I have been working toward where I am since 1994, which is not as far as some of the other folks here. I revived my homemaker skills: sewing, baking, food storage, cooking from scratch and canning. I had a nasty fall a few years ago (long story for another thread) from which I received enough cash to pay off the accumulated debt from raising two boys with hardly any money and putting a few bucks away for later.
1. Cash - my old debt and car are paid off. DF was Mr. Frugal Forever and has no debt except the house. An FYI - he was about to take the cash out of his savings account and pay off the house. As he mentioned it to his brother, BigBro said: "hear these two words" Imputed Income". He explained about how Clinton in 1995 had thought up this was to move every homeowner in America up one tax bracket. I will post my research in the Financial thread. Bottom line - kept the mortgage. Also salted a bit of cash, coins and gold for a Rainy Day. We have His N Her tobacco cans of each. (Tobacco covers up the smell of paper...DF visits the ATM daily - just in case)
2A. Food - We have about 75 lbs of various dried beans with which I am QUITE proficient at preparing in various combinations. We have serious stash of spices by the pound that I use in Indian and other ethnic recipes. I also have store-bought cans of beans, veggies and assorted fruits for ready-to-eat foods. I am planning on getting dried milk, powdered eggs, oatmeal, nuts and more flour. I keep about 20+ pounds of ww flour for my bread baking (every Friday morning) and once-a-month oatmeal cookie bakeathon for the 7 grandkids. Bought a pressure canner and will be using it for the first time tomorrow when I can some chicken stock and chicken meat. Have 8 dozen quart jars and 3 dozen pint jars for canning with lids. Need to go to Wally World and get more. Have a stock of canning salt and pickling lime. I reckon the stuff on hand will last about 6-9 months.
2B. Garden - I dug up the perimeter of the yard a couple years ago and began preparing it for gardening. I have a nice patch about 11' by 45' on one side of the house and have posted on my blog at
http://anotherjewishrepublican.blogspot.com/2009/07/garden-pictures-from-june-16.html. If you look closely, you can see the drip irrigation system I installed. I have since planted the root crops, another batch of romaine lettuce, more tomato plants, more squash and cucumbers and broccoli/cauliflower and cabbage. And more fenugreek. I love fenugreek leaves stir-fried. I plan to plant the front later. Probably have to start some plants on my own in pots first and them transplant to the front yard. I also want to finish digging up the corner part of the garden and plant more tomatoes. One can never have enough tomatoes in the garden. Canning tomatoes gives meaning and purpose to canners. They are also way too versatile: sauces, plain, ketchup, soups, pickles....
2C. Water - We have about 25 gallons on hand at all times. That will last about 2 weeks if we just it just for drinking/.cooking. Planning on getting a 55 gallon rain barrel and filling it for the garden with a hose... just in case, for sanitation. Bathing will be optional and infrequent if the water gets knocked out. This area needs serious work.
I have 4 gallons of bleach, and some rudimentary water filter straws I bought like in 1994. Only used one once. The filtrate taste was enough for me to put them away and pray for water. We had a drought that year. Guess the Big Guy was not humored by my behavior.
3. EEK/BOB bags: DF bought expensive EEK bags as a surprise before consulting with me. They were well stocked, but I supplemented with granola bars, better emergency blankets, a few additional first aid supplies (he is a doctor), can openers, canned tuna and organized them to where most important items were within reach. The bags are BRIGHT ORANGE, so I may switch it all out to other backpacks we have laying around. He also purchased new sleeping bags and a nice, but heavy tent. We have GOT to start COMMUNICATING...LOL. He also needs to put the EEK bag in his trunk. He travels too much and too far to not have it with him and available. In his office in town will do him no good if TSHTF and he is in the Central Valley. Although he does carry a case of water bottles and V8 juice in the car at all times. *sigh* One thing at a time....
4. Communications - I was going to go make friends at the LDS church. I have heard rumors (LOL) that many churches have HAM radio folks to help keep families in touch during emergencies. Since Son #1 (with the 7 kids & wife) is attending in KS, figure me in CA can keep in touch with him at least. Have cell phones. Which will probably be dead from an EMF or satellite problem with my luck.
5. Entertainment - We both gave up cable service several years ago, mainly to save money, but also to save our brains from the zombies. We listen to the radio in the car only. I may have SERIOUS withdrawl requiring MEDICATION and COUNSELING from the Internet when it goes down.
Good thing he's a trained Dr. Shrink! We are both bibliophile and have invested heavily during our single years in books. He has books I haven't read and I have books he didn't know existed. Plus we have Hebrew books to study. He has a trombone and electronic keyboard (if there is juice) and I have a flute. We also both have computers if there is electricity. I have painting, craft and quilting supplies to last me FOREVER.
6. Protection - we are weak in this area. Have a 12 gauge Mossberg and .357 Taurus revolver. Enough ammo for a little practice (maybe 500 rounds each) and and some protection (maybe 50 rounds of hollow point and 200 rounds of 00 buckshot). 5 so-so folding knives and 4 good folding knives. Baseball bats. Need to get plywood and bolts so that windows can be boarded up, if it becomes necessary. Gotta find a class for him for gun safety. I don't want him to have to learn THAT on the fly.
7. Tools - Compressor, electric drill. Hand garden tiller, hoe, shovels, rakes, pitchfork, lots of small hand tools, hammers, crowbar, screwdrivers (can double as weapons), hammers, etc. Also have putty for reinstalling glass in windows, car tire repair stuff and emergency tools in my car. He has not gotten to this stage for his car.
8. Clothes - I have the electric sewing machine and 10 boxes of material, plus notions and needles. Also have patterns coming out my pattootie, even some from when the boys were small. Kids patterns from infant to when I was X-large. Men's, women's, kids. Easy and elaborate. (Confession: I moonlighted at a fabric store for six months. In 1993. But I was careful NOT to pick fabrics with obvious "dating".)
9. Transportation - We both keep our cars in good mechanical order. We have the BEST mechanic in the world who sees the cars every 3-4 months and keeps the records for us. I have a set of snow tires for my car and he is getting new tires for his. I suppose it is time to change the tires back to the regular radials now. (I was in Colorado Springs for 6 months and had the snow tires put on in October. Drove back to PSRK in January. Okay, will call Firestone tomorrow.) Haven't got any stored fuel.
10. Cooking - I have a plan for a solar cooker. Have a copper fire pit that I was going to put a tire on with a thermometer. Then a piece of glass over that. WIll make reflectors from old boxes and aluminum foil. Project for next week. Have all the piece but the old tire. I am not sacrificing good tire to this project. Another reason to call Firestone.
11. Most Important - Spiritual - He is better at this than I am. He prays and studies regularly...We at least talk about this together weekly on Sabbath. We have the necessary prayer books, Torah books and ritual items to go it alone in this area at home. I need to improve in this area.
12. SOC - DF has lived in this house for over 10 years, but, because of his heavy travel schedule, didn't really get close to the neighbors. I have started talking to two: the ones next door are elderly gentlemen who have a food dehydrator, food stores organized in the garage and are avid gardeners. Lady neighbor across the street has a big dog, chickens and a garden in the back yard. And an annoying cat that poops in my backyard. (I now close the gates.) Will be getting to know the other people in the near future, probably will bake cookies and pass out to them. Might even share some of the melons. Naw, I'll dehydrate them for snacks. Oh, maybe with the two families with little kids...
Okay - I'm rambling. Time to sleep. Tomorrow I'm trying out the new Pressure Canner. Chickens are cool enough to put in fridge now.
