Posted by You may recall Survivor Jane as one of the preppers who took part in our Doomsday Preppers Blog Carnival. Today we’re thrilled to welcome her back to share her unique perspective on prepping. Read on to learn more about this self-proclaimed girlie-girl turned survivor who now runs her own site on survival preparedness for women at SurvivorJane.com.
I must admit, I love getting the ‘third-eye-in-the-middle-of-your-forehead’ look, when I mention in conversation I’m one of those people; ‘those people’ being, a prepper. ‘I know, I know! Ahhhhhhhhh run for your lives! Ha! Ha! Very funny.’
Actually, most times after saying it, I’m met with the ‘whatcha talkin bout Willis’ look and the ensuing ‘you don’t look like one’. True (whatever that means), I’ll give you that, I’m not your typical Farmer Jane. Camo wearing, Tinfoil hat clad prepper. I’m all girl. A girlie-girl at that.
I like wearing make-up, adorning myself with jewelry, and wearing fun clothes and heels. Like I said, a girlie.
But on the flip side, I also realize that there are events beyond our control that could bring our society to its knees at any time.
With the events of the world albeit political, economical, natural disasters or threat of war, things aren’t looking good.
As a little background, I spent the better part of my life in the city climbing the corporate ladder only to take a huge leap of faith by walking away from it all and heading for the hills.
Why would your give it all up?! Pure and simple? My world as I knew it was changing, and changing fast. The benefits at work were being cut left and right, the 401k that I contributed to over and above year after year was now dropping like a lead balloon and the upscale-homeowner association strict-gated community I lived in was now over run with multi-families living in a single dwelling (after the owners could no longer pay their mortgages and were now renting their homes out to anyone and everyone), cars parked every where and police helicopters flying over head every other night.
So here I am, now a rural resident. I’m sure the locals in town get a kick outta seeing me. I likened myself to Mrs Douglas on the old TV series Green Acres (google it) – as most would say I was pretty ignorant to the mountain ways. But I’m learning.
I don’t have the luxury of going in to town (that’s what rural people call going shopping) that often, and in fact its more of a planned event, so instead I have become quiet creative.
For example, I’d ponder things like, ‘what if I could never go to a Lancome’ cosmetic counter (or fill in the blank with your favorite cosmetics) to buy make-up ever again?’ What would I do? What did people do way back when? I mean after all Cleopatra, possibly the first Lady Gaga ever, wore make-up. So, I’d research until I found a natural remedy and began using it.
Take my face wash for instance. Olive oil with a little sugar. That’s it. Put a little olive oil in you hand. Sprinkle in a little sugar. Rub your hands together and massage it all over your face. Rinse with warm water and a wash cloth and your face is as soft as a baby’s bum!
Or, I’d wonder what I would do if I couldn’t get shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, tooth paste, you name it, and I’d begin the search for that too.
I have come up with so many natural things I can use instead of store bought items. I mean prepper or not, a girl has to be fresh and clean – even if it were the end of the world as we know it!
And I’m learning to do so many things. I have a permaculture garden (that’s a garden where you just plant and let nature take its course.) No weeding or fertilizing. Just watching and picking.
I preserve what I grow and bake – yes I said bake, my own bread, make my own pasta and crackers.
Now grant it, I chose this more self reliant lifestyle, it didn’t choose me like so many who have been forced into it due to the economy.
Sure I no longer get to shop like I used to and buy the great shoes and handbags. But I’m healthier and happier and if the poo does hit the fan? I’m ready for it!
So again, why do I prep? Because I want to live to tell about it. What ever ‘it’ may be and, look fabulous while telling it!
Just sayin …
- Survivor Jane
March 13, 10:24 am
