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"The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His Servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?" (Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, November 1980)
Still sick here. It has been a really hard thing for sure but I am learning to move at a slower pace. I have been reading in the sun wondering when I am well why I don’t do this? It is making me take time to think about slowing down…taking time.
I hope you are still working on building your storage and building your skills. Having storage has really blessed us.
Are you getting ready to put in your garden??
After May 15 is our planting time.
www.foodstoragemoms.com/2016/04/why-you-need-to-be-self-reliant - this has great info.
http://storethisnotthat.com/how-to-survive-an-earthquake/ - we will hopefully never have them as bad as others but I thought it would be good to know.
A few years back a fellow from California was at a business fair type thing in Utah. They had tents and canopy type things set up. When someone came running in and said to take cover for a tornado this man went into emergency mode and ran out in the street. Some people he said he was sure was from the Midwest told him no and to come with them to take cover. So for your own good read up on this and on tornadoes. We have had our share of emergency events in Iowa to know we need to be prepared.
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/tornado#/Prepare This is our season coming up …..you need to be prepared, your kids need to be prepared because they could be home alone while you are trying to get home. If you are in a store when sirens go off they keep you there, so be prepared.
I can tell you to watch the changes in weather. You feel the change - sky goes green, this usually precedes hail, then tornadoes. Be weather aware. I grew up in Iowa and you can feel the weather change. We have a weather radio on both floors, you need to keep it on. We always have ours on and they have helped us. The tornado does make a train noise, it is a surreal thing to hear. Don’t think, "oh, the siren is going off, it will be okay." You all should go to the basement. Look at it as a chance to practice. Don’t be complacent. There is a reason we have sirens… to give you a bit of warning.
Straight line winds are just as damaging if not more as they cover larger areas, the sirens go off for those as well.
Check your weather everyday don’t get caught off guard.
I finally saw a rotating cloud a few years back in Ankeny. We were discussing watching the clouds and one formed right over us. It looks like a dark toilet swirl. Then there are the ones you see that look like V clouds lowering and rising. I have seen them form on a regular live newscast, so do your homework.
http://www.netmums.com/family-food/guide-to-cooking-on-a-budget/cooking-on-a-budget-members-top-tips I want you to know that making food from scratch is a really good way to save your budget.
http://www.netmums.com/family-food/guide-to-cooking-on-a-budget/cooking-on-a-budget - good ideas
http://goodcheapeats.com/2010/02/build-frugal-pantry/ - ideas to help
http://goodcheapeats.com/2010/03/cinnamon-roll-convenience-without-can/ I like this idea... okay, I just love cinnamon rolls :)
http://goodcheapeats.com/2012/05/bake-your-own-bread-to-save-money/ - it is $ saved when you make your own.
Have you tried shopping at Aldi’s? I find that you leave with a full cart for less.
Stretch those dollars. Fastco is Fareway’s generic brand and I prefer that so check, you may find no taste difference for some savings.
Keep working on your skills and budget and storage, every little bit adds up.
"Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account... We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now." President Ezra Taft Benson, General Conference October 1980; and in that same talk, he also said….
“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the lasts days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.”
I was requested to do a whole blog post on sheltering in place so we shall honor the request…
As you know our embassy in Brussels had Americans shelter in place, this does go hand and hand with a 72 hour kit in that we should be prepared to evacuate and be prepared to shelter in place in your home. Now if you have been working on your storage you could easily stay in, what if you did not have your storage? You could put a loved one in danger to go for food. You could be the neighbor that can share with your neighbors.
http://www.csusm.edu/em/procedures/shelter.html - this is good
https://www.opcw.org/protection/facts-about-sheltering-in-place/
www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/shelterinplace.html - scroll down for procedures for sheltering in place
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelter_in_place - more on sheltering in place
http://www.nsemo.org/sites/default/files/files/nsemo_shelter_in_place_checklist_for_businesses.pdf
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/shelterinplace/ - good info
http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/shelter/index.asp - helpful info here too
http://www.cambridgema.gov/emergencymanagement/shelterinplaceinformation.aspx and here
http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340182_shelterinplace.pdf - Redcross info.
https://www.ready.gov/shelter - more info
http://www.y12.doe.gov/security/emergency-public-information/sheltering-place
https://www.fema.gov/faq-details/Evacuating-v-Shelter-in-place-1370032121004/
http://www.aem.umn.edu/info/Shelter_In_Place.shtml
http://survivalweekly.com/downloadable-files/article-sheltering-in-place/ - very helpful
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/preparedness/shelter/
While we are talking along this line, do you have fire drills and evacuation plans posted on the refrigerator?
Also a tornado plan - We should be ready as we are heading into our severe weather time of year.
It is a good idea to have plans. We had a fire evacuation plan that we were to get out of house and run to the big tree out back.
Be thinking about gardening, it will soon be here. We plant May 15 and after.
http://www.onsuttonplace.com/2016/03/indoor-mason-jar-herb-garden/ - this would be nice in the kitchen
We are responsible for our family to have needed food, clothing, and shelter as best we can.
When we as people put in our storage, if our living space is small, we need to be creative. If we have much room we still need to be creative and most all of us fall in the middle and have to be creative.
I feel we need to go over this again... do not store your food on concrete directly. You need to put wood between the item and a cement floor palettes are easy to get and can be used for this purpose.
I store in buckets I get from bakeries for free. I wash and dry thoroughly. If you purchase buckets make sure they are food grade buckets. We have used buckets for short evacs when in college.
We have had short periods of this but if anything unforeseen were to happen really have your home be a shelter for you and others.
Keep working on skills that you would need in anything that happens. Build your storage, also make sure you have fun board games - you could have no power.
This post is not to scare you, just to help you be prepared for anything. I am proud of you all.
