Today’s the Day - SHTF Test Run

I've already been thinking about that first post. One of the things that hit home for me was that I cannot assume that I will be able to get anything when TSHTF. That last minute list I was working on will have to be much earlier. It will be dangerous to be out with the crowds. Won't be able to find parking spaces or carts and we might be in physical danger. Whatever I have done when TSHTF will have to be all I do.

The other thing I resonated with was one of the reasons Bruss put things off: Didn't want to break a leg tripping over the supplies in the garage. The same is true in our house and we desperately need to organize our stuff so we know where it is.

Plus, we too have not yet printed out all the helpful information on this site.

And, one more thing I will add (here and elsewhere). Rinse your beans and sort them! I just bit down on a stone tonight when I ate a lentil stew. In a quarantine situation that would be very inconvenient if you broke a tooth because you hadn't sorted through your beans before cooking them. There would be no way to get to the dentist. Fortunately, I didn't do any damage, but it was a close call!

Can't wait for the next installment! Write on! -- Libby

Libby -  Thanks for the advice, we'll keep a sharp eye out for any small stones or other foreign objects with the bulk dry goods.

Glad you're enjoying the story.  I didn't really intend for it to go where it went, just made a few assumptions based on other crisis situations I've witnessed plus a few points to get us to test 60 day preps on days 1 & 2 of a pandemic, and the rest just fell together.  It scared me... so much so that it was part of the reason we postponed.  Like most folks, we really had been anticipating some advance notice.  When we made an assumption of ZERO ADVANCE NOTICE, it changed the equation in subtle but very important ways.  Sure, we could have survived, but with much more risk and uncertainty than I was prepared to deal with.  That's in real life, mind you - the risks were simply unacceptable for a test run.  Mix the chlorine wrong in the water and poison ourselves?  Search in the dark for preps in a cluttered garage and risk a serious injury?  Not worth it for the sake of "saving face" on an internet board.  A joint decision was made to fix the known holes & mitigate the known risks, then do the test run to find the unknown holes and risks.

BTW, appreciate the support and kind words from everyone who spoke on our behalf.  Thank you, friends.

Good luck guys! I am really interested in what you discover. I have also prepped with the intent on having some kind of advanced warning, but now I am going to prep as if I won't. Thank you for ALL of your informative posts!!

You know, the test run is a good idea.  I should try one from work and one from home.  I may only get a warning at work during the day here on the 'net, or in a company-wide e-mail.  Though I doubt they'd do that unless a quarantine or evacuation was being established for some reason.  I work for a huge company, so company-wide alerts are kept to an absolute minimum, and it would probably be over the loudspeakers because not everyone here has e-mail.

Bruss, the  real fact is you were successful in your first attempt at a dry run.  You identified a problem you had at the very beginning that you had not foreseen.  You did not get to the "food" stage with surviving.  I think you solved a problem many of us may have if we do not keep up on organization.  Thanks for the info.  There may be other things to cause a cancellation this time around too an it will also be something each of us needs to keep note of.  I have already placed a flashlight on a hook by the garage inside door.  Good going and if something happens again please inform all of us.

We're baaaaaaack! 

Yup, hot water is the BEST!! I've been without it too many times not to appreciate it!

Sometimes I stand in the shower and cry in thankfulness for such a luxury, and feel guilty at the waste.

Zanna wrote: We're baaaaaaack!     I'm going to plug into the boob tube with the A&E Special Edition of Pride and Predjudice.   Hugz,   Z~

Bruss01 and Zanna, glad you two made it SAFELY. No point in risking your health now, we'll probably be doing it for real quickly enough. By the way, you have great writing skills! You should look into getting published, a book like that would wake up a lot of people.

I'm also anxious to hear about your dry runs went as well. 

Hi willow... I hope we can get it posted soon.  I've been working some 12 hour days and just have not had the time or energy to put text to keyboard.  I'll try to get it done some evening this week.