Weather Or Not

Now all we have been seeing on the news is about hurricane Fay. I saw the governor of FL last night telling people to prepare. PREPARE you live in hurricane central; you have a football team named after them. The people in FL should not have to prepare. They should all ready have it done. In that area you are stupid moron not to have stuff ready for the hurricanes. I just start to laugh when Gov. said go and stock up on food and water and the likes. Now don't get me wrong I don't want them to get Fay or any storm, but these sheeple have to learn to take care of them self the government won't be there as quick as they like. Now I don't know if we have any prepper's out there in that neck of the woods, but we know if we do that you can just laugh it off at home while the others are in stores like pack rats.

Now this is a crazy thing this past weekend. At a local city park down from my house they had community festival. All kinds of inflatable rides for kids,free food,free drink for everyone. This was all put on by local waste basket of politician. I thought you were not allow to buy votes? Well this is exactly what they were doing. Here lets throw some food down to the peasants and they will surely vote for me. The people where just loving it. I just started ranting and telling the wife the same thing I just told you. Everyone is going to keep eyes closed to the crap they do, except us that are awaken.

Now for this odd part, there are some garages behind my house that people can rent. Well there is this lady I believe that is living in one. I see her come at night and leave in the morning. I call the gestapo one night and it took them 3 1/2 hours go come. I love to see my tax dollars at work. What do they do... well they roll up the alley and turn their lights on and then turn around turn the lights off and roll out. Now what is my next step? I am trying to contact the owner of the garages to get him to take care of this. I don't know though, because hey if that is all she can afford and is paying her way what is the harm, right? Well I will keep you informed.

Canning

Like I said yesterday, I was helping/teaching the wife how to can pickles from our garden. She made it through fine. I wanted to give her some prop's for a wonderful job. Here is a couple of pic's of the process.


Above is the wife putting the pickles in the jars. With such grace and style... I say we give her a 10.

The above picture is the nice quick easy brine solution we used to make these wonderful pickles. Down below is the wonderful product my wife produced last night in the kitchen. Also in the picture you will notice the squash that I don't know what to do with. The only thing that was bought to make these was the brine solution.

Prepping is done best when you use what you have around the house first. Then go buy what you don't have. Now there are somethings that you will always have to buy. A example for me would be ammo. I don't feel comfortable making my own shells for my shotgun.

My whole digging the moat area is all been done by using stuff around the house. From putting up shelves to closet to store various items at. Well love good comments at the Rook's Castle so leave them if you want.

Working on the moat...

Rook

Limited Prepping

Everyone knows that we should be preparing for the SHTF. It could be something that just happens to your family or across the country. If we do buy or do one thing on the prepping side a day it is still prepping. I have been struggling trying to find the time to prep, and also not taking the time away from the family. I have got it figured out to at least hour a day. We could be cleaning the guns, canning, mapping out the land and escape routes.

I have taking the time tonight to show/teach my wife how to can pickles. It is make some difference. I was working on the garden today pulling tomato's and cukes. I have a nice compost pile I started this summer. The compost pile is doing great. This is one of those skills I have choose to hone my skills in this summer. Well that is not completely true, gardening as well. I have some squash planted. I am in a touch area because I am not crazy about squash, because I don't know of any good recipes or how to cook it. So drop me a comment on how to cook them. I love the comments that are helpful.

I am thinking of doing a time budget to see where I spend most of my time. The exact same thing as a money budget, but for my time. I have a good idea where most of it goes, and just don't want to admit it... the Big Picture that sucks the life out of you.

Right now most of my prepping is what I can do around the house with out spending any money or very limited money. I have to watch every penny, and that is very difficult for a person like me who loves to spend money.

So what have I been doing on the moat you ask? Well the moat is just about clear for digging. (figuratively). I have been studying the area around my house,talking to the neighbors more, and clear clutter. I didn't think I would have so much cleaning to do, just to prep. I spend a lot of time just cleaning to have storage for the up coming supplies. Well time to outline the moat..


Working on the moat...

Rook

Time is not on our side...

There is a great song, I don't know who sings it but the chorus is "time is on our side" I think. I have been known to be wrong, but don't let the wife know that. We don't have time on our side. We keep losing it, and that is the one thing we can never get back. I am guilty of poor time management. I seem to always have the attitude of I will get it latter. Later doesn't always come. A great example....I guy near my retreat area had his life cut short by being the victim of a hit and run. I bet he thought I will say I love you to his wife and kids later. One can only hope that we don't lose that chance and say it everyday. Today society has no value on human life. We are see the Roe Vs Wade choice play out in front of our eyes. The society sees that it is OK for a women to take a human life. Then the thug/gang banger/ redneck has no problem with it. I am just saying we need to make sure we start to teach our kids the values of human life. " Only kill when defending yourself". That was a rant that came from no where...

Time can be a great or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. I look as time a wake up call. If I got the time to do some prepping then do it. If my daughter say dad play a game then do it. My son says dad can we go to the pool then go. If you have the time then go out this weekend and find a deal on some prep items at a yard sale or flee market. Practice the barter skills. Practice starting a fire with no lighter or matches. If we don't use our time wisely the good Lord may take it from us. If you are christian then get in God's word. If you are not then look in to it or contact me with questions & study your religon.

This is what this past week has done for me as long in prep's. I got to practice my barter skills with a neighbor. I was able to get some yard trimings done, but offering to trim her hedges as well. I was able to get some free fire from another neighbor who had a tree taken down. Got some more salsa made. Now this weekend is about spend some over due time with family out of state. Now my great readers, use your time, don't lose your time.

Now go and prepare that moat.

Working on the moat...

Rook

Emergency Preparedness

I have been reading the "Emergency Preparedness and Survival Guide" from the Backwoods Home Magazine.There is one section that gives you 4 week shopping list that you are supose to get these supplies for just $10 bucks. Well I want to give it a whirl. I don't know if I will be able to do for $10 bucks, but I will try to keep it close as possible. The first week is 10 pounds of rice, 2 pounds of beans, a jar of Tang, and 5 pound tub of vegetable shorting. I will be doing this shopping today after church and posting the results later tonight.

I did get to prep some garden items yesterday. I got to make 3 pints of salsa, spicy at that. I was able to pick some more cukes from the garden I am going to try and make some dill's with them.

Working on the moat....


Rook

This just in...

The wife is start to come aroumd to the survival way of thinking. She is starting to ask me questions. Example: How do you know what going on or going to happen? That was the easy question of them all. Just follow the current events and dig deeper into every story is put out. Don't trust just one side of the story. I asked her if she would be willing to let me interview her and post on the blog and she agreed. So be looking for that to come out in a week or two.

As many of you have noticed I have been awol for a about a week or so. Everything is fine here in the crapper of the east coast. I have been doing to my best to stay focused on prepping and canning. I have some more pickles made, and will be working on salsa tonight. I am looking for a good recipe for make some relish and pepper relish, so if you have one please post it or email it to rookinde@gmail.com.

This is the start of my prepping on the month's topic starting today. So this month prep's will be about food and different items on hand. Now I will buy off topic if it is a good deal to pass up. Plus I am going to try to buy one item this weekend. I just did a weapons check and relized I need to get some shells for my 20ga shotgun. I didn't have any since last season. I know what kind of a prepper am I not to have ammo. That is the one reason we always should do a once over every month to see if there is something that critcal we are missing. I have saw on bear ridge project buckets for storage. I know there are food grade storage buckets, but if your stuff is in cans and boxes will other buckets work as well?

I am going to keep looking for a escape pod as our good friend mayberry calls them. They are crazy to find around my area that are not going to break the bank. I guess thats the price I have to pay for living near the ocean and camp grounds. Now I have to head off to work...

Keep working on your moats as I will as well.

Rook