Well, how embarrassing...caught without a backup plan! Yes, I know, this is me. Prepared for anything...always learning...always watching.
Always putting things off...
I had planned to continue my wok-baking experience this week. And yes, I did attempt the whole wheat 3-ingredient bread...and it worked! First attempt on bread. I took pictures of the procedure and loaded them onto FRED (my beloved HP Pavillion)and thought I'd get to the blog posting in the next day or so.
FRED is an acronym for F*king Ridiculous Electronic Device. My Mother taught me that one!! FRED and I have had a bit of a love / hate relationship. He seemed to catch whatever bug was going around regardless of my attempts to block them. He'd always recovered from them...until now.
I had put off backing up my primary computer because honestly, I'm too cheap to fork out a trip to the city (over an hour's drive) and the cash for a good sized flash drive.
FRED had started behaving badly again yesterday morning. Little wavy lines were invading my LCD screen. I popped into the corner Esso for fuel and smokes (so shoot me!) where my foster son Alex works and asked him what could be causing it. In our former lives as city-folk, Alex worked for a really big tech-support company. He's pretty good with this type thing. Could be video card going, could be a virus, could be one of three or four potential problems. He said he'd pop over after work and help me back things up.
Alex arrived about 10:30 pm and sprang right work. He fished out some data burning software, managed to get that installed and thought that maybe we should get started on the file transfers. I hummed and hawed but by this time of night I was simply done. We agreed that I'd get at this first thing in the morning. So we left it for the night. NOT a good idea.
Sunrise brought disaster!! DISK ERROR, NO HARD DISK PRESENT. Yes, the dreaded BSOD!!! Black Screen of Death!
The lesson? NEVER put off backing up!! Although I'm hoping to recover the data (this may cost me some) I know for a certainty that I cannot afford to replace poor FRED, so with luck, Alex can figure something out. In the meantime, the posts may be bit slow or sporadic, depending on computer availability (mooching the kids' laptop, etc).
What did I learn today? Always listen to your little voice. You know the one that tells you to NOT be such a tightwad and just buy the blasted flash drive?? A very hard lesson indeed.
What did you learn today?
Tabby
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
GROK the WOK!!
For those readers that are not science-fiction fans, the word "grok" will make no sense at all. So, you'll just have to humour me, and read on a little further. There is a wonderful book entitled "Stranger In a Strange Land" by Robert A. Heinlein. It is a story about a gent who was accidentally raised on Mars. The term "grok" is a Martian-esque term for "fully grasping and understanding a concept or subject". The Martians will contemplate a topic for long periods of time thereby "grokking" the subject in its entirety. Since I tend to go "on" about subjects at great length, the more you read the more you will grok...
In the course of my usual surfing about the 'net, I tend to keep up on what my nearest and dearest friends are up to. One of my very best girl-buds ran off and got married a number of years back and in doing so dunked herself into a HUGE culture change. She ran all the way to Sri Lanka!
Now, for those that aren't real travel buffs, Sri Lanka is a small island off the coast of India. It's an amazing place full of tropical wonders and wildlife. Warm breezes, white-sand beaches - a veritable paradise.
However.
There is no such thing as: wheat flour, canola oil, electric ovens and a host of other technological miracles that we (Western-types) take for granted every day.
So, being THE diva of dining she is - Laurie dove in and completely overhauled her way of thinking and cooking!! Fresh, local, and wonderful. If you've a need to see how someone copes with culinary culture shock be sure to check out http://food.laurieashton.com she has quite a blog running on the topic.
With Laurie and her improvisation skills guiding me, I decided to try out one of her world champ tight-wad baking tricks. Baking bread ON TOP OF an open flame. In Sri Lanka gas cylinders are wildly pricey. It takes FAR too much gas to bake in an oven, so for the sake of economy she's devised a method to do it on top of the stove. The small burners use about one third the quantity of gas required to fire up an oven.
She's devised a unique device comprised of an assortment of spacers and dishes to provide height from the open flame. This prevents burning the bottom of whatever you are baking. The whole affair is covered with a re-claimed rice cooker pan providing the enclosed environment needed for even heat.
Skills being what they are, I immediately set about a monkey-see, monkey-do mission. Since I didn't have much by way of ex-rice cookers and spare lids, I dug around until I found a suitable pot. Without a doubt, the smartest $10 I ever spent!
That's right. It's a WOK! Stainless steel, with a good heavy plate on the bottom for even heat. It also came complete with a steaming rack that sits inside. A rather large device, about 14 inches in height, it seemed like just the ticket!
Now, to find a dish (or two) to fit inside. What I found was two "stand up" chicken roaster pans. I've found that most people have these type of roasters for their BBQ but seldom think to use them for anything else. The round bottoms (yes, the wires come out) make a great little baking dish. I used one for an extra spacer, and one for my baking dish.
Next up...muffin mix!! Yes, I know - shame on me for using a mix! However, bran muffin mix is cheap (when you buy it in 20 kg bags like I do) and I figured that if it was a disaster, it was very little money in the compost heap.
I preheated the wok (and it's inserts of steam rack and chicken roaster tray) with the lid on for about 20 minutes. The flame on the propane stove was set at about five. I greased the baking dish with margarine (that's all I had) and poured the prepared batter in. Do use caution! I discovered that the lid on the wok heats up a lot! I set the batter filled dish on the spacer dish and set the lid back in place. I set the timer for 25 minutes and waited.
The 25 minutes was not quite long enough - still a little squishy in the middle, so I put the lid back down and waited another five minutes...
And voila! One industrial sized muffin...
The taste was normal, it stuck a little to pan (that's what I get for using margarine) but for the most part, quite palatable. No burning on the bottom. Frankly, I was rather surprised. I had expected burnt offerings. But instead got a nice afternoon treat.
I have seen (and have not yet tried) baking in a cast iron dutch oven on an open fire. Baking soda biscuits are the usual goods I've heard about being made in such a fashion. I do have the proper cast iron pot, so will try that at some point. For now, the fact remains, that if you need to improvise a camp kitchen a WOK is the key! Go figure.
Think about it though. The wok I have (which, by the way, I found in a second hand store for ten bucks!) is fairly large, not overly heavy or inconvenient to store in the RV and is large enough to cook huge batches of soup, stew, chili or whatever is on the menu. If you are having to make it in a SHTF situation, you could use it on a open fire, or on a bbq. It's large enough that you could put pretty much everything you need inside of it (chicken roasters, steam rack, dishes and a few utensils, maybe even a coffee mug or two) put the lid on it, secure it with a couple of crossed bungee cords and backpack your kitchen with you. Just a theory, but possible, nonetheless.
Next round, I'm going to attempt making actual whole-wheat bread in the wok. I have a wonderful rustic (3 ingredient) bread recipe. I will take a bash at wokking my bread and will let you know how it all turns out.
What did you learn to do today?
Tabby
In the course of my usual surfing about the 'net, I tend to keep up on what my nearest and dearest friends are up to. One of my very best girl-buds ran off and got married a number of years back and in doing so dunked herself into a HUGE culture change. She ran all the way to Sri Lanka!
Now, for those that aren't real travel buffs, Sri Lanka is a small island off the coast of India. It's an amazing place full of tropical wonders and wildlife. Warm breezes, white-sand beaches - a veritable paradise.However.
There is no such thing as: wheat flour, canola oil, electric ovens and a host of other technological miracles that we (Western-types) take for granted every day.
So, being THE diva of dining she is - Laurie dove in and completely overhauled her way of thinking and cooking!! Fresh, local, and wonderful. If you've a need to see how someone copes with culinary culture shock be sure to check out http://food.laurieashton.com she has quite a blog running on the topic.
With Laurie and her improvisation skills guiding me, I decided to try out one of her world champ tight-wad baking tricks. Baking bread ON TOP OF an open flame. In Sri Lanka gas cylinders are wildly pricey. It takes FAR too much gas to bake in an oven, so for the sake of economy she's devised a method to do it on top of the stove. The small burners use about one third the quantity of gas required to fire up an oven.
She's devised a unique device comprised of an assortment of spacers and dishes to provide height from the open flame. This prevents burning the bottom of whatever you are baking. The whole affair is covered with a re-claimed rice cooker pan providing the enclosed environment needed for even heat.
Skills being what they are, I immediately set about a monkey-see, monkey-do mission. Since I didn't have much by way of ex-rice cookers and spare lids, I dug around until I found a suitable pot. Without a doubt, the smartest $10 I ever spent!
That's right. It's a WOK! Stainless steel, with a good heavy plate on the bottom for even heat. It also came complete with a steaming rack that sits inside. A rather large device, about 14 inches in height, it seemed like just the ticket!
Now, to find a dish (or two) to fit inside. What I found was two "stand up" chicken roaster pans. I've found that most people have these type of roasters for their BBQ but seldom think to use them for anything else. The round bottoms (yes, the wires come out) make a great little baking dish. I used one for an extra spacer, and one for my baking dish. 
Next up...muffin mix!! Yes, I know - shame on me for using a mix! However, bran muffin mix is cheap (when you buy it in 20 kg bags like I do) and I figured that if it was a disaster, it was very little money in the compost heap.
I preheated the wok (and it's inserts of steam rack and chicken roaster tray) with the lid on for about 20 minutes. The flame on the propane stove was set at about five. I greased the baking dish with margarine (that's all I had) and poured the prepared batter in. Do use caution! I discovered that the lid on the wok heats up a lot! I set the batter filled dish on the spacer dish and set the lid back in place. I set the timer for 25 minutes and waited.
The 25 minutes was not quite long enough - still a little squishy in the middle, so I put the lid back down and waited another five minutes...
And voila! One industrial sized muffin...
The taste was normal, it stuck a little to pan (that's what I get for using margarine) but for the most part, quite palatable. No burning on the bottom. Frankly, I was rather surprised. I had expected burnt offerings. But instead got a nice afternoon treat.
I have seen (and have not yet tried) baking in a cast iron dutch oven on an open fire. Baking soda biscuits are the usual goods I've heard about being made in such a fashion. I do have the proper cast iron pot, so will try that at some point. For now, the fact remains, that if you need to improvise a camp kitchen a WOK is the key! Go figure.
Think about it though. The wok I have (which, by the way, I found in a second hand store for ten bucks!) is fairly large, not overly heavy or inconvenient to store in the RV and is large enough to cook huge batches of soup, stew, chili or whatever is on the menu. If you are having to make it in a SHTF situation, you could use it on a open fire, or on a bbq. It's large enough that you could put pretty much everything you need inside of it (chicken roasters, steam rack, dishes and a few utensils, maybe even a coffee mug or two) put the lid on it, secure it with a couple of crossed bungee cords and backpack your kitchen with you. Just a theory, but possible, nonetheless.
Next round, I'm going to attempt making actual whole-wheat bread in the wok. I have a wonderful rustic (3 ingredient) bread recipe. I will take a bash at wokking my bread and will let you know how it all turns out.
What did you learn to do today?
Tabby
Monday, June 21, 2010
Quick apology!!
Yes, I know - the video for Ms. Coulter didn't work so well. I'll get this "embed" code stuff figured out yet! Sorry about that!
Greenies, preppies, hippies?
It seems like a rather strange way of describing myself (or those around me) but in many ways, being "GREEN", being "PREPARED" and being a "HIPPIE" are intertwined in many ways.
In order to be "green" one makes the decision to not use harmful chemicals, products containing artificial ingredients or preservatives and so forth.
To be "prepared" you take seriously the notion of making sure that your family will be ready to cope with any potential disaster.
Claiming the status of "hippie" tells the world that you like to choose to make a simple life using natural ingredients and methods.
So, as one thing tends to blend into another, all three become a single person. Skilled in the arts of being able to get on this world without the aid of much more than one's own common sense and a few simple tools.
The items in the photo can be turned into a myriad of other things by way of a mixing bowl. Laundry soap, abrasive cleansers, ant control in the garden and so forth. It's all a matter of taking a few minutes (and about $20.00) and making a mess in the kitchen. Very few people even think about these products when puttering about a grocery store, but they are a staple for the self sufficient mind.
Baking soda: good for more than just biscuits. Great for abrasive cleansing of coffee & tea cups (get rid of stains), scrubbing the sink, toilet and tub. Gets greasy bits off your stainless steel, etc.
Borax: Naturally occurring cleaner and deodorizer. Good for laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and mixed with some sugar a fabulous ant killer in the garden.
You get the point, though. Why bother spending money on products when a few minutes and a little skill will save you time, trouble and chemical residue! There will always be people that insist that anti-bacterial soaps and commercial laundry products "do the job" better. But think about the long term outcome of these items. In the grand scheme, not so good.
For the mind that can't live without commercial products and other store brands, how will they cope when they can't obtain their "do the job better" products?
Our household has used baking soda for years. I don't ever recall having purchased "Comet" or "Old Dutch". We've never been hung up on "bacteria". For those that are "germophobes" (and I know you're out there) try lemon juice. Citric acid is great for killing bacteria.
There are now two generations of humans that have been told they NEED to use products for this and that. Betty Crocker told women that their cakes were no good and to bake hers. Aunt Jemimah programmed people to believe that syrups only came from a bottle. Go take a look through your cupboards and see what stares back at you. Then go read the labels on everything in your bathroom. You will be amazed (and horrified) at the lists of words that you see!
Let's face it, we have access to the largest archive in history. The internet provides billions of pieces of information. Do some reading, watch a few videos. YouTube has tons of great "how to" videos.
One of my personal favorites is Ms. Lindsay Coulter. Commonly referred to as "The Queen of Green", Ms. Coulter has tons of great advice!! Check her out sometime!
There will be folks that want to know what this has to do with being prepared. Well, it's a mindset. It's one less thing to think about when you have to cope with a change in your surroundings. If you have the skill and a few basics, you can still be on top of things no matter what happens.
In order to be "green" one makes the decision to not use harmful chemicals, products containing artificial ingredients or preservatives and so forth.
To be "prepared" you take seriously the notion of making sure that your family will be ready to cope with any potential disaster.
Claiming the status of "hippie" tells the world that you like to choose to make a simple life using natural ingredients and methods.
So, as one thing tends to blend into another, all three become a single person. Skilled in the arts of being able to get on this world without the aid of much more than one's own common sense and a few simple tools.
The items in the photo can be turned into a myriad of other things by way of a mixing bowl. Laundry soap, abrasive cleansers, ant control in the garden and so forth. It's all a matter of taking a few minutes (and about $20.00) and making a mess in the kitchen. Very few people even think about these products when puttering about a grocery store, but they are a staple for the self sufficient mind.
Baking soda: good for more than just biscuits. Great for abrasive cleansing of coffee & tea cups (get rid of stains), scrubbing the sink, toilet and tub. Gets greasy bits off your stainless steel, etc.
Borax: Naturally occurring cleaner and deodorizer. Good for laundry soap, dishwasher soap, and mixed with some sugar a fabulous ant killer in the garden.
You get the point, though. Why bother spending money on products when a few minutes and a little skill will save you time, trouble and chemical residue! There will always be people that insist that anti-bacterial soaps and commercial laundry products "do the job" better. But think about the long term outcome of these items. In the grand scheme, not so good.
For the mind that can't live without commercial products and other store brands, how will they cope when they can't obtain their "do the job better" products?
Our household has used baking soda for years. I don't ever recall having purchased "Comet" or "Old Dutch". We've never been hung up on "bacteria". For those that are "germophobes" (and I know you're out there) try lemon juice. Citric acid is great for killing bacteria.
There are now two generations of humans that have been told they NEED to use products for this and that. Betty Crocker told women that their cakes were no good and to bake hers. Aunt Jemimah programmed people to believe that syrups only came from a bottle. Go take a look through your cupboards and see what stares back at you. Then go read the labels on everything in your bathroom. You will be amazed (and horrified) at the lists of words that you see!
Let's face it, we have access to the largest archive in history. The internet provides billions of pieces of information. Do some reading, watch a few videos. YouTube has tons of great "how to" videos.
One of my personal favorites is Ms. Lindsay Coulter. Commonly referred to as "The Queen of Green", Ms. Coulter has tons of great advice!! Check her out sometime!
There will be folks that want to know what this has to do with being prepared. Well, it's a mindset. It's one less thing to think about when you have to cope with a change in your surroundings. If you have the skill and a few basics, you can still be on top of things no matter what happens.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Where to begin...
It has been a wild couple of weeks in Saskatchewan. The rains have caused not only farmers no end of grief, but myself as well. Will need to be replanting pickling cucumbers, watermelons, yellow beans and a few other minor things like basil.
Just when things appeared to be taking a turn for MORE lousy weather, my first grandchild decided to make her debut to this world SIX WEEKS ahead of schedule! Her arrival on June 4th was accompanied with two glorious days of sunshine and breezes...How's that for a sign!?! She arrived with the sun on her face and the wind at her back!
Needless to say, once the hum of activity that now occupies my head settles down, I have yet another reason to be prepped and ready to go.
I suspect very strongly, that I have rather an advantage over most. We have a decent sized house in a small town, and our burgeoning farm is only 15 kms away. So, should we need to deal with a SHTF situation, walking to a secondary site is not out of the question. A bit of a hike, yes. With a bug out bag, even longer. BUT, it's a DO-ABLE thing.
Currently, there is not much on the farm - that's for sure. No well, no solid shelter, no permaculture gardens. YET.
What you see, is what we have. The RV is shiny and new and reasonably well stocked. We have a 150 gallon potable water tank, some tools, and 3 horses. We have a long way to go. But we could survive.
When I think about what I've done lately to be prepared, the answer (in all honesty) is bugger all. There are a great many things that I need to do in order to have the transferable skills to make it in a crisis situation. Complacency is the word that I'd use to describe it. There was a time when I was on the West Coast, and NOT comfortable at all with living that close to a potential natural disaster. We're now far enough inland that I feel I can put down roots. We've a fairly remote location and not exactly a major target should planetary "all hell" break loose. However, when push comes to shove, my long term skills would serve me better than my short term knowledge.
I can preserve food by way of drying, canning, or smoking. I'm not too bad with folk medicine, but definitely need practice. I could improvise a splint if I had to. I'm studying Permaculture like a woman possessed since I believe that the Permaculture design principles will be the foundation of a permanent food supply. Permaculture will also provide wood fuel, shelter (by way of forest gardens), water, etc. I'm learning to work with horses again...big ones. They're self supporting transportation and a host of other uses.
AND, if it comes down to it - you don't have to plug them in in the winter. This is Luke. And Rosie, and Blaze. And eventually, they'll pull carts, and drags and plows. It's a little rustic, I know. But this again comes back to my point of having an advantage over the general public. The company that I purchased Luke (the Clydesdale) from, is not only a professional heavy horseman and champion 8-horse team driver, he's also a nice guy and just down the road from the farm.
In exchange for some assistance when it comes to prepping for his competitions, Harvey has agreed to train me how to work properly with Luke to haul hay, and wood and drive a cart. He also has all the equipment to do so. So, you see the advantage?
Now there are folks that would think that this is "using" people. I believe this is all in your perception of the situation. People's paths cross for a reason in this world. We each have something that needs to be exchanged with the other. Harvey is by NO means, a gardener. Or a baker. Or particularly organized when it comes to life outside of his beloved horses. So it's win/win. And this is where I get to share the advantage with someone else. If in the market for a heavy horse, Harvey will swing a fair deal on a good horse. Simple.
Remaining open minded to all the possibilities around you is also a skill that needs to be nurtured.
Next up, how being prepared and being green go hand in hand.
Happy prepping
Tabby
Just when things appeared to be taking a turn for MORE lousy weather, my first grandchild decided to make her debut to this world SIX WEEKS ahead of schedule! Her arrival on June 4th was accompanied with two glorious days of sunshine and breezes...How's that for a sign!?! She arrived with the sun on her face and the wind at her back!
Needless to say, once the hum of activity that now occupies my head settles down, I have yet another reason to be prepped and ready to go.
I suspect very strongly, that I have rather an advantage over most. We have a decent sized house in a small town, and our burgeoning farm is only 15 kms away. So, should we need to deal with a SHTF situation, walking to a secondary site is not out of the question. A bit of a hike, yes. With a bug out bag, even longer. BUT, it's a DO-ABLE thing.
Currently, there is not much on the farm - that's for sure. No well, no solid shelter, no permaculture gardens. YET.
What you see, is what we have. The RV is shiny and new and reasonably well stocked. We have a 150 gallon potable water tank, some tools, and 3 horses. We have a long way to go. But we could survive.
When I think about what I've done lately to be prepared, the answer (in all honesty) is bugger all. There are a great many things that I need to do in order to have the transferable skills to make it in a crisis situation. Complacency is the word that I'd use to describe it. There was a time when I was on the West Coast, and NOT comfortable at all with living that close to a potential natural disaster. We're now far enough inland that I feel I can put down roots. We've a fairly remote location and not exactly a major target should planetary "all hell" break loose. However, when push comes to shove, my long term skills would serve me better than my short term knowledge.
I can preserve food by way of drying, canning, or smoking. I'm not too bad with folk medicine, but definitely need practice. I could improvise a splint if I had to. I'm studying Permaculture like a woman possessed since I believe that the Permaculture design principles will be the foundation of a permanent food supply. Permaculture will also provide wood fuel, shelter (by way of forest gardens), water, etc. I'm learning to work with horses again...big ones. They're self supporting transportation and a host of other uses.
AND, if it comes down to it - you don't have to plug them in in the winter. This is Luke. And Rosie, and Blaze. And eventually, they'll pull carts, and drags and plows. It's a little rustic, I know. But this again comes back to my point of having an advantage over the general public. The company that I purchased Luke (the Clydesdale) from, is not only a professional heavy horseman and champion 8-horse team driver, he's also a nice guy and just down the road from the farm.
In exchange for some assistance when it comes to prepping for his competitions, Harvey has agreed to train me how to work properly with Luke to haul hay, and wood and drive a cart. He also has all the equipment to do so. So, you see the advantage?
Now there are folks that would think that this is "using" people. I believe this is all in your perception of the situation. People's paths cross for a reason in this world. We each have something that needs to be exchanged with the other. Harvey is by NO means, a gardener. Or a baker. Or particularly organized when it comes to life outside of his beloved horses. So it's win/win. And this is where I get to share the advantage with someone else. If in the market for a heavy horse, Harvey will swing a fair deal on a good horse. Simple.
Remaining open minded to all the possibilities around you is also a skill that needs to be nurtured.
Next up, how being prepared and being green go hand in hand.
Happy prepping
Tabby
Monday, May 24, 2010
Allow me to introduce myself...
My nickname is Tabby. I've had it for years. Since childhood. So, when I went to open my very first hotmail account in 1995 I figured I was the ONLY one on the planet. Wrong! Therefore, since I'm a Leo, an A-type synergistic personality and consequently, very much the center of my own personal planet - I am the REAL Tabby. In Saskatchewan, were I live in the real world, I'm simply Tammy.
I stumbled across the Prepper's Networks purely as a quirk of fate. I followed links from one site to another, and behold! I'm not the only out there that thinks bracing for worst while expecting the best is a normal way of thinking.
A bit of background: I'm 47, a single parent and have been since 1993. My children are pretty much grown now. 18, 19 and 24. They've come along in my move to SK to help out as best they can with our budding organic farm. As far as kids go - I bore three, borrowed five (unofficial foster kids, one of which also came along to SK) and at one time was madly in love with a father of four boys. Although I no longer qualify to outdo the Brady Bunch on transportation requirements, I look back at where I've been and what I've done and am content. In every way. I've had my share of ups and downs, as we all do, but in the grand picture I have been blessed with more love than some people see in their entire lives! I have an amazingly rich and diverse experience and I'm nowhere near done yet! I am GRATEFUL for every minute of it.
Summerberry Organics (my budding farm) is my life's work. I have a rudimentary website, and am working on a second one - Hippie Ways.
Hippie is my logo (and profile pic) and she's very special to us. My daughter created her, and I plan to bring her to life. Hippie Ways will eventually be a natural body care line that even the most sensitive souls can use. Everything is in the works....everything will come to light. I have faith.
We all have faith in one thing or another, and regardless of your chosen faith, basic survival is a skill. In deference to Sue (Short Fat Mormon Chick) and Frazer (outspoken advocate of all things Christian and a WHIZ with techno-stuff) I won't delve too far into a belief system. I am a Pagan. I will argue theology with anyone. I am a free-thinker. The earth is my church, my religion is to do good. A simple theory.
As a neophyte Prepper I have a lot to learn. I don't have a bug-out bag, I don't have an LED solar powered search light. There are a lot of things that I will require in order to be better prepared for the worst. What I DO have, is skill, an open mind, and a passion for the projects that will guide me though anything.
I am a staunch environmentalist. No I don't belong to any groups. I just believe that if it CAN be done without damage to my health or environment, then that's the way it should be. I believe that if I can make it myself, save money, and still refuse to depend on foolish chemicals then I will do it that way. Including, but not limited to, mayonnaise, mustard, iced tea, laundry soap, dishsoap, dishwasher powder (I admit it, I LOVE my dishwasher), granola bars, bread and butter, etc. Once the cash flow improves, then cash will be parted with on things such as a dairy cow, chickens, a couple of pigs, a couple of beef cows and the fuel to commute from Headquarters (our house in town, which I call Base Camp) to the farm 15 kms away.
My partner (whom you will come to know, and love...) is Pat. He is the KING of a good deal, or so he thinks. He's pretty good at spotting a bargain. He's a long hauler, somewhat cranky, and the one with skill and stamina to earn the cash to keep up with all of this! He thinks my "earth muffin" ways are a little off, but never complains when he's wolfing down fresh bread. He'll even eat trail mix, in a pinch.
I believe all of our paths have crossed for a reason. Whether country folks, or city folks, we all have a right to continue in the face of disaster. We need to be organized, communicative, supplied, and prepared to open our doors to those we have built networks with. It's a logical thing to do. We have a great deal of information to share with each other, even if it's not over a cup of tea in person. That time may come, but in the interim, we can still build relationships. If you've not yet read Frazer's Vision for the Prepper's Network posts, then you need to. I agree 100% with his take on it.
Isn't that what this is truly about? Obtaining the skills to survive so that our relationships will continue?
I stumbled across the Prepper's Networks purely as a quirk of fate. I followed links from one site to another, and behold! I'm not the only out there that thinks bracing for worst while expecting the best is a normal way of thinking.
A bit of background: I'm 47, a single parent and have been since 1993. My children are pretty much grown now. 18, 19 and 24. They've come along in my move to SK to help out as best they can with our budding organic farm. As far as kids go - I bore three, borrowed five (unofficial foster kids, one of which also came along to SK) and at one time was madly in love with a father of four boys. Although I no longer qualify to outdo the Brady Bunch on transportation requirements, I look back at where I've been and what I've done and am content. In every way. I've had my share of ups and downs, as we all do, but in the grand picture I have been blessed with more love than some people see in their entire lives! I have an amazingly rich and diverse experience and I'm nowhere near done yet! I am GRATEFUL for every minute of it.
Summerberry Organics (my budding farm) is my life's work. I have a rudimentary website, and am working on a second one - Hippie Ways.Hippie is my logo (and profile pic) and she's very special to us. My daughter created her, and I plan to bring her to life. Hippie Ways will eventually be a natural body care line that even the most sensitive souls can use. Everything is in the works....everything will come to light. I have faith.
We all have faith in one thing or another, and regardless of your chosen faith, basic survival is a skill. In deference to Sue (Short Fat Mormon Chick) and Frazer (outspoken advocate of all things Christian and a WHIZ with techno-stuff) I won't delve too far into a belief system. I am a Pagan. I will argue theology with anyone. I am a free-thinker. The earth is my church, my religion is to do good. A simple theory.
As a neophyte Prepper I have a lot to learn. I don't have a bug-out bag, I don't have an LED solar powered search light. There are a lot of things that I will require in order to be better prepared for the worst. What I DO have, is skill, an open mind, and a passion for the projects that will guide me though anything.
I am a staunch environmentalist. No I don't belong to any groups. I just believe that if it CAN be done without damage to my health or environment, then that's the way it should be. I believe that if I can make it myself, save money, and still refuse to depend on foolish chemicals then I will do it that way. Including, but not limited to, mayonnaise, mustard, iced tea, laundry soap, dishsoap, dishwasher powder (I admit it, I LOVE my dishwasher), granola bars, bread and butter, etc. Once the cash flow improves, then cash will be parted with on things such as a dairy cow, chickens, a couple of pigs, a couple of beef cows and the fuel to commute from Headquarters (our house in town, which I call Base Camp) to the farm 15 kms away.
My partner (whom you will come to know, and love...) is Pat. He is the KING of a good deal, or so he thinks. He's pretty good at spotting a bargain. He's a long hauler, somewhat cranky, and the one with skill and stamina to earn the cash to keep up with all of this! He thinks my "earth muffin" ways are a little off, but never complains when he's wolfing down fresh bread. He'll even eat trail mix, in a pinch.
I believe all of our paths have crossed for a reason. Whether country folks, or city folks, we all have a right to continue in the face of disaster. We need to be organized, communicative, supplied, and prepared to open our doors to those we have built networks with. It's a logical thing to do. We have a great deal of information to share with each other, even if it's not over a cup of tea in person. That time may come, but in the interim, we can still build relationships. If you've not yet read Frazer's Vision for the Prepper's Network posts, then you need to. I agree 100% with his take on it.
Isn't that what this is truly about? Obtaining the skills to survive so that our relationships will continue?
Friday, April 30, 2010
PURE energy rechargeable batteries
Those of you who follow our twitter account might have known that I was having some trouble getting my video (Seen below) to export from the editor. Well here the video is!!!!
It is on these PURE energy rechargeable batteries I got at wall mart that claim to have a 7 year shelf life. I've seen Sanyo eneloops that claim they maintain 85% of their power over 1 year but this is pretty impressive!
I got the charger and 4 AA batteries for $16.97 + tax CAD and I bought 4 AAA batteries for it since my EDC flashlight runs on AAAs. The AAAs only cost me $5.97 + tax CAD. I'm sure you're aware that most rechargeable batteries are much more expensive and don't hold a charge as long. I've seen old school rechargeable batteries die out after 1 month of sitting on the shelf. That's not good for a prepper!
I look at rechargeable like a tool for saving money in a preppers life. In my opinion I think we should all stretch our dollars as far as we can to have more money for preps. So since these batteries cost less than most good quality batteries I figured I'd use them in everyday items and things I didn't really think of using rechargeables in. Things like my remote control to my TV, my clocks and so forth. This will allow me to use the same batteries 500 times in each of these items before having to buy new ones, we all know clocks and remotes don't use much battery power anyway so why not save?
Disposable batteries do have their place in your preps however! also I don't use rechargeable in my smoke detectors since you don't know the charge level! I don't take chances there! The main thing disposable batteries can do in an emergency is once your rechargeables have all died out you don't have to worry about charging them and you can just toss them! They hold their power over a much longer period of time as well. I also think disposable batteries are good for emergency kits and so forth, you don't have to worry about taking them out and boosting the charge yearly and you know they are always at peak performance as long as they haven't expired!.
So for those of you with a high speed internet connection here is the video!
Just so you all know I'm going to put a summary of the videos I make so that people on slower or Dial-up internet connections can get the information as well.
It is on these PURE energy rechargeable batteries I got at wall mart that claim to have a 7 year shelf life. I've seen Sanyo eneloops that claim they maintain 85% of their power over 1 year but this is pretty impressive!
I got the charger and 4 AA batteries for $16.97 + tax CAD and I bought 4 AAA batteries for it since my EDC flashlight runs on AAAs. The AAAs only cost me $5.97 + tax CAD. I'm sure you're aware that most rechargeable batteries are much more expensive and don't hold a charge as long. I've seen old school rechargeable batteries die out after 1 month of sitting on the shelf. That's not good for a prepper!
I look at rechargeable like a tool for saving money in a preppers life. In my opinion I think we should all stretch our dollars as far as we can to have more money for preps. So since these batteries cost less than most good quality batteries I figured I'd use them in everyday items and things I didn't really think of using rechargeables in. Things like my remote control to my TV, my clocks and so forth. This will allow me to use the same batteries 500 times in each of these items before having to buy new ones, we all know clocks and remotes don't use much battery power anyway so why not save?
Disposable batteries do have their place in your preps however! also I don't use rechargeable in my smoke detectors since you don't know the charge level! I don't take chances there! The main thing disposable batteries can do in an emergency is once your rechargeables have all died out you don't have to worry about charging them and you can just toss them! They hold their power over a much longer period of time as well. I also think disposable batteries are good for emergency kits and so forth, you don't have to worry about taking them out and boosting the charge yearly and you know they are always at peak performance as long as they haven't expired!.
So for those of you with a high speed internet connection here is the video!
Just so you all know I'm going to put a summary of the videos I make so that people on slower or Dial-up internet connections can get the information as well.
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