dehydrated cooked rice

back when I was still with a prepper FB group, mentioned I was experimenting with dehydrating cooked BROWN rice.  We all know that BROWN rice has a limited storage life and I wanted to know if cooked and dehydrated BROWN rice would keep better.

The immediate response to that was why are you doing that. Rice keeps forever if you keep it dry and seal it, etc., etc., etc.  And we all know BROWN rice goes rancid.

and that is part of why I am no longer with that FB group . . .

The answer to the question is not going to be found because today, needing some cooked rice in a hurry for a fast lunch as I was late, used that dehydrated BROWN rice.  It was only 3 months old and it was GOOD!!

So guess I’ll make another batch and set some aside and see how it tastes in a year or two.

dress for success / camouflage

Been experimenting with wearing the CanCan hip hugger around my waist, today wearing a thinner, snugger sweater

.  as you can see, it doesn’t actually print, but its not exactly concealed, ie camouflaged!  So carrying my purse on that side, wearing a long scarf or a vest would be necessary – but then again – people see want they want to see.  and with a woman would probably be polite enough not to ask, but assume its a phone or some medical device!  Although I think I’ll stick with the scarf, vest, or purse!!

its that time again

Another school shooting and the hue and cry for more gun laws.  Lets not deal with the whys, just the how.  This is not to demean the horror of a school shooting, but it is about not making us all guilty because of a few.  I keep hearing how we shouldn’t judge all undocumented aliens by the actions of a few, but those same people DO judge all gun owners by the actions of a few.

and with a conservative pro gun president in office, it is likely that we won’t see any action on this subject on the large stage.  BUT we will see it on the State Level.

Almost every state now has a local organization that works on the State level as the NRA works on the national level.  And these groups need all our support, even if it is just as a voice to remind our state representatives how we feel.  Bloomberg is throwing money around, offering support to local elected officials who push his agenda.  Last year they were offering $15M towards election campaigns of people who got gun regulations through here in AZ.

This year, as the legislation session begins, we already have one proposal on the floor for making all gun transfers through an FFL (no more buying your kid a 10-22 to get them started), AND making mental competency a requirement.  Who and how that is to be determined remains to be seen (and again, am not FOR people who can’t control themselves being armed), but his first step is if you’ve bought a gun within the last 6 months!  Buying multiple guns is a sign of mental incompetence!!!???!!!  A lot of us would have to be carted off to the loony bin then!  BUT to enforce that, it means keeping records of who is buying what.  IE, gun registration of some sort.

The NRA is not getting involved at this level, nor is the Second Amendment foundation.   This is strictly a grass roots type action.

Our state has been bleeding red for the last 6 years or so.  We’ve gone from private funding of a border fence, to municipalities talking of black listing construction companies from city bids that take part in building the wall!  From having our governor go head to head with the President over SB 1040, a state law regarding deporting illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities.

On a personal note, I see all our amendment rights being eroded at a dangerous speed.  The second amendment is about physical property so it becomes a rallying point and is obvious.  But we have already reached a point where freedom of speech is being shouted down and banned, depending on who you are and what you want to say.  Where religion and national pride are derided.  There is a natural evolution that we cannot, nor should not, stop.  But there are limits that we need to define, not just as a nation, but as our own personal borders.

The last couple of years has seen my person borders get firmer, while limiting who I let cross those borders.  probably, many of you have seen the same.

does this gun make me look fat?

Despite big talk and bigger expectations, managed to gain 25 lbs last year.  This had an adverse effect on my life from general health, to how I could (or could not) work the garden, and how I carried my gun.  Over the same period became very dissatisfied with using the carry purse.  As nice as it is, its just not on body.  The Can-Can product, the Big Shebang is still my favorite belly band style holster system.  But wearing it around my hips wasn’t working because every time I sat down or bent over, it would ride up in the back.  Since it is the stretch of the elastic that holds the gun securely, that meant constant fussing.

Then I found one could wear it around the waist.  Its not the most convenient position for a fast draw, but it is on body, secure and this works with jeans (which I don’t really wear), yoga pants or skirts.  For the rare dress occasion will use the purse.

it could be snugger – you can see how it sags, but for at home comfort, this is fine.  Do have another row of eyes to go and when I’m out and about that’s how snug I wear it to be sure the gun is secure.  Remember also, this is a full 4″ revolver – a BIG and HEAVY gun.

short story as prepping tool

Have always wanted to be writer.  Specifically, wanted to be THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVELIST.

But as Mike Rowe points out, following your passion doesn’t work if you aren’t good at it, and I’m not.

Which doesn’t stop me from trying to write. At least I get out what ever frustration is rising to the surface and I write until its gone and that’s been good enough for the last 50 years.

My latest is attempt is a post apocalyptic novel.

Write what you know the experts say, so my characters are drawn from real life, the story takes place in my hometown.  This is a land of pollyannas; Reiki practitioners, Yoga instructors, Massage therapists, crystal healers.  Ex-hippies who did well in their in between lives have now retired, showing up at the Whole Foods store in town in their tie dye, birkenstocks,  and long grey hair. They buy organic foods, organic wine in great quantities and they belong to groups that seek to bring rainbow leaping unicorns into reality.

On the other hand, we have young idealists who live in campers, drive cars that say Save Mother Earth while belching out black oily smoke, and beg on the street corners or set up shop selling hemp macramé jewelry.

We also have a lot of homes that belong to rather wealthy people who are intent on saving the Earth and therefore are solar powered with giant arrays, and driving their Prius and Teslas if they really have boatloads of $$$$.  Town code prohibits Earth Ships like you see outside of Taos, sadly.

We even have a couple of Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes.

Average age of the population is 54. Lots of older retired folks in their 70s, 80s, and 90s.  Not actually the folks who are going to survive a great SHTF event.  Need to much medical care and on going prescription refills.

So it is within this setting that I’ve written about a woman and the loss of the national power grid on her 70th birthday.  and this is written looking back from her 75th birthday.

Amazingly, it has allowed me to go through a scenario with how well prepared am I?

There is a certain amount of Pollyanna in my story as I expect the capable in town, the solar power installers particularly, to come together to keep the water pumps going. That the local ranchers will work out a way to bring meat to the table. That the local farmers will also help supply food.  But distribution of the same is part of the story. Those who feel they deserve to have it because they are starving, but have no skills and no wish to even be a laboring body in exchange.  And those who are older and do not have the physical means to help. How do we cut out our neighbors?

But it does all fall back on what WE do at home.  We don’t live right in town, so some of the angst and chaos isn’t happening here.  We have to figure out how to heat our home (it takes place in January), how to get the garden up and running earlier,  how to cook, how to dispose of our waste – human and just plain old garbage, how to hunt and fish.  And how to do collect and bring home enough wood for all the above when it is our SOLE heating and cooking supply and we’re 70 years old!!

It turned out to be quite the eye opener and think I will do this again using different SHTF scenerios . . but first, am cooking up some beans and ham to can and dehydrate . . .