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 8 March 2020

Pantries and Preparedness. March 2020.

I am going to skip my Saving Like Grandma Did post this week and instead share some thoughts on the current situation we are in due to the Corona Virus.  
Any Bluebirds who have been here for a while will know I began preparing and building up my pantry several years ago.  I really strongly felt the need to do it.  It was just not something I could ignore.  I feel this is how God talks to you.   Or one of the ways!  Something that becomes a feeling out of no where and you just know something.  Any time I have ever ignored this kind of thing hasn't ended terribly well.

The last week was very interesting.  I think now we are used to day after day of hearing where the virus has spread, of quarantines and travel restrictions and many dramas that you would not want to be caught up in.

Now I am located in the very southern area of Australia which most of the time seems far far away from the rest of the world.  I like it!  I feel far from likely to have a nuclear bomb dropped on me for instance!   But of all the things I considered I have been preparing for an Epidemic or a Pandemic was not one of them!  I might have considered it as when I began my medical preparedness I did stock N95 masks.   At the time I thought if there was a terrible flu only the first people at the chemist would get masks as I checked at our local one and they had 100.   I thought this wouldn't last long and I ordered 80 online.   Now this one really paid off!  When N95 masks are sold out world wide I have some.   You see having a medical pantry isn't such a bad idea!

Next hand sanitiser sold out.  That is ok too I have everything to make a pretty much endless supply of my own and several big bottles on hand.

Beyond that I never considered a pandemic.  Most of what I am seeing now is more like a movie script than reality.  I am actually pretty sure this will end up a movie!

While things in China were very dramatic and frightening at first we heard a lot of comforting information i.e. it will never get here, it is mild and everyone is making a big deal over nothing.
But each week as it has escalated we have the virus breaking out all over the world, hundreds of millions of people in quarantine and restricted movement,  medical supplies and resources stretched, supply chains broken... so much comes from China.   There are so many implications.  On the farm we depend on pumps.  Pumps come from China.  Even cement comes from China!

In Australia we had an extended and severe drought.  Then we had massive and widespread fires.  Our economy is really taking a hit.  Also the spirt of the people.  And now this.... even just the tourism aspect is going to send a whole new lot of businesses broke as tourism is big business here and it is one thing we still had!

Each week I have tried to keep up with the picture developing and be one step ahead.  In some small ways this has helped and I hope it will help my family.  But now I am worried.

Our medical experts say hospitals are well equipped to cope.  But we all know to get into a hospital you might have to wait in an ambulance for hours or a whole day as they are full.  This is before the virus!  So err.... how exactly will they manage?  We had doctors last week attend a conference with an infected doctor. Good idea!   I am seeing things I can barely believe.  Our health Minister suggested we could all help by going to China town and eating Chinese food.  HOW would that help reduce the spread of a virus?   So my trust of their wisdom is not too high.
It became apparent quickly that with air travel no where would be left unaffected.

So is there any point worrying and anything you can do?   I think this is just an example of why we need to be watchful.  Then it is one thing to gather information and another to act on it.
People are funny.   We can react in strange ways!  One is "I can't do anything about it so I am just not going to worry about it."   This accounts for a lot of people.
Another is where we know something is up and we have the information in front of us but we don't quite believe it.  This is known as Normalcy Bias.  In Australia this is "she'll be right mate" and our belief that life as we have always known it will continue to be life as we have always known it!
Then when it is not.... it is a massive shock and people pretty much go crazy.
Then there is "there is so much to do I don't know where to start."   My answer to that is Elizabeth Elliot's "do the next thing."  Don't be paralysed by fear or confusion.  
You will also get people who just don't care.  I can't explain that as I would walk over cut glass to make sure the children in the family have their needs met.

So that is where we are about now.

If you have a pretty well stocked pantry and supplies you are probably reasonably calm.
If you keep a few days worth of supplies then you might be starting to worry.  It is already too late to get many useful things from hand sanitiser to virus suitable face masks.

It is probably too late to get many things from toilet paper to long life milk.  Depending on where you are.  

On Friday Lucy (who is pregnant with two small children) decided she better do an extra stock up at the store.  First I should say that I messaged her a couple of weeks ago and told her to begin stocking up all she needs for the girls and the baby.  Usually I am pretty sure she thinks I am a bit of a nutter.  But low and behold she listened to me.  And she even send me a photo of her car loaded up with groceries, nappies, formula, disinfectant and all kinds of basics.  I was really pleased.
So... back to Friday... she drove into the store after being so sick earlier in the week.
This time she send me another photo....

Mum... look...


So this is a large South Australian regional town.  

I decided this seems to be "it".   I organised myself to go into my town which is an hour from me.    The thing is I am fairly well stocked.   It is the girls and baby I am mostly worried about. 
I prayed as I drove.  At this point I was trying to think of what the girls and new baby need and what even my parents might need and not have.

I have two stores to choose from.  I was armed with hand wipes and essential oils. 
The first store looked exactly the same as Lucy's... 


This was toilet paper, wipes,  hand sanitisers,  tissues...


Long life milk,  flour, pasta, nappies, baby formula were all very low.


I shopped in the areas that were still stocked.  Then I moved to the next store.  
This store had many of the things on the now hard to find list.  As I was shopping the store gradually became more and more crowed.  What happened was the day before they also looked like the above pictures.  I had walked in just as a truck had been unloaded!  So I got toilet paper, wipes, baby formula etc.  At the same time world got out they had all this and people were descending!   I got in and out just in time!  I had prayed and there I was with everything needed in my trolley.

Since then we have heard of fights in supermarkets and police arriving.  Of people now queueing outside of Aldi and Coles from 5 am and it taking two hours to get inside.  Things like childrens paracetamol are sold out anywhere I can look online.   Nothing has calmed down.  All I can see is worse news from overseas and Australia.   

I am really glad I acted on a lot of things a couple of weeks ago.  I got childrens panadol and formula, new born nappies, pantry staples and generally did an extra build up my pantry surge but with kids and Grandkids in mind.  Now I am wondering if I did enough.

We were talking tonight. Is this what God had us prepared for or is this the tip of the iceberg? If only we knew the answer to that we would know what to do next.
Then I thought how God had moved our three families out of the city onto farms.  How we had a year  to get gardens planted, chickens set up,  pantries built up, learn new skills and meet neighbours and like minded people.  I established lots of bartering. This all is a lot!  But is it enough?

If you feel the virus is no big deal then please don't make an argument about it.  I am here trying to get people to think how they can be prepared. It appears a great risk that hospitals will be overwhelmed and if they are we might have to manage on our own.  Also it seems like millions of people are quarantined and many supply chains are broken...  demand for things like masks became an immediate problem. We had the threat that dental surgeries would have to close as masks were running so low.  This has been saved today as the government are going to supply the dentists.

As break outs happen people may not want to go to work.  If work becomes to risky then people will stay home.  Think of this in cases like nursing homes....  The virus seems to have a history already of infecting doctors and medical staff. Just when you need them most...

As always the biggest thing is hand washing.  Trying to avoid touching your face (which is really hard!) and avoiding crowds. 

There is so much to do.   Some schools are already closed here.  This could become wide spread meaning  more people are unable to go to work.   We need to do some serious thinking and planning.

As this is already so long I might go on with another post.  There are so many ways you can mitigate your risk. There are things you can do.  We are not helpless.

I have noticed on social media there is a lot of attacking anyone who has thought to prepare or who even wants to.  Like trying to provide for your family is a bad thing.   This reminds me of those who attack young mothers for staying at home to look after their children.  I have even heard of people trying to actively discourage others from preparing. Now you would have to wonder the motivation of a person doing that. 

We can't do everything but we can do all we can.  
Today I was stewing apples as that is what I have, lots of apples!  
I decided I will do apple puree in the slow cooker and freeze it for baby food. 
Then I thought of my pumpkins coming on.  I will do pumpkin puree and freeze that in little sized portions for the baby.  

We sat down and made a plan.  I feel better with a plan.  

I have tried to encourage everyone every single week to build up your pantry. The wise women prepares and is not afraid of the winter.  The wise see danger ahead and the foolish walk straight into it.  We need a lot of wisdom right now.   
I do best if I turn worry into action.  So there is quite a bit of action around here. 
If you want to attack me please don't.
If you have any useful tips or ideas then please share them. 
As we are from all around the world sharing some information could help someone.   It was hearing that Tylenol was in short supply in the USA that had me get childrens Panadol which is our equivalent.  I am so glad I did.   So we can help each other.xxx



 



99 comments:

  1. We should always, always, always be prepared for anything. You and I have done this for ages. It is sad to me that many have not. I am not in a panic about this situation, but I am prepared for whatever comes my way.
    I went out the other day and was pleased to see all stores shelves here were fully stocked.
    Prayers for all for health and safety. Folks get yourselves stocked up for emergencies.
    Blessings

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  2. My daughter took my suggestions of my blog and stocked up last week. She has a family of seven but she grew up with a mom who believed in a deep pantry so she had a good idea what to get. My much younger child was on a business trip to New York last week. He and his wife have a three year old and a one year old. They were going to shop this weekend and he messaged me last night saying he found out from his company that he may have come into contact with someone who was infected. You never think it can happen to you! I was able to top off what I needed by going to four different stores.

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  3. Dear Annabel, thank you for this post, lots to think about. I have always stocked up on things and my canning pantry has always been good too. Growing up my parents pretty much lived paycheck to paycheck. So when I got married I began my journey stocking up as I never wanted to run out of anything and not have a back-up. I used to get flack from people too. But I kept on doing it. I do worry about the spread but I am prepared. And my Husband is getting on board which makes me happy. I really think he is just used to us having enough as I never let myself run out of things, generally. Hm maybe cookies,lol

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  4. Your post is wonderful, Annabel. Everything you wrote is wise and helpful. I have always had the opinion that many people live in fear of reality, so they dismiss truth and replace it with an altered world that they try to push on others. There is, also, a mental condition with the diagnostic name of, Avoidance Disorder. It is impossible to get to reality or positivity with these folks.
    I did a cursory inventory last week and saw holes in some areas of medical supplies and personal items, so did a stock up. I went to two major stores this past week and many shelves were low or bare.
    Please keep writing truth; it is a blessing.
    Love and hugs,
    Glenda

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  5. Perhaps not to your or Cheryl's extent, but I am well stocked. We can easily go a month albeit, without fresh veg in about 10d.

    Am I afraid? No, but that's my personality. Handwashing is normal in my home (blame being an operating room RN), coughing into elbows is the norm, not touching face is the norm. This is the best we can do for ourselves.

    What will happen will happen and I can't change that. I continue to encourage these good habits via social media as well as correct misinformation-the educator RN in me.

    I am hopeful that people are taking the advice seriously and will contain the spread through healthy behaviors.

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  6. Maybe a supply of cloth baby diapers and plastic pants for your daughter. Just as an in case item. They can be used through different growth stages of a child. You can make these or purchase. Just as a back up. They also make good cleaning clothes when baby no longer needs them. I am prepared but we all feel like we wish we were even more prepared. I have never experienced anything like this in my 61 years.

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    1. I was just going to suggest cloth diapers! Even a dozen would help.

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  7. Thanks for this post, People need to use their heads and be aware of what is going on around them.

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  8. Just a thought that the flannette sheet you bought would make nice diapers(nappies). Also they used to crochet or knit diaper covers in the past, they were called "soakers" I believe.

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  9. The virus is now here in my town in Kentucky. Yesterday, People were posting Panic comments about the empty shelves at Sam's Club and Costco. Like you I have been prepared for years with my pantry. I live in town in the suburbs but do put in a small garden. I don't have chickens but two neighbors do and I could probably barter for eggs. It is sad that some see no need to be prepared at all for any reason.

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  10. Doing the next thing is exactly right. We must just be watchful and in prayer for wisdom daily. I hesitate to give advice but my alternative medicine training is showing hydrogen peroxide to be most effective at killing the virus on surfaces and Hopewell Oils Top Gun to be the one that will be effective against the virus. The oil can go on the bottoms of the feet every five hours if you contract the virus. Always make your own decisions on this but these are what I am stocking for my family.

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    1. Lana, thank you for your comment. My family has benefitted in the past from your essential oil knowledge! I had just placed an order with Hopewell Oils, but I went ahead and placed another one for Top Gun. Thank you!-CarlaM

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  11. My neighbors and children have mocked me for my stockpiling until we experienced Hurricane Florence and were without electricity for weeks and no groceries being brought in. I was very popular for those few weeks and fed not just my family but most of our small neighborhood. Now they stockpile too! It’s just prudent, as we never know what might happen.

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    1. Dear Susan, People are so trusting of a very precarious system! I think it is a kind of blindness. But I am very glad you helped and educate your neighbours and they will be thanking you again if they are prepared now. Well done. With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. I have felt the need to prepare for years. We would like to think that nothing will ever happen, but as we discussed early in your series if the women who came before us knew what was coming they would have prepared too. We may not know the what, but we do know the why. It is hard to know if we have done enough, but it keeps us steady in our work and learning new skills and also things about ourselves as well. Times like now using our resources wisely will really add up and come in handy like your apples and planning ahead for baby food and applesauce. Others would pass by a tree and not see the free food in front of them. We are planting extra veggies this year because they are saying for the elderly to stay home so we will take them fresh veggies from the garden and I am planning ahead for the grandkids too and planting extra herbs to dry. Each thing we do is valuable in its own way.
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky, I know you have felt the same as me. Sometimes I have felt silly even. But her we are.
      As you say now I dont know if I did well or did badly, do I have enough etc!?
      Delivering things to older relatives is ideal. We all should note this comment as they should not be going out. Thanks Vicky, with love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Dear Annabel and fellow bluebirds,
    We are watching CDC updates (in US) and keeping abreast of the news. Sometimes the Internet can provide contradicting information regarding COVID 19.

    So, we pray and ask God for wisdom. I have never regretted stocking up on things. We always eat it, use it eventually.

    I was feeling fairly confident about our preparations until our oldest son texted yesterday. He was supposed to go to a conference at the end of the month. He was letting me know that it was cancelled.

    We are hearing of more and more cancellations on the news. Some of these are probably out of an abundance of caution. My husband just read a recommendation to me from the CDC. If you are over 60 (we are) and or have an underlying health condition (he does) avoid traveling long distances and large groups. I will try to find the link and post it here shortly.

    We are fairly well prepared but we could always be more prepared. When I was in our stores a few days ago, the shelves were well stocked.

    I think I will head out tomorrow and top everything off. I was at a book sale at our library yesterday and got 15 books for $3 US, so we have plenty of reading material.

    Thank you for heeding God's warning and continuing to encourage us here. I,nor one, greatly appreciate all your advice, enthusiasm and energy in reminding us of the importance of being prepared.
    Cheri

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    1. I saw the same CDC warning anyone over 60 avoid crowds and public places. I believe now it is passed the time to quarantine the general public. I believe the US will suggest elderly and ill need to stay home. The rest of the population will be exposed and hoping it burns itself out.

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  14. Here is the link to the CDC's advice for those over 60:
    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html

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  15. The link regarding those who are over 60:
    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html
    I apologize if this already posted - I was having some issues with my iPad.
    Cheri

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    1. Thank so much Cheri! Dont worry about the idea this is a helpful link. I think we need to take the advice seriously. One for our own health and family and two, to not overload the system and deprive someone else of care. Thanks so much! Love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Our Wal-Mart is open around the clock. I do my shopping at 5am so as not to see so many people. I also looked on the WHO website for info. They have a recipe for oral rehydration solution (ORS) similar to pedialyte/Gatorade that can be made at home from water, sugar, and salt. One last thing, I'm making a notebook with that type of info in it so if the internet is unavailable due to electrical shortages or some other reason, I still have the info to help my family at hand.

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  19. Great post Annabel.
    Recently we had a problem with our Centrelink pensions being cancelled. I didn't need to panic as I have a small stockpile of tinned foods, and had enough meat for 21 main meal for 2 people in the freezer. Some of the meat is still left and I have since added to it. However I wish we had enough room for a larger freezer. I am sowing winter veg seeds, have a reasonable stock of toiletries, and several books on making the most of what you have. So no panic here, just aware that the situation is not controlled and doing the best I can.
    Margaret

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    1. Dear Margaret,
      Well done. I have had a freezer in some funny places like the laundry and the shed. But I think with heat the shed is more expensive to keep it cold. You could possibly look to canning or dehydrating as a help. This saves freezer space.
      I am just starting on autumn and winter veggies also. The better the veggie garden the better I am thinking! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  20. Thank you for this Annabel. I also don't understand the brigade who attack others preparations - we are not going crazy or being greedy but buying sensible quantities and looking after our families. We live in a rural area of the UK and have to travel to shops so we are always well stocked in the larder and freezers and could last quite well without shopping. Over the last couple of weeks I have bought some more supplies for our medicine cabinet and also packets of skimmed dried milk in case our milkman can't deliver or the dairy supply chain falters.
    We feel fairly calm about the virus and we will keep an eye on what's happening and stay home and modify behaviour as things develop. Thinking of you and all our friends around the world as this is truly a global issue.

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    1. Dear Penny, I think it upsets some groups that we even make care of our families... which is just evil basically.
      Thank you for a lovely comment. Yes it is a global issue and we are all involved. I hope things are going well there, things have slipped here a bit... With love Annabel.xxx

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  21. Great take on the current situation. Thank you .

    Annie

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  22. Annabel isn't amazing how God drew us all together here! I believe in your God whispers too, too many times i pushed that feeling aside and yes i made the wrong decision. Im fortunate enough to work two days aweek across the road from all the supermarkets and chemists and i keep a fairly good stock of what we need, but with all that convenience a little compliancy has set in. Last Monday it was unusually busy at the Coles across from work, mostly eldery people and younger people driving elderly folk, drive thru pharmacy super busy inside and on driveway, discount pharmacy around corner brisk. I sent my husband in to fill Mums few scripts and i spent my lunch break restocking my medicine cupboard, lots of suspicious looks at my bulging chemists basket. Im glad i got nn95 masks and carbon masks in January, i told no one as everyone thinks im a weirdo and i told my also a weirdo sister to get more as well. Well that was the last week of January and still very little about the virus but people were starting to buy up then, my sister and i got the last from one seller,he had sold over a thousand in a few hours and the next day sellers on ebay had upped their price. Our shops here in the Riverina nsw were fairly well stocked last weekend but this weekend saw many gaps and no paper goods to speak of. I will buy more items to day as the trucks come in and keep filling as i can, raided the piggy last night so that will help along with my flybuy points. Is scary how some folks don't care at all, my sister is beside herself with her daughters attitude she sees no point in buying even an extra bag of nappies or formula or panadole for her four little ones, my sister has some stashed for when she cries poor.This week im sewing some washable wipes incase we do run out of toilet paper a different color for each family member and will plant out my autumn winter veg garden, harvesting figs and rhubarb tomorrow,pumpkins are coming along nicely. It is a constant battle but an important one, its true the work we do in our home is the most important work we will ever do.Thank you Annabel for all the work and effort you put in. Now i must go thru and make a list of my gaps and pray i fill or build them up enough.

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    1. Dear thegirlatnumberfive,
      I agree with you. So very often I have found the perfect friend and the perfect group here and I know its not a coincidence.
      Given where you work you will also notice changes in the amount of people at the shops etc. This would be interesting to observe!
      Well done on getting the masks!! You were ahead of the game! Only the observant were seeing the necessity in January!
      Since I wrote and you commented on March 8 a lot has happened. You might be seeing lower shelves now. You have done well. Thank you so much for your kind comment! With love Annabel.xxx

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  23. Annabel it is frightening what I have been seeing and reading on some of the FB pages. The abuse that some are getting just because they are to be prepared.

    My husband works in Fortitude Valley - China Town in Brisbane. He works in a high rise building with staff on many floors. He attends meetings with others most of the day. He gets bronchitis quite easily. We have spoken about what the plans are for work. Staff that are unwell are supposed to stay home - the same plan as last year and previous years. They do not stay home. That is my worry. My husband will get sick and bring it home.

    Last week I stocked up on paracetamol and also the cold and 'flu tablets that my husband likes to use. The lass at the chemist, where I purchased the cold and 'flu tablets from, listened to me when I explained why I wanted them and got me a pack with a very long date.

    Tomorrow I will be going out with my list - it is only short but I need a few things to fill in the gaps. Lemon juice for my husband should he get sick - he will have a hot lemon drink with a splash of rum in it (we don't need to stock up on that because he has several bottles that have been gifted to him and he only has it in the hot drink), I make a cough mixture that uses lemon juice. Rubbing alcohol and aloe vera to make hand sanitizer and then top up some food items that are getting low because we are due to do a grocery shop (butter, milk powder and cereal but I think I will add flour to the shop as well).

    I have just filled in my Flu Tracking questions and this time I checked on my area for cases - of 39 respondents 2 have coughs. They also give you the general area that they live in and they are right away from me.

    Being prepared is sensible - no matter your time in life.

    Lynette
    XXX

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    1. Dear Lynette, I am concerned about your husband. Can he ask to work from home? Under the circumstances it might be seen as a good idea... I am expecting announcements even suggesting this... Since I wrote this and you commented a lot has happened. Travel is also a hazard. If he can stay home just encourage him to do it.
      I am glad you are ahead with the cold and flu tabs.
      I have lemons to juice now so you have reminded me to get on to that.
      Rubbing alcohol is a very good thing to have. I have recipes to post and have been making hand sanitising wipes today. Anyone reading please get rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol this will be valuable.
      Thanks so much Lynette, with love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dear Annabel my husband's work place has a plan in place for working from home. Currently they have sanitizer everywhere to be used, problem is that due to safety requirements if anyone is going up or down the stairs they must have 3 points of contact at all times. This is going to make it more interesting because I can see some of the employees using the sanitizer and then hurrying up stairs while they rub it around on their hands.

      Today, apparently was all about being able to work from home.

      7 new cases here in Queensland and I also heard that a business closed down today due to the virus.

      Lynette

      Tomorrow I have a chiropractor's appointment and I have a small list of things to pick up - realized today that we have a single male next door to us that I will keep an eye on - if he gets sick he is going to need to be fed so after this weekend I will be making chicken soup and popping it in the freezer.

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  24. I am quietly and gently going about adding a few extras to my comfortable level of supplies. I have considered my extended family in the planning. Like you, we are making the most of our own produce - for us it is mangoes. I have planted more corn and beans and will add other crops as the weather cools down. I am confident that we will be OK and that I can support my extended family as required but I really feel that a lot of people simply have not thought through the potential implications of this outbreak. If nothing much eventuates then my shopping is done for the next few months.

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    1. Dear Yvonne, I agree with you, people dont think through the implications. And there are so many. More have unfolded since I wrote this post.
      I am so glad you are preparing and are in a good position! I am working on apples still! Mangoes would be wonderful to have and full of vitamins too! Well done. With love Annabel.xxx

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  25. Well said, my friend. God expects us to use the wisdom He's given us and preparedness in these end times is more important than ever. xx

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    1. Dear Jenny, Thank you. We are alike with little Grand daughters. So we prepare! It is a time we need a lot of wisdom and so much has happened since I posted this and you commented. Keep praying. With love Annabel.xxx

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  26. Thank goodness for your wisdom Annabel. I am so glad you posted this! You wont get judgement from me, because I am doing the same as you.

    People are very quick to judge, I have found that out! Those around us are scroffing and calling us "doomsday preppers!" When we tell them we always prep by stocking up when things are on special, they look at us as if we are nuts!I hope these people don't get caught out.

    "The wise women prepares and is not afraid of the winter. The wise see danger ahead and the foolish walk straight into it. We need a lot of wisdom right now." Love this Annabel!

    I am not panicked, I am prepared! A little worried about the unknown yes, but otherwise I think I am ready as can be for what is ahead of us.

    Prayers for the whole world as they try and deal with this pandemic!

    Lots of love,
    Tania xxx




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    1. Dear Tania, Thank you so much. We are both Nanna's! Like you I am determined and no one stupid will derail me. The more energy we put into praying and preparing the better I think. If I sat on my hands I would probably have a nervous breakdown lol.
      So much has now happened since this post and your reply. Many prayers. With love Annabel.xxx

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  27. We are well stocked up here. I told my oldest who lives in another state to get some extra. She sent me a picture of a 10 pound bag of rice that she bought. She did get other things too. Hubby and I went to Home Depot to get the rest of my garden stuff. They had gotten a shipment in so I got 4 more containers of wipes. Hubby wanted some for work since they were running low. They will reimburse us for them. I started my seeds(in the US) so I decided to do twice as many in case they are needed. Otherwise I can give the plants away. Stay healthy and safe. You are smart to get the formula now. Remember the shortages a few years ago.

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    1. Dear Making Cents of it all.... the formal shortages have continued here on an off. Mainly certain brands but still this happens. So add this situation and well formula is an issue.
      You had great luck at home depot! I hope you are doing well as so much has happened since I wrote this post! With love Annabel.xxx

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  28. Annabel thank you so much for the wonderful post and very timely considering what is going on currently.

    The word for the feelings of a sense of urgency is "inspiration" from God who talks to us with feelings sometimes and audibly with words at other times. I get both experiences personally and have learned to act on those feelings straight away or likewise things turn pear shaped :) .

    I will say that for all those reading this that there are many recipes online for things like making hand sanitiser, baby wipes and more from items you may have at home. So I urge everyone if you cannot find or buy a certain grocery/personal care etc product to make it at home.

    Likewise I am so glad we listened to the counsel of our church and the scriptures "to prepare every needful thing ..." and have built our pantry and all needed things over the course of the last 6 years.

    We have most of the things we need up to a 9 - 12 month level currently but will be buying things to replace what is used to keep our stocks up to the same level.

    With the recent introduction of purchase limits and it appears Woolworths have implemented a can't buy anymore than 5 of one item online we will be doing our shopping more regularly than our usual once a month. We simply cannot order the quantities that we use for a month now.

    Instead we will be going shopping each time we have a medical appointment and keeping a running list of needed items. We will shop in multiple stores that have the stock we need available.

    As an ex nurse and knowing infection protocols I can see many more areas of vital infrastructure such and hospitals, schools, supermarkets and so on closing should there be an outbreak of the virus in staff in a particular store or business.

    I am sending prayers for all those who are unable to get the basic staples they need for their families across the world that soon they will be able to :).

    Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

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    1. Dear Lorna, Thank you for your great comment. I have watched you build up your new pantry, add shelling and goods all along with admiration. And the garden is part of the pantry too really.
      I think I might do some posts now along the lines of what you say... what we cant get MAKE! We can make everything from hankies and sanitary pads to hand sanitiser and germ killing cleaners etc. The limits we now are seeing are rationing with better names. I saw Aldi limit now everything to under 10. Now doubt we will see these numbers change too. It is going to require some adaptations but at least we both have set ourselves up well ahead of time .... I believe from moving to starting our gardens and each step has been for a reason!
      Thank you Lorna, With love Annabel.xxx

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  29. Annabel, this is a great post and well said! We live a preparedness lifestyle as you and many others do. I listen to those little nudges/God whispers too and have never been disappointed. I continually ask God for wisdom, guidance and discernment and ask Him to prepare us for what's ahead. In so doing, I am open and on alert for anything that will help us be more prepared. If you're going to ask God for help, you need to be ready to accept His answer and most of the time His answer comes dressed in the form of work. I too have been ridiculed for my preparedness mindset, but that's okay, I consider my preparedness mindset a blessing!

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    1. Dear Patsi, This is me now... asking for guidance and wisdom. I am also on alert for instructions and ready to act. Absolutely!
      We are in good company if we are ridiculed. Anyone following God is up for ridicule these days! But we are standing on solid ground and wont be moved! I consider us both very determined! We have much in common! The week looks to be a very interesting one. With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  30. I'm not certain what plants you have growing where you all are located, but here in the United States we will soon be having nutritious dandelions, lambs quarters, chickweed and plantain growing. Many consider them weeds but they are powerhouses of nutrients growing in the wild. It's so important to keep our immune systems in tip top shape. Thanks for your blog on this topic.

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    1. You are right that many things that are considered weeds can be very useful! In Australia we have quite a few native species that are edible and medicinal. It is very good to know. I agree too it is time to build up our immune systems! Thank you! xxx

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  31. Dear Annabel, I'm finding it hard to buy a mask. I will go online and have a look. I bought the last three bottles of handwash. It seems as soon as it goes on the shelf it flys off. I made a beautiful bone broth as I figure if I get it I will want something soothing like that. It's now frozen. I got two punnets of butter and bread and froze it along with frozen veg and tinned fruit. I don't know how people will cope who haven't prepared!! Stay well. Love Sonia

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    1. Dear Sonia, Masks have been sold out for a few weeks. Possibly available at greatly inflated prices. Your bone broth would be a valuable thing to make ahead so that is very good. I think people will be very upset and unstable even if shortages are around for any length of time as there have already been fights in supermarkets. We will want to stay away from these kind of situations if tension rises.... With love, Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dear Sonia,
      You can make a mask or ten if you have some fabric.I would suggest double you materiel thinkness, like two layers of an old T shirt cut into a shape that fits you nose and mouth add an elastic to the back if you sew. If not soften pin ties to the sides ribbon ect. some people here are just trying a bandana around there nose and mouth.I have seen other with a scarf around there nose and mouth. One man had pulled his Tshirt over his nose and mouth. Just think out of the box.Hope this helps.
      Patti from San Diego

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  32. I have been using my pantry supplies to avoid food waste. But I think we have enough to tide us over. I have a freezer full of meats. Fresh fruit and veg might be a problem. We have rice, pasta, flours, sugars, yeast, butter, long life milk, Fred fruit, some tinned items and some extra nappies, wipes and formula for my granddaughter. Prescription medicine is always going to be a sticking point due to the government supply rules. We also have lots of rags and materials to make wipes if needed. I have enough paper towel and toilet paper for about a month. So like Dory we will just keep swimming.

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    1. Your Dory comment made me smile :)
      Blessings,
      Heidi x

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    2. Dear Suzan, Yes prescriptions can be hard to get ahead with. Andy is as far ahead as he can get. You have good supplies and are like me with formula! Grand parents are the back up planners! I hope your new week goes well! With love Annabel.xxx

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  33. Having had a pantry stockpile for well over 20 years, my best advice is to make a plan. List what shelf stable foods, toiletries, cleaning supplies and medicines you use the most. The work out how much you need each pay period i.e. if you get paid weekly, plan for a week, fortnightly plan for a fortnight, monthly plan for a month etc. Try to get one pay period ahead on the basics,and be prepared for it to take a few weeks. Unless you have the cash waiting, you need to pace the stockpiling. Once you've done this you can get one pay period ahead on the extras. Then two pay periods, three etc. until you have your pantry where you want it. The reasons for pantry building are different for all of us, so there is no right or wrong way. I promised myself that we'd never have to worry about eating or personal hygiene or keeping our home clean after we had a long stretch of unemployment and money was tight. Personally I like to shop once a year for things that rarely come on sale cheaper than I can get at Aldi, then fill in the gaps with half-price through the year. It works for me, and we always have 12 months of basics on hand. And the easiest way to build your pantry quickly is to buy on half-price, so you get two instead of one. The next fastest way is to allocate leftover grocery money to the slush fund and use this to top up on extra half-price specials without going over budget. It's not too late to start a garden - if you need seeds, try The Reject Shop - seeds from $1.79 packet - $2.49 a packet. Get some Miracle Spray made and some extra cleaning cloths (so you can have some in use, some soaking and some spare). Find a recipe for a good chicken soup full of germ fighting ingredients and freeze it for when it's needed. This morning I canned 4 quarts of pasta sauce and made 4 jars of strawberry jam, using what I had. Now I have foccacia filling in the slow cooker to use up egg plant and tomatoes from the garden, zucchini and mushrooms that were in the fridge. This will be either canned or frozen for future meals. I made a double batch of Miracle Spray this morning as I checked the vinegar and eucalyptus oil stocks. Tomorrow I will be hunting yeast as I just opened the last packet. And I'll be re-reading Annabel's sourdough tutorials. Be prepared, not scared. And keep on preparing - there is always some little thing we can do to keep our family and home healthy and happy.

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  34. Thankyou for your post Annabel. I am in Sydney right near the ryde area where there has been an outbreak and 3 high schools nearby have now closed. It is quite scary because I have 2 young children. Personally I am not too worried about getting us getting the corona virus although who knows what it would actually be like. But I am worried about not being able to buy things we need, being put in quarantine or maybe eventually lockdown, that all sorts Of services may stop if people can’t go to work. I always have an ok stockpile but not huge. On Thursday night my local aldi had ZERO: toilet paper, tissues, baby wipes, pads, any cleaning supplies, pasta, rice, frozen veggies. My local woolies had ZERO toilet paper, tissues, baby wipes, pads, hand sanitiser, pasta, rice and lots of other thing were very low. I then went to local chemist and they had ZERO tissues, pads and Childrens Panadol. Woolies usually do home delivery for the next day or for 2 days from order. It is now 5 days delivery from time of order.
    In both aldi and woolies women were coming in needing to buy pads and were very upset when there were none there. They obviously didn’t have any spares at home and are used to just being able to buy them whenever they need them.
    I have friends and people at my work who like me are making sure they have things they need and already had a full pantry
    I have another friend with a family of 4 who I saw on the weekend who is down to her last 2 toilet rolls.she said she has gone 7 days in a row to grocery stores and there is always none. I offered her some of my toilet paper but she said no and seemed unfazed about running out. She just kept saying she was sure the shops would be all stocked again in a few days.
    I am more prepared than this friend but I’m also worried I am not prepared enough.
    From Margaret in Sydney xxx

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    1. Dear Margaret,
      Thank you for your comment. I feel quite nervous because the closest cases KNOWN to us are in Adelaide so three hours away and 300 ks or so. I dont really know how I will feel when it is literally in our town. Thank you for posting your observations. I think your friend might run out of supplies but then I was just lucky the other day and in the right place at the right time and got toilet paper! I was thinking of nappies and our store still had womens sanitary supplies so I didnt think of that.
      We have a lot to be grateful for as what if we had an epidemic that was killing lots of children? This virus seems to go around and go easy on children. This may be the biggest blessing we have.
      I am glad you are somewhat prepared. Each day you will find ways to do more. Little things will help. I dont know if you have family and friends who might be able to help watch for the things you need. I am thinking to do some posts on how to make sanitary napkins, nappies, soft hankies to replace the tissues, how to make hand sanitiser and other things that might help. Also keep trying online ordering as many will give up and supplies will come in and you might strike it lucky!
      I am ready to see what the situation is in our town tomorrow. It looks to be an "interesting" week! All the best to you and your family this week. With love Annabel.xxx

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  35. Thankyou for your post. For those able to stock pile I think it's a very wise idea. Im not as prepared as I would like due to some financial set backs but that should change soon. As soon as those things are sorted every spare bit of cash will be focused on rebuilding my stockpile.
    I've been trying to stockpile as best I can but seem to use it as quickly as I can stock it.curently I'm working on raising lots of veggies in my spare time inbetween rain showers and work. Cath thankyou for your comments. I will try them as much as possible.

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  36. I have been reading Scientific journals about Covid-19. Most experts agree once it comes to an area it will infect everyone and start decreasing within two months. That being said, most people don’t have 2 months worth of food and supplies laid in. If you do, great! When will production be back to normal? That I believe is when things will really be hard to get. Water was never shut off in China, I would be more concerned about being able to purchase food and medication at this point. Don’t forget about your animals too. Great Post Annabel! Thank you.

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    1. Thank you! Yes I am working on all my animals supplies. Important!
      I think you are correct and as time goes on then supplies will become more of an issue. We need to be long term thinkers and planners! xxx

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  37. Our hospital is rationing N95 masks. There is a procedure to reuse one mask to each employee to each patient for a 12 hour shift. Funny how a couple of months ago I would have been reprimanded for that. Currently they have to be given out one by one from the hospital nursing supervisor. My niece is a surgical tech. They are required to wear the tie in masks. They style most comfortable for her is out of stock. Fortunately at least the scratchy ones are currently available. If your surgical team doesn’t have masks, I can see any elective surgeries being canceled. Also wondering how we will staff if it hits here. I’m seeing mandatory overtime in the future. Unfortunately fatigue will not help anyone stay well.
    I’m good on paper products and cleaning supplies. The food I have is sufficient, but the fussy husband will have to adjust his attitude and eat what is prepared.
    Husband has a coworker on the cruise ship off California. They are taking them to a 14 day quarantine. In this mobile world, I’m afraid we will not be able to dodge this.
    Stay safe/healthy folks. Those that pray, this world can use a few extra prayers right now.
    Sheila/ Michigan USA

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    1. Dear Sheila, It sound like desperate times equal desperate measures!
      Thank you for the information. I can see shortage of staff and shortage of everything unfortunately. And as you say with exhaustion people make mistakes too.
      Oh I hope your husbands friend is ok. I think that would be quite a nightmare. Yes we need some extra prayers. And you wrote this on the 9th and I am replying on the 12th and goodness things have gone downhill since then. That is kind of terrifying. Thank you Sheila, with love Annabel.xxx

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  38. So thankful to have been following your blog for a few years now, it has helped me to think rationally and prepare rather than panic, and I appreciate that you always point us to God. Where I am in the US we are not to the “bare shelves” at the store yet, but I’m stocking up as I can, because I figure when it hits our state, people will panic and clear shelves, and you’ve taught me that there’s really not store or things behind the scenes in a grocery store - what they get on the truck each day is what they have.

    I cannot find hand sanitizer anymore, though, and a lot of hand soaps and disinfectants are very low or not available. Could you share how to make hand sanitizer?

    Love and prayers,
    Amy

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    1. Dear Amy, Thank you! I am a little slow to reply and now I am guessing your shelves might be impacted. Several significant things have happened in the last few days. I am so glad you have been preparing.
      I will share how to make hand sanitiser and surface wipes etc. I just posted about kleenex... next should be over the weekend. In the meantime if you can obtain isopropyl or rubbing alcohol do... Aloe vera gel or glycerine... and or essential oils like Germ Defence, On Guard, Plague Defence or similar. Even bars of soap. Then you will be set! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Perfect! Thank you! We’ve just gotten 4 confirmed cases this week in our state...it feels like it is impending. Amy

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  39. So far the area where I live in SE Tennessee, USA has plenty of stock in the stores. But we never know when this might change. When all this first began I had those "whispers" because I could not get preparing off my mind. So I began because while I don't have a huge family I do have 7 senior rescue dogs that have to be fed. I can eat anything but they need special food. So that was the first thing I stocked up on. Quite a lot because we don't know how this is going to go. Then I ordered 3 months of their medicines, heartworm preventative, etc. I'm going to get more this week because I'm still have the whispers to do more.

    When I first began to stock up I looked for masks to have just in case. Not being able to find them I decided to look for patterns and found several along with the instructions on how to actually use them. It turns out that you need to change them often and wash them.
    So I bought the Clorox Germicidal. Also the masks need to have the ability to shape firmly around your nose, cover your chin and in general need to fit your face. Well, all this led my down another rabbit hole and I now have ALL the supplies to make these. Not so much for myself but all those around me. While they are not "medical" masks they will help you to keep from spreading a cold, etc. And wearing them is a good reminder not to touch your face. There are patterns online for adult, teen and children's sizes. I adapted mine to acomodate all the people in my life. I also changed the pattern a bit to be able to put a carbon filter between the two layers should it become necessary. They don't take but a little bit of fabric, some bondable woven poly, wire for nose area (I'm using 4" twist ties for easy removal when washing) and some elastic. Sounds simple but it takes a little while to round up the supplies. But for me it is worth the effort "just in case".

    It was only after reading all these comments that I realized that I should also include sanitary napkins too.

    I can be a little obsessive about these things so I will always be guilty of "commission" rather than "omission" but it calms me to know that I have enough and enough to share. There is so much to potentially be upset about that is out of our control so these little things make me feel more at ease and feel like if necessary I can make a difference.

    Hopefully none of it will be necessary but then again I keep having the whispers so I'm still on my mission! Best wishes to all who are trying to make things better for our family and friends.

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    1. Dear Imsovintage,
      Well done on the masks. I agree any mask will still help and they do remind you not to touch your face which is really hard to do as we do it without thinking!
      I am stocked for my animals too. It is lovely you look after the dogs. Our family has had many dogs live into their 20s. I love the older dogs.
      Sanitary products are a good thing to keep. I have always and now for my daughters.
      I also need to focus on ways to help, make a difference. Tonight our news is all bad in the media and I feel very worried. I need to just focus on what I can do.
      I am listening closely to the whispers! With love Annabel.xxx

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  40. It never never hurts to be prepared - better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I have been scratching my head though - apparently hand-washing is now a "thing"? lol

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    1. Dear Kathy, Seriously people have been very casual on hand washing! When we were young and came home from school the first thing we had to do is wash our hands. People largely dont do it now. Too casual! It is a basic and still the number one thing to stay healthy! With love Annabel.xxx

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  41. Excellent post, Annabel. My husband and I were shocked at the photos from your markets! Wow! We stopped by our Kroger yesterday with just a short shopping list. I didn’t notice any empty shelves at all which actually surprised me and made me grateful. We have had no reports of Coronavirus in our area, but it’s just a matter of time of course.

    I have not begun planting a garden as I really need to replace the beds this year. I plan to elevate the beds to make it easier for me to work in them. I’m looking forward to digging in the dirt again and, you are right, it really is part of our pantry!

    I do confess to being concerned about my Mom who is in assisted living. Elderly folk in that situation are at the greatest risk. The place where she lives has posted some cautions and restrictions on visitation and taking the residents on outings in an effort to reduce the risk to them.

    I love the idea of making our own supplies as much as we can. I plan today to write down any recipes for supplies we might need in my notebook so I don’t have to rely on the internet. One really big concern I have is our economy. The stock market has really nosedived over Coronavirus fears and I’m concerned about the impact to employers. You could just imagine things spiraling in a bad way. So, I spent time in prayer leaving all of this with the One who knows all and that gave me the most peace of all!-CarlaM

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    1. Dear Carla,
      You are right, it is the older ones who are most at risk. Our economy is in trouble.... already businesses are closing, workers cant go to work, flights are cut, many big industries like cruise ships are in trouble... it is just a domino effect. From what I am hearing from ladies in various locations if your area is still stocked act now on anything you need. The trends are the same everywhere with what goes first and it is paper products, long life milks, rice, pasta, sanitisers, pain relief that lowers temperatures especially for children and in some areas diapers/nappies and baby formula. Also think of anything your Mum might need. And if the place she lives gets infected if you would bring her back to your place. Seriously I am seeing nursing homes infected then quarantined...
      I am getting busy on posts with recipes and I agree keeping things in written form is a very good idea. Many thanks! With love Annabel.xxx

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  42. Thanks for another great post. Thankfully I too have been preparing for some time and feel ready for whatever comes next. One thing I thought of was to prepare things to keep us occupied if we should be confined to home for any length of time. I always have lots of books and knitting materials on hand but I've been gathering things like children's books, jigsaws, and games from our local op shops. If the power goes out there won't be any TV or computers to distract ourselves with. Also don't forget to stock up on whatever your pets might need. And keeping some actual cash money on hand might be useful in case the atm's and electronic banking stop working.

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    1. You make very good points. Cash is always a good idea if things go bad cash is necessary. Also when handling cash from others remember it can carry virus on it and use sanitiser etc. Also I agree about being busy and content at home. I am good with this as I have more projects going than I can possibly live long enough to complete lol. But it is an issue. Some people even if needed and even if sick cannot keep their feet at home! And reduce to! Minimising exposure is really our best bet. xxx

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  43. Dear Annabel,
    I appreciate your posts so very much. I do not comment very much but read every one. I also appreciate the comments that people leave which adds so much.
    I am not in panic mode, but prepared! I had the opportunity to demonstrate this mindset to my teens the other week. I kept up to date with the news and went to get some more items to “fill in”. This was about 3 weeks before the panic buying in our area set in. My family was slightly amused at the time!
    So my thoughts are; keep the immune working as well as possible ( vit c , healthy eating, fresh air and gentle exercise). Some oils work to purify the air, lemon being a good one.
    With love,Heidi xx

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    1. Dear Heidi, Thanks for your kind words! Now I am betting secretly your teens are thinking wow how did you know what was coming!!!? Good on you! The observant could see what was coming and this gives us a little advantage. I agree about keeping well as possible and preventative measures and I better get my diffuser going as I have good germ killing oils. Thank you! With love Annabel.xxx

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  44. great post Annabel, I have been gradually building up a small store cupboard, but had not thought of baby Panadol. You are doing a great job of encouraging us all. Lyn

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    1. Dear Lyn, I notice online chemists all say baby and child panadol is not available... and in USA tylenol I think is the equivalent and many reports of it begin hard to get in many areas. I feel this is a need as keeping a temperature down can be a life saving measure. Thanks Lyn, with love Annabel.xxx

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  45. Fabulous post!! When I'm at home (I live on a farm), I always keep enough of everything that I can go about a year without grocery shopping. Yes, the diet would get boring, but we would be fine. I'm in a different state, in a city, caring for my 98 year old father. I don't have the storage capability here, but I have enough food for 1-2 months for the two of us. This is a great list and now I need to run out and get a few things that your readers have suggested!!

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    1. Dear Farm Quilter,
      I am wondering if you could take your Dad back to the farm and out of the city? He is amazing to be 98! What a wonderful daughter you are! I hope you both stay safe and well! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  46. At present we've not had any known outbreaks but are cautious, as we generally are this time of year. I have a good stockpile and so does my daughter. I am rather curious about my daughter in law's situation because she nurses her baby...I expect if she needed anything she could borrow from Katie who is super well stocked for her baby. I am just grateful that my husband is retired in the past month or so as he is a paramedic and exposure is highly likely should it come to our area. He does still work the occasional shift but at least he's far less likely to come in contact with anyone who is infected!

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    1. Dear Terri, I am so glad your daughter is well stocked. I think when there is a baby then it is all the more important. I am putting away things in case... as a back up. I agree I think your husband retired at a good time! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  47. Thank you for this post Annabel. I was hoping you would post something about this soon. It is scary, but I like your thinking to 'do the next thing' and just keep doing our best to prepare. I think that is a great idea if you do a post soon on things we can make ourselves, as supply of different items is definitely going to be an issue.

    QUESTION - Is there a good, reputable, not too pricey Australian supplier you recommend for essential oils? I was looking back over your old Essential Oil posts but can't find the recommendation I thought was there somewhere! I was looking at the Hopewell Oils recommended in a comment above, but would be very costly and time consuming to get shipped into Aust now.
    Thanks again for all you share and your encouragement. It really means the world to me.

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    1. Dear Kelly,
      You are right... while I love Hopewell the current exchange rate is a killer. I love Plant Therapy but not sure with the exchange rate but I think they have an au online store. Otherwise Australia Wholesale Essential oils. They are good and also have a ton of stuff that is good when making anything from cosmetics to cleaners.
      Having now seen common shortages and some that seem to be emerging I am working on a lets make things ourselves and get through this kind of post! Thanks Kelly, with love Annabel.xxx

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  48. I've never seen this in 66 years. It makes me wonder what could happen? I read, 'fear not their fear'. That was comfort to my questioning mind. Fear God. That is the One to lean on in this sickness that strangely moves around the world.
    You are right. We need wisdom. Hopefully we will see this begin to wan. Stay home if possible, until we see how this is going to go. Take care. Be well.

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    1. Dear Dots, Yes we need wisdom! And prayer! A lot of people will do a lot of dumb things! We can be sure. We need real wisdom to see ahead and lots of faith! With love Annabel.xx

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  49. A very interesting and sensible article Annabel. Anyone like me who grew up with parents who lived through the Depression also saw the need to be sensible and stocked up and in those days of my childhood there were no large supermarkets like now to depend on, so there were always lots of homemade pickles, chutneys, jams etc which can be very economical, tasty and a substitute for fresh produce when not available. Another great component of a well stocked pantry. We can learn such a lot from the wisdom of sensible and practical past generations who have survived wars and depressions and health crises and who also recycled very well. Perhaps this crisis will also motivate us to depend less on supermarkets for providing everything, and encourage us to be more creative and make more of our own products that we need. Heck, I can remember using all cloth (towelling) nappies for my two babies, there were no disposables. We survived. What a wake up call this is for everyone.Best wishes, Pauline

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    1. Dear Pauline, You are so right. I read someone said the other day... that all of us are here because we had ancestors who prepared. This is no doubt true. Even preparing for the winter in many countries was life or death business.
      I learned a lot just reading "The Long Winter" in the Little House series. I have some lovely soft flannel fabrics saved to make nappies. I have built up a supply as a good option! Thank you for your wonderful comment. Love Annabel.xxx

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  50. My daughter last week came in contact with someone who had been in contact with someone with the corona virus. The woman went to the health dpt. to be tested and had to list everyone she came in contact with. My daughter's name was put on the list. My daughter had to self-quarantine. What that meant was her family couldn't come within 6 feet of her, she couldn't leave the house (she works outside the home) for any reason, she couldn't cook or prepare food for her family. she had to disinfect everyplace she was before she left there and the health dpt. called her twice a day to get a temperature reading. She was in the house a total of 5 days and finally today the test results for the other woman came back negative. Praise God! The health dpt. is very serious about this and they supercede what your doctor and your workplace say. Fortunately, her husband and children were able to go about their usual business. In a case when the whole family has to be quarantined however, it would be very difficult with no one being allowed to leave the house.

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  51. Annabel,

    I have been praying for you these past few weeks with your husband and daughter having ailments. You have had quite the past few months and I wanted you to know.

    My oldest son lives right in the middle of the epidemic in Seattle, WA. He lives just north of the city and commutes into the city on the subway. I texted him about 2 weeks ago to tell him to do a bit of preparation and what to do for his immune system, etc. He wrote back and said, “Thanks mom, but I’m not going to worry until it hits my state.” Literally the next day it hit his state, hard. Yes, my sons do think I’m a bit nutty too, but as my dear husband says, “Your mom is usually right in the end.” I sent him a diffuser and several blends from Hopewell Oils (Plaque Defense, Warrior, Absolve, Respiratory Relief and Lung Support), as well as some Quercetin (supposed to help support the lungs). I am sending another package with more homemade elderberry syrup and other immune supportive supplements and herbs. I will also send homeopathic oscillococcinum as it is supposed to be for all viral illnesses, not just the flu. We have learned that the combination of elderberry syrup and oscillococcinum (or ColdCalm if just regular cold symptoms) can be quite effective in halting an illness. I also urged him to look up homeoprophylaxis for the Coronavirus as a preventative. We have a homeopathic doctor that we can get this through, but those in the US can also get online supervision from a homeopath to take this nosode (www.immunizationalternatives.com). In Australia, I would check with a certified homeopath. I am ordering this for our family. My medical doctor had encouraged me to get the measles nosode when it started going around, but I never got around to it. He referred me to the above website.

    My 2nd oldest son goes to Nebraska and even though I thoroughly discouraged him, he has decided to fly home for spring break at the end of March. I really wanted him to drive and even offered to meet him 2 hours out as it is an 8 hour drive and he gets tired driving that by himself. It seems that sons don’t listen to their moms as well as daughters!

    I ordered 3 lb of dried elderberries to have a good stock, but they were hard to find. I use the recipe found at Mountain Rose Herbs blog, but add a bit of dried (or fresh) ginger, orange peel, and several cloves.

    At home, I am making sure that everyone here is taking their vitamin D, C, fish oil, and some echinacea. I am also going to make an immune herbal tea (astralagus, elderberry, We all take some elderberry syrup a few times a week for a tonic during the winter anyway. I have also made sure that my elderly parents are stocked up. I have been praying for guidance in all of this.

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    1. Dear Karen,
      I am sorry to take so long to reply and hope you see this. It has ben a crazy time. Thank you for your prayer support I really do appreciate it very much.
      I use Hopewell oils too! I really trust in them and so glad I have pretty good supplies. And Im using them! I do have the Oscillococcinum. I hope I spelled that right. Thank you for your recommendations. I do have a homeopath too who will make me up things! Thank you for that link too!
      Well done on all you are trying to do for your sons. I am not going to say daughters always listen to their Mum either!
      Gosh we are alike... I am on astralagus, echinacea and also olive leaf extract.
      I think praying for guidance is the thing... it is VERY hard to know what to expect next but so far each day things have escalated. Like living in a movie and it is not real. I knew with conviction something was coming but I am still surprised! Thank you for your wonderful comment. With love Annabel.xxx

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  52. I am not prepared anymore.. We have moved from a large house with a large pantry to a tiny house, tiny pantry and no spare spots to stock up. We are also in the middle of extending so stuff everywhere. So not stocked up at all anymore and not sure what to do. (Although I have taken every opportunity to remind my 23yo - who thought I was crazy for stockpiling - why its a good idea to stock pile especially in situations like these in the world today). I'm going to have to think out of the box.. Wish me luck. Ahlyia xx

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    1. Dear Ahlyia, I am sorry this has come just when you are not stocked up. I am thinking of you and praying you have opportunities to get what you need. With love Annabel.xxxx

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  53. the warmfireplace11 March 2020 at 15:59

    I am in the uk, in January I added to my stock, I just had this feeling that I needed to get more supplies in , I told my children and friends the same, my sister thought I was being silly and was met by decimated shelves, followed by panic buying. It is wise advice you give to us all, and I wish I had been able to get hand gel but none was to be had, how do you make yours? Sue

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    1. Well you were right! I have now posted some recipes for hand sanitiser which I hope will help you! xxx

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  54. Thank you for your posts! Nursing her babies would be a huge benefit to your daughter and La Leche League can help. They would get her immunity and extra immune response. Breast feeding is amazing, the Creator is amazing.

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    1. Thank you yes we agree. She has breast fed the first two babies. I just think also there should be back up of formula i.e. in the instance the mother was to get sick herself. I am a "backup plan" person. For immunity alone we sure hope she gets on as well as in the past with feeding. Thank you! xxx

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  55. Annabel,
    Thank you for such a wonderful post. We have just started to see the empty shelves here on Saturday. We placed our pick up order at Target and they had toilet paper and then it was out of stock.So then we went to Wal-Mart most paper products were gone.Definitely no toilet paper also cleaning products and lots of food out of stock. We had not seen that in San Diego yet. We found T.P. and the other things we needed to stock up on. It is like a treasure hunt now. We Pray and God leads us.We have been one of the city's that they have been bringing hundreds of people to our local military bases from the cruise ship that was stuck off of the California coast with corona virus. I am praying for the quintened people and our city. I hope all goes well with this. We have our first confirmed case here in our city. I am worried but we just keep doing what is next. When I used !make baby food I used to freeze it in ice cube trays and then pop it out into big zip lock bags in the freezer.Congratulations on the new grand baby.I saw washable pads or pantie liners on walMart.com. The only thing we can not find are is rubbing alcohol. Sending much love and hugs.
    Patti from San Diego

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    1. Dear Patti, I have heard about this cruise ship on the news here. It seems toilet paper is a common shortage now! Yes it is like a treasure hunt for many things!
      I think your ice cube tray tip is great. I did this when Harper and Scarlett were bigger with muffin trays... same thing just a bigger serve when they were up to meat and veggies and so on. A good space saver then you can re use the tray. Now I am hearing rubbing alcohol is hard to get. This means I need some alternatives as I want to post on making wipes... Thanks for telling me this. With love Annabel.xxx

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