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Reply to: How long, really, is refrigerated food safe after a power outage? Posted 2 months ago

Trace, good idea about running those tests with literally (almost) nothing in the freezer or fridge. I am definitely going to do the penny trick Jay pointed out. First time I have heard of that.

Reply to: I had to pepper spray a couple of dogs. Here’s how that went Posted January 28, 2022

I was actually thinking about a tactical vest for ME (LOL?) but it turns out I might be acquiring a smallish dog, about 1/7th the size of one I encountered (making me wish I was a 200+-lb person) that got me thinking. I have to admit the dog tactical vest looks really cool! We do have coyotes as well, even though I have never seen one. If I do, it will possibly be rabid. I have seen rabid skunks and something that was probably a rabid half-wolf. Looked exactly like a wolf but we do not have those here as part of the typical fauna.

Reply to: I had to pepper spray a couple of dogs. Here’s how that went Posted January 25, 2022

I am wondering about possible dog encounters. In one comment below, the person was charged three times before the dog got the message. And Josh had to spray a dog twice before the dog ran off. That sort of scenario makes me wonder about the idea of using the kind of walking cane that has a taser in it, for a last resort if the dog does not respond to either an air horn or dog spray. Does anyone think that something like a lightweight metal vest would protect from bites to the core? It sounds like I am going to purposely walk into a pen of aggressive dogs, but I am just trying to think through various scenarios. More people seem to own large, perhaps aggressive, dogs than in the past, especially in my area. We are supposed to prep for any possibility, so I am imagining some unpleasant “what if” scenarios and how I could respond, and how to be aware and prepared enough that I could head off an attack before it got that far. A firearm would be theoretically wonderful, if an attacking animal were on my property, stayed still enough to be fired at, and there was nothing beyond the target, wherever that ended up being, since an attacking dog is probably a moving target at best. A really close one.

Reply to: How to tell when to toss cans that have rust on the outside Posted November 30, 2021

Henry, that is a great idea about looking for holes with a flashlight. I will do that.

Reply to: How to tell when to toss cans that have rust on the outside Posted November 30, 2021

From USDA: “If you see rust on the surface of a utensil such as a cast-iron skillet or knife, remove all the rust before using it.,” which reminds me that I have more than once removed what is probably rust from iron skillets, and never had a problem. https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Is-food-in-rusted-cans-safe-to-eat

Reply to: How to tell when to toss cans that have rust on the outside Posted November 30, 2021

Some of them only have rust at one end, some have a few spots. None are heavily rusted at all. For some, I might be able to get creative and let the food out at the middle- tomato sauce is one that could possibly be removed that way.

Reply to: Only 3 nights without power and many cannot cope (Storm Arwen) Posted November 30, 2021

We put ours out in the snow, or just on the porch if it’s that cold, and make sure that it is in an animal-proof container.

Reply to: Rotation in food storage Posted November 17, 2021

Someone who is prepping for long-term survival might have more than 18 months worth of food.

Reply to: Fine line between prepping and hoarding, regarding household capacity Posted November 1, 2021

CR, having to do it many times would put a damper on the whole experience, I am sure.

Reply to: Fine line between prepping and hoarding, regarding household capacity Posted November 1, 2021

Sometimes “stuff” reminds people of relationships in a good way. I let all the older adults in my family know that I have absolutely no pressure on them to do “Swedish death cleaning.” Their choice as to what they end up with. But I am the type who will pick up some old thing and say “Remember when….” and get a nice memory from it. If I end up having to clean out someone’s stuff, I will just hunker down and do it.

Reply to: Fine line between prepping and hoarding, regarding household capacity Posted November 1, 2021

“what do you think the rational behind the washed out food cans was?” I’ll take a stab at it. Saving them for plinking? (Sorry, just had to say that!)

Reply to: Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric Posted October 29, 2021

Reporting in about…. impeller washing machines. A one-word summary for those who do not have time to read: AAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! My family wanted to put their heads together to select a washing machine, so I left them to it. I had NO idea they were looking at impeller machines. They even bought it, which was a surprise, and which I thought was so sweet- until we started using it. Note to self… do not slack off and farm out my research! Among my complaints are: It does not fill even remotely adequately. It does a little shuffling of the clothes during the wash cycle, not very vigorous. I don’t see how it could get badly soiled clothes even remotely clean. It causes the electricity to flicker for every back and forth motion of the wash cycle, unlike any machine we have had prior to this. It takes 40 minutes for the rinse water to fill, again barely adequately. It does not do what passes for agitation during the rinse cycle, but once the less-than-generous amount of rinse water has dribbled in, it goes immediately to spin. It spins, and goes through the motions of draining each time, at least four times. I finally forced a shut-off after the fourth drain-and-spin cycle. I would have never selected an impeller machine, because I wash things like small rugs that have been trampled by dogs, and I can tell by a cursory glance at reviews that it would not be appropriate. It wouldn’t take any longer. I started washing laundry at 7:15 and got done (with one load) at almost 10 pm. I forgot to mention that if one hits the stop button, the machine goes back to the beginning of the wash cycle, although you may be able to force it to go to a “rinse and spin” choice or a “drain and spin” choice, which I did near the end of the ordeal. The clothing needed more washing anyway, since the first wash cycle had barely any water, so I let it go back to the beginning. If I leave it to its own devices (which I was still figuring out since it was so slow at everything, and so thrifty with the allotment of water), it would take at least 1.5 hours per load, including the 40 minute filling of the rinse cycle. Not how I planned to spend the evening! I videoed it all, which I won’t post anywhere, just was documenting in case we have any trouble returning it. I don’t know if all of the above is normal for impeller machines, but I do know from my reading today that they do not give you much water, and also that they lower the “hot” to about 90 degrees, even if your heater is set to 120.

Reply to: Fine line between prepping and hoarding, regarding household capacity Posted October 21, 2021

I have to add to that second to last sentence, that I am not concerned about what they might think, but if I know something is going to be very difficult for someone to deal with, for one reason or another, I will consider disposing of it at some appropriate time.

Reply to: Fine line between prepping and hoarding, regarding household capacity Posted October 21, 2021

Sometimes I ask myself “How many of x thing would I really need, if SHTF?” and if the answer is one, and I have ten, I might think about getting rid of five to see if I suddenly remember a use for them. I certainly won’t get rid of something that I like, that might be useful, that has sentimental value, even, just because someone in the future might get irritated. If something is starting to annoy me or be in my way, I will deal with it at that time. I am not planning ahead for “what if I decide I don’t need the thing.” I do not expect my parents or older family members, people who are said to be of a certain mindset because they are chronologically in one generation or another, to change their habits or get rid of things I personally can see no use for because it might inconvenience those of us who are younger who might have to dispose of some of their stuff if they meet their demise before we do. If/when it comes to that, if I am in charge of said stuff, I will keep what might be mine to keep, make sure other things go to the appropriate people, and give away or toss the rest. I save some things that have been listed here as junk or as silly hoarding, and I smile to myself, because I know that “they don’t make them like they used to” and so I save the thing, even if I might not have to use it. I have had to use something I saved for years, and was probably a bit smug when I pulled out the thing and made the repair. As for any younger generations that might have to “deal with” my stuff, they have all sorts of options, and I do not plan my life around what someone might think about me in the future when it no longer matters to me. If I die 5 minutes from now, they will have some work to do.

Reply to: Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric Posted October 16, 2021

No real tips. Use your hottest water for rinsing. No one we have washed for has ever gotten food poisoning (us, guests for dinner, etc.) Just get all the stuff off, use dish soap of some sort, and rinse! Since I said 1976, that’s 44 years of washing dishes by hand, not all at the same place, no problem!

Reply to: Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric Posted October 16, 2021

Robert Larson, the last time I lived somewhere that had a dishwasher, it was… 1976! It just has turned out that dishwashers did not come with the places I have lived in. I never think about them at all unless someone mentions them. I have never had the urge to install one, especially since I keep forgetting they exist. Back to washing the sheets by hand, I am waiting for some perfect weather, because even if I use the dryer, I hang them out on the line first so a lot of the excess water will run off. I can finish them up in the dryer if I want, since the dryer seems to be holding its own.

Reply to: Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric Posted October 4, 2021

I have put the clothes in the bathtub and put a plastic trash bag over them, then walked from back to front and watched a lot of water go down the drain. It’s not perfect but is another method I came up with. I might try a rolling pin-bathtub combo.

Reply to: Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric Posted October 3, 2021

Reporting in on the twp 5 gallon bucket idea. It does not work for small loads because the inner bucket will not go all the way down, leaving a couple of inches that can’t be squished. I tried a small load of washcloths and hand towels. It simply did not wring them at all.

Reply to: Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric Posted September 23, 2021

I just found this video. This is right in my price range. Three 5-gallon buckets, two lids, and a plunger. It seems like it would work.

Reply to: The need for insecticides in your survival garden Posted September 18, 2021

For people growing their own food, have you encountered literature about rat lungworm (angiostrongylus costaricensis) caused by slugs being on your plants? We had such a slug infestation once that I tossed everything and started over. Still trying to figure out how to get rid of any slime that is on vegetables, if prevention fails and I don’t know it because the slug was being sneaky about its slime trail. I found exactly nothing online about how to wash slug slime off vegetables, entirely, even though it looks like my geographic area is not affected, yet. I also have not found a method of getting rid of slugs that I really like, if one can “like” getting rid of slugs. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/angiostrongylus/index.html

How long, really, is refrigerated food safe after a power outage?

How to tell when to toss cans that have rust on the outside

How long, really, is refrigerated food safe after a power outage?

How to tell when to toss cans that have rust on the outside

Washing machine broken, might want to try something non-electric

Contact-free grocery shopping and prepping