Diary of a Survivalist
We just cut and chopped a pick-up truck bed full of firewood. That may sound like a lot, but when you put it in the woodpile, it really isn't. Years ago, when tossing logs into the back of the truck, we broke out the rear window, so I am careful not to load it too full. I can't remember what the deductible for glass is, but I know I had to pay something out of pocket.
Speaking of trucks, I am still thinking about getting a second gas tank. I think it would be a nice idea if we run into problems and have a gas shortage like we saw in the '70s. Of course, I don't know how the stations would feel about me pulling in and filling up with 50 gallons.
On the topic of fuel, I just bought another gallon of white gas to go with our Coleman stove. I go to Wal-Mart for most of this stuff, since it is usually cheaper than the sporting good stores. I am also convinced that we will have plenty of ways to cook, although baking bread will be a bit of a trick. I am sure we can make flat breads and corn breads and pancakes and such on our stove or in our Dutch oven, but baking is going to be tough. Out wood stove does not have an oven portion like the old wood kitchen stoves.
I am planning to fill both propane tanks and may buy a few others. I am also considering leasing a larger tank and running the generator on it. No, I have not purchased a generator in the month I have been off-line, but I am still thinking of doing so. Since we are watching our money now, I am sure we will not be getting a diesel and batteries. I think we will be going the gasoline route, and hopefully it will have an option for propane or natural gas as well. Since we have well water, every power outage is a hassle. The generator will keep us going in an ice storm or a summer blackout.
Also in the past month, I have started shooting a few rifle matches with my AR-15 HBAR. It is good practice for longer range (200 yard) shooting, but not really helpful for closer activities. But I guess if you can hit a target at 200 yards, you can probably ht one at 50. The question is can you hit a moving target or one behind cover. Right now I am using purchased ammo, but I am saving all my brass. I have never loaded .223, and I do not even have any rifle powders on hand, but I have the dies to do so, if necessary. I guess I better develop some test loads on my single-stage press so I will be ready.
I broke out the old Dillon and loaded all the pistol brass I had lying around. I cranked out 1500 or so rounds of 9mm (200 of them with hollow points) and about 600 rounds of 38 special, all with lead bullets. I am thinking of ordering some molds and the equipment to make my own bullet heads, but at about $35 per thousand, it is hard to justify buying the equipment. I will probably just buy a few boxes of heads. I may also buy 45-caliber ammo and the dies and heads for it. That's still a very popular caliber, even if I do not have a gun for it. You never know who will show up that needs ammo for their gun. Ideally, I would buy 500 rounds and then a few boxes of heads to reload the spent brass. The question is, how do you test a load for which you do not have a gun? Find someone who does, I guess.
All this talk about gun control as a result of the recent school shootings concerns me. Frankly, I do not care about the restrictions on gun show dealing. I think that I have only bought one gun at a show over my lifetime. And the idea of selling a gunlock with each gun just raises the price a few bucks. Neither am I concerned about raising the age to own a pistol to 21, although I think if you can let them serve in the army at 18, they out to be able to own their own firearms. But my real concern is that this is the start of something much worse. If the Democrats with these minor concessions, who know what they will ask for next. I know they want to ban guns outright, and if they win these relatively small battles, the next one will be for licenses, longer waiting periods, national registration databases, BATF inspections, mandatory gunsafes, etc.
I also object to the lawsuits being filed against the gun companies by many municipalities. What cow manure, to us the polite description. This is udderly (get it?) ridiculous. They might as well sue Ford or GM every time someone is injured by a car and has to spend time in a public hospital and the public's expense. Plus, by driving the gun manufacturers out of business in the U.S., they will just go elsewhere or we will see people running guns like they now run drugs. I own several guns manufactured outside the United States. Think of the gun names made elsewhere: Beretta, Sig, Glock, Browning, Benelli, Taurus, Sako, Star, Kalishnakov, etc. Most of the guns on the surplus market are from overseas, and I can't think of a single domestic manufacturer for an assault rifle outside of Colt, Bushmaster, Armalite and the other AR-type manufacturers.
And remember, folks like Colt and Mossburg supply the army, while Remington, Smith & Wesson, Glock and others provide guns for the police. What will these folks do for weaponry if we sue their companies out of existence? Or perhaps they will just declare bankruptcy and someone else will buy them. Colt has been bankrupt at least twice, I believe.
Besides, if they sold guns according to the laws of the country and state in which the gun was purchased, how can they be liable? I just don't get it. We would be better off prosecuting dealers who sell to people without following the laws.
Frankly, responsible gun owners and manufacturers are paying a price for manufacturers who made guns like the Tec 9 that were glorified on Miami Vice, became favorites of drug dealers and were used in a several mass killings, including the Colorado Incident. Now I admit that I have never shot one of these, but I think that I could do much better with a traditional pistol instead of one or these heavy, ungainly things. But that is lost on an unknowing public ready to believe whatever they see on TV or in the movies. I say sue the "bad" manufacturers, if you must, but let's let the big, responsible names in the U.S., including Smith & Wesson, Colt, Remington and their foreign competitors and distributors, alone. If there is liability here, it is with the BATF for not pursuing crooked dealers and local and federal prosecutors for not enforcing the laws we have and putting criminals away the first time.
Like me, many of you probably think you have enough guns to last the rest of your life, if necessary, but let's not be complacent. We have to think of those that come after us, whether it is our children or simply the woman down the street who's being stalked by a crazed stranger who she spoke a few kind words to once in the grocery store. Guns are the great equalizer and without them, we are all weaker.
Enough proselytizing; I'll step off the soapbox for now. And before you write me complaining about my views, let me remind you that having a gun could be an important part of your Y2K survival plan. Or your survival before or after Y2K.
OK, I'm back.
Captain Dave and the many e-mails he has received convinced me to write more of the diary. I can't believe that about 12 people per week have written asking about the diary. Thank you! And to all those who missed these updates, I apologize, but we had some family troubles/personal issues that took up much of my time. Well, I guess the truth is that Jill objected to all the time (and money) that I have been spending on Y2K and so I had to take a break, and that included not writing this stuff. I am back, for now, and hope to be able to write at least weekly. So I guess she wasn't quite as supportive and willing to prepare for Y2K as I thought. But I know also that I am not the only one to face this situation. All the positive media coverage lately and good report cards helped convince her that I was over reacting.
And that's a frightening prospect, because it means millions of people who might have prepared are not doing so. But more on this another day.
The good news is that we have worked out a compromise we can both live with and Y2K no longer causes an argument in our house. Also, the income tax refund just arrived, so our financial situation has improved somewhat. Not enough that I can get away with buying another gun, but perhaps enough to add some more ammo!
(Speaking of guns, I have seen a nice stainless model 10/22 Ruger rifle in Walmart. It comes with a synthetic stock and is about $189. We already have a 10/22, -- the boys like it -- and I would like to buy this one if it ever goes on sale. Just don't tell Jill, OK?)
Let me see what else I can do to bring you back up to speed on my preparations. First, food.
I received yet another, and final, food order from Ready Reserve Foods. The December order and February order arrived within weeks of each other, so I guess they are finally catching up on their back log. In any case, I am comfortable that I have enough food to last our family 9 months. I am counting on this being enough -- Jill says it better be! -- although I may buy some more wheat before the end of the year. Although is will be enough food for us, I am worried about how we will feed others who come to stay with us.
I also did an inventory of canned goods and rotated a bunch of things into our pantry. Despite the feeling that we have enough food, I have purchased more canned goods on sale, both vegetables and cases of Campbell's and store-brand soups. I have 30 rolls of toilet paper and some paper plates and plastic cups stored away as well. I plan on buying a few extra can openers, just in case! I plan to add more TP and plenty of napkins and other paper products. The plastic "disposable" cups are very useful and can actually last for many drinks, while the paper plates save water and are easy. Plus, we can burn the refuse. I don't expect we will have 9 months worth of paper products, but I'd like to have enough toilet paper to last at least six months before we have to break out old copies of the phonebook and paper back books.
Second, our garden, which is related to food. We worked on our garden quite a bit over the past six weeks. It is a decent size, probably about 80 feet long and 30 wide. I added lots of topsoil and worked in our own compost this year. We have sometimes rented or borrowed a rototiller, but did it all by hand this year. We are not usually adventurous gardeners and have the standard fare of tomatoes, green peppers cucumbers, corn and sunflowers, but we added carrots, herbs, several kinds of beans, more varieties of tomatoes, watermelon and several kids of lettuce to see how they do. I would have liked to plant the three sisters (corn, beans and squash) like the Indians did, but I think that will have to wait until next year. I am thinking of turnips, cabbage and other stuff that will last the winter. I was amazed at how well our compost pile did the past year. I swear that it shrunk 50 percent as it decomposed into think rich soil.
We do not use commercial fertilizers or insecticides, so I guess we are pretty much organic gardeners. We use marigolds to keep away the bugs, and that seems to help. This year, no rabbits have broken in, so the fence with the extra-small holes at the base seems to have worked. We've seen plenty of deer sign around, but none get too close and they have not jumped the fence yet.
It has been an ideal spring here for growing. It was warm early -- we probably could have put things in the ground two weeks earlier than we did -- with plenty of rain. We had one 10-day stretch without rain where we had to water, but otherwise, it has been fine. I expect a good crop fairly early in the year.
Here's a funny story. One of the neighbors has already harvested some asparagus. They have had the same asparagus plant for something like six years, and it has survived through all the winters. I don't know how they do it, but it is something to try!
Well, that's enough for now. Look for another installment over the Memorial Day weekend.
