The old thread was getting long, so it’s closed and this is Son of Preps.
Old thread is still accessible here.
Keep on Preppin’!
All heartworm meds, supplements, flea treatments, etc, for all animals. Also include plenty of soft or treat-type foods, even for animals fed mainly hard food… this coaxes them into eating after sickness and help them adjust to changes in living situations.
I take lots of digital pics that tend to live in the digital plane for quite some time before printing… make sure you print any digital pics it would break your heart to lose.
Art/craft supplies. I make woven bracelets/chokers/etc and will soon try to put away a sizeable inventory of thread, beads, and clasps. Doing this work take your mind off of things, keeps you busy, and produces some beautiful things for gifts,etc, or just to keep morale up.
Anything creative in nature will keep your mind off of other things. I think it is even used in Psychiatric wards. Art of any kind is soothing. I often started painting, and it seemed like five minutes and it was ten hours that passed. It being in a different zone. I only stopped after I got married, and needed to feed my husband, or pay attention to some mundane tasks that I always ignored before.
Frozen Yogurt starter. With yogurt you can make cheese, add to jello, etc. Lots of tarps and rope—I get large spools of parachute cord for longterm camping and it’s great for everything…it does stretch a bit, so if it’s important, cotton or sisal is best. Learn to use a hatchet or small cleaver to open cans in case all your fancy modern kinds wear out or break, or you are in a hurry: set the can where it’s safe, make a jig out of heavy bricks, rocks, or if outdoors you can bury the can a bit to hold it still—you’ll only need to do this the first few times, until you get the hang of it—whack the lower corner of the blade into the center of the can top, then twist the blade sideways to push half of the top to the side of the can. Use a spatula or table knife to remove contents…DO NOT PUT FINGERS INTO CAN!! This is a just-in-case measure, but it’s good to know how.
Separate your trash. Black waste can be buried w/slake lime or burned then buried. Garbage can be composted or buried to sidedress the garden crops. paper and cardboard can be used as mulch, but check to see what kind of ink, etc., might harm edibles. Tin cans can be thrown into the fire before being stored or piled up for later removal.Aluminum cans, if rinsed, won’t attract bugs—but pop shouldn’t be on your list as it dehydrates, so do alcoholic beverages. If you do have aluminum cans, rinse them in the used soapy water before putting on the garden, crush them and store. What’s left? When I canned and dried everything we grew to eat, I had an extremely small amount of trash. Even the used flat can lids were recycled into craft projects and twirly reflectors to confuse the birds to keep them off the garden vegies.
If you have to use a trench for a potty place, keep it a little under 2 feet deep, and use biodegradagle wipes, or dispose of wipes elsewise. the waste will compost into soil in under a month, and even kids can learn to cover their wast with a small shovel, and to help dig the trench. A toddler size potty chair without the bucket, and small medium and large canvas-seat chairs with holes cut out will make the job more comfortable. Wooden chairs cut out with toilet seats would be even better. If using the canvas type, reinforcing the edge of the hole with wire or plastic and then hemming around it is helpful for the long haul.
If you are replacing coleman lantern mantles, remember to put the whole procedure on a dampened paper so that no part of the old mantle turns to powder and gets on anything you or especially your kids might touch and possibly ingest. Letting the old mantle dust hit the table and then wiping it off with the dishrag will only spread the bad stuff (radio-active, i think) around. I learned about this because of a boycott after a failed lawsuit concerning the women and children in a third world company who handled the assembly and became ill because of it.
If you have to burn wood for any reason, remember that pallets are made of seasoned hardwood, and many big warehouses will let you have old and damaged one just for hauling them away. You can also make a good garden fence by stringing wire through them and making them into any shape you need. We once made a pig pen out of them, but its an effective garden fence, also, and will be high enough to attach floating cover to keep out wild bird droppings…and wild birds as well.
For kids: inexpensive rolls of newsprint last a long time. Inexpensive or recycled gift wrapping paper is great for lots of projects, and the back is white for painting and coloring on. Butcher paper can be used with old fashioned do-it-yourself finger paint made with hot starch and vegetable dye. You can make candles at home using toilet paper cores. coat the inside with a little vegetable oil, set several upright in a loaf pan, fill with melted parafin with old broken candles and crayons added. Oh yah, put a wick in first, made of cotton twine soaked with oil or not, tie the top end to a toothpick and balance across center of paper core. When dry, peel off the paper, roll it tightly and use with whatever burns in your tuna cans for cooking.
Forgot to mention my first thought. Get a big camp type coffee pot, just in case you have to make do and decide to make a lot at once in times that you may be busy and stressed. Add coffee to boiling water and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour 1 mug of cold water right down the center and stir in a circle once with the handle of a wooden spoon. When you get it right, the grounds will go to the bottom of the pot in a sort of whirlpool effect. Pour slowly so as not to upset the grounds. Or make the boiled coffee in a sauce pan and strain into the coffee pot through a clean orphan sock. Rinse the sock and use it til it falls apart…if it’s cotton, put the pieces in the compost pile.
If you’re using this method, it’s probably because there’s an emergency and you’re needing to stay alert to take care of others. Remember cayenne capsules will be a stimulant, and no jitters like with caffiene(sp?.
About the tarps: If there’s no A/C, an outdoor shade made of tarp will be more comfortable than in the house. In winter, tarps will help to insulate the house, or maybe just one room, to extend the efficacy of your tent in the living room.
Parasitic treatment for scabies, lice, fleas — not just for animals, but for humans!
Benedryl - even if your family doesn’t have any allergies, you never know if someone will have an allergic reaction to something. We have been hammered by pollen this year on the East Coast. My poor 6yo woke up one morning with his eyes swollen shut from pollen irritation, and he has never had allergy issues before. One shot of B. and he no longer looked like he had gone a few roounds with Mike Tyson. I’ve also seen it work wonders and quickly on people with food allergies (hives, not full-blown shock - you need an epi-pen for that).
This year is supposed to be bad for poison ivy too - Technu is great for it.
Cranberry Juice and Alka-Seltzer. If there is a decline in sanitary conditions, women will have more problems than men with bladder infections. Both of these are known to help.
Make sure you have a wide range of spices, flavorings, and extracts to chose from. These were a major concern and import during the middle ages for a variety of reasons … both medicinal and culinary.
Being able to doctor up foods that might prove bland and/or unpalatable will make your food preps go much, much farther.
And don’t forget salts and peppers as well.
Who would of thought that when I was a young man and I began collecting, you know those metal porcelan pots, bedroom buckets, bedpans, that I would need them at some time. Was thinking about selling them at a garage sale a few months back, but something in the small part of my mind said you better save them, so they did not make it to the sale. Now I can see that the old metal bedpans, etc, may come in very handy. Now if I could just find an old ear piece, the kind that looks like a funnel for my ear. Me thinks hearing aid batteries may run out of steam.
LauraB and others…My doctor turned me onto this neat piece of information regarding pollen reactions. Get some B5 [Panothetic Acid] 250mg and take 4 tabs when you are feeling pollen overwhelm. It stops the reactions immediately. B5 is not expensive, so getting a large bottle is economical. We are on Claritin, however whenever we have what I call “breakthrough,” meaning that it isn’t taking care of ALL the symptoms, we pop the B5s and the sneezing, scrathy throat and/or cough goes away. At the beginning and very end of the pollen season, we use the B5 in place of Claritin or Alevert.
I went to Walmart, Sam’s, and Krogers today. I spent an additional 284.75
Bought: 100 lbs rice, 30 lbs sugar, 40 lbs pinto beans, 16 qts UHT milk, 75 lbs flour, various canned meats, vegs, and fruit. etc, etc, etc…
I could have easily cleaned out the items I was prepping at Walmart, and Krogers. I did clean out the 2% UHT milk at Walmart. WTSHTF the stores will run out fast.
Oops, wrong thread.
Someone said they were “too young” for the pneumovax vaccine. I’m 40, and my two kids are 7 and 10. All three of us got our pneumovax last week. Husband is going soon.
Also, regarding coffee making (my firstborn has “cafe au lait” spots, so that tells you how much I like my coffee), get a Bodum French press. You don’t even need filters—or electricity.
Amen to the Bodum French press. Makes superior coffee even in non-emergency times.
Never used a french press. Simple design. I like the crema that I get with the od fashion stove top espresso jobs. any direct comparison?
Get an aloe plant. This is a good plant to have in your kitchen in case of burns. Break off a leaf and apply the aloe oozing out of the leaf to the burn.
A good plant to have anytime, but with unstable campfire stoves, your chances of being burned increases.
Some Neutrogena hand cream to soothe away all the chapping from hand washing (and all that manual work if the power is off).
Scissors- even little cuticle scissors- to be stored WITH OTC meds that are blister packed. Sometimes it is just too hard to peel off the backing!
Good quality Swiss Army knife with Sissors and lots of leather work gloves for the hoe crew in the garden, and for the wood chopping crew.
Oremus at 00:15 - “Get an aloe plant.”
I’ve lost count how many times I have used aloe to successfully treat a burn. I love to cook and am pretty careless at times burning my forearms and hands. Where I differ slightly from your method of using a piece of the plant is - I fillet a piece large enough to cover the burn and then tape it on overnight. Using this method, I have never had a blister.
A stash of paper plates and bowls and plastic cutlery. I had the flu in January. On those rare days when I could actually cook something to eat, I would have been completely defeated by having to wash dishes if I didn’t have a supply of disposables in the house. Yeah, they suck ecologically, but the last thing you want to face when you start to recover is a sink full of dirty dishes.
Toilet repair parts,plenty of buckets,heart worm meds for the dog (and worm pills) a lemon or lime tree if in an area to grow them (a meyers lemon will grow in a pot on a porch and can be moved into a sun room) puzzles and a leatherman tool ( knife,sissors,screwdriver,can opener etc., combined- caution there are several different levels of leatherman tools some that don’t have all options.
If you have a well, plenty of softener salts(providing you have a power source) We bought a hand pump to put on well when fuel runs out for generator. Northerntools.com sells them.
I’ve been taking Pollinasan (vogel)for 15 yrs for hayfever. O love it, got me off over the counter stuff. Thanks for all the great tips. I bought a lot of spices at the asian market very inexpensive. Is anyone buying 3/4 inch plywood to cover windows, broken? or door if people try to get in? Do people know you are prepping?
Here in Florida we have hurricane shutters so they could have duel uses. I have been somewhat selective on who I tell about prepping…. People at work, people I care about, some family.
CashB at 21:52
Thanks for the link and info on hand pumps for well. Will show it to my husband. We have been looking into this, but so far nothing will work. I hope he sees something here that will. I’m not sure what the problem is, but he said nothing would work so far. Seems like it had something to do with the depth of the well… but I am not sure. Anyway, thanks for the info!!
EnoughAlready at 02:09
I have the same problem. Most newer wells in Florida … due to new codes to keep the aquifers from drying up … are too deep for hand pumps.
That is one of the main reasons why we are not sinking money into a generator. In addition to the initial cost, the cost of fuel to maintain the generator running the well pump would be prohibitive.
We are planning our water storage around no or very limited outside water sources.
EnoughAlready at 02:09
Another Solar operated well pump site you may want to look at. I have not used the equipment so you will have to do your own research.
Lots of dishpans for handwashing and doing dishes. You will need more than you think. Remember, if the water is off, no waste water should go down the drain if you can use it to flush. Make sure you have plenty of buckets of all sizes.
A fungal ointment, used for athlete`s foot or ringworm infections. I forsee people who are prone to these afflictions having an increase due to no daily baths.
And if you’re using the lids, you’ll need the plastic gadget to get the lids off again (paint stores have them).
EnoughAlready and Kathy in FL, Lehmans.com carries hand pumps that work up to 225 feet deep
Kathy in FL at 07:48 someone posted elswhere that Tractor Supply has these huge ie 300 gallon water storage tanks relatively cheap (I thought) around $225 That should last a bit depending on the usage.
cactus az at 09:26 Try Betadine “paint” (not Betadine Scrub, which contains detergents) on atheletes foot, ringworm etc. Use a qtip paint it on 3 times a day, let dry. I have seen many fungus infections dramatically improved in 24 hrs and gone in 48 using this. And you can use it to purify water if you need to
Petroleum Jelly for storing fresh eggs longer without refrigeration.
Another had pump is www.simplepump.com. They go over 300 feet but are costly (over$1000 by the time you get all the bits). Our well is even deeper than that so for that money I’ll spend more and get a small generator. My hope is power is intermitent. Literally our entire town and many others around us are dependent on wells. We’ll store as much water as we can but as long as we get power on once in awhile we can fill tanks, bathtubs, etc. for washing and drink our stored water.
After our family’s recent run in with the stomach flu we found we had a sudden change in cravings.
We don’t normally buy “junk food” just because for a family of seven it can get price prohibitive. A large bag of chips is gone in one meal practically … same with candy bars, store bought ice cream, etc.
Once our family was on the mend though I noticed something. First in myself … I just couldn’t find any thing that satisfied me. Its not that I was or wasn’t hungry … just something my body was hollering for but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It wasn’t sugar per se … I’m not a hard candy eater. I wanted to chew, but nothing tasted just right.
My kids kept opening and closing all the cabinets as well.
Hubby just kept saying that there wasn’t anything in the house to eat … while looking straight at the 4+ months of supplies. <rolling eyes>
For me, peppermint patties finally did the trick. Soft and chewing, minty with a little bit of dark chocolate.
For the kids it was Butterfinger candy bars … small size of course.
For hubby it was starlight mints.
So, even for those of us who can’t imagine wanting junk food and/or candy … or thinking SIP might be a good time to give it up … better stock some up someplace. There is nothing worse than having a craving for something and being unable to get it.
If you have a favorite junk food or comfort food … even if it is fairly exotic … better get it now while the getting is good.
I found our store had finally gotten in the Biscotti we loved. I got 5 jars of them (16 cookies)but have them well hidden (not cheap). As well I love halawa with pistachios, great instead of cookies with tea or coffee. I hid a huge supply of Milano biscuits but my husband has found one hiding spot, but not the main supply. I love Mac & Cheese but haven’t had it in probably 2 1/2 years-been on an exercise & healthy lifestyle program- so I bought a case for those days.
Years ago while building our house, DH stepped on a nail. His dad, a country man, told him to soak it in kerosene. I was skeptical, to say the least but he tried it and immediately, the pain was gone and the redness and never returned! No infection and it healed up quick too. I have learned over the years of our marriage that Dad is always right about these things. We have a can of kerosene stored always.
Thank you everybody for all the hand pumps for wells info!!
Fever: Something (like hospital rubber gloves) to put ice in for patient with fever. Put these under armpits and right/left side of groin to help reduce fever. Large arteries there, helps reduce fever. Also, cool rag for head.
Something to swab mouth of sick, fevered sick patient with (at least twice daily)… small sponge on stick, for example. Very weak solution of salt water helps sanitize mouth, has healing properties and freshens mouth. Also, small medicine dispenser like you’d use with infant/child for patient too sick to drink or swallow. You do not want a patient to aspirate, so very small amounts, drops, in mouth/gum/tongue areas to help reduce dehydration.
Lip balm
Heres a yucky one. Make sure your septic system is in top condition ie. pump it out if its been awhile. Not something that happens often but you sure dont want it backing up in the middle of a pandemic, yuck.
Mari at 18:54. I have quite a few tubes of Nutragena in my stash! I love their sesame oil lotion.
A couple of other great creams-Earth Therapeutics Gardener’s HAnd repair-this is great stuff. A bit pricey-I think its ten bucks a tube, but it lasts a long time. Ive gotten it at Whole Foods Market. For me, its essential. On the nice to have/luxury side is Crabtree and Evelyns Gardener’s Hand therapy. I ask for it for Christmas. A good one for guys is Corn Huskers Lotion. Its easy to find.
Burt’s Bee’s makes an awesome Almond milk Beeswax hand cream. It smells so good! I also love thier lemon butter cuticle cream-this is a must for my daughter. All of us like their Farmer’s friend Hand salve.
Enough Already, you can get disposable oral swabs from a company called “Sage.” Their number is 1–800–323–2220. I use them on my handicapped son who has gingivitis. He is mentally retarded and does not know how to rinse so this does the trick.
History Lover
Thanks!
Do you use any particular thing to clean the mouth that might work on a patient with high fever, severe congestion, etc, symptomatic of this flu? I know oral hygiene would be important. When my mom was in hospice, they had a lemon glycerin gel they used. I also use to swap her mouth with the salt & sugar water solutions. Sometimes when her breathing was mostly via mouth, her tongue would become coated with a mucous film. I can see something like this occurring with a patient with this flu.
Th swabs as mentioned work. Also scrub the tounge off with a soft toothbrush or washcloth on your finger.Use some mouthwash on either. Don’t forget to brush the teeth. Do not put your finger into the mouth of someone who is mentally impaired. A human bite would be a problem that you would want to avoid. Kelly
Th swabs as mentioned work. Also scrub the tounge off with a soft toothbrush or washcloth on your finger.Use some mouthwash on either. Don’t forget to brush the teeth. Do not put your finger into the mouth of someone who is mentally impaired. A human bite would be a problem that you would want to avoid. Kelly
Note to self: Never push “post” twice just because it does not post as quickly as I would like. Kelly
Here’s one - if you have a coffee maker that has a glass pot, get a replacement one. I just smashed ours into a 1000 pieces on our granite counter-tops. SIP without coffee would not be pretty in my house.
what to you do with petroleum jelly to help store the eggs? you rub each egg?
lauraB at 17:43
Get a Stainless steel French Press from Starbucks. They don’t break and are a thermos as well so will keep the coffee hot.
Bags for the vacuum cleaner.
BB’s RWFK…
Grace RN at 21:49 And a lot of good scotch when the sissy wine doesn’t do it for you anymore.
Nah, scotch too strong…I’ll just sail away to Marguaritaville and look for my lost shaker of salt…
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janetn at 02:15
Common baking yeast and brown sugar combo will keep that septic tank healthy and actively perking.
Another idea for those on a septic system … if possible, if you have concerns, during SIP you might want to try and reroute your washing machine to a “dry well” or just on the ground rather than have all of those detergents going into your septic system.
I have a neighbor with an older septic system, whose septic repair guy suggested not flushing the TP unless necessary. He said the TP took longer for the system to process and caused the system to need to be pumped more frequently, IIRC. The neighbor got trashcans with a good lids for the bathrooms.
(When I was living in Greece, this was standard. There was a waste basket next to the toilet for the toilet paper.)
Another thing you might forget - those repair kits for hoses (1) for the end that attaches to the faucet and (2) for breaching a tear in the hose material itself.
Kathy in FL at 09:04 janetn at 02:15 Common baking yeast and brown sugar combo will keep that septic tank healthy and actively perking.
Kathy, What measure of each? Are they combined? and how do you get it in there? Do you just Flush it?
I came across this quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln about preparation. I think it puts in a nutshell why we are all doing what we do.
“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first hour sharpening the ax.”
Keep sharpening everyone!
Spare fuses and/or breakers, bulbs, switches, etc.
I am confused,,,is this Preps II a continued one or is this added to Preps VIII?
Using Niman’s recombination rules that would result in Today’s Flu Preps that you may Forget X.
Gary Near Death Valley at 14:49 --- This is “Preps You Might Forget II”. The other one is called “Today’s Flu Prep VIII”. Both have advantageous information…
HBB — Or Preps You Might Forget Today X
OR, Preps you might forget today X while coping with ridicule in spite of lessons learned during an unplanned SIP while the Canadian dog ate your homework
…and wondering Should I Get A Mastiff.
Slap me along the head and place me face up out in the noon day sun, near Death Valley. My eyes were getting heavy me thinks, thanks for the update.
Kathy in Fla. very true about routing the washer water somewhere other than the septic. Our builder told us this and we built the house with drain routed into a native palmetto head. The palmettos grew fabulously and we have never had to pump out the septic. 16 years! Also an old timer told me to always use the inexpensive 1-ply toilet paper as it degrades much quicker, and to never install a garbage disposal. Also Rid-X keeps septic systems in good repair. Can be bought most anywhere.
mmmelody47 at 12:52
That reminds me to get the chainsaw blades sharpened (saves time & fuel) and is cheaper than buying new chains.
Also have to get fuel for chainsaw.
Oremus at 17:22 - I found that the chainsaw sharpening attachments for a Dremel tool work pretty nicely…a timesaver and knuckle-buster-reducer. ;-) ‘Tis a lot easier than the standard round file. Just be sure to get the correct size for your saw.
Covey students know to sharpen the saw.
Buttermilk also feeds those “good bugs” in septic system (that makes it work.) (So my husband says.) TP- the biodegradable stuff is what you are suppose to uses (like Charmin.) However, I find it best to not flush TP.
Hi all, I don’t post very often, but I follow every tidbit on this site. Thanks to everyone. I just picked up a bunch of the cold packs that you crack and shake - instant ice packs without a freezer. They would be great for possible injuries or on an unbearably hot day without power. I picked up 20 packs at Target in the dollar section.
Roger Lurker Mom, I just updated my medicine cabinet and stocked up on ice packs too. While cleaning out my sink cabinet this past week I found an unopened bottle of stanely steemer spot remover(several years old). Mighty glad I did cause my youngest just upchucked all over cream carpet!! I’ll keep that near the front of the cabinet. Then I used the dogs pet stain and oder remover on the area to reduce the smell! Not survival preps but sure improves the living conditions.
mmmelody47 at 12:52
I came across this quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln about preparation. I think it puts in a nutshell why we are all doing what we do.
If I had six hours to chop down a tree, Id spend the first hour sharpening the ax.
A very appropriate quote mmmelody47 for the item that I have fixated on for preparation. I have bought files. Lots of files. Many different sizes and types.
It was once said that all the american frontiersman of old needed to survive was a good rifle and a good axe. With these two items he could take care of all his needs. I’ve always wondered though, how did he sharpen his axe? Maybe he took a file or sharpening stone with him too.
Files that can be used to keep an axe sharp or shape metal and wood for other uses will be very important if we have a severe flu pandemic. (With a rasp you can shape wood.) The ability to keep metal implements sharp and usable is very important. This one item, if forgotten, could render useless many of your other tools. Have you tried to saw a tree with a dull chainsaw? Better stock up on chainsaw files, along with your gas. (Since I use a wood stove, I have also purchased two crosscut saws. They need no gas and are very quiet.)
Much of my preparation has been to be able to go back to frontiersman type living if needed. Good sharp hand tools, and the ability to keep them sharp, are central to that goal. For city folk, this might not make much sense. But for country folk, I think we have to prepare to be able to get along on our own for a significant period of time. In all likelyhood, the government will take actions to help the greatest number of people using the least resources. That means the cities will get help first, and us country folk last. We better be prepared. Buy more files.
Okieman at 19:00 - thank you for noticing the quote from Lincoln. When first reading it, akin to the Gettysburg Address it was short, to the point and meaningful.
I used to heat my home (on Long Island, NY no less!) exclusively with wood - since around 1978. I had a 14″ Homelite, 8 lb. maul, wedges, plenty of energy and help from the kids. That little chainsaw cut more wood than I can remember, but I learned quickly how to properly sharpen my own chains after paying $6 (as I recall) to have it done at the local shop. Needless to say a decent file is all you require to do a good job keeping your chains sharp. I only needed 4 full cords to get through the winter with a terrific Mama Bear stove by Fisher of Factoryville, PA….(I can’t believe I remember that!) I don’t think they’re around anymore, too bad though its a real fine stove.
Okieman at 19:00
I have a 12V chainsaw sharpener that I can hook to my ATP (ATV with “pickup” bed) that use for getting wood. It does save time. But I have a pellet stove and keep a year’s worth of pellets year round. I could use logs but it is SO easy to use the pellets.
bumping for bill
Enough Already
Take a small amount of water, add a splash of any mouthwash, and another slash of peroxide. Use this with the washcloth or swab to cleanse the moth.
ure, it looks like the aptient has rabies. But, clean away. Then gently rinse mouth with plain water.
Gets rid of that scum on the tongue, and don`t forget to clease the cheeks, and gums, too.
There is a commercial product that has almost the same ingrediants, but I need more coffe before I can remember the name. Oxysomething.
The pink sponge swabbies work really well at grabbing the scum, if used dry. Those lemon/gylercine swabs have been shown to potentiate thrush, in long term use. A pinkie or a washcloth are much safer.
Dratted typos.Sorry.
One thing I guess I could prep is a typing(How to) CD. While SIPPING, I might actually learn to do more than 2 finger hunt and peck. :-)
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Work gloves-leather, rubberized gloves, chemical gloves.
Winter gloves-all types from the cheap cotton ones to the high-tech polar ones.
Extras of all of the above-you may want to enlist the help of unprepared neighbors.
Work boots, winter boots, running shoes, high tech mountain boots-socks of all types to go with this footgear.
Lots of physical work to be done for survival, and keeping your hands and feet in good shape is critical.
I’ve also added hand and foot warmers and plan to buy more.
Enough Already - I’m sorry. I haven’t check this site in a while and I hope you get this message. I use Chlorhexidine Gluconate on my son for his gingivitis, but I don’t know if it works on fevers. You might ask your doctor. I know that this is good for fever blisters.
Once I saw advertised a stone for sharpening axes. The shape was rounded in some way. Now that I want one, I don’t know where to look-tried Lehman’s and Cabela’s so far. Has anyone seen one?
I am amazed at how many batteries we go through. Little ones for the kids small electronic stuff, bigger ones when they play flashlight tag in the dark and leave them outside all night long. Clearly we need many more of them and/or rechargables.
I posted another thread about “pests” - we need more ant/bug spray and mouse stuff. With potentially all the garbage around it could become a real problem.
jane @10:55 Aubochon Hardware has a “round sharpening stone” for axes and hatchets. I have only used a metal mill file and rectangular sharpening stone (circular motion) for our axes.
You bring up a great point. Wherever you keep a knife, you should keep a sharpener (car, boat, BOB, etc.) I have had great luck with the Smith’s brand at Walmart (bright yellow color, in sporting goods dept.) There’s a small size and a larger size with handguard and scissors feature, $3 and $5 respectively. I stash the small ones all over and keep the larger ones in the kitchen and workshop.
I don’t know if this is the right thread for this question but here goes - my young son has cerebral palsy (and many other problems) and like most kids with cp he is very underweight. Since he had a Harrington Rod placed in his spine two years ago, he does not like to eat solid foods very much so his diet consists of Boost or Ensure Plus (each can has 360 calories). We also give him high-calorie juices with 100% RDA Vitamin C and high-fat ice cream. My question is this, during an emergency, ice cream will not be available. Does anyone know of something that would dissolve in Boost to add extra calories and fat? If it’s nutritious, that’s a plus. He does not have a G-tube nor do we want him to have one.
History Lover - I was very skinny in high school and started lifting weights to get bigger - couldn’t put on a pound. I had some success with “Weider Weight Gain” powder mixed with milkshakes. Joe Weider is/was a bodybuilder that is affiliated with the Muscle & Fitness magazine. Nowadays, there are many different names (MegaMass, etc.) that are available at sporting goods or nutrition stores. Disclaimer, you’re son may not like the taste - it only loosely resembles the advertised chocolate or vanilla flavor.
Thanks Dan. I’ll ask his doctor about this.
History Lover at 12:15
Hmm. Don’t know if this will work but what about those Carnation instant breakfast drinks and powders. My husband really likes the regular vanilla flavor. They also have chocolate.
I also make a homemade orange creamsicle kind of milk from Tang and powdered milk. I’m not sure of your son’s dietary limits, but I actually have several recipes along this line … that have powdered milk as their base. You could mix it into the Boost or Ensure as a possible way of upping the flavor.
Creamsicle Drink Mix
To use, stir 2 tablespoons of Creamsicle Drink Mix into 1 cup of cold water.
bump for BB.
History Lover at 12:15
Here is another one for you …. you could just let it cool down first rather than have him drinking it hot.
Hot Frothy Butterscotch
Place the milk, brown sugar, and extract in a heavy medium-size saucepan, and stir to mix. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, and, stirring constantly, heat until the mixture begins to reach a boil. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, and add 20 of the marshmallows. Continue to heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows begin to melt.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, and whip the mixture with a wire whisk until it becomes frothy.
Place 6 of the remaining marshmallows in the bottom of each of 2 mugs. Pour the butterscotch mixture over the marshmallows, and serve immediately.
Yield: 2 servings
You could whip some kind of mild vegetable oil into whatever liquid he finds tasty. (Our local grocery/pharmacy has a battery powered drink mixer-a tiny whisk.) I remember a vivid paragraph in one of Adele Davis’ books about the response (yum!)of a baby when she gave him a spoonful of soybean oil (by itself). Sweetened condensed milk is useful, too.
After reading the thread about peanut butter by a poster who had become allergic to pb after eating it every day for months, I’d think about alternating milk and non-milk drinks, and varying the flavorings to avoid sensitization. So soy powders are great but don’t use them every day. My daughter is gluten intolerant and tries to vary her diet so none of the wheat alternatives become forbidden too. I’m not as good about that, but I’ve been lucky so far.
Thanks everyone for the great recipes! I’m printing them for my emergency folder. I’ve actually tried Carnation Instant Breakfast in his Boost but it doesn’t dissolve well. I’m always looking for ways to be calorie-efficient, because some days he eats (actually he drinks everything) and other days he doesn’t want very much. But he still needs the calories. So thanks again.
This is such a good list…Lets see if I can add afew things.
Solar battery charger and rechangable batteries.
Small flashlights for kids. It helps them not be less afarid if they have something to chase the boggy man away.
Solar pathway lights. I know this sound strange. But you can take a can or flowerpot fill it half full with pebbles or sand and stick the light in. You can charge them outside or in a window with direct sunlight. They will provide a low level of light in your rooms at night. Its not something you can read by, but its a good alternative to having to store as much lantern fuel. There is no fire danger with them. When tested at my house they lasted about 7 hours.
Free standing tents (like unbrella tents). You can set them up in the house. When sleeping in them they retain your body heat and are a good way to stay warm at night. You can put layers of news paper on top of and under for more insulation.
Roatery mixer,,, just like the kind grandma used. Wallyworld still sells them.
What kind of solar battery charger did you get, and where did you find it? I only have the plug-in type so far.
Solar pathway lights. … Its not something you can read by,…
Use aluminum foil to make a cone shaped reflector and you CAN read by them. Many also are based on AA batteries, makes a cheap solar charge system for other AA based do-dads.
I always wonder this…is Wallyworld Walmart? a pun or is it called something different in dif parts of the country. I see it referenced here often. Thanks
Yes, there’s a themepark bigness to it.
I ordered my solar charger from Emergency Essentials. I couldn’t find on in any local store.
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I’m buying a non-electric floor cleaner (like they use in restaurants). If we have no power, how will we clean our carpeted floors and large area rugs?
OKbirdwatcher at 13:07
I was looking at those things as well. We have mostly tile through out the house so I have to sweep several times per day (where does all that dust come from?!) but have carpet in the bedrooms. What a mess that would be if they couldn’t be cleaned regularly.
The other thing that I had to do that people might forget is to go through my collection of spices, herbs and seasoings. I got rid of bottles that were out of date or down to the dregs and bought new ones that I don’t plan on opening until I absolutely have to. It would be a drag to not have any seasonings for all those beans and rice. <grin>
Here, here! And with a black Lab that sheds constantly, we’ll need one, too.
Another thing, may have been covered, but just in case…
If you are in a cold weather climate and you are only going to be heating part of your home (as we are), think about draining pipes in rooms that might get below freezing. I have to research how to do this. We have forced hot water, which is a contained circulatory system separate from main plumbing, so will need to drain those pipes AND our regular plumbing. Also need to learn how to REFILL them.
Kathy -
*(where does all that dust come from?!)*
My daughter says she learned in school that common household dust is 70% dry skin “flakes”. Can’t say if this is correct. Wouldn’t doubt it though. Our skin is continually renewing itself. Then if you add to that a pet/pets… Which is why we never seem to get the upper hand with dust:(
OKbirdwatcher at 13:27
And with 7 people tromping around our house just about 24/7 that just might explain it. <grin> Plus add in an elderly … 18 years old … cat and that is some of the fuzz. I try and have the kids brush the cat outside … she is elderly and needs extra help now … but the fur then comes in on them. <shrug> Can’t win for losing it seems. Bound to be worse if the power goes off.
Kathy -
Yep. We may have to adjust our cleanliness standards a bit if we have no power. Many things (except the dusting;) will be more difficult and time-consuming.
This will seem simple to those familiar with using solar panels but for the rest of us here’s what I learned. I bought a folding solar power panel (12 watt) so we could charge mostly are cellphones. With my unit I got different cables for charging a car battery, charging a power pack(battery), 12v Vehicle power outlet and 12v Vehicle power plug. Now I have a car adapter in my car which (this is what I didn’t figure out at first) I use to charge my cellphone while in the car. You need one of these adapters to connect to the cable that connects to the solar panel. If your electronic device, whatever it may be has a male or female car adapter built-in you don’t need your regular car adapter (that you keep in your car). Oh I hope this makes sense.
Prepping Gal -
A solar cell phone charger only makes sense if you figure that [1] you will not have power, and [2] there will be a working cell tower WITH POWER somewhere in range. Otherwise, you just get to read a variation of “network not available.”
We all include the water heater when figuring worst case water available. The problem is, that water will have to come out the drain valve on the bottom of the tank. First, that valve may not have been opened in years. It may be very difficult to open - or to close again. Second, it’s at the bottom of the tank. You will not believe the amount of crud that will come out when you do get that valve open. We may want to add a biweekly draining of that valve to our ongoing preparations, or put it on the list of things to do early on while there is still power and/or public water pressure.
Also, consider making up a section of garden hose with female connectors at both ends, and a check valve. This would let you feed water to a neighbor’s house without risk that the crud in his tanks would back up into your plumbing. Just connect the outside sillcocks on the 2 houses together with enough non-leaky rubber garden house and the check valve in the right way. This could be an important thing if only one has a generator, or if someone’s well pump fails, flu or no flu. We did it for about a week a few years back when a neighbor’s pump died. Didn’t notice any difference on our end of the hose.
If you do this while we are deep in the kimchi, it might be fair to trade water for gas on a reasonable basis.
Regarding the cellphone - in the thread about what people learned in disasters one said that cellphones still could “text message” while everything else was down. It is for charging other things as well but this one is very important.
Oh, it’s certainly worth a try, and it may work - if there is a tower working. Text messages will go through if the network is overloaded but limping along. But if you can’t get a signal to or from some working tower somewhere, text messaging won’t work either. If you buy a small “power pack” unit you could have some power for a 12 volt flourescent light, or a very small TV, or even a half hour of laptop computer per day - depending on how much sunshine you have.
Prepping gal @ 19:51--good idea. You might also want to check out one of the Sidewinder cell phone hand crank chargers. There are several brands out there now. The one that I got actually is the sidewinder brand and it works really pretty well. The others probably are good too. Might let you use your solar for other things if you wanted.
Galt
Thanks SIPCT my husband has been thinking about getting a power pack for a long time; I didn’t know that so this may be the push he needs to actually get one. He has another solar panel he lent out and is now going to see about getting it back. Then with the power pack we have a TV/Video that runs on 12 volt, would be nice. We also have dozens of videos anywhere from 5 to 10 years old so we could at least have some entertainment besides books. I do have a LED light with rechargeable battery & adapter so I should be able to charge it on my new solar panel. Also have a radio/light/clock/alarm with solar, crank and rechargeable battery. It’s not much when I look at what others have but I’m making some headway.
I would not count on watching a video with only a small power pack. If it is fully charged, it will only last a half hour or so, and would take several days to charge from a 15 watt panel. Still, with a solar panel you have some electricity in the daytime, and a battery of whatever size lets you save it for lighting at night. Most of the small power packs, btw, will be destroyed by relatively few deep discharges; and the batteries in them are so small that almost every use is a deep discharge.
All of that is a different thread, however.
History Lover at 12:15
A google search on: strategies increase nutritional density child cerebral palsy oral feeding --- yielded a lot of hits.
Do I understand this correctly, his daily caloric intake consist of juices, Boost or Ensure Plus? Do you consult with a registered dietitian (R.D.), along with the doctor? The R.D. would be able to help you with all sorts of feeding options. I think I understand that you are orally feeding with no other feeding interventions. And, this is an older child. I guess I am wondering about the carnation instant breakfast not disolving… if not involving feeding apparatus. Is it a platability issue? Also, wondering if liquified diet is being utilized… liquifying foods. These are all questions a R.D. has expertise in answering and able to help develop nutritional feeding regiment. There are specific fatty acids available in feeding formulas, and I believe even for use in feeding regimes. Again, an R.D. would have the answers. Does this child require predigested formulas?
Garden seeds- for summer and winter crops
wood- 4×8 etc and heavy nails- in case one needed to board up a window or two.
old fashioned large metal wash tub- can catch downspot water, be used for washing dishes or taking a short bath and in the meantime filled with ice to cool sodas/ beers at picnics
Just received my periodic printed catalog from All Electronics Corporation. (standard disclaimer: I have no financial interest in the company).
Several items may have intererst to innovative preppers:
14-LED flashlight powered by 3 AAA batteries; $9.95
28-LED flashlight powered by 3 AAA batteries; $15.95
5-LED headlamp w/ elastic band powered by 3 AAA batteries; $6.50
AAA NiMH battery w/ solder tabs; 10/$21
D cell carbon-zinc batteries; 96/$38.40
12 volt solar battery charger 1260 mW; $38.85
Most of their products are “excess inventory” from OEMs. Some items have been salvaged from larger pieces of equipmment. They appear to be honest in labeling the attributes/defects of each product. I purchased small Xenon strobes for my bicycle last year and was very satisfied with the product and their service.
Postage stamps, gardening seed for the coming year, super glue for those little accidents, an eyeglass repair kit, motor oil for equipment, a will, a journal (let us leave a record of our experiences).
simple musical instruments (instructions to learn to play it if you do not know already) and some sheet/book music (great way to while away time)- such as a guitar or harmonica
Lots of paper(lined and sketchpads), pencils, and pens - for writing journals, drafting letters, and drawing
Maps and pushpins to visually keep track of events and locations as heard on the radio/news reports.
Next year calendar (you may be out of circulation for more than the remainder of the current year)
Others have mentioned seeds - but I would add that you might consider making them heirloom variety seeds, plus be sure to stock up on insecticidal soap, general organic fertilizer, beer for slug/snail bait, and make sure you have plenty of vertical supports and/or cages to grow intensively (vertical growing produces the most in the least amount of space). These items help assure a productive garden when you most likely will need it to be.
If you don’t have one now… start a compost pile. If you have one… tend to it well!
A Will
Make sure that your children or loved ones are taken care of if you and your spouse should pass.
Now is the time to stock up on school supplies to the max allowed. The sales are great this time of year. For ex., Kmart had spiral notebooks 10/$1 (limit 30), Elmer’s glue 4 oz. 5/$1, and HP copy paper at $2.99 a ream. I had to get a raincheck for the notebooks, but I fully intend to go back and get them, just in case my grandchildren should end up SIP with us. They live 1800 miles away in Texas, but anything is possible.
As a retired teacher I can tell you that teaching requires a LOT of paper. Spiral notebooks are invaluable to keep different subjects organized and to use as journals.
I bought room darkening shades to help with keeping electicity costs down and heat/cold out. Now, I am thinking might be good thing if I want to keep my house looking darker from the outside. Sure is darker from the inside.
Enough AlreadyHouston 6-Pack? Do you mind me asking where you bought the shades???
Moist towelettes for personal hygiene if there is no water available.
Moist towelettes for personal hygiene
Folks might want to get a small supply of those now and see how they react to them. Personally, I can’t use towelletes for cleaning if they contain much alcohol…leaves a nasty rash in some “those” places…
They do make water-based towelletes…check at yer local drug store or RV store…
BB
I will try to put this delicatley (sp)….you could always use the femine towelletes….for “those” places….they should be ‘gentle’ enough…..(trying not to laugh…..):)
aw shucks, just use the baby wipes; gentle enough for any “babe”’s butt. Generally they have aloe and lanolin to protect tender skin from ammonia and other nasties.
LOLOL coulnt hold it in any more!!!!!!!! Was going to say baby wipes…..but just wanted BB to get in touch with his femine side:)….
<wiping tears from eyes because I am laughing soooo hard>
Wonder how BB is feeling!!!!! LOLOLOL sooooo funny………….
Houston6Pak at 01:18 OMG!!!! Feminine side?!? NEVAH!! Just give me a wire BBQ brush and some liquid dishsoap. I’ll be gittin’ along just fine.
BB wonders if fixing H6P’s profile was a good thAng! LOL!
<Now I’m wiping tears from my eyes because I am histerically laughing so hard>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe not….you better be a good boy to me……ROTFLMBO!!!!! toooo funny!!!!!!!!!
Oooh!!!!!!! BB, nobody’s that tough:-)
Be careful, if you DID use that you’d need a whole lot more then the baby wipes.
…and that’s just for the crying…
Still dying laughing!!!!
BB, nobodys that tough
Curly Washburn was. See here I try to model myself after him and ol’ Bob Duvall.
Enough Already @ 13:42 - I’m sorry that I didn’t answer earlier. I haven’t been back to this thread in a while. Actually through the years, we have consulted dietarary professionals off and on. His diet needs have changed at times, depending on the particular issue we are addressing - e.g. cerebral palsy, epilepsy, respiratory conditions. I will ask his doctor about “fatty acids in feeding formulas” when we see him this month for our son’s annual flu shot (and I hope pneumonia vaccine). As I understood this from another doctor, the spinal surgery caused his muscles to either contract or expand (I forget which) and this resulted in an eating disorder. He simply didn’t want to swallow food. The good news is this - since I asked for help from Fluwikians, he has turned a corner and has been eating soft foods again. He has recently eaten an egg over easy with crumbled bacon and a couple of those microwavable meals with beef and mashed potatoes (chopped up). Once again, my sincere thanks. You folks are angels in disguise. I give you all the credit for his appetite.
History Lover at 18:17
You sound like you have been down a lot of roads with your son’s medical issues, so forgive me in advance if you have already done this. Have you spoken with a speech therapist about your son’s swallowing issues? Especially if there is a neurological component—the SLP has a lot of tricks for either increasing or decreasing tone in the pharyngeal muscles to facilitate swallowing.
oops—”pharyngeal and laryngeal muscles”
alcohol swabs, for just about everything.
Regarding personal wipes: diaper wipes are teh way to go, especially the ones that are fragrence and alcohol free. If the don’t irritate a baby’s butt, they won’t irritate yours. Plus they are great for cleaning things. While not as sanitizing as Purell or soap and water, they can be better-than-nothing when you need to clean your hands.
Closed for length, and Continued here
LauraB at 08:25 comment copied over to new thread.