The forgotten items list

[Petoski]

Ok so most of us are now entering in to a lockdown scenario with regards to the Coronavirus. Who knows how long this will last? Most of the talk seems to be anywhere from 6 to 12 months. I consider myself to be quite well prepared to live independently from others as my energy and food production is ok but there are some areas that would need improvement should we go beyond 12 months. One area I have neglected is that once a year a guy comes to clean our chimneys. This is legally required and also needed for our safety. If for some reason they could no longer come I would have to improvise a system for cleaning. As a result I will be buying my own chimney sweeping kit. I think in Finland I need to be qualified to clean out a chimney but I think buying a kit for emergency would be wise.

Has anyone else noticed any areas they have neglected to prep for?

 

[GaRp58]

Excellent Karloshi. We need to be very critical now, we thought we had all the problems covered, but now this situation will show us all where are there weak places in our prepping. We can only learn from it and get better prepped.
We just planted some vegetables on the balcony and in the guest room in anticipation of not being able to get enough if the farmers get sick or even worse, die and there is food there but nobody to harvest it a bring it to the market...
My newest purchase was a 6000 W inverter. I have a small solar system and batteries for 12 V, but I could not get it into 220V for certain things. I also bought a waterfilter system for installation under the counter in the kitchen.
Tell us if you come up with any more ideas...Gary

 

[BillMasen]

I got all bases covered BUT I underestimated how much of certaih items I need, I should have got far more spray disinfectants and disposable gloves.

 

[Brent S]

So far we are well prepped, and are self sufficient enough to supplement our food enough to extend our time a good while. There will always be something overlooked or not stocked well enough though. That’s where resourcefulness comes in. Just like a baker or chef can find something to replace a needed item, we can do the same thing in lots of cases. One advantage with being in quarantine is you have plenty of time to think of work arounds if you don’t have a part, ingredient or tool. Like the flue needing to be cleaned, you can use a broom handle with a bristle head on it to scrub the interior walls. You could tape or wire wrap multiple handles together for longer length. Luckily there are still plenty of supply places that are full even if closed temporarily. This virus will run its course before too long and the majority of businesses will reopen. Just remember you don’t have to live like this forever. Focus on overcoming any issues that come up one day at a time and improvise with the best solution to the problem you can.

 

[Frozen Tundra]

I was just thinking about this Sunday. So I started a "lessons learned" list that I can (hopefully) reflect back on after we get through all this. I knew I had a few holes in a couple places, but I'm finding more holes than I considered. For example, I had a very robust supply of PPE (gloves, masks, bleach/disinfectants). What I didn't considered was how hospitals are as severely underprepared as they are. Which is now causing my supply to shrink as my wife dips in to make sure she's as safe as she can be. Its the odd little "trickle down" stuff like that, that's catching me. More bar oil for the saw, lots more flour for bread, a better greenhouse set up... a lot of it is simple stuff, but we'll need to get creative if this goes long...

 

[DrHenley]

I didn't have enough Louisiana Hot Sauce. (seriously, I use it two or three times a day)

 

[Maverick]

I didn't have enough Louisiana Hot Sauce. (seriously, I use it two or three times a day)

That's all I use on my breakfast, I have one in the kitchen and two in the pantry.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I didn't have enough Louisiana Hot Sauce. (seriously, I use it two or three times a day)

I just had some on my scrambled eggs

 

[Brent S]

I am going to try the Walmart service of having them pick out the groceries for you for the first time. I have to go to the drive thru at the pharmacy today anyways so will see how the drive up Walmart system works. Will still wear gloves and clean up carefully after but like not having to get out of the car.

 

[DrHenley]

I just had some on my scrambled eggs

Louisiana Hot Sauce is my salt and pepper. We don't even own a salt shaker.

 

[Maverick]

I'm struggling between needs and wants, At this time we don't need anything and hope it stays that way.

 

[user 7704]

I didn't have enough Louisiana Hot Sauce. (seriously, I use it two or three times a day)

Sound like my son. Tabasco on bananas. He has sensory issues and loves the sensation of hot sauce.

 

[user 7704]

I am going to try the Walmart service of having them pick out the groceries for you for the first time. I have to go to the drive thru at the pharmacy today anyways so will see how the drive up Walmart system works. Will still wear gloves and clean up carefully after but like not having to get out of the car.

When husband goes to grocery, before we unload, I spray the bags with Lysol.

I'm going to try that service at Tractor Supply when I need feed. I stocked up and have enough for 3 weeks or so. We are having so much rain, the chickens are loading up on worms and that has cut down on food consumption. They also get the food scraps.

 

[user 7704]

I didn't have enough Louisiana Hot Sauce. (seriously, I use it two or three times a day)

Have home delivery. We ordered a case of Rendezvous rib rub. It was delivered in 4 days. It was Walmart.

I may have to break down and get rice cakes. I'm addicted and can't stop eating them.

 

[dirtdiva]

Nutella ! Didn't even think of it till everyone started talking about it.

My late mother in law complained for 70 years about my father in law not wanting sugar in his coffee until they rationed it during the war.

 

[user 7704]

I think people overlook powdered Tang and lemonade mixes.

Gives a break from plain water and Tang has vitamin C. IT'S WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS DRINK

 

[Mountain trapper]

Ok so most of us are now entering in to a lockdown scenario with regards to the Coronavirus. Who knows how long this will last? Most of the talk seems to be anywhere from 6 to 12 months. I consider myself to be quite well prepared to live independently from others as my energy and food production is ok but there are some areas that would need improvement should we go beyond 12 months. One area I have neglected is that once a year a guy comes to clean our chimneys. This is legally required and also needed for our safety. If for some reason they could no longer come I would have to improvise a system for cleaning. As a result I will be buying my own chimney sweeping kit. I think in Finland I need to be qualified to clean out a chimney but I think buying a kit for emergency would be wise.

Has anyone else noticed any areas they have neglected to prep for?

Cleaning out a chimney is pretty simple. I do it a couple times a year. Just buy the right sized brush and enough sections to reach from the top of your chimney to your wood stove.
Just be careful on the roof. Last winter I fell off my roof. But with over 6 feet of snow on the ground I didn't have too far to fall.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I didn't have enough Louisiana Hot Sauce. (seriously, I use it two or three times a day)

I've got a shelf in the pantry dedicated just for Habanaro Tobasco sauce.

 

[JackDW]

One item I need to stock up on once things get back to normal. Test strips for my Glucose monitor. I have several months of medications but then I realized I was short of test strips. The ones I use were "long gone" off the shelves so I purchased a new monitor with a 100 strips. In the end, I realize this ended up being a better option. Now, I two different monitors making my chances of finding test strips much better since I now have several brands that I can use.

NOTE, test strips have an expiration date and the monitors will not accept them once expired. (I have found that if I change the date in the monitor (back dated) I can use expired strips).

 

[JackDW]

Next item that I wish I had more of....... Books. TV is getting very boring. I watch very little TV and mostly YouTube videos. I am rereading some of my favorite (and in some cases not so favorite) books. I think I will be ordering a number of books just to have something to do during the evenings.

I may even consider rereading the "Game of Thrones" series but I know when I get to the end, I would be mad at Martin for leaving the story unfinished.

 

[BillMasen]

Cleaning out a chimney is pretty simple. I do it a couple times a year. Just buy the right sized brush and enough sections to reach from the top of your chimney to your wood stove.
Just be careful on the roof. Last winter I fell off my roof. But with over 6 feet of snow on the ground I didn't have too far to fall.

Cor Blimey govnor thats the hard way, Just get yourself an orphan brat about 8 year old and send him up the chimney wif a brush

 

[BillMasen]

I think people overlook powdered Tang and lemonade mixes.

Gives a break from plain water and Tang has vitamin C. IT'S WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS DRINK

Flat Coca Cola is an ideal replacement for electrolite mixes like Diorolite. Great for restoring the bodies electrolytic balance in people with gastro problems.

 

[DrHenley]

I can't drink any of those sugar water drinks or colas either. They cause my blood sugar to crash. My "soft drink" is Cabernet, Perrier, and ice water.

 

[user 7704]

Next item that I wish I had more of....... Books. TV is getting very boring. I watch very little TV and mostly YouTube videos. I am rereading some of my favorite (and in some cases not so favorite) books. I think I will be ordering a number of books just to have something to do during the evenings.

I may even consider rereading the "Game of Thrones" series but I know when I get to the end, I would be mad at Martin for leaving the story unfinished.

Martin said that is what he's going to do during his quarantine

 

[user 7704]

Flat Coca Cola is an ideal replacement for electrolite mixes like Diorolite. Great for restoring the bodies electrolytic balance in people with gastro problems.

The syrup stuff they give you at pharmacy for stomach issues is the same as cola syrup. The pharmacist told me to save my money and buy a coke and let it go flat

 

[Brent S]

Nutella ! Didn't even think of it till everyone started talking about it.

My late mother in law complained for 70 years about my father in law not wanting sugar in his coffee until they rationed it during the war.

I ordered two jars of it for my wife with the order to pu tomorrow! I think it’s ok but sweets aren’t my weakness in life. If I could have stored one thing it would have been a truck load of chicken and red beans and rice from Popeyes!

 

[Brent S]

I think people overlook powdered Tang and lemonade mixes.

Gives a break from plain water and Tang has vitamin C. IT'S WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS DRINK

Loads of Gatorade on hand. Haven’t seen tang in years.

 

[user 7704]

Loads of Gatorade on hand. Haven’t seen tang in years.

It's out there. It has a long shelf life too.

 

[Brent S]

It's out there. It has a long shelf life too.

Anyone remember space sticks? It was a kind of chocolatey tootsi roll like thing. I used to get them and tang as a young boy.

 

[DrHenley]

Yep, I remember the space sticks.