Prepping vs Surviving...

Blowing my nose for, what seems like, the 400th time, I wonder if anyone else looks at their used tissues as a resource? Okay, maybe it sounds a bit odd at first... but... stuff those tissues into discarded toilet paper rolls and you have the ultimate fire starter.. surpassed only by the same rolls stuffed with dryer lint... ahhh... inventions born out of necessity!

as I sit here blowing my nose I am grateful for my coffee, the bottle of tea waiting in the fridge, my bottle of Tylenol (2 every 4 hours kills most colds) and my chili covered sucker from La Loma's Supermercardo...

In looking at my favorite blogs on survival I am painfully aware of how long it has been since I've checked in with each... funny, though, that I don't feel to incredibly behind on my prepping... nice... I have done some different preps than they did... or did a similar prep in a different way... but, overall, I still feel pretty good about where I am compared to where I was at the beginning of this last summer... it's all about perspective, I guess...

my one failing has been in stocking firewood and securing a solid second income that does not interfere with any of my other responsibilities... Avon sales were supposed to be that 2nd income, but I haven't followed through the way I should... some campaigns I get out dozens of catalogs... some campaigns I follow up with people I have given catalogs to... it's not that I don't want the orders... more that I get overextended on my personal obligations... the campaigns where I actually follow up I do quite well! If you'd like to see the diverse items Avon offers now, go to www.youravon.com/karenjoyce ...

It seems to me that having quite a few small venues of income is far better than one large, supposedly solid venue... I used to think my job would be sufficient... then I stepped back and took a long hard look at the situation... I am just one vicious rumor away from being unemployed... so it is far better to have several sources of income... Avon, fresh produce and eggs (when I have extra)... maybe even a bit of overnight childcare once the rehab is more complete on my house?

Things I really need to do yet... finish re-arranging/ deep cleaning house, brush back up on baking from scratch (why did I stop doing that?), redo my budget using the new household budget calculator I bought on clearance at the Office Max on Plainfield Road with my max perks dollars, stack firewood inside (once the rack inside is full there will little wood stacked outside), get firewood stocked up for this winter (it's late in the game for this, but it is Critical for our survival), stock up on any meat on sale then dehydrate/ can it, set up front porch for winter (lawn chairs in shed, bag of salt out), check and fill oil lamps, buy good sewing scissors, stock up ammo, bring home that old rusty roll of barbed wire...

I found an adage that really rang true... "two equals one and one equals none"... this rings true to me... if I have only one of something, I might as well not have it at all as when it runs out/ breaks, I'm done!

Maybe that explains that pile of blankets in my living room? Actually, my goal with the blankets is to have twice as many as I need for each bed, allow for that extra person's blankets and still have enough to hang as 'wall coverings' on the inside of all outside walls when/if we drop into a mini-ice age... if nothing else, last winter's Snowpocalypse should have proven to all of us that we can not count on the weather to do anything we expect! Be prepared to not freeze to death!!!

As Matt and I were headed to work this morning, we passed a young man folding his blanket as he left a park... knowing that someone is sleeping out in the open in this cold (32*F last night), sure makes me appreciate my humble little homestead and my wood stove... it could be way worse!

This also spurred a conversation about how blessed we are and that we need to think about what we can do for the homeless this winter... it will be interesting to hear Matt's thoughts!

As I continue to read through the better prep blogs I am more and more aware of where I really stand... or don't stand... I don't have a level of panic... too far into prepping for that... just a new realization of where I stand and what I need to do...

Happy Prepping!!!