We all hear that statement from time to time but it’s usually been tongue in cheek for having to do something that isn’t exactly palatable. Such as a man telling his neighbor, “I’m living the dream” as he heads off to work, the shopping mall or some other such compulsory place.

   I hope to change that somewhat negative image and use this as my category of posts that describe what I’m getting done at the BOL and from time to time, other fronts. As I make further progress in my freedom and self sufficiency pursuits I’ll of course be sharing those with all of you. Some of you will like what I’m getting done, while others will snicker at my modest progress but either way I’m committed to showing you all that progress can be made, even if it’s slow and less then dramatic!

   I’ve attempted to be an open book with what my wife and I are doing for our future. You’ve seen what we’re doing with our little mobile mansion as well as a good deal of the systems we have and are putting in at our rural property. There are MANY planned improvements but forward movement has been less then I would have liked. It appears that this spring and summer will bring some significant activity and I’m looking forward to sharing the details.

   I do have several posts worth of improvements and or projects that we’ve gotten done that have us feeling a lot better about our position here inEastern Washington. However, since I have yet to sit down and write these updates, I don’t want to just blurt them out. Thus you’ve seen a lot less photo’s of the place over the last year. Don’t get me wrong these aren’t super deluxe survival bunkers being dropped deep into the ground for defense against the inevitable arrival of zombie hordes, just stuff that had been put on the back burner due to funding constraints.

   In addition to the actual BOL survival preparedness topics that will go into this category, I’ll also be covering our business and or entrepreneurial progress. While these income producing pursuits wouldn’t necessarily seem to fit in a blog like Preppernation, I maintain that unless we’re all working toward our financial survival any other preps will either be needed far sooner than we think or will turn out to be woefully short of what we will require to survive and thrive in the coming future days of need!

   We anticipate having the opportunity to make our run for the country in the next few of years as our daughter is currently working on her college education, we need to see her through this stage of life before we can make a move, at least a complete full time move anyway. However, we will still require a significant amount of income even though we owe nothing on our land or home. Truthfully, we are largely out of debt with the exception of the mortgage on the house inSeattle, which is drastically upside down. This mortgage will have to be dealt with at some point but for now we can just keep chipping away at it.

   The amount of income to maintain our current standard of living will be dramatically reduced when we move east but much to my dismay, the amount is still significant. If I told you all again what my personal financial numbers were, you’d laugh at how small the dollar amount is… The problem is the delta, meaning the difference between zero and the amount required is significant. My income potential is currently good but also requires that I stay in theSeattlearea. I also only make money when I’m working, thus making it difficult to take time off to work on the BOL or the business infrastructure projects needed to pursue my entrepreneurial ideas.

   I know that my situation isn’t out of the ordinary and many of you that are working toward these same goals will eventually have to deal with this issue as well. I hope to provide some ideas and at least help many of you short cut your learning curve and find success in this area through seeing where I succeed and or fail…

   I’m looking forward to this particular category and I hope you all will find it as interesting to read about as I think it will be to write about. Make sure that if you haven’t subscribed to the email updates, do it now so I can let you know when new material is available for you to check out!

Prepper

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If the topics we cover here at PREPPERNATION are interesting to you, please take a mintue to subscribe to the email notifications. I will email you each time I add new material… I always like to hear from you, my readers, so let me also encourage you to post your comments on this or any of the other posts in the comments section!

   We’ve been seeing a lot of media coverage of “Preppers” lately. I think I’ve heard that there’s a new program coming out soon called – “Doomsday Preppers” or something along those lines. I thought that I’d do a little remedial writing about what a prepper really is or at least the version of prepperism that I subscribe to! I started a new page that I hope will serve as a starting point for all these new potential preppers stopping in to see what we’re all about… Go on over and take a look!

    What’s a Prepper Anyway?

   For today’s post I thought I’d address a topic request that came in a day or two ago… A reader asked if I could dedicate some post time to the subject of how us preppers could stay in contact or get linked up again after a disaster that takes out our primary means of communication.  Specifically, he mentioned after the phones and electric went down.

   First, is this a reasonable question and concern? Of course it is, recently the Pacific Northwest was hit with our version of a snow and ice storm. Many homes and businesses were without power for days or in some cases a lot longer. Was this life threatening? No but it was inconvenient for sure. If this situation would have affected a larger area or worse yet been a national level event, we would have seen major delays at best. Worst case scenario could even leave us in the “Game Over” situation many of us have seen coming.  It often takes the efforts of multiple counties’ and all of their resources to just get a handle on these smaller more localized issues and if it goes statewide, there just isn’t enough manpower to draw from for a quick fix.

   I find it believable that if and or when the US is faced with a large enough event, whether a terrorist attack or natural disaster, we could see the final flush we’ve all been anticipating. I digress; the point is what will all of us prepared individuals do to hook up with our extended families and or survival groups…

   This eventuality should be planned for in advance just like we make preparations for everything else. The power goes down and it isn’t the same as it used to be when everyone had a land line that might have stayed operational for several days more on battery power. Now, most of us have cell phones in our pockets that require regular charging and possibly a cordless landline at the house that will also not be working without the electric grid. However, every situation has a solution and this one like so many others will just require a little forethought to work through.

   The example that the reader in question used was a group of 5 families that had formed into some sort of loose survival or mutual aid group. What he didn’t say was the distance between these families. My gut feeling would be that other than in the most loosely arranged of groups, the members would have been selected in some fashion for their ability to actually provide each other aid in the event of disaster. Often I have seen these groups form around family lines and or a central bond, such as common church affiliation. If this is the case than the probability would be that we could assume the families are not separated by more than 20-30 miles. This would allow for a reasonable amount of assurance that they could get to one another even if not immediately.

   Let’s make our plans based on this 30 mile distance and if it were to turn out to be less, so much the better! This distance isn’t ideal but it’s certainly doable. The second assumption we’ll make for this post is that group members hadn’t become HAM radio operators or this question of communication could be a lot more easily answered. While HAM is not a one size fits all answer, it would be a good goal for this type of situation and we’ll be discussing it in more detail another time. Let’s face it though, HAM radio isn’t gaining in popularity and I doubt it will anytime soon. CB radio might also be considered as a possibility but the last time I tried to get back into that hobby, it was a big disappointment in that so many chuckle heads were on there listening to themselves talk. I hardly think that they’d allow much, if any, serious communications to take place on “THEIR BANDS”, at least I wouldn’t make this a key element in my groups preparations. I do suggest that both CB and HAM radio equipment be purchased and held in reserve even if not for immediate use!

   If this group of families were under my supervision logistically, I think I would go with a very basic plan! I would lay out a map of sufficient size to mark every family’s location on it and see what the map told me…  I think that it would become apparent who the most centrally located family was. This particular family assuming they were “all in” on this plan would become the hub in my group’s logistical wheel.

   Again, we’ll assume that the group members weren’t going to be moving in together at one location. This would allow each family to maintain their own home or retreat and come to each other for logistical support or aid from time to time.

   Additional considerations would have to be made as to the specific details but at least for running communications through and when the time came to have group members locate each other; this central property would be the most logical point of contact. Some group members would certainly end up being closer than others but work details and or additional responsibilities could fall on those that had less distance to travel for information and or supplies. Every groups make up will be different and these differences will dictate their goals!

   Now, on the chance that I didn’t exactly hit the nail on the head with what the reader was asking, I’ll attempt an alternate plan of action… Let’s say that what the reader was thinking of was really a BAD disaster and there wasn’t a viable option for those families to stand their ground at home. Having an offsite location prearranged ahead of time to meet up would be beneficial.

   In this case I would also try to keep it simple… Find another location on that same map to use as a “Plan B” link up spot. I might even go to the extent of having a “Plan C” location as well. These would be mutually agreed upon places. These could possibly be a state park or even a parking garage structure that could be predicted to be left unaffected by whatever events seem the most likely. Additional helpful items might even be prepositioned in that area to aid any of the group members as they began to arrive. I would probably at least create a message drop of some kind for everyone to use to exchange information.

   I doubt that I would want to put anything in place that required the use of power or electronics, these being far too delicate. Now I’m not saying that I wouldn’t own electrical items like a GPS but I just wouldn’t count on its use for the basics like a place to link up or to locate the all-important message drop box. Keep this basic stuff simple, agree on a place or places and then if the need were to arise link up and then make more elaborate plans if that’s necessary. Once these locations were decided on I would have each member, kids included, go see each place in person. When it came down to where everyone would meet, the plan has to be fool proof. If this happens then we meet here and if that place is on fire then we go over here… Keep It Simple Stupid, you all know the KISS principles, right!

   For the sake of OPSEC, I would keep the global plan of where to meet up after so and so were to happen, just that – where to meet up…  Meet up and hole up should be two separate plans, if it were to come down to that! If word were to get out that a bunch of survivalists were planning to meet at the bridge overlooking the state park or had plans to take over the third floor of the downtown parking garage, it could be a temptation for some “have not” to try to acquire goods at gunpoint. Not that any self-respecting prepper would allow themselves to be caught flat footed, it just doesn’t pay to take to many chances…

I do realize that there are many additional preps and details that would need to be thought through along these lines but we will get to all the other areas in do time… I just didn’t want anyone to think I was taking the idea of a 30 mile hike lightly! I hope these thoughts will be enough to get your minds turning on what might be put in place now before the day of need arises!

Prepper

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If the topics we cover here at PREPPERNATION are interesting to you, please take a mintue to subscribe to the email notifications. I will email you each time I add new material… I always like to hear from you, my readers, so let me also encourage you to post your comments on this or any of the other posts in the comments section!

   This startled you at first but realizing that it probably shouldn’t have you continued forward. These last couple of weeks would have frayed anyone’s nerves but the laws of science dictated that the boy had a secret entrance or maybe a secret exit would be more accurate of a description. Under other circumstances this would have been a fun discovery, the boy obviously had kept this small thing hidden under your nose… What else might he have up his sleeve?

   You reached the end of the alley, for lack of a better term and sure enough there was the boy holding back a section of the fence so you could follow him through. He gave some explanation about having designed this escape hatch during a “war” with some neighbor kids. You knew he had one particularly good friend but hadn’t considered what his standing with the other neighborhood kids might have been. For the moment, you just filed away the “war” thought and followed your son along a small disguised trail behind your next door neighbor’s shrubs. The bushes overhead were low enough that you had to walk hunched over but the trail was well used, just by shorter people…

   You past through several neighboring properties and it took considerable thought to keep to your mental map of the subdivision. The boy whisked you through a couple more of his camouflaged fence hatches before he finally came to a stop. The fence in front of him looked like any of the others you had already came to that he had magically opened allowing you to pass through… He didn’t open this one though. He just told you to take a look… “Take a look at what?” you asked tentatively.

   He looked at you like you must be kidding? “Look through the peephole” he said pointing out the roughly drilled hole at just about the correct eye level for himself. You bent down and attempted to peek through… On the other side of the fence was the two lane county road that lead right past the main entrance into the subdivision. Other then recognizing the road and knowing approximately where you must be, you failed to understand the significance of what he wanted you to see. “What’s so important about this particular spot”, you asked? “Is this it or am I missing something?”

   You could see the disappointment on the boys face… He had expected you to see the sites strategic significance without his having to explain… You were aware that the boy still idolized you to a great degree. The two of you had discussed at great length the historical significance of this battle or that war as he brought his latest reading interests to you over the years. “Don’t you remember Dad, the time the Romans won the decided victory over their enemies just because they had an early warning of their arrival?” You didn’t recall exactly which battle he was referring to but his leisure reading time was much more extensive then yours these days so you didn’t question him further on the specifics. He went on to tell you that every time the kids from the other side of the residential development went to “war” with him and his friends they tried to sneek in through the front gate. “We always knew they were coming because we put someone on this spot to watch for them and signal us when they would be arriving.” There was that “war” word again, you made a mental note to ask him about this further when you had a moment. You certainly didn’t mind him playing war with his friends but wondered if it meant the same thing it did when you were playing it as a child. A lot of things had changed in the world and it was strange to hear him talking about it as a present day experience rather then in an historical context.

   Alright, you explained you saw his point but asked if there was more or was this the only thing he had brought you out to see? He furiously shook his head, he said this is only the first place; you hadn’t even got to the places he really wanted you to see!

   Taking one more look through the fence you acknowledge that this was indeed a good spot to watch for anything approaching the front entrance and would provide several minutes notice before they came into view of the gate area itself. Patting him on the back, you told him to “move out”, the boy beemed with pride at the recognition you had shown him!

   From there he began to back track along one of the trails you had used to reach this point but made a sudden stop. He explained that something or the other was out of place and you needed to wait for a minute while he checked out this particular backyard. You agreed but thought to yourself how this would look if anyone discovered you right then… You would move right up the ladder from “crazy survivalist guy” straight to peeping tom. There would be no stopping at GO or collecting $200 dollars, if this wasn’t such a nanny state you might have worried about getting yourself shot!

   Hearing a low whistle and then seeing the bushes your son had disappeared into a few moments before begin to rustle again as he made his return. You watched as he came back through the brush with the skill you would have expected from a military scout. His eyes locked on you and then you saw he was trailed by a very large German Shepard… You weren’t exactly scared of dogs but this was a little unsettling since you had never even seen this dog before. The dog appeared startled as well when he finally saw you standing there. He stopped short and let out a low growl, not quite showing his teeth but definitely not giving you any indication that you were welcome there.

   The boy scolded the dog and proceeded to introduce his friend to you… He said, “Dad meet Max”, he continued to explain that he belonged to the people that lived here but your team had made friends with him a couple of years ago and he was kind of a mascot of sorts. He told you to stand still and let the dog sniff you. Needless to say, you did as you were told and after the dog had taken his time to smell your shoes, pants and nether regions he apparently approved. The dog pushed his muzzle up under your hand and acted as though he expected you to pet him. You were happy to accommodate his request, carefully tussling his head and ears. Your son produced a small baggy from his pants pocket and gave Max a couple of dog biscuits he had been carrying. The dog being satisfied with the treat, walked back through the brush. You made another mental note to ask your son for further details as soon as this tour was over…

   Your son was off down the trail again and you kept close behind until he had lead you through another of his fence modifications. Once you were safely into the next yard you were able to breathe a little easier. Standing behind another neighbors garden shed your son pointed to another “peep hole”, he motioned for you to take a look…

   This time you were almost on top of the gated entrance way into the neighborhood. You could see a man standing behind one of the cars that was positioned to block the access drive. He was not visibly armed but was doing his best to look menacing. The whole scene didn’t look very official but the fact that at least something was getting done did give you a little glimmer of hope for the future…

   Since the boy hadn’t seen the entrance being blocked you asked him to take a look for himself. He stepped closer and peered through. He gave a quick nod as if he immediately knew what was up. So far the boy had spoken very little, you took this opportunity to ask him what he thought…

   He said that the man standing there was so and so’s father. He went on to explain that he didn’t normally dress that way, normally dressing like you did. Thinking to yourself that he must mean shirts and ties as opposed to the jeans and hunting style jacket the man was wearing today. The days of dressing in slacks and wearing loafers to the office were probably gone for good, not much point in dressing up when their weren’t clients to call on anymore!

   You explained that you were more interested in what he thought of the “fortifications” then how the man was dressed. He just said that since this wasn’t a very defensible position that he probably would have suggested something like that… He went on to name some military armament that would have been a better choice but conceded that without those being available, he guessed a car would slow them down! After taking a second quick look yourself, he lead you around a bend in the trail and stopped a few yards down and squatted behind what must have been one of the brick walls flanking the driveway.

   He spoke quietly, you presumed so the man behind the car wouldn’t hear him… He told you that the next place you needed to see was across the street and would mean that you would have to cross in plain view of anyone out on the street or watching from any of the houses within view of the entrance. You thought to yourself that it must be a lot easier to move around the neighborhood unnoticed when you were a kid. People would certainly notice a grown man sneaking around but largely didn’t seem to pay much attention to what kids were doing. You asked what he thought you should do to draw as little attention to their movements as possible. He explained that he normally would just wait until he didn’t see any cars coming and then just sprint across but since he didn’t think you could run as fast as him, you should probably just walk across and hope no one would notice you…

   Why this crossing of the street was requiring so much stealth or even consideration wasn’t exactly clear. What was the big deal anyway? In all the years you had lived here had something particularly interesting escaped your notice? You supposed you could just require the boy to tell you what was up but he was so into this whole adventure, might as well go along for the ride… If this was just any normal day most of the houses would be empty, everyone having gone to work instead of gathering together at the mailboxes exchanging speculation and passing the time so their empty stomachs wouldn’t be as nagging!

   “Alright, you lead the way – on the count of three we’ll go! You count and I’ll be ready to run…” You both got to your feet and braced like runners at the starting line waiting for a gun to fire and start your race. He counted 1… 2… 3 and he was off! He had gotten a lot faster since the last time you had challenged him to a foot race but you were able to stay up with him, more or less. He ran out and across the sidewalk, dashing straight across the street and didn’t stop until he got to the deep shadows along side of a house. He stopped so fast that you hardly had a chance to slow down before you would have piled into the garbage cans sitting next to the wall. It was the garage side of the home so you might have gotten away without alerting the homeowner but with the current situation only getting worse, avoiding any confrontations would probably be best.

   Even though the run was not more then a couple of hundred yards, you still needed a moment to catch your breath. Assuming the boy was doing the same thing you kept your eye on the street to see if you had drawn any unwanted attention. After a minute or two without hearing anything out of place, you turned to see what was suppose to happen next. Your eyes had enough time to adjust to the dim light under the trees but try as you might you could see your son. Not wanting to call out his name or fully trusting your eyes to not be deceiving you, you just stood still for another moment watching. You didn’t want to make a fool of yourself if he indeed was standing right beside you unseen.

   No, now you could be certain, the boy had vanished again… Since the joke had been on you a half an hour ago leaving your own backyard it was safe to say there would be another logical explanation this time as well… Continuing further into the shadows along side the house the light seemed to get dimmer and dimmer the further you went back. Standing now at the back corner of the house you tried to see through the spaces between the fence boards but couldn’t see much. Looking up you discovered that the tree cover was surprisingly dense. This really shouldn’t have come as a surprise, you remembered that this part of the county was considered “the sticks” back when you were a kid. The acreage this subdivision was on was more then likely old forestry or mining land that had been used up for proper commercial purposes and therefore sold off to a developer to turn into the then latest in suburban sprawl. Why hadn’t you ever noticed the number of large trees still standing in what appeared to be in the middle of your neighborhood, you thought to yourself?

   Your thoughts returned to the issue at hand, where did your son go and how could you follow someone that you couldn’t see. Pushing against one section of the fence at a time you worked your way along assuming that eventually you would find the trick section your son had slid through. One after the other you kept trying boards but nothing gave way… Searching along the tops of the fence for a catch of some kind also proved fruitless. Your attention completely on the task at hand you failed to watch your backtrail and didn’t realize you weren’t alone until the hand grabbed your shoulder, nearly spinning you completely around…

To be continued -

Prepper

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If the topics we cover here at PREPPERNATION are interesting to you, please take a mintue to subscribe to the email notifications. I will email you each time I add new material… I always like to hear from you, my readers, so let me also encourage you to post your comments on this or any of the other posts in the comments section!