M.D. CREEKMORE

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What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

Good morning everyone… I hope everyone had a great fourth of July Independence Day and didn’t over do it with the hotdogs, burgers, and fireworks. 

Sadly, the main threat to what resemblance to freedom that we have left isn’t from a foreign power but our own government. We live in a country where we have to get a permit or a license for just about everything we do, and or follow a law or ordinance or be fined and or jailed and since 9-11 we have been on a fast downhill slide as far as individual freedom and constitutional rights are concerned. 

Granted we are better off than North Korea for example, however, “our” own government and the powers that be continuously chip away at the freedoms that we still have and will continue to do so no matter who is in Congress, The Senate, and the Whitehouse. 

That’s what governments do… they chip away at freedom while dipping more and deeper into our wallets via taxation and then when the people push back they might back off a little, you know take three steps forward and one step back, and then start again.

It’s never-ending and we have to always be on the lookout for the never-ending encroachments. Sometimes the powers that be will even allow a new president to be elected to calm one political side down for a while so that they think that they have a choice and a say in how things are going while in reality they continue on with their agenda.

It’s like professional wrestling… it’s all a show to keep everyone entertained and pacified while “Rome” burns…   

Okay, now on to the next topic… I still get an email or so each month asking why I stopped posting the original “what did you do to prep this week” segment… so I’m going to answer that for everyone here today all at the same time.

I stopped posting it because it turned into a circus of whining, complaining, and ridiculousness. Every day I’d get emails from the main commenters (probably 70% of the comments were from the same five people), complaining about someone else comment that didn’t agree with them. Ban them or I’m leaving was the general and common thread of the emails.

Oh me oh my, if for some reason the system held their comment for moderation – here came the emails accusing me of “censorship” because their comment wasn’t approved instantly. If you’re going to turn into a dictator and censor comments I’m leaving the site.

And this from people who are supposedly preparing to survive TEOTWAWKI – newsflash, if you can’t deal with a comment in a blog comments sections without falling all apart then you’re probably not going to survive TEOTWAWKI. 

An then there was this one guy who thought that it was his personal mission to reply to EVERYONE else’s comments with his opinion. And even when asked by other comment posters to stop replying to their comments he still would not stop.

This is also, the same guy who publicly stated in the comments that he purposely avoided clicking on my affiliate links to Amazon.com because he didn’t want me to earn anything for my work here on the blog, even though, clicking an Amazon affiliate link costs the reader NOTHING extra when they order. 

And there were the ones who are horrified at the thoughts of me actually making a couple of dollars from my efforts here. I remember back when I first bought my solar panels and posted a photo of those on the site, several left nasty comments saying I should be ashamed, that I was getting “rich” off them somehow. 

And then there were the ones who when a few loyal readers would send a small donation to help support the site and I’d then thank them publicly for their support in the “what did you do to prep this week” segment, the jackasses would respond with the “here MD goes begging for money again” or the “looks like a scam to me” or other stupid crap.

To be honest I just got sick of all of the bullshit and the whining people that came with the segment so I closed it down. And then when I did they really showed their true colors yet again by going to another site and talking about me like a dog in the comments section there.

Some even came back here using different names and posting comments asking others to stop reading this site and to come to the other site… this went on for a couple of months before they “the wolf pack” got tired of trying to destroy me simply because I had decided to shut down their gossip column. 

Anyways, as you can see I decided to post it again today to see how it goes… so feel free to comment below if you have anything to say that you want to share.

As for my preps this week I ordered this, this, and this from Amazon.com – not really prep items but that’s what I’ve ordered.

I’ve also been working in my garden with my three sisters experiment and it’s coming along nicely, however, the weeds are trying to take over, I had hoped that the squash would shade out the weed growth but that’s not been the case. So I’m going to go pull some weeds after I get done writing and posting this.

Also, I’ve been thinking about selling my homestead and moving to another location with more land. While you can do a lot on three acres I could do a lot more on 13 and a half which is what I’ve been looking at buying. 

Oh yeah, for those who think that I’m getting rich running a prepper/homesteading blog I’ll post a couple of screenshots of my recent earnings below…

What did you do to prep this week?

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This week I finally found in my files the list of required and optional items that were to be carried in each patrol member’s survival, escape, resistance, and evasion (SERE) kit. In my long-range recon patrol company we had 21 five-man patrols (recon teams) and our mission area was East and West Germany in the advent of a Soviet invasion. There were required items and equipment each patrol member carried in his rucksack, on their load bearing equipment (web gear), and on their person. The SERE kit was carried on the web gear. I’ll do up the list and post it here sometime soon. The idea was that it had items essential to your survival and ability to get back to friendly lines if you were separated from your ruck. Much applies to the idea of a “bug out” bag.

    • Sound like my recon patrols and ambushes on the DMZ in Korea in 89 and 90.

    • My opinion is: You can never make everyone happy all the time, so growing thick skin and increasing an attitude of “who cares” is in order. Keep posting this and whatever you want, the whiners be damned. I enjoy most all your posts. Keep up the great work and divorce yourself from the drama. 🙂

      • I 100% agree!!! Though I rarely post I looked forward to the legitimate conversations but tired of the using the column for general unrelated chit-chat and arguing…although I continued to read to glean the useful info.

    • Yesterday I bought a bunch of canned food and reorganized my storage pantry today. I found some cinder blocks for sale this morning, relatively cheaply especially since they’re from the 1960s and are more solid than those made today. My husband and son are loading them and bringing them home for the root cellar we’re planning. Other than that, gardening and working on our Airbnb space which will provide additional funds for homestead projects.
      Thanks for all you do!
      Moving on, Barbara

    • I think that is a great idea to post the kit. I’m sure we all could get something from this.

    • looking forward to it!

      While I have not included anything new, I am replacing items that have expired or ready to expire…

    • this, this and this

      I looked at all three, as I do with all your Amazon recommended items.

      For “this, this”, I’ve other version of. For “and this” it and similar products, I earned them through 39 years of USCG service.

      I’ve products that I’ve had for a long time . In particular two lights, a D cell and an AAA cell. Both were chosen for ruggedness, versatility and light duration. The D cell light I’ve had through fluorescent and two or three versions of LED;s. I’ve not see them on your web site/

      Should you be interested, I’ll be glad to send you details in a private message.

      Bob

      PS: tuandbob@snip.net has been my email address since the 1990’s, no matter what you reply processor determined.

      B

    • Brother I sure am glad you are back!! Your sight has helped myself and several friends immensely. We are still loyal and eager readers/preppers. Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do. If people disagree, theydon’t have to read/visit the sight. They can leave now.Just like the fools who talk smack about this country,no one is forcing them to be here. Stay strong buddy,its who you are! God bless you,and welcome back!

        • Hey man don’t pay any attention to the whinny idiots! You do a great job and give all of us some great ideas! Keep up the good work!??

  2. I was sad to read of the behavior of some of your past readers but can relate. I labored in a Christian ministry for 23 years & often received criticism from others. Like “Why aren’t you open evenings & Saturday’s?! I was already working 45-50 hrs a week but was expected to put in an additional 25 hrs.??? i was already low staffed n took work home almost every nite n weekend. Some people will criticize no matter what you do. You have to learn to ignore all offensive & critical comments unless they are truly helpful. Do what u know is best to instruct us in prepping. You’re appreciated.

    • Oh Dianne, if only there were a like button same as on YouTube, I would press it 100 times for your super accurate comment.

    • Re-inventoried and repacked my two SHTF bags. Still missing a few items.

      Thanks for the article on concealed carry and reciprocity. So I’m faced with this dilemma… i cant concele-pack my 45 semi-auto while hiking during “normal” times even though I may need it for self defense…or pack it and hope I’m not searched. Of course during a SHTF scenario I’ll be packing more than a 45.

      • So glad you brought this back! I learned so much during the few years I read it?. This week I experimenting with making some flavored vodka- rhubarb vodka, peach vodka, and blueberry vodka. I canned 6 quarts of peaches (from The peach truck.com. fresh from Georgia!) As a sweetener in the syrup, I used honey from a neighbor’s bee hive. Hopefully, my hives will produce this year.

        We also decided to purchase a solar wind generator … looking at the Nature’s generator 1800 watts from Earthtech. Any one tried this brand?

        I re-inventoried my prepper pantry and promised to starve any one who removes something from it without logging it!!!

        Thanks for bringing this back!

    • I 100% agree!!! Though I rarely post I looked forward to the legitimate conversations but tired of the using the column for general unrelated chit-chat and arguing…although I continued to read to glean the useful info.

    • Good to see a “What did you do to prep” notice show up. Missed them. Sorry about the rude and self fixated who have to hear their own opinions to be happy. Just treat it like background noise, don’t respond, and most will go away. The ones who dont, oh well. You do a good job…keep doing it.

    • Oh do share as time goes on we have a cabin we want to expand on to I would love to read what you use and how the process is going what works and what didn’t.

  5. This week..
    Resupplied my car. Updated my first aid kit, checked my suitcase, washed the blankets, cleaned up the tool kit, will get an oil change this next week.

    Did an inventory in my garage (where I keep my food supplies). Sharpened garden tools.

    I live in an area (Fire Country) where the power will be cut off under certain summer weather conditions. Set up my Berky, ran my generator, filled up propane bottles.

    Harvested herbs and sun drying them.

    I think this timely and support your effort to restart this.

    Keeping Ridgecrest in my thoughts these days. ..

  6. Dang, M.D.! I had no idea it had gotten that bad. I could not find you for a while, and I think that must have been when that happened.

    I kind of know how you feel. At least to a small degree. It is similar to what I get when I post some (many) of my lists. I get hammered for weight, volume, cost, etc. The fact that I include disclaimers that the lists are, almost always, pick-and-choose lists, and not lists that I claim to be must have or die lists. I simply try to offer up options to people. I am an options guy. I like having options. I have been in too many situations where if I had not had what I EDC and carry in various kits, I would have been up a creek. A couple of them pretty deadly creeks.

    The same goes for my stories. The characters are always rich. The stories are too short. The characters are too perfect. You name it, I get the complaint. Those actually do not bother me too much, other than the one about all the characters being rich. Simply not true.

    So, with the long explanation (and whining) done, here are the things I did this past week that improve or change my prepping status.

    1) I have started (again) to reorganize my preps. They have become so jumbled with starting the sorting process and then having to stop and dump everything back into the totes and bags that there has not been much organization, other than in the immediate reaction gear.

    2) Did some additional planning on my Modular Kit System. That occurred as part of my reorganizing. I was able to add various items to the appropriate modules.

    3) Picked up a couple of minor items. As much as I dislike Walmart’s association with China, and the family’s politics (I miss Sam.), their clearance isle does have some bargains. Got a pair of kite string winders that are going to work great for my air powered line gun for getting antennas up into trees and appropriate structures. At the Amateur Radio Field Day trip I took with one of the prep groups I am associated with I tested out the air gun, line pulling arrow, and two types of cord. I simply need a bit more air, which I now have. The cord organization was a bit tricky. These kite string winders will fix that issue.

    4) Picked up another 5vDC power pack, another Walmart clearance isle find. It is going to work well with the Samsung S7 Note replacement phone I had to get after that trip when I smashed my S6 into what would have been little pieces except for the screen film and a back card holder.

    5) After having tried some of the products one of the group members at the Field Day trip had made with his home freeze-drier, I moved getting one up the list of needs & wants significantly. They have come down in price a great deal, and now are in the range where I can afford one if I have an especially good book sales month.

    That is about all I can remember.

      • Re-inventoried and repacked my two SHTF bags. Still missing a few items.

        Thanks for the article on concealed carry and reciprocity. So I’m faced with this dilemma… i cant concele-pack my 45 semi-auto while hiking during “normal” times even though I may need it for self defense…or pack it and hope I’m not searched. Of course during a SHTF scenario I’ll be packing more than a 45.

        • Michael, you might check out Maxpedition or Fieldline. They have some decent fanny Pack type bags that may work. I have one of each with the intention wearing them with the pack forward. They each have a pouch that will hold a pistol concealed.

      • M.D. I was an avid reader when you had this segment before but I didn’t post because I could see what was happening to other posters. It’s too bad people cant just swipe up if they don’t like/agree! Good luck with this ho around!

        I haven’t done much this past week but my plan this coming weekend is to try and reorganize my canned goods. I am going to try the colored dot system so that I remember to use the older canned food first.

        • MamaValley,

          Thank you. It took a turn for the worst with all of the fighting and bickering.

      • did not know you had been reviled it was my favorite thing on the internet hope it goes well now . so much info free from those who are good at what they do , thanks

  7. Hey MD. Keep it rolling man! I like hearing what has and hasn’t worked for you. Like you I did some weeding in the garden today. I’m in the ‘burb’ and don’t have my homestead yet (working on it).
    As for my preps this week, I restocked my emergency medical and reloading supplies.

    I appreciate what you do and that you put yourself out there. Keep up the fight.

  8. I always enjoyed your weekly prepping posts. You might be moving again- this will be the 3rd since you started off in your camper. Does the potential new place have a house on it, and does it fit security and layout requirements?

      • Can you upgrade parts of the double wide to make it more secure? I have property that I haven’t put anything on yet, and debating what exactly is suitable based on price, security, durability and efficiency. My requirements differ somewhat from yours weather wise as I live in Western NY and subject to lake effect snow.

  9. Hope this column can be renewed without the negativism. I enjoyed learning of others’ ideas and preps. Allow me to suggest that a gentle question might make your failure to appreciate someone else’s comment easier to take and help clarify things for many of us. Certainly it’s OK for M.D. to earn a bit here. He has not presented himself as a full-time volunteer.

    As to what I did, nothing really.

  11. I always enjoyed this segment as some of the content always got me thinking about something I might not have about. When scrolling through the comments I just ran right by the whiners….
    Keep the faith brother, your efforts are appreciated.
    This week….more ammo, knives sharpened and more inventory completed. I also updated my various med kits.

  12. HI MD Thanks for resuming i have missed your updates on what you do what works what doesnt, and the low key but informative information you share, even when its just about a bad day or the weather, anyway , not sure why anyone cares if you get rich or not off your website it isnt costing them anything? if they choose to donate or buy from a link to support you great if not they still get to enjoy and learn from your post. I really dont see the point in why they care if you make a dime or a couple thosand?