Last of the First Aid Kits and on to Apples

When making your first aide kits, don't forget to keep track of what's in them and what you still need. The first tab in my binder of plenty (or, y'know, control journal, for the less lyrical among us) is TO DO. Check lists for all the first aid kits are in my TO DO section this week. Tomorrow, I'll look at the lists, write down the last few things we need, put that list in TO DO and move my check lists back to the Emergency Preps section of the binder. Most of the items we still need are larger purchase or need to be ordered, which is why they didn't show up this week. This way, I'll still know what I need.

I'll tell you early, next week's task is going to be canning apples. This weekend is Apple Fest and I intend to come home with a bushel of apples for apple sauce, baked apples, apple pancakes, and apple dumplings. Mmmmm, apples.

Steampocalypse and More on First Aid

One of the things I do when not preparing for zombie attacks is tinker around in the steampunk community. This week, the Steam Punk Magazine has joined me in preparing for any of several different apocalyptic situations in their third issue. Also included is the Steam Punks Guide to the Apocalypse, with drawings and instructions on setting up your own water filtration system and making spindles and more!

While you're at it, this is First Aid week. Supplies are not the only essential thing you need to have one hand. CPR and First Aid classes are an important part of your toolkit. Also, if you can, get signed up for an oxygen administrator class. You can get your own oxygen kit from DAN. They carry several different types of oxygen kits mostly aimed at diving accidents.

Organization and First Aid Kits!

Okay, I'm not one for Flylady and those other "girly" homemaking type sites. Pretty much anything "girly" is enough to make me go running off into the night, but Flylady's control journal was the step toward organization that I needed.

It hard to have a working food storage when you don't know what you're storing. Or what you're missing! I have eight tabs: TO DO, House repair (that'd be cleaning for most of you), Emergency Preps Inventory, Food Storage Recipes and Cooking Tips, Food Storage Inventory, Coupons, Notes, and Emergency Info. I downloaded templates for the Control Journal yahoo group, and set up all my pages. It's working great for me.

This is also a good time to get your cars kitted out for winter weather. In addition to your usually carbox items, things like extra blankets or sleeping bags, more food, salt and kitty litter, maybe even a shovel would be good additions.

THIS WEEK'S TASK: This week I'm cleaning out and reorganizing all the first aid kits. That's a kit in each bob, one in each carbox, one in the scuba gear, and one in the house. That's alot of first aid kits, but it's important to know that they'll all be stocked when you need them. If you're just starting out, don't forgot pocket masks for sanitary CPR. You can get them at Walgreen's or the Red Cross and one should go into every first aide kit you are making.

Time for Winter Prepping

Winter is on the way in the Midwest. The days are growing shorter, and the zombies are still threaten the walls.

Winter survival requires you to keep warm as well as feed and secure. Extra blankets and wool socks are good ideas (Check Good Will and Salvation Army, or if you're like me, drop a hint to one of the several aunts who's taken up crocheting or quilting).

We on the look out for a non-electric heater this year, just in case. One of the perks of a gas stove is that you can light it with out electricity, so long necked lighters are also on the winter prep list.