Hey Laura, What...?

I’ve been working on my wrap-up to the Emergency Preparedness series for way too long. It occurred to me today that this is actually a very good example of why most people aren’t as prepared as they should be: It’s overwhelming!

I got bogged down - like most of us do - because there are so many scenarios to consider, so many items to research and review, so many things to keep track of.

I really wanted to provide my readers with The Official, Exhaustive HLW Emergency Guide, but I’m just not there yet. I’m still building my own kit! So I want to invite you to come along with me as we take baby steps to getting ourselves and our families more prepared. Here’s what I have so far.

But….I...

K writes:

My husband and I have some prescription medications that we no longer need and/or are expired.  What is the best and safest way to get rid of them?

Good news! April 30, 2011 is National Take Back Day!

Collection sites around the US will be joining in the National Take Back Initiative: a DEA-backed effort to reduce the illicit use of improperly disposed of prescription medications.

If there isn’t a Take Back collection site near you, contact your local pharmacy. Sometimes they are equipped to dispose of your unwanted pills. Or you can encourage them to join in the effort of the Take Back program.

To dispose of the pills yourself, read these guidelines. The basic rules of thumb:...continue reading

(This is an unanticipated “half” installment of our Emergency Preparedness series, which also includes Part 1: Heidi’s Earthquake Story and Intro, Part 2:Heidi’s Cupboard, and Part 3: Jack Stowage’s Fully Loaded Getaway Vehicle).

Northern California saw some severe rain and wind storms in the end of March. Since Heidi had the opportunity to “Bug In” while waiting for power to be restored, I asked her to give us a followup on how her Emergency Cupboard served her family. Here’s what she had to say:

Heidi’s Report:

Shortly after Laura posted my thoughts on Emergency Preparedness, a strong storm hit our city that left us without electricity for two days, and without drinkable water for...

Welcome to Part 3 of our Emergency Preparedness series. You can read Part 1 - The Intro - here and Part 2 - Heidi’s Cupboard - here.

My friend, “Jack Stowage,” is one of those larger-than-life characters with tales so tall you wouldn’t believe them if you read them in a book. Thing is, Jack’s got the credentials and is hardcore enough that I’m pretty sure his stories are true.

Here’s the bio he sent for me to publish:

Jack Stowage is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a communicator, close combat instructor, and team leader in a scout/sniper platoon. He has worked as a Weapons and Tactics instructor and a private contractor. He is currently a sworn peace...

We began our Emergency Preparedness series with a brief introduction and Heidi’s incredible childhood earthquake story - the impetus for her work on her disaster kit.

Now, here’s Heidi again, explaining her rationale behind emergency preparedness and showing off her (in progress) 72-hour disaster kit. She is simultaneously posting this on her blog, and graciously allowing me to appropriate it for my own purposes.

Heidi, part 2

There are many different types of situations that can interfere with our basic survival needs.  Contemplate your potential risks. 

Is your city on or close to tens of fault lines (and furthermore, is your house on bedrock or partial landfill/beach and should...

I actually had the groundwork laid for a series on Emergency Preparedness when the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis hit Japan this week. Suddenly, everyone’s minds are clicked in: “What if this happened to me? Would I have what I need and would I know what to do to survive?” So I’m bumping up production and getting it published right away.

I have two guest writers offering their insights and experience. I have some thoughts on the matter as well, which I intend to share, but I’m not nearly as prepared as they are (yet!) and I plan on learning from them right along with you!

Heidi, who has already guest-posted for me about raising adventurous eaters, has been working diligently on her...

Kristina sent me a triumphant email today:

TaDA! Tyler and I reorganized the pantry this afternoon!  It’s still not perfect, but it’s so much better than it was.  Each shelf actually has a category.  I know that stacking, as mentioned, isn’t ideal, but it is what it is.

Well, Kristina, you two have a lot to be proud of. You did a great job with a very inconveniently designed pantry space. I think stacking is kind of your only option with those awkward triangular shelves.

Here’s the pantry before:

Here’s the pantry after!

Way to go, Kristina and Tyler! I see neat little catch-all baskets, a definite rhyme and reason to each shelf, and a wonderful sense of order. Hopefully your pride...

Kristina emailed me a picture of her pantry and asked for help in reorganizing it. She knows that organizing pantries is one of my favorite activities! I’ve never done it virtually before, but let me see if I can help out a bit. My advice should be general enough that anyone can follow along and have their own nicely lined up food space.

Here’s Kristina’s pantry:

Look familiar? That’s okay! I’m here to help, not judge. Everyone deserves a tidy pantry, but not everyone knows how to get there on their own. Sometimes just the sight of disorganization is so overwhelming that it’s easier to just shut the door again. Not today! Let’s get to work.

1. Take everything out
And I mean everything....

If you’ve ever been dismayed by the sight of bubbles leaking out of your dishwasher, here’s a quick solution to remember:

1. Scoop out as many bubbles as you can from the bottom of the dishwasher. Use a mug and dump the bubbles and water into the sink. If there are tons of bubbles, sop them up with a towel, too.

2. Add 2-3 cups of white vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher. Some people say to add salt, too, but I’ve had equal results without. Some manufacturers recommend olive oil; I’ve never tried that. The vinegar works for me.

3. Once you’ve removed most of the bubbles and added the vinegar, try running the machine again. Stick around, though! You may have to repeat step 1 a few...

Heather writes:

I have way too many recipes just jotted down on paper or that I’ve printed or been given, etc.  Do you know a great FREE method of storing them virtually?  It would make my life so much easier if I could catalog them somewhere and then stash the hard copies in the file cabinet or somewhere else in case of a server crash or something…

Someone has already done all the work for me! Go read this article on “The Five Best Free Online Recipe Organizer Websites!

While there are some really great looking options out there, the issue I have with the sites that are aimed at recipe storage specifically is that they require you to input your data in a very particular way. If you’ve...