Really good article in my opinion. So many times over the years you read hear or otherwise hear the same arguments about prepping. Oh we could never survive a Yellowstone, no use in prepping, or this or that scenario would wipe you out anyway. Or you can never survive without 24/7 security by 30 trained Navy Seals. When really the most important thing will be do I still have my coffee in the morning. People get paralyzed by the big ideas and forget the small details. Raconteur Report: Get Your Mind Right
In my mind, the biggest mistake in prepping is preparing for the big things and then seeing most of your preps turn out to be useless due to age, storage conditions, etc. Prepare for the small things. My wife has the flu, I had it last week, and it is as bad as we have had in years. We have several bottles of pepto bismo, and it has done wonders to settle our stomachs, we have adult diapers in our sick room supplies, and baby crib water proof sheets, to protect the mattress on one side of the bed, jello and apple sauce, and other bland foods, a saline type water powder to replace the salts lost in the effects of the flu, vitamin C and B, and elderberry extract to help fight the flu, etc. You are almost certain to get ill, lose your power, get snowed in, lose your job, etc over a period of time and having your debts paid off, cash in the house, food in house, basic medical supplies, wood for heat and solar or other lights, extra gas for your car and generator, all will be used over time and at least give me a better nights sleep. A garden is a good learning experience, can save you some money, you figure out what you should store for next years inputs, and it isn't likely to have the food recalled because someone in Peru didn't wash their hand after going to the toilet in the onion patch. Likewise target shooting, greenhouse, animals for pets and food supply, and the list goes on. As the reference deMolay indicated, the attitude is what counts. My favorite is still Bishop and his dog, getting a lot of exercise, learning a lot of new skills, enjoying sharing them with others, and just having a good time. I may never get to Hawaii, have a major farm to market operation, nor get to Alaska, but I have enjoyed watching what others have done, learned a lot and had a positive impact on my morale that I can no longer get from the mass media. An important part in getting my mind right is just knowing the my wife and I are not alone in this crazy world and that pockets of sanity still do exist. Thank you for putting up with my wife and I.
The article linked mentioned Mosby and Mountain Guerrilla, SM has a 3 percent subcategory for those that want to read more. 3 Percent Forum Good stuff
My biggest challenge is getting to be my age. I have been doing some minor logging here, falling and limbing and bucking and splitting wood in one pasture that I want to improve. I fall 4 or 5, then go back and limb and buck and split on my own. And when the young guy comes to haul the wood off, he does the cleanup with the tractor, pushes the limbs off into brush piles off the pasture. I am finding at 70 I just don't have the juice like I did even 5 years ago. I limbed and bucked 3 trees I had down yesterday. I couldn't believe it but I had to sharpen my saw 3 times I hit a rock under the tree. I was just tuckered.
Hell I am finding that 50 I don't have the same Mojo I had at 40 and not looking forward to 60.................. 70 is still off my radar but if I make it to there I am certain that I will still not have grown up by then
Ha h ha you sound like my son, I got bucked off a horse 3 years ago and broke my arm below the shoulder in 2 places. He gave me heck. Gave me that Dad your a senior for God's sake act your age speech. I just don't know how. Every few days now I go take a PawPaw nap, for about an hour and I feel guilty. My wife tells me I am silly. There is always something to do, and I do not like being bored. I took the day off my little logging operation and repotted some plants for the wife in the green house and sprayed the orchard instead. Fell asleep in my chair or half an hour after supper and my chores were done. Ha ha ha.
Now that sounds like a good friend and fellow vendor at one of the markets that does baked goods and crafts.... "I am old, mean and grumpy and refuse to mature past 15 years old!" He is 72 as well
