Friday's Thoughts and Other Stuff

Dear Preppers and Survivalists,

Instead of doing a chore, I'd been promising myself to complete for over two months, I'm going to talk to you about some things.

Chickens
We, really my partner, have chickens; they live in our barn. I built an 8 feet by 12 feet coop for them using 2X4s, plywood, and 1X4 fencing. It was designed to keep varmints out, but there is a flaw. The coop has no walls, except for 1X4 fencing.

So, to protect the chickens during the winter, every fall, I go down to the local recycle place and pick up huge cardboard boxes. The boxes are cut along one corner, unfolded, and nailed to the 2X4s, except this year.

This year, I tied the boxes to the fencing using a simple knot ...

So I can practice my improvisation skills. oooooh!


Violence
I'm reading a book.

The book is about defending your home. The author seems to be doing a good job of helping the reader to determine if it's worth the trouble to defend your home. The writer also helps the reader to determine if you have the resources and the people with the needed skills to defend your retreat and prevail during an attack.

The book is bleak, and there lies the problem.


The villains will use gall and guile to trick you into lowering your defenses. They will send a weak old woman or an emaciated little girl to your door to ask for a drink of water or a little food, or they will appear as a delivery man (with the uniform and truck to match) to deliver a package to your door, always with a signature required, then shoot you when you open the door.

or

Attackers will conduct surveillance, over many days, watching your homestead day and night from a hidden location. The villains will then plan the attack to occur when your group is at its weakest.

or

A notice will arrive in the mail; from the mortgage company, zoning commission, or some other "official" source; notifying you that you and your family have 30 days to move.

Sorry folks, I went in a direction I didn't plan on.

So to start over.

As civilized humans, we naturally trust everyone until proven wrong. Don't believe me.

Tomorrow, walk up to a total stranger, smile, hold out your hand, make eye contact and introduce yourself. More likely then not they will smile back, shake your hand, and say "Hi," especially if you're well dressed.

During a collapse, you and your family will need to turn that around. You will need to distrust everyone. Every encounter should be considered a possible violent encounter.

That still didn't go where I wanted it to go

so, I'll try again.

In these U.S. Army, they have a saying "Have a plan to kill everyone you meet."

PS.
Sorry, I can't tell you which book yet because I'm not finished and I want to figure out if it's worth suggesting for you to read the book.


The $10, $20, or $50 a Month Plan
I was talking to my supervisor, today. He is starting to see the cracks in the financial institutions, and he's getting a little worried.

But, he still doesn't think he has the money to get prepared. He thinks he needs to drop $10.000 to get ready, today.

We talked and I came up with some ideas.

First, we need shelter.
Most folks aren't going to get kicked out of their homes. At least he isn't. Plus, if he needs to, he and his family can move in with the family. Basically doubling up.

Second, we need water.
I suggested to ask family and friends for 1 and 2 liter soda bottles with the lids. Rinse them out and fill them up with tap water. My 'boss' mentioned that we need to add unscented chlorine bleach to the water. Not really, most city's tap water is already chlorinated enough for short term storage, six months easy.

So that's 15 to 70 gallons of water for his family of five. A 3-day to 2-week supply of water.

He also mentioned something about 'flat' water. It's water that has lost its dissolved oxygen. All you do is pour a cup of water into a glass then shake the bottle real hard. Make sure to put the cap on first ; - )

Next, we need food.
We have been talking about storing long-term food (white rice, dried beans, wheat, and other stuff like that) for a couple of weeks because of Glenn Beck.

This is where he thinks he needs ten grand ($10.000).

I told him about buying a couple extra cans of the stuff his family normally eats. Putting the food in the pantry and using it. The $10 a month plan.

Next, I talked about buying a couple of cases of food then putting this food in the basement, but always buying food his family normally eats. The $20 a month plan

Naturally, he asked about rice, wheat, and beans. I told him that he can store white rice, wheat, and dried beans in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers then place that food into boxes. I also mentioned to store the food his family will eat.

He said they eat rice, but not a lot. I told him "if" they decide to store rice they should eat it more often in the family's daily meals. I used the example of my bringing beans and rice for lunch every other day to eat at work.

We also talked about storing buckets under his kid's bed. To do this move the kid's beds, place sealed buckets in the place where their bed was, get rid of the box springs, lay a piece of plywood on top of the buckets, put a bed skirt on the plywood then place their mattress on the plywood (OK, I have to do an article on this)

Forth, we need protection.
He owns a couple of hunting rifles and a Hi-Point 9mm pistol. He has about 200 rounds of 9mm and one magazine for the pistol. Plus, he's thinking of getting a Hi-Point carbine.

Let me say up front, I think the Hi-Point pistol is the least thing to have. A used Smith and Wesson, Colt, Springfield Armory, Taurus, Glock or ... would be much, much better, additional; a 9mm carbine for him is all wrong; he lives in the country on three acres.

First, he isn't going to buy another pistol, so I told him he needs at least three magazines for the pistol. I also told him he needs another pistol for his wife!

Next, we talked about the need to purchase a military-style rifle. He hemmed and hawed, but military-style rifles (SKS, AK-47, AR-15) are designed to shoot and shoot and shoot. A 30-06 hunting rifle is designed to shoot once or twice; good for hunting or taking care of one or two villains, but not a group of people. Plus, the SKS, AK-47, or AR-15 can be used by his wife and kids.

Lastly, an AR-15 can be built-up over time. First, he buys the receiver (from a dealer) then he can buy the lower receiver parts and a buttstock, next month. Then he saves his money for a few months and buys a complete upper receiver. If he can't save his money, he can always buy an upper receiver then the bolt carrier then the bolt, then the blah, blah, blah ... until he has a complete AR-15. The $50 a month plan.

Note:
I like to buy my upper receivers complete and pre-built. I don't have the tools to properly assemble an upper receiver and headspace a bolt.

Lastly, the "Collapse" hasn't Happen in 40 Years
Lastly, I told him, we still may have time to get ready. He might be able to build up his family's food supplies over the next few years. He might have years to build a couple of AR-15s, but ...

Don't count on it.




Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
I know I'm repeating myself, but folks aren't getting the message.


Let me give you an example.


Jumper, one of my brothers, calls me the other day, and we're talking and all of a sudden he says ...

"Me and the family are planning to head out your way if "stuff" happens."

 I asked, "Stuff?"

"Yeah. Like the collapse"

I asked, "Planning to bring any food?'

He had the balls to say, "Nope."

"I'll shoot you in the head"

After I said that Jumper acted all shocked. I politely, but firmly, informed him that planning to show up with no food means that he and his family will stave to death because we have no 'extra' food to share.

or

If we share food with him and his family then that sharing will take food out of my children's mouthes during the collapse. Sentencing my family to an early death because his family won't store food or send me money to store food for him.

I swear; Jumper was adopted.