ABY #16: Water, water--oh, and did I mention water?

My 16th ABY: Water purification system

If I could add anything else to this, it would be:  Extra filters, extra water purification tablets, extra stored water that I know is already clean. Translation: More, more, more ways to make sure that available water is clean, and that there is plenty of drinking/cooking/cleaning water available...

You may recall that my first ABY was water. Can't underestimate the importance of water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation purposes. Just sayin'...

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

Answering a question, and people can trump a GPS

I was asked in an e-mail for help in contacting other preppers. The best way I can think of to contact other people is to go to this site  and when you go to this page  on that site, send an e-mail to American Prepper with your questions. Did you know that the founder of the American Preppers Network is from Idaho? Yeah, he's the one to ask....

Happy 2012! We headed south for a few days on a road trip right after Christmas, and someone was generous enough to loan us a GPS  (global positioning system) to take with us so that we would hopefully never get lost. (As a side note, my husband has about the best sense of direction I have ever seen, and really doesn't get lost, but the GPS is still an interesting piece of technology to work with, so there it is.) It can be amusing to listen to a mechanical voice give you directions, even  (or perhaps especially) if "her" directions to "make a legal u-turn" when possible sound suspiciously like "make illegal u-turn" when possible... 

So anyway, we headed on our merry way. The borrowed GPS we used is handy because you can feed in an address, and it will then give you directions to the desired location. It worked really well most of the time. It was the two times it, shall we say, "got confused" that showed that common sense plus previous research on a location is priceless regardless of how much technology you are working with. 

Example one:

Ah, this was kind of a biggy... the GPS was programmed to take us to a particular address in a given city--and asked us to exit at a non-existent exit many miles in advance of the city we were actually traveling to. Fortunately, my husband knew enough about the area that he didn't even entertain the idea of taking the route offered, and reset the GPS. There's no shame in asking for directions if you can find someone to give them to you, but it might be a tad bit embarrassing if you are in the wrong area altogether and the people you stop to ask don't know what you are talking about. (Or they do know what you are talking about, and realize that you are about 30 or so miles off-course...) 

Example two:

We were in the aimed-for city already, so we were looking for help from the GPS  with the more detailed directions. Thing is, the location we were looking for was a pretty large building from what we understood, and the GPS was leading us out in the middle of nowhere....so of course we turned around, and just looked for it with our eyes. When I think back on that experience, I think the GPS was "turned around" somehow, because we passed what could have been the other end of a street we had seen when we were following its directions--if it was, it was a looonnngg street. In any case, the only way we got there was to look around, use common sense, and ignore the GPS...

So, what's my point? I guess in this case, one point that can be made is that it is best to think of technology as being the back-up plan in an emergency. If we have technology (electricity, and all that comes with it, as an example) woo-hooo, (seriously) our lives will be that much easier. We just have to know what to do when the technology isn't working, electricity or no. What could we do if the things we do with technology were no longer available? 

For example, what about lighting? If you read my most recent post on my other blog, you will remember that  one of the things that showed up as Christmas gifts were a couple of flashlights, to replace flashlights that had somehow disappeared from where they should have been. Those new (and older, truant flashlights) have a place to be so that they can be found when the lights go out. If the older truant flashlights had been unavailable during a blackout, we would have had to fumble our way to our candles and matches. And hopefully there would be daylight before we had to devise a plan C, if necessary. 

Technology is great, but sometimes fails, and common sense and ingenuity can come to the rescue if necessary. Having somewhat recently reread The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, I am intrigued by the "button light", I believe it was called, that Ma made when they ran out of other means of lighting. It involved a button, a piece of cloth, and some oil...if anyone already knows how to make this, please share. In any case, I will most likely look up how one is made, because I loved the ingenuity of it. When the family ran out of fuel, they made sticks of hay to burn, the method for which is also described in the book. The sticks burned quickly, but they kept the family alive. 

So, yeah, I pretty much figure that people can think of new ways to do things when they have to, and can figure things out when technology just isn't working right. I just figure it's best to have as many back-up plans as possible to deal with such events before any back-up plans are needed.... 

  

Have you checked your tires lately?

Well, the long and short of it is I hadn't about two weeks ago, and so one of my tires decided to "check out" on its own.

At the time, I had a child in the car with me, and we had just recently entered a really busy highway. Suddenly, I heard a strange noise, (although I have had a flat tire before, I always discovered that I had a flat while the car was stationary, so this was a new experience for me) and thought/did the following:

1. Turned off the radio, and thought, "Is that my car?"

2. Thought (very) briefly that it might be the wind, since I had increased speed, but even though it does get windy in Idaho, it doesn't get that windy.

3. Checked the dashboard, thinking that something was wrong with the innards of the car, since the sound was coming from that direction. There was nothing wrong.

4. Started to smell burning rubber, and immediately started to look for a place to pull off the road. Unfortunately, at that point of the highway in question, there really is no place to pull off the road, and it was right before an exit ramp. There is a white line that indicates the edge of the road, but after that there is very little concrete, and a lot of hill sloping immediately downward. So not a lot of options, considering the above-mentioned exit ramp coming up.

5. Pulled off the road, as close to the edge as possible, put on the hazard lights, and called my husband, who was, fortunately, not very far away. Then I, and the child accompanying me, exited on the hill side of the car, and waited. I figured if one of the many cars passing by bumped into the car, we wouldn't want to be anywhere in or around it.

Ok, I am the first to admit that I should definitely know how to change my own tire, but I don't, even though I have been shown how before. Thing is, in this particular situation, I wouldn't have changed the tire even if I had known how--I was unwilling to even go around the side of the car and see the extent of the damage done, due to the location I was in and the amount of traffic going by.

Then, YAY, an Idaho state trooper stopped behind me. I was impressed by how much this state trooper helped us, though I never knew his name.

He came up and I told him what had happened, and that my husband was on the way. He asked if my husband was in town, and then said, "Is that him?" and yes. Yes, it was. He was backing up to my car.

My husband proceeded to work on the tire, and the state trooper moved his car out so that anyone coming toward our car would have to go around him. Then he got out and helped my husband, and they were done in like, no time flat. No pun intended.

The state trooper then asked how long I had been waiting before he showed up, and I said, "Oh, five to seven minutes." He then said that they try to patrol the roads so that no one has to wait long for help, but sometimes in the more isolated areas it takes a lot longer. He was very nice, and didn't have to help my husband, but I am so grateful that he did. It was a dangerous spot, and he made it a lot safer. He also went above and beyond the call of duty. He deserves more than a YAY!, but perhaps and maybe he will see this post and know how much we appreciate his help.

Soooo, turns out that it was the tread on the tires that was bad that caused this unfortunate situation. Now we have a good tire in place, but I feel that I was blessed in many ways when this happened to me:

1. There was no snow on the ground at the time, just as there is no snow on the ground in this area as I write this. When I think about how slick the roads can get around here, and try to imagine what slick roads + flat blown out tire + no place to turn off to speak of when there is good (but windy) weather, well, it doesn't add up to anything good.

2. I had someone to call that could help me, and if my husband had been farther away, the state trooper was there quickly, and as mentioned, he made it a lot safer by locating his car to minimize the chances of an accident as the tire was changed.

3. We had a good tire, (not a donut) as the spare, so I didn't have to worry about the spare blowing up on my way home. Which is where I went immediately, and was not late for something I had to be home for. (Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about "donuts" so the likelihood of one blowing out on my way home is not something I know a lot about. However, I did feel better that I had a regular tire as a replacement.)

So, I reiterate, have you checked your tires lately? I am surprised that we haven't had more snow yet, at least in this part of Idaho, but it does give us more of a chance to check (and if necessary) improve our situation before the roads get slick...

Nothing like the 31st...

...to make you realize that you have once again procrastinated, and it is past time to post those things you have been thinking about writing about...

First, a huge thank you to those who have contributed information on Idaho on the last post. If you read the comments, you will find varying opinions about Idaho and a lot of info. There is also a comment from my friend Carl, who asks a very specific question about a particular region. You can go to the comments section under the last post for the comment in its entirety, but the following excerpt is where I come to my readers for help:

"We are looking at Idaho again, but I am concerned about hospitals in the Northern Idaho area near Spokane. I am wondering if any of your readers can comment?"

I will ask around here to see if I can get some info, but thank you in advance for any information you may be able to offer on this specific area!

On another subject, at an emergency preparedness presentation I attended recently, there were a couple of things that stuck out that I don't remember seeing mentioned anywhere else on the internet, or at other presentations:

--The presenter asked if we kept a permanent marker in our 72-hour kits. Turns out that when Hurricane Katrina and all the accompanying problems happened, that families would sometimes need to be separated, and some parents had the brilliant idea to write vital information on their childrens' arms in permanent marker--things like contact information with important phone numbers, etc., so it would be easier for the families to be reunited again. I can't remember what was specifically said, (and that is what is wrong with procrastination) but it seems that things like medication information for children and/or others who might need help with such issues might also benefit from having it written down where others can see what is needed and render aid.

--When a sample 72-hour kit was presented, there was an empty gallon jug attached to the backpack, so that when this person and their family were headed out the door, they could quickly fill it up, and have the "extra" water with them. No doubt it would be a little heavy, but like I always tell my children, even if you have to lighten your pack, you keep the water...I wouldn't expect my children to carry an extra gallon, but I can imagine that there would be great benefits from the adults to carry one each, and if you are able to fill it up before there are water issues and are able to stay home or evacuate by vehicle, all the better....

And, you have probably heard about the prices on peanut butter going up--this article has more information, and in the video in the article, has the percentages for some brand names for how much, as well as when, the prices are expected to rise. This to me is one of those examples of how it's good to have a couple jars/bags/containers of products you use regularly put aside, so that you have a little leeway on when you have to stock up again, and can hopefully hold out until you have coupons and/or a sale...Unfortunately, the massive price increase on some brands of peanut butter have already started, if I have understood correctly, and the others will not be far behind--stock up on what you can, while you can, if peanut butter is one of your preferred preparedness items....

Thanks again to those who commented on Idaho, and thanks for coming back to read despite my procrastination--hope all is well with everyone!

Scarcity is at the very least annoying....

Scarcity in good times is annoying. Scarcity in an emergency situation is worse, worse, worse--at best, best, best...

I have run into various levels of scarcity lately, and the first I will mention here involves ground turkey, which I generally buy in a 3 lb. package, brown, and store in the freezer. It held steady for a long time at either $5.58 or $5.38 (I think it was $5.58, but I am striving for accuarcy here :). Then one day, I went to get some, and was surprised (probably shouldn't have been, considering how long the price held steady, but I was..) to find that it was now $6.22. Still very reasonable price per pound, considering the prices of other meats, (and in comparison with prices at other stores, from what I've seen) but still. Who doesn't want it for less? So the price had gone up.

Thing is, I went back for some more, and the display case was empty. I was in the position that at that point I didn't need to buy turkey, so I decided to wait. If memory serves the following then happened: I went back two more times, and each time the display was empty. So I decided to ask an employee when there would be more ground turkey. Very kindly, she went in the back to see if there was any ground turkey back there, but to no avail. I asked her when the turkey would be replenished, and was told that she didn't know exactly, that I should probably try in the mornings, and that it generally disappeared pretty much as soon as it was put out. As a result, because by the third time, I did need the turkey, I asked my husband to pick up a 3 lb. package on his way home from a different grocery store. The price on that package was $7-something, although it had a different fat content, but the real difference was this: The $7-something package was in my hands. Sounds like something that they would put on a TV commercial, and then say "priceless".

If you are still reading, :) my point is this: I could have used something else for dinner, so at this point, scarcity was an annoyance. What happens when you have no other options? That's when scarcity becomes much, much, more than an annoyance and turns into an emergency....

One other example: when it comes to macaroni and cheese, there is one brand that I buy that (a) my children like, and (b) is cheaper than the (seems like ever-upward-spiraling prices of) other brands. Soooo, every time I go to the particular store that sells this macaroni and cheese (it's a store brand) I pick up a couple of extra boxes usually at 2/$1.00, and on good days, or with coupon, 3/$1.00. Last time I looked, that brand was gone. There were other brands, but the space for this particular macaroni and cheese was eeemmmmppppttty. So there wasn't a scarcity of macaroni and cheese, per se, but the kind I wanted, and I knew that my children would eat was unavailable. My point? Serving my children something that they don't really like during an emergency situation is so much less than ideal that I'm trying to avoid it. I still have some boxes of said macaroni here, so again, scarcity of it right now is more a matter of annoyance and inconvenience. But in a case where there might be less fuel available to cook (pasta's pretty much a quick-cook meal) scarcity could turn into so much more...

Hope everyone is doing well, and stocking up at prices where they are now (read: steadily rising) even if it's only one box of macaroni and cheese at a time--or even better, at 3/$1.00. It may not seem like much, but it all adds up, and it will be priceless if there should come a time when you can't get whatever item you are looking for at any price....

Gotta love info from other blogs....

Not that much from me in this post--just links to a couple of posts that you might be interested in:

1.) On my other blog yesterday I mentioned the cost of tortillas (and will ask the same question here: Has anyone else noticed the price going up? I didn't buy tortillas last time I was shopping because the cost of a large package was closer to $5.00 than $4.00, which to me was not worth it...) and linked to the tortilla recipe that I use, which is here. Then, imagine my surprise when I headed over to Preparedness Pro, and there were not only many uses for tortillas in this post, but also many that you might want to check out the comments there as well, since there are more great ideas there too--gotta love variety and options.

2.) Over at My Adventures in Self-Reliance, there is a great list of some sales that you might be interested in. The more money you can save, the more you have with which to prepare for emergency situations... :)

Well, thanks to My Adventures in Self-Reliance and Preparedness Pro for sharing their info--sometimes one of the best ways to prepare is to gather as much information as you can...

But what about medication?

I recently learned about a situation where someone went in for a spinal tap in order to get symptoms diagnosed. After waiting the designated time period for the results, an appointment was made so that there could be an analysis made about the findings from the spinal tap. The person received a call the day before the appointment and was told that the appointment was cancelled, due to the fact that there could be no analysis made on the spinal tap because there were no test kits available.

Well, one might reasonably say, send elsewhere for the test kit. Another lab, perhaps. This person was told there were no kits available at another lab. In fact, there were no other kits available throughout the person's state.

In fact, there were no kits available in the entire country.

This hits me as wrong on many levels, not the least of which is that the person in question had to undergo a spinal tap when there was no way that it was going to be analyzed. (Which begs the question as to why it had to be done at all, if there was no benefit to be had...) But the person relating the particulars of the situation to me said that in many cases, the U.S. as a nation is dependent on other countries for many of our medications, and that many people who need such medications would find themselves in trouble if we were to be cut off from our sources for any reason. It was pointed out during the course of our conversation that in terms of emergency preparedness, people who need medications would be wise to stock up as much as possible to avoid problems in emergency situations.

I was thinking also that it would be at the very least inconvenient if something like Tylenol (or insert your preferred pain reliever here) were unavailable for minor pain issues before, during, and/or after an emergency situation. When you are preparing, you might want to take medical supplies into consideration, whether it be what would be needed if the emergency involved injuries, or whether it is regular medication that might not be immediately available when a crisis occurs. For example, if you have a regular prescription, you may want to refill it as soon as allowed so that you have as much on hand as possible. If you are allowed to fill it a week before it is due to run out, it would be wise to do so. To find out what is allowed you could talk to your pharmacist. It can't hurt to ask your doctor if you can keep a supply on hand...

Thinking about gardening yet?

Yeah, it doesn't exactly feel like the season for gardening (although it has gotten warmer since I last wrote). Looks like they are thinking ahead already in Idaho Falls, though.

If you are interested in classes about gardening, starting on January 8-- according to the information that I've seen--there will be some held at the Idaho Falls Recreation Annex in the South Room. According to said information, the address is 1575 N. Skyline, out near the airport. For more information, you can go here to the Idaho Falls Community Garden Association website. Among the many classes listed are "Container Gardening: Growing in Small Spaces", and "Growing and Using Herbs". Classes are varied and offered on different days, so I strongly suggest heading over to the website--wouldn't want to mistype something. (Hope I haven't already.

Glad that people are willing to share their expertise--it's appreciated! And did I mention that the classes are free? (Actually, I didn't the first time I wrote this, but it was good enough to come back and edit the post for... :)

It's cold outside. (Understatement)

I don't know about where you live, but in our region lately, we've been in the midst of a very, very, very cold snap. We're talking O to the teens in terms of actual temperature, and then somewhere way down below zero when it comes to the windchill. This morning it was 20 below with the windchill factor, and it probably won't get all that much warmer today, but one can hope.... :)

What if you got stuck out in the cold? Are you prepared for an emergency of this nature? What's in your car? In this video, there is a report about some scouts who survived being stranded in the cold, and some tips from someone with experience about what you should have in your car. One of the interesting points he makes is that it doesn't have to be extreme temperatures to create an emergency in terms of the cold. It can be a problem at temperatures way above what we are currently experiencing. In fact, I think his words are, "You can freeze to death at any temperature."

Emergencies happen unexpectedly--but being ready all the time can make all the difference....

How does your garden grow?

Unfortunately, as in alas and alack, it doesn't look like we are going to get much edible produce from our garden this year. Our raspberries have come through admirably, however, and that is some consolation. Even our pumpkin(s)--yes, even plurality is in question at this point--are not prospering as they usually do. We will have to see...

I saw some information on the life expectancy of seeds, so went searching on the internet and found this site. The article not only provides a chart for the life expectancy of a list of seeds, but also outlines a way to determine if your seeds are still viable. If your garden doesn't meet expectations this year, (I feel your pain) then hopefully there's always next year, if you take good care of your seeds. I will go looking (again) for non-hybrid seeds, because they seem to be getting harder and harder to find, and put them in storage. Seeds in the hand, and all that...

Hope your garden is doing/has done better than ours this year. Who knows? Maybe our garden will surprise us. One can but hope.... :)

Unusual emergencies

A couple of unusual emergencies have occurred in our country recently:

--I first heard about the water pipe break in Boston yesterday, and found this article on it today. From what I understand, the break has had far-reaching consequences, and while water is available, it must be boiled. I found it interesting that one person quoted remarked that it is "inconvenient"--I'm just glad that they have water to work with, even though it must be boiled. Perhaps more disturbing are some of the comments in the comment section (though I read only the first few) about fights over the bottled water in the stores...

--The oil spill disaster is affecting the Louisiana fishing industry, which you can read about here. In the linked article, mention is made of the fact that the fishermen are now unable to go out and harvest, when they have spent a great deal of money to get ready for the fishing season, which usually begins about this time. This means less (or perhaps, unfortunately, no) revenue for them, and less available food for any/everyone who relies on the seafood they usually provide. In this less recent article, there is a man quoted who indicates that this disaster will have an impact on the sea life in the area that could last many years.

My thoughts and prayers are with the fishermen and their families, and to those (some of whom are the same fishermen) who have to work in dangerous conditions to clean up the effects of the oil spill. I hope that those affected have enough provisions set aside to weather this emergency, and I hope that everyone in the affected area in Boston has the means to either boil their water or purchase clean water. And I hope everyone everywhere prepares for emergencies, unusual or no....

J.S. from Nampa: 1st aid preparedness

I prefer to make my own first aid kits because I can tailor them to my specific needs. I use 2 references mostly the SAS Survival Guide and FM 21-11 Army first aid. The SAS book you can get at Amazon or almost any book store. FM 21-11 is available at http://www.brooksidepress.org/Products/OperationalMedicine/DATA/operationalmed/Manuals/1stAidforSoldiers/fm2111.html for free; all you have to do is bookmark it or print it out.

My favorite store for items is the Dollar store. You can get some great buys and you might be surprised at all they offer. Just remember products tend to rotate in and out rather quickly so if you have a product you like buy as much as you can afford when it’s in stock.

1. Small 1st aid kits: Usually a few bandages, some alcohol pads and a pain killer of some sort.

These are great for the car, boat or RV. A lot of injuries will be small ones but you will need to treat them right away to prevent infections.

2. Splints: Popsicle sticks are great splints for fingers and toes. Newspapers can be used to immobilize a limb.

3. Tape and Ace bandages: Great for sprains, broken bones and pressure bandages.

4.Chemical heat and cold packs: These items are great at relieving pain, reducing swelling and don’t need electricity. The heat packs are good for warming in case of a chill, and cold packs for a fever.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide, Rubbing Alcohol, and Iodine/Betadine, great for cleaning the areas around the wound. Don’t put in the wound!!

6. Epson salts great for soothing sore muscles and assists with pain of muscle or soft tissue injuries.

7.Medications: Benadryl or a generic equivalent a must can help with allergies, Anaphylactic shock and a sleep aid. Also works for dogs. Pain killers Aspirin for adults a blood thinner, good for heart attack and stroke if taken immediately. Good pain killer for dogs as well. I use the 81 mg version for my dogs. I have small dogs so about 81 mg per 15-20 pounds is the dosage. Ibuprophen (Advil) or Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for humans. Watch the dosage especially on Acetaminophen. Liver damage from high dosage.

8. Caring for someone sick or injured: Masks you can get cheap masks at the dollar store or go to a Home store and get the N95 type mask, Doggie training pads, can be place on the beds to protect against body fluids. Bleach, diluted bleach kills just about every bug out there, have a small wash basin to clean hands. Soap a 30 second wash with plain ole soap is great to prevent the spread of infection. Sing the ABC song while you wash and you are at 30 seconds.

9. Odds and ends: Calamine lotions or a Hydrocortisone cream for skin irritations, I like the arthritis creams for local pain relief. A Neosporin type cream for small wounds. Some cough medicine and Pepto-Bismol for stomach upset. What ever you need for yourself.

10. Gauze bandages great for most any wound. When you think you have enough buy about 10% more. They don’t spoil and when you need them few items will do as well in there place.

Remedies from the Kitchen

1. Dried Rosemary is great for a persistent cough. Just boil some water, place the rosemary in it and then breathe in the steam. Works for dogs as well.

2. Honey Anti- bacterial and great as a cough syrup ingredient. Place honey on a scratch or around the wound. Real honey not corn syrup with a honey flavor added. Also Honey seems to help folks with allergies. Just get local honey where folks have an allergy.

3. Lemon juice is a natural expectorant, Place a teaspoon of honey and 1 oz. of lemon juice and 1 oz. of whiskey in an 8 oz. cup top off with hot water. One of the best cough suppressants I have tried. Plus it makes being sick a hell of a lot more fun. If you don’t drink, use a calming tea instead of hot water.

4. Real Chicken Soup. I prefer using baked chicken as my stock starter. I place it in a crock pot and mix in carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Let it slow cook for 6-12 hours and then strain. Save broth in an Ice cube trays or in freezer bags. Home made stock is a great starter for any meal and real chicken stock is proven to help with colds. Also if you have seafood shells from shrimp or crab makes a great starter liquid for chowders or boil or bake off bones from fish.

5. Baking soda and salts, I prefer a Kosher or Redmond’s Sea salt, you can mix up an electrolyte fluid for sick folks and works great for low blood pressure. Also baking soda can be used for acid indigestion.

6. Agave Syrups can help stabilize diabetics and lasts nearly forever. Plus it has got a great flavor for Latino recipes that require a sweet.

7. If you have roses save the rose hips and you can make rose hip tea. A great source of Vitamin C.

8. I like the SAS book because it has many natural remedies in it and they are easily made into medicines.

9.Ciders and vinegars are great source of vitamin C and are great multi-taskers. You can clean windows, pickle, can and brine plus add flavor with them. Make sure you get real vinegars and not the imitations with flavors added. Costs a bit more but the benefits outweigh the costs.

10. http://www.vintagerecipes.net/recipes/nonfood_recipes/ Great site for old cookbooks and stuff you need to make your way in a non-tech world.

As you can see I love multi-taskers. I prefer to get as many uses out of any product I have planted, bought or fixed in place. I’m looking a raspberry and blackberries as a defense for my windows and entry ways. Growing Concertina wire and I get the berries as well, what’s not to love?

You have to make it difficult for folks to attack you, sorry to say the criminals will go look for an easier mark than you if you are ready and prepped. Don’t advertise what you have as far as goods. Advertise you got weapons and defenses in place. My pets are part of my plan, the need prep as we do an extra bag of food, a cat box, doggie pads blankets treat and pillows for them is important.

Life is complicated enough no need to suffer if you have an alternative. That’s why I prep; I have suffered from MRE’s and not having real home-made comfort food. So bring on the beans and ham hocks, dirty rice, fried chicken and gravy. Gosh I love those comfort foods and those right now are the cheapest to buy. May not be the best for the body but they are good for the soul.

Idaho's Governor Otter takes a stand

Idaho is first in the nation to have a governor sign legislation indicating that our state doesn't want to be included in the federal healthcare bill should it pass, at least in part because of the section in the healthcare bill that requires people to purchase health insurance.

Whether you are for or against the healthcare bill, if it passes it will add another mandatory expense to cover--all the more reason to have the basic necessities on hand so that you don't have to choose between them and what would become a required "necessity". I personally am against the current legislation being discussed, (though I think that there are some types of healthcare changes that would benefit the country) but the one of the great things about the United States of America is that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

You might want to make your opinion known on the healthcare bill soon if you are interested--things seem to be moving pretty fast right now. Idaho's Representatives are Congressman Minnick and Congressman Simpson, since they are trying to pass it in the House of Representatives right now.

Not a good list to be on...

Heard a little bit about this previously, but just found this article about states that are having problems with supplying refunds that are owed to taxpayers. It's not very long, but supplies information about other states in addition to Idaho.

This kind of situation could cause an emergency for people who were depending on their tax refund for food and/or other necessities. Emergencies can come in all shapes and sizes, so I truly hope that everyone will put food and/or other necessities aside for potential emergencies. What you have in your closet/storage room/pantry is a sure thing, while apparently what was a "sure thing" in the past in terms of a tax refund may be a long time coming--sometimes an emergency can be caused by a delay rather than an actual event...

Always nice to know your options...

Especially if you think them out ahead of time. Thanks to all/any who were involved in the e-mail chain that led to the arrival of the message that ended up in my e-mail box. The message contained this link about two different ways to deal with an earthquake. I don't know the best way for you to deal with an earthquake situation, and you will have to decide for yourselves which course of action is best for you and/or your loved ones to follow, but more knowledge is always a good way to start.

Hope we never experience an earthquake, but the thing about emergencies is that they are usually somewhat unexpected, either in their arrival or intensity, and having an idea of what to do beforehand is always a plus...

How's your 3-month supply going?

I still have work to do on my 3-month supply--where ideally you have 3 months worth of meals that you eat on a regular basis anyway. I tend to use up my 3 month supply supplies, which tends to be really good on the rotation side but not-so-good on the storage side....

But, if there were an immediate quarantine or something that required using what I have on hand, I have some supplies, and other recipes that probably wouldn't be quite as good, but edible if I had to use only what I had for awhile. (Notice, I didn't say 3 months...)

--One meal that I have worked into my rotation is shepherd's pie, which I describe in a post on my food storage blog here. Talk about eaaasssssyyyyyy. Yeah, that's the way I like it. Thing is, my family is partial to it as well, and the Dinty Moore stew seems to disappear more often than I'd like. If you try this, make sure that your family likes the brands you are using--we tried a variation on the theme years ago with stew on potatoes with a brand my husband didn't like, and we didn't try anything like it again for years.

--Ok, yay, when I went to link the post above, I realized that in that same post I just linked to, there are links about rice and beans, and bread recipes, and the Spam-fried rice recipe, all of which I would also incorporate in my 3 month plan. So if you go over there and stay awhile I understand. For this post, I just wanted to name a few easy recipes that probably wouldn't be quite as good in an emergency situation, but that would be really good for variety if resources were limited:

--Curry and rice. First, I have to say that curry is probably my favorite flavor eveeerrr. (As in, I think I like it better than chocolate. Yeah, pretty much.)

Usually it would consist of browned ground turkey or beef, can(s) of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, and curry powder. That's it. Just brown the meat, breaking it up as you go. After it's fully cooked, add the cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, water to your desired consistency, and curry powder to your taste, and you are done once it is heated through. Put it over rice.

However, curry still tastes like curry without the meat, and in a pinch you could eat the sauce meatless. We tend to buy the bulk ground turkey meat, brown it, and freeze it in one-pound portions to add to meals. I really like to see little bags of meat ready to use in my freezer. Now, normally I wouldn't say to trust in something that requires refrigeration, but as I say, it can be done in a meatless fashion. And if you live somewhere like Idaho, and you need your 3 month supply during one of the many months of winter, you can stick your meat outside in your garage or other predator-free location, and it will keep. It was 4 degrees outside this morning, with a -5 windchill. Frosty....

--Meatless spaghetti and sauce. Really, I probably needn't have mentioned this one, but it makes me feel good to see more ideas on the list. If you have enough meat in your freezer (and/or garage) to add, all the better....

--Pasta + cream of (insert flavor here) soup + canned meat +vegetable. I'm purposely being vague here because I don't really do this right now, but I totally would if I was looking for something different to eat and all I had was what was on my shelves. I'm not really a tuna person, but I have a couple of cans hanging around. What I lack is a knowledge of any kind of spices would go well with this combination, but pretty much if you have a can of cream of whatever and some pasta, you will end up with something filling. Please don't hesitate to leave comments that would make this combination more appetizing...

--Chili on baked potatoes is a favorite around here. If you have olives and cheese to add, all the better, but chili on potatoes is pretty filling all by itself. I try to keep my potatoes cold enough that the eyes don't get all scary, but I am not always successful with their storage. Makes me wonder how people make them last all winter....

So how about you? I find that when I plan for the 3 month rotation (as I said, still very much a work in progress) I tend to concentrate on the dinner-type meals. However, due to the fact that there is a wonderful sale on oatmeal at Albertsons this week (see details here) I have recently acquired more supplies to go towards breakfasts.

I mention the above because I was thinking about what I would have in the way of "regular meals" if there were a quarantine or something today. When I think about 12 weeks, with 7 different meals, each used once a week, I try to think of the least expensive, fewest ingredient meals I can, because 3 months of food can be expensive to acquire. I have incorporated some meals that use longer term supplies into my rotation as well, but really, I have a lot of work to do. What about you? If you have easy 3-month meals to share, please feel free to leave a comment. You never know how many people you'll be helping.... :)

Just one example...

Sometimes it's evident that things are not going well economically. There are the obvious occurrences, like the huge unfortunate situation of home foreclosures across the nation. There is the bailout of a major car company. But sometimes, you have to be on the inside to see that sales are down even in the local national chainstore....

No, I'm not on the inside at the local national chainstore, but leading up to the holidays in December, I was talking to someone who is. According to memory, and from what I understand, the procedure at the store is to keep track of daily sales and then to compare those sales to the sales made on the same date of the previous year. The day that we were discussing, a day that you would expect to be full of sales because of its proximity to the holidays, sales were down 13% from the previous year. And employees' hours were being cut during the same time period. Granted, it is my understanding that the hours would go back up after the holiday season, but it seemed a little backwards to me if everything is going well--wouldn't it be expected that hours would go up in what would normally be considered a peak buying period? And however they calculate their areas, the person that I was talking to indicated that the store we were discussing was actually doing better than other stores to which they are compared.

Personally, I found this information alarming. If you can't afford to shop at the local national chainstore, then you don't have many choices left, and my concern is that if this chain is struggling, then the next step I would think is coming is that its prices will (continue to) go up to make up for lost revenue in sales.

Please do what you can according to what you can afford to get some emergency supplies in storage. Perhaps it will not be unemployment/underemployment that will be the reason that you find that you are glad that you put some food away--it may be a natural disaster, a quarantine, a truckers' strike, higher food prices, a terrorist incident that disrupts the food supply chain, or someone else's food emergency that will either leave you glad that you put away supplies, or unhappy that you have not prepared enough. I am not trying to be an alarmist, or trying to predict anything. I am just pointing out that there are so many things that could happen to make emergency supplies necessary, that it just makes sense to put aside extra of what you would eat/use anyway just in case you find yourself in one of these, or any other emergency situation. Emergencies don't always happen to someone else. Just ask someone who has experienced one.

If you are fortunate to have enough to share, I would ask you to do what you can for those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. I have lived in Haiti, and it hurts to see and hear what is happening there.

J.S. from Nampa: Prep Multi-Taskers

I am a big fan of Alton Brown on the food network. There is only one uni-tasker in his kitchen and that’s a fire extinguisher. That is how I approach preparing. Honey for example: anti-bacterial, medicinal, sweetener or can be used in sauces, or curing. Best of all it lasts forever or at least 3000 years. Salt: Seasoning, preservative, cleaner, weed killer and cuts down on shoveling snow.

Animals: Cats and dogs great multi-taskers. Dogs are great security alarms, great stress reducers, and entertaining. Cats are great hunters, very little of my garden has gone to squirrels or birds this year. Stress reducers as well. Chickens, rabbits, live stock, they provide you with a renewable resource and should be treated with respect.

Check your city codes; I can have only 3 chickens and no roosters. But Rabbits are not covered at all in the code so I can have as many as I can maintain. Also rabbit manure is not “HOT”. It can be placed on garden and planting beds immediately. If anyone needs some manure let me know. I have about 2 trash cans full I am giving away. Bring a container with you and you can get some free fertilizer. I also have 9 bunnies that are being weaned; colors are black, whites and sables. They are cross breeds I like that because they tend to be hardier than pure breeds.

Time for the sales:

Cash and Carry Expires 5 Dec. 09
Flour 50 pounds $11.00
Coffee Large can 34.5 Oz. $4.99
Bacon $ 9.95 10 Pounds
Rolled oats 25 pounds $ 11.78


From Marie: Thanks, J.S., for another great post! And blame me if you have to hurry to get the deals listed here--there was a delay in my posting it. You still have five days, though, if there is a Cash and Carry near you!

J.S. from Nampa: Prepping Starting Small

Preparing can be a little overwhelming to a lot of folks, but, you can start small.
For example:

3 day supply of all your needs. All you need is container to store the following items, and can be easily transported

Food: 3 meals a day for 3 days for each person. Something easy to prepare, cup o’soup, instant oatmeal, granola bars ect.

Water: 1 gallon per day per person. Now is great time to get water jugs because all that camping and hunting sales. If you drink soda buy it in the 2 or 3 litter bottles. Wash the bottles and fill with water, 4 liters equal just over a gallon. Don’t use plastic milk jugs, the plastic in them breaks down rather quickly. Remember this for food and sanitation.

Sanitation and health: all purpose Bleach can be used purify water, kills viruses, germs and bacteria on surfaces. Hand sanitizer, wet wipes, toilet paper, Comb, brush, toothbrush, bar of soap, toothpaste, feminine hygiene and/or diapers, garbage bags.

First aid Kit Disposable gloves and masks

Entertainment: Books, games, cards, dice, Radio with extra batteries.

Heat and light: Flashlight with extra batteries, Sterno has a little emergency kit for around $8.00 that includes a little stove, fuel for the stove and 7 candles. You will need small pan or mess kit for cooking.

Keep fuel tanks half full or more at all times.

Medications: Allergy, prescriptions, Pain killers, cough drops, indigestion, diarrhea…

Copies of insurance papers, driver’s license, Pictures of pets and family member in case of separation. Have an out of state contact number if possible. They will be a check in spot to let folks know you are ok.

Don’t forget your pet’s needs, leash, collars, food and water, dishes. Sanitation doggie training pads, a cat box and litter, most shelters will not allow pets, only service animals.

Warm clothing, emergency blankets, Extra undies and socks. T-shirts and sweats.

At least $20.00 in bills and change. Assume your ATM card and checks will be no good.

Remember the best survival kit is no use to you if it’s at home and you are in your car. You will have to duplicate your effort somewhat. But if you have the same things in your car as you do at home you have just doubled everything if caught at home.

Now you probably have a lot of these items already on hand. Once you have everything together in backpacks or a carry all, you will be ready for 3-6 days at home or you can put it in your vehicle in case you have to evacuate.

The thing is don’t get overwhelmed, start with 3 days, then a week, then a month, then 3 months.

This is just a basic setup to start with. Okay say to yourself I have 3 days worth. You may have a large initial investment if you have no camping type gear. But these are multi-taskers, they don’t spoil. You can always use them for other things such as camping, tailgate parties, and travel that sort of thing.

From Marie: Many thanks to J.S. for another great post on emergency preparedness!

Yet another way that we're all in this together...

Found this article on Idaho government a little while ago--it shows how dependent the financial system of the state is on personal income tax. People who have no jobs don't pay income tax, and the state, in turn, receives less money. Programs still have to be paid for, or cut. So for everyone that loses their job, everyone feels the effect somehow.

If we end up paying more-- for example, for school activities or the like--then that money has to come from somewhere. The more supplies we already have on hand in terms of food and/or other supplies could help by allowing us to put the money at our disposal towards these new expenses while eating our food storage, instead of our having to choose between the two.

That's just one example, and while I am certain other people could give better explanations/examples, I do know that anything we put aside today in terms of emergency preparedness supplies will help us later. Those fortunate enough to remain employed may be able to put available cash towards other expenses and even be able to help out others, while those who find themselves unemployed will be in a much better to position to feed themselves and/or their loved ones.

We're all in this together--please do what you can to increase your emergency preparedness supplies. One can at a time, one bottle of water at a time, one piece of knowledge at a time, it all matters. The key is to start. Or to keep going. And above all, to never give up. If you are in a hard situation right now, I hope your circumstances improve quickly. What affects one of us truly does affect us all.