The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Sunday 5 February 2017

Pantries and Preparedness. In the news and getting started with Vicky.

Last week I had a demonstration of preparedness on a small scale just with being not well,  having everything on hand and not having to cook. It was one of those times I was glad of being ahead! (Except now of course I have to try and get ahead again!)

The subject of preparedness was in our local news this week as it had been the week before. This time it was in regard to the security of the power grid.  Basically, our electricity services were sold off to overseas interests and now there are concerns about hacking and sabotage. Since the Ukrainian Grid was brought down by hackers  they have decided to ponder how easily that could happen here.  The grid down brings most things to a standstill and it is staggering how fast things deteriorate.   If you would like to read more on this here is a good article.... here.  Basically it could happen anywhere!

Another preparedness subject in the wider news is one of the worlds biggest banks being very wobbly. It has been in decline for years and if you look at charts it looks like a picture of falling off a cliff.  We saw this with Greece and yet at the end of what seemed like endless warnings people still left their money in the banks until they closed their doors and did not open the next day.  The ATMs were shut.  People queued outside banks that had no intention of opening their doors.  
Later there were ATM's open with a limited daily cash amount you could access.  What happens next no one knows!

Luckily apart from banks there are lots of ways to save! I think the old idea of not putting all your eggs in one basket is a good one!
I wrote an article about this some time ago...
Joy plus Savings.
There are many ways to save and some benefit your family life, your home, your health, your pantry or your bank account. Maybe a bit of each! They are all wonderful!  They are all building up your home!  

In light of huge banks looking like sinking ships this is an interesting topic. 
Firstly, it is wonderful to have savings and financial security.  But we are here talking about being prepared.  I am following Patsy's online course and I note that having money in the bank during a natural disaster or electrical failure will do you absolutely no good at all.  (Unless dying with money in the bank is your idea of success!)  lol

In those times you have what you have physically and paper or online assets are useless.  What you can put your hand on is what you have. What is tangible. 
If we are stuck home due to flooding,  a fire or the grid is down we need ways to keep things going in the home like food, warmth and everything we can to take care of ourselves. The bank won't be helping you or feeding you.  In fact the first thing the bank does in a crisis is close its doors. 

Here, in good times they don't like you to have the branch phone number and don't like if you come in at all.  I would change banks but Andy''s bank is worse, they don't like calls or visits but if you do go in they are rude to you and that's after waiting an hour!   If there is a computer glitch you just have to wait it out. 

On top of all of this laws have changed. Many countries no long have the "bail outs" that governments once promised if the bank collapses.  Look into that and if it affects you. Are you protected by a bail out or a "bail in"? Bail in's are to prevent what will happen to governments after a cash like in 2008. Bail in's mean the government no long gives capital to prop up the bank and rescue your savings. You do, they use your money instead.  Read up on this subject as this arrangement is the new normal.  
Savings in the bank are great in a personal financial situation but useless in pretty much any other crisis.   You savings in your pantry, back up supplies, paying off debt etc are at least something you can count on!

Our state has had about eighteen suburbs with no power again now and in the last day. So far we have been really lucky!

We started off this year covering some totally free ways to get prepared, finding space in your home and making an action plan.  We are off to a good start. 
I always say just do what you can, as you can, and you will be surprised how much it all adds up! 
Vicky wrote the following to encourage everyone to go along steadily and you will get there! 

41 comments:

  1. I laughed about your canned salmon. John loathes fish of all sorts except tuna, so no great stocking up on it here!

    Annabel congratulations on that sweet grand girl. I have a grand boy (my 10th grandchild!) due mid March but I think he's going to be a February baby.

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    1. Thank you Teri! How wonderful for you to have another baby coming and the tenth! This is beautiful. What a nice family! xxx

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    2. LOL yep no canned salmon here!
      XOXO
      Vicky

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  2. I'm in Georgia in the USA. If the grid were to go down, at least I'm out in the country and not in the city or urban areas. I cringe to think what would happen, real fast, real quick-- just the total panic. It amazes me that so many here don't think that could happen to "us". I am also following Patsy's online course--I want to be prepared (the best I can) for anything that may happen. Scarlet Lily is just precious--- enjoy that sweet darling.

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    1. Dear Delorise,
      I am looking forward to what Patsy has in store this week! I did ok in theory last week however in real life having an infection wouldn't have played out so well thank goodness I could see a doctor. Its a bit scary to think!
      I think its a matter of time before some hacker goes for the grid. It could be terrorism, war or just geeks who want to be famous. It would be the easiest way to bring things to a standstill. I hope we don't see it but hackers etc all seem to be increasing.
      Thank you for your comment and also on little Scarlett! With love Annabel.xxx

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  3. Dear Annabel and the beautiful blue birds,
    First Annabel , Scarlett Lily looks gorgeous and it is so precious to have a new Bub in the family, congratulations to Lucy and her husband and Harper and you and your family.i am not sure ( cannot remember sorry) if I left a message on Friday so I wanted to pass on my best wishes and congratulations.
    Secondly thank you Annabel and Vicki for this vital information, I always felt bad I did not have a lot of savings in the bank but in the last two years I have built up and been using too my pantry and now want to work on preparedness. I have done what I can to ensure I have plenty of food in an emergency or if I am unwell and cannot get out for some reason and it does happen plus in a crisis as I am sure we have discussed , the supermarket is not the place I want to be . I would think it would be a mad scramble to get everything you need, no that is not for me.i hope you are feeling better now Annabel and have had no ill effects from your spider bite?.
    I am going to write a list of things I need to buy to be prepared and buy one or two things a fortnight. As you say Annabel it all adds up, I have the basics like torches, candles, lighters ( 8 of them thanks to Rob, he used to smoke before he was diagnosed with cancer and put a lighter on the top of my fridge just in case he lost one, when the topic of my fridge was cleaned up there were 8 working lighters up there!) . I also have and older BBQ but it still works well and is in good condition, I just gave to learn to use it and not be scared of it!, silly I know.i need to buy some water or bottle some just in case. I also need and want a new thermos as mine broke. Oh this makes me realise how much I am not prepared but as Vicky said I will do it so it does not overwhelm me.how are you all?.i hope you have a great week . Love Barb W.

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    1. Dear Barb,
      Thank you so much!
      You are right, it is so much better if we are not amongst the panicky crowd, I don't like crowds at the best of times let alone if everyone was very pushy or aggressive.
      Maybe get your Dad to show you how to use the BBQ and just boil water on it or something like that. It would be good to know.
      I find thermos at op shops amazingly! I always fill at least two if we know the power might go out or actually make up tea and coffee. Either way we will use it over the next 12 hours or so.
      Keep at it Barb, little by little does really work! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Barb,
      You are doing a great job and in most situations just having the basics is really what gets us through. You have a plan and just one or two things really adds up so you will get there!
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    3. I'm scared of the grill, too. I know it's silly, but I feel the same way.

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  4. Vicky a great post. We love tinned fish but we adore fresh caught fish. Annabel and Vicky, our Katie's boyfriend bought around some 'Scarlett Emperor', yesterday. We ate this lightly pan fried in butter and lemon last night for dinner. Bluey served it up with fresh salad. Given it was a hot night fresh fish and salad was just delicious. I love the fact that fresh caught fish is a real option for us here. In a disaster situation, we would have the option of fresh food, as long as we had a fishing rod.
    Barb W, I cooked on a barby for 20 years at our old place, as we did not have an oven in the house at all. Ours was a hooded barby and I baked cakes and biscuits as well as roasts etc. We had a gas burner as well for anything needing to be done in a saucepan. Once you get used to them they are an asset.
    Vicky people in panic mode in a supermarket are just like the zombies on the TV Shows. Last year we had a cyclone that was heading directly at our town. People hit the shops like idiots. The bread and milk had sold out within hours of the warning going up. Bluey and I didn't go anywhere but a friend who has a hairdressing business in the local shopping centre told me of the madness and the horrid way people were treating each other. Our elderly neighbour does not drive at all. She came over to see if we were going to the shops and could we pick up a thing or two for her. She shopped our pantry instead. As often happens with cyclones it changed direction and we missed out completely.
    Annabel I hate keeping cash at home as I have a fear of providing nasties with a tangible reason to enter my home uninvited. This relates back to the robbery we went through last year and the loss of tools out of the shed. Having said this, if a cyclone(it is the season for them) was to develop we would only have my coin cash stash to use. Might need to think of another stash.
    You've stirred up the old grey matter and I have thoughts buzzing around. I need to think on this a bit.
    Life is good even if my head is a bit noisy right now.

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    1. Dear Jane.
      You re right... you know how to fish and would always have that as part of your pantry.
      People turned nasty here in a couple of hours of the poor being out yelling at supermarket staff and so on when things ran out. So I have no idea what it would be like after a longer period! I wouldn't want to be out to find out.
      Maybe a compromised on cash... keeping some $5 notes in your purse where you don't notice them, small amounts that are not a security risk and not a tragedy is stolen. The glove box of the car, good hidey places. I don't think large amounts at home are very safe either. I look at things like a generator and pantry of non perishables as an alternative but still we could need some actual cash too.
      Your dinner sounds beautiful! Andy caught heaps of crabs yesterday despite it pouring with rain and some are his dinner tonight!
      Much love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Jane,
      Firstly yum on the fresh fish and taking advantage of what nature has to offer is usually easy on the pocket book and much better for you than things at the markets. And yes the people who wait until the last minute can be so rude to each other that I can't imagine what it would truly be like if it was a longer term situation. I just know that I wouldn't want to be in the middle of it when there are alternatives. That was a wonderful thing that your neighbor could shop from your pantry and you being able to bless someone else!
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    3. I keep some money in small bills in a canning jar mixed
      in with my canned goods. Plus I keep a small amount in my freezer marked as mixed greens. My husband has some in our small safe.
      Sue

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    4. "Mixed Greens"--I love it!

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  5. Hi! I'm in the USA and have been interested more and more in prepardedness for the past few years. I lived in the country on several acres for yrs but illness brought me back to a larger town a couple of yrs ago. I could not even walk my property anyway so gardening was not possible & I had to pay to have all that property mowed & taken care of. So I'm better in town. Reading all the sites available & trying to decide how best to proceed is sometimes daunting to me but I work at it because I don't want to be one of those people who just do nothing. I'm blessed that I have a fairly large house so I can stock up but worry if I stock everything how will I protect it but I'm still doing it and not really talking to anyone about it.

    But then if something does happen (or maybe when) I guess we can just do the best we can and hope it was the right thing. Otherwise we will become paralyzed with fear & do nothing which is the worst thing. So I prepare the best I can. But there is one thing that I find precious little about on any of these sites and it is probably one of the most important things to me. So if any of you have any good ideas I would really appreciate them! What do I stock for long term food preparations for my dogs? I keep 3-4 40 lb bags of food in the house at all times but I have 7 dogs so I go thru that food fairly fast if I have no way to restock. I keep large amounts of rice, cans of mackererel and dried vegies to make something for them to eat but I want to think of everything I can do instead of just a few things. Do any of you have good ideas for this? If you do I would appreciate your suggestions so much.

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    1. Hello and welcome! My friend Glenda has big dogs and she includes them in her preparations. She is the person to answer this. She isn't well right at the moment but I will ask her advice and try to help. What size are your dogs? That will be a consideration into how you go about it I think.
      I am thinking since you asked this we could have a post just on the subject of how to have supplies for pets. Most of us have animals after all. Thank you for the idea and stay tuned! With love Annabel.xxx
      ps we have birds and I can store a big supply in a small space so this is easy and I have probably a couple of months supply on hand at all times.xxx

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    2. Thank you so much for your reply! Your site is so interesting to me for preparedness and more often now for the savings info. I haven't begun to track the savings each week like so many of you do but I should. I read about it with such interest that I should definitely be doing it!! LOL I'm going to start! I've built a larger pantry in the house, ordered a FoodSaver so I can repackage things so I'm definitely beginning.

      Any information that your readers have on feeding my dogs would be so appreciated. I have 3 70+ lb labs and 4 that are around 20 lbs so we go thru a lot of food. I also bought a water purifier and stock water.

      Some days the news here makes me want to go into hyper-drive in preparation but I don't seem to get too much done on those days for worrying so I try to keep a cooler head as much as possible. But I feel like I have to hurry.

      Blessings to you!

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  6. great post Annabel, and what a little cutie your granddaughter is.
    Like Barb I am slowly building my stockpile. DH is trying to help by suggesting he buy some more jars for bottling fruit, I can't convince him that approx 25 jars of plums and rhubarb are enough, especially with more rhubarb growing and enough in the fridge for 4 more jars.
    I had a small amount of emergency cash in the house but this got used for a couple of small jobs, need to build it up again.

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    1. Thanks so much Margaret, I think your husband loves your preserves! xxx

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  7. Annabel, Scarlett Lily is beautiful. Vicky, I laughed about fighting zombies - I've had friends refer to my pantry as my "zombie apocalypse" cupboard. I took this teasing and ran with it when decorating the said pantry... Shame I can't post a picture in the comment, you'd see why you struck a chord then!

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    1. Allegra,
      LOL! I know they tease me here like that too or just think I'm nutty. And they only see a small part of it. LOL
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    2. I love it! So funny. A few years ago our grid did go
      down. All my neighbors teased me about my pantry. My daughter was stuck at work. She was with a mommy with
      a new born and wanted to stay until her husband arrived.
      But anyway the funny part I was checking on neighbors and one of the couples had stopped on there way home and got cases of bottled water for everyone in are little neighbor hood. His wife was
      cooking by candle lite (we all had gas stoves) were planning on playing
      cards after dinner. I guess I rubbed off on them a little. The people at the stores were not as nice.
      I happened to be out when the grid went down and I was in line to pay. I was glad to head home. It makes people like Zombies they loose manners. All the traffic lights go down and people forget how to drive.
      Patti

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  8. Dear Annabel, Scarlett really is a lovely baby !Look forward to hearing what Harper thinks :-)
    We have been building up spare cash too , I started with an envelope system a few years ago I heard about on SS .It's been like riding a wave as I learnt to work with cash ,having used CC mainly and cheques.
    Hope Lucy is recovering well at home with her girls.And you get some rest.Love Maria xxx

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  9. Hi Annabel, Vicky and beautiful bluebirds!!!!

    Thank you, Annabel and Vicky, for putting your heads together to address this topic! You're right about 'bail ins' being legal since the G20 Summit in Brisbane. As a side note, I have heard that, in the US, 'junk silver' (ie old coins with silver content) can be a useful reserve money if digital and paper money should lose its value entirely. It is also in small denominations that can be easily exchanged. (See Bill Holter online.) In Australia, the Perth Mint sells 99 percent pure silver coins as legal tender - also in small denominations. That is for more long term scenarios where current currency has no value.

    Someone I know says that banks are for taking money out of, not for putting money into!! Heritage Bank is recommended for no fees (for a set number of withdrawals), ownership by members and good customer service. We use the old-fashioned bank books, rather than cards!!

    Ask any dog if they'd rather have money or food! It's the same answer every time!! In Vicky's case, money might be preferable to canned salmon, though!!!! Ha ha!!

    I can look around and find that the people I admire most do not revolve around money!

    That is a beautiful photo of little Scarlett and her loving Grandma!!

    With warm regards,
    Rachel Holt

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  10. Annabel and Vicky, this is such a good and helpful post! So many things are running through my mind in regards to this post but I guess the one that is most prominent is the nature of people during a disaster. After going through Hurricane Matthew I can tell you that some poeple are just mean and out to take advantage of people and their situations. It's just a reality of the situation and an important fact that needs to be taken into consideration when preparing.

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    1. Patsy, this was also true during the Northridge Earthquake in 1994. We were prepared enough that we didn't have to leave the house for days, but we heard stories on the radio. And later from our friends that were sadly not prepared. The price gouging, the fighting, the sheer panic. Situations like that tend to bring out the worst in some people...and the best in others.

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    2. Dear Debby, You just mentioned something we didn't even include... that the price of everything once scarce or desperately needed can go up to something ridiculous! Thats right! An additional thing to consider! Thank you! Love Annabel.xxx

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  11. Thank you for this article. Lots to think about here. We do like salmon here, and I have been working to have more than just enough for this month's needs. Even one extra can helps the next month.

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  12. Makes me feel better that I don't have thousands in the bank but a good pantry at home that needs a bit more building up. Being able to make things and craft things is a good idea. It is surprising how many people can't even sew a button back on a shirt! So the more we knit, sew and make the better the world will be. I plan on learning to craft with wood this year as I want to restore some old furniture. I am all for less waste and landfill and being easier on the environment. We try to keep our cars filled each pay just in case. I have frozen water bottles in the freezers too.
    What a gorgeous blessing to have young Scarlett to spoil and in the future teach her all the skills that Grandmas can.

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    1. Dear Janine, You are so right... skills are important! Being able to make do, get by, be inventive and make from scratch skills would all set you up much better than the alternative of being really vulnerable.
      I hope I get to teach my Granddaughters as much as I can. My Nans taught me so many good skills I have used all my life! (though I wish I had learned even more from them) With love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Aw, Scarlett Lily is such a sweetheart! Many congratulations all around!
    Much has been made recently in my part of the USA about the anniversary of the "Blizzard of '78" and wondering if it could happen again. I was just a girl then, so having snow piled up to the top of the garage door, the power out, and missing loads of school was a grand adventure for my sister and me. I don't think my parents found it quite so amusing, but since Dad already had a nice wood pile for the fireplace insert and Mom grew up knowing how to keep a pantry, we were all right. Isn't it strange that things considered simply prudent a generation or two ago now generate Zombie Apocolypse jokes? I'm right there with you ladies, working on the pantry and life skills to take care of my family in good times or bad. Thanks to Annabel, Vicky, and all of you ladies for your sound advice!
    Blessings, Leigh

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  14. This is another good read,today i was at a care job for to elderly clients they came from Canada back in the 70's somehow we got talking on this very topic today then Mr took me out to his garage and i had my first lesson on how to use and look after a generator really i hadnt seen one before and it did look like a law mower lol,his lovely wife gave me two bags of plums from their tree,on my next visit iam going to give them some eggs they really are a blessing and iam lucky to have met them.

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    1. Dear Melissa, This is wonderful! They would be a wealth of knowledge too! It sounds like they will become great friends! With love Annabel.xxx

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  15. What a beautiful, sweet granddaughter! Congratulations!

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  16. Dear Annabel, Scarlett is beautiful and such a blessing to your family!! So glad you are feeling better, also!

    I, too, am grateful I don't need to run to the grocery store if weather or other warnings come over the air waves.
    I like the saying "don't keep all your eggs in one basket",
    so true and I would much rather have food/supplies!

    Vicky, thank you for writing this article. Adding to our pantries takes time, and patience. Plus, on a daily basis, our pantry saves us so much money and the stress of running to the store for one item! I still remember my grandmas pantry. It was a few shelves with a "curtain" as doors. When I was there, we always played "store"! Great memories!! :)

    Great messages you are sending the world, Annabel!! Love, Teri

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  17. Annabel, your grandbaby is just so cute. She is tiny but they grow fast. Enjoy her and have fun. Sorry to hear about your arm, hope that is healing well. Have a great week. Paula in Kansas

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  18. Dear Annabel and Vicky,
    Thank you both for another encouraging article on preparedness. I do a lot of dehydrating of the food from our garden, so for us it's very important to have large amounts of things like bone broth, and stored water, even the liquid from canned goods, either bought or home canned to be able to rehydrate things. Going out to shop is not where I want to be for many reasons, not the least of which is the frenzy that's created whenever there's a threat of even one snowflake. Having a stocked pantry was a blessing during the time of my husband's surgery and recovery period.

    Enjoy your snuggle time with precious Scarlett. Blessings. Cookie


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  19. Great advice. We're so spoiled these days. I'm grateful that I grew up before things got so easy. And more grateful that I grew up with depression era g'parents that taught me how to do a lot with my hands. I think that frugality automatically makes lots of situations easier to handle.

    Beautiful baby! One of my dear friends is named Scarlett.

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  20. Thank you so much for all the thoughts on being prepared and also for all the wishes for Scarlett! I wish I could reply individually but I just cant... so thank you! xxx

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  21. Annabell Scarlet is just a doll.I hope you are feeling much better. That naughty spider! my chickens used to eat spiders.
    Maybe you can talk your girls into spider duty. I have read spiders do not like the smell of peppermint. A few drops in a spray bottle of water then spray area you want them to stay away from.
    Annabel and Vicky thank you for all the lovely info. I agree
    just one day at a time slow and steady. This week we were blessed with someone cleaning out there pantry so they gave us 2 big bags of powdered sugar,brown sugar,wine vinegar,ground ginger,poultry seasoning,ground cloves, some jars of fruit and some jars of veggies. We were also blessed by someone else this week
    with two giant tubs of Wilton baking stuff two tool boxes of
    tips bags and food color.Enough cupcake liners for the rest of our life probably.So many colors and diffrent themes. A cake spinning thing for frosting. A cake leveler to make the top flat. Baking pans and books on how to decorate. A giant box of all diffrent kinds of cookie cutters. Celaphane bags and fancy wrappers for chocolates. Chocolate molds and special sprays. Frostings and a big box of spinkles and lots of jars of different sugars that look like fairy dust and so much more.I have not even seen everything yet. I am feeling very
    blessed. Now I just need to watch You Tube to learn how to use some of these wonderful things.
    Much Love,
    Patti

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    1. Patti what a week! I am amazed by all those wonderful things coming to you! All so good and useful. Just wow! I am happy for you!
      You re being repaid for being so kind in my opinion.
      Have fun with all of this! With love Annabel.xxx

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