Marti’s Corner – 122

Hi Everyone,

I have heard (on the internet) of more COVID variants and restrictions coming our way.  Now…you CAN’T believe everything you read on the internet, but you use this as an exercise in getting prepared just in case.  (Kind of like we did with Y2K)

FEMA suggests 7 days of food.

Here are some suggestions from ready.gov  https://www.ready.gov/kit

Here is another website with good information on all aspects of preparedness

https://providentliving.churchofjesuschrist.org/leader/emergency-preparedness-and-response/area-planning-guide/preparation?lang=eng

But, experience tells us that IF COVID restrictions are imposed again, shelves will empty and not return to normalcy for 3 months!!!  Don’t wait.  Three months of food is doable!  

IF, IF, IF, we have lock-down restrictions again, you have been warned!!  Have food and sanitation supplies on hand.  Do it now, and give yourself some peace of mind.

Way back in 2017, when food was cheap (cheaper), I canned some pears.  I opened one of the jars a few days ago, and we’ve been having cold pears for breakfast.  Still delicious!!!  

The Hurricane That Wasn’t

Although all we got was a steady rain, it was a good exercise for us to practice for a REAL emergency.  What I found out was that neither of my bathtubs held water for more than 1-2 hours.  Sooooo, I bought one of these:

It’s a bathtub bladder.  It keeps the water clean from any dust or debris and has a pump when you want to release the water.  Good:  water is clean   Bad:  pumping goes slowly and is a huge pain.  Also, not really cheap $30 or so, which is why I’ve never bought one…also because you need warning time to fill it and well….earthquakes don’t give you that….and who would have thought we’d have a hurricane???

I also bought some of these:

Literally, they are just large sheets of plastic 12 for $12 or so.  This way, you can use a bucket to scoop out water to flush the toilet.  And, they are disposable…and cheap.  

You know what all this means, right?  Now that I really AM prepared, it will be another 84 years before the next hurricane.

Other than that, I followed my brother’s advice and even had peanut M&M’s on hand.  

GARDEN HAPPENINGS:

I totally forgot to feed my garden this month, so I took care of that last week.  Some of the most common vegetables we grow:  tomatoes, squash, cucumbers.. are “heavy” feeders.  We need to nourish them so they can nourish us.

Remember last week’s picture of tomato damage? Well… I found what it was:

Argh.  Earlier in the season, I saw this guy (or another one like it) and dumped about 1/4 c. of Diatomaceous Earth right on him – which is supposed to kill them.  So…either the DE didn’t work, or this is another one.  Google says the average life span is 90 days….. pretty much the rest of the gardening season.

One time I was able to capture a grasshopper in a jar.  I took him down the street and let him out in the empty field.

Oh yeah, and one time I chased one into the pool.  He swam across the entire pool and hopped out the other side.  

They’re evil.  So far this week, I’ve killed two more.

THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE:  baking soda (1) , baking powder (1), salt (4-5)

Get 4 or 5 salt containers and put them in the garage.  

Baking soda and baking powder will lose their strength after a year.  I don’t use an entire container or either one of these in a year, but you have to continually get new or your cookies, pancakes, and cakes won’t rise.

My daughter was telling me she never buys baking powder because she doesn’t use it.  Just looking through my recipes, I find baking powder in pancakes (especially whole wheat), biscuits, zucchini bread, coffee cake, cornbread, cookies, and cake.  

We were lucky enough to spend a few days in Zion’s Ponderosa last week.  We were in a very lovely Airbnb.  On the last night there, we decided to skip the cafeteria food, and make dinner at home.  We drove to the nearest store (30 min away), got pasta, tomato sauce, hamburger, and a can of corn for some good, old-fashioned goulash.  When we got home and I started to cook, I realized I did not get salt for the pasta.  Have you ever cooked pasta without salt???

MISC. PURCHASE: toilet paper

Time to stock up again.  THREE months supply.  Six is better.  

FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:

Here are some ideas for meals that require very little cooking – mostly reheating.  These are BASIC ideas.  Substitute pastas, sauces, and vegetables for whatever your family likes.

DAY 1

Breakfast

•      1 small box breakfast cereal
•      2 1-quart containers of shelf-stable milk

Who knew there was such a thing?  I think you can get it at Dollar Tree in some places.

OR you can vacuum seal some instant powdered milk:  1/3 c. dry milk makes 1 c. milk.  From experience, even though it’s vacuum sealed, it will yellow with age.  Be prepared to either rotate or replace every other year at most.

•      1 can fruit

Lunch

•      1 c. rice (plus 2 c. water = 3 c. rice)  This needs 1 tsp salt
•      3 cans chicken ala king
•      1 can peas and carrots

Dinner

•      1 lb. spaghetti
•      1 can spaghetti sauce
•      1 can green beans

DAY 2

Breakfast

     oatmeal – 2 or 3 packets per person OR 1/2 c. dry oatmeal which makes 1 1/2 c. cooked.  You’ll need salt.

     milk and sugar (collect individual packets of sugar from restaurants)

Lunch

•      1-2 cans of tuna or chicken or deviled ham
•      Club crackers
•      small jar mayonnaise (this will last 1-2 years if unopened)
•      1 can mandarin oranges or any other fruit  

Dinner

•      1 lb. pasta
•      1 can alfredo sauce
•      1 can chicken

DAY 3

Breakfast

•      pancakes – add water only
•      1 small container of syrup or individual packets of syrup from a restaurant
•      1 can Spam optional

Lunch

     Kraft Mac and Cheese (you can use mayonnaise in place of butter and either make some instant milk or include a small can of evaporated milk)

•      1 can peas
•      1 can Spam optional

Dinner 

•      Fried Rice
•      rice (1/2 c. dry rice per person)  you’ll need salt
•      1 can mixed vegetables
•      1 can chicken
•      small bottle soy sauce (or individual packets to make about 1/4 c.)

DAY 4

Breakfast

•      Sweetened Rice
•      rice (1/2 c. dry rice per person OR left over rice from dinner)
•      sugar (collect sugar packets or a small tupperware or vacuum sealed packet of sugar)
•      milk

Lunch

•      Knorr Teriyaki noodles
•      1 can chicken
•      1 can green beans or carrots

Dinner

•      2 cans beef stew
•      2 pouches mashed potatoes – just add water

DAY 5

Breakfast

•      granola cereal or granola bars
•      milk
•      1 can fruit

Lunch

•      2-3 can soup (Chicken noodle) OR dry soup mix just add water.

Dinner

• 1/2 c. dry rice per person = 1 c. cooked
• 2 cans chili – serve over the rice
• 1 can corn.

Maybe these meals will give you some ideas of things you can store to help you though days when you can’t cook,  days when the store shelves are empty, or for that day when you might have to evacuate.

Marti