The Neo made me do it!

I just finished reading Oh Settle Down, by Neo, and my fingers started twitching. My shoulders started to shake. My eyeballs went gonzo. So here I am and you can lay the blame at Neo’s feet. Or desk. Whatever.

I’ve been on FaceBook a long time. I write my little stuff and one or two family members or friends will give me a thumb’s up or a giggle. Rarely ever more than that. The day of The Great Hoarding, you remember, the day folks wiped out supermarkets across the land, I wrote on my FB page, “Preppers don’t look so crazy now, do they?” Well – Lord a’mighty! Hit a nerve! A few said, no, they don’t, but many more said yes they did and provided me with their versions of what’s right and what’s wrong. My biggest FB day, ever! FB congratulated me. Can’t help it – I’m laughing out loud in the memory of the moment.

But I’ve long thought that those folks who see catastrophe in the not so distant future are not wrong. I don’t know about tsunamis reaching to the center of America or the earthquake that removes the left half of our country’s map but we’ve been in crisis situations before – we have, all countries have – a history that bears this out. My own State of Florida is the hurricane capital of the country and they can be deadly, deadly things, destroying man, beast, and machine. I don’t think preppers are crazy.

Now, would I spend thousands of dollars on food and supplies and bunkers and shelters? No – but they didn’t do theirs all at once, either. They built their stash of food and water over time against such times as a crisis hits. Those folks weren’t running to the grocery stores buying two carts full of food and supplies. They were able to go into the closet, or basement, or camper and pull a few things off the shelf. He who laughs last laughs best.

I’ve thought of buying gold ingots (the small ones – don’t get excited!). I’ve thought of buying silver (the real pre-1963 stuff). Watch the first season of The Walking Dead. Money or gold or diamonds or stocks – useless; meaningless. Food, water, camping gear, protection (the firearm kind) – that’s what is meaningful and barter-worthy. You and your family and close friends are what is meaningful. Managing together, pooling resources, is what is meaningful.

But I’m going to buy a couple of bags of Patriot Food. You will not be shocked to hear they are out of stock for the next three months. Gradually build a little stash of canned meats and canned veggies. Add a few more rolls of toilet paper because there are some things I simply refuse to do without! I am a lady, after all! You know how fussy we are.

So, Neo, thanks for the prompt. Thanks for the article. Thanks for my renewed enthusiasm to stock up on a few things. And who knows? Hurricane season starts in three months.