Almost three weeks into my foray with this account and I'm closing in on 100 HP. I'm pretty happy with that. As always I start with an update on how things are going for my HP and GLD stash increase and then I'll be chatting a bit about preparing for the unexpected.
| Earnings YTD | HP | HELIOS | GLD Owed | GLD Held | Off Chain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 20 | 81.198 | 0.918 | 580 | 430.429 | 0 |
| Day 19 | 80.958 | 0.708 | 525.9 | 428.856 | 0 |
| Day 18 | 65.378 | 0.538 | 470.9 | 330.014 | 0 |
| Day 17 | 43.154 | 0.307 | 412.3 | 273.156 | 0 |
| Day 16 | 35.645 | 0.235 | 365.1635 | 227.204 | 0 |
| Day 15 | 25.957 | 0.122 | 323.3945 | 163.979 | 0 |
| Day 14 | 20.761 | 0.07 | 323.3945 | 155.63 | 0 |
| (Day 13) | 12.523 | 0.043 | -178.88 | 0 |
Events from around the world
Have you been looking at the situation around the world?
The world is a scary place right now. Iran, Ukraine, Cuba and more are all having life changing events taking place for their residents. Community services that people take for granted like safety, food, electricity, water, and sanitation are no longer a guaranteed in many places. Some people look at that and think "It will never happen here!". I tend to think that things absolutely can happen anywhere. Maybe it won't be a war, or fuel shortage, but how about a heat wave, a snowstorm, a flood, things happen and its best to be prepared.
Watching the news is enough to keep people up at night to be certain.
Preppers
If you ask any self respecting Prepper and they will say they sleep just fine at night. They have enough food, fuel and ammunition for at least a year. They can wait this out and it is no big deal. They just go down into their bunker and watch their video library while everyone around them...well, goes through whatever they go through. People in the bunker won't notice.
I am most certainly NOT a prepper but that doesn't mean I don't want to be "Prepared". Now in the building I'm in right now they actually have a "Be Prepared" sign in the elevator.
Now they mention that you should have a first aid kit, emergency tools, hygiene kit and an escape kit. All of these items are of course really useful but it is only a start. How about food? How much food can you realistically store? What happens if you don't eat it, etc, etc, etc.
Now that got me to thinking about what I have sitting in my property in the Maddarulug Sur. Where do I sit on the "emergency preparedness" side of things? How am I a prepper without being a "Prepper".
Enjoy the grid but don't depend on it
- Preppers have the philosophy of "I have everything I need for years".
But what happens when you run out and unless you have a lifetime supply you will eventually run out. Also, what happens with neighbors and other people nearby. If you have something and they need something bad things happen.
- A life kit has the philosophy of "I can survive until help comes"
But what happens if help isn't coming? What happens when the entire system is over run and everyone else is in the same situation? As an example: Cuba has a nationwide blackout situation right now with 11 million people without power. I'm only guessing but a nationwide blackout means support crew likely have limited or no power. Neighbors are dark. Help may not be coming. Blame whatever you like: aging infrastructure, oil embargoes, malfunctioning power plant, weak transmission lines but the fact remains. Life without electricity isn't great. I'm certain most people know that sinking feeling when they see their cellphone is almost out of battery...not multiply it by the fact that there may be no-where in your neighborhood, city or even country where you can recharge it. Not a pleasant thought.
- My philosophy is be self sufficient for what you need and enjoy what society can provide
I enjoy running water. I enjoy electricity at the flip of a switch. I enjoy using Grab for food delivery. I enjoy reliable AC. What if that all went away? What if Canada was bombed like Iran and things stopped working?
- I need water
- I need a radio
- I need food ... and a way to cook it
- I need clothing, medical supplies and shelter.
Now
- I don't need to have convenient running water
- I don't need to have a fancy communication device
- I don't need gourmet food or a big stove to prepare it
- I don't need fashionable clothing, in depth medical supplies or a fancy home.
And my home reflects that
A manual pumpwell
It may not be convenient but it is reliable. No electricity? No problem. 60 pumps on the lever give me one bucket of water. Clean and tested as potable although I would likely still boil it first if possible.
A small solar system
It won't run everything by any stretch but it will power
A cellphone which has a built in FM radio
A laptop for watching stored movies
USB powered lights (so I can see at night)
Small cooking appliances so I can have food to eat.
A small water pump so I can have a shower
A USB firestarter so I can light a fire if we have
A USB fan to stay cool in the summer heat (in Canada I have an electric blanket for the bitter cold)
- A small manual electric washing machine. Sure you can wash clothes by hand but..
And just for fun I have a backup solar system which is portable.
If the main system was damaged or I have to leave? Grab 3 lightweight portable solar panels and the cord connected to them, plus into the power box and I have power. Not a lot, but enough to keep me going.
A septic field
Never underestimate the convenience and the sanity benefits of not having to dig a latrine and not have human waste nearby.
A really sturdy concrete building
It won't survive a bomb hit but it has survived many typhoon without major damage.
Spare clothing in a vacuum sealed bag
Dry clothing is waiting for me if necessary.
A small emergency kit with medicine, bandages and sanitary needs.
That is not enough but it is a start.
What appliances do I have there anyway?
Induction Oven and Steel Pot
Stoves are great but they aren't portable. Kettles are convenient but they aren't the most efficient.
I chose a simple induction over because it heats up the pot directly instead of heating up a resistance wire which heats up the pot. That means they are faster and directly transfer heat to the vessel. However only certain vessels so make sure you have the right one in advance.
If I need to boil water? This is perfect. If I want to cook stew for many people this is perfect. Plus it has a mode which won't overload the solar system. And it is literally 1/10th the price of an actual stove.
Boiled water is super important!
A food dehydrator
I'm sure some people would say "Why a dehydrator?". Well, this is advance prep. With a dehydrator I can take Mallungay leaves and turn them into powder each and every day at little to no cost. I can do the same with fruits, beans and much produce. I can even dehydrate meat to make jerky which tastes good and has a long shelf life. End result: By having one item I can make an awful lot of useful food product which never needs to see the inside of a fridge or that spoils in just a few days. And I suppose the goats could be turned to jerky if push comes to shove.
A Blender
Dried food is great but it can take up a lot of space. Using a blender to turn it to powder? Makes it easier to throw into soup, cookies, or bread. Plus it makes it space efficient for storage.
Side note it allows for the conversion of things like soybeans and oats into things like soy milk and oat milk. Peanuts into peanut butter and so on. At first glance it is kind of silly but once you start producing your own long shelf life items it can be very useful.
A solar rice cooker
This is actually a steamer not a normal cooker. With the center insert put in I can make rice, soup, and steamed vegetables all in one dish in under 30 minutes for very little electricity. This is truly the most efficient way I've found to take uncooked and inedible food and turn it into something tasty.
Other small appliances
I didn't take pictures of things like my USB powered firestarter. My USB powered shaver and many other items.
Other items I haven't purchased yet like a steam juicer amongst other things.
My goal? Produce what I need in sufficient quantity to keep me going if necessary. Use what the market has when times are good so I can enjoy life but also know what I fall back on if things aren't good.
Wars and Destruction aren't new
It is amazing to me that people trust in society. Time and time in the past things have gone downhill and it is the regular people who usually pay the price.
I could put my faith in the government but time and time again they have proven to be inefficient, ineffective or just impotent. I like to find ways to be self sufficient so I can make my own or produce my own because as bad as things get? The sun keeps on shining the next day and the rain still comes eventually ... Those small blessings from God who I do rely on.
Could I be doing more?
Absolutely and of course.
There are many other things I want to purchase but just haven't had the money or time yet.
But I do sleep better knowing that I have some of the major bases. If things go wrong I can cover the major bases. If things don't go wrong I can enjoy modern society knowing I have a safety net.
However, I also have a little different take on things. I don't trust governments. I trust neighbors slightly more than governments. I trust my friends and family even more than that. I like to trust in my planning but at the end of the day? I trust in God to have the sun rise, and the rain fall, and the winds blow. Other than that nothing is guaranteed in life. Even the best plans can go awry but still, having some plan, some knowledge and some necessities before they are necessary is the way to go.
As the saying goes, better to have something and not need it. Than need something and not have it.
Just my thought
and thanks for reading.