drifting snow and questioning thoughts...

Sitting here by the fire, filled to the brim with the blessings I have been given in this life.  Hubs and the pups are sitting in front of the fire, I'm curled in my chair with a combination of bloody mary and coffee, snow is steadily falling.  Life is good. 

The pups have been outside to romp in the snow that is already to their chests, Beau is good with it, in fact he loves being out in the snow.  Belle, well she really wants to play in the snow for as long as her brother, but her coat is much lighter and she starts shivering like crazy and has to come back in fairly quickly.  They both seriously enjoy being on the deck munching on mouthfuls of snow and rolling in the slight accumulation that is out there. 

Yesterday ended up mild. Things were closed, but it was out of an abundance of caution, the storm didn't roll in as quickly as was projected. Today is a totally different game.  Things need to be closed today.  We don't have enough people working to remove the snow from the walks, heck our street hasn't even been salted or shoveled and they usually do it fairly quickly and multiple times. I worry about folks feeling brave and a bit silly from yesterday and pushing things today.  It's slick and piling up quick out there. 

Actually, I am questioning people and things in general today.  I was weeding through my email this morning and noticed one on Nextdoor.  I was puzzled by it.  Seems that the toilet paper shortage was simply the start of the random shortages.  We are not a third world country, so when there are shortages of any kind, people tend to lose it.  Over the holidays cream cheese was a huge issue.  Honestly with the way we eat that was a bit of a pain.  I use a lot of cream cheese in out meals.  I didn't freak out, I didn't lose my mind, I simply changed up our menu and thought outside the box. 

I have not bought packaged biscuits in literally years, just not something I have felt strongly that I needed.  Evidently it is the new french toast when it snows and the community is going crazy because you simply cannot find them anywhere. Seems they have been absent from the shelves for months.

So many theories are being literally raged over.  Supply lines, illness, workers, trucks, feeding refugees... my head was spinning because I couldn't help myself and read the comments.  I probably fall firmly on the folks that are saying just break out your own ingredients and make your own they aren't that hard to make. 

I guess what I keep taking away from all these random shortages, the kind that make absolutely no sense at all is that I feel we are being conditioned to accept less, to deal with not having what we want or need. One lady even commented that the bar soap was almost non-existent. 

I know that I am an odd duck, I understand that most people do not make their own soaps, that they have long since given up on basic cooking skills that just a few decades ago were critical life skills taught in our school systems.  Do they even offer those classes anymore?  Cooking, sewing, wood and metal shop?  Those are things that have extreme value in our lives.  I know they don't offer anything to do with gardening. They just cram more useless information into our children.  They simply don't give them life skills.  

I don't necessarily believe that the shortages are due to anything other than control. I personally feel a lot of what is going on now is about control. I have never done well with control. I even had obey taken out of my wedding vows. I am all about being self-sufficient.  Maybe that is why I have learned some of the skills I have, I don't know, I've always been drawn to learning the old ways. 

I just got a delivery of soaping supplies yesterday, and will probably be making a few batches of soap this week.  As my youngest grand daughter informed me, I am out of her favorites.  It's not a supply chain thing it's a lazy thing.  I've been busy being unbusy.  Reading the comments about soap being in short supply I realized I should get some made, same thing with making sure I have supplies on hand to make laundry soap if need be. 

It's also looking like I can finally make a batch of rebatch soap, we save all the bits and pieces (I don't think we have bought chemical laden bars in over a decade) and I will shred them up and make a new batch of soap with them.  That batch will not be a thing of beauty, I am guessing it will be a muddy color and it will need a nice scent, the old ones will heat away.  But if you don't waste what you have then you don't worry when the "supply chain" acts up. 

I will admit to regretting not making the time to take classes to learn to make cheese, I wanted to sign up so badly over the years, but frankly I thought work was more important.  On this side of life, I realize that was incredibly stupid and shortsighted.  And I actually doubt the reality of my thoughts at the time.  Was I too busy?  Or did I just not realize the value of it all?

Do I think there will be more shortages?  Absolutely.  I feel we are being programmed and taught fear.  I'm not okay with it, but I do feel it is happening.  It's a method of control. I don't have any great biscuit recipes to share, I don't use flour any longer in my cooking, but I'm sure if you are one of those folks losing their minds about the biscuit shortage of 2022, there are tons of great recipes out there and if all else fails, grab a box of Bisquick or Jiffy and whip up a batch of drop biscuits.  

I know I made some delicious lemon ricotta scones yesterday that Hubs and I enjoyed for breakfast and snacks for two days.  Cost was minimal and results were heavenly. Far better than I ever remember any ready made food tasting.  Not to mention that you get such great satisfaction out of pulling them out of the oven, knowing that you made them. It's just something you can't experience from a can... although that popping sound was pretty cool. 

I know that I listen to an assortment of people, my YouTube is about as eclectic as you can get.  I believe strongly in learning everything I can and exploring lots of ideas with an open mind and heart.  I will tell you most of the folks I listen to, even the ones that you would never, ever say were on the same wave length have been saying to have a stock of things you use on a regular basis for over a year now.  They have been warning.  With these shortages, I definitely think it was something to pay attention to. 

Maybe it isn't because of stores closing, or hyperinflation, or the planets, or... they all have their own reasons for suggesting it, but seems they were all trying in their own way to encourage self-reliance.  Just go to the store prior to a storm and see what you find. I sometimes go, just to look around, honestly I have most everything I need on hand at all times. 

I figure I just needed to reason this out, to encourage you to learn a new skill or two.  To experience life in a fuller capacity.  Not having to rely on supply chains or market control.  Those "hobbies" come in awfully handy at times like these. 

Well, I'm gonna throw another log on my fire and fill up my coffee cup.  The pups are worn out from their 10 minute romp in the snow covered treetop garden and are sleeping soundly.  Seems like a great time to get a bit of knitting down while watching the falling snow.  That sweater will be nice to have now that it is so cold. I also want to whip up a batch of paw lotion for my babies feet.  They will get sore if they keep going out in this white stuff. 

love and peace... stay safe...