What have you done to prep this week?

[Sniper-T]

I don't put anything in there... but I make sure that they are dry dry dry!! I used to do them and keep some moisture in them, like jerky... but then they needed an absorber or they'd mould in a month. With an absorber, they'd be good for about three.

Since I have been drying all possible moisture out of them, without an absorber they will last for years. I have some in my LTS in nothing more than ziplocks that are into their 3rd year. and they are as good now as the ones I just put away

Incidentally, I do the same thing when I make jerky. I don't like all the salt that is in the brine, or seasoning kits, so I usually just do a dry rub of spices, smoke it to cure it and then dehydrate it to preserve it. Again... dry dry dry! it should snap with a puff of dust. I'll grind some of this up for bullion, but for the most part it's in my LTS. which essentially is just 'on the shelf'

I have dried meat that dates back into the 90's.
And it is easy enough to restore it to that chewy yumminess!

And before anyone goes bananas... My wife is a labtech/quality officer... and many things get tested in the same manner as the FDA would. If there was a hint of anything amiss... she wouldn't eat it, and she certainly wouldn't let me.

With her help I've got a chicken experiment going. dried 'on the counter' chicken that's going on a year. about every 3 months I open a bag, she takes a sample to work for testing, and then a couple days later we eat it. - not one bag has failed yet! but as a control, she also tests store-bought jerky's/pepperonis/hotrods etc... and you don't want to know how many of them fail, and the types of things present on them (fecal coliform, etc).

[bacpacker]

Wow some good info there Sniper. And with testing to back it up. You can't beat that.

[msomnipotent]

I'm pretty happy with what I accomplished this week. My ammo and Auguson Farms orders finally came. I bought a kerosene space heater large enough to heat my master bedroom and bath, a few gallons of kerosene, recharged all of the rechargeable batteries and bought some more, changed out my stored water and bought two more Aquatainers, got a power inverter to keep in the car, two Stoic self-inflating pads and a queen sized air mattress, lots of canned goods and drink mixes, and 108 rolls of toilet paper. It was a good sale and I couldn't help myself. I am rearranging the basement to store it all and make things more home-like if we have to take shelter down there.

My biggest project this week was training my six year old daughter. A 14 year old girl was stabbed to death in her home when she walked in on a burglary in a town not too far from me, which left me pretty rattled. I am making sure that my daughter knows what to do if the door is open, or she sees people in our house, or the house is ransacked. I made sure she remembers our address, phone number, and I am teaching her my husband's cell phone number. I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I will show her how to use the emergency escape ladder today, too. I might teach her my parent's phone number just in case, but that might be too much too soon for her. I should put phone numbers somewhere in her backpack, too.

[The Stig]

My biggest project this week was training my six year old daughter. A 14 year old girl was stabbed to death in her home when she walked in on a burglary in a town not too far from me, which left me pretty rattled. I am making sure that my daughter knows what to do if the door is open, or she sees people in our house, or the house is ransacked. I made sure she remembers our address, phone number, and I am teaching her my husband's cell phone number. I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I will show her how to use the emergency escape ladder today, too. I might teach her my parent's phone number just in case, but that might be too much too soon for her. I should put phone numbers somewhere in her backpack, too.

To me, this represents the heart of prepping. This sort of training and information can't run out, spoil or be replaced by the next latest/greatest gadget.

Well done.

[Conscious]

Ms Omnimpotent,

Do not doubt the ability of a young mind to be able to memorize a scad of critical information. it's just a matter of patience and perseverance. also, consider throwing excercises in there like a simple 'hey darling daughter, why don't you dial your grandmother's phone for me"... simple, but effective (and i bet your ma would love to have her g-daughter calling of her own volition. and definitely with the backup contact list in the backpack. Kids are sponges, but backups don't hurt. it's why we do what we do.

As for what i did this week?

- been working on my lists, and trying to get a handle on how to priortize my myriad tasks. starting to feeling better, and not so overwhelmed.

- I also made and practiced for the first time ever a hand sling (not sling shot, a sling). fun, and that'll take A LOT of practice, but it'll be nice if i can ever get to the point on being fairly sure i could put a squirrel down with a stone. also, it's very easy to make and weighs bugger-all. directions are here : Slinging.org - 5-Strand Woven Paracord Sling Tutorial - Jeffrey . I know most of you have a spool of 550 hanging around, so cut yourself a bit and get to it. fun fun.

- Also, the wife and i hosted a potluck party this weekend. We love doing this and i consider it preppign for a couple of reasons. (A) friendship. Getting your people and even strangers together in the good times just makes for better living through the hard times. (B) Food. Inevitably, a lot of food gets left behind at the hosts house, and while it may not be long term storage, it can easily be the weeks lunches. already cooked, already made. just put in tupperwares and put them in the lunchbox. boom done.

-- Conscious

[Sparrow]

I'm pretty happy with what I accomplished this week. My ammo and Auguson Farms orders finally came. I bought a kerosene space heater large enough to heat my master bedroom and bath, a few gallons of kerosene, recharged all of the rechargeable batteries and bought some more, changed out my stored water and bought two more Aquatainers, got a power inverter to keep in the car, two Stoic self-inflating pads and a queen sized air mattress, lots of canned goods and drink mixes, and 108 rolls of toilet paper. It was a good sale and I couldn't help myself. I am rearranging the basement to store it all and make things more home-like if we have to take shelter down there.

My biggest project this week was training my six year old daughter. A 14 year old girl was stabbed to death in her home when she walked in on a burglary in a town not too far from me, which left me pretty rattled. I am making sure that my daughter knows what to do if the door is open, or she sees people in our house, or the house is ransacked. I made sure she remembers our address, phone number, and I am teaching her my husband's cell phone number. I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I will show her how to use the emergency escape ladder today, too. I might teach her my parent's phone number just in case, but that might be too much too soon for her. I should put phone numbers somewhere in her backpack, too.

OMG!!! That is horrifying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to, unfortunately and regrettably point out, that crime against women happens more often then reported or what is show in the media. Here in Canada especially.

I will share my two experiences with crime against women.

1. When I was 20 and living on my own in an apartment in a big city in Ontario Canada, I had a break-in while I was home. The man came in trough the window (fire escape), with a huge hunting knife. I went totally crazy in the moment, like a wild animal, screaming repeatedly while looking him in the eyes: I'LL KILL YOU FIRST.

And I would have, even if it was ripping out his jugular with my teeth while he raped me.

He left and I called the Cops.

Please note that in my teens growing up in Montreal. My 'click' of girls, and myself took many, many self defense courses. One of the biggest and most important lessons I learned is: FIGHT BACK. More often then not these men are cowards and will move on to a frighted docile victim.

2. In the same city, only a few years ago, I witnessed a gang of teens beating a kicking another young person, it was dark so I couldn't see the people well or identity the genders of anyone. The person being beaten was on the ground and lifeless. I called the cops (I was the only person to the detective told me later), there were 50 other witnesses to this.

It was a young girl who had been stabbed before being beaten, she would have died if the ambulance and cops didn't get there - when they did.

__________________________________

I am sorry to share these unpleasant things, but please everyone remember that sick-awful-shit happens (to men and women) ... and always be safe, and vigilant. AND educate your children about these things. Ms. Omni ... it sounds like your girls are VERY lucky to have a mom like you!!!!!!!!!!! I wish every child was so lucky.

[Stormfeather]

Prepping this week has been a bit unusual for me, I tried doing the dehydrating bananas, there was a hell of a sale on them at the local market, so of course I stocked up! Unfortunately, they came out. . .less than desirable. Does anyone have a recipe for dehydrating bananas maybe, or maybe im just doing it wrong?
Then some of the guys from base showed up, they brought presents! Apparently one of the units thats shutting down training, had a butt-ton (thats .mil speak for "ALOT") of MRE's and hot chocolate powder/coffee/sugar/creamer left over. So my buddies, knowing me, brought it all over to me! I now have 25 extra cases of MRE's 36 cases of coffee singles, (about 480 single servings per case) 14 cases of hot chocolate, and a ton of sugar & creamer! The only downside to this you say? I dont drink coffee! HAHA! What the hell am I going to do with all this coffee? Im assuming just store it like everything else and maybe use it to barter with someday? So now Ive got to make extra storage space for a butt-ton of coffee that I wont use, grrrrr!

[izzyscout21]

I now have 25 extra cases of MRE's............

roll out a cot.........I'm headed to your place after the PAW...........

[mollypup]

I bought 4 pairs of wool socks. Big, fat, hairy deal.

O.k. I also mended some clothes and fixed a few holes in some wool sweaters.

[bacpacker]

Stormy I'm bettin about a month or two after SHTF you'll have a NICE barter item with that coffee. Singles will be very useful for that as well.
Great haul!