I have three extra kids today, and had to wait for them to arrive, so I got a late start on my Saturday plans. I went first to get my eggs and milk from my friend, Tammy. She has such a nice little farm! We spent a couple of hours there seeing all the animals (for the sake of the visitors. My kids have seen them often). We came home to potty up, put away the food and then left for the Farmer's Market and plum picking.
It was noon, and the farmer's market was closing up for the day. There were only a few places still there. I ran to the first one, and swooped on the remaining green beans. She asked $13 for the table full. Of course I'll take that!
Then down the way, another man had a wide variety of fruits and veggies. I asked how much the corn was. He said 10 for $1. I asked how much for the whole basket (LOTS). He said, give me $5 you can have them all. Then he loaded me up with all sorts of other goodies.
He also said that if I came at closing time every week he'd make me the same deals. WOO HOO! I gave him another $5 (that's all I had) and got all of this for $23:
In fact, I forgot to add another full bag of corn to the picture. The kids all had two or three ears raw with lunch and the bag had been forgotten on the counter.
We also were able to get the two buckets of plums from a tree in a friend of a friend's elderly mother's home for free.
We got to see Tammy twice today. I asked her to share in the bounty. So I have been doubly blessed!
We've had great weather lately. It's been in the low 80's for a week! In JUNE! Well, that means we have to get out and do some fun things. Today, I took the Lambies to The Dunes. It's around the block from our house, where they started building houses, but never finished. All the dirt piled around has been fashioned into some mighty fun jumps.
All the kids got into the action:
Troubles was scared this first time, but climbed up over and over to ride down again.
Missy was the second to try this hill. Brave girl!
She bore to the left and avoided that jump. Jack did not. He jumped it quite a few times before the inevitable happened.
He hit his mouth on the handlebars. Poor guy. He got up and did the jump again, though! Here's his poor lip a couple of hours after the bonk.
The Lambies all want to go back again with Dad. I'm glad we found out about this fun spot.
Well, it's HAS been a while since I've blogged, huh? I have been using Facebook too much, I guess. I'll share a few pictures of what we've been up to lately.
This is the beautiful sight I was greeted with on Mother's Day: My Lambies awoke early and made Applesauce Oat Breakfast cookies and sliced strawberries and OJ. What sweethearts!
We went to the zoo with the cousins. What a great time we had!
We went to the lovely Sequoia National Forest for the day:
We climbed around on the huge rocks near the river:
I guess all the pictures of the river must be on my Honey's camera! I'll try to get some on soon.
I ate the first red cherry tomato today. There are many more reddening up. I hope the recent rain won't lead to blight...we are expecting more thunderstorms on Wednesday. I hope to have bushels and bushels of tomatoes to can this summer.
School is wrapping up. We should be finished next week, if all goes as planned. We'll see!
I've been making lots and lots of jams and jellies. We went to a u-pick cherry orchard and got buckets of Royal Anne cherries. I've been buying strawberries by the flat and freezing the extras for later. There's a berry farms that is u-pick about 30 minutes away. I hope to get there before the season is over.
We participated in the annual homeschool fair. The older Lambies made a big pulley system with Dad, among other things. Look for pics to be added to this post soon. They are also in Dad's camera.
We have birthday parties, family visiting and a used curriculum fair coming up in the next weeks. June is always busy! I hope yours is going well!
Have you heard of Swagbucks? I recently signed up and already have amassed over 100 Swagbucks! It's simply a search engine that you use instead of Google or Yahoo. It's a very easy way to earn a few real dollars. There are lots of prizes to choose.
I am using all my swag-income to get $5 gift certificates for Amazon. It's just 45 swagbucks to earn a real $5 discount! If you sign up through my links (scattered throughout this post), then I will get additional bucks, so you are helping support my book habit, and that's not a bad thing!
If you already use swagbucks, please tell me what prizes you have redeemed for and share your experiences!
Do you believe the Bible? Then what about carbon dating? Do you believe in the Global Flood? Then how did Noah get all of the animals on the Ark? Are you a Christian? Then what do you do about all of the “Ape Men?” In this fast-paced video lecture, AiG president Ken Ham gives answers to these and other commonly asked questions that skeptics lodge concerning Genesis and Creation, such as “Where did Cain get his wife” and “Where did all the races originate?” Presented simply, yet powerfully, this message given by one of the creation movement’s leading apologists will help your family to be better equipped to “give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
One of the most controversial issues today in our country is over the “Right to Keep and Bear Arms.” In this lecture, Larry Pratt gives a historical and Biblical overview of the Second Amendment. Drawing on his vast experience and knowledge as head of America’s only no compromise gun-lobbying organization — Gun Owners of America — Mr. Pratt offers a helpful overview of this vital issue in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision D.C. v. Heller. Mr. Pratt has debated the heads of anti-gun groups both in the U.S. and internationally. In You May Not Take Our Guns, Mr. Pratt helps us to gain a proper understanding of our duty both Biblically and historically behind the Second Amendment.
Here's how 8 THINGS works:
- Mention the person that tagged you.
- Complete the lists of 8's.
- Tag 8 of your wonderful bloggy friends.
- Go tell them you tagged them!
8 Things I am looking forward to:
1. date morning tomorrow
2. the monthly library book sale (it might be rained out, though)
3. canning more food this week
4. harvesting my first veggie from my garden
5. a trip to hanford this weekend to get more jars. 25 cents for each quart!
6. losing weight
7. swimming
8. going to the forest often this summer
8 Things I did yesterday:
1. gathered together with the church for worship and study
2. spoke with my pastor about important things
3. went to the grocery store
4. went to the thrift store
5. weighed in on the Wii
6. petted and played with our kitten
7. taught my children
8. canned strawberry jam
8 Things I wish I could do:
1. be raptured SOON
2. see America Godly again
3. go to the forest tomorrow
4. have another baby
5. build a root cellar
6. have a horse
7. have backyard chickens
8. afford all the raw milk I wanted for the entire family
8 Shows I watch:
1. The Biggest Loser
2. Heroes
3. The Office
4. My Name is Earl
5. Gilad (my Fit TV 'personal trainer')
6. Glenn Beck
7. NFL games, during the season
8. can;t come up with another.
I am woefully behind in posting, but I guess I'll blame it on Grandma! We have had a great and busy week of fun while she visits. I'll have lots of photos of our activities, but for now, I'll share a picture of the Lambies on Easter Sunday.
Here's another in a long line of abuse videos taken in the Southwestern states. A very real loss of personal freedom is occurring. Be aware of your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. You do NOT have to submit to a search of your person or your vehicle simply because a Law Enforcement Officer demands it. They must have a search warrant or REAL probable cause. Your 4th Amendment rights protect you from this. Stand up and DO not allow your rights to be disregarded!
You can follow this case and leave Pastor Anderson and his family encouraging comments at the Steven Anderson Family Blog.
What is your favorite salad dressing?
It's a toss-up between Homemade Blue Cheese or Creamy Italian
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Chili's
What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it?
Mexican...there's a lot of variety!
What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Cheese, bacon, and chicken.
What do you like to put on your toast?
Butter and homemade strawberry preserves
TECHNOLOGY
How many televisions are in your house?
Four.
What color cell phone do you have?
Burgandy
What does the first text message in your in box say and who sent it?
I don't text, so nothing!
Who was the last person to call you?
My friend Jennifer.
BIOLOGY
Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Right.
Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
I've had a tooth pulled.
What is the last heavy item you lifted?
50 pound bags of wheat and oats
RANDOM-OLOGY
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
No. I'd be too concerned about that to enjoy the days I had.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
When I was a child I REALLY wanted to. Now I am resigned to my awful name. I always thought Olivia was a lovely...
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Yeah, I think I would try!
DUMB-OLOGY
How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
Not one. I HATE flip-flops!
When is the last time you had a run in with the cops?
I was pulled over last year for not having current tags. I had already paid it, though.
Missing someone?
Everyone especially dear to me is right here. However, I am looking forward to my dear MIL coming soon
Mood?
Satisfied and tired. We had a great day at the zoo today.
What are you listening to? Bolt discovering he has no power.
Watching?
My computer screen and the TV playing Bolt.
Worrying about?
Not a thing
RANDOM-OLOGY
Last movie you saw Hulk....not my kind of movie, but not too bad, I guess.
Do you smile often?
Not enough, probably.
Do you always answer your phone?
Almost always.
It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
I would have no idea! I don't text with anyone!
If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Oooh, blue! It might look funny with my brown hair though.
Do you own a digital camera?
Yes, we do.
Have you ever had a pet fish? Yes, but I very much dislike taking care of tanks. We sold our big tank not too long ago. :happydance: My dd has a small tank, but takes care of it herself. :anotherhappydance:
Favorite Christmas song Joy to the World
What’s on your wish list for your birthday
Uh....uh....I can't really think of anything I need...or want.
Can you do pushups?
Yes, and I do them a couple of times a week. Gilad tells me to.
Can you do a chin up?
Probably not. I don't think I've tried.
Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
I'm thrilled about it! I see the Lord working and lining things up quickly for things to come. Maranatha!
Ever been in a car wreck?
Only minor fender benders. My poor husband has had THREE major car accidents in his life. :(
What is the last song to make you cry? "As Deep Cries Out To Deep" We were learning it at church when I had a miscarriage and it was very meaningful to me.
Plans tonight?
Cutting out the next to last skirt.
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
Thankfully, no.
Name three things you bought yesterday.
Nine baskets of strawberries, two jars of peanut butter, and oranges.
Have you ever been given roses?
Yes, in high school.
Do you have an accent?
Not to myself, but if you are from Arkansas, I probably do. :)
Current hate right now?
dust
Met someone who changed your life?
My husband!
What were you doing at 12 AM last night?
Sleeping! Is there anything else to do at 12 AM?
Oh, I just noticed that I haven't shared pictures of the garden in a while! Here, for your springtime enjoyment, is our garden:
My Honey spent an hour and made me a sturdy trellis.
Here it is completed, with the sisal rope for the plants to climb.
I found these two barrels to hold sun-warmed water for the garden at a garage sale for only $2.50 each!
Doesn't the thought of fresh peas make you hungry?
Here's a disturbing video of a young man traveling through Missouri (home of the militia memo) who was detained and harassed because he was carrying cash. He refused to answer the un-Constitutional questions and that did not make the TSA agents very happy.
Please remember your Constitutional rights as you travel around this great country of ours. Don't give your freedom and submit to "Show me your papers" mentality!
Oooohh a giveaway! I LOVE giveaways! Katie at the famous Team Bettendorf is giving away a copy of "Four Season Harvest". What a timely thing to offer! Hurry over, since the contest ends Saturday!
This is our Artist Study this Term. We are studying specific paintings, as well, but this is a great overview of Van Gogh's work. The song is "Starry, Starry Night" by the great Don McClean.
This is a long article, but well- worth the reading. As the world gets crazier and crazier, do you feel a need to do SOMETHING? Preparing for the future is a Biblical thing; it doesn't mean you aren't trusting in the Lord! He allowed Joseph to go to Egypt first to PREPARE for a coming famine. The Proverbs are full of admonitions to look to the future. If the rapture occurs soon, perhaps the Lord is calling you to prepare a store for the Tribulation saints. Much more information is available at Mrs. Survival.
Prepping is challenging enough at the best of times but when you come to it with a deep feeling of necessity, having seen the bleakness of the future, then tension adds to the burdens. So many of you here have expressed the feeling that you started too late or that you didn’t feel you could do enough in time. There have been many posts that talked about feelings of futility and the feeling that one is losing their sanity by trying to prep when those around you are oblivious to the need. It is those people whom I hope will be helped by this thread specifically though, others might find it helpful as well.
I will not mince words. The world we live in is in big trouble and that trouble is coming to your neighborhood very soon if it is not already there. There may be some diehard individuals out there that believe that it’s going to get better or that the Government is going to take care of things but those are not the people we normally see here at Mrs. S. If you are here at Mrs. S you more than likely came to learn about prepping but once here have found such a huge wealth of information it’s almost impossible to know where to start. Coupled with the latest news reports of food shortages world wide, rationing of basic staples, high prices at the gas pump and grocery store, the continuing mortgage crisis, and job losses and it could be extremely difficult to know what to do.
This thread is not about specifics, for each of you will have a different situation calling for different plans. There are as many ways to prep as there are preppers. There is no right or wrong way. What I’m going to discuss is just one way to get started. It is meant to teach you about tools you can use to help you do the job better, more efficiently, and hopefully with less stress. Those tools are within each of you and will cost you little.
The first tool you need is conviction.
You will never be able to accomplish what you need to do in a short period of time if you are not convinced that you need to do so. Many of you have had opposition from friends and relatives and that makes us second-guess the need. Sometimes you have a conflicting problem with spending the money on something that you ‘might’ use in the future as opposed to something you want now. Perhaps you can’t imagine having to live with preps and that makes it difficult to envision what you need. Whatever it might be that is your roadblock, if you can’t get beyond it, if you are not totally convinced that this is necessary to insure your future, you will have a difficult time going beyond a few months of food in the pantry. If you have not found that certainty yet then it’s time to step back and take a real good look at the situation as you see it today. Define what you perceive as the worst threat, talk with your family and friends once again and see if their attitude has changed any. If they have, then you have support, if not, then you will have to find that conviction within you to continue. Once you have that conviction you will feel some of the stress ebb. If it’s not all ebbing, don’t panic. Just keep working through these next tools.
NOTE: If you do find yourself with a lot of opposition you might just say that you did not wait to take out insurance on your house until the roof was on fire and you did not take out insurance on your car after an accident. Your preps are just another form of insurance.
The next tool is identifying the threat.
What are you planning to prep FOR? It is virtually impossible to be prepared for everything that could happen but you can attempt to identify the greatest possibilities. It is true that even the possibilities are changing very fast but many of your preps will cover a multitude of dangers and threats. Only you can know what you or your family might need to face. The one thing I suggest is that you do NOT delude yourself. Be realistic about it. While it’s doubtful that you would have a flood in the desert, you might need to deal with the lack of water. Do not, however, believe you will never have to deal with hungry hoards because you live hundreds of miles from a big city. You may not have to deal with a baby in the house if you are elderly or childless but then again you might! Only you can decide for only you know your situation. Whatever you decide, keep the conviction in place as you face the threat. Never feel you cannot do this.
The next tool is to identifying your assets.
Before you buy one more thing, you need to use this tool. This tool has you setting down with pencil and paper, making lists. Do not expect to finish these lists. You will continually be adding to them. Keep them near you. This tool forms the start of your preps no matter if you have never prepped before or if you have prepped for years and want to be sure you are up to date.
First make a list that assesses yourself and each member of your family or the group you might need to share a SHTF situation. List the strengths and weaknesses of each. List their skills, their knowledge and a short note on their personalities, things like whether they feel a constant need of approval of others, whether they could be a leader and whether or not you feel they would be solid during a crisis or fall apart. Assess their health and their medical needs. Assess their addictions like coffee or drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping etc. This list gives you an idea of what human resources you have at hand. Be sure to delve deeply into your own knowledge base as it pertains to survival at it’s basic. Do you know how to start a simple wood fire? Can you cook from scratch, do you know how to sew, repair, or have a good sense of direction? Can you follow directions from a book? Sometimes we feel we know very little but often we have more knowledge base than we realize. Even just growing up or being around knowledgeable people gives us perhaps untapped resources in our minds.
Next start a list of your actual and physical assets. Try to work through the house room by room with the exception that you might want to list all foods together on one list. A clipboard with multiple papers will help with this task. Be sure to list staples like spices, condiments and such on your food list. Try to assess how long each thing would last in normal situation. Be sure to list medical and first aid supplies. As you go through the house look at things with a “prepping eye”. Would those rags work as washable toilet wipes in a pinch? Do you have extra sheets for bandages or for sickness, towels that could be used as diapers, buckets that could be used for the laundry with a toilet plunger? How many clothes do you have for each person and how long would they last if there were no more available. When you assess your tools look at them with a prepping eye also. Would a hammer or screwdriver be useful as a weapon, do you have a saw that could also procure wood for heating in a real pinch, or would the tool box itself be a good hiding place for valuables? In other words, think WAY outside the box when you are assessing.
List your financial assets and liabilities. Later you will be looking at where the money is coming from for the preps you need but for now just list.
Next make a list of the resources in and within a safe walking distance around your home or apartment. Again, think prep. The water heater contains an emergency amount of safe drinking water? How much water is contained in your water pipes? Do you have a back yard for vegetables or fruit, a fence for security, a neighbor who would be helpful? Is there a park, field, wilderness, or other resources near you? Do you have a pool, or does the neighbor? If you have no land, are there resources near you? A city pond, a park, or an empty lot that might yield wild foods or be used for neighborhood gardens if necessary? Is the roof flat and would it be useful for gardening if you had the soil and seed on hand? Is it pitched and are their gutters for catching rainwater? What types of windows do you have? Are they advantageous? There are so many things that we have around us that we never consider as a “prep”. Find them and put them on your list.
As you broaden your knowledge base about prepping you will be reassessing those lists to tell you what assets you have for energy, lighting, heat, water, cooking, and various other aspects of survival.
The object of these lists is to let you know that you really do have more preps than you think. That will give you some confidence. They can also tell you where the holes are that need filling. If you are just not a list maker at least take the inventory mentally. You need to know where you are before you can move on or you will be spending money and energy needlessly and still not be as prepared as you could otherwise be.
Attitude:
I believe we could add attitude adjustments to the tools for prepping. I noticed that many preppers on this board and others tend to react adversely when anyone points out the terrible future we could be looking at. There are all sorts of reactions from denial, to justification, to refuting the subject.
It’s plain and simple human nature not to want change forced upon us. The future we are starting to see in the media and on the survival and watch boards is way less than optimal. It seems to be pointing out that we will need to give up a lot of what we consider luxuries and perhaps even necessities. Just the raise in prices alone makes us cringe but the thought of having to perhaps face TEOTWAWKI (The end of the world as we know it) is even worse.
Why? I tried to get a handle on that.
Is it because you could have to do much more physical work than you’ve done in the past? I know it is more and more difficult for me each year. Is it because you love your present lifestyle so much that you can’t give it up? Perhaps it is because you want your children to have so much MORE than you did and that fear that they will have so much less. Perhaps it is because you see a future that looks too much like the past. Some of us have been there, done that and do NOT want to do it again. Some see the past as a time of degradation for those living through it.
There are a great many reasons why we do not want to face the future. But our attitudes about the future constantly dictate to our prepping. So, too, does our attitude about the past if that is where we feel the next future is taking us. When we think of the future as a terrible place to be, we cling to the present with every inch of our being. That means that we focus on THINGS for our preps; food mostly because it is often associated with the good life. Our first thought is to squirrel away all those things that bring us joy because we can’t imagine joy in the future facing us.
Certainly we will be facing some really tough times. If we have a SHTF situation it more then likely would cause widespread societal breakdown for at least the first part of that time. I won’t paint a false rosy pictures for you. The situation is worsening daily and much faster than any of us had expected but we can prep for that yet. It won’t be as easy but we can do it with a bit of ingenuity and determination.
Still, many people will still be prepping only for the short term because they cannot wrap their minds around trying to envision a future where we have to give up a way of life that we’ve grown accustomed to.
I believe a change of attitude toward that future might help us all to get beyond that. We aren’t really sure what the future will bring but even if it did bring us TEOTHAWKI why do we believe it will be a worse world? Is our world so perfect today that we don’t want to change it? You all know what is going on in the world today even if you choose not to acknowledge it. There is a lot of room for improvement. Who is to say that those improvements won’t come AFTER the SHTF? Each of us has different views for what the world should be. So also will each of you have different ideas for being prepared for it but changing our attitudes towards that future might make even a bigger difference in how and what we prep.
I can easily envision a future where we won’t have electricity which would mean giving up not only a lot of luxuries but possibly will bring a lot of extra physical labor I am ill equipped for. I would mourn that loss but I also look forward to the possibility that it might bring families closer together. I can envision no modern world interference in the time they spend together. No TV’s, Ipods, geehaws and gadgets that take attention away from family and focus it on individuals. Working together for survival can make for tighter knit groups.
When I realized that I changed some of my ideas about what to have prepared. I stocked up on popcorn, books, puzzles, and musical instruments. I made sure that I had lots of hand projects to do in the evening for idle hands are less productive hands and can lead to boredom. I invested in wind up clocks for I know that time has become an issue with us all and it will help to make that transition. I am especially careful to print out instructions for those things I feel we might need to know to make our non-electric lifestyle easier and have invested in non-electric items to insure a smoother transition. When I go to buy something now I ask myself if I could still use it in a non-electric world.
I’ve heard some of you say how worried you are about your kids in this new reality. They might not have all the wonderful things you wanted for them. Perhaps they won’t be able to go to college. Maybe they will have to give up something they are accustomed to having or do something they have never done before. That doesn’t mean it will be bad. If we truly have a societal change then they will not be alone. Their friends, and family will all be in the same boat. Changes happen constantly in young peoples lives. They are meant to. It’s how they grow and we see it daily now. Why do we think it will be any different after the SHTF? In fact, they will most likely adapt better than us adults.
Eventually there will still be schools even if it’s in your own home. Eventually new opportunities will open up for them to move into. It might be different than they had dreamed of but it will be a new dream. You can help with these transition with your attitude.
Attitude towards the future can make all the difference, not just to your prepping but to your whole well being and that of your family. Our ancestors the pioneers really didn’t know what their future was going to bring when they packed up their wagons and headed west. The knew they faced hardship and dangers yet they tried to be as prepared as possible for what might come. Some of them chose to go; some only went because their loved ones did. Some had no choice and felt forced into the trip but mostly they went with the attitude that there would be a new and better way of life ahead of them. After they had faced the deserts and the mud and the rain, after they faced the sometimes unfriendly natives who saw them as a threat, after they lost loved ones and possessions a huge percentage of them managed to find a new life, a better one for themselves and their family. Have we evolved into such puny pampered weaklings now that we can’t do the same? I think not!
NOTE that through all this so far you have spent very little and you have only left your house to assess resources outside. Free preps with little expenditure of energy and low stress so far.
By now you probably ARE starting to feel some stress as you think of all the things that could happen to you and your family. Don’t get panicky and if you find yourself doing so, don’t stop. With your conviction firmly in place just keep going.
Where to start?
FIRST- Bug Out Bags. Never forget that it could be possible that you would have to leave your home in a moments notice and the preps and resources you have may not be available. Bug Out Bags for each member of the family should be your FIRST Prep items attended to. There are numerous threads here on Mrs. S that will help you build them. Keep them handy. Have them in vehicles, near doors, even in the garage or an outbuilding. Learn to carry a mini BOB with you at all times. If you do them with some thought to where you will go, what will possibly happen in that journey and what you might need, you will have a better chance for survival. You will also have your first taste of security.
Second, take out that list of your and perhaps your family’s personal assets. Look at your knowledge base for the bare necessities of survival and self-reliance. Could you write a book on basic survival in the wilderness or in the city? Do you NEED a book on basic survival in the wilderness or the city? If you are unsure then buy a good book on survival at its basics and see just how much you already know and use the book for filling in the gaps. There are many such free books on the internet if you can’t afford or can’t find one to buy. At the least find a list of basic survival skills and choose to learn about those that are most fitting in your situation. Providing water, food, and shelter are the first things you need to know. Make sure you can do that in the City if there is no chance you will be leaving and in the city AND the countryside if it’s possible that you might. If you live in the country and already know basic survival there. LEARN about City survival. You never know where life will put you. And yes, there ARE books on basic survival in urban, rural and wilderness areas. You do NOT need to become an expert. Study the book thoroughly to help the info stay in your mind and pack that book or a copy in all your BOB’s, and keep it near as a reference.
While you are filling in the gaps of your knowledge base you can be starting to fill in holes in your preps. There are as many suggestions for stocking up as there are preppers. One size does NOT fit all. I suggest only that you check your lists to see what you need. Start with the most pressing ones first. There are numerous wonderful stocking up lists on Mrs. S. Use them as a guide until you can see for yourself. Do NOT be overwhelmed by them. They cover everything from food to medicines, to tools, to guns, to incidentals, to sewing supplies, and more. You do not necessarily need them all. They are not meant to be all-inclusive you may need something not on the list. They are only meant to help you think of things you might not have otherwise.
These lists do not just focus on food but preps of all types. I’m sure they will open up new areas of thought for you. If you have trouble finding the lists by using the search engine, just ask a mod or post in one of the forums.
Be systematic in your prepping though not dogmatic. Be flexible to find the bargains. Cross items off your list to show progress. Have two or three goals in mind, adding more each time you attain one. It is human nature that we rarely achieve a goal if we don’t have another waiting in the wings. Make sure your goals come from both adding to your knowledge base and adding to your physical preps. Variety adds interest and keeps you prepping.
Financial difficulties.
This is an issue for most preppers, new or otherwise. With the way prices are rising it will make it difficult but not impossible to prepare. It will depend on how well you completed your use of tool number one. If you are convinced that you need to do this you will find a way. It might help to realize that there are many here on the board who are below poverty level, elderly, disabled, or otherwise financially challenged yet they are finding and sharing ways to get and stay prepared. If you just cannot find the funds to buy food for your pantry and other supplies then it’s time to go back to those basics. There is always something you can do to work towards being prepped even if it’s learning how to start a fire or filling an empty soda bottle with water for storage. Making plans and maps for escape routes and packing BOB’s with items you have right in the house are a couple more. The internet is full of free educational material. Look for it, read it, copy it if you can and start a folder with emergency information you may need later.
Now that you have some basic information lets address the stress and tension you are feeling about being ready in time or having enough. Being prepped won’t cure that tension or stress. Those of us who have been prepping for a much longer period are also feeling it. It is not the stress of prepping that is the problem, the problem is the unknown, the fear, the certainty that something is going to happen but you can’t find the enemy. It helps to have a support system that believes as you do. We are not always fortunate to have that but with the threats looming more openly now you probably won’t be alone for long. Mrs. S is a great place to find online support also.
One sure cure for the problem though is ACTION. Setting around and fretting about what you CAN’T do is not going to help, either the stress or the preps. Focus on what you CAN do and then do it.
I'm the blessed wife of My Honey of 14 years, and Momma to eight wonderful Lambies aged 13 and under. We live in Central CA, and use Ambleside Online for our curriculum. I'd love to meet you , so browse a while and feel free to leave a comment!
My Lambies awoke early and made Applesauce Oat Breakfast cookies and sliced strawberries and OJ. What sweethearts!
My friend 
