MSG and Soy "Free" Freeze - Dried Foods - NOT!

This is starting to get to me.  So many companies are claiming their foods contain "No MSG", yet when I look, there is frequently MSG ingredients listed.  It's really ticking me off.

Making Mistakes and Planning

After our longest experience with a power outage, I made a big mistake:  I bought without thinking.  A few examples:

Why I like B.O.B.s (on a Budget)

No, I don't mean "battery operated boyfriend".   The usual term, for those who "prep", is "bug out bags".

12-21-12 and the Mayan Calendar

A lot of discussion has been going around about this date and the Mayan calendar.  Even Mayan descendants disagree on how to interpret it.  I was channel surfing and as I hit one channel, I heard something about it, so I stopped to see what it was.

Unexpected Things

Power outages aren't the only thing people stock up for.  Other reasons include possible job loss, sickness, the economy, and the zombie apocalypse.

My main reason began with power outages.  Now, as I watch the prices in my area, I'm a bit concerned about the economy.   I hadn't really thought of any other reasons "important".

Lessons Through Power Outages: Lesson #6 - Lights

I think this goes without saying: without power, there aren't any lights.

Lessons Through Power Outages: Lesson #5 - Sanitation

Let's talk dirty for a bit.

Lessons From Hurricane Sandy

A friend sent the following letters to me.  I copied and pasted it from the email (hence the white lines). This has been floating around the internet. I did not write it.  I don't know who did.  I can't find the original source or copy.  All I've heard is it's from someone in New Jersey.  There is a picture between the two versions.  I don't know if that's the writer or just a stock photo from somewhere.   If anyone knows who wrote this, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.   Thanks.   I agree with so much of this especially #36 and 37 on the last version.

There are two letters.  I don't know which is the original, but both have good points.

Lessons Through Power Outages: Lesson #4 - Food

  When the ice storm hit - I discovered my nice oven cooked meals I had planned for us did absolutely no good.  My range was electric. I frantically went through the house trying to find anything the kids could eat, or I could hopefully make somehow.   I found:

Lessons Through Power Outages: Lesson #3 - Heat

Heat.

Such a simple word, yet it holds a lot of meaning especially to those who don't have it when they need it.

Lessons Through Power Outages: Lesson #2 - Cooking

The ice storm taught me several important lessons one of which is to have alternate cooking options in a power outage.  During those 3 fateful days and nights, sun was rare, so a solar oven wouldn't have helped at all, though I do plan on buying one anyhow, because I have no doubt it will come in handy.

Preparing on a Tight Budget

A Nor'easter warning has gone out.  Maybe for you it's a hurricane.  We've gotten both.  If your entire town goes down for a few days - can  you survive? Think about it.  Right now - your power is gone.  What do you wish you had bought or done?

Lessons Through Power Outages: Lesson #1 - Water

Growing up in a city outside of Chicago I never had to worry much about losing power.  Don't get me wrong.  We did lose power, but it was usually restored within 12 hours or so.  We had running water and a gas stove/oven (the kind you could light with a match), so there wasn't much discomfort for us. In our area, the only danger might be snow or a tornado.  Rarely did we get tornado warnings, and though snow was a yearly occurrence, power outages didn't happen much.  Honestly, I don't remember us losing power much at all.