Black Friday

Shoppers vie for copies of video games at a Black Friday sale at a Walmart
in Mentor, Ohio, on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011.
(Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

One shopping day - so much controversy.

I don't think I've ever wanted to go shopping at 4 a.m.  Stores are crowded enough this time of year, without heading into that frenzy.

I did do a bit of shopping today, in the afternoon: TSC for dog food, Kroger for a bottle of wine and some OJ.  The stores were practically deserted.  I really wanted to pick up a few Christmas items while I had time for shopping, but today was gorgeous and I didn't want to spend it getting all stabby with people.

The most fun I've ever had on Black Friday was when I worked at a toy store.  Yes.  A toy store.  On Black Friday.  I was only there for the weekend, as a holiday temp, and my dad was the manager.  It was a blast.

I got there before 4 a.m., and people were already lined up outside, even though the store didn't open till 6.  Still, it wasn't anything like the photo above.  

The store was part of a chain. Most retail chain stores have no say over what is shipped to them for holidays, and they may not even have received a shipment of advertised goods.  It's not unheard of for a store to have no idea what is in the ad until a day or two before the big sale.  Keep that in mind next time you want to yell at a store manager for being out of an advertised item, ok?

One man was furious that the store was sold out of a certain toy:

"How can you be out?" he asks, already ticked off.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we did open four hours ago to a pretty big crowd."

"How many did you have?! You have some more in the back! Get me one!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but we only had a few of that item, and there are no more in the store."

"I'm going to have your job! I want to speak to your manager!!" he railed at me.

"Um. Ok," I smile sweetly at him, turn to look for the manager, and yell, "Hey, Dad!"

The man stormed out of the store. Hmph.  Just can't please some folks.

Actually, not many people had that attitude.  Most of them were pleasant, though harried.  I didn't see anyone getting trampled, pushed, shoved, or pepper-sprayed.

The best part was later in the day, when a woman came in with an entire gaggle of little ones in tow.  She was juggling baby, toddlers, and preschoolers, so I lent a hand.  I played personal shopper, carrying her items to the checkout and even helping her out to her car.  See...I really am a nice person. :)

Maybe my Black Friday experience was unique.  Overall, the way people are reported to behave on Black Friday, pushing, shoving, even pepper-spraying others, is horrific.  After years of seeing crowds get mob-crazy, I really thought any large group of people would turn nasty when things didn't go their way.  That's why I'm shocked at how well-behaved the OWS protesters are.   I guess it's a pretty sad world, when a civilized crowd is far more shocking than shoppers that act like rabid zombie monkeys on crack.

So...full...can't...type...*gasp*

Strawberry pavlova.

Pumpkin pie with Nightwood logo.

I am so stuffed, I feel like a turkey!

Our Thanksgiving menu:

• Turkey (from the yard)
• Mashed potatoes, which were from *oh the horror* store bought potatoes.  We had a horrible potato harvest this year, and Aldi had potatoes on sale: 10 lbs for $1.49, so I picked up a bag.
• Green beans from the garden
• Turkey gravy
• Rolls from scratch
• Sweet potato casserole, but I actually used squash instead of sweet potatoes.
• Stuffing, from a box. *sigh* I know, but my family loves that stuff, and it's easy...and cheap - .89 a box at Aldi.
• Pavlova
• Pumpkin pie, made with our own pumpkin.

I remember when I hated shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, since I'd spend so much and still need to shop for the rest of the week's groceries.  This year, I bought potatoes, butter, stuffing, cool whip, strawberries, pecans, sugar and flour, so our total spent for Thanksgiving dinner was about $15.

Homesteading, gardening, and from-scratch baking are the things I am most thankful for this year.  Oh, and of course that new washer and dryer. ;)  What are you most thankful for?

Well said.

Well said, Cahir O'Doherty!

What do Occupy Wall Street protesters really want?

Last week, walking through the well-appointed streets of lower Manhattan, I had an eerie sensation of déjà vu.

It wasn't a pleasant sensation at all, because it came with a kind of heaviness that I faintly remembered. At first I had no idea why it was happening.

Then I looked up. Above my head three police helicopters were hovering noisily overhead. 

I imagined their occupants were monitoring us all for signs of criminality. But three helicopters instead of just one seemed excessive. Then on the streets, as I made my way to an appointment, I started noticing more and more police. 

They weren't just beat cops. These officers were wearing riot gear and helmets. They were walking quickly in large groups toward some event.

That's when I remembered that this was the day that the Occupy Wall Street crowd had selected for a huge protest march. On the two-month anniversary of the movement, they had planned to march on the New York Stock Exchange, and the police were there to stop them (since they didn't have a parade permit, and would never be granted one). 

Barricades had been set up, and more police officers than I have ever seen in all my years in this city (including after 9/11 and the blackout) were manning them, and the finance capital of the world was turned into a frozen zone where no one would permitted to make a protest of any kind. The police hadn't just prepared for a protest, they had prepared for an invasion.

Then I suddenly remembered where the feeling of déjà vu was coming from -- Belfast in the early 1990s.

I had seen all this before as a student at Queen’s University in Belfast. The eerie overhead helicopters hovering endlessly overhead, the wall of unfriendly looking police officers in riot gear, and the sense of a society that was broken beyond repair. 

I had wanted to leave that city then, and for the first time in my life I almost wanted to leave this one. 

What could be so threatening that so many cops had been called out to tackle unarmed protestors?

Since most of the U.S. media is doing a spectacularly pathetic job of reporting what the aims of the Occupy Wall Street movement are (because doing research is hard and most journalists nowadays have the attention spans of goldfish), I think I need to share with you what I have already learned about them.

We know some people are rich and some people are poor. That's not news. 

What is news is that once upon a time the rich factory owner used to make 30 times what the factory employee made. But now the rich have learned to completely game the system (via Wall Street) and so the corporations now have vastly more political power than the public themselves. 

It's not about rich people having more money; it's about them gaming the political and financial systems to ensure that they'll always have it, taking all the opportunities away from the rest of us. 

It's about Wall Street taking financial risks that they know could destroy the American economy, putting millions out of work, while they create nothing of value themselves as they play our financial markets like a casino, knowing the taxpayers will pick up their tabs. 

When liberals ran the country for 30 years following the New Deal the American economy doubled in size, and wages doubled with it. 

Then for the 30 years after Reagan when conservatives ran the country the economy doubled but wages stayed flat. 

What happened to the workers’ share of the money? It went to the richest 1%. That's why the public is upset. 

Fixing that imbalance is what Occupy Wall Street is all about. Got it?

But that idea, of introducing a basic fairness for the ordinary worker is called socialism by conservatives.

Allowing the rich to game the system to benefit themselves is what conservatives now call capitalism. 

They like making all that money and they like keeping it. They don't want anything to change.

That's why we're witnessing the same old dance of the clueless and frightened aristocracy sending out the police force like a hammer to bring the rabble to heel. It always has the opposite effect. But rich people don't make smart decisions when they're afraid.

Three hundred protestors were arrested in the city that day. I watched as a new generation of young people tried to wrest their future from the closed hands of those who want to deny them one. 

This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/story/ent/manhattan_diary/what-do-occupy-wall-street-protesters-really-want-134453768.html#ixzz1eeyZqj4E

One more time...

Watch the video through to the end.

I'm not sure what led up to the officer spraying the protesters, but I sure didn't see anything that justified that sort of action.  These people were sitting, obviously not a threat to anyone, and this guy thinks they need a double dose of direct pepper spray.

I find it disturbing that the only violence I've seen has been on the part of the so-called peacekeepers. I am impressed that the crowds are so well behaved and peaceful.  Generally, crowd mentality leads to something like the 1992 LA riot.

I don't feel that I have enough information on the OWS movement to make an informed decision, but Big Sis put it quite succinctly:  It doesn't matter what side you are on. You don't even need a side.  This is happening.  This is happening now, and will affect each and every one of us.

Are you effing kidding me??

In my last post , I asked about Occupy Wallstreet.  I've been doing some research since then, and I have to say, I'm pretty friggin' horrified.  The videos below speak for themselves.  Special thanks to Theldara for tipping me off on this.

Outside Citibank

Inside Citibank

The video from outside was the first I saw, with the man and woman being literally forced into the building.  I was shaking when it was over.  It's like something you see in the movies, or maybe historical documentaries; not something you'd ever expect to see in real life, certainly not now, in America of all places.

The video from inside was a total shock, as well.  Who was the guy that locked the door and refused to let people out?  Was he a police officer?  A bank employee?  Some guy that ran out of comic books and needed something to do?

I am amazed at how calm the "arrestees" were.  The video certainly belies the reports that the OWS/bank customers were causing a disturbance.

How can these people, who were customers of Citibank and there to close their accounts, albeit as a large group, be charged with trespassing? They had business with the bank, the bank was open, so WTF?  I realize it is not uncommon for banks to close their doors when a run on the bank is probable, although it's generally not done with the customers still inside the frickin' bank.

How is it ok to lock people inside the bank, anyway?  Isn't that false imprisonment?  It's my understanding (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I realize the law varies from state to state) that even if your home is invaded, you are not allowed to hold the criminal until police arrive; you could be charged with false imprisonment.  If that's the case, then it's ok for someone to come in, pillage and escape, but you can't withdraw your own money from a bank during business hours to protest their policies/fees/etc and walk out the door?

I'm glad to see that the people forced into the bank by police officers are suing. I sincerely hope they win.

What about the customers, unrelated to OWS, that just happened to be inside the bank when the doors were locked?  I can imagine, running into the bank to make a deposit, the kids in the car (not little kids, but still...), and being locked in.  I probably would not be as calm as the people in the video.

If the point of the OWS bank run was to prove Citibank an evil empire - mission accomplished... with Citibank's help.

Occupy what?

I'm out of the loop.  I admit it.  Occupy Wallstreet had been going on for some time before I even heard about it,  just a news blip on the radio that I didn't pay much attention to.  The next story I noticed, OWS had gone nationwide.  Now I hear they are global.

But, what, exactly, does it all mean?  At first glance, my understanding is that protesters are there to express their frustration at our economy, and the fact that banks and America's big three automakers were bailed out, while GMC still shut the doors on several plants, one locally, that left many jobless and in foreclosure.

They want equality, dignity, and democracy for all.  Political representatives that actually represent the everyman, not politicians that schmooze for the  bucks.

Ok.  I'm with them so far.

But then there are all of these 'manifestos' that keep appearing online that really made me question the agenda of OWS.  Minimum wage of $20 an hour?  Where did these people study economics?

A little googling, and I found that the above manifesto is a fake.

Forum Post: Proposed List Of Demands For Occupy Wall St Movement!

Posted 1 month ago on Sept. 25, 2011, 3:46 p.m. EST by anonymous 

This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Admin note: This is not an official list of demands. This is a forum post submitted by a single user and hyped by irresponsible news/commentary agencies like Fox News and Mises.org. This content was not published by the OccupyWallSt.org collective, nor was it ever proposed or agreed to on a consensus basis with the NYC General Assembly. There is NO official list of demands.

No official list of demands?  Then what, exactly, are the protesters hoping to accomplish, other than to have their voices heard? Do any of the people on site know why they are there, or does everyone have a different idea of what is going on?

In googling OWS, I've found so much conflicting info that I am no more enlightened than when I first heard the words Occupy Wallstreet.


Here's your chance to enlighten me:   Are you Occupying Wallstreet, or anywhere else?  What do you hope to accomplish?  I see the word "revolution" tossed around on the OWS site; is that a metaphorical term, or revolution in the historical sense?

Hot holiday toys or a new hearing aid?

Out of curiosity, and because I'm bored, sitting here finishing coffee and french toast while Eöl is industriously doing something industrious, I looked up this year's hot toys.

Oy.  The whole list makes me so happy we don't have television!! I don't have to listen to a bombardment of commercials for toys that:

•  will never be put together because even a rocket scientist would have trouble figuring out which part goes where
•  parents pray the batteries die before they surrender to the urge to stomp poor Tickle Me Elmo into a furry little pile of lovable monster goo, guaranteeing years of expensive therapy for little Timmy as well as the waste of about $50 and three hours in line
• are only the hot toys because the media keeps billing them as the hot toy... and only a dozen are available on each continent
• will be played with for exactly 3.2 seconds
• the box will be played with longer than the toy

Why are all the hot toys so noisy?  My mom always thought I was kind of a meany, not letting my kids have toys that make annoying electronic sounds.   Those damn things are just too loud!! Little Sis had a ducky in the pond game that was so loud we put cotton and duct tape over the speaker.  I've always said those toys are loud enough to damage hearing.  Guess what? Turns out I was right.

Toys Sampled -- Decibel Level

• High School Musical Rockerz Jammin Guitar -- 106
• Cheetah Girls - In Concert Collection Doll -- 104
• Hannah Montana - In Concert Collection Doll -- 103
• VTech V.Smile Baby -- 103
• CAT Motorized Dump Truck -- 102
• Tickle Me Elmo -- 100
• Transformers Trans-portable Activity Center -- 99
• Tonka Lights and Sounds Hummer -- 97
• Bob the Builder Deluxe Talking Tool Belt -- 96
• Bosch Toy Chainsaw -- 95
• Tickle Me Cookie Monster -- 94
• Little People Dump Truck -- 92
• Cabbage Patch Kids Babies -- 91
• Leap Frog Learning Lily -- 90
• Tickle Me Ernie -- 90
• Playskool Gloworm -- 85
• Little People School Bus -- 80

Now, compare those numbers to the OSHA safety levels:

  TABLE G-16 - PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES (1)
______________________________________________________________
                            |
  Duration per day, hours   | Sound level dBA slow response
____________________________|_________________________________
                            |
8...........................|                    90
6...........................|                    92
4...........................|                    95
3...........................|                    97
2...........................|                   100
1 1/2 ......................|                   102
1...........................|                   105
1/2 ........................|                   110
1/4  or less................|                   115
____________________________|________________________________
 Footnote(1) When the daily noise exposure is composed of two or
more periods of noise exposure of different levels, their combined
effect should be considered, rather than the individual effect of
each. If the sum of the following fractions: C(1)/T(1) + C(2)/T(2)
C(n)/T(n) exceeds unity, then, the mixed exposure should be
considered to exceed the limit value. Cn indicates the total time of
exposure at a specified noise level, and Tn indicates the total time
of exposure permitted at that level. Exposure to impulsive or impact
noise should not exceed 140 dB peak sound pressure level.

 Or compare those decibel levels to the environmental sounds you'd generally try to avoid exposing your child to:

Environmental Noise
Weakest sound heard	0dB
Whisper Quiet Library	30dB
Normal conversation (3-5')	60-70dB
Telephone dial tone	80dB
City Traffic (inside car)	85dB
Train whistle at 500', Truck Traffic	90dB
Subway train at 200'	95dB
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss	90 - 95dB
Power mower at 3'	107dB
Snowmobile, Motorcycle	100dB
Power saw at 3'	110dB
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert	115dB
Pain begins	125dB
Pneumatic riveter at 4'	125dB
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage - Loudest recommended exposure WITHhearing protection	140dB
Jet engine at 100', Gun Blast	140dB
Death of hearing tissue	180dB
Loudest sound possible	194dB

I don't understand why toys need to have electronic sounds at all.  Whatever happened to kids and imagination?  I remember when Teddy Ruxpin came out, and I thought it was just plain creepy.  A.G. Bear hit the market about the same time.  I thought A. G. was kind of cool.  Kids could talk to him, and he'd answer...in bear talk.  So the imagination would still be at work.  A.G. could be asking for pizza for dinner, a bubble bath, or a cotton candy unicorn - it was all up to the child.  Teddy Ruxpin would only ask for whatever his tape said, clearly understood by every adult in the room.  How boring could that be?  Ok, I admit, we had some fun putting Ozzy tapes in the Teddy Ruxpin, which did make him the coolest bear on the block for at least ten minutes.

If kids have to make noise, I'm all for banging on pots and pans for a few minutes a day.  I'll admit, that's probably a pretty high decibel range, but trust me, it never goes on for an extended period of time.  Not like some electronic toy that refuses to shut off.  Little Sis once had an ABC Elmo toy that would start talking, all by itself, from the back of the closet.  Nothing like hearing Elmo from the dark depths of the closet at 2 a.m.     Which would probably explain the bullet hole in the closet door. ;)

You know, it's probably a good thing that kids would rather play with the boxes than the toys that came in them.  How many of us can remember cardboard rocket ships that could instantly become race cars or  houses?

A few years ago there was a revival of the old toys: the pull along Fisher Price dog, spinning tops, wooden blocks and the like.  But the last time I looked, I couldn't find anything like that.  Every stinking thing made electronic noise, batteries included, no imagination required.

*shrugs*  I guess in a world of Wii, when going outside is just too much trouble, it's just what we should expect?  I remember, as a child, long evenings outdoors, begging to stay outside just a few more minutes.  It was the same for my children: outside till well after dark, catching fireflies and swatting mosquitoes, coming inside sweaty and dirty and heading straight for the bathtub.  

I feel very fortunate to live here in the woods, where Little Sis (the baby of the family and the only one that is still technically a kid) has grown up with a full-on love of nature and a vibrant imagination.  She'd still rather be outside or buried in a book than shopping or playing video games.  

I realize not everyone has the advantage of living smack in the middle of the woods.  But that doesn't mean kids need to spend their days glued to the tv or video games, especially the younger children, in the years when imagination plays such an important role in development.

As for the hot toys, who needs 'em?  Turn off the tv, and suddenly the toys are no longer such hot items.  Just think of the money you'll save on hearing aids!

Stepping off my soapbox now.  :)

Why am I a glutton for punishment?

I really don't know what it is about this time of year that makes me want to start a major remodeling/redecorating project.  I've just been looking back through some pics and realized it's an ongoing issue.  I must be a masochist.

In 2007, I was doing the living room flooring on Thanksgiving day.  We finished dinner and went right to work.  It was my Christmas gift, and I wanted the floor done before the tree went up.  I still love my floor.

before

After

In 2008, Little Sis' room was my holiday rush project.  From pink to blue, fairies to horses, complete with new flooring and a mysterious dead thing in the wall.  Oh, I also redid a bunch of stuff in the kitchen just before I started her room.

In 2009, Big Sis' room got a makeover, from Nightmare Before Christmas to something a little brighter.  The flooring was fine, but the ceiling needed papering, and I remember what a nightmare that was.  Ha. It was a Nightmare. Before Christmas.  Or maybe way after Christmas, by the time it was done.  That's one project I won't repeat.

In 2010, Eöl's bathroom was the project.  I still need to install new light fixtures, and eventually there will be a new sink, but it did get a new ceiling and paint job and looks pretty nice.

Fauxing it up.

I do other projects over the winter, but it seems I'm always involved in something that needs to be finished before I can start cooking for Thanksgiving.  Of course this year is no exception. *shrugs*

I've been watching Hoarders.  Actually, I've been watching a lot of junk lately; it's something to do during my very boring physical therapy exercises.   Anyway...the show always inspires me to clean, organize, and throw stuff out.

So...my upcoming adventure involves cleaning out the storage part of the garage, moving one of the freezers out there, moving a chest of drawers from the garage to a bedroom, and redoing a small chest to put in Eöl's bathroom.

I'll also be gutting my closet.  I'm sure I'll find Jimmy Hoffa in there.  Or at least a skeleton or two.  But I may not start the closet project until Thanksgiving weekend, when I will have time to finish it.  I couldn't stand to sleep in my room with all that stuff spread around.  I'd have hoarder nightmares. *shudder*

Am I the only one compelled to start crazy projects at this time of year?

In the lap of luxury...

...is a relative term.  If you are used to gold plated utensils and liveried servants, then anything less would not be luxury.  However, if that's what you are used to, you most likely aren't reading this, as you are too busy trying to get Justin Bieber scheduled for your next tweener party.

For me, luxury is pretty simple to define:

My comfy couch. 

Firewood - cut, split, dried...and delivered.

 By the way, that's not a retouched photo.  But it's how every firewood delivery looks to me, anyway.  Can you hear the angelic chorus?  I can.

There was a time, not so long ago, that all of our wood came from our own woodlot.  The most high tech tool used in the harvesting of said wood was...a chainsaw.  That's it.  No tractor.  Not even a horse.  Just me, the chainsaw, and a wheelbarrow.  Oh, and then there was the splitting...with an ax and a maul.  No gas powered wood splitter.

On the firewood front, we didn't wimp out...we ran out.  Or close to it.  Our woodlot isn't all that big, and needs time to recover.  We still cut up the storm damaged trees, but we don't want our place anywhere near clear cut.  We want to live in the woods, and for that, we need, well, woods.

And finally...the new washer... and dryer.

  Yes, that's right.  Country Wife has moved forward a few hundred years, and now does laundry in a washing machine.  **collective gasp of horror**  

At first, I felt like a bit of a failure, dropping out of my laundry challenges that way.  I hate giving up.  But when I considered the resources invested in hand washing and indoor line drying vs those invested in the new machines, the machines were definitely the best investment.  

The wettest year on record for our area was probably a contributing factor.  Some days, when the weather was warmish but dampish, we were burning wood just to get the laundry dry.  The house was full of moisture and the windowsills were mildewing.  My time was spent washing and hanging the laundry, mopping up puddles, and constantly wiping down the windowsills.  Honestly, I have better things to do.

Of course I will still line dry in the summer; nothing smells as sweet as line dried laundry. 

The new machines are much more efficient than my old ones.  I can't get over how much easier my life feels now.  I am actually doing laundry as I type this!  (Not something you'd understand unless you'd done all your laundry by hand for a while.)

With all my new free time, I'm hoping to get back to work on the house.  First on the list are those pink counter tops in the laundry room.  Egads!! Can you believe our whole kitchen had those when we moved in? The laundry room sink also needs an overhaul; hard water leaves some pretty ugly stains.

But as I was saying, luxury is a relative term.  I know people that complain when they have to stack firewood that was delivered to them, and people that moan about having to do a load of laundry.  If you've done it the hard way, you won't ever complain about those things again.  I stacked firewood with a smile on my face and a (very off key) song on my lips.  I do laundry now with a little dance and a maniacal laugh.

Maybe I'll be a better listener to my friends now.  Before, when they would complain to me, I'd just stare at them unblinkingly, until they remembered that I was hauling wood in a wheelbarrow (uphill) and doing laundry in a frickin' bucket.  At this point, they'd stare sheepishly at the floor and change the subject.

Maybe now I'll be a nicer person.  Or maybe not. Bwhahahahaha!

Couch Hunting

We haven't owned a couch in ages.   We did have a futon for a while, until it fell apart.  Then we had his and hers chairs and footstools, but really missed the snuggling made possible by a comfy couch.  

I'd planned to use the earnings from my seasonal job to buy a nice couch, but thanks to the earthquake in Japan and our temporary retirement, those earnings were needed for other things...like electricity. *rolls eyes*  Besides, we'd done a bit of couch shopping, and I couldn't find anything I liked.  Not that there aren't a lot of nice sofas available, but I wanted something unique.  Vintage would've been ok, but buying used furniture is too big of a gamble when Ohio is a veritable epicenter of the bedbug population.  

Remember when all the sofas were Naugahyde?  I'm not sure if they stopped making those because of the efforts of the Save The Nauga Foundation or the Foundation For Save The Skin On The Back Of My Thighs.  

Anyway, thanks to my beloved's thoughtfulness, or maybe just the fact that he was tired of being drug (sometimes kicking and screaming) from one furniture store to another, looking for something inexpensive and unusual, Eöl decided to launch is own Couch Hunt. 

This is the story of that exciting adventure:

Here is our Hero, stalking the elusive Sofa Beast.

He spots an entire herd of Sofa Beasts!
He selects the one best suited to his needs, based on age and size....
and the fact it's leaning over the driveway.

As Eöl readies his tools, the Sofa Beast charges unexpectedly!

With lightning fast reflexes...and a sharp chainsaw...our Hero fells the Sofa Beast.

Notoriously hard to kill, this Sofa Beast needs further subduing.

At last, the Beast is field dressed.

The Ritual Skinning of the Sofa Beast:  the hide makes excellent mulch for flower beds.

Properly processed, the Sofa Beast is now ready for trophy mounting.

The sinew of a Sisal Critter has been added for additional strength and comfort.

The finished sofa is inspected by His Royal Barkiness.

lol...I know...I have way too much fun with the mundane.  Though there's nothing mundane about my one of a kind sofa!! WOOT!

The couch was my early anniversary present.  I was going to make cushions for it over the winter since I really didn't have time when Eöl built it.  In the meantime, I opted for using the mattress from our deceased futon.  I kind of like the futon mattress, so I'll just be making a new quilt for the back of the couch.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my couch!!! It is MADE OF AWESOME!!!  It's the most comfortable couch I've ever sat on.  I know better than to lie down on it if I need to stay awake.  I'm out in about three seconds if I stretch out; it's just like a hammock...so comfy!!

And now, if you'll excuse me, the Couch Beast is trying to creep away, and I must hold it down with my body weight while munching bonbons.

Meet BOB (Now with added features!)

*I edited this post to add some things I'd forgotten.

As promised in my earthquake post....

 This is BOB.  Say hi, Bob!

BOB:  Bug Out Bag.  There are other nicknames and acronyms for these handy packs:  Grab and Go/ GAG bag (that one just sounds like something that would be full of plastic vomit); Go Pack; Panic Bag (sounds like something that would be full of real vomit).  There are tons more, depending on which book you're reading about survival, or which websites you visit.

There are also suggestions as to what to carry in your BOB in each survival book and website.  Some of them can be pretty over the top, like the one that suggested a folding chair.  If you can't get by for 72 hours without a CHAIR, go ahead and kiss your butt goodbye.  That same list was about a page long and included so much stuff that was bigger than a breadbox a cart was required to haul it all.  Can you just see me pushing my BOB down the highway?  I keep picturing scenes from the movie The Book of Eli.

What you carry in your BOB is really up to you.  The basics of food, water, and first aid should get you through 72 hours, but you'll probably be wishing you had a lot of other things (besides a Big Mac and cable tv) when the time comes.

72 hours, or three days, is the rule of thumb for emergency supplies.  You need a MINIMUM of three days worth of supplies.  More certainly wouldn't hurt, but you really don't want to carry it all with you.

When we decided to put together our BOBs, I thought about how we may actually use them.  For one thing, they are handy to have in the car.  We live in Ohio, so snowstorms are common in the winter, and it's a good idea to have emergency supplies whenever we leave the house.

A BOB would also be great in case of medical emergencies:  imagine you have to rush a family member to the hospital, and you are stuck waiting in the ER for hours at a time.  After the last year, I'm an expert on waiting rooms, snack machines, and dying of boredom.  A BOB would've made things easier.  OK, I probably wouldn't need my fire starting kit or tarp, but then again, after 24 hours in the ER, I'd like to light a fire under some doctors...metaphorically, of course. ;)

Then of course there's the real reason for putting together a BOB:  any emergency that requires you to leave the house to seek shelter in another location.  Personally, we prefer to 'shelter in place', so it would have to be a major thing to get us out of the house:  a chemical spill, toxic gas, or something along those lines.  But it's best to be prepared for whatever eventuality may force the use of BOB.  Besides, I've read one too many novels involving EMPs, and it's a long walk home from anywhere I go.

Now for the big question:   What the hell do I put in this thing and how the hell am I supposed to carry 3 gallons of water in it? 

The "gallon per person per day" rule for water is a tricky one.  It's no big deal if you are in your home or car, but to carry that, on foot, for any number of miles could be pretty exhausting.  A gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds, so that's an extra 24 pounds in your pack...per person.  If you have someone that can't carry their own, then you are looking at even more weight.  My plan, should this come up, is to carry as much as possible, but also to carry water purification tablets so that we can refill our water bottles from creeks and streams.  Thankfully, water sources are plentiful in our area.

The first aid kit is an absolute must have.  This is ours:

 The contents easily fit into a gallon size ziplock bag.

In addition to first aid supplies, I keep fire starting supplies in this bag, plus a redundancy in the basic BOB pack.  When caught in the wild, a fire can be used to sterilize water (did you know you can boil water in a paper cup or plastic bottle?  Yes, you can!!), as well as cook food and supply heat.

The Ready.gov site has a pretty good list of basic BOB supplies.  Except for the fire extinguisher.  *shrugs*  Maybe for in the car, but for on foot?  No thanks.

In addition to most of the supplies listed at the ready.gov site, our BOB list also includes:

• duct tape, because you can use that for just about anything, including first aid.
• A tarp, preferably camo.  A lot of books suggest carrying a tent, but I've seen the Blair Witch Project, and don't really want to be blind on all four sides.  Oh, and should anyone ooga booga your tent, a la Blair Witch, make sure it's not someone you like before you shove the machete through the tent fabric and into Mr Oogy Boogy, ok?  If you run out screaming like a girl, you fully deserve to suffer through the entire movie.
• Binoculars
• Petroleum jelly, for fire starting, chapped lips, and windburn protection.
• Clothespins, since they can be used for all sorts of things, including hanging wet clothes by the fire.
• Rope.  Pack more than you think you'll need, and then put in a little extra.
• Seeds.  I never see this on any list, but yes, seeds.  If it's actually the end of the world as we know it, I want to be able to grow something good.  They don't take up much space.
• Hygiene items: soap, toilet paper, feminine items, and even shampoo and deodorant.  The end of the world is no reason to be gross.  But leave the perfume behind, unless you plan to reveal your location to every bee in the woods, as well as anyone looking to pilfer goodies.
• Towel and washcloth.
• Sewing kit, which can be used for first aid in a pinch.
• Field guide.  This isn't the time to try to find out which plants are edible, so learn that ahead of time  But it's handy to have a field guide in stressful situations, when you are likely to forget which leaves are safe for toilet paper substitutions. 
• Fishing kit.  Those hooks and lines have all sorts of uses; use your imagination.
• A bar of naptha soap, for laundry as well as removing any oils you may get into.
• A wire saw.
• A spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol, which will neutralize urushiol from poison ivy, oak, and sumac, on your clothes as well as your skin.
• A mess kit
• Food, of course, including ramen noodle, trail mix, and power bars.  Try for things that are lightweight, filling, and easy to prepare.
• Cash.  This one, I'm not too sure about.  If you are thinking end of the world, cash won't be mean jack.      If I can't eat it, wear it, or wipe with it, I don't want it, so don't even think about offering me money for any of my stuff.  But to be prepared for all eventualities, enough cash for the hospital vending machine is a good idea. Many books suggest cash for a hotel room, which may be a good idea, assuming it's the end of the world and hotels actually ACCEPT cash, which many won't do now without a lot of ID.
• A folding shovel, because bears aren't the only things that poop in the woods.
• Fire starting supplies; not just matches.  You'll want to learn to use those before you need them.  I have a post coming up (eventually) on fire starting.
• Water purification supplies:  iodine tablets (not for use for people with thyroid problems), chlorine tablets, or just plain bleach.

Most books suggest carrying a weapon. I'll be wearing my chainsaw on my hip, so I'm all set.

Each of us have our own BOB, with redundant supplies, in case we are separated.  As you can see with my BOB, any backpack will do in a pinch.  I don't suggest bright colors, unless you are sure you want everyone to know where you are.  I probably sound a little paranoid, but in the event I need to bug out on foot, I'm not sure I want to advertise my location to the desperate and the ill prepared.

I've probably left out a few supplies, so if you can think of anything, or have something in your bag I haven't mentioned, please list it.

ETA:  Knives!! OMG Eöl is going to laugh his butt off at me for forgetting to list knives!!  Thanks to Carolyn Renee from Krazo Acres for reminding me in the comments section.  And I completely forgot to mention a hatchet.  Duh.  Of course you need one.

Knives are probably the most important tools we use on a daily basis here on our farmstead.  So you are probably wondering why I didn't think to list them.  lol  It's kind of like having to remember to list your limbs; we carry ours all the time.

Eöl makes knives and swords, as well as other handy tools like hatchets and ulus.  You can look at a few of his available items over at our Etsy site.  Thanks to Eöl, we all have knives, hatchets, ulus, etc on our belts, on a daily basis.  The items we carry will change with the seasons, but for the most part, we are always bristling with lovely sharp things.

Carrying your knives and hatchets on your belt is a good idea, especially in a bug out situation.  If you are tangled in brush or attacked by zombies, you don't want to be digging in your bag for your knife.

Carolyn also mentioned garbage bags, something else I forgot to list.  Garbage bags are handy for carrying any wild food you find, covering your pack in the rain, tying up your pack for crossing water, and can even be used as a poncho if you forgot to pack one.

A sharpening stone is also a good idea. Learn how to use  it.  It's not used like you see in the movies.  If you don't know what you are doing, you will round the edge instead of sharpen it.

She also mentioned maps.  A great thing to have...if you know how to read one.  Most people rely on GPS, which can be useless when they can't get a signal or in the case of EMPs.  I can read a map, but I'd be lost in operating a GPS unit.

The mirror she mentioned, I hadn't thought of that.  Great one, Carolyn!! Thanks!  I will be adding one to our packs, preferably the unbreakable kind.

Tinder should be included in your fire starting kits.  I don't think I mentioned that.  Wouldn't hurt to carry some dry kindling, as well.  I'll be doing a fire starting post soon.

Remember, none of this stuff will do you a bit of good if you don't know how to use it.  Now is the time to learn.

Keep those suggestions coming!  There are probably other handy things I've failed to mention, or haven't even thought of.

NaBloPoMo

I totally blanked on it this year.   Last year I bombed five days into the month because of a family emergency.  This year, I was three days into November before I realized that, "Hey, it's November, and look, Dac is already hard at work on NaBloPoMo."  Oy...November just snuck right up on me there!

I will try to post more often, mostly because the major seasonal rush is over.  I still have plenty to keep me busy, though.

Anyhooo.....Dac has this awesome post called Sweet Nostalgia, all about those candies we enjoyed as kids.

  I've discovered there are candy companies that cater to those tasty memories.  Sadly, the ones I'd most like to see again have been discontinued:  Brock's Peppermint Puffs.  These were a puffy, meringue-like candy that came in spearmint and peppermint.  I think they also had cherry, but I never wanted those. The spearmint were my fave.  They were so soft you could crush them to powder through the package, and they'd melt in your mouth like cotton candy.  I emailed the company and was told they were discontinued.  So many people online are looking for them, you'd think they'd make them again.  They were probably chock full of lead or something...but so tasty.  Eöl has to squeeze every peppermint he finds to see if they are the right ones.  Sweet that he wants to find them for me.

Mallo cups are still around...I love those things.  I saved those inserts for some reason, prizes or some such, but never sent them in and ended up throwing them away when they all stuck together.

Funny how the candy of our childhood can bring back so many memories.  I can remember the little store where I first bought Tangy Taffy (still around...grape is my fave and the hardest to find) and that we were on our way back to Kentucky from Tennessee.

Before I wander any further down memory lane, I should get the critters locked up for the night.  It's 5:30 p.m. and already getting dark.  *sigh*  I'm diggin' the early sunrise, though, so I guess it's a fair trade.

Just how long have we been married?

It looks like quite a while!
Maybe since the mid 1700s? ;)

Happy Anniversary, Love!!

I. Know.

I don't miss much about television.

I do, however, horribly miss Craig Ferguson.

That show cracks me up.  It's like my life...only with a Scottish accent.