Help in the Bathroom and Seedling Update

This post is for those that worry about stock piling enough toilet paper for a crisis.

I am also adding in some extras as well.

In the center is a cleansing bottle. Many hospitals give these to new mothers. I have kept mine and continue to use it for cleansing. If you do not have one of these you could use something like a dish soap bottle as the blue one just to the left of center. There are many other plastic bottles that can be used for cleansing yourself after you do your business.

For basic use, warm water does a fine job of spraying off the "cling-ons" and reduces the amount of toilet paper needed. Most of the time you will be clean enough to just dry off.

What if you run out of toilet paper?

It is a good idea to keep old clothing, sheets, and other cloth and cut them into "do rags" about the size of a washcloth. Get a special container to stack them in and keep within reach of the toilet. Keep a pail near the toilet for soiled rags. As long as you use a cleansing bottle the do rags should not have much of a smell. When they do smell add warm (not hot) water to the pail and pour in a small amount of bleach. Let soak for no more than one hour and proceed to washing them to use over.

Now let's talk about the bottle of witch hazel. Why is that in the picture? Well, if a person should have hemorrhoids, adding one ounce of witch hazel to your cleansing bottle and filling the rest with warm water can make you feel better. Just do a quick test to make sure you are not too sensitive to it.

Now on to the bottle of apple cider vinegar. There are certain conditions that the ladies can get that can be very uncomfortable as well. One ounce of Apple Cider Vinegar (please not the white vinegar)  to 7 ounces of warm water to cleanse with can help you. This you must also test for sensitivity. There may be a slight sting, if it stings too much use less ACV to water or stop and see a doctor. Use after each visit to the toilet. This is not for every female problem and if your condition continues after a couple of days or get worse seek medical attention. Make sure you use raw, organic apple cider vinegar for this. And treating at the first signs of an itch is the best. Never use full strength ACV. 

NEVER USE RUBBING ALCOHOL IN YOUR CLEANSING BOTTLE

The hydrogen peroxide is not for the cleansing bottle either, it is used for cleaning blood from cloth bandages and such before bleaching and washing.

If you would rather use leaves of a pine cone to clean yourself when you run out of TP that's your call. I would prefer the do rags.

SEEDLING UPDATE

Between the two seedlings is a very tiny green speck of a new sprout. There are also two red dots between the large plant and the green speck that are pineapple seeds as well.

And I have pepper plants that are sprouting here too.

I put them outside every day that it is warm enough and bring them in at night.

I have also started broccoli, cabbage, and leeks. I will be starting herbs and other things soon. I am running out of counter space.

I need to go work on my garden. Enjoy your day!

Thank you for reading my blog!

Dee Dee

Stinging Nettle, Yes, Food

Stinging Nettle, which is also referred to a itch weed, started out to me on the same scale as poison ivy. I was wrong. Not only is it a good weed to grow just outside of windows to detour windows from being used as entry and exits, it turns out that it has a place in the kitchen as well.

The first time I tried Nettle I steamed it and ate it much like you would spinach. I found the texture was hard to get over.

I had no interest in trying it again.

After doing some research I have found recipes for Nettle pesto, soups and even making a pasta with it and I will be testing some of those when I can. There are hundreds of recipes for this plant.

It is said that Nettles are very healthy for you. I have heard differing reports on the benefits.

A word of warning. It is called itch weed for a reason. Use gloves until you blanch the leaves and eat a small amount to make sure you have no allergies to it. Blanching is best done in salted boiling water.

Thank you for stopping by.

Dee Dee

Survival Storage 2

Part of what you store should be portable by vehicle or trailer.

By trailer, that could be either one that pulls behind your vehicle, one that you hitch to a bicycle or four wheeler, or it could be something you pull like a wagon or garden cart.

This would be something that you could grab if you have 15 minutes to evacuate. You want to be sure you first get your important documents, your BOBs, your family and some "tools".

It is best if you have them stored where is won't get too warm and put them out of sight. Some people will have a box under their bed, but I believe in putting them in other places. I use the same type of boxes to store some yarns and fabrics and other misc. items as a diversion. If you are a fan of labeling boxes put a misleading label on it like "Stuffed Animals".

The boxes you see are filled with freeze-dried foods, water, MREs (meals ready to eat), and drink mixes. But you can also store other types of food as well and if you do, try to do so as a meal planning thing. Not just a cans of meat, veggies and fruits, but a plan of what to make out of them. Add a bag of rice, some dried beans, seasoning, a bottle of cooking oil and you are well on your way to a more comfortable meal. Unless, of course, you forget to pack a can opener. You will also want to make sure you have a mess kit with you so you have something to boil water in.

I am a firm believer of never having to go to a shelter of any kind for any reason. I can make my own shelter. That's another story.

Thank you for stopping by,

Dee Dee

What if The World Comes to a Halt?

There are a few things that could bring the way we live to a halt and flip our lives upside down for a while. Most people don't want to think about the possibility of that happening and I really feel that is a mistake. For those who are religious, you may argue the point that God takes care of the birds and so on, but then didn't He have Joseph advise the Pharaoh to store enough food for 7 years?
For the more science minded people, think about it on a more basic level of how much you use and what you have.
The main things to consider in an emergency situation is 1. shelter 2. water and 3. food. In that order. Part of sheltering is what you are wearing. Animal hair like wool may be the best thing you can wear. Cotton will kill you. It does not keep you warm if you get wet. If you look at knitting and crocheting as a hobby maybe you should look at it again. You should re-evaluate it's value. Your clothing can mean the difference between life and death when you are subjected to the elements. Frostbite or hypothermia could leave you either needing an amputation or severely incapacitated and unable to perform basic everyday tasks necessary to survive. Tell me when you are stranded in your car in a snow storm how much you value that $2,ooo stereo in you car over a warm wool pair of socks that you wouldn't even pay $40 for.
When there is no machine to make your socks, sweaters, hats or scarves how much will it be worth to you to have someone close to you that knows how to make them? Is your day's wage worth more than theirs when your life could be what is at stake? Will you keep buying cheap stuff that can kill you because want to save a dollar? Why not save yourself instead?
Thank you for reading my post.
Dee Dee