..to say Homestead Prepping Lite is not Doomsday Survival Prepping. So here's some non-panicky ideas

[bellinisurge]

I'm a general prepper so I know about this stuff. It's my "hobby", if you like. Best case scenario is it all goes away and is nothing. We all want that but it might not be like that. Next best case scenario is two weeks boring self isolation. Yes, you can ask your pals to bring you food but this pal has their own stuff to deal with. I'll help you up to a point as long as I'm not required to self isolate too. Next best case scenario is a general lockdown in your area when nobody can bring anyone anything. No one in your house is poorly but there's only so much TV you can binge watch before you get hungry or need a wee or do other hygiene stuff. This is where homestead prepping lite comes in.
You don't need to worry about utilities going off etc but you do need to eat. You probably have stuff in your freezer and cupboards but enough for two weeks. Frozen sweetcorn and spaghetti for breakfast, anyone?
And bog roll? Yes, there are general prepper approaches but who's got time for that shit if you aren't a prepper? You need to get extra but where to store it? Get a hold-all. Take the bog roll out of its packaging, squash each roll down and pack it in there. Yes, you might lose some on the outside of the roll, they'll look a bit bumpy but it's better than a bog roll wall in your bedroom. Or rejig your drawers to make space.
I'm not a medic, I am over 50 with an underlying health problem so my situation is different to you regarding getting poorly. Follow general advice about good hand hygiene and eating well to boost your immune system.
I hope the worst that happens is you get bored. Don't beat yourself up about being concerned. And stop willy waving about how it's all nothing to you and everyone else is being silly. Take back control of this situation and don't give in to hype either way. There's loads of great advice on here.

thirsty you said it better than me: crack on, whatever floats your boat. I still think it's fucking mental.

Willow there's no aggro, I'm amused. Noone is doing anything that affects me, I'm aware of this, funnily enough.

OP fucking mental can also be perceived as quite affectionate in my part of the world. We are also very self- depreciating and I'm regularly a bit fucking mental myself.

Trigger alert everyone: someone has an opinion which isn't the same as yours!

I follow several prepping groups on Facebook and some (especially the ones from USA) are hardcore preppers with shop-like volumes of produce in their basements. I’ve not gone that far but have been prepping for a while now. I honestly do not think it’s mad or crazy, it’s sensible to have extra of what you would normally consume for a just in case scenario. I even had a delivery of 100 loo rolls via Groupon the other day, it’s not going to waste, everything will get used and it’s saved me a lot of money by bulk buying in some cases. I think light prepping is sensible. I’m with you op.

Ha ha! You fucking mentalist is definitely a term of endearment in my social circle. Affectionately meant, but still indicating someone having views/taking actions which are the extreme opposite to your own.

Quite apt for this thread, because it would take a hell of a lot more than a few cases of a virus in the UK to persuade me to buy more than 4 tins of beans in my weekly shop.

Chaz I'll disagree with your "reasonable probability" ( I'll also quote BBC yesterday that 80% of the people in China who have contracted the disease have only mild, cold-like symptoms) but completely agree with your individual concerns and your focus on protecting your own family. Do whatever you like for you, but some of us disagree.

thirsty. I'm going to only buy one tin when I do my shop later, just to be rebellious.

@Snoopdogsbitch if there are any left

I think there is a reasonable probability we will get it but I accept it might not be severe. The problem will be if we are then required to self isolate.
Can you imagine being stuck in the house with teens for 2 weeks and you run out of food.

Well, I’ve had a lovely morning with my ‘face out in the fresh air’ 😂 sorting out some bits and pieces in the garden and greenhouse, and the kids and dog have also had a really good run about.

I’ve thinned out the tomatoes in the greenhouse, picked salad (which we had for lunch along with our own eggs - great news that it was a big hit with the DC’s, much more than usual salad so that’s good), planted another batch of salad in the greenhouse for a month’s time, weeded the strawberries, planted some kale and basil and had a general clear-up.

Also took a boot full of stuff to the dump and filled up with petrol. Popped into the supermarket for a few more bits - it was 8am so very quiet. Fully stocked with their own generic paracetamol but it’s gone from 30p to 75p.

thirsty

Chaz but you wouldn't be stuck. There's no state of energency- a friend/ relative could drop bags of food at your door.

And these friends/relatives are sitting waiting to respond to your every need and certainly aren't at risk of self isolation requirements themselves.😂😂
Oh, to live in a world that revolves around me

My relatives are 200 miles away and DH’s are on a different continent

If we catch it then it’s likely it is spreading in London quite rapidly so movement may be discouraged.

And these friends/relatives are sitting waiting to respond to your every need and certainly aren't at risk of self isolation requirements themselves.😂😂
Oh, to live in a world that revolves around megringrin

Totally agree, love that they don't even consider past themselves

Thanks bellini for this thread.

We probably have enough food for a fortnight’s self-isolation, but I need to get non-food items. Your lists have been very useful in the past, with bad snow a year ago, and short illnesses.

Self-isolation will be very different. I can see myself and primary-age LOs managing fairly well with internet, tv, home ed, etc, and in a small part of the garden for a while each day. But DH works away from home, and I would urge him not to come home in those circumstances. So I think it would be very hard on me emotionally.

Maybe he could shop, put things in a bag, and lob it over the wall to us.

It’s a lot to think about.

This thread is full of very sensible advice Bellinisurge. There’s nothing wrong with squashing loo rolls, I do this whenever I pack for a holiday. As it happens I’ve got a nice leftover Brexit stash which will come in handy.
The big question is whether I run it down or replace as I go along. I didn’t need my Brexit stash after all but I don’t regret buying it.

Thanks for the thread. We have enough food for 2-3 weeks but at this time of year we always do anyway due to weather and illnesses.

I am popping in to the local Tesco every day to get some paracetamol. In my house if we were all poorly we would get through one and half packs a day.

If you can’t store a loaf of bread in the freezer, split it, two slices in freezer bags are easier to store and that way you can squeeze a loaf or two into gaps.

Yes to be clear, I'm not worried about actually getting the virus. My worry is that if there's a cluster of cases locally then everything will shut down and people will be told to stay home for two weeks. I'd rather just stay home and chill rather than rush around frantically buying food with half the city.

It's not an unreasonable fear given that this is happening already in other places and is in fact the only way to contain a pandemic if it gets that bad.

It used to be totally normal for people to keep emergency stocks, I have no idea why it's now something to mock. I guess we are all so spoiled by constant access to everything that some people can't comprehend otherwise.

You're welcome @MrsTidyHouse .
Morale "preps" are very important too.
Presume you have FaceTime or the WhatsApp equivalent if you are going to be separated from your dh.
My dad was in the Merchant Navy in tbe 70s and that phone call was so important when we were months apart.

We're getting more in. Probably enough for a month or so. We live rurally so have two fridges and two freezers. Have bought lots of meat and frozen veg to freeze (including soffrito). Tins a plenty including tinned fruit, pasta, rice, cereal and 10 loaves of bread plus flour and yeast. Water just in case and biscuits and treats. Lots of dog food, loo roll and bleach and a couple of bottles of dettol spray. I have also stocked up on a lot of painkillerS for child and adult. All of this will get used so I'm not worried. And I'm glad that I'm not doing at the last minute and therefore 'panic' buying. I can keep topped up as necessary now. It's not easy where we are as it is so it seemed like a good idea. The last thing I wanted to think about was shopping if one of us gets sick.

I'm loving the prepping threads, I have started stocking up a little. A couple of years ago I stocked up on a few bits including bottles of water, Dh thought I was being silly until the water supply was cut off due to a local situation. That water came in handy! I let it slip again unfortunately but have started again, dh told me I should go live in US when I started talking about bug out bags! Cheeky arse.

In Spain you can buy paté in tins, similar size to tuna tins. I only ever see pate in the fresh food here does anyone know if you can buy it like that? That would be useful for me to have in. I could live off pate and crackers for a long time

Agreed on all points dreamingbohemian.

You can buy tinned French pate here Two.

Thanks op. This thread has been a good laugh. Well done for it mentioning the d word.

Honourable mention to the poster who posted dingbat bingo.

I am absolutely not going to be stocking up more food. The flat will pancake down onto the ones below.

I probably ought to hoik a bag of compost out of the garage though. God knows where we will put that.

@thirstyformore we were flooded a few years back and by the next day the supermarkets were empty. It was terrifying. There was no electricity at all so anything. that could be bought had to be bought with cash. Since then I've always 'prepped' a little and I don't think that makes me crazy.