Maximizing Your Personal Resources / Surviving the Future

[Raw Shark]

And that's why warning shots are bad ideas.

Oh, give me a break, I was like 15.

[Raw Shark]

Well, a lot of people aren't Boy Scouts. Once I was the fire marshall, I didn't even have to carry mine. I'd just snap my fingers and say, "Knife," and some kid would hand me one. But I always have one with me now.

An additional word on knives: If there is a size limit in your state and you want a really handy multi-tool, you can't go wrong with Victorinox. I don't usually endorse a particular brand, but those guys know their shit. I've had the thing for 27 years and it's held up. Massachusetts only allows 3.5" on a blade, so that's what I've got, and there are about 20 tools in it, and if you keep it oiled properly the blade flips out fast enough to make a difference when it counts, if you know what I mean. In Colorado you can wear a fucking broadsword on your hip as long as it's not concealed, because Colorado, but I haven't bothered to purchase one. One of my Irish-American friends is the proud owner of an actual 6' claymore, which he keeps as a decorative mantelpiece and for home defense. If there's one thing you can say about the Centennial State besides that we like pot, we like weapons. Maybe not the best combination, but here we are and this is how we roll.

Kind of funny story: One time the troop was at the grocery store getting ready for food for a trip when Goose and I were serving as the cooks. (Dave's rule #3: You can't get First Class rank until you can make me a decent breakfast. There are official rules, but the leader can make his own at will). We needed 30 eggs, and they only had 12-egg cartons, so I whipped out my knife and sawed one in half. Two little old ladies saw me pull the knife and freaked the fuck out. They actually called the cops. The cops intercepted me at the cash register and told me to present the knife, and one of them actually had a measuring tape. He was like, "This kid is exactly in the legal limit, and he didn't stab anybody, so we're going to leave now. Proceed, boys."

[Zaune]

I now have £350's worth of tinned food, bottled water and other miscellaneous survival stores. I'd like to commend the Asda delivery driver and mate for being very polite and helpful despite the fact they were called upon to carry 26 rather heavy crates up the stairs to my apartment.

All I need now is to rig up the solar panels, learn to use my radio transceiver and bury the iron horseshoe in salt for a week and the property is about as Brexit-proof as it's ever going to get.

[Raw Shark]

bury the iron horseshoe in salt for a week

Is this some sort of British slang term for something, or are you preparing for a faerie invasion?

[Zaune]

What can I say? I was on a bit of a Mercedes Lackey kick when I ordered it a while back, and at this point the New Age pagan revivalists from the closest thing we have to a Midlands Nationalist Party are sounding a lot saner than the people actually in charge of this country, so I figure it can't hurt.

[Darth Tanner]

Where are you keeping £350 of bottled water and tinned food in an appartment? Let alone what are you going to do with the solar panels!

[Raw Shark]

I'm trying not to spend money on anything right now because I owe a lot to the hospital, but I found some hand sanitizer and some cigarette lighters on sale, so I have added ten of each to my INCH bag. Also, one of my better knives and half a box of strike-anywhere matches, which I already had. I waterproofed the matches years ago, by dipping them in wax. It's a pain in the ass, but it can save your ass.

[Zaune]

Where are you keeping £350 of bottled water and tinned food in an appartment? Let alone what are you going to do with the solar panels!

What won't fit in the kitchen cupboards I'm going to stack in the space where the under-counter fridge was supposed to go. The solar panels aren't very large -the kit I bought was intended for use with a caravan or small RV- and will fit in the window ledges.

[Broomstick]

I came here to talk about something else and the prior posts reminded me that I have some solar panels around here. Somewhere. The husband stashed them "somewhere", where I can't remember, and of course I can't ask him anymore...

Make note: keep better track of resources in order to maximize them.

Anyhow, this week I discovered the rotisserie chicken.

My place of employment, being half grocery store, sells these things, probably at cost or a small loss. $4.99 for a whole chicken. Part of the appeal, aside from taking home a pre-cooked item ready to eat, is the potential to stretch the chicken and thereby get several meals for what turns out to be a low cost per meal.

So far:

1st meal: chicken drumsticks with sauteed green beans (green beans, mushrooms, crushed walnuts cooked in half butter/half soybean oil with a touch of garlic and pepper) and a couple slices of bread.

2nd meal: 2 chicken thighs with the leftover green beans and a couple slices of bread.

3rd meal: 1 chicken breast, salad (romaine lettuce, black olives, carrots, feta cheese and greek dressing)

4th meal: chicken salad (celery, green onion, mayo, and of course chicken) and watermelon slices.

5th meal (planned): leftover chicken salad

Future planning from here:

2 chicken wings (might be more of a snack) with veg and bread.

Chicken skin and trimmings in noodle soup with greens, mushrooms, and green onions.

Bones and other leftover bits: soup stock. Combined with other bones and bits in the freezer that should come out to about 2 liters of stock, from which I can probably get several more meals.

Bottom line, lots of mileage out of just 1 chicken. Although I am getting a bit tired of chicken at this point. That's partly because I'm eating mostly just chicken instead of, say, freezing half of it for later (bones and bits will be frozen until I'm ready to make stock).

Really, it almost makes more sense to buy the pre-cooked whole chicken than to buy parts.