Summer Clinicals Started

Today was our first day of summer clinicals, and I had a rather interesting patient today. She was had been diagnosed with MRSA, and we received a warning from the nursing staff before she came into the x-ray department. I'll call her little miss, which is kind of ironic because she was no lady. Our nursing staff warned us that she had been trying to spread the bacteria to other people, including the staff. Little miss would purposely touch the infected wound and then try to touch the staff, or other objects that the staff would later handle.

Transport had dropped her off in the hallway next to the x-ray unit, and I had the pleasure of collecting her for the x-ray room. We were using a fluoroscopic procedure to guide a small needle into the shoulder joint space to collect a fluid sample. The first words out of her mouth was that she "needed" some pain meds to start the procedure. Of course, I told little miss that she would have to talk to her doctor about that, and that I could not give her anything without a doctor's order. So, when she saw the Radiologist that was performing the procedure, the same request fell on deaf ears. She did get the usual local anesthesia though. While we used standard aseptic protocols, we were extra careful to stay safe. Her arm was immobilized, and her head was turned towards the wall to "keep the sterile field" intact. While it was true, it was a two-fold approach to the two problems: the bacteria and the host.

MRSA = Methicillin-resistant StaphyLococcus aureus

And this is where the prepper in me starts to kick into high gear. I always had an inkling that some people would want other people to suffer, just as they are suffering. I guess that the old quote that "misery loves company" didn't appear from thin air. If in today's medical availability, that people can still want to inflict their pain on others, then what about when the system has fallen apart?

Today's Lesson: Treat everyone in a major extended disaster as infectious, and willing to spread it.

It would be a shame to survive a disaster, only to defeated by a virus or bacteria. A minimum distance for air-borne diseases is six feet...a minimum. Other bacteria and viruses can last on surfaces for two weeks. The golden rule around our department: "If it's wet and not yours, don't touch it!"

Do your research on aseptic practices and contamination control.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Food for Thought

Thanks to all that served, past, present, and future.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Murfreesboro, AR Crater of Diamonds Field Report

We arrived a little after 6:00pm to find that the visitor center had already closed for the day, and we were unable to officially check into our campsite. Luckily they had tagged our campsite as reserved, and we only had to come back the next morning between 8-10am to sign the paperwork. This was about the time we had planned on entering the diamond fields, so it was a non-issue. We drove around a little bit and found our campsite. It was W5, and it is a walk-in campsite. The rate was $12 per night and had all the features of the  $35/night campsites except for an electrical outlet. The higher dollar campsites are designed more for RVs than campers.

The water spout and trash cans are located at the center of all five of the walk-in campsites. Each campsite includes a picnic table, firepit, and a level area for a large tent.  The best map of the area is here. 

This sign is located right beside the visitor center, and has a pedestal to place cameras for timed photographs.

We bought a new family tent called the Magellan SwiftRise 4 person tent. This is one of the easiest, and quickest tents that I had put up in a long time. The main tent poles are permanently attached to the tent so you don't have to fight with them. You can also get an idea of how large the campsite is at W1-W5.

 

The picnic table has seen better days, and I would recommend a plastic tablecloth since the 3 wooden slats that make up the top of the table are very hard to clean. The local crows did a great job of cleaning up the campsites when people left for the day. They routinely pay a visit to the careless to collect tribute. We keep our food in the trunk of the car most of the time, and brought what we needed down for the meal. We also brought a small trash bag for every meal, so that cleanup was more convenient. I would also recommend a small bucket to do your pots and pans. Paper plates are also nice to use as kindling when dinner is done, plus no clean up!

 

Diamond diggers enter on the left side of the above photo, the wash station is located almost mid-center of the photo. 

Continuing from the right of the first photo, you can barely see the main path that divides the two main digging fields. The main path leads to a panning station that is very muddy, but shaded. There are two panning stations for diamond hunters. The further one was never busy.

This picture also continues from the right of the last photo, but does skip a little bit of the diamond fields. It is about 180 degrees from the first photo. All of these pictures of the diamond fields were taken from under a pavilion that we claimed early in the day. The pavilion had a picnic table in the middle with benches on opposite sides. The old mining building can be seen on the left side, and on the right is some old diamond mining equipment.

 

My boys were just excited to be playing in the dirt and mud, looking for pretty rocks. Generally, we didn't care if we found anything except happy memories.

 

My brother and his three kids joined us to dig in the dirt, and it's good to have the cousins playing with one another. Here is the great hunter-gatherer community fighting the local ants. Red Ant with Pincers, the stick holder, eventually came running back to Sweetheart after the ants decided to attack. Due to injuries, the tribe settled down for some peanut butter sandwiches, chips, and Kool-aid.

We wondered what some people were thinking when they showed up in white tennis shoes and nice clothes. Really? Wear mud boats and some yard work clothes.

The admission is for all day at $8.00/adult and $4.00/child, and children under 4 are free. They also rent screens and pans for the wash stations at reasonable prices---Save the receipt with the deposit!!! We didn't have a problem, but could see how losing it would put you out the $20 deposit fee.

We were probably about a month too late to be tent camping, because it was hot and humid in the afternoons. We had to do tick checks on the boys, and found a total of five over the course of the weekend. The bath house was nice to have, but wasn't designed very well. It was hard to get dry and clothed after your shower, and the bathhouse got very sticky afterwords. We'll do it again, but maybe in the cooler months between the first and last frost dates of the year.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

An Honest Question About Silver

To all of the good people that buy silver:

Where is a good place to SELL your silver? How would one sell without internet recordings  (gov't), and fees taken out (EBAY). I'm thinking of buying silver as an inflation hedge for both of my boy's ( 4 and 7 ) education. While it might be a few years before I start to cost dollar average the investment, I haven't seen any articles pertaining to turning the silver back into fiat currency. Comments are welcomed!!!

Keep Right On Prepping - K

MRE Monday - Cinnamon Bun Shelf Stable

We thought that we would play it a little safer for the sake of the boys. We don't want them to become negative every time we pull out an MRE for a review, so we occasionally pick desserts or sweet treats.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 3.5 oz.
Calories: 330
Calories from fat: 80
Total Fat: 9g or 14% DV ( Daily Value )
Cholesterol: 0mg or 0% DV
Sodium: 430mg or 18% DV
Total Carbohydrates: 49g or 16% DV
Dietary Fiber: 4g or 15% DV
Sugars: 16g
Protein: 6g
Vitamin A: 0% DV
Vitamin C: 15% DV
Calcium:  10% DV
Iron: 8%

Expectations:

I would love to have a sticky sweet cinnamon roll with the a sugary coating, but I know better from previous MREs.

Realities:

Row, the seven year boy, took his usual cautionary bite and said that "I really do like it", but didn't want a second piece. We have begun to issue a star for the boys if they take another sample. So, since he didn't want another sample, no star. He did finish his first small sample, but we don't give half stars on our reviews.

Red Ant with Pincers, the four year old, only said that he liked it, and he took another sample.

MIL had a very simple and elegant approach to the MRE reviews. She rated them according to if she "would eat this on a hike or a march". She liked the compact texture of the MRE, and said that "it was good enough to eat."

Sweetheart liked the texture and the taste of the cinnamon bun. She compared the cinnamon flavor to the Hostess fruit pies and commented that the flavor was throughout the entire MRE dessert.

It was not what I expected, but I also knew better from previous experiences. The cinnamon bun took on a Poptart shape, and the filling was of the same type. The cinnamon flavor was good, but not everwhelming, The filling had an excellent flavor for a processed dessert. The bread texture was on the heavy side, much like all the MRE bread snacks. This MRE is the same variety as the Apple turnover and Cherry turnover MRE, but only with a different filling. If you liked any of the others, then it would be save to assume that you would like this one.

Final Thoughts:

Compact, durable, and a long shelf life. It is flavorful, but not what most people would image a cinnamon bun to look like.

Stars: * * * ( 3)

Back at Home

We arrived home from the weekend camping trip to Murfreesboro, Arkansas to dig for diamonds. Looks like we will still be going back to work, since we only found dirt, ticks, and mud.

Tomorrow will be the MRE Monday post, then Tuesday I'll try to get a quick field trip report out. I'll be playing a victim for the college EMS assessment test Tuesday morning.

Thanks to all the bloggers and lurkers that stop by this blog. See ya soon, since we have lots of cleanup, laundry and chores to get done.

Keep Right on Prepping - K

Toothfairy Alarm

Row lost a front tooth last night, and he was excited about the tooth fairy paying a visit. He is at that awkward stage where he believes, but has his doubts. So, he set up a tooth fairy alarm to see if it was the tooth fairy, or "really just the parents."

Through his own thought processes, he created the alarm pictured below with the available room resources.

Luckily, the tooth fairy was able to gently slide the block of wood across the floor, and sneak inside to replace the tooth with money. The tooth fairy was able to sneak across the room and make the swap out around 11:00 pm. The door was partially closed, with just enough room to reach inside, and reset the alarm. 

This morning, the alarm was tripped when I entered the room, and Row went straight for the underside of his pillow. He smiled, and said that "the tooth fairy must really be magic". I think so too...I really do.

Row's Room Before & After

Today's project: Before

Today's Project: After

The printer, masking tape, and storage boxes make great ways to organize.

The room will be clean for the next, let's say, 3 hours? Actually, Row does a pretty good job of keeping his room clean, but we all need some help every now and then.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

UPDATE:  After Row saw his room, a hug and a "Thank you", made my whole day worthwhile.

Some Light Housekeeping

While the post title does hint at the topic for the day, it is mostly random thoughts. The time off from school has been enjoyable, and I fear that it will go by quickly. I have tried to spend time cleaning one room per day, as allowed with a full schedule. So far, the kitchen, hallway, and Red Ant's room have been cleaned. The yard work has been brought up to date and our house is not the neighborhood eyesore anymore. The roof and gutters still need to be cleaned before the next major rainfall, and a small patch of grass still needs some weed and feed, which will be done today. There are a few other minor odds and ends that also need to be attended to in the yard, but it is mostly maintenance and upkeep at this point.

On today's to-do list is either Row's room or the bathrooms. The bathrooms need a good organizing, especially the linen closet. The kitchen and bathrooms do get a good cleaning at least once a week, which seems about right with four people in the house. The biggest cleaning job around here is doing the continual picking up and putting things back in their place. I have been a little more disagreeable than usual about keeping the house clean, since I have time to go room by room ( would this be considered urban warfare? ) and keep things "mise en place".

My personal pictures for blogspot have been taking an abnormal amount of time of several minutes to upload. Has this been a problem for other bloggers? Or is it my computer/network? The images from Google load in about the right amount of time, as an FYI.

PioneerPreppy did a product review of the Black and Decker 20v Lithium weed wacker, and I bought it per his recommendation. The old gas one was finally unable to be resurrected and the edging around the house was looking a little shabby. I did my research online, and Sears had the best price at $99 versus $96 online. This has been my first electric weed whacker in a long time. The last one had a cord, and the gas ones were a whole lot more convenient. I have used the new one only a few times, and I will also put my humble recommendation on this product too. The hassle and saved curses from starting a small gas engine are well worth the money. It also has a front guard to prevent you from eating all the line when you edge, so it will save some money from that aspect as well. I'm sure that the more that I use it, I will become more comfortable with it.

The future holds a trip to Murfreesboro, Arkansas to dig for diamonds while camping with the boys. A field report will be issued afterwords. Row has a school field day that I will be attending, and Sweetheart has a mother/child lunch date with Red Ant with Pincers tomorrow at his daycare. Of course, Memorial Day weekend will include a cookout, and hanging out in the yard. There are many many small events that will take our time until my school starts back up the day after Memorial Day.

The finances have also been running tight, and I'll be looking at getting a one day a week job to put meat and groceries on the table. While I don't really have to go back, it would ease my mind to have some sort of income coming into the budget.

Take Care and Keep Prepping - K

MRE Monday - Sandwich Bacon In Cheddar

This is another of the new FSR ( First Strike Rations ) that we sampled this week.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 3.1 oz.
Calories: 330
Calories from fat: 130
Total Fat: 15g or 22% DV ( Daily Value )
Cholesterol: 20mg or 6% DV
Sodium: 690mg or 29% DV
Total Carbohydrates: 37g or 12% DV
Dietary Fiber: 2g or 7% DV
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 12g
Vitamin A: 2% DV
Vitamin C: 0% DV
Calcium:  6% DV
Iron: 10%

Expectations:

I've had the First Strike Sandwiches before, so I've got a good idea about the texture. The filling will be a new one, but how can you go wrong with cheddar and bacon?

Realities:

Row and Red Ant took their small nibble and said that they didn't like it. Down two stars with these two.

MIL was over for Mother's Day and got to sample this MRE with us. She thought that it was flavorful, and she liked it. The sample sizes were a bit small once, because I wanted to make sure that everyone got a taste of the filling.

Sweetheart wasn't overly impressed with the MRE, but thought that the bread was chewy.

This isn't shaping up to be a very long review, so I'll rough out the edges with my comments. The bread does have the same texture as most of the other MREs. The bread has a heavy texture, and picks up the flavor of the fillings. The bacon reminded me of pepperoni slices, and the total amount was probably around three slices [bacon]. This is a very favorable guess...The cheese filling was more of a coating, and did not ooze at all. I could easily tackle at least three of these sandwiches with ease. I would order these again, but the cost [of three] might put it out of reach for a meal. One star from me.

Final Thoughts:

I was the only one that liked the taste, but the filling is a bit light as you can tell from the picture. A full belly would contain about three of these sandwiches. These will be on the B-list for ordering in the future.

Stars: * ( 1)

Mother's Day

Just a short post to all the Moms, especially mine and my Sweetheart, that I hope that their day is special.

Here, we are letting Mom sleep in late, then fresh fruit for breakfast, and flowers. Today, I'll also be cooking a special dinner tonight too. ( I guess some money was spent, but nothing above the norms )

In an economic collapse, how would you celebrate Mother's Day with no money being spent?

Does your home/homestead include perennial flowers for special occasions? Comments are welcome, and what kind?

Keep Right On Prepping - K

I Think We Are In Trouble....

...as a nation. Row has been saving his chore money to buy a Darth Maul light saber, and we made the trip to toy nirvana yesterday.

Last night, he was studying his new toy, and was so exciting after reading the fine print. "Cool!!! You're not gonna believe this, but it's MADE IN CHINA. They make the coolest stuff!"

Yep, The United States is in trouble. Our youngest generation has no clue about the cool things that the USA used to make.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Grades Are In

*Procedures: Final Grade -A
*Procedures Lab: Final Grade - A
*Exposure: Final Grade -B ( scored 90.5% but needed 93.4% for an A )
*Exposure Lab: Final Grade -A
*Imaging: Final Grade -B
*Clinicals: Final Grade - A

After Exam Tradition

Our class is headed out to a local restaurant/microbrewery after our last final today. I think that this meme qualifies very well....

Keep Right On - K

Next Two Days

Today: Radiation Exposure (lots of Physics)
Tomorrow: Radiographic Imaging

Still one of my favorite Memes

Keep Right On - K

John P.

A dear friend left this Earth to be with our Eternal Father, and my heart is heavy...I image that he's already setting out the poker chips for the next game.

MRE Monday - Spaghetti With Beef And Sauce

I had heard that this was the highest rated MRE, and we were having spaghetti that night so....

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 8.0 oz.
Calories: 330
Calories from fat: 150
Total Fat: 17g or 26% DV ( Daily Value )
Cholesterol: 50mg or 17% DV
Sodium: 740mg or 31% DV
Total Carbohydrates: 28g or 9% DV
Dietary Fiber: 2g or 8% DV
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 19g
Vitamin A: 15% DV
Vitamin C: 45% DV
Calcium:  20% DV
Iron: 25%

Expectations:

I had high hopes for this MRE.

Realities:

Row, the seven year old and spaghetti aficionado , was a bit puzzled since we had spaghetti in a small bowl, and the housemade variety in our typical dinner bowls. He eagerly took a bite and said, "I love it!" I asked him about the meatballs and he said that they were "delicious". He actually preferred the MRE version over the our regular housemade kind. The MRE got high praise when he said, "Let's buy this until I get tired of it".

Red Ant, the four year old, generally likes spaghetti. Granted it has a lot of Parmesan cheese, but he likes it. He took a small sample of the MRE, said he didn't like it, then Row scooped in to liberate his younger brother's sample before Red ANt could set his spoon down.

Sweetheart liked the meatball texture, and especially the three ingredients: meat, water, and salt. She noted that it had "good and decent flavor" and an appropriate mix of meat, pasta, and sauce. She did comment that it was surprisingly more meaty than she had imaged an MRE would be. The thick sauce was a big plus and the absence of a chemical preservative was greatly enjoyed too.

I first noted the meaty flavor and the tender noodles. This was NOT your canned variety, and the flavor was spot on. It had a good amount of meatballs, and I now know why it is a top-rated MRE.

Final Thoughts:

Pictures speak longer than words...

Licking the bowl

 Stars: * * * (3)

Practice What You Preach

Final Monday....94%...Final Grade is an A

Planning and Foresight.....priceless.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Edit: Deleted most of post
EDIT: Updated grade

Tru Spec Boot Review

A good pair of boots are a good investment.  I found these at our local military surplus store for $49.99, and the price was right for a review. Plus, I needed a new pair of boots for the yard. I've owned these boots for over 6 months, so they have had a good break-in period and many miles put on them. I've backpacked, done yard work, urban hiked (more later), and used these boots for everyday wear since their purchase.

My past boot purchases have been Vasque, Asolo, and other less known brands. This leaves me with a very good range of previous boots for comparison. I've also been walking at a very early age, so I have lots of experience. My feet are average with no special considerations for shoes.

Over the course of six months, I've kept a personal journal of my thoughts for the boots, so my comments have no particular order or priority.

*The boots make an ideal boot for river crossings. The time needed to unzip, wade across, and put them back on are about half the time of other boots without zippers. The downside to the zipper, is that it is not as waterproof as some of the boots I've owned in the past. A good hiking boot will let you step into water up to the top of the boot without soaking your feet. While a quick splash through will leave your feet dry, I wouldn't try it on an extended wade.

*They do not have a metal shank built into the boot. A shank is either a metal, or more currently plastic piece that provides a buffer between pointy rocks and the soles of your feet. Anything over the size of road gravel is going to be felt on your feet.

*The cost was at a good price point. Most boots made for backpacking are priced around $200.

*We did a six to eight mile walking tour of Washington DC this spring. Around six miles, the boots and feet were starting to feel the day's walk. Your mileage may vary. Six miles is about the upper limits for a certain four and six year old too. Overall, the boots had a good solid feel in the urban terrain.

*The soles are very hard and durable and still show very little wear. At this current wear, the upper portions of the boots will fail before the soles. FYI- When the soles are wet and you're in the school hallways, there is zero percent chance of sneaking up on someone.

 *These boots have already lasted longer than most tennis shoes, and they have a cheaper cost. A win for the frugal side.

*The zippers are YKK brand. I always look for this type of zipper on any outdoor products. I haven't had any problems with this type of zipper - ever.

*This is the first time I've owned a pair of zippered boots. I really like them.

*Wearing thick hiking makes it soooo much nicer. Smartwool rocks.

*While these are not a true backpacking boots, it is a good mid-entry boot for light hiking. I would not recommend it for an extremely rocky area, but it could be used in sylvan locations.

*I usually wear a 10 or 10.5 shoe size, so buy locally and not over the internet.

*The stitching on the toes are starting to show some wear (See photo below).

*The sole has a good gripping surface, but not for algae covered rocks. Keep at least two points of contact with the ground.

*I like function over fashion. These are lightweight, without sacrificing durability and value.

*You can stub your toe on rocks, and walk away unhurt.

Final Thoughts:

The only change that I might suggest for this boot is a full shank. I like the price, it is a good value for the money. The boot fits well, and does a solid job. I could see some added benefit of insoles, at a later date, as these are starting to wear. I will be buying another pair to set back in the closet when these wear out.  

Privacy and Your Phone (OPSEC) - Part 1

 You can expect NO privacy on your phone. It is being recorded and stored.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/04/telephone-calls-recorded-fbi-boston

"BURNETT: Tim, is there any way, obviously, there is a voice mail they can try to get the phone companies to give that up at this point. It's not a voice mail. It's just a conversation. There's no way they actually can find out what happened, right, unless she tells them?
CLEMENTE: "No, there is a way. We certainly have ways in national security investigations to find out exactly what was said in that conversation. It's not necessarily something that the FBI is going to want to present in court, but it may help lead the investigation and/or lead to questioning of her. We certainly can find that out.
BURNETT: "So they can actually get that? People are saying, look, that is incredible.
CLEMENTE: "No, welcome to America. All of that stuff is being captured as we speak whether we know it or like it or not.""

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

You can expect the same monitoring on the internet too.

Maybe an old fashioned letter would be a more secure means of communication for sensitive information between group members.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

2013 Challenge Update - Apr Accountability

*Increase our families preparedness food supply to 6 months of long term storage. 


We have only been rotating our short term (canned goods) and water this month. I'll be stowing a good amount after finals this semester.

*Get into better physical shape - diet and exercise.

Jan 1st : 182.2 lbs.
Feb 1st: 179.4 lbs
Mar 1st: 184.2 (Too much birthday cake!)
Apr 1st: 186.2 (Okay, wrong direction!)
May 1st: 184.6
Jun 1st:
Jul 1st:
Aug 1st:
Sep 1st:
Oct 1st:
Nov 1st:
Dec 1st:

*Get better organized in the home.

Again, only maintaining the organization at our house. My school work has been organized into color coded 3-pronged folders for each class, then a new folder for each test material for that class. Pulling all of my material for finals will be very easy this year.

*Complete some long standing projects - Kitchen and downstairs bathroom

Nothing.

*Reorganize our food storage into a better logical format.

Completed and still in good shape.

 *Get better grades in school ( 3 A's 3 B's last semester ).

* Procedures:
4/5- Facial Bones Anatomy Test -scored 41.5/37 pts = 112% (semester 377.16/421 pts = 89.6%)
4/12- Facial Bone Positioning Test - scored 24/27 pts
4/19- Mandible and Sinus Anatomy and Positioning Test - scored
4/26 - Makeup Test on the Skull - 40/48 points

*Procedures Lab:
4/3 SMV: 10 points/10 points & Towne Method: 10 points/10 points
4/10: Simulated 3 projections and scored 29/30 points.
4/17: Scored 20/20 points on Mandible and TMJ positioning
4/24: Scored 10/10 points on Sinus series.

* Exposure:
 4/5- Test 4 - scored 84% and brings my grade to 92.9% which is on the bubble for an A.
4/19-Test 5 -scored 95%

*Imaging:
 4/5- Test 3 (Resolution) scored 88%. I really need to get within the "A" range before finals. Two more tests before the final exam.
4/19- Test 4 - Again I scored 88%. It seems like an A is getting harder and harder to achieve, but at least I am consistent.

*Exposure Lab

Scored 100% on two papers and 2 homework assignments this month.

*Clinicals ( 9 evaluations + other requirements for an A ): Final Grade - A

I completed evaluation number 7 (ankle) on 4/11
I completed evaluation number 8 ( Lumbar Spine) on 4/17
I completed evaluation number 9 (forearm) on 4/24
I completed evaluation number 10 ( finger digit ) on 5/1
I completed evaulation number 11 ( AP Chest) on 5/1

I will carry forward two comps for my summer semester clinicals. Only 6 comps are needed for the summer sessions, 3 of those are simulated using a radiographic mannequin in our lab. That leaves me a lot of breathing room during the summer 8 weeks. My ambitious goal for summer clinicals is to complete all of the Fall requirements ( as allowed ).

*Go to the range more often with Sweetheart.

Nothing this month.

*Teach the kids new practical survival skills : outdoors skills, common sense camping

I found some poison ivy in the yard and showed the boys what it looked like. We also repeated "Leaves of three, leave it be".

We have started a "God and Me" program through Cub Scouts. Row and I have been spending a few minutes after dinner doing our lessons. We will be meeting up with the Cub Scout sponsor to periodically check our progress. So far, I have been extremely impressed with how it is laid out for parent and child.


*Learn to bake better bread.

I tried this recipe from Taste of Home and it made some excellent Garlic Hoagie rolls for school sandwiches. It will be going into the recipe files.
rlic Hoagie Rolls Recipe

• 1/2 cup water (70° to 80°)
• 1/2 cup warm 2% milk (70° to 80°)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 3-1/4 cups bread flour
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast

It made 9 rolls and they baked at 375 degrees F for 18 minutes.

I also made a pumpernickel bread recipe, but was less than excited about the results. While it was good, it wasn't quite what I had in mind. I'd prefer something a bit lighter (texture) and not so sweet. The recipe did call for molasses for the dark color, and it also used 2 cups of rye flour. I'm going to try to use coffee instead of water, and use 1 cup of rye flour. Of course, the rye flour will have to be subbed with bread flour to maintain the recipe.

4/21 I made another batch of the garlic hoagie rolls.20 I 15 35

 *Pick three skills to work on with wife.

1. shooting
2. CERT
3. CCW

Locally CERT training was dropped due to lack of interest, but did find out that a nearby town offers the training courses.

 *Be more consistent with the MRE Monday reviews.

The year to date is 13 out of 15 Mondays.

*Improve our family's water plan.

Rotating water bottles and refilled 7 gallon containers.

 *Do a monthly review of each for the blog to hold myself accountable.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec