Able, Differently Abled, Disabled by David Bock

Posted on by Sarah A. Hoyt

Able, Differently Abled, Disabled by David Bock

I’m a regular contributor to Blue Collar Prepping, and over the years many posts have addressed things such as Bug Out bags (BOB), Get Home Bags (GHB), and the like. Several articles have also addressed physical limitations and pain management.

One thing that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention lately is actual disabilities and self-perception.

This was driven home to me recently when my doctor advised me to file for disability. I’m only in my mid-50s, and while I have health issues, I don’t think of myself as disabled. Or at least I didn’t.

One of the consequences of this image of myself, is thinking I can manage more than I really can, frequently to the dismay of My Wife. One of the benefits of my doctor’s recommendation is I’ve started to take a harder, colder, and I hope more honest, look at myself and my abilities.

I’m not young, I’m not in very good physical condition, and my health limitations need to be taken into consideration when planning for disasters or emergencies.

I approached the self-assessment as if I was considering another person for a variety of jobs, mostly physical at different levels of exertion.

Can they regularly lift twenty or more pounds multiple times a day? Yes, I can still do that.

What about fifty. Probably not, or at least not as frequently.

Are they able to carry a fifty pound pack for several hours? No, I’m no longer able to do that due to medical issues.

What about a twenty pound pack? Possibly, though I’d likely be in considerable pain at the end of that time.

Can they walk five miles? Maybe, but depending on the pace there would be a certain amount of health risk.

Can they cover broken ground at a reasonable pace? No, I can’t do that.

Could they carry another person a short distance? As long as the person wasn’t too big and the distance wasn’t too far, probably. But there’s a good chance I’d require medical assistance after.

And so on.

Based on this assessment, at this time Bugging Out is pretty much off the table for me, especially on foot. I can no longer carry a significant quantity of gear, and I can’t carry it very far. While physical conditioning may improve this to some degree, there’s the counter weight of my deteriorating health.

I’m not planning on dying any time soon, but part of that is accepting that I need to live within my limitations.

Moving forward, more of my preps will focus on Bug In situations, and making sure our home can be maintained in adverse conditions. Never a bad plan, but even more so now.

I also plan on seeing what physical therapy can do with regards to some of my medical limitations. Of course, that will also run into my financial limitations.

I strongly recommend all our readers take a dispassionate assessment of their own health and abilities. Then work at tailoring their disaster plans and supplies to that reality. No matter how mentally uncomfortable it is, for optimum survivability, it needs to be done.

Stay safe, and good prepping.

187 thoughts on “Able, Differently Abled, Disabled by David Bock”

  1. In Lucifer’s Hammer (by Niven & Pournelle) one character was diabetic and had to be concerned about his insulin supply.

    1. It’s been a long time since I read Hammer, but I believe he was able to keep going at a cost of a sheep per month.

      I don’t have that option (being “prediabetic” now, thanks to better diet), but by ordering meds on a week’s shorter interval than the prescription (ie, 83 day intervals for a 90 day Rx, or 23 for a 30), I can build up gradually. For meds taken long term, this can really help.

      FWIW, one prescription is not covered by insurance, and through an online pharmacy. They sent me an email to refill 6 weeks into the 90 day supply. Hell yes, says I. (First refill, so it’s nice to have that cushion.)

      1. He could have but chose to use his skills to prevent an invasion of his refuge (the Stronghold).

        1. Ah. That might be the only N&P collaboration I don’t have in hardback. Kindle to the rescue. (Have Footfall, and Farnham’s Freehold and other survival-adjacent books, but <i>Hammer</i> was in paperback and didn’t survive the last move.

      2. I asked my doctor for samples, and to write a prescription for a 30 day supply with two refills. If the medicine in question is available as a generic it should be relatively cheap to get filled. It’s worth looking into.

      3. I asked my doctor for samples, and to write a prescription for a 30 day supply with two refills. If the medicine in question is available as a generic it should be relatively cheap to get filled. It’s worth looking into.

        1. Some generics don’t work for some people. Ask me how I know. 😦 I have a really expensive med and I can go off it if I have to, but it won’t be fun for anyone involved. I order as early as they’ll let me and build up a buffer, just in case.

  2. 100% this.

    What was possible at even 50, or 60, is a lot more difficult now. Even getting in better shape and losing weight, won’t get me back to the ability had at 50. Getting old happens every day one lives.

    Note, even at 67, I can’t be old. At 72, hubby isn’t old. I even tell his brother, he isn’t old at 77. His MIL is old. She is 94. Mom is old. She’s 89.

    1. I’m going to stay somewhat handicapped until I recover from the minor-ish knee surgery. Alas, that procedure is waiting on the doc, who’s booked 6 weeks out. (He’s good. Good rep here, and where he used to practice, according to SIL in Nevada.)

      So, I have a 10-12 week interval of vulnerability, primarily in a Get-Home scenario. Bug-Out is very unlikely; threats requiring that are pretty much TEOLAWKI. Primary thoughts right now are hardening selves as targets.

      1. We are too urban that hardening where we are makes any sense, and there is no where to go, not anymore. Given costs these days, well past selling, and buying something else more remote, and able to harden.

        OTOH, know who our neighbors are that also have had recent canoe accidents. Not sure what style of pond they have. Know they hunt. Never seen one, but suspect they have handguns.

      2. Since I refuse to grow up, I cannot die of old age.

        ………………

        That works too.

      3. Aphorism from Dad:

        “Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional”

        (Usually said while refusing to act his age)

    3. won’t get me back to the ability had at 50

      At early 50s, I dread the fact that it will get worse. I must walk more – but it’s so boring.

      1. There are disc golf courses all over the country now. It’s usually free to play (though you’ll need to buy a few discs) and a lot more fun than just walking.

        2. The local city park has a couple of signs saying “Disc Golf”, but they’re positioned in front of a swampy area that almost always has standing water.

          I’m not sure what “Disc Golf” is, but presumably it has something to do with clubbing water moccasins.

      2. Get a pretty woman to walk in front of you, teasing the whole way.

        I figure if that doesn’t work, then I must have died last night.

        1. avoid masking your hearing if out walking. The hoodlums look for the deliberately unaware, and the gadget and earbuds are pawnable.

          Better to be bird watching, or exotic car spotting, or just be nosey / do reconnaissance.

          Be Alert.

          1. i recently purchased some bone conducting headphones for exactly that reason. I can listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks, but can still hear what’s going on around me.

            1. +1 on the bone conduction headphones. Better situational awareness, with the added benefit of not trapping sweat inside your ears, if you live in a sauna, as I do in Florida.

              1. So, I got those. They don’t work on me. Like, not at all. I have no idea why, except my ears are some weird form of Neanderthal thing (not a joke.) But it’s interesting.

                1. Maybe your skull is hard enough to act like a thermocline does on sonar? 😇😏

                  Either that or all the other voices don’t like the competition for your attention….

          2. I generally track for birds, flowers, and other natural things that can be exploited for descriptive prose.

    4. Grandma at 101 has reached the point where she is the oldest person she knows.

  3. I have numerous medical conditions that make me dependent on Big Pharma.

    My preparations are such: I live very close to Air Force Logistics Command. I am in a nuclear blast zone. Shrugs. No living kids, no other family that will talk to me.

      1. Thank you. They are all brainwashed D people. They won;t speak to me because I refuse to live my life to make them happy. Odd, you know.

        1. Are you sure you’re not first cousin to CrossOver? That sounds like her family. (Family in the biological sense. All other definitions are off the table.)

          1. Don’t know, but I would be proud to claim her. All my found family are Odds.

            My sisters, on the other hand, if you told them I published scifi, would say “I’m so sorry,”

            1. I sometimes amuse myself by thinking if my relatives ever did pick up one of my books, they’d take to drink.

              (Oddly – heh – one of the few things my biological relatives generally did NOT do.)

              Prep anyway, various shreds of news I’ve found hint that most nukes might not go off.

              And you never know, you just might get lucky…. 😉

              1. I’m pretty happy with my chances on most things going sideways, but I”m downwind of MacDill AFB so I know I’d be glowing if things go /THAT/ badly

                1. There’s at least four different Air Force/Navy/SF/etc. areas nearby, I’m either going to get melted or be surrounded by a lot of very ticked off military guys out to shoot back….

              2. Oh, I ‘prep’ as a matter of course. I have power blocks charged, canned food that can be eaten without cooking, bottled water, and baby wipes in lieu of showers, and a moth;s worth of extra meds. It’s only prudent in the Midwest, I have been isolated by blizzards twice, tornado near misses twice, and just in general.

                As for trying to die, I have been resuscitated twice, so I figure I am not going until Himself is ready for me.

                1. That is, a MONTH’S worth of meds. Sigh. Not even WPDE, it was my own lazy fingers.

                  1. But hey, if you do have to medicate a moth, you’re ready! And stranger things have happened (maybe…probably…I mean, none that I’m aware of, but I’m sure someone, somewhere…).

    2. I live near 6 or more blast zones if you count the major population centers and large airports within 30 miles.

      I could bug out to other’s houses further out in the boonies given enough warning to load the car up, but at my age, more likely to stay put with the group in the ‘burgs.

      1. Nice thing about Oregon – very little here worth the powder to blow it to heck.

        1. True, but they might try a couple of mountains to try to get a reaction, or two, to add confusion. You know after St Helen and the graphic tees came out with all the non-extinct mountains pictured. With Helen puffing and caption “Okay boys and girls, on three. One, Two, and …” After all Hood, Raineer, south Sister, etc., all have locations that are being monitored.

    3. Eckshually, you live close to Air Force Materiel Command. 🙂

      Well, so do I. And we didn’t get nuked in the 1980’s, so it’s not really worth worrying about now. Tornadoes are a lot more likely to get us, much less the next New Madrid earthquake.

      Nah, even with medical conditions and weather and the rest, you’re very likely to live to 110. Even if you tried to die, all the nurses and ex-nurses would materialize out of nowhere and save you. I mean, sheesh, look what happens if some old person falls down in the grocery store.

      1. You are right about the Base, Banshee. Tornado missed me by one house in 2019, and if the Good Friday Earthquake in Alaska didn’t get me (I was 7), I’m sure New Madrid won’t. My Mom’s mother lived to be 106. Missed living in three centuries by a year and a half. So, who knows.

    4. Eh, AFLC sites are not likely to be on the first strike list; although they do tend to make softer targets for infiltration and sabotage.

  4. Like making a will (I hope everyone reading this has a will) a realistic assessment of our physical limitations is extremely important.

    1. “Being of sound mind, I spent all my money.”

      (grin)

      That is a quote from a real will.

  5. Excellent points. I’m much older, have to train daily just to keep safe, but might live another 15-20 years. One other point that’s really not morally acceptable to many, is to keep track of which are vulnerable neighbors you can use a source for necessaries if SHTF AND to make sure now and in future none of them consider YOU a “vulnerable neighbor.” Of course all blue-pilled individuals are vulnerable, if you understand their psychology.

    1. Recalls hearing of somebody thinking they could raid a Morman family’s food supply. Somebody reminded him that LDS is not equal to pacifist|unarmed|unwilling to defend.

      1. (Chief Thrall Galt voice): “Doofus shall be ‘practice target’….”

      2. Usually the exact opposite; the Mormons, like the Jews, have an institutional memory of having to fight damn near everyone.

      3. Every Mormon in my extended family, (Dad’s siblings), is well armed, but they don’t advertise it. I even helped some younger cousins get their ham tickets and discussed using encrypted commercial gear as a loophole if the SHTF. They helped us with tips and suppliers of various food stuffs.

        1. don’t advertise it.

          ………………

          Of coarse not. Only reason I know who has rifles in our neighborhood is because I pay attention. Knew which scouters hunted too. Because paid attention. Odds of them not having handguns? Zip to none. Did they ever have them on scout outings? Definitely a IDK comes under “Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell.” (Not by scout “rules”, but not illegal. Heck debate in scouting was should those legally required to be armed, be armed at scout outings, given scouting rules. Thus “Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell.”)

          1. You’re camping in bear country, then “Be Prepared” means bringing something that will kill a bear with you. BSA rules against being armed were just plain stupid and against their own teaching.

            1. That was one of the reasons why I never took the Canadian camping route on periodic road trips from the Left Coast to the Midwest. Wonderful terrain (at least along US2), but I didn’t want to be a long-pig in a down wrapper.

              1. Lake Louise. The tent campground is inside a 10′ electrical fence. Might have enclosed the hard sided campground by now.

              2. Oh. Forgot the other part. Cannot carry across the border into Canada, or back into the US.

                When we came back last trip and the US border guard asked us if we had guns with us, hubby and I looked at him a quick short “huh?” before answering “no”. I mean we couldn’t carry them into Canada from the US, how were we to carry them back? I am sure they catch some wise ass that illegally carried them in, and then didn’t think it was a big deal to carry them back, but wow.

                Not like it was the BC area border crossing where that would make sense. There is a method to carry from the states via vehicle to Alaska and back. Guess that is true regardless of the border crossing, but more likely through BC.

                Though I guess since it was the Glacier/Waterton crossing that someone could have backpacked US to Canada packing.

                Again, not illegal to have fire arms, including handguns, in the US national parks, just it is illegal to fire them. Would rather pay the fine if a bear charges and it ignores the bear spray. Though even a 9mm isn’t big enough to take a large black bear or grizzly. But it isn’t the bears that are likely to be the problem either.

                1. “Would rather pay the fine if a bear charges and it ignores the bear spray. “

                  If a man within 21 feet with a knife is too close for guns, I bet that bear can cover a whole lot more ground. Just what is the range on bear spray, anyway???

                  2. Bear spray effective range: 20 to 40 feet

                    Tetons had one grizzly bear attack this spring, not that long ago. Hiker stumbled onto grizzly sow with cub on a kill. Per article reports hiker did nothing wrong (per FB rumor from those that were there, hiker was in a closed area because of the kill. Whether walked past the closed signs, or not, was the debate.) Hiker tried to deploy bear spray but sow was on him too fast. Part of the attack involved bear biting down on bear spray can (sprayed itself), sow took off. Already had sent the smaller bear off (probably yearling). Not going after sow or cub, who also didn’t do anything wrong. Only conclusions given on which sow/yearling combo it was, was it wasn’t 399 and her yearling.

                    Yellowstone has also had a grizzly attack, where a runner was killed. Outside the park near W. Yellowstone. Again, bear on a kill. Signs of two, so sow with cub. But while runner was killed, no sign of predation so not going after bears. Runner was running alone, listening to music, no bear spray found.

                    Grizzly, or any bear attacks, on humans, let alone kills, are not common. But stupidity, and unlucky, do happen.

                2. Though even a 9mm isn’t big enough to take a large black bear or grizzly.

                  Can be – you can improve your odds with the right ammo, e.g. Buffalo Bore says

                  I would have no problem defending myself against a black bear attack (and have done so) with the proper 9MM ammo. I prefer a more powerful/bigger cartridge, but the 9MM will get it done, even on grizzlies, if you take their brain with a flat nosed, non-expanding bullet. Of course, making a brain shot under such duress will take practice and cool nerves.

                  https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=108

                  I have some of their 9mm and some .357; I bought it a couple years ago, when our neighbor’s uphill security camera posted up a bear. Well, same thing happened about week ago – same camera, a bear. That’s a block away. Neighbor’s nice but old dog passed last month; she speculates the bear came by because no smell of dog.

                  Having suitable ammo, also quit walking after 8 pm; no sense in tempting fate.

            2. The folk in charge of a particular event that happened shortly after a bear break-in made sure to get all the legal clearances to be “loaded for bear”, literally. I only know about it because I was also staff at that event, a little late for the clean-up but there was definite evidence of the answer to that age-old question of where a bear toilets.

              1. Camp Baker, every spring during staff week, results in a sow and her cubs being relocated off the peninsula Baker is at the end of. South of Florence Oregon. (Or did. No reason to presume that has changed in the last 15 years. We never saw her. Supposedly she was there.)

                Melakuka. West Cascades off Hwy 126. Not only had resident bears, but cougar that strode through camp regularly. One of the reasons why there was an evening campsite curfew for all youth, and strongly recommended for adult unit volunteers. Between unit shenanigans was severely curtailed.

            3. Time to start up Recon Rugrats, or such.

              Yes, it’s paramilitary. Yes, we teach military discipline and skills. Yes, guns too. And please enjoy it when your sons get to periodically “GI Party” your kitchen and bathroom to your satisfaction to get range time.

              hmmmm…

            4. Oh. We were camping in Bear country. No doubt. 100%

              May not be grizzly country. But let us ask Yosemite and other CA parks about black bears shall we? Let me put it this way, when Californians ask about Wyoming and Montana bears getting in to cars, the locals around Yellowstone, Tetons, and Glacier, go “huh?”. Because that is one trick the bears in the Rockies haven’t mastered yet, regardless of type.

      4. I’m always surprised by the people who assume that Mormons and Mennonites are both pacifists. No, both have large extended families, both tend to be a touch clannish until they know you, both encourage self-sufficiency as well as charity, both are associated with limited geographic areas (incorrectly in both cases), but beyond that?

        We won’t even get close to the theological differences, or histories of the groups. Sighs in history cat.

        1. Add the Amish. Many think of the Mennonites and the Amish as the same as each other, and as the Quakers, which they assuredly are not, although the Mennonites and Amish, both derived from the Anabaptists, are similar in beliefs, if less so in practice.

            1. Look up “Electric Amish” in YouTube. They do “Amish” covers of classic rock music. Decent musicians with a funny playlist.

        2. I knew a Mennonite in our dorm my freshman year at U of Redacted in the Midwest, and judging by apparel, there’s a group|extended family somewhere near Flyover Falls east of the Cascades. The women were dressed uniformly, while the men favored flannel for the Real Logger style. (This was when there was a bit more logging happening around here, so some years ago.)

          1. Today must be Mennonite market day. Saw one family at the Taqueria with 5 littles (four boys, yikes! 🙂 ), then at the good independent grocery, then another, older couple at the town’s DQ. Haven’t seen any in months; don’t know why.

  6. This is an important factor for older people, as they have to figure out what their survival needs are going to be beyond the basics.

    Do you need specialist care? Needs? Materials? Best to lay them in now…and reinforce your survival locations with additional assets.

  7. My wife and I had a similar discussion a couple years back. She has always been a bit paranoid about guns ( there is a mitigating factor I understand, buuuuut…) and she was looking around at what was happening and told me she was thinking about being better able to defend ourselves.

    So on our next vacation after that, we stopped at a large range with rental dispensers, and she tried a couple. 22LR is the best she could do comfortably, although she was able to hit the target with a 9mm. My accuracy hasn’t deteriorated too much, I find 9mm very comfortable, though I still would love to have my own 1911. However, she decided that maybe she didn’t want to train THAT badly.

    Well, more recent events have had me thinking even MORE seriously about our lack of means to defend ourselves. I am not going to be taking anyone down with edged weapons these days. Gave up on my crossbow. Young and fast is no longer an option. I can still walk ten miles without a lot of trouble, though hilly is a lot more trouble than it used to be, The heart repair is holding up, but despite the immediate jump in ability post recovery, while I can still keep up with many folks ten years younger, I now think of 40 year old me as ‘that lucky kid!’. 67 isn’t TOO bad, but things seem to be sliding downhill a bit faster than I was hoping. So I have been doing my research and expect to be more prepared SOON.

    1. Consider a .22 with an aimpoint/red-dot sight. Pistol and/or rifle. Solves a multitude of problems, and a brick of 500 rounds is affordable and goes a -very-long way.

      They make full-size1911s in 9mm.

      Browning sells a reduced size 1911 (about 3/4 scale) in .380.

      1. Ruger specifically designed their 22/45 model with that in mind. Get the Mark IV, not the Mark III; the take down and reassembly of a Mark III anything will challenge experienced gunsmiths like the ones at several DFW ranges.

        Fortunately, Ruger listened to the complaints and re-engineered the mark IV to make it much easier.

        2. The better pellet guns are good for rabbits and the rats with fancy tails while being quieter than a rim fire. A good marksman could put a eye out.

            1. Sportsman’s (the not-Cabelas) has .22 and .127 rifles. Haven’t seen the larger calibers in the store. One of the farm and ranch stores also sells air rifles.

              1. Another good brand is Gamo. I have one of their rifles, as well as a Webley pistol (fun, but not the most useful). OTOH, the larger caliber arms would be interesting. I’ve been noticing the suppressed air rifles various outfits offer. Probably not really necessary in our rural area, but it’s still intriguing.

    2. We’re probably in similar circumstances. A few months ago I was considering a Raven crossbow for a “survival” tool (quiet, reliable, lethal, guaranteed 3″ group at 100 yds) when I got a rush of reality to the head: “Waitaminute! You’re 78. You’ve had heart surgery, even if it seems OK now 7 years later. You’re going to put on a ghillie suit under an IR blanket, in the desert, and try to make believe you can do anything effective, unlike when you were 21 in RVN?!? Wake up!”. Plus, if I tried to do any of that my wife would whack me upside the head. Or maybe just shoot me; she prefers her Python and she’s good with it. 😉

      So, no crossbow, no ghillie suit, just the tools I’ve used fairly effectively for 50+ years; it’ll just have to do. 😒

      1. Don’t forget you can train others. Younger ones who are like minded.

        1. Teach, maybe. But effective training requires that the trainer be able to keep up physically with the trainees, which leaves me out.

        1. $1000-$2000+ is more than I want to spend just to play with. Yeah, there are cheaper ones, but the Ravins are by far the most reliable, at least from reports. I may get one of the cheaper ones, but additional ammo and components instead have a siren call all their own. 😎

        1. If I could get Mr. Trash Bags to help I wouldn’t need a ghillie suit. Or, for that matter, a crossbow. 😜

          1. “Hey you! Yeah, white girl. Yo gots to pay the toll to stroll through our “‘hood”. No toll, an’ me an’ my boys gonna make you pay with that bod.”

            “Oh please. You fools can kiss my shoggoth.”

            1. Hey, shoggoths gotta eat, too! 😁😁😁

              Channeling Dave Barry, “Shoggoths in the Hood” would be a good name for a rock band.

    3. Hubby has talked about going to the range that has rental options thinking .380 might be easier to handle than 9mm EZ. But we haven’t yet. Problem is, yes I can handle our current .380 -ish. Can’t practice with it as long, because it hurts my hands and wrists. Results aren’t any better than with the 9mm. That and I can’t start it, cannot un-jam it, that is why we got the EZ 9mm S&W. (No safety on the .380s, not leaving one in the chamber.) A larger .380 EZ type isn’t going to help with packing it. Just need to practice more with the EZ 9mm. FYI, the last outing with the suggested adjusted grip resulted in me actually hitting the target every round. Grouping? Wags hands. OTOH did hit bullseye. A lot of groupings just outside the bulls eye. But a lot further out too. I need more practice.

      1. You can practice with a .22.

        Ruger makes a few .22s that are almost indentical in function to their corresponding 9 mms. Plus .22 is cheaper to shoot and has almost no recoil compared to most rounds.

        The only other suggestion is workout with small weights to stengthen your arms, hands and wrists if you can. That is what my wife recommends to some of her students.

        Results may very depending on the individual.

        (Yes, my spouse is also an RO and has lost more “stuff” in boating accidents than myself …)

        1. What type of weights? Exercises? Links? Please.

          Please note, I wear “small” gloves (not quite child’s hands, but small for most women). At least the hand showing the arthritis is my right hand (symptoms, small finger), holds handle and pulls trigger. The steady, hold, wrap and hold, tight hand is my left.

          Thank you.

          1. 2 pound hand weights.

            Stand straight. Weak side foot a bit forward. Hold at waist. Raise one to eye level slowly as if aiming a gun, pushing it up and out. Hold for a second. Lower to waist, slowly. Pause a second. Repeat with the other hand. Alternate for five on each. Work up to ten each. Do first setsl slower. Then do a set faster. Alternate speed on sets. Do at least two, work to four.

            now, with a straight arm, raise the wright’s with the arm held straight. Same patern.

            when that is easy, use 3 pounders, then 5.

            there are very few five pound handguns.

            Easy does it at first. Might be stiff after workout. Shouldn’t be dramatic pain, just that “good work” fatigue.

            grip builder, good rest between sets grip weights at sides. Slowly open hand until you are barely still holding it with fingertips. Slowly curl fingers until you can grip fully and squeeze. Lowered and raise slowly. 5x to start. Etc. Slow at first, then faster.

            lots more, but a pair of weights is cheap, and you can improvise with two 1-quart milk/juice jugs and water. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, so a quart is 2 pounds.

        2. Nothing wrong with a .22, they can be deadly at short ranges. Especially if you can hit what your aiming at.

          1. .22s can be deadly quite far, also. During the change of regime in Romania, their national rifle team was popping troops up to 200 meters away, with .22LR single-shot target rifles. basically making head shots just under the helmet rim. At up to 200 meters.

            Pop goes the weasel……

        3. My intro to newbies gun is a S&W M&P .22 pistol. Has the easy to load magazines, uses the same layout as my M&P 9mm, and eats everything I’ve fed it. I do more practice myself with it than anything else I shoot except for my carry gun. It’s great for reinforcing good habits cheaply.

      2. If racking the slide is the issue, you might want to check out the Beretta Tomcat .32ACP. It employs a tip-up barrel which means you don’t ever have to work the slide for normal operation. And Underwood markets their Xtreme Defended fluted monolithic (using Lehigh projectiles) that won’t be quite as effective as even a .380, but better than even *defense-type” .22LR. And the recoil should be minimal.

        1. Urg – I disagree about the Tomcat.

          It’s a ‘get off me’ gun; it will do the needed job, but it’s pretty unpleasant to shoot and the slide will mess up the web of your shooting hand if you are not extremely careful with your grip.

          Like many j-frame type .38s, the Tomcat is typically ‘take to the range, fire about 20 rounds, go home and stick it in a purse or a drawer and never use it again’. That was actually practical with the older run of the guns, as the slides were known to crack with heavier ammunition or extended use. There’s a new issue this year, probably not afflicted with that problem.

          [Aside] Did you know that hummingbirds do not like to be painted with a red laser?

          dep729, if you’d like to try one, we can make arrangements; I have to get out and practice sometime soon.

          1. Anything that hurts to shoot, I won’t. So thanks, but probably not.

            JohnS, where do you practice?

              1. We go to Emerald out of Springfield. There is also an outdoor range north of us but we haven’t checked it out. Difference between the two is household membership options. We are going enough to justify a household membership (3 shooters), but not if the membership only counts couples and children under 18. Definitely not going enough to justify single cost membership. Neither have options to rent anything to test.

        2. racking the slide is the issue

          ……

          That is the problem.

          We were able to test a number of options when we got the S&W 9mm EZ. I have no problem with it.

          1. My wife has arthritis, and she can operate the 380EZ quite well; the 9mmEZ not quite as easily. She has both, but her favorite remains the 6″ Python I got her back in the ’70s.

            If you can handle the 10-12 lb trigger, one of the .38 Special DAO revolvers might be a good choice; the Ruger LCR is accurate and reliable.

      3. A .380 slide is often just as hard to work as a 9mm. Most .380s are blowback operated, and a stiff spring holds them shut until the bullet leaves the barrel. Most 9mms use a locked breech and a much weaker spring, that just has to return the slide into battery after firing.

        Most times, the larger the gun (or at least the slide), the easier it is to pull the slide back.

        If you can dress around a larger gun for concealed carry, you might find it’s a lot easier to load and shoot than a pocket-size pistol.

        Revolvers are out of style nowadays, but you can get a compact .357 Magnum with a two, three, or four inch barrel, that will shoot everything from maximum-pressure .357 to .38 Special plinking ammo. You can get them with cylinders to take 5, 6, 7, or even 8 cartridges now, not just 6.

        Also, the odd lumpy shape of a revolver is sometimes easier to carry concealed, if you get the right holster. Which is the main reason I carry a revolver every day.

        1. We have dad’s revolvers. Big revolvers (pretty handles). I can barely carry any of them one handed, let alone shoot one handed. Trigger pull “stiff” if hammer is not back. Hair trigger if hammer is back. I’ve always had trouble ejecting rounds, shot or not. However we figure that might be because dad self loaded a tad hot. Mom carried a much smaller revolver, but niece inherited that one. The S&W 9mm looks tiny compared to dad’s revolvers. Regarding shooting the smaller .380, it being harder on the hand to shoot, I know. Yes, I can’t rack it, but with hubby and or son there, they could to get me started (and free jams). Don’t remember the brands, but we have two in the household (uh, I mean, lost in the pond). The .380s leave my hands hurting, after one (extended) clip. The EZ 9mm, bigger (not that much, but bigger), leaves my hand aching after 2 or so hours of shooting (lost count number of 8 count clips, reloaded rounds). Not inexpensive cost. OTOH inexpensive therapy.

          1. In the “pocket pistol” category, try a .32ACP.

            For example, the Kel-Tec P32 is a no-frills plastic discreet carry pistol. The .32 is far less snappy than .380, and the spring is thus lighter, thus easier to rack. Plus, it is actually a locked-breech gun, thus the spring is far lighter than blowback guns.

            They also make a .380 (“P3AT”) another locked breech gun. But .380 in that light weight size is super snappy.

            If you need a heavier but tiny, and can find them, Seecamp makes a “smallest possible” pocket gun LWS-32 (or LWS-380) in stainless steel. Ain’t cheap, but all that extra weight tames a .32 down. They are, however, a bit ammo picky in .32. (Winchester, “Silvertips” JHP or “Whitebox” – truncated-cone flat nose FMJ). No sights at all, its an up-close gun. These are highly sought-after guns, and command a premium price. (If you ever find a good condition LWS-25, they can go for up to $3000)

            North American Arms (NAA) makes a (cheaper) near-clone of the Seecamp .32, but with rudimentary sights.

            If you can find a Kel-Tec P-32 to try, that is probably your best bet in small/pocket auto.

      4. We own a 380EZ. It’s easy for my wife to rack the slide and load the magazines. It feels plenty capable, and it’s quite accurate out to at least 15 yards. Had the 9mmEZ been out, we might have gotten it, but we’re pretty happy with the 380.

        Oh, and it doesn’t seem too picky about ammo. Some 380s are reportedly very selective, but the EZ has taken every round from the low 60 grains up to the 80s.

        1. As the name implies, the EZ line is intended to address the difficulty racking the slide. It does this nicely by being hammer fired instead of striker fired, so the springs are much ‘softer’.

          I’ve not fired one yet, just handled one in a store.

          A review:

          https://www.pewpewtactical.com/sw-shield-ez-9mm-380acp-review/

          How easy is it to learn the proper grip, to operate that grip safety?

          1. Wow. Thanks. Appreciated the comparison and review.

            EZ 9mm isn’t heavy. Given that is the biggest difference, will stick with the 9mm VS spend money on a new option.

            Laughed at the “easy to load the magazine”. It is with the tabs. I use a cloth otherwise after a few reloads (need more magazines, only have 2, and they, um, shoot fast 😁) my fingers hurt from the tabs digging in.

            How easy is it to learn the proper grip, to operate that grip safety?

            …………

            Had a choice to get the 9mm EZ with or without the safety. Got the one with the safety, both in the grip and a lever. I have no problem with the grip safety, and it must be fully down, and I have small hands. When I wrap my left around the handle to grip my right hand, my finger tips barely reach the right hand knuckle gaps for the grip.

  8. I’m resigned to being the “y’all keep going, I’ll stay here and try to slow them down as best as possible” guy. I’m only in my early 50’s and otherwise in great shape, but I was in a motorcycle wreck a few years ago and have a screwed up foot / ankle. So I walk slowly, sometime have to use a cane or a knee scooter. No uneven surfaces, etc. What’s the expression, “it is what it is”?

    What it is, is that it sucks.

    1. This. I was never winning any footraces, even in high school. Ever since I blew out my ACL (motorcycle also), mobility has been limited. (I had to use one of those fun little carts in the grocery store for a while.)

      If TEOLAWKI happens, I figure it’s been good.

      1. whenever I see a group of letters I don’t recognize I go to Urban Dictionary for help. It failed me in this case. What is TEOLAWKI?

    2. I was cane- deoendant, off andcon, for about two decades. (Probably will again someday.)

      Get a fight-worthy cane or 3. Learn to use the cane for mayhem. Practice hitting a heavy bag or pell. (Jabs and thrusts usually work much better than swings)

      Learn to carry, draw, and use a sidearm on the side that isn’t using the cane. Carry it.

      You are not “handicapped”. You are a f(HONK!)ng poacher -hunting over bait-.

      heh. (grin)

      Mom clocked a mugger with her cane. Dropped her purse at his feet, and when he stooped to grab it, she went Captain Caveman berzerk on him. Knocked him out cold, busted his head bad. She -whailed- on him until her arms got tired. Then left him there to his fate. Go mom.

      Poacher. Over bait. -You- are the predator.

        1. It’s worth note that in at least some forms of this that it very much resembles foil/epee fencing. If you ever did this in high-school or college, you should be fairly able to pick it up…and you don’t need a sword cane. A Cold Steel Citystik or similar…even a solid Maple traditional hook cane will do and do nicely.

          1. Two hands on stick, and jab, hard and fast, driving from the feet. Resembles very basic bayonet fighting. Poke with the “down” end, bash with the other end.

            Unless you have very strong hands and arms, and real speed, swinging a cane (or bat) one handed is just a good way to get the other guy inside your reach and punching you silly.

        2. The only problem, David, is that Bug-In leaves you exposed to the possibility of roving bands of looters. I’ll keep being able to do what I can on Bug-Out as long as I can. My main concern, though, is Lisa…kind of hard to go over TOO much terrain with that chair as you know. I can manage (and do) manage horses, so there’s a range of that ability as well as getting in a car and blowing out.

          As you put…you need to weigh all options, including bugging out by vehicle or something like horseback or similar. Bugging In, may be an only option…just understand you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle in that context. People WILL try to steal from you and kill you in this context if it gets bad enough.

          1. A serviceable thirty-caliber rifle tends to send the “rob someone else” memo, and put a nice period on the sentence.

              1. (Grin)

                I have done something similar, with that sort of rifle.

                Years ago, after a hurricane trashed my neighborhood, I walked around occasionally with a Garand at “sling arms”, ensuring any would-be looters knew someone still cared. While on one such stroll, a deputy sheriff drove up along side me as I walked.

                (casually) “What you got there son?”

                “M-1 Garand rifle, sir.”

                “Is it loaded?”

                “Yes, sir.”

                (pause…) “Good man.” and he drove off.

                1. Good deputy, that. In Nawlins after Katrina it would have been “On the ground, scumbag!”.

      2. “Dropped her purse at his feet, and when he stooped to grab it, she went Captain Caveman berzerk on him.”

        Diet Mountain Dew is NOT a nasal lavage…..

      3. Sounds like Mom knows her stuff; good for her!

        BTW, the standard stick technique is “thrust to the soft; cut to the hard”. One of the best is a 5′ hickory or ironwood hiking staff. I have an ironwood one from Brazos (the wife’s is hickory), plus a Blackthorn cane; either will do for “social” occasions. 😉

        1. She busted the cane. She called me to ask about replacement suggestions. We covered “how to, and I found her a much sturdier stick.

          And about a year later, she called me again. “This one didn’t break!”

          I miss mom.

          1. Assuming from your last that she’s in a better place, sorry for your loss. It really does sound like she knew what to do with vermin, so I guess that should be “our loss”. 😒

    4. I hear you.

      My glaucoma has reached the point where I am no longer able to drive; my wife doesn’t drive either; neither one of us is healthy enough for long-distance hiking, especially with a heavy pack, and in any case we have nowhere to bug out to and no money to acquire such a place. And we’re in Canada, where self-defence is illegal.

      So our bug-out plan is to hunker down in place, and if the Grim Reaper comes calling, rip his nipples off with our fingernails.

    5. This is what I’ve been thinking since Sarah posted this yesterday. We are the old b@st@rds who stay behind so the kids can get out of Dodge.

      Realistically, while I’m still pretty good, the bad knee means I’m dependent on fuel for mobility. I could scrape out a couple of miles, but it would be ugly. Need a vehicle, be it a car, motorcycle, even a kick scooter.

      But you know, having decided how it’s going to be, that’s not the worst thing. If I can drive away, I will. If I can’t, well then that’s a different ballgame. Different sort of prep for that.

      1. Have you tried those rehab “knee scooters”? Its a kids bike, or quad wheel, with a knee cradle instead of a saddle, and tall “ape hanger” bars so you can stand upright and steer. With suitable tires it would work off road fairly well, at least on some terrain.

        1. Fortunately, I’m good for a trip to Costco or whatever, put a shopping cart in front of me and I can git ‘er dun. Lot of guys much worse off than me, I can still manage a motorcycle or an electric kick scooter. I have one of each, they’re hilarious fun.

          But your SHTF/zombie apocalypse situation, no fuel, no electricity, no Costco, I’m not going to be useful where non-powered mobility is required. Even a bicycle is not really feasible. I could do a few days, after that the damage is going to start accumulating.

          The knee scooter thing will certainly get you across the parking lot and around Costco just fine. I’m very fortunate not to need one right now. Across the lawn though, that could be tough. Through the bush? Double tough.

          1. Requires larger, fatter tires.

            I used to know a fellow who re-did his spare wheelchair with fat trail-bike tires. He also had rather strong arms, so range gravel and sand were manageable.

  9. I was recently able to resume real workouts in a real gym, and it has made a tremendous improvement in various “Wish-I-Could” items. Folks, work out what you can do with your doc, and do it! Even a regular light walk can make big gains.

    .

    If you have limits, consider how to move gear. -Wheels.- What an invention.

    I keep a wheeled folding cart in the cargo area of my vehicle. It has ~12″ bicycle wheels, with solid tires. It is good for pavement, sidewalks, gravel, dirt, grass, etc. Add a long pole and I have a decent travois. With it, I do not have to tire out my back hauling a big ruck and/or whatever gear I want to take along when walking away from the vehicle. Once upon a time, I used it to go fetch a new vehicle battery when the old one failed unexpectedly, but luckily withing 1/2 a mile of a parts store.

    One can use a luggage mover, folding wagon, “deer hauler”, shopping cart, etc. The trick is 1) have one, and 2) have the largest practical wheels, preferably no-flat ones. Sturdy helps, but “lasts long enough for one bug-out is enough.

    Keeping a decent pair of walking shoes in the vehicle may also be a big help. Once upon a time while out and about I wrecked a boot, and the sneakers in the vehicle meant I had shoes to wear fairly quickly.

    1. And have TWO wheels, so the cart does not fall over when you must set it down; a number of deer carts are more like wheelbarrows/bicycles.

      1. I have only seen the two wheel carts. The deer movers looked like a giant folding luggage hauler with bike tires.

        Pre-contact locals used a pair of long poles in an A frame, no wheels. It works. The wheel (or two) is a huge help

  10. I have taken the attitude that I am always training for my next birthday.

    This is just my research/observations/experiences…

    Over the past few years I’ve consumed a large number of science & medical papers discussing aging. The vast majority of them stress the #1 thing about aging is the onset of sarcopenia (muscle loss) and its impact on abilities and quality of life. Add protein to your diet (think at least 1gm per Kg of body weight, minimum) and add weight bearing exercises.

    A gallon jug of water is ~8lb – can you lift or do a curl with that? Could that be a goal for you? Don’t have to start with a full jug…. How about a push up? No way you say? Start with leaning push-ups against the kitchen counter. Don’t worry about how many you can do, just do `some’.

    Personally I don’t like counting ‘reps’ for exercises, so I use a kitchen timer. I can focus on doing the movement correctly and not on keeping count. As I improve, I just add more time and when that becomes awkward, I break into multiple sets of a given time.

    Aerobic capacity is nice & useful but muscle strength probably has more value. Work on your balance (keeps you from falling), get quality sleep, ensure your vision is a good as possible, as well as your hearing. The body is a marvelous system and has the ability to compensate when one ‘system component’ fails but you have to give it as many/much advantage as possible.

    YMMV – Good Luck to us all

  11. Add me to the list of “can go hard for a day, then body demands down time.” Between the orthopedic problems, some inherited probabilities, and other stuff, I have to make up with knowledge and sneaky with I can’t do with muscle power.

    Carts have a lot of potential, if the terrain and soil and cover favor them. More likely scenario here is an extended period with limited water service, and limited imports (because everything but wheat and beef and corn are imported. And cotton’s not all that edible unless you really, really like fiber 😉 )

  12. While you’re prepping, try seeing what your shoe store can do for you. There have been some remarkable advancements in shoe engineering.

    Even if your feet and legs are pretty messed up, it’s amazing what a really comfy walking shoe can do to reset your legs and feet.

    The one problem is that the shoes that are most like “walking on marshmallows” are often the shoes that had the most foamy, least durable bottoms. But one pair of marshmallows can get you ready for a more durable, still comfy shoe.

      2. Seconded. My feet have improved significantly since I started wearing orthotic inserts in my boots. They’re not custom, they’re just off the shelf ones.

        The inserts have instructions for how to heat them up so they conform to your foot, but the secret, apparently, is to never ever follow these instructions, because, as my chiropractor told me “Your feet are messed up enough already, you need to let the orthotic correct them.”

      3. Even a commercial gel heel (for plantar fasciitis) does a lot of good. I prefer a strong sole with a gel insert, and avoid memory foam like the plague. Yeah, it feels nice at first, but once it degrades, it’s taking your feet down with it.

    2. And if you can afford it, always buy two pair and alternate days.

      and always, always, good socks.

      1. Big 5 has a brand I dearly love, EcoSox, with lightweight bamboo (and synthetic) hiking socks. Nary a blister or a warm spot since I started using those, and I recently wore them at an insanely wet Camporee where my waterproof shoes eventually gave up, and my feet were probably wet for a good ten hours or more. Took them off, dried my feet, my feet were no colder than you would expect and not damaged.

        I’ve never had as much luck with cushier socks. These are kind of like mild compression socks, but zero rub and they feel soft.

        1. I have a smart wool sock, I think they have a bamboo liner (REI). Keeps the wool off my feet, and, short of squishing, never knew when the hiking boots failed. Camping in Oregon, every month, regardless of ***weather, my boots failed.

          Trust me. Not BSA outings, because we had the good gear (first thing we *bought, and kept buying). But during the college years when I could only afford a rain jacket (heavy **Uniroyal rubber type), with jeans. I’ve been very wet, very miserable (dang close, too close, to hypothermia) only thing that kept me going was “I chose this!”

          (* Working the log yards, and at the dock pulling tags on logs being loaded onto ships, in the winter, I looked like a 5′ bundled little bear. I only weighed 125#s. The bulk was underlayers, with the outer layer the rain gear. I stayed dry. Even if not 100% warm.)

          (** Not what we used camping. Too heavy. Too likely to be just as wet inside if weather is wet but not super cold.)

          (*** Oregon rain can give good gortex or off name brand, a run for it’s money. Have had raingear so wet you could see the underlining weather proof layer through the rip resistant outer layer. New definition to dripping wet.)

  13. Been disabled with a bad back since 2009, also have diabetes.
    Note one, you can do more than you think, but only for a short time.
    Note two, do the exercises you can do, can’t lift weights anymore so I use the Rubber bands. I can’t do what I used to but I can still do some things. Work around that. I walk as much as I can. I walk the mile or so to the bar, and back. In winter I force myself to ride an Exercycle.
    Note three, if they give you a brace or a cane, use it.
    Note four, the more you do the more you can do, use it or lose it.
    Note five, pain is both your friend and enemy, you have to listen to the pain, make peace with it, use it as your guide. Know your limitations.
    Note six, use ever convenience you can, IE wheel barrow, cane, braces, handrails, the quicker picker uppers, Claws, reacher’s, grabbers, etc… They take the stress out of things, stress tightens the muscles and makes it harder to do things. If it wasn’t for my Quicker Picker Upper, I couldn’t play darts.
    Note seven, get out and do things, you don’t have to be a home rat, you just have to adjust what you can do. Make sure you budget for fun once in a while, can’t or don’t drink. Be the designated driver for friends. Socialize as much as you can, humans do that. I am not saying hit the bar every night, but if the walls are starting to close in, they have nonalcoholic beer. Be human, so you are a little broken, not dead yet, don’t be dead in how you live.

    “Rage, Rage against the dying of the light”, even if your voice aint that loud anymore or you have to use a cane to walk. You can still walk, you can still live…

  14. My biggest concern is watching the heat while doing strenuous physical activity. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke are no fun, and potential killers.

    1. The Reader adds to this that a wide range of blood pressure meds can contribute to heat exhaustion / heat stroke even when you think you have been drinking enough water. The Reader recently went through 3 gallons of water during a 36 hole golf day (temperature peaked in the low 80s) and was still a flushed quivering mass at the end of it. His cardiologist told the Reader to suck it up (which is why the Reader is looking for a new cardiologist). His GP suggested using something with electrolytes rather than simply water. It seemed to work this weekend.

      1. I have to cut my Gatorade with water, that seems to work better than just plain either one.

        1. I’m told it’s roughly one Gatorade to two waters of equivalent size for best results, though that may vary depending on your body’s individual needs.

          1. Gatorade. I despise the stuff. Which means I get into trouble easily (both heat and cold). Sigh. forestry probably wasn’t my best choice. Guess I should be thanking the little fluffy birds, and a certain mountain, which forced me into a career change, instead of calling them stupid. Not that I’d ever admit this, except here.

            1. They sell other brands. Check REI for a whole bunch of hydration products.

              You can also buy the straight “rehydration salts” and mix your own brews.

        2. cut Gatorade 10 water to 1 ‘ aid. You want “isotonic” where the consumed fluid is same or less salty than your own body fluid, thus it moves freely inward.

          Orange juice works in a pinch, same dilution. Add a literal pinch of salt to a gallon of water or diluted orange juice.

          easy does it o. “Electrolyte” products. Most are way, way too much for non-athletes, and I mean hardcores, not duffers.

          1. Old friend in the SCA gave us a rule: if the Gatorade tastes good, you need it. Drink it until it stops tasting good. That said, my beloved cuts it half and half with water.

            1. <i>if the Gatorade tastes good, you need it.</i>

              Lol, yes. That’s the rule I go by.

              Though, if I can get away with it, I prefer hot tea with a dollop of sweetened condensed milk and a couple dashes of salt.

              Again, a case of “If it tastes good, you need it”

            2. Used to work at an outdoor concert venue, summers in in CA. I, too, cut my gatorade with half water; had to use the low-sugar variety.

              On hot (100F+) days, typically ran through about a liter an hour while the sun was up, slowed down as it got dark/cooler. Tried to drink enough that there was some through the bladder instead of all sweated out.

        4. The rule I’ve heard is that if it tastes good, you are dehydrated. Drink until it doesn’t taste good. Then, drink an equal amount of water.

          1. I’ve been living that for years. Most of the year I max at two bottles a day, and I sweat like a horse. I also drink by relaxed farmers rules, if I’m not hitting the restroom every two hours, I’m not drinking enough (farmers is once an hour)

            1. For the desert, I was taught that urine should resemble the water you drink. If it has any significant color, drink lots more water. And if you are not relieving yourself hourly, drink lots more.

  15. Having just finished my first Physical Therapy session after breaking my kneecap at 65, I feel ya, David… I’ll be out of the brace next month and back to the new normal.

  16. Nice talk about bug in, bug out. But also read all of the stuff Sarah sprinkles around about the tough times in Portugal, when things didn’t collapse, but just turned to crap. Which looks like we’re headed real soon now.

  17. If walking is required, sorry, I’ll die comfortably here at home.

    You have to consider the likelihood various types of issues in your planning.

    Where I am, west side of Houston, the main threat is flooding, with or without hurricanes. My 50 year old house has never flooded, but access has been cut off several times. So I’ll stay put through that sort of threat. Say, some sort of chemical spill? That I’ll drive away from.

    Peaceful but fiery protests? Too far away from Houston, or even the closer, smaller towns.

    Local looting? Unlikely, but there are enough subdivisions sprouting up around us that it can’t be ignored. But plans have been hatched.

    2. Also the day of Churchill’s famous Never Surrender speech, and the 1989 Polish elections that threw out the communist party.

  19. WP does something weird when I try to insert a link, but search on this video on YouTube: “LASD Film “Physical Control Techniques-The Baton”

    It’s a 10-minute instructional video from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, circa 1963. It covers a handful of strikes, takedowns, and come-alongs using the old-style nightstick, which is only slightly shorter than a common walking cane. The actual “training” part is less than half the 10-minute video; they kept it to the bare basics. Every bit of it is useful, unlike so many keno, escrima, or other stick fighting videos.

    If you use a cane, it’s well worth your time to learn the moves. And remember, a cane is an ADA Mobility Aid, and not even the TSA can take it from you.

  20. I’m definitely in no condition to fight or escape. But we have the kind of place that people would escape to, so I suppose we’d stay put.

    Hubby and I have what you’d call essential skills that would be needed in our little forest burg. We have neighbors who will definitely need our help if things really go south.

    Hubby can literally fix or build about anything at all building or mechanical. Has many, many important and useful tools of the power and hand type. He knows how and what is useful salvage and can get the most amazing things to run and is a craftsman type carpenter. He has a large group of like minded friends and between them they could figure out a way to keep the town running I’m absolutely certain.

    I know how to grow, cook, forage and have excellent first aid skills. I also know a fair bit about herbal medicine and folk remedies. Have done butchering and all manner of food preservation and I have equipment for same. The casual observer would look around our nondescript homesite and see a rather messy cottage garden setting. If you knew what you were looking at, however, you would see food everywhere. (The better to keep marauders away. It’s rather shocking how many people don’t know the edible plants they walk over every day. I’m looking at you, dandelions.) I also have a stash of useful print materials, books and whatnot that would come in handy in the advent of a breakdown in civilization. And a large stash of seeds that will be useful. I also have a group of ladies who can keep the home fires burning in the event of catastrophe.

    We would stay where we are at, be as helpful as we can to those around us, pray and care for whoever is sent to us and trust in the Lord that His will be done for the good of His faithful.

  21. I’m also no longer in any condition to do a lot of physical things like I used to. So everyone should be warned: I less likely to go hands on, and more likely to draw down.

    1. “Old age and treachery always overcomes youth and skill.”

      Of course, a brick to the head kind of cancels a lot of plans, so stay alert.

      1. “No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.” Vlad Taltos, Assassin

        Stephen Brust’s Jhereg books.

  22. I’ve published BOB lists over several years and in various formats. Unfortunately, as you’ve come to realize, living off the land is no longer feasible. I’m too old,too fat, and too broken down. As Pam said, I’ll die comfortably here at home.

    This is a bitter truth to face, and violates eveything I envision myself to be.

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