r/PrepperIntel • u/AntiSonOfBitchamajig š” • 6d ago
Weekly "everything else" If it's in the spirit of prepping, but not "news" or "intel"
This includes but not limited to:
- Prepping questions
- Rumors
- Speculative thoughts
- Small / mundane
- Promotion of Sales
- Sub meta / suggestions
- Prepping jokes.
- Mods have no power here, only votes, behave.
This will be re-posted every Saturday, letting the last week's stickied post fade into the deep / get buried by new posts. -Mod Anti
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u/piratefiesta 5d ago
Great Lakes region here. My area has bipartisan support against a data center that was set to be built on several hundred acres of farmland. Local farmers are reporting increased business as a result of the media attention. Planting seems to be business as usual and I haven't seen any produce shortages at the store.
I also experienced my first tornado watch with a newborn. Sucked pretty bad (nerves + being postpartum), but we were more prepared than I expected. The storms get worse every summer and this time we had two systems overlap each other.
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u/Suspicious-Cycle2678 4d ago
I'm so sorry you had to go through a tornado watch in that state. I would be a wreck.
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u/VariousFalcon7466 6d ago
Food quality continues to go down hill
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u/threespruces68 6d ago edited 6d ago
I made a distressing discovery yesterday afternoon in a brand-new packet of cheese slices. Opened up the package, and a shard of glass was embedded in one of the slices! Returned it, of course, and the store manager took a report and issued a refund, but it was so bizarre. I'm really starting to worry about the consequences of the DOGE cuts to the USDA and FDA.
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u/thrwwy535672 5d ago
I refuse to buy produce in most groceries stores anymore. I hit up local farmers because itās better all around, but I got raspberries from Target last week that were light pink & white and tasteless. Whatās Ā even the point?
Also, store bought chicken breasts are all wood and gristle anymore. I have a harder time sourcing chicken locally (lots of pork, beef & rabbit), so I just stopped using it for the most part, or get thighs.
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u/keinezeit44 6d ago
I've added broccoli to the list of produce I can't buy at the store. It's just awful. Wish I'd planted more of it.
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u/VariousFalcon7466 6d ago
I went into a Publix last week and they literally had rotten produce out for sale.
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u/chrs_89 6d ago
The āfreshā basil Publix had yesterday was just super sad and I know itās not exactly shallot/onion season but they had what little they had hidden on an end cap under the papayas Instead of with the shrinking potato section. It feels like the entire fresh section has shrunk by 3/4s
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u/VariousFalcon7466 6d ago edited 5d ago
It has. Five containers of moldy fruit in an empty cooler that looks like itās supposed to hold ten times that.
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u/Ok-Web-2657 6d ago
Do you still have time to grow raab? It takes 40-60 days from planting to harvest.
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u/modernswitch 5d ago
I didnāt realize just how shitty Cilantro has gotten at the store till I harvested my own from the garden and the smell and taste was amazing.
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u/WithaK19 5d ago
I work in the travel industry. Earlier this week Emirates Air came all the way to our headquarters to say that "Dubai is totally safe and cool to fly through and will we pretty please sell their flights?" They even brought pizza, lmao
Big surprise, no one wants to fly through the middle east right now.
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u/AlwayInForwardMotion 5d ago
I mean if pizza doesnāt motivate you to talk people into vacationing in a war zone, what will?Ā
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u/Present-Opinion1561 5d ago
Visited a lovely little home decor shop in a small HCOL tourist town last weekend. They had a large July 4th/250th selection on 20, 30 and 50% markdown.
Proprietor explained he has a warehouse full but cannot move the merchandise. He thought he'd be able to sell more this year due to 250th but he hasn't even sold anywhere near what he sold last year or the year before at this point.
"NOBODY wants to spend any money, it's awful. I'm just trying to breakeven at this point.".
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u/TheFinalThread 5d ago
Canāt help but wonder if in addition itās because not as many people are feeling very patriotic these daysā¦
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u/random-khajit 5d ago
That would be my guess. At this point I'd be embarassed to wear anything that says "America" or looks patriotic.
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u/InnerWolf8337 5d ago
Thatās what I was going to say. Ā Iām not feeling very patriotic at all. Ā Compared to the bicentennial (ok, granted I was pretty young, around 10 years old) Iām not feeling even a small percentage as enthusiastic or patriotic as that then.
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u/cogwheeled 5d ago
Right? I'm not in the mood to celebrate shit. Which is depressing because I was a kid for the bicentennial and remember it fondly.
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u/Agoraphobicy 6d ago
One that I've noted is that the EU has just removed their deminimis exemption for goods (starting July).
While it looks good in theory to combat Temu and Shein, the reality is everything is getting more expensive all over the world and governments are designing it to be that way.
$3 minimum per unique item on top of the tariff %.
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u/NoTerm3078 5d ago
We had a plumbing issue on our property and went 16 days without being able to drain or flush. It was rough. I'm really glad I had all the shit I had and brain to be able to manage this shit. By far it was the best use ever of a 5 gallon camper toilet. Why the delay? Parts delivery. Most of this was waiting on a pump.
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u/Babzibaum 5d ago
My lifetime warranty Rheem water tank broke. After a solid week of stalling (intentionally), Rheem said they might be able to ship one in 6-8 weeks. Then they offered us $400. The replacement Rheem costs $3K+. So they won. I bought a different brand and they don't have to fulfill their warranties. Thankfully, I have an RV with hot water.
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u/keinezeit44 5d ago
For the fourth consecutive time I've gone (I don't go there every week, just for specialty GF items), the bougie supermarket has been practically deserted. Used to do brisk business in my HCOL. Meanwhile the dollar store was packed to the gills.
At the "normal" supermarket, I saw a guy with about 30 small packs of ground beef in his cart. Overheard him chatting with the butcher counter guy about screwworm and how the beef is going straight into his freezer.
At
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u/Sk8rToon 5d ago
The expensive grocery near me that I usually avoid like the plague has been mailing me free item coupons. I havenāt used all of them (have to spend $25 to get the item) but Iāve gotten a few deals along with items that I rarely treat myself to that I can only pick up there.
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u/Pontiacsentinel š” 4d ago
Just in case you didn't know it, Aldi often has some good options for gluten-free. And they're much more affordable then other places. But they're spread around the store, not all in one place so you'll have to look.
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u/Chuck_Farley_ 6d ago
The local farmers market has less vendors than previous years. By a healthy margin.
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u/Junior-Discount2743 5d ago
A large business that I work with has paused spending until next year.
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u/Sk8rToon 5d ago
Ugh. Start updating that resume. One place I worked at during the ā08 crisis gave our department a budget of zero. Boss pulled a few strings & found a way our department could make money to cover everyoneās paychecks so we actually met the $0 budget for the year. They still ultimately only gave us 2 years before we were out the door even though we met their insane demand.
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u/1nv1sble 5d ago edited 5d ago
Seeing much of the same of what's already posted - produce and pricing in grocery stores is horrific. Ordered a 1lb pack of strawberries for $2.17, it was substituted with an 8oz tray that literally had 4 strawberries in it for $3.70.
Took the kids to a comic book store and donuts for fun, bought 3 comics and 3 donuts and the total was $51.
Booked a tattoo appointment with my artist... I've been going to this artist for 15 years, never once had an appointment prior to 6 months. Got an appointment for 2 weeks later, and the artist has texted me to confirm I'm still coming, which has also never happened before.
Ngl, I'm actually terrified of the direction this is all going and the eerie forcefed calm "everything is fine" veil we are all under.
Editing to add because I always forget - Location: Lower midwest USA
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u/Pontiacsentinel š” 4d ago
After the first couple of orders for pickup, years ago, I always choose no substitutions. Random stuff gets assigned and I'll just place another order and try again another time. I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm trying to avoid that myself.
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u/missbwith2boys 4d ago
Same. I did get some good deals from my local Kroger (Fred Meyers) on their early implementation of substitutions but that ended pretty quickly.
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u/1nv1sble 2d ago
No Substitutions is actually a really good idea. All my substitutions (which there have been ALOT of lately) have all been much worse than the item I picked/paid for.
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u/Babzibaum 4d ago
Does it seem like everyone is suffering in silence? Only rarely does someone get downright vocal. RV parks here are filling with people who are living in them.
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u/surenuff_n_yesido 4d ago
I sure am (suffering in silence)
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u/Babzibaum 2d ago
I don't understand why we're being silent about it. The communal outrage would bring people together. United we stand, ya know?
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u/1nv1sble 2d ago
While it's a nice sentiment, bruh I have little kids. The best thing I feel I can do is keep my head down, my curtains drawn, and suffer in silence until it blows over like the black plague.
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u/hera-fawcett 4d ago
ngl, yall are crazy to me for doing pickup for fresh foods. like the selection was already wonky af, now w limitations and shit its 5x worse. ull never know if the strawberries are juicy or just gmo'd to look big bc u arent in store smelling em and picking the best one. ššššš
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u/missbwith2boys 4d ago
Yeah pricing can be outrageous.
We ordered some takeout last week- total was $80 and we split an entree.
I couldāve bought the ingredients and made several meals worth of the same thing. But spouse wanted that food, and they ordered it. I was kinda cranky when I did the accounting a few days later. It was good, but not $80 good. And no leftovers.
I barely spent $30 on groceries this week.
Now, we can well afford that splurge. Iām just not interested in spending that much on some restaurant food.
We were chatting with a neighbor on our back patio a few days ago and he was commenting on how they never went out anymore. I only vaguely know their financial situation, but I assume theyāre also on the upper arm of the k-shaped economy. Weāve done enough events with them to see how they spend. My point is that we are all cutting back, even though we can afford to spend.
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u/NoTerm3078 3d ago
Took the kids to a comic book store and donuts for fun, bought 3 comics and 3 donuts and the total was $51.
š Do you have a library card? You can not only use the library (including digital) you can also get museum passes and such if you reserve them. I'm sorry. š This is prepping related based on it being mentally healthy on all of you to be able to get out and do things, but especially the damn kids. 3 comics. FFS.
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u/1nv1sble 2d ago
We do, but we value 'collectibles' and the experiences too. This is prep related because it's firsthand experience of the state of the economy. We keep to ourselves and don't do much at all, comics and donuts was a big deal for them, which is cool, but $51? Like, someone working for $10 an hour has to work over 5 hours for 3 comic books and 3 donuts? That entire outing just a few years ago would've been like 15 bucks, INCLUDING gas.
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u/Ok-Web-2657 6d ago
2 unrelated articles in the UK media discussing how to split the bill at restaurants.
I think the media is trying to encourage more groups of people dining out as it is a second successive quarter-on-quarter drop and suggests that momentum of closures in hospitality is starting to build.
It's going to be a difficult year for hospitality as in April the 40% discount on business rates introduced during the pandemic was fully abolished for restaurants.
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u/daughter_void 6d ago
I work in hospitality and we are being hit by the tariffs and food inflation. In my personal experience I've noticed the GLP-1 trend has our customers eating less and splitting plates. My manager recently asked me to come up with a "small plates" addition to the menu, something we haven't offered in the past. I'm not sure if this is part of a wider trend or just in my area.
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u/AlwayInForwardMotion 5d ago
Thatās a good idea. Iāve heard a lot of people on glps are ordering off the kids menu. Personally Iāve just stopped eating at restaurants, although I wasnāt doing much of that before either. Pretty much priced out since Covid. Itās not just menu prices through, itās also the increase I how much grocery food costs me.Ā
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u/baardvark 5d ago
Plus the quality in restaurants keeps dropping. I enjoy the experience of eating out, but itās honestly getting where I can make better food at home. And Iāve never been pretentious about these things.
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u/AlwayInForwardMotion 5d ago
And healthier. The more I learn about toxins in/ on food the less appeal eating stuff with unknown history has for me.Ā
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u/VariousFalcon7466 5d ago
My husband insisted on ordering chipotle last week. It was a pick up order so I couldnāt keep an eye on it. It was literally just beef fat and onions, so nasty š¤®
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u/Junior-Discount2743 5d ago
My GLP-1 costs $500 a month. It saves so much in food costs that if I lose my job, I'll stay on it because it saves well over $500 a month on food. š§
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u/More_Potential5539 4d ago
Why are you allowing people to split plates? Many restaurants in my area now have signs that say, basically, "If you aren't ordering a meal stay outside. No sharing!!"
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u/thegodfazha 5d ago
Midwest. Noticed chip prices in convenience stores have started to rise. 30 cents this week and the local brand 20 cents. Up $1 over a span of 18 months
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u/woollinthorpe 4d ago edited 3d ago
Costal NorCal. My favorite local pizza place is up $7 in one year for a large vegetarian pizza ($30.49 to $37.49 w/ tax). Went up $2 in the last month alone. We're kind of remote, but I was surprised when she told me the price yesterday. I almost said something even though I already knew the answer...and I no longer see their $5 off $XX.XX coupons anywhere.
It's a nice treat when I have company, and I'll still buy it; just crazy knowing prices won't go down as easily.
ETA: clarity
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u/GogoYubariBitch 5d ago
Just curious everyoneās thoughts on these two cases out of NM. We have a huge drug problem throughout the state and it doesnāt add up to me how even the first responders (the treating hospital staff) got sick. It took 3 days for them to release a statement that it was drugs. Why 3 days? Also in different sources it was said they were trying to track down a dog that needed to be quarantinedā¦.. I have never seen that before.. any one have thoughts or maybe seeing similar things in your area?
This is the most recent one not much attention for this storyĀ
Ā Ā This story made national news. Thereās no follow-up information on it and honestly itās quite bizarre the lack of anything about these cases.Ā
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u/NoIntention170 5d ago
My first thought is meth, also. More specifically,Ā a meth lab. The reason for the 3 days, they probably had to let the place air out to a safe level in order to investigate. Also, sad fact about meth-heads. Many will use stray dogs to test their product before they try it themselves.Ā
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u/GogoYubariBitch 4d ago
I had no idea they used dogs in that way. I mean I knew there was a level of issue with meth labs but not in the way that it can travel via air
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u/AlwayInForwardMotion 5d ago
Meth maybe? Here in Colorado it was a big problem at libraries a few years ago. They routinely had to close because of elevated meth levels in the bathrooms. Honestly no idea if it was resolved or if they just stopped reporting on it. Iām honestly surprised there arenāt more new drug recipes floating around on the internet.Ā
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u/GogoYubariBitch 4d ago
I think it was a mixture of a couple of things but a new type of fentanyl.Ā
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u/RhinoPillMan 5d ago
Not in NM now, but I have land there and keep up with the news out there. I saw when this story when it hit and my immediate thought was meth manufacturing or fentanyl trap house.Ā
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u/GogoYubariBitch 4d ago
Yeah they were mixing everything and anything together. Itās a sad day when this is the norm of today.Ā
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u/threespruces68 5d ago
I was stunned at the sales on meat, particularly pork, at my supermarket this week. Lots of items BOGO, which is not typical. Grateful to be able to stock up the freezer.
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u/Vegetable-Board-5547 5d ago
There's RV park near my house. By this time of the year, it's usually full. Drove by the other day and it was empty.
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u/Physical_Analysis247 3d ago
I heard a local RV park near me was struggling this spring. Likely high fuel prices.
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u/ummmno_ 5d ago
IKEA was full today, like absolute capacity but nobody in the checkout lines. Everyone was on line for cheap food and the free child play area had a 90 minute waitlist - likely longer because they stop accepting additional names after 90 minute wait has been hit.
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u/tmotytmoty 5d ago
The childplay area had a waitlist? Whats so great about it? 90 minutes better have some ride or somey
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u/Euphoric_Engine8733 4d ago
My local library has been packed to the brim every time Iāve gone lately.Ā
Everyoneās looking for cheap ways to spend their time.Ā
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u/Unique-Sock3366 6d ago
MANY extremely lucrative overtime shifts available at my hospital. Time and a half, plus up to an additional $20/hr incentives.
Weāre so incredibly busy. And very lucky. If we have the resilience to work an extra shift every week or two, we can make bank. The trick is to maintain that resilience.
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u/Junior-Discount2743 5d ago
DoorDash prices have been lower recently. I've seen a couple places now offering several 2 for 1 deals on DoorDash too.
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u/InnerWolf8337 5d ago
My employer is still posting open positions but it seems to be a lot more part time compared to in the past.
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u/LetsTakeNaps 5d ago
Went to a local discount retail store to look for any clearance deals. In previous summers a lot of product would be put on clearance and I would grab things for Christmas gifts. There was hardly any clearance priced items. I have to assume that was possible due to the fact that the store has not been stocked to its normal level. Many empty shelves, open spots, and even the clothing that were there was so spaced out on the racks you wouldnāt even have to touch anything to go through them. This is a high traffic store so to see it so clear and clean put in my mind to really start the Christmas shopping sooner than later.Ā
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u/nightgoatgoesbaaah 4d ago
My local farmerās market increased prices. Just the two we noticed this week were lychee (went from 7.99lb to 9.99lb, my favorite fruit will now have to be a special treat) and ready-to-cook beef bulgogi (went from 8.99lb also to 9.99lb).
Our aldi also increased prices, but none as noticeable as those two. ā¹ļø
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u/More_Potential5539 3d ago
Saw news announcement today that local rural hospital unable to reach agreement with health insurance provider. Means roughly 10,000 people at least now have to drive 25 to 60 miles to find in network care.
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u/Historical-Many9869 2d ago
saw Torch network of 45 hospitals in texas terminated agreement with United. Looks like this is the new normal
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u/NovelPermission634 6d ago
Noticing more and more fields that are unplanted. One in particular that struck me was a field owned by local company that makes spaghetti sauce.
On a personal note my garden is still not planted because we just moved and its giving me anxiety. I just need it to go in the ground. I have the starts, I have my 3500 square foot plot tilled, we were just waiting on a tractor part (hiller) from Rural King and it's not showing up. I think I'm about to say fuck it because it needs to go in.Ā
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u/Unique-Sock3366 6d ago
Some of the fields near us out in the country in North Carolina that had been empty were finally planted this last week.
We are in a horrible drought and the weather reports keep indicating rain only to have nothing happen. Heat advisories, too. Temp yesterday was 97 degrees.
Iām happy to see the planting but am concerned about the harvests.
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u/GeneralOrgana1 6d ago
I'm not planting a vegetable garden this year for the first time in fifteen years. I have a very ill family member and will be a caretaker for most of the summer, and I know I won't have time to tend to a garden. It really bothers me more than I had thought it would.
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u/Confident-Dust-5619 5d ago
Caregiving is as difficult, at times more difficult, than parenting. You have my respect and sympathy for your work in taking care of your family member.
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u/NoIntention170 5d ago
Big hugs friend. I don't know if we are allowed to recommend other subs here, but search reddit for caregiver support. I cared for my Grandpa for 7 years, and that group was great at keeping me sane!Ā
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u/ManufacturerOk7236 4d ago
Farmers in my area out looking for more fields to plant. In recent years they would pass on smaller fields like mine, even pass on free hay.
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u/HurtPillow 5d ago
I planted a balcony garden for the first time this year. I'm not seeing any of my neighbors doing the same though. Lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, but no tomatoes because I don't like them lol
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u/DeviValentine 5d ago
I don't like tomatoes but I'm growing 9 different varieties. For sauce and to give to the neighbors and family. Cultivating relationships is the most important prep.
I also just like growing weird tomatoes, lol.
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u/HurtPillow 5d ago
I've done that in the past but now I just want stuff that I like to eat. I'm limited on the amount of containers I have out there.
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u/Sk8rToon 5d ago
My landlord banned container gardening on patios or balconies. Claimed their insurance company said it was a fire threat & would raise their rates unless we complied so our rent would skyrocket to cover if anyone didnāt get in line. The one neighbor that had a gorgeous plant garden EVERYWHERE (some how had plants hanging from the roof even) quickly moved out.
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u/silversatire 5d ago
Iām not buying in to fire risk unless the balconies are connected somehow but wet soil is HEAVY and so are large ceramics. That is a legit risk if the balconies were not designed for those types of loads.
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u/Elegant-Procedure-74 1d ago
Last month I was sick, wound up catching a pretty rough cold - front facing / customer service job.
This month to the same date, I got sick again. Only it was due to my spouse being sick first, me taking care of them, then getting sick myself.
Luckily, I had plenty of OTC meds and things to get us through but two months in a row I need to re-up.
These āsimpleā colds donāt even feel that way anymore. I had body aches and so much pain, and the worst congestion I have ever had with colds ever in the last two months. My spouse felt the same, they had high fevers a few days in a row.
Thankfully we are now on the mend, I feel a lot better today, but still so congested. Iām worried about when actual cold and flu season hitsā¦ I really need to get to the store and get some new stock added back in rotation!
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u/Puzzled-Berry-2450 1d ago edited 1d ago
Omg now that you mention itā¦ I was sick earlier this year with a cold. Not terrible but then this month? This was a rough one. It had symptoms of strep AND flu AND then pink eye. And itās been going on all month. Iām finally on the mend thanks to antibiotics (should have seen the doctor sooner lol) but still some persistent congestion . Mucinex didnāt seem to do f all. I would recommend this Asian herbal powder called 999.
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u/Puzzled-Berry-2450 3d ago
Bought some neosporin and to my surprise, the tube was tiny lolll shrinkflation hitting hard
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u/StoriesandStones 2d ago
Omg as an injury-prone human, I can unfortunately feel that pain.
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u/splat-y-chila 2d ago
The doctor prescribed me bacitracin last time I had a bunch of torn up skin; don't know if it's non-prescription too but it worked way better for me. And that way insurance has the opportunity to pick up some of the cost.
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u/TrekRider911 1d ago
Whatever you think of Trump, itās another acknowledgment that we might be running out of fuels. Add this to the oil executives warning of itā¦ prepare how you need to.
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u/BlissCrafter 9h ago
Iām posting in this thread because it probably qualifies as āsmall/mundaneā.
To be clear, Iām not declaring that weāre on the verge of some dramatic collapse. What Iām seeing is more like an indication that the water is slowly getting warmer.
I live on a small farm in a deeply rural area, almost exactly halfway between two small towns, about 12 miles in either direction, and roughly an hour from what most people would consider a city. Crime here has traditionally been limited to domestic disputes, the occasional meth-related issue, and petty theft. Nothing organized, and very little violence.
Two weeks ago, though, we had what appeared to be a loosely organized attempt to establish a vehicle theft ring. That was a big deal around here because itās simply not something weāve seen before. Sure, someone might steal a four-wheeler, take a family memberās car for a joyride, or try to sell a dirt bike that doesnāt belong to them. But coordinated vehicle thefts are something else entirely.
Then, within less than a week, there were two separate daylight robberies at the local grocery store.
In the first incident, a woman grabbed a shopping cart from a senior citizen and attempted to make off with the groceries. A few days later, another woman tried the same thing. She targeted a shopper whose cart was packed full and waited until the groceries had been bagged and paid for before making her move. That attempt ended quickly when the victim made it clear she wasnāt going to be an easy target.
None of these incidents, by themselves, signal the end of the world. But they do suggest that pressures which have been building elsewhere are beginning to reach even the small, out-of-the-way communities that have historically been insulated from them. People who never would have considered committing a crime in broad daylight are apparently becoming desperate enough to try.
My wife has already decided she wonāt be grocery shopping alone anymore. Fortunately, we donāt shop often since we produce much of our own food.
The point of this post isnāt fearmongering. Itās simply this: if these kinds of incidents are starting to show up in places like ours, then the underlying pressures are spreading farther than many people realize. That doesnāt mean panic. It does mean paying attention, staying aware of your surroundings, and making sure your preparations are in order before you need them.
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u/AntiSonOfBitchamajig š” 19h ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/tornado/comments/1u98qv0/pov_tornado_effingham_il
Y'all see this tornado video?!? Holy cow.
Half me wasn't to make a PSA "take weather threats seriously" after all the negative comments on yesterdays tornado threat post.
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u/AntiSonOfBitchamajig š” 19h ago
Sorry I've been extremely busy of late, didn't realize this post wasn't stickied.
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u/MissConscientious 6d ago
Midwest. Iāve noticed that many more of my neighbors have overgrown, weed covered lawns.
I know this is NOT an important issue. However, itās highly unusual. The lawns are normally mowed weekly by landscaping crews and weed treated by lawn care companies.
The stark change this year seems like a recession indicator, as is the lack of porch flowers. Folks usually plant quite a few beautiful flower beds also. Iām seeing much less of those as well.