I was a young wife in the California delta and the National Guard came to the house and said that the levy up the road was starting to break could we feed the workers? My thought was with what? the rain continued and the levels all around us started to give way. Then I was toted out of the house and my new life by the National guard unit that was trying to save the islands and the delta area. I didn't have a toothbrush even. That was in 1975. I have lived through five floods, one tornado (driving truck), freezing rain that caused a power out and I was in the truck on the freeway for hours in one spot, earthquakes, divorce, death of family members, and being ran over and then backed over by a semi truck during desert storm. I have learned prepping a little at a time. I didn't know I was into survivalism until someone else told me that I was. I ran into my husband crying and asked him do you think I am a survivalist? Yes dear you are, but dear that is not a bad think. After all we eat when the electric goes off, and we have blankets on the beds when the heat goes off and we have other things when the other people don't care about doing something until it's to late. Oh! The next day an article on MSN news about survivalist and the economy came up and I read it and found a whole world of pepole like me. I carry a potty purse in the car and truck because you never know where the urge might strike and with little kids... I have the Bug out bags in the car as well as a tent and folding chairs. The boys, now grown and the grand babies which have now each have a PMSS bag. I put a lunch basket in the vehilclel each time we go somewhere just in case we get stuck in where ever... like three weeks ago in a traffic jam because a truck caught on fire and his load went over the side of the mountain and the freeway was closed for six hours...I found the ready gov site for the FFAK and filled it out and sent one copy to each of the family members I am trying to convert to being prepared. Then I read that passports were going to be necessary so I have the papers ready and will be getting them soon you never can tell if you might need them. I never really thought about the things I can do until I read this site and the list is I can, I learned because that is what my grandmothers, mother and aunts did during the summer so we could eat in the winter, I haven't learned to meat can but I have a mentor that is couching me, I went to cooking school and learned a long time ago how to bake bread by hand and how to feed people on next to nothing. That was the restaurant cooking classes for catering. Then I learned how to sew, tailor, knit, crochet, take photographs in black and white and develop them and how to do leather and make this from nothing. I was the head of a group that did trash to treasure before all this green stuff came about. I learned how to drive, fly, sail, fish, and camp. I camped ever summer all summer when I started at the age of 7. I would hike and backpack during the other parts of the year. I had to learn to shoot for my job driving truck. I was trained in self defence mainly because they wanted the loads protected. I grew up gardening and lived on the family farms until I was married and we lived on his families grounds in the middle of nowhere. I now live with my second husband on three plus some off a long dirt road and into the hill side. We moved out of the mobile home part to here because we have horses. We planted fruit trees and have tried gardening here. This area of the desert is not forgiving but my small plants have sprouted up and they like the containers. This year I am praying for more than the dogs getting to eat the fruit of the berries and the tops of the plants, like it's made for them. LOL I also have had my own business for years since 1975 altering and making clothes. I prepare because the alternative is going hungry, thirsty, and no clothes. I hang the clothes outside on the line. I have camping equipment and I'm looking into turning my exercise bike into how to power the sewing machine. Thanks Jack you rock To the others helping you rock too. I am continuing to prep because I want to be like the five of the ten virgins who were ready when the bridegroom came and they got in, also She looks well to the ways of her house.
