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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

What Will Be, Will Be

 Hello dear friends!  Well, first the weather report, because I like to look back on older posts and see what the weather was like on that day:  more snow!  It was warm enough on Sunday for the asparagus to peep out, so when we heard the forecast for snow we ran out and picked it before it was ruined.  Got about a pound.  The first vegetables from the garden are so exciting!

We have a weekly koffee-klatch with our neighbor, Anna, where we discuss current events and hash out all the worlds woes. Ha!  Of late there's been plenty of fodder.  Are we really having inflation?  Are all the shortages for real?  Will we really have a war?  How much is too much prepared? 

My attitude is whether the issues are real or just perceived, you can bet that stores will take advantage of them.  Two things I personally witnessed are the cost of our 12-12-12 fertilizer cost $12.99 last year and the same size bag this year cost $24.99.  Fortunately, because our  governor has acted so crazily in the past, we had stocked up last year when we could purchase some, under the advice of "better safe than sorry". But whether there was an actual shortage of that fertilizer or the store saw an opportunity to make a bigger profit, that I cannot say.  

And our firewood man told us that people are charging $1100 for ten cords, up from $700 last year.   The cost of gasoline to haul it and fuel for the chainsaws hasn't gone up that much!  But oh well, the laborer has to make ends meet also. So yeah, I think inflation is real.  I wouldn't say you have to clean out your bank account or spend your mortgage payment, but what would it hurt to have a little extra of the essentials  you use often stored away for a hedge against inflation?

On the other hand, just before Easter, I bought butter for $1.79/lb!  Haven't seen those prices in ages.  As I always do when I find a fantastic deal on a staple, I try to figure out how much I need for an entire year and buy accordingly.  For me, that meant buying twelve pounds.  This is something I've been doing ever since I had a few dimes to spare, figuring out what was the lowest price and buying a year's worth.  

That's the thing, there's always something on sale.  I bought Honeysuckle White ground turkey for $1.50/lb. last week, which I made into taco meat and canned.  The clerk at the checkout asked me what I was going to do with it.  When I told her, she made a face and said she hated tacos made from ground turkey.  Well, there might come a day when she would be grateful to have that ground turkey.  As a history buff,  I can tell you, people have eaten a lot of worse things than ground turkey to stay alive.

Which reminds me of the people that always say "God will provide".  Maybe His way of providing  for you is by giving you the hint to stock up now.  "Oh, He won't let His people suffer".  Perhaps those Christians aren't familiar with the book of Job?  The life of His Only Begotten Son?  All the martyrs ?  This  very day there are Christians being martyred in China and other countries.  Sometimes He blesses  us with a soft and easy life and sometimes He blesses us even more by giving us trials to strengthen us.  Personally, I have been very poor  in the past and know what it is like to go to bed hungry and no prospects of a meal in the future.  And yes, at the time I kind of felt angry at God and thought it was unfair that I didn't have nice family that cared  and provided for me.  But you know what?   I found Someone that cared and provided more. He did carry me through those times and now I live without fear of the future.  That old saying, "there are no atheists in foxholes", when times are tough, it draws you nearer to Him.  Always remember,  your hard times are not a reflection on His love for you. Bad things do happen to good people.

The other day I was watching some YouTubers and they were all in a panic.  One lady was in tears over the fact that she couldn't find toilet paper and paper towels in the store.  Are we back to that again?  She was working herself into such a state, she was more likely to die from a heart attack than any of the scenarios  she was cooking up in her mind.  About a month ago, a neighbor came over, all upset because they were limiting the food at the grocery store and shelves were empty!  Ran and I had to see for ourselves.  We wandered around the store looking.  Looked well-stocked to us!  Then we found one aisle, the pasta and spaghetti sauce aisle, that had stickers on the shelves limiting two per person.  And the canned soup aisle was sparse. There was an empty spot where the pasta was.  Hardly anything to get in a tizzy about.  There was plenty of vegetable in both the produce and the canned vegetable aisle to make those things from scratch.  Sigh!  Some people have led soft lives!

Another YouTuber was all agitated that today was the day the big war would start.  Will it happen?  I don't know. I do know a few things, though.  Rumors of wars and actual wars have always been with us.  As a child of the cold war I've been hearing it all my life.  My friend Matty, had to wear a dog tag with her name on it at school during the Cuban missile crisis, so the could identify her body in case the school was nuked. (she lived near Cape Canaveral).  And secondly, we have very little control over any of those going-ons.  What benefit is it to work yourself up into a panic over it?  

There was a prayer that was popular in the 70s, the serenity prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen!

So to end a helpful note, here are some of the things I would stock up on to see you through some  very hard times.  If that doesn't happen, you can still eat them: flour, yeast (which can be made into a sourdough starter), cans of tuna or mackerel , oatmeal, some kind of sprouting mixture so you  always have greens , popcorn or rice (cheap good fill-you-upper) some sort of fat (oil, lard, shortening), beans, cornmeal and a few pounds of sugar (as discovered from the $20 challenge I did).  And I'd learn to recognize some foraged foods such as dandelions, lambs quarters, edible mushrooms, purslane., for example.   Perhaps you won't need them, but perhaps someone else will.  And to me one of the most sorrowful things is to say to someone is, I'm sorry I haven't any to give, because when I could have been stocking up, I was wasting my resources foolishly.  This I know from experience.



10 comments:

  1. Hello Jane, a friend looked at my cupboard a while ago and commented " You could live for 6 weeks or more and not need to go shopping" and I thought that was true. We have ample of the necessities, and now I am so thankful, as after testing positive for Covid, that means we cannot go out for 7 days, counting day one as zero. This is when good friends, and careful planning come out in their best colours. Years ago my Dad said, when he was alone after Mum died, " When something is on special, I get enough so the savings would equal one item" .So for coffee, tea, tins of baked beans, etc, I tend to get 4, and that lasts till the next price reduction.But during this latest Covid outbreak, the specials are just not there. And you are so right, the younger generation do not think that maybe one day they will be in that place too.We have two main foodstore chains, but recently " The Warehouse" has started to stock some food items at very low prices, butter at $4 for 500gm, compared with $6 or more at the regular supermarkets.And I see Costco has opened the first petrol station, for a yearly membership fee of just $60, you can shop there, the petrol is showing at $249.7 compared with almost $3 at other outlets, if that was near us I would save that initial fee in a few months. Take care up north, fondest greetings to you all.

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    1. hopeandthrift.blogspot.comApril 27, 2022 at 10:45 AM

      So glad you are well-prepared Jean! Just goes to show you there's many reasons to be prepared. Hope you are recovering quickly!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  2. When prices go up, we quit purchasing "luxuries" such as fancy condiments or tasty little "extras" that we don't really need. We try to be more thoughtful with what we have to make things last a little longer (not too many ooey gooey cheese pizzas around here... we're being careful with the cheese!). So far we have been able to get along okay with prices rising. I purchase bulk from Azure Standard almost every month. I'm not sure everything that I got from them was the cheapest price out there, but a side benefit from buying in bulk is it does save on gas which is now becoming an issue.

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    1. That's so true Lillibeth. Just have to keep cutting back on the "luxuries". We have several wonderful Mennonite and Amish bulk food stores in our area. The nice thing about them, besides being kind friendly people, is that they don't raise their prices on items they have already purchased. And when they get a good deal they pass it along. A few months back, I bought organic flour there forty pounds for $8! I see many people use Azure Standard. I hope that fire they had isn't affecting them too much. They don't deliver anywhere near us, but it looks like a nice organization.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  3. Dear Jane,

    This was a very interesting post. I remember when you did that $20 challenge, which was really a great experiment. I agree with you wholeheartedly that there will always be something to worry about, but tough times truly do bring you closer to God---even if you have to work through angst/anger/anxiety to get to that point! (Ask me how I know!!!) I remember having drills in elementary school where we had to get under our desks in case of a nuclear attack from Russia...a lot of good that would have done! Ha. A little pragmatism in our every day lives without panic, fear, and dreaming up problems that haven't presented themselves (and likely won't...and even if our worst-case scenarios came true, most of them couldn't be altered by us anyway!) will help us get through our days still thankful for our blessings and busy working at making our lives and homes better places. (Versus wringing our hands and giving ourselves heart attacks and not getting anything productive done.)

    That was a great price for butter! You're right...the prices are going up, and yet there are still fabulous sales each week.

    I love that you have a neighbor with which you can have lively discussions about current events...too many people seem to get instantly offended about any kind of a serious discussion, so conversation is left at superficial banalities. Good things happen with good discussion!

    Rainy and chilly here in Nova Scotia, but I picked the first daffodils today!

    xx Jen

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    1. The first daffodils are always so exciting, Jen. Ran's been picking ours in to force them to bloom. Forsythias are starting to get buds on them. It's pretty. Yellow is the color of spring!

      Have to admit that part of this post was written out of frustration for a woman I know that uses the excuse that God will provide to do nothing. She gets everyone to feel sorry for her and give her money for food that she then spends on teddy bears and dolls and other such nonsense. Personally, I wouldn't want to take the food out of others hands when I could be doing for myself now.

      Anna and I share a remarkably similar background. Few people understand it, so we feel so blessed to have each other. But you're right, you really have to watch what you say these days. Offended a neighbor the other day by merely saying the price of gasoline was high. (which can't be denied )

      Hope you get some warmer weather soon.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  4. Hello Jane,
    I am happy to have found you again!
    You probably won't remember me, but you encouraged me when I was nervous about starting my blog again. It isn't always comfortable, but it does encourage us as the days dim. You are a blessing...thanks for sharing with us again.
    Shirley

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    1. Of course, I remember you, Shirley! I loved your blog. It was very encouraging and so beautifully written. Hope you are doing well!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  5. It is much better to be prepared. I recall a saying so often used.. “it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”.. I personally hate going to the grocery store, as I live 35 minutes one way. So I enjoy stocking my pantry. No I am not hoarding, it is something people used to always do, until it became fashionable to shop weekly or even daily. My goal is to have 6 months to a year of stores… what is so strange about that? Why is this not the common practice? Well a lot of people do have a well stocked pantry, and grow their own fruits and vegetables. Just do what you can with what you have. I wish I would have known about building a pantry when I was young, I would have been much better off. Later I learned some from a series of books called “The Tightwad Gazette”… and would buy items on sale and make room under my bed for canned goods. I feel a peace when I am not concerned over basics. Yes inflation is disconcerting. I live in Northern California and gas prices are extremely high…I am so glad I am not commuting, I do feel sorry for those that are. And the rental prices for homes are astronomical. We have serious worries with wild fire. But you have to put it into God’s hands and TRUST. I still want to live my life and do my part with fire safety, but not be overwhelmed.

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    1. So right on all counts! The high gas prices must be very disconcerting for those that commute. Fortunately, because of the pandemic a lot of people are able to work from home now. Why companies couldn't have figured this all out before everything happened is beyond me. Guess there wasn't enough will to do so. At the end of the day, no matter how prepared one thinks they are, you just have to put it into God's hands. But that isn't to say that you should use some wisdom and prepare. What is that Bible verse about a wise man sees trouble ahead and avoids it, but the foolish just plow on? I think it is in Proverbs. Stay safe!

      Hugs
      Jane

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