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Coronavirus 2020


Marc1

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What's with you guys down under you get things so backwards sometimes. You want the toilet paper FOR the crazy runs, not the other way around. <sheesh!>

Seriously, toilet paper and paper towels  were gone or close by early evening yesterday. I haven't been to a store today. 

Deb went shopping early enough she got our share of both.:rolleyes: Fortunately she didn't go full linear panic shopping, though she did come home with a couple years worth of staples. I already had a couple years worth of dry: beans, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. in the pantry, my herb and spice reserves makes for decent eating without dipping into packaged goods. 

When you live in a zone as seismically active as this you're nuts if you don't have at least a few days supplies on the shelves. Admittedly, I over prepare by nature.

People getting crazy on your side of the planet? 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Yeah, rotating stock is an issue. The method I discovered in my bachelor days to keep a stock on hand was to stock things you'd rather not eat unless it is an emergency. It's a trick I learned from a bush pilot buddy who stocked nothing tasty in his survival kit. That's a hard habit to break, I was clearing shelves in the pantry and am finding things dated early this millennium and scariest were some jams and jellies put up by my Mother in the mid 90s. Deb and I were visiting and she said how good they were, next thing we knew a few cases were arriving in the mail. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

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That's a pretty good way to get the point across to wash your hands like you mean it. I cut up some habeneros one night and didn't think about it and the faucet running made me have to relieve myself. I was dancing around like I sat on a fire ant nest.

Pnut

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Pnut's version had gone round these parts but I was trying to not annoy Glenn by posting it...

Dried pinto beans will go a long while and still cook up tasty with just a few spices.

For me the limiting factor is Insulin, I get a 3 month supply at a time and can't order a refill until the beginning of April. It needs to be refrigerated too; but I could probably bury it deep enough to stretch it's usability a bit. (Need access to an ice cave!)

My wife like to bury stuff in the pantry for future archaeologists to exhume; but our kids started having an ongoing contest for "Who can find the most outdated food stuff in Mom's pantry" and have been keeping it under control lately.

I've told folks that if things get bad I was going to isolate myself in my smithy with my anvils!

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The toilet paper rush left 7 large openings in the pallet racks at Sam's today.  The store manager said we got more coming but do not know when it will arrive.  They are limiting water to 2 cases per customer.   Across the street at Aldies there is plenty of both.

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This Corona Virus madness is beyond ridiculous!   I have made my own hand sanitizer for about the past 10 years because I'm in the gym 3 days a week and every surface is a magnet for germs..........especially virus types and it's too expensive to buy the stuff.  I wasn't even thinking about the new illness, "Virus-Madness", when I went to Walmart today to buy some 91% Alcohol (2/3 rd of the recipe) and found there to be absolutely no Alcohol in the store or in the warehouse.............OR the local Walmart distribution point.  NO ALCOHOL!!!!!!  I was totally gobsmacked!  The sales-lady said they'd been out of hand sanitizer, Aloe Gel and Alcohol for the past two weeks.  At least they had our brand of toilet paper.  We were running low and I never gave it a moments thought that all this madness might mean lowered supplies at the store.  Thank goodness............I've never enjoyed using dried leaves! :D

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6 hours ago, Chris C said:

when I went to Walmart today to buy some 91% Alcohol (2/3 rd of the recipe) and found there to be absolutely no Alcohol in the store or in the warehouse.............OR the local Walmart distribution point.  NO ALCOHOL!!!!!!  I was totally gobsmacked! 

It's more expensive but pure grain alcohol should work. I think the brand name they sell at the liquor stores round my parts is Everclear iirc. I used to buy it to mix with pigment. It's not 98 cents per bottle I think it's about three bucks or so but liquor is cheap in Kentucky so ymmv. 

Pnut

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I hate to play into the madness but after the past 10 days, I'd certainly recommend everyone stock up on EASY meals that one can make/eat even if you feel awful.  I came down with a flu-like thing in WA state about 10 days ago..and after traveling to an area that had a few cases of the bad stuff.  No, I don't think I have the "real" thing...it's just a nasty flu like bug...but because of the scare and issues, I haven't wanted to be Typhoid Mary and kill off anyone on that .001% chance it's the bad stuff.  That means I've been stuck in my cloister, feeling like death warmed over, and trying to sort through stuff to cook that isn't a pain in the neck.  First week wasn't bad  because I was stocked with "good" food but then all the easy stuff starts disappearing and you only have boring stuff.

So..if you go shopping to put some things on the shelf "just in case"....get 1) easy to make stuff that you'll be willing/able to cook even if you (and your family) feel like complete crap and 2) Stuff that isn't so boring to eat that meals seem like something you dread.

Don't forget basic meds to help you feel less terrible.  Nyquil et al are a godsend  (I ran out about day 5..who anticipates a 10 day+ illness yet can't chase basic meds?  Oh...I guess everyone these days)

I have a TON of stuff for the long emergency but was surprised at how unappealing it all was when one feels horrible.  And it's just me now that my wife has passed away so I don't even have someone to cater to my incessant whining and whims :) 

 

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Do not forget the chicken and other soups in a can.  A variety of soups can sit on a shelf for a while till needed.  Dry foods such as rice, beans etc keep well.  

People have come to depend on the freezer for storage of food but the freezer only has a 4 hour or so shelf life when the power goes out, then things starts to thaw.

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When I had the flu with my Mom in Jan. of 2018 we went through plenty of light brothy soups and the adult version of Pedialyte electrolyte replacement drinks. I made it through even though it took about three months to fully recover unfortunately she didn't. I've made sure to get vaccinated every year since. I think influenza has killed over 20,000 people this flu season. The 2017-2018 flu season when my mom and I got sick I think had 82,000 flu related deaths. Be careful. There's no need for panic but common sense is the name of the game. Especially if you are older or have a compromised immune system. Hope everyone stays well. 

Pnut

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I'm anticipating that my business travel is going to be curtailed sooner rather than later, although we did just get a "business-as-usual" notice from my boss.

Personally, the coronavirus doesn't grab my attention nearly as much as the dosequisvirus. That one is...the most interesting virus in the world.

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When this started I asked my wife to stock up on the alcohol and alcohol prep pads I use for my insulin pump sets.  We should be good till the craziness is over.

OTOH we were planning our spring trip to Arkansas soon; but EVERYONE involved is on the extreme danger list due to age, Grandpa is 95, Mother is 83, or health issues. (I'm in the best shape and I'm an insulin dependent diabetic!) Don't want to cancel---grandpa is 95! Don't want to risk the kinfolk.

NPR had a blurb about Universities closing down F2F classes; but the staff still needed to be at work.  Well I'm staff!

Note besides PGA/Everclear  151 rum is 75.5% Alcohol and can be used in an emergency---I'd suggest a Hurricane.

The Negra Modelo virus does not usually show negative symptoms till the morning after...

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On 3/7/2020 at 7:55 PM, Frosty said:

stock things you'd rather not eat unless it is an emergency.

 

I’m pretty nervous about disagreeing with Frosty on this site but this statement is contrary to conventional wisdom. 

The idea of rotating stock is to buy more of the stuff you do use so that nothing gets old enough to go bad. 

If you typically go through 2-3 of something in a month, buy 8-12. Then, at the end of the next month, buy 2-3 more and put the new stock at the back of the shelf. That way your stock on hand should never be more than a few months old. 

The other reason for buying the stuff you actually eat is to avoid waste. You’re less likely to screw up or make too much or too little of something that you already know how to make. 

If you want something you can stick in a “bug out bag” and leave for 20 - 30 years, look at things like the Mountain House backpacking meals. They’re supposed to be good for 30 years.

 

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When I used to have to go through the mountains in the winter I always hand my AS down mummy bag, a bunch of 8 day candles and some old C rats; just in case...I think the C rats were to encourage me to go hunt down and bare handed  tear up bears for better tasting food...

Out here it always, water, water, water, a shade tarp and water.

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My daughter traveled to Las Vegas last week for a 3 day trip. I was surprised she said they didn't push any special precautions because of the coronavirus. Only heightened security on arrival because one of the presidential candidates was going to be in the area somewhere. 

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