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Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Circling the Wagons: Week 3, part 2, level 1

Circling the Wagons …. in uncertain times and emergency situations

(Week 3, part 2, level 1)

by mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

Wagon clipart link … https://clipart-library.com/clipart/713877.htm

Whether you decided that ‘going shopping’ in our last post was a good plan for you or not, life is going on and it is now day 17 in our scenario.

Does it seem like you've been without power longer than that?

Does it feel like this thing is never going to end?

Do you just long for things to be ‘easier’ again?

What are you missing the most, other than electrical power?

Wait!  Hold that thought … there’s a loud and persistent knocking on your door … are you going to answer it?  Whatever time of day or night you’re reading this is when the ‘loud and persistent’ knocking is occurring.

Do you have a security plan in place?

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

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12 comments:

  1. Iissed hot showers the most during our seven days out during Helene.

    It's rare to have strangers at our door in our out of town area but we would look to see who is out there before opening the door. When the power is not out we have security cameras .

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  2. I’m missing long hot showers. After a few days of not showering I just feel so disgusting. We would probably not answer the door since it’s 8 pm and dark. Hubs would definitely have a plan. Generator locked up at night, doors and windows locked. He would even be concerned about the garbage. His theory is people in our area don’t experience hunger and things could get real ugly once they do. Sue in MN

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  3. It's 1.30pm here so a knock on the door isn't totally unheard of - however we have a security grille on the front door with a protected glass panel beside it - we could look through there (or look down from upstairs) to check who it was and if known to us and trusted, we would open the front door with the grille still securely locked to find out what they wanted - however to be absolutely cautious, I'd be more inclined to go out to the front patio above which looks down to the front door and ask what they wanted, that giving me plenty of time to duck back inside and lock myself in if there was danger. If it were dark, I wouldn't answer the door at all. It's a catch 22. As far as day 17 goes, we'd be getting awfully tired of watching our backs but life would go on - we'd probably be hot and sticky and yearning for the fans at least but there are other ways to try and keep cool - sleeping would be the hardest.

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  4. This is a good question. At the time I read this my husband isn’t home. It’s all most 8 o’clock at night. Part of me is saying wait till my husband get home. The other half is wanting to yell through the door to see who it is and what they want.. I am really going to have to think on this. Plus ask my husband what he would have me do. In such a situation!

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  5. I wish I could throw sheets and towels in the washer. I’m tired of having to decide what is more important to use water for. I’ve been thinking lately about security. I had the loud persistent banging on the door and it was quite unsettling until I saw it was my mom who was freaking out because her phone quit working. I didn’t hear her at first and she thought something had happened to me. I’ve since reintroduced her to her cell phone. It’s not a friendly relationship. Mel in Co.

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  6. It certainly seems a lot longer than 17 days and, while we have settled down into a new routine, I would still like things to return to normal. I think I would be missing settling down to watch something on the tv and having the radio playing in the background while I read or go about my jobs. The battery powered radio is now only occasionally switched on at times when the news would normally be on, just to check if there is another update broadcast.
    It is 8.45 in the morning here, so I would just look out of the window beside the front door to see who is knocking. If this took place during the night I would open the window above the front door and shout down to find out who was there.

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  7. I think most would miss their cell phonesinternet as you will only be able to charge it just so long using your car depending on where your fuel amount is in the car. Gas stations would not be able to pump gas.
    We bought a solar cube to run the HAM radio and charge our cell phones. It's able to run my old wringer washer,I would have to cart water to it.
    Our security camaras are on solar.Dog lets us know when someone is around the house(including the neighbors) or coming down the lane. Doors are locked because the dog lets herself out other wise and then goes over to Amish neighbor to fight with their dog. We are armed. We have solar pump on deep well pump, we have water reservors on wood/coal cook stove and we have camping solar shower kit. BUT I grew up heating bath water in a water canner on a space heater we heated the house with. I have an old propane stove that I would move into house and the one in house out (no electric it won't even light with lighter). Have oil lamps and 5 gallons of oil. We have talked about trash service and recycling. I would keep recycling, never know when you might need to use something you tossed but am working at lowering the amount of trash. Daddy only had a plastic grocery sack a week... my goal though I do feel decent about only 1 of the 13 gallon bags a week instead of the 2 black trash bags the two widows with no kids in home in the neighborhood has each week. I do have a burn barrel for paper.cardboard trash.I would be hooking up with one of the local Amish to find an outdoor canner so I wouldn't be heating up my house during the summer. I just canned beef stew(broth not gravy), 3 types of meatballs with sauces, and slidder hamburger patties. Self reliance book recipes. I have enough fuel on site to run generator(have 2) to can most of what is in the freezers within a week.

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  8. I have actually thought about security before, and realize though I live in an extremely safe neighborhood, there is no way to totally secure my house. All of my first floor windows are 7 feet long and go all the way to the floor. The windows on the front of the house are just 5 or so feet above ground level, and the ones on the back face the deck, with little more than 4 inches above it.
    I am reading this at 7 am and TheHub is not here. I imagine I would not answer it and hope for the best.
    I am still counting on our local water works board to have back up power to keep the water going. If not I do have access to water in my backyard. It is not potable but it could be used for washing/bathing.
    Makes me think I need to get a really good water filter to have at the house.

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  9. I've read this at 7:41 AM (Central time, US). I'm holding my own, but emotionally it's taking a toll. Close friends are starting to talk about cooking together once a week, just for the sense of community. But we'd have to do it mid-day, due to having to walk a mile+ and needing to traverse the route in daylight.

    If someone came banging on the door at this hour, at least it's light out now that Daylight Savings Time has ended. Pup would go into protection mode -- even though he's small (mini schnauzer), he has a big bark and would likely bite if I were in danger. I have sidelight windows on each side of the door, so I might be able to see who's there. If not, or if it's someone I don't know, I'd open a window from my main level (1/2 flight of stairs above the foyer) and speak to them from inside, without opening the door. And, after that, I'd measure and cut a broom stick to use as a security jamb, between the foyer baseboard and the base of the door. Later in the day, and if I'd felt threatened, I'd alert the neighbors who have worked in military/public safety/Homeland Security, and ask for their guidance. My late husband's childhood baseball bats are at the ready.

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  10. It’s 9am here, so not too scary. We have a pretty tight-knit street, so I would not think too negatively about it. However, I would look out the window to see who was there. That would determine if I opened the door or not.
    What I am missing the most is cooking a good, hot meal. We have an electric stove so we’d be using the BBQ a lot. Not sure if my generator would run the stove and oven along with th fridge and freezer.

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  11. Lori comment about broom stick. Son2 lived in apt that all the windows could be unlocked from out side. We cut wood sticks to stop window from being raised. Painted them white to blend in to wood around his windows. He left them when he bought his house. Single lady used them and when someone tried to open her window she started screaming. Neighbor called law and another neighbor knocked the guy out.

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    Replies
    1. Good for your son and for the lady who inherited them with the house. We had one for our patio door when we had a summer house years ago. In this scenario, I'd use what I had on hand and a broom stick would fit the bill, since I don't keep much lumber on hand any more.

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