Word of the Day

Meocentric - A person who feels that the world revolves around them.

Happy Birthday Arizona Daughter! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear Arizona Daughter! Happy Birthday to You!

We've decided to celebrate my birthday and her birthday on Saturday night. Go us!

My friend and I were discussing the lack of preparedness of most people in the case of an emergency. Katrina and this modern world. She told me that she had enough food and water in her house to last three days. And most of that was frozen food to go with her bottled water. Gasp! My friend is not prepared. She only thinks that she's prepared. Moan.

Me? I think HTP and I could probably last a month, maybe longer. Though I have food in the freezer, you can't really depend on that because without electricity, anything in the freezer and fridge wouldn't last long. I have food in the pantry. Lots of food. Lots and lots of food.

I guess I can thank my Mom and Grandmother for my pack-rat mentality when it comes to "stocking up". Could it be in the my genes? In my TWO pantries...yes, TWO, I have flour, sugar, salt, dried beans, all kinds of canned goods, dried and canned milk, rice, canned tuna...etc. etc. And if I got even the hint of warning I'd run out and buy more dried beans, flour, sugar, salt and yeast. You know...the basics. Maybe I'd buy more canned fruit. After doing a mental inventory, I think I need to put that on the list along with more dried fruits.

I have candles and matches. Extra batteries. A radio. I lost count of the number of flashlights we have. Water? Coming from Minnesota, I've learned that the second an emergency is even hinted, you fill the tub and all the wash basins with water along with all the coolers and the pitchers and buckets and whatever else that'll hold water. Just in case. I'm not a firm believer of running out to buy water.

I'm not sure what I'm preparing for but I'm prepared. I have First Aid supplies a plenty too. Again, I'm not sure why I feel that I need to have all this stuff but as I said, blame my Mom and Grandmother. Maybe all this preparedness is a result of The Depression.

I think my Mom is still finishing up my Grandmother's jams and preserves. And me? I make my own jams and canned foods too. Mom is still using up pickling salt and dried laundry detergent too. Me? I always keep enough laundry detergent around...just in case. That and coffee. The second I'm down to the last of something in my pantry, I feel I have to run out and buy a spare. One ketchup should be in the fridge, one ketchup in the pantry and one ketchup on the shopping list. Canned vegetables? I stock up whenever they're on sale. 4/$1 will see me running out to buy and replenish my supply even if I have plenty. You can't have enough canned vegetables. I can my own but you can't even grow and can them for 4/$1. No wonder I need TWO pantries. And I've had to put some stuff in the cupboard in the guest room too. Not everything fits into the pantries. But that's just here in Arizona. I have more storage space in Wisconsin.

I have two working fireplaces in Wisconsin with a cord of dry firewood stored in the garage. Wood is no problem as we live in a forest of wood. We have a generator that runs on propane should our electricity fail. We have a 1000 gallon tank of propane that runs the generator when needed and the stove. And...I know how to cook over an open campfire. We live on a lake. I know how to dig for bait. I know how to fish. And I'm the one who knows how to clean those fish. And I have a garden.

Of course, none of this preparedness is really necessary...I hope... It's just that I thought everyone was like me and my Mom and my sister. Schooled from birth with these survival skills taught to us by my Mom and my Mom's Mom. My Grandmother. I mean...we laugh at the fact that my Mom and Dad are still finishing up all the stuff that my Grandparents had put by...I mean...tapioca? What in the heck did she need with all that tapioca? And I'll never understand the thermometer covers even if they can be used to extend old nubby pencils. But...maybe even though we didn't need those thermometer covers, I learned to be prepared. Then again, I don't understand my Mother's obsession with twist-ties. If there is ever a freshness emergency in our country, my Mom is prepared. Me? Because of my Mom's obsession, I feel guilty whenever I throw away a rubberband or twist-tie but I figure I can get by with the twenty that I never seem to be able to bring myself to throw away. I've learned that the second you throw something away...you'll need it.

Anyway...the point is...I'm prepared. I just hope I never have to use all the stuff in my pantry. Or all my twist-ties, or garbage bags, or...

Murphyism of the Day

Meinick's Law

If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished.