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Category: long-term food storage

Tues. Dec. 2, 2025 – stuff to do, will I?

Cold again. It never got warmer yesterday. It stayed within a degree of 44F all day. The precipitation did change, going to very light mist in the afternoon. Chill and wet. Fun times.

I did mostly small things around the house as I couldn’t use the truck for anything in the rain. Cleaning and sorting is a never ending job.

As part of that I sorted some of the various pouches of seasoning I have in the cabinet. I couldn’t find any of my stewed chicken slow cooker sauce. I had already thawed and put the chicken in the cooker, so I had to find something. Settled on some mexican flavoring, which ended up being pretty good and will probably go into the dinner rotation. I did throw out about 10 pouches of stuff that were hard inside or old. I suspect that someone else may have thrown out the pouches I was looking for…

Anyway, today we are supposed to be clear, so I’ve got some pickups to do and maybe some shopping. And I’ll be moving more stuff because we need to get the room clear for the Christmas tree. Part of the stuff in the room is waiting to go to the BOL, and wouldn’t be there if we’d gone the last couple of times we were supposed to go. Ah well. Next time.

There is always something that needs to be done, and always new things added to the list. Swapping out the DVD drive on my main pc means more office cleaning… and that means having somewhere to put stuff while I clean, and somewhere to put it when I’m done. A whole stack of tasks to do one simple thing… but that’s the way it is.

We’ll see when I get to that.

Meanwhile, if you still need presents, get your shopping done early. Don’t forget, you might need a present for yourself. You deserve it.

Stack what you need.

n

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Thur. Nov. 27, 2025 – Thanksgiving day, US

Cold. By Texas standards anyway. It was in the 50sF last night and damp, so it felt even cooler. Probably it will be cold, then cool, then warm today with sun and clear skies. Nice.

I spent yesterday doing small things on the list. I got several done, and kept moving forward. Baby steps are still steps, right?? For an unhurried day, there was a lot going on. We even had some carnivore drama in the back yard to deal with.

D1 had a date, and the guy seems nice. She had a good night and was beaming. Her previous dates have been pretty lackluster, so I’m happy for her, but I’m still a dad with my little girl going out with boys. Kid is tall, in good shape and confident. Nice change from the emo simps.

Between D1, D2, and their friends, I’m coming to think that their emotional maturity is a couple of years behind where I’d expect it to be. Certainly it’s behind where my generation was. There are a couple of reasons that could be, 2 years of pandemic and social media are the obvious possibilities. And of course, we’re mostly talking about middle and upper middle class white kids. The hispanic kids have a different experience and point of view from what I can see.

It will be interesting to watch how this generation grows up.

But, that’s all for later. Today we take the time to pause and give thanks. There are always things to be thankful for, even at our darkest hours, and Thanksgiving Day gives an opportunity to stop, take stock, and find those things.

I’m thankful for Bob giving me this opportunity, and for Barbara’s faith and trust. I’m thankful for all of you who stop by and share your lives and thoughts with me and the rest of this community. I’m thankful for the world we live in, for the beauty of the natural world and everything in it. I’m thankful for the opportunity to love and be loved, and for my family and the support they give. I’m thankful to be alive. When I was young, I never thought I’d see 26 years of age, and here I am 33 years past that point.

There have been good times and bad during those years, but they made me who I am and I’m ok with that. They have all been a gift; one I’m glad to share with the people in my life. I look forward to many more, no matter the challenges and heartbreak that may be ahead of us.

Thank you all,

nick

(stack something good)

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Mon. Nov. 24, 2025 – 112425 -close but no cigar

Forecast says “possible thunderstorms” for the whole SE of Texas, and we had overcast yesterday. Cool weather too. I expect today to be similar, and maybe tomorrow too. I’m hoping that it is dry though, since my intent is outdoor tasks.

Since I got nothing done yesterday. I woke with really severe lower back pain and stiffness. It was bad enough to make me nauseous. But it improved throughout the day to the point where I almost felt back to normal but was still moving cautiously.

Today, if I’m feeling ok, I’ll mess it all up again by moving more stuff out of my storage unit. That is my main goal. Where and how we spend this week and the holiday is still a bit fluid and up for grabs, but W and the kids will be home today and tomorrow for D1 to work her new job. IDK if I’ll head up tomorrow during the day, or wait for later. It will depend on if I can load the truck without getting wet.

I had plans for this week at the BOL, mostly involving electrical and networking in the attic, but now with less time there, and possible pain, we’ll have to just play it by ear. I really need to get stuff done up there, and it’s stuff that takes more than a day at a time.

Owning any property puts extra stress on you and your resources. Owning a remote property increases both. Owning multiple properties, and being older and beat up makes it even more difficult and painful. Something to keep in mind when looking for BOL property, or even a retirement property.

On the other hand, it’s kinda hard to complain about owning multiple properties. It’s a fortunate position to be in, and one we actively pursued. It does have challenges though, and that is simple truth.

Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. And stack.
n

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Sun. Nov. 23, 2025 – bring on the Thanksgiving pie

Warm again, and moist. Hopefully not raining, although the grass needed the rain. It would be nice to get back to mild Fall days, after the warmth and humidity.

I didn’t get anything done yesterday. Nerves in my back were pinched and I couldn’t get them to release so I mostly just laid in bed. Usually some stretching and hip rotation and whatever is misaligned will get fixed, at least to baseline for me. Not happening yesterday though.

Today we’ll see if it’s improved any, and then I’ll beat myself up moving out of my storage unit! Cuz I’m so snart. Stuff needs doing, and I’m the only one to do it, so whatever it takes…

That’s kinda the story of my life. I should be used to it by now.

Stack if that’s all you can do.

nick

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Wed. Oct. 1, 2025 – the year continues to run out

Cool. Yesterday was really cool to start but by afternoon, the sun was intense. Just sitting still in the sun had me soaked through my shirt. Soon enough we’ll be running the heat at night and the A/C during the day.

I did some auction stuff, then I did some pickups. After that, I got sidetracked with the radio in the truck, (and a couple of really small things along the way), and dinner. Dinner was ‘meh’. Frozen veg that wasn’t great to start. Rice in a pouch that was too much chiplotle or ancho. Baked panko breaded cod that just wasn’t all that tasty… oh well, can’t win every day.

Today I’ve got a big circle of pickups. I’m definitely buying less, and spending less time doing pickups, but I still want to get some of the things. I just need balance, and to use my time more efficiently.

That’s kinda the problem most of the time, not being efficient.

I need to backfill some stacks. I’ve thrown out 30# of white flour, and yesterday a quart of dried powdered cream. That definitely doesn’t last forever… and I’ve got to go through more of my canned goods and dump the worst of them. Time to rotate some of the deep storage too, including at the secondary site.

I’ll add that to the list, and maybe I can fit it in while doing other stuff.

Stack while you can, it’s getting spicier out there.

nick

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Mon. Mar. 3, 2025 – another week, another chance to not get things done

Cool and damp, windy. The wind rose last night and it got chilly. Low 60s and damp with a wind equals chilled to the bone. It was nice all day, if damp, and sunny until later in the day. I’m hoping whatever blew in will blow back out.

I rose and broke my fast fairly early for me, and for a Sunday. I took my time getting started though and a bunch of stretching was involved.

I did get stuff done. I eventually got a string trimmer running with a new saw blade style cutter head, and attacked the back yard. The weeds were mid-calf and higher… but they all went down under the onslaught. It took longer than it should have. Then I poked at the mower, finally diagnosing the issue. Ordered the part I needed, and went back out to blow leaves and re-bait rat poison stations. The bait stations were gnawed but not empty. I filled them up and put a couple in the attic too.

The light was fading so I wrapped up outside.

Did some stuff in the attic, moving and putting stuff away.

D1 made Chipotle style chicken bowls for dinner with W’s help. Did a good job and I ate my fill. Kid might learn something after all. I think she is beginning to realize she’ll have to feed herself something besides homemade cookies at some point.

Ended the day sitting my my ‘water feature’ reading and having a tiny little fire. It got pretty chilly sitting there, almost like I was on the dock at the BOL.

I’ll have to get back up there. Things need to be worked on.

Until then, I’ll do more work here. I’ve been neglecting the home front for a while. If it isn’t raining today, I should be able to get some more things done. I’ve also got a pickup to do, and normal kid taxi stuff. Maybe I’ll take the time to cut my hair. Oh the excitement! Oh the drama!

One of the tasks is to re-stock the can dispenser racks in the pantry, and go through the cans I just put in storage and have ignored for a while. Several have ruptured, and I need to sort out the breakage and look at replacements.

This stuff won’t stack itself. Get to it…

nick

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Fri. May 10, 2024 – another week almost done, and still no canned sunshine..

Warm and wet, getting to be summer in Houston. It was mid 90s yesterday and so sweaty just standing still was work. Should be more of that today too, maybe a little cooler if the liars get it right.

I spent the day mostly doing small things around the house. Most weren’t high priority, but they were prerequisites to doing something else, that was a priority. So they needed to be done and gotten out of the way. And they were low effort, because I was feeling a bit pukey today. Never really got sick but didn’t feel good most of the afternoon.

I did get a bunch of small things done, and that feels good, but not the big things that are looming over me. And that feels bad. Maybe I’ll get one or two of them moving today.

I have a pickup to do, that includes stuff for the BOL so it’s on my “need to do” list. And my client decided that between the weather forecast and having 20 kids at the house for Mother’s day, he’d really like his theater working again. My business partner ordered the replacement to be delivered today, and I’ll head over to install it when it arrives. Hopefully it won’t be at 9pm. Saturday I’ve got my non-prepping hobby, then I’m headed to the BOL with a pickup load of stuff, so I really don’t want to delay by going to my client’s house. It’s in the wrong direction.

I don’t want to borrow trouble, so I’m playing today and tomorrow by ear. If things go well, that’ll be awesome. Also a bit unusual, but awesome nonetheless.

Earning money is part of prepping, and my client pays for the service he gets. Plus, I like him and his family, so I’d probably go a bit extra anyway.

I encourage everyone to look for opportunities to make a bit of extra cash. It’s almost the universal solvent when it comes to troubles.

Stack some!

nick

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Tues. May 6 (or 7), 2024 – hopefully the rain has passed, for a bit anyway…

Warmish, still damp, and possibly clearing to a nice day. Yesterday was a mixed bag, but I didn’t get any more rain during the day. Some other places might have.

As I was driving around I did see that the local bayous are at higher than normal levels. I crossed the San Jac river in the middle of the bridge and couldn’t see down to see what it looked like though. Google gave me flood warnings when I navigated to my auction pickup in Kingwood (north and east, where all the flooding starts to show up as you head out of Houston proper.) I didn’t see many signs of flooding though.

One of my auctioneers did show me a picture of his car flooded to the door handles in Porter.

I did my two pickups, and headed home.

Before and after that I did a bit of stuff around the house. Some more poking at the All in One PC. I ordered more RAM because it was a cheap upgrade and it should be usable for basic tasks. It’s less responsive now that windows had a chance to update, win10 has a LOT of bloat over the years, but it’s still very usable for web and normal tasks. If it had a touch screen it would be perfect for a media center/ music steaming GUI in the garage or dockhouse. Or I might put it on the shelf with the 3D printers to manage those machines, if they need a handy computer nearby…or I could plug my SDR radio dongle into it and have that running in my office. I could still clone the drive to an SSD to get better performance too. That is probably the single best and cheapest way to extend the life of an old machine that is feeling slow.

There is a lot of life left in old, cheap machines. And I like the idea of one machine per task.

Today I’ve got a couple more pickups to do. Kid has an ortho appointment in the morning, and that will get me out and about, while disrupting my routine at the same time. Other kid doesn’t have sports team practice this week, so I’m on deck to do an early pickup for her. Lots of poking at things around the house to do too. Even if the weather is nice, I bet I don’t get out in it much.

On the plus side, my back and neck have been better this week and last. Small mercies.

Oh, almost forgot. Data point. Dinner last night included boxed potatoes (betty crocker au gratin in various flavors) with a best by of 2021 and 2022. I had to open 8 boxes to find two that didn’t have little black bugs INSIDE the sealed plastic bag with the potato slices. Those bugs must have been there the whole time, but only get numerous enough to see in a few years?? The two I made that were “sans bugs” were still tasty and the powdered cheese in the foil pouch was still good. Wife and kids both commented that they liked the potato casserole dish (I did add a few tablespoons of bacon crumbles). Main meat was a sirloin cap roast (picanha roast) from 2021 or ’22. Even a two pounder is thin enough to defrost quickly and cook in less than an hour. That gave me time to cook the potatoes and some instant ‘tube’ biscuits too.

My storage conditions are the suxx, and I expect the ‘breakage’. I’m actually surprised I don’t lose more stored food.

Which is where the stacking comes in. You never really know when you’ll be stuck with what you’ve got. I’d rather have too much, than too little and I’m willing to lose a bit to ensure that. You may feel differently- preferring a more precise FIFO plan, with an exact amount of stored food, and a strict rotation to keep it fresh. That’s cool if it works for you. Whatever you do, stack SOMETHING.. and keep stacking as you use it.

nick

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Tues. Feb. 6, 2024 – well, if not hell, then heck?

Cool and clear. It never did rain on my house yesterday, but it did rain on my wife on her way to work so BOTH forecasts were correct! Hers and mine. Peace in the house, hooray. Today should be clear, and warming later in the day.

I didn’t get everything done, or even started, and what I did do took longer than I hoped. Sometimes it be that way. I got some stuff pulled out for ebay, some for my local auction. I sorted some stuff that has been sitting since October. My back was hurting so I’ll claim that as my excuse for not doing heavier work. Well, hurting more than normal…

Then I had to get the kids from school, and do some cooking. I was going to make some frozen fish, but I started breaking down some bulk meat and vac sealing it, so after doing beef brisket, pork shoulder, and a spiral sliced ham, I decided that I could just throw the ham in the skillet and make that. I was browning chunks of the pork shoulder to make carnitas in the slow cooker. Freeze some, cook some… so the ham was a natural choice. The vintage cast iron performed beautifully. I’ve got a good seasoning on it and with some bacon fat, even the sticky sugar from the ham scraped away with a smooth utensil. A quick rinse, then dry and re-oil with clean peanut oil, and back into the drawer for next time. Cooking with good cast iron is a joy.

The pre-browned chunks of pork will go into the slowcooker today. Some of the ham I packed in 1 pound bags, and I’ll take that to the BOL for when I’m up there alone. It’s a quick and tasty dinner. The rest is in 2 pound bags. The pork is in 3 pound bags, and the brisket is in 4 pounders. That is one bag per meal, with some leftovers. I mentioned before that I have increased the weight of my “per meal” packages. Freaking kids eat like crazy. Buying in bulk, cutting to meal size or portion size, and vac sealing before freezing is economical and convenient. Takes a bit of time, but not much more than putting the groceries away. The savings make it worth it.

Late in yesterday’s comments I linked to a couple videos of shootouts involving cops, and civilians. One is a guy who’s just had enough, the other is a young thug. There are lessons to be learned from watching other people experience violence, and violent situations. Note too the police response and tactics. In the second one, the neighbor threatening to kill people, note when the cop reminds the neighbors that he’s recording and asks if it’s alright. Remember that they didn’t do that while interviewing people on the Rust set, when Alec Baldwin shot and killed his Cinematographer. No Miranda warning, and the video is admissible. Something to keep in mind if you are in a bad situation, or even witness to one. Like I said, lessons to be learned.

Today I’ll be doing the same, over and over again. It’ll be fun! Well, it’s never boring.

Learn something new today. Practice a skill, or start on a new one. Stack experiences like you’re stacking food.

nick

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Thur. Feb. 1, 2024 – cookie day

Cold and clear, or maybe cold and overcast, but probably cold. Yesterday started cold, warmed significantly, and was very comfortable with the windows down driving in the late afternoon. It will be nice if today is the same.

I spent a lot of time yesterday doing chauffeur stuff and driving. Took back the broken solar panel. Took the kid where she needed to go. Went to the chiropractor. In total, spent almost 2 1/2 hours sitting in the truck waiting for kids or other people. Good thing I have kindle on the phone.

Today I’ll do some auction stuff in the morning, then maybe grocery shopping. Our eating habits have changed as the kids have grown so I’ve had to adjust what I buy and stack. MUCH less bread. No peanut butter. A lot more snacks and stuff for school. I don’t mind the ‘hangover’ with having more peanut butter than we need, it’s a great prepper food that keeps well. Push comes to shove, we can eat it again. We are eating a lot more meat, just because the kids eat more. I’ve been packing it in single meal quantities and now those older packages are a bit too small. Probably should have seen that one coming, but didn’t. Monitor and re-evaluate…

But certainly keep stacking.

nick

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