I've been browsing your forums as i've been starting to think more about general preparedness (or our lack of) over the last week or so. It seems like the polite thing to register and introduce myself, and it also gives me the chance to thank everyone who has posted the useful information that i'm lapping up. I'm 41, living with my partner in Kent, no children but 2 dogs. I'm not thinking about a doomsday scenario or a zombie apocalpse, just trying to be more like my parents who always seem to be prepared for every eventuality (even if they do panic buy bread and milk on a bank holiday weekend
)I've been spurred into action after realising my food cupboard was almost bare when I had to make a mid-cooking dash to the shop for tinned tomatoes. We were pretty well set when "the beast" came last winter, but I have become lax since then and just shop for what I need on a weekly (or even daily) basis. So the short-term plan is to restock the basics and eventually get to a point (hopefully before next winter) where I have a couple of weeks worth of long-life food in the house. I've made an inventory of what I do have, started a list of things I want to get, and cleared some space in the spare room. Can't quite face digging through the freezer, but that's the next job on the list. The non-food stash seems pretty healthy, so the focus will be on adding a few edibles with each shop.
For the medium term (and also before winter), I'll be wanting to think about what to do in the case of utility failures. We're quite lucky and it's not been a problem in the past, but a few candles in the cutlery drawer isn't really being prepared for a blackout. The other half is on board with the food plan, though I suspect that's just because food is my department. I've mentioned in the past about plans for powercuts, or having an emergency kit in the car, and he's always sniffed at the idea and suggested I worry too much, so not sure how to deal with that aspect. I think he might need to be personally affected by a power outage or being stranded in the car before he'll take it seriously. But one thing at a time.
Regards
