Update

Hey,
  Well, I have finished the prologue and chapter 1 of my book and have begun chapter two. I think it's coming along fairly well. Still putting together more information to put on here for survival and prepping. My chickens are finally all getting along and no longer have to worry about them. So far things that I am trying to are falling into place. Let's hope they stay that way.

What I'm Doing Right Now

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to drop a note and let everyone know what I've been up to lately. I have several things that I am testing for Influenster and BZZAgent and Moms Meet. Reviews on them will come soon. Also, my two oldest daughters and I are writing a book. I will do my best to continue with the survival information and the product reviews and letting everyone know what I think and what I have learned. I just wanted to keep in touch and let everyone know that there is more to come.

Keep the Love Affair with your Clothes Going with Woolite!

I was sent these samples from Crowdtap. A wonderful company that you can make gift cards and sometimes you can get parties that you can host. I was chosen to give out samples of Woolite Everyday. I love this laundry soap. It made my clothes continue to look new and made them smell good as well. I highly recommend this product to anyone and everyone. I will certainly be purchasing this myself from now on.

Everyday Homemade Products for All Kinds of Things

Most people are watching their dollars and working off a budget to make ends meet. Many are also now looking for natural alternatives to live a more wholesome and chemical free life. Following are a few ways in which you can have both of the above. These uses are becoming more prevalent and are easy to do it yourself. So, here are great easy uses for common household items to make your life more chemical free and your wallet a little fatter. SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!

1) Toothpaste: Buff a CD/DVD
Apply toothpaste to a cotton ball and wipe the disc. Wash with water afterwards and you’ve got a brand new disc!

2) Cornstarch: Untangle Knots
Sprinkling cornstarch into tough knots, such as shoe laces helps loosen them.

3) Walnut: Buff Dings out of Wood Furniture
Get rid of unsightly scratches and dings on wood furniture by rubbing a walnut on the areas. The blemishes will vanish quickly and your furniture and pocket book will be saved.

4) Club Soda: Make Your Breads Fluffier
When baking, where recipes call for water, add club soda instead to make pancakes, waffles and any other breads fluffier.

5) Salt: Keep Windows Frost Free
Pour a cup of salt into a liter of water. Sponge the liquid onto the inside of window to prevent frost from forming during the winter months.

6) Rubbing Alcohol: Remove Permanent Marker
Dab the surface that has the permanent marker on it with a cloth or cotton ball covered in rubbing alcohol to make it disappear quickly.

7) Chap stick: Stops Bleeding When Nicked Shaving
Cut yourself shaving? Just swipe some chap stick over the cut to stop that constant bleeding. No more tissue squares!

8) Apple Juice: Removes Dandruff
Don’t ask how it works, but it does! Instead of buying a special shampoo, just wash your hair in apple juice to rid your scalp of pesky dandruff.

9) Aspirin: Get Rid of Armpit Stains on T-Shirts
Grind up an aspirin tablet or two, then make a paste out of it using water, lemon or vinegar. Spread the paste on the stained area and let sit for an hour before washing.

10) Olive Oil: Make Pets’ Coat Shinier
Add a bit of olive oil to your pet’s food to give them a healthier, shinier coat of fur.

11) Newspapers: Clean Windows and Mirrors
Instead of using a spray and a streaky cloth, use only newspaper to clean off your mirrors and windows for a streak-free finish.

12) Baking Soda: Remove Bugs from Windshield
Mix baking soda with warm water to make a paste. Spread the paste over your windshield for fifteen minutes. Then wipe or spray off with a hose.

13) Bleach: Extend Life of Flowers in Vase
Add a few drops of bleach to vase water to prevent the build-up of the slime caused by bacteria. It works just like chlorine in a swimming pool.

14) Kitchen Dish Soap: Flea-Killing Dog Shampoo
Kitchen dish soap (not dish detergent) can double as dog shampoo for its flea killing abilities.

15) Coke: Remove Blood Stains from Clothing
Soak the stain in coke until the stain is dissolved, then wash the clothing as usual. Wash before the coke dries, though.

16) Honey: Remove Blemish Overnight
Have a blemish you need to get rid of by tomorrow? Put a dab of honey on the blemish and cover it up (it’s best to use a Band-Aid) and the honey’s natural antibacterial properties will clean out the bacteria by the morning.

17) Wax Paper: Clean Can Opener Gears
Run a few small strips of wax paper through the can opener to clean out of the bits and pieces that have built up in the gears throughout the year. The wax will also rub off on the gears to protect for future use as well.

18) WD-40: Remove Crayons from Walls
Use the lubricant and a cloth to remove stubborn crayon marks from the walls just by spraying the wall and wiping with a cloth.

19) Chalk: Keep Ants and Slugs Out of the House
Ants and Slugs Won’t Touch Chalk. So, simply draw a line in front of your doorway where you are having problems with these pesky critters and they won’t cross it, meaning they won’t be able to get into your house.

20) Vinegar: Kills Weeds and Helps Flowers Grow
Vinegar is a magic wonder when it comes to gardening. It not only kills weeds but they help flowers grow as well. Douse vinegar all around your garden to prevent weeds from popping up and to help your flowers to grow healthy and strong.

21) Mayonnaise: Remove Bumper Sticker
Spread mayonnaise on the bumper sticker and let sit for at least thirty minutes. Then, rub the sticker off with a towel, leaving a clean bumper!

22) Tin Foil Ball: Replace Dryer Sheets Permanently
Instead of using a dryer sheet ball up one or a few sheets of tin foil and toss it in the dryer. It removes the static electricity from your clothes and one can last up to a year.

23) Banana Peel: Polish Leather Shoes
Use the inside of a banana peel to give shoes a professional and natural shine that will last for quite some time.

24) Mouthwash: Cure Athlete’s Foot
Pour mouthwash on cotton balls and then swab your feet. The alcohol will disinfect the bacteria completely if you continue this for a week or so.

25) Baking Soda: Clean BBQ Grill
Mix a cup of baking soda with half a cup water to make a paste. Dip your brush into the paste and scrub the grill. The caked on pieces and black residue will come off much quicker and using baking soda is much safer and cheaper than using cleaning chemicals.

26) Coffee Grounds: Fertilizer
Coffee is full of nutrients and vitamins that are very beneficial to soil. That’s why some people include it in compost piles. If you want to get the most out of your coffee, pour the grounds on areas where you want more grass or flowers.

27) Olive Oil: Shaving Cream
The smoothness of the oil can replace the need for shaving cream, and it also provides great moisture.

28) Dryer Sheets: Gets Rid of Static Electricity
Use dryer sheets to remove static electricity from things such as clothing, TV screens or your own hair. Tame fly away strands by running a dryer sheet over them.

29) Freezer: Freeze Candles to Make Them Last Longer
Put candles in the freezer for at least 2 hours before using. Once you burn them, the wax will melt at a much slower pace, making them last much longer!

30) Two glasses of water: Cure Headache
Water is the cure to most common headaches. To make the headache go away quickly, drink two cups of water very quickly.

31) Lemons: Deodorize Garbage Disposal
Toss whole slices of lemon into the garbage disposal then run it. The acidity of the lemon will rid your sink of all odors and leave a fresh scent that usually lasts for a few months.

32) Alka Seltzer: Remove Burnt-On Grease and Food Stains
When letting your pots and pans soak, throw in one or two Alka Seltzer tablets and the caked on residue from cooking will come off easily when you scrub/wash.

33) Apple Cider Vinegar: Relieve Diarrhea
Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into eight ounces of water to soothe your stomach. The taste may not be the greatest, but the antibacterial properties of the vinegar will end the unpleasantness of the bowel problems.

34) Toothpaste: Remove Scratches from Glass
Apply toothpaste to scratch, then rub with a cloth until the scratch is gone. Make sure the glass is clean beforehand.

35) Cheerios: Relieve Pain from Poison Ivy, Chickenpox and Sunburns
Pound one to four cups of Cheerios into a powder and add to your bath to soothe your skin while you soak. You may not feel relief while in the tub, but you will soon after.

36) Buttons: Sort Earrings
Organize your earrings and prevent them from becoming entangled by using spare buttons as holders for each pair.

37) Corn Oil: Prevent Hairballs for Pets
Add a few drops of corn oil to your pets’ food to prevent hairballs from forming. The thick oil helps the fur pass through the animal’s system much quicker and easily.

38) Whipped Cream: Remove Gum from Hair
There are many remedies for removing gum from hair, but this is a lesser known one. Give it a try rather than peanut butter the next time you’re in need.

39) Coke: Remove Oil Stains from the Driveway
Oil stains are very difficult to remove pavement, but one method guaranteed to work is Coke. The highly acidic drink will eat away at the oil until clean.

40) Brown Sugar: Facial Scrub
A scrub is good to do about once a month to remove dead skin and bacteria built up in pores and remove excess oil from the skin. Brown sugar does just as well as expensive products and will definitely result in a clearer and smoother complexion.

41) Dryer Sheet: Lint Brush
You already know that dryer sheets remove lint in the dryer. Well, it can do the same thing out of the dryer, too. When you’re in a fix, use a dryer sheet. It works just as well as a lint brush, and if you like the scent, it’s an added bonus.

42) Newspaper: Deodorize food containers and Food Drawers in the Refrigerator
For that stinky Tupperware or smelly refrigerator drawer that is too much to deal with, toss in a sheet of newspaper overnight before you deal with it. The paper will absorb the smell greatly reducing it or eliminating it completely.

43) Olive Oil: Unstick a Zipper
The oil will help the zipper slide more easily, fixing the problem!

44) Salt: Cool Something Quickly
You know that feeling when you’re having a BBQ and someone asks for a drink and you realize that no one has put them in the cooler? There’s nothing worse than a warm drink on a hot day. Chill a drink quickly, by adding salt and water to your ice. The drinks will be cold in a matter of minutes; saving your party and making you look smart all at once.

45) Scotch Tape: Prevent Wall from Chipping When Nailing
The wall can leave unsightly chips when hammering in a nail. Prevent this by simply placing a piece of scotch tape over the area you’re going to nail. The wall will be held tighter, preventing chips from occurring.

46) Alka Seltzer: Soothe Insect Bites
Dissolve two tablets into a glass of water. Then use a cloth or cotton ball to apply it to the affected area. The red will go down and most importantly, the itchiness will vanish usually in fifteen minutes.

47) Lemon: Whitens Whites
Add about half a cup of lemon juice to your load of whites to makes them extra white. You can use lemon juice with bleach or detergent, so don’t worry about mixing chemicals with the acidic lemon.

48) Banana Peel: Whiten Teeth
This may sound a little odd, but rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth twice a day for two weeks and you will receive the same effect from a teeth-whitening kit. Plus, you’ll save yourself money and the hassle of using chemicals.

49) Hair Dryer: Free Photos Stuck on Pages
If you have a photo stuck on a page that you can’t get free, try using a blow dryer on the back of the page. It will loosen the photo from the page and the adhesive holding it there.

50) Banana Peel: Heal Most Skin Problems
Bananas are the magical fruit, because they heal many common problems on the skin. By rubbing the peel on your skin, you can heal bruises and cuts and eliminate rashes, itching and warts. Basically if you have a common skin problem, it can be cured by this fruit.

How to Survive Doomsday Part 8

Communications:

     In the event of a doomsday event occurring, our modern communication devices will more than likely be useless.

     In truth, it depends on the event. If the event is a health pandemic, then most likely everything will still work. A massive solar flare however, will wipe all those things out. Cell phones will be the first to disappear, so assume you won't have them. The same for the internet. For most younger people, this will be one of the biggest adjustments.

     Radio is likely to survive longer than anything. Battery powered or wind - up will be good, and you will need to have at least two. That way you can monitor a range of wavelengths and frequencies as the situation deteriorates.

     A CB radio system is an obvious choice for an alternative method of communication. You can search different channels to see if other people are broadcasting, then converse for information on events. Also have a copy of Morse Code so if you receive a message in it you will know what it says.

     The golden rule of post doomsday events is "DO NOT REVEAL YOUR LOCATION!" Simply put, don't trust anyone, no matter what they say.

How to Survive Doomsday Part 7

Fuel:

     You will need to decide how you are going to get the two basics after doomsday; heat and light.

     For heat, there can be nothing simpler or better than a normal wood burning fire. Stockpile wood beforehand in a wood store attached to your shelter. Also have at least a one month supply inside your shelter.


     You will need at least three axes if going down the wood route. Learn how to sharpen an axe beforehand and have the necessary equipment all stored in preparation.

     Fire lighting tools are a must. Firelighters, matches, cigarette lighters are all very useful when you need to light a fire. You should easily be able to store a couple of thousand matches, which should last you many years. These need to be stored in three different places. You do not want a leak to get your store of matches wet.

     You can also use your fire to cook on. It makes more sense to get a camping stove and store the fuels that you will need for it. It can be set up in the kitchen, just make sure that you store the fuel away from your shelter for safety reasons and perhaps purchase a few fire extinguishers to be safe.

     When it comes to light at night you have a range of possibilities. Your wood fire will throw out a lot of light. Candles are cheap, easy to store and last a long time. I would suggest that you have a large range of devices stored together with their appropriate power sources, backed by a very large store of candles. One can never be over prepared, but you could be under prepared.

How to Survive Doomsday Part 6

Health:

     During the next few years, your health will be your biggest problem. You can't expect there to ba any form of medical care for you after doomsday.

     First, you need start looking after yourself now. If you are not fit, then start to reverse that now. You need to be as fit as possible when the time comes.

     Doomsday is no excuse to eat badly. Fruits and vegetables will come in a tin, you need to have a good stock of them and eat them. Also, have good stock of vitamin supplements and take them on a regular basis. Prevention is always better than a cure.

     If you take regular medications, then you need to find a way to stock up on them as soon as possible. You might look at the option of purchasing more privately on the internet; but be aware of the legal issues surrounding this option. Your only limit to medical supplies is really based on how much you can store. Also, make sure you know the most common illnesses and how to take care of any injuries. Education is the key.

Homemade Decongestant

This homemade decongestant is good for breaking up chest congestion so you can clear it out. Anyone old enough to eat honey can take it.

Ingredients

• 1 c. honey
• 1 c. lemon juice (not concentrate)
• 5-7 radishes
• 1 sm. red onion
• 6 garlic cloves (If my cloves are super-small, I use a couple more.)

Instructions

1. Wash, peel, and trim the vegetables as appropriate, and cut the onion into 2-4 chunks.
2. Dump everything into the blender and blend until smooth.
3. Strain.
4. Refrigerate between uses, for up to a week or so.
5. TO USE:
6. Adults take 2 Tbsp. once a day, or more as needed/desired.
7. Children take 1 Tbsp. once a day, or more as needed/desired.
8. Should begin expelling within 24 hours. (We have typically noticed it kicking in within the first couple hours.)

Make sure after you blend everything together that you strain it!

How To Survive Doomsday Part 5

Vehicle:

     You will need a vehicle ready at all times to get you to your location in the shortest possible time. The most suitable vehicle is likely to be a 4x4. They are heavy duty vehicles that aren't going to fall apart if you have a minor scrape in them. There is no sense in having prepared for this moment, having a great location and a fully stocked, comfortable shelter if you can't get there.

     Always ensure that your vehicle has enough fuel to reach your location and to keep up with regular vehicle maintenance.
     Keep a mini survival kit in a backpack in your vehicle. Always plan for the worst. You may have to ditch your vehicle and continue on foot.
     Ensure that you have the maps to your location secured inside your glove box. You should know your route by heart. Practice the drive in all seasons. Know all alternate routes because GPS won't work post doomsday!

How To Survive Doomsday Part 4

Location:

     Where you plan to live post doomsday is important and should be researched thoroughly. Where should your shelter be located?
     First, it needs to be in a rural location. That is essential, because it must be as far away from a mob as possible. However, you need to be able to get to it in hurry. Ideally, it needs to be around 15 minutes away, at the most 1 hour.
     An ideal location will offer your shelter some degree of invisibility.
     Second,  your next requirement is it's proximity to water. You need a clean, fresh water supply. Don't make the mistake of being in a flood plain though, it's just suicide. The ideal water source is a spring.
     A location in the hills is better than low ground. If you are high up on a hill, chances are you won't be bothered, most people just won't try. They will look for an easier target.
     Finally, consider the soil type in your location. The time will come when you will need to grow your own food to survive.
     The best way to find your ideal location to sit it all out is to get an official map, a piece of string, and a drawing pen. Stick the pen on your home and then draw three circles. Draw the first circle roughly how far you can travel by car in 15 minutes, the second in half an hour and the third in 1 hour. Begin your search in the 15 minutes circle. If nothing suitable comes up, move to the next circle, and then finally the last circle. Mark down every possible location, then put in the leg work in. Visit the locations to determine the best one.

NEW POISONOUS SPIDER IN THE UNITED STATES

NEW POISONOUS SPIDER IN THE UNITED STATES

A spider bite...please read............ And you thought the brown recluse was bad!

Three women in North Florida, turned up at hospitals over a 5-day period, all with the same symptoms. Fever, chills, and vomiting, followed by muscular collapse, paralysis, and finally, death. There were no outward signs of trauma.

Autopsy results showed toxicity in the blood. These women did not know each other, and seemed to have nothing in common. It was discovered, however, that they had all visited the same Restaurant (Olive Garden) within days of their deaths.
The health department descended on the restaurant, shutting it down. The food, water, and air conditioning were all inspected and tested, to no avail.

The big break came when a waitress at the restaurant was rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that she had been on vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up her check. She did not eat or drink while she was there, but had used the restroom.

That is when one toxicologist, remembering an article he had read, drove out to the restaurant, went into the restroom, and lifted the toilet seat.
Under the seat, out of normal view, was a small spider.

The spider was captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata), so named because of its reddened flesh color. This spider's venom is extremely toxic, but can take several days to take effect. They live in cold, dark, damp climates, and toilet rims provide just the right atmosphere.
Several days later a lawyer from Jacksonville showed up at a hospital emergency room. Before his death, he told the doctor, that he had been away on business, had taken a flight from Indonesia, changing planes in Singapore, before returning home.
He did not visit (Olive Garden), while there. He did, as did all of the other victims, have what was determined to be a puncture wound, on his right buttock.
Investigators discovered that the flight he was on had originated in India.
The Civilian Aeronautics Board (CAB) ordered an immediate inspection of the toilets of all flights from India, and discovered the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata) spider's nests on 4 different planes!
It is now believed that these spiders can be anywhere in the country. So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seat to check for spiders. It can save your life!
And please pass this on to everyone you care about.

How to Survive Doomsday Part 3

SHELTER:

     You will need a shelter of one form or another to live in after the doomsday event.
     You may have planned to live in your own home post doomsday, however, if your house is anywhere remotely urban, this is not a good idea.
     Living in a tent is not an ideal solution. You will be too open and not secure. Not to mention you will be unable to store all the necessary items that you need. Also, a tent will not protect you indefinitely from different types of weather. 
     Ideally you need some form of secret hideaway as far away from people as you can. It needs to be big enough to have everything that you need stored away. Your shelter needs to be easily heated, ideally with two options for heat.
     Finally, it needs to be as secure as possible.
     Obviously, the ideal shelter to sit out any doomsday event is a bunker. But, building your own bunker is EXPENSIVE.
     Whatever route that you choose, you need to consider and more importantly put your solution into effect now! Who knows when it will be needed. the sooner you are prepared, the better!

How to Survive Doomsday Part 2

WATER:

     After a doomsday event, you should never trust the water supplies, even if it appears to be working normally. Always be safe, NEVER, ever trust the water supply.
     Store water in your food store. Even a small supply of soft drinks can be useful when your blood sugar is low and tiredness sets in, especially in the early days. Longlife fruit juices may also be a good idea, they won't give you the health benefits that fresh fruit juices will, but it is often better than nothing.
     You really have to  allow 4 liters of fluid per person per day. This allows for cooking, a small amount of washing as well as drinking.
     Ultimately, you will need an alternate water source. Your first job will be to filter it to remove any visible particles. Water filtration kits are available to purchase and I recommend that you have a number of quality models in your storage area.
     After filtering, the next step is purification. If you don't do this step, you are dooming yourself to death. Never fail to purify water. The best method of purification is boiling at a rolling boil for at least 10 minutes.
     The other method of purification is to use a tablet that can be bought online or in camping or an outdoor store. Follow the instructions to the letter. Just be careful with the tablets, once the seal is broken, it does have a shelf life. Remember this though, when it comes to water, if in doubt, boil instead.