You Need a Binky in Your Cupboard!

I think I should tell you, you need a binky in your cupbaord!

As this year continues to progress, the headlines that cause fear and the struggles with the economy are not going away. All these things are affecting more and more of us. The failing economy continues to wreak its toll.

And so, I encourage you to do what you can, where you can, when you can. If you say you have been trying, try some more. I am in a somber mood as I write today, and would truly encourage you to keep trying. As an individual you or I cannot resolve the situations that are generating the fear from the headlines. Nor can we resolve situations in the city, state, or country. BUT, what we can do is resolve to do something, to create our own safe haven in attitude and action in our own preparedness program. Even if you are in a small apartment there has to be one corner that you can set aside to hold a few things that will benefit you. If you can’t create a “safe room”, plan and create a comforting “safe corner.”

Preparedness and provident living go hand in hand. You can help yourself deal better in the economic foray, and, at the same time, have things in your cupboards to get you through tight situations.

Remember you can get prepared without panic and hype, a little at a time – consistently, constantly and regularly. Even if as you look at what you think might be an exceedingly little amount, the key word is consistent! (You can pretend your middle name is Barbara, and no matter how small the amount of supplies in a box or on a shelf, you can hug it and say “Thank You, Thank you!”)

Being prepared does not mean there is no crisis, as some would have you believe. I’m afraid my experience has shown that I personally cry a lot: tears of frustration, tears of fear and foreboding, and then tears of gratitude, as I plod along doing my best to cope, a little at a time.
The following ideas are presented to help you cope.

Your Preparedness Program “To-Do” List
Mother Nature is not alone as she lurks around the corner waiting for us to relax. Her companions are the twins “Les Power” and “Les Fuel.” With the onslaught of hurricane season, tornado season and severe thunderstorms (whose companions are floods, floods and more floods), affecting many parts of the world, perhaps you have recently had to use most of your preparedness commodities to get through a short-term emergency. Are you breathing a sigh of relief because you made it through this one? Don’t allow complacency or careless forgetfulness to deter your consistent action plans. One of the most important priorities on your list should be to replace or obtain those necessary items to get you through the next power outage ... or whatever. That means food and non-food alike.

With cold and wet being a major factor this time of year, make sure that the gaskets, wicks, adapters, etc., that you are relying on to keep equipment functioning are where you think they are. Locate, and pull together, in one easily accessible place, all of the small but essential parts that will allow the larger pieces of equipment to function. (While you can do something about it, think about how dark dark is without light!)

If you are relying on battery-operated equipment and have had to use it this season, the power capacity in the batteries may already be dissipated. Obtain and keep on hand a sufficient number of the various sizes of required batteries so that your equipment will work each time you need to use it. A rule of thumb is that if you change some of the batteries in a piece of equipment, you should change all of them. (Have you checked to see how many batteries each lantern or light uses at one time?) If you have had batteries in storage for a long time be sure to check the expiration date- before you need rely on them.

Remember; don’t store batteries in the freezer. Freezing will cause them to expand and crack the seal or seams. And if the opportunity presents itself, (and the budget cooperates), consider replacing the equipment that uses fuel with equipment that uses batteries. It’s so much safer!
How many of the games, radios, CD players and other items in your household are dependent on batteries? Divide all of the battery-operated devices into categories of priority use in an emergency. Do you keep an emergency supply of batteries separate and restricted from those used for entertainment? If not, the supply you thought you could rely on to see you through an emergency might have dwindled to nothing.

Prepare to have your “binky blankets” in place before you need them. In case you don’t have any tiny children in your family, a “binky” is the pacifier that helps tiny children exist in this world. We all need a “binky” of one sort or another in on our practical preparedness shelves. Mine gets dipped in chocolate! Continue to read those headlines, knowing you are doing something about your own safe corner.