Ten cultural items

I was allowed to bring ten cultural items, or books from the store. I had thought and thought what would be needed and light enough for the trip. This trip would not be easy. I already had a recorder in my bag and didn't bother with their cheap version. 

Here are my ten cultural items;

1. World history atlas

2. Farmers Almanac (current)

3. Cookbook for die cast pots/pans and stove (small, thin)

4. Anthology book fables, fairy tales,

5. 1 Ream of paper 

6. Pencil box with: pens, pencils, erasers, sharpener, 1 box crayons, tape, glue

7. 1st-5th grade textbook: McGuffey Reader and Math combo

8. 12 piece bowling game. Ball and pins 

9.  Dominoes 

10. Puzzles 2 for 1 unit 

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So why did I choose these items? I'll leave that for my next entry. 

My homemade, waterproof, reference journal

The homemade, water proof, reference journal I made had to be thin enough and small enough to fit in my backpack. A glossy folder was used to protect the journal. Sheet protectors were used to place the pages in. Smaller fonts were used to fit more information in. Information had to be weeded through as to what to accept and what to omit. 

• How to make a solar oven. One sided. 

• How to thresh wheat followed by how to turn wheat into flour. 

• A two sided reference guide for knitting was included. That's my primary skill and I need it. 

• A two sided reference for sewing was included. Likewise a primary skill. 

• Four sewing pattern were included. Very basic and generic. Short sleeve tunic and pants for adults, heavy set, and children (scrubs). Also included as the fourth was a pattern to sew feminine napkins. 

• When to plant/harvest produce. Table for produce planting buddies. How much is needed per person. 

• Directions on how to preserve the harvest were included. Dehydrating and canning. 

• First aide directions were included on a two sided sheet as well. It came from a Red Cross pamphlet that was already water proof. 

• Photocopies of all my pertinent identification and a family tree were included. Pictures of family and friends. I got a smaller copy for my wrist/ankle wallet. 

• Recipes on baking and cooking from scratch. Measurement equivalencies, substitution lists. Three pages long, both sides; small print (pica) 

• Directions on morse code and semaphore. That's one page two-sided.  I could give a class on that.   

• Important prayers and biblical verses and parables. 

• Maps of my previous local area cities. They have no meaning here. I did include an atlas map of the nation. Still worthless because I don't know where we are. Three pages- both sides. 

• Short stories to entertain and educate. A lot of fairy tale poems. They are two pages-- both sides; pica.  

I'm planning to put all if this to good use for myself and the community. 

Winter Wash

It's been a full season since we've all become refugees. The temperature is dropping. It's about time to wash the winter clothes. I aim to do it today!

I'm planning to wash the clothes I was wearing when I was transported here. My navy blue long sleeved polo shirt, my dark pants, my long johns, and the two famous socks I wore that day. One set mismatched!  I was wearing them as the first set hidden from the world. The left foot was yellow and pink polka dots, while the right foot was red plaid! Couldn't clash anymore than those two! And yet I would wear them when I wanted people to believe I was crazy and leave me alone. 

Of course those socks don't make me look crazy; but a whole getup does.  If I wear mismatched clothes and accessories and don't brush my thick, curly hair then people think I'm strange and want to avoid me. If I add strange singing at odd hours that usually helps clinch the illusion of my weirdness. 

But now, back to my laundry. A group of us have gotten together to launder and save soap. I've brought my winter clothes to wash while I wear my tankini. As a group we went to collect water to wash our clothes. Just going to get the water is a chore...pun intended. 

I secured my belongings and left my old roommate in charge of our belongings. I took my wash bucket and wash bag with me. It took half an hour to walk to our water source. Then it took half an hour for our turn to get the water. We four ladies dragged out buckets back to our site. They would not let us wash at the source!!! Assholes. I was able to transfer water from the bucket to the bag. When it comes time to wash I'll either transfer half to the bucket and wash in it; or I'll transfer half to the bucket and wash in the bag.  Either way the left over water is for rinsing. 

Tbc 

Bucket 

Soap 

REFRESHMENTS

     Early on into my refugee status I drank the water that I carried on me.  I purposely did not add my fruit punch powder mix because I knew that I would simply devour it in no time.  However, once I finally got to my first stopping point I could not hold out much longer.  I had to have a flavored drink.  I had to have my fruit punch.

     As I got to my encampment, along with EVERYONE ELSE, I dumped my baggage on the ground and kept my rolling bin near me. Then I fell to the ground from exercise fatigue.  I ended up closing my eyes for a few seconds and found that the sun had moved positions when I opened them again. I was very lucky to have laid back on my baggage!

     Upon waking I drank my water.  I wanted something more.  I'm a city girl used to flavored drinks.  I was good all day.  Now it was time to have a treat! I deserved it.  I had definitely earned it!  I got up off my pack and shook off the grass and dirt. Turning around I saw my pack.  Squatting, I unzipped it and separated the mouth of the bag.  I shifted around a few items without taking them out of the bag.  I certainly didn't want people to see my canned foods, water and change of clothes! 

I found my box of powdered fruit punch. I opened the box and took out one packet   Next I took out my water bottle and uncapped it. Having ripped opened the  powder mix I poured it into the water bottle and shook, shook, shook 'til done. The powder works best for up to 20 oz glasses of water. This bottle is bigger than that. I know it's watered down, I don't care. Either it's watered down and lasts longer or I put in another packet and, eventually, run out of fruit punch mix ahead of time.  

     That first sip of fruit punch I couldn't help myself. I chugged it down, all the while wishing it was not watered down. Then, I stopped chug-a-lugging my fast disappearing drink. The strong desire to suck it down had disappeared. I put the drink at the top of my barrel covered by another item. On second thought, maybe my backpack would be a better option. Too many people saw me place the drink in my barrel. Gotta be careful here! 

It's nerd day for me...nothing new... Move along people

Ugh!!! You think that being in a refugee camp is bad enough. It only gets worse as time passes on. Your supplies start to run out. People start stealing from other people. The old and the weak lose hope that help will come. They look for help and are turned away. 

People walking out of the area eventually return stating they were blocked at the border with guns. These are supposed to be our people. ONE NATION. Not a third world country! WHERE IS THE HELP?What's going on?  Here's what's happening in and mourned camp...

1. Running out of hygienic supplies. 

         •Toilet paper, paper towels, seat     

            covers are gone.  People have 

            urine and feces on their hands 

            now from cleaning up. 

         •Soap, detergent, shampoo,     

            toothpaste, deodorant are gone 

            too. There's just no way to wash 

            away the crap! 

         •Feminine napkins, tampons and 

            diapers are GONE. it's a mess 

            too. Everywhere you go women 

            are dripping red and babies go 

            bare bottom. 

2. Running out of food! 

         •Not everyone came prepared! 

           Some idiot came with an apple 

           pie and said that was all he 

           needed. Of like to know what 

           happened to him now. 

         •Not enough food was brought. 

         •The wrong types of foods were 

           brought: potato chips, pretzels, 

           beer. No canned foods. No H2O!

        •They forgot the can opener! Omg!

        

So basically we are 

Pooping without wiping or washing. 

Eating without washing.

Stinking without deodorant. 

Stinking without detergent. 

Starving without food. 

 

Dehydrating without water. 

 

We are losing our moral compass. 

WE ARE DYING

  

 

Lost a Cup

I should've paid more attention to the cups and plates I got for my GO BAG! I couldn't afford metal/aluminum settings do I had to settle for plastic settings from the dollar store. Everyone knows that whatever you buy at the dollar store is not meant to last a long time. I know that, but I didn't have the money to buy a long lasting camping gear. 

So, what happened? My cheap plastic cup with handle and lid broke. Unbelievable. First, the rubber lining for the lid gets warped. Because of that the lid won't close all the way. A portion sticks up. Well today I filled up my cup and tried to put the lid on while holding the cup handle. Well while twisting the lid side to side the handle broke off. It broke off. It F-N broke off! That cup is a total waste now. What do I do now? Trade? Beg? Buy? Steal? No one has a spare cup! It's a good thing the cup came as a pair. 

I'm just disgusted with myself. What other bad decisions did I make because I didn't have the money? How long will my utensils last? My bowls? My pot and pan? Not very long I'm afraid. 

Sewing... Ah crap!

I've been sewing a bit to stay calm and be busy. My sewing kit is from the discount store. I purposely put in a simple pattern and the cloth needed to complete the project. Along with the simple adornments. It's not much. I had already done a similar project before at home. I like to sew, but, I should have known better than to use discount store supplies! 

My needle threader broke on me! I have used the needle threader half a dozen times without any problems. It's a cheap thing! Definitely not worth it's weight in gold! Not even worth it's weight in tin or aluminum. 

The little plastic box that holds the buttons, needles, safety pins, etc... That's cheap as well. I can't tell you how many times it's popped open on me and everything has spilled out. Pins, needles, buttons all flying left of the tent, right of the fire, over a plate, under a bush; you name it. I had to search everywhere to find my complete sewing kit. My neighbors started laughing at me. "Just give it up. You'll never find those things. Here have a drink with us." One person helped me. She found A BUTTON, laughed at the embarrassment of it all and walked away. 

I looked in my tent, under my tent, near the fire, in the neighbors camps (left and right). I looked under bushes, on flowers, in shoes, in my neighbors shoes! I finally found my sewing kit items--for the most part. The next day I found a button while dumpin the dirty water. It glittered in the mud. 

I'm still missing a few pieces. I had to start a new needle and thread to continue my project. It wasn't easy trying to poke a thread in the very thin eye of the needle! I miss my threader!  As crappy as it was I didn't spend five minutes poking and missing the eye of he needle. Lick the thread, introduce it to the needle. The thread veers left. Lick the thread again, introduce it AGAIN to the needle, it veers right. One more time only to find myself cross-eyed! I look far away and things are blurry for a moment as my eye muscles adjust again. 

Sewing has taken the place of my hand held electronic device. It's a fine motor skill. It keeps my eyes very close to the medium. It gives me simple joy. However, I do miss getting information at the touch of my fingers.  That's a topic for another day. 

P. S. 

Two days later I finally found the needle with the biggest eye.