Save like Nana did. Stepping up.

I have been mulling over how to attack this post.   Many of us are facing unprecedented hard times.  Many of us have unimaginable worries.  Many of us no longer feel safe and many of us are fatigued from three years of stuff you wouldn't likely read about in a novel! 

This week I saw and heard things that could stop me from ever sleeping again.  In the world we live in now it is not a case of being able to feel something is "far away from us therefore I shall not think of it."  In any instance, in our own country, there are people on the streets shouting obscenities and threats and they are not arrested.  So nothing is far away at all. 

Each week Laura shares with us her progress for the week.  For those that do not know she lives in Romania and at the end of her street is a bridge.  The other side of the bridge is Ukraine.   As grain needs to come out of Ukraine to feed Europe and the ports have been  bombed... now trucks cart that grain out over her bridge and past her house.  Within 5 meters of her bedroom wall in fact.  Laura has been working really hard to build up her pantry,  garden and she has her beautiful golden ladies,  her chickens.   Her son works int he holidays and her husband works every over time he can get.  Laura works all day and knits garments to sell in the evenings.   They have been doing all they can to be prepared and also be positive.  Laura you are our example!  I just love you and pray for you every day! 

I am completely the last person to lecture anyone on managing in hard times.  Instead I have pushed preparedness week by week and tried to be encouraging.   It does make a big difference having friends to work along side!

I suffer from anxiety and sleeplessness easily.  Also when too much is going on I can feel unable to concentrate on one thing!  You know that feeling when there are a thousand of things that need doing and you flounder around.  I think then "do the next thing!"  Keep doing the next thing. 

Knowing this...  and being so strongly prompted,  I have been preparing in all sorts of ways for about seven years.  Mostly we put concerns into constructive action.   Each thing we have achieved has felt really good.  It has given us both endless new areas to research and learn about.  

Nan and Pa lived through two world wars, the great depression,  the list is long...  Nana born in 1919 the year of the pandemic,  out in the sticks on dry arid land. The youngest of thirteen.  Premature to top it off!

I didn't realise at the time but I understand now Nan suffered anxiety quite badly.  I am not sure if she did when she was younger.  As a child she seemed happy and cheerful to me.  I spotted it much later when I spotted it in myself.   No one ever gave anything a name back then.   People were just how they were.

I guess you have to know yourself.   But if you intend to look after yourself and others you have to plan around your weaknesses.  We can do that.   I have some good examples to follow.   Living on a farm an hour from help of any kind Mum was always prepared.   Looking back Dad saved many lives and houses in fires and I remember Mum saved a man who had been stung over a hundred times by bees.  He came to the house and was in a bad state.   Mum knew what to do,  administered antihistamines and they got him to hospital.  Later the doctors said Mum had saved his life.   Being prepared,  knowing what to do,  keeping it together.... saves lives.

People have different coping mechanisms.   They can be beneficial unless they are negative and place you and your family in danger through ignorance,  lack of awareness,  lack of effort, lack of planning...   I sort of understand it.  Some people cope by putting their head in the sand.   I would not want to be depending not them though, they are replying on someone else to come rescue them.   Denial is a real danger.  We have all heard of examples....  people who drove through the river  or storm because of denial....   

I want to be able to do all I can to look after my family,  friends and neighbours.   I cannot consider my Grandkids lacking anything because I failed to be the grown up and see ahead.   I wrote about the electricity situation in our state and the actions we have taken so far to prepare.  You can't make everyone prepare hence my heat wave emergency packs etc.   They are something I can do that would make it possible for us to help if needed.   They could,  potentially,  save a life.

Knowing myself I need to do things ahead of time and have lists.  I need to address a situation,  make a plan,  research,  make a list and tick things off that list!  

Knowing I can freeze or feel overwhelmed I have my lists inside cupboard doors.   There is an action plan for a fire.  Action plan if a storm is coming.   I have a note book called "Emergency."   In that I have a list of what to do, what to tell each person to do,  where things are,  emergency numbers and so on.   Vicky and I are working on a blog post to keep in reserve.  If I was able to publish it this is really my emergency action plan shared incase it might help someone else spring into action. 

If you haven't taken my preparedness course that is free, can be done in any order and many things you can do to be better prepared cost nothing.    There are countless You tube channels to help you learn basically anything.   Cath at The Cheapskates Club has many videos on building a stockpile, preserving etc.  A lot of common sense.

To mitigate my own tendencies I cannot allow myself to sit and worry.  There is too much to do anyway.   But nervous energy is best channeled into something constructive or at least relaxing.  This is why,  I am sure,  Nan and Mum worked hard in the days and knitted in the evenings.   In fact... during some very long and difficult periods like when Dad had a heart attack and surgery I can picture Mum sitting in the chair next to him knitting.  You knit so you feel more content and waiting is so much easier with something to take some of you attention.   And so... I do the same.  Or crochet, or sew,  or something. 

Because I know my brain might melt I have my emergency lists.  If a storm is coming we know what to do.  If a fire is coming we get moving.   There just isn't time to be making a plan at that point.   Starting a plan after an event is just too late.   If your plan is to go to the shops and buy batteries because a blackout has hit I am sorry but that is a dumb plan.  Dumb plans cost lives.  

There are so many people that think the government will save them.  In a situation of any size it might be weeks before anyone comes to help.   I just read a book called United We Stand by David Kobler  which is about building a community of people that help each other.   We have been working on ours.   Stuff like this takes time.   Hence if you have a plan the sooner you get started the better! 

I don't know how my Grandparents and Great Great Grandparents coped.   Maybe there were times they didn't.   But they survived.   They were people of strong faith.  Family was everything.  

We do not generally have the TV on.  Tonight we watched for 20 minutes.  The first station was too much for me, I started to feel panic,  and we turned to another.  The facts were the same.   I asked Andy if that was the worst and most depressing news we have ever seen or heard?  Or was it me?  He said no,  he felt that too. 

During the day I planted new seedlings,  filled new pots with good soil, watered my pumpkin and zucchini patches,  made progress on a chicken coop,  collected eleven eggs.  Cooked a nice dinner.  I am going to crochet all evening while watching some lovely homesteading You tube.    As Patara says... do your due diligence.   Exercise.  Get out in the fresh air.  Get your jobs done,  put something up.   Make a plan. 

We might have rain over night and we hope so.  This would be a huge help.   I am making my list of things I want to complete tomorrow.   Twelve baby basil plants and four capsicums to put in.   Spread fertiliser.  Make up the Scarlett's bed as the linen is all washed.   Work on the presents from my cupboard and Christmas list.   Plan to spread some joy.  Take some photos of all I have made. (For The Tuesday Club.)  Play with the dogs.  Enjoy the day.  Fully enjoy the day we have. 

When I am worried I cook and clean.  Like crazy.  For most people meals are helpful.  Keep the home fires burning.  It is very valuable.  Keep the home as a safe and cozy haven.   Keep your hands busy.   I have used Mum's knitting for this post.   She is the queen of keeping her hands busy!  

There is more to being industrious than producing valuable things,  it is so calming and good for our hearts and minds.   This is what Nana did too.   Knit and pray.  Be wise and watchful.   Look well to the ways of your household. xxx