Adapting...psychologically

I read an essay not too long ago (thank GOD for my
fellow doomers who post links from time to time) about
adapting pyschologically to all the changes coming.
And before I knew it, I was putting some new strategies
in place to deal with the stress in my life.

My favorite coping mechanism is disengaging. When
facing avalanches or irrational beings, or freight train
personalities, removing the emotional component is
soooooo freeing. It frees me to not be the victim or the
recipient of stress/crap/drama etc. The twit took the
kids, I'll love them when they're here, not worry when
they're not. Husband sometimes works too much,
I give him vitamins and aspirin, tell him how I
feel, and then just NOT worry.

I don't bring work stress home, and I pace myself
and limit further exposure to dying and illness.

I've cut back on drinking, I tend to be confrontational.
I'm trying to get regular exercise and vitamins and
adaptogens. I nourish friendships and I've been working
on my health and appearance.

And I'm trying to get rest and prep.

~MH

Where to next?

Here's a pic of my men learning to cast on Christmas Day, one poor
lad fell in. I think my current frustration is lack of time to do things like I'd like them
to be done. We go and go and go. We work, and work, and work. Laundry, dishes,
cleaning, dehydrating, I hardly cook anymore. Date night, tonight was spent with
the older kids, then eating a grilled cheese sandwich, and falling into bed, exhausted
by 9pm.

Unfortunately a barking dawg, and insomnia had me back up in 30 minutes, so I did
more laundry. I've never worked so hard in my life....

Today, I had a melt down, sparked by a six year old and husband talked me through
my stress without escalating my vent. He's quite clever.

I had a brilliant rambling put down in virtual space and lost it as the net crumbled under the weight
of everyone facebooking about their holidays.Clearly, this was an ominous sign. And it was a sign
that matched my mood. I want to prep. I have a garden to plant, chickens to buy, more veggies to
dehydrate. The list is endless. The addition of a new canine has slightly altered my plans for the
back yard, but spring is just around the corner and the world is fraying at the seams, time to get
busy.

~MH

pics

The kids posing with my zombie apocolypse tree.

I know, right?

~MH

What's next?

Isn't that the BIG question. I've been chatting up a fellow
doomer at work, sharing some ideas about weaponry, timelines,
dehydrators, alternate currenices. What? ya'll don't have a
fellow doomer at work?

We have a few examples to see how collapse has happened elsewhere.
Germany, Africa, and more recently Argentina. And even more recently,
the Middle East. Social media helped spark movements and bring down
dictators, and cause more wars and more bloodshed. Argentina is
probably the best example:

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-ammunition-to-choose.html


I pointed my coworker torwards ferfal's blog. In a nutshell, life
is harder, inflation and crime rampant, utilities spotty, and
food and medicine scare. I suggested to my coworker that he buy
enough ammo for his and his children's lifetimes.

Back to the timeline, I don't think we have ten years, probably
not even 5... we can expect the unexpected. We can assume that
change is around every corner. And if we get tired of being
flexible and having good attitudes, there is always someone
younger and hungrier and willing to do more for less. We can
all be replaced. I walk into work with a smile on my face almost
every day. I insure us, you won't hear any grumbling from me..

On to prepping. I took a week off from dehydrating and I felt so
darned guilty. I was ill, working, working, working and I finally
ran out of stuff to do dehydrate. I hate doom-guilt. So yesterday
after washing up my recent finds from my fav charity shhop, I went
to Aldi's, determined to feed my dehydrator. I bought massive
amounts of produce. I pickd up the kids and we chatted. I told
them I had bought oranges, apples and pears. "PEARS? We want pears!"
One of the lads even asked for a pear in his lunchbox. Now, how
cute is that?

Gotta go feed the dehydrator.
MH

Ahh family . . .

There are now 7 of us, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
There is almost always someone to talk to, share the load with,
butt heads against, drink a beer with, and share a meal.

Thanksgiving was great this year, no stress, no worries.

I put a dent in the Christmas shopping that night, I figured
what the hell, I have insomnia anyways. I bought heaps of warm
pajamas, and a few toys. The lads are starting basketball next
week, so I got 2 of them as well.

I did a big grocery shop Friday,I'm not having much success
dehydrating cranberries. I got a second part time, low stress
gig to help add funds to the family coffers.

Our housemate picked up a second gig, Husband dropped one job.
The oldest daughter brought home a fabulous dog, they are quite
smitten with one another.

I have been maing trips to a local thrift shop, they have clothes
on one side of the store 2/$1. So I've managed to stock up on
playclothes and get a bit ahead on bigger sizes.

Much to do, M

Prepping my a$$ off . . .

Thanks to Wendy, I was able to take my mind of personal doom
and focus on the Zombie Apocolypse.

1. We scored a ton of used clothes for the kids at a local
consignment sale.

2. We bought the kids each their very own shovel 2/$1.

3. My food dehydrator has been going nonstop for nearly a month.
I actually have at least 8 more loads to go in (each load takes
about a day), before I even have to think "what next?"

4. I have run out of room in the pantries for canned goods.

5. Everyone in this household of 7 is comfortable with prepping.

6. I have been working my ass off since husband lost his job.

7. Husband now has 5, count 'em 5, jobs. I helped him this some
this weekend (it's hard to spend quality time riggt now, lol)
Sunday morning we were up at 2:45 am to start his paper route.
Sunday afternoon, we went to the airport for his 5th job (delivering
lost luggage). It's actually a pretty good gig. We drove up to
Dunlap,TN. It was absolutely gorgeous. The fall colors were so
nice, the mountains and valleys so scenic. I made husband promise
to buy me a farm if we ever struck it rich. We got the luggage
delivered and on the way home, I scored 40 pounds of locally
grown sweet potatoes.

Happy Hectic Days,
M

Today I prepped by . . .

Going to the dentist.

Taking a walk.

Turning off the thermostat.

Attacking old and failing grout
in 2 bathrooms.

Dehydrating 2 pineapples and 2 pounds
of strawberries.

Finding a babysitter for my as yet to
be acquired chickens.

~MH

I always cruise the clearance section . . .

. . . of any store I'm in. Today I stopped
at Walgreen's for pepto and gingerale for my
sick huby and found great deals on toilet
paper, and dishwashing liquid. I also
found some boxes of oatmeal and hot chocolate
on clearance. It really feels good to stock
up.

~M

Making headway . . .

I'm washing out juice bottles and refilling them
with water for an emergency water supply. My
lovely husband gave me a bit of money for prep
and I have berkey filters once again (got to
put it together, tho.)

I also bought a lovely excalibur food dehydrator.
I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, I've
been super busy at work and trying to avert
pneumonia.

I'm having a mobile chicken coop delivered next
Friday. I worked lots of extra, so it'll be paid
for.

I got next season's coats, and some clothes and
sandles for the boys at Walmart. They realy like
camo ; ).

I think I'll be knee deep in chicks and berry bushes
by Monday!

~MH

Banana chips!

They turned out chewy, and I ended up
drying them for almost 30 hours. I
think they still had too much moisture
in them, not sure.

We promptly ate 1/2. They were sweet
and almost tangy. (I soaked the fruit
in lemon juice to keep the color.)

I think I want a BAD-ass dehydrator
next.

Grin. M

Prepping for collapse

I actually got a heckofalot done today.
I hauled home $167 worth of food from
Aldi's. It felt so darned good to fill
my cabinets, rotate stock and to have
stock to rotate.

Nicole gave me some great plastic
containers (recycled kitty litter
containers) and I washed them out
and have one 1/2 filled with rice
and another 1/2 filled with dry
beans.

I watched a youtube video on food
dehydration and experimented with
cinnamon-banana chips. Stay tuned.

And my dogs are home. Yay.
~M

Preparing for econimic collapse on a dime . . .

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2011/01/economic-collapse-preparedness-what-to.html

I love this blog. It says what needs to be said from
someone who's going through collapse first hand.

So today, I sent this link to my husband. I hope
to foster an understanding of the stuff I'm doing
for our family. Cost: 0.

I also washed out 2 soda bottles. I'm going to store
water in them. Cost: 0.

I went for a walk to check out my new neighborhood
and try and meet some new neighbors. Cost: 0.

I turned off the heat when the temps outside reached
55f. Savings: not sure.

Soetimes prep is in the little things.

MH

Today for doom I . . .

went shopping with a list of items that I needed
to stock up on. (Our reserves got really low with
the move.) I bought flour, sugar, rice, beans,
canned tuna and spices. I also stocked up on fresh
fruit.

I adore Aldi's prices. No where else in town can you
get a bag of apples or oranges for $1.49 or pineapples
for under a buck.

Also this month, my new husband got lasik'd. I got
both of us to the skin doctor. The southern sun isn't
kind to the fair skinned.

I've gotten the family used to lower temperatures.
I scored 8 shirts at the big box for $1 each for the
kids. I started back to the gym.

more later,

m

A new blog for 2011

Or I could just be slighty demented to think I have
time to devote to a new project. (I don't even have
time to contribute to forums at the moment.)

I don't want my blog to be a spinoff but it needs to
adapt and become relevant. I think it's time. So
without further ado, let's hash some economic news.
I took the good measure of saving news websites
that Matt used as an origin for his news articles.
Not all of them, but those worth a second look.

One site I like is oilprice.com. Here is an article
that peaked my interest:



A wee bit: Those numbers are meaningless. The price of a pair of jeans will be 50% higher. Food will cost us 15% more. Gas will be at $4. Bernanke’s QE will be blamed for the inflation.

So the great squeeze is on and times are going to get
rougher. So time to stock the closets with larger
sizes by hitting the clearance racks or thrift shops
or yard sales. I buy my men underwear constantly.

We've been staying home to eat a lot more. And I've
been shopping Aldi's and sales at Walgreen's. I can
usually stretch my budget by 40% or so doing this.

Chhers,

Mh

Adapting to change . . .

I'm sure someone in an office in academia can explain this
to me. But have you ever been through so much change, rolling
along full steam ahead, until your brain says "You know what?
Enough is enough. Shhhhhhh." ?

I had one of those moments recently.. The elasticity of my
reasonable elastic brain went on strike. Nope. No more
adapting today thank you.

And relying on past customs and behaviors and paradigms?
Oh HELL no. That doesn't work either.

So where am I at exactly? Walking around in a daze?
Escapist behaviors? Well no, those don't work either.

I need to get quiet. I need time for the dust to settle.

I think.

mh

My sort of doc called . . .

"Feeling run down still?"

"Uhhh yeah."

"Well your TSH is nonexistant and your T3 is
high, cut your medicine in 1/2 and come back
for a check mid-January."

"OK, thanks." My spotted brain recalled slippery elm
as an excellent herb for stabilizing bouncy thyroid
levels.

So today I rested. I didn't cook, work or clean.
I rested and then rested some more. I scored some
very cool boxes from the appliance delivery guys.
The boxes kept the kids amused and imagining for
a few hours. I don't keep the telly on much when
I watch them, they really don't seem to miss it.

I've been feeling very grateful for my new husband
and my warm, solid home and for all my wonderful
kids. God has truly blessed me.

And while I want to prep my heart out, I need to
pace myself. I'll get it done, it may just take
a while.

Cheers,
MH

We've started moving . . .

I woke up at 2 this morning with pain
in my chest, a bronchitis type pain.
I muddled about online, took some
aspirin and went back to bed. We
got up at 7:30, I loaded the car
and did the dishes while hubby
showered. At 9:30, my husband was
getting a vasectomy. At 10:30, I
was being seen by another doctor
for bronchitis, and an ear and sinus
infection.

We went to lunch and ran some errands
while my prescriptions got filled.
Husband iced up, and I took a nap.
We managed two small car trips to the
new house. I vacuumed, de-cob-webbed,
and swept, and stocked my dehydrated
food in a closet.

HUsband arranged the utilities, movers,
the POD, and the delivery of a new
fridge, and help.

I have the Christmas Tree set up. ;)
Tomorrow, moving, work, cleaning and
a bit of shopping.

Wish me luck.

~mh

Not just another pretty face . . .

So today was another gosh-awful Monday.
The kids acted up, my husband's job was
a booger, and the stress of it all had me
questioning my sanity. I almost broke down
in front of the kids' teacher. I called
my dad to vent. I rang my girlfriend to
cuss and try and arrange some time away.

I'm cracking under the pressure.

On a positive note, husband and I are
spending alone time together tomorrow. I
desperately want to keep this marriage
nurtured and healthy.

On a positive note, we may close by Friday.
I already have furniture arrangments plotted
on out paper.

On a positive note, I keep learning and prepping.
Before my favorite Peak Oil news site went lunar,
(no disrespect, I only have so much time in
the day), I saved a series of websites so I can
scour the net for my own news updates.

Here's what I learned today:

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/12/multiple-simultaneous-games-of-chicken.html

This is a great post that explains the international
money crisis by region and suggests implications for
our country. (READ, not much chance of hyperinflation for us!)

Then I studied up on something called the Texas Ratio:
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/12/texas-ratios-of-banks-and-credit-unions_06.html

And I checked my bank's health on this website:
http://www.depositaccounts.com/banks/health.aspx#texas

Then I scored 4 loaves of bread at Walgreen's for 75 cents
each. Bread freezes very well, and I hate running out. I've
saved my family lots of money by putting cheap meals together
via pbj's, french toast, and grilled cheese sandwhiches.

On my last positive note, we've done cash for Christmas.
And I'm looking forward to hitting the sales and clearance
racks to stock up on clothing basics in larger sizes.

Cheers,
~MH

Trying to get in the holiday mood