Cooler and damp.
It was 58F when I went to bed last night, and it was about that cool most of the day. Overcast and misty rain finally burned off late in the afternoon.
Most of what I picked up yesterday was household related. Of the prepper stuff, the Dometic porta-jon was brand new in the box. The RV inverter wasn’t. It was the old 12v power supply module from whatever RV old boy updated later with the part that came in the box. It looks intact and included a fused multi-circuit 12v distro panel. It will make a great 12vdc power supply for my ham radios, whenever I get around to it. Lemonade from lemons and all that…
I harvested an actual lemon from my lemon tree. The other citrus is getting yellower every day. I hope some is not woody and hard, but I’ll take a dozen fruits, even if they’re not great this year, and hope for better next year. Planting trees is an act of faith that there will be a future.
No other visible sprouts, so I’ll try replanting with different seed packets. My neighbor at my secondary location is getting a good fall garden, so it isn’t just a bad year in Houston, it’s me. Try try again. (And buy more canned food.)
Lots of articles out there about people bum rushing to rural housing, buying lots of guns and ammo, and stocking up. The flip side is I’m seeing weird stuff in the amazon (and other store) returns auctions. Most of the online and brick and mortar stores just take their returns and auction them off in bulk to wholesalers. The wholesalers sometimes auction smaller bulk pallets, and sometimes auction individual lots. That’s what I mean when I talk about ‘returns’ auctions. Well, in the last couple of months, I’ve seen some interesting stuff. Chicken coops (reviews were that they were too small.) Chicken waterers. Chicken nesting pads and nesting boxes (lots of people trying to grow chickens.) Small animal nesting and bedding. Farrier starter tool kits (several in this week’s auction.) Farriers! Moon cups (reusable menstrual supplies are a prepper staple.) Solar panels.
Of course I’m seeing lots of other stuff that speaks of the lockdown, exercise equipment, bikes, and home reno bits and pieces, home decor too.
One puzzler is the TONS of child safety gates. I mean TONS. Every auction has dozens of lots. And just general human debris, as summer ends a lot of yard tools are being returned. Freaking thieves and returns fraud. Tents and camping gear are being returned in bulk as well.
Firearms and ammo are showing up in the consignment and estate auctions. Not much in the way of modern defensive arms, (except Hi-Point pistols- the modern ‘Saturday night special’.) Most of what I’m seeing is single shot rifles, old single shot shotguns- unloved brown rifles in other words. The ammo is usually sort of “cleaned out a drawer” quantities and a lot of non-defense calibers. It all sells for high prices, and defensive ammo or modern defensive arms are bringing eye watering prices compared to a year ago.
Surprising me, there are a couple of campers/trailers in this week’s auction. I figured people would hold on to them as a last resort living arrangement, but there must be folks who don’t expect to get to that point, who are looking to cash in on high demand.
On another note, I drove across all of Houston Friday, all the way to Baytown, and then up to IAH. Today I’ll be going down to Dickenson and back up through Bellaire. I crisscross Houston fairly regularly. I’m seeing a LOT of empty commercial buildings. I’m seeing a LOT of ‘For Lease’ signs. I even saw two new ones a few blocks from my house. The landslide has just started rumbling, a few pebbles are starting to roll down hill… I’ve got a feeling that ‘we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.’ But not in a good way.
Keep stacking, and keep your eyes and mind open to opportunity. There are always opportunities.
nick