By the author of Be Ready for Anything and the course Bloom Where You’re Planted
Those paying close attention to the news right now are probably holding their breath, just waiting for the other shoe to drop and drag us all into World War 3. I’d love to be able to say that’s not going to happen, but I have no idea what’s coming next.
Nobody does.
There are all sorts of pundits with all sorts of predictions. There’s an opinion out there to fit anyone’s cognitive bias. But what we have to understand is that at this moment, it’s all just a guessing game.
And there are better uses of your time than playing that game. Like getting better prepared.
So, what should you be doing RIGHT NOW to get better prepared? My answers may surprise you.
Reduce information overload.
One of the most paralyzing things we experience in this era of instant internet gratification and live-streaming is information overload. Cambridge Dictionary defines that as:
a situation in which you receive too much information at one time and cannot think about it in a clear way.
When you’re bombarded everywhere you look on the television, your phone, or your computer with horrifying images of children being killed, of civilians fighting against trained soldiers, and buildings being reduced to rubble, it’s like a train wreck. It’s hard to look away. You feel like you are going to miss some vital piece of information. You want to be the first to know because that’s what preppers do, right?
The thing is, we have round-the-clock coverage of the things going on in Ukraine. And your brain can’t handle round-the-clock horror without a break. One thing just blends into another, and who can think clearly with all that going on?
I’ve made an agreement with myself only to look at the information on this topic three times per day. If I wasn’t in the current events business, I’d reduce it to twice a day or even once.
During your forays into the news, try to choose multiple sources to get a clearer picture of what’s going on. The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. Take note of patterns that could be replicated against us in the future.
If you want to consume media, focus on things like skills and self-improvement. It’s far more beneficial in every way.
Avoid hysteria.
Going hand-in-hand with information overload is bad information. Especially with social media, what starts out as, “I wonder if” turns quickly into a viral meme that says, “WARNING: Putin is poisoning ALL municipal water supplies in America.” I’ve seen other viral memes saying that Putin is just fighting the NWO, and he’s actually the good guy in all this.
Come on, now.
Putin is not all-powerful and omniscient. He isn’t currently focused on us. Not every single thing that happens is the machinations of the Deep State. When you start delving into all the far-fetched things, you’re going to feel even worse mentally because the Big Bad Wolf is around every single corner, and you can’t be constantly vigilant. I left several groups that were veering into hysteria. The situation is tense enough without throwing new urban legends into the mix.
Focus on the basics.
One piece of advice that Selco has given many times is that when you don’t know what to do, focus on the basics. Do you have these things covered?
- Water
- Shelf-stable food (Check out our free Quickstart Guide to building your stockpile.)
- A way to cook
- A way to control the temps in your home
- Medical needs
- Security and defense
- Sanitation
- Communication
- Information (If you haven’t gotten yours yet, you can get a USB archive with all 10 years of Organic Prepper content that fits right in your wallet.)
Take a long hard look at your preps and fill in the gaps. The list for everyone will be different. Check out this article on the pillars of preparedness to help you make sure you have everything covered and check out this excellent interactive bundle for preppers to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Take care of health concerns.
Do you have any health issues that you can fix? Have you been putting off knee surgery, physical therapy, or dental issues? Now is the time to get this stuff done if you can at all.
Schedule check-ups, optometry visits, and dentist appointments for everyone in the family to make sure there are no issues sneaking up on you. Follow through with the advice of your physician, particularly if you have insurance that will cover the costs.
Start stockpiling medications, too. You might be able to get away with “I lost a bottle” once or twice if you’re willing to pay cash for the extra supply. Otherwise, refill on the very first day you are able, and you’ll get about 3-5 pills ahead each month, which adds up. Remember, we’re already beginning to see dangerous medication shortages already, and that situation could quickly worsen. Consider taking our Herbal Skills Intensive course to learn to make your own medicine.
Know when you’ve done all you can.
There comes a point at which there’s nothing else you can do. You may be out of space or out of money. You could just have your bases covered yet still feel a compulsion to keep buying.
Stop.
Take a breath.
Sometimes there’s nothing else you can do. Nothing else you can buy. Nothing else to put you on the road to certain survival. You have to know when you’ve reached that point. There’s only so much anyone can do. Nobody, regardless of how wealthy they are, how much space for supplies they have, or how much they know about preparedness, will ever feel like they’ve done enough. All supplies run out eventually.
When you reach this point, shift your focus to skills. Work on your gardening, hunting, and foraging. Learn to sew or build things. You can still be productive and actively prepping when you’re not buying stuff.
Find a way to be at peace.
You have to find a way to be at peace with where you are. Whether you’ve been prepping for years or just started, obviously, you want to keep working and learning. But just remember that every single thing you have already put back gives you a little bit more security.
We can only do what we can do. We cannot personally affect the actions of Russia, China, or our own federal government. Remember, our country has been through wars before. Times were hard, but people adapted and survived. Look at the hell that Selco and Jose have been through – yet here they are, still striving to improve the lives of others.
You can survive this. You just have to accept that things are different right now and stop yearning for the old normal. Adapt to the new rules and then focus on things that bring you peace and happiness. Focus on the things you can control, not the things you can’t.
What are you doing to prep right now?
What are you doing right now to get better prepared? Where is your focus? How are you managing the information overload? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites. 1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2) The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.
Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at Learn.TheOrganicPrepper.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.
I feel as if I have done about as much as I can to prepare for short term disasters like extreme weather and some long term disasters. Life will be very difficult if we lose electric power but we will adjust. My big new project is the adoption of a German Shepherd puppy. We recently lost our beloved 16 year old dog and have been grieving his death. I know Daisy and others can relate to the heartache. I am finally able to think about getting another dog without breaking into tears. Today I am mailing the adoption application to a GSD breeder about 20 miles away from us. Hopefully I will be able to devote the spring and summer to the pup’s socialization to other dogs and our human friends. I know this will be a joyful experience. Be safe, everyone. God speed.
Our neighbor had a German Shepherd, who developed health problems and died at only eight. She said her vet said that that was the life expectancy for German Shepherds now. I had had no idea. I read a few weeks ago that German Shepherds from East German and Czech lines had a much longer life expectancy, which should be about twelve for large purebred dogs. I hope you love your new puppy! Another thing I learned when we got our dog as a puppy in 2017, was that while it’s good to spay and neuter cats, it’s better for dogs to remain intact, that sexual hormones play a vital role in the longterm health of both male and female dogs. Spaying almost eliminates reproductive conditions and cancers, but in both sexes, neutering greatly increases the occurrence of aggressive, fatal cancers like hemangioma, lymphoma, and osteosarcoma, and joint conditions. Most mammary cancers are easy to spot and treatable if caught early, and half are benign. Pyometras are also treatable if caught early. All three of our cats are spayed or neutered, but I left our dog intact. Never loose, never had puppies. Very healthy at nearly seven. Again, hope you love your puppy!
I looked it up and was disturbed to see that most websites said that GSs lived to 10-13 years. I then found this one which said that the American Kennel Club says it’s 7-10. This article says that German lines are bred to high standards and have a longer life expectancy, more like 10-13.
https://canineweekly.com/german-shepherd-lifespan/
You are a responsible pet owner but most people are not so the advice to not get your dog fixed is irresponsible. Millions of perfectly healthy cats and dogs are euthanized every year in the USA (and even more all over the world) simply because there are not enough homes for all of them. Many people treat animals as disposable and it is a heart breaking.
Imagine if we started euthanizing healthy adults simply because there were too many of them. Ohh the outrage there would be but as long as people don’t see the results of their selfish actions in regards to pets it is out of sight, out of mind.
I agree that it is a tragedy that healthy animals are killed because there aren’t enough homes for them, Also a tragedy if your pets life ends painfully and prematurely because of a decision you made. Our oldest cat was abandoned in this neighborhood when he was about nine months old at the end of January 2013. A neighbor said she’d been seeing him around since before Christmas. At that time we had been having a stretch of below zero temperatures. He had been fending for himself for over a month. Another neighbor brought him to us, saying he was begging to come into her house, but her cats didn’t like him. He was starving, eating one can of food after another, and drank a deep Pyrex dish of water in one night. We keep them, he’s on me now, turning ten this month. He longed to go out, but we kept him in until he’d gradually had his distemper combo and Purevax rabies shot and was neutered. Our second, half wildcat, came to us from a pet rescue, already spayed. The third was found in front of a house at only three weeks old. We got her from a couple who took care of her, only weighed a pound and a half, about six weeks old. She had a serious coccidia infection which Albon did nothing for. It took months of different anti parasite and antiprotozoal drugs to stabilize her and stop the constant diarrhea.I suggested ponazuril (Marquis), which I read about on the Internet, and that was miraculous, and cured her, in November, after three months of efforts. I waited until she was six months old to spay her on Jan 6, and she had her first heat a week before. She is a beautiful young cat now, very gentle and friendly. It is unimaginable that someone dumped her when she was only three weeks old. Because, I agree, there are not enough homes for them all. The younger two have never been out, though they’d love to do so, along with Harlequin. I’m uneasy about not letting them, but I also love the little animals they would kill.
There are differing opinions about spaying and neutering dogs. It has been a lively debate since the publishing of studies about ten years ago which showed that spaying or neutering dogs, much to everyone’s surprise, greatly increased the occurrence of many deadly cancers. In Norway it’s illegal to spay or neuter dogs for other than medical conditions which require it. In the case of females, at least, the advantage of preventing mammary cancer or pyometras is only soon after the first heat. Some vets recommend waiting until a large dog finishes growing, most recommend it when they’re still babies, and some recommend leaving them intact for life unless a specific condition occurs. If our dog develops pyometriosis, I’d ask our vet to do an ovary-sparing hysterectomy, so she’d still have the health benefits of the hormones they produce.
I’d read everything I could find on the Internet before making a decision on anything. It’s like the difference between mainstream news and alternative news. There’s truth on both sides, but always a preferred narrative. I was surprised last night when everything I looked at said German Shepherds lived 10-13 years on average, since it contradicted my neighbors experience and what her vet said. Then found that the Am Kennel Assn says it’s seven yo ten years these days. Unless you go to a breeding line with credentials.
I am certainly against irresponsibly allowing your pet to have babies. I think keeping your female dog inside, in your yard, or on a leash when she is in heat would be enough to keep her from mating. So far, it’s worked for us.
One of many things I read was a book I got on Kindle by a Danish vet, Lise Hansen, The Complete Guide to Cat and Dog Health. It’s really good, with a wealth of information on hundreds of topics. Last year Polly got really serious seasonal allergies, scratching all the time. The vet prescribed Apoquel, which worked, but has caused fatal cancer in many dogs. I weaned her off and gave her fish oil and nettle tablets for dogs, and the problem didn’t come back. Maybe the season was over. Hansen has a list of treatments to try one by one, which I like, only proceeding to the next if the first ones don’t work. So in a few weeks we’ll start fish oil, the herbal remedy, and an OTC dog shampoo to remove allergens. Several more steps before Apoquel at the end. I think that’s a responsible approach.
For large breeds, the recommendation is to spay or neuter at an older age (about 2 years instead of 8-12 months). That’s because big dogs continue growing for about that long. I have a Great Pyrenees who has never sired a litter (to our knowledge) and was neutered at 4, about a year after we adopted him from another farm. I firmly believe spaying and neutering are better than not though, just not too early. He’s 7 and enjoying retirement indoors.
Our aussie/pyr mix passed away today. She was a great guardian and will be missed., especially since she was a big deterrent and the minks and foxes away from the other animals this time of year.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I know that heartbreak all too well. May happy memories of your sweet doggo bring you peace.
Please look at this article on life expectancy.
https://canineweekly.com/german-shepherd-lifespan/
Never easy when a fur-baby family member crosses the rainbow bridge. While I will always miss my fur-babies that have crossed, no shortage of ones that need a fur-ever home. Been a couple of months since we took in a fur-baby someone dumped. Yeah, cash outlay was required but for whatever reason, someone dumped a damn good animal who will live the life of Reilly until he too crosses the rainbow bridge.
Please check your local animal shelter before paying a breeder. You will forever change an adopted dog’s life.
Thank you. You said it beautifully!
The first step is turning off CNN and all other propaganda stations and keep them off if you are getting upset by them.
Next: you must realize the ” threat” of WW3 is with us everyday. If not from Russia, then China, if not them, then N Korea, Iran, etc. So chill out.
Russia and Putin are not the bad guys they have been made out to be. Mostly they are just doing what they think is right to keep themselves safe and secure. We are the trouble makers in this instance.
The Biden crime family, the Clinton syndicate, Pelosi and Company and a host of others have all had a hand in this. From promoting corruption to money laundering to who knows what all else, in Ukraine.
Since Russia won’t play along, they have it out for them. That is why every time the Left gets a chance they scream “Russia did it”, to keep the blame off themselves.
But that is really another very long story of the abuses that we have done in Eastern Europe, in many
of those countries.
The chances of a WW3 are small, nobody really wants another World War. Small regional ones are the most likely to occur.
Nobody really wants a nuclear war either.
Can one occur? Yes, if someone is pushed to far and feels they are threatened enough. But it is not really a solution, just a deterrent to war.
The World has a lot bigger problem: a Global Economic Collapse.
The Ukraine situation is straining an already strained Global Economy. Shortages and shipping problems(from the sanctions, war, closed trade routes, etc.) will only get worse because of this conflict. If China invades Taiwan, (while we are distracted with Ukraine), it might cause a Global Economic meltdown. As it would also increase shortages and shipping problems, breaking our already fragile supply chain.
So if you want to worry about something, that would be my choice!
Well said!
Thank you for your thoughtful analysis. I think you are spot on too. My main goal is to be as self sufficient as possible for when supply chains shut down completely.
Hope you also turned off Faux News, “News Nation” and “nOAN”.
We are filling in any gaps & helping family and friends get going on their supplies. I’m sharing my vacuum sealer with anyone willing to learn.
Specifically I am working on building up a better stockpile of animal supplies so I can hopefully replace 1 or 2 things as I find/can afford them. I am investing in bulk seeds that can increase what I can grow to supplement my livestock feeds & pastures. Got my garden & herb seeds for next year already put back.
We are increasing our garden areas & increasing the amount of root crops, planting more berry & fruit trees. Adding as much as we can to the supply of soil amendments , mulch, potting soil, etc.
We just added 2 more ways to purify water & will be showing others & teaching them how to use these methods. Husband has been working on alternative power sources & building up our supplies of propane. We are adding supplies for vehicle maintenance & any future projects like more coops or fencing needs as we can. Also bought extra padlocks for gates & coops.
The first preparation you should make is to get right with God. Turn to Jesus, acknowledge Him as the risen Messiah and your Lord and Savior. Then confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, then change your ways. All the other preparations you can make will only help you here on earth, but they’re worthless once you die.
Well said! Thank you, Steve.
I’m good for most things that could happen, but if it all goes nuclear, I’m done. I have no place to turn into a shelter against the radiation. Theres no way I could move enough stuff to make sure there is enough mass between me and it(radiation) in order for me to survive. And I’m a senior citizen, and I’m not going to be adding anything to the community that may have survived other than another mouth to try to feed.
I’m good with that.
I’m good with the Lord.
I’m not afraid.
I’ve done all I could within my abilities. Thats all I can do.
Otherwise, I’ll just keep on keeping on as we boomers used to say lol
I think radiation sickness is a major cause of nuclear related deaths. I’ve read many articles saying that to protect from this happening get Potassium Iodide tablets. The experts say to protect the thyroid from absorbing the ‘bad’ radiation from fallout an adult should take 130 mg of KI each day that the radiation is around. Fourteen days is supposed to be sufficient. My cousin just bought 60 tablets, 65mg each, for $19. That would be enough for 2 people for 14 days.
A few articles ago I wrote about zeolite. It is powdered volcanic rock and has a negative charge which will absorb the positive radiation charge. I have made capsules of it to ingest when it is time. I have a radiation monitor for that. Zeolite is starting to be used in hospitals for patients who have undergone extensive radiation treatments.
Planning the current garden, planning the extension for next year’s garden. Weather is getting warmer and spring cleanup out there needs to be done. Talked with hubby about my health issues (will need a LOT of support once my arthritis goes out of control) and will be running the incubator this year after all for some meat birds (our hens/roos are dual-purpose). So will get that going next week.
Planning, praying, and putting things up.
And some good music while we still have power & internet.
Yeah, waiting for that other shoe to drop and see this thing spread to other EU countries. I can see someone do something spectacularly stupid either intentional or by accident and things escalating.
Meanwhile watching for the second and third order effects.
We already knew about Russian exports of fertilizer. Russian Interfax is reporting Moscow is “recommending” all fertilizer manufactures to halt exports as a counter sanction.
Russia and the Ukraine are major exporters to other countries of wheat. Those countries who depend on those exports will be facing food insecurity. People go hungry, could lead to civil unrest.
Inflation was already an issue here in the US. I am expecting more of it. I feel for those on the lower end of socio-economic scale, as a larger percent of their take home pay goes toward food. Recall the pictures of long lines of vehicles for food banks? We may see that again.
I am reading to keep informed of what is going on (once I sort out the chaff/hoaxs/propaganda), but as Selco says, affect the small circles that you can.
I am doing what I can to insulate myself from a potential . . . Charlie Fox to put it mildly.
Then I am going to read a book.
Brother I am with you. Like you say, “Waiting for somebody to do something stupid.”
Now we’ve got people in government talking about airdrops in the Ukraine. So what happens when one of those planes full of U.S. personnel gets shot down by a Mig. Or even better! Talking about interdicting the 40 mile long convoy, and having plausible deniability – after having broadcast to the world what you’re going to do. Or even better: a sitting U.S. senator calling for the assassination of Putin. If that actually happened, would that not, in itself, be an act of war, because you would never convince anybody that you didn’t have an active part in it. I was never that impressed by our leadership, but the level of stupidity I am seeing is staggering. I’m truly stunned that the people that they have on these news outlets can be this stupid and still manage to dress themselves for their on-camera appearances.
Second and third order effects. Yep, those are going to be interesting. I wonder when the world is going to wake up to the fact that sanctions aren’t a one-way street. The U.S. and NATO seem to think they’re the big boys on the block, and they are the only ones that can levy sanctions. Wait until Mr. Putin decides two can play that game, and starts sanctions of his own. No gas, no wheat, no fertilizer and just for good measure they will no longer accept U.S. Petrodollars – only gold.
May as well relax with a good book because watching the keystone cops we have in charge of this could actually lower IQ’s and kill brain cells.
Great article Daisy. I always remember that someone very famous once said, “You can’t save the world – if your lucky you can save yourself and your family!”
As Selco would say, “Make your circles smaller.”
Do what you can to prepare for the needs of yourself and your family. AND once you’ve done what you can – relax. If we could predict what will happen next week, or next month, we’d all be named Nostradamus. As my sponsor used to say, “ Don’t forget to treat yourself good.” Give yourself credit for doing what you can, with what you’ve got, and trust in God for the rest.
If it all truly goes sideways and the SHTF we will do the best we can. The worst that can happen is that we die! And I hate to point out that we’re going to do that no matter what we do. I’m not scared of dying like some people. I look at it as the reward we get for the struggle we put in during this mortal life. I’ve come to the point where it is much more important to me to live a good life, and have a good death, than it is to sacrifice my beliefs for one more day, one more breath, on this earth.
Once you feel confident you have your act together start putting up for other who may also need later!
We are not alone!
Great article, Daisy. I’m not going to say anything about the political stuff or paranoia and weird conspiracy theories out there, except to say, “the crazy is strong” these days.
I would add a few things, mostly variations on what you’ve discussed:
1. Get off social media as much as you can. Seriously. It’s not good for you, no matter your political leanings. I dropped off FB about 6 months ago for nearly two months and I tell you, I can’t remember feeling as good as I did once I got through withdrawals. Now I limit myself to one hour each week to check my friends and family and that’s it. Period. This is about as much as I can tolerate before it starts making me anxious and interfering with sleep and so forth.
2. Get outside! In FL we have gorgeous spring weather right now. No better time to go out, get some sunshine and fresh air, take the pup for a long walk, visit the dog park, go for a bike ride, etc. If things get bad here you might not be able to do that for a while. Heck, even sitting on the deck in the sun drinking an iced coffee or cold beer is better than nothing. Sun and fresh air are miraculous healers and helpers of mood. If you can work some exercise into that, more the better.
3. Make time for art. Listen to great classical music. Watch an amazing classic movie — “Casablanca,” “On the Waterfront,” anything by Hitchcock. Something newer but fun, like “Groundhog Day,” “Jaws,” “Grease” etc. Turn out the lights and pop some popcorn and snuggle with your pet and under a throw while you watch. Read or reread a great classic book (not dystopian stuff that’ll amp up anxiety) — “Little Women,” anything by Dickens or Twain.
4. Make time for conscious quiet. Call it meditation, whatever, but take some time closing your eyes and blocking everything out. Focus on your breathing.
5. Take at least a half hour nap every day. It’s remarkable what a difference that makes.
6. Last but not least, while you can, enjoy your family and friends. Life is awfully short and there are absolutely no guarantees. Everything can be snatched away for no reason at any moment. That’s a fact. While you can, while they can, make sure you spend time with and love those close to you as much as you can.
My younger sister was diagnosed with stage iv inoperable breast cancer last week. It’s in her lymph nodes, liver, and lungs, and likely more as she gets more tests and scans. Our whole family has been knocked off its axis by this. We are devastated. The point is, there are so many things beyond our control that it’s pointless to fret and worry and those things. All the worst things that ever happened to me in my life were things I never saw coming. So why worry? Trying to be one of the lilies in the field here.
I’m prepped to the extent I can. Plenty of food, meds, cleaning stuff, toiletries, tools, blah blah blah. I’d trade it all and 20 years of my life to make my sister well. But I can’t do that. So I’m not going to make myself any more miserable than life is already forcing me to be.
Anyways, great article, Daisy.
Lorraine,
have read and reread your post—great words to take to heart and to live by. This all really describes my 82 year old mother–her, relaxed way of life, taking everything in stride used to drive me crazy, but after years of spinning my wheels and beating my head against the wall, I finally, once old enough to get senior citizen discounts at McDonalds, realized how futile to always be pushing against the inevitable. So very sorry to hear about your sister–I cannot even begin to imagine how your family are suffering. My grown children all live across the country and I try to stay in contact by phone as often as I can. Because as you said, we do not know when they will be taken away. Several weeks ago there was a huge 9 car pile up in Las Vegas with a sickening amount of fatalities– My son was almost involved in it on his way to work.
Thanks again for your post and our prayers are with you.
elaine and mom
Great article Daisy!
Great post Lorraine Novak!
Thank you for your advice and positive outlook!
I meant to add, do something creative. This is something many of TOP people already do. Whether it’s gardening, journaling, woodworking, tinkering with stuff in the garage, crocheting a baby blanket, whatever. Take up painting, decoupage, stained glass. Who cares if it’s any good. It’s about the process of creation and how that helps your spirit.
I appreciated this article so much! Thankyou!
Just purchased 8 “cans” of Folgers coffee today to add to my stockpile. Am I o.k. Ms. Daisy?
I know working on getting my car up to par is not the same as owning a bike. However when you live five miles one way to the mailbox and 25 miles to the nearest convenience store/gas station, then a bike is not as practical. I laugh at the bikers who pass through from California to Florida on the bike route. We have days that are above 110 F. If you have a stroke it may be hours before someone comes by. They are finding dead illegals in my county that don’t understand that water or people are very sparse out here. My car is older and no chips.
We were just told that next week the propane is going to go over $3. Filling up early to avoid the higher cost.
I replaced my citrus trees in the greenhouse that died last year in the big freeze. I plan to insulate against the coming winter which is normally not as cold as those up north. Snow normally melts within a day out here. However snow is rare too. I picked up another wood burning stove. Looking at picking up some additional shoes and clothes since I think it will be harder to find or afford in the future.
I think the most serious concern we have right now is high gas prices going even higher. This could a depression, food becoming unaffordable to the average person, losing their homes or apartments.
The social unrest that this will cause will be a bigger threat to the average person than a nuke going off. Were I live if it goes nuclear I will be vaporized in the first round with all of the bases nearby. Can’t prep for that but social unrest and lack of food, that I can be ready for.
I’m buying more ponies on Monday. Somebody has to get food to the elderly after everything goes to hell in my neighborhood. If I can’t sell my lambs, veal, and beef..I’ll feed my neighbors.
Ponies make people smile. Old men and women will get up and go pet and talk to my babies. They’ll remember that. It’ll stick.
I’m prepping for my own personal burg. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’ll go broke. But I’ll do it nevertheless.
You sound like a grand neighbor. I wish I lived near you.
You are the salt of the earth. We are commanded to love one another. Well done.
I’ve been prepping for the last 12 years. While not perfect I think I have enough resources with others in my group. The latest has been getting backups for communication both for local and dx.
I did get a good chuckle when reading ““WARNING: Putin is poisoning ALL municipal water supplies in America.” when most of your audience believe the 2020 election was stolen. So no small wonder all kinds of “facts” find receptive audiences.
Remember Blink Health, Good Rx, and/or a Canadian pharmacy to refill meds if out of pocket is an option. I’ve found all three to be lower cost than my private insurance so I’ll give up the “applied to deductible” for the ability to refill on my schedule. I’ll only hit my deductible/out of pocket *if* outpatient surgery (minor problem) or full blown medical issue. Of course your insurer may force you into mail order. Which may be the only option for “we refuse to change with the times” rural areas. Your hill and you may die on it.
I read comments like ~Jim, In the Boonies TX, ClergyLady and more.
Then I read yours . . . and I am even more thankful for people like ~Jim, In the Boonies TX, ClergyLady and more.
I like to think there are more of us than there are of you. Gives me hope for humanity.
Stay classy, Selena.
Ditto.
I think we’re about as prepped as we can be as well. Got some friends from my inner circle coming by tomorrow to work on communication. Thinking of putting a fence up around part of the property and getting some hens and a couple roosters. I deactivated fascist book and twiturd last month. I’m still on natzi door (nextdoor) and it’s a cesspool of BS, just to find out what’s going on in area, which is just a bunch of propaganda and people giving their opinions which I don’t give a lovely fuzzy rats arse. Thanks for great post and great comments
I need to top off my water supply that I store in home. I used some up while some fittings at another residence on the property was repairing waterlines. I keep enough on hand to cover time to install a manual winch on the unused well. Everything else is about at maximum capacity here in my little home. I weaned off of my only medication and have been fine without for 8 months now. Been going through camping gear. I’m missing a small tent so may pick up another one soon. I picked up a used pole and reel incase my son decides to go fishing with me this summer. His were taken recently in a storage theft. Going back to older ways of doing things that cut costs. Ie vinegar for hair rinse and fabric softener. Cheaper and healthier. Just not as nicely scented. I do watch for canning jars. I’ve taught my son pressure canning this winter and gave him my mothers pc. He loved it so has picked up another older one and I bought myself a new larger pressure canner. I have plenty of regular lids put back. May look for a few widemouth lids.
We’ve been getting food once or twice a month from our community pantry. An abundance of some things. So we’ve canned more fruit and vegetables and soups. I’ve been sharing the abundance with younger families that are just finally putting away extras just incase. Two more women to teach canning to. For just me there is plenty. My son is working on building up a store for himself since he’s moved back here on the family land. Two sons with disability incomes have homes here. I’m working on providing some basic solar power to their residences. And my prep plans will be pretty much done. If I can find some 22LR ammo for an old pistol I’m done. It was just recently returned by a son that borrowed it years ago. It won’t keep bears away but would be good for small varmints. I’m planning on new chickens and I need to replace a male rabbit that died this winter. New pens and coop are about finished. All I need is 3 more 2x4s for the coop roof and descent weather to work outside. At 75 I’m definitely not working so hard or in the cold if I can help it.
I’m staying busier than ever with the church. I joined the prayer team. I preach once in a while. Helping younger families working on preps. Last week I helped cut pork for hours. We held a Matanza at church where an entire pig was cooked. I also provided 10 lbs of peeled and cut potatoes for a chili stew that was cooked at church. We feed close to 200 and baptized 9 new people. We’re building community there and smaller groups that help each other from within the church.
I’ve also gone back through my books to see if there any gaps I’d want to fill. I don’t see much unless I replace a welding book I gave my grandson. Probably not. My sons and I all weld. Maybe just top off supplies. I add another arrow now and then and a couple of strings extra for my old bows might be handy. I have a vase full of feathers to use on new arrows if I get back to making them again. Vegetable can lids made descent tips for arrows. I have a box full out in a shed. Tin snips with that box.
Just looking for any small things to replace or add.
ClergyLady,
This shouldn’t be a problem. Ammo (even .22) is in good supply again nearly everywhere and prices have returned to a more tolerable level.
I’ve spent the last year or so filling in any holes I could find. There isn’t much that needs filling. I can always add a few things here and there – more food, another water filter, more jars and lids. Recently, I added a 6 quart pressure cooker / canner from a thrift store specifically for cooking dried beans.
There are a few more books I wouldn’t mind getting to add to the library. I like having several books on a subject, especially when it comes to foraging and plant indentification or medical topics.
There are always projects I’d like to tackle. One person in our group is looking at power generation. I’ll help out with that since his farm is where we would bug out to. I’m going to suggest we add potatoes in boxes to his garden this year.
The drive in the last year has put me in a good spot. Having a decent paying and very secure job takes a lot of the outside stress off. I could make money but the tradeoff in lack of job security is not something I want to do in the current economy. I lived through the recession of the 90s in Canada and spent several years without a job – I don’t want to do that again.
Great ideas Daisy! I gave up cable/satellite tv years ago. I still know what news is happening. I work on my preps weekly, and am down to just a few credit cards to pay off. I am ahead on dog food, canned goods, and frozen goods. I read The Frugalite every other night; better to repurpose something than buy new right now.
Has anyone said thank you, Daisy? I love your blogs for their no nonsense, straightforeward advice. You have helped me in many ways.
“Coffee – the most important basic. Change my mind.”
Amen sister, amen!!