Susie's Practical Preps

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

They just don't make a big deal out of it like people in Hawaii do. I often wonder about that...But people in Hawaii tend to travel less than people on the mainland and from other countries, so they lack a discerning world experience, I suppose.

Perhaps it's also due, in part, to Hawai`i's complex mix of cultural and ancestral backgrounds, something less common in other states. That, combined with the isolation of islands (something that was not easy or affordable to overcome until the past half-century), may lead to a sense of Island pride in "see how well we all get along here? We could be a showpiece to the rest of the world!"

(Just don't spit on timkona's wife's car... )

[kimo55]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Of course it does, as does every other place in the world, where it is generally knows as "common courtesy" or "proper upbringing" or simply "good manners." They just don't make a big deal out of it like people in Hawaii do. I often wonder about that.

the aloha spirit was basically a nebulous product marketed by the Hawaii visitor bureau. and now everyone believes the pubicity.

Drove through oregon and seattle years ago once... and the atmopshere and peoplle were perceptively different than whence I came, at that time; socal. they had a natural friendly vibe. It was something in the whole feel of the country. round those parts... They had their own aloha spirit. didn't like leaving the area. really genuinely nice friendly people.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Drove through oregon and seattle years ago once... and the atmopshere and peoplle were perceptively different than whence I came, at that time; socal. they had a natural friendly vibe. It was something in the whole feel of the country. round those parts... They had their own aloha spirit. didn't like leaving the area. really genuinely nice friendly people.

Very kind of you to say. We have our share of @-holes here, too, but many of us try to avoid that behavior (and sometimes, we fail.)

[kaneohegirl]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

oooo this should majke susie happy....


I bought a new water bath canner..... whooot! nice black enamel finish!

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

oooo this should majke susie happy....


I bought a new water bath canner..... whooot! nice black enamel finish!

Whoopee! You want some recipes?

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Deadly Flu Virus

There's an article in the Washington Post, today, about dead bodies, and what to do with them. It is more of a general picture, than one of a personal nature.

But....just what do you do, with a dead body, in the middle of a pandemic? In the street, or in the house? What if it is someone you know? Or love?

We'll begin this one in general terms...first of all, we have to get used to the idea, THEN we can deal with what to do....

There's the sadness part, and the shock of it. Do you believe in a soul? Is the body just a shell? Suppose funerals were out of the question, due to no manpower, no space, fear of infection? What kind of 'closure' would this sort of an end bring?

Then, there's the practical part...the disposal. Where, how, when, who? Could you even begin with how to deal with the remains? No forget the stink of a decaying corpse, and leaking bodily fluids. Flies. Hungry animals. Hungry humans?

Okay...I'll stop, for now, to let this sink in. Maybe the GoogleNews article will help, a bit.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Speaking of the Aloha Spirit....how far does that go? A hurricane? A flood? A war? A pandemic?

At what point would you forget about any kind of spirit/community, and begin to think of just you, and yours? When hunger sets in? Thirst? Sickness? Social disruption? Panic? Chaos?

When would you go out and begin to loot/steal/kill in order to survive? Never? When the kids began to cry from hunger? When you had nothing left to lose?

Those are all really tough questions to ask ourselves, ya? Do we really even NEED to ask those questions, right now? Can't it just be ignored, or wait til (if) something happens? Like....change the channel, put down the thriller.

Okay, then...let's try from another direction....how far would you go, to protect what you have? Would you even consider sharing, and with who would you share, and for how long? Would you go so far, as to scare/hurt/kill, to stop someone from taking your food, water, meds, shelter? To avoid rape?

Barricade the doors? Hide out and hope? Shoot first, question later? Run? Barter?

Have you considered self-protection? Would you? Could you? Guns? Knives? Slingshot? Pepperspray? WD40 and a lighter? Oven cleaner? Pitchfork? Staplegun? A big stick?

Suppose it was your neighbors? In-laws? Soldiers?

[helen]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

I don't think it would be the nature of the disaster but rather the length of time that has past and how much longer before help arrives or when is the next supply run is due.

Protection, that would vary from person to person depending on the local situation. For me I would stay away from things that burn, last thing I need is a fire in my little apartment.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Aloha Susie,

I have a good friend who was born and raised in Berlin (she is in her 40s, leaving Germany about 10 yrs ago). For those first three decades of her life, she saw fighter jets canvassing the skies, American and Russian. Having those cold war experiences, she believed that she lived her life on the battle ground; WWIII would not be fought on either USSR or US soil. She grew up "free" in a city surrounded by the Wall. It has marbled into her psyche something fierce.

Something about your posts reminds me of her. I don't know what it is like to live on a multinational continent; land bound by opportunities to bring in food and medicine when disaster hits, as well as opportunities for terrorist attacks. To be accessible to a community of those willing to help or invade. Bound by love for humanity and decency, yet divided by language and cultural mores.

I say this because I don't know if I see you as paranoid or shaped by the potential of your circumstances. It is fair to see us as either naive or shaped by our circumstances. I worry about germs, but not about terrorist attacks. I understand that Pearl Harbor happened, but nailing Hawai'i won't devastate the US national economy like hitting a big city. We just aren't an entry port into anywhere. (I should flesh this thought out further: I don't worry about Islamic attacks in Hawai'i, but its conceivable to me that Kim Jong-Il might try to strike Hawai'i). And, have you tried to fly inter-island since 9/11? Ho man, I had a nail clipper confiscated flying out of Kona once. And both Maui and Hilo seem to hire for their airport security a mix of undercover ninjas and p*ssed-off titas. They treat everyone as if they are terrorists.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Hello Pua'i Mana'o,

On reflection, other than my Mom's stories, about being a young girl in Germany, during and after the war, I have to think that, living where I do, pushes me to think about another way of life, than the one I grew up with.

I grew up as a US Army Officer's daughter. Life was good. Both Hawaii and Germany were considered 'home', but for the most part, we lived on Post, going to good schools, and socializing, and growing up in a very protected, full-service environment. For those of you, who have raised families while in the military...you'll know that you don't even have to leave the Post, where everything is at hand, and practically perfect. Sports, shopping, church, clubs, stables, kennels, schools, hospitals, gas stations, nurseries, libraries...you name it, it's there for you. And safety, and security...think of a military base as a hybrid Mayberry.

Small French towns, however, are another matter. I have several little-old-lady friends, whom I love because they tell me stories about the people who live in this town, and what growing up here was like. Telephones, washing machines, and even fridges are not standard issue, here. When you go to fill out a form, you don't get asked for your number, you get asked if you have a phone. These people have war, plague, and hardship memories in their collective DNA.

And it's not just France, either...I worked in Britain, delivering milk, door to door, and Bitish Grannies will tell you all about the food rationing, that happened during, and for many years after, the war. I remember getting so sick of hearing about it, that I wished for that particular generation to hurry up and die out!

Growing up in America, that kind of stuff wasn't 'real'...it was for books, or movies. Britain? Europe? Weren't they doddering Aunties, or slightly retarded children?

To top it off, I read 'The 900 Days' as a pre-teenage child. Why, oh why, did I not stick with Archie comic books?

You know, it's only the seniors, that take me seriously, here. The younger ones (60 and less) are too busy, trying to keep up with everything that they see on TV and in the glossy magazines, just like the rest of the world. Has mass communication and transportation really done us any good service? The French character and style is being watered down by these, and the European Union. (and to think...the French asked the US after-war-occupation to leave, back in the sixties, in order to preserve their culture!)

The seniors tell me about the wars, about the Spanish Flu, and about the nature of human beings. Spain is just down the road, and I get to hear about life during dictatorship, too. France had a little problem, with Algeria, back in the 60's...there's an Algerian family, in town. The Dad fought on the French side, they can never go back. Did he choose the wrong side? This town was occupied by the Germans, during the war, and was literally split in two...one side occupied, the other not. The stories are frightening. Just a few miles down the road are the remains of a WW2 internment camp...and there are still some (the lady who lives right in front of me, for one) who are such perfect 'delationists', that it is easy to imagine neighbor against neighbor, right up to the point of easily realizing just how those camps managed to be filled...and it wasn't just with Jews.

I don't think tht I'm paranoid. But I will say that having an inquisitive mind can be both a help and a hindrance.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Here's a dried bread recipe for you. We use this as breakfast cereal... it stays crunchy in milk, and, to my homsick mind, tastes alot like Capt. Crunch.

Beat 1 t. cinnamon, 2 egg whites, 2 T. orange juice, and 1 cup of sugar, til foamy and light. Pour this over 9 cubes of dried bread cubes, and stir gently, til mixed. Bake (on greased or lined sheets), about 45-60 minutes, or til light brown and crispy. If you like, add a cup or so of peanuts, before baking. Store airtight. I mix in (after baking) chopped, dried apples. Or, better yet, apples that have been dried with cinnamon-sugar.


The recipe actually originates from the Chex Cereal site. There are many variations to be found, there, for the Chex Snack mix. As there's no such thing as Chex, over here, I tweaked it, a bit, and...Voila!

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Has anyone given a thought to closed schools?

It may be, that schools will be closed, and stay closed for several months at a time, during any pandemic, or pre-pandemic situation. The US Government flu site says to prepare to home-school your children, in any 'social distancing' period.

Even if 'social distancing' is not called for, schools may be the first to shut down, should any pandemic threaten. Who will watch the keikis, if you have to continue to go out, to work? Are they old enough to be left home, alone? Are other family members, or friends, around, who could help?

Would you feel comfortable, leaving your kids with other kids, perhaps in a neighborhood group situation? What ideas can you offer, to help keep things clean and infection-free? What about separating sick kids?

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Should you be stuck at home, unable to go out....it may well help, to think of the medicine chest.

The usual...aspirin, paracetamol, bandaids, tweezers, disinfectant, multivitamins, cough syrup...

The unusual...codfish oil, vitamin D, conjunctivitis eyewash, anti-bacterial soap, headlice comb, clove oil, big bandages, home-doctor book, pliers...

No forget plenty of toothpaste, dental floss, and replacement toothbrushes, too!

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

Mustn't forget birth control, STD prevention, and morning-after or abortion pills, just in case (including just in case of rape).

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Susie's Practical Preps

You know...bird flu isn't just for the birds. It seems to have an affinity for mammals....lots of mammals, not just us humans. Like tigers, cats, dogs, stonemartens...to name a few...oh, and pigs.

So, when you're imagining life during a pandemic, don't forget to think of our animal friends, as well. They will be in quarantine, right in there with you.

No forget, den...cat litter, doggy doodoo trays, flea powder, earmite treatment, and petfood. Lots of petfood. Or maybe food for pets, that could be food for humans, too...or visa-versa.

Or do we even want to think about keeping critters around, should the pandemic arrive? What?

You mean....get rid (gulp) of Fido and Fluffy? Byebye Tweety? How?

Okay...first of all, I'll give you some time, to let this concept sink in. See you again, soon.