Category: decline and fall

Fri. July 11, 2025 – crazy that it’s already Friday

And still more of the same weather. We had a cell move through in the mid afternoon, and then we were back to sunny, but 10 degrees cooler. I’ll thinking more of that for today too.

I didn’t get stuff done. I took a pickup load to my new space (buddy’s old shop) but the power was out. All I could do was unload my truck, do some basic troubleshooting, and talk to the neighbor. I’ll have to do more poking around as no one has any idea why it might be out. It put a damper on my plan for the rest of the day.

Neighbor is an interesting guy. The company works as subcontractors for a couple of big internet infrastructure companies putting racks and power and connectivity in place, before the big bois fill their racks. You’d never know it in the little sh!tty commercial building we share, but their offices are very nice and their store room area is very well setup and organized. Very stealthy and much cheaper than the office/warehouse they were in before. Everyone needs to save a few bucks right now.

Today I’ve got some pickups I can’t put off any longer, taxi service for D2, and anything else that comes up. Some domestic bliss is sure to occur as well. Those clothes won’t fold themselves, ya know. A Costco run is in order too, if I can fit it in. Friday came very quickly this week.

I’ve got my non-prepping hobby meeting on Saturday which limits how much work I can do. I’ll be staying home and chipping at the list this weekend.

I’ll call it ‘working to improve my position’ and that’ll be the goal for the next couple of days.

There will be a bit of stacking too. Natch…

n

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Thur. July 10, 2025 – crazy people, crazy times

Another day of thunderstorm cells and rain keeping the temperature down, yesterday, today, and maybe even tomorrow too. It rained crazy hard in a lot of places around Houston yesterday, just like this whole week, and it will probably do the same today. It does make it harder to do pickups and move stuff with the pickup, if it can’t get wet.

So I did a couple of pickups with the expedition, then switched to the ranger for the bigger items. I got a nice short ladder, that I will be putting to good use. Some other stuff too.

Kid did another 1 1/2 hours of pressure washing. Still more to do, and she’s willing, as long as I’m paying, and it’s only an hour or two at a time. She managed to get herself covered in grime this time.

Today will be more of the same. Some auction, some fixing stuff, some cooking and cleaning, some pickup…

Some stacking too. Because it’s a good idea.

nick

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Wed. July 9, 2025 – pull the other one, it’s got bells on

Again with the hot and humid – tempered by rain storms. It’s getting to be a regular thing here. Yesterday was more of the same. At least the gully washers drop the temp for a while.

I took the kid to her orthodontist, did auction stuff, then a pickup while dodging T-storm cells, then home to get the kid on cleaning duty, then dinner, kid activity, kid retrieval, and all the other joys of domestic life.

Today will be similar. D1 to the airport, off to spend a week with grandma. Then some pickups while I’m in the area. Then home to get the other kid back in a cleaning mood…

And a trip to the store to get butter of all things. I’ve been pulling from stock to use some of the frozen butter, and not replacing it with regular Costco visits – since my visits to Costco are not regular anymore. Someone used the last of it and didn’t let me know, so when I went looking in the stacks for more, there was NONE. I can’t really believe it, but NONE. I will be rebuilding the butter stocks. Butter is like bacon, it is on the critical supplies list. I do have powdered butter as backup, but would prefer not to break the seal on the jar.

If you are like me and have been doing this a little while, maybe you are also like me and have gotten a bit complacent about preps. Twice now I got a little wakeup call. Only having 10 gallons of gas at the BOL was a surprise. Running out of butter at home was a shock.

Time to look at some stacks and be sure they are what I think they are.

nick

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Tues. July 8, 2025 – yeah, that seems legit…

Another hot and humid day? Probably. Although it might be a bit cooler if it rains. It certainly won’t be dryer. Yesterday got cooling rain in the afternoon, and the morning, and the evening. There were periods of sun in between, and I’m sure your experience of the weather depended greatly on where you were in town. Kinda makes it hard to figure out what the weather and temperature for “Houston” might be, you know, for purposes of historical record and comparison over the long term…

I did auction stuff in the morning, and popped out for a pickup in the afternoon. Stopped at the HEB grocery store on my way home. Filled a cart, but didn’t buy much meat. Only 3 pounds of bacon (still 32c/oz) and about 8 pounds of hamburger. The burger was 80/20 but it was just less than $3/pound. That’s pretty good vs almost $5 last month. Sadly the only steaks on sale were ‘select’ grade and I can get prime or choice for about the same cost if I wait. I’ve got a freezer full in the mean time.

I did get a few things specifically to add to the stacks. I’ve got canned veg failing due to poor storage, so I’m starting to rotate some of that.

Oh, and as a data point, I had a plastic jug of whole milk in the fridge, sell by of May 16, unopened. It was fine. Tasted rich and creamy. It had been sealed and cold the whole time. Wife was not willing to drink it, pointed out it was less than $3, so I poured it out after my sample glass. We live surrounded by miracles and don’t ever notice.

Today I’ve got a couple of pickups, and the kid needs to see the orthodontist about breaking her retainer wire. It broke the day after they looked at it for the last time, and told us it would be her “permanent” wire. THE DAY AFTER. There will be an expensive scan and a custom build to replace it. That’s just thievery at this point. But the kids have beautiful straight teeth, which is sort of a base level expectation anymore. Least we could do to help them on their way…

Hurricane season is upon us. So is summer storm season. Time to check the stacks, do some small engine maintenance, increase on hand fuel supplies, and all the other things we do to prepare. I used 10 gallons of fuel at the BOL in the boat, so I’m out of generator fuel there. I’ll be re-supplying that on my next trip.

So much to do, and so many demands on my time. Stacking is the easiest part…

nick

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Mon. July 7, 2025 – high ho, high ho, it’s not to work I go…

Hot in Houston. Probably wet too. This year seems like it’s been really cool and really wet. The cool I’m ok with, the humidity, you just have to endure.

Started the day at the BOL. Did some messing around on the water with boats. Did some puttering and putting away. Poisoned ants. I don’t think the stuff I used works as well as the stuff I normally buy. We’ll see for sure when I get up there again, but I’m pretty sure the mounds I treated on Saturday were still alive on Sunday, and they should have been dead. I borrowed a different brand from my buddy, since I’d run out.

Made it home through a couple of storm cells. It’s been very localized storming in Houston. When a storm fills the whole watershed, it’s a much bigger problem.

Today I’ve got a couple of pickups. I might let D1 drive me around as more ‘check ride’ and time to teach. If she’s interested. If not, it’ll just be me.

I’ve got plenty of other things on my list too. I’ll get to that as I can.

And I need to go through my canned goods and find out what popped. Something stinks…

Stack more than you think you’ll need, and ‘breakage’ won’t be a big issue.

nick

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Thur. July 3, 2025 – headed to the BOL to celebrate… and work

Hot and clear, it’s what I’m hoping for anyway. Well, not as hot, but definitely clear. The national forecast still shows the Houston area and north as possible thunderstorms. I’m counting on the very local nature of our weather to rain on someone else’s parade.

Yesterday I did some auction stuff, then went out to get my pickups done. Took a few hours and a lot of driving but I filled the bed of the pickup truck. Most of the stuff was for the BOL, with the rest split between household and kids. I unloaded the stuff staying in Houston, but just tarped the truck and went to bed rather than finish loading up and driving late at night. W and the kids did head up.

Today I’ll do a last couple of things here, then finish loading up, and head out. I’ve got patriotic decorations to put up, and a lawn to mow. The 4th is a big holiday on the lake, with a boat parade and a really good fireworks show. Lots of people come up for the long weekend. And a lot of them end up on the water near my dock because it’s a good place to watch the fireworks from. That’s a bit of extra motivation for me to decorate, not that I need much motivation.

It’s all part of fitting into the community and becoming a welcome and valued member. And I enjoy the unabashed patriotism.

Stack up some freedom. And improve your relationships.

nick

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Wed. July 2, 2025 – No ma’am, everybody knows pie are round…

Well, maybe we’ll have a clear day again, because the weather liars said it would be raining. Yesterday was clear from edge to edge, and it got hot. Cooled right off after sunset though, and I didn’t even sweat cutting the grass. I waited, because it was 101F in the afternoon…

Did auction stuff in the morning, then pickups in the afternoon. Did some office stuff too. Got a pile of stuff for the BOL and some hobby stuff, with a few other things mixed in, mainly gifts for the kids. Gotta refill the present closet after the birthdays. After I got home I spent some time working on a piece of gear I’ll sell on ebay. I’ve ordered new parts, so that will push to next week. I’ll have to find some other stuff to list in the mean time. That WON’T be a problem as there are stacks and stacks.

Today I’ve got a couple more pickups. More BOL stuff and some household stuff mainly. I don’t really buy much outside of food at regular stores anymore. Specialty items I can’t wait for are the main thing. Everything else eventually comes through the auctions.

Then it goes into the stacks. Eventually it gets used. Or ages out…

Stack-a while you can, monkey boy.

nick

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Tues. July 1, 2025 – bursting like a puss filled blister…

Still the same weather. Chased all over town by thunderstorm cells. Some people got none, some people got the paint washed off their cars. More of the same today, tomorrow, and maybe Thursday too. It’ll be a soggy 4th if we don’t get a break.

So I did some auction stuff in the morning. Then I rousted D1 and got her to drive the minivan all over Houston to do my pickups. I got to do more Driver’s Ed with her, specifically what it feels like when you spin out the back end (impressive in a front wheel drive car) and what it feels like when the anti-lock brakes engage. Lots of wrecks on the highways, but fortunately none were us. Luck was with us.

I did get most of my pickups done, but we did miss a couple as the day got pretty long. 5 hours of freeway driving, some in pouring rain, but she either doesn’t recognize how tiring it is, or won’t admit it. I can see when she starts making dumb mistakes though. I’ll get the last two pickups today. Or maybe the last 5.

D1 is going to drive D2 to her band thing and let me do my thing.

Did I mention that this sh!t is HARD? If you know, you know. That’s how the cool kids are saying it.

Meanwhile the world turns, the elephants dance, and the mice are rightly nervous.

Stack some mouse food so you can stay in your den…
nick

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Mon. June 30, 2025 – a new week, bursting with possibility

And another day of mixed sun and rain, while being a bit cooler if the rain actually happens. It did get hotter throughout the day, but after the rain it was cooler, and only 78F when I went to bed. I see more of that coming for today.

I spent most of the day in my office at my computer, doing auction stuff. I did some other office things too, but mostly the day was spent on my @ss. Not the productive day I was shooting for. I did learn a lot about WWII rationing and a couple of ersatz recipes. And although the channel creator didn’t emphasize it, it was clear that people knew that both war and rationing were coming. The rationing board in the US was set up some time before the Japanese attack, and promptly sprang into action. Which consisted of mostly following the British model.

Some other things are clear too. Once rationing starts, it gets worse. As time goes by, more items are added to the restricted list. It also won’t work without price controls, and a black market WILL arise to fulfill peoples’ wants and needs. In Italy, the rulers didn’t even pretend to suffer under the same restrictions as the people, but in the US and Britain they did. The black markets in the US and Britain were subsequently smaller due to social pressure and a sense of shared suffering. There may be the Italians’ relationship to law and order at play there too.

Anything imported is easily controlled and will be in short supply if your supply lines or overseas sources are disrupted. For us that is pretty much all the technology we use, and a good deal of the food, especially the luxury food like fruit and veg out of season. And by technology I mean everything, as everything is now touched or incorporates stupid levels of technology, to where the toaster has sensors and a computer inside, and even our lighting is dependent on foreign chip and component makers. Switching power supplies are in everything, and lithium batteries are too.

In the same way I can now recognize that TPTB knew war was coming, I can see them taking steps now. Re-shoring of electronic manufacturing and reopening of mines are pretty big clues. They’ll be putting infrastructure in place too, to restrict access to information, to disseminate the official truths, to look for spies and foreign agents. They can ration power in most areas. They’ve already passed the laws they’ll use to restrict access to money, and to monitor its flow. Restriction of movement will happen too. Real ID was widely feared to be a national id program, which we are adamantly against mainly BECAUSE of WWII…

Nothing I see has changed my mind that war is coming, or that major changes in the way the world is organized will happen in our lifetime, probably sooner rather than later. Secret preps in addition to your public or known preps will be needed. Lots of people remembered how bad WWI got, but few of them took steps to make the inevitable WWII more tolerable.

What will you do? Stack, I hope.

nick

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Sun. June 29, 2025 – a day of rest, then work.

More cool and sunny with scattered rain storms, probably. Saturday had storm cells dumping inches on limited areas while adjacent neighborhoods got nothing. There were flash ‘floods’ in some of the bayous (floods in quotes because it’s all designed to work like that.) I think we’re still in the same weather system, so today will be similar.

I got several pickups done. Even though the first one was quite a drive, and for little reward, I think I was there to meet the guy and invite him to come to my next non-prepping hobby meeting. He’s an enthusiast too, but didn’t know we get together every month. It’ll be nice to bring in a new member.

After that, I got a couple more pickups done. One for the hobby, and one was a couple of blacksmith tools. I would like to have a forge and bang on some metal at some point. Maybe at the BOL I’ll have a chance. I’m collecting the tools so I’ll be ready.

When I got home, after getting soaked by a cell, I took a load out of the house. It was dry, and the storm was moving away, so I could load up the truck. After that, since I still had some daylight and time before dinner, I attacked the back yard. I let it get too tall for the mower again, so I put the weed cutter on the string trimmer and knocked it down. I’ll run the mower over it today or tomorrow to mulch the stems.

I’m debating getting another goldfish for the water feature. The old one ended up about a foot long, but made his escape during a torrential downpour that flooded the whole yard. Seems like it would help keep down the frog and mosquito population…and it’s pretty low maintenance as far as pets go. It would be nice to have a fish in the pond again. The cost and effort is minimal, but I have to spend the time and effort to get the fish. Super low priority, but it’s taking up brain space.

The other stuff for today will depend on if we get rain or not, but will likely involve sleeping in, a big breakfast, and a bunch of work around the house. Oh, and migrating to my new phone. That’s always a joy.

Stack something useful.

nick

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