Hey Preppers.....ya feelin' pretty smart right about now?

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Supervisor42 said:
We'll be fine.
Just imagine if you will, at the millions that live among the skyscrapers in the concrete jungles.
They have nothing to fall back on that won't fit in a one-bedroom apartment.
Their lives are spent shoulder to shoulder with thousands of others in the big city.
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I wonder if any of them will consider moving out of the big city when this all blows over? Cuomo was on the tube begging for help from healthcare providers and that he would make sure that favor is returned. Yeah, right. How could HE ever back that promise?
dademoss said:
Makes me feel less paranoid about sliding the holster for the 1911 onto my belt and getting it locked and loaded ready for a trip out tomorrow.
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I feel the same way. I don't normally carry when I'm out, even when I'm on our property walking the dogs, but I'm going to start today. I don't anticipate any problems here, but better to be safe than sorry.
Amish Heart said:
Not sure about all the need for those little bottles of water. We have plenty of tap water.
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I know someone who's got well issues now. Great timing, right? Anyways he's having a problem getting the situation solved due to the shutdown. This is why I have a Berkey at home AND 5 gallon bottles and regular bottles of water as backup.
Cascadian said:
There was a 20 something girl looking at tuna and asking someone on the phone if tuna has a long shelf life. She was freaked and shaking. My thoughts were if she is that clueless and unprepared what difference does shelf life make. She will likely be eating in this week anyways.
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Hopefully she will remember this feeling well after the crisis is over. Maybe now she'll understand why the elderly keep anything that they feel may have value down the road. My grandparents had a large farm and even though it seemed cluttered to the average onlooker, they knew where absolutely everything was. Grandpa had a solution to almost any problem that would arise right there on the farm.....somewhere. He had several rusty old jalopys in the back 40 that he routinely raided for parts. How many millenials could do that? He was the original MacGyver.
goshengirl said:
I fell out of prepping (to a large degree) because I was doing it by myself. Between my hubs discouraging me and my feeling overwhelmed by other things going on - that wore me down. But that's on me. I will be prepping again. Because even if my family thinks I'm silly, I love them to pieces and will to what is practical for their sakes and mine.
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It definitely does help having emotional and physical support in those efforts. Hubs was not terribly onboard with it all when I decided this was something I wanted to do. He slowly started getting on board, even though he never really bucked my efforts from the get go. He's one of those dudes who thinks "if mama's happy, everyone's happy".....so he lets me do whatever I want, typically without complaint. I think deep down he saw what you just mentioned, that even though I know they think I'm silly, it's coming from a loving place.

At this poiint, I'm still feeling fully stocked. I don't see a lot of true panic around here, but I know that can change quickly and I really haven't been out much.....so I don't really know what's going on. I'm almost thinking it would be good to get the virus and get it over with already, as I don't think this would be a big deal for either of us. Soon we'll be getting the sniffles and sneezes anyways due to spring allergies since we walk outside everyday. So, even if we do get it, we'll likely never know.

The only thing I have run into that I am wishing I had more of, is chili seasoning packets. Oh well, I know how to make it without the packets too, so I'll just do it that way for a while if I need to. We have been eating out of the freezers much more than we normally do. I have been finding treasures in there that I didn't even know were there. LOL! We really needed to eat thru some of this food anyways, so it's a good thing. We actually have had better and more planned meals duing this 'crisis' than we did before since we no longer do any take out or eating out.
 
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angie_nrs said:
Hubs was not terribly onboard with it all when I decided this was something I wanted to do. He slowly started getting on board, even though he never really bucked my efforts from the get go. He's one of those dudes who thinks "if mama's happy, everyone's happy".....so he lets me do whatever I want, typically without complaint. I think deep down he saw what you just mentioned, that even though I know they think I'm silly, it's coming from a loving place.
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My husband just put up with it to start with. He hadn't really been in any hurricanes, being from IL. That was about 30 years ago. These days he is bragging on me--but only to family that lives in other places. He has caught on!
 
This whole COVID-19 stuff has gotten my wife more attentive to preparedness than ever before. She has made numerous comments about how now she can really see and feel the benefit of already having supplies when the world suddenly all realizes at once that they want/need stuff right that very second.
 
Forty years I've been preparing for SHTF. That meant my children didn't have the latest fade or the newest clothes. House was a hundred years years old needing extensive remodeling which I did as time and money allowed. We had a roof over our heads, beds to sleep in and food on the table. College expenses were paid by the children by working and grants. When they married they were given a check towards the wedding or whatever they want but that was all I would give.

Then there are those that did zero planning. Bought the latest and greatest gadgets. Borrowed for their house, cars, furniture and electronics. Live from pay check to check with maximum assistance from credit cards. Now when SHTF they scream to claim I'm a "Horder" and it's unfair that I'm not suffering like they are. The government should now take from what I've sacrificed for and give it to those that have sacrificed nothing.
 
When I started years back the hubby wasn't on board and then about 10 years ago he started to get interested. I gave him the job of security and he took off on it lol
At one point he said I was a hoarder, which being honest hurt my feelings some but I let it go.
I asked him one day last week: " Aren't you glad I'm a "hoarder"?" He answered yea.
Not rubbing it in his face I just wanted him to acknowledge that I'm not as wasteful of our money as he seems to think
We have everything we'd need to stay here without leaving for months.
Its nice that I can go and get fresh things but if I can't we'll be good to go.
And to think it all started way back in the 80's, having 2 kids in diapers and no electricity and the whole house was electric 😬
Little by little I built up. I was good if it was for 1 week and it stayed that way for a long time. Then I wanted more storage and filled it up. then I learned about drying and canning, then it just kept growing from there
I say nothing to no one ( in the real world here) about what I do and what I have. I scrimped and saved in order to afford our things instead of having all the latest and greatest stuff.
Let them do the same
 
WVDragonlady said:
When I started years back the hubby wasn't on board and then about 10 years ago he started to get interested. I gave him the job of security and he took off on it lol
At one point he said I was a hoarder, which being honest hurt my feelings some but I let it go.
I asked him one day last week: " Aren't you glad I'm a "hoarder"?" He answered yea.
Not rubbing it in his face I just wanted him to acknowledge that I'm not as wasteful of our money as he seems to think
We have everything we'd need to stay here without leaving for months.
Its nice that I can go and get fresh things but if I can't we'll be good to go.
And to think it all started way back in the 80's, having 2 kids in diapers and no electricity and the whole house was electric 😬
Little by little I built up. I was good if it was for 1 week and it stayed that way for a long time. Then I wanted more storage and filled it up. then I learned about drying and canning, then it just kept growing from there
I say nothing to no one ( in the real world here) about what I do and what I have. I scrimped and saved in order to afford our things instead of having all the latest and greatest stuff.
Let them do the same
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VWDragonL some of us really know how bad it can get and fast. Hubby never did without in his life and he wasn't much in to planning either but he too got onboard a few years ago.
 
So, it fells pretty good when our main worry is making sure there are no cougars too close when we step out at night, our dear friends down the road have had them right behind their home the last two nights. In a way it could be a comfort to have them around, they could do a number on anyone trying to sneak up to our place, I can just imagine the call to the sheriff, "Heard something going on outside, went out to see what was going on and found a guy all tore up that had a gun and burglar tools on him.", it could happen!
 
Am I feeling smug?
Hell NO.
I'm scared half to death but I take my small amount of courage, my faith and the brain and stubborn will that God gave me and I find grace and gratitude everyday.
Every day is a long conversation with God.
Upon waking it's a good morning my awesome Lord and upon retiring it's a Thank you for another beautiful day and an apology for not living up to his expectations and a plea for forgiveness.
I notice a short fall in the preps and I mention it in passing during a conversation and then in my internet travels I find an outlet or supplier.
 
Supervisor42 said:
We'll be fine.
Just imagine if you will, at the millions that live among the skyscrapers in the concrete jungles.
They have nothing to fall back on that won't fit in a one-bedroom apartment.
Their lives are spent shoulder to shoulder with thousands of others in the big city.
What are they going to do when society stumbles?
I still love the movie "Soylent Green". It was way ahead of it's time.
After being lectured for decades by them about how backward we rural people are,
it will be something to watch from a safe distance away, their world crumble.
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I call those people Zombies in my mind they are the biggest threat
They will loot every thing in there immediate area, then branch out in a huge circle pattern
stealing and looting as they go. sooner or later they will make it out to the country
 
I have always wondered if the Zombie hoards do make a mass exodus from the cities how far will they get off the beaten path?

If there was an evacuation from a city I would expect people would follow the main highways, regardless of the means of transportation. How far from that path would they venture. I am one mile, as the crow flies, from a major interstate highway. I wonder if they would spread out that far from the main thoroughfare to loot or forage.
 
I thought about this thread today and I'm feeling pretty good about the upcoming winter, at least weather wise. Who knows what the election results will bring? I'm hopeful that DJT will win in a landslide, which would mean the masses are behind him and perhaps the resistence to him will be miniscule. One can hope, right? My area is very heavy in Trump supporters. I went to a nearby town last week that I don't generally go to and the Trump signs and flags were everywhere!

I have topped off some fuel supplies, regular supplies, and extra food supplies even though I was pretty well already stocked up. I finally got those chili packets I wanted along with other soup packets as well since I make a lot of soups and stews during the fall and winter. I'm getting lots of veges given to me by folks with big gardens. I haven't canned anything b/c we are eating thru them. Yummy! It looks like beer brats over the fire tonight with sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, and cukes.

At this point I only have a few propane tanks to top off and a few gas tanks to fill. The gas tanks will wait until after Labor Day but will be filled by election time. We have lots of wood put up but also have work to do. We had some large trees topple during the last storm, so when it cools off, those will need to be processed. Even during the winter we have outdoor fires and cook dinner, although not as often. It just feels good to have a lot of wood put up, even if only to help out someone else who may truly need it.

Around here, there are still some empty shelves at the store so I'm feeling pretty good about what I have done. I have some shelves in my pantry that look better than the grocery store. I have slowly added some things since March, mostly via online orders. I am sooooo glad I don't need more ammo or guns. Of coarse, I would always take more, but I don't really need it. I heard that folks around here are really having a problem getting ammo, especially .45's. When WM sold handgun ammo, I picked up a box almost every time I went there. Now, I'm so glad that I did. I'm also glad I bought those PM's a couple of years ago. I can't think of anything I really really need right now. I've seen some recent shortages again lately at the stores. I hope it's not a sign of things to come, but I think it probably is. As kids start going back to school, I think folks are going to again do a heavy stock up on supplies, especially before November.
 
I was real glad we were prepared. Hubby was off work for a month during the first "lockdown" ( here in WV we had a "Stay in place") because his boss at the time said to stay home since he's in his 60's.
We didn't have to but we did go to the store on senior's shopping day for fresh foods.

October is usually when the walmart here start their big canned foods sale through the holidays. I'm hoping they stick to that because I want to buy even more than what I have right now.
And Sept is when the local grocery have foods on sale for lunches and quick meals. They also have a big canned foods sale which they call "stocking up for Winter" starting in Oct, which I always thought was pretty cool lol

Hopefully for the next "lockdown" more people will have already added more to their pantries and there won't be a big rush and wipe out of the stores. Well I can hope anyways lol
 
angie_nrs said:
I wonder if any of them will consider moving out of the big city when this all blows over? Cuomo was on the tube begging for help from healthcare providers and that he would make sure that favor is returned. Yeah, right. How could HE ever back that promise?

I feel the same way. I don't normally carry when I'm out, even when I'm on our property walking the dogs, but I'm going to start today. I don't anticipate any problems here, but better to be safe than sorry.

I know someone who's got well issues now. Great timing, right? Anyways he's having a problem getting the situation solved due to the shutdown. This is why I have a Berkey at home AND 5 gallon bottles and regular bottles of water as backup.

Hopefully she will remember this feeling well after the crisis is over. Maybe now she'll understand why the elderly keep anything that they feel may have value down the road. My grandparents had a large farm and even though it seemed cluttered to the average onlooker, they knew where absolutely everything was. Grandpa had a solution to almost any problem that would arise right there on the farm.....somewhere. He had several rusty old jalopys in the back 40 that he routinely raided for parts. How many millenials could do that? He was the original MacGyver.

It definitely does help having emotional and physical support in those efforts. Hubs was not terribly onboard with it all when I decided this was something I wanted to do. He slowly started getting on board, even though he never really bucked my efforts from the get go. He's one of those dudes who thinks "if mama's happy, everyone's happy".....so he lets me do whatever I want, typically without complaint. I think deep down he saw what you just mentioned, that even though I know they think I'm silly, it's coming from a loving place.

At this poiint, I'm still feeling fully stocked. I don't see a lot of true panic around here, but I know that can change quickly and I really haven't been out much.....so I don't really know what's going on. I'm almost thinking it would be good to get the virus and get it over with already, as I don't think this would be a big deal for either of us. Soon we'll be getting the sniffles and sneezes anyways due to spring allergies since we walk outside everyday. So, even if we do get it, we'll likely never know.

The only thing I have run into that I am wishing I had more of, is chili seasoning packets. Oh well, I know how to make it without the packets too, so I'll just do it that way for a while if I need to. We have been eating out of the freezers much more than we normally do. I have been finding treasures in there that I didn't even know were there. LOL! We really needed to eat thru some of this food anyways, so it's a good thing. We actually have had better and more planned meals duing this 'crisis' than we did before since we no longer do any take out or eating out.
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Someone told me, and I haven't checked to verify if it is true or not, that the population of Manhattan has dropped by 40% since the virus hit.
 
I feel pretty good about things at this point. We have continued to add meat and other goods everytime we shop. Made a big run to Sams, got a bunch of pasta, and some canned goods. Going back in September and again in October to stock anything I can get my hands on. Also been working on more orders from Auguson and Honeyville for long term goods. Plan to pick up a bunch of meat before October as well.
Also have been adding shotgun shells and .308 ammo. Thats about all thats available around here, so I'm adding on. Gonna get new tires for the truck as well, and a couple of maintenance items taken care of. We've picked up a few clothing items and AA and AAA batteries to store.
Plus we've been hitting the garden hard since it started coming in. Been canning , dehydrating, and freezing all we can. Gonna do a road trip tomorrow to try and get a couple more bushels of tomatos and anything else we can find.
All in all we are in even better shape now than in March when the covid started. Plan to be better still by Nov.
 
Morgan101 said:
I have always wondered if the Zombie hoards do make a mass exodus from the cities how far will they get off the beaten path?

If there was an evacuation from a city I would expect people would follow the main highways, regardless of the means of transportation. How far from that path would they venture. I am one mile, as the crow flies, from a major interstate highway. I wonder if they would spread out that far from the main thoroughfare to loot or forage.
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I don't think they will make it very far, they will wait in the cities until it's too late waiting on the government to save them. Most would be too weak to travel very easily in a few weeks.
 
I am less concerned about the masses of sheeple than I am a group of predators. A group of 20 predators under a vigilant leader could be a real problem. They will take the back roads that show use to find those that can be overcome. They will wait until they know the routines and strengths of their victims. When they strike it will be from multiple directions at your most vulnerable time.
 
I have family on the east end of Long Island. When everything started happening, those with means flooded the Hamptons. Pretty quickly every available space was taken, at prices crazy even for there. Food and supplies are still a challenge. Schools have more than doubled enrollment. Not enough for everyone definitely has the potential for trouble......
 
I am concerned about the future. We are fine here with plenty of supplies. My wife and I are the only ones in each of our families to have any real supplies. We will not be able to help them because of the huge distance from our place to any of them. Our kids would come here if they are able. I never thought traveling in the USA would ever be a problem but I have already been proved wrong. The largest indian reservation in the USA is between us and our kids. They have closed large sections down because of the plandemic.
 
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