Survival Sunday is a round-up of the week’s news and resources for folks who are interested in being prepared. This curated collection of information is only available to email and Patreon subscribers.
Have a great week ahead!
Daisy
Here's What I've Been Reading and Thinking About This Week
Normalizing Abnormal Times
I'm sad about all the things people have missed out on over the past year, like graduations, concerts, family events, and once-in-a-lifetime moments that can't be celebrated. It's sad to think about the weddings the births and deaths that took place alone and away from loved ones.
Joanna's article about how parenting advice in 2021 is worlds away from advice in the past really got me thinking about it. While it's difficult for adults, it's got to be even harder for young people to miss out on all these formative events. I also think that older people without computer skills are at a strong disadvantage
socially.
When one of my friends sent me a message to tell me that her son's university senior concert was being live-streamed on YouTube, I switched it on immediately. They used some kind of software like Zoom so the students could sing together. The choir members talked about their favorite memories about the seniors who would be graduating.
No, it wasn't "normal." But it was an example of people making the best of things. Of the human spirit prevailing over regardless of the restrictions and control placed upon us.
You can enjoy the concert here - it was awesome even if you don't know anyone in the group.
While many are currently
hoping that normalcy is near - and I certainly hope so too - what I want to say is...don't wait.
Communicate even if it's just online.
Make sure your friends are okay.
Get married even if it's just you two and the officiant.
Take the road trip.
Wade in the ocean or stream.
Walk barefoot in the grass.
Plant the flowers.
Tell people you love them.
Eat the meal.
YOU can keep others from feeling alone. You can choose to enjoy the little things.
This week, do something that makes you happy. If you are in a heavily restricted area, you may need to be creative, but in the end, our lives are what we make them.
As Covid-19 Devastates India, Deaths Go Undercounted (Coincidentally, India was one of the first places to roll out an aggressive vaccination campaign and some very treatment-resistant strains have emerged there.)
Speaking of traveling, I'll be hitting the road again in a month or so, destination unknown. It's a good time to pare down. I'm already pretty minimal but everything has to fit in
my Jeep, including me and 200 pounds' worth of dog.
What I like to do is spread all my belongings out on the bed and go through them. I ask myself these questions.
Did I use this item while I was here?
Why or why not? (Sometimes things I didn't use still make the cut because it might be due to the climate or an emergency that mercifully did not occur.)
Do I
have too many duplicates of one thing? (How many plain black t-shirts does one woman need?)
Is it wearing out? (Like my beloved Nikes that I just threw out)
Does it fit?
Is it comfortable?
Is it likely to be useful in the future?
Will I ever actually eat that?
Then I make my decisions based on the answers. I try to get a little better organized each time using smaller containers. I have some of those compression bags that can be used not-compressed either which are fantastic for medical kits, computer gear, swimsuits, gifts, etc. I have some things like spare cords still in their compression bags that I never needed to take out at this location, but they're useful things that, if my current cord bites the dust, I'll need desperately and could have difficulty replacing quickly.
Even if I decide to settle down somewhere for a while, I think this is a very useful exercise. We preppers tend to accumulate a lot, and sometimes, especially for those of us with limited space, we could be better served using that space for something else.
I've made appointments with the doctor, dentist, and vet to get all those check-ups done here, south of the border, where care is more
affordable.
