Prepping amidst Pandemic - Thread 17

[Sprayitall]

Hi all, starting this thread to continue from preppers thread 16. Because we are amidst a pandemic now, I have changed the title to prepping amidst pandemic than “for pandemic”. I hope all of you keep well amidst this and get all the help, support and hope needed to cope during this challenging times. Feel free to add your thoughts, preps and ideas here.

[ofwarren]

Hi
I've not been around much but just posting to say I'm prepping for dental treatment as they still haven't set up any hubs so nobody can get anything accept antibiotics.
I still have a partially completed root canal that is tender so I've just bought a water flosser, some more temporary filling, chlorahexidine and some benzocaine based gel.
I hope everyone is well. The virus has completely gone for me now. It took about 25 days for me to feel fully better.

[Oxyiz]

@LeGrandBleu thanks for the link!

@ofwarren nice to see you posting again, how are you all doing? Was it confirmed covid?

[ofwarren]

@Oxyiz not confirmed no but my GP thinks that's what it was.
I isolated with my youngest who caught the same thing. He had an awful cough and breathing issues. It certainly felt different to any other illness I've had. I suppose it still could have been a different lung problem though.

[Sprayitall]

Good morning all,
Nice to see @ofwarren posts after a long time.
@Weedsnseeds1 the yoghurt came out wonderfully smooth and firm. Thank you for the double cream tip.
Dd is still having cough that’s half phlegmy so it’s very concerning. We haven’t gone out at all except for the garden so may be it’s allergy related. Dh is very upset because the jobs he had applied have turned down the offer even after him nailing the interviews as they are not recruiting anymore. I’m trying to keep myself calm but sometimes I’m getting a little upset with the situation. I’m spending more time in the garden - it’s not big neither too small but I would really like to sort it the coming year if I survive this one.

[Sprayitall]

@Graphista I can understand it’s getting difficult to get the delivery slots. If you have neighbours maybe call them and combine supermarket trips/ deliveries? That’s what we are doing here so we can free up the delivery slots than everyone trying to book individual slots.

[applesandpears33]

@ofwarren Glad to hear you are feeling better. I hadn't realised you had been ill. Hope you can get the dental treatment sorted quickly.

What items do you think are likely to run out over the course of the next few months? I was wondering if there are items which we order from China which are likely to be harder to source?

[Funkycats]

@ofwarren I'm so glad you posted I was thinking about you this morning when walking my dog, and hoping you were ok!

[ifonly4]

Apparently our local Tescos have an abundance of chocolate easter eggs in their warehouse as people haven't been seeing families/friendds to exchange. I asked if there was a purchase restriction, no, they are desperate to get rid of them. So while doing my main shop earlier, I've stocked up - just a bit of a pain with storage though. Small eggs 18p (normally £1), eggs with two cadbury creme eggs 75p, orange chocolate smartie packs 18p etc, large Lindt eggs with truffles £1.50. DD home from uni and happily eats chocolate every day so they won't be wasted.

[lannister]

Finally managed to buy a small freezer. Now I just need a delivery slot from a supermarket so I can fill it

[Sprayitall]

@lennister Sorry if you had done this already but I would suggest you to buy a generator or some sort of power back up together. The whole neighbourhood had a power cut over 4 hours this week (we never had power cuts here in twelve years ). So I think arranging some form of power back up is important because if it lasts more than 12 hours it’s not safe for the food.

[WhatALearningCurve]

According to a very friendly Tesco delivery driver my mum had the other day, apparently they're going back to 100% delivery capability from the 22nd. Whether that's just that store but something to look out for

[Oxyiz]

Does that mean more slots?

[lexloofah]

I managed to get an Ocado slot yesterday, think it must have been the last one, 11pm on Sunday

As soon as I got it my mind went completely blank, just could not think what to order and the time pressure did not help. I usually do home delivery once or twice a year so don't have favourites set up.

Have ended up with not much we can make a meal of next week, more of the non-essential but nice to have, can't get in the regular shops I go to sort of stuff for the DCs to hold back for later on and some bulk laundry and dishwasher stuff to add to the stores as seem to be ripping through them at a fair old rate. It all helps I suppose but have the niggling feeling I may have wasted an opportunity.

[WhatALearningCurve]

@Oxyiz apparently so!

[lannister]

@Sprayitall oh dear, I hope I never need one as prepping is going to become expensive

[Weedsnseeds1]

Lannister a full freezer does best in a power cut, so if yours isn't full, you can fill the gaps with old towels, newspaper or flattened cardboard. Obviously do that in advance because you mustn't open the door while the power is off!

[Barbararara]

I’ve posted this on another thread. If you fill a bottle cap/medicine cup or similar with water and freeze it and then put a wet penny on top (so it freezes on and doesn’t slide off) it will give you a rough indication of how warm your freezer got during a power cut. You can’t open the door to check while the power is off for for several more hours and everything will be hard and frozen again.

...or you could just get a thermometer that records high/low temperatures. But this method won’t let you down if a battery runs out.

I was chatting to dh the other day and suggesting that we should prep a bit more seriously and consistently for next winter, build up supplies etc. He laughed at me for over reacting He’s completely oblivious to the fact that not having to buy cleaning products, kitchen products, shampoos, toothpaste, kitchen rolls, pet food, prescriptions, meat, store cupboard basics has made it possible to manage when we can’t get a delivery slot, there are restrictions on how much you can buy and half of what you ordered doesn’t turn up. He doesn’t mind me getting organised but still thinks I’m just being daft. If a pandemic doesn’t convince him that it’s a good idea, I don’t know what will

[Graphista]

@lexloofah usually you can amend orders up to the evening before it's due. So you should be able to still for that one and include things you'll actually use.

I know what you mean about mind going blank, I've had that happen a few times to me, now I add in straight away the non-perishables I always get /need and bog standard food most of us usually get - bread, milk, cheese etc and then nearer the delivery time I adjust according to what I actually need.

[lexloofah]

Thanks Graphista I tried to amend this morning and couldn't but then was able to later on, I think you can only get on the site at the time they release slots each day. Have added more toiletries so now it looks more sensible, hope it all shows up. I am glad I am not the only mind blank one, I am usually a shopping list person so it threw me completely.

[Graphista]

I have diagnosed ocd and love a list!

This whole situation is completely messing with me!

We're all just doing our best

[Sprayitall]

@lexloofah I would buy things that gets used so often and also some long term. I find I am running out of butter, sugar often because we are baking more often than I originally thought - I thought I had prepped well but I was stumped by a recipe that needed muscavado yesterday.. Also I found ready to bake puff pastry sheets, shortcrust pastry blocks etc were all very useful and nice to have. I also add rice,flour, yeast, potatoes, pasta twice as much as we use over the week if it’s available, partly because we don’t know if we can get another slot sooner.

[Parkrunner25]

@lannister @Weedsnseeds1

"a full freezer does best in a power cut, so if yours isn't full, you can fill the gaps with old towels, newspaper or flattened cardboard. Obviously do that in advance because you mustn't open the door while the power is off!"

Clean milk bottles 9/10th full of water are good for this too.

[HuggedTheRedwoods]

@Barbararara I remember seeing your frozen penny tip before and thinking it was so clever and simple but promptly forgot to do it! Have just set a reminder to do it tomorrow - thanks for posting again.

[bellinisurge]

I love the frozen penny idea.
To manage without power I have as many off grid solutions as I can.

[Weedsnseeds1]

Croissants, using my fig yeast