I have moved all the posts, except one (can you figure it out?), to the mama blog page at . I am making changes to that blog and hope to also change the URL.
My life is way too hectic now to try and keep both blogs alive, and when I'm posting to both it looks like I'm not posting at all to any one of them very often. So, to increase my postings, and efforts, I've consolidated the blogs. Please visit chocolate parlor and enjoy.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Friday, January 8, 2010
Armageddon Week
I have been having a ton of fun this week. On the history channel they have Armageddon Week. All their programs have to do with destruction of society, end of world scenarios, prophecies, and surviving. I have especially enjoyed some of their evening programs and my favorite of all was "After Armageddon". It was a fictional story of a family and their struggles after a massive pandemic. It followed them as they escaped from their house, the city, until they finally found a place to live. What was enjoyable about this program was that it wasn't just a movie but almost like a documentary, where the experts would explain what was going on and why people would act the way they acted and what types of things you could do to survive. It was a worst-case scenario and they made sure to let the audience know it was not a real emergency.
The history channel is selling it on their online store. At some point I will purchase it. I think it is a great educational tool and offers a glimpse of reality of what could happen.
The history channel is selling it on their online store. At some point I will purchase it. I think it is a great educational tool and offers a glimpse of reality of what could happen.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Abundance of Websites and Resources
Several years ago, or so it seems, I began my journey into the preparedness sector of the world and life. It began with the desire I had to have food storage. At the time I began this journey we were low on money and I had no idea how to begin or where. I hadn't even heard of freeze-dried strawberries. Thus began my quest for knowledge. I dived into the internet and all it had to offer. I read books and did all I could to acquire a little bit of knowledge before finally buying products for long-term storage.
Well, I'm still low on money and don't have much in terms of long-term storage but I am farther along now than before. My desire to learn more about food storage and the like has not dissipated. I still browse the internet looking for ideas and products. There is one thing I have noticed though, there is a ton of stuff out there. There are so many websites, blogs, methods, and resources out there that it is impossible-unless you have all the time in the world-to sort through it. I've been noticing this lately with my browsing. Really, I have little time to sort through it all. There is just too much. So, my advice is to pick and choose. My plan, we'll see if I can carry it out, is to get a folder and print out the information I would like to keep and have reference to. Not only would this cut down on my needing to sort through all of my 'bookmarks' for the internet but I will have it in case the internet is unavailable.
At that, I am now giving you and whoever else happens upon this blog permission to copy and use anything they see fit from my blog.
Well, I'm still low on money and don't have much in terms of long-term storage but I am farther along now than before. My desire to learn more about food storage and the like has not dissipated. I still browse the internet looking for ideas and products. There is one thing I have noticed though, there is a ton of stuff out there. There are so many websites, blogs, methods, and resources out there that it is impossible-unless you have all the time in the world-to sort through it. I've been noticing this lately with my browsing. Really, I have little time to sort through it all. There is just too much. So, my advice is to pick and choose. My plan, we'll see if I can carry it out, is to get a folder and print out the information I would like to keep and have reference to. Not only would this cut down on my needing to sort through all of my 'bookmarks' for the internet but I will have it in case the internet is unavailable.
At that, I am now giving you and whoever else happens upon this blog permission to copy and use anything they see fit from my blog.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Wheat Gone Bad
Last year, in July, I bought 50 lbs of wheat. I have since been trying to use it. I'm sure I could've used it faster but I just was lazy and didn't want to grind it or do whatever else needed to be done.
This resulted in the wheat lasting a year.
Anyhow, I planned on using my wheat fast and did not pack it for longer term storage. Normally I will at least put things in the mylar bags with oxygen absorbers so they will be somewhat protected. For this wheat I put most of it in a large storage container and the remainder in #10 cans. The #10 cans are ones that have been used before for other items and that is the wheat I use first.
A few days ago I decided to grind up the wheat for an experiment I was doing and opened up the #10 can of wheat. I don't remember when I put it in there, it was either a long time ago or not that long ago. Anyhow, I put my hand in the stuff so I could take a picture for the blog.
I'm glad I did. It allowed me to get a good look at the wheat and there were tiny little bugs crawling around all over the place. Hundreds of them! They were so hard to see though that I wouldn't have noticed unless I had done what I did. This created a feeling of loss and stupidity for me. I should've known better. How could I let this happen? I went immediately into my pantry and checked every #10 can for bugs. It turned out that was the only #10 can of wheat I had and there was no bug moving to other containers. I thought that perhaps it had to do with the fact that I had bought the wheat a year ago. That however was not the case. The wheat I kept in the large storage container was completely bug-free. So, what was the cause of my trouble?
There were a few things that could've happened, I decided. One, the lid wasn't on all the way, or two, something else happened. But what? I set the container of wheat aside. Took a few pictures and tried to take a video of the bugs moving so I could post it here. The videos didn't work. The picture did.
See those tiny little buggers?
Anyhow, I didn't know what to do with the stuff and I felt like my hands had become contaminated. I was afraid to touch anything in fear that those little monsters were hiding in me waiting to jump off into some unsuspecting place. I did manage to pour everything in a garbage bag and put it inside another garbage bag. (I'm not going to mess around with food monsters). When I emptied the #10 can I discovered something not normal when one comes to the end of can of wheat.
My guess is that I washed the #10 can out and did not wait long enough for it to become dry, even if it appeared dried, before putting in some wheat. This created a nice moisture environment for those bugs to thrive. This is all theory though and I have no proof of what really went wrong, but I'll be careful, I hope, next time.
This resulted in the wheat lasting a year.
Anyhow, I planned on using my wheat fast and did not pack it for longer term storage. Normally I will at least put things in the mylar bags with oxygen absorbers so they will be somewhat protected. For this wheat I put most of it in a large storage container and the remainder in #10 cans. The #10 cans are ones that have been used before for other items and that is the wheat I use first.
A few days ago I decided to grind up the wheat for an experiment I was doing and opened up the #10 can of wheat. I don't remember when I put it in there, it was either a long time ago or not that long ago. Anyhow, I put my hand in the stuff so I could take a picture for the blog.
I'm glad I did. It allowed me to get a good look at the wheat and there were tiny little bugs crawling around all over the place. Hundreds of them! They were so hard to see though that I wouldn't have noticed unless I had done what I did. This created a feeling of loss and stupidity for me. I should've known better. How could I let this happen? I went immediately into my pantry and checked every #10 can for bugs. It turned out that was the only #10 can of wheat I had and there was no bug moving to other containers. I thought that perhaps it had to do with the fact that I had bought the wheat a year ago. That however was not the case. The wheat I kept in the large storage container was completely bug-free. So, what was the cause of my trouble?
There were a few things that could've happened, I decided. One, the lid wasn't on all the way, or two, something else happened. But what? I set the container of wheat aside. Took a few pictures and tried to take a video of the bugs moving so I could post it here. The videos didn't work. The picture did.
See those tiny little buggers?
Anyhow, I didn't know what to do with the stuff and I felt like my hands had become contaminated. I was afraid to touch anything in fear that those little monsters were hiding in me waiting to jump off into some unsuspecting place. I did manage to pour everything in a garbage bag and put it inside another garbage bag. (I'm not going to mess around with food monsters). When I emptied the #10 can I discovered something not normal when one comes to the end of can of wheat.
My guess is that I washed the #10 can out and did not wait long enough for it to become dry, even if it appeared dried, before putting in some wheat. This created a nice moisture environment for those bugs to thrive. This is all theory though and I have no proof of what really went wrong, but I'll be careful, I hope, next time.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Updated photos of Safety Room and Cupboards
I've decided to finally post the updated pictures of the storage to see just how far I've come. When I sat back to look at it all, it really wasn't much. When I stand up close to the shelves it seems like a lot, but really I have a long way to go yet. Little by little though and I can at least see my progress from last time, of which I less.
I still have to clean the room out more though. It will have to be done, I need the space for additional shelves.
A note about the previous picture. Those buckets that the shelf is on are full of mylar bags with food in, of course.
My cupboards at least look much more organized than the safety room of which parts of it need major organization.
Someday I'll have a freezer to take a picture of, but as of now there isn't much left in there from actual food storage. From produce that I froze in the fall there is pretty much just peaches left and I made some great peach syrup with that.
I still have to clean the room out more though. It will have to be done, I need the space for additional shelves.
A note about the previous picture. Those buckets that the shelf is on are full of mylar bags with food in, of course.
My cupboards at least look much more organized than the safety room of which parts of it need major organization.
Someday I'll have a freezer to take a picture of, but as of now there isn't much left in there from actual food storage. From produce that I froze in the fall there is pretty much just peaches left and I made some great peach syrup with that.
SOS Sport Solar Oven
I did it! I can't believe I did it! It took me months to finally buy the thing but I now own a solar oven. I haven't used it yet because the sun hasn't come out. I am dying to try it and will be able to if the clouds would just leave, for one day, and it has to be a day I am at home.
It was hard to decide which oven to get. It was a pretty close tie between this and the Global Sun Oven. However, America's Test Kitchen did a segment for some morning show and they compared the two along with one other. The Sport one so I made my decision and finally got the thing.
The SOS Sport Oven is made from recycled soda bottles. Somehow each purchase that is made contributes to funding that sends the solar ovens to Africa. So, not only do you get to be involved in a recycling process but also a humanitarian one as well.
There is an optional reflectors but I shouldn't need it come the summer time.
The option I chose in buying mine came with the pots.
A temperature gauge.
And a water pasteurization indicator.
When the clouds go away I will stop staring at it and finally get to use it and see just how tasty the food from it can be.
It was hard to decide which oven to get. It was a pretty close tie between this and the Global Sun Oven. However, America's Test Kitchen did a segment for some morning show and they compared the two along with one other. The Sport one so I made my decision and finally got the thing.
The SOS Sport Oven is made from recycled soda bottles. Somehow each purchase that is made contributes to funding that sends the solar ovens to Africa. So, not only do you get to be involved in a recycling process but also a humanitarian one as well.
There is an optional reflectors but I shouldn't need it come the summer time.
The option I chose in buying mine came with the pots.
A temperature gauge.
And a water pasteurization indicator.
When the clouds go away I will stop staring at it and finally get to use it and see just how tasty the food from it can be.
We Are Now Potty Prepared.
There are some things I never thought I would purchase. There are some things I wasn't planning on purchasing and then promised a young child of mine that at some point in the future we would get one. A potty for emergencies has been requested.
Going shopping with kids can be fun, sometimes, and a few months ago when I took my daughter in tow to the camping section of a Super Wal-Mart she saw the porta-potty. She has been begging for one ever since.
Last week I ventured to the camping section and found a nice little clearance spot. I grabbed up the last three large lantern flashlights for 2 bucks each and was trying to figure out what I would get next. I had my eye on the camping pots/dishes, but just couldn't make up my mind. Then I looked up and found a big black thing. I pulled it off the shelf, turned it to see the label and my daughter asked what it was. It was the porta-potty. It was the same price as the camping pots/dishes and so at my daughter's request I purchased the potty.
It even comes equipped with a nice sitting spot along with a place to hold your toilet paper while you do your business.
Since we were purchasing the potty we decided to make it a theme and get some stuff to go with it.
We should be set for an emergency or camping if we ever get that far....I have only one request to the manufacturer of such a product. Could you please give me something better to lift it with? I have to use both hands to carry the whole thing (no, I'm not going to carry it with unmentionable content in) and it is not easy to keep a grip on the small area provided for hands.
Although I may not have some things in my storage I can now rest assured that the most important thing, aside from water, is taken care. :0
Going shopping with kids can be fun, sometimes, and a few months ago when I took my daughter in tow to the camping section of a Super Wal-Mart she saw the porta-potty. She has been begging for one ever since.
Last week I ventured to the camping section and found a nice little clearance spot. I grabbed up the last three large lantern flashlights for 2 bucks each and was trying to figure out what I would get next. I had my eye on the camping pots/dishes, but just couldn't make up my mind. Then I looked up and found a big black thing. I pulled it off the shelf, turned it to see the label and my daughter asked what it was. It was the porta-potty. It was the same price as the camping pots/dishes and so at my daughter's request I purchased the potty.
It even comes equipped with a nice sitting spot along with a place to hold your toilet paper while you do your business.
Since we were purchasing the potty we decided to make it a theme and get some stuff to go with it.
We should be set for an emergency or camping if we ever get that far....I have only one request to the manufacturer of such a product. Could you please give me something better to lift it with? I have to use both hands to carry the whole thing (no, I'm not going to carry it with unmentionable content in) and it is not easy to keep a grip on the small area provided for hands.
Although I may not have some things in my storage I can now rest assured that the most important thing, aside from water, is taken care. :0
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