What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

[Briggs 2.0]

Well the boiler has decided to no longer provide hot water apparently hot water isn't essential so not a emergency call out as we can boil a kettle....

According to HRH at the local council housing So someone will come out on Monday

Well the big storm kettle boils water about 3:2 rate Vs the electric kettle I'm making do with" Luke warm" showers and the Mrs / kids very shallow baths with a storm kettle / electric kettle fill

fortunately the little me still has his baby bath so he's fine. That and we can go to relatives if we need to but that means a 2 minute task would take about 45min I'll stick to a warm bathroom and a cool shower

If I could be bothered I could put a big hook into the ceiling over the bath and get the solar 20l camping shower filled with hot water via kettles and have a hot one but meh

And the dishwasher is cold fill so no worries about washing up

I don't mean to be holier-than-thou or in any way demean your gallant efforts to provide hot water for you and yours but I have to say that my family has not had hot running water since March last year. Nor cold running water. After a month or so, one doesn't miss it

PS. Buy a jetboil.

[featherstick]

Well I've finally sorted my water containers - 2 x 25L. Washed out with Milton fluid and added a capful in each, then covered in black rubble sacks to keep the light out (thanks to this forum for the tips). Next big thing I'm prepping for, is the birth of our first child - due to arrive in less than 6 weeks I'm not sure it's possible to fully prepare for that.. Getting as much sleep as I can

Welcome to the forum and congratulations. You can prep for your child's birth - buy and read a copy of "Sleep - the secret to problem-free nights" by Beatrice Hollyer. Read it with your partner before the birth, it won't take long. It's a child-centred guide to helping babies train themselves to get to sleep - it's not controlled crying or anything like that. We have two who both slept 8 hours a night from about 10-12 weeks and everyone I recommended it to had a similar experience. You'll still be knackered but not so knackered.

[Outdoorsy]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations. You can prep for your child's birth - buy and read a copy of "Sleep - the secret to problem-free nights" by Beatrice Hollyer. Read it with your partner before the birth, it won't take long. It's a child-centred guide to helping babies train themselves to get to sleep - it's not controlled crying or anything like that. We have two who both slept 8 hours a night from about 10-12 weeks and everyone I recommended it to had a similar experience. You'll still be knackered but not so knackered.

Thanks featherstick, I’ve just ordered a copy. Sleep deprivation is the one thing I’m really not looking forward to! Anything I can do to help the little one sleep better will be a huge bonus, cheers.

[ChefSimon]

Well I've finally sorted my water containers - 2 x 25L. Washed out with Milton fluid and added a capful in each, then covered in black rubble sacks to keep the light out (thanks to this forum for the tips). Next big thing I'm prepping for, is the birth of our first child - due to arrive in less than 6 weeks I'm not sure it's possible to fully prepare for that.. Getting as much sleep as I can

Best of luck with the new family addition. Enjoy your sleep whilst you can!

This week I've been reducing my EDC kit and generally looking at everything and really considering what is needed. This forum is proving great for advice and tips, really helping me make decisions.

I've also got a half dozen solar motion sensor LED flood lights which I've installed all around my property. Now if someone comes into my small excuse of a garden and the side of my house it lights up like an airport!

Finally, I've written a post about my revised EDC FAK which I've really reduced. Posted it in the medical section, I wasn't sure if it should have been in the equipment section. Admins... IF I got it in the wrong section please feel free to move it to the correct section.

Briggs 2.0 - Yeah JetBoil's are great. I was a hexi & mess tin person until I tried a mates. Went out the next day and got one. Not looked back!

[jansman]

Well the boiler has decided to no longer provide hot water apparently hot water isn't essential so not a emergency call out as we can boil a kettle....

According to HRH at the local council housing So someone will come out on Monday

Well the big storm kettle boils water about 3:2 rate Vs the electric kettle I'm making do with" Luke warm" showers and the Mrs / kids very shallow baths with a storm kettle / electric kettle fill

fortunately the little me still has his baby bath so he's fine. That and we can go to relatives if we need to but that means a 2 minute task would take about 45min I'll stick to a warm bathroom and a cool shower

If I could be bothered I could put a big hook into the ceiling over the bath and get the solar 20l camping shower filled with hot water via kettles and have a hot one but meh

And the dishwasher is cold fill so no worries about washing up

A couple of years ago we were 6 weeks without running hot water. That is another story.One lesson we learnt was when we boiled water,to put excess into a vacuum flask or two.Then you have hot water ' on demand' so to speak.I would take a flask upstairs at night so there was hot water for a shave in the morning.I like to shave- its either a clean shave or a proper beard in my book!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well the plumber came out today new diverter valve and we have hot running water again!

We coped ok 5 people in the house including a baby you get used to endless hot water on tap..

We go camping so it's not alien to do without but a half 5 in the morning wake up cold shower doesn't do much for ones comfort before going to work and spending 9 hours in the cold....

The storm kettle has been great as it's cost nothing to run since I cut the wood at work from the scrap skip


Made the most of the hot water tonight and washed the downstairs windows / frames removing the slight mould build up that had begun to grow on the frames dispite all the vents and trickle vents left open ..

Roll on summer!

[izzy_mack]

Got some lovely rectangular oxo tins in tesco with 18 cubes inside each, bb June 19, 50p each in the to clear section. Last two days I've been having a practice at lighting a fire in damp conditions, ground damp, kindling damp, wood damp, air damp but I managed (even if I did use a ciggie lighter). First try took quite a bit of effort but managed to boil a pan of water, second day, same conditions went much faster proving that practice does help. I must try to find time to keep what skills I have by practising them more often.

[Britcit]

This week I have started to organise all my preps.

Over the last few years I have picked up bits and pieces but they have been somewhat scattered across the house. We live in a large house, so the scattering is wide reaching.
I realised I need to see where the gaps in my preps are, and to do that I need an inventory of what I have.
Not just food, but meds, medical supplies, spare clothing, water tabs\filters, stoves, hygiene products ect.

I strongly suspect I will find stuff I forgot I had.

Once I sort a box\crate it goes onto one of a few hiding places I have located. Another benefit of this will be keeping Mrs B happy with less 'stuff' cluttering the house.

[PreppingPingu]

Halfods were discounting winter car stuff, so I picked up a folding snow shovel for £5 - dunno what happened to my one I did have?! Checked car is topped with fuel, blankets, food etc incase I get caught out in this cold snap. All was in order but good to check. Been to my allotment again before the ground freezes back and dug n tidied stuff to prep it for the spring sow so I can get going as soon as the seasons allow - once the beast from the east passes that is!

[Panther]

I've taken a few weeks break from prepping whilst I received treatment for prostate cancer. Hopefully that's all over (at least for now) and the side effects are gradually decreasing (trust me you don't want to hear about the side effects!)
In the meantime though you guys have posted so much on here; it's going to take me several days just to read through everything! It's amazing how after just a few weeks of inactivity the jobs mount up. Once the weather improves I reckon the chainsaw and axe will get plenty of use. I also need to up my my supplies of diesel and paraffin, and of course review and replenish food essentials. I'm going to be busy but it's great to get back to it.