# How do you stock up?



## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

I have been trying to stock up. I have fixed up the garage for basically a walk in pantry. My main sources have been thse two stores in town that sell palletized goods. I also shop with coupons (hard to be an extreme couponer in the Pacific Northwest, stores are a bit stingy on what coupons they'll take and IF they will double certain ones, and how many you can use per day), and can do pretty good, savings averaging 50%.

Have been trying to focus on canned goods, including meats, fruit, veggies and soups. I can easily get plenty of condiments and spice/sauce mixes at these discount grocery stores, super cheap, but they do not take coupons (wow I would be in heaven if they did/could). I can easily get Kraft Real Mayo for about .80 cents a jar, BBQ sauces of all labels about .65 cents, mustards sometimes 2/$1.00 and cereals are always plentiful at about $1.25 a box.

I did invest in a FoodSaver and extra bags (had coupons and local store had them buy 2 get one free), and of course need to learn how to store other than meats. Have a Ronco dehydrator, sadly will admit I have not used it in a while, need to and make plenty of beef jerky, last time I did, it was great. We also got ourselves a gas grill, long overdue. This will be ultra handy, with a supply of filled canisters, whenever power is out. A gas grill is as good as having a gas range with over I have found, I could easily roast as well as rotisserie (yes got that with it), and bake too. 

Having the right equipment I am finding is essential to prepping. We do have a woodstove too. We are on a well, which really, how could we prepare for that long term? We would have to get a generator to run the pump, but that winds up being for two households, as it is a shared well with the neighbors. They are not so friendly, and cannot see they would share in our costs, so knowing where our cleanest water sources are in order to collect and boil is our best bet there, and just start finding a way to collect water for the other uses.

I suggest people checking around their areas for something like I have here, a store, or company that sells palletized goods.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Get a hand pump for yourself only, or can you not separate yourself from your neighbor? You cant pull water up for just you?


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

You can't dig your own well, preferably on the opposite side of your property from the unfriendly neighbor? :scratch


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

my assumption is you live in a duplex

thre are quite a few threads about getting water out of a well on this forum


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

I am a single mom that raised three children and a nephew on one income. I started by having a garden. I grew as much as I could and canned it. Then I would buy one extra can of something each week. As I got more money, I would buy one can and a bag of rice or pasta each week. Eventually, my pantry took shape. I shopped a lot at Salvage Groceries.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

kejmack said:


> I am a single mom that raised three children and a nephew on one income. I started by having a garden. I grew as much as I could and canned it. Then I would buy one extra can of something each week. As I got more money, I would buy one can and a bag of rice or pasta each week. Eventually, my pantry took shape. I shopped a lot at Salvage Groceries.


 Bless your heart thats a hard job. Most single moms can't even cook,much less grow food. 
I have another greatgrandkid about to be born,my granddaughter can't cook but shes trying to learn.
She is 22 and a text fanatic though,so wonder how shes going to nmanage the Iphone and the kid.:dunno: Whole time your talking to her shes texting,I just don't tlk to her much ,I think its rude .She ask me a question and I tell her put down that damn phone and I'll answer you.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

We bought a lot of canned goods.We bought a number of heavy-duty storage boxes at Office Max so I could stack the boxes 4 or 5 high. We bought a lot of canned beef stew. We bought a number of one pound hams at Wal-Mart. The only other canned meat we have is canned chicken that we got at Wal-Mart for $1.99 per 12 ounce can. We plan on using that to make chili and hamburger helper when the time comes.

For water you could get 55 gallon plastic barrels. You can store it long term that way. I've been buying one gallon water jugs but they only last for about 2 years.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Walmart has 7 gallon blue storage cubes for water.. very heavy duty and have a spiket for dispensing. They used to be around $10 but I would not be surprised to find they have gone up.. look in the camping aisles.


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## Herbalpagan (Dec 8, 2008)

I agree with the poster who mentioned gardening! That and a dehydrator are the basics of my food storage. However, if possible, consider the generator at some point. If a bad power outage happens, it's worth it's weight in gold! Your well probably runs on too much power (220 instead of 110) and may not run on the genny, but I don't know. I'd research how your well operates (shallow,deep, narrow mouth, wide mouth) and find a hand pump or well bucket for it in case. You can offer your neighbor a half share in it and see how it goes. It's worth keeping at least in good standing enough with them to be able to talk aobut these things. Good luck!


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

When I retired, I had to have a very strict budget for everything. Upon starting prepping, I wrote down every grocery item that I purchase and as I purchased the items, I spent a little time shopping and writing down prices for that item from different stores. I then knew the basic price I was paying. (It's also been interesting and a little scary to see how much the prices are jumping.) To save a little money to buy extra, I cut out all junk food and started buying an extra can of this or box of that. I have been dating the can or box with the month & year purchased and putting away in large totes till I can figure out better storage space in my 700 sq ft house. During the summer, I usually have a little more grocery money per month because of my garden and that helps.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

I got sidetracked by the well issue...

I stock up in three ways - I buy bulk foods through a co-op each quarter, I buy bulk foods from Sam's Club (maybe once a quarter also, but not at the same time as the Co-op), and every time I go to the grocery store, I buy a few extras of things for which I have coupons. 

I take inventory frequently, so I know which items I'll buy a few more of.

It's getting harder to do this, especially since the closest Sam's Club is quite a hike.

I might have to let the Sam's Club card expire, and just stick to the Co-op and careful shopping at the local store. As far as I know, there isn't a Salvage Grocery anywhere near us.


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## dahur (Dec 18, 2009)

Emerald said:


> Walmart has 7 gallon blue storage cubes for water.. very heavy duty and have a spiket for dispensing. They used to be around $10 but I would not be surprised to find they have gone up.. look in the camping aisles.


Yeah they're still $10 (here anyways). I just bought several, BPA free.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I look for the grocery & drug store loss leader ads in the Sunday paper and also shop at Sams Club and Aldis.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

HoppeEL4 said:


> Having the right equipment I am finding is essential to prepping. We do have a woodstove too. We are on a well, which really, how could we prepare for that long term? *We would have to get a generator to run the pump, but that winds up being for two households, as it is a shared well with the neighbors. They are not so friendly, and cannot see they would share in our costs,* so knowing where our cleanest water sources are in order to collect and boil is our best bet there, and just start finding a way to collect water for the other uses..


 I would get this problem straightened out now. I would stock A few hundred gallons of drinking,cooking water and another couple hundred gallons of water to flush toilets without anyone knowing I had the water if possible. When the power goes off and you use your preps to get by for a couple weeks, they may approach you and then you can tell them the rules, even make them pay for half the gererator. I would not use my generator to pump water to unfriendly neighbors who didn't want to share the cost. free water this week, free food next week.


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

Storing water long term here is not wholly necessary. We live in the foothills of the Cascades, and not far from the Columbia River Gorge too, and there are numerous springs that I know of close by, and a river right below us in the gorge (it would need to be boiled though). Water for toilet flushing or cleaning up could be collected through rain barrels, not tough to do here either (that is the bulk of our fall, winter and spring).

Having a generator to pump water would be something I just cannot see doing, it would mean buying it and also storing up plenty of gas, more expensive long term than simply going nearby occassionally to collect water from springs or the river. I might see about how to connect a hand pump outside to the spiget near the field.


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

Herbalpagan...The well is deep, 160 feet or more that we have been told by a neighbor that has lived there since 1958. I too assume the pump must be 220 as it would be necessary for that deep of a well. The hand pump would not be impossible, it is a issue of finding one and installing it.


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## whome (Oct 6, 2011)

HoppeEL4 said:


> Herbalpagan...The well is deep, 160 feet or more that we have been told by a neighbor that has lived there since 1958. I too assume the pump must be 220 as it would be necessary for that deep of a well. The hand pump would not be impossible, it is a issue of finding one and installing it.


I have the same issue and I've been looking for hand pumps for deep wells...so far it looks like I'm going to have to spend $1200-1600 frns to get it, ouch!


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## siletz (Aug 23, 2011)

I would suggest making a list of things that you still need and then carry the list with you. Then each time you're out doing your normal shopping, try to get one thing off of your list. By biting it off in little chunks, it doesn't seem as overwhelming. If something's on a big sale, get some for normal use and some for the pantry. Set a goal of having everything checked off the list by x date, then take a new look at what you have and what you still need.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

So far my best price on deep well hand pumps was from Bison pumps. My well is only 116 but I was told to get a hand pump for the "static" water level... 
And the best way to explain that is that most wells even tho they had to go deep have a higher water level that comes up the pipe. So I am not sure how to find out what it is, it might be something worth looking into.
There are also many plans on the internet to make PVC pipe "buckets" that can be sent down the regular well pipe and it has a one way valve at the bottom so it fills and when you pull it up it closes.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

siletz said:


> By biting it off in little chunks, it doesn't seem as overwhelming.


That's the best way. :beercheer:
We've been at this for 4 years. A little bit every week or every month really adds up in that amount of time. Sure, we bought some things in bulk like salt, sugar, honey and some grains but for the most part it's been a little extra here and there.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Ezmerelda said:


> I got sidetracked by the well issue...
> 
> I stock up in three ways - .


I'm tired, been painting as well as other things..I'm a multi-tasker; thought your post said ...."I stock up in three days"...:gaah:
I surmised that you are rich or have lots of help??
Then I reread it---okay, now that makes sense..bedtime.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> That's the best way. :beercheer:
> We've been at this for 4 years. A little bit every week or every month really adds up in that amount of time. Sure, we bought some things in bulk like salt, sugar, honey and some grains but for the most part it's been a little extra here and there.


Tell me--how 4 years ago did you see this coming to start storing?/
Mind telling?? I am pretty observant and only started 3 years ago because a email contact in California was doing it and that was only food storage...
Just interested what happened 4 years ago to get your attention, because I was just setting extra food aside for unexpected hardships (we're self-employed) and then 18 months ago, started big time prepping in all areas.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

sailaway said:


> I look for the grocery & drug store loss leader ads in the Sunday paper...


I'll see your loss leader ads and raise you a book of coupons!

I compare the sell papers to my coupon stash, and make my list accordingly...based on what we actually need, of course. And I take advantage of store brands on many items.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

JayJay said:


> I'm tired, been painting as well as other things..I'm a multi-tasker; thought your post said ...."I stock up in three days"...:gaah:
> I surmised that you are rich or have lots of help??
> Then I reread it---okay, now that makes sense..bedtime.


Oh, I wish! Just call in some orders, and presto!









all done!


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

JayJay said:


> Tell me--how 4 years ago did you see this coming to start storing?


The whole story is in another thread somewhere but in a nutshell, we started to notice the packaging of food shrinking in the winter of '07-'08. We decided to enlarge the garden and started buying a little extra of everything before smaller packages turned into higher prices which we figured was inevitable. Really?, how small can you make a package before it's rejected by the consumer?


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

I too have noticed the smaller packaging. At one time, I noticed the 4 pound bags of store brand sugar (nothing more than beet sugar, already a cheaper product). I did do a comparrison of the store brands price over name brand. Ounce for ounce there was little difference and beet sugar is inferior in baking (professional bakers daughter here). I bought name brand which is cane sugar.

Then the name brand cane sugar started being sold in 4 pound bags....then I knew something was certainly up. A clerk stated the smaller packaging was a way for manufacturers to make a bit more in this "recession" and yet the one pound they figure would not be missed. Ice cream containers started shaving off some ounces, yet stayed the same....

This has been subtle and not all at once, and unfortunately, till this last 16 months or so, we did not think a lot about it all, and prepping, even after watching the crash in 2008 (lets face it, it was a crash). I know when we saw the crash of the housing bubble, and such, we certainly had a terrible feeling in our stomachs, but had not yet comprehended it overall in our own lives and how it applied (in the way of prepping for more troubles). I applaud you for seeing it and doing something right away, wish we had.

As for prepping in three days, wouldn't that be something to see. I am yet just getting started, have a LONG ways to go. I have been painting too, I think the fumes get to you!!!LOL Our place's garage was divided up years ago by someone else, so the actual garage area is not big enough for a car, I am painting it, including the floor (cement paint) so it can be used as a huge walk in pantry. Our place is a small ranch style place with no crawl space and an upper crawl space I have not identified the insulation (built in 1960), and am concerned about the type of insulation, afraid to even go up and look, afraid it is asbestos, so using that space is out also.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Good for you on getting your garage fixed up! It will be a blessing to make the space usuable for the way you live. I will be joining you in the paint fumes experience, as I'll be tackling our basement for the same purpose. (If you have a good experience with paint-on-cement products, please do share!)

As for stocking up, for me with food I just started paying super attention to all the fliers out each week. I don't always have a lot of coupons (I print online coupons, but I don't get newspapers) - but I'm learning how often products tend to go on sale. It seems to be about every 3 months or so. I'll buy loads of pasta when the boxes go 10 for $10.00 - and I won't buy a single box of pasta when it's not on sale. (This took some getting used to for the kids.) Whenever something is a good buy, I buy lots - and I never buy anything that's 'regular' price (which, good Lord, keeps changing!)

So when I first started really stocking up, I was well-stocked on only some items, but woefully low on others. The key is that over time that evens up, as the sales run their cycles.

With meat I buy what's on the 'manager's special' - meaning that it's about to expire so they mark it down 30-50%. So I never know what I'm going to buy when it comes to meat - it depends on what's on sale. I just know what time of day the store marks stuff down, and I've literally followed the employee as they mark stuff down and put it in my cart. And I'm not the only person to do that - there's lots of company when it comes to getting marked-down meat! Sometimes if I'm in a store that has a LOT of something with the same expiration date, and it's something I need, I'll make a special trip to go back on the day I know it's going to be marked down. The key again is buying a lot when it's a good value - then I take it home and freeze, can, or dehydrate (or all three).

We bought a cheap stand-up freezer off craigslist - it was a great purchase! We prefer frozen meat to dehydrated, and dehydrated to canned, but I still try to have at least half of our meat stored in a fashion that doesn't need electricity.

As for everything else, it's a little at a time. When I go to Sam's Club, there are some things that I always buy - like laundry items - whether we need it or not, just to build up the stores at home. When I think of something, I try to put it on a wish list, and then work off the wish list a little at a time. It seemed like I was never going to get stocked up. But over time, it really does fill in. I still have gaps (like dairy products), but I'm actually at the point of feeling pretty good about what we have, and I thought I'd NEVER get there! lol

Of course, part of the lesson in all this is also learning that we're never finished - we're never 100% stocked up.


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

Goshengirl, the trick to painting cement is to primer it with an oil based primer first. Make sure the cement is free from any loose debris, then prime. After this, using a cement paint (it's for porches and patios it says) is what's best. I just got white (you can get it tinted in several different shades), and everything in the garage, floors, walls and ceiling, are all white. Makes it feel so much cleaner and allows a little bit of light to go a long way. This garage's walls were all covered in stained plywood....really weird, and the only way to cover that was to primer it too. As much plywood as they used, I absolutely fear a fire...this place would just go up in one big "poof" and it would be over.

BTW, the cement paint is a polyurethane, oil based paint. Needs solvents to clean up after, and is powerful smelling. Takes about 24 hours, or more depending on the temperatures, to dry.

Now that it is all almost done in there (one section of the floor at a time to allow us to have access to our stuff), I am thinking I need some floor to ceiling shelves in there, like an aisle, to maximize storage.....time to go to the lumber yard.

Good luck on that basement, I wish we had one, I would feel so much better about our growing stock. With just a garage door between that and the world I do worry about a break in. Hopefully, with the minimal neighbors we have, and the humble outside of this one level little place, it would be overlooked should times get bad and and people ever loot homes..My theory is they would go for the big McMansions down the road before anything, and hopefully by-pass houses like ours.


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## siletz (Aug 23, 2011)

I know what you mean about smaller packages. Last time I was at the store I looked at those boxes of cocoa packets. They had been 10 pkts to a box. There are now only 6 pkts to a box, but the same price as before! It only seems to be getting worse...


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I have a garden, I increased the size to 1/2 acre and planted fruit and nut trees, started canning everyhing that came out of the ground. I soon realized that keeping 1000+ jars of food was not practical so started dehydrating instead. I even opened most of the jars of home canned food and dehydrated them, had my doubts but most of it came out pretty well.

I started only canning foods we like that would not be available anywhere when TSHTF or that wasn't practical to preserve any other way. Had some big successes...canned butter, tastes great and stores well, canned chicken, beef, hamurger, sausage and even bacon. They all work well. Have even canned many dairy products..cheese, cream, cottage cheese and sour cream. With some of the dairy their is a slight loss in flavor and/or texture but over all worked well. I have a store of yogurt and keifer cultures which don't store as long as I would like but they can be rotated, used and resupplied. 

We have been dehydrating eggs and cheese for the past 6 months and have about 12 gross of eggs and many pounds of cheese so far. The eggs, cheese and quantities of powdered milk, skim and whole are a valued part of our pantry.

I dehydrate potatoes, squash, carrots, corn, green beans, cucumbers...you get the message. I have recently started dehydrating meats, poultry and even have learned to salt and dry fish. The fish is fantastic...should have done it years ago, like it better than fresh. 

We still have our jellies, jams and marmalades in jars, just don't think that would dehydrate well so haven't felt inclined to try that(haha). 

Have a large store of dried fruit, apples, peaches, plums, raisins, and just about anything we can grow or buy. Have even started candying citrus fruit, it is great for snacks or for making deserts.

We have a sizable herb garden and have large quantities of our favorites stored. Have even started studying medicinal qualities of of wild and domestic herbs/plants and have a store of natural medicines, most of which work far better than the commercial or pharmaciticals equivlents.

Fineally, we have dry goods stored in sealed buckets...flour & wheat, corn, sugar, rice, beans and oats. The arm gets a workout when cranking the grain mill making cornmeal.

We do not freeze anything for storage, power can go out or be cut and I haven't gotten my windcharger or solar pannels up yet.

We don't store MRE's, they will keep you alive but I know from experience that after several weeks of eating them exclusively, you start to suffer.

My strategy is is to store all the foods we normally eat, so there will not be a drastic change in diet when we have to start using the stores. There is a only a small differnece in taste and quality if you learn to do it right. If the foods can pass the taste test of my daughters, it has to be good.

I don't let a single day go by that I don't put something back for hard times, my NESCO Gaden Maser Dehydrator runs almost 24-7 with potatoes, eggs, or bananas if there is nothing else to process.

Bottom line, I am not rich, I live only on my military disability and partly support two of my 3 daughters and a grandson. Much can be done to prepare if even on the tightest budget. It only takes determination and the desire to never let those in your charge go hungry or starve.


MAKE IT HAPPEN


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## 778008 (Mar 27, 2011)

This is a great thread. I stock up like many have said and also purchase long term food storage. For the next few weeks Costco online has a 1 month bucket of food for 84.99. I have used this and its pretty good plus long term expiration. On other thing is to have Books! I get a few from Barnes and noble. If the internet goes down we must have written knowledge. Something to think about


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I'm pretty new to all this. I saw Porter Stansberry's "End of America" presentation after it was advertised on the Rush Limbaugh program. I bought my first water on May 22nd of this year. We took out a 401k loan. Starting sometime in June I started buying at least $100 worth of groceries almost every week day. The bulk of our stocking up was done in six weeks or so. I'm still finishing up on certain items. I expect to finish buying one gallon water jugs this week. We need 62 more to have 3 towers of 512 gallons each (put together with cinder blocks and plywood). I feel like the collapse could be soon so I feel a sense of urgency to get as much done as possible as soon as possible.


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

Davarm, you are putting me to shame...man! I have not tackled canning yet. I do have a dehydrator, and need to start using it in conjunction with my FoodSaver.

Siletz, I have something to share with you (well anyone here) since you mentioned packets of hot chocolate:

Homemade hot chocolate:
2 cups nonfat dry powdered milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
Dash Salt

Mix well in large lidded container (I just close plastic lid tight and shake till mixed up). 1/3 cup mix to standard size coffee cup of boiling hot water.

Also, for those who desire caffeine, I add some instant coffee or espresso granules to the mix. You can also add extra cocoa powder for a more chocolate kick, or more powdered creamer for a more creamy mix, or flavored powdered creamer....the possibilities are endless. I promise this to be far cheaper than store bought mix, and my kids grew up on it and cannot stand the oversweet stuff thats pre-made. Heck, if you want, you can replace the sugar with stevia (whatever that replacement amount would be) or other sweeteners.


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## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

BillS I have to admit, I tried to listen to the Porter Stansbury stuff, really I did, but after a short time, my brain sort of locked up, eyes glazed over and I lost track of what I was hearing. I am just not sure why this happened. I then thought to myself how I really needed to know what he had to say, but just could not bring myself to sit down long enough to listen to the whole thing (maybe an adult attention deificit thing?LOL).

It was then that I realized I already knew this countries hay ride was coming to an end, and that he was simply trying to tell those who had not realized it yet that the hay wagon was now on fire. There are those of us here (who are here because we realized what was happening) who know the fire is too much for us to put out, we are just doing what we can to save ourselves and those we love from it. Then there are those, blissfully sitting there, with the wagon on fire all around them, singing and laughing, ignoring the heat of the flames and the fact that they are seeing plenty of others jumping off. In this case, denial will be their downfall, while the rest of us will be off watching it all happen at a distance.

This was all I needed to know. Keeping things simple for myself I decided, was a way to just focus my energy into prepping and learning how to survive in a country that will have had to step back as though the industrial age never happened (this is how I feel it will be to some degree). Though I admire you and others for sitting down and listening to it all. I am just one of those people who cannot hardly sit through an entire movie.


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