I got discouraged, it happens

 I admit it, I got discouraged. With a couple of years of setbacks and unending pain in my back and hips, I got discouraged. I couldn't cook like I used to, clean like I used to or prepare like I used to. And I finally got to the end of the food products we had stockpiled before COVID-19 hit. Then last month, I got good news! My hips need surgery, I finally made it to age 60, where the surgery will let me have 20 years plus of being able to not be in pain due to my hips. 

So, September is coming, but I will be recovering from hip surgery. Thus, August has to be about shoring up my surroundings so I can recuperate and do therapy to get back on my feet. But that doesn't mean YOU can't be starting to get your house in order this September!

The 'Disaster Prepping for Procrastinator's' book is laid out for a full year's cycle of Prepping and putting your house in order, starting in the Fall and ending in the Summer of the coming year. With prices soaring, now might be your best time to start putting away your pantry and ridding your house of things you really don't need. If you haven't checked on a box, file folder, tub or drawer in months, you might want to reassess if what is stored there is really necessary.

Everything I do or suggest is set up for those on a shoestring budget. That is because it is my reality having retired on disability years ago, and it is harder to get services now if you find yourself in a dire situation. Social Services has seen an uptick in people who have recently lost jobs, overextended their finances due to medical bills and disaster relief. If you are in a good position now, thank God.

So, I am going to get back on the bandwagon, and take my own advice. I have three rooms I must clear up in order to move forward, and not a lot of time to do it, so I will post pictures and video. The mess didn't happen overnight and it won't be fixed overnight, but fixed it will be. The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. #BeEncouragedTAL

Hindsight is nowhere near 20/20.

You know I am a procrastinator. The titles of my books say it all. "Disaster Prepping For Procrastinators", because everyone can do a little, should do a little, to keep the wolf from the door. 

It's been a year since the world shut down due to the Coronavirus. Now, I haven't been silent, don't get me wrong. I've just been on other forms of Social Media, making sure I posted not just information, but encouraging posts. People need hope when it seems all things are out of control. If you had faith in God before the Stay At Home Orders were first handed down, your faith has either been strengthened or it has failed you in this time. 

The good thing is if it was strengthened, you were able to pass that strength on to other people. If it was weakened, don't despair. God is waiting for you to come back home. 

What has the last year taught you? Are you seeing people for who they really are? I mean, who they REALLY are, under all of the smiles, civility and nice comments? Learning to read people has become important in this time. It's almost an introductory course in understanding where the true heart and intent of humanity is when the chips are down. Who would you leave behind your back? And who would you keep in front of you, where you can keep a good eye on them?

What would you have stockpiled or put away that would have helped you through this past year? Well, there is good news on that front. The shelves are starting to be stocked once more with things even I had overlooked that became like gold during the Pandemic...Lysol Spray...toilet paper...paper towels...plastic gloves...canned goods...for some, even alcohol became a necessity. 

Well, do you believe that things are almost over, or should you continue...or start...to prepare to ride out the storm to come? What is your gut telling you? When you pray, what are you hearing? 

If there is one thing I have learned in this past year, it's that I don't want to wonder, when I can be sure. I don't want to sit around this time next year asking myself, 'What could I have done differently? How could I have prepared myself and my family? What decisions am I making right now that could impact me in a negative manner in the future? What help was available to me that I have left on the table? Have I honored God in all I have done? Have I taken care of my neighbor as I would my own flesh and blood? Have I given enough? Have I prayed enough? Do I truly, after all that has happened, believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living?"

I wrote two accompanying books, 'Forms' and two 'Shopping List' Books, one of which came with accompanying scriptures. 

One of the Scriptures that has ran through my mind since the pandemic occurred is Proverbs 6:6-11. It states,

"6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

So, prepare for the worst, believe in the best. Believe the vaccine's will work. Believe the mutations won't be as bad as expected. Believe that the shelves will continue to stay full. Believe that you have prepared as best you could, and prepare as much as you can. Now is the time to plant gardens. Now is the time to remember the ant. We've had enough television binging. Enough overeating. Enough worry. Enough anxiety. Enough fear. And more than anything, enough procrastination. 

This is my first Pandemic Post on my Blog in over a year. You can follow me on Instagram at @trishaalindsey if you stand in need of some encouragement. If you don't do Instagram, my posts are automatically copied to my Facebook Author Page, Trisha Lindsey, Author. 

My thoughts are pretty much the same as yours as we have gone through the ups and downs of the past year. I don't post every day, but try to hit every Sabbath if I don't make a post that week.  Please. Be encouraged. God is in control.

#BeEncouragedTAL

Guess What Time It Is?

It's time to start your Disaster Prepping!  This is the month that the book starts from, September!  You're past the gearing up for the kids to go back to school, and the end of all your summertime fun, now its time to get down to business! So, let's dig in and get started.

Head on over to Amazon and get the Book Series, "Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators".  You have a choice of getting the Color or the Black and White version.  Then, get your Forms Book which will help you put away paper that you need and get rid of papers that you don't need.

Last but not least, is your Shopping List Book.  It comes in two forms, with and without Scripture references.


I always have some component of Christianity in my works, and this one is no exception.  Anyone thinking, "God is going to take care of me, I don't have to go through all of this." is kidding themselves. 
I wanted to make sure that everyone could be covered when it came to Disaster Preparation.  In the Scripture Shopping List Book, there is supporting Scriptures that show having a vision and a plan is something that honors God.  It's expected, not just for yourself, but for your family, and your neighbors.  Our system lets you take care of not only your family but have a little extra you can put aside for extended family and neighbors.

This is the first month that you will begin to build your long term supplies and start cleaning your house.  So, plans are made to be added to, so first, you need to look through the quiz portions of the book to find out why you procrastinate.  All the planning, purchasing and storing items in the world won't work, if you don't figure out why you keep putting off doing anything to help yourself and your family survive and thrive in an Emergency or Disaster.

I will be giving some shopping tips for things that I find along the way that will make your life easier.  Just know, even if you only get your backpacks ready, you need to do SOME level of preparation.  One thing I have seen from having lost power before is once the electronics run out of juice, things can get REALLY dicey around the house.  Teenagers without their phones can be worse than being caged in a guest bathroom with a hungry lion!

In addition to this month's purchases, I came across these Shelving Units from Sam's Club. They are reasonable, have great reviews, and would be perfect for a basement or closet area.  Always read the reviews before you purchase something that you really need to work.

Make sure you read some of the lower reviews also, but you may come to find that they are many times left by people who can't put anything together or you just can't please them no matter what you do. If the product you buy doesn't meet your expectations, take it back to the store or send it back.  I tend to order from Amazon, because they don't hassle me about returns.


Another choice for those on a budget is this shelving unit from Ikea.  It doesn't hold heavy loads, but will keep your things off the floor.

If you live in a NEW flood plain...you know, the areas that used to get hit with 100 year floods every year, but they come every year now...you need to think of not just shelving to keep your important stuff off the floor, but also plastic tubs that you can seal with duct tape to keep your important papers and things important to your family from being ruined.

So, go get your books, and let's get this show on the road! Get your front closet cleaned out, and your foyer in order.  Get your Backpacks and this month's water supplies.  Nothing grates on you more than paying $15.00 with a 2 pack maximum for water that cost $3.00 last week. You can go without food for some time, but you need water every day.

Links:

Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators Series

Sam's Club Shelving Unit

IKEA Shelving Unit

My Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators List on Amazon

I have began to compile an online list that is viewable to the public on Amazon, that features some things I try to purchase and keep on hand for my own family, in case of an emergency or disaster.  I have switched my focus to freeze-dried foods, as they store longer and they are available as items that my family actually eats.

I compare prices, and sizes of what I will actually receive. Even if you get a 10 pound bucket, when you open it up, you might be surprised at how little food you are actually getting. You can’t eat a bucket, so order a sample size so you can see what you are getting, before committing to a bucket.  Also, you might want 3 of the 10 things in a bucket, so don’t just think you’ll find something to make with those things you don’t normally eat. How much is in your pantry or fridge that you don’t touch already?  Don’t buy or store food that you don’t eat, it will go to waste.  If you can’t force your family to eat foods they don’t normally eat in good times, you won’t be any more successful in bad times.

Also, it is important to read through the Reviews before you purchase a huge amount of food or products.  It will save you having to send something back, or opening it in an Emergency only to find it spoiled, unpalatable or the servings too small.

Pay attention to what has been written, but also remember there are some people who won’t be happy no matter what they buy.  Make sure those people aren’t in your Emergency circle, and if they are family, get them together before you have to be stuck with them in an Emergency and they make everyone miserable.

There are materials that you can buy now for much cheaper than you will be able to get them in an Emergency.  Get and store them NOW while the prices are low and they are plentiful.  Here is the link for my Amazon Shopping list, start your own, and get ready while you aren’t pressured and your money buys more!

Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators Amazon Shopping List

More questions about dehydrating food?

If you have further questions about dehydrating food using a Dehydrating Machine, this is a very good website that will give you more in-depth information on the process, temperature settings, types of food to dehydrate, etc. You don’t know until you try!

Tips on Dehydrating food with a Dehydration Machine, link below:

https://www.rei.com/blog/hike/how-to-dehydrate-food

Freeze Dry at home now!

Well, it seems everyday that more signs are being given to us to prepare for a disaster. You need food, water, clothing, shelter and a way to make money to take care of your bills.

Lets tackle the food thing today. This is the month you need to stock up on canned goods. JUST canned goods that you actually EAT. 

Better than that, how about Freeze Drying some CHEAP frozen vegetables and fruit NOW,, so you KNOW you’ll have enough on hand to feed yourself and your family in case of an emergency?

Freeze dried food can last on your shelf for decades, if done correctly. So get a dehydrator, buy frozen food, and put it in there! Keep notes about how long it takes to do each vegetable, meat or fruit. Get the Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers from Amazon and find a cool place to store your food. Preferably the basement where temperature swings are uncommon. Store the bags in sealed mason jars to keep out pests.

Prepare for pennies now, so you don’t have to pay through the nose in an emergency.

How the recent Furlough imitated a Natural Disaster

There were some warnings that a Furlough was on the way, even though many people denied things would go that far for so long.  Most Natural Disasters hit without much warning.  Do you think that the 30 Day plus Furlough wasn't as devastating as a Natural Disaster to the workers, Agencies and supporting businesses as a Natural Disaster may have been?  They have many parallels.

Natural Disasters cause major disruptions in the lives of those who live wherever they strike.  Workplaces are often highly affected by Natural Disasters.  When Businesses are damaged or shuttered, then workers aren't paid, which affects how they eat, pay their bills and their shelter. 

It's January, and if you began to work your way through Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators this past Fall, you would have accomplished several things that may have helped slightly with the Furlough.  For one, you'd have 4 to 5 months of Food, water, and other survival items stored by now.  They would be things that were nearing their rotation date!  They would be items that your family normally ate.  And they would keep you from having to spend a great deal of your very limited income on food purchases.  Having to only buy fresh fruit, vegetables and bread would certainly help in the short term.

You would have your Important Papers gathered by now, which really help when it comes to seeing where your money is going each month if there is something you can cut back on or something that could be sold that you've hesitated about selling. With the threat of another shutdown, what can you do to help yourself and your family with the back pay that you will receive?  First, put the bulk of every dime you can into savings.  Of course secondly, you should catch up your bills.  I say do the bills second because if not, almost all of your back pay will go towards catching up your bills and there won't be anything left over for savings, or to use as a hedge in case the next shutdown comes on the 15th of February as expected.

 Contact creditors and see if they will look at your circumstances and not put late payments on your credit.  If it isn't possible to sway them, then include a statement in your credit file.  It will help when you apply for credit, and also jog your own memory as to why things were late.  See if there is a way to skip a payment, or put another payment at the end of a term, like with your Mortgage or Auto notes.  Put that money into savings.

You would also be wise to stockpile some food, water and anything you ran short on during the shutdown.  You should look at this situation as a warning, and see what you can learn from it that may help you if it happens again. 

While you have a viable job now, think about taking out a Home Equity Line of Credit to help you over the hump if this happens again.  You would only take out what you needed to tide you over if no money is coming in, then when you receive back pay, pay that money back immediately. Also, it may help to start working that 'Side Gig' you have always dreamed about.  It may not bring in your full salary, but might keep you afloat and not totally behind. 

If the chance of this happening again is too much to take, if you are near retirement age, you should consider all of your options. 

Sometimes it is best to get the money while you can and save it, purchasing things and planning for shortfalls before they occur.  It is estimated that many programs that are relied upon for retirement might well be insolvent in coming years, so plan wisely. 

Treat the Furlough as a Natural Disaster and look down the road to anything that might make your ability to earn money and pay your bills stutter or stop and start.  Don't wait for that rainy day to come suddenly, it is starting to rain more frequently, and without warning.  Don't procrastinate, look ahead and make a plan.

You can find our entire series of books on Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators on its own Amazon.com page at the following link:  Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators Page

Are you listening yet?

I just saw the Ready.gov commercial about Disaster Preparation on TV.  It touches on all of the high points in a stark enough way to make you think, 'What do I have ready to help me and my family recover if there is an unforeseen disaster in our lives?'  Worse still, if the business you work at is damaged, how will you manage until it comes back online?  What if it never recovers from the disaster that comes?  Ready.gov has an excellent amount of videos that business owners and workers can refer to that will assist them in Disaster Recovery.  Don't wait until its too late to make a plan.

https://youtu.be/2U0EFYKGn50

What happened to my Amazon Prime?

I need Duvet Covers for the beds.  It's much easier to dry clean the comforters, and just change their outsides between seasons.  Cheaper too.  Anyway, I digress.  As I was shopping for Duvet covers from some of my favorite sources this morning, (Wayfair, Target and Amazon.com) I noticed all the shipping/delivery dates were off...after all, 2 Day Delivery means JUST that in my mind!  Then I realized, they can't guarantee delivery on the East Coast or other places in 2 Days, because of Hurricane Florence!

Its September 13th, and normally my 2 Day Prime would have my items here by Saturday the 15th, they would even deliver on Sunday!  But with the storm, the best they can guarantee delivery on Prime is Wednesday, September 19th, or Thursday, September 20th.  That is six to seven days from now, and I think I would have to be flexible with that delivery date.

Early video and news reports aren't very good, its 100 miles away and the swells are downright growing.  This video from Myrtle Beach was posted on YouTube, and it will be updated over time.  The title '100 year Storm' has been added to many hurricanes over the past few years, that have been disastrous.

I wonder who will coin the phrase 'What used to be 100 year Storms are now commonplace each year'.  Warm oceans mean more monster storms and our oceans are very warm, with no cooling mechanism in place.  At this same time, there are tropical Storms in the Gulf of Mexico headed towards Texas, Tropical storms off of the Mexico/California Coast and monster Typhoons in the Pacific Ocean wreaking havoc in Asia.

During weather cycles like this, shipping is impacted.  Travel overland by our Trucking system is impacted, flights that are used for shipping are impacted and that impacts things such as mail and food delivery.  It is why store shelves are cleaned out by people who decide to Shelter in Place and those who decide to evacuate.

Given hours or mere days to evacuate, if you have followed our plan, you will be ready!  Your Ready Packs, Backpacks, and bins that hold family heirlooms and important papers can easily be loaded into your trunk.  You'll have the important things taken care of, in case you have to go back and turn your new house into a home.  Many people may lose their homes, but save their lives by following the call to evacuate.  If you have been told to evacuate, just go.  You can replace everything but a life.  Our prayers are with all of those impacted by Hurricane Florence and other storms during this week.

On that note, I am off to do some Duvet shopping the old-fashioned way, on driving from store to store until I find what I need. Amazon Prime is great, when there's no storm on the horizon, unlike today.

What if, something as innocuous as a jet arriving with people exhibiting symptoms of influenza, was something else?

Fox 5 News broke a story this morning of an Emirates flight arriving with passengers onboard, including crew members, exhibiting symptoms that resembled influenza.
http://www.fox5dc.com/news/emergency-crews-respond-to-reports-of-sick-plane-passengers

 I couldn't help but notice, the people who directed the passengers did not have on hazmat clothing, neither the Emergency personnel nor the Airport help.  They went back to work, in the airport terminal, where people were checking in, getting on flights to take national and international flights.  They are going to walk through the terminals, filled with even more people, and then they are going to get on a shuttle bus, interacting with even more employees, going home.  They are going to get off of work tonight and go home.  In New York, that usually means using mass transit.  So, if its something truly contagious and deadly, New York is now ground zero, and everywhere anyone flies after interacting with them is a new Ground Zero.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  The first Month of Disaster Prepping calls for you to have an N95 Filter Mask in your Backpack.  After this morning's wake up call, you may want to have one in your Ready Pack also.

I have the following Masks for my family.  It is an Anti Pollution Mask with Exhaust Valve + 6 FILTERS - Military Grade N95 N99 Carbon Activated.  You can buy one on Amazon.

There are many to choose from, some say they will guard against the flu, but don’t trust that disclaimer.  Masks at Urgent Care centers will help for a little while, but are not long term solutions.  I have included information for several types. For plague type situations, you need a full mask (think gas mask) with an acid gas filter (plus an N100 pre-filter if you want to get technical about it), which you should not use without proper training and supervision.  Ask a Medical Professional for the best one to use.  You can find some examples at the following links:
https://amzn.to/2wgDrxZ
https://amzn.to/2LrKB7x
For Little Kids:  https://amzn.to/2MyLh0h
For Little Girls:  https://amzn.to/2o8OUeG
For Lower Budget:  https://amzn.to/2wfcniN

All products are suggestions ONLY.  Branch out and purchase other products than those advocated here.  We are not offered any incentive for these choices, we searched for the lowest cost, best-reviewed products we could find.

Be safe out there!

Welcome to our Inaugural Post!

Welcome to the Inaugural Post for Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators!  I want to commend you for taking a step in the right direction to learn how to not only prepare your family for Disaster but to also organize your home during the process.

My posts won't help you to prepare by using fear as a motivator.  Yes, we live in a tumultuous world, but fear saps your strength, muddles your decision making and doesn't help those who are depending on you for safety.  We will approach this venture with boldness, patience and the understanding that as Procrastinators we have to step up when people depend on us to provide for them and keep them safe.


As you read through the book, make sure you keep your Shopping List book handy.  Remember not to overbuy items just because they are on sale.  Concentrate on getting the items for your Ready Packs and Backpacks so you will be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.

You can check our Social Media for hints and tips, I would encourage you to check my Pinterest Board for items I have pinned that have caught my eye.  Once you do your initial Prepping, you can use the boards for information to help you branch out into further areas of preparation.

We just provide the basic steps so that you can make the right decisions for yourself and your family, having learned you can prepare without having to wear Camo, arm yourself to the teeth and start digging that moat, like, YESTERDAY.  Let's dial that WAY back, and do what we can, working with what we have to work with.

As you work through the book, try to figure out why you put off doing the things that have to do with Prepping and Cleaning, then toss that behind you and set out to get it done!  What may have been true yesterday, doesn't have to be your truth today.  Follow the techniques after you find out why you procrastinate, and one square at a time, make a change!

If you follow the Monthly tasks and Flash Fixes, at the end of the year you should be golden.  Many books want you ready in a couple of months, but you didn't get where you were in a month, and you won't get out of it in a couple of months.  You need a good month to completely clean each space so you don't get overwhelmed and quit.  I have done the SAME thing, and I will be taking this journey with you, posting my nightmares and my triumphs.  I too have struggled with trying to prepare with those long lists and simplistic recommendations that just didn't work with the way that I think.  I have had too many days I could not invite someone over because the house was just a wreck.  Well, time is passing and your life means more than staying in that state of disarray due to procrastination.

I can do this, YOU can do this, and we are going to work on it together to get things done.  If you're a Mom or Dad, Single or Married, young or old, you can use our steps to prepare yourself and get your house in order. This is what I am working towards, and I KNOW I can do it!  I know you can too.  I look at all of those Houzz, HGTV and DIY shows, and I am DETERMINED to get this together!  I want to order something from Wayfair and have a place to put it that makes sense.


I want to clean out my closets and drawers, THIS is the year I let those size 6 Jeans go for GOOD, there's somebody out there who can wear them a lot better than my sausage legs can!  This is the year to make a change, getting all of my Disaster supplies in order, in one spot and getting my house in order at the same time.  I know I can clean a room if I have a month to do it, and so can you!

Do what you can with what you have.  Remember, in an Emergency, you want options.  Put in the work up front, to give yourself options.  It's much easier to buy a 24 pack of water now at $3.00 than to be forced to buy it at $15.00 with a 2 pack limit in a disaster.  Take care of buying your necessities while prices are low and supply is plentiful.

You may have to cut back on Fast Food, Entertainment or Starbucks for a few months, but its worth it.  You can purchase canned goods and water with SNAP-Food Stamps benefits, its well worth the cost now, for the security you will give your family in an emergency.  Explain what you are doing to your family, and get them onboard.  After all, you are planning for your safety, and for a comfortable and clean living environment.  If you can't get them to pitch in on the prepping, you can get them to pitch in on the cleaning.

Many of the things you need for your basic Ready Pack and Backpack, you can get at the Dollar Store.  Just check expiration dates, and get travel sizes in case you have to evacuate by air.

Our books are available in Print on Amazon.com at the following links:

https://amzn.to/2QsRWY6  Link for the Paperback Book.

This is the link for the Paperback Forms Book.  The Forms Book and Shopping List Book are only available in Paperback.

https://amzn.to/2x8Zkj6 

The Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators book, (not the Lists or Forms Books) is also available as an EBook at the following link also.


I hope you enjoy this Blog and please feel free to post pictures and comments to show how you are coming along.  If you fall behind, let me know so I can encourage you to keep on going!  Please encourage each other to keep at it also, this is a Marathon, not a Sprint.  All my best,
be encouraged,