30 Days to Better Preparedness. Day 26. Shoes and clothing.
I am sorry I have missed a couple of days. I needed to help my daughter out and I thought ok you can all use a couple of days off! I hope you are hanging in there and we only have four days to go!
As we are working together have you noticed a whole lot is happening? There are pretty worrying articles at the moment on all kinds of things that are going to impact us all. Ships are backed up world wide. It has never cost more IN HISTORY to send anything in a shipping container. I saw reports yesterday about meat, chicken and turkey shortages due to a gas issue in the UK and a ransomware issue in USA. We have massive protests in Australia everyday now. Tradies, nurses, workers from every area are walking off or being sacked. This is all kind of going down hill very fast. Even two weeks ago I didn't expect to see the things I have seen the last few days! When I look at the news I am still in shock.
Today we are going to look at a couple of angles involving clothing and shoes.
Firstly... wearing the right gear.
Every summer we have fires and every fire we see people outside with a hose, wearing shorts and a pair of thongs FIGHTING A FIRE. Even out on the road you will see someone on a motorbike without proper protective clothing. Disasters waiting to happen.
On the farm we wear good leather boots. I have had to learn to wear work gloves. A hat. Sleeves. Very good work boots. If a fire is coming you wear solid protective gear. Today Andy is out chainsawing up wood, moving logs with the tractor. He has work boots. Eye googles. A head set to protect his ears. Good gloves. The right gear is a part of safety. But it is just amazing people doing stuff without the right gear.
Yesterday I took the kids for a walk in a brief patch where it wasn't raining! The girls know they need to put boots on to go outside. They put on their jackets. I had Sidney in the pram and we put on his coat and did it up. Scarlett ran and got his warm hat and stuck it on his head. She is four and she knows you don't take the baby outside without the right gear!
On a day to day basis our footwear makes a big difference. There is a reason supportive comfy shoes are worn by nurses, strong boots by firemen, leather boots by farmers and so on. There is a reason the number one rule on Flylady is to get up, get dressed and put on your shoes! You are then up and running ready to take on the day. You will last the days work a whole lot better.
So consider what you are preparing for and your own climate as well. If you live in freezing conditions then spare warm clothing, gloves, beanies and a coat are sensible items to have in the car. This is just sensible preparedness.
The second way I want to look at this is from an economic and supply chain point of view.
During the Great Depression and during the war years things like shoes that fit, warm clothes, a good coat and all necessary items became hard to get. Imagine if you had small children and just could not find new shoes for them. Given nothing is normal anymore I have been stashing away things for my Grandkids for next winter. I got some extra boots so if I wear a pair out I have a replacement. I think as kids are growing we run into needing things for them more often. So being ahead is not a bad idea.
As we are heading towards Christmas as we do this course we are coming across a lot of gift ideas that would quietly increase your families preparedness. Protective work gear is a good gift, good gloves, warm jackets, new pyjamas for the children, a flash light for each person, first aid kits for the car, a blackout kit. I try and give these gifts. Tools. Gardening gear. Seeds. There are so many options!
And be ready if someone asks you what would YOU like for Christmas or a gift? Take the opportunity! Seeds! Vanilla beans! Pantry containers! Cook books! Gardening gloves! A dehydrator! A vacuum sealer! Homesteading books! Essential oils! You get the idea!
See you tomorrow for day 26! xxx
Scarlett sounds like she has more sense than a lot of grown-ups! That girl will go far!
ReplyDeleteI hate seeing people out in flip flops doing just about anything! And children need sturdy shoes that are not always slipping off their feet! I drives me nuts to see small children walking along in shoes that won't stay on their feet and they are struggling to keep up with their parents who keep urging them on to walk faster. When we were children we were always required to wear closed in sturdy shoes to mow grass or any time we were out in tall grass or the woods. This protected us from getting our toes cut off by the mower or even from getting bit by a snake. Now I see pictures of our grandchildren out camping in bare feet! But this Nana knows when to speak and when to keep silent.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this week that there are 80 barges waiting to unload in Los Angeles. I have seen bare shelves in the dairy department in Walmart which seems to be all over the USA. In the stores every one wants to chat about the price of food. Limits are back on many items. More businesses here have closed their doors because no one wants to work.
We put in a driveway alarm after the discussion about security. But, a squirrel has taken up residence sitting on top of it and when he jumps off he sets off the alarm. We purchased a battery operated fan after that post. Glad to have both of those things. This series has really made us think and be better prepared. Thank you for investing your time in us all!
Thank you for the nudge, Annabel. I tend to put off buying boots and your post reminded me to do that right now.
ReplyDeleteWe see shortages here already. The container ships are backed up for miles off the coast of California. People are quitting, being fired or striking against the jab mandate.
For Americans, please do your research concerning the Pfitzer jab. The one listed as approved has not been manufactured yet and the Pfitzer shots they are giving are still the experimental version. Please be fully informed before making a decision.
I have been wondering about shortages in fabric, also, as most is manufactured overseas. Depending on how things unfold, clothing sewing options might be necessary.
Love and hugs,
Glenda
Hi Annabel! Thank you so much, again, for this series. And yes, I needed a few days off ;). I still have to finish the bug out bags as well as adding a few items to my car trunk (boot). Yesterday I did a major shopping trip and topped off my canned veg and fruit items so am very pleased about that. Last week, I bought a small three day food package for my car, my husband saw it and said, that is not enough! I explained this was just for the car, and if he wanted us to get more long term food stored we would get a different kind (the car type I bought is very small, does not require water, and is okay if subjected to high heat…which we get here in the Arizona desert). So he and I will go over the lists today and make some edits. Thank you, this is a great chance for us to get on the same agenda!
ReplyDeleteClothing stock is still a bit hit and miss here but I planned ahead and should be fine for the Winter. Last year I needed new, black walking shoes (I wear laced up shoes day to day as I need the support) - it took a while but I finally found the Ecco's that I like last September. We went back into a major lockdown in November and have never worn them. I worked from home and wore my old shoes or boots when outdoors - so - I have brand new shoes ready for this year!
ReplyDeleteMy Winter parka is ugly but it's down filled and is good to minus 50F and I bought expensive new boots two Winters ago (but not as much wear and tear as lockdown happened). I have hats, ear muffs, scarves and mitts (warmer than gloves) for day to day wear. Wool gets wet so you need more than one pair.
I spent money on a few new bras during lockdown since I wasn't spending money anywhere else (and mine are very expensive) - have lots of underwear and socks but may look for some tights.
Toronto's weather is milder than much of the country but we get a lot of cold westerly winds so it's not unusual to leave for work in January when it's minus 26C due to the winds - believe me - you don't care what you look like as long as you are warm!
FYI - I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and aside from a day or two of being a bit tired, I was fine. I have a number of serious allergies so I was a bit nervous - but no problem. Flu shot is next! It's funny - as awful as the pandemic has been, everyone has been talking about how they haven't had as much as a sniffle in nearly two years! Wearing a mask, washing hands and social distancing has really made a difference here. Riding the subway in the Winter is usually a nightmare with so many people coughing and sneezing - it's been a relief not to have to deal with all that as well!
Thank you for this! So necessary... we tend to get things second hand. Also we save older kids' coats and shoes for the younger ones. Not sure where the stigma of hand-me-downs came from. Our kids love wearing what an older sibling or friend use to sport.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
This is a little off the preparedness topic, but there is another reason shelves are so bare. I hadn't thought of this. I was in Wal-Mart yesterday (I know, I know) and there were a lot of empty shelves. A clerk was trying to help me find something that was out of stock. She said they have 200 pallets in the back room that they can't get out on the floor because they can't hire enough stockers. (Every employee I saw was restocking shelves). So, add that to the list of reasons why we can't depend on finding things in stores.
ReplyDeleteNearly 25 years ago, we moved to a somewhat colder climate than where we lived before. We gradually acquired cold weather gear (boots, long underwear, scarves, gloves, etc.) and we use it every year. Not all the time, of course, but every single year. When I see people running around in shorts and hoodies--and I do--I have to wonder why. I don't mow the lawn in flip flops, either!
Hi Annabel,thankyou so much for your posts you are helping many peoplr more than you know,,i got a text from john letting me know he was out doing work on the garden areas few days ago we had a few trees down so he has been tidying up ,,,my message to him was wear a hat and have boots on with warmer weather soon apon us we have to watch for snakes so we have both been busy mowing the laws too,,iam looking forward to taking 2 weeks off work my health hasn't been the best and iam slowing down,don't think I can keep doing the work I am doing for much longer,I really need to think of different work ideas,,I will think about this while taking a break,iam looking forward to doing some cleaning and sorting around here,we had a earthquake here the other day I was at a clients home vacuuming her kitchen when it happened and we both ran out her front door I though a bomb went off ,,,lol but lucky everyone was safe and no injuries
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend xx
Shoes and clothing may seem a frivolous topic but when you look at how necessary they are, especially for specific work purposes or for extreme weather, they are not at all! Being prepared with appropriate clothing (that fits well!) is so important. We already have the clothes that the children will need for this summer. They grow so fast every year, and after last year's low stock I didn't wait for spring to buy summer clothes. The only thing we are having trouble with is swimsuits. Buying second hand on ebay is a great way to get out of seasons clothing often at very reasonable prices! Op shops are also good, but not many are open here at the moment due to the lockdown. But having a few different sizes on hand is definitely handy. I was going through my wardrobe and wanted to get rid of a pair of black ballet flats. By summer they will fit my daughter perfectly and she loves being able to wear mum's old shoes!
ReplyDeleteThanks Annabel, for sharing,
Kirsty ~ itsaclassicallife.blogspot.com
x