Up Early

Once again, I woke up at the crack of dawn unable to sleep. Hannah had a nightmare and was in bed with me, squishing me, so I wasn't comfortable all night.

I've been reading a lot of interesting information this morning, and just wanted to chime in with my two cents worth.

Christmas...most people, especially if they are Christians acknowledge the real meaning of Christmas. I don't want to hear about the naysayers who say it was originally a pagan holiday, blah, blah, blah. The point of the matter is how a Christian views it, and for what purpose they are celebrating. Personally, I love Christmas. Not the rushing around, and demand for gifts, but the reflection on Christ's birth, the winter weather, the beautiful decorations, the baking everything. All of the pomp and circumstance does not detract, for me, the true meaning of the season, but only highlights it. It doesn't even matter to me that others celebrate Christmas more commercially, because I know why I celebrate, and what it really means and this is what is important. There are too many Grinches in this world, for them to steal my joy in celebrating for an entire month the birth of Christ.

During this year of economic difficulties I also wanted to suggest to people caution in their spending and gift buying. Don't go overboard, and try to limit yourself to practical gifts like clothing, books, hunting accessories, food, things like that...

This year my kids are limited to three gifts, I've done this in the past, but for the past two years, we've been able to go overboard and splurge, but not this year. Keep in mind you are NOT a bad parent if you do not give your children exactly what they ask for. I would think you are a bad parent if you beggared yourself because you couldn't risk "the face".

Gotta go, more later...

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, I offer myself to you as an open vessel. Please work in my life and accomplish your will through me. Every little thing and every great thing that is accomplished, I praise you for it and give you all the glory. Thank you for blessing my life with your power and presence. In Jesus' name, amen.

WHY I CARRY

My old grandpa said to me, "Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and usually it's when he becomes too old to take a butt whoopin'."

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to Heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

"Police Protection" is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves. Police do not protect you from crime; they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take a butt whoopin'.

..author unknown

Daily December Activities

http://www.creativeyouthideas.com/blog/object_lessons/advent_alphabet.html#more

Walmart Employee Killed in Black Friday Stampede

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/28/2008-11-28_worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html

I was shocked when I read this article, what is this world coming to? Just imagine if these people are willing to act like animals over a sale, what will they do when there is a food shortage, lack of jobs, etc. The ones knocking the man down, and those stepping all over him, need to be detained, arrested and charged with murder.

Please pray for this man's family.

I really hope that Walmart does the right thing and provides for this man's family. They didn't provide adequate security, so they are partially to blame, though the people carry the bulk of the responsibility.

***********************
I actually had the entire day to myself. This hasn't happened in a long time. Sometimes I get a couple of hours, but the girls and Rodney left with Blake around 8:30 a.m. this morning and didn't get home until 5 p.m.

I went to the credit union, and then to the closest Walmart. It wasn't crowded at all...I didn't even have to wait inline but walked right up to the cashier to pay for the few items I found. I was able to buy Lauren the Bratz doll plane set that she wanted along with Miley Cyrus' "Breakout" CD and Taylor Swift's CD (not sure of the name). I couldn't find the items on Hannah's list, so will have to order them off of the internet.

I had lunch with my sister April and her daughter at Chili's, which wasn't crowded either. It was amazing to be able to walk in there and get a table right away.

After lunch I came back home, and stopped by the grocery store. I was able to get a few needed items, and additional items on my stocking up list. When I buy something, I am trying to buy an extra at the same time and/or if I use up one at home, I buy two to replace it. Same concept.

I'd love more meat choices, but I just can't bring myself to buy any more tuna. I really hate tuna, canned chicken, Spam (I'm ok once in a while). There was even an entire chicken in a can..the concept kind of made my stomach turn, but being pregnant, not much sounds good to me at this time. I did look at a dried ham that was in the deli area in a cotton bag, but I am not sure how long they last before going bad. Not to mention it was $44.00. Kind of pricey. I have some meat in the freezer, but if the freezer goes out, I'm in a big bind. I'd need to cook it all and can it in order to save it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

It's here! The start of the wonderful holiday season!

When I was little every year after we ate Thanksgiving dinner, my mom would put her Gene Autry Christmas Album on the stereo. That for me was so exciting, as it meant Christmas was on it's way. Once I was married I looked all over for that album, but couldn't find it. Recently I did find a tape cassette, and an abbreviated version on CD, and was very happy about that....

I normally do the same thing after Thanksgiving dinner. Tomorrow I will hang my red bows on the front porch posts, along with hanging my wreath here, and one on the gate at the land.

My turkey is in the roaster, since about 8:30 a.m. My dressing is done and in the refrigerator, along with the chocolate cream pie. I need to make the mashed potatoes, gravy, warm the green beans, and brown the rolls, which will be a little later. I put a cinnamon coffee cake in the oven, and am waiting for it to be done, drinking hot tea while I type. My kitchen is trashed and I really need to wash dishes. The hot water is turned off in the kitchen, as there was a leak earlier in the week, it is making it very hard to keep the dishes done, as I am bringing hot water from the bathroom in a metal wash pan.

The weather here is a little chilly, with heavy fog. I have a small fire going to get the damp and chill out of the living room. Rodney and Lauren are laying in the bed in the bedroom watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Hannah is watching the Barbie special "The Diamond Castle" on Nickelodeon.

We will head out to the land later to feed the animals, and work on the fence. Beta killed a young raccoon yesterday, and Rodney had a difficult time getting it away from her, she liked carrying it around with her and tossing it up in the air, but that was a little gross. He was finally able to get it away from her and tossed it over the back fence under the "Memorial Tree". This is the area that we have been throwing all the dead animals we find from our two chickens to a variety of other animals (doves and even a prairie falcon once).

**picture courtesy of the Proverbs 14:1 woman

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106186/How-Much-More-Thanksgiving-Will-Cost-This-Year

I was reading the above article and I wanted to post the cost of my own Thanksgiving dinner.

Turkey: $9.11 for a 12 lb turkey
Dressing: had cornbread and all ingredients on hand to make
Eggs: eggs given to me by a friend from her chickens
Rolls: .95 X 2 = $1.90
Pie: .88 cents for cool whip, .89 cents for pie crust (jello pudding already on hand)
Green Beans: in pantry already
Mashed Potatoes: in pantry already
Gravy: Watkins turkey gravy mix (on hand)
Iced Tea: on hand

Total: $12.78 out of pocket expenses to make Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanks to having a full pantry I had most items on hand to make the dinner, plus ingredients to make a Brown Sugar/Cinnamon Coffee Cake this morning for breakfast. I did run out of milk, but had powdered dry whole milk by NIDO to mix up a batch and refrigerate that way I could finish my cooking.

*******************
The day has actually been a pleasant day, with little fussing. The girls played all afternoon with the puppies. It started raining around 5 p.m. so we headed home. No one (except me) wanted anymore turkey so I made grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup, and a turkey and mustard sandwich for "moi".

I sure am glad I bought a small turkey this year, as I don't have much leftovers. I have a small aluminum pan full, and am now making turkey stock in the roaster with the bones, wings, and odd bits of turkey meat. I added a cup of dried onion, garlic powder, and covered everything with water. It's cooking on low, and will cook for about 24 hours, before I strain it, and place in the freezer. It will make great turkey soup as it gets colder this winter. I like to then add carrots, celery, and egg noodles along with some fresh bread and YUM!

**************************
Things I am thankful for:

1. Salvation
2. My Family
3. My Home
4. Food

Thanksgiving Preparations

Yum! I am baking my cornbread dressing tonight in the roaster (my oven doesn't work) and the turkey will be put in the roaster first thing in the a.m.

I also have my chocolate cream pie made and ready. I put a dab of the pudding in a small graham cracker tart shell, slathered it will cool whip, and ate the whole thing by myself (it wasn't THAT big, it fit in the palm of my hand.)

Rodney and the girls are gone again to Blake's to play the Wii. We had a "discussion" last night because both the girls and Rodney wanted a Wii. I vetoed that idea due to the cost, and with Christmas coming we can't justify spending $400.00 on one item like that....we bought the PlayStation earlier this year, spending over $200.00, and it has been sitting on the shelf collecting dust for 1/2 a year. None of them liked me for that, but that's too bad, I WILL NOT spend $400.00 on a Wii. They are all nuts, and can be mad all they want. So, I am the bad guy, but you know I'm used to that, sometimes if you only have one adult making the right decision, you end up being the bad guy. I'll live with that...

Man, the dressing sure smells good! I can't wait to eat tomorrow!

Vote In My Poll

To all visitors please take time to vote in my online poll. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Building a Container House

http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Building_a_Container_House-Building_Systems-A2413.html

Link for container housing

School Tax Increase Vote

Off to vote against the school board raising my taxes yet again. We just voted on this last year, but I guess those in power just can't handle the word "No". In my opinion, if you can't hand the $2.5 million dollars you already have, why would I give you more?

Stop increasing administration's and teacher's pay, cut down on the frills (like FOOTBALL) and actually TEACH, there would be more than enough money. Teacher's deserve the same pay as everyone else, and in my area they are getting it. Do the job you were hired to do for the pay you agreed, and stop giving the school officials a salary of over $100K, and we will have more than enough cash for such a small school district.

I like the idea of closing the schools. Give the responsibility back where it belongs, to the parents, to make sure their children are educated. Home school or private school would be WAY better than what we have now. Okay, I am not going to get off into a tirade about the public school system yet again. I don't have the time, need to go vote.

****

Okay, I am back. I had to stop by the grocery store to pick up a couple of items for Thanksgiving. I have almost everything, but needed a graham cracker crust. I was planning on making pumpkin pie, I would have made the crust for that, but Chocolate Cream Pie was requested, and I don't know how to make a graham cracker crust.

So far my menu for Thursday looks like this:

Turkey (no really!!)
Cornbread dressing
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Green Beans
Rolls
Chocolate Pie
Molasses Cookies

Back to the grocery store story...I was in line to pay for my groceries. I was talking to the girls, and wasn't paying attention to the cashier. As I was approaching my turn to be checked out, I noticed she was scanning the items off of the computer, and she handed the lady in front of me some money. I thought she had accidentally included my items with the lady in front of me. The cashier immediately bagged my items and was handing them to me. Confused, I asked if she was going to scan them first. She told me that they had already been paid for by the woman in front of me. I was surprised and thrilled, as I am dreadfully short of money at this point. I hadn't bought much ($23.80 worth). This was such a blessing for me, and I wish I could have thanked the woman, but she left really fast. I live in a small town, and have seen her before, and actually we used to attend the same church a long time ago. I don't recall her name, but know that she works at the school, and her husband is a teacher.

My grocery items consisted of:

a box of Clementine oranges
1 quart of milk
2 tubs of Cool Whip
2 packages of brown and serve rolls (too lazy to make my own)
a jar of spaghetti sauce
graham cracker pie crust

That's it, but still a blessing none the less.

BREAKING NEWS - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081125/ap_on_bi_ge/lt_venezuela_russia

I Was Sent This Today...Very Interesting

My Dear Extended Family,

Things are now "Out of Control."

This international financial crisis is now out of control as the world asks if the USA has two presidents, one president or no president at all.

It would appear that Paulson is in financial control with Bernanke as his second.

I warned you by personal email long before the statement was proven totally correct that “This is it.” That was followed by “This is it, and it is now.” Many people laughed it off.

This is it, and it is now.
Now it is out of control.
Now we enter the Collapse of Confidence period.
Then we begin the Weimar Experience.

It has all hit the fan, and still the absolute majority have no clue. The OTC derivative dealers broke the system into millions of pieces of glass. This broken glass cannot be put back together.

It is heart rending to see a picture of GM autoworkers holding a prayer meeting for their retirement funds. The retirement money was never funded. It is a lost hope. This is another responsibility the government has undertaken that is going to go wild.

Those of you still in freeze frame are headed for lines around your bank. Your bank will likely be acquired by another bank that also is in deep trouble.

The US dollar, like a leaderless company, will lose its respect and therefore value.

In order of importance the following MUST be done unless you want to be one of the suffering masses that will be all too visible this winter:

1. You must have your assets held anywhere they are in true custodial-ship accounts. That type of account at a bank or broker states clearly that the assets held there are not on the balance sheet of the host financial entity. Those assets are clearly segregated in your name. This must be reviewed by counsel to be sure you have what you think you have. Don’t cheap out. All you have is depending on the validity of true custodial-ship accounts.

You cannot know all the banks are broke, however I feel ALL banks are broke because finance is an intertwined system that if visible would look like a spider’s web. Problems on the top will materialize all along the web. Therefore the singular most important step you must take is the establishment of a true custodial-ship account.

Do not assume you have this type of account unless a competent attorney reviews the account papers.

2. I am extremely concerned about those of you who persist in holding certificates for gold rather than holding the actual metal either delivered to you or held for you in a true custodial-ship type account. The scams out there in gold are plentiful. The only way to avoid these scams absolutely is to have your gold in your own possession.

Every other means of holding gold is steps away from perfection. Some will be ok, but many will not.

3. Why would anyone fail to either take paper certificates or order their financial agent to make direct registration book entry at the transfer agent? In most cases you only have until year-end to accomplish this strategy.

4. Withdraw from ETFs.

5. If you carelessly keep large assets with your broker you are as mad as a hatter. The FDIC DOES NOT have the money to guarantee all they are undertaking. Withdraw excess money constantly from any net broker. If you are so stubborn that you think you can trade to insure yourself when your funds are not making money while still getting your money that counts you are nuts. Admit to yourself you are nothing more than a gambling addict in a downward spiral.

6. Leave no gold or coins with any coin dealer.

7. If you can withdraw from your corporate retirement plan do it.

8. Withdraw from credit unions.

9. Withdraw from all money market instruments.

10. This is it.

11. It is now.

12. It is out of control NOW.

The next two months are going to be shocking, but nothing compared to what you will have to experience in 2009.

Respectfully yours,
Jim

Happy Birthday Bobbe!

This is my Grandma Bobbe (my dad's mom). I wanted to wish her a belated 80th birthday. Her birthday was in the beginning of November. This picture is two years old, but she looks the same, though appears more frail to me.

Monday

We were up early this morning as I had my monthly OB appointment. I dropped the girls off with Rodney and headed into town. Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long today. I really don't like it when I have an appointment and they make me wait for an hour before even seeing me. Today I only had to wait 20 minutes. I wonder if it is because it is Thanksgiving week and most people were out of town??

Anyway, I lost weight, my iron is low, I have a sinus infection and the doctor FINALLY prescribed an antibiotic, which I had called for last week.

Rodney and Blake had welded some axles together to try and move the storage container closer to the septic tank and electricity, but the axles didn't work. Once they jacked up the container, lined up the axles and lowered the container, the axles began to bend in the middle. The I-beam just wasn't strong enough to hold the weight of the container. On to Plan B, which is make some skids, and have a friend try and tow the container using his LARGE tractor. He farms for a living, and has bigger machines/equipment than we have. If this doesn't work, we will have to pay someone to come out and move the container.

It was getting pretty chilly (43) by the time we headed home, so it was great to get here and light a fire in the wood stove. Hannah was cold, and took a bath right away to get the fleas out of her hair (she likes playing with the puppies, but they have too many fleas). She is now wearing her long underwear which she loves. She thinks she looks like a dancer LOL!

She is very funny and continuous to makes me laugh on a daily basis. She pronounced the water temperature of her bath as "perfect" and told me that there was "nuffin to do at daddy's work while I was at the doctor".

I checked my herbal medicine cabinet and I could have sworn I had 1 lb of elderberries, but I couldn't find it. I have an elderberry tincture, echinacea/goldenseal antibiotic tincture, 1/2 lb of Echinacea Root, 1/2 Nettle Leaf and 1/2 lb of Yarrow flowers. With the exception of Nettle Leaf, which helps nursing moms, the others are good for helping with infections, cold and upper respiratory phlegm. I checked online and the supplier I use is all out of elderberries. I will try Sun Harvest, but the Bulk Herbs is much cheaper.

Don't Eat the Free Corn

http://www.nhccs.org/okepigs.html

Filed Here For Future Reference

The following unedited letter was allegedly written by Senator Tom Harkins of Iowa. There is some question as to whether the Senator is the true author or if the entire document can be attributed solely to Harkin(s). It is rumored that Al Barcroft called Senator Harkin(s)’ office to ask if he wrote this letter, and the Senator allegedly would neither confirm nor deny.

I wouldn’t absolutely bet that Harkin(s) it the true or sole author of this document, but there is so much information that seems insightful that whoever wrote this document appears to be surprisingly knowledgeable about the difference between “The State” and “this state”.

SENATOR HARKINS - IRS KNOWLEDGE

Although the IR Code is used as the basis for the so called income tax, the personal income tax does not derive its authority from the 16_th Amendment, Brushaber v. Union Pacific RR or any other constitutional or federal provision, as those authorities fell with the loss of our national money standard in 1933. Since 1933, the people have formed new a new unincorporated United States in trust by their silence in accepting the loss of their ability for paying their debts at law. In other words, the suspension of out national money standard created a void in the law. Consequently, a resulting or implied trust rushed in to fill the void. In a resulting or implied trust, there are not terms of how and who is to administer the terms of the trust, therefore you cannot put the blame on anyone besides the people for letting the trust be established. “The United States Government may be the trustee of a charitable trust,” Russell v. Allen, 107 U.S 163; 27 L.Ed. 397, and further; The United States or a state has capacity to take and hold property upon a charitable trust, but in absence of a statute otherwise providing, the charitable trust is unenforceable against the United States or a state.” In other words, the code does not define who is required to file and what the terms are, but when you use the IR Code as you argument, you admit to conveying your estate to the public trust, thus all your arguments have little or no merit. It then is a constant battle finding niches in the code which the IRS eventually overcomes and it comes down to how much you owe and when you are going to pay. In the mean time, you cannot own anything because they put a lien on it and it is hell getting rid of the lien.

You must also remember that you are also considered a beneficiary to the trust and as such, unjust enrichment comes into play. Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution states: “New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures fo the States concerned as well as of the Congress.” Article IV, Sec. 3 clearly states that in order to establish new incorporated States under the Constitution, the legislatures and Congress must follow the Constitutional rules. But, being there is no prohibition under Article IV, Sec. 3 or any other provisions of the Constitution to prohibit the people from forming an association of new unincorporated states, and just being there is no charter of incorporation of the new states and just what its duties are, i.e., its intents and purposes, a resulting implied charitable trust is formed by operation, of law.

As a result of the foregoing, when you go into court, the judge constructs a trust whereby he takes judicial notice [of the presumption that you are a beneficiary of the trust and the presumption is the fact until rebutted with evidence] and invokes unjust enrichment on your part. Consequently there is no Constitutional Law, only the conscience of the masses in the trust governed by courts of equity ‘whereby all property, real and personal is held in common to everybody in the trust, i.e., every person re-insures each others debts and responsibility, in limited liability. In other words, by operation of law, the people have formed new unincorporated states that operate outside the Constitution under their right to contract and convey their property as a gift in trust, thereby creating relative rights instead of absolute rights. As stated earlier, being there is no charter of incorporation and just what its duties and jurisdiction consist of, this public trust of unincorporated states reverts back to the Articles of Confederation because, under the Articles, taxation and commerce were and are under the control of the states and outside the control of the federal Government.

Thus, the JR Code is not under control of Congress’ general powers, but rather its authority lies under local law which is state law under the Erie RR doctrine. The Articles were in force from March 1781 to march 1789. They were never abolished, but discredited by 1786, thus not being incorporated into the Constitution. Most authorities of that time agree that had it not been for the Articles of Confederation, our Constitutional Republic would not have survived, but taxation and commerce being under control of’ the states created major problems as ‘we are witnessing today under local law. Erie held that the law of’ the state shall apply in the absence of the Constitution or Acts of Congress. First Erie does not say the incorporated State, but the unincorporated state, Secondly, Erie does not differentiate between foreign or domestic commerce, nor does it differentiate between local or general Acts of Congress. I go ballistic when I hear folks say it’s the incorporated States that are doing us in. Go to your state constitution and check to see if the state boundary lines are there, OH! You say, they are not there. Well then, how can the incorporated State or States be doing us in when there is no boundary Lines drawn between the various general powers over the people and the U.S. Supreme Court has stated this many time over.

The purpose of the personal income tax is to tax those who want government acting under local law (public policy) to take care of them. ,which unfortunately is what most of the people want and expect and therein lies the major problem. Anyhow, silence is consent, therefore you are required to file tax returns and share your wealth with the undesirables, that is, unless you use the Foreign Sovereign immunities Act, 28 USC 1502-1611, passed in 1976 in order to offer to those who are dissatisfied with public policy, a statutory remedy to the Constitution under Article III. Your access to the Constitution runs directly through the FSIA in every area in dealing with government, federa!, state, or local.

In short, the FSIA codified the era of Swift v. Tyson, 16 Peters 1 (1842-1938) whereby a jury trial can now be demanded, if desired, in State court on any statutory issue covered by the FSIA against federal, state, or local government. Congress specifically stated that the FSIA must be interpreted, by statutory remedy in an Article III court regardless of the citizenship of the plaintiff under international law outside of the realm of equity, Erie, Title 42, and other public policy. FSIA also, waives sovereign immunity for commercial activities of state and federal governments which consists of about 90% of government activity. In summation, arguing the Internal Revenue Code is an effort in futility.

End.

Senator Harkins

Splitting Wood

It is supposed to get in the 30's tonight, and we only had five pieces of wood left on the back porch. Directly after a breakfast of pancakes and bacon ;-) we left for the land, where Rodney and I spent 3 hours getting more wood ready. Using the log splitter, Rodney split the wood and I stacked it in the pick up truck. We filled the entire bed of the truck.

Rodney chose to stack the wood on either side of the front door, which will be so helpful to me, as I won't have to walk down the steps into the backyard to get more wood. I have such a hard time stepping down or lifting my foot above ankle high. This baby is getting very heavy. I have about 2 months left to go, and can't wait.

Things I want to accomplish before then:

re-organize the nursery closet
wash all the cloth diapers and clothes
get several casseroles in the freezer
and get my buckets packed with dry goods

This afternoon Hannah and I made rice krispy treats for the first time (first time for Hannah). She was very amazed that she could make these at home, and that they didn't require cooking. She's so cute.

Tonight we are making cornbread muffins and chili for dinner, while sitting around the wood stove getting ready to watch the Old Fashioned Thanksgiving movie on the Hallmark Channel.

Have a good night everyone!

Food Shortages Around the World

I thought I'd share this link with everyone. In my opinion, I think this is an eye opener to the U.S. Please don't think it can't happen to us, because it can. After the flooding in the Midwest, the drought in the Southwest, and the hurricanes hitting the Gulf Coast region, an upcoming food shortage is looming for the United States. Our government WILL NOT take care of us, so please don't get complacent. I urge everyone to get busy and make sure you have enough on hand to feed your family. Time is getting short.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081121/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_food_crisis

United States

The global food price crisis has appeared in the U.S.A. as the rice shortage^{[citation needed]}. The retail prices of food in the U.S. increased four percent according to the Consumer Price Index in 2007, the largest increase in 17 years. The USDA Economic Research Service predicted that prices would increase another three to four percentage points throughout 2008.^[85]

In April 2008 Sam's Club instituted a limit on how much long-grain white rice that restaurant and retail customers could purchase due to shortages. Purchases of other types of rice were not restricted. A May 2008 national survey found that food banks and pantries across the U.S. were being forced to cut back on food distribution as 99 percent of respondents reported an increase in the number of people requesting services. Rising food and fuel prices, inadequate food stamp benefits, unemployment, underemployment, and rent or mortgage costs were factors reported as forcing an average of 15-20 percent more people. Compounding this issue, USDA bonus foods have declined by $200 million and local food donations were down nationally about 9 percent over the same period. According to the California Association of Food Banks, which is an umbrella organization of nearly all food banks in the state, food banks are at the “beginning of a crisis.”

Thursday Happenings

Yesterday, I spent most of the day in bed as my sinus infection was worse. Hannah sat beside me and we worked in her math workbook. She is doing really well with addition and subtraction. Lauren read most of the day. She was able to finish the Little Princess book and is getting ready to start Anne of Green Gables next. At least that is my plan.

This morning I was up early, after getting zero sleep last night, due to coughing all night. We headed over to a play date with Bonita and her children. Her little girl is only a year older than Hannah, and they LOVE playing Barbies. Today when we arrived we were greeted by the month old goat triplets. They came "baaaiing" around the house led by the Doberman. It was a cute sight. The triplets soon ran off, and kept peeking at us around the corner of the house.

We had lunch of chicken noodle soup. Bonita's little boy wasn't feeling well, and slept on her lap all day. He is such a cutie. I love his blonde, curly hair and ruddy face.

The girls went out to the sheep/goat pasture and chased the baby animals, and basically just ran all over after the dogs, kittens, geese and such. They are always mad to have to leave her house.

I am really glad that I met Bonita, as she will be really close once we move to the land. That's pretty cool, not to mention we like a lot of the same things, and she's a Christian which is wonderful too. I like the fact that she can teach me how to butcher my own animals, which I hope to be able to do once the baby is born, if not sooner. I just need Rodney to get a deer, and to get some meat chickens to butcher in the Spring. Bonita has some Cornish broilers that are a really good choice, and that I have been thinking of getting for a while, but they really need to be butchered once they reach a certain age/weight or they end up having problems due to their heavy size. And since I don't currently know how to do it myself, Bonita said she'd teach me. Plus, once my meat rabbit production starts in full swing she'll show me how to do that too. She actually processes her own deer/hog, etc., instead of sending to the butcher, which will prove to be a big money saver, IF I can learn how.

Rodney is supposed to go hunting between December 8th-12th on a guided hunt. Hopefully, he will be able to get two does, which will definitely help fill the freezer. Now if he can just get a hog also, we can make sausage.

Bonita and I sat talking for several hours on her back porch while the kids ran around, it was really nice to rest from my normal hectic days. She also lent me a box of really great Thanksgiving and Texas History picture/story books that the girls and I can read next week.

Well, I'm off to read, hope everyone is having a great week!

Reflection on Friends

You know I have come to realize that I have put too much emphasis on having women friends. At first I sought out people who had the same interests as mine, you know, homeschooling, rural live, country living. I then noticed that many of these "friends" were not Christians, and it was really important to me to have Christian friends, true Christian friends. Ones that would be there for each other no matter what. I had/have three, then it went to two, and now it's approaching three again, though I am approaching this new friendship with caution, as I don't know if I could survive being hurt again. But I always think about the "one that got away". I don't know why, other than I can't pinpoint why we aren't friends anymore, and it hurts my heart to realize that I will never know.

My daughter mentioned to me the other day that we hadn't heard from this person in awhile, which started me to crying again. By nature I am normally not a crier, but lately all I do is cry over this person, which then places her on my mind, and I then pray for her. My daughter also mentioned that maybe this person only like to have friends for a short time, and only likes making new friends. This really opened my eyes, and I realized it could be a possibility. I'd like to think we were REALLY friends, but realized that while I was there for her during a difficult time, she is not here for me when I really need her. Before all this happened, I would have said she was my best friend. I think that is what hurts the most is that I haven't had many BEST friends. You know a friend who you can tell anything to her, and she will pray for you good or bad? One who won't judge you, one who would help no matter what.

In evaluating my friendships I realize that maybe I have been a better friend to them, then they have been to me. By nature I am a giver, and I can only assume this makes some uncomfortable. Oh, some have been happy to "use" me then go on their way, but I wouldn't classify this friend in that category.

I just sit here and speculate on what went wrong, and I just do not know.

After saying all this, I've come to the conclusion that while I will always love this person as a sister, she didn't feel the same about me, and that God perhaps caused this rupture in our relationship to have me lean more on him, then on another person with all the human failings. This realization offers some measure of comfort, but at times, like today, when I run across her name, I get sad all over again.

I find myself once again looking in the mirror, and reflecting on, what I did wrong? what could I have changed? And the sad thing is, there's probably nothing I can do. Another sad thing is that my kids ask about her ALL the time, and wonder about her kids too, who they had become really good friends with....

Thanksgiving

I just realized today that Thanksgiving is next week! I did buy a turkey last week, but it's come up on me so fast!

I have been looking for Thanksgiving books for the girls, as I plan to devote their school work next week to "All Things Thanksgiving". Need to stop by the library and see if they have the books I am looking for and/or other ones.

In reading about Thanksgiving, I have a story on the "Three Sisters". This is a method of planting corn, beans and squash, but there is a children's story about it.

In keeping with the three sisters, here are three recipes devoted to each:

Sioux Indian Pudding

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart baking dish.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook milk until bubbles form at edges. Slowly stir cornmeal and molasses into milk. Continue to cook and stir until thickened, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Pour into prepared dish.
3. Bake in preheated oven 2 hours, until set. Serve hot or cold.

*************************

Make Hearty 15 Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 20 oz. bag 15 Bean Soup
• 10 cups of chicken or beef broth
• 1 - 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 carrots cut into bite size pieces
• 1-2 celery stalks cut into bite size pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 smoked pork bones
• 1 pound of ham cubes

Option: For a meatless version, use 10 cups of vegetable broth and remove the pork and ham from recipe. For a smoky flavor, add a ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke. Cook as directed.

Directions: Wash beans thoroughly and add them to a crock-pot with chicken or beef broth, and stewed tomatoes. Cook on high (covered) for 1 hour.

Then, in a frying pan, sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add carrots and celery and cook on med-low heat for 5 more minutes. Add the frying pan mixture to the crock-pot along with parsley, thyme, bay leaf and the pork bones. Set the crock-pot on low for 5 hours, and stir occasionally. Test a couple of beans for tenderness. When all the beans are tender, stir in ham cubes and cook for one more hour. Serve with cornbread and fresh butter.

*****************
Pumpkin Bread

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup flaked coconut (optional)
  
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pan
• In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, coconut milk, baking soda, salt, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon. Mix until all of the flour is gone. Fold in the nuts and flaked coconut. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cover loaves with foil tightly. Allow to steam for 10 minutes. Remove foil and turn out onto a cooling rack. Tent lightly with the foil and allow to cool completely.

UPDATE - Baby Info

I have a link that says "Baby News" in the far right hand column under "Links". This is where I place updated info as to due date, name, needs, things like that. I am receiving calls and emails asking, but if you want to save the cost of a call, check here first. Thanks everyone!

But if you want to call me too, that's great! I'd love to hear from you and actually speak to a live person. ;-)

A Year's Food, Medical and Other Supplies For Your Family

Mountain House Foods (this is a friend's emergency food storage)
I don't store much of MH as I find it more cost effective to store the food that we eat.
That IS one of the suggestions, "STORE WHAT YOU EAT, EAT WHAT YOU STORE".
ROTATE, ROTATE, ROTATE

THIS LIST WILL POSTED IN THE SIDE COLUMN UNDER LINKS IF YOU EVER WANT TO COME BACK AND FIND IT.

Taken from Emergency Preparedness and Survival Guide published by Backwoods Home magazine.

This is a sample list that is good for a family of three adults. For four increase by 25%, 6 by 50% and so on.

GRAINS

300 lbs of hard wheat or in combo with 150 lbs of wheat and 150 lbs of flour
50 lbs of dry corn to grind for cornmeal
50 lbs of soft wheat
50 lbs of white rice
50 lbs of brown rice
25 lbs of corn flour (for tortillas or tamales)

PASTA

15 lbs spaghetti
6 lbs assorted noodles
6 lbs lasagna

LEGUMES

50 lbs of pinto beans
50 lbs of combined other beans (navy, kidney)
20 lbs of split peas
20 lbs of lentils

DAIRY

18 #10 cans dry milk or in combo with boxes of store-bought dry milk
2 #10 cans cheese powder
5 #10 cans dehydrated eggs
3 #10 cans butter or margarine

SUGAR

50 lbs white sugar
10 lbs brown sugar
10 lbs powdered sugar
*you can also add honey to store

OILS

10 3# cans shortening/lard
5 48 fl oz bottles veg oil
2 16 fl oz bottles olive oil (more if you make your own medicinals)

SALT

10 lbs iodized table salt
(add more if you preserve your own meat on a regular basis, my goal is to have 100 lbs of salt)

VEGETABLES

104 cans/pints of green beans
104 cans/pints of sweet corn
104 cans/pints of carrots
104 quarts of tomatoes
104 pints of tomato sauce
104 quarts of potatoes
22 lbs instant potatoes
26 cans/quarts of squash or pumpkin
26 pints of beets (or alternate veggie of your choice)
2 #10 cans dehydrated sweet corn
4 #10 cans dehydrated peas
1 #10 cans dehydrated onions
2 #10 cans dehydrated broccoli

FRUITS

52 pints/cans peaches
52 pints apples sauce
52 pints fruit cocktail
52 quarts apples
104 pints misc. fruits
1 #10 can raisins
1#10 can dehydrated strawberries
1 #10 can dehydrated apple slices
2 #10 cans dehydrated banana slices
*I also like to add about 12 each of canned pie fillings (apple, peach, cherry) to make pies

MEAT

52 pints lean beef/venison roast
52 pints chicken/turkey
52 pints ham/fish/misc
52 cans tuna
52 cans chicken
52 cans Spam (optional)
52 pints home canned hamburger for tacos, casseroles, etc.
1 #10 can ea. TVP, bacon, chicken

SEEDS

a heavy selection of garden seeds

MISC

1 lb baking soda
1 lb baking powder
1 lb dry yeast
spices
25 dozen canning jars with lids
coffee
tea
cocoa
powdered drink mixes
grain mill
Amish or other cooking with basics cookbook
1 gallon pancake syrup (we use way more syrup)
Assorted treats (pickles, jams, preserves, steak sauces, condiments, nuts, choc. chips)
104 cans of chicken noodle soup
104 cans of tomato soup
104 cans of vegetable soup
104 cans cream of chicken soup (or mushroom if you prefer)

*I also like to add the Watkins soup mixes to my prep supplies. I don't tell you this because I sell Watkins but because I find it easy to make a big pot of soup.)

SUPPLIES TO STORE

25 lbs laundry soap
12 28 oz dish soap
73 rolls of toilet paper
sanitary napkins in sufficient quantity (if needed)
8 gallons bleach (used for sanitation as well as laundry)
12 bars hand soap
6 24 oz bottles shampoo
personal products (toothpaste, deodorant)
chain saw oil
pet foods (unless you feed table scraps)
livestock feed
55 gallons kerosene
25 gallons Coleman fuel

MEDICAL KIT

A good first aid book
thermometer
daily prescription meds for all
antibiotics (herbal and prescription)
ointments for the eye, fungus and cuts
anti diarrheal medication
pain and anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin, tylenol, ibuprofen (some of each)
burn treatment, such as Burn Free
Iodine/Betadine
Alcohol
Peroxide
Oral electrolytes
cold remedies
cough meds
cough drops
bandages
gauze
cotton
surgical tape
scissors
hemostats
tweezers
needles to remove slivers
a dental kit

STAY AT HOME EMERGENCIES

-food and water for family, pets and livestock for at least 14 days;
55 gallons of fresh water will last a family of four for over seven days
-daily meds for family for 14 days
-alternative heat source and fuel
-alternative cooking source and fuel
-alternative lighting source and fuel
-flashlights and batteries
-transistor, crank or solar radio
-medical kit
-matches
-butane lighters
-magnesium, flint and steel fire starter

This is Me

Price Check

6 gallon water heater - $193.00
12 gallon water heater - $214.00
19 gallon water heater - $219.00

2.5 gallon on demand water heater - $218.46 (would need two, one for bath, one for kitchen)

The Weekend Is Here

You would think that since I don't work outside the home, that the weekends would be just another day for me, but they aren't. Rodney is normally home on those days, and we accomplish a lot of projects out at the land.

I had wanted to spend the night at the cabin, but with the temperatures expected to be in the low 30's in the a.m., I didn't want to freeze my hiney off in a cabin that has no heat as of yet.

We were out tonight to feed the animals. Rodney brought some hay home, and we put some in the dog house, chicken coop, rabbit cage, and stacked the hay on the side of the coop. It didn't actually accomplish my goal, as I wanted to prevent the wind from blowing into the coop from the North end, but unfortunately Rodney opened one bale before he stacked it, and it is in the back of the truck still. So, if I had known I would have brought a tarp to attach to that end of the coop to help keep the wind out.

The plan is to clean house in the a.m., and then head out to the land to clean up the land. We want to get all the trash picked up, the area raked, wood stacked, barn organized and hopefully get the cabin floor painted. I picked up the paint today, it is a forest green color. Who knows what will actually happen in the a.m., or how much will get completed.

The front has blow in, and it is extremely windy tonight. The wind is blowing so hard, it makes the tree branches sound like rain on the dining room garden window.

The girls and I set out this morning to run our errands. Our first stop was at IHOP for breakfast. I bought one pancake platter and an extra order of bacon, and we shared. None of us eat very much. Our next stop was the local cake shop, where I picked up 10 food grade buckets with lids to pack my flour, sugar, and other dry goods into. I need to wash the buckets and take the dry goods out of the freezer to come to room temperature. We circled around the loop and stopped at Academy to pick up ammunition. I was out of shotgun shells, and I needed to get a box of cartridges for Rodney to go deer hunting. The girls and I then went to Walmart and I purchased flannel to make baby blankets. I also bought them 2 yards of fleece each to hem and make a blanket for them. They really like the fleece. Hannah left her My Little Pony fleece blanket at the hotel last weekend, and was really upset. The pattern she picked out today was Hannah Montana, while Lauren picked out a red High School Musical pattern. I got the 2 yards instead of 1 yard I normally do, since the girls are much bigger and longer now. Next on my list is to start hemming the flannel for the baby blankets, and finish crocheting my baby afghan. I am about half way done. I never seem to work on it, so I really hope it's done by the time the baby gets here. I'd like to bring him home from the hospital wrapped in it.

That's about it for our day. Have a good weekend!

Grocery Shopping and More

Well, we all seem to have a cold..no fevers, but sinus issues, and a croupy cough. We rarely ever get sick at the same time, so it's strange. I hate being sick, because when I am sick, I still have to help everyone else. I know that sounds selfish, but when I am sick, and only want to lay down, it's hard to make sure everyone else is getting their medication, kleenex, etc.

I also have to do some serious grocery shopping, I am out of t.p., which rarely happens and a few other necessities, but I mainly need to continue stocking up.

Today is kind of chilly, and the nights are supposed to be getting down in the 30's and 40's, with the day time temps in the 70's.

I hope we are better by this weekend, I really had my heart set on getting the land cleaned up of all the trash, getting the building materials consolidated in one place, getting the wood pile cut, split and stacked, and getting the chicken/goat pen completed.

List of things to get done:

move cabin
expand cabin
connect toilet
install tub/shower
paint floor
paint cabin
install shelving - food/kitchen storage
install wood stove
buy propane

Link to save

http://www.foodshortageusa.com/

I'd like to STRONGLY encourage friends and family to start working on their food sources this winter. Grow some winter lettuce in a pot inside, in a window, a raised bed, or in a traditional garden. Those living in my area are blessed to have a 10 month growing season, so please take advantage of it.

The metro area even allows chickens, so look into about three for a residential backyard. It can be done.

Don't hesitate, food shortages and higher prices are coming.

We Will Not Disarm

I did not write this. The original author's name is lost in time.

I copied this from a group that I belong to..it resonated with me and I wanted to share it, and post it here for posterity.

It is time to speak plainly for the good citizens and patriots of this nation who believe unendingly in the Constitution of the United States of America.

Though foreign governments may disarm their subjects, we will not go down that road.

We will not disarm and see our freedoms stripped away. The lessons of history are numerous, clear, and bloody. A disarmed population inevitably becomes an enslaved population.

A disarmed population is without power, reduced to childlike obedience to - and dependence upon - the organs of a parental state. A disarmed population will lose - either piecemeal or in one sweeping act - those basic rights for which the citizens of America risked their lives and fortunes over 200 years ago.

We Will Not Disarm. The right to self-protection - the internal directive of every living creature, be it mouse or man - is the most fundamental right of all. It is a right that must be exercised against the predators of the streets, against the predators hidden within agencies of law enforcement, and against the most dangerous predators of all - those to be found in government, whose insidious grasping for power is relentless and never-ending.

We Will Not Disarm. Not in the face of robbers, rapists and murderers who prey upon our families and friends. Nor in the face of police and bureau agents who would turn a blind eye to the Constitution, who would betray the birthright of their countrymen; nor in the face of politicians of the lowest order - those who pander to the ignorant, the weak, the fearful, the naive; those indebted to a virulent strain of the rich who insulate themselves from the dangers imposed upon other Americans (with hired bodyguards) then preach disarmament.

We will not surrender our handguns. We will not surrender our hunting arms. And we will not surrender our firearms of military pattern or military utility, nor their proper furnishings, nor the right to buy, to sell, or to manufacture such items. Firearms of military utility, which serve well and nobly in times of social disturbance as tools of defense for the law-abiding, serve also in the quiet role of prevention, against both the criminal and the tyrannical. An armed citizenry - the well-regulated militia of the Second Amendment, properly armed with military firearms - is a powerful deterrent, on both conscious and subconscious levels, to those inclined toward governmental usurpations.

An armed citizenry stands as a constant reminder to those in power that, though they may violate our rights temporarily, they will not do so endlessly and without consequence. And should Americans again be confronted with the necessity of - may God forbid it - throwing off the chains of a tyrannical and suffocating regime, firearms designed to answer the particular demands of warfare will provide the swiftest and most decisive means to this end.

Any law which prohibits or limits a citizen's possession of firearms of military utility or their proper furnishings provides an open window through which a corrupt government will crawl to steal away the remainder of our firearms and our liberties.

Any law which prohibits or limits a citizen's possession of firearms of military utility or their proper furnishings, being directly contrary to the letter and spirit of the Second Amendment, is inimical to the Constitution, to the United States of America, and to its citizens.

Now - today - we are witnessing the perilous times foreseen by the architects of the Constitution. These are times when our government is demanding - in the guise of measures for the common good-the relinquishment of several rights guaranteed to Americans in the Constitution, foremost among which is the right to keep and bear arms for our own defense. These are times when our government has abdicated its primary responsibility - to provide for the security of its citizens. Swift and sure punishment of outlaws is absent, and in its place is offered the false remedy of disarming the law-abiding. Where this unconstitutional action has been given the force of law, it has failed to provide relief and has produced greater social discord. This discord in turn now serves as the false basis for the demand that we give up other rights, and for the demand for more police, more agents of bureaucratic control to enforce the revocation of these rights.

Legislators, justices and law officers must bear in mind that the foundation of their duties is to uphold the fundamental law of the land - the Constitution. They must bear in mind that the unconstitutional act of disarming one's fellow citizens will also disarm one's parents, spouse, brothers, sisters, children and children's children. They must bear in mind that there are good citizens who - taking heed of George Washington's belief that arms are the liberty teeth of the people - will not passively allow these teeth to be torn out. There are good citizens who - taking heed of Benjamin Franklin's admonition that those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety - will surrender not one of their rights.

Those who eat away at our right to own and use firearms are feeding on the roots of a plant over two centuries old, a plant whose blossom is the most free, most powerful nation ever to exist on the face of this planet.

The right to keep and bear arms is the tap root of this plant. All other rights were won at the point of a gun and will endure only at the point of a gun. Could they speak, millions upon millions of this world's dead souls would testify to this truth. Millions upon millions of the living can so testify today. Now - today - is a critical moment in our history.

Will we Americans passively lie down before a government grown disdainful of its best citizens? Or will we again declare:

WE are the government, government functions at our behest, and it may not rescind our sacred rights? Will we place our faith in public servants who behave like our masters? Or will we place our faith in the words and deeds of the daring, far-seeing men and women whose blood, sweat and tears brought forth this great nation?

Will we believe those who assure us that the police officer will shield us from the criminal? Or will we believe our eyes and ears, presented every day with news of our unarmed neighbors falling prey in their homes, on our streets, in our places of work and play?

Will we bow our heads to cowards and fools who will not learn and do not understand the lessons of human history? Or will we stand straight and assume the daily tasks and risks that liberty entails? Will we ignore even the lessons of this present era - which has seen the cruel oppression of millions on the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America - and believe that the continent of North America is immune to such political disease? Or will we wisely accept the realities of this world, wisely listen to and make use of the precautions provided by our ancestors?

Will we be deceived by shameless liars who say that disarmament equals safety, helplessness equals strength, patriotism equals criminality? Or will we mark the words of our forefathers, who wrote in plain language: The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed?

Let us make known: We will choose the latter option in every case.

Legislators: Do your duty to your country. Uphold the Constitution as you swore to do. Do not shame yourselves by knocking loose the mighty keystone of this great republic - the right to bear arms.

Justices: Do your duty to your country. Examine the origins of our right to weaponry and uphold the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

Lawmen: Do your duty to your country. Do not be misguided and misused. Your task is to serve and to protect - not to oppress, to disarm and to make helpless your countrymen. To the blind, the ignorant, the apathetic, the safe and sheltered, these may seem to be concerns of another age. They are not. They are as vital as they ever have been through history.

For times may change but human nature does not.

And it is to protect forever against the evil in human nature that the Founding Fathers set aside certain rights as inviolable.

For these reasons we must now make known:

We will not passively take the path that leads to tyranny.

We will not go down that road. We Will Not Disarm.

How to get started homeschooling...

a great site!
http://www.youcanhomeschool.org/starthere/default.asp?bhcp=1

another great resource that has a lot of information, especially legal info, is the www.hslda.org

http://www.youcanhomeschool.org/starthere/questions.asp#HOW

A beautiful picture

I really love this picture. It's truly me. I receive a lot of comfort sitting by the fire in the evenings, reading, crocheting and thinking over my day.

I strongly recommend the blog I found this picture on. It is http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/

Please pray for me as I struggle with some very unkind things that were said to me, and for the unkind way that myself and my family were treated this past weekend. My first response is always to hurt back. I refrained from doing this, but I struggle with really letting someone get away with being ugly to me.

Busy Couple of Days

Actually the entire weekend has been rushed. Friday my grandmother arrived in Austin. We drove up to have dinner wit her, and a friend who flew with her. She was very late due to the flight being delayed. We were getting quite worried.

The girls and I drove home from Austin that evening. On Saturday Rodney and the girls were at the land all day, while I stayed home and did laundry and took a nap (shhh! don't tell). They came home late. I did take them lunch during the day, but only spent a short time down at the land so I could get laundry done. I need to make laundry soap again.

Sunday, we headed to Johnson City to stay in a hotel there...the wedding was in Dripping Springs, but the closest hotel I could find was in Johnson City. We had time to kill before we needed to get ready for the wedding, so we went to the LBJ Historic National Park - Johnson Settlement and toured the settlement area, and the boyhood home of LBJ (you know the 36th president of the United States?) The girls were given booklets to complete in order to earn a junior ranger badge. Most of it was done yesterday, but today we drove out to the LBJ ranch and toured the Visitor Center exhibits, the Living History Farm, and did the driving tour of the LBJ ranch, complete with a tour of LBJ's office in the "Texas White House". Pretty cool! Lauren said she really liked it. They received their junior ranger badges and were very excited to pin them on...I bought a Texas History reproducible book to complete a Texas History Study. I also picked up reproductions of historical documents relating to the Republic of Texas.

The wedding Sunday evening was very nice, if very quick. It took about 7 minutes LOL!
It was held outside, and it started getting very windy and cold, and looked like rain. The music was very non-traditional. The reception was held outside also under a pavilion, but there were mechanized screens that came down on the sides to block the wind.

The dinner was excellent (I ate a lot). It was a stuffed chicken breast with apple topping, green beans almondine, and wild rice with rolls, iced tea, and fresh fruit. Afterwards, everyone danced, and Hannah especially had a great time. She danced for two hours non stop! Once the pictures are ready I will post here for you to see my very "non Baptist" five year old little girl dancing the night away ;-) Vanessa's bridesmaids and friends were enthralled with her, and kept including her in their dance circle, and giving her drinks of water.

We left close to 10 p.m., and headed to the hotel where we fell into bed, and went to sleep watching the Disney channel.

I woke up very sick with a head cold, so took some Benadryl, and slept for another two hours, and we didn't leave the hotel until after 10 a.m. We had breakfast at a local cafe before heading out to the LBJ ranch.

We didn't get any hard and fast school work done today, but I consider the trip to the LBJ ranch, the living history farm, and working on their junior ranger badges a very good lesson in U.S. history, Texas history, science, and social studies. All the activities took about 4 hours so along with the 2 hours yesterday, that's a total of 6 hours of intense study into LBJ. I learned a lot myself. We are looking forward to going back next May when the parks department opens up two rooms in the LBJ home. Since Lady Bird Johnson passed away in July 2007, they have been working on getting more and more rooms opened up. The LBJ office was the first room.
We saw lots of deer, bison, longhorn, turkeys, chickens and even a bull snake sleeping on the front porch of the LBJ office.

Tomorrow we will review what we saw, and Wednesday afternoon we will visit the Alamo, and get started on our Texas History Unit Study. We have actually completed the Mission Trail tour, and lack only the Alamo. It's funny, we live near San Antonio, but Lauren, at age 11, has never been to the Alamo. And I have lived here for 28 years, and have only been once. Funny huh?

Michael and Vanessa

Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. (excerpt from the Book of Common Prayer)

Today my baby brother is getting married. I can hardly believe it.

Congratulations Michael and Vanessa!

"A true wife makes a man's life nobler, stronger, grander, by the omnipotence of her love 'turning all the forces of manhood upward and heavenward.' While she clings to him in holy confidence and loving dependence she brings out in him whatever is nobles and richest in his being. She inspires him him courage and earnestness. She beautifies his life. She softens whatever is rude and harsh in his habits or his spirit. She clothes him with the gentler graces of refined and cultured manhood. While she yields to him and never disregards his lightest wish, she is really his queen, ruling his whole life and leading him onward and upward in every proper path. -JR Miller

New Home School Resource

Well, it's new to me. It's www.mindsprinting.com. This is a free assessment website for K-12 in the areas of reading comprehension and math. I had Lauren take the assessment and then it sets up an entire set of daily lessons for her to complete that works on the problem areas determined from the assessment. She is basically doing 6th grade math, but the assessment defined some weak areas in 3-5 areas. I guess you'd call them holes, or where she needs more practice.

In reading she is a strong 6th grade reader, and the site has developed 7th grade reading enrichment lessons for her. You also list your state, so that they make sure the lessons they give line up with the State essential knowledge and skills, especially if your state requires that...Texas doesn't, but it still is a good idea for me to see what she should work on for a given grade level.

Try them out, you may like them too.

Makes You Stop And Think.....

http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/14617

A New Day, But Not A Better Day

I am profoundly disappointed in the outcome of the 2008 election. Actually, that is an understatement. I am heartsick. I will continue to pray for this country, and for it's leaders, even Barack Obama. I believe it was a huge mistake to elect him, but I acknowledge that half the people that voted in this country are deluded, and have swallowed his line of rhetoric.

God is still in control, and evidently, while Obama is not a Christian, God has a plan and use for him, otherwise he would not have stepped aside and allowed Obama to be elected.

Now the fight begins. I will not sit quietly on the sidelines but will fight for everyone of the rights that Obama plans to take from me, and other Americans. I will fight the change to Socialism that he wants so badly.

What Now?

2 Chronicles 7:11-14

Scripture is true and reliable. When we read about how the Lord related to His people in Bible times, we should look for application to our own lives. Too often, Christians allow themselves to think divine judgment could never happen today. But what does the record show?

Today's passage reveals that judgment could, in fact, befall those God loves. These verses concern "My people" - not some pagan nation - and turning away from the heavenly Father would result in pestilence and drought. But verse 14 also reveals God's plan to rescue a nation under judgment. We believers are to:

Humble ourselves. We must acknowledge God's right to rule over us.

Pray. This describes heartfelt crying out to the Lord (Psalm 34:17) rather than simply a bringing of requests before Him. We are to pray out of a sense of desperation and helplessness.

Seek His face. We are to have a longing in our hearts to know God's will for ourselves as well as for our nation.

Turn from our wicked ways. Wickedness encompasses everything that is opposed to God, including immorality and all manner of corruption. If we join hands with the wicked, whether by actively participating or by doing nothing to remove them from a position of influence, we ourselves are guilty before God.

God wants to heal our land, which is ignoring biblical principle and turning to its own ways. He is the only one who is able to protect our nation. Christians, call upon Him!

Election 2008

I have been earnestly in prayer and bible study since last night. I researched the candidates (well McCain and Baldwin, plus my state candidates) and carefully studied the issues, biographies and more to help determine who I would finally vote for. I prayed and received a definite answer.

I believe that Chuck Baldwin is the one to vote for..

"Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching." Proverbs 4:1-2

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

Thoughts on Disaster Survival, Post Katrina

This is information taken from an online group that I belong to...I thought I'd share the "lessons learned" just in case someone else may need them in the future.

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The follow information was provided via several emails by a friend heavily involved in the New Orleans disaster of hurricane Katrina, during the course of the disaster itself. Many of the comments were LIVE to that moment in time....

I’ve had over 30 people staying with me since Sunday, evacuating from New Orleans and points south in anticipation of Hurricane Katrina. Only two families were my friends they told other friends of theirs that they knew a place where they could hole up, and so a whole bunch arrived here I didn’t mind, because there were six RV’s and travel trailers, so we had enough accommodation. However, I’ve had the opportunity to see what worked - and what didn’t - in their evacuation plans and bug-out kits, and I thought a few “lessons learned” might be appropriate to share here.

1. Have a bug-out kit ready at all times. Many of these folks packed at the last minute, grabbing whatever they thought they’d need. Needless to say, they forgot some important things (prescription medications, important documents, baby formula, diapers, etc.). Some of these things (e.g. prescriptions) obviously can’t be stocked up against possible emergency need, but you can at least have a list in your bug-out kit of what to grab at the last minute before you leave

2. Renew supplies in your bug-out kit on a regular basis. Batteries lose their charge. Foods have an expiration date. So do common medications. Clothes can get moldy or dirty unless properly stored. All of these problems were found with the folks who kept backup or bug-out supplies on hand, and caused difficulties for them.

3. Plan on needing a LOT more supplies than you think. I found myself with over 30 people on hand, many of whom were not well supplied and the stores were swamped with literally thousands of refugees, buying up everything in sight. I had enough supplies to keep myself going for 30 days. Guess what? Those supplies ended up keeping 30-odd people going for two days. I now know that I must plan on providing for not just myself, but others in need. I could have been selfish and said “No, these are mine” - but what good would that do in a real disaster? Someone would just try to take them, and then we’d have all the resulting unpleasantness. Far better to have extra supplies to share with others, whilst keeping your own core reserve intact (and, preferably, hidden from prying eyes ).

4. In a real emergency, forget about last-minute purchases. As I said earlier, the stores were swamped by thousands of refugees, as well as locals buying up last-minute supplies. If I hadn’t had my emergency supplies already in store, I would never have been able to buy them at the last minute. If I’d had to hit the road, the situation would have been even worse, as I’d be part of a stream of thousands of refugees, most of whom would be buying (or stealing) what they needed before I got to the store.

5. Make sure your vehicle will carry your essential supplies. Some of the folks who arrived at my place had tried to load up their cars with a humongous amount of stuff, only to find that they didn’t have space for themselves Pets are a particular problem here, as they have to have air and light, and can’t be crammed into odd corners.

If you have to carry a lot of supplies and a number of people, invest in a small luggage trailer or something similar (or a small travel trailer with space for your goodies) - it’ll pay dividends if the S really does HTF.

6. A big bug-out vehicle can be a handicap. Some of the folks arrived here with big pick-ups or SUV’s, towing equally large travel trailers. Guess what? - on some evacuation routes, these huge combinations could not navigate corners very well, and/or were so difficult to turn that they ran into things (including other vehicles, which were NOT about to make way in the stress of an evacuation ). This led to hard feelings, harsh words, and at least one fist-fight. It’s not a bad idea to have smaller, more maneuverable vehicles, and a smaller travel trailer, so that one can “squeeze through” in a tight traffic situation. Another point a big SUV or pickup burns a lot of fuel. This is bad news when there’s no fuel available (See point 10 below.)

7. Make sure you have a bug-out place handy. I was fortunate in having enough ground (about 1.8 acres) to provide parking for all these RV’s and trailers, and to accommodate 11 small children in my living-room so that the adults could get some sleep on Sunday night, after many hours on the road in very heavy, slow-moving traffic. However, if I hadn’t had space, I would have unhesitatingly told the extra families to find somewhere else - and there wasn’t anywhere else here, that night. Even shops like Wal-Mart and K-Mart had trailers and RV’s backed up in their parking lots (which annoyed the heck out of shoppers trying to make last-minute purchases). Even on my property, I had no trailer sewage connections, so I had to tell the occupants that if they used their onboard toilets and showers, they had to drive their RV’s and trailers somewhere else to empty their waste tanks. If they hadn’t left this morning, they would have joined long, long lines to do this at local trailer parks (some of which were so overloaded by visiting trailers and RV’s that they refused to allow passers-by to use their dumping facilities).

8. Provide entertainment for younger children. Some of these families had young children (ranging from 3 months to 11 years). They had DVD’s, video games, etc. - but no power available in their trailers to show them They had no coloring books, toys, etc. to keep the kids occupied. This was a bad mistake.

9. Pack essentials first, then luxuries. Many of these folks had packed mattresses off beds, comforters, cushions, bathrobes, etc. As a result, their vehicles were grossly overloaded, but often lacked real essentials like candles, non-perishable foods, etc. One family (both parents are gourmet cooks) packed eighteen (yes, EIGHTEEN ) special pots and pans, which they were going to use on a two-burner camp stove... They were horrified by my suggestion that under the circumstances, a nested stainless-steel camping cookware set would be rather more practical. “What? No omelet pan?” Sheesh...

10. Don’t plan on fuel being available en route. A number of my visitors had real problems finding gas to fill up on the road. With thousands of vehicles jammed nose-to-tail on four lanes of interstate, an awful lot of vehicles needed gas. By the time you got to a gas station, you were highly likely to find it sold out - or charging exorbitant prices, because the owners knew you didn’t have any choice but to pay what they asked. Much better to leave with a full tank of gas, and enough in spare containers to fill up on the road, if you have to, in order to reach your destination.

11. Have enough money with you for at least two weeks. Many of those who arrived here had very little in cash, relying on check-books and credit cards to fund their purchases. Guess what? Their small banks down in South Louisiana were all off-line, and their balances, credit authorizations, etc. could not be checked - so many shops refused to accept their checks, and insisted on electronic verification before accepting their credit cards. Local banks also refused (initially) to cash checks for them, since they couldn’t check the status of their accounts on-line. Eventually (and very grudgingly) local banks began allowing them to cash checks for not more than $50-$100, depending on the bank. Fortunately, I have a reasonable amount of cash available at all times, so I was able to help some of them. I’m now going to increase my cash on hand, I think... Another thing - don’t bring only large bills. Many gas stations, convenience stores, etc. won’t accept anything larger than a $20 bill. Some of my guests had plenty of $100 bills, but couldn’t buy anything.

12. Don’t be sure that a disaster will be short-term. My friends have left now, heading south to Baton Rouge. They want to be closer to home for whenever they’re allowed to return. Unfortunately for them, the Governor has just announced the mandatory, complete evacuation of New Orleans, and there’s no word on when they will be allowed back. It will certainly be several weeks, and it might be several months. During that period, what they have with them - essential documents, clothing, etc. - is all they have. They’ll have to find new doctors to renew prescriptions; find a place to live (a FEMA trailer if they’re lucky - thousands of families will be lining up for these trailers); some way to earn a living (their jobs are gone with New Orleans, and I don’t see their employers paying them for not working when the employers aren’t making money either); and so on.

13. Don’t rely on government-run shelters if at all possible. Your weapons WILL be confiscated (yes, including pocket-knives, kitchen knives, and Leatherman-type tools); you will be crowded into close proximity with anyone and everyone (including some nice folks, but also including drug addicts, released convicts, gang types, and so on); you will be under the authority of the people running the shelter, who WILL call on law enforcement and military personnel to keep order (including stopping you leaving if you want to); and so on. Much, much better to have a place to go to, a plan to get there, and the supplies you need to do so on your own.

14. Warn your friends not to bring others with them. I had told two friends to bring themselves and their families to my home. They, unknown to me, told half-a-dozen other families to come too - “He’s a good guy, I’m sure he won’t mind ” Well, I did mind... but since the circumstances weren’t personally dangerous, I allowed them all to hang around. However, if things had been worse, I would have been very nasty indeed to their friends (and even nastier to them, for inviting others without clearing it with me first ). If you are a place of refuge for your friends, make sure they know that this applies to them ONLY, not their other friends. Similarly, if you have someone willing to offer you refuge, don’t presume on his/her hospitality by arriving with others unforewarned.

15. Have account numbers, contact addresses and telephone numbers for all important
persons and institutions. My friends will now have to get new postal addresses, and will have to notify others of this their doctors, insurance companies (medical, personal, vehicle and property), bank(s), credit card issuer(s), utility supplier(s), telephone supplier(s), etc. Basically, anyone who sends you bills, or to whom you owe money, or who might owe you money. None of my friends brought all this information with them. Now, when they need to change postal addresses for correspondence, insurance claims, etc., how can they do this when they don’t know their account numbers, what number to call, who and where to write, etc.?

16. Have portable weapons and ammo ready to hand. Only two of my friends were armed, and one of them had only a handgun. The other had a handgun for himself, another for his wife, a shotgun, and an evil black rifle - MUCH better I was asked by some of the other families, who’d seen TV reports of looting back in New Orleans, to lend them firearms. I refused, as they’d never handled guns before, and thus would have been more of a danger to themselves and other innocent persons than to looters. If they’d stayed a couple of days, so that I could teach them the basics, that would have been different but they wouldn’t, so I didn’t. Another thing - you don’t have to take your entire arsenal along.

Firearms for personal defense come first, then firearms for life support through hunting (and don’t forget the skinning knife ). A fishing outfit might not be a bad idea either (you can shoot bait ). Other than that, leave the rest of your guns in the safe (you do have a gun safe, securely bolted to the floor, don’t you?), and the bulk ammo supplies too. Bring enough ammo to keep you secure, but no more. If you really need bulk supplies of guns and ammo, they should be waiting for you at your bug-out location, not occupying space (and taking up a heck of a lot of weight ) in your vehicle. (For those bugging out in my direction, ammo supply will NOT be a problem... )

17. Route selection is very, very important. My friends (and their friends) basically looked at the map, found the shortest route to me (I-10 to Baton Rouge and Lafayette, then up I-49 to Alexandria), and followed it slavishly. This was a VERY bad idea, as something over half-a-million other folks had the same route in mind... Some of them took over twelve hours for what is usually a four-hour journey. If they’d used their heads, they would have seen (and heard, from radio reports) that going North up I-55 to Mississippi would have been much faster. There was less traffic on this route, and they could have turned left and hit Natchez, MS, and then cut across LA on Route 84. This would have taken them no more than five or six hours, even with the heavier evacuation traffic. Lesson think outside the box, and don’t assume that the shortest route on the map in terms of distance will also be the shortest route in terms of time.

18. The social implications of a disaster situation. Feedback from my contacts in the LSP and other agencies is very worrying. They keep harping on the fact that the “underclass” that’s doing all the looting is almost exclusively Black and inner-city in composition. The remarks they’re reporting include such statements as “I’m ENTITLED to this stuff ”, “This is payback time for all Whitey’s done to us”, and “This is reparations for slavery ”. Also, they’re blaming the present confused disaster-relief situation on racism “Fo sho, if Whitey wuz sittin’ here in tha Dome waitin’ for help, no way would he be waitin’ like we is ” No, I’m not making up these comments... they are as reported by my buddies. This worries me very much. If we have such a divide in consciousness among our city residents, then when we hit a SHTF situation, we’re likely to be accused of racism, paternalism, oppression, and all sorts of other crimes just because we want to preserve law and order. If we, as individuals and families, provide for our own needs in emergency, and won’t share with others (whether they’re of another race or not) because we don’t have enough to go round, we’re likely to be accused of racism rather than pragmatism, and taking things from us can (and probably will) be justified as “Whitey getting his just desserts”. I’m absolutely not a racist, but the racial implications of the present situation are of great concern to me. The likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the “reparations for slavery” brigade appear to have so polarized inner-city opinion that these folks are (IMHO) no longer capable of rational thought concerning such issues as looting, disaster relief, etc.

19. Implications for security. If one has successfully negotiated the danger zone, one will be in an environment filled, to a greater or lesser extent, with other evacuees. How many of them will have provided for their needs? How many of them will rely on obtaining from others the things they need? In the absence of immediate State or relief-agency assistance, how many of them will feel “entitled” to obtain these necessities any way they have to, up to and including looting, murder and mayhem? Large gathering-places for refugees suddenly look rather less desirable... and being on one’s own, or in an isolated spot with one’s family, also looks less secure. One has to sleep sometime, and while one sleeps, one is vulnerable. Even one’s spouse and children might not be enough... there are always going to be vulnerabilities. One can hardly remain consciously in Condition Yellow while bathing children, or making love A team approach might be a viable solution here .

20. Too many chiefs, not enough Indians” in New Orleans at the moment. The mayor has already blown his top about the levee breach: he claims that he had a plan in place to fix it by yesterday evening, but was overruled by Baton Rouge, who sent in others to do something different. This may or may not be true... My LSP buddies tell me that they’re getting conflicting assignments and/or requests from different organizations and individuals. One will send out a group to check a particular area for survivors but when they get there, they find no-one, and later learn that another group has already checked and cleared the area. Unfortunately, in the absence of centralized command and control, the information is not being shared amongst all recovery teams. Also, there’s alleged to be conflict between City officials and State functionaries, with both sides claiming to be “running things” and some individuals in the Red Cross, FEMA, and other groups appear to be refusing to take instructions from either side, instead (it’s claimed) wanting to run their own shows. This is allegedly producing catastrophic confusion and duplication of effort, and may even be making the loss of life worse, in that some areas in need of rescuers aren’t getting them. (I don’t know if the same problems are occurring in Mississippi and/or Alabama, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were.) All of this is unofficial and off-the-record, but it doesn’t surprise me to hear it. Moral of the story if you want to survive, don’t rely on the government or any government agency (or private relief organization, for that matter) to save you. Your survival is in your own hands - don’t drop it

21. Long-term vision. This appears to be sadly lacking at present. Everyone is focused on the immediate, short-term objective of rescuing survivors. However, there are monumental problems looming, that need immediate attention, but don’t seem to be getting it right now. For example: the Port of Louisiana is the fifth-largest in the world, and vital to the economy, but the Coast Guard is saying (on TV) that they won’t be able to get it up and running for three to six months, because their primary focus is on search and rescue, and thereafter, disaster relief. Why isn’t the Coast Guard pulled off that job now, and put to work right away on something this critical? There are enough Navy, Marine and Air Force units available now to take over rescue missions.

Another example there are over a million refugees from the Greater New Orleans area floating around. They need accommodation and food, sure but most of them are now unemployed, and won’t have any income at all for the next six to twelve months. There aren’t nearly enough jobs available in this area to absorb this workforce. What is being done to find work for them, even in states remote from the problem areas? The Government for sure won’t provide enough for them in emergency aid to be able to pay their bills. What about mortgages on properties that are now underwater? The occupants both can’t and won’t pay; the mortgage holders will demand payment; and we could end up with massive foreclosures on property that is worthless, leaving a lot of folks neck-deep in debt and without homes (even damaged ones). What is being done to plan for this, and alleviate the problem as much as possible? I would have thought that the State government would have had at least the skeleton of an emergency plan for these sorts of things, and that FEMA would have the same, but this doesn’t seem to be the case. Why weren’t these things considered in the leisurely days pre-disaster, instead of erupting as immediate and unanswered needs post-disaster?

22. Personal emergency planning. This leads me to consider my own emergency planning. I’ve planned to cover an evacuation need, and could probably survive with relative ease for between two weeks and one month but what if I had been caught up in this mess? What would I do about earning a living, paying mortgages, etc.? If I can’t rely on the State, I for darn sure had better be able to rely on myself I certainly need to re-examine my insurance policies, to ensure that if disaster strikes, my mortgage, major loans, etc. will be paid off (or that I will receive enough money to do this myself).

I also need to provide for my physical security, and must ensure that I have supplies, skills and knowledge that will be “marketable” in exchange for hard currency in a post-disaster situation. The idea of a “team” of friends with (or to) whom to bug out, survive, etc. is looking better and better. Some of the team could take on the task of keeping a home maintained (even a camp-type facility), looking after kids, providing base security, etc. Others could be foraging for supplies, trading, etc. Still others could be earning a living for the whole team with their skills. In this way, we’d all contribute to our mutual survival and security in the medium to long term. Life might be a lot less comfortable than prior to the disaster, but hey - we’d still have a life This bears thinking about, and I might just have to start building “team relationships” with nearby [people of like mind]

23. The “bank problem.” This bears consideration. I was at my bank this morning, depositing checks I’d been given by my visitors in exchange for cash. The teller warned me bluntly that it might be weeks before these checks could be credited to my account, as there was no way to clear them with their issuing banks, which were now under water and/or without communications facilities. He also told me that there had been an endless stream of folks trying to cash checks on South Louisiana banks, without success. He warned me that some of these local banks will almost certainly fail, as they don’t have a single branch above water, and the customers and businesses they served are also gone - so checks drawn on them will eventually prove worthless. Even some major regional banks had run their Louisiana “hub” out of New Orleans, and now couldn’t access their records. I think it might be a good idea to have a “bug-out bank account” with a national bank, so that funds should be available anywhere they have a branch, rather than keeping all one’s money in a single bank (particularly a local one) or credit union. This is, of course, over and above one’s “bug-out stash” of ready cash.

24. Helping one’s friends is likely to prove expensive. I estimate that I’m out over $1,000 at the moment, partly from having all my supplies consumed, and partly from making cash available to friends who couldn’t cash their checks. I may or may not get some of this back in due course. I don’t mind it - if I were in a similar fix, I hope I could lean on my friends for help in the same way, after all - but I hadn’t made allowance for it. I shall have to do so in future, as well as planning to contribute to costs incurred by those who offer me hospitality under similar circumstances.

25. People who were prepared were frequently mobbed/threatened by those who weren’t. This was reported in at least seven incidents, five in Mississippi, two in Louisiana (I suspect that the relative lack of Louisiana incidents was because most of those with any sense got out of Dodge before the storm hit). In each case, the person/family concerned had made preparations for disaster, with supplies, shelter, etc. in good order and ready to go. Several had generators ready and waiting. However, their neighbors who had not prepared all came running after the disaster, wanting food, water and shelter from them. When the prepared families refused, on the grounds that they had very little, and that only enough for themselves, there were many incidents of aggression, attempted assault, and theft of their supplies. Some had to use weapons to deter attack, and in some cases, shots were fired. I understand that in two incidents, attackers/would-be thieves were shot. It’s also reported that in all of these cases, the prepared families now face threats of retribution from their neighbors, who regarded their refusal to share as an act of selfishness and/or aggression, and are now threatening retaliation. It’s reportedly so bad that most of the prepared families are considering moving to other neighborhoods so as to start afresh, with different neighbors.

Similar incidents are reported by families who got out in time, prepared to spend several days on their own. When they stopped to eat a picnic meal at a rest stop, or an isolated spot along the highway, they report being approached rather aggressively by others wanting food, or fuel, or other essentials. Sometimes they had to be rather aggressive in their turn to deter these insistent requests. Two families report attempts being made to steal their belongings (in one case, their vehicle) while over-nighting in camp stops on their way out of the area. They both instituted armed patrols, with one or more family members patrolling while the others slept, to prevent this. Seems to me to be a good argument to form a “bug-out team” with like-minded, security-conscious friends in your area, so that all concerned can provide mutual security and back-up.

My take I can understand these families being unwilling to share the little they had, particularly in light of not knowing when supplies would once again be available. However, this reinforces the point I made in my “lessons learned” post last week plan on needing much more in the way of supplies than you initially thought If these families had had some extra food and water in stock, and hidden their main reserve where it would not be seen, they could have given out some help to their neighbors and preserved good relations. Also, a generator, under such circumstances, is a noisy (and bright, if powering your interior lights) invitation saying “This house has supplies - come and get them”. I suspect that kerosene lanterns, candles and flashlights might be a more “community-safe” option if one is surrounded by survivors.

26. When help gets there, you may get it whether you like it or not. There are numerous reports of aggressive, overbearing behavior by those rescuers who first arrived at disaster scenes. It’s perhaps best described as “I’m here to rescue you - I’m in charge - do as I say - if you don’t I’ll shoot you”. It appears that mid-level State functionaries and Red Cross personnel (the latter without the “shoot you” aspect, of course) were complained about most often. In one incident, a family who had prepared and survived quite well were ordered, not invited, to get onto a truck, with only the clothes on their backs. When they objected, they were threatened. They had pets, and wanted to know what would happen to them and they report that a uniformed man (agency unknown) began pointing his rifle at the pets with the words “I’ll fix that”. The husband then trained his own shotgun on the man and explained to him, in words of approximately one syllable, what was going to happen to him if he fired a shot. The whole “rescuer” group then left, threatening dire consequences for the family (including threats to come back once they’d evacuated and torch their home). The family were able to make contact with a State Police patrol and report the incident, and are now determined that no matter how much pressure is applied, they will not evacuate. They’ve set up a “shuttle run” so that every few days, two of them go upstate to collect supplies for the rest of the family, who defend the homestead in the meantime.

Another aspect of this is that self-sufficient, responsible families were often regarded almost with suspicion by rescuers. The latter seemed to believe that if you’d come through the disaster better than your neighbors, it could only have been because you stole what you needed, or somehow gained some sort of unfair advantage over the “average victims” in your area. I’m at a loss to explain this, but it’s probably worth keeping in mind.

27. There seems to be a cumulative psychological effect upon survivors. This is clear even - or perhaps particularly - in those who were prepared for a disaster. During and immediately after the disaster, these folks were at their best, dealing with damage, setting up alternative accommodation, light, food sources, etc. However, after a few days in the heat and debris (perhaps worst of all being the smell of dead bodies nearby), many found their ability to remain positive and “upbeat” being strained to the limit. There are numerous reports of individuals becoming depressed, morose and withdrawn. This seemed to happen to even the strongest personalities. The arrival of rescuers provided a temporary boost, but once evacuated, a sort of “after-action shell-shock” seems to be commonly experienced. I don’t know enough about this to comment further, but I suspect that staying in place has a lot to do with it - there is no challenge to keep moving, find one’s survival needs, and care for the group, and one is surrounded by vivid reminders of the devastation. By staying among the ruins of one’s former life, one may be exposing oneself to a greater risk of psychological deterioration.

28. There is widespread frustration over the lack of communication and empathy by rescuers and local/State government. This is partly due to the absence of electricity, so that TV’s were not available to follow events as they unfolded but it’s also due to an almost deliberate policy of non-communication by rescuers. There are many accounts of evacuees wanting to know where the bus or plane was going that they were about to board, only to be told “We don’t know”, or “To a better place than this”. Some have found themselves many States away from their homes. Other families were arbitrarily separated upon rescue and/or evacuation, and are still scattered across two or three States. Their efforts to locate each other are very difficult, and when they request to be reunited at a common location, all of those with whom I have contact report a blanket refusal by the Red Cross and State officials to even consider the matter at this time. They’re being informed that it will be “looked into” at some future date, and that they may have to pay the costs involved if they want to join up again. This, to families who are now destitute I’m very angry about this, but it’s so widespread a problem that I don’t know what can be done about it. I hope that in future, some means will be implemented to prevent it happening again. Lesson learned never, EVER allow yourselves to be separated as a family, even if it means waiting for later rescue and/or evacuation. Insist on this at all costs

29. Expect rescuers (including law enforcement) to enforce a distinctly un-Constitutional authority in a disaster situation. This is very widely reported, and is very troubling. I hear repeated reports from numerous States that as evacuees arrive at refugee centers, they and their belongings are searched without Constitutional authority, and any personal belongings seen as potentially suspicious (including firearms, prescription medication, etc.) are confiscated without recourse to the owner. I can understand the point of view of the receiving authorities, but they are acting illegally, and I suspect there will be lawsuits coming from this practice. Another common practice reported on the ground in the disaster areas is for people to be ordered to evacuate, irrespective of their needs and wishes - even those folks who were well-prepared and have survived in good shape. If they demur, they are often threatened and bullied in an attempt to make them abandon their homes, pets, etc. Lesson learned in a disaster, don’t expect legal and Constitutional norms to be followed. If you can make it on your own, do so, without relying on an unsympathetic and occasionally overbearing rescue system to control you and your destiny.

30. Don’t believe that rescuers are all knights in shining armor who will respect your property. There have been numerous reports of rescuers casually appropriating small items that took their fancy in houses they were searching. Sometimes this was blatant, right in front of onlookers, and when protests were made, the response was either threatening, or a casual “Who’s going to miss it now?”. Some of our field agents report that thishappened right in front of their eyes. Another aspect of this is damage caused to buildings by rescuers. I’ve had reports of them kicking in the front door to a house, or a window, instead of trying to obtain access with as little damage as possible; climbing on clean, highly-polished tables with hobnailed boots in order to get at an attic hatch to check for survivors; etc. When they left the house, often the door or window was left open, almost a standing invitation to looters, instead of being closed and/or secured. When the families concerned get home, they won’t know who caused this damage, but they will certainly be angered by it. I think that if one evacuates one’s home, it might be a good idea to leave a clearly-visible notice that all residents have evacuated, so as to let would-be rescuers know that this house is empty. On the other hand, this might make it easier for looters, so what you gain on the swings, you lose on the round-abouts...

31. If you choose to help, you may be sucked into a bureaucratic and legal nightmare.
Example: a local church in the beginning stages of the crisis offered its hall to house evacuees. Local and State officials promptly filled it up with over 100 people. Their “social skills” proved extremely difficult to live with... toilets were blocked, restrooms left filthy, graffiti were scrawled and/or carved on the walls, arguments and disputes were frequent (often escalating to screaming matches, sometimes to physical violence), evacuees roamed the neighborhood (leading to all sorts of reports of petty theft, vandalism, etc.), church workers were subject to aggressive begging and demands, etc. Requests to the authorities to provide better security, administrative assistance, etc. apparently fell on deaf ears - the crisis was so widespread and overwhelming that a small facility such as this seems to have been very low on the priority checklist. After two days of this, with complaints from the neighbors becoming more and more insistent, the church informed local officials that it wanted the evacuees removed at once, if not sooner. They were promptly subject to bureaucratic heavy-handedness (including threats to withhold previously-promised reimbursement for their expenses); threats of lawsuits for daring to insinuate that the evacuees were somehow “lower-class” in their conduct, and for alleged racism, slander, and general political incorrectness; and threats of negative publicity, in that officials threatened to put out a press release denouncing the church for its “elitist” and “un-co-operative” attitude in a time of crisis. The church initially caved in to this pressure, and allowed the evacuees to stay but within a couple more days, the pressure from neighbors and from its own members became impossible to bear, and they insisted on the evacuees being removed to a Red Cross shelter. I’m informed that repairs to their hall will cost over $10,000. This is only one example among many I could cite, but it makes the point clear - if you offer your facilities to authorities, you place yourself (to a certain extent) under their control, and you’re potentially liable to a great deal of heavy-handed, insensitive bureaucratic bullying. Those of you in the same position as this church (i.e. with facilities you could make available) might wish to take note.

32. Law enforcement problems will often be “glossed over” and/or ignored by authorities. In many cities housing evacuees, there have been private reports of a significant increase in crime caused by their presence but you’ll find that virtually all law enforcement authorities publicly deny this and/or gloss over it as a “temporary problem”. This is all very well for publicity, but it ignores the increased risk to local residents. I’ve been tracking crime reports in about a dozen cities, through my contacts with local law enforcement and the Louisiana State Police. All the LEO’s I speak with, without exception, tell me of greatly increased crime, including rape, assault, robbery, shoplifting, vandalism, gang activity, etc. However, you won’t see these reports in the news media, and will often see senior LE figures actively denying it. The officers with whom I speak are angry and bitter about this, but they daren’t “go public”, as their jobs would be on the line if they did so. They tell me that often they’re instructed not to report certain categories of “incident” at all, so as not to “skew” or “inflate” the “official” crime figures. I’ve also heard reports from Texas, Alabama and Tennessee of brand-new high-end motor vehicles (e.g. Cadillacs, Lincolns, BMW’s, etc.) with New Orleans dealer tags being driven through various towns, on their way North and West. The drivers were described as “gang-bangers” (and sundry less complimentary terms). However, there have been no reports of stolen vehicles from New Orleans, because there are no workers to check out dealer lots, or report thefts, and no working computers to enter VIN’s, etc. into the NICS database of stolen vehicles - so officers have had no choice but to let these vehicles proceed. Draw your own conclusions.

33. Your personal and/or corporate supplies and facilities may be commandeered without warning, receipt or compensation. I’ve had numerous reports from in and near the disaster zone of individuals (e.g. boat-owners, farmers with barns, tractors, etc.) and corporate groups (e.g. companies with heavy equipment, churches with halls, etc.) finding an official on their doorstep demanding the use of their facilities or equipment. If they demurred, they were told that this was an “emergency situation” and that their assistance was being required, not requested. Some of them have lost track of the heavy equipment “borrowed” in this way, and don’t know where it is, whether or not it’s still in good condition, and when (if ever) it will be returned - and in the meantime, they can’t continue their normal operations without this equipment. Others have had their land and facilities effectively confiscated for use by rescue and relief workers, storage of supplies, etc. In some cases, in the absence of their owners, the property of the individuals and groups concerned (e.g. farm gasoline and diesel supplies, the inventory of motor vehicle dealers, suppliers of foodstuffs, tarpaulins, etc.) have been commandeered and used by law enforcement and relief workers, without permission, receipts, reimbursement, etc. Protests have been met with denials, threats of arrest, insinuations of being “uncaring” and “un-co-operative”, etc. Lesson learned if you’ve got what officials need in a time of crisis, forget about Constitutional protections of your property Sure, you can sue after the fact, but if you need your goods and facilities for your own survival, you’re basically SOL. Those of us who stockpile necessities for potential crises like this might want to consider concealing our stockpiles to prevent confiscation and if you need certain equipment for your own day-to-day use (e.g. tractors for farmers, generators, etc.), you might have a hard time retaining possession of these things. This problem applies to relief workers also I’ve had several reports of private relief workers (e.g. those sent in by churches, etc.) having their vehicles and supplies commandeered by “official” relief workers, without compensation or receipt, and being kicked out of the disaster area with warnings not to return. The fact that the “private” workers were accomplishing rather more than the “official” workers was apparently of no importance.

34. If you look like you know what you’re doing, you may be a target of those less prepared. There have been many, many reports of individuals who were more or less prepared for a disaster being preyed upon by those who were not prepared. Incidents range from theft of supplies, through attempts to bug out with these persons (uninvited), to actual violence. It’s genuinely frightening to hear about these incidents, particularly the attitude of those trying to prey on the prepared they seemed to feel that because you’d taken steps to protect yourself and your loved ones, you had somehow done so at their expense, and they were therefore “entitled” to take from you what they needed. There’s no logical explanation for this attitude, unless it’s bred by the utter dependence of many such people on the State for welfare, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, etc. Since they’ve always been dependent on others, and regarded this as an “entitlement”, in a disaster situation, they seem to automatically assume that they’re “entitled” to what you’ve got In one case, the family’s pet dog was held hostage, with a knife at its throat, until the family handed over money and supplies. In two cases, families were threatened with the rape of their women unless they co-operated with the aggressors. In four cases that I know of, children were held hostage to ensure co-operation. There have also been reports of crimes during the bug-out process. Families sleeping in their cars at highway rest areas were a favorite target, including siphoning of gas from their tanks, assaults, etc. The lessons to be learned from this are obvious. One family can’t secure itself against these threats without great difficulty. It’s best to be “teamed up” with neighbors to secure your neighborhood as a whole, rather than be the one house with facilities in an area filled with those less prepared. If you’re in the latter situation, staying put may not be a safe option, and a bug-out plan may be vital. When bugging out, you’re still not safe from harm, and must maintain constant vigilance.

35. Those who thought themselves safe from the disaster were often not safe from refugees. There have been many reports of smaller towns, farms, etc. on the fringe of the disaster area being overrun with those seeking assistance. In many cases, assistance was demanded rather than requested, and theft, looting and vandalism have been reported. So, even if you think you’re safe from the disaster, you may not be safe from its aftermath.

36. Self-reliance seems to draw suspicion upon you from the authorities. I’ve mentioned this in a previous e-mail, but I’ve had many more reports of it from those who survived or bugged out, and it bears re-emphasizing.
For reasons unknown and unfathomable, rescue authorities seem to regard with suspicion those who’ve made provision for their safety and have survived (or bugged out) in good shape. It seems to be a combination of “How could you cope when so many others haven’t?”, “You must have taken advantage of others to be so well off”, and “We’ve come all this way to help, so how dare you not need our assistance?” I have no idea why this should be the case... but there have been enough reports of it that it seems to be a widespread problem. Any ideas from readers?

37. Relief workers from other regions and States often don’t know local laws. This is a particular problem when it comes to firearms. I’ve had many reports of law enforcement officers sent to assist in Louisiana from States such as New Jersey, California, etc. trying to confiscate firearms on the streets, etc., when in fact the armed citizens were legally armed, under local law. One can’t reason with these officers in the heat of the moment, of course, and as a result, a number of people lost their firearms, and have still not recovered them (and in the chaos of the immediate post disaster situation, they may never do so, because I’m not sure that normal procedures such as logging these guns into a property office, etc. were followed). I understand that in due course, steps were taken to include at least one local law enforcement officer in patrols, so that he could advise officers from other areas as to what was legal, and what wasn’t. Also, in Louisiana, law enforcement is conducted differently than in some other States, and officers from other States who came to assist were sometimes found to be domineering and aggressive in enforcing a law enforcement “authority” that doesn’t normally apply here. So, if you’re in a disaster area and help arrives from elsewhere, you may find that the help doesn’t know (or care) about local laws, norms, etc. Use caution

38. Relief organizations have their own bureaucratic requirements that may conflict with your needs. A good example is the Red Cross. In many cases, across three States, I’ve had reports that locals who needed assistance were told that they had to register at a particular Red Cross shelter or facility. The help would not come to them they had to go to it. If they wished to stay on their own property, they were sometimes denied assistance, and told that if they wanted help, they had to move into the shelter to get it. Also, assistance was often provided only to those who came in person. If you left your family at home and went to get food aid, you might be denied aid for your whole family because there was no evidence that they existed - only the number that could be physically counted by relief workers (who would not come to you, but insisted you come to them) would be provided with food. Needless to say, this caused much anger and resentment.

I hope that these “lessons learned” are of use to you. I’m more and more convinced that in the event of a disaster, I must rely on myself, and a few friends, and never count on Government or relief organizations for the help I’ll need. Also, I’m determined to bug out for a fairly long distance from a disaster in my home area, so as to be clear of the post-disaster complications that may arise. Once again (as it has countless times throughout history), we see that to rely on others (let alone Government) for your own safety and security is to invite complications at best, disaster at worst.