Preparations Update

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Tank-Girl said:
Anyone else feels like Noah looking out to the horizon and seeing those first ominous dark clouds in the disrance building up?
I do.
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One of my all-time favorite quotes regarding prepping: Noah didn't start building the boat when it started raining.
 
Well, it is a very annoying 84 degrees above zero today. And I have been prepping for 42 below zero truck "stuff". Bought four new batteries for $169.00 "EACH" (OUCHIE-OUCHIE).

A 25-foot-long set of "0" Gage Jumper Cables, that will be inferior to my 40+ year old jumper cables. I still need (6) SIX new tires, that will likely run close to $300.00 "EACH". The tires will have to wait till this land sale closes. All this for a 1999 FORD.
 
Tank-Girl said:
I dragged 2 legs of lamb and a beef roast out of the freezer to defrost overnight so I can dice them up and can them tomorrow.
I'm going to keep canning until that 9 liter bottle of propane is empty or I run out of jars.
It's almost empty anyway and I would rather empty it now while propane is still available and I can re-fill it.
No point having a huge propane bottle sitting around quarter full when I got two chest freezers of food I need to can.

From everything I'm hearing from different sources we've got about til July 4th before it slides into the blades.

I'm buying another ton of fire wood and I'm going to be stacking it under my house next pension.
No one's going to tell me I can't have firewood and if they want to find it they'll have to crawl under the house with all the dangerous wildlife to see let alone remove it.

I brought two 60 amp resetable Circuit Breakers for my solar system. They're the barrel types that will be less likely to snag on things.
I have yet to do a dry run to iron out the kinks so that will be a must while we still have shipping, solar system parts and power.

I have two deep cell / deep cycle (?) batteries and one of them is a 140 and the other is a 145..I have no idea which is which or how to even tell.
Thye both look exactly the same.
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I would think any place that has batteries would test them for you with a meter (such a thing is usually free here.)
Sourdough said:
Well, it is a very annoying 84 degrees above zero today. And I have been prepping for 42 below zero truck "stuff". Bought four new batteries for $169.00 "EACH" (OUCHIE-OUCHIE).

A 25-foot-long set of "0" Gage Jumper Cables, that will be inferior to my 40+ year old jumper cables. I still need (6) SIX new tires, that will likely run close to $300.00 "EACH". The tires will have to wait till this land sale closes. All this for a 1999 FORD.
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I recently bought a set of "good" jumper cables - I agree with you on the quality of those over the decades.
I have a 50# bag of epsom salts on order. We use it quite a bit so I figure. . . .
Good idea about shoe goo / cement! Will check and see what I have but betting I will be wanting more.
 
I made my good set of jumpers by getting good clamps to go on some old welding cables. The fine multi strand cable is great. The gauge is ****** big.
 
Prepped 4 pork loins in brine, for the smoker in two-three weeks. I now have six lbs of pork scrap in the freezer for hot dogs later. First I have two more loins (will have another 4 lbs hotdog scraps) and two big beef brisket to get done. I think I will also try some beef hotdogs with a bit of the brisket.
 
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Looks like theme of this pension is going to be Energy.

I priced getting my empty 9 litre propane tank filled - $24.72. Excellent. Most people get a Swap'n'Go bottle from the hardware store or get their bottles filled at the bait and tackle store for a premium because it's an obvious place. I get mine filled at a welding supply store and most people don't even think about going there..hence the cheaper price.

JUst priced 1 cubic ton of split hardwood fire wood...(to replace the lot that was stolen) $170 delivered. The price hasn't gone up since I brought the last lot. I need to wriggle under the house and build a rack for it to keep it from touching the ground and make sure that the small gate that leads under the house can be padlocked.

I brought barrel circuit breakers for my solar system. I need to do a dry run because I'm not convinced the charge controller I currently have is up to the job. The charge controller and the fuses/ circuit breaker are rated for 60 amps.
I have a honking great in-line blade fuse that fills my palm but once it's blown it's done. I'll keep it as a back up in case I chew through the two circuit breakers. I need more electrician's tape. I'm going to try to make do without wire stippers.
 
Tank-Girl said:
Anyone else feels like Noah looking out to the horizon and seeing those first ominous dark clouds in the disrance building up?
I do.
Click to expand...

yes. every day.

had a dream about that years back. nice small village, everyone doing normal things, working, taking care of kids, gardening, etc. nice place with nice people. but i saw off to the east a line of large storm clouds sitting over a mountain ridge and it was growing. i pointed it out to a lady and she just laughed, and said-oh its alwasys been like that . i looked back up and the storm colds were darker, black and angry, boiling like. it made me nervous and i stopped a man and pointed at it---a terrible storm is coming i said and pointed but he just shrugged- saying its alwasys been like that and he walked on. i looked back up at the storm clouds again and it had grown huge and was racing towards the village. i ran to try to hide and the storm engulfed and erased the village, it was gone.
made me cry. if they only bothered to watch it, keep track they could have taken shelter but they were so used to seeing the dark line roiled and boiling they just ignored it.

i think thats whas happening today.
 
Picked up a new holster and mag holders frome versacarry and signed up for Defensive Pistol 1 Class in Aug. Used our local radio on air auction to get more greenhouse, sporting goods and restaurant certificates at half off. It still costs a bit but at 1/2 price we get some good deals.
 
I have been busy slowing stocking up every time I go to town. A few extra cans of this and that..... We finally got our cow in the freezer. We tried one of the steaks and it was awsome! We are going to make sure to eat everything else out of the first freezer before touching the new meat. I'm glad to have it home and in it's own freezer.

I picked up some more cheap seeds. However, I'm not sure how good they are. I replanted a couple of things that never did come up this year. I guess next year I'll have to try and sprout them all first before putting them in the raised bed. The garden will be a bit smaller this year b/c I didn't do that to begin with and have some empty spots where veges should have been. Live and learn. Still, my tomato plants are loaded and will soon be ready for eatin'. The peas and beans are sparce, but should still produce enough for us to eat fresh out of the garden. Although, probably nothing to can or freeze.

Stocked up on:
laundry detergent - 14 (on sale $2.50 each)
pork and beans - 12 cans (on sale for $1.50 each) - we don't usually eat a lot of these, but it's a meal in a can if need be.
sausage weiners - not on sale, but cheap anyways at .59 - don't eat a lot of these either, but good for emergencies.
meatball sauce - 4 cans - these were pricey, but it's only going up and now I have plenty of meat to make meatballs with.
beer - on sale and rebates too!
breakfast bars - not on sale, but bought in bulk to save some money.
air condtioner - on sale and now I have 2 extras for when mine stops working as it's many years old.
pint jars - 2 more cases (I had a coupon of 20% off), still not a super deal, but getting rid of cash for something valuable.
ordered a new pair of muck boots for the winter on sale

I'm hoping to get off my butt today and go get another shelf put together so that I can put some more recent buys on it. I also need to find some older supplies that I have mis-placed. I know I have some wild rice put back somewhere, but it's not where it should be. Hopefully this shelf will help me get organized so that I can find what I'm looking for. The storage area is starting to get pretty full and I have been lax in organization since I've been more focused on adding things then organization.
 
I looked around for my favorite mattock - my gardening tool of choice and I couldn't find it.
The wooden handle on that mattock was shiny and smooth from the amount of hours I spent hanging off the end of it.
Then it struck me that I couldn't really see any of my garden tools that I kept outside.
GONE!!
They were obviously taken when my garden was destroyed.

So on the list of preps to buy when I go to the hardware store are....another mattock, a hoe and a shovel.

I'm getting my load of split firewood delivered on Sunday afternoon for $170.
I'll have to get that rack built before then and eat my Weeties on Sunday morning.
 
Just ordered a lifetime supply of "Clothespins". I just marvel that I can get 50 clothespins delivered to the bottom of my mountain in Alaska for $4.99
 
Sourdough said:
Just ordered a lifetime supply of "Clothespins". I just marvel that I can get 50 clothespins delivered to the bottom of my mountain in Alaska for $4.99
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I don't want to be a bubble burster, but I hope you got good ones. There are different ones. Some the "mouth" doesn't open very wide and is barely big enough to hang onto a shirt so they don't work for jeans. Would rather you had the heads up on it rather than want to use them and be disappointed.
 
ClemKadiddlehopper said:
I have Italian stainless steel clothes pins. They have excellent springs (grip) and don't rust or break.
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THANKS.........I just canceled my orders for wood pins and ordered the Stainless-Steel Clothespins.
 
Here are the ones I got though I don't know that he's making them any more. There are now other people making good ones which is nice.
https://www.thesurvivalgardener.com/american-made-artisan-clothespins-tha/Stainless would probably be great for SD maybe not so much for Pearl ~
Also @Sourdough maybe you already know about him, but he has a retired blog that has some pretty good info. on it if you are at all interested - or anyone else for that matter 😊
https://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/
 
Pearl said:
I wonder how hot they would get in the Texas sun??
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Since they are out in the open air, they shouldn't get any hotter than the ambient air. I have had no problems handling them at 35°C - 95°F. She is probably good until at least 120°F.

Any hotter than that, she risks spontaneous combustion if she leaves the pool.
 
Well, I got a flying start to the day and praise God Almighty the car started.
I got the cash out of the bank on the firewood guy on the way to fill the car and the gerry cans with fuel.
I took them home because I didn't want to be hit with petrol fumes that whole time I was out shopping.

Propane tank filled.
2 bags of grain free dog food brought.
Storage crates, another mattock, expandable foam gap sealer and a spare set of gloves brought from the hardware store.
Brought the last two bottles of MCT oil from my grocery store.
I just did top up groceries because by that time I was so tired and sore I couldn't think straight.
I missed the delivery of my barrel curcit breakers and I have to go down to the post office to pick them up
but that can happen tomorrow because right now I need to have a nap.
 
Amish Heart said:
I like Herrick Kimball. I have one of his Whizbang books. His blog is well worth the read.
Ran the bread in the freeze dryer (the test bread that has to be thrown away) and now am ready to freeze dry something (I think).
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Now let the fun begin, my wife and I started off with mixed frozen veggies, green beans, peas, carrots . Then we started on apples but they ate them as fast as they freeze dried, start out small things that you really like. We made a bunch of ready stew kits with the veggies and have several kinds of meat to add , beef , venison, ham. Enjoy your new machine.
 
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