What is in your first aid kit?

This is my first aid kit.  It is the one I use if there is an emergency.  It is what I take with me when we go on a trip and it is also the one I would take if we had to bug out of our location in a hurry for any reason.   Mine might be a little more comprehensive than most because of my years as a trauma nurse.  I just wish I had an AED to add to it and an Ambu Bag.
Left to right starting at the top:
Kerlex
4x4 gauze pads
gloves
Chlorhexadine surgical scrub
lidocaine and a syringe with a 30 gauge infiltration needle
Antifungal spray
tampons
kotex
Ace wraps
cotton balls
Field surgical kit (pen light, clamps, scalpal, needle holders, explorers, scissors)
scalpals and sutures
Bandaids
broad pectrum antibiotic
nasal spray
albuteral tablets
tylenol
ibuprofen
benadryl
triple antibiotic ointment
benadryl cream
cortisone cream
tape
alcohol preps
carmex
hydrogen peroxide
2 x2 gauze pads
Coban (for making splints)
albuterol inhaler
steroid inhaler
alcohol gel
eye drops
long cotton swabs
chest rub
18g needles for picking splinters or lancing boils
airways for all sizes from neonate to adult
non stick pads

Also not shown
Blood stop powder
trauma shears
dental floss
oragel
temporary tooth filling
super glue
blood pressure cuff
urine dip sticks

For at home use and prepping purposes I have a large plastic set of drawers with much more in them. Of course if I had to bug out then a bag of our prescription medications would also go with us!

Of course you would need the knowledge of how to use everything in your bag.  And you would always want to seek real medical attention if it were available!

Am I missing anything?

Rutabaga... Easy to grow and yummy when cooked

I planted Rutabaga for the first time.  They did wonderfull!!  They are an easy to grow root crop and the root bulbs are easy to cook.  The goats love them too!!!  I pulled some of mine yesterday to thin them and this is what I got

Now the big question... What to do with them!!!

Okay so I peeled them and then cut them into cubes.  Doused them with olive oil, added some italian seasoning and some garlic salt then put them into the oven at 375 for about 45 minutes and this is what I got

Even the picky kid liked them! 

Johnson Grass in the garden

I had about 2 weeks that because of things going on I did not get out into my garden to weed and with my oldest working she could not come and help me.  Now I have a beautiful garden, if you can find it under 3 foot tall johnson grass!

You can see the stand of grass in the back ground.  I have mulch (wood chips) and cardboard down on about half of it and that has definately helped but there is atill a LOT of grass and weeds.

The trailer is how much grass came out of one row

My daughter is coming over today to get busy on finding the rest of the garden!!!

If anyone has any wisdom in how to battle and hopefully defeat this stuff please let me know!

A new addition to our family

We have a new addition to announce.  This time it is not a beastie although around about age two they are all beasts it seems... LOL

Please meet Joseph (my new grandson) born June 20th 2013,  9 pounds 1 ounce and 20 inches long

Doing Laundry with no machine

I have to admit the SHTF here at my house in my laundry room.  Our washer died (it is a pricey front loader, high efficiency with all the bells and whistles and only 3 years old!!!!) and with no way to immediately replace it I went into survival mode for this matter. It was a good learning experience for my kids and a way to test survival methods before everything comes crashing down!  It is my desire to have a manual wringer washer before that happens...But if I do not get it than I can manage this way!!!

For centuries before a washing machine laundry was done by hand.  Initially it was done by only using the hands and rocks and then the wash board came along.


Washboard image from Bing images

Then came wringer washers, which I wish I had one of!

Wringer washer image from Bing images

Then there is my way of doing it!  A plunger (Cost $5.40 at the local Ace Hardware) and three wash tubs which are re purposed barrels from the local Little Debbie factory (Cost $8 per barrel used 1 1/2 barrels)  Total cost for survival washing machine $17.40




The first tub is wash water with laundry detergent, the second is rinse water and the third is a final rinse with Downy.  I put them on the tailgate of my truck to make it easier on the back and also the black bed helps to warm the water on a sunny day!

3 tubs, you can barely see it because of the sun but I have a 5 strand clothes line right behind where the tubs are

First you put water into the wash tubs, add your soap (The cheap non-HE works best for this or you can grate home made lye soap to use) and fabric softener to the respective tubs.  Put your dirty clothes into the wash water and using the plunger with an up and down motion agitate the clothes well.  Any spots are rubbed out with extra soap and knuckles (wish I had a rub board for that!) Then wring out well and put into the rinse, repeat agitating and then wring and into the final rinse.  After the final rinse wring well and hang on the line.  I wring them out using a twisting motion but it is still very hard to get the water out by hand especially large towels and jeans.  So it would be unwise to put them in the dryer like that as the weight may damage it. Hang them on a line until they are dry.  If you have the convenience of a dryer then when the clothes are just damp you can bring them in and place into the dryer to finish drying and "fluff" them.

And there you have it a way to do laundry without a machine, or power.  I am just thankful that I have a well pump and a garden hose to fill the tubs!!!  It actually only took about 3 hours to do about seven loads of laundry and it would have taken the washer over 7 hours to do all of it, and the clothes are cleaner and smell better.  But the work was tiresome and my 12 year old and I both were exhausted after completing our task!

Mama's and their babes

One of my ducks hatched out 5 babies all by herself.  They are about as cute as can be all following behind her.  I have had to rescue a couple.  One tried to go thru the wire of a cage and I had to save it.  It is too funny to watch her.  Our Great Pyrenees decided to check out the babies and that Momma duck told her just how it was.  A little tiny duck up against a huge dog.  Well the duck won and the dog left!

I wish more humans were as protective of their children.  If so we would not need child protective services!

The rooster and Guinea started fighting too close to her babes and she broke up the fight. 

Aren't critters great? 

A milestone 10,000 page views!!!

I started this little blog almost a year ago for a couple reasons.

1. I enjoy writing
2. I enjoy imparting knowledge in hopes of helping or enlightening others
3. The ads help pay the bills when you click them.
4. I enjoy hearing from others in the form of the comments

Well my little blog has reached a huge milestone.  10000 page views.  I took the screen shot above when it only needed one more click to get it.

So I just want to say Thank You for reading my blog.  Keep the comments and questions coming.  I will try my best to answer any you might have.  And a BIG Thank YOU for clicking our sponsors adds and checking them out.  That helps keep the lights on! for us and them!

Have a great day and Happy Spring...

TTFN---  TaTa For Now