PREPS - Lots of posts...no discussion here

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At the present time we are all posting news articles but there is little or no discussion. Its like the GRASSROOTS forum. Do you not want discussion like we had on the old y2k forum or is this just a posting spot? Like in view of the current events and possible near future events, is anyone preparing differently than they did for y2k? What are you going to do if we have black outs? Or the natural gas quits next winter? Have you enough fuel? Big enough genny? Kerosene? I know that I just ordered one of those thingies for nuke measuring fall out and did some remodeling. My office is an inside room with no windows and I had wall to wall, ceiling to ceiling shelves put in for the preps that I have. Whats everyone else doing?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Answers

Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

We've been striving to meet our current debts and get caught up. Once that is done, we hope to get the remodeling finished. The yard is getting better at supplying us with foodstuffs, and we hope to make it more so this year.

Because of our y2kpreps in 99,l we were able to exist for the year that I was not working. so, we will naturally attempt to get back to that state and hopefully pass it.

We have more books on hand for looking up stuff, as we all know that the internet may or may not always be there, and we also have obtained some magazine subscriptions for what we hope are useful info sources, Organic Gardening for one.

Discussion on this board comesand goes because everyone has a real life, and so you will notice slow moments. Also the refresh rate on greenspun is not nearly as fast as on ezboard. This is something to get used to...

I must admit that I have been reading and moving around to the other boards that the silly people have been going to, just to get a laugh now and then. Carl does manage to keep me amused and I miss him when he is absent due to real life. [btw Carl, your email service sent me a failed message thingy. ya might want to check that out.]

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001


Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

You're right....it is a little dull. Ok...how about this? What are any of you doing, in case Hoof and mouth comes to the US? I know we all have the stockpiles and have been rotating....but is anybody buying a lot of meat before prices go through the roof or its just plain not there?

I have seen beef prices already go up. And I imaginge there are a lot of ranchers out there rubbing their hands together, thinking of what the price will be once the US starts exporting beef to these depleted counrties.

I am buying a bigger freezer. And as long as I can get it and hopefully it isn't infected with Mad Cow, I am going to delay going vegan.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001


Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

Taz, it's both news items and discussions. What we don't have here (I believe) is anything to tell us how many hits a particular thread received. Doesn't mean it's being ignored.

For me, y2k was about collecting the basics. Starting about a year ago I was able to take a deeper breath and strive more towards finetuning where I was. Last summer I bought a radiation meter (actually two, macro and micro, plus some dosimeters), and recently increase my supply of KI. Early last fall I scrambled to get my basement vaguely set up for immediate occupancy. I turn on the radiation meter alarm every night and carry a dosimeter in my purse. Fortunately it all seems so silly, but I think that's because I feel I have the bases more than covered (I can pretend, right?) and therefore sleep better for it.

1999 was the time that I set up my shelvings in the basement. Old, moldy bookcases from my parents moldy basement, all carefully cleaned and freshly painted. And full, as it turns out, with lots of stuff that either they would never use (like toothpaste, no teeth left) or food they would never eat (canned spinach) or only begrudgingly (shelves and shelves of Dinty Moore). So, some went to the food pantry, and others I'm working on very slowly.

Natural gas heat, electric frig and stove. I can rough it in my home so long as I am there. Two small wood stoves (wood doesn't last very long) and lots of good camping type gear. So, fine if I can take the time off. I'm more concerned about how I would keep my job if it were the middle of the winter and I couldn't afford to leave home. I suppose I wouldn't be the only one in that situation.

I expanded the veggie garden last spring, doubled it, went from tiny to not so tiny but deeply dug.

One of my goals is to plan ahead for the replacement of any of my energy thingies with THE most efficient model, to explore what solar/wind would mean in my setting, and to start making the home more energy efficient.

I remember when my hot water heater gave out a number of years ago. I wanted a high efficiency model, and my plumber was able to come up with one I was satisfied with, but I realize I won't be able to achieve my goal of truly disgusting energy conservation unless I know ahead of time what I want, and maybe even replace it before I need to. Certainly a sudden lack of hot water isn't very conducive to slow, plodding research. May be hard enough to track down the right model.

So, I'm mostly in research mode, but I have replaced all my light bulbs as the token start, and I just bought (will pick up tomorrow) a spanking new Honda Insight which is supposed to have The best mileage available. Under usual driving conditions, or at least after I learn how to get the most out of it, I won't be filling up more than once a month. Should there be any rationing, I would expect to be in good shape.

Subsequent to the rollover I have also been slowing picking up some practical skills, like chainsaw and ham license.

No generator here, I want low tech instead. The 55+ gallons of gasoline I stockpiled before rollover made me a bit nervous, so I have used almost all of it up.

I don't have massive amounts of water stored. Enough for a bit, and crossing my fingers that my town's gravity-fed storage tank would allow me to fill up a lot more in a hurry. A comfortable geriatric potty and plenty of bags and absorbent. And a couple of inflatable beds for the basement.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001


Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

rafter, I have done some stocking on frozen meats, but not a whole lot because I already have so much canned goods. However, I will probably increase the stockpile (for my parents' sake, at least) depending on how the news develops. You see, I'm counting on these forums to keep me a step or two ahead of the rest of the populace. That probably means I would be intentionally hoarding by waiting to acquire those last minute items, but I already have a great deal.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

Since I over prepped for Y2K, I still have a whole lot that will last me a long time yet. The woodstove and extra wood, kerosene lamps and the extra supply of lamp oil, a large ice chest (in case of electricity outages), BBQ grill with 2 bottles of propane, small BBQ with a lot of charcoal and stater fluid, food, water and water purifiers, personel supplies, etc. I have to rely on myself if anything happens, so I made sure to be prepared. This is a way of life, to be prepared... the best you can for the unexpected.

The area I live in is perfect for me. A lot of people around that know the old ways of doing things and how to get by in hard times.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001



Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

Barefoot... it seems to be working fine right now, getting all my other e-mails ok...

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

Brooks, what is a chainsaw and ham license?

A license to cut ham with a chainsaw?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001


Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

An electric chainsaw, mind you, so I can bring it into the kitchen.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

can you cut any else with it, or just ham?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

Still have some preps from last year, Dan was off for 11 months, so I would like to reppleshish. I am stearing away from meat altogether... will have it for now, but when it is gone, it's gone. I have been buying meat in 3-4 day supplies.......Have frozen meat, but it is still good, so am leaving it frozen till summer, as I am sure it will be "grilled!" been restocking and rotating. Almost feel like the "fight" is out of me, I could lay down and "go to sleep" if things get real bad. I try to live each day as I could be my last, anyway, and try to keep "strait" with Lord....just in case!

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001


Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

Yeah...I been wondering about the meat too, if we get FMD or the Mad Cow thing really gets going. I have a pet pig. He is the only cloven hoofed animal on the place....well...sometimes I think maybe Chubby Hubby might be cloven hoofed!! I really could do without meat, but Hubby would have a tough time. He is a real meat and potatos guy. Due to the remodeling I never got a garden in other than some new asparagus roots. But I have plenty in cans and here we can garden all but the heat of summer. So that is not a concern this year. You can bet that the price of meat will go sky high this year if its allowed to be imported into EU. I canned a lot of beef, pork and chicken for y2k and I still have most of that. Have some canned hams, Spam and lots of tuna. Also bought several cases of canned meat and gravy, and canned bacon for y2k. So.....I still have all my preps, canning jars, canner, grain grinder, grains, etc. I guess that I have done about all I can do and I am really looking for some practical things that should still be done and haven't found any. Feeling like I need some direction.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Response to Lots of posts...no discussion here

We just got a severe thunderstorm warning till 930 EST for our area.

Kewl, huh?

[course the storm had already passed over us by the time the warning was issued. LOL]

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001


Last year, the tornado warning sirens went off after the tornado clouds went over our town. Since I don't have a basement (crazy I know, living in tornado alley) I think the bathroom would be the safest place in the house and since it's that time of year...I'm going to put a small tv in there so I can keep abreast of what's going on.

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

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