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Friday, February 27, 2009

Ramblings

Hello all. I have been quite preoccupied for a while and not feeling very energetic and I apologize for not posting regularly. If anyone would like to contribute articles for this site, please email me.

I don't like western medicine. But I was consuled by someone I respect that surgery was really my only option so I thought I should get it out of the way while there was still money and insurance to pay for it. Problem was, I went to a “teaching hospital” and even though I specifically requested the surgeon I chose be the one the do the surgery, (three times I made myself clear to her I did not drive 2 hours from home to be cut by anyone but her) I was sliced and diced by the learner…of course I have no proof except for the fact that the op report states “Dr. X was scrubbed and present for the entire procedure.” I suffered extreme pain from “nerve entrapment” followed by numbness which she has now tried to correct with another surgery, along with redoing some of the other stitching that was messed up. And the first surgery is already coming “undone” so to speak. If I had to do it over, I would never go to a hospital connected to a university. I would find a surgeon near by and just make certain they had quite some good experience with the procedure I needed. My freedom to choose who I wanted to do the surgery was taken from me just because they could - and they thought it was no big deal; they knew better than I did. NOT! Kinda like the government sobs thinking they know how to run my life and spend my money better than I do. My choice is taken away and that makes me dang mad. I know there are consequences to my choices, but let it be my choice! Don’t make me suffer for you imposing your will over mine!

On the political scene, in talking to people, I am finding that the sheeple are waking up and smelling the coffee. At least they are up here in the north. The problem is they pretty well feel there is nothing they can do about any of it. And those of us who have been in the know for a bit, well I find that the question now is “Where will I draw the line?” Where and when will we say I am mad and I am not going to take it any more? Will you stop paying your taxes? Will you hand over your guns when they knock on your door? Will you let them haul you away in the name of protection? Will you take that immunization because there is an “outbreak”? Will you obey any more of the state’s stupid laws?
I cannot believe that the lies that our new commander in chief has been telling and the campaign promises he had broken are not being covered by the press. They could have such a time with it and get their viewing numbers up, but they are mostly kept in check. And the preachers are silent because most are more brainwashed than their congregants. About the only place you can get informed is the internet. And some foreign news sources. The good news is the more people begin to hurt the more they are waking up to the truth, the real truth. We are an enslaved people. But we need to remember that there are more enslavees than enslavers. And more and more of the “us” are taking steps to be prepared to take care of ourselves and our families. We are preparing to live in liberty. We will not willingly continue down the primrose path with blinders on. The truth is slapping us in the face: the fedgov is not our friend. The founders were right where government was concerned: Less is more.

The constitution has been trashed and we need to get our rights back. I applaud the states that are telling the federal gov to back off and passing bills reasserting their rights to sovereignty. It’s about time.

On the material side, I am taking a more planned approach to my food storage. I figure that I will plan to have two meals a day and menus that repeat every week or two. I will store some food (meals) in grab and go buckets as well as having a stocked long-term pantry. It’s all about organization. Ugh… Not my strongest suite but I will endure.

I am also trying to make friends with more like-minded people. It takes time and energy of which I am low at the moment. But any step forward is progress and sometimes that is the best that we can do. One step forward. Progress. Two steps forward and one step back…still progress.

Don’t quit, keep looking for ways to prepare; I think you will be glad you did in a few short months.
HUP

Thursday, February 19, 2009

interesting video

If you haven't seen this yet, I enjoyed it.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1039849853&play=1
Finally, someone who is “on the air” is fed up and says so. The most important thing he says IMHO is that moving from individualism to collectivism brings poverty. And note the reaction of the other media shlemmings, they are scared and mention getting out the National Guard. Hmmm.
And note their last couple of comments. sheez.
If you have not read "Atlas Shrugged" may I suggest it to you?
HUP

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Open Carry Update

According the the local paper, please see here: http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/39722082.html
liberty lovers are one up for the moment. But the question is will the ptb appeal and will Krause get his gun back without having to jump through hoops. I, for one, hope he sues for harrassment.
Certainly shows that an unexercised right can easily be assumed to be no right.
HUP

Monday, February 16, 2009

Bibles offered to those in need

If you do not have a Bible and would like one, please visit http://doublenickelfarm.blogspot.com/ and request one. It is the one thing that will help you now and prepare you for the most important decisions of your life here and for the hereafter.
God Bless,
HUP

Safe Storage

I have thinking about storing food and for many of us, the large cans are not practical. Unless you know you will be serving a crowd, your normal size cans may be the best thing to store so that you don’t have to worry about preserving the contents if you don’t use it all up. And smaller cans of food would be easier to share with those in need also. We need to think things through and do what seems best for our family; there is no one size fits all.

If we have leftovers today, we just toss them into the fridge until they are eaten; same with condiments. Ketchup, mustard and mayo all get stored in the fridge, but do you really know what needs to be keep cold and what can be kept at room temperature? As I kid I thought peanut butter had to be refrigerated until I went to a friend’s house and found they kept their PNB in the cupboard. Guess my family just had more room in the fridge than the cupboard. Even though your mayo says to refrigerate after opening, it probably does not need to be.

See http://www.dressings-sauces.org/mayonnaise.html or call your favorite brand now and make a few enquires. I just called about some jam I had in the fridge. The company said they have to put a sell by date on, but the product would most likely be good after that date. I also asked if I could not refrigerate it, if it would be ok to eat and they said yes, but it could break down, or get watery. It would be good until it grew mold. I remember my mom telling about her grandma leaving food out on the old cook stove for hours, hopefully it was being kept warm enough to ward off bacteria, but she remembers when they weren’t so careful about keeping things cold and hot like they are now.

As a rule of thumb, things with high acidity will keep for awhile without refrigeration. Of course if you have a way to keep your food cooler, well, the cooler the better of course. But don’t think just because we are used to keeping things in the fridge that it is required. Start reading the labels on your condiments as some may not even say to refrigerate after opening and if in doubt give the company a call and ask why it says to keep in the fridge, it may just help to keep the ingredients from separating and has nothing to do with safety.

And if you are preparing for a time without electricity, make sure you have more than one can opener and that you keep the opener you use clean. Cross contamination has been proven to be a huge issue in the case of food poisening in many instances in the here and now and will probably be a high percentage of the reason in the future also.

Stay safe,
HUP

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Right here is Wisconsin

One of the most basic rights is the right to protect oneself and one's property. In a survival situation, you may wish you still had this right. Please read the following article and go to the hearing if possible. If I have recouped enough from a procedure I am having tomorrow, I may be there. What do you think would happen if 200+ citizens showed up who knew their rights and exercised them? ...wouldn't that be a sight! I wonder if it would make the news?

http://www.jpfo.org/articles-assd/wi-case-update.htm

HUP

Sunday, February 8, 2009

How long will stored food last?

If you are reading this blog, you are probably taking steps to buy food to have in storage, but if you’re like me when I started, you may not know just how long food can keep so I want to share a resource I found very helpful and an article.

http://www.ivanhoe.com/science/story/2007/02/248a.html

http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2005/sharing_stations/pdf/52a.pdf

Of course it is best to rotate all your food, but it is not an easy task if your storage area is not too close to your cooking area, so finding out many foods can keep years is a great boon to me. I especially appreciate the long life of pastas. It is also may be helpful to mark your supplies with the date you bought them. Sharpie pens work well.

I also like to store some recipes (hard copy) for using all the canned or dried food because I like to eat as much fresh and raw foods as I can now that we are able to do that. I occasionally try a recipe out and then deem it acceptable or not. And when you are cooking think about the spices that you are using and make sure you have those stored as well. You can always add spices to taste and don’t need to depend upon a recipe or a teaspoon measure, but you need to have the spices available.

I also recommend a way to transport your stored foods easily, i.e. store in boxes on the shelf instead of directly on the shelf, so that you don’t have to take the extra step to pack all the supplies if you move or decide to leave your home for a while in an emergency for example and want to take your supplies with you.

It is also very important to store fats for cooking and calories. And if you have to eat food you may not like much, if you fry it up and salt it, well, what isn’t better tasting fried? The best oils/fats are packaged so that they are protected from light and are cold pressed. My most favorite oil is non-hydrogenated coconut oil. Do some research on the web. It has been touted to protect from dementia and to help the body heal itself from many diseases. It has a very long shelf life and is stable at high temperatures so it, and palm oil, are good to use to fry foods. I know people from other countries that take at least a tsp or two a day of coconut oil to help with digestion.

I would also not be without honey. I think I may have blogged on it before, but it has many uses. Herbal teas are also good to have and remember you can get more than one cup of tea from a tea bag. Both honey and tea will keep for nigh onto forever if stored properly.

Another thing you may not think of storing is vinegar. There are all kinds and if you do some research on this as well you will want to store more than one kind. I have apple cider with the mother, not only because I like it, but it has medicinal uses and a white vinegar-soaked rag placed over your mouth and nose can protect you from sprays. (Again, use a search engine if you want more information.)

I always watch for sales and clearances to score a good deal and I buy a little extra each shopping trip.

HUP

Thursday, February 5, 2009

My top five things to do that don't cost money

I have read many things about the state of the economy and the need to be prepared for a depression or hyperinflation. What do you think is the most important things to do or that you are now doing before the economy goes south even more, that can be had or done without spending money?

I don’t think there is any doubt about what is coming down the pike. The dollar is going to take a steep dive and we are going to see things we never dreamed we would see right here in the good ole US of A. I am hopeful that we have some time before it happens and that it is a slow decline.
I am listing the top five of the things I am doing and will try to challenge you with some questions related to them.

One of my top five is gaining skills. I am learning a new skill from a friend. She is so willing to teach interested people. If I want to get the “certificate,” then I will have to spend some money. But to have the skill is much more important. Do you have basic first aid skills so you don’t have to run to the doctor’s office unnecessarily? You can learn much from books and reading how other people made it through tough times. Do you know how to cook? So many people do not know how to make a real meal or what makes a complete protein. They don’t know why they need fruits and vegetables or what can happen if they don’t get enough vitamin c. They have absolutely no idea of what foods are nutritious and what foods are not. Do you know how to use alternatives to expensive meds? For example cool or hot rags put on the head can ease many a headache.

One of the most important things to get now imho is connections. Do you know who has the skills or knowledge you don’t have, but may need? Do you know who you can trust? Do you know people that are honest and will keep their word? Do you know who may need your skills and expertise? And the unspoken component of connections is the skill of bartering. Have you read up on how to barter? Do you have a library card from your local library? Make a good friend of your library staff; they can be invaluable!

The next thing to get is knowledge of your area. Do you know where there is a water supply that you can trust? Many areas have water that bubbles up or comes out pipes set up by the locals that is good clean water. One city I lived in had one right in a city park. People came from all over with containers to get this water that tasted good and had no need to be chlorinated. The city even tested it from time to time to ensure its safety. Do you know the back roads if the main ones are closed or jammed with traffic? Do you know what edible plants grow wild in your area? Do you know what crops grow best in your climate?

This is something that may save your life or the life of your loved one. Do you know how the people you love most react to extreme stress? Do you know what they need to be able to calm down? Do you know what it is you need to be able to think clearly? The old movies always show a slap across the face and the person is miraculously sane again. I wish that always worked! I turn to prayer and scripture and know I need encouraging words from others. I need to focus on the positive, sometimes having to dig deep to do so. And yes, sometimes I fail. Also, if you know that two different people may end up living with you and you know they don’t get along in the best of times, what can you do to set the ground rules now? Everyone has different needs, but learning about how to diffuse situations is a great goal to set for yourself. How can you learn the skills of a peacemaker? (Being friends with your librarians comes in here.) Do you know there are herbs that help people to relax and herbs that can help you fall asleep? If you have to deal with anyone, friend or foe, under extreme stress, do you know the basics?

And the most obvious one is a plan. Do you have a plan? Plan A, B, and C? The plan may include spending money, but the plan itself is just your ideas, and you don’t have to spend money to think! At least not until they devise a way to tax thinking! LOL If you or your spouse were to lose your job today, what will you do? Do you have a plan in place? After losing his job a couple times, my dh said he will get his CDL and go drive truck if it happens again. I wonder if he still has that same plan in his head, we haven’t talked about it for a while, but I do know they still need drivers around here. I am part of a MLM business that I could really put more effort into if I wasn’t working at my day job. I wouldn’t have to learn everything about it; I could just hit the street with it today. Now if they declared a bank holiday, we would have to move to plan B and maybe C.

If you invest in acquiring skills, knowledge and wisdom, you can reap gains that no one can steal from you.

HUP

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Staying warm in the frozen tundra or “Looks like Wisconsin to me.”

For a few years my family will attest to the fact that our home has bordered on downright frigid during the winter months - seeing as mom was always quite warm, (no remarks on age please) and ‘if mamma aint happy, aint nobody happy!’ Now the tide has changed and momma is able to wear sweaters again!

If fact, I have found that there now is a certain material that keeps one extremely toasty. It is a particular micro-fiber that my dh says feels like dryer lint. My dd got a throw made of this material from my other dd at Christmas and laying under it when visiting with her in the coldest room of the house (her bedroom) I found it was like lying under an electric blanket. No kidding. I wish I could give exact content, but there are several made of the 100% polyester blend that do not do what this material does. But the way I can tell the warm one from the other ones is that when you run your hand down it, kinda “catches” on the fibers. It does not feel smooth, it seems to feel like it is pulling moisture out of your hand. It is a very soft feeling material, and not necessarily bumpy. But your hand does not glide over it smoothly. That is the best I can do to explain it. You can get sweaters and blankets in this material. I am trying to pick some throws up as they go on clearance at Walgreens (about $4.00) and I found a sweater at a local thrift shop for $1.50. I still need to find socks. The throws could be put into a sleeping bag to add extra warmth. Just keep in mind that I don't know is this material "breathes" so plan accordingly.

Other than warm clothes, including long underwear – a necessity hereabouts, there is the issue of providing heat if the electricity is unavailable. I feel very uncomfortable with my preps in this area as we only have two kerosene heaters and a little bit of stored kerosene. If it were up to me, we would have a soapstone stove. You can google it and find different manufacturers. The soapstone will warm the house for hours, and the stoves are now made to burn very efficiently. The problem with installing the heavy stove at this address is that we have the house up for sale and do not want to have to move the stove when we move. But I would definitely encourage anyone considering a source of warmth for their retreat to check out these stoves. There are models you can cook on too.

A warm meal or drink can go a long way to warming you up so I want to talk a little about fixing food. Not always having sunny days, we can’t count on a solar cooker. But, we also have a grill and propane, both large and small. I would fix a one pot meal on one of them, bring it to a boil and boil a few minutes, then immediately place it in a insulated cupboard to “slow cook” for a few hours. This would save fuel as I would not have to cook the meal for a longer time. You can also keep water warm this way.

You can make your own insulated cupboard by taking any cupboard in your kitchen or metal box, or wood box, large cooler, etc. and using insulation, make your own large thermos-like container. Even just wrapping your stew pot in towels and blankets until it is very insulated will work. I found out about this just a few weeks ago, and have complete confidence in the person who related it to me. I have not experimented with it yet as she has, for I have been learning a new skill and my time must go to that endeavor right now. I am, however, ready to cook this way if the need arises. Check it out here
http://thermalcooker.wordpress.com/category/thermal-cookers/haybox/.

And another hint I do want to pass along is using ground up cayenne pepper in your boots. It will discolor your socks, so you may not want to try this now, but it will make your feet warm. I also keep it in my first aid kit as I feel it will stop bleeding. I have even read that putting a ¼ tsp under your tongue can help with heart attack, but I do not give medical advice; please do not view my comments as such. I just thought I would throw that in to bait you into doing your own research. It has also been used successfully for some who are sick with flu.

Hope you're staying warm,

HUP
Wisconsin Preppers Network Est. Jan 17, 2009 All contributed articles owned and protected by their respective authors and protected by their copyright. Wisconsin Preppers Network is a trademark protected by American Preppers Network Inc. All rights reserved. No content or articles may be reproduced without explicit written permission.