The bacon is canned and 38 half pint jars await washing and labeling. There probably would have been a couple more jars, but Oldest Son took home about a pound of bacon and I, of course, had to do some taste testing. I am really glad to have those jars to add to my food storage.
Yesterday was sort of a 'rest day.' I have those once in a while in between days of much activity. Today is 'catch up' day for all those small chores that were left undone while canning.
I have been reading about the Coronavirus that began in China. As of this morning Chinese news is reporting 81 deaths and about 2,500 known cases. I am skeptical of the numbers. China has quarantined several cities with a total population of at least 50 million people. Stores and schools are closed. Public transportation and flights from the area have been halted. Citizens are being told to stay in their homes. Hospitals are overrun. Thousands of medical workers are being brought in. A normal flu season has thousands of casualties every year without quarantines or lock downs of the population. Just saying.
As of this morning there are five cases of the virus being reported in the United States with others sparsely scattered world wide. I do not believe there is any reason to panic. But there is sufficient reason to avoid crowds and take precautions, for this virus is reported to be airborne. And it is communicable before the symptoms surface.
I have to wonder what will happen to those people who are confined to their homes when their food runs out. Stores are closed. Exits from the cities are blocked. They have no way to get more food. I don't know if the people in China or elsewhere are into food storage, but if they aren't, they are in deep trouble and not just from the virus.
I know very few people who take food storage seriously. I am in no way saying a pandemic will happen here. But, what if...
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And this is why we prepare.
ReplyDeleteThe reports from China and around the world include little bits of info on the demand for masks and other protective gear. There are local reports of stores being out of N95 masks, and of course, there is nothing available on Amazon.
I tried to think of anything I would want to run to the store for. Because that's what people do when they panic. And I couldn't come up with anything. I tried. I've been trying. I'm not saying that we're hunkering down, but there's no concern. When I go out, it will be for business as usual stuff. Of course, I go out when there are fewer people and take all my normal precautionary measures so that I don't pick up any dread diseases.
And I keep wondering how people in those massive cities are going to be fed.
Jennifer...There might be some items I would like to have, but there is nothing I need. I have no doubt that between my son and me both living in this building, we could survive quite nicely for many months on what we already have stored. I fear that many won't make it - not so much because of disease but because of starvation when their food runs out.
DeleteSo many believe the government will care for them in a crisis. Those same people were found digging in dumpsters for food after the last major hurricane on the east coast. We are on our own.
I think that normal precautions - stay away from crowds - basic good hygiene - will be sufficient unless things get rapidly out of control. I pray that does not happen.
It wouldn’t hurt to have someone get you a few extra boxes of shells for your boom stick in case (or before) things go totally south in this country and things get locked down.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. There is the potential for any number of things to cause the county to go south. And then things could get really ugly. Defense is at the top of the list of priorities.
DeleteThe last plausible internet rumor that I read said that the outbreak was up to 100,000 people and centered around the facility where they'd been deliberately producing such things for biological war. If that's true, I guess it's a case of them reaping what they sowed.
ReplyDeleteGorges...There are several rumors floating around, but I believe there is a bioweapons lab in the area where this virus first started. Others say it comes from bats. I don't know. I just think the precautions being taken there are not in line with the few reported cases and deaths.
DeleteBacon? Yum! So glad you have that prep done and put away for future enjoyment. None of us know when our lives cold be drastically changed via an unexpected event. Better to be safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteI have plans to purchase groceries and household supplies this week if the weather cooperates. Unfortunately, since my stores are some distance from home, it becomes an all day event and tiring to say the least. I'm not looking forward to it, but know it will be in our best interest. Like you and Jennifer, we are not in need of anything but more is better when it comes to food storage.
Rest up and stay healthy...CW
CW...I am with you on the 'more is better' theme. With that in mind, my grocery order included some household items that I don't need right now but don't want to run out of further down the line. We never know what is waiting for us right around the corner.
DeleteI am thankful to be able to lay my hands on that much bacon and to be able to can it for future use. It all helps. I just can't imagine what those who don't see the need to prep are going to do if caught in circumstances like those in China. They say it could never happen here. But it could. Stay safe and keep on prepping!
Congratulations on finishing the bacon! God bless you and yours, Vicki.
ReplyDeleteThanks, LindaG...More "peace of mind" to put on the shelves is a good thing. :) God bless and keep you and yours, too.
DeleteYeah, I'm with you, Vicki. Why, all of a sudden, so much concern about this new bug? This kind of thing has happened before in China without NEARLY the response this situation is getting! And checking people after they get off an airplane? That's like trying to get the smoke back into a cigarette!
ReplyDeleteI guess all we CAN do is stay aware and be ready to hunker down if needed. ...Uncle Sam sure as hell isn't doing anything about it... 'Still too busy trying to rewrite 2016, I guess...
Yeah, Pete, it looks like overkill on the part of the Chinese government unless, of course, they are lying about the seriousness of the situation. And if that's the case, their precautions make perfect sense. The taking of passenger's temperatures is just for show, though. From all I have seen, a person can have the virus and pass it on for maybe 10 days before running a fever or having any other symptoms.
DeleteYou are right. Prepare to hunker down is about all we can do. If they decide to call witnesses at this dog and pony show, half the country could be dead before they noticed. Sigh.
BACON! A food group of its own! I always add the leftover bacon grease to meatloaf. I think people finally listened to that little voice in the back of their heads. I went to a local store which services the smaller restaurants and food trucks. They had 4 full pallets of bottled water for sale outside and another 6 in the store. I've been adding 2 packages every week, but for some reason I increased the packs to 4, and did that every other day. I went back to the store and in 6 hours the pallets were emptied. As were the Disinfectants and Bleaches. On the bright side, we've started 20 types of seeds with more later. I took delivery of about 5 pounds of chocolates which will be vacuum sealed in smaller jars.
ReplyDeleteIn God's Safekeeping everyone. Red
Red...Yes. Bacon is it's own food group. So is chocolate!
DeleteBecause I don't go out, I can't really say if water and bleach are still well stocked in my area stores. I suppose I will find out if my grocery order is lacking some of what I ordered. Just to see if anyone was paying attention, I asked both my cleaner and nurse today if they had any information about the virus. The cleaner had never heard of it. The nurse has an order in with her company for face masks. So I guess some are paying attention, but neither of those two was anywhere near prepared to last more than a few days should it be necessary to hunker down. The prevailing reasoning is 1) FEMA will take care of us if things get bad, or 2) nothing bad will ever happen here. Sometimes the stupid gives me a headache right on the top of my head.
Great on the seeds. Those who prep and grow their own food have such a better chance. Keep prepping and praying.
Those of us that know how to sew can make their own medical face masks. There are a lot of patterns on pinterest.
ReplyDeleteAlice, thank you for sharing. I will check that out and see about making sure I have everything for making some. CW
DeleteAlice...Thank you for your suggestion. We often forget that we don't have to buy everything if we can make things ourselves.
DeleteHere is a link regarding the virus Red
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA5AbqlCHuc
Thanks for the link, Red...I had not seen that video and it is the most informative one yet. I believe I will do a short post in the morning using that link. As for me, I believe I am incredibly happy at this point in time, that I am housebound! I think to be on the safe side, I will need to cancel the cleaning lady who comes in once a week. I can't cancel the home health care nurse who comes in 3 times weekly to deal with my legs. She keeps me out of the hospital. But I can insist that she washes her hands and I can sanitize what she touches when she is finished. Those precautions may prove unnecessary. Or you might have just saved my life. Time will tell!
DeleteOne of the fastest ways to spread gems is airliners. Now days you can get to any part of the world within 24 hours.
ReplyDeleteIt has been so nice to have a filled pantry. It cuts down on our running out to the market. I follow a family in NH. the husband was cooking, says oh I have to run to the store to get eggs. Tosses on his boots goes out to chicken coup and gets fresh eggs. I'm still craving BLT can't understand why??
Rob...I expect air travel is the cause for the spreading of this virus world wide. Until we know more about it, I expect this to continue.
DeleteA deep pantry is a good thing. It makes life so much easier when bad things happen. And darn you...now I want a BLT!!
My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. He appreciates all my stocking up efforts and organic garden growing very much.
ReplyDeleteKristina...Those of us who have prepared will have a far easier time of it than those who haven't, should it ever come to the place where, like in China, people have to hunker down in their homes. Sadly, I wonder how many will die of starvation because they didn't see the need to prepare.
DeleteWell if China’s history is any predictor, it’ll be 40 to 60 million from when the government starved them decades ago.... oddly enough that number range is very similar to what they have quarantined right now.....
DeleteAnon...I read just a week or so ago, a speech given by a Chinese government official (can't recall which one) who advocated depopulation due to the virus that wiped out most of their hog population and due to weather conditions that caused some crop failures, leaving China unable to feed their existing population. Make of it what you will.
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