The news has been reporting that 70% of people polled said that 2011 was a bad year. Less than 30% called it a success. 60% are saying that 2012 will be a good year. I suppose it depends on what criteria you were using to determine if it was good or bad or will be good or bad. If all you are judging the good or bad by is income, then I'm sure that it wasn't a good year for many. I guess it was a good year for me as I only made 25% less than I was making before I had to change things around when the grand kids moved in. The first year they were here I made 30% less! See! Such an improvement. Or I can look at the negative and say that four years ago I was making 25% more than now. Whatever. I'll look for the positive when it comes money being the determining factor of happiness.
For me 2011 was pretty successful. This is my 353rd post of the year. Some days I posted more than once. There were very few breaks. Most were because I was out of town and not able to get internet connections. I'm sure there was one or two times that I had nothing to say!
If I'm judging the success of the year by my improvements in preparedness then this was an extremely successful year. I got myself much more prepared for any What Ifs. Here's what I can remember that I've accomplished in 2011:
Expanded and made additional permanent garden beds
Elective surgery on my arm
Bought a safe
Bought silver
Started a hedgerow along the front of the property
Planted more fruit trees
Expanded the chicken coop
Learned how to butcher chickens
Got my concealed weapons permit
Experienced the tsunami, volcano eruption, earthquake, wild fires...anyone say that I attract disaster?
Put together bug-out bags and get-home bags
Made soft cheese and learned to can cheese
Canned lots of fruits and vegetables
Used the clothesline most of the year
Lived off what we had on hand for a month - aka no spending for a month
Lived without heat in the house (OK it's day two and counting)
Played the no electricity game for a weekend - this means no "tap" water or flushing toilets as we are on a well!
Bought a 650 gallon plastic stock tank, aka swimming pool
Learned how to make belts and straps with paracord
Built a 17'x4' hidden room that's not hidden at the moment but presently is our home grocery store
Met other like minded people who live in the same general area
We haven't sat down yet to review the year, but certainly 2011 was better for from a preparedness view. Still things to do, but better. The discussions are happening and that will lead to action.
ReplyDeleteI would like you to consider putting fish in your stock tank. You can still swim in it and have a renewable source of food.
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