Author Topic: Has anyone here tested out their survival plan? (Read 2168 times)

ggreg · « **on:** August 24, 2012, 09:33:03 AM »

Just wondering. With all the guns, beans, rice, dried wholefoods, generators, composting toilets and other stuff some of you have, have any of you ever actually simulated with your families what it would be like living for a period like that?

The military have exercises and manoeuvres. Soldiers crawl under barbed wire with live rounds whizzing over their heads before they are sent into battle. Computer systems are tested with real date and real transactions before they are switch into production and the old system turned off. Firemen test themselves in burning buildings. Submariners escape from submarines and air-crew practice getting out of crashed and burning or sinking aeroplanes.

Have any of you, for example, lived without utilities for 1 or 2 weeks, not used a flushing toilet, not used outside forms of entertainment, TV, internet and just read to the children and stayed entertained. Have you spent that week or any other significant period digging on your plot or land or garden, weeding.

How did you wash and shower during that week? What did your wife and children think of the exercise? Did you learn anything about yourself and the ease, difficulty or challenges you'd face if the real thing does happen?

Are there any of you who have significant survival plans, let's say you've spent several thousand dollars of more specifically on stores and equipment, for such a scenario who have never conducted any type of simulation lasting more than a few days?

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2012, 01:49:56 PM »

I tried fasting without water and air conditioning when it was boiling hot, and I forget how long I lasted, but I just couldn't take it any longer and finally drank water. I remember becoming desperate!

So I agree, training and practice in realistic circuмstances would be a good thing.

lefebvre_fan · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2012, 01:55:17 PM »

I've played computer games set in post-apocalyptic settings (e.g. the Fallout series). Does that count? :wink:

Clelia · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2012, 07:54:04 PM »

:scratchchin: Never gave it a thought!

I wonder if they would even participate. I am trying to get them to stay in The True Religion as it is, and they might really get their undies in a bunch over my insisting on bivouac maneuvers.

I think (at this writing) I'll keep after them about The Faith, and let God take care of our actions and needs if and when the time comes. As well, I'd be the one to lead (GULP) the family in a "situation;" although, I do think it's a good idea to practice, if you will. God help us all.

Mithrandylan · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2012, 09:50:15 PM »

I'm kind of hoping that I don't make it to the post-apocalypse (which is an oxymoron if we actually take the term to mean what it should to us Catholics).

I don't relish the idea of surviving. Living sounds better. Followed by death. I'll take that.

Nadir · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2012, 01:42:13 AM »

Quote from: ggreg

Just wondering. With all the guns, beans, rice, dried wholefoods, generators, composting toilets and other stuff some of you have, have any of you ever actually simulated with your families what it would be like living for a period like that?

........Have any of you, for example, lived without utilities for 1 or 2 weeks, not used a flushing toilet, not used outside forms of entertainment, TV, internet and just read to the children and stayed entertained. Have you spent that week or any other significant period digging on your plot or land or garden, weeding.

How did you wash and shower during that week? What did your wife and children think of the exercise? Did you learn anything about yourself and the ease, difficulty or challenges you'd face if the real thing does happen?

Does this count? When our first child was 12mo and I was pregnant with our second, we purchased the only property we could afford, dirt cheap, with a loan from a very good friend. We had to cross through the river to get onto it, there was no power so no electric appliances. My husband had to carry our water up from the river in a container which he carried in a wheelbarrow, until he could make other arrangements. There was a simple house with an outside bucket toilet and no laundry. He had to build our bed from scrap materials lying around the place.

No refrigeration so we ate quite a bit of beans, rice, dried wholefoods; if we bought meat we ate it the same day. He eventually built a cellar, then on top of that a bedroom for the children.

We had no guns, generators, or composting toilets, though he did build a septic tank which watered our bananas.

We did have solar for light for 2 hours, but after that we used kerosine lamps for reading. Needless to say we had no canned entertaunment and didn't have any need for it.

I could write a book about our experiences. After 14 years of this life we were sad to leave, but this 14 year retreat helped to bring us out of the Novus ordo and into the True Religion.

Nadir · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2012, 01:45:39 AM »

Oh, I meant to say that he also built a dam above our house and ran black polypipe above the ground for water heating. It was almost always sunny. You had to time your showers according to the season, so it wasn't either too cold or too hot.

Tiffany · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2012, 07:27:41 AM »

Quote from: ggreg

Just wondering. With all the guns, beans, rice, dried wholefoods, generators, composting toilets and other stuff some of you have, have any of you ever actually simulated with your families what it would be like living for a period like that?

The military have exercises and manoeuvres. Soldiers crawl under barbed wire with live rounds whizzing over their heads before they are sent into battle. Computer systems are tested with real date and real transactions before they are switch into production and the old system turned off. Firemen test themselves in burning buildings. Submariners escape from submarines and air-crew practice getting out of crashed and burning or sinking aeroplanes.

Have any of you, for example, lived without utilities for 1 or 2 weeks, not used a flushing toilet, not used outside forms of entertainment, TV, internet and just read to the children and stayed entertained. Have you spent that week or any other significant period digging on your plot or land or garden, weeding.

How did you wash and shower during that week? What did your wife and children think of the exercise? Did you learn anything about yourself and the ease, difficulty or challenges you'd face if the real thing does happen?

Are there any of you who have significant survival plans, let's say you've spent several thousand dollars of more specifically on stores and equipment, for such a scenario who have never conducted any type of simulation lasting more than a few days?

I've lived without running water and electricity after a hurricane. I posted a few things below about buying plenty of paper plates, plastic utensils, bleach and trash bags.

Clelia · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2012, 07:36:45 AM »

Wow, Nadir!

I give you and your husband a lot of credit!

How we are pampered these days, even when comparing to tenement city life, where they even have running water, a bathtub/shower, heat, (perhaps not air conditioning, etc.) and electric.

I might rethink the practice thing...

ggreg · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2012, 06:02:31 PM »

Yes nadir. That counts, though you still bought meat from a store.

I am wondering who has simulated the workload and problems which would crop up.

guitarplucker · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2012, 06:47:29 PM »

Eh, I'll just wait till it happens. I don't see any use spending loads of time and money preparing if all it does is extend my life a couple days.

Though I would like to do what Nadir did and live off the land at some point. But not because I'm a survivalist, but more for the adventure of it.

Nadir · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2012, 12:44:37 AM »

Quote from: guitarplucker

Eh, I'll just wait till it happens. I don't see any use spending loads of time and money preparing if all it does is extend my life a couple days.

Though I would like to do what Nadir did and live off the land at some point. But not because I'm a survivalist, but more for the adventure of it.

No, guitarplucker. We lived on the land, not off the land. As ggreg has said, we bought meat from a store. We also bought vegies, though we grew some as well. :farmer:

Another thing, GP, we didn't "spend loads of time and money preparing" for our little "adventure".

And you will be a survivalist, when forced into the opportunity.

The best way to start preparing is to do penance, make sacrifices, learn to fast etc.

ggreg, I suppose it would be pretty much impossible to "simulate the workload and problems which would crop up" when you can't see from here and now what you will have to do and who will be with you to do it.

ggreg · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2012, 05:14:53 AM »

Not really.

Two problems I can imagine are needing to work from sunup to sundown in order to feed yourself (which is what most of humanity did for most of the last 2000 years) and the psychological problems of the change from living with plenty to living on very little.

What is it like to live on bread water and simple vegetables (maybe just one type) for a week. Do you get moody, depressed, tired.

Few people have ever tried that sort of a "drill"

Knowing what one is facing would possible reduce the panic and psychological shock if and when the real thing happens.

Would you run a marathon without attempting a half-marathon first?

Tiffany · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2012, 08:29:29 AM »

Quote from: guitarplucker

Eh, I'll just wait till it happens. I don't see any use spending loads of time and money preparing if all it does is extend my life a couple days.

Though I would like to do what Nadir did and live off the land at some point. But not because I'm a survivalist, but more for the adventure of it.

In a short-term emergency have some supplies can make the difference between really being in distress instead of inconvenience. The national guard does show up but it takes some time. You need water, canned food, personal supplies and other things specific to the emergency your area is vulnerable to.

Belloc · « **Reply #14 on:** August 29, 2012, 11:05:14 AM »

Quote from: ggreg

Not really.

Two problems I can imagine are needing to work from sunup to sundown in order to feed yourself (which is what most of humanity did for most of the last 2000 years) and the psychological problems of the change from living with plenty to living on very little.

What is it like to live on bread water and simple vegetables (maybe just one type) for a week. Do you get moody, depressed, tired.

Few people have ever tried that sort of a "drill"

Knowing what one is facing would possible reduce the panic and psychological shock if and when the real thing happens.

Would you run a marathon without attempting a half-marathon first?

i am more alert with less carbs, sugars, but one does need to replenish muscles with protein...if no meat, then beans or other veggies....it wil lbe a change, why I ma trying to learn to garden......and BTW, no one answered my thread about self-pollination....