Here's another entry from Anonymous for this month's writing contest. Be sure to get your entries in for your chance to win a PSD book of your choice.
History shows us the tragic downfall of families that lost their husbands and fathers to illness and accidents. There was no unemployment, no social security, and no state funded welfare. These things are relatively new institutions brought about by a country that was wealthy enough to provide for its population. I am not going into a history lesson or even an ethical discussion here. Just stating the facts. If you live in the USA and meet certain criteria, you can receive help. This help can mean the world of difference to a person/family in need. What if that safety net didn’t exist? What if that assistance cost more than you were willing to pay? As a student of history, I have pondered this question for many decades.
Here are my observations and some practical actions to take.
Family is the most important thing in our lives. I have known many children and adults from horrid family backgrounds, and I always encourage them in the same way: you and only you have the opportunity to make a new life, a better life for yourself. Take care whom you marry. Marriage might be the most important decision you will make for your future. Not education. Not career. Not finances. No, marriage. Choose wisely. Those who do will have untold opportunities for success and happiness for their lifetime. Spouses will provide a respite from the difficulties from the world. Couples will surround themselves with love that can drown out the naysayers. The support a committed partner provides will allow for dreams to come true. And, children will be more secure and more emotionally stable. Financially, divorce is expensive. These are generalizations but provide a framework for better success. If you do not have a family, make one. Lots of people create happy blended families.
War is destructive.
Good health is essential and should be protected. Work hard at it. For many, keeping fit and at a healthy weight is a daily struggle. It is an understatement to say that ill health can destroy your future and the future of your family. Mental health needs to be attended to as well. Our minds are more powerful than most people realize.
It is important to clearly understand the importance of money as a tool in life. Start early to value not overspending and saving/investing. Disasters happen, plan accordingly. Envy is highly destructive, so avoid at all costs. Build a life for yourself and your family that centers around what you value, what you like – not compared to anyone else’s. When I’m tempted to compare, I think of those who live in different communities and countries and are poor. Really, really poor. That seems to straighten me out. Comparison is the thief of joy. Give to those who are less fortunate than you. Gratitude in action.
Faith is foundational to my life. It can be life changing at best and comforting at worst.
Finally, to the point of this essay. Anyone can have it all and watch it vanish in an instance. There are many tragic stories of that happening. However, we can stack the deck against such times in our lives from destroying us. We can build up support in the peaceful good times (such as now) to cushion against bad times. History shows us that life is cyclical. There are ups and downs. Enjoy the prosperity and joyous times and prepare for the down times. This provides stability for you and those you love.
What can we do to provide the cushion?
1. Live debt free except for the big things. Have an emergency fund
2. Get a job. Get 2 jobs if needed.
3. Learn skills. Whatever you can do yourself can not only save money when that is needed but can also ensure that if you hire work out, you know it is being done well.
4. Train yourself to work first, play second
5. Learn how to rest
6. Be comfortable with yourself and able to be alone
7. Practice patience
8. Learn to prioritize what needs to be done first and do it.
9. Finish what you start – especially if you don’t want to – particularly if you don’t want to
10. Practice delayed gratification
11. Economize when practical
12. Be cheerful. Life happens learn to take it on with a cheerful attitude. Cry when needed, but remember to smile, too.
13. Find something free that makes you happy. There are times in life when you’ll be glad you did.
14. Practice mindfulness and intentional living
15. Read something every day
16. Pray
17. Chat with your family and friends often – keep up those relationships
18. Help your neighbors but keep your distance. Privacy is important. History has shown that your neighbors can be your best support or your worst enemy. Be smart.
19. Pretty matters
20. Clear as many surfaces as possible and get things off the floor
21. Exercise and stretch every day
22. Listen, observe and keep your head down
Simple skills
*Can you mend and hem?
*Do you know how to check the oil, tire pressure, fluids and replace them on each car? Is it done regularly? Could you change the oil and filter if needed? Can you change a tire?
*Can you change the filters on household items? Do you have extras of them?
*Can you grow plants? Garden?
*Animal husbandry skills?
*How about preserve foods:
Can? Dehydrate? Freeze? Properly store bulk foods?
*Can you make a bucket toilet if needed?
*Can you make safe drinking water?
*Do you have an idea of how to keep you and your family warm if needed? My favorite idea is to set a tent up in the living room and camp out. We used to practice this when the children were young so they would be comfortable if we had an emergency.
*Can you handle basic tools? Hammer, saw, screw gun, wrench, etc. The internet has a ton of how-to videos to help.
*Do you have any self defense skills? If not, at least look up some videos online and practice. Sometimes a quick and unexpected response will buy enough time to get away.
*Can you turn off the electric? Water? Gas? Do you have a list of whom to call? I realized that my emergency and contact numbers were in my phone. I think I will make a list on paper and tape to the inside of a kitchen cabinet. I’ll add other emergency numbers as well (poison control, police, etc.).
*Can you make a safe fire?
*Do you know what wild foods are edible in your area? Have you located them in your area?
*If you have a flower garden, do you know which flowers are edible and how to enjoy them?
Does your family have a code word that you all know and remember? If not, do it today and practice it until it is a habit and comfortable.
Finally, be aware. One of my favorite anecdotal war stories is about troops who were being ambushed frequently until the officers put farm boys at the front. These farm boy soldiers noticed that there was something off in the woods and saved many lives. When questioned, the farm boys didn’t have anything solid that clued them to an enemy ambush. They just noticed that something was off. Historians have theorized that it could be the lack of bird and animal noises. Most of the farm boys grew up roaming in the woods and had a knowing that saved lives. Know your area. Urban or rural. I like to say, keep your head on a swivel.
Excellent Post! AMEN to knowing how to turn off utilities and build a SAFE FIRE.
ReplyDeleteI get reports from my EMS friends in Florida about the yearly frequent fliers they have to rescue after hurricanes for not turning off utilities and burning their home down trying to cook from a rapidly defrosting freezer.
Adding how to collect rainwater with tarps and such as well as how to clean up broken glass out of wall to wall carpets after a power out serious storm or social chaos to the list.
How exactly do you collect rainwater with tarps or clean up broken glass out of carpet? Those are things we've never even contemplated here in the desert. And yet, as Hurricane Hilary hit us last year (way up here in NE Nevada!) and sheared off my apricot tree at soil level and then also compromised the seal of one of our dual pane windows (the most expensive one to replace, naturally), we need to consider hurricane preparedness as well.
Deletere: rainwater & tarps
DeleteThink about it like this - your shower curtain, you have one side on the rod, now take the other side and attach it to the other side of the shower/tub/whatever, letting the corner away from the shower head ("rain") hang down, forming a "v"; put your catch container under there.
I have a setup where one side of the tarp will be attached to the house and the other side will be supported by tent poles. I can play with the tent pole angles to get the "v" I need. If its raining really hard, I don't need a big surface area; if its just sprinkling, then I want to open the tarp up as much as possible.
Good Luck to Us All
My firefighter friends tell us that cutting your feet while escaping any window busting disaster is very common. We all keep slippers next to our beds to get out. My auto first aid kit also has tweezers and good tape as well.
ReplyDeleteVery good posting, thank you!
ReplyDeleteRainwater collection with a tarp: (also roof)
ReplyDeletehttps://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-skills/calculate-gallons-of-rainwater-runoff-from-a-tarp/
While MSB did a fine article my First thought is WHERE to Keep the water.
During a down pour isn't the time to search for every empty container, pot and pan (although I was told of such by my Grandmother).
A Clean Food Safe IBC totes are inexpensive in my area currently. Most are 275 gallon sized.
Having some pool shock for sanitizing and or filtration is suggested. DO NOT run heavily shock chlorinated water through your Berkley as it eats up the carbon part.
A clean tarp dried and folded after use is pretty decent drinking water IF you store it properly.
How to set up the tarp? Don't use the grommets, use golf ball sized clean rocks and 550 cord to spread the wear and tear (rain around here has wind) on tarp. Each corner and depending on size more tie offs.
If perchance you're living in a time when grid power is intermittent (OR you're using a generator) or the public water is intermittent having an IBC tote (or three) as a water battery is a good idea. Water weighs 8 pounds a gallon, so a full 275 gallon tote is 2200 pounds a bit over a ton. A 12 volt RV style pump (I like sureflow) with spare parts can easily be run from a 12 volt solar panel, or a battery. That will get you plenty of water upstairs for your 5 gallon bucket upstairs. Will NOT plumb into house for "normal" use as it's a small pump.
Will run a RV style hand shower for bathing :-)
Emergency level water needs I START at 5 gallons per person, per day. Forget the 1950's bomb shelter 1 gallon a day stuff. That's for lying on a bunk for a week or so waiting out fallout.
1 Gallon helmet bath (basin, pot etc.) Starting with face, short hair, body, arm pits, groin and then lastly behind. Wet area, wet bar of soap, wet washcloth. Wash each part, wipe off with cloth. Rinse rag as needed in pot.
Not a hot shower but will keep you clean enough for skin health.
4 gallons between cooking and drinking. Trust me you'll need it.
A tarp set up for a Rain shower with a set of duckboards to stand on and some privacy is a THRILL after a few weeks of pot washing.
Will go looking for my post on the Chaos Kit to cover glass issues.
THANK YOU, MICHAEL!!!
DeleteBroken Glass or Plan B Chaos kit
ReplyDeleteRecreating it (I hate redoing the wheel)
Do you have a Plan B Chaos Kit buried somewhere yet? Nice to have the basic stuff to create a basic shelter, food, clothing, tools, some freedom seed dispensers, seeds, garden stuff and such. For example a contractor sized roll of HD black sheet plastic, an ax, bow saw, large nails, some 550 cordage (or bank line) and some dried leaves I could quickly build my family a double walled Insulated Tent style structure for that Winter Night. Leaves and or pine branches works well enough for insulation. You know rule of threes stuff 🙂
My Inside the house Chaos kit has stuff like emergency house repairs materials, like clear sheet plastic, roofing nails, wood strips, a hammer, headlight and so on so broken windows and such are easily handled at night in bad weather. Yes, I had a large tree limb crash through my picture window during a Nor’easter snow storm. ALWAYS have clothing and Slip On Shoes for crashes in the night. Bare feet and shattered glass, well….. I got lucky my wife stopped me before I stomped my way into the living room.
Even if you have plans to Die in Place vs bug out would really suck to come home from work and discover A Neon Haired Creature of Indeterminate Sex decided to burn you out with a bottle of flaming Peace and a huge Slingshot.
This was my reply comment to my Mercy Buckets pots about 5 gallon buckets, beans and rice PLUS kits.
It's O Dark 30 and your awakened to a crash sound, POWER is OUT. You slip on your next to the bed clothing (Including SHOES) a flashlight and pistol. You have your beloved take her personal weapon to secure kid's room.
You DO have Duress Code Words to allow someone under duress to let you know something isn't right, yes?
Happily, after looking it's only a storm-tossed tree limb through the window. You let your wife know, keeping the curious kids out of the glass strewn around the living room.
You grab your Chaos Kit, turn on the camping area light so you can see. Put on work gloves, and the kitchen trash can for debris. You start by using the flashlight to ID radii of glittering broken glass (DO NOT TROMP IT AROUND, OK?). Mark work area with blue painter's tape. Start picking up large bits, then work your way through the couch cushions and such CAREFUL not to bounce broken glass outside of marked area. Then using painters tape dab up rest of glass bits. Using a Lint Roller (don't be shy about peeling off that adhesive tape, penny wise, pound foolish here) to get it from furniture, drapes and such. A Flashlight at night makes finding the glittery glass easier. An old school manual carpet broom Bissel is my choice gets a lot properly.
IF you DON'T tromp it in you can get it pretty well. If Not then you'll have to remove the wall to wall carpet roll it up and do a outside cleaning (Rug beating anybody?) in an Area not likely to meet up with bare feet.
In worse case scenarios where your forced due to hostile actions to run about and multi-window shattering's removal of wall to wall carpeting is a MUST. Having a few gallons of latex paint to cover the now bare subfloor for cleaning and comfort is nice.
Now you use the Chaos kit clear plastic, nailing strips and tools to close off that window. Rainwater can be dried out easier than ground in glass and getting knees cut up from the broken glass as you fix that window.
Don't ask me why I know that :-)
Michael, Thank you so much for all this information. I've never even given a thought as to what would be entailed in cleaning shattered windowpanes from off the carpet. There's a whole new list of things to buy at Home Depot now.
DeleteHow I wish we were neighbors!