Back to the 100 Things list...(possibly a boring read about myself and where I am at, but it is good for me to have a re-read of the list and help solidify it in my mind).
39. Buy sturdy, high quality, well made boots, and make sure you have several extra pairs. The same is true for work gloves. Well Simon's current employer supplies new steelcap leather boots each year (totally unnecessarily!) and until now he has just accepted them, however has been keeping the old (perfectly fine) boots. So he has about 3 pairs of boots for this purpose. I have one pair of hiking boots and a pair of sneakers I don't actually wear for day-to-day stuff, but will be great shoes for more heavy duty stuff.
41. Many people with indoor jobs don't have an appropriate wardrobe for a life largely spent outdoors - their winter clothes aren't warm enough for extended periods of outside work, their summer clothes are made of artificial fibers and don't breathe well, they don't have appropriate shoes, hats, etc... Now is the time to assess your wardrobe and overcome its deficiencies by checking out thrift shops, ebay and yard sales. Our wardrobe selections are pretty much all about practicality these days. We both have all weather gear in mostly natural fibres.
48. Consider growing cotton or flax in your garden, and spinning, weaving, knitting or crocheting with it. Even if you cannot grow very much, we will need people with some experience with small scale clothing production. Well, we do have a few flax bushes in our garden - and my mum knows how to prepare and use it. In fact, myself and some girlfriends are already keen to learn a few things from her one weekend!
62. Children, the elderly and ill or disabled family members are more likely to experience "appetite fatigue" and stop eating if their diet suddenly changes because of a crisis. Start eating the foods in your storage in the ways you are likely to enjoy them right now. Allow your bodies time to adapt to whole grains, more fresh vegetables, beans, a vegetarian or mostly vegetarian diet, fewer fats, less salt and sugar, etc.. Dietary changes are stressful - so make them gradually. Even short periods of malnutrition can do real harm. This is a really good point and not something I would have thought of, but it makes so much sense. I had a similar discussion last weekend with my stepdad about "slow food" and how we have been moving towards a whole foods diet free of processed food for probably 18mths (since Nathan was diagnosed with Coeliac's). I remember what it was like to suddenly find ourselves on a new diet that needed to be implemented just like that (and that meant moving away from most processed foods which contain gluten in some shape or form). It was quite traumatic for about a week (and was in hindsight one of the best things that happened to us). However, I think now, it would be quite easy to find ourselves without the remaining things that we do buy processed.
66. Learn basic first aid, herbalism, and any other useful medical information you can come by. Have the tools to assess conditions, deal with basic medical crises, and endure an epidemic or crisis in your home if hospitals are turning people away. This is something I have been mindful of. I have never been really interested in herbalism, but have just purchased a 2nd hand book on locally found herbs and their medicinal uses. I also have a friend who prepares and uses herbs who I will be learning more from.
71. Consider homeschooling if you can. Not only is it a good energy saver, it can spare your kids some ofthe heavier pressures to consume. It is also a lot of fun for both parents and kids. Haha, even more positives for homeschooling!
75. Create household routines that can be adapted even if things change - bedtime routines, the morning cuppa, whatever it is, these provide reassurance and stability for adults and children. Even if the bedtime routine is done by flashlight and the cuppa is hot water poured over mint from your garden, stable routines say "some things have changed, but the essentials remain the same." I like this! Particularly for me with the cuppa - I could imagine myself getting the same (well similar, who am I kidding!) enjoyment out of a mint tea in the morning, just coz that's what I've always done.
76. If you have young children, buy books for older kids at yard and library sales. Stock up on educational books as well so that if the schools close, you can continue their education. Remember, children who are raised in hard times may not be as excited as you are about reading books on gardening and building - these things may be natural to them. So have books on as wide a range of subjects as possible - mathematics, art, history, politics. And have some escapist material for both children and adults - mysteries, science fiction, comic books, romance novels - everyone needs to be taken away now and again. Well for a family who loves books, this is not an issue. I have been hand-me-downed masses of non-fiction type books from my grandmother along with some classic novels that even I wouldn't mind reading one day.
82. Consolidate trips whenever possible - do your grocery shopping, your library run, your errands ahead. This involves planning ahead what you will eat, where you will go, so keep records and record expected activities - if your mother's birthday is next month, make sure you think about the ingredients for her cake and her present while on your monthly shopping trip. I have been more mindful of doing this with using our car less, however, I need to look ahead and plan a little more for further out things opposed to a week by week plan.
86. If you live within 2-5 miles of shopping, invest in one of those little carts that you drag behind you. There is no reason able bodied people can't shop on foot at those distances. Now I know exactly why we used to see grandma's everywhere dragging their little bag-on-wheels - wonder if the local op shop has an old stash...
93. Think in terms of turning off, doing without, reusing, making less, rather than keeping your life essentially the way it was with only minor refinements of consumption. It is often better to get rid of the appliance entirely than spend a lot of money finding the most energy efficient option. So true!
94. If others don't seem to be responding to your message or sharing your concerns, remember that the evidence was there before you saw things too, and that everyone is ready to hear things at a different time. Don't stop trying, but be gentle and respect the time people need to adapt. I'm on a gentle mission of helping others see where things are heading...
96. For every new project you take on, consider letting something else go - if you are going to begin canning your vegetables, consider giving up vacuuming every day, and put it off. If you are getting involved in community affairs, cut down on the number of long phone calls with people you don't like. Try and cut out something you hate but do because you feel you have to, and replace it with something you enjoy, that also helps you prepare. And doesn't life become richer because of it??
97. Try and look cool. Of course it feels weird to say, "nope, I'm going to walk 3 miles to work" or "nope, sorry, we're not buying anything new this year." Do it with class and elan - pretend you are having fun, and leading the pack, even if you feel weird. The weirdness will go away on its own. Oh yeah!! Still feeling weird lol.
99. Think of peak oil and the other challenges that face us as an optimization exercise - how do I get the most fun, the best life, the most happiness, the most love, with the fewest inputs - the least money, the least energy, the least waste. Get excited about making it work. This is where I am at!
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