What Preps are you doing this week? Part 13

[Peter]

I got a small thorn stuck in my hand. Could have got nasty. Had to dig it out with a needle. I was careful. The skin on the end of my thumb was quite thick, so it was ok. Didn't bleed. But you don't want stuff like that embedded. I steralised the needle with a lighter, and looked at the thorn with a loupe. Both are part of my prep gear. After that, I ordered some nice leather gardening gloves.

Currently battling dermatitis on my hands. I think soap is the main cause. Only using vaseline on them at them moment. Wearing nitrile gloves in shower, cotton fingerless gloves underneath, and rubber band around wrist. Will try not to get soap inside. Can't do cycling or anything til I get it sorted. Weird thing is it has got worse in the last couple of weeks, since I started taking measures. So first measures - Zero Cream, Betnovate and Simple shower gel/hand wash, had a bad effect. Trying to avoid contact with nitrile and washing up gloves. But I really need to wash my cotton gloves in case of any chemicals from new. I'm even avoiding sliding my hand down the bannister going down the stairs, though I have my fingers on it just in case.

Ichthammol ointment also called Black Drawing Salve is good for fetching out thorns, splinters even small shards of glass.

[pseudonym]

Snip>

Now safely at home juggling my dosage of 2 types of insulin until I and more importantly the diabetic nurse are happy.

Dosages upped and more importantly she agreed to increase my prescription holdings from one pen to 3 and 5 pens respectively.

I now have a "stash" started

She was also impressed by my Diabetic kit bag and it's contents

[ForgeCorvus]

I must admit to a prepping fail.

Ended up with a flat tyre on the way to work (about 2 miles from home), shifted all the winter kit to get to the spare and gear.... No wheel brace
Thought, "Thats OK, I've got the "spider" wheel brace I had in the old car, its in the yellow bag"
The yellow bag got taken out and only a few items got stashed in the car to make room for the winter kit.
Herself had to come out, I tried her wheel brace but its a different size (the reason I had a spider in the car)
Had to round-trip via the shed.

Check your "New to you" car has all the gear before you need it

[Yorkshire Andy]

Just put the first aid skills to use ... Driving home top of the street a body laid in the road ... Turns out he was a epilepsy sufferer ... Facial injurys from face planting the tarmac etc

Fortunately was in my mates works truck he's on the prepping spectrum too and used his truck to block the road all amber lights flashing .. I was in my works high Vis coat...

Between my EDC fak and my mates we had him trussed up like a oven ready chicken (,,cold foggy night,). Fortunately ah he laid there his phone rings so a family member soon appeared and we relayed his details to police / ambulance joint call left them awaiting blue light assistance having once he came round family moved him to the pavement..

[GeeGee]

Just put the first aid skills to use ... Driving home top of the street a body laid in the road ... Turns out he was a epilepsy sufferer ... Facial injurys from face planting the tarmac etc

Fortunately was in my mates works truck he's on the prepping spectrum too and used his truck to block the road all amber lights flashing .. I was in my works high Vis coat...

Between my EDC fak and my mates we had him trussed up like a oven ready chicken (,,cold foggy night,). Fortunately ah he laid there his phone rings so a family member soon appeared and we relayed his details to police / ambulance joint call left them awaiting blue light assistance having once he came round family moved him to the pavement..

More cans coming your way good it was you !
When I was a child I remember being pulled away from someone having a episode poor woman ...I was only around 4 or 5 but never forgotten people walking past her lying on the ground shaking ...
I'm topping up the first aid kit in car today its due the MOT fingers crossed all good managed to get a spare tyre online was like hens teeth finding it ....I preferred it when they were all carried but its not like that these days ...renewed the roadside recovery also (spoke to a human on the phone ..result ) ...as this awful weather seems to be carrying on forever leaving the winter preps in the car for longer ...

[Frnc]

Got my decorator organised to paint the front living room. This will mean if I decide I want, or ever need, another lodger, I'll have that room ready to go. The floor's a bit knackered, but I've stained the bare bits, and they aren't too obvious. Also contacted an electrician about moving a socket. Gonna move the other lodger's bed down after.

[Medusa]

I have an Ikea battery charger, it will charge 12 batteries AA & AAA or a mix at a time. It takes forever, probably much better for the batteries but wanted something a little faster for times of need so bought a Eneloop one which will charge 4 at a time on the recommendation of a non prepping but techy friend who also has the Ikea one and said the Eneloop is faster and will also show you when the batteries need replacing. A few more AAA wouldnt go amiss. Invested in a few storage buckets for dried goods which I have managed to fit (shove) in the fitted wardrobes and have invested in a whole load of strong underbed storage boxes for the tins and jars from the store room. I would have preferred the ones on wheels but they did not seem quite as sturdy. Dragging boxes out from under the bed doesnt thrill me when I need to get something but all of the boxes and buckets are properly labelled now and hopefully will not be too obvious to any viewers. Husband did ask why I was storing sanitary items when I am past the age of needing it and forgets we still have daughters and grandaughters who would need it. Project get the house on the market is well underway which I am glad about, our small village now resembles a public car park and our nearest big town is getting more unpleasant as the weeks go by and I still have an Esse Ironheart in my sights for the new place when we are in a position to find one. PS I dont think I will ever need to buy red lentils again, bit of a prepper fail there

[Peter]

........I'm topping up the first aid kit in car today its due the MOT fingers crossed all good managed to get a spare tyre
ponline was like hens teeth finding it ....I preferred it when they were all carried but its not like that these days ...renewed the roadside recovery also (spoke to a human on the phone ..result ) ...as this awful weather seems to be carrying on forever leaving the winter preps in the car for longer .....

I’m of the generation when you could go to a scrapyard find the vehicle you want and you had to
take off the parts you wanted yourself.
Wheels some with decent tyres were very much in demand. Sometimes you had climb up a stack
of cars to get the parts....I fondly remember “The Jungle” at Bilston

[pseudonym]

Snip> I still have an Esse Ironheart in my sights for the new place when we are in a position to find one.

ooo very nice, I didn't have room for one that big so an Esse 100 had to do:

[Frnc]

Printed colour instructions for decorator. Bought a recycled ink cartridge ages ago, so am pleased it's still working. He's retiring soon, and was asking about the other two rooms he'd quoted for in the past. I looked into getting a loan. The interest rate was 13.9%, so I was a bit put off. But then I realised that if I borrowed a bit more, it was 6.7%. Bingo! Interest will be £14 a month average, so I think this is a better prep option than blowing half my savings. If I make overpayments, the length of term and overall interest is reduced.

Used an AI to help pick colours for other two rooms. Mainly off white, with a couple of accent walls.

I'm always nervous about doing a whole room in colour, but I think Egyptian Cotton is safe for the front living room walls. It is a light greige, sort of mushroom or warm stone colour. Basically light grey with a hint of light brown. Pretty safe if I want a lodger, or decide to downsize. In fact, The Living House has it listed under 'favourite white paints'.

Got an electrician coming today to move a plug socket, swapping a single surface mounted for proper 'flush' double. Fortunately it's dirctly over the cellar, so an easy job. I was pleased/impressed the electrician remembered this. The old socket was a bit in the way for the lodger's bed.