survive « Robin Writes

No, not that one! Last week until the election . . .

Did you follow directions last week? No? Well, you still have time!

See, I’m not paranoid or wishing for SHTF, most preppers aren’t—with some exceptions, particularly the ones who make “good TV.” But, if something happens, well . . .

Personally, I’m leaning toward a big issue with the election itself, although it’s hard to tell if that’s specific to this particular year or if it’s every presidential election and we just don’t remember the acrimony, the mud-slinging, the legal issues. Et cetera.

I think every four years we tend to forget a bit, to let it go. Then, when the season rolls around again, we not only remember, we dig up more dirt, sometimes going back several terms or decades.

It doesn’t matter. Social media is kind of an evil, ancient curse, in spite of its newness. You think you’re getting something good, and some of it is, or it is for a time, and then BAM. You’re screwed.

Point is that you better be ready for just about anything. If you live in an earthquake zone, you have a kit and plan, right? Flood area? Tornado Alley? Sure, you do.

This isn’t anything different.

We all know, historically if not personally, how the “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” works, amiright?

So when you shop this week, add some extra items, things you absolutely can’t do without and things you can’t make yourself. You’ll feel a lot better.

And be sure to vote. Confession: I skipped one year, ONE year, and wasn’t happy with the outcome. No, my vote didn’t matter by itself, but what if there’d been many people who’d planned to vote as I would have?

You never know.

And you never know when some kind of emergency will require you to be a lot more self-sufficient.

It’s been a busy week here on the farm. We’re finally (FINALLY!) getting rid of the remains of the old house that we had taken down a year and a half ago. Ahem. Long story. But we’ve spent the past few days burning what’s burnable (along with some extra brush we’d accumulated) and throwing the rest in the dumpster or burying it.

Here are a couple before pictures and an almost-after:

Also, over the last few days, we’ve picked up some manure from the neighbors and are working that into the garden, both existing and the part that we’ll plant in the spring. The greenhouse is waiting in the barn to be put together as soon as we finish leveling the site.

The pasture fence now has three sides of posts—the fourth side is waiting until 1) we get more posts, and 2) we finish the burn site, since that’s right next to it. Probably in the next few days we’ll order the extra posts and the lumber for the rails, and then pick up a few gates. I’m hoping to be finished in a couple weeks!

Aside from that, I’m still fighting the Battle of the Leaves, at least on the decks, and I need to mulch the ones in the yard areas. Still hanging laundry outside, but the dryer is hooked up now in anticipation of cold/rainy weather.

While we know the wood furnace draws, we haven’t used it yet. Just not cold enough, especially since I finally found the heated mattress pad . . . and it looks like the temps will hit 80 for a few days this weekend!