An intense study into the role of who I am.
In our last lesson we talked about gardening. I mentioned that the best way to try something new was to try it on a small scale. Whether that is gardening, bee keeping, making cheese, learning how to make butter, or learning to knit or crochet. Think about ways that you can use your creativity and help your family at the same time.
I was into scrap booking, but when I discovered the ability to produce picture books online, I gave away my supplies and produced photobooks. I have crocheted almost everything imaginable and can knit a scarf and a wearable sweater but rarely do that anymore. I am not quilting anymore but sewing my clothing. I enjoy baking but force myself to cook dinners. I have taught myself to make soap but don’t do that anymore. I just don’t have the time to work full time, write, garden, harvest, sew and clean the house, and do everything I want too.
Listed below are some ideas for you to explore. Read about them, watch a few YouTube videos on them, but do something to expand your mind and talents. Whether that is dancing, bowling, playing bridge, or take up basket making, do something that will benefit you and your family.
Do you know how to?
Bake bread, or at least biscuits?
How to dry herbs for seasoning and teas?
Do you know how to bake with honey?
Do you know how to butcher a rabbit or chicken?
Do you know how to garden?
Do you know how to operate a bread maker?
Do you know how to make a sour dough starter?
Do you know how to make lemonade?
Do you know how to help an animal give birth?
Do you know how to clean a wound?
Do you know how to use a drill and saw?
Do you know how to check the oil and change a tire?
Do you know how to make wound care products?
Do you know how to clean a chimney?
Do you know how to fire a rifle?
Do you know how to use a plunger?
Do you know how to start a fire?
Do you know how to bake a pie?
Do you know how to make pickles?
Do you know how to hem a pair of pants?
Life is too short to sit in front of the television set and watch other people live their lives. Almost anything you want to learn is a touch away on your cell phone. Yes, there is a huge difference between watching and learning how to kayak from a YouTube video and going to learn at the local pool. But it will help you understand and grasp the concept. What do you enjoy? Fishing, boating, sailing, camping, hiking, foraging through the woods, making homemade syrup, picking berries, hunting, or shooting? Maybe it’s throwing knives or axes. Maybe it is learning and reenacting the 1600s or the 1800s. Are you fascinated with living off grid. Do you want to learn to swim or water ski? Do you want to learn to make your own teas and cookies. Do you want to learn how to milk cows and goats? Do you like bird watching or want to make a boat by hand? There are endless things to learn and do. Ditch the television and do something.
We talk a lot about the 1940s here on this site. Many of the things that they were forced to learn were taught by attending classes in the evenings or on the weekend. They had to rely on government pamphlets, books from the library and from the experience of people around them. They didn’t have the option of learning by a device. Suppose something did happen in your city, and you lost power because a bomb blew up your power plant, or you lost your internet service, and you no longer have that information at your fingertips. What do you know? Do you know how to wash your clothes in a homemade washing machine? Do you know how to heat water for a shower? Do you know how to communicate with the outside world without your phone? Can you buy food and supplies without your phone? Do you know how to cook over an open fire?
No one expects you to know how to live like it is 1880, unless you teach at a museum that way of life. But you should know a few things and we will discuss some of them here.
How to trim a wick on an oil lamp. Most oil lamps use a one-inch wick, which is made of 100% cotton. Oil lamps can burn two kinds of oil, kerosene, or paraffin. I prefer the unscented paraffin oil, because it is safe to store indoors, is cleaner when burning and lasts a long time. There are three basic cuts, a round cut top, a peak cut, and a basic flat cut. For more light use the peak cut, however, never let your lamp smoke. If it does turn it down.
Did you know you need to trim candle wicks as well.
Today we have flashlights and battery-operated lanterns. Oil lamps burn approximately ½ ounce of oil per hour, so one gallon will last about 258 hours. A battery-operated lantern will last approximately 50 hours on new batteries.
Did you know that you can buy human powered washing machines? All different price ranges, all different designs. Of course, there are many homemade options posted online as well. I know you may never have thought about such a thing, unless you camp a lot, but take a look at them, you may need some way to wash clothes if the power is out for a long time. If you are preparing your pantry, it might be wise to add a clothesline, clothes pins and a 5-gallon bucket with lid to your list.
Homemade toilet. What can I say, you need one. Most urban dwellers don’t give this a second thought. You go and flush. Without power to your water plant, there is no water, and no flushability. If you have to flush the toilet, and no water remains in the toilet, line it with a plastic bag, or have a 5-gallon bucket with a plastic bag and cut a pool noodle to line the top for comfort. Keep the lid of the bucket on top of the bucket when not in use. There are countless ways to design your own toilet if you search Pinterest.
Have and know how to use basic tools. Have screw drivers, pliers, hammer, duct tape, glue, scissors, screws, and nails, even if just a few. It is wise to have a saw, shovel, pails, work gloves and axe. You may consider a pocketknife, baseball bat, and a radio.
Have something set aside for entertainment in case of a power outage. Most children are interested in playing video games and watching television. When you lose power, it’s gone. Depending on your children, paint, puzzles, board games and army men might not cut it, because they are not familiar with those kind of toys in today’s world. Teach your children how to handle being a kid without power before it happens, and don’t be one of those moms who get on Facebook and complain that your children are driving you nuts because the power is out, and they are bored. Have family game nights or no internet and device day occasionally.
Things to have on hand in case: some are weather related. Bicycles, games and puzzles, books, crossword puzzles, lawn bowling, be creative and build a tent city in the livingroom, chess and checkerboard, do science experiments, help them build a Lego tower. Be involved and help them create the fun.
Learn how to do something. Learn how to do much. Learn how to do simple electrical things, such as changing a lamp cord plug, or even just where is the fuse box. Learn basic first aide. How to unplug a toilet and where is the water main shut off valve. Know how to check the oil, tire pressure, and change a tire. Learn how to change the oil in your lawn mower, at least know how to check it.
Pick something that interests you, and let it grow from there. If you like tea, learn to grow and preserve your own. If you have a pile of clothes, you are donating because they lost a button or need hemmed, learn to repair them. If you have a linen closet overrun with sheets, learn to braid a rug. Towels can become rags, and those good but tiring vegetables in your fridge can become stew or soup. Learn to make soap, syrups, and salves.
We talked about diapers, sewing, trimming a wick, and other things. If you know how to do something, it removes fear. If you are prepared to handle a situation it doesn’t cause you to buckle under pressure and give up before you start. Preparedness means you can handle it. “It may not be comfortable, but you will move forward instead of being left behind.” If the announcement that power will be out for three days, you smile and say, “I don’t like it, but me and my family are okay. We have water, a way to cook and more than enough food. We have lights, batteries, and a heating source.”
NO ONE EVER SAID YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND BUY AN EXPENSIVE FIREPLACE, OR GENERATOR TO SURVIVE. Start where you and your budget allow. Candles, matches and water are a good starting point. You will be ahead of most people with just those three things.
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