What Preps are you doing this week? Part 8.

[hanhan]

Hi all,

Hope this is helpful to someone. Is there anything here you think I might have missed, or anything you wouldn't be without?

If TSHTF, expect stress related issues, so...
Zovirax or similar Cold sore lotion, Thrush treatment, Fungal nail infection treatment, Athletes foot treatment, Hydrocortisone cream for stings and bites (Tell the pharmacist it's for lower body eczema)(Fucibet* is a marvelous prescription only treatment for many skin infections), Clove oil for tooth pain, Stronger painkillers like Co-Codamol, Zantac which is great for treating hangovers.

And.... Though it's a bit naughty and not so easy nowadays, try to acquire or set aside some antibiotics*.

* I'm not getting into morality issues and I hope i don't get flamed for that. There are legitimate online pharmacies that do online consultations. Indeed online doctors consultations proved essential a few times during lockdown. Made me realise how bad certain infections would be without treatment available.

Thanks, a few things there I hadn't thought of. I suppose there are lots of things that we don't necessarily get very often or have never had, but it might be still worth getting some medication for anyway as you never know whether you may experience these things in future.

[Arzosah]

I've had chronic fatigue issues for the past 10 days or so - I had the chance to meet up with a family baby born earlier this year, and I let the (outdoors) meet and greet go on for hours, much too long. That was a proper Prepping Fail. But my foodstocks (frozen and tinned) were high enough that even though I was due for a supermarket delivery last week, I could delay it to this week. It came along yesterday - and I was glad to get it, I was down to maybe 4kg of frozen veg

Lots of other stuff happened simultaneously - changing over my broadband provider (thats given me an extra £15 a month reduction in payments out, for the same service, hurray), but its taken me a while to get the new router up and running.

Flu jab happened! Reports of bad reactions locally (a friend passed out) but I had no problem at all, apart from usual localised soreness that I always get with any injection. Eligible for the booster from next week.

I checked on a neighbour whose car seemed to be abandoned with the doors all open - turns out he was airing it after the inside getting soaked but speaking with him made me aware of situational awareness all over again. There was a murder on my little road a few years ago, and over the weekend, there was a stabbing at the same house, flashing blue lights all over the place apparently. I thought I was very aware of what went on in the road, but I didn't know a thing about it till Tuesday

[Arzosah]

One little thing I've done - I've got together all my protective eyewear. Everything from huuuge plastic goggles to be worn when using my electric drill on metal (rocket stove construction ) to family castoffs of cheap self-diagnosed reading glasses, to my sunglasses (one wraparound, one cheap and cheerful) and some very plain protective glasses which could actually be worn everyday if there was any need. Been scattered all over the house, I still can't find the zipup hard case, which is exactly the sort of reason I did it.

[jansman]

One little thing I've done - I've got together all my protective eyewear. Everything from huuuge plastic goggles to be worn when using my electric drill on metal (rocket stove construction ) to family castoffs of cheap self-diagnosed reading glasses, to my sunglasses (one wraparound, one cheap and cheerful) and some very plain protective glasses which could actually be worn everyday if there was any need. Been scattered all over the house, I still can't find the zipup hard case, which is exactly the sort of reason I did it.

Interesting you have done that Arzosah. I have made sure I have reading glasses EVERYWHERE recently.I even have spares in each of of my four fishing kits,and both cars.I am knackered without them.

[Arzosah]

I have made sure I have reading glasses EVERYWHERE recently.I even have spares in each of of my four fishing kits,and both cars.I am knackered without them.

That was my thinking originally, to have them everywhere - but I'm also tidying everything I can, because I want a workman coming in to replace the blown double glazing. And now that I'm tidying away, everything is *so* dusty I don't keep a house well, and I have to acknowledge that and find ways of coping with it.

Plus, I still don't need glasses on an everyday basis, even at my advanced age it's because I have one eye longsighted, and the other shortsighted I mostly need them for ingredients lists!

[Medusa]

Mother in Law was taken ill Thursday night, she is quite elderly and has various medical issues. Father in Law phoned us to say she had a stroke. Family dash to theirs, stroke checks done it wasn't a stroke, temperature ok, blood sugars done as she has diabetes also ok. Decided to do her blood pressure with their home machine which had dead batteries and none to be found in the house. Luckily I had spares in my EDC so was able to rectify that one. It took the paramedics almost 2 hours to arrive due to shortages and after their own checks agreed with our diagnosis of a UTI (she is prone to them and becomes quite unwell). On call hospital Dr has made a referral to TIA team just in case as she also has a history of these. Had a few stern words with Father in Law as all the equipment required was spread around the house in various locations and asked him to keep it all with their medication so we have easy access if needed in the future.

[jansman]

This week - this morning actually-I am making an inventory of stores. I want to keep on top of it,as last week I spent a good few quid filling gaps.Just a simple tally of often used items.
Got to start charging gadgets from all our power banks,and then recharging them,so as to preserve the integrity of the batteries.
More eggs to pickle,along with the excellent beetroot I have grown this year.More chillies to dry too.
The ever- present processing of firewood is on my list too. I am building good,solid stacks for next Winter,and the next. I am not confident about the promises made by government about solid fuel heating. I reckon they could pull the plug anytime on smokeless coal,so I’ll make sure wood is available.

[Arzosah]

I am making an inventory of stores. I want to keep on top of it,as last week I spent a good few quid filling gaps.Just a simple tally of often used items.

I'm not quite doing an inventory, but my tin cans are all stored in one place, and I did a rotation thing after my Tuesday supermarket delivery. Found a lot of pesto that's a month out of date woo hoo plus a few things I bought on an emergency basis during the very first lockdown - bottled sauerkraut from Sainsbo definitely going to use it though.

Got to start charging gadgets from all our power banks,and then recharging them,so as to preserve the integrity of the batteries.

I'm bad at keeping a stock of already-charged batteries - when my boiler broke the other week, the gas engineer found that the thermostat wouldn't work, because its powered by AA batteries and they weren't giving off a charge so he couldn't test the boiler! I was in the middle of a chronic fatigue attack, so I'll forgive myself, but this stuff is real, for sure.

More eggs to pickle,along with the excellent beetroot I have grown this year.More chillies to dry too.

I haven't used my dehydrator this year ... my next supermarket shop is on 30th November, and I'm going to see if I can freshen things up before then, and get *more* frozen food than would fit in my freezer, to start dehydrating again. Things seem to have quietened down in the news about supply chains, as political stories fill the pages/pixels, but I'm pretty sure it's all still a bit wobbly.

[jennyjj01]

Last week, I bought four dozen 30litre collapsible storage crates from Lidl. A steal at £2.50 each*. So, I've been rearranging my food storage, chucking out some of the big stackable cardboard fruit trays and replacing them with these. I still like and use those cardboard trays, but they are not helpful in food rotation: Too heavy if the one you need to access is buried under two others. Also, they get damp softened and collapse after about a year.
I've discovered my local fruit and veg man chucks out the stackable plastic mushroom trays. Terrible waste and handy for storing smaller stuff. So I'm having him set me some aside. about 10litres

*. Sorry all. I should have told you about those bargain crates. Gone now.

...I am making an inventory of stores. I want to keep on top of it,as last week I spent a good few quid filling gaps.Just a simple tally of often used items.

Show us your list. I'll show you mine Might remind us what we have missed.

along with the excellent beetroot I have grown this year.

To harvest or not to harvest? That is the question. Mine went in 31 July and are now decent golf ball sized. 'The man on the internet' says they can be left in the ground, but that can sap the sugar content. The other 'man on the internet' says harvest after 90 days. I'm thinking there's little to be lost or gained leaving them in the ground a little while, except it's just a bit of storage time extension. Something's been nibbling the leaves, I think caterpillars, bless 'em..... I reckon I'll pull them up next week.

[diamond lil]

Jansman - how do you pickle eggs?