What Preps are you doing this week

[itsybitsy]

Bluddy baltic hobo!

It's freezing here, too. I had the heating on last night.

And before anyone says it, I had a t-shirt AND a hoody on.

[Grunter]

Bought a back-up tin opener

[pseudonym]

Bought a back-up tin opener

Only one?????


tsk

[Arzosah]

Love this thread!

I've been away this week - going round touristy type sites, I couldn't help but notice how thick-walled lots of old churches are, and what good nick a lot of old castles and forts are in. Even the ruins, they give you easy foundations to put fences on ... only if you're forced out by the zombies, of course, but still.

Back home, I'd only been here two hours before I hopped off to Sainsbo and stocked up on dried beans and lentils - bought 8kg, which is now in one of those sturdy plastic underbed storage boxes. And when we did our holiday shop last week, I got a till spit, also from Sainsbo, for 600 nectar points if I spent £15 on healthcare so I stocked up.

[Frufru]

Bought a BOB today.

I can't believe I didn't really think it was necessary as I intend to stay at home in an emergency situationl... A few posts on this site made me realise that I could need a BOB for all sorts of reasons that I hadn't thought of - gas explosion etc.

So I bought the rucksack. Funds very short atm so just got a tesc0 value cheapy at under £6 - wouldn't be comfy to hike with for miles but would do to get to the nearest shelter.

Now need to read up on what to put in it.

Am thinking;

Kids entertainment - pens,colouring books etc
Wind up torches (p0undland have them in atm)
Cereal bars & simple food
Water
Essential Meds
Clean knickers and socks
Hair Brush and bands
Babywipes
Toilet Paper
Foil Blankets

I know there are a lot more but I think these would keep us comfy for a while at least and as money is scarce atm, any extra expenditure needs to be kept to a minimum. Also, can only afford one bag atm and for 3 of us, that isn't a lot of space!!!

[Arzosah]

- 2 - 3 square yards of doubled cardboard, to help me establish my veg bed for next year, without too much work. Grass *will* be dying underneath the cardboard Any Time Now.

I suggest getting stuck in now.

2-3 square yards (or even 10-20) is not very much area to hand clear. Dig it over now, leave it turf side down as far as possible. Then when we get a few dry days, get on your hands and knees and shake the chunks of turf while banging them with a garden fork. They will have dried quickly from the bottom, and you will easily remove the dirt from around the grass and weed roots. Once done, you can hit the intertubes, do some research, plant autumn overwintering crops and gain valuable experience as well as a food supply.

Think about why you are waiting - are you sure you are not just putting off a task you don't really want to do? The amount of work is about the same with live grass or dead grass (really). There are many economic storm clouds on the horizon, and next year you may well wish you had got started this year.

TwoDo, so sorry, I didn't see this post till just now, checking back on previous pages....

Erm, I agree it isn't very much cardboard on its own, but its joining acres of existing cardboard, honest! And as for delaying digging, yes I am - I've had two operations this year that have both impeded my ability to use both hands at once, and there's a further problem with the inner part of a clavicle that the docs don't want to operate on. I guarantee you, I'm doing what I can, but once the operation site starts hurting, I stop, permanently injuring myself won't help my preps, to put it mildly!

Love your tip about drying the turf, which I guess retains as much of the soil thats in the clods as possible, thats great, thank you - when I come to do it, I'll certainly use that method.

[Frufru]

- 2 - 3 square yards of doubled cardboard, to help me establish my veg bed for next year, without too much work. Grass *will* be dying underneath the cardboard Any Time Now.

I suggest getting stuck in now.

2-3 square yards (or even 10-20) is not very much area to hand clear. Dig it over now, leave it turf side down as far as possible. Then when we get a few dry days, get on your hands and knees and shake the chunks of turf while banging them with a garden fork. They will have dried quickly from the bottom, and you will easily remove the dirt from around the grass and weed roots. Once done, you can hit the intertubes, do some research, plant autumn overwintering crops and gain valuable experience as well as a food supply.

Think about why you are waiting - are you sure you are not just putting off a task you don't really want to do? The amount of work is about the same with live grass or dead grass (really). There are many economic storm clouds on the horizon, and next year you may well wish you had got started this year.

TwoDo, so sorry, I didn't see this post till just now, checking back on previous pages....

Erm, I agree it isn't very much cardboard on its own, but its joining acres of existing cardboard, honest! And as for delaying digging, yes I am - I've had two operations this year that have both impeded my ability to use both hands at once, and there's a further problem with the inner part of a clavicle that the docs don't want to operate on. I guarantee you, I'm doing what I can, but once the operation site starts hurting, I stop, permanently injuring myself won't help my preps, to put it mildly!

Love your tip about drying the turf, which I guess retains as much of the soil thats in the clods as possible, thats great, thank you - when I come to do it, I'll certainly use that method.

When I needed to clear some ground for planting, I covered it in many layers of newspaper with a covering of grass clippings every time I mowed the lawn - hey presto, clear ground ready for digging

[Arzosah]

Hi Frufru - well, thats what I'm hoping for, lets be realistic

Hope it works as well for me as it did for you!

[diamond lil]

Went to Costco and stocked up on lentils and porridge

[Arzosah]

Went to another local town today, and had a bit of fun checking out the charity shops and the pound shops:
- lovely fleece for £4.
- cable ties £1.
- a cute little tin thats meant to hold a packet of fags, which I'm sure I can find a use for £1.
- a ridiculous dental kit, also from a pound shop, also £1 (obviously...) - it has a tooth brush, a floss holder, a tongue brush (?), a dental mirror and a dental stain remover.
- a 3 way individually switched surge protected adaptor, for a whole fiver - I've always had a surge protector on my lappie, but now I have a brand new spanking tv, I need one on that too.
- went to Blacks and decided not to buy a mapcase for a tenner, then found a trekmates one in TKMaxx for a fiver, so I went for it, also includes another compass and another whistle, I'm pleased with that one!