What did you do today to prep...

[Carl]

Yes, I get a refund and keep the item, but I cant long term store it.

It is first off a packaging problem, they put 2 #10 cans in a box that could hold 4. They didnt realy think of how to protect the cans, they just put in those airfilled packaging things. The cans popped them, as the cans are heavy and were not packed tight enough, the cans could move around more now, and so were banging around in the box. I see this first off as a problem with Amazons warehouse packaging, then they may be tossed around in transit causing the denting, but my mail carrier is good, and he drove the package down the driveway and nicely set it at my gate ( not next to the mailbox on the street )

I also have had the 'air bags' fail,especially from one warehouse in Colorado. ??

[Smurf Hunter]

I also have had the 'air bags' fail,especially from one warehouse in Colorado. ??

Warehouse workers in CO are likely high on legalized pot.   

[mountainmoma]

Warehouse workers in CO are likely high on legalized pot.   

I get dizzy here just shopping, the pot smell just permeates alot of people, workers and shoppers both, this is what I get thrift store shopping, and shopping at grocery outlet....If I wanted clean air, I should of gone to.... I dont know, is there such a place in the city by me ? Events like the quilt show, and the gun range dont smell like skunk (if these people imbibe, they at least dont do it constantly and put on clean clothes the rest of the time )

[Carl]

  Air can be a bit better in a hospital.

[Smurf Hunter]

This is depressing to think fresh air is becoming a rare resource.

[mountainmoma]

This is depressing to think fresh air is becoming a rare resource.

It needs to be reined in by employers, at least. Used to be, and likely still is, that if one came in from lunch, reeking of alcohol, and obviously tipsy, you would get talked to or fired. Just because pot is legal for recreation, it is a bad idea to ignore compromised employees wether it be pot or alcohol. Right now, people around here act like getting stoned does not impair, and act like employees getting stoned every break and lunch is perfectly fine

[Stwood]

Yes, I get a refund and keep the item, but I cant long term store it.

It is first off a packaging problem, they put 2 #10 cans in a box that could hold 4. They didnt realy think of how to protect the cans, they just put in those airfilled packaging things. The cans popped them, as the cans are heavy and were not packed tight enough, the cans could move around more now, and so were banging around in the box. I see this first off as a problem with Amazons warehouse packaging, then they may be tossed around in transit causing the denting, but my mail carrier is good, and he drove the package down the driveway and nicely set it at my gate ( not next to the mailbox on the street )

My amazon and walmart orders can come from 3 different sources. UPS, FED-EX, or USPS.

And all 3 can football them around. Sometimes UPS and FED-EX pass them off to USPS.

And I agree about Amazon's packing. It's iffy. Most times the boxes are too big. They are cheap in applying tape.
But thank God they don't use peanuts!!!! 

Walmart does a better job of sizing boxes, and packing things tighter in the box. I haven't had any shipping oopsie's with Walmart that I can remember.

[Stwood]

Wife is mixing up our first batch of selfmade laundry soap. We'll see how that goes.

[Redman]

What she using in it?

I've used Zote in the past but could never get wife to add the baking soda and/or borax to it. Zote is a soap not a detergent. You have to grate it, I've never see it in a powder, bar only.

[Stwood]

Zote, finely grated like cheese.
Borax
Baking soda.

We got the recipe from a friend, but her directions she wrote down weren't quite clear to us, so I googled around and found it.

Got a 5 gallon bucket now, for about $2.00-$3.00

I can find it again if needed?

[bcksknr]

     Picked up my Ranger from the mechanic: frame inspection, new hitch, wiring for camper, trailer brake controls, booster shocks, transmission flush. Now we wait for the camper to arrive. Meanwhile going through the survival stuff I took out of the truck before putting it all back in. Did a little "pretend shopping" with wife for things for the camper; need to wait on measurements to buy drawer and closet organizers.
     Meanwhile, reminiscing about the "good old days" (Cuban Missile Crisis) in preparation for WWIII. Putin says if we hit their installations in Syria, they will shoot down our cruise missiles (good luck with that) and take out the ships or bombers that launched them. I guess it would be hard to hit Assad and not kill a few Russians in the process. So if they sink a U.S. Missile destroyer or shoot down a B-52, it might be a good time to start digging a hole. Hope we get to do a little camping with our new camper before the balloon goes up. Of course, a trip to Canada, with as much as we could stuff in the camper might be nice, as long as they don't close the border to radioactive American "immigrants". 

[Smurf Hunter]

All I did was run 2 miles on the treadmill in the office building's gym. 

While I'm pretty cynical, I'm not pre-occupied with war on US soil.  It would take something like 10x LA Riots for me to truly "bug out"  for good.
If I really had to ditch, and I was going to die otherwise I have access to a few small sized cruising sailboats I might "Borrow" for an extended period. Even at 5 knots I can make it to Canadian waters in a couple days.
I have no illusion of indefinite self-sustained living at sea, but I can cross many regional bodies of water after bridges close up.

Then again, during the cold war there are 2 primary military targets that would likely be hit in a full scale nuclear exchange.  Never mind...

[Stwood]

Smoked ham steaks on the grill, then cubed and canned 12 pints yesterday.

[Smurf Hunter]

Dusted off the HF transceiver and had a nice contact with some folks in Reno, NV.  I used 50 watts and about 65 feet of 14awg wire in my attic.  I got signal reports ranging from 5-7 to 5-9.
Whatever your preps, it's good to test your capabilities on occasion.

[bcksknr]

     Watching the news feeds for information on our Syrian strikes.

[Applejack]

Got part of garden ready for planting and weeded flower beds. Now have a new area for herbs. Will be getting that section ready for them soon.  Figured out best location for a small greenhouse. Will be trying to get that up as soon as the wind dies down in a few days.. Hoping for tuesday or wed. next week.  Went to the Farm Fresh that is going out of bussines.  Picked through a lot of things and added powdered milk and flour to my storage. Just have to oven can them now.  Picked up some more bottles of wine as well at a great price. Will be using that for bartering. Don't have to worry about dates on that. It ages for the better..  Watching news on Syria as well. Things are just not looking to good.  Got some veannia sausage for about .15 cents a can to add to my preps.

[mountainmoma]

- Food prep: Picked up 18 of the small, fancy jam jars and 1.5 boxes of flats at the Grey Bears (senior run) thrift shop. .25/jar and each partial used flat box

- Animal preps: Cant believe in this geopolitical climate I am low on animal feeds ! Went to the feed store and got 6 bales (all my truck will fit) It was EXPENSIVE ! Prices just keep rising, and my barn isnt near full.... $22/bale for alfalfa and $27/bale for grass hay. Got home too late to unload. With what is in the barn, this is 2 months worth only. Picked up a bag of layer pellets, I have 1 1/2 here and I ran out of cash with me, given the hay ! That I can buy more local though, and Chickens are never a worry, they can eat anything, esp wheat berries and legumes...they were OUT of cat food, luckily I still have a 25lb unopened bag, which goes along ways as I am down to 2 cats. Traffic was too insane to get to the other pet store for cat food/litter, and it is only 1.5 miles further on, but I had to turn around.

[Redman]

 Went to the feed store and got 6 bales (all my truck will fit) It was EXPENSIVE ! Prices just keep rising, and my barn isnt near full.... $22/bale for alfalfa and $27/bale for grass hay.

Oh ouch! I had no idea hay was that expensive. I used to get $0.25/bale for hauling hay with my truck but that was late 1960's.

Dehydrating pineapple today and tomorrow and the next day and the next day.  Mentioned elsewhere I caught them at $0.88 ea. a couple weeks ago and got 5. Already did them. Now Aldi's has them at $0.89 ea. I got 10. Sliced into rings and cored 5 yesterday rings cut in half. I could only get about half the pieces in the dehydrator this morning so a second day on that batch and I have 5 more pineapples to do after that.

[Applejack]

Spent the day with my daughter going to the going out of business sells. Toys are Us are not far enough yet to buy but we are watching.  Farm Fresh had 70% off so we picked through that one. Got a few can goods to add to our stock and hit the first aid, shampoos, razor blades, vits. we use and some other things for 70% off. I saved over 400 dollars for things we use and got some trial size things as well for bartering. I am fixing up plastic shoe size containers that I got at dollar tree and putting things like soap, shampoo, razors, deoderant,small first aid kits, sewing kits and anything else that I can add to that for bartering purposes. I think they will go a long way when and if SHTF.  And if not I have a lot of things we can use ourselves so a win, win either way I hope. With the kids going camping and such it also works well for them when they go.

[mountainmoma]

Warmth project: Went and picked up a bunch of free wool, some plaid of various shades to make patchwork, then a bunch of strips, already cut and rolled to braid rugs. I will not have time until I get thru the blankets to do rugs, that will have to wait for fall

[Hootie]

its been a while, so...

• new job (more money)
• fixed the AC on my truck
• reorganized the panty, which lead to more food preps
• planted potatoes in the garden (doing well so far)
• added security lights outside
• scanning ham radio frequencies to find channels are useful around me.
• hanging out with FrugalFannie talking preps and learning stuff

[Stwood]

Today, will prep up some food dishes for the next couple of days (we can use preps also). All lower kitchen cabinets are coming out tomorrow and we will install the new ones I've built.
Possible that we'll have the sink and water back on late Monday, but not planning on it. New faucet is to arrive from Amazon Monday, so.....

[Smurf Hunter]

Hit cash and carry, and for the price of dinner out for two, I made 4 large baked pasta dishes in foil pans that are in the freezer.
Cleared out some garage shelves and organized canning jars and supplies.
Got a few more 10# cans of augason/mountain house. I'm not going crazy with these, but the shelf life is so good, having a dozen or so makes sense to me.
Donated some old furniture and clothing (yeah more space)
Did some hand loading of a new 9mm recipe
Went to a birthday party, and had one of the guest tell me the only reason to own a gun is because I secretly want to murder cops.  That was a new one... and not really a prep, but I'm still in shock over the comment.

[Stwood]

Went to a birthday party, and had one of the guest tell me the only reason to own a gun is because I secretly want to murder cops.  That was a new one... and not really a prep, but I'm still in shock over the comment.

So, have your eyebrows settled back in to normal mode yet? 

[Carl]

Tornado and power outage test,God provided the tornado.

[Chemsoldier]

Ham club supported a 5k. About 34 degrees and rainy so a good test if equipment and clothing.

Grilled out with my battle buddy a few nights ago and plotted the mobile ham radii install for my sedan for when we actually get a nice weekend.

Did some good reading on stoicism and trying not to worry so much. I am disturbed by the thought I worry too much...

[Carl]

  I worry about the things that cause you to worry so much...

[bcksknr]

     A friend has two identical folding "deer hunting" knives; knife blade, saw blade, gut hook. They came with really crappy nylon pouches; although the knives themselves are actually nice. He said he'd give me one if I made leather pouches for them. For that sort of thing I make a two piece wood mold to "wet mold" heavy leather for the pouch, they sew that to a back with a sewn on belt loop and add a snap. I've used this technique to make custom leather pouches, sheaths, holsters, etc. Other than feed the starving birds (we've had a blizzard today) that's about it. I can't believe how much black oil sunflower seed they go through when the weather is this bad. Can't do much for the early robins, however.

[LvsChant]

Zote, finely grated like cheese.
Borax
Baking soda.

We got the recipe from a friend, but her directions she wrote down weren't quite clear to us, so I googled around and found it.

Got a 5 gallon bucket now, for about $2.00-$3.00

I can find it again if needed?

I think you need washing soda -- not baking soda. We have a whole thread here about making your own laundry soap... I usually used fels naptha soap rather than zote, but either one will work. I haven't been making my own soap recently (I find the liquid soap on sale so cheaply, it is less expensive than I could make my own), but I do keep the needed ingredients on hand (just in case).

Here is a recipe from the TSP book: Laundry Soap (with TSP)
Submitted by LvsChant 


Ingredients:
1 bar grated Fels Naptha soap
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda


Directions:
Use 1 1/2 Tablespoon per load (front-loading HE machine add to machine underneath clothes -- not in top receptacle). To each laundry load, I add 1 Tablespoon TSP (trisodium phosphate) along with the laundry soap mixture. This works as a rinse agent… gets the clothes cleaner, fresher, whites whiter.

[Stwood]

Hmmm I'll go find the recipe and ck. I may have mis typed.