Plan to Survive

Recent disasters in Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan really drive home the need for individual preparedness. While Japan's earthquake was extraordinary, catastrophes come in many forms, and few places in the world are exempt from such tragedy. The Japanese people proved that individual, home, and community preparations are prudent precautions which not only provide a greater sense of security, they can ultimately mean survival for you and yours during a crisis.

First, if you don't already know, find out your area's risk of experiencing: blizzards, droughts, earthquakes, volcanic activity, wild fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, avalanches, tsunamis and/or storm surges. Establish household safe-places, draw floor plans, prepare exit ways, and find safe locations to meet outdoors. Learn about community emergency programs, meeting places, and all potential shelters and evacuation routes. Encourage your work-place, if they haven't already done so, to create their own emergency plans. Familiarize yourself with measures in-place at your children's school(s). Get trained in first-aid and encourage other family members to learn also. Prior to an emergency, assign roles to household members to first ensure family safety and then secure the home post-emergency. British Columbia's Provincial Emergency Program website has a handy 26-week guide and a all-hazard preparedness checklist (Section 6) to help you prepare. 

Next, gather essentials like water, food, first aid, clothing, bedding, flashlights, etc. Fuels for cooking or power equipment like generators and pumps should be stored outdoors or in a well ventilated shed. Store emergency kits where they'll be quickly and easily accessible, near exit ways, and don't forget to add one to each vehicle. Not all things can be stocked for extended periods, though. Certain foods and most medicines will deteriorate in storage so you'll need to keep larger quantities on-hand, at all times, and rotate supplies regularly. This is when sensible bulk shopping practices are of real benefit. To quote Aesop, "It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow." For help collecting necessary items, here's another handy checklist. Even if only homebound during an extended power outage, illness or injury, you'll have the advantage of these preparations. Just make sure to replace anything you use, as soon as possible.

Along with the basics, you'll also need to collect important documents, personal data, contacts' information, medical records and prescriptions. Keep these together, ideally in water-proof packaging, and ready for easy retrieval. If an emergency involves hazardous materials, you may need to shelter in-home. These guidelines can be printed and kept with other critical documents you might need during an emergency.

With all the natural crises shaking the world, there's one promising augury: heightened awareness. Like a few other places, British Columbia is overdue for its own seismic event, so Japan's extraordinary destruction served as a chilling prompt to prepare, as best we can. It certainly won't prevent catastrophe, but preparedness makes it more survivable. There's empowerment in taking proactive measures.

 

A Dreamy Cream

I should've known better than to mention the s-word. No sooner had I posted the last blog about spring-cleaning and winter returned with a vengeance. Despite white-out squalls, though, I began the cleaning, telling myself its optimism, not obstinacy, keeping alive my foraging plans.

Whatever delusions I hold, of one thing I'm certain: my hands are in distress! Low humidity, caused by the extreme winter weather, is brutal to my dry, sensitive skin. Add to that wearing rubber gloves and using various cleaners and my hands look like snapper – red and scaly.

What better time to test a new cream? With sensitive skin, I've long sought a moisturizer that both quenches dryness but won't irritate. Sounds simple, but it's proved a challenging quest. Dry skin is hard to conquer, and I've yet to find applications that don't cause blemishes or other irritations. I've tried lotions for sensitive skin, fragrance free, some with aloe, and some with vitamins or other miraculous nutrients considered beneficial. All caused problems for me. However, without some moisturizing, winter feels like a death-by-a-thousand-cuts torment.

Surely there were creams without all the special ingredients. My research said otherwise. Product labels, if they provided the information, listed chem.-lab concoctions, most ingredients unpronounceable and mysterious. At this point in life, I've no interest in learning chemistry just to work out which ingredient (or combination of ingredients) might be irritating my skin.

Instead, I decided to make my own and soon found a simple recipe using only four ingredients: almond oil, rose water, beeswax, and an essential oil. Preparation takes mere minutes, and none of the ingredients cause me irritation. In fact, all are natural and could be ingested without harm. Not that I'm tempted to eat the lavender cream I prepared, but it's good to know the ingredients won't cause illness if any residue were to remain on the kitchen equipment.

I made my first batch on February 9^th, reducing the recipe to one-third its volume. The resulting quantity was approximately 4.9 ounces, which lasted a month with both of us using the lotion several times daily on hands, body, and face. (Note: The original article does NOT recommend facial use.) Though it wasn't the impetus for my search, I was pleased when I calculated the cost of each third-recipe batch at only $4.57 – less than a dollar an ounce! That's a minor saving over most body ointments, but a considerable saving over facial creams I've bought.

Most important are the results and, given the tough test this cream underwent over the last month, I think it's as effective an emulsion as most commercial brands we've used. It smells absolutely dreamy, too! Though it's a little oily when first applied, the cream absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling soft and supple. Hubby tells me it soothes his eczema without the burning or itchiness commercial brands caused. My dividend is, when used sparingly as a facial balm, it hasn't yet caused blemishes.

Dry skin and eczema remain our daily battles, particularly during these final blasts of winter while spring-cleaning rages on, so it's nice having this new cream available. Liberal and recurrent applications are much more pleasant and a little more affordable. Given its harmless ingredients, it's probably healthier for such frequent use, too.

Spring Cleaning Economies

As the snow relinquishes a little more yard each day, our severe cabin fever has hubby and I excitedly calculating days until spring and making plans for the new season. Topics like gardening, foraging and geo-caching crop up frequently. Before heading outdoors, though, spring cleaning needs doing. And this year its usual schedule has been pushed up by wild asparagus, which sprouts early in this area. Geo-caching, too, is more enjoyable during the spring.

We never look forward to spring cleaning. It's an arduous process, but the spanking-clean results always satisfy. Time and effort aren't the only expenses, either. Greater than normal use of cleaners and towelling – and their environmental impact – add to costs. There are ways to economize, though. Here are ten handy hints that spare labour, time, money and/or the environment:
 

1)            Some of the most effective and inexpensive cleaners are household products you probably already have:  dish soap, white vinegar, baking soda, toothpaste, salt, and lemons, to name a few.  Alone, diluted, or mixed in varying combinations, these items clean as well as many commercial products, have little or no environmental impact, and leave the home smelling fresh, not chemical.

2)            A couple tablespoons of ammonia mixed with a little dish soap in a 5-quart pail of water, cuts grease and makes glass and metal surfaces sparkle.  While ammonia is a naturally-occurring substance, its many industrial uses have overloaded environments, so home-use should be sparing and cautious – chlorine gas, formed by mixing ammonia with bleach (or products containing bleach,) can be fatal.

3)            There’s no better re-purpose for used toothbrushes than to spend their final days scrubbing the myriad tiny crevices and hard to reach places found during spring cleaning.

4)            Newspaper polishes windows better than paper-towelling or rags.  Flyers with coloured pages don’t work but any black and white newsprint, dried a few days, polishes glass without leaving behind streaks or lint.  Afterwards, the paper can be recycled as usual.

5)            For most cleaning, a good supply of rags helps keep costs down.  They stand up better than paper to vigorous scrubbing action, especially in wet conditions, and rags rarely end up in the landfill.

6)            Save future labours with preventative maintenance.  For instance: (a) after cleaning ceiling fans, shine their blades with furniture polish to prevent dusty build-up and ease cleaning in the fall; and/or (2) rub a little mineral oil on defrosted freezer walls, prior to re-freezing, to enable quicker de-icing when cleaned next.

7)            Schedule tasks requiring heavy labour days apart to avoid over-exertion; easier tasks during the interim periods.

8)            In general, clean one room at a time to minimize household disruptions and ensure thoroughness.  However, some chores need less time and other expenditures when done altogether.  For example, cleaning all light fixtures or all window blinds at one time usually requires less water and cleaners, fewer rags to launder, briefer overall allocation of work-space, fewer clean-ups, and equipment like ladders or tools can be stowed sooner to prevent clutter.

9)            Clean from ceiling to floor to avoid repeating tasks.

10)          Improve efficiency by applying production-line procedures to certain tasks, like those necessitating wet and dry hands, or separate dis-assembly/assembly and cleaning processes.

Spring cleaning usually takes us three to four weeks to complete so, by our hopeful calculations, if we start this weekend, the yard should be ready for preparation by the time we're done. A few weekends of yard work and, with luck, wild asparagus will be beckoning us afield!
 

Sublime Valentine

Valentine’s Day is always a welcome occasion.  One of the most romantic days, it occurs here during the bleakest and (often) coldest time of year.  What better way to warm body, mind and spirit than with a little romance?

Popular ways of setting the mood include fine dining, lingerie, or gifts of jewellery.  All these can be lovely experiences but, when budgets are tight, stressing about over-spending can easily dampen the passion.  Yet extravagance isn’t necessary.    With a little creativity, there are ways to express your love without breaking the piggy-bank.

One our favourite Valentine treats is chocolate.  In better years, we’ve enjoyed some of the fancier delights from our favourite Chocolaterie, but when life must be lived more frugally I make homemade truffles.  They can’t compete with the professional’s fare, but they are scrumptious and we get more seductive chocolate (by pound) for significantly less dough.

I have two recipes.  One is truer to the traditional recipe -- a ganache made with dark chocolate and heavy whipping cream -- and results are always light and luscious, though heavy in calories.  The second recipe (shown below) is a little more firm, like a soft caramel, but rich in dark chocolaty flavour.  It also flirts outrageously by having 16% fewer calories, 35% less fat and 25% less cholesterol than the original recipe!

Chocolate Truffles (reduced fat)

½             cup          Butter, unsalted

½             cup          Cocoa, powder, unsweetened

9               oz            Sweetened condensed milk (300 ml)

2               tsp           Vanilla extract

Melt butter in heavy saucepan on low heat.  Add cocoa and stir until smooth. Blend in sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly until mixture is thick, smooth, and glossy (about 5-10 minutes.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Refrigerate a few hours (approximately 3-4) or until firm. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in your choice of topping: cocoa, espresso powder, salt, icing sugar, and/or nuts.

(The nutritional comparison provided does NOT include toppings.)

Second Life for an Indispensable Tool

Dentists recommend replacing toothbrushes at least every three months, sooner if the bristles begin showing signs of wear. (Those with braces likely see fraying and fractured bristles much sooner.) The bristles, once worn, lose their effectiveness – new toothbrushes apparently remove plaque up to 30% better. Worse, tatty toothbrushes are likely to cause damage to delicate gum tissues. Dentists also caution early toothbrush replacement after experiencing viral illnesses such as cold or flu. The warm, wet environment in most bathrooms make them excellent breeding grounds for germs, bacteria, and fungi, and particularly on an instrument which rarely, if ever, gets its own cleaning. 

I don't argue the points made – good health is beyond price. What bothers me is throwing away all that plastic, especially while the brushes "must still be good for something" – my thrift-mantra. So, rather than toss viable brushes, each gets second-life (once thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.) Slightly frayed toothbrushes are softer than most utility brushes and, because of their small size, are perfect for scrubbing household crevices without scratching surfaces. Their varying sizes, shapes, and bristle densities, make each toothbrush suitable for particular tasks.

Here's a Baker's dozen of toothbrush re-uses hubby and I have discovered:

1. Household crevice-cleaning (medium- to hard-bristled, regular or denture-head, one per relevant cleaner to prevent unsafe chemical mixing.)
   
2. Small appliance care and cleaning (sewing machine, mixer, food processor)
   
3. Silver- and flatware cleaning (soft-bristled)
   
4. Jewellery cleaning (soft-bristled)
   
5. Personal care (small, children's toothbrushes work well as eyebrow & eyelash brushes, though regular sanitation is crucial.)
   
6. Finger- or toe-nail care
   
7. Hair-dye brush applicator
   
8. Pet care: cleaning and combing sensitive areas such as face & ears
   
9. Shoe care: polish or sealant applicator
   
10. Shop implement (automotive, carpentry and metal-work)
    
11. Gun (breach) cleaning – hubby says the shape of certain denture brushes make them ideal
    
12. Fossil-hunting & rock-hounding: cleaning tool
    
13. Cleaning fishing lures & tackle
    

Ideally, toothbrushes would be made of recyclable plastics so they needn't end up in the landfill. Sadly – at least where I live – that's not yet the case. Until that day comes, our toothbrushes only end up in the landfill when thoroughly depleted. In fact, a few still survive twenty-five years of second-life, doing gentle service and being frequently cleaned.

What are your favourite re-uses of this indispensable tool? Please leave a comment sharing your own handy hint(s)!

Roses Like Coffee, Too!

Record snowfall landed in the village of Cache Creek, yet as I stare out our front window all I see is that pathetic old rosebush. It's looking especially sad at this time of year. Something in my perverse nature refuses to acknowledge the snow rolls ploughed along the roadside beyond it. Stubbornly, I focus on that rosebush, inherited upon our recent move, and wonder how to restore its health.



I did some research. Apparently, roses like a good dose of coffee almost as much as I do. It's good to know roses and I have something else, other than chocolate, we both go well with. To my surprise, there are many acid-loving plants in the garden (like rhubarb) which benefit from varying quantities of coffee grounds mixed with their top soil. Not only do the grounds feed the plant a steady, low-dose acid, they also deter slugs. Coffee grounds in the garden have become such a popular trend, Starbucks (see: Composting) is now doling out bags of the stuff.



I'm too…thrifty to spend so much on my caffeine addiction…or its compost. There are plenty of coffee grounds at home. Until now, I've avoided putting most of it in the regular compost – I read that too many coffee grounds creates acidic imbalance in the compost pile. For use in the garden, coffee grounds require some easy, though separate preparation. They must be completely dried before storing in an air-tight container:

• Line a sheet-pan with parchment.
  
• Spread the wet coffee grounds (from a full pot of coffee) on the parchment paper.
  
  
  
  
  
• Set the sheet-pan in a warm, dry place. Stir occasionally.
  
• It will take several days to a week, depending on humidity levels, to thoroughly dry the grounds.
  

Given the total area I wish to supplement with coffee grounds, it will require months of steady preparation to store enough dried coffee grounds. This is my first batch of twenty or more and I estimate it will take as many weeks to gather enough coffee grounds for all the acid-loving areas in our new, yet dilapidated, garden.



Along with gathering toilet paper rolls and newspapers , this is one more easy preparation for gardening I enjoy. Any project, however humble, that temporarily takes my mind off the snow rolls and icy sidewalks, and onto thinking about warmer, sunnier days to come, well, that's my kind of hobby!

A Long-Term Resolution

A couple weeks ago, I read a thought-provoking article "I Don't Recycle" written by Ronnie Citron-Fink and published by Care2.com. While I don't know the particular "editor of a well-known national magazine" Citron-Fink mentions, I've met many like her and they're represented by every gender, age, and ethnicity. They all have excuses. Some have suggested recycling is low-class or only done by "tree-huggers" – intimating it's unwarranted, merely the product of unreasonable fear. Some cite the loss of coveted space and time, or extraordinary effort, or hindering commitment, or the possibility of dirty hands.

Let's face it; recycling is not sexy, nor fun. It takes room to organize. It takes time. And, there's no direct reimbursement or remuneration for one's effort.

But, why should incentives be required for participation? Recyclables take no more space than the usual garbage, if disposed of regularly. In fact, since many recycled items are broken down, rinsed, flattened and/or folded, those materials take less space and smell better than regular garbage. Once a system is in place in the household, very little extra time is needed to sort and organize waste that would otherwise be sent to a landfill.

I've heard recycling-abstainers say there's "nothing in it" for them. That depends on perspective. In my view, there's tremendous compensation for recycling. Its ultimate value is priceless. The problem is, delayed reward – clearly a death-knell for a modern society hopelessly addicted to instant gratification.

The reward I speak of would be claimed by our children and our children's children. It may yet be possible for them to
live in an untainted environment if efforts are made today. Our pretty blue planet, like any living organism, could survive the overly-exhaustive stressors we place on it, and remain healthy (viable for human occupation) for generations to come. But, all depends on whether humanity deems recycling a worthy enough investment in a future they won't personally see, and whether we then make the time and put in real effort to fully implement this hygienic practice.

This, after all, is what recycling is: global hygiene. Humans no longer drop food peelings on the floor or toss broken dishes in a pile outside the door. As the self-proclaimed intellectual species, we've discovered it can be dangerously unhealthy to live as our cave-dwelling ancestors did, "fouling the nest" with all the waste involved in everyday living. Recycling merely refines discoveries made, over centuries, by people like Louis Pasteur and many others who strove to raise the quality of life for all by teaching simple sanitary routines.

And what could be simpler than rinsing out a soda bottle and then throwing it in a recycling bin instead of the garbage? That nominal effort, alone, could help prevent some of the 2,500,000 plastic bottles Americans use every hour (Recycling Revolution.com, recycling-facts) from ending their days in an already over-taxed landfill or one of many garbage patches floating on the world's oceans.

If you're already a recycler, thank you. You've made a wise and responsible choice, and are doing what you're able to make this world a better place. We can only hope future generations never fully appreciate how dire the situation once was.

If you don't yet recycle, it's time to embrace reality. Recycling is no longer an option. It's necessity. Now is the perfect time for a long-term resolution to contribute some of your own selfless action. Together, we may just enable humanity's survival on this one-in-a-million planet.