them things about the same as washing cloth baby diapers very yucky so just keep those kind of thoughts to yourself if we do have a whatever it is going to be hard enough on the women without adding that to it

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