Been doing some inventory on our preps...................................................................................................
Bought a few mega packs of Yeast, Flour, Wheat, Rice, Pasta and various cases of canned goods. Also added a few mega-packs of paper products (since it was there and can never have too much with a house full of women folk). Stores are still fairly well stocked but some empty slots for a few items. I noticed that eggs were pretty much sold out - not sure why. A lot of people at Costco were loading up on bottled water, paper towels and TP when I was there earlier.Freezer is packed with game so not likely to need more meat through winter. If I had another freezer I would have bought a couple turkeys at deep discount at the local store (cheap protein). Could have bought more Mason-Ball-Kerr canning jars and lids but had enough for our garden harvest this year.
Topped off our water barrels before shutting off the water for winter, and added some water stabilizer. So now have 12 rain barrels full (well almost 90% full in case of freeze). I see that the city water rates will be going up in our area next year (Thankfully we have a couple wells and running mountain streams). Still, we have two Big Berkeys and extra ceramic filters so water isn't an issue.
I also did pre-order a couple more cases of 7.62x39 from Sportsman's Guide (discount on membership and SG Visa) along with free shipping). This morning I was out at the local Sportsman's Warehouse store and they were putting out a few boxes of 9mm (2 box limit) so I got a couple "Value-packs" of Blazer 9mm and the last of the Blazer .45 ACP ammo. Stopped by Cabela's and there was no pistol ammo and very little if any hunting rounds. Some shotgun shells but not much. The pistol shelves were obliterated as in nothing except a couple Kimbers, Maybe a half dozen shotguns but quite a few bolt action hunting rifles. No "Sporting Rifles" to speak of. I have another 1911 Para Ordnance double stack .45 coming in tomorrow and may get a couple more handguns but am well on guns and ammo. Gun and Ammo frenzy will continue well into 2022 according to my sources. Meanwhile, my POWW shares have been rocking higher as they are backlogged till the end of next year.
Only thing is I should have kept a closer watch on inventories as the wife and daughter tend to not mark off what they take out and I am left hustling to refill and rotate supplies. Over all, we are in good shape considering that food shortages and desperate people are going to be in our future judging by the rising unemployment, foreclosures, homelessness and the end to extended and enhanced unemployment benefits this month. Local food banks are swamped and for the first time are running out of food and turning people away. Lines extend for several blocks every Saturday and seems that they are getting longer. See on the news that more and more people are shoplifting for food and essentials now and locally I see armed security guards standing at the front of the stores at some of the local markets. Never seen that before. Also hear of an uptick in crime around here (porch pirates, car and home burglaries, an occasional home invasion, etc.). Seen more people "open carry" while out and about too. I suspect that it will get much worse as we go into the new year and people get more desperate. I don't see the COVID vaccine solving any of this as most businesses are closing down for good and only minimum wage jobs at some places are left.
Thankfully we are stocked, have no debt and are financially prepped with "real money" as the SHTF with more money printing, accelerating "fractional reserve banking", rising crime, rising inflation/stagflation, etc.
"Interesting Times"
- BLACK BLADE |
