Sorry I was gone for a bit. Now to get back to our monthly post on prepping. This week I stocked up on OTC meds and a few canned items. I plan on taking inventory of my pantry this weekend and seeing what I need and making a trip to Sam's. My boyfriend started tomatoes in his growtent and we are getting our garden for planting. Our spinach has grown all winter, but only in small patches, but I was surprised it stayed alive at all. So what is everyone going to work on this month?

We have started working on our garden area today, it's 70+ degrees outside and we're digging up ground. We still have spinach growing from the winter and I'm going to plant more today. We have tomatoes and jalapeno peppers plants started in the grow tent indoors.  I also made an extra run to the store this morning because my daughter from Washington texted me and asked me to mail her hand sanitizer and hand pump soap. She can't find any in any stores or online. So I made a surprise shopping trip this morning to Walmart. 

I still have snow on my garden about 8 inches of snow so no go there.  However, today I got a cheap garden tower and just planted lettuce.  Saved 6 spaces for a second planting as soon as the first sprouts show.  

Well everyone should make sure they have their basic preps in this week.  Looks like where there is a cluster of Covid19 ...people get crazy and mass buy but we knew this was going to happen.  Glad I have all my stuff in. 

Hope your daughter stays well in WA!

Stopped in our local Walmart Neighborhood for a few things...lots of the huge bottles of sanitzer displayed prominently on an end cap. Bought two bottles @ $3.97 each. I do have some scattered about the house already and at all the sinks, in my purse and in my car...these will go with on my prep shelves.
Got the Walmart equivalent of zinc lozenges. More dog food (I am OCD on the dog food lately) ...
The Lysol shelf was wiped out in this store and the shelf that holds those plastic  tubs of Clorox wipes was also wiped out.
Stopped at Aldi and got my evaporated milk, dog treats, some cookies  
There are many businesses that will make money off of this, just as many that will lose I suppose.

Well I spent this morning preparing a 9m long raised vegetable bed for some winter plantings, mainly brassicas and lettuce. I bought the seedlings first thing and will plant them out tomorrow.

I got plenty of food. How bad would things have to be for electric and water to stop running? Like do they require a lot of man power? I’m thinking 6-12 months down the line. 

Kernowman87 wrote: I got plenty of food. How bad would things have to be for electric and water to stop running? Like do they require a lot of man power? I’m thinking 6-12 months down the line.

I work in public utilities and I think it will have to be pretty bad before those things are disrupted. Having said that, I prepare for them to be out. They are produced and delivered by a few highly trained specialists. We have trouble staffing our plants at times now, using large amounts of overtime from our staff to fill in gaps. In a full blown disaster, I am concerned we won’t have enough staff to meet demand.

I use an “all hazards” approach to prepping and most major disaster scenarios eventually end with utility disruptions, so I prep for them.

QP

KM, most of us here are extreme-to-the-point-of-debatable-sanity preppers.  

I can't predict with any certanty what will happen.  Having said that, collapse of such services is massively unlikely.

I can see shortages of supplies - in the short term, shortages of medical facilities - long to medium term , a small risk from the virus itself - growing larger the older you are and some potentially draconian quarrantine "experiments".  Power cuts and similar are quite likely, big disruption not so much.

Technophobe wrote: KM, most of us here are extreme-to-the-point-of-debatable-sanity preppers.   I can't predict with any certanty what will happen.  Having said that, collapse of such services is massively unlikely. I can see shortages of supplies - in the short term, shortages of medical facilities - long to medium term , a small risk from the virus itself - growing larger the older you are and some potentially draconian quarrantine "experiments".  Power cuts and similar are quite likely, big disruption not so much.

I agree...about my debatable sanity and the unlikely nature of big disruptions!

QP

We also have the advantage of seeing a preview, watching what it's doing in other countries. So far none have lost utilities that we know of. Of course that doesn't mean it won't happen later. 

Talked to a few of my family members last night....my father (who has battled and overcome stomach cancer and is 89!) has forbidden one of my sister's and her husband to come over to the house for 14 days after they have just returned from a cruise! I am glad...lol...that shows me that he is taking this seriously although I suppose we could say that is over the top..

What I am having a really hard time with is all the mixed messages I am getting from everywhere.
This morning on a talk radio show (not Rush) a person was saying he had a friend in the CDC who personally told him that this was being blown out of proportion by the media and that the flu will always be much worse.

I don't know who to believe or what to believe anymore. I am getting to the point where I dont trust anything anyone says!!

Your father made a smart decision. There's a second death in Washington,  and several more states reporting infections this morning. This is spreading quickly. 

Tabitha,

There are so many mixed messages that the truth is hard to find. In times like this, I retreat into facts. Like Babycat’s charts. No opinion, just facts. What are the numbers and how are they growing or shrinking?
People have opinions that are colored by their own agendas (good or bad), but data is just math.

I tell everyone I know not to panic and to keep prepping. Hope this helps.

QP

Well Said!

Went out at 8:00am,  grocery store empty,yeah!   Till I checked out and the cashier sneezed without even covering her face. I've been so careful,now I'll sit and worry if she was infected. 

Tabitha111 wrote: I don't know who to believe or what to believe anymore. I am getting to the point where I dont trust anything anyone says!!

That may very well be the safest point to be at.  

Everyone has an agenda - create/don't create panic, save face, never admit mistakes, make $$ etc

Numbers don't lie (at least not on their own) - so maybe try to focus on the numbers/stats we have - the charts are good and the exponential rates seems to be consistent whether you start at 1 or 100.

Follow your gut, God gave us instincts for a reason.  

KiwiMum wrote: Well I spent this morning preparing a 9m long raised vegetable bed for some winter plantings, mainly brassicas and lettuce. I bought the seedlings first thing and will plant them out tomorrow.

KiwiMum, I envy you.  Here the day was spent plowing the snow from yard/drive, had a good old fashioned snowstorm on Sat...guess it will be awhile before planting outside here! LOL

Newbie1A wrote: KiwiMum wrote: Well I spent this morning preparing a 9m long raised vegetable bed for some winter plantings, mainly brassicas and lettuce. I bought the seedlings first thing and will plant them out tomorrow. KiwiMum, I envy you.  Here the day was spent plowing the snow from yard/drive, had a good old fashioned snowstorm on Sat...guess it will be awhile before planting outside here! LOL

We're lucky with the timing of this. It's early morning here and a balmy 22 degs, end of summer. Autumn is just starting so we can still plant. It used to snow here but we haven't had good snow in 8 years now. I'm also planting up my greenhouse this week just in case. And this weekend we'll shoot a pig and process that.

I spent most of today organizing and doing a better job of taking an inventory, and in the process discovered I was almost out of one of the main ingredients for cat food that I make.

Lesson learned: look through every single cabinet, closet, 

drawer and shelf!

I ordered a large bag of cat food off Amazon. Then went to our local store early this morning to pick up a few extras, only about 3-4 people in the store.

I finally got the rest of my prescriptions yesterday. I have two controlled prescriptions that I fill every month, but I have a couple of extra months so I can skip going out then if appropriate. 

Waiting for a few more shipments to arrive. Have two or three things left to get at the store but I have to do a lot of shuffling to make room first. (Prepping in a tiny apartment is a huge challenge!)

Went through all my opened expired hand sanitizer and added 91% alcohol to it to make it usable. dropped one of the old containers on the floor and it shattered so my entire apartment smells like gross hand sanitizer. I won't do that again... Be easier to just use alcohol straight from the bottle. 

I do need to get more alcohol to drink, and medical cannabis! 

i'm still busy putting in winter veg in the garden. I'd like as much fresh food as possible to be available  to us over the next 6 months. I've also done another order for microgreen seeds. We grow these on a window sill that doesn't get direct sun. 

Well today I made a holder for my plywood.  It is all organized nicely now.  I have to get 3 more boards but I think they will fit fine with my son helping me to shift things.  I had to get the wood off of the garage floor which gets wet from snow melting off my car.  

Organized one messy shed the others are great so that is all done.  I will have lots of time 2 weeks from now to organized and clean when I am off work.  The rest of my garage need a huge overhaul will do this spring! 

OH, my lettuce is growing in my grow tower...I am so excited!  

I bought a sewing machine today and some accessories for it. I haven't sewed in ages, but I'm concerned that our global economy is going to suffer consequences which will impact our lives. Goods shipped from other countries are already being delayed. Of course we are all stocking up on meds. I've seen electronics impacted already (the $399 oculus rift vr I purchased a few weeks ago is now going for about $699 last I checked). A lot of our clothes here in the US are shipped from other countries. We might need to fix the ones we have rather than replacing them, at least for a short while. And if we get into a deep recession (or even a depression) then we might not even be able to to afford new clothes. I really hope this is just a hiccup, and a short term issue. Besides I have been losing a lot of weight lately (66 lbs since Nov) and I don't want to replace my wardrobe because I'd like to lose more first. So I will sew. 

Put some tomato seeds in the planter boxes.   These are now "heirloom" seeds from a previous crop.

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS! 

Adding to the Fire extinguishers...if you have two or more floors...put one on each floor. I have one in the kitchen and one in my bedroom. They also say sleeping with your bedroom door closed will give you more time if there is a fire...more time to live, more time to get out, or to grab the extinguisher.

Everyone should have a NOAA emergency radio.  This one has hand crank & PV solar cell for charging, a REALLY bright LED light, cell-phone charger etc.  

Amazon has lots to choose from, this one sold out after I bought it!!  Yikes! 

Thanks for the reminder CRS - I need to make sure my hand crank radio that has been in my emergency kit for 28 years still works. (Huh, it's got a solar option too. And batteries. And still works! ) 

I have NOAA weather available in my car (a 2003 Subaru Forester), and also in a battery powered bathroom radio. And a separate solar charger.

Here's one that's still available, looks similar though I didn't really check.
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Weather-Household-Outdoor-Flashlight/dp/B07WLVRV1R/ref=asc_df_B07WLVRV1R/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385177001880&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15226563384816698588&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030504&hvtargid=pla-836352297503&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=76690811417&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385177001880&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15226563384816698588&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030504&hvtargid=pla-836352297503 - https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Weather-Household-Outdoor-Flashlight/dp/B07WLVRV1R/ref=asc_df_B07WLVRV1R/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385177001880&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15226563384816698588&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030504&hvtargid=pla-836352297503&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=76690811417&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385177001880&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15226563384816698588&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030504&hvtargid=pla-836352297503

I can recommend this one.  I've had it for better than 10 years.  I did have to change the solar battery but it was my own fault for forgetting about it for over a year.  

https://www.amazon.com/Kaito-KA500IP-RED-Voyager-Weather-Charger/dp/B007VTVDZY/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1Y6MU72P81DPX&keywords=kaito&qid=1583877245&sprefix=adjustable+screen%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-8 - https://www.amazon.com/Kaito-KA500IP-RED-Voyager-Weather-Charger/dp/B007VTVDZY/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1Y6MU72P81DPX&keywords=kaito&qid=1583877245&sprefix=adjustable+screen%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-8

Purchased  all my cow and compost my mulch for my garden in two months.  Have all my seeds a small green house 7’x3’x30” to start plants at the end of the month.  Have my final lists made, freezers cleaned out and final needed items coming in.   Planning to SIP until August if I need or longer.

I also have a Forester. I wonder if mine has that. 🤔 I've had a hand crank/solar powered radio for years though - still works thankfully. Finally got fitted for custom knee braces and should have them in a couple weeks. If anything, I'll be able to move around easier.

I ordered this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SKMDFV2 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SKMDFV2   I hope it's decent. I also got this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QRW7FHB - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QRW7FHB to charge cell phones too. For my apap I got this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074N8G8C7 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074N8G8C7   which will run it for several nights without the humidifier going (I don't use the humidifier anyway). I just wish I could find a way to charge the maxoak battery other than the house, but I haven't solved that issue yet. I thought about getting solar panels but the battery manufacturer recommended against using solar panels to charge it. 

I just added another bottle of TUMS to my OTC meds. 

This info MIGHT be of some help if you have persistant coughing from the coronavirus. 

Try nibbling on a very small piece of a TUMS. (antacid). 

I discovered last year that I could stop my persisant cough from a common cold for about 20 minutes if I dissolved a very tiny piece of tums in my mouth. The coughing stopped almost instantly, but the effect wore off after about 20 minutes...So then I dissolved another very tiny piece on my tongue. I kept it up all day long. I did get relief  all day using this method. 

Every day I went through about 2 or 3 tums. It was irritation in the back of my throat that caused the cough.

I don't know where people are, but allergy season started here ridiculously early.  I didn't realize it until I finally took an allergy pill yesterday.  Persistent cough gone!  

WitchMisspelled wrote: I don't know where people are, but allergy season started here ridiculously early.  I didn't realize it until I finally took an allergy pill yesterday.  Persistent cough gone!

Here in California, we have had almost no rain this winter and allergy season started in February for me! Ugh...allergy pills for me too!

QP

quietprepr wrote: WitchMisspelled wrote: I don't know where people are, but allergy season started here ridiculously early.  I didn't realize it until I finally took an allergy pill yesterday.  Persistent cough gone!   Here in California, we have had almost no rain this winter and allergy season started in February for me! Ugh...allergy pills for me too! QP

You're smarter than I am to have figured it out!  I have been hacking, sneezing and rubbing my eyes since early February.  I thought I had some low level virus!  IT's never started this early here before.  But we've also had a ridiculously mild winter in Southeastern NY.

Last night we planted squash, more spinach, moved 3 tomato plants outside from the indoor grow tent. This weekend we should be able to have fresh salad from the lettuce and spinach we have already grown, it looks really good. 

Well I am planning a bigger garden than I have done in years.  I will have lots of time to tend to it.  I am doing something I have never done before...starting my own plants early.  Got a little greenhouse to help.  Will not start until end of March early April...we still get snow.

A garden will be wonderful.  I will be suplementing my food stock with sprouts. They are easy to grow, grow quickly and can be used in a variety of ways.  I have a couple of easy sprout containers so can have several stages of them going.  I purchased a couple #10 cans of sprout seeds which will give me a lot of nutritious healthy greens.   As soon as the store bought lettuce supply begins to dwindle will start the sprouts and in 4 growing days I will have my first harvest.

Just put my Neighborhood Harvest order in to be delivered next week....this is a farm to table delivery service we have in our area. I usually do a small order maybe once every few months....but this time my order is the biggest its ever been. Lots of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh baked bread coming my way next week.
I live in suburbia in a condo, so this is the best way for me to get fresh without having to go out to any stores. I see where someone posted that even Amazon Fresh is running out of stuff like lettuce and meats ….my son and his wife use Amazon Fresh for their groceries now.

Well tonight I put all of my prepping three ring binders in a plastic case with a handle so if I or my son have to get out of our house we can take that with us.  It has all my info in prepping and how to survive making water, fire, food, medical, garden and survival skills.   I really made all of that for my son hope he keeps it after I am gone.

I am just getting things done in my office like cleaning it up...it is always a disaster.  Will get to more of it next week so it is really clean and organized.

We went and bought more tomato cages today, went to Tractor Supply because there was hardly anyone there. First time I had been in a store in a week. I'm still going to work, but I am not going to the store on my lunch hour anymore, I try not to leave the building unless I absolutely have to. I'm glad we have everything we need, because I have been watching on my Facebook feed all the people posting pictures of the empty store shelves and complaining they can't find toilet paper, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, formula, etc.

Got another bag of pet food and some more pet products. I live equal distance from two Targets. One is almost never adequately stocked on a good day (even before this) and the other said they re-stock daily. There were very noticable differences in what each of them had as my friend and I went to opposite locations. Aside from the items that are universally gone everywhere (sanitizer, paper products, wipes), the Target I went to still had essentially everything else with intentions to restock food products.

I am going to make a loaf of bread today....lol...I bought a Pullman Pan to make a sandwich loaf in and have all the ingredients and my Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook. A lady on my personal group that I run has "taught" me how to make a foolproof loaf   ...so here goes. I am excited 

Hey share the recipe I love to try new breads!  Just put it up here or maybe I will start a new sticky with recipes!  Yes I will do that!

This is the loaf I make. Originally made up by Doris Grant a real health guru. I make mine slightly differently as I don't measure my ingredients, I just guess. It's a very tasty loaf. You can use honey instead of the sugar if you want. I make mine with 100% wholemeal flour. 

https://myfavouritepastime.com/2014/03/12/the-grant-loaf/ - https://myfavouritepastime.com/2014/03/12/the-grant-loaf/

You don't have to knead this loaf. You just mix up the ingredients and put in a bread tin and leave to rise, then bake. Super easy.

My top tip on baking bread is to oil your bread tin (I use olive oil and a brush) and then tip a handful of flour into the tin and shake it around so that it coats the oil. Tip out the excess flour. This makes a foolproof non stick coating to your tin. Then when the bread's cooked, loosen it from the tin by sliding a knife around the sides and tip out, and then put the bread back in the oven without it's tin, and place it upside down on the wire oven shelf. Bake for another 10 minutes. This causes the sides and the bottom of the loaf to crisp up a bit making the loaf much nicer. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

KIWi, I just re-posted this post to Shrare Your Recipes  Thread.  Hope you don't mind.

I received my antibiotics yesterday!  I'm stunned!  I thought India had stopped shipping out meds, but mine must have made it out just before the ban!

It is unlikely I'll use/need them.  But I'm glad to have them in my medical stores.  

Tabitha, how did your bread turn out.