Category: personal

Cool to start but then back to normal. Unless we get more rain. That might keep it cool for the day. Yesterday started with rain, but ended up sunny. The early rain kept the temperature down though and it was pretty nice. More of that would be great. Forecast shows the whole south and gulf coast in potential rain for the next couple of days. I’d like some nice days in Florida though, if we could get them.

Did my pickups Wednesday. Talked to my auctioneer, and generally did my normal routine day. Even did a load of laundry so I would have clean clothes for the trip. Just another day.

And today will be mostly getting ready to leave. Kids have school in the morning, but then we leave for our flight in the afternoon.

I’m not at all excited for this trip, but I should get into it once it gets going.

Can’t prep much, except for my normal carry on bag and relationships.

But these are the good old days, and we need to make sure they are GOOD. Time with family is good.

Building memories is good.

Stack the intangibles as well as the tangibles.

nick

Cool to start, but warming rapidly. It was in the high 80sF or more by late in the day yesterday, although it started cool enough. Sun came out and it was actually pretty bright and sunny later. More of that would be ok with me.

I had lots to do, and it was awkwardly timed, so of COURSE I got a service call from my client on top of everything. I was able to flip some stuff around and accommodate him. I stopped on my way there and grabbed a new APC UPS. We have Cyberpower there, mainly because of cost, but I prefer APC. The store had an open box unit discounted enough I could go with the APC. He was back on grid when I got there, and the UPS was still beeping, so it was time to swap it. They do wear out, they do catch surges. At home, I try to replace the battery once, but after that, the power electronics seem to be just worn out and the unit needs replacing.

Anyway, got him back up and running, then picked up D1, dropped her home, did my trash run, came back to take D2 to the orthodontist, then took her with me to get two pickups before time ran out. Came home and crashed out in front of my PC. Wife took care of the other kid taxi duties last night.

Oh, and I cut myself. Details in yesterday’s comments. We’ll see today if there is any infection. I didn’t really want stitches with the heavy bandage, and water restrictions, especially with my trip to Disney coming up. Fortunately I had the steri-strips, antibiotic, cleaners, etc. Well, it’s not down to “fortune” exactly, but it’s down to preparation and stacks. Which is the whole point of prepping.

So fail for cutting myself, hooray for preps for treating the injury.

Stack stuff you might need, as well as stuff you know you will need. Then stack some more.

nick

No idea what to expect today. A front was moving in when I went to bed, with blowing wind and lower temps. I would like it to be clear.

I got pretty crispy in the sun and overcast yesterday. I’m going to be regretting that for a week. But I had a great time at the Hamfest. Saw some people I only see there, and some people from real life. Two of them live near my BOL, one is involved with the club there. I met some new people to, and chatted about my non-prepping hobby. I’m hoping to see one of them at a meeting next month.

I still have to take the trailer back to uhaul, and I’ve got a few things in the truck to take back to storage. That’s my main reason for not wanting rain today.

I don’t know how my back will feel today either, but it was hurting after the load up, and hurting after unloading, and then again after the load out… I don’t usually take Tylenol but it was helping me sleep last night.

After getting the last of the Hamfest stuff stored away, it will be time to do some putting away and organizing in the garage and driveway. And in the house and my office. And everywhere else too for that matter, but that stuff will have to wait. I’m pretty sure we’ll head to the BOL for most of the kids’ spring break. Thare be plenty to do up there…

Keep stacking, keep working, build some relationships.

nick

Cool and misty to start. Then clearing and warming. Like the last couple of days, it should be nice. It’s been great for my mood.

Did my echo cardiogram yesterday morning. Don’t know why I mis-wrote “electro” when even the appointment note in my calendar had it right. It was another new experience. Interesting to watch the pictures and video of my insides…

Did some pickups in the afternoon. Hit the grocery store for a few items. Then kid stuff needed doing. Tuesdays and Thursdays keep me busy until 9pm.

Today I don’t have any poking, prodding, irradiating, or electrifying on the schedule. I do have all my normal stuff. There will be some domestic bliss, and then some more pickups. This week had a lot of stuff for the BOL, and a few things for here. I picked up some resale stuff too, because the deal was too good to pass up. And hey, I’ve got a hamfest coming up, and I would like to have a few new things to sell.

The world does continue to turn. It is feeling like momentum for real change domestically might be flagging… while the war machine juggernaut is lurching to its feet internationally. I don’t see any reason to stop prepping. There are plenty of natural disasters, and man made disasters beyond war and civil unrest. As the weather gets nicer, the protests will likely get bigger. They learned lessons, built cadre, put funding and comms networks into place. They’ll want to exercise that this year.

Don’t be slack, continue to stack! ‘cuz that can ain’t kicking itself done the road.

nick

Cool and clear? Finally, we got clear blue sky and moderate temperatures yesterday afternoon. The day had a great start with grey and fog, so I didn’t expect the blue sky evening. Hoping for the same today.

Did some of my stuff yesterday, then picked up the kids. Took D1 and the dog for a walk because it was so nice.

Had a chat during the walk with D1 about her friend. The friend is trying hard to break the cycle of generational poverty and being a hood rat. But she also has no real idea about what the stuff she wants to do will cost, or the time it will take. She wants to homeschool while also being a traveling nurse, for example, while living on a horse farm in Virginia… The poor kid knows there are better lives out there but has no idea what’s really involved. Goals are good. Fantasies are not. D is getting a lesson in real life, because she really wants to help the friend, but her (much more realistic) appraisal is not welcome.

You can’t save the whole world. That’s a tough lesson to learn.

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Today I have another pickup only down south this time, instead of northeast. I was able to split the days up so I didn’t have to do both in the same day. I also might be able to combine a trip this way. This pickup is mostly stuff for the house.

My pace of acquisition is slowing, for sure, and the stuff I’m buying is more niche or further down the “nice to have” path. Two steel NATO style gas cans are a good buy, and I feel like I can always use another gas can, but do I really NEED another two cans? Well, the steel cans do keep the gas better than the plastic cans that breathe. And the plastic cans will split on the seams eventually. So if I can get them cheap, I will buy gas cans. Same goes for alternative heating, cooling, or cooking methods.

Duplicates, defense in depth alternatives, and unicorns are what I seem to be looking for these days, when it’s not something needed for day to day operations in the house or BOL. I probably need to spend some time editing and culling spoiled or supplanted items too. There is always more to do.

Stacking is the easiest, and sometimes that’s all I can manage. Do something.

nick