Prepping « Robin Writes

Yep, it’s been a while. No excuses, no apologies. Okay, the holidays were hectic, and I’m still working on end-of-year stuff, but . . . here I am!

Here I am, sitting in sub-zero temps – outside, not inside, thank heavens. Although my tub/shower pipes seem to keep disagreeing with that.

My point is that, while I can’t get outside and do much of anything in the way of prepping or, really going into the garage is a bit painful too, I have resolved (ahem) to do at least ONE THING, every day.

So far, I’ve packed up and labelled my generally useless drawer of sewing supplies. It’s not a lot, none of sew, actually; I even gave up on buttons and such over the years. I’m not very good at it. But who knows, maybe someday? And, of course, when SHTF, I’ll be forced into it. But at least I have those supplies!

I’ve also counted, rearranged, and re-catalogued my indoor supplies, as well as my freezer. You know how sometimes you need just ONE THING to make dinner, so you grab it out of the supplies? Yes, I’m guilty. On the other hand, it is important to rotate supplies on at least a semi-regular basis. And I’ll be restocking as soon as the roads clear up and the temps rise.

Something else to consider – I’m sure you’re familiar with all the “stuff” we all accumulate. Well, when SHTF, what’s going to happen to it? Now, I can be as sentimental as the next person, and there’s no reason not to enjoy our “stuff” as long as we have it, but what about all the things you DON’T need, or DON’T use, or even don’t really want or need to keep?

Like old clothes, most of which are too small. For me, that is. Maybe not for you. And, of course, if you bug out or stay in and lose power, you might want to forgo fashion and just layer up. Unless what you have is too small, of course. So keep what’s useful, but that old cocktail dress you’ve held onto for years that’s a size or two too small? Sell it. Sell whatever you can, and sock away that money in your cash stash.

Keep the blankets, old sheets, ugly sweaters. Especially right now, I’m thinking of all things warm. Single gloves gone the way of old socks? Keep them. Again, layers. But really think about the other “stuff,” stuff besides clothes, maybe old DVDs or CDs, maybe a box of computer parts and wires, maybe things you were going to repair, someday, or whatever you don’t use or need or will probably never look at again.

So there you have it – no outdoor action right now, unless you have livestock, so get busy on the inside!

Here’s some er, food for thought:

What do you stock up on for SHTF? Of course, we’re all familiar with the food groups – however many the US Gov has now decided upon – and we know we need a variety. For example, you might look in my freezer and see bags upon bags of green beans (apparently, it was a bumper year) and think I’d lost my mind.

Perhaps, but that’s not the point.

My garden can be rather sporadic, huge crops of one thing, virtually nothing of another, but it might not have just been me: my co-op group had scads of green beans this year. The point is that it’s a good thing my family likes green beans – lima beans, for instance, and at least two out of three of us would be suffering for lack of vegetables. No, I don’t have any lima beans socked away, or cauliflower. Same issue, different vegie.

On the other hand, at least they’ve gotten used to fresh or frozen green beans, and not those disgusting commercially canned . . . things. Ick.

From all this, we can definitively state that whatever foods you choose to stock should be something your family will actually eat.

Now, of course, if/when things really get bad, I doubt anyone will be picky. Heck, I might even make an exception for chicken or some other bird. It could happen. Maybe. At this writing – no freakin’ way! Regardless, I digress . . .

You can’t cave in to the picky eaters, but there’s no point in stocking foods no one likes. Initially when SHTF, you’re going to need all the positives you can muster, and decent food is certainly one of them, along with physical comfort, i.e., warm clothing and dry shelter. Being well-fed and fairly comfortable will go a long way toward helping you and your family cope.

But in the meantime, introduce more variety, particularly of native foods. And don’t forget to plan for your garden, now and after SHTF – you will certainly need to replenish over the months or years; prepping and stocking are, after all, only meant to get you through the initial period of unrest.

However long it lasts.