What did you do today to prepare yourself and/or your family?
Can be anything.
Show pics if necessary.
Be as detailed as possible.
Went to BJ’s this morning bought some more canned meats, tuna etc you see on top of the pile to add to supplies. Needs to be organzied I know , just threw it in there for now.
I have a mixture of almost everything i.e. dehydrated, MRE’s, canned goods. Enough to last almost a year at this point for me & the Mrs and a few others if need be. This is one closet. There are 2 closets like this. And theres a storage area in the garage for the Big Berkey’s, large water storage containers, coleman stoves, camping gear, aladdin oil lamps and all kinds of other goodies. It’s insurance, if I never need it I’ll be all the happier. Allows me to reach deep REM sleep every night!!
On my way out the door now to pick up anther propane tank. Every month I spend $200+ on something survival minded whether ammo, food, communications etc. Having spent many years in the USMC my family always understood my mentality (prior proper planning…“he’s brainwashed”) but they knew I was a fairly intelligent, level headed guy and not an off the cuff wing-nut. They understood, it just wasn’t for them. 15 years ago friends thought it was a little loco, 10 years ago after 9/11 they started asking questions and in the last year they’re asking for advice.
Very cool man. What’s in those big white containers?
The round (8) 6 gallon white containers are hard red winter wheat. The other white containers have a variety of items from rolled oats to barley, beans, pasta etc. The boxes on the bottom contain all sorts of dehydrated vegetables, TVP, fruit etc.
Exercised my ass off in high humidity and mid-80’s.
Exercise. Need lots more!
Dave- Back in A-stan?
Yeah, back again. Now I have plenty of time to get my post count up 
I started this thread to get some ideas and hopefully others can learn from it too.
I got up, got my Kit and MK18 ready to look for some Taliban…:jester:
While here in the Stan, all I can do is read material to prepare. I did just start the book, When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes By Cody Lundin. It is a good book and he sure has a different outlook on the topic.
I am working almost every day on remodeling my house. How is that “prepping”? Because I have very little experience doing that. So for the last couple of years I have made it a goal to do as much home repair and home remodel as I can myself. This way I will build more hands on skills other than my total dependence on computer/management work.
Of course I do a lot of the other more typical prepping of beans bullets, and band-aids, too.
So far I have really stretched myself beyond what I am confortale with, but gain a tremendous amount of satisfaction taking my time and doing things much better than standard construction, but a bit less than journeyman craftsman.
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Tore out a funky walkin closet in master bedroom that was not framed properly. Lead to tearing out all the wallboard and carpet, particleboard underlayment too. I rebuilt the closet including proper reinforcement in the rafters. Then I added soundproofing and hung new drywall. I chickened out and hired a a contractor to tape and mud the drywall and lay hardwood floors (gorgeous work).
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Built three garage cabinets with 3/4" plywood and a self-designed cat hutch (compact way to store cat food, eating platform, and elevated sleeping platform. I had never built cabinets before and learned a lot about joints and shelf supports (used Kreg pocket hole tool, routed dados, etc.).
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Laid a 13’ x 4.5’ porcelain tile hearth in the den, after moving the 350 lb wood stove and 400 lb concrete hearth by myself. I learned why most people do not lay 18" tiles and stick with much lighter 12" tiles! Turned out pretty good. Got help moving the stove back though!
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Have removed all the carpet and vinyl from the kitchen and adjoining den. TIP: Removing particle board underlayment from around the cabinets and cooking island is a PITA! Learned about proper leveling of the subfloor. Found a great local supplier for the select Hickory 2.25" strips and trim and it has been acclimating in my den for a couple of weeks. Have laid half the plywood underlayment and will finish this weekend.
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I have the power nailers and everything to start nailing the strips down later this week. Then lots of sanding and Waterlox finishes.
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TODAY, I finished rebuilding about half of my central air duct work (4" - 10" round) as it was damaged and installed wrong anyway. Learned all about duct work, elbows, hangers, mastic tape, and working in dusty 18" crawl spaces (use a dust mask).
Next year I will install hardwood floors (white oak) in the living room and stairs. And re-roof the house, though that may be contracted out for. Although I roofed houses and apartments in my youth, at 57 yrs old and earning good money it seems silly to work on the roof myself. Still debating with myself.
Overall it is a TON of work. Every project is a new set of codes, procedures, tools, and materials. But I am learning a lot, getting tremendous satisfaction from a job well done, and building up a set of tools to tackle nearly any house job.
I am gaining a lot of knowledge but have not done any project enough times to where I am as speedy as a tradesman. But if worse came to worse and I had to find another job or start a business in a non-computer area, I feel I have much more knowledge and experience than before. I could never earn anywhere near what I do now, but I might be able to eke out a survival income.
Great post. I never even thought about preperation in those terms. I will have to rethink some stuff.
Agreed! Absolutey a great post.
With 48 percent of Americans thinking there’s a very strong possibility that we’re headed for a great great depression (yes 2 greats), learning as many new skills as you can is pure “prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance” in action! I would fully expect terrorist (and all rogue, axis of evil nations) to try and kick us as hard as they can when we’re down too. It will be a huge window of opportunity for them.
Some people will think we’re insane to prepare to the degree some of us do. Reminds me of a joke :Cop pulls a guy over and in the process inquires if he has any weapons on him, he says “yes sir, I have a Colt .45 in the glove box, a Glock 23 in a IWB and a Walther PPKS on my ankle.” Cops asks " anything else", “yes sir, I have a M4gery and a Benelli in the trunk”. Cop says to him " Sir may I ask what you are afraid of", man says “not a god damned thing Sir”!
Doscherm and DaveL…“Stay safe out there”! and “thanks for your service brothers”!
I LOVE THAT!!! :jester:
Thanks
That’s funny dude, I’m over here with the same book half way through chapter 6.
It’s too hard to read late at night, but it’s a good book so far. I already read 98.6 Degrees which has a similar beginning.
NWPilgrim,
Good post man. Forcing yourself to do things outside your comfort zone is pretty wise; I forget that sometimes.
Just a Jarhead,
Great joke and thank you.
That is funny, I am only on Chapter 4. :jester:
Was 98.6 Degrees a good read? I was going to get that next.
I honestly thought it was the best wilderness-type survival primer I have read. It doesn’t deal with any super advanced techniques, only mindset, simple tools, and tasks needed to protect the body from exposure and dehydration.
I wonder what % of “preppers” have actually hiked, camped, or spent serious time in the woods. Simply going without modern conveniences will be a shock to most. As Doc and Dave can attest, no a/c takes some getting used to. Thanks to Lenny and Katrina I’ve had crash courses in no running water, inside toilet, a/c, or power(just like camping except with looters). Getting time w/o these things may be a valuable prep for many.
I still say being in shape with good cardio is one of the most important, and overlooked, preps.
Good thread.
In the last 24 hours:
Helped our 16 year old son work on his 1985 Ramcharger. He is replacing the front crankshaft seal and wanted to show him how to do it so that he could survive on his own.
Went to the range with a bunch of friends. I enjoyed getting some good practice in with various guns I had never shot before as well as help a lady improve her pistol skills.
Fed the chickens and cared for the mother hen and her five little chicks that are going to be future egg layers.
Exercised hard and am feeling it this morning. 
Excellent post MarshallDodge! I believe that well rounded approach to prepping is on the mark. It isn’t about just food, or just guns, or just precious metals. It is about having saved up stockpiles AND being ready personally and as a family to do more on our own. Being fit, having DIY skills, and becoming a producer not just a consumer.