Realization that mortality is ever closer comes to those who are fortunate enough to age. When we were younger we knew one day we would die, but as with many things, that was off in some distant future. Aging is another stage of life with many opportunities to learn, just learn different things than we did in our younger years.
Life has gotten more serious. Things that once seemed so important, things that needed to be done 'like this' or like I wanted them to be, now seem so trivial. What was once worth arguing over, now is inconsequential. I often think, why was it such a big deal when I was younger? I wish I had learned this earlier in life.
A few months after Frank's bypass surgery he was walking in the yard, doing some normal something, I don't remember what. All of a sudden my breath caught in my throat and I thought, "He didn't die!" I could have just stood there and cried. Maybe sometimes it takes a serious shaking of our world to get us to see what is most important in life. Frank and I had many very serious conversations after we realized the only restorative choice he had was a bypass. He needed to know that I would be okay if I were left here alone. They were very difficult conversations, but left us both with a peace in knowing where we stood and plans were in place for "what if".
Then my Mom's dementia progressed to the point that she obviously was in need of serious care for her welfare and safety. It was very difficult to come to the realization that my siblings did not see the needs she had until she finally insisted that death would be better than the options they offered. She had stated these things many times with me, but I was just the girl and exaggerating things. Mom was okay. Even though she was have major delusions, obsessions, paranoia and health issues. She was okay. She wanted to continue living alone and that was fine according to my siblings.
So following on the heels of contemplating Frank's mortality and my mother's mental incompetence, Life Got Much More Serious. Add to that our continued aging process.
The reason I list these specific experiences in our lives is only to make a point that if the SHTF today, tomorrow, next week or next year, the seriousness of life will make these few occurrences pale in comparison. If we were starving and having to defend ourselves and our food supply on a daily basis, how could that even compare to our 'normal' experiences of life? Let's face it, as people age, they have more health issues. It's a fact of life. But as Frank and I say regularly, "I'm not dead yet." With that philosophy and outlook, we have a lot left to do and offer, a lot of life left to live.
We talk about quality vs. quantity. This can be applied to so many things. Take life, the actual breath in your body. Neither of us care to remain on this earth if we are not functional. This may upset some of you, but fortunately at this time, we have a choice. Frank and I agree that if we have a serious health issue that will incapacitate us to the point that we are not functional, and the only health treatments out there will only prolong life for a short time at the cost of our mobility, cognitive abilities, etc., then we will forgo the offered treatments. Quality of life over quantity of life.
Again, apply that to an SHTF situation. There won't be extensive medical treatments, no surgeries unless you are in a very unique situation. Health and medical attention will be provided by those around you or your own knowledge and abilities. Are you ready for that? Mentally? Do you have supplies that can be utilized for some health needs? Do you know how to use them? What are you going to do when you run out?
Life is more serious. We are focusing in on the essentials whether it is in our garden, in what we store, in how we manage our daily chores or in how we
communicate with others. We are downsizing and
becoming much more focused. Frank's response to a comment yesterday said
we don't talk about the conditions of the world, our country, the
economy or the need to prepare anymore. We don't. There have been many
that think we're the tin foil hat wearing nut jobs. Some want to know
where our bunker is. There have been those that literally laughed in our
faces. There have been those that said they were coming to live with
us, to which we promptly responded - no you're not, we're not going to
feed you. Most just look at you and politely nod their heads, but you
can tell that they don't agree and think we're just plain weird. As a
consequence, we don't talk about preparing or SHTF or a collapse much
anymore.
We have been preparing to live, depending solely upon ourselves, for most of our married life. Almost 40 years. We rejoice that the electricity is still on and we hope to have air conditioning through
another hot Oklahoma summer. But if it's not and we have to adjust, we have tried to train ourselves to deal with that reality. Our bones are older and creak a little more. We may move a little slower and accomplish less in a day than we did a decade or two ago, but our minds are sharper, and we have learned so many more things. If the collapse had happened a decade ago, there are untold amounts of knowledge and experience we wouldn't have had access to that we now do.
Life is more serious. It would appear inevitable that we have strife, conflict or outright war coming here in our country, in our neighborhoods throughout the land. Many, many sources indicate the economy is on the brink. We saw an
article a few days ago indicating a housing collapse is now occurring or on the precipice in 40 major cities around the country. 2008 anyone? You don't even hear about it because of all of the lies, innuendoes and major contention in Washington. We have no national government, we have warring factions spending our tax dollars to attack and 'investigate' each other. What about the country? What about The People they were elected to serve? That is a joke. There is no functional government anymore, looking out for the welfare of our country. There is only a slow motion collapse into anarchy in the once hallowed halls of congress and our nation's capital. Where can that lead? What kind of example are they setting? No wonder there is more contention, hatred and violence on every street corner in America.
Enjoy every day, for it is a gift. Live your life in gratitude of your daily gifts. Work hard, for nothing is more satisfying than the results of your own two hands or applying your mind to something. Relish the sunshine on your face and the love and admiration of your family. Earn and maintain the reputation of being an honest person of high moral character and integrity. In the end, what really matters? The only thing you will leave behind is your legacy, good, bad or otherwise.
Relish the joy and freedoms of your life everyday because if Life Is More Serious now, just wait until that day arrives that we are no longer falling off the cliff as a civilization, but we hit bottom with a resounding crash.
Until next time - Fern
Hi Folks, Frank and Fern here.
We have had some great comments recently and some people have mentioned how tired our work is making them. Not only is that humbling, it is motivating. You see the STARK REALITY of the situation is that the projects we are completing are not only exciting, but the impetus behind what we are doing, and the pace with which we are doing it, is because of the condition of our country. Our projects are aimed at living in a collapse situation. End of story. Could they be fun and give us something to do in case things don't collapse? Sure. We have long lived a homestead life style and wouldn't have it any other way. What is happening in our country that brings us to the conclusion that a collapse is not only probable, but inevitable? Frank has a short list that name just a few of the things that surround us everyday.
Our economy, which is interconnected with every other economy on the planet, is in a shambles. Terms like 'kick the can down the road' have now become common place when describing the lengths to which the Federal Reserve continues to go to prop up the giant bubble the economy and markets have become. The wild fluctuations of the stock market, which can cause it to sky rocket or nose dive, with a spoken sentence by select individuals, or the wisp of a rumor about a pending report, can be seen almost daily.
The infrastructure in most municipalities are old and deteriorating. They were never meant to support the number of people now placing demands upon them, and there is no way they can be replaced. There just isn't the money to do so. Take our rural water lines, for example. They have been in the ground for decades and all need to be replaced. There is no way that will happen, it just isn't economically feasible. All they can afford to do is patch holes when they occur.
Take a look at our electrical grid. It is aging, inadequate and vulnerable to hackers and espionage. Electricity as a supply line is crucial to the functioning of every modern convenience and luxury we enjoy everyday. Like this computer and the internet, your cell phone, refrigeration, air conditioning, manufacturing, the list could go on almost indefinitely. Read about long distance electricity transportation, what it takes, how it is accomplished and how fragile the system is, not to mention how much is lost in the process of transmission. Our local electric cooperative seems to be in pretty good shape, but it depends on the larger grid for it's supply of power.
Let's take another facet of society. Welfare. This is one of the most insidious means our government has used to enslave millions of people. If women enter the welfare system, they are paid to remain out of the workforce, stay home and have
babies. They can't get married and have a husband, or they lose their benefits. So they have more babies to get more
benefits, the only way they can get a raise. This thing is never going to stop, it can't. How can a woman get married and lose benefits when they can't afford to live?
Then there are people that refuse to work, have never worked and never intend to work. These are some of the folks that I have heard described as the ones that breed like rabbits. They don't work, they don't learn, they don't provide any type of intellectual stimulation for their children, and don't appear to have any motivation to do any better in life. Stupid breeds stupid, and there are too many of them that sit on their butts, stare at the television or their cell phones, and demand others provide everything they ever wanted, even though the people paying the bills can't live anywhere near the life style these folks can, because they can't afford it.
Another result of the welfare system and the intellectual impact of children raised in that environment for the last few decades, is the dramatic reduction in the standard of education. One hand is lowering the standard, the other hand is raising it, like in Common Core and No Cow Left Behind or NCLB. They are both huge frauds
conducted with the knowledge of state and federal government and a horrendous joke. They both amount to
the mind control of our young people, a movement which TV and our government has
embraced. Thanks to the current government indoctrination system we now have kids that
are pro sexual perversion and liberal environmentalists that respond
subliminally like robots to government controls via society and television. The worldwide global warming fascists have also been indoctrinating our children to march lock step to the requirements of their agenda for decades. Now these children are
30 years old and have become puppets of an indoctrinating government.
What ever happened to the Constitution, the1st Amendment, freedom of speech, the 2nd Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms? Life in our country has become THE GOVERNMENT VS. WE THE PEOPLE. Why is that okay? Why aren't the politicians up in arms refusing to implement unlawful regulations against WE THE PEOPLE? What happened to serving the people instead of enslaving them? The 1st Amendment is all but gone in this country. There are so many regulations now that freedom
of speech is being suppressed in an unprecedented way, and it's against the law
to disagree with the Nazi control agenda.
Let's talk about a few examples. I have the freedom to say that I don't mind being around people of color, but I can no
longer say I don't like being around radical people of color. I can no
longer use the words that use to be common to describe radical people of
color because now it is a hate crime. Why is it that if a white person threatens a person of color, they go to jail, but if a person of color threatens a white person it's their right? And what is a hate crime? You can't say mean words? Not too
many years ago little boys were taught, if somebody called their mommy a
bad name, it was okay to hit the other kid. Now kids are taught to go
tell the teacher, just like FEMA, if you see something, say something.
Back to that little boy. What happened to defending your mother, or your
wife, or your country, or the person that called your mommy a bad name? It's a hate crime, and the school calls the sheriff and has that
child arrested for a hate crime. If your child hits the hate crime
perpetrator, he will be arrested for assault and battery. We're even talking about first
graders here, and it's probably the same first grader that can't tell the teacher
she's pretty because that's a sex crime. He can't pray before he eats
because that is a religious crime. Look at where we are. Look at what we have allowed to happen to the institution of the family.
I have another question. Why aren't the churches talking about all of these problems? Why aren't they more vocal and active, fighting for the souls of those they serve? Unfortunately, I think it is because they don't want to jeopardize their tax free status. Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black? Worshiping the Almighty Dollar instead of our Almighty God?
Then here comes Johnson & Johnson, who became a world medical supplier in WWII, not to mention all of the mega, mega, mega pharmaceutical companies. And speaking of them, why do pharmaceuticals cost sharply less in Mexico? Those people are making a profit too, and yet they sell their products for pennies on the dollar compared to our country. Why? Medical insurance and Obama Care is causing huge problems and sky rocketing the cost of medicine and insurance premiums. That really helps achieve the goal of universal health care, don't you think?
Viral infections are being manipulated and experimented with around the globe. Can anyone tell us why flu vaccines are pushed so strongly? Why are they free to the children? What is it that the government wants to control now? We really don't believe that the government wants to increase the health and well being of the American public, because if they did, they would make health care actually affordable, like the act says, instead of continuing to fleece the people and line the pockets of the mega giants in the health care industry. Sometimes it seems like we live in a big cesspool of experimentation. It's like, "Wow! Did you see how many people that virus made really sick? Some of them even died! What should we release next?" Folks, things like flu vaccines and childhood immunizations are part of the government control, socialist agenda. Just one more thing they can force you to do, and to the children, no less.
One of the great benefits of Obamanation Care is that now they are able to track all of your health care data, free of charge. They will be able to tell you when to eat, when to sleep, what drugs they insist you take to 'improve your health' so you will continue to line the pockets of those health care mega giants. And when all that wonderful care they provide you with causes your bodily systems to begin crashing, one right after the next, they will tell you when it's time to die. If you survive all of the viral experimentation, that is.
I don't even know if we can stand to talk about what Planned Parenthood has been doing, selling off body parts of the babies they just murdered. You know, it must take a special kind of person to be able to perform that 'job' day after day, and still be able to live with themselves. That is something we totally cannot fathom. We now live in a day and age where it is okay to kill babies and sell their body parts. When I was young we used to read Bible stories about these horrible people that sacrificed their children on an alter during worship. Are our times any different than theirs? We hear about partial birth abortions on a regular basis and nobody bats an eye. What does that say about the times we live in?
This is only a partial list of what is happening all around us everyday. We have GPS tracking everywhere, in your car, phone, credit card chips, computers, you name it, it's there. The NSA is having a hey day with it's data collections systems. There is no telling how many lists you are on. We know there is some kind of computer monitoring going on all the time. My computer can be off, and the internet server off, and yet I get reminders that updates are ready before I turn on the computer. How does it know there are updates available if everything is off and it's not connected? I can't get a signal through but they can.
GMO food is poisoning the people with every bite they take. TV is sucking the minds of the people dry, leaving barely anything recognizable as human in it's place. Pornography is so rampant and common place, even on regular television programming, that people look at you funny if you even mention it. Don't you dare speak about how women are dressing now days. Most of them look like hookers, flashing their cleavage and trying to keep their too tight pants hiked up so their other cleavage isn't hanging out.
Then there are the illegal immigrants, or we could just call them criminals because that's what each and everyone of them are, that arrive demanding food, water, shelter, medical and educational benefits that most Americans only dream of. Many, many of them end up with a higher standard of living than the average working family. Tell me that's going to end well. These immigrants can end up better off than the countries they are trying to invade. It is not desperate refugees searching for a better life, it is an invasion, here, Europe, everywhere. Would we sit back and allow an army to invade our country? Apparently so.
And then there are the Nazi's running the climate control scam. Bilking the 'richer' countries out of more money for the 'poorer' countries, when in reality it's just a bunch of greedy bazillionaires scarfing up as much money as they can while it's still worth something. Add the UN to the mix, with their insatiable appetite for world control, and we will all live long, happy lives together, if you like slavery, that is.
Each one of these topics could be an article all by itself, but we include all of these facets of our STARK REALITY for a reason. What is to come of this? What is the STARK REALITY of our situation? What will be the tipping point for the slide into the abyss of anarchy and chaos? Will it be the fight Obama is putting up for gun control? Will there be eruptions along racial, ethnic or religious lines? TPTB have been using their community organizers to foment war for years now, but it just hasn't quite taken off the way they hoped and planned. Make no mistake about it, there will be confrontation, there will be war. How widespread and of what venue we do not know, but it will come to your neighborhood and ours, and you can bet the government will have a hand in it.
It's not going to be one confrontation, there are multiple wars going on in
Europe all the time. Military against military, military against
organized resistance, government against the people. Those who control,with their robots following blindly behind them, will seek to destroy or overrun those that resist.
What kind of wars may be in our future? We don't know, but it is easy to read the writing on the wall. It's there is BIG BOLD letters for all to see. The possibilities are numerous. Racial wars; black and white; black and brown; brown and white. Hetrosexual vs. homosexual. Urban vs. rural. Immigrants vs. Americans. Americans vs. immigrants. Anyone that speaks a different language or has an accent vs. 'normal' Americans. Federal government vs. State government. Local government vs. local people.
In any of these scenarios there will be tyrants that surface when there are temporary power vacuums. You can't support this John Wayne mentality that people are going to stand up and suddenly start supporting each other. It's not going to happen. Turn on the TV and look at the American spirit, look at what's its actually turned into. A bunch of rude, vulgar, whining, sissies that want every problem of the world to be solved in 30 minutes so everyone can go home happy and eat their TV dinners.
The haves vs. have nots, even if it's only a perception and not reality. Rich vs. poor. Welfare & disability recipients vs. those that work and pay for their lazy butts. This is one area where resentment gets stronger every day. Immigrants demanding entry, food, water, medical, housing vs. those with that have little and cannot support them. Border wars or invasions of many countries vs. citizens of those countries. Why is it that a country can no longer decide who they allow to immigrate? Why is it that immigrants can now demand to be let in and totally supported just because they want to? How is that possible?
There will be, and already are, religious wars. Muslim vs. Christian. Protestant/Catholic/Mormon/Jehovah's Witness, they all persecute each other and non religious people. Some of them teach hatred against everyone that is not one of 'them', not all but way too many. Then there are people that persecute everyone with any religious beliefs, except the Satanists, of course.
How come an isolated, black, religious leader can stand in a religious
forum, advocate shooting and killing white people, and absolutely nothing is done? It has somehow become okay. If a white preacher were to do
that, he would be in jail, for, guess what? A hate crime. That is an
issue. This folks, is a major problem which could lead to war, easily. We are already hearing about it on the news, people that murder and call it a race war.
Our government has betrayed
the people. The government has abandoned the Constitution, infringes on our legal rights more and more everyday, and this could lead to a conflict. They are already prepared for it, are you? We have been lied to, we have been cheated, and it continues to
get worse everyday. Look at the way the shootings in Oregon are being skewed and used for political means. One day it will not go any farther because it
can't. That will be the day the shackles will be tightened around
your leg to the point there is no escape. They are already there, all the have to do is
tighten the noose around your neck. You think Jade helm was just a
military exercise? It was. It was a data gathering exercise. Peaceful?
Yes. Our military has been purged. Our military will fire on and disarm
the American people. Don't kid yourself to think otherwise. WE THE PEOPLE, who stand up for our rights have now become the
enemy of the state. Don't get on the bus.
Yes, we have a war coming. It's black and white obvious. Look at some of the simple, simple data. Just look at it. The conditions are right. One small trigger will set this thing to rolling. There will be numerous coordinated attacks. They're already happening. Look at Ferguson, Missouri. Look at LA and the homeless problems. Look at towns all over this country with immigrant issues. Look at the EBT card issues. These people are not going to be happy when their cards are empty. Look at the banking problems. Look at schools, churches and our military. Look at the new openly gay secretary of the Army. Does that send you a message?
So, how is it going to happen? No telling. It could be a power grid failure. It could be a semi-truck accident carrying biologicals in a major town. It could be a freight train derailment carrying any number of assorted gases. It could be riots in a handful of major towns. It could be a viral pandemic. It could be a bank holiday. Many things could cause it to spiral out of control. But the government has their cards in place. They could start a riot at any time, they have been practicing all around the country. They're called community organizers. They are ready, they are organized, they are structured, disciplined and eager. WE THE PEOPLE have allowed THEM to control our lives through various forms of indoctrination and propaganda. We have few precious days left. We need to be mentally prepared for the horrors that are about to come upon us. We need to come together in neighborhoods, communities and towns across the country.
So, are we working hard? Yes. As long as we can, we are going to continue working hard. We want to do all we can to be prepared for the STARK REALITY that is about to come upon us all. Are you working hard? There are only so many days left, and if you know it's coming, then do something to prepare. Make a list, accomplish one of the tasks, and check it off. Or you can wait for the government to do it for you, and they will check you off of their list. Don't ever get on the bus.
Frank & Fern
Folks, the words I wrote about a year and a half ago are just as true today as they were then, only now, things have continued to get significantly worse. I can't even begin to recount the number of freedoms we have lost since this was written, or the growing resentment and anger that has festered to the boiling point all over the globe. We are a world in crisis, much of which has been brought on by design. We are about to see the culmination of many years of planning. For those that are taking control, it must be grand to finally succeed. The tyrants are on the lose and will stop at nothing to achieve each and every item on their agenda.
I hope you enjoy this article and it provides you with food for thought. Fern
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Originally published March 18, 2014
Remember when it took six months for the United States
to amass the needed troops and equipment for Desert Storm? And then the
storm came?
We
are in the midst of many different storms and we have been given this
time to amass our own equipment. Why is it that we have seen fluctuating
supplies and sometimes shortages of everything from wheat grinders, to
shovels, to canning jars and lids, to freeze dried foods, to ammunition?
Because The People, many mom and pops, uncles, aunts, cousins,
sisters and brothers are gathering what they need to weather the storm.
There are so many things happening around the globe, and especially in
our own backyard, that are adding impetus and energy to the storm.
How many troublesome things have you run across
lately? They appear to become more numerous each day. The message
seems to be hunker down, be ready, it's coming. The harder we try to
get things in order, the more obstacles arise in our way. But you know
what? That's okay. It just makes us more determined and
focused .....because we know it's storming all about us.
We
talked to a medical doctor recently that told us he has a list of medications
on his desk that he can no longer prescribe to Medicaid patients, I'm sure you know why.
Digitalis is one of the most popular medications given for heart
conditions and it is on his list. He is deeply offended for being put in
a professional quandary. His hands are being tied when it comes to
offering the best medical treatment for his patients. I can't help but
wonder if this is one of the ways TPTB (the powers that be) are going to save money. Not only
will they save money on prescriptions, they will decrease the number of
people receiving Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, by impacting
some of the recipients ability to get the type of medical care that
would have prolonged their life. I know that is a very harsh thing to
say, but I think it is true. And I think it is part of the plan.
The
people of Crimea that could see what was coming to their country, took
their money out of the bank. Did you? Have you spent the time wondering
how you will be able to 'buy' what you need when the money you have is
worthless, or you can't get it out of the bank because the banks are
closed, or they just won't let you have it? You say this can't happen?
Look at the number of countries which are modern, industrial nations,
where it has happened in just the last few years. The dollar becomes
worth less and less with each passing day. The dollar in your pocket
buys much less than it did just six short months ago. How much less will
it buy in six more months? Do you know how to barter? Do you have
anything that will be worth bartering? Do you have skills that are
worthy of barter? Rush Limbaugh has said something like, if just 1% more
of the people in our country became aware of what is happening, then
the store shelves would be empty. Empty. Think about that. Just imagine
what it would be like if 10% more people became aware and tried to stock
up. There would be nothing left. There would be panic and chaos. But
that's what we want, right? More people to be aware and prepare. I know I
do. But do we have the resources for that to happen? No. So, how can we
get more people to prepare? Teach them to produce more for themselves
for their daily necessities, and stop being dependent on the corporate
and government systems.
How
many people have been affected by the weather and cold temperatures
this winter? Millions. How many people have had to go without because of
the drastic price increases and shortages of heating oil and propane?
What would we do if the supplies needed to stay warm were no longer
available? That would be a major catastrophe. A crisis. But what do we
hear? Nothing.
No crisis here. Just global warming. Ha! So we need to put more restrictions on the
ability of people and companies to engage in good old fashioned
commerce, you know, free enterprise, right? That will solve the crisis
of global warming. Crisis, what crisis? Move along and drink the
coolaid. You know, that is one thing I am not stocking up on. We don't
drink it, too much sugar.
Can you
see where the people in Egypt are better off than five years ago? And
do you really think the people in Libya are better off than they were?
Let's go down the list. How about the folks rioting or
protesting in Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela,
Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Greece, Corsica, France and Spain? I'm not even
going to mention central Africa. Don't think it can happen here? What
about the rising tensions in Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon,
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Israel? And don't forget about Christians
being murdered all over the world. You don't
think it could happen in America as well? Then look at Chicago, Detroit
and Atlanta. The United States military is removing God more and more
everyday. I wonder when being a Christian will be some type of a crime
in this country?
It seems that the 'weather men' that know the storm is here keep trying to placate The People
with pleasant platitudes and the antics of the rich and famous, which
include our illustrious bureaucrats. If that is not enough
entertainment, then they fill the silver screen
with
an overpowering, nauseating amount of filth, sex and mindless drivel.
And to keep everyone's attention riveted, every so often a false flag
distraction is thrown in for good measure. Crisis of the day in any
flavor you like. Remember, don't ever let a good crisis go to waste.
The
bottom line folks, is that the less you are dependent on any other
person or system for your health, wealth and well being, the better off
you are. Don't spend your time being distracted by the latest crisis or
non-crisis
that is made to appear like another crisis. Don't buy into the, "Oh,
No! The sky is falling!" crowd. If you do, when the time comes that the
sky truly does fall, you will be left standing there with your hands out
wondering when the truck will show up with your next meal and bottle of
water. Don't ever get on the truck. It will be the last trip you ever
make. Take the time to learn and decide for yourself. Don't take the
media's word for anything, research, READ don't watch, learn and come to
your own conclusions. Don't take my word for it either. Use your mind,
heart and soul and pray for wisdom, knowledge and guidance.
I'm
angry, I'm broken hearted and I'm determined. I'm tired of watching our
world and our country go down the tubes. I cannot see living under the
yoke of a tyrannical, socialist government that gets worse everyday.
There IS a crisis here and we will not just move along, shuffling our
feet to the beat of the wrong drummer. If you have not already done so,
you need to open your eyes, truly look around you, and take the action
necessary to provide for you and yours, because no one else will. If you
think they will, you will have a long wait, and in the end, you will be
sorely disappointed.
I pray God's blessings on each and every one of you.
Until next time - Fern
We have had emergency packs in our vehicles for quite some time and it is time to take inventory and update a few things. I have felt the need to get very serious about being prepared away from home.
We learned a lot in Alaska about the need for emergency, survival equipment. The remote villages we lived in required travel by plane, sometimes in a small 207 that would seat six people. During the winter you were not allowed on the plane without adequate gear for warmth - just in case the plane went down. These experiences brought survival gear into the realm of everyday provisions that we wouldn't think of being without.
My emergency pack is a basic backpack. If I ever need to walk, I want to be able to carry my supplies with me as comfortably as possible. That means on my back, not over my shoulder or in my hand.
The current inventory contains:
Ziplock bag of old peanuts that need to be replaced
Good pair of tennis shoes (this will give me 2 pairs of shoes with the ones I will be wearing)
2 emergency ponchos
Small package of rope
2 emergency blankets with green on one side and silver on the other
Basic first aid kit that includes: Bandaids, gauze, triple antibiotic ointment, hydrocortizone
Roll of toilet paper in ziplock bag
Partial roll of paper towels
3 carabiners
Inside the car are items that would be added to the backpack if I ever needed to leave it and walk somewhere. These items include:
Small maglight
Flashing hazard warning light (the kind you would put out on the road to warn on coming traffic)
Jacket with hood (this is my car jacket, it's in there year round)
Light rain coat with light insulation and hood
Lighter
I always carry a variety of items in my purse that would be useful in an emergency situation.
Gerber multi purpose tool
Small maglight
Lighter
Very small first aid kit
Tylenol
Carmex
Cough drops
Rolaids
Bandanna
Knife
Whistle
Extra charged cell phone battery
I work about 30 miles from home. In the remote possibility that something happens and I could not drive home, or at least part of the way home, we have several contingency plans that we hope would result in my safe arrival. We have studied maps, driven the possible routes and made ourselves as familiar with the terrain as much as possible.
With winter coming on, I have felt the need this year to upgrade the supplies in my pack. I am adding the following supplies:
New bag of mixed nuts
2 freeze dried meals to add water, let soak and eat
Empty peanut butter jar to soak food or filter dirty water before sterilizing
Bandanna and old towels for stage one water filtering and whatever need arises
Binoculars
Steripen for sterilizing water 2 bottles of water (chlorinated from the tap)
Emergency whistle with compass
Pair of pants
Long-sleeved and short-sleeved t-shirts
2 pairs of socks
All purpose hat
As I went over the contents of my backpack, I realized that since Frank had installed the Alinco VHF/UHF mobile radio in my
vehicle, I no longer had a radio that I could disconnect from the car and take with me if I had to walk. I felt that this was a big oversight on my part. Initially we were using the Wouxun handheld VHF/UHF radios in the vehicles with a battery eliminator. That would allow us to remove the radio, insert a battery pack and antenna that were kept in the vehicle, and we would be good to go. I really like the Alinco for a mobile radio. We are able to communicate clearly for a much farther distance when I go to work. Now I will be adding a handheld radio to my pack for emergency communications if I am on foot.
Communications equipment in my pack will include:
A handheld radio
Extra battery
A short stubby antenna
A 9 inch antenna
If I am walking with a radio clipped to my belt, the stubby is better; I would be less apt to bend and/or break the antenna. If I am stationary or trying to receive a signal and the stubby is inadequate, I can change to the longer antenna.
Mental preparation is key to survival. We have been preparing for a long time, but that doesn't mean we think of everything. Like the new radio in the vehicle. It has been there for several months, but it did not occur to me that it would leave me without radio contact if I were on foot. I am grateful that I have been getting this nudge to upgrade my pack, otherwise I don't know how long it would have been before I realized I needed a handheld radio. It may have been too late. This is one instance I am glad to discover the inadequacy now. There are sometimes that failure is not an option.
Frank has known for a long time that communications will be a key component in a survival situation. There are some basic, simple steps that can be taken to increase your ability to communicate with your loved ones, as well as listen to what is happening in your area should a disaster or collapse occur. Anyone can broadcast on any
frequency, including ham radio frequencies, in an emergency if there are no other means of communication available. The ability to prepare for and survive some of the situations coming our way may hinge on our ability to hear what is coming. If you have a group of people in your area that can communicate via radio in a grid down, collapse situation, it may save your life. You may be able to know if there is danger heading your way. You may be able to warn someone else if danger is heading their way. It is another layer of preparation that may make all the difference in the world. Radio communications will also bring at least some information, whether it is local, national, or worldwide, in a time when all information is cut off. Not knowing anything about what is happening when we are used to massive amounts of information at the click of a button will be a huge change for all of us, and a difficult one, at best.
I challenge you to give some serious thought to your situation and prepare for a way to get home on foot. The day may never arrive when you need it, and I pray that is the case. But, Frank has a good saying that he has picked up along the way. "I would rather be a prepared fool than an unprepared fool." It may mean all the difference in the world to those you love.
Until next time - Fern
