I told Son bank accounts are insured and he said something that made me stop and think/sweat..He said "It may be insured , but they don't say how long it would take you to get it..."..Hmnnnn.....The shape the government is in right now ? No telling ! I wonder if it would be a good idea to postpone the elections for awhile ? Not because I like the present setup, but things are in such a turmoil....What we do affects other countries, so watch as other banks, etc. around the world start sliding. Mama said years ago that all it would take is one main country going down the tubes...It never occurred to me it would be US ! Son said Wal Mart only had big bags of sugar recently so he bought one..I went to that store a week later and 4 or 5 lb. bags of sugar was on the shelf, but at $3.89.....I saw it here for 2 dollars...and at a regular market the other side of him in W TN 2 for $4.00....Don't know if theres a shortage or not. I bought 4 cases of quart jars of honey while I was in W TN..so we'll be able to have sweets if we don't mind honey for a long time ! It was $4.00 ajar, but is going up to 4.50....No telling what it will be by the time we run out! Bees are scarce on the ground now...diseases and pollution, sprays...I used to keep bees..may get a hive if I get the chance.... We own our home and two cars , no debts , have fruit trees and vines, a big garden spot, room enough and ordinances OK for a few chickens and rabbits...maybe a milk goat if we buy hay..Maybe make arrangements to let it eat the underbrush in the wide swath of woods behind our property....Lots of fallen trees in the woods we could burn ...I have the attic full of stored stuff, so good insulation, possibility of making craft items to sell or trade for things.....Water heater has a timer on it that comes on in the morning and gives us hot water for two showers or a load or two of clothes.....We are about a mile from the Cumberland River that never has frozen over in winter in the 25 years we've been here....So could fish...We have a good dryer, but hang our clothes on the line.....Have a large extra tank of cooking gas on hand......Got a new deep freeze..upright..a few weeks ago...LOTS of canned food ...Dry beans, etc. Will be thinking on how we can prepare better.......We are indeed blessed...and about as ready as we can get. Hubby said we need to get a can or two of heating oil for the heater we have stashed...only used it once since we've been here..Have cell and regular phones....We don't keep money here and will defend what's ours very firmly.... I started getting ready for this 30 years ago..bought a wheat grinder, have meat grinders and bread machines, stainless steel mixing bowls and pans, iron skillets, PLENTY of towels, sheets, warm blankets, quilts, etc. It's just taken it a bit longer to get here, that's all ! Hubby and I both grew up poor, so we know how to survive.....I used to lecture on edible wild plants....have lots of books on home steading, etc...If you don't have Carla Emery's old fashioned cookbook better buy one....Tells how to care for critters, make cheese,...garden...Everything ! Theres TONS of deer here, and lots of wild turkeys... Jeannie T ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:36:10 -0500 busmar1852@webtv.net (Stella Roper) writes: > Well...girls and guys, it seems the hard times we thought wascomng, was dumped in our laps. ____________________________________________________________ Click here for free information on how to reduce your debt by filing for bankruptcy. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3nfvZJZsW3B8lF2UjXKJLSFy9aeu0qpLyWwB0j2w17bE0lK8/