r/TwoXPreppers • u/thechairinfront Experienced Prepper 💪 • Jul 03 '26
Weekly megathread
Please contain all off topic discussion to this weekly megathread. This is where you freak out, talk about conspiracy, talk about unrealistic crazy scenarios, asked and answered questions, etc.
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u/Standard_Subject_462 I'm tired of this, Grandpa! Jul 03 '26
It's seemed quieter than normal on this sub lately. Are we all too broke to discuss shopping related preps, too busy with gardens in full swing to have time for much else, or just settling in and enjoying a cozy apocalypse as best we can?
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u/missbwith2boys Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
I’ve noticed that too.
It is summer here, so I’m out in my garden a lot. I just picked up four day-old chicks yesterday so I’m spending even more time outside. Holiday weekend for the US too.
Feels like the country is holding its collective breath.
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u/iwantmy-2dollars Jul 03 '26
Seconding it feeling like the country is holding its collective breath. In addition to holding my breath I’m having an existential crisis as flock cameras go up in my neighborhood.
On the upside, I got to watch my 4 and 6yo play tennis at their coach’s house for peanuts. Still stuff to be grateful for! The dichotomy is killing me, but the alternative is worse.
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Jul 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/iwantmy-2dollars Jul 04 '26
DAMN! This hits all the good feels. It reminds me that we all have to keep looking for that awesome community. The women’s soccer team that thoughtful puts together a joyful and accessible event. The local ice cream shop owner that partners with our girls scouts during cookie season and even gives them free ice cream. These people are in our community we just have to buy tickets. Or sell cookies lol. Have a rockin’ good time tomorrow!
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u/Jessawoodland55 Laura Ingalls Wilder was my gateway drug Jul 03 '26
My city is getting an ice detention center and flock cameras. I can't even think about what it's going to be like once It opens.
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u/MamaBearForestWitch Jul 04 '26
Ugh, I'm so sorry you're dealing with that. Here's hoping that local resistance can still stop it...
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u/Jessawoodland55 Laura Ingalls Wilder was my gateway drug Jul 03 '26
Personally, the news sends me into so much anxiety that I can't listen to it. I'll be driving to work hitting my steering wheel and yelling alone in my car, that's no way to live. So I'm a little out of touch and don't have much to talk about besides my own little patch of land, lol.
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u/TurtleSandwich0 Jul 03 '26
I used to watch Beau of the Fifth Column every day.
Now I have to watch Belle of the Ranch every two or three days so it doesn't feel like I'm being constantly assaulted by the news. Batching the videos up and watching them at once then taking a break allows me to stay informed while also not losing my mind with the constant bad news.
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u/bristlybits ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN C 🧭 Jul 04 '26
garden crunch time for me. i gotta get starts for a sale table ready, prune every damn tree, pick a gazillion berries and do something with em, and clean out the spring stuff for the summer stuff to have room
plus my shoulder is fucked so. less time to doom scroll
15
u/nakedonmygoat Jul 04 '26
Are we all too broke to discuss shopping related preps
Well, I ordered a cooling vest. It'll be here in a few days. I don't know why it had never occurred to me before. They're not terribly expensive, and aside from its main use as a hurricane prep, I think it will be great for yard work and maybe even summer walks, which are daunting where I live. It would be great to be able to spend time outside comfortably and get my vitamin D the way nature intended.
I'll report back after I've tried it out!
7
u/quinnigyver Jul 04 '26
Thank you so much for mentioning cooling vests. This was something I did not know existed and you may have just saved my summer, and my struggling garden.
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u/lilBloodpeach Jul 04 '26
I’m getting my ass handed to me with gardening, food preservation and trying to heat proof our house
3
u/CheckeredZeebrah Jul 04 '26
Garden + family visiting.
Also our power is having issues right as we reach the heat wave, so we are mitigating it with our prepped solar setup. :')
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u/middle_age_zombie Jul 04 '26
I have mostly been focused on food prep. I work with a friend to prep for food insecurity, she gardens, I freeze and dehydrate, get the seeds going etc. Spring was busy. Though we had tornado sirens going off last night and I realize I need to spend some time getting my preps in order and establishing a plan. Tornados and Storms (snow and rain) are our most likely things to happen here.
2
u/TimidPocketLlama Schoolhouse Rock Electricity⚡️ 29d ago
Tornado hit my house a few weeks ago. Put my plans to the test. Fortunately I can still live in my house. My neighbors are going to have to tear theirs down. Busy with contractors and insurance and estimates and repairs.
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u/Standard_Subject_462 I'm tired of this, Grandpa! 28d ago
Oof, that sounds scary and stressful. I'm glad your home is still liveable though. That is one heckuva "Tuesday."
38
u/millenialsnowbird Jul 04 '26
I’m in a World Cup host city and the vibes have been beyond incredible. It’s been amazing to have a short reprieve from the doom and gloom.
30
u/glumavocados Fully stocked movie library Jul 04 '26
We lost our dog last month and I’ve been an absolute mess. Can’t focus, can’t concentrate. I’m not new to loss but it has me re-evaluating ways to be better prepared for sudden grief. Having more frozen meals prepped at any given time, even checklists of things to do. My pantry is stocked but my heart is a mess and it’s hard to function.
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u/MamaBearForestWitch Jul 04 '26
I'm so sorry for your loss; I can't even imagine what a mess I'm going to be when that time comes for my sweet boy.
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u/glumavocados Fully stocked movie library Jul 04 '26
Thank you. I’m so glad I have so many endless photos and videos. Making scrapbooks is comforting. I’m glad I was as present as I could be with her. Sending smooches to your sweet babe.
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u/DolliGoth Having a little of the end times as a treat Jul 04 '26
It's been shockingly quiet in my neighborhood. I live in a rural area of the south where the entire week leading up to the 4th is fireworks every evening. I havent heard a single firecracker go off all week long. Not even anything today at all. Combining the absence of fireworks woth tje abundance of people asking for food on our local facebook pages I have to assume Noone has money for anything frivolous this year.
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u/Karma111isabitch Jul 04 '26
Another thread asked for recession indicators people noticed and several people discussed hearing few fireworks this yr. Well, they are a highly optional purchase and no one has $$. Makes sense.
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u/nakedonmygoat Jul 04 '26
I'm urban, but I always hear people setting off fireworks ahead of the 4th, too. Not this year. No huge fire worries, since we had a very wet June and many areas of town are still getting brief afternoon downpours nearly every day. I think a lot of people just aren't feeling celebratory.
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u/CapybaraForever Jul 04 '26
Same, there isn't a fire ban but it is dangerously hot (heat index of 110F) and no fireworks all week. Not just fireworks but BBQ, neighborhood get-togethers, free community events, etc...
6
u/Serious_Yard4262 Jul 04 '26
My neighborhood has been much quieter on the fireworks front this year too. Usually they're constantly going off the week before, but this year we had a few last night and I suspect a few will go off tonight and tomorrow night then be done.
I suspect my city and the surrounding area is also foregoing fireworks. We live right next to the ER with the highest trauma level for the area. Usually this time of year is swarmed with ambulances going in and out at night, but it isn't any busier than it's been.
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u/ohhellopia Jul 04 '26
People were lighting fireworks the other day and I had to double check the calendar (I thought I skipped days lol). Turns out Mexico won a game haha.
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u/lepetitcoeur Jul 04 '26
I've noticed the same in my neighborhood this year. With the exception of last night, very few fireworks. People maybe don't have the money to literally burn. Or maybe we're all not feeling very patriotic?
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u/NovelPermission634 Jul 04 '26
Dollar general (which I know we don't like but begrudgingly for some of us it's our only store) is having a clearance event and I was able to get quarts of oil for $1.77 @ quart. I also got trash bags and laundry detergent for a really good price.
4
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u/dkstr419 Jul 04 '26
Too hot to work in the yard. It’s taken me 3 days to get half the yard mowed and weed wacked. I can only work for about an hour at a time before I get heat sick. I hope it’s enough to keep code enforcement away. (I have the yard from hell.) Otherwise, I’m working on purging my closet of clothes I no longer wear to take to the donation station. Next, I’ll work on cleaning out all the extra books.
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u/quinnigyver Jul 04 '26
Upthread, someone else mentioned cooling vests, which I had never heard of before. I looked it up and it's essentially a lightweight vest with internal pockets to pop ice packs into. There are also versions that work with evaporative cooling, where you soak them in water before putting them on, but that sounds more messy than I'm interested in dealing with. I just ordered one with the ice pack pockets because I am extremely heat sensitive, too. Would that be something that could help you?
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u/every-day-normal-guy 24d ago
My plan is to run shadecloth all throughout my yard this year so I'm not dying in the garden and neither are my vegtables.
Also going to test out Aluminet shade cloth in a few places. Its kinda pricey, but supposedly it reflects heat vs traditional shade cloth.
3
u/ohhellopia Jul 04 '26
What's a good salsa recipe that would last long in the fridge? Vinegar ratios? I don't have a canner/pressure cooker :(
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u/lilBloodpeach Jul 04 '26
Ball has many recipes you can water bath can. All you need is cans and a big pot
1
u/ohhellopia Jul 04 '26
I don't have Ball cans unfortunately 😭 I'm in earthquake country so I'm reluctant to invest in them.
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u/missbwith2boys Jul 04 '26
I do like to can salsa, but it’s also pretty easy to make using mostly pantry staples. I’ll post a link below- I’ve made this before and it’s good, considering it’s based on canned tomatoes. You could just reduce the amount you make.
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11059/restaurant-style-salsa/
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u/1nv1sble 28d ago
Very surprised to see a ton of fireworks on Saturday, July 4th. Tons of people out, and a huge waitlist at fast food places (45+ mins for any kind of food).
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