Choosing a handgun part 1

Hi Everyone,

Choosing a handgun, especially for a first time shooter can be a tricky process, especially if you deal with arthritis or loss of hand strength. Add to this that a handgun is a very personal item.

Each person has their own likes and dislikes. Handsize and shape affects how the grip feels in the hand. Is it heavy, or light? What is the recoil like? How easy is it to manipulate the controls? What about price? Is the round effective? What purpose do I want the gun to serve? Is it for Self-defense in the home or for concealed carry.You can see all the variables involved. It is a very personal choice.

If you have never handled a gun before, let me recommend that you get some form of training BEFORE you purchase any handgun. Training will teach you to handle the weapon safely and give you an opportunity to try different guns to see what feels comfortable to you. If you have a local gunrange, many of them have guns for rent that will let you try several different models.

One of the first choices you will need to make is the purpose your weapon will serve. Is it for self defense  in the home only, or are you planning to carry concealed?  If you are planning to use it as a nightstand gun, a full sized weapon might be just fine if it fits your hand. But if you are a 100 pounds soaking wet, like to wear tight clothes and want to conceal carry, that might be a problem. 

Do you want a revolver or a semi-automatic? If choosing a semi-automatic pistol, take into account if you are left or right handed. Most guns have the controls designed for right handed shooters.
If you have arthritis, "racking the slide" on a semi-automatic may prove difficult. You need to practice with the weapon before making a purchase. There are techniques, like the "push/pull" that make racking the slide easier. It is difficult in print to describe this, but basically it is this. For a right handed shooter, with the grip in your right hand, put your left hand on the slide, thumb pointing toward the rear of the gun. Then quickly push forward with your right hand while pulling the slide toward you with your left. This takes some practice, especially if you have arthritis. Ask me how I know. But it does work.  


One option that eliminates this problem is choosing a revolver. Because the cartridges are in a cylinder that revolves as fired, there is no slide to rack. This makes them easier in some respects. However, most revolvers have heavy trigger pulls and this too can be a problem for arthritics. And when you think about it, which will you be doing more, pulling the trigger or racking the slide?  This is why it is so important to try different weapons before making a purchase.

If finances are an issue, it is, in my opinion, preferable to purchase a slightly less expensive gun, and use other available money to get training and ammo. Training, especially for a new gun owner, is critical. Knowing how to safely operate your weapon makes all the difference and a good instructor can help you learn to compensate for any physical limitations.

Well, that's it for now. In part two we will go over a few more solutions to purchasing your first handgun.

Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Making use of Leftovers

Hi Everyone,

Here in So. PRC we're having some actual fall weather for a change. For us that means nights in the low 40's to high 30's. For those of you in the North or East, you probably think of this as a spring day, but here....

It's during this time of the year that all those comfort foods come into play. Stews, soups, breads, anything to warm the innards. With all the left over turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes and gravy to use up, making use of them can help stretch the food budget.

Some of the usual things to do with left overs are Turkey sandwiches, good but not comfort food. Hot
Turkey sandwiches, better, and the usually Turkey soup. But let's look at a couple of quick and easy ways to tweek this. 

Instead of hot Turkey sandwich, how about heating up some of the left over mash potatoes, heat up some turkey, cubed, in gravy and serving that over the mash potatoes. Yum.

Or you can make a variation of Shepard's Pie. Mix some gravy, cubed turkey, and frozen mixed veggies in the bottom of a casserole dish, layer on some stuffing, and cover with mashed potatoes, or skip the stuffing if you like. Place in the over at about 350 until warmed through. If you like, during the last 5 minutes you can put some grated cheese on top.

Add a little variety,changing up the Turkey soup by using some different veggies in it.  In addition to potatoes, add some yucca. You can buy this frozen or fresh. It is similar to potatos, but with a firmer texture and doesn't break down like potatoes when reheated. A little okra, frozen, adds a pop like crunch and the frozen kind tends not to have that sliminess okra is famous for.

Nopales, which is available in Mexican stores as fresh, and I've seen it in cans, but I don't know how the canned stuff is. This is another thing that if you use too much could turn slimy, but in small amounts it is flavorful and helps thicken the soup like okra.

Squeeze juice from half a lemon into the bowl just before you eat it. You'll be surprised how good this is.

Or how about some chopped cilantro. This is one of those things, people either really like or not. I LOVE cilantro and can't seem to use enough of it.
Chopped cabbage, or radish are also good additives.

Using different veggies are a way to add variety and nutrition to an old standard for Turkey left overs.

If you want quick and easy, you can still have that wonderful left over Turkey soup without all the work. Use chicken broth, add your chopped up Turkey, some frozen mixed veggies, dehydrated onion, and frozen country hash browns for potatoes. Make small portions this way and you have a satisfying healthy meal and no leftovers.

Well, that's it for today. Hope you all enjoy your leftover turkey and maybe get a chance to experiment with some new things. Trying new things help keep us young. See you next time. Until then, keep prepping, because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

The Importance of Community

Hi Everyone,

Well, with Thanksgiving weekend over, the Holidays are officially on us.  The holidays are a time for joy, giving and family. But what do you do if you are isolated during this time?

As we get older, many of us have lost spouses, friends, even children. The holiday season, when we're supposed to feel joyous, often is just the opposite. We feel alone, isolated. We've lost the sense of community that is so vital to each and everyone of us.

We need to reach out, become involved either in our church, or local community. But how do you do that?

One way is to volunteer at your place of worship. There's a saying in the religious community that 10 percent of the congregation does the work for the 90. Well, become part of the 10 percent. Churches always need people to help with anything from welcoming people as they come to services, to cleaning up afterwards.

If you have physical limitations, maybe you can help in the nursery rocking a fussy baby, or reading to toddlers. Gentlemen, how about you? Babies aren't your  thing, I get it. But you can still read a book to the youngsters. Even if you have to sit, you can greet people when they arrive. A smile and a "Glad to see you here today" can do wonders especially for someone new. 

Maybe you're not a church goer. Okay. How about volunteering at the local elementry school or library? Reading to children gives you as much as it gives to them. With many schools and libraries cutting back services, they are always looking for help. If you have transportation problems maybe someone can car pool with others. Maybe you're more active. How about trying to start a gardening program at the local school as an after school project? It might be hard to get something like this going, but afterschool programs are some of the first things to go with cutbacks, and are missed the most with so many latch key kids these days.

What if you're confined to a home or convalscent hospital. Here's some food for thought. Many high schools require that students preform community service hours to graduate. See if you can get arrangements made for students to volunteer where you live. High schoolers can be a challenge. If they come there thinking they're helping you, it might give you a chance to help them in return and develop relationships. 

Remember visiting you grandma or grandpa when you were a kid? Wtih so many divorces and families separated by long distances, kids often lose out on having that relationship with a grandparent. It's a special relationship.  

There are also youth organizations that need help. Boy scouts, girl scouts, Naval Sea Cadets, Young Marines, Civil Air Patrol. Gentlemen, and ladies, if you've had military experience, Sea Cadets, Young Marines and Civil Air Patrol always need volunteers who have a military background. Share your knowledge, your experiences. Let these kids have the benefit of all you're learned. 

Use your imagination. What do you love? What is your passion? Do you like history, gardening, movies, crocheting, books, puzzles, politics, whatever. There are clubs and organizations for just about anything you could be interested in. Even if you are homebound, you must have internet access or you couldn't be reading this blog. There are online sites for any interest you can think of. Get involved there if you can't manage some face to face relationships. Most sites have forums that are designed to develop community. Get involved.

 Remember, what you do matters. No one is going to beat down your door to get involved with you. You have to do the reaching out, and in that reaching out you will help yourself and... help someone else in the process.

Just some food for thought. Feel free to contact me with any comments either through the comment section on the blog or via email at team_effort@att.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Well, got to run. See you next time. Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone.

Just a quick note to tell you all to have a very Happy Thanksgiving. Take time between the turkey and the football games to think about all you have to be thankful for. Not just the usual things like the food, a roof over your head, your friends and family, but for the freedom we still have in this great country and those who have sacrificed so much to preserve that freedom by serving in our Armed Forces.

So a special Thank You and Happy Thanksgiving to all those who are serving or who have served to guarantee that we can sleep in freedom at night.

Sorry to make this so short, but got to run. If you get a chance be sure to check out www.thesurvivalpodcast.com for the Thanksgiving Day rebroadcast.

If you're traveling today, have a safe trip and enjoy this special day. See you next time.

Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Beginning to shoot

Hi Everyone,


In a previous post I talked about how much fun it was to shoot trap. For those of you who are shooters, whether for hunting or sport, you know what I'm talking about. But, if you've never shot a gun before, how do you get started?


There are several programs out there for first time shooters. First Shots, Women on Target and the Appleseed Project. First Shots is a part of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Women on Target is sponsored by the NRA and The Appleseed Project by the Veterans of the Revolutionary War.


I have never participated in a First Shots Program, but I have heard excellent things about it. First Shots seems to be very similar to Women on Target. Both emphasize safety, responsibility and enjoyment of the shooting sports with either handgun, rifle or shotgun. The Appleseed Project emphasizes marksmanship with the rifle. All of these programs give new shooters an opportunity to sample shooting in a safe environment.


I'm going to make this a short one today. Please check out these programs by googling them or check out Freedom First Firearms School if you are in the Inland Empire area of Southern People Republic of  California.  
 http://www.freedomfirstfirearmsschool.com/   I'd love to see you there.

Got to run. See you tomorrow.Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Using Vertical Space

Good Morning Everyone.


We had a wonderful rain the last two days, which will be great for my garden, but it kept me from accomplishing anything as far as the latest secession planting of spinach, peas and lettuce goes. Oh, well, everything grows better after the rain.  


I've been talking with several friends about getting started with a garden of their own. A few of them have very limited space. It got me thinking about some of the Permaculture principals on the use of vertical space. On a small balcony, gardening in containers can be a challenge. But if you put a couple of trellises against a sunny wall you can espalier a dwarf fruit tree or two. Apples, pears and plums work well this way.  Pomagranates also espalier well.

Something new that make excellent use of vertical space are columnar fruit trees. These trees produce on the central trunk of the tree. They can easily be grown in containers or planted directly in the grown as close as 2 feet apart, though some sources say they should be 4 feet apart. I haven't grown any of these myself, but I have seen them at some of the local nurseries. It seems really strange to see the fruit on the trunk, but it makes it easy for picking. There are apple and peaches available in this form. And I imagine more will be developed as time passes.

Although they are considerably more expensive than comparable dwarf varieties, they do have a couple of advantages for seasoned citizens.  These varieties often produce fruit in their first season, instead of the third or fourth like the dwarf varieties. I don't know about you, but I tend to be somewhat impatient about things like that.

They also produce much smaller harvest. To me this is a disadvantage, because I like to can and share my production with friends. But for a single person or a couple who don't want to be bothered with more fruit than they can eat fresh, this could be just the thing.

They do reach the same height as other dwarf fruit trees, 8 to 10 feet but only about 2 feet in width. Because of this is it necessary the thin the fruit to avoid breaking branches.

They also must have a second variety that flowers at the same time in order to pollunate and produce fruit.

There are also quite a few berries and grapes that can be trained on a trellis or at least be grown in containers. See my previous posting on container gardening to get specific varieties.

Balconies have railings and I know many of you might be tempted to plant vines using these for support. But remember that this will shade the rest of the balcony during the biggest part of the growing season. This would severly limit growing anything else in containers unless they were elevated above the level of the railing. Also, if you are renting, this should be cleared with your landlord.

I've seen the columnar trees at Lowe's and at Home Depot in my area. If you have trouble finding them, Raintree Nursery also carries them. They can be found at: http://www.raintreenursery.com/catalog/emptycart.cfm.

Well, got to run. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Rings of security

Good Morning, Everyone,

I've noticed a disturbing trend in the news recently. There has been an increasing number of home invasion robberies, especially those targeting seniors. Officials are attributing this to the problems in the economy. Some are saying it's related to the drug war on the border. Whatever the cause, we need to do what we can to keep ourselves safe.

Though most communities have 911 service, there's an old saying. "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."  This is not a reflection on our law enforcement. They do the best job they can, and each day they put their lives on the line doing their job. But they are only human and can only be in one place at a time.

The national average response time for a 911 call is 6 minutes and 42 seconds according to USAToday. This is after the call is completed and the police have been dispatched. Add another 30 seconds, assuming you get your information to the operator quickly, and now you're at 7 minutes and 12 seconds. Plenty of time for some criminal to do you harm.

Most times the police never get the opportunity to stop a crime in progress. They arrive and are stuck with the unfortunate task of making a report on a crime that has already happened.  We can make it less likely that the police will have to fill out all that paperwork for us by making the job of the criminal harder.

We can start by making rings of security around our home. Think of this concentric circles starting at the outer most limits of your home and moving inward.

If you have a house, it starts in the yard with a fence. Criminals are generally cowards and lazy. This doesn't mean they won't do what they feel they have to do to take your stuff or do you harm, but they will look for a target that makes it as easy as possible with the least likelyhood of getting caught.  A fence is a small deterant. But put a dog inside that fence. Ah, now we have a second deterant, one that not only might bite, but acts as an alarm. The last thing a criminal wants is the home owner to know he's coming. Though I personally prefer a larger dog, sometimes those little yappers make the best alarm systems. I know that many of us live in apartments or condos where we can't have a dog and that's unfortunate, but you do the best with what you have.

Next, be sure to lock your door.  So many of us grew up and lived in the days when no one locked their doors. I know I did and I have really had to retrain myself to get out of that mindset. Also, never leave a key under the mat or the "garden gnome". Criminals are well aware of all the normal hiding places. 

Don't answer the door, that reads unlock the door since it should be locked even when you're home, unless you know who is there.  If you don't have a peep hole to look through, call out and ask. If you are really not expecting someone, it might be a good idea to do it in that Clint Eastwood, "Get off my lawn" voice. The worse that could happen is you might have to apologize to a friend, the best is that the criminal rethinks which door he should have knocked on.

One of the most common rues I'm hearing about is criminals knocking on the door and when the resident starts to open the door to see who's there, they push the door open, knocking the homeowner down, putting you at a definate disadvantage. So don't open the door until you know who is there. Ask to see identification through the peep hole of anyone who says they are there in an official capacity, for example telephone or electric personel, police or delivery people. If you don't have a peep hole, you can ask them to move to a nearby window.

Next, keep some sort of self defense device handy. For those of you who have concealed carry permits, this means keeping you weapon on until you go to bed and keeping it handy after that. For those of us who, for one reason or the other, don't have a firearm available, there are other options.

Pepper spray is a good option for many. It's small and requires basically no training to use. One of the best pepper spray devices I've seen is called TigerLight. This little device is a high lumen flash light with built in pepper spray. I love dual purpose things. They have an excellent video showing how it works. Check it out at http://www.buytigerlight.com/ . Tigerlight is rather expensive, so if price is an issue, get what you can. It is better to have a cheaper tool than no tool at all.

Other options for self defense are baseball bats, knives, or anything you can think of. The problem with most of these is that they can only be used at close range, which gives a younger and stronger criminal a definate advantage.

So let's do the "what if" scenario. You're asleep and you hear a loud noise in the living room. Don't do the typical horror movie thing of walking out there, unarmed, to see what it is. Don't you scream at the tv when that happens. I do.

First thing, call 911. Tell them there is someone in the house NOW. This will put you in a priority cue for response. Next have your defensive tool of choice at hand, be it a handgun, shotgun, pepper spray or baseball bat, along with a good, high lumen flashlight. The flashlight serves two purposes. Firstly it momentarily blinds the subject when the room is dark. Secondly and most important, it helps you identify who is there. You never want to accidently protect yourself against your spouse who just got up the get a snack at 2 am.

At this point you hold up in this "safe room" until the police arrive. If the criminal comes in your room before that, you do what is necessary to defend yourself. Hopefully the police arrive before that is necessary. If you are armed when the police arrive, put the weapon away. Police have no idea that you are not the criminal so never greet them with any form of weapon in hand, this includes the baseball bat.

Man, it is later than I thought. I have to run. Hopefully some of this will be useful to you. For those of you who are into the self defense thing, I know I left out a lot. But I'm working with limited time this morning. And I've made a commitment to myself and to you all, to do my best to get out something everyday. So please bear with me. We'll go over this subject in more detail another time.

Well, got to run. I'll see you next time.Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."  
Candy

Keeping things in Perspective

Hi Everyone,


Well, fall is definately here and I can't believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, literally. The stores are packed with all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner. All the grocery stores have sales on turkey and dressing. 


It's far too easy to  get caught up in all the hustle and bustle and forget about the real meaning of Thanksgiving. It's not  just about eating turkey and stuffing or spending some time with realitives watching the bowl games. It's about taking a day, and making a conscience effort to remember the things and the people for which we are truly grateful. Sometimes it's the smallest of things that reminds us of our humanity. And recently I learned about another meaning of Thanksgiving. One I had never thought about before. One that really made me appreciate this holiday even more. 

Since I'm been an adult, Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday. Before that, as a kid, it was a toss up between Christmas and Halloween. I love cooking and sharing the food with others. I love inviting any of my friends who had no family in the area so they didn't have to spend the holiday alone. Before dinner I always asked everyone to gather around and share a few things they were thankful for.

After dinner all the ladies would pitch in and help with the clean up: packing up the left overs, standing around the sink washing dishes, drying them and putting them away. As silly as this sounds, this was my favorite part. We all talked and shared stories about other holidays, our kids, our grandkids, anything. We laughed and joked and had a great ole time almost like taking a step back in time.

The last few years, since I went back to working a regular job, I haven't been able have the Thanksgiving I like. But I've been blessed to still have that sense of community thanks to two wonderful people, Dave and Linda Bruce. It is the same wonderful Thanksgiving sharing, except I don't get to do all the cooking and they have a dishwasher. So after  dinner, people watch the bowl game, shoot pool or sit out back talking. It great time for all. A wonderful chance to reflect on all we have to be grateful for: everything from the roof over our head to the fact that we live in a country that affords us so much freedom, and everything inbetween. That was what Thanksgiving meant to me, until now. Recently, I learned another meaning of Thanksgiving.

But did you ever wonder why we have a huge meal to celebrate Thanksgiving? Most of us were raised with the story of the Pilgrims. We probably never thought about the fact that the original Thanksgiving probably happened much earlier in the year, because by the end of November, the Pilgrims were way past harvest time. But besides that, what is the real significance of having a feast? 

I recently learned the answer to that question and it is something that never occurred to me before. Today, most of us take for granted that we'll have food throughout the winter. If you run out of something, you run to the store and get what you need. Right? We forget that it wasn't like that as little as 80 years.

The average American before that time relied on their garden and what animals they raised or hunted for the majority of their food. Thoughout the time of harvest they would can and store as much as possible the get them through the winter. There was little or no running to the "store" to get more food if your ran out so whatever you could store up was all there was till spring. A large feast could seriously deplete those stores. By having that Thanksgiving dinner, our ancestors were saying, we have faith that we will have enough, that we will be alright.

For me it was a new way of looking at my favorite holiday. Once again I have to credit Jack Spirco and his "A Survivalists View of Thanksgiving" episode at www.thesurvivalpodcast.com  for this insight. Give that episode a listen. You'll learn much, and be inspired even more.

For me, that insight brings a spirit of hope to Thanksgiving that was lacking before, a spirit of faith and joy that can so often be missing in our daily lives. I know that with so many people struggling, it is even more important than ever to keep things in perspective. I hope you find that spirit of hope and future promise in your Thanksgiving this year.

Well, that's all for now. Next week is going to slammed at work, but I will do my best to keep in touch. Thanks for letting me be a part of your live. I'll see you next time. Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Battling Fear

Hi Everyone.


Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with having said, "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself."  Well, in effect that's a much shortened version of what he actually said. In his first Inaugral Speech, the exact quote is, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."


In the last posting I mentioned doing something new that you think you can't.  Fear is the major thing that keeps us from tackling new tasks: fear of failure, of looking stupid, of making the wrong choice.
It can be something as simple as being afraid to make a home repair on your own or as big as moving to a new town. Fear can paralyze us into non-action.


I'm as guilty of this as the next person, hence this great "insight". Just a little example. I'll give you a glimpse into how my mind was processing and see if you know what I'm talking about.


About a year ago, there was some water on the laundry room floor. "Who spilled something and didn't mop it up?" Clean it up and go about your way. Next day same thing. So you do a test run on the machine and you see it leaking. So you turn off the water and go to work. Check the prices of washers. UGH!  You call a few repair guys for a price check. Ugh again. Well, there's always the laundromat. That gets to be a drag and expensive both in time and money. Now what?


Sound familiar? Maybe not. Most people would just bite the bullet, whip out the credit card and buy a new machine. And a lot of us would replace the dryer too, cause, you just can't have a washer that doesn't match the dryer. We have become a "throw away" society. Very few people bother to fix things any more.


Well, after a month of trips to the laundromat, I decided I'd have to overcome my fear of trying the fix the machine myself. Sounds stupid to be afraid of just trying something, but I was: what if I made it worse, what if I couldn't fix it and it'd cost more because I messed with it? Stupid fears, but there all the same.


So, where to start? 


This is where using whatever resources are available helps reduce the fear. The internet is amazing in this regard.  I looked up how to open the machine. Opened it up and there in plain sight was a cracked hose. Two hose clamps to undo and I had the hose in hand. Back to the internet to find a parts place. A quick trip taking the old hose with me to be sure I got the right one. Man, all those trips to the laundromat and it was such an easy fix. And all because I was afraid to try fixing it myself.


Fear can paralyze us, causing us to make foolish decisions or make no decision at all.  We fear what we don't understand, so use the resources at hand to learn what you're up against. The internet, friends who have knowledge in the area, or even a local repair place can answer question for you.  When I had a problem with the dryer a few months later, I called the parts store where I bought the hose for the washer and told them what the problem was. They told me what the possibilities, and how to test for each one.  Once again it was an easy fix.


Don't let fear paralyze you. Ask someone to help. Just having someone there as back up and lessen our fears. Once you begin having success in completing the tasks, your fear will take a back seat to the feeling of accomplishment you have when you do something you thought you couldn't.


Well, that's all for now. I'll see you next time but until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Keeping Young

Hi Everyone,

Remember when you were a kid and you'd act up and some adult would yell at you and say, " Act your age!"  Well, I'm telling you, "DON'T ACT YOUR AGE!" 

One of the things that keeps us from staying young is our own concept of what someone "our age" should be like.  These preconceived notions taint our actions and thinking. Sure there are always the physical effects of aging that plague us, but we can work on keeping our minds sharp and our hearts young.  A great way to stay young at heart is to keep learning new things, doing new things.

Take a class. Community colleges usually offer low cost classes for seniors. City Park and Recreation Departments usually do the same. Find something you think you might enjoy doing or learning about. It doesn't have to be "age appropriate" like basket weaving. Try anything that strikes your fancy. If you don't like it, drop the class, or take something different next time. What have you got to loose.  I took two Criminal Investigation classes at the local community college. I learned a lot, including that I could still learn a lot. I met a lot on interesting "kids" to boot including one that has become a friend of the family. 

Learn to do something that will save you money. Learn to garden, change your oil, can or dehydrate things from your garden, fix your toilet. Learn how to do anything new and you will have a feeling of accomplishment that is hard to describe. It will keep you young and help your bottom line to boot.

Laugh at yourself. As a society we seem to have forgotten how to have a sense of humor about our own human frailities and flaws. Everyone seems to get their feelings hurt or feel "uncomfortable" over the slightest thing because we can't find the humor in things anymore. Remember when you were a kid and you'd do something stupid and you'd laugh just as hard at yourself as your friends did?  Find that child in yourself again.

Tackle something you thought you couldn't. Lots of times it's fear that keeps us from tackling a project ourselves. Granted, it may take us a whole lot longer to fix whatever needs fixing, or make whatever it is we want made, but tackling something difficult, struggling through the process, and finally succeeding is, to use a pop psyche phrase, empowering. Heck, we're too dang old to bother being afraid.

Do something to help someone else.  I've found that I am  miserable when I'm thinking too much about myself. It is far too easy to get wrapped up in unimportant things and throw a pity party for myself. There is always someone out there that is worse off than you. Knowing that helps your own problems in perspective. Volunteer somewhere, the Library, local hospital, neighborhood school, your church, synagogue, or temple. If you're confined in a convalescent hospital or home, befriend someone who is suffering too. Talk to the staff. If they look like they're having a rough day, ask about it. You might be surprised to find they are struggling too.

Helping someone else keeps your mind busy and when your mind is busy, you feel better. That's part of why our aches and pains seem so much worse at night. 

Well, I could probably go on with this all day, but time to get moving. Thanks for letting me share a little in your life and I'll see you next time. Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."






  
Candy

Shooting Trap

Hi Everyone,

Saturday was a great day.  I was able to help at a Women on Target Shotgun Clinic with Freedom First Firearms School.  We had a wonderful group of ladies and one very courageous gentleman. We told him he should have come in a dress, but since none of the ladies wore dresses, I guess that would have been unfair. Maybe we ought to think of renaming the clinics if the men are going to be joining us. I think the mixed group worked out really well.  

The weather was beautiful, sunny but cool enough to be comfortable. And, when the clinic was over, I even got to shoot a few rounds of clays.  Man, it is so much fun!  I was using on of the school's Over and Under CZs. What a sweet gun.

For those of you who've never shot trap, all I can say is, find a way to give it a try. We're fortunate here to be close to the previous Olympic shooting range at Prado Park. They have both Trap and Skeet ranges at reasonable prices. They also have a handgun range, and a rifle range, good for .22 and .223 cal rifles. Also, for the more tactical minded, the local IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) has fun shoots and competitions at this range.

Nearby is also Raahauge's Sports Club. Another great place to shoot, but much more expensive. They offer a lot of additional shooting options though, including pheasant hunting, dog training and according to their website Duck and Geese hunting.  They also put on a Sports Fair each summer. Here you have a chance to try out different guns for basically the cost of ammo at the manufactures' booths. You can even fire a BMG for, I think it was about $15 bucks. The teenage boys were lined up for that one.

I haven't said much about firearms in my earlier posts. It is one of my loves and I don't get to shoot as much as I'd like. I have my basid NRA certification in Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun and I'm working on getting my NRA instructors certification, just waiting to get enrolled in the next class.

I won't get on a soapbox today about all the reasons to own a firearm and know how to use it.  I'm just going to tell you that it's a real blast to go shooting. A .22 rifle, a box of rounds and some soda cans can keep you entertained for an afternoon cheaper than dinner and a movie. And it's a heck of a lot more fun.

Sometimes when you talk about shooting, the "younger" crowd acts like you're out of your mind, especially here in the People's Republic of California. Most of the teens are interested, but sometimes it's hard to get parent approval. My son has a friend, a girl, at school who really wants to learn to shoot, but her parents won't let her.  She is so bummed.

I grew up during the time when you played "shoot 'em up", Cowboys and Indians, or War Games that were not on a video screen. We got Red Ryder BB guns for Christmas and used them. It was far more normal then for a young boy or even a young girl to go out to an empty field with their BB gun or .22 and plink a few cans or hunt a couple of squirrels or rabbits. Heck, some of us even had BB gun wars with our friends. Of course we NEVER pumped the gun up more than 5 pumps. Ok, gentlemen, you can all stop laughing now. And when we were done, we showed off the bruises to our buddies and bragged about "you should see the other guy".

I'm not saying we should let the kids do it now a days, too much chance of getting sued or worse yet, getting thrown in jail, but those are fond memories of simpler times when we did stupid things and lived to tell about it.

I'm glad I live in a country where we still have the right to keep and bear arms not only to provide food for our table, to defend ourselves and our loved ones and sometimes, just to have a little fun.

Well, got to run. I'll see you next time. So until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Beginning Steps

Good Morning Everyone,

I thought today I'd get back to where we left off and continue with some of the basics on prepping. Before I got off task, we went over some of the most common reasons to prepare - the what if scenario way of thinking, not in the negative way we use it when we worry about a problem, but in a positive way, before things happen, that can help us keep our live running smoother.

One thing all emergency scenarios have in common is the need for food, water and shelter. Whether it's a total collapse of the world economy, your house is destroyed by an earthquake or tornado or you suffer a loss of a job, we need shelter, food and water to survive. Food is one of the easiest things to build up in surplus for emergencies.

 Take a few minutes here and check your pantry.  Do a quick inventory. How many days worth of food do you think are there?  7?  14?  So many people have fewer and a week's worth of non-perishables on hand by the end of the week.

Disaster preparedness doesn't mean MRE's, rice, and beans. Surely those things would get you through in an emergency, but you unless you normally cook with a lot of rice and beans, you probably wouldn't be very happy. However, if you store things that you would normally eat, you would be a lot happier. Whatever you like on a regular basis is what you should be stocking up on. Rice and beans are inexpensive, but unless you learn to fix them in ways you enjoy, they are not your best choice.


I know several people who have lost jobs since the economic downturn. I've had times where ends just didn't meet and having extra food stored in the pantry was a great source of comfort. Just knowing that you don't have to worry about feeding your family takes a lot of stress off a person when things are tight. There's a reason why when you ask someone why they hang on to a job they hate, their response is usually something to this effect. " I have to keep a roof over our head and food on the table." 

Jack Spirko at The Survival Podcast puts it this way, "Store what you eat and eat what you store".  Anyone who has been in charge of inventory at a business will be familiar with the concept of rotating stock. In other words, the oldest of any item is at the front of the shelf, and the newest is at the back. Stock is used from the front, the older is brought forward and the new replacement stock is put at the back. We should treat our pantry in the same fashion.

But how do we start increasing the amount of food we have on hand without breaking the bank?  Since many of us are on tight budgets or fixed incomes, start small.  Buy one or two extra of something you use all the time that doesn't require refrigeration. 

This is called "copy canning". Do it each week. It won't take as long as you think to start building up some extra stores in the pantry. When the cupboard gets full, start putting the "copied" items in  a plastic tub or bucket covered with a lid and stored in a closet. 

If you're like me, not very organized in your shopping list, try for one week making a list each time you use something out of the cupboard. Then when you go to the store, and replace those items, use that list to pick the one or two items you are going to buy extras of.  

Even if nothing ever goes wrong, you'll be surprised how convenient it is to have a few extras on hand. It can save you extra trips to the store when you're in the middle of making dinner and discover you're out of one of the ingredients. 

This is a pretty simplistic way of describing how to build up your stores. But it's just a start. Give it a try and let me know how you do.

Well, that's about all for today. So till next time, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Happy Veteran's Day

Hi Everyone,

I realize this post is a day late, but I lost access to the computer most of the day yesterday. So I wanted to wish all of you a very Happy Veteran's Day and a very special thanks to all those who have served in out military.  Your service and sacrifice is what gives us our freedom and keeps us safe.  Thank You.  

I also want to give thanks to the families of our military, the husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and children, for standing behind these warriors and keeping the home fires burning for our servicemen and women to come home to.

I was feeling guilty about not getting this post out on time, but maybe it is appropriate that I am doing this post a day late. Veteran's Day, Memorial Day and The Fourth of July aren't the only times we should take the opportunity to thank our veterans. Their sacrifice is a 24hr/365day effort and we need show our appreciation whenever we can.  

Next time you see someone in uniform, shake their hand and tell them thank you. When you see someone wearing a ball cap that says Vietnam Vet, Korean War Vet or whatever war they were in and the military ribbon they earned for serving, shake their hand and say Thank You. I think you'll be surprised by their reaction, the humility, almost embarrassment, like they don't deserve your thanks. Not having served myself, I'm not sure I can fully understand it. But I know I've seen it. Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast explains it this way. Each of them thinks that there is another soldier, airman, sailor or marine who deserves your thanks more, who sacrificed more, because the person you are thanking came home and those others did not. 

Maybe that is why they look away when you say it, maybe it's because they think they were just doing their job. All I know is that because they put on that uniform, took that oath, and served wherever they were sent, we have the freedom to go about our lives, secure in the freedom they help provide and for that I am forever grateful. 

THANK YOU, VETERANS. 

I'll see you next time. Until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

Just a quick note

Good morning everyone,

Sorry I've been out of circulation for so long. I had a few issues to clear up but things seem to be back to normal for the most part, so here I am again.

I'm doing this on the fly this morning, but I wanted to share a new source I've heard about for ammunition for those of you who, like me, enjoy the shooting sports or are of a tactical mindset. 

BulkAmmo.com is a new sponsor at The Survival Podcast. And though I haven't dealt with them personally, yet, their prices look very good. I know the the vetting process at The Survival Podcast is quite good and I have never had a bad experience with anyone I've dealt with that were sponsors there. 

Bulk Ammo is also doing a promotional contest that you can link to through TSP with a chance to win 500 rounds of your ammo of choice and an ammo can. Pretty cool. Check it out through TSP at http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/. 

I found it a little confusing on what to do for contest entry, but even if I don't do this right and miss the chance to be entered in the contest, the sight looks to be something worth sharing with all of you. 

I'm posting a link to the 9mm part of the site as part of the contest entry, but if you want to enter go to TSP site or click here. http://www.bulkammo.com/tsp-ammo-promotion. 

Here's my choice of ammo for the contest, as if it would surprise anyone. http://www.bulkammo.com/handgun/bulk-9mm-ammo

Well, got to run and feed the chickens and the noise avians.
So until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

Candy

What is Prepping?

Hi Everyone,

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, but it has been a hectic week at work. It was 10:30 pm when I walked in my door last night and I left a lot of things undone there. But enough for the mundane things like work. Let's talk about more important things in life.

I realized the other day as I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, that I was making an assumption about all of you that maybe I shouldn't, and thereby doing you a disservice. And for that I want to apologize.

I was assuming that everyone out there knew what I meant at the end of each posting when I say, "Keep prepping because what you do matters".  Maybe some of the audience doesn't know what I mean by "prepping" or if they do, they might not know why it matters. So I'd like to start a short series to cover this subject.

When I talk about prepping, I'm talking about being prepared for the inevitable "what if".  We all know things can go wrong in life. A lot of people worry about the big "what ifs".... What if the economy collapses..... What if there's a nuclear terrorist attack.....What if the world falls apart in 2012......?   Some of these things are, I suppose, possible, but none are very likely. 

When we first start becoming prepared, we need to prepare for the most likely things that could happen and those things will probaby affect no one other than our immediate family.  These are things like.... job loss.....death of a loved one....a protracted illness or injury.....loss of income.  These are all things that have a much higher probability of happening than the earth being struck by a meteor and would only be "the end of the world as we know it" for us individually. 

In the current economy, loss of income either from job loss or loss of investment returns are on the minds of many people.  "What if " I loose my job. Can I find another quickly? Will it pay enough to pay the bills? Or will I have to take a major pay cut just to get something? These are concerns that many people face daily right now.  As we get older we worry about other things too. What if my retirement fund runs out before I do?  What if my loved one gets cancer and needs medication we can't afford?  What if I break a hip and I can't take care of myself for a while? What if................? 

Prepping means acting before the "What Ifs" happens to avoid them if possible or have systems in place to make life more pleasant if they do. But lets start with one of the smallest "What ifs" out there. Something easy, not scary and that all of us can do with little or not problem.

What is one of the most common small "What ifs" that happens?  .... A power outage.  These happen regularly all over the country for various reasons:  too much draw on the electrical system during a heat wave, ice storms, tornados, a car crashed into an electrical pole.  It really doesn't matter why it happens, your immediate problem is the same..no electricity.

In the day time, if it's not going to be prolonged it's really not much of a problem except in extreme weather and even then it will take most houses a while to get uncomfortable. But after dark or a prolonged outage presents us with problems. 

One of your preps for this is to make a Blackout Kit. A small bag or plastic box to keep a couple of flashlights, extra batteries, some candles, and matches can be put together for little of nothing. Maybe even throw in a deck of cards and a cribbage board, or a board game to give you something to do while you're waiting for the lights to come back on. Then an inconvenience, becomes an adventure or maybe even a romantic evening.

Your Blackout kit should be kept in a location easily accessed from any place in the house in the dark. And everyone who lives there should know that location. Waiting for the electricity to come back on is much more pleasant if you don't have to do it in the dark.

If you live in a climate where it gets cold and your source of heat is electric or relies on electric to move the heat around, do you have a fireplace where you can burn wood. (Can you tell I live in Southern PRC where people actually have fireplaces where they can't burn wood?)  Do you have wood available? And kindling? Matches?  Do you see where I'm going with this.  We all play the "what if " game when we're worrying about something that's happened. But if we play that game BEFORE something happens, we can act beforehand and have a system in place to deal with the situation so a problem becomes only a minor inconvenience. It doesn't make you a paranoid to do this. It makes you "prepared". 

If this were a podcast and we were having a conversation, I'd continue on, but since this is only a blog, I'm going to split this up into a few segments.

So until then, keep prepping because what you do matters, and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

See you next time.

Candy

Raised beds Victory Garden

Good Morning Everyone,

I had mentioned in an earlier post about an interesting raised bed garden I've seen here in town. Along with The Survival Podcast, this garden was one of the reasons I started this blog. I will try to include pictures of this garden if the owner will give me permission.

Working in the garden is rewarding, fulfilling and liberating. It makes us less dependent on the global food system, keeps us healthy and helps our bottom line. But it can be hard work physically. For many of us as we become Seasoned, this can be a problem.

Raised beds have been a long time standard for gardeners. But by raised beds, the raised part is usually 8 to 12 inches.This is helpful for keeping control of the garden area for weeds and soil quality, but does nothing for achy backs or sore knees, unless the construction materials are wide enough to sit on.


These beds are approximately 2 1/2 feet above the normal ground level. My first thought when I saw this garden was, "What a great idea for someone confined to a wheelchair or who needs to use a scooter". But it would also be helpful for anyone who has back or knee problems.

For someone in a wheelchair, it would probably be a good height for planting, weeding and harvesting shorter plants. There was corn planted which would have been beyond the reach of someone confined to a wheelchair. Pole beans would also be a problem under these circumstances, but if you arched the supporting wire over the pathways between the beds, not only would reaching the beans be possible, but you could utilize the space between the beds for production as well.

The major disadvantages I can see in beds of this sort is in the initial set up.  Raised beds are usually made with landscaping timbers or 2x8s. The additional building material costs for timbers, lumber or even cinderblock to get to 30" height would triple. But be creative. I have seen raise beds made from many "scavanged items" such as broken concrete and river rock. 

Projects of this scope are also difficult physically. Many High Schools require that students preform "community service hours" for graduation, usually 40 to 80 hours. Helping with the physical construction of these beds could fulfill a great deal of that requirement. 

This type of project might also be applicable to Boy Scouts working toward their Eagle Scout award. http://search.scouting.org/BsaSearchPages/NationalResults.aspx?k=eagle+scout+projects&s=Scouting.org will help you find a troop in your area.

Additionally, if you have a local Sea Cadet Unit, Sea Cadets need to accumulate 40 hours of community service to earn their Community Service Ribbon. You can check at http://dolphin.seacadets.org/US_units/index_public.asp to find a unit in your area. Speak with the commanding officer and tell them what your needs are. If you are former military, offer to get involved. Talk to the Cadets about your experiences, listen to them about theirs. Units are always eager for prior service personnel to share their wisdom. What a great way to build community.

The second problem with the initial set up is that even at the regular depth of  8 to 10 inches, a 4' x 8' bed takes approximately 24 to 32 cubic feet of soil. This can be a substantial cost if you are not producing your own compost and topsoil. A good investment to be sure with a good return on that investment which increases each year as the soil "matures". Then, take that amount of soil and triple it. You would however have some of the deepest, nicest soil on the block.  

Also, if you are confined to a wheelchair or scooter, you probably would not want to build the beds to the usual 4 foot width. You need to be able to reach to the center of each bed from your chair or scooter. Figure out how far you can reach and double that to get the width, assuming that you will be able to go around the entire bed. Perhaps a 2' by 8' bed would work better. Figure out what would work best for you.  You can probably do this by reaching over a counter top or table.

Hopefully this will give you some ideas on how to bring raised beds into Victory Garden Arsenal and along with that the sense of joy and self-reliance that comes with it.

Well, that's it for now. Till next time, keep prepping because what you do matters. and remember "Just 'cause there's snow on the roof top, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace.

Candy

Your Victory Container Garden

Hi Everyone,

In keeping with the Victory Garden theme started last episode, I wanted to touch on some garden projects you can do in containers for those who live in apartments or condos and have space limited to a front porch or a balcony. Even if you grow only enough to feed yourself a salad once a month, that's one less time you're dependent on the current global food system that is stealing our freedom and threatening our countries productivity.

Often plants are grown in containers not only because of space constraints, but to give you the ability to protect them from frost or excessive heat. It also gives you the opportunity to take the plant with you if you move.

Although you can use any soil in containers, a good potting soil is best. Many come with slow release organic fertilizers already mixed in. Since this is closed system, regular feeding will be necessary. Good drainage is also necessary so choose a container with a drain hole. Container plants can add beauty to your home, but be careful about color choices for pots kept outdoors in the sun. Dark colors could cause the root system to get too hot. Containers are also a good way to get a jump start of your fall or spring garden by starting your seedlings indoors where they are protected from the harshest elements. There are many opportunities to get creative when it comes to the choice of containers, including recycling unusual items or making your own. Be creative.

Greens grow wonderfully in containers, especially those gourmet baby greens that are so popular, also cut and come again lettuces. Depending on the size of the pot, a 30" pot should do, you can make a "salad garden" container.  Plant a small variety of tomato such as Tiny Tim in the center, and a few varieties of baby lettuces around the outside. There is one variety of tomato, Micro Tom, that grows to only 6 to 8 inches tall. There are also varieties of dwarf cucumber, such as Bush Slicer, that do very well. There you are, your own salad growing in one container. If a 30" pot is too large, use several smaller containers. There are also hanging varieties of tomatoes such as Tumbler Hybrid.
 
 Don't hesitate to experiment.  Try other veggies you like. I even grew zucchini in a container once. Starting your plants from seed for this will give you more varieties to choose from than you can get at Home Depot or Lowe's and 30 to 50 seeds will cost you what one plant will.
 
To keep the salad coming, plant your lettuces in succession, about 2 weeks apart. This should keep you going all season. When one plant is finished, remove it, and replant it its place. Or start a second container and alternate.  

If your circumstance doesn't allow you to put your plants outdoors, a couple of good full spectrum grow lights can be placed over your containers either as the entire light source or to supplement the ambient light from a window.

There are also some perenials that can be grown in containers. Probably the most popular of these are strawberries. The ever popular Strawberry Pot is well known. These can be bought as terracotta decorative pots, but you can make one from wood or even large PVC pipe with holes drilled in the side. A small pvc pipe with holes drilled around it, placed in the center of the pot will help with watering. Choose a variety of strawberry that is labeled as "everbearing" so you don't have to replant every year.

There are many varieties of genetic dwarf fruit trees that can be kept in good size containers on a patio. Peaches and Nectarines are probably the most common and can be picked up as bareroot during bareroot season. For those who live in states that allow shipping of fruit trees there are also good online nurseries. I will add some links later today. Small varieties of citrus also make good candidates. Some of these can even be grown indoors. Four Winds Growers has a chart of these varieties.

There are even varieties of berries suitable for containers. Upright or short caned varieties of blackberries, rasberries such as "Autumn Bliss", and dwarf varieties of blueberries such as northsky, bluecrop or sunshine blue. Rasberries and blackberries will need a trellis.

Whatever you grow, it will make you that much more self-sufficient, less dependent  and give you more control over your life. Consider adding some container gardening to your life.

Well, that's it for today.  Keep on prepping because what you do matters. And remember "Just cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."

See you next time,
Candy

Revival of The Victory Garden

After a hard day at work, there is nothing more soul replenishing than having a quiet time in the garden, either watering, pulling a few weeds or picking something fresh to have with dinner. A time to reflect on what's really important in life and put the pressures of the day behind you. There is wonderful feeling of self-sufficiency you get by doing something as simple as growing some of your own food.

Times are tough for many right now, between high unemployment rates, which are reported well below their actual levels when those who are "under employed",  limited to part-time employment, or have given up all together are taken into account, and the beating so many have taken to their retirement accounts in the stockmarket down turn. One of the few things everyone can do to help their own situation is to grow some of their own food. IT IS TIME TO REVIVE THE VICTORY GARDEN.
    
     During WWII, everyone made sacrifices, many things were rationed. The call to plant "Gardens for Victory" went out and was answered overwhelmingly. It became a patriotic duty to grab onto self-reliance by growning some of our own food, making it possible for more supplys to be sent to the troops. 

Today, planting a garden and regaining that sense of self-reliance is still patriotic, perhaps, in some ways, maybe more patriotic now than during WWII. Many have become soft in this entitlement based, global economy society we have become. Even organizations geared for the "Greatest Generation", namely the AARP, promote entitlement and looking to the Government to solve every problem. That is not the job of Government.  That is our job: to care for ourselves, our families and each other.

Jules Dervaes, a man in Pasadena, California, who grows 6,000 lbs of food a year on a tenth of an acre, says that "growing food might just be one of the most dangerous occupations on earth, because you are in danger of becoming free."  Take a few minutes and watch their video on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPEBM5ol0Q . See what can be done in a very limited space when you make what you already have work for you.

We have lost so many freedoms over the years as we, as a society, became more and more dependent on Government. Growing at least some of our own food is probably the simplest way to start down that path to regaining our freedom. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can grow gourmet lettuce in a window sill. Do something, because "WHAT YOU DO MATTERS." This is not only a path to personal freedom, but for our country as well.

As a nation, we have now become a consumer, not a producer. We no longer produce enough food to feed ourselves. We have "out sourced" feeding our population to the other countries of the world, just as we out sourced energy production. We can't dig a hole in the backyard and get gas for the car, but we can dig a hole in the backyard, put in a seed and grow a tomato, a head of lettuce or some green beans. Doing so will help fill our bellies, nourish our bodies and heal our spirits. It is the easiest path to freedom.

In the next episode, we talk about ways to start your own Victory Garden, making what you have work for you and taking those steps down the path to freedom.

Until then,  know what you do matters, keep preparing and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace." See you next time.

Candy

Quick tip Using the Phone in an Emergency

Just a quick tip for everyone before I head off this morning.  During an emergency, one of the first things everyone does is call their loved ones to be sure they're ok.  With so many people using cell phones, these "lines" can get tied up rather quickly. Landlines are usually open. However, we all seem to have portable phones now to give us the freedom to walk around the house while we talk, and, when the electricity is out so are our phones. We should all have one of our phones be the old fashion, no electricity required kind that only plugs into the phone outlet. These are very cheap, usually 5 or 6 bucks at the local Walmart. You can also pick them up at Goodwill or Salvation Army on occassion.

The other advantage for hardline phones over a cell phone is that 911 will have your physical address. I know lots of people have switched entirely to cell phones with no hardline service at all. Check in your local area. Many phone companies are required by law to supply 911 service even if the customer does not use them for their local or long distance service.
Well, that's it for now. Hope this quick tip will help keep you safe and connected.
Know what you do matters, keep preparing and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace." See you next time.

Candy

The Importance of Storing Water

Hi everyone,

I was going to do a little piece on a great raised bed garden I saw in town the other day, but something happened Thursday that brought to the forefront the importance of prepping in general and storing water in particular. So that's the tact we're going on today.

In any emergency, there are 3 things we need to stay alive: food, water and shelter.  And of these, probably the most important, except in extreme weather conditions, is water. You can live for weeks if necessary without food and, given reasonable temperatures, longer without shelter, at least long enough to build something. But we can only live 3 days without water. More importantly after as little as 4 hours in extreme heat, dehydration sets in and our ability to think diminishes.

Here in Southern California, henceforth to be refered to as The People's Republic of California (PRC), after an extremely cool July, summer hit with a vengence. When I arrived at my ranch to feed and water the birds Thursday, the compression fitting on the well blew. After a hasty trip to Home Depot, I put the new fitting on, which promptly blew again.  Those dang pipes never did line up properly. Three more times putting it back together and it seemed to hold. I got half way through watering one building when, dang, no water.  I raced back to the well to see water shooting all over. The fitting had let go again.  

I muscled it back together, a little too much muscle it turned out, because when I turned it back on, a glued joint past the turn on valve broke loose and it was all over.  No using the well that day. Even if I had had the fitting and glue to do the repair then, I still would not have been able to water because the fitting would take time to dry or it would blow again.

Fortunately,I had learned a valuable lesson. Two years ago, the pump went out on the well. For two weeks I had to water from 40 or so one gallon bottles brought from home each trip until I managed to replace the pump. After that, I have kept those 40 or so bottles filled and stashed around the ranch, just in case.

In the 100+  heat, and many birds with minimal water left in their dishes, this could have been a major problem since I would not be able to get back there the next day. But I was was able to feed and water all the birds before I ran out of light using my emergency water supply.  

In case of a earthquake, hurricane, tornado or even a ruptured water main, water systems can be disabled It is important to have the recommended 4 gallons of water per person per day available in your home.  It is also a good idea to carry a couple of gallons in your car at all times, either for drinking if you get stranded or for adding to your radiator for overheating problems. ( A roll of duct tape to wrap a small leak in a radiator hose is also a good idea.)

Well, I hope my predicament has been of some value to you. Know what you do matters, keep preparing and remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace."  See you next time.

Candy

Welcome to Seasoned Survival.

This is the first of what I hope will be many visits sharing our experiences and learning from each other ways to improve the quality of the journey on through seasoned part of life.

There are so many thing we all still want to do. And for many, those things seem unachieveable, but I tell you they are probably not. You may just have to take a different tack to get there. I want to help us all find that different way of getting where we want to go.

In this blog, I want us all to realize that self defense, and being prepared for emergencies, either natural, economical, or man-made are things we can do to improve our quality of life. These aren't things just for the young. In fact, it may just be that the Seasoned Citizen needs to do these things even more than those youngsters, because we don't have as much time to fix anything that might go wrong if we're not prepared.

Our challenges are different from the younger crowd. We have bodies that don't always work the way we want them to and many suffer from a feelings of loneliness or useless. There are ways to compensate for these aging bodies and we are definately NOT useless.  All the years of experience just need to be shared and utilized. We need find ways to contribute to our communities, and in turn know that our lives still make a difference. What You Do Matters.

Thanks for joining me on this journey. Please feel free to give me feedback. Comment, contribute or complain by responding on the blog or you can contact me via email at team_effort@att.net.

And remember, "Just 'cause there's snow on the rooftop, doesn't mean there ain't a fire in the fireplace." 
See you next time.
Candy