I was guilted into fostering a mama cat and 5 kittens. They came from the Blountville Sheriff's Department and are ironically black and white.
Posted on 09/16/2023 3:07:53 PM PDT by CottonBall
This is an ongoing thread – meaning come back to chat, post information, or ask questions any time. Hopefully the thread won’t stagnate and I’ll do better at posting weekly (or bi-weekly) topics than I have in the past. (anyone willing to post a topic now and then we'll be highly praised and appreciated).
We are in for some bumpy rides, and prepping can only help. If for peace of mind, if nothing else. We have a wonderful gardening thread and a current-events survival/prepping thread, and hopefully this one can piggyback off of those, maybe having a longer discussion about certain topics or … whatever. It's your thread, do what you like with it! (civilly, of course)
Here are granny’s threads, if anyone wants to peruse them:
nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #1
nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #2
nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #3
I understand - we all cope with the same issues to different degrees.
Your efforts are appreciated.
We just do what we are able and then help each other along as best we can!
Remember the times right after 9-11-2001 and again when Obama was fist SELECTED the prepper threads were HOT night and day?
Now the demands of everyday life have a way of filling up the days.
And it’s even more difficult for all of us with the economy and society being intentionally pulled apart by the idiots in power.
Bug Out Bags
For this week’s topic – bugout bags – I’ve combined some excellent information from posts from ansel12, Iron Munro, and Tilted Irish Kilt. I’ve kept the information from each one separate, both to give them the credit and so we know who to ask questions to!
ansel12:
I think that for almost everyone, the home BOB is about going to a shelter or a friend’s home, so it should have all the things based on that, the one in the car should be based on living in the car for X days and/or hiking out under worse winter or summer conditions and for the longest distance to your home or occupied houses.
A lot of guys seem to base their BOB on moving to the woods and living off the land which makes zero sense.
Iron Munro:
As far as keeping “Get Home” gear in your vehicle -
For those that like to read SHTF fiction I recommend “GOING HOME” by A. American.
It is an enjoyable read as well as thought provoking.
The author presents some good ideas about what kind of gear might work out in a “Get Home” scenario.
It is book one of a series but is basically a stand-alone narrative about a man having to trek 250 miles to get home after a massive EMP strike.
There is a lengthy excerpt at this link:
Going Home: A Novel by A. American
Paperback ISBN-978-0142181270
Tilted Irish Kilt:
Don’t forget to seasonally adjust what’s in the bug-out/ go bags; separate spare clothes for summer vs. winter wear, with a change of shoes/ boots/socks/ etc.,etc.
The easiest way is to is to have a core of ‘year around’ necessities (generally hygiene, medications, and spare clothes)in an appropriate size zip lock bag
and then have another seperate zip lock bag that you can interchange (keeping it fresh) with other items, including a water container, snacks and nutrition bars.
Iron Munro:
Excellent points.
One of my main seasonal considerations (or determinents) is the heat of the vehicle interior year ‘round but especially in the summer.
The temperature inside a closed vehicle in the summer sun can easily hit 120 to 160 degrees dependent upon your locale.
So the summer sun and the heat build up on BOB’s and other gear in a closed vehicle preclude packing some items I would like to have that I might be able to pack in the winter.
Not only can the intense heat ruin some items in short order it can also reduce the usable life of other items.
Items to think about include butane fuel canisters and lighters, wax candles, some types of energy bars and other foods, etc.
ansel12:
For what it’s worth the coolest part of the car seems to be under the seats.
For things that you have to keep in the car like a flashlight and batteries, and some electronics, try using a soft-sided lunch cooler for storing them under the seat, keep your alkaline batteries separate from the electronics and flashlight, the batteries leak.
Thanks, CB!
I think a variety of bug out bags would make excellent, and, timely Christmas gifts, this year.
Will be checking back for more great ideas (LOVE IMs post of ideas).
Hello! The many medicinal uses of the plantain:
https://prepschooldaily.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-medicinal-uses-of-plantain.html
How WONDERFUL of you to foster Mama and her kittens! You can never go wrong with a ‘Tuxedo Cat.’ I’ve had two so far and they are SO smart and SO loving and SO full of themselves. ;)
Thanks!
Good time for this topic what with the world situation being what it is.
If it’s true that we are on the brink of a major world conflict, or at risk of imminent attack here on US soil, it would behoove us to check our prepping supplies and fill in any gaps.
Two considerations. Runnings has ammo at a very good price these days and no limit on boxes.
Also, winter is coming for those of us north of the Mason-Dixon line. I’ve seen the forecast for the winter for the northeast as milder and snowier than usual, which for us means more likelihood of power outages due to downed power lines. It’s a good time to check heating oil, propane, and wood supply.
I am bugged out... although we had to get ready to evacuate due to wildfires a couple of times. It’s better to have something prepared, at least a list, as in emergencies it’s very hard to think straight. BTDT... I get stressed and frazzled.
Who can think “Bug out” with Kitties !
.
Good shoes,
Warm jacket,
Granola Bars and a slightly used
million dollar RV to hold the rest.
.
I came across something the other day I was going to post. It didn’t have anything to do with Bug Out though. It had something to do with food prep and sounded really good but I have forgotten what it was now. :-(
Bug Out Bags: We don’t have them. We’re as ‘bugged out’ as we’re going to get out here in the sticks.
I’d be very surprised if anyone comes looking for us; ‘citified miscreants’ are too lazy and AFRAID of going into the woods.
Our perimeters are secure and I could see someone coming from any direction - we’re on a hill. Well, everything IS a hill in our ‘Driftless’ county. Also a deterrent to the ‘citified.’ ;)
having walked thousands of miles with packs and various gear, the most common mistake I see is people assuming they can carry far more than they really can and have seen people who would be hard pressed to walk unencumbered 20 miles in a day show me their BOB with 40-60+ lbs of gear
I’m a strong guy in better shape than most ppl around me with lots of experience hiking long distances and any more than 20-22 lbs of gear and 10 lbs of rifle and belt gear slows me down.
Think damned hard about what you pack cause if you pack too much you might lose all of it.
Lol rule #1. Post it right away before it vanishes.
“Think damned hard about what you pack cause if you pack too much you might lose all of it.”
excellent advice!
especially for someone like me, 62, female, not real strong. The things I pack need to be kept to a minimum.
“We’re as ‘bugged out’ as we’re going to get out here in the sticks.”
Our situations sound similar.
I wasn’t going to bother figuring a BOB for actually leaving home, only for in the car - to be able to GET Home.
And then Canada and Maui were set ablaze. We are surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest. Actually I guess we’re not surrounded by it we are in the middle of it.
So the evildoers do have acway to force us out.
That was very disheartening!!
“as in emergencies it’s very hard to think straight”
me too.
I need lists to go shopping and to rememberto pay bills. Something as important as being prepared and under stress, i’ll need reminding of what I planned to do.
great advice, mm!
plantains, who knew!
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