I remember... The Escalator Scene

An incident in the refugee camp today reminded me of an incident at a two story, anchor, department store. People today were pushing and shoving; getting in to people's personal space.

I remember being at the two story department store. Instead of taking the elevator I decided to take the escalator (I was trying to avoid jail time not taking the same elevator as the family with the screaming toddler).

I was on the second floor and stepped onto the down escalator. For a bit no one got on behind me. Then half way down I notice a difference. Someone is in my personal space. I looked left, then right.

The person behind me yelled "What bitch?" As I get off the escalator I turn to the right, towards the register. The rude man behind me gets off the escalator yelling, "Finally, you fat bitch you took up the whole escalator!" I picked up a vroom left my am employee and applied some martial arts on his ass. I tripped him up as he crossed my path. Then I hit him with the broom on his back. Finally, I just kicked him in the gut and walked away, head tall, with a smile on my face.

I remember... Elevator 01

I was laying down, remembering an incident at the local department store. I was there with my roommate. We were there to buy her nephew a toy.

Already I was developing a headache from the constant whining of a two year old. I heard the chronic noise pollution coming from the next aisle. Curious to the cause of my headache I decided to take a sneak peak at the disturbed child.

I expected to find a girl with long hair, a dress, and a princess tiara on her head the way she was carrying on. Instead I found two rough and tumble boys fighting over the same toy. Both boys were wearing earth tone t-shirts and long pants. One had a typical 4-year old boy sounding cry. The second had a 2-year old high pitched feminine cry! Probably perfected from fighting with his brother over the toys.

I decided to walk away from the area. I was expecting the noise level of the high pitched crying to level off. It did not. In the moment I decided to leave my roommate the parents came to both boys, picked them up and decided to spontaneously parallel walk with me away from the toy department. "Oh my g-d! Am I being followed? Seriously?! Really?! F-CK!!" At this point I'm at my wits end, just like the father of the two boys. I was heading for the elevators, when lo-and-behold!, guess who called the elevator! I WANTED TO SCREAM! I WAS SO FRUSTRATED. I step away from the elevator. "I got the toy", said my roommate as she passed me by. She walked over to the elevator and got in the same car as the family. Apparently she missed the dad attempting to lead the screaming child into said elevator. Failing that he picked up the brat and shoved him in the car. Mother and older brother followed. "Come on", said my roommate as she stepped into the elevator. The door closed behind her. I refused to take a step closer to her.

The elevator doors closed. I could still hear the child screaming. Suddenly a blaring alarm sounds out from the cavity of the elevator car. The elevator was stuck between floors!

I slowly and joyfully walked away from the nightmare of elevator 01. I was very happy to have some alone time from my roommate and that family.

My friend was finally released from her noisy jail 40 minutes later. She found me at the cafeteria eating a hot dog and drinking an Icee. So much for peace and quiet.

The Old Haunting Ground

Ok the bitch had it coming!   See, first back in civilization she asked me if I could cook cuz her highness was hungry for a steak. Kiss my mo fo ass. Now since our TRANSPLANT she saw me washing my clothes and thought I would just do it for her automatically. She actually came to me and gave me specific directions. "Not too much starch, and I want them in an hour!" Oh really? Then she dropped her clothes at my feet. She walked away and I walked over them.  

I thought about it. This is a different place. I'm not responsible for that bitch. 

So I looked around and found a few ivies and oaks that looked REAL FAMILIAR. Guess what I did. I didn't bother using my soap.  I rinsed her clothes and  poision sumac to the bag. The bitch came back for her clothes. I told her they were still in the bag along with the flowers she wanted to scent them. I told her she could keep the bag. Then I told her I don't do anyone's laundry and not to come back. 

WAB!

My Clothes

I have only told you of the clothes I was wearing when I was evacuated. I never told you of the change of clothes in my backpack, or the change clothes at the store. Well, let me tell you now...

In my backpack I always tried to keep a change of clothes in case of an incident away from home; an evacuation, a pull out, a shelter in place at work, etc... So I tried to put in clothes that would work for me in everyday life; top, bottom, bra and panties, bathing suit, socks.

Originally I was thinking of shorts for bottoms, but then I thought, what if its cold? What if I have to go to work? What then? That made me think of the BIG PICTURE. I may still have to work in an emergency. It may be cold during the emergency. I want the clothes to be practical and modern. No out of date clothes. Oh, good luck with that. The first change of clothes had me putting in clothes I was ready to donate to Goodwill Industries or the Red Cross. When I took a good look, I realized I didn't want to be caught dead in outdated clothes anymore. Also, seeing as my work has a solid colored shirt and navy pants for a uniform, I decided to forgo the polka dotted shirt and red pants (thank goodness). Instead I went with a solid color polo shirt to match my work, and navy blue pants legging.

Underwear is easier. I put in a sports bra and two-dark, cotton brief panties. Socks, a pair is nice; two is better. I added a two piece bathing suit, just in case for bathing. You never know where you'll be bathing. That's what I had in my backpack, tightly folded up and placed in a plastic bag.

At the store, I ended up picking up another set of clothes; 2 tops, 1 bottom, 1 underwear, and 2 socks. When I picked my clothes from my closet I was able to mix and match. At this store I wasn't able to do that. I asked for a clothing item of a certain size and color, they gave me the size, not the color. So that combination does not match in itself. They do mix and match well with my other clothes though.

At the store they gave me a yellow tunic and grey shorts. After all is said and done, I still get shorts. Oh---kay. Black socks. They gave me men's black socks. Not a problem really. I feel sorry for the man with pink women's socks. I might be tempted to trade with him... For a price...

Chicken Fricasee

Today I made the campsite version of Chicken Fricasee.
I took two ounces of noodles, 1/2 can of chicken, 1/2 can tomato soup, 1/2 water, and 1/2 can of mixed vegetables. 

I used the thermos cooling method to cook. I heated up water on my fire. When it came to a rolling boil I poured it into my thermos and sealed it. The food was already on my thermos. I turned it side to side and rolled it to make sure all sides of the food got cooked by the boiling water.  

One hour later I opened up my thermos to check on my chicken Fricasee. Hmmm. It was almost done. I sealed it up and waited another half hour. It was finally done.   

Mmm mmmm good. 

Laundry

It's laundry time. I need to wash my clothes. I don't even want to tell you what I'm wearing. The day I was evacuated I was wearing heavy winter clothes, in layers. My final destination was a complete change in climate and land. Off came the long sleeve polo, tunic and long johns. Off came the winter coat. My undies I'd change on a regular basis. Some days I'd even forgo the bra. 

As I said before, it's wash day. Today I'm wearing my two piece bathing suit because I know I WILL get wet. I put my dirty clothes in a large trash bag and added water to it, then closed it up. I shook up the bag to make sure my clothes were fully wet. I reopened the bag and added only a half capful of hand washing detergent. I closed the bag, again, and shook it, hoping the water and clothes would suds up. A few minutes later I, once again, opened the bag and looked inside. Hmmm. Interesting. "Do I need to add another half a capful of detergent?" There were suds, but not too many. I really didn't want too many suds, because then I would need a lot of water to rinse them out. 

Phase two in washing my clothes had me transferring clothes from the bag to my bucket. One item at a time, I put the clothes under water and finished washing them out by hand. When I was done I rung them out completely before placing them in a bucket of clean water. Once again I rung out the clothes. Because water is such a commodity I still had some soap suds in my clothes. Still, the majority of my clothes were now clean. What did I clean? Five pairs of socks, all my briefs and bras, short sleeve polo shirt, tunics, navy blue leggings and shorts. I considered a second "load" for the polo shirt and leggings. But I decided, "Why do a second load for two pieces of clothing?" A full load is what's needed. 

My winter clothes will be washed later. I need to save water for now. 

I

The Trade

Before the big exodus many survivalists/preppers/Mormons talked frequently about the economy after a SHTF (Shit Hits The Fan) situation. Many promoted billets and band aids. "you can hunt for your food". Others simply said they would "find the nearest idiot and steal their food". 

On the other side were people who think gold and silver  are the one and only things to "hoard" as people can't live trade with bullets and band aids, easily. These people believe its better for them economically to have gold and silver. Never mind the food. You can always buy food with an ounce of gold. And yet Wendy Dewitt states that would be the most expensive meal ever to have been bought. An ounce of gold for a can of soup! A subgroup thinks silver is better than gold because it is cheaper. It's still the same issue. If you don't have food you won't survive. 

Another group thinks that food and only food should be "hoarded". In this manner they will live a lot longer and can trade for goods needed in the future.  

One group proposes stockpiling needed goods for future use to trade after the collapse of civilization.  I've seen men state they plan to stock alcohol, marijuana and/or tobacco to trade/sell. Those men have been warned that addicts will NOT offer to trade, simply steal or worse kill and take what they think is rightfully theirs. I see other people, both men and women, state they will stockpile less conspicuous items such as hygienic supplies, clothes, shoes, sandals, etc... for trade. These items fall under the legal radar. Everyone has shoes. Everyone has clothes. Everyone has household items such as; dental kit, combs, brushes, can openers, utensils, etc...

One last group says, "once you trade everything you have stockpiled what are you going to do next? How will you trade?  You need a skill that everyone needs but few know. Sewing, knitting, bullet making, shoemaking, gardening, smithing, candle making, soap making, etc...  Entrepreneurship. 

In my opinion. The best one is all around. However, I don't think people saw complete evacuation from everything we know and love as plausible---except Mr. Bullets-Bandaids  he knew. 

•But he wasn't allowed to bring his weapons with him. 

•Mr. and Mrs. Mercantile may have had stashes here and there but I doubt they were able to bring it over to the site. If they're lucky; maybe they bought a lot of combs from the store. 20 combs for one unit of payment. 

•Ms. Crocker never had a chance to bring her dry goods on this trip. Only what they gave us. Maybe she can teach everyone recipes. 

• Mr. and Mrs. Engineer-Entrepreneur  seem to be handling the situation the best. They have their life skills knowledge. They can use it or teach it. All they need are a few tools. They can trade it for food, merchandise or skill. They still need food to survive. 

So....

• Where do I fall? What's my preference? How prepared was I? Well, I had been storing canned food for a while at my place. I had a GO BAG made which I wore wherever I went. The day they picked me up I was wearing it. I learned how to knit and sew. I learned to bake and cook from scratch, not frozen. I learned to play a few songs on a recorder. 

I did stockpile a few things to barter with. Most of it was at the house when I was picked up. Fortunately my backpack had a few things in it for trade as well. I kept my items VERY LIGHT knowing the bag would be carried on my back. 

• A 75 ct. bag of floss paks 

• 20 ct. bag of family combs 

• 18 ct. bag hair elastics. 

• A recorder to entertain people for trade 

• Stories to read and tell people for entertainment. (See journal) 

• Lots of seeds to garden with and then trade the produce for items. I had them wrapped tightly in zip locked bags. 

• A thin homemade, water proof, reference journal to fall back on. I'll talk about this more in another entry. 

• My tools. Sewing kit and knitting needles. Small kit. I got another kit at the store the day of evacuation. 

• Self defense. Martial arts, knitting needles, and now defunct house keys. I have a multitool kit I keep in my pocket. 

My skills? 

• Knitting hats and scarves 

• Sewing scrubs and feminine towels

• Playing simple music on my recorder

• Storytelling 

Only time will tell if its enough. At this point EVERYONE is subsisting. 

Cooling Down

How do you cool down when there is no electricity? No electricity; no air conditioning... Way back when our ancestors used fans, individual hand fans were seen on the hands of Doñas, and southern ladies alike. Servants and slaves were made to fan their masters, mistresses, and bosses, during the day. They would be the ones to fetch the water. When it was time they drew a bath for them as well.

Well, I don't have servants, and I definitely don't have slaves. I have to draw my own water or pay/trade someone to do it for me. I have made a personal fan to cool myself with. If only there were electricity or even a pool. There is no pool here at our campsite. There is no lake, nor a creek or brook. Instead a bucket of water is what I have.

A bucket of water, a wash cloth and a spray bottle. I fill the spray bottle with water and mist my arms, legs, face, and chest. Ah a bit of relief. Then, I dunk my cloth in the bucket and quickly splash water over me.

First I squeeze water on my head to help cool down my brain. Then I dunk the cloth again and put the wash cloth on my chest for a while. My chest requested cooling when I started overheating. It's at this point that I take a drink from my filtered water bottle. In a few minutes I dip my towel again and place it directly on my back.

Ah, already I feel my body cooling down. Once again, I leave the towel there for a few minutes. During this whole process the spray bottle has not been forgotten. Mists of water is constantly being sprayed on me while I fan myself with a hand fan.

Oh, when will this heat end?

Rotten Fruit

Fruit won't last forever. If its refrigerated it'll last longer. If its at room temperature it'll expire as nature intended. If it is preserved either in jars or dehydrated it will last the longest.

I can't refrigerate my fruit because there is no electricity. I don't bother preserving because there isn't enough to make it worthy of the task. What do I do? I eat the fruit as long as it lasts. Occasionally a fruit will expire before I have the chance to eat it. Before, back home I simply would have thrown out the offending fruit and grabbed another one. I don't have that option here. Every resource has to be used. It cannot be thrown away. What do I do? I cut away the rotting flesh of the fruit and use it for composting. The good, the fresh part of the fruit I eat.

Every part of the fruit is used up. I save the seeds and plant them. The skin of the citrus I use to add zing to foods I cook. When I can no longer use the skin I add it to the compost.

NOTHING IS WASTED. Nothing.

When the fresh milk went sour I made a dessert out of it. I didn't throw it away. When I made it it smelled nasty. But, when I ate it it tasted delicious. My mother used to make it when I was a little girl. A house full of two adults and four children. Occasionally the milk did expire. Not always, but sometimes. My mom would be making the spoiled milk dessert Saturday mornings. I would wake up to that foul odor. However, once I knew what she was making, despite the foul smell, I couldn't wait to eat it.

Finger Knitting A Scarf

During my downtime I took out my yarn. I don't have any knitting needles, but that's alright; finger knitting is fine. When knitting needles were no longer allowed in Federal buildings, finger knitting worked wonderfully.

MY CRAPPY NOVEL : THE BATH

MY CRAPPY NOVEL : THE WASH:      Try as I might there is no privacy in this camp.  I enter my tenet and close the flap.  While in this perceived privacy I take off my j...


here's another descriptive essay about camp life. my own personal experience was sponge bathing because there was no running water. I always try to conserve water.  Try taking a bath the way the brits did back during WW2.  The water couldn't be any higher than your ankle in the tub!  Try taking an African bath! Do you know we waste 100's of gallons of water taking a long shower? We have to change the way we treat water and the earth.

THE BATH

     Try as I might there is no privacy in this camp.  I enter my tent and close the flap.  While in this perceived privacy I take off my jeans, t-shirt, socks, and underwear.  I put on my tankini.

     Already I have heated water cooling in my bucket.  I've asked a few friends to watch the door for me.  There were some people noticing I was getting ready for a bath.  I don't want or need Peeping Toms focused on me!  Hopefully they have forgotten since I put the bucket of hot water in my tent 15-20 minutes ago.  It was BOILING HOT!

     The heat of the water was finally tolerable.  I grabbed my wash cloth in my left hand and the soap bar in my right hand.  I wrapped the towel around the soap and dunked them both in the water.  I lathered the towel both in and out of the water.  I then put the towel down on a nearby folding chair.  I picked up the clean spray bottle and filled it with water.  I twisted the cap closed and started to spray out.  Nothing came out.  I looked at the nozzle and noticed it was closed.  I turned the nozzle three times, testing to see if it was finally on.  On the third twist it finally turned on.

     I sprayed the water on my arms and chest.  Putting down the spray bottle I picked up my lathered wash cloth.  I lathered first my left arm, then my chest with my right hand.  I transferred the cloth to my left hand and lathered my right arm.  I make sure to lather my armpits aggressively.  I pick up my spray bottle, again and sprayed my back. 

     Quickly I lathered my back.  I could hear the voices of men talking boisterously outside in the next camps.  The ladies outside continued to talk amongst themselves.  Their voices a comfort to me.  I take the spray bottle and quickly sprayed both legs and thighs as well as groin.  Hurriedly I wash the left thigh, then the right thigh.  I can hear the voices getting closer now.
 
     I quickly wash my groin front to back.  I rinse out my wash cloth and use it and the spray bottle to rinse off the lather.  It takes many applications of dunking the wash cloth in the bucket and passing it over my body.  It works fine on the legs.  For the groin I simply decide to pour water over the groin area.

     The men are now in front of the tent.  They are boisterous and rude.  Expeditiously I grab my selected clean clothes already set aside and put them on over damp skin.  The clean t-shirt only bunched up at the neck and shoulders when I put them on.  The pants bunched up at the legs and thighs.  PHEW! Not easy when you're rushed!.

     I walk out fully dressed leaving the men slack jawed.  They backed away realizing there was no longer a peep show readily available.

     Of course maybe the gun in my holster and the pepper spray from the ladies might have discouraged them as well.

DAY ONE WTF PT 2

You can only take 20 food items or 20 credits of food items.  Remember you will need hand tools,

bedding, clothing, hygiene.  Good Luck!"

     It became a madhouse, then.     As soon as people got their trashbin barrels they ran to the food

sections.  People started fighting over food.  Others started crying.  A few gave up all together.  Those people were picked up and put on the bus.  That bus was already filled with crying people.  It left right after
loading up the "cry babies" as one man stated. I was lucky I almost ended upon that bus, as well. When I realized it wasn't a robbery but an evacuation my courage returned. I was able to breathe normal again. I started to uncurl myself and look around. I was still guarded. I was still hidden under the counter until one of the military men lead me out from under there.
He was about to take me to the bus when I snapped out of it and grabbed a trash-bin barrel and started "shopping". I still had the three bottles of medicines so I put those in my pockets. I didn't dare take off my backpack to put them in. I'd lose it in the process.

The food section was being fought over. The military cordoned it off and demanded a list from people. I took a sheet off their emergency preparedness list they posted all over. I turned it over and wrote my 20 items/credits list. I handed it to them. They told me to return or wait for five minutes. I waited. In seven minutes I had my groceries. Good or bad, that was it. By now the military was at EVERY AISLE. Each aisle now demanded a list. I quickly wrote my lists--thanks to the emergency preparedness sheet I handed them each to the guards. Each one told me 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, seven minutes(?!), et cetera...

People were pushing and shoving. I got any shoving match with a couple that wants my food. They rated to the bus with what they had so far. I was given the evil eye and a warning that the next fight would see me on the bus.

I kept to myself and waited. I went to automotive/gardening to pick up my tools and garden supplies. I was happy to get my soil and seeds. I chose my fast-growing veggies. I tried to make sure to pick vegetables that can be partnered for optimal growth; good luck.

DAY ONE WTF!!!

     I was in town, minding my own business when the big thumb of the government was pressed down on

 me! :( :) :( .  It was the coldest day EVER!  Don't tell me climate change doesn't exist.  It was so cold I was

wearing my typical underwear (top/bottom), LONG JOHNS!, a tunic and shirt.  I had on pants, two pairs

of socks!, a scarf, mittens and finally a winter coat.  On my feet; hiking boots.  It helped keep the wind and

rain out.  On my head I had a hat on.  Why I was out on a day like today I don't know.  I should've been

home.  Oh, yes...my roommate was sick.  We didn't have any medicine at home so it fell to me to get it. 

Since we were short on cash---we only had $3.30 between us, I went to a discount store to buy the

medicine.  I was about to pay for the aspirin, cough medicine and peptic medicines when the store was

closed off to the outside public. 

     People started freaking out.  Our cashier started balling, "Please don't shoot!  We'll give you the money.

Please... don't... kill... us."  Parents held their babies close to them.  One or two parents actually abandoned

their children to run to safety!!  One came back for the children.  The other cried hysterically, "LET ME

OUT! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"   I was third in line at the register.  I ducked down behind the person in

front of me.  "Please don't see me. Please don't see me," I whispered.  I started saying one OUR FATHER

and 10 HAIL MARYS.  And then repeated.

Soon the spokesperson of the group spoke up.  "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.  May I have your

attention?!  You are being evacuated to a different habitat You will be given a trashbin and credit for 100

items or 100 credits.  You have 45 minutes.  Think about what you need for you and your family. 

Once you leave this area there will be no more resources to help you.