September Preparedness Month (30) Wrap Up

 On the last day of Preparedness Month, I'd like to thank everyone for visiting my humble blog. You might have noticed that I changed my closing mantra to do one small step every day. Prepping doesn't have to be a huge undertaking, but rather small simple tasks that are done when you think of them. If the power goes out for a minute, and you think it would be nice to have a flashlight, then buy one the next time you are out. You don't need a bunker to be prepared as I've hoped to demonstrate this month. Just common sense tasks...

The Bible teaches us to store food and to prepare for hard times. Even if you don't believe in God, there is a wealth of wisdom in the Bible. Aesop's Fable, a child's tales, even teaches us these things.

The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
Proverbs 21:20 NIV

The parable of the ten virgins   : The Bible again teaches us to prepare for the darkness, and the prepared are rewarded.
Matthew 25

The Grasshopper and the Ant Parable
[Link Here]

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Timothy 5:8 NIV (emphasis mine)

"Make hay while the sun is shines"
“Make hay while the sun shines" is an old saying that's considered a proverb. A proverb is an old, usually short saying that communicates good advice or something true. If you make hay while the sun shines, it means that you take advantage of the chance to do something while conditions are good. (Google)

I'll be posting less, as I prepare to sit for my National MRI registry exam. Stay safe, God bless, and take care of you and your loved ones. I'll still be reading my blogs and commenting... 

The comment section is open for your comments, criticism, and prepping knowledge.

 Keep Right On Prepping - K

September Preparedness Month (29)

As the end nears, today's post will be mainly  miscellaneous tidbits.

Sweetheart wanted me to add that gelatin, collagen, and protein powders make excellent protein sources that aren't your standard peanut butter.

Don't forget the dominant food crops of the world, so grow, store, and experiment with new menu items.

Monsoon Matriarch, of Frugal Prep,   is a strong proponent of the Emergency Essentials orange drink mix for rounding out a more balanced diet. Link here.

In the event of a long term event, vitamins would be a good item to stockpile.

Let's not forget some of the super foods that are easily stored. Pioneer Preppy, at Small Hold,  loves his lentils which are very easy to cook and a powerhouse of nutrition. Rice, get several varieties, which is most of the world's staple food.

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K

September Preparedness Month (28)

I'm sure that a few of my readers were wondering when we would get to firearms. Well, today is the day. I recommend new shooters to talk to a friend that has pistols, and ask to go shooting with them. Most gun owners are more than happy to show new shooters the proper way to handle firearms, how to handle a pistol, and proper training. Some Arkansas ranges offer a wide selection of pistols for rental, and this is an excellent way to get a feel for a pistol.

A big box store or local armory is also a good way to get good information about guns. Make sure that the staff is friendly, doesn't talk down to you, knowledgeable,and willing to take the time with you. Go spend your money elsewhere if they act like a jackass (Don's Armory in Arkansas).

Be sure to include in your budget at the very least 200 rounds to shoot in the very near future, and another 50-100 rounds to start your ammo stockpile. Harry Flashman has a great post on long term ammo storage at this LINK. It's worth your time.

Personally, I like Ruger for the value and service. Your mileage may vary. Buy what works for you, and is comfortable in your hand when shooting it.

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K

September Preparedness Month (27)

Cleanliness is next to Godliness, or so the adage goes. During my backpacking years, wet wipes played an important role in feeling clean, and providing a general sense of well being in the back country. For under $2.00 you can purchase enough wet wipes to keep a person feeling fairly clean for about a week. This also includes using it as TP.

Today's small expenditure is to purchase a package of wet wipes for power outages, go home kit, or other uses.

http://www.johnwillsphotography.com/sunrise-and-coffee-0459/

I can not stress enough the general sense of well being with a cleaner body, brushed teeth, and a cup of coffee in the morning.

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K

September Preparedness Month (26)

Some of the best long term storage treats that we have found are the dehydrated potatoes and onions for restaurant style hash browns. We also like the freeze dried pineapple chunks, apple slices, and MRE cookies and cakes.  The MREs are reasonably priced and store very well. I've had five year old MRE cookies that are still good to eat, especially the Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake!

If you catch the hash browns on sale from Emergency Essentials they are actually priced better per ounce than the hash browns that you get from the grocery store.

Sweetheart likes the freeze dried strawberries slices, but we have been disappointed by the amount of strawberry dust at the bottom of the can. About half the can is dust, and I guess we could use it for strawberry pancakes or other baked goods, but we haven't experimented with it yet.

You can find some excellent deals on freeze dried foods, which has a shelf life of over 15 years, and incorporate it into your everyday menus.

Question for my experienced readers: What and where have you found great deals on long term storage foods? Leave a comment...

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K

September Preparedness Month (25)

Today's task will require a little thought and a few dollars. Remember the honest day's food storage? Well, today we are going to throw in a few food treats to bring the spirits up.

Cold weather? Hot chocolate for the kids, a special hot tea for the wife, a percolator for the parents sake and kid's well-being, a small bottle of Baileys for that coffee, and/or marshmallows for the fireplace are all good ideas.

Hot weather? A packet of Gatorade, sweet tea, and other cold beverages to go with those frozen water bottles from day three would be a welcome treat.

A few well stocked items could brighten an otherwise dark day. What are some treats for your family that you can think of storing today for tomorrow?

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K

September Preparedness Month (24)

We are in the home stretch for September Preparedness Month, and the rest of the month we'll take on small tasks to make preparedness situations a little more pleasant. Today's task is to acquire a radio for communication and news. Amazon is a great place to start researching portable radios. Check out the reviews, and remember that people are more willing to leave a bad review than a good one. Our portable radio uses 3 AA batteries and has a very good battery life it is the Grundig FR-200.

After your radio purchase, I would consider either a handheld walk-talkie or Ham radio. We have the Baofeng UV-5RAX+ which is a reasonable entry level handheld ham radio. It does need a ham license to operate, but those are easily obtained online (without Morse code now) for a nominal fee.

Another alternative is the walkies-talkies that hunters use, weather radios, or a handheld CB. We don't have either at our house, so I can't recommend a brand or model type.

Check out Amazon, and get your communications squared away.

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K

September Preparedness Month (23)

 Today's small task will be to assemble a small first aid kit. Consider this a short term common ailment kit. This isn't a SHTF trauma kit with quick clog, and surgical tools that you don't know how to use, this is a practical everyday I've got a cut, burn, or splinter kit.

My practical first aid kit includes:

• Fabric Bandaids (knuckle, strip, and fingertip) with a few large ones thrown in.
• Triple antibotic ointment for cuts
• Moleskin for blisters
• Small mirror and tweezers for splinters and things in the eye
• Individual packets of Advil, Aspirin, and/or Aleve (Doan's is nice too!)
• Hotel soap (to clean poison ivy urushiol)
• Silver Oxide for burns (ask pharmacist)
• Benadryl
• Heart burn medication
• Carmex lip balm in the canister
• Baking soda self made packet (for bee stings)

I'll go into a bit more detail. The Urushiol oil from poison ivy is about as cleanable as axle grease, so wash affected area about 4 times with lots of friction and perhaps a washcloth within a few hours of contact. If a rash does develop, then relief can be sought by using very hot water (as hot as you can stand without burning yourself) to flush the area. The relief will be last a hour to four hours.

Silver Oxide is available from your pharmacist without a prescription, but be warned that it cost about $30 a tube. I told mine that I wanted a tube for a backpacking first aid kit and he was very helpful. You can get a prescription from your doctor to have insurance cover part of the cost.

Baking Soda for bee stings? Make a paste with water and apply to the bee sting area, and as the paste dries, it will draw the poison out of the skin.

So, this is our basic first aid kit...What do you have in your wallet kit?

One task every day, one small task....for a better prepared community - K