Stocktake Time - Brexit Countdown

[AldiIsla]

Can't believe we might actually have a No Deal crash.

Anyone else finding it overwhelming doing usual Christmas stuff, the winter weather preparations and then Brexit and being ready for more coronavirus stuff?

I need to do a stock take of food and toiletries.

We've been life prepping so boiler has been serviced early, electrics have had an upgrade this year. Car getting serviced next month.

I can't be arsed.
I feel sick.

Keep posting your just in case ideas! Better do an Amazon shop. My solar oven arrived from China about two months after I ordered it. I was very confused when it arrived as I had completely forgotten.

Romesco sauce on yesterday's masterchef.

I should think a solar oven is a really good call as you live in a flat @BlackeyedSusan
I can't keep buying things so have decided that as I have an open fire (and a garden) I will cope with those if needs must.

@BlackeyedSusan hard rolling boil for a minute

No not only you Whenwillow I am trying to get some extra stash ready for my DD who has moved out and my DD in uni. I know they will not buy it for themselves.

I would do that too AdoraBell it tastes yum.

I love fruit jelly. Gave it a go recently (not had it since my kids were small) DH was delighted.
I might have picked up some angel delights too...

That Romesco sauce did look great, @indignatio. I've added to my list of food options too.

Got a £10 voucher from Lidl and used it to supplement my stash.

Shopping has arrived and is sitting on the kitchen floor while I recover from bringing it in from the front door. Fucking body fucking letting me down.

I have no storage space left. Actually I ran out a long time ago & we are living in semi chaos 😕 I've bought a dehydrator & vacuum sealer so will add some of my veg tins to the reverse advent box & replace with dried, much easier to store & they're for veggie mince/stews/soups anyway.

I'm feeling half like I'm pretty on top of things, having finally ordered water purification tablets & rechargeable batteries/charger, and half like I've forgotten something significant. I'm pretty sick of living with this low key feeling of dread in my belly though, so I'm going to stocktake, fill any gaps I can see & then stop thinking about it as much as I can - I'll keep adding to the dehydrated stock & otherwise just start enjoying advent with my wildling.

Me too Blackeyed going back to work next week and totally knackered!

Low key feeling of dread...perfect description.

I did get the frozen and fridge stuff away. When ex comes and fetches his lot of shopping I will put more of my veg and fruit away. Got to sort out the top of the kitchen cupboards and have so much more space.

I’ve ordered some water purification tablets, just in case. I feel like I haven’t got enough, and the time seems to be going so quickly. It’s the unknown, and not knowing how things will be.
I was watching the protests in London on the news, and thinking about if there will be more of this to come in the new year.

Anyone going to do a big shop between Xmas and new year. I am topped up but I may just get other stuff just incase.

Wish I had a crystal ball to see how it will be.

I don't think I will have room for a big shop. I may risk shopping in person though to see what they have in and fill spaces in the freezer/fridge.

Also concerned. And wish I had a crystal ball to predict what would happen.

I'm going to do a big Aldi/ Lidl shop soon and possibly a small Sainsbury's one (have some clothes to return and they have a better choice of lactose free products) then I'm hoping to avoid the shops for weeks

I used to love Christmas shopping, the atmosphere, the twinkly lights... now with small DC it's more of a chore anyway. I've braved it previous years but think this year we'll stick to local outdoor markets (which have the added advantage of tiring them out in the fresh air!) and I can buy bread and milk from small shops or the milkman.

I'd like to get another big shop in to keep on top of things - we have plenty in the store cupboard but not much fresh - and because I'm also worried about what may lie in store with COVID and/ or Brexit. 2020 is just the gift that keeps on giving...

@BlackeyedSusan

Keep posting your just in case ideas! Better do an Amazon shop. My solar oven arrived from China about two months after I ordered it. I was very confused when it arrived as I had completely forgotten.

What will you do with a solar oven?

I stocked up on cat litter today. Also had a sort through and found my dried milk will be out of date soon. I'm going to make some up and see what it's like on porridge tomorrow. And if it's tolerable, I will get some more and keep the long life to have with tea/on other cereal.
It's annoying me, feeling the need to have spares of things. I'm a minimalist at heart, and would like not to have boxes full of stuff just in case brexit turns our country to shit.
I have a couple of torches, plus 2 head torches and spare empty plastic milk bottles to make emergency lighting with. The open fire would be one source of heat if necessary, and I have a spare duvet and blankets.
Because I'm getting vain as I age I have booked cut and colour, plus some spare make up and moisturiser. I'd never normally have spares. Then I laugh at myself as if it was the apocalypse, nobody would care if I had lipstick on 😂 (I'm keeping potential lockdowns/isolation in mind along with Brexit)
I need to have a think about clothing too, in case it's hard to get. I'm short of warm jumpers. DH is OK I think, just needs new walking boots.
I hope none of this is necessary 😢
But I will be so pissed off with myself if it is necessary and I haven't prepared.

Did anyone see on the Westminstenders thread that a poster (who has inside knowledge of the haulage industry) thinks that shortages could begin as early as the 22nd Dec? Lorry drivers may not want to do runs between countries by then, for fear of hold ups and not wanting to be unable to get home for Christmas/New Year. That's the way I understood her posts anyway.

Hi, longtime lurker here, I thought my DH would think I was a bit bonkers if I started an 'emergency cupboard'. He is military and is away for much of the spring, so I told him I'd rather have an emergency stock so that I feel organised if things go pearshaped and he is away. He totally agreed with me! I've emptied out one cupboard in my utility room and have filled it with non-perishables (pasta, tinned veg, tuna, porridge, milk powder, bread making ingredients), simple medicines and essential toiletries. I have also put some matches and firelighters in there as we have an outdoor fire-pit and a log burner too (we always tend to have decent store of logs). I think that, with what I normally have in the cupboard and freezer, this would see us ok. It's just deciding how far to go. I can't have a supply of everything that we use day to day, there just isn't space.

Hello @ScatteredMama82
Good going!

“ But I will be so pissed off with myself if it is necessary and I haven't prepared”

Exactly this. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something- or will find something runs out really fast, and it really won’t be the end of the world - keep reminding myself how very privileged I am to be able to prep at all.

But I did feel quite sad, going round the big, out of town supermarket the other day, just seeing the huge (too huge) range of things on the shelves, and wondering if there will ever be so much choice of food in my lifetime again. Probably not so many lines, or so much affordable food. :-(

Some change may be a good thing overall planet wise but not if it happens to be the only brand of cereal your kid will eat. More expensive food is not good for those at the bottom chunk.

Solar oven: it's a "toy" to try out in summer. Sod all use for winter.

I got to check in ex's Brexit box this morning. It is rather a random selection as I haven't been on a school run for two weeks, so no chance to visit. I drop kids off near his house and pop in to wait out the mad traffic which blocks the road as two schools make it gridlocked and bad tempered. (to be fair I am often bad tempered at getting kids out to school. )

he needs more vegetables. I will check his freezer tomorrow morning before battling with the morrisons website.

@ScatteredMama82 I think that's completely sensible, especially if your DP is often away! We have PIL nearby but I'm still stocking up in case we have to isolate; DP works on a busy site and the DC are both at school, so it's more than likely we'll be subject to isolation at some point.

@BlackeyedSusan I'm impressed that you sort out your ex's stocks too, I hope they are grateful!!