Prepping for a Pandemic - Thread 16

[Sprayitall]

I don’t know why another thread hasn’t been created yet , so here you go. Now as we prep ourselves to the peak of this pandemic, let’s all face it together and appreciate how fragile our lives are and how we need each other to survive and flourish.

Guys - I made a pate out of olive oil, leeks, garlic and mushrooms - what's the best way of storing it so it lasts? I was wondering about sterilized Jars but wasn't sure and don't want to waste it

Thanks for the Yeast tip - I have an out of date tub too (gifted from a friend as I had none)

Am inordinately excited to have found a small bag of flour at the back of my cupboard (best before Jan 2020 but have an old skool scepticism about sell by dates). No yeast but I’m presuming I could do flatbreads? What else do I need?

Also just had a heads up about a local market greengrocer who has started home deliveries of fruit, veg and a few basics. Relatively expensive but I’m tempted to order from them as:

• I won’t have to go to the supermarket
• I can afford it on a short term basis so leave the cheaper stuff for those who can’t
• our market which used to be our pride and joy has been struggling to survive so this is a good way of supporting them

@mrsfezziwig I've done exactly the same, with the same reasoning

Sainsburys have their slots available and they open for the next three days I think for deliveries. Also taxi services here have offered to do click and collect deliveries if the delivery slots aren’t available. So may be that’s a thought for anyone looking to order any?

@MrsFezziwig I wish to buy locally too but there are no local producers taking orders now

I think I made a strategic error not going shopping last week, silly should have shopped as normal rather than literally eat into preps. Cracked and went today, queue outside at Aldi but none at Lidl. Out of some things and limiting a few things but not bad overall.

2 meter distance a bit hit and miss, it takes everyone to concentrate on it which is not natural when zig zagging the aisles for stuff.

I wore disposable gloves, hands were sweaty after half an hour, no idea how medical staff are coping head to toe in the stuff, respect.

@AlohaMolly do you know that Holland and Barrett deliver and do gf stuff

Thank you to the person who gave me the wise tip of saving creams in blobs. I saved them all by scooping them and freezing them in silicon ice mould. Once frozen, I repacked them all together in a freezer bag. It’s actually very clever for portion control. Its important for me now because I was thinking me not leaving the sofa for anything much , I can easily be mistaken for a sumo wrestler by the end of all this.. Thank you once again.

I’m just thinking if it’s sane to have a slot delivery for this weekend?I had one booked already for this weekend so I am planning to add more tinned stuffs but I am now contemplating.. Is it risky or is it better? Have anyone thought about the risk during the peak of it? Has the peak come yet?

We are a few weeks off the peak I think. I am now prepping more for a possible extra strict lockdown and the ensuing chaos, panic buying, shortages of random stuff. Today I braved the shops and they had no oats which was the ONE thing I ate all of from my stash. Gah!

Oats are on their way Rhubarb, some being sent from Ireland. 😁

If I had a slot I would keep it and use it. I agree peak is 2-3 weeks off and more shortages on the way.

Thank you @lexloofah and @RhubarbTea - I think I would go ahead with it then. The wiping is what I’m dreading now as I am making large orders. In my near neighbourhood there are two elderly couples self isolating so others have decided to shield them and help each other out. Everytime we get to book a slot we are just asking each other the previous day if they need anything so we can add it to our order and leave it at the door when they can pick it up from our home on their walk. For the elderly neighbours we are dropping it on their doors. So lot of deliveries are large orders for atleast now

I also think things will get worse in the coming weeks.

I’ve had news from my employer that has basically said yes we are being furloughed, backdated to 21/3, but the way he says it is that we don’t get access to that money until ‘maybe’ the end of April.

Now, I’ve done the sums and I have 8/9 weeks worth of savings, but hopefully will only have to do 5 and then receive backdated wages to replace my savings BUT it means I’m on a tighter budget than before, meaning I can’t add to my preps and have to go to Lidl, instead of getting deliveries. I’m pretty upset about it really, as I’m pretty sure he’s supposed to be paying us as usual and being ‘paid back’ by the government.

Just checking back in. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to catch up. I hope everyone's as ok as possible under the circumstances.

@MrsFezziwig I ordered today from a local food place. Fresh vegetables and milk. Very expensive but nowhere else has any slots or everything was out of stock. Still need more loo roll. We've enough at the moment but it's beginning to run low. All we can find are bulk supplies - at marked up prices. So much for not stockpiling.

@AlohaMolly That sounds a bit dodgy. Some of DP's colleagues have been furloughed and they're being paid on the normal paydays.

My freezer is desperate to be defrosted as badly iced over the elements. Do you think it'll do any harm, or is it just less energy efficient? I didn't have time on the approach to this to eat contents, defrost and refill.

I don't want to run it down, as it'll be a struggled to do a freezer shop, as well as our own, my Mums, and any possible neighbours in three weeks time, and who knows where we'll be with shopping restrictions in three weeks time. Also, I have a good selection in there that can easily be added to sauces to make up meals.

AlohaMolly My son is in the same position - if firms have enough reserves they can make the payments and reclaim at end of April but if they don't have the reserves they are unable to pay and staff have to wait for the governments backdated payments. It did become clearer yesterday that they will pay 80% of average earnings which will be calculated from Feb 2019 until Feb 2020. This was particularly reassuring to him as February is always a quiet month so less hours - restaurant business. This way of calculating will be much better

Not posted for a while. The thought of things getting worse really scares me for a number of reasons. I have a few people now in my circle thought to have Cv but the lack of testing is appalling.

The people concerned are ordinarily fairly fit and healthy but it's knocked them sideways. I'm worried for them and hoping they manage to recover and quickly but it certainly brings it home.

My own personal circumstances are also worrying me. If any of you know/remember me you will know I am housebound and disabled. I normally depend on online deliveries of groceries (and everything else!) but these have been extremely difficult to sort lately. I have managed by sheer luck to arrange deliveries for this week and next but cannot find a free delivery slot after that, I keep checking, I'm trying to get through to the supermarkets to get recognised as vulnerable but having no luck there, been on Twitter & Facebook too where there are many customers experiencing similar issues.

I was desperately hoping that things might ease in next few weeks? But you guys don't seem to think that will happen, that things will get harder?

This is really causing my anxiety to go through the roof.

I'm trying to stay calm, trying not to panic but it's getting harder each day.

Do you have any local help groups on facebook or something Graphista?

You could try NextDoor too?

Graphista sorry if we are making you anxious. Good that you have deliveries for a week or two to top up stores. I guess our preps are there for when there are no deliveries or chance to shop to keep us going for a few weeks.

I hope Govt sorts out access for vulnerable folk soon, can you try your MP and local Facebook for community help?

I've tried looking on Nextdoor but it doesn't seem to be used around here and Facebook local groups are just discussions nobody seems to be offering help as such.

Will try Mp/council at a push though I'm not sure if they would class me as vulnerable in the "right" way as I don't think I qualify as extremely vulnerable under current descriptions but I've not left flat in over 2 years mainly due to agoraphobia but also because my mobility isn't great which makes me nervous too

@Graphista I’ve seen people post on Facebook community groups actively asking for help and lots of people have responded. Would you feel comfortable posting a request?

I went to lidl this morning and was surprised at how anxious I felt. It was incredibly strange and I was horrified by the people that ignored the 2m rule, but also my reaction to those people. I was genuinely scared and was almost in tears by the time I left.