I GI in early 1997, convinced my wife by early 1998, bought place out in the middle of nowhere in 1998 and started prepping. Serious prepping, including alternative power. Now after a year of prepping, I still don't feel ready - something comes up almost every day that reminds me of something that may or may not be on one of my several dozen lists, most of which I can never seem to find anymore because of the piles of "stuff". For example, yeaterday, one of the horses was not feeling well, the vet came out - the horse had a temperature. Vet told me to take its temp. this morning and I could not find ONE thermometer - and I know I have several SOMEWHERE. Went out, bought yet another, and am going to "fine tune" the preps with a full med kit for the animals.

Has anyone found a decent way to organize all this last minute panic stuff, or am I just losing it?

-- ivan (ivan1776@ivnet.net), December 20, 1999

Answers

This may help, Ivan.

Q: When sorting out your thermometers, do you know how to tell the difference between the oral thermometers and the rectal thermometers?

A: By the taste, of course!

(Sorry, just couldn't resist...)

-- Norm Harrold (nharrold@tymewyse.com), December 20, 1999.

Ivan,

Right now I would suggest you focus on obtaining INFO.

It is unrealistic to expect to have everything. Understand that products are going to be available for several months, just may cost alittle. Are you networking to have alternative means to satisfy futue needs?

Do you know the grocer by name? Do you know who he orders from? Does he always get his stuff from the same driver? If so, what is his name?

Do you have a shortwave that you can talk on? If not, your fire dept and/or hospital and/or firemen do. Are you collecting call numbers or handles?

Who are the cops in your town? Do you know your firemen/paramedics? If not, you may want to take over some cookies and cocoa over the holidays. Have a group from your choir sing them carols. Network. Network. Network. Now is the time to develop relationships so that you will have access to 1-Info, and 2-supply lines.

This is all just my opinion. But because my income is a joke I have had to pick and choose what I would buy. I rent in the suburbs. But the house is brick, free standing, with a fireplace, in a mild climate. My landlord is paternal. I remind him of his kids. He works for my city, and has acces to that info/services. He is wealthy, yet has always heated his home with wood stoves. He knows how to survive, though I don't know if he is a GI.

I had to focus on the most food I could get for my money, cause if I'm one month short then I will watch my dogs starve. We have pennicilin and a few other luxuries from an online vet pharm. I've saved some of my perscriptions, predominantly my blood pressure meds, which I take only for migraines, may save a neighbor's life. I have first aid stuff up the yen-yang. I have thread/needles for sutures. Dutch oven. I have one of those fancy $300 water filters, which cost me $41 but will only do 1 gal an hour. So. The $260 I saved means my family, or my neighbor's baby, will live that much longer.

Those are all the preps I could swing, so I have known from the start that I would not be able to cover all my bases. My survival will hang on knowing when to hide under my bed (heh), and when teach the neighbor behind me how to make a bucket for his well (meaning it is not safe for me to walk down to the river).

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 20, 1999.

Ivan,

I don't know you or your situation intimately enough to give really great advice. You'll just have to evaluate what bit I can give you and see if it makes sense.

If I were you, I worry less about stuff and a lot more about learning to adapt to the place and the people who share the middle of nowhere with me. If those people have been there a while they are pure gold as resources of information and aid.

The chances are they don't exactly have the money or resources to buy whatever stuff takes their fancy. But if they know you and trust you, and you need to borrow something, they'd be glad to lend it, along with some expertise. Or they can teach you the workaround they use.

Just take a deep breath and realize that sometimes you have to improvise. You can't do more in a day than you can do. The world is old and you have to fit it more than it you, but we were fashioned to fit it, so that's not an impossible goal. If you have enough sense to use what you find, you will survive as well as anyone else, and maybe better.

I hope this helps a bit.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), December 20, 1999.

After many years of racing 1/4 mile uphill to get the syringes or the mineral oil or the tubing&big syringe etc., we finally tacked a cabinet to the barn wall. High enough the cats can't get to it. A wooden box or a covered can on the floor would work just as well. Stick your immediate vet needs in it. What a simple idea and it only took us 5 years to think of it. I did stick all the Bandaids and peroxide in the bathroom. If you don't have cupboards you could put it in the hamper or another bos. What's another box among so many? Now my problem is finding the foods. I want to make up some boxes that have a weeks supply of foods. I'm having a time finding where I put the particular items I want. If I'm looking for mac& cheese, all I'll find is tea bags or dish detergent. I needed a better plan about last March. Pam

-- Pamela (jpjgood@penn.com), December 20, 1999.

Brian, great answer. Five thumbs up!

Ed in the middle of nowhere.

-- Ed (ed@lizzardranch.com), December 20, 1999.

If the world goes POP! I will have plenty to do for the first 6 months, at least.

It will take that long to sort out and organize all the goodies.

Lots o' fun stuff there. No time now to "play"

Well, with a few exceptions.

Cornbread made with fresh ground corn is *wonderfull*.

BTW, the corn was bought in BULK from a feed mill.

Tastes a tad gritty, but everyone says DE is good for you.

And NO, If I had 3 more years and $100K I would still not feel done.

-Greybear

-- Got Time?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), December 20, 1999.

Ivan,

I have lived in the boondocks for years. Relax. I know it sounds hookie but there is always something going on that you either have to pull off or forget about. A couple of weeks ago a fox killed my chickens. Do I spend the time to build a chicken fort or forget it fo a while? (The last time it was a bobcat.) I chose to forget about it for now and buy more dried eggs.

I know it's hard but just relax. There will always be problems.

Live and enjoy the beauty around you.

Todd

-- Todd Detzel (detzel@jps.net), December 20, 1999.

Don't forget to tie a string on the thermometer!!! ;)

-- Gypsy (GypsiGold@aol.com), December 20, 1999.

Thanks all for the answers. You all are right about networking with the neighbors - talked to one today and it seems most of them are (sort of) GI. Pamela, thanks for your suggestion - it hadn't occurred to me to put "stuff" in a location where you're most likely to be using it. Gypsy, yes I did tie a string to it. Thanks again.

-- ivan (ivan1776@ivnet.net), December 21, 1999.

But GreyBear, that's what SHELVES are for, as Mrs. D keeps reminding me. Remind me I said that about NYE as I have my 4 days of last minute purchases in STACKS ALL over the house, atic, basement and car (s).

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), December 21, 1999.