Prep Genrl weekly prep thread: December 31, 2023 -- January 6, 2024

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
hd5574 said:
I have a fire proof/water proof bag from Amazon...a little larger than a letter size and about 5 inches high.. you can lock it....if you choose to...it zips around
I got letter size project files....and label each with Avery labels
It will easily hold, deed, car titles, insurance policies, birth certificates, marriage records,memberships info, credit card info, and lots of other important information...
I also have a couple of burn proof accordion files for other family records.
They are not expensive and easy to grab in an emergency..
I have several of the old day runner style planners...small size...that I use to keep info...one for credit/insurance/bank info phone numbers addresses.etc
One for medical and supplements etc. and rx information and all contacts for those things

One for phone numbers addresses of friends and companies we order from.... account number log in ..

Very easy to grab and go if necessary and all on paper if need be..I try to keep all important stuff on paper..and in a grab and easy and go form...lots of peace of mind for us
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if you have the means - get all that paperwork digitized and formatted to several flashdrives or other current common media storages - password lockable is preferred >>>

cache copies where they'll be safe - spread them out when you bug out for better survivability >>> great cache & carry container is the metal match safes - waterproof & crushproof .....
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Cherry tea or juice is a natural diuretic. On the same level, if not stronger than dandelion. Celestial Seasonings makes a good one. So do several other companies. But you may need to order it online because the stores don't tend to carry it.
 
Laurane

Laurane

Canadian Loonie
Digger said:
Happy New Year everyone!

Hubby and I have been under the weather for days. He had a check up Friday, but they only told him to treat with over the counter meds. I think his has progressed to a sinus infection. We may have to call his dr back tomorrow. We stayed home last night and I went to bed early but hubby couldn't sleep. He rang in the new year blowing his nose and coughing.

Hubby has been out Bush hogging during the warmest part of the days. He has it all finished now. The farm looks nice. We spent an hour or more looking for an old well in our lower pasture. It just had a flat stone over the casing. But it is covered up now. It has been over 30 years since I was shown it by a previous owner. We know the general area, but it's like looking for a needle in the hay field. We had were using straighten out clothes hangers to try to find it. We hit on several spots, but no well yet. We will keep trying.

I made corn meal from my home grown Bloody Butcher corn. It made really good corn bread. Even hubby liked it and he is picky. The red skins on the kernels made red specks in the meal so it looked different. I wonder about planting a yellow variety next year. What corn varieties make the best meal? My grinder is a Back to Basics mill I bought at a local auction. I didn't appear to have been used. It is a good little mill. I have a little wheat to try also.

I wanted to ask if anyone here knows of anything to lower blood pressure that is not a prescription. I would like to have something as back up if nothing else. I know loosing weight would help and I have lost some, but not enough.

My lantana I brought in for winter is blooming. It's a small thing, but gives me joy. I wish we would have gotten my green house up. But it still might happen during a warm day or 2.

Have a blessed week everyone
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Enzyme CoQ10….. buy at a health food store or Amazon, which is cheaper than the brand advertised on TV. Even doctors recommend it in Canada
 
P

philkar

Veteran Member
Good Morning everyone! This week we will continue bringing the 40 yr old sawdust pile to our garden. So it is basically black dirt! That is time consuming but very much worth it. Garden plans are made and are being tweaked. Barn is looking better and the shed is hereby organized! Any one ever grow wheat on a home garden level? We have decided to plant wheat and amaranth. Looking for purple straw wheat seed but can't find any. Any one here have a source or seed they want to share or swap?
I love hearing about everyone's purging their belongings. Hard to do but worth the effort! I hate it when stuff begins to own me rather than me owning the stuff. I parted with Christmas decorations that I used when I had a big house but now I have a small house and don't need them! Harder for me-this is true confession time-is parting with dishes. I have a secret love affair with dishes and love using them. I am working on it a bit at a time!
Have a great day everyone!
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Digger said:
Happy Birthday briches!

My blood pressure issues are partly due to fluid retention. Without my water pill, I retain a lot of fluid. I have tried a couple of natural things for excess fluid, but nothing works very well if at all. I am drinking corn silk tea some to see if that will help my kidneys. The dr says my kidney function isn't bad, but some reading are a little high. What are some natural fluid remedies? Thanks in advance.
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Vitamin B6 gets rid of any fluid I retain, been taking it for years. The fluid pills can cause other issues that doctors never tell you about.
 
H

hd5574

Veteran Member
Illini Warrior said:
if you have the means - get all that paperwork digitized and formatted to several flashdrives or other current common media storages - password lockable is preferred >>>

cache copies where they'll be safe - spread them out when you bug out for better survivability >>> great cache & carry container is the metal match safes - waterproof & crushproof .....
Click to expand...

Thanks for your idea ...I have been living at my bug out location for the last 25 years...we moved here with that in mind....I prefer paper...I like being as low tech as possible.... don't have one don't and want a smart phone...typing this on a $25.. tablet...
My notebook has numbers and how to obtain replacement doc if still available...
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Love your gardening plans, Philkar. The "garden porn" (seed catalogs) won't start arriving for me until Feb.
Re wheat: PM Summer -- I believe that she has grown a small plot before.

Zoom meeting (for work) got canceled. Too many people are "at the doctor." The quotations indicate my belief that they are still at the beach, which is fine. I have my own stuff to do.

Deep cleaning continues. I'm using the shop vac with a crevice attachment to clean baseboards. There's a ton of dust and sand that my regular vac isn't picking up. I'm also sealing cracks as I go with brown caulk or wood filler (for actual holes). I've got two sections of baseboards in the hall that should be replaced, period, but that's far down on the list.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
My eye is somewhat better this morning. At least I can see out of it, but still swollen.

Cary and I decided that starting yesterday, I would take over all of our bill paying, even online. I couldn't see well enough yesterday to do it, so that's what I've been doing this morning. I'm slow, and Cary still has to walk me through it, since I'm not tech savvy, especially doing our banking online. We get paid twice a month, so we have first of the month bills and second half of the month bills. I'm determined to do this.

I hope to be able to do our monthly shopping trip tomorrow. My lists are all made out and ready to go. I'm giving my eye one more day for the swelling to go down. I look like a freak at the moment. Surely, someone would think Cary gave me a black eye. Eye isn't black but swollen and very red. I can't wait much longer about grocery shopping, though. I'm completely out of several items.

Cary got another e-mail from my Wuhan Shoes! Said they were on a trans-Atlantic flight!!!!! Good Grief. My Sam's order came, yesterday, though. I've got all of that dated, rotated, and put away.

Just my normal household chores being done, today.
 
M

moldy

Veteran Member
Digger said:
School marm do I make tea from the dandelion leaves, roots, or both? I have plenty and will start drying some if it works for me.
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Not directed to me, but I'll answer anyway. Dandelion ROOT is a great liver herb, helps with clearing a sluggish gallbladder, and is a bit of an aperient (helps to soften stools and make you go). Dandelion LEAF is nutritive and a diuretic.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
hd5574 said:
Our seed catalogs began coming in November...
We start somethings here in February... :-)
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Ours started coming then, too. If the weather permits, we can start greens, onions, potatoes, radishes, and cabbage in February. The last couple of years, it was still freezing cold or pouring rain which left us unable to start. Back in my crazy days, I started my yearly sunbathing in February.
 
H

hd5574

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
Ours started coming then, too. If the weather permits, we can start greens, onions, potatoes, radishes, and cabbage in February. The last couple of years, it was still freezing cold or pouring rain which left us unable to start. Back in my crazy days, I started my yearly sunbathing in February.
Click to expand...
We can start a few things outside snow peas ..but mostly just start stuff in little pots inside for transplant when it is warmer
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well my eye is so swollen again this morning that I can't even open it a little bit. I'm having a hard time seeing anything this morning
so painful. My shopping day is out but I made Cary a very short list, and he's going into town to get those things I'm out of. He was going to get a haircut today anyway
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Sherree...what are you doing to treat your eye? Warm saltwater compresses (as warm as you can stand) will help "ripen" a boil so it will open and drain. I'd usually add garlic, but it might be too irritating that close to your eye.

Please, though... be aware that if it spreads, it's mighty close to your sinuses and brain. If the swelling starts to spread , or it becomes more painful, it's time to see your doctor ASAP. Obviously, any signs of fever or systemic infection is an emergency.

Most antibiotics aren't much use in a boil or abcess, because the infection is "walled off" from the blood flow... they really need to drain... or be drained.

Praying for you!

Summerthyme
 
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SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
summerthyme said:
Sherree...what are you doing to treat your eye? Warm saltwater compresses (as warm as you can stand) will help "ripen" a boil so it will open and drain. I'd usually add garlic, but it might be too irritating that close to your eye.

Please, though... be aware that if it spreads, it's mighty close to your sinuses and brain. If the swelling starts to spread , or it becomes more painful, it's time to see your doctor ASAP. Obviously, any signs of fever or systemic infection is an emergency.

Most antibiotics aren't much use in a boil or access, because the infection is "walled off" from the blood flow... they really need to drain... or be drained.

Praying for you!

Summerthyme
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I don't know for sure if it's a boil or not. I keep feling for a head to form but nothing so far. There isn't a bump or nything, it's just swollen from my eyebrow to covering my whole eyelid. My eye lid is down over my whoel eye. Very painful. I've been keeping ice pack on it, Cary wanted me to go to a walk in clnic this morning, but umless it spreads, I'm not going. The only med I have is for the eyball itself. Tobradex, which is a RX steroid/antbiotc salve I keep on hand all the time for scleritis I get from Lupus from time to time I'l try the aarm compresess
 
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nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I'm such a coffee drinker that I forget to drink tea. I do have a good selection of teas for different things, all vacuum sealed to help them stay viable longer.

my new brita filter pitcher is supposed to be delivered today. I didn't realize its only a 5 cup capacity, but I will deal with that. Our "sink water" still has a brown tinge to it, so hopefully it will filter that out. I've tried to do some research on the brita and I can can find that it filters out is lead. What I've used in the past is the zero water pitcher and filters. I love the taste of the water from those filters but they are horribly expensive so I quit using them. I like the taste of water better from the zero water than berkey.

I have several water storage containers that I am feeling the need to get filled. Main issue is where to store them because of the weight of the water. I keep thinking about Helen's warning about the water.

I went to the kitchen yesterday to wash some dishes and the water was off. I brought in a gallon of rain water to boil to wash them but got side tracked and didn't do it, the water did come back on later in the day.

The sun is gloriously shining and it about 45 degrees out side. I keep the inside temp about 72 and I'm cold, so I wear more clothes. Trying to keep the electric bill down. The front room has the wood stove in it and we keep that going all day, but it doesn't warm all the rooms.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Prayers said for your eye, SB. Summer gave you some good advice.

33 degrees and partly sunny here -- Just finished a short Zoom meeting (for work). Don't have to go in until next week. (Thank you!) But I have some work-related stuff to do that I'll get to later.

Off to run errands, grab fresh salad (yes, I'm watching where it is coming from), and more cleaning. If I have energy, I'll finish the base boards and start washing walls, starting with the living room, using as little water as possible and patching as I go. It needs painting, but I'm almost out time for large projects right now.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I was watching some utube videos yesterday about shelf stable meals. Some sound pretty good to me but its unlike DH would eat any of them. Have I ever said he's a picky eater. He's a big meat eater, which is fine since he also hunts.

One video talked about making tomato soup from canned or jar'd pasta sauce and a can of crema media. I have a decent supply of both.

I've always been really fond of Amy's Tomato Bisque soup, but its getting harder to find it and when I do its very expensive. I've order a can of Pacific foods organic tomato bisque soup to try, not cheap but just about more than a dollar cheaper than Amys. I don't eat it all that often but I like it from time to time. The tomato bisque has completely spoiled me from regular tomato soup.

I have dry skin and my back itches badly on a regular basis. Just recently it stopped itching and I was trying to figure out why it stopped. I just looked up cayenne pepper benefits. I started taking it for that low grade nausea I was having an issue with. That problem was resolved and I stopped taking it every day and now I'm itching again. So I'm back taking it again. Prayerfully the itching will stop again.

I'm working in the kitchen today, getting those dishes out of the way and looking to organize some things.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Cary made me promise to sit right here and read the forum, until he gets back from town. I can sorta read, since I incereased the font size but it's seeing the computer keys thats messing me up. He's afraod Id stumble and fal while he's gome. So, I'm anot doing much today, I tried a hot compress on my eye, and it really felt good. Hoping that will help. Thanking God that I can still see with my MD eye, but I can't wear my glasses for the swelling in the other eye. Everything is a blurr.
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Hugs, SB. I hope it gets to feeling better soon.

I'm in purge phase still. And I'm finding paperwork that I have to keep for seven years. But I'm tired of it in the main house. So I'm going to order good, latching totes and put it in there. And then label it with this year and put it in the attic. If I can do that every year from now on, I can go clear out a prior year when I add a year. And I don't have to look at it making accumulation piles in the house.

I will keep core documents in a separate one. Stuff like the divorce decree, child support rulings, and trust establishment. But everything else will end up in a yearly bin. I may even make a shelf spot for them so that I can just drop things in them as they arrive.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
hd5574 said:
SB
Can you call your eye doctor and let her know what is happening with your eye...she might want to call in a rx for you....
Click to expand...

If thr pronlem was my vision, id do that. It's my eye lid that's affected. Swelling starts in my eyebrow down into my eye lid. My eye lid is swollen down over my eye. I can't see anything out of it, unless I pry my eye lid open. too painful to do that other than slightly to put drops in. Everyone knows what a bad swollen black eye from a fight looks like. That's me right now, but insed of it being black, it's bright red. If by tomorrow no improvement, Cary wants me to see a doctor at the walk in clinic in town.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Yes, SB. Please have that looked at ASAP.

You know that I'm frugal, but when it comes to my eyes, I don't mess around. I've learned that treating something like that sooner rather than later is generally cheaper and better for my health.
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Honestly, I would not, at this point. If you had no access to medical care for a week or more, it would be worth trying. But it's unlikely to be the appropriate ABX (cellulitis, which is what this sounds like, may respond to doxycycline or Bactrim, but often requires stronger meds). Definitely keep up with the warm compresses and see a doc tomorrow...

Summerthyme
 
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J

John Deere Girl

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
If thr pronlem was my vision, id do that. It's my eye lid that's affected. Swelling starts in my eyebrow down into my eye lid. My eye lid is swollen down over my eye. I can't see anything out of it, unless I pry my eye lid open. too painful to do that other than slightly to put drops in. Everyone knows what a bad swollen black eye from a fight looks like. That's me right now, but insed of it being black, it's bright red. If by tomorrow no improvement, Cary wants me to see a doctor at the walk in clinic in town.
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I'm praying for you, but as others have said, please see a doctor asap. An ER is honestly your best bet. You may need iv antibiotics. I'm not trying to scare you, but with this being a head infection, you need to be seen quickly!
 
H

hd5574

Veteran Member
SB
When I had singles in my eye last January..I had swelling and the eye inside was very red....my regular doctor ...did not prescribe anything but rather referred me to an eye doctor the next day... He prescribed an antiviral and eye drops...
I am not suggesting that you have shingles...but rather that the eye doctor was the one that dealt with all the eye problems... the regular MD...only looked and referred...that took an extra day...

If I were you I would at the very least call your eye doctor and see what she tells you to do since this is involving an eye problem....then follow her instructions...
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
hd5574 said:
SB
When I had singles in my eye last January..I had swelling and the eye inside was very red....my regular doctor ...did not prescribe anything but rather referred me to an eye doctor the next day... He prescribed an antiviral and eye drops...
I am not suggesting that you have shingles...but rather that the eye doctor was the one that dealt with all the eye problems... the regular MD...only looked and referred...that took an extra day...

If I were you I would at the very least call your eye doctor and see what she tells you to do since this is involving an eye problem....then follow her instructions...
Click to expand...

My eye MD specialist is on vacation this week. She is the only one in my area. The next nearst one id in Memphis.

I'm keeping the warm conpresses going, and if by tomorroe morning, it's not showing signs og improvement, I'm going to the walk in clinic. If the doctor at the clinic wants to refer me to a specialist, it would likely be my rheumatolifist.
 
P

philkar

Veteran Member
John Deere Girl said:
Murray Mcmurray's catalog came yesterday. I may have ordered some chicks...
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Oh my goodness! My likeminded neighbor and I did the same thing yesterday. We often order together to get a cheaper rate! Today I might have ordered a "few" flower seeds and some vegetables that we have never tried before. We are going to grow wheat this year so hubs is looking at the best threshing methods for home gardeners. Some of the YouTubes have been hilarious! And my neighbor's hubs is looking at DIY chicken pluckers. We have laughed a lot!
On a different note, radiation treatments finished today so our days are our own for the next 11 days!!
Our belongings purge continues! You would think we would be pretty slim as we do this every year but we ALWAYS find a niche full of stuff that we haven't found before! Or we think of another way to streamline stuff better. See there! There is still "stuff" in our vocabulary!
 
J

John Deere Girl

Veteran Member
philkar said:
Oh my goodness! My likeminded neighbor and I did the same thing yesterday. We often order together to get a cheaper rate! Today I might have ordered a "few" flower seeds and some vegetables that we have never tried before. We are going to grow wheat this year so hubs is looking at the best threshing methods for home gardeners. Some of the YouTubes have been hilarious! And my neighbor's hubs is looking at DIY chicken pluckers. We have laughed a lot!
On a different note, radiation treatments finished today so our days are our own for the next 11 days!!
Our belongings purge continues! You would think we would be pretty slim as we do this every year but we ALWAYS find a niche full of stuff that we haven't found before! Or we think of another way to streamline stuff better. See there! There is still "stuff" in our vocabulary!
Click to expand...
I noticed that Murray Mcmurray had already sold out of a lot of the chicks. One of my orders will be filled in August.

You may want to check out Cackle hatchery too. They have better prices on gosling, ducks, and turkeys. You also don't have to order 15 at a time.
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
SouthernBreeze said:
If thr pronlem was my vision, id do that. It's my eye lid that's affected. Swelling starts in my eyebrow down into my eye lid. My eye lid is swollen down over my eye. I can't see anything out of it, unless I pry my eye lid open. too painful to do that other than slightly to put drops in. Everyone knows what a bad swollen black eye from a fight looks like. That's me right now, but insed of it being black, it's bright red. If by tomorrow no improvement, Cary wants me to see a doctor at the walk in clinic in town.
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I would still call the eye doctor. This is her area of care. Most MDs won't touch it and would refer you back to your eye doctor.

I just saw your post about her being out of town. In that case, I'd go to the ER. They should be able to access specialists.
 
briches

briches

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
My eye MD specialist is on vacation this week. She is the only one in my area. The next nearst one id in Memphis.

I'm keeping the warm conpresses going, and if by tomorroe morning, it's not showing signs og improvement, I'm going to the walk in clinic. If the doctor at the clinic wants to refer me to a specialist, it would likely be my rheumatolifist.
Click to expand...
I would take pictures of your eye in case it progresses so you can share with your doctor if/when you go.
Praying for you!
 
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