The Preppers Diary: What did you do today to prepare...

[SavedByGrace3]

Doing some prep maintenance. Looking for Mylar bags that have lost the vacuum. Rebagging with fresh O2 absorber. Moved a small fridge into the prep room.
Finishing up some things in the garden. We have some late plants that are still fruiting. Excited about digging up some sweet potatoes and sunchokes.
Getting some wind and rain from tropical storm Michael.

 

[drjean]

Today I thanked God (and every day!) for NOT allowing them to send Hurricane Michael to South Florida!
As it was, it could have impacted all but 1 of my siblings as it went up the coast, nipped AL and swung across GA and now Boston! My military vet son, when I text him to see if he was evacuating himself (he assists with inspections and safety of the helios at Ft Rucker) he text back: Beach day. After the storm had past I asked how was the beach? He texted surf good, sand was good exfoliation.
Got his mom's wit

But always a good run through for the "do I's"... have enough water, food, first aid...etc. I do but I had brought some back into the house (not showing it right now, and probably not through holiday season---for neighbors not to have my sale sign etc up) ,,, so I was reorganizing etc and some some of the BUGOUT supplies were in 3 different places! NOT good. Living 'near' nuclear energy you might only have 15 minutes... it would have taken me longer. I will remedy this this weekend.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Turned over a container of sweet potatoes today. First time we have tried SP in containers. Two plants in a 20 gallon tote. We started them kind of late so there were maybe a half dozen of good sized potatoes and a handful of small starters. But we got some! They are in the greenhouse to cure. Two more containers to go. We will let them grow for a couple more weeks. We are still picking beans, cucumbers, and peppers. Still maintaining a pound of two of produce a day. The Okra is done. One half dollar tomato just now ripening up in the greenhouse. Mid October and we are pulling tomatoes. Nice.
Asparagus is still green and putting out new shoots. They will be done come the first cold night. We are waiting for the SunChokes to die back before we dig them.
Misjudged the sun movement across the sky. Put the greenhouse in the wrong place! Mid October and by midday half the greenhouse is in the shade of the house. I failed to remember that as autumn approaches the sun moves further south in the sky. We will pull up stakes and move it out into the rear part of the back yard. My intention was to put it close to the house where it would be shielded from the wind. Best laid plans....
Well we endured 2 close drive-byes by hurricanes this year and the garden actually did ok. I will start cleaning up the lot on Monday. The left hip is giving me a fit the last few days.
Blessings...

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Re-arranged some items in the prep room a couple days ago an must have broke the seal on a couple vacuum sealed plastic bags. Pulled them out to reseal in Mylar this time. One was from June 2012. Six and one half years old and it looks and smells fine!! That makes us happy. We are in the stage now where we recycle stuff in the prep room. Pull out older stuff and replace it with new. This is especially true about the food we pack and store ourselves. Also repacked a 5 pound bag of par-boiled rice from 2015... it too looks and smelled fine. We also are starting to pay more attention to expiration dates on cans and other commercially packaged food. Spam, Silverstone Ground Beef, Mushrooms. Canned Chili, beans, many other things.
It is a prepper's live peeps.

 

[drjean]

With the current political scene (OH YEA I SAID IT) we have NO idea how desperate either side will become... and what lengths they will go to accomplish their goals (some good, some not).

I don't trust the evil side to not do ANYTHING to keep from being hung/prison. That would include poisoning water supplies or bombing food processing plants I mean, I cannot possibly even imagine the evil as I am not evil... So I have reevaluated as to how much of everything I would need IN THE MORNING should it all break loose while I'm asleep and stuck with what I have.

I need more ammo.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

With the current political scene (OH YEA I SAID IT) we have NO idea how desperate either side will become... and what lengths they will go to accomplish their goals (some good, some not).

I don't trust the evil side to not do ANYTHING to keep from being hung/prison. That would include poisoning water supplies or bombing food processing plants I mean, I cannot possibly even imagine the evil as I am not evil... So I have reevaluated as to how much of everything I would need IN THE MORNING should it all break loose while I'm asleep and stuck with what I have.

I need more ammo.

It does seem to be losing control. Just when you think things are calming down, stupidity springs anew.
Lord save our nation... I pray His patience has not worn thin. He has be delaying for decades.
How long will He allow abomination and blasphemy to continue?

 

[drjean]

Q says to trust the process.

Part of my prep has increased regarding personal safety and awareness... almost to "trust no one" becoming my mantra! I have plans to REALLY leave the State of Florida if the moslem gets in as governor... having lived under similar evil down here, I cannot handle it. I am sure that if I believed I would have to try and live under satanic rule (during tribulation) I would off myself. There is no hope in that. . . and as most see here, I have issues with 'hiding' my passion for Christ and what is right! lol IF I don't go completely off the grid, I will be toast. HOWEVER I DO believe in miracles and God's promises that he won't suffer His bride His wrath.

If owning is outlawed, I will be an outlaw. I have determined that my martial arts skills won't be much good as my strength has decreased. I have seen how pepper spray/mace has NO effect upon those who are demonic or deranged, and I'm probably not quick or strong enough to wield a knife... so if they want to take my firearm, they will get it one bullet at a time.

I have decided to be even more cautious in NOT going anywhere there is a larger group of people... even to shopping at the local grocery store on 'off times'. NOT a good way to live, perhaps not really taking a lot of faith, but it is what it is. I'm sure my anxiety disorder (PTSd) is feeding this.

I've also all but decided to dispense with selling the house and just leave. I might offer it to my brother and his wife, but I doubt they wish to live in South Florida either. It has become a hateful zoo down here, you cannot imagine! NO word from any Christians or churches either...so sad.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Take care in what you do saint. I will pray. Best I can do... best that can be done.

Q says to trust the process.

Part of my prep has increased regarding personal safety and awareness... almost to "trust no one" becoming my mantra! I have plans to REALLY leave the State of Florida if the moslem gets in as governor... having lived under similar evil down here, I cannot handle it. I am sure that if I believed I would have to try and live under satanic rule (during tribulation) I would off myself. There is no hope in that. . . and as most see here, I have issues with 'hiding' my passion for Christ and what is right! lol IF I don't go completely off the grid, I will be toast. HOWEVER I DO believe in miracles and God's promises that he won't suffer His bride His wrath.

If owning is outlawed, I will be an outlaw. I have determined that my martial arts skills won't be much good as my strength has decreased. I have seen how pepper spray/mace has NO effect upon those who are demonic or deranged, and I'm probably not quick or strong enough to wield a knife... so if they want to take my firearm, they will get it one bullet at a time.

I have decided to be even more cautious in NOT going anywhere there is a larger group of people... even to shopping at the local grocery store on 'off times'. NOT a good way to live, perhaps not really taking a lot of faith, but it is what it is. I'm sure my anxiety disorder (PTSd) is feeding this.

I've also all but decided to dispense with selling the house and just leave. I might offer it to my brother and his wife, but I doubt they wish to live in South Florida either. It has become a hateful zoo down here, you cannot imagine! NO word from any Christians or churches either...so sad.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Purchased a wood chipper and a leaf shredder. Did so with an eye toward composing.
The"Back to Eden" method of farming/gardening advocates covering everything in sight with wood chips... to a dept of up to 6 inches. I am very wary of doing this and have read many testimonies as to why you should not. I have already covered the pathways between rows with wood chips to help keep down weeds. I first laid down cardboard and then covered it with the chips. Seems to work ok but weeds still seem to find a way around the cardboard and so you have to hoe right up into the cardboard/wood chips.
Another objection is that insects and slugs find a sweet hiding place in the chips. Not seen the problem here. Insects do not seem to care about hiding... they just come out and feast. Troubles me that sometimes sevin seems to be the only thing that stops them from chewing up our leafy plants. Had to put some on our rutabagas the other day.... Even the beans and cucumbers were not safe.
Praise the Lord for all things.

 

[drjean]

I bought a small portable NON GASOLINE power unit... with a/c, usb, solar capabilities... just gotta have my coffee one way or ta'other

 

[drjean]

I bought a life straw... and dug out my filtered squeeze bottle for the dog's water... (haven't been able to teach him to draw from a straw yet).

I need to figure out what type of filter is in that squeeze bottle... I haven't used it because it is hard to squeeze. I may buy the sawyer filtration system.

Haven't received the power pack yet.

 

[drjean]

Purchased a wood chipper and a leaf shredder. Did so with an eye toward composing.
The"Back to Eden" method of farming/gardening advocates covering everything in sight with wood chips... to a dept of up to 6 inches. I am very wary of doing this and have read many testimonies as to why you should not. I have already covered the pathways between rows with wood chips to help keep down weeds. I first laid down cardboard and then covered it with the chips. Seems to work ok but weeds still seem to find a way around the cardboard and so you have to hoe right up into the cardboard/wood chips.
Another objection is that insects and slugs find a sweet hiding place in the chips. Not seen the problem here. Insects do not seem to care about hiding... they just come out and feast. Troubles me that sometimes sevin seems to be the only thing that stops them from chewing up our leafy plants. Had to put some on our rutabagas the other day.... Even the beans and cucumbers were not safe.
Praise the Lord for all things.

I use ground white pepper on my little plants (roses, tomatoes etc) to keep bugs off. Even when the rain washes it off the leaves, it's still in / on the ground for a while.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I use ground white pepper on my little plants (roses, tomatoes etc) to keep bugs off. Even when the rain washes it off the leaves, it's still in / on the ground for a while.

I have heard of that. We may try it. Next year.

 

[drjean]

UNPACKAGED my Portable AC Power Bank and my new pop up 'sink'

The power pack can be recharged 500 times. I think I'll hang a card on it for tally marks... won't matter now but will in the future perhaps? It comes out to about .32 a charge.
I feel better now... can ALWAYS have coffee in some form other than cold

 

[drjean]

I've found a spot.

It is a small small lot to rent...with utilities in central FL. I'm going up there in a few weeks anyway...so I hope to go early and take a looksie at it before using it for my domicile.... It will cut my van insurance in half!

But I'll have to find a small storage rental too as I haven't been able to downsize completely the items I took out of the large storage room rental last month... emptied it but not my garage. lol Much of it is family items (china, crystal...and like my dad's horsehair blanket from when his mom put it on him in the carriage in the snow (horse and buggy) back in 1905?... ) Anyway... the sister I know would like all this has disconnected her phones and won't write back ... pray about this will ya? Pray for her... she's a born again believer but got immediately swept up by a legalistic group... IDK...she hasn't talked to me since mom's death issues when she felt the family betrayed her... (not). But even so, a storage unit up there will also be half the price of one down here.

I can then sell my house.

 

[drjean]

I am restocking my dehdyrated meat supplies.
I had to go with Perdue's THIN SLICED chicken breasts as the store isn't carrying the regular (Perdue) chickens--- all they have out is TURKEY! I don't eat turkey.

I also have eye of the round roasts to cook and dehydrate.
And 3 cans of wet dog food (he won't eat wet food, so dehydrating is good for trips, nutrition, and convenience snacks for him.) Just have to make sure the dog food and the eye of the round are appropriately labelled---they look the same

 

[drjean]

Cooked, sliced and am now dehydrating 2 1/2 lbs of Eye of the Round. (Well, just under as the dog and I snacked on the shreddings )

 

[drjean]

....
Misjudged the sun movement across the sky. Put the greenhouse in the wrong place! Mid October and by midday half the greenhouse is in the shade of the house. I failed to remember that as autumn approaches the sun moves further south in the sky. We will pull up stakes and move it out into the rear part of the back yard. My intention was to put it close to the house where it would be shielded from the wind. Best laid plans....

Blessings...

Can you move it for next year? Or perhaps create a 'reflector' of shiny tin on the part that does get sun to shine onto the part that is shaded?

 

[Kosher Salt]

Not much as far as physical things go, I prayed.
God knows I am a sinner.
I carry a 48 hour pack in my work vehicle, I call it my 4 season BOBP, every three months I change whats in it to match the season.
My house is loaded,, a couple months of food and water.

 

[DaDad]

Last year about Thanksgiving, Home Depot had a "Sportsman" brand 3,500-running/4,000-surge watt dual fuel (gasoline/propane) generator for about $349, and the same this year. Maybe next year I'll think whether it's really necessary or not ...
DaDad