I hope none of you are prepping alone. I hope you’ve got someone who you can discuss things with. Though not everybody does, it’s really a good thing to get a trusted friend or spouse or significant other involved in your plans. They will have insight that you don’t and will be able to solve problems that you can’t figure out.
For example, here’s a dilemma I’ve been struggling with for years now. The rubber stuff came off the bottom of my apple peeler corer slicer not too long after I got it. Seems they use some kind of glue to attach it to the metal that doesn’t hold up under apple juice. Crazy, I know. Anyway, I didn’t get it re-attached and then lost it. Well, you can’t stick the peeler right on your counter top, it would scratch the heck out of it and wouldn’t hold still when you turned it. So I thought and thought and then got some of that rubbery mesh stuff that holds rugs in place. That sort of worked, although I had to re-tighten the clamp frequently during the apple peeling session. Then after using that for a while, I lost my little scrap of rug rubber and had to dream up something else. So I used glue dots. Yep, the same ones you use for scrapbooking. Not a good idea. They only worked fair for holding the peeler in place, and then wouldn’t come off the counter after. Really, what was I thinking? What a pain in the neck. So here’s where I learn my lesson. I brought up the problem with sweet husband when he brought home a box of apples and quicker than I can go find the peeler in the food room, he’s got a piece of old bike tire to go between the peeler and the counter. We washed it off and let me tell you, that was the greatest apple peeling experience I’d had in years. That thing didn’t move! And it’s not just because he tightened the clamp, either. It was like a miracle. Probably should have asked his opinion sooner.
So you see the benefits of having another person to bounce ideas off of. Besides the potential for them having really good ideas, there are some other reasons to have a buddy in your preparedness efforts.
They may have skills you don’t have–like sweet husband welds stuff real pretty and I tried welding a couple of times and could only burn things together and not very well. But I can patch the pants he’d have to throw away when they get a hole in the knee. He can also lift things that I can’t and I can cook things that he can’t. See how it works?
Your buddy may have a background of knowledge that you can benefit from. Maybe they’ve made cheese and you want to learn how. Maybe they’ve been in the military–that carries with it all sorts of useful knowledge you could get some insight on. Maybe they’ve lived through some hard times and had to use their food storage or make do with what their garden provided.
A buddy can also keep you motivated. If you’ve got someone you’re accountable to or who is checking on your progress, you’re more likely to get things done. At least I am.
You do want to be secure in who you share too much information with, but a close friend or two or small group of you that are working together can really be a great benefit to you while you’re working toward becoming more self sufficient and prepared.
Keep preparing! Angela
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Heidi says
Oh my goodness, I've been using a tea towel to hold in place, badly I might add. Will have to ask my husband if we've got some old tire in the garage. Thanks for the brilliant idea!
Anonymous says
Another thing that will work and can be thrown in the Dishwasher is one of those rubber grippers for opening up jar lids with…. They are usually round, with little gripper dots or lines on them.
Because they are meant to hold on tight to a stubborn jar lid while you turn on it, they do NOT move!
marci357
Anonymous says
My dearly beloved husband is NOT into prepping. He thinks I'm a certified nut case. He grumbles about costs, grumbles about the crowded pantry, and grumbles about running the printer ink dry downloading information.
But he helps carry 50# bags of corn, helps pour 25# bags of sugar, stacks wood, and carries heavy buckets for me every time. He made room in the garage for hundreds of canning jars without my even mentioning, and eats my experimental food storage meals with good grace.
He doesn't agree one ounce of it is needed, but he loves me, and lets me do it.
Mechelle says
This sounds so very much like my husband. He has even said that I had lost my mind, but that he loves me anyway. The one thing he likes about all of the planning and prepping I am doing is a very small garden; we currently are in an apartment with a very small back yard and no front yard at all. So we gathered up buckets and pails and anything that you can grow a plant in, that is my garden this year, we cant wait till it produces. But just the mention of a small home mill or getting chickens and he gets the frowny look on his face.
Flattail Family says
I find it so funny that you, being married to a Macgyver, didn't ask his opinion sooner. After our first summer of bear trapping, I knew that your sweet husband was capable of fixing (nearly) everything. My sweet husband got tired of me saying, "W would know how to fix that" whenever anything would malfunction or break…
Our ward has a provident living committee and it's great to share ideas with one another. We certainly love all the suggestions you post here.