preps are a lot easier now

Can you imagine having to pack everything you would need for several months into a wagon like this one? How would you balance your food needs with your tools, clothes, personal possesions and everything else you might need? Would you pack light on the food and hope you could hunt and forage what you need? Would you lighten up on the tools and hope nothing went wrong? Would you leave behind your possesions and completely start over? What would be essential to you? your children?

I would like to think that I would only pack essentials, but I know that if there were room, I have a lot of sentimental things I would really like to take. Luckily supplies are usually in packages that don't take up as much room now. Take the gun powder for example. Several cases of bullets would take up way less space than one of those barrels of gun powder. Pots and pans will usually stack fairly well. I would want a sewing kit with several different kinds of patches. Water would be a problem in our area but I think we could cut down on storing water by having a nice water filter to make water we find along the way safe to drink.

Flour and sugar and other dry goods can now be stored in containers that fit better in small spaces and can also be much more waterproof than those sacks. Instead of packing corn, you could take cornmeal which would take up less space and actually leave you with more food. Quilts and blankets would be a must and still take up just as much room. Clothing would also be a problem. I am a bit spoiled and could wear clothes for days on end without washing them, but I really wouldn't want to have to.

Tools are much more compact and effeciant than they used to be. A screwdriver and a hammer and ax or hand saw would probably be suffecient to fix most things. A gun cleaning kit would be nice. If you can't shoot your gun, you can't get fresh meat. I have a spinning wheel that is small and compact and I would like to take that if the SHTF.

This picture I just had to add because I don't think I have ever seen 50 lbs of lard at one time. I don't imagine that barrel would be pleasant to be around in 100 degree weather. I am so grateful that I didn't have to travel the way the pioneers did. Even if our family ended up walking across the desert, things would still be much easier than it was then. Or would it? Have we as a society become spoiled enough that it would actually be harder? What do you think?

TSA Agent Say What?

As I mentioned earlier this week, my mom and I did a whirlwind trip to Northern California this weekend. We flew, because a 75 min flight sounded a lot better then a 16 hour drive. We got up at the crack of dawn, drove to the airport (about 2 hours) and got there about 8:30 am. I was tired as all get out, hadn't had coffee (my mom is a non-habitual tea drinker, so the need for coffee in the morning is not on her radar) and had already had two calls from my dad (who was watching the boy).

We checked in, and worked our way to the security area, which as always was packed. They had two agents standing and reminding people to take off their shoes, have out any electronics, yata yata. One new twist was they asked that people remove any toiletries (which were require to be in plastic baggies) and place them directly in the bins. I remove my toothpaste and brush, and am trying to juggle my carry-on, purse, shoes, camera, cell phone, my mom's GPS and the plastic baggy with my toothpaste and brush.

I get a tap on the shoulder and turn around. A TSA agent (who 15 seconds previously was chatting on his cell phone, and obviously not about anything involving the airport) pokes at my hands and says "You can't take that". Now, I'm holding quite a few things and frankly I'm not sure what he's talking about. I asked what he means, he scowls then rolls his eyes and says "that toothpaste".

I must have had an odd look on my face (what wrong with my damn toothpaste?) and he says slowly "Its. Too. Big." I look at it and say "It's a toothpaste bottle". He says "It's 4.6 ounces, you can't carry more then 3.4". Now I'm not sure what traveling god decided on 3.4 ounces as the magical non-endangering number, but right that second I hoped they were burning in hell. I set down all of my things, and pointedly hold out the baggy between us, open the bag and remove the offender. I walk to the garbage can (still holding it at arms length) and throw it away. Walk back and seal my plastic baggy. "Better?" I say. The agent glares at me and walks away. And behind me, the ocean of people begin to clap.