Cause That's What Preppers Do

Okay, you got me. I’ve been excusing myself from writing a story for the Preparedness Pro contest on the basis of being too busy. I mean, hey, the piles of food storage recipes stacked around my office and upstairs in the kitchen are annoying everyone and must get punched and put into the binders I finally made time to purchase and label the other day. Too bad the dining room table is covered with my gardening binder with all its plot maps and plant information, pencil crayons for color-coding planting dates, garden pre-plant mix and weekly feed mix, seed starter mix, seeds, garden labels cut from old vinyl blinds, various plastic tubs for starting seedlings, and all that jazz. (At least I managed to put away all the plastic tubs that hubby washed last night. I am so glad he agreed to keep up the kitchen so I can focus!) Really, I shouldn’t have planted any seeds yesterday—now I’m going to have to go out there and water them every day! Hope the weather doesn’t warm up too soon, or else I’ll have to get out there and get the raised beds prepared for seeds and seedlings. (Must remember to get to the dollar store for some cheap black pepper to throw in the soil to keep away those annoying pests that eat my turnips and radishes! Darn, now I won’t be able to focus until the pepper is in the ground….) And, whoa Nelly, is it ever hard to keep up with my e-mail! I should just stop subscribing to all the preparedness and health and recipe websites—and maybe unsubscribe from a few! (Good thing I finally figured out how to get some of the e-mails to go directly into a folder without my intervention—do not pass go, do not collect $200.) I suppose I should tell my friends to stop forwarding me stuff I need to learn about, too. Oh and then there’s the health curriculum I am writing for some like-minded friends. Never mind that I’m going on two years with that project…. Phew, sure am glad I finally got the year’s bookkeeping done and the income tax forms completed and dropped off at Revenue Canada. They better deal with my claim immediately because, hey, we really need the money!

Really need the money? Yeah. Hubby’s getting old don’t-you-know and had to take a demotion. Heart attacks will do that to you. It’s plenty shocking to suddenly lose 40% of your income overnight.  I knew it was coming, just didn’t know it would be this soon or that much of a drop! Good thing there’s a garage full of food that I purchased or dehydrated the last couple of years, and the pantry full of vegetables and meat that I canned in the same period of time, not to mention jars and cans stuffed in various cupboards. The boxes and buckets hidden in the crawl space downstairs make me feel better, too, but I don’t plan to touch those with a ten-foot pole unless I have to. Hubby and the kids can crawl in there if they want, but I’ve never been and don’t intend to venture where mice play when the cat’s away.  Speaking of cats, it’s a good thing there’s a bucket of dry food and a Costco box of canned food for them. Funny thing about cats—they love to jump around in the garage and knock jars off shelves; I just hope they don’t push the toilet paper and disposable dishes off the top ones. Probably not; I just barely got one package of toilet paper off the top shelf myself! And besides, I did re-arrange the boxes around the perimeter of the room so that should discourage the jolly jumpers.

I’m so glad there are no juice jugs ready to be washed right now, so I can focus on more pressing matters. But when there are several waiting for me, I will soak them in hot water to get the labels off and then in fresh soapy, bleachy water to disinfect them. Then I’ll fill them with cold water and add them to my stored water cache. If I can find more hiding spots. In a couple of months I’ll have to take the time to thaw out the water jugs in my freezer (pouring the water into the garden, of course) and then refill them. That reminds me, I must get hubby to set up the water catchment system off the greenhouse. The 55 gallon barrel is back in place after its winter holiday in the shed; it just doesn’t have its catchment part connected to the roof yet. The mini-barrel is in place under the hole cut at the end of my greenhouse work bench, all ready to catch water from rinsing produce in the handy-dandy camping drainage basket/cutting board thingy.  Funny how the thing I am most excited to show visitors is my little “summer sink”!

If this weren’t the week of Passover with its unleavened bread, I’d be busy soaking/sprouting/dehydrating/grinding wheat berries and baking bread and learning once more how not to do it. Wait—I am busy making bread, it’s just unleavened bread. More recipes to try out. Well, practice makes perfect and one of these days I’ll hit on the right recipes for us. Good thing I started my experiments awhile ago! Then I’ll get a new sourdough starter going and figure out what I’m doing wrong with my sourdough recipes, too. At least I know we will have bread to eat when everything hits the fan—even if it’s not gourmet! Even if there’s no yeast to be had. And at least we’re all learning to adapt, and maybe even feeling better. Note to self: better buy more wheat berries—we’re going through them faster than I thought we would! Ten buckets is not going to last a year if that’s what we’re relying on!

'Scuse me a moment. Must go do a bit of exercise—got to get my body in shape for this tribulation marathon we’re expecting!

Back. What was I saying? Oh, yes…I was excusing myself for being too busy to write an article for this contest.  It’s a good thing hubby is on board now. For a long time he didn’t really get what I was up to but now he sees it. Now my future is our future. Now my food storage is our food storage. Now my garden is his garden. So it’s only fair that his vision should become our vision, don’t you think? Yep, he’s had a vision—and apparently two other local guys have had the same vision. They’ve seen their church being used as a refugee centre! Now hubby just needs to get them moving on his idea of turning a huge portion of the property into a community garden! Actually, hubby has had two visions—the second one was about a group of refugees stumbling into our camp. He was expecting them, and we were ready to meet all their needs. Maybe it was just a dream, I don’t know. But I do know we’re not ready for them yet. There is so much work to do and skills to develop and only so much time in which to do it all. So we’ll just keep trucking along—researching, learning, collecting, gardening, preserving, networking, doing…. When all is said and done we’re hoping to hear the words “Well done, thou good and faithful servants!”

Darn, the sun just came out and the greenhouse is getting hot. I better get out there and water my seedlings so I’ll have more work to do tomorrow! And the day after that!

Cause That's What Preppers Do--Git 'Er Done!

C.L. Ontario

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Comments

I hope I haven't already spent my five votes, 'cause I really enjoyed writing this article and it deserves at least one vote! :)

Hope y'all like it too!

This is normal life around our place. I just have never tried to write it down. Good job.

I hope you win!!!!

Sounds like a normal day when you move from one room to the other and keep getting distracted and by day's end wonder why nothing got completed and you just lost your glasses again!

WOW Cheri...that was a GREAT article...but my head is spinning right before bed...now I'll never get to sleep thinking of everything that has to be done! LOL

awsome! you are a busy little thing. I thought I "did good" today by purchasing 4 more rain collecting barrels. oh woe on me do I have a lot more to do. Sometimes it does get a little overwhelming but we must keep on going or "keep on prepping" yep, giterdone!

Well, did you get your watering done or did you get distracted along the way??

GREAT WRITING CONNIE. ! . .. .AND I WILL PASS THE WORD
ON TO OTHERS . . . . AND SPEAKING OF MATZA WE ARE JUST JUST ABOUT TO GET BACK TO THE "GOOD STUFF" NOW . . . OH HOW I HAVE MISSED MY MORNING COFFEE CAKE THIS WEEK ! YA KNOW CONNIE MY WIFE WILL NOT LET OUR HOUSE BE MADE UNLEAVEN SO . .CAREFUL AS I AM THE OTHER DAY I TOLD HER WE NEED SOME MORE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD . .TO WHICH SHE REPLIED .."I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO EAT THAT BREAD THIS WEEK ". .. . AND TO WHICH I REPLIED " YA . .OOOPS . .OH OH. .. I GUESS THAT ONES GONNA COST ME A COUPLE GOATS AND A LAMB !" HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR OUR HOUSE WILL BE TOTALLY LEAVEN FREE. . .. AND EVERYBODY SAID "AMIEN!" SHALOM

great job Connie!

Ack! I just went through all the articles to this point (1-76) to see how many times I've voted and I've already shot my wad! Did so before I even wrote this article! I should've prepped by not voting for anyone just-in-case! But people have been writing such great stuff, I couldn't help myself!

Anyway, I can't vote anymore so you are going to have to do it for me! The competition is stiff, folks. There's somebody with 162 votes already! Another one has 102 votes! There are several in the 30 to 70 range, and many in the 10 to 29 range! So if you really would like me to win something great (and there are many things I'd really like to have--Big Berkey, Sun Oven, WonderMill, even the buckets or the Tattler Lids) you're going to have to work at it! You can vote FIVE TIMES each, so please do. Others have gotten their families and friends on board and they've all voted five times each! If they can do it, you can do it. Helping each other is what preppers do! Many, many thanks to all of you.

Fantastic writing, Connie! Fun to read, too! :)

Great article... I'm looking forward to retirement when I have time to try out bread recipes and other good stuff. And learn to garden, for those of us getting a late start on stuff like that we will be relying on folks that have made mistakes and documented them.... lol.

OK I'LL SAY IT AGAIN CONNIE. . .. GREAT WORK!. . I PASSED ON YOUR UPDATE . . .I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE THAT FAR BEHIND .. .. WELL MAYBE WE CAN PULL YOU SOME MORE VOTES NOW. ... BY THE WAY. . . WHEN DOES THE CONTEST END? . ... . SHABBAT SHALOM !

Very accurate article of the amount of things to do. It means that everyone must chip in

Good stuff, everyone should be ready, good stewarship is preparedness

Our desire is to do what you are doing and we plan too when we move from our condo

Did you go big right away?

Or just start out small and grow from there

Start out small and grow--just like everything in this world! Do what you can right now and pray for opportunities to do more. Learn, learn, learn. This PreparednessPro website is one of the best places to learn from online.

If we all work together as the Spirit of Jesus leads us He will lead us to the ultimate preparedness for eternity with Him where there will be great joy and a natural desire to do these things

Awsume job Connie

When do you find the time Connie but it is worth it

Your family must be proud of you,may God be with you

You can never be prepared enough!

Good article. Sounds like fun. You have my vote

I feel lazy after reading that. Good for you.

Trying to do our bit by recycling, but limited space does not allow for all
that other things. Good on you for preparing

Rosemary, you'd be surprised how much space you can find around your home! People use closets and under-the-bed space as storage spaces--going so far as to even use barrels full of water with a mattress on top as a bed! Put shelves in a corner and hide them behind a curtain. I saw a post where a lady who lived in a trailer "filled in" the space on both sides of a "fireplace" with shelves and put matching "walls" in front of them so she had hidden storage! Put up extra shelves in the kitchen or even over doorways if nothing else!

Keep your creative juices flowing and you'll come up with all kinds of ideas. This PreparednessPro website is an awesome place to get started!

The problem with space is that it always fills up with toys when you have little kids around. Either that or they'll empty the shelves for you everyday if they can reach them!

Remember the early days doing to church together. Who knew how our
lives would change. Seperated by distance, but one in heart.

OK Connie. This is my 5th vote. All the best. Hope you win.

good job Connie...hope you win

you're waaaay ahead of me!!

looking forward to eating some of those yummy veggies you plant!

when you get involved in something you really get involved..LOL

k...now that you've made me very tired I must be off to bed!

good article

original

keep up the good work

article was a little long

good ideas

She is always on the go

What are you going to do next?

I hope everyone gets the message to start preparing now

I gues this is what preppers do!

You can never prepare too much. Always something I'm forgetting to do or buy.

I'm tired already and I'm a youngin

At least I have a grain bin full of wheat each year so I'm fully stocked up on that!

What do you mean hubby is getting old, HE IS OLD! LOL

OK - I have six things that must be done today.
Which one first?

Decided to have lunch first - that chicken soup in the fridg doesn't like waiting too long...

Time to vote again

Well this is it Connie hope you win

Thw weather is great here but it will get better if you win

hope you win! :)

SURE!! HERE'S ANOTHER VOTE FOR YA CONNIE. .. AND I HOPE YOUR GETTING MORE FROM THE OTHERS I PASSED IT ON TO ! HOW MANY VOTES DO YOU HAVE NOW?

TRYIN TO GET ER' DONE CONNIE !. . . . . HERE'S VOTE # 4 . . . .I PRAY YOU GET MANY MORE!

Good luck Connie!

As a couple who have 'stumbled into' your camp... been loved and cared for... I can't think of anyone I would rather see win.

A further thought :)

Now that its Mike's garden... he should weed it.. right?

Hmmm, how about posting some of those unleavened bread recipes. It's good even when its not Passover.

And one last thought(s?)... Its ok for 'hubby' (does he know you call him that? :) to care for that garden... but make him do it slowly. Slowly is enjoyable... and a lot less stressful.

And in case some folks missed that cat comment, check out Mother Earth's article on fending off rodents (and you did realize that stored grain can be a mouse magnet... especially in a bugout location)... cats are the best rodent repellent going. They eat the mice and if you scatter their litter around the outside walls it repels the little monsters (and don't ask how we learned that one... its a long gory story:).

God's richest blessing to all of you preppers...

Pastor Garry

Wow you work hard! Have you heard of the square foot garden - a friend of mine tried it 4' x 4' had 3 weeds all summer but lots of veg. Enjoyed your article as well as talking with you.
Cheryl Winkelhorst

I hope this works

How do you find the time?

Good luck!

Do the kids help?

one more for good luck

Trying the old addy

seems to work

you always get our vote

#4

All done! Good luck!

Your ideas are very practical about preparedness, if only you can make the time!! You have lots of fans and have a good chance to win something.

Good stuff!

Good luck! Hope you win!

I finally figured this out after I sent the email asking you what I had to do. Saw everyone making 5 comments - duh!!!!!!! It's my blond roots I guess!

Are you going to let us know if you win? I'll have to look into this group next month when I have more time. Let me know when you get the package before you open it. lol Cheryl

Good luck Connie, hope you win

Now why wouldn't you win, look at the support you have.

Things are looking up for you, go for it.

you will win! , please let us know what you win, haha
positive thinking sure helps.

When do you find out when you win?
Have fun at any rate.

We wish you all the luck!

This must be fun to watch all the votes &
comments & hope you'll end on top.

Go for IT! Connie.

We're behind you all the way, go for it.

Well, this is it, will sit on pins & needles waiting to hear WHAT you've won,
GOOD LUCK, CONNIE.

Nicely written!

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