Hi from the Scottish Borders

[Tocsin]

I’ve been a visitor to this site since the beginning of the year and thought that it was time that I joined!
What can I tell you about me? Not very exiting I’m afraid. I’m old enough (just!) to remember the miner’s strikes & blackouts of the early 70s.We lived near the coast then and had trips with a trailer to collect wood washed up on the shore. Dad was a railway enthusiast so we lit the house with old railway lamps (hope to inherit them one day!). The BBC ‘Survivors’ series from the 70s had a big impact too. Served 10 years in the Royal Observer Corps in various posts across southern Scotland so learned a fair bit about nuclear survival etc. then was an emergency services organiser with the WRVS for a couple of years.
Have worked for 30 years in food retail and saw at first hand the impact the petrol blockades of 2000 had. The supermarket I worked in then had its last delivery the day the protests were called off, so the town it was in was within 24 hours of going hungry. It was interesting to see what had run out (apart from bread & milk etc). Long life milk & dried pasta were particularly noticeable. That was my first real taste of prepping. As soon as I saw the first signs of trouble on the TV on the Sunday evening, I filled up with no problems. By the morning there were ques at every filling station.
My preps are fairly small scale; my better half keeps a lid on me! Mainly lighting and heating…a good stock of candles & batteries, gas heater & gas stove. Have a very small veg plot and grow potatoes in pots (the black buckets that supermarkets sell flowers from…they just get chucked out) and try to save seeds. Have a couple of water butts and have built up a reasonable selection of tools. Oh and I make wine and beer (quality debatable!). Would love to keep chickens but living in a housing estate can be limiting!
My main prep is building up knowledge and keeping a constant eye on what is happening both locally and nationally…to be one step ahead. Which I why I like UKP
My own particular fields of interest for WTSHTF are peak oil and economic meltdown which I appreciate that everyone has their own views on. Particularly enjoyed ‘Last Light’ by Alex Scarrow.
Looking forward to gaining more info from this site and hopefully contributing the occasional bit of waffle!

[preppingsu]

Welcome. Hope you find the site useful. Thanks for your opening post. It is interesting to hear what makes people prep.

[smileyt]

Hi, welcome. I think we must be about the same age because I just about remember the blackouts and strikes of the 70's too.

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome.

[Red Doe]

Hello, from a wee bit further up the road.

[diamond lil]

Hi from a lot closer !

[CardiffGuy]

Welcome to one celtic cousin from another originating from and living in the land of sheep, leeks and daffodils

CardiffGuy

[Cougar]

Welcome from down South, I've been lending Last Light and the sequel out to family recently for a read and looks like a good way to gently introduce prepping ideas.

[Dangerous Dave]

Hello from North Yorkshire
Although I was up in Douglas, South Lanarkshire for the weekend. A beautiful part of the country. People dont realise its easier to get away from the rat race around those neck of the woods than up in the highlands. Getting a bit nippy up there now isn't it?
Dave

[diamond lil]

Was minus 3 this morning, hard white frost and the hens water was ice. But we had lovely sun all day