Just Plum Tired! Container Update - Buried (Picture Heavy)

It's taken me three days to finally get around to posting.  I have lots of things in my head for posts, but after this extra long weekend, I'm living in a fog of too much sun, and too much physical labor.

Our weekend started out Friday afternoon, anticipating the arrival of a rented bobcat.  I was told by the rental company it's not called a bobcat, it's called a skid steer.  "Bobcat" is a name brand.  Any idea why she chose to correct me?  If she knew what I was talking about, why did it matter?

As we approached the end of the delivery window, I called to find out where it was.  Yep, you guessed it, I was told it wasn't on its way, it has mechanical problems and wouldn't be available.  Now, why did I have to call to find this out?  So I pushed a bit harder to see if there was anything else she could deliver and her first response (and easiest for most people) is "sorry no". 

I proceeded to explain we had a number of people already at The Compound prepared to begin work, and without a piece of equipment all of our time and expense getting there was out the window.  Magically it seems, there was in fact another piece of equipment we could get.  It took some wrangling on their part, but we ended up with a John Deer tractor.  (Sorry Preppy, no cute girls posing in my tractor photo!)

Unfortunately, about 30 minutes before it showed up, it began to rain.  This rain along with the rain from the past week or so made for a real mess!  The delivery driver got stuck and wouldn't let us help him get out, he waited over an hour for someone to drive over with a pick up truck and pull him out.

But the guys were up to the challenge.  That container was going to get buried come hell or high water (literally)!  The thought of not getting it done and having to shovel and move dirt by hand just wasn't an option.  Besides, they could hardly wait to get on that tractor! They worked until 3am Saturday morning.  The first few hours were spent just filling in the low wet spots so we could move the tractor around.

 

Saturday morning the Moose and I were up by 7am and started our normal chores.  The boys followed a couple hours later, and the rest of our group showed up shortly after.  We worked until around 3pm and took a short break for lunch and a quick nap.  Then the guys were back on the tractor, moving dirt again until midnight.  Folks it took a tremendous amount of dirt for this project.  In excess of about 25 loads, from what I can figure.  Yes, some of it was spread out to make it easier to move the eqpt, but in the long run it will also help solve some of our standing water issues.

There's a bit more to do along the front of the container, but until we have the solar panel array set up, that's on hold at this point.  There is already a huge difference in temperature inside the container.  That was our goal, have a place to store reserve inventory in a temperature controlled space.

Again, we were up early Sunday morning and began work on a "house" for the air conditioning units that are inside the container.  (More on those later)  But the units stick out of course, and they can not be covered with dirt, so we built a house over the top of them.  It has also been surrounded by dirt and a thin layer on the shingled roof.  The Moose also installed a vent for the hot air to vacate the space.

They also got back on the tractor finished moving dirt and moved our mulch and wood piles.  Reworked the shooting range and backdrop a bit.  They worked with the tractor until late Sunday afternoon. 

When all was said and done, they put on 25 hours with the tractor as well as a lot of man hours moving and raking dirt by hand.  All of us are plum tired out!  But ever so glad this project, a year in the making is just about done.  Next is shelving inside, and setting up the solar panel array and control box.

So in the end, it was actually a God send that we got a tractor rather than the "skid steer".  Someone was looking out for us! 

Container update - moving dirt and painting. Pig update - farrowing pen

We started our weekend this past Friday by celebrating the boys birthday.  They're 34, and definitely not boys, but it is a term of endearment for the twins.  Besides, it's been awhile since any of us has been 34, so they are the youngest of our crowd. I tried baking them their favorite crunch cake.  I bombed apparently, it was nothing like their mother used to make them.  I hunted high and low for a recipe, found one that had 5 stars, etc.  It tasted really good, but my recipe called for coconut, theirs would have had pecans.  Anyone know of a recipe for crunch cake that includes pecans?

The Moose and I got an early start Saturday morning.  I laid down some mulch around the coop area, since it's rained so much lately, it was really wet.  So on went another layer.  Of course the girls had to get in and help scratch it all into place.  The Moose fed the pigs, which were very hungry and from the sound of it, hadn't been fed in a month of Sundays!  Then it was off to the container.

We had about 10 loads of dirt brought in and dumped next to the container. We are finally at a stage to finish getting it buried in.  The Moose spent the better part of the day, moving dirt into place. The solar panel frame is just about done, and the welding to the container should begin (as long as it doesn't rain AGAIN), this next weekend.  Miss Brenda and I finished painting the inside ceiling.  Painting above your head is a pain.  I got more paint on me than the ceiling!

The Moose has already laid down tile in the cooler floor and we just have some painting to do on the inside of it as well which shouldn't take too long.  Once that's done, I'll introduce you to a really "cool" way to refrigerate a space that won't cost an arm and a leg, and doesn't need 208v electricity which will be nearly impossible in a crap hits the fan scenario.  110v will work with our solar panel system.

Then it's on to setting up the control board for the solar panels, battery pack and shelving for foodstuff inventory.  It's been a year in the making on this project, but it's finally coming into the home stretch.

We built a farrowing pen for our gilt that I'm guessing is ready in the next month or so.  We moved her and the two others we think are also in the family way in an area just for them, so we can make sure they get enough to eat and get acclimated to a new space.  The males have been permanently moved to a "boys only" area.  One item that we've failed getting a handle on is controlling which gilt is bred when we want her to be. It's just been willy-nilly and we may have more than we actually wanted bred.  Now that the boys are gone, we'll be able to watch them closer and develop a plan for further breeding and/or the freezer.

If you get a chance swing on over to The Small Hold site.  The last few articles are about a term he's coined; "sustainers", and most recently an article that gives thought to how we're going to feed our livestock when the feed store is closed. We have quite a bit of space around our property that we can use as grazing land, especially for pigs, considering they thrive in our area.  We just need to come up with a way to move and contain them in a specific area.

No bobcat sightings this weekend.  We hope he's off watching someone else's livestock.

Well, I've Finally Done It

It's taken me 47 years, but I've actually finished reading the Bible from cover to cover!  Truthfully, it's taken me just a little over a year of daily reading.  I made a commitment last year to read the entire Bible.

I had one of those moments, after watching others just open the Bible to a passage that had an answer they were looking for.  I prayed and asked God, which book and verse was right for me and he answered "start at the beginning".  My reply was "are you sure"? (I didn't understand yet, that you should do what God tells you without question, but with faith) "Yes, start at the beginning.  I have something for you when you are done".  So, day after day and a little over a year later, I've read it!

Now, I'm going to go back over it and begin individual book studies.  Anyone have a favorite book or passage?

It's In The Hole! - Container Update

Well, our neighbor had time to help us put the container in to place.  It's officially in the hole!  Where's Bill Murray and Caddy Shack when you need it? (FYI, the scene in this link was totally ad libbed by Bill).

 

 

Whatever you call this piece of equipment, is what they used to move the container.  It took less than an hour from beginning to end.  There were three guys with the biggest grins on their faces when it was finally done! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, there's still more to do, but the sense of accomplishment is huge at The Compound this week!

 



2014 To Do Lists

Well, it's that time of year again. Time to reflect and time to look forward to 2014.  As in years past, I review my "must have" and "wish lists", to see how far we've come, what we missed and what needs to be added.

We have a few hits and misses, throw in some quick changes or events and you'll always seem to come up short.  So, as you'll see below, the 2013 list remains and I've added a few more items as well.

Must Have List

Finish the pump house and reverse osmosis system
Purchase and plant additional blueberry plants
Purchase and plant additional asparagus plants
Build a couple of raised beds; garlic, peas, lettuce, etc
Install chicken wire on the chicken run wall, between the two areas.  Then we’ll be ready for chicks.
Hatch out more chicks
Finish the exterior of the outdoor pizza oven
Become efficient cooking outdoors; dutch oven, outdoor pizza oven, etc
Continue with weapons training









New Roof for Tiki Hut
Outdoor kitchen and prep area
Set Up Solar Panel Array
Finish storage shipping container
Learn more about raising pigs (ongoing)


Wish List

Purchase another shipping container

Build an enclosure for ducks, and get ducks

Learn how to capture and process wild hogs

Dock railing
Try out aquaculture using our Tilapia pond

 

Power Plucker Critique

We knew the inevitable day would come when we would butcher some of The Compound chickens.  In this instance, roosters.  We decided to deal with the trouble makers first, which were also the smaller roosters.

We purchased a "Power Plucker" with the hopes it would help pluck the feathers off of the birds easier and faster than by hand.  Watch the video and let me know what you think.

It really cut down on the time it took to process the birds.  From beginning to end, set up, boiling of water, and the actual processing of 6 birds, took us no more than an hour.  The others that have processed chickens before, thought it well worth the 30 bucks we paid.


I worked through the whole process, and yes it was gross, but not to the point where I could not participate.  We baked our chickens off and served them up.  They were not as tender as the store bought variety, the dark meat was darker and the breast meat was smaller/less.  Miss Izzy is a happy camper, eating the leftovers.  I don't think these smaller roosters were really meant to be eaten, as they are not considered dual purpose.  It was a learning experience for sure.

I figured there are enough videos online, showing the processing itself, that I wouldn't waste your time here.

The feathers were sure flying!

Git'er Done!

Well, the Moose and BJ, got'er done, this past weekend!  The hole for the container is totally dug out, and the gravel for the bottom has been put in place.  I'll tell you what, they worked their tail ends off!  Of course we had a heat wave, unlike the rest of the frozen U. S. of A, we were at 85 record setting degrees!  It couldn't be in the 70's when all the digging needs to be done.  Someone, somewhere has a great sense of humor.

Now, the ramp needs to be carved out to the hole, the entrance re-worked, along with the final layer of coating on the outside before it can be moved into place.   Inside structure will be completed once it's "in the hole". 


We are in count down mode at The Compound!

Container Update - More Digging!

We are in the home stretch on the hole for the container.  Since we've been busy with the hog yard, we haven't dedicated much time to the container project.  Well, that's about to change now that the hog yard is complete.

The Moose has been diligently digging the remainder of the hole.  An hour here, an hour there...  I have helped too, but lets face it girls, guys can shovel a heck of a lot more dirt that we can!  But it does add up.

We had a load of blacktop millings delivered and placed in and  near the hole this past week.  Our neighbor down the street has a dump truck, was working on a project and brought us a total of 3 loads.  One specifically for the container.  The rock will be leveled out in the hole, once it's done to create a barrier between the bottom of the container and the dirt/mud/clay (take your pick, it's all there).

Digging is no one's favorite job, and it's back breaking work.  But give us a few more weeks and we should be about ready to move the container to it's final resting place.

Container Update - sealing the outside

We have been busy at The Compound working on the container.  Getting it prepared to be lowered in the ground, or at least as low as we can go due to the water level in this area of central FL.  One of the issues we needed to address was protecting the container itself, especially since it will be buried.  We'd like it to last as long as possible, and adding layers should help.

We are using this roll-on sticky goop, as well as a roof flashing sealer and "rubber in a can" (you read that right, it really does work!) for around each of the bolt holes to keep water out.  All of them expand and contract with heat and cold, and keep water out.  Exactly what we need.

We spent the better part of the day painting two-thirds of the container with it's first coat.  The second coat will likely go on this next weekend.  The remaining third and roof will be done after it's in the hole.  It'll be easier to reach the other areas without hauling a ladder around.

Since we're all getting anxious, and realizing we're pretty close to moving the container into it's final resting place, the Moose and the Boys decided to work on digging out the remaining dirt in the hole.  It's not easy work, that's for sure, but none of them are afraid of picking up a shovel and getting it done!  That's what I love about our group, we all get dirt under our nails!

The walk in cooler is all cut to size and in place.  There are some final connections to be made, and then installation of the refrigeration itself.  It along with the inside of the container will be painted.  It would surely function just as it is, but since it's ours we'd like it to feel a bit more home-like.  Just because The Compound is rough and wild, doesn't mean everything on it, needs to be.

More to come...

Retrofitting a Walk in Cooler - Container Update

The Moose and I headed to The Compound yesterday to find progress done on the container.  The group, continued the work on the inside, added an additional arch, and finished securing the side uprights with bolts.  Adding the bolts took some time, as the holes had to be drilled, then drilled bigger, and then bigger yet to accommodate the size bolts we wanted to use.

 

Thanks to the Group!  I prefer to use the term group, rather than team.  I'm am so over the word team!  How over used and over rated.  There's no I in team and no We either!  I've rarely been part of a "team" that actually got anything accomplished.

 

The Boys reworking a cooler panel. 
If you couldn't tell, their twins!

Now on to this past Saturday.  Work on the container continued, this time however we were ready to begin the install of a walk in cooler.  Yep, you read that right!  As with all of our projects, they are works in progress, and this was added to our list of must haves a couple of months ago.   The Moose found a used walk in box, and we are working to retrofit the cooler into the back of the container.  It will be run off of a generator, and once installed we'll be able to use the solar panel/battery system as well.



Front set of panels in, including the door frame.

This opens up so many options for us, especially for hanging meat from hogs, deer and gators. The walk in box, needs to be cleaned up a bit, and cut to fit in the space we have.  A normal box of this size approx. 8' x 6' would run between $6 and $7K.  We picked up this not so beautiful one, including the refrigeration for $400.00.  Then what's even more amazing, one of our group's family members installs and repairs refrigeration units for a living, and can help us get it installed too! 

 

The side, back and ceiling panels still need to be installed, and we'll be tiling the floor.  It will be one of the snazziest tiled floors around as it will have travertine tile (leftovers from our home project).  It along with the interior will be painted.   One step at a time...

 

 

 





Container Interior Support Beam Construction

I sound like a broken record, but it was another HOT, HOT, HOT Saturday at The Compound! 

R&B picked up a dozen pressure treated 4x4's this past week, and we used everyone of them including another we had already on property.   When I say we, I mean the Moose, Donnie and BJ.  I spent my time mowing and taking care of my chickens.

The guys really did a great job, considering the heat which was hot enough outside, and the further you traveled inside the container, the more stifling it became.  I set up a fan, to at least provide some air circulation.  Not sure how much of a difference it actually made.

I made sure they took a break, drank water and had a bite to eat for lunch.  Needless to say, they all needed a shower! 

The posts were placed on each side and top, then two beams were connected on the top for roof support.  Each beam will be connected with screws and bolts. 

The first set was placed back a few feet, as the entrance is already reinforced to support the doors.  Each subsequent "arch" will be approx. 10' apart.  The posts are placed in the grooves, so the length between each arch is approximate.   105" high x 95" wide archways.  The last set of archways will be worked around a walk in cooler.

You can see the start of the connections for each post.  Each hole has to be pre-drilled, which is not an easy task.  Actually, nothing was easy.  But between the three guys, they made it look easy.  They work really well together.

Here you can see the ceiling beams going up.  We plan on adding two additional 4x4's on each wall (like the ceiling beams).  This should provide some additional support, and give us plenty of areas to connect and or build shelving.





I think they were all happy with the progress.  Tired and sweaty, but happy.

Responding to MDR and Container Update

The Modern Day Redneck had some questions from our last post and we thought to follow up with some more information.

After doing some extensive research, below are some links that represent the ideas we are going to implement on our container, to insure wall stability.  The first link is from a company that build these professionally and were willing to share their ideas.  We think they'll give you a really good idea for how to proceed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poj_-vDaAHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbeSidv6wCA

http://katetirion.com/?p=387

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JNobiOxTZM&context=C3643dc6ADOEgsToPDskLRDXWDMm4jHraVOUIB7VgM


On the top outside we are going to weld on a piece of flat iron, across the center length (40'), to help with stability and then we plan to bolt a center 4x4 beam on the inside top, through the flat iron.  Additional 4x4 supports along the inside walls and ceiling will be placed approx. every 10', which will help support the walls and ceiling.

We'll keep you updated as we progress.  Let us know if you have any questions, we really like hearing from you!

On the Hunt

We are on the hunt for angle iron!  We need lots of it.  We will be shoring up the container we had delivered a few weeks back.  Since it will be buried, it needs to have some additional support on the outside as well as inside.  Containers on their own are not made to handle weight on it's sides, so we've come up with a plan, after reviewing how others online have been handling this issue.

Angle iron!  It will be welded along each side and top on the outside.  We are collecting old bed frames, and have a local scrap yard collecting some for us as well.

The water table is only about 4' down in our area, so we are not burying this container down 10', like I've seen in some of the videos.  So the amount of pressure from the dirt will not be as great, but we'd rather take this step and know we won't have any issues.  It would really stink to put this in place and have the sides cave in, and then have to start all over.

We will also place 4x4's in the inside in arch formations.  This will provide support on the inside as well as give us areas where we can connect shelving for stabilization.  No one wants to reach to the top of a shelf, and have it tip. 

So our group is searching high and low for the materials to move forward on this project.  I'll keep you updated.

40' Container - The Gist of Things

Well, thought I’d add some additional details regarding the container so you get a better picture of what our plans are, and how we’ll get them accomplished.

First of all, we are not experts. We’ve never done this before. Saw some information online and figured we’d give it a try. If you attempt the same thing, you are on your own and we make no promises as to how it will turn out.

We plan on partially burying the container. Our water table is only about 4’ below the surface, so our ability to dig a really deep hole is not an option. So we’ll dig as far down as possible, back fill a bit with crushed stone, and then move the container into place, using the “nothing is free” light poles (I promise to shoot some video). We’ll put the finishing touches on by filling in the sides and creating a large berm or mound over the top. We are in essence making a cave.

Now as to the why; we have another container on the property and the minute you open it up you get a wonderful blast of 150 degree + heat in your face. The amount and types of things we are able to store are limited; no extra cans of gas for the mower, etc. So, by creating a “cave” we can lower the ambient temperature inside the container to around ground temperature or close to 72 degrees. The life cycle of items stored will be extended, and I won’t get a stinky facial every time I open the door!

I’ll have more to add as we progress. One final note, the cost of the 40’ container, delivered was $2500.00 and it’s 8’wide x 40’long x 9’6” high. We have way more space for storage than those little metal sheds they sell for $1985.00 for an 8x12.

Christmas in July! - Not!

Here are some videos of the new 40’ container delivered today. Of course it seemed like the hottest day of the year! I think the videos speak for themselves, so take a gander and let me know what you think. This is an ongoing project, and I’ll keep you posted. Next, finish digging the hole, stabilize the container by welding on angle iron around the entire outside and adding 4x4’s inside for additional support. Then the fun part, actually pushing the container in the hole! It felt great to finally have it on site and know we’re moving on to the next phase! Thanks Ron for meeting us there and helping out!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Like Minded Friends - Walls Being Built

Part of “prepping” or preparing for what we believe to be coming is to surround yourself with people of like mind.  Those who are willing to work together to achieve the basic fundamentals; food, shelter and security.  This is not an easy step, it is even more difficult when those closest around you believe you are a “whack job”, or lunatic for the beliefs you hold.  They either don’t believe you, or don’t want to believe you.  

We’ve been struggling at The Compound trying to get ready for what we believe to be inevitable, a major financial crisis in our country.  We are working to provide food (garden, chickens, and fish) shelter (camper, bug out location) and security (weapons and location of our property).  What we were really missing was physical and mental help. Trust me when I say, you cannot just turn over the soil and expect a garden to grow.  Chickens don’t feed and water themselves, and if you’re not careful and cover the pond the birds will beat you to the fish.  We have struggled, but we have learned even more.  How will those doubters deal with a crisis?

The Moose and I basically have Saturdays to get our work accomplished.  Projects we feel lead us to self-sufficiency, and everything that goes with that.  Just read some of the past posts and you’ll get the gist of what we are working towards.  But it’s just the two of us.  We are physically limited by the amount of work we can get done, and are feeling some pressure to get more done, quicker. 

We also only have 2 sets of eyes.  How we see what we’ve done, and what needs to be done can be short sighted.  Another perspective is always helpful.  We think we’ve found that in our new prepping friends; Dragon Lady and Spud

Spud has followed my blog, not long after I started it.  Turned out they live a short drive from The Compound, are like minded and they both bring a set of skills that neither the Moose nor I possess.  They are an asset.  They feel the same about us.

The Moose and I realized some time ago we needed help; we were not sure where we would get that help.  But after meeting Spud and Dragon Lady a few months back, and our continued communication, we both felt it was the right time to reach out.  Spud made a visit to The Compound this past Saturday.

He left us with some new projects and ideas for the future, that we will work on together that will lead us to our ultimate goal of self-sufficiency.  He also took some time to help the Moose build the wall and shelter for the Hooligans, while I mowed the overgrown property.

 

It was nice to have another perspective, and to move forward knowing that if you are a “whack job” or lunatic, you are not alone…

By the way;  The Hooligans are really happy with their new space!

 

Outdoor Pizza Oven - part 1

The Moose and I have batted around the idea of an outdoor pizza oven for some time now.  Do we try and build the entire thing ourselves? Do we just buy one completed and have it delivered? Do we build part of it on our own, and order in a finished oven top only?

We opted to build part of it on our own, and order in a finished oven top section only.  We've been searching for an outdoor oven for months, and we found that they can be pricey.  We're not looking for fancy schmancy.  We want a functional oven, that doesn't break the bank.  But we also want a working oven for when SHTF and of course for awesome pizza!

We thought we had found the perfect one.  Stopped by a local dealer to check them out, and got to see the product first hand.  It was exactly what we wanted.  Got a quote for around $1500.00.  OK, a little more than we wanted to spend, but still below the cost of those found on EBay in 2-3K range.  We waited a week and a half (yes you read that right) for a quote.  I guess business is so good for them taking care of quoting a customer is not important.  We had to follow up with them twice in the meantime.  Then we got our quote, $3200.00.  Response;  sorry, I quoted you our cost, and you'll need to pay the suggested mfg price of $3200.00.  NOT!  How do companies like this stay in business?!

We thought the idea was off the table at that time.  I don't remember how or where, but I came across a company called Firerock.  With a bit of negotiating, their management team will do cartwheels to make sure you are happy, we'll be ordering our unit for around $1100.00.  Much closer to our price range.  I'll have more details and pictures after the unit delivers, which should be late next week.

In the meantime, we needed to pour a slab to fit the 4' x 4' oven.  We had all the materials we needed, so it was next on our list for the day.  What luck!!!  Our dear friends made the HUGE mistake of calling to see if we were at The Compound.   Fred and Peggy were taking a "break" from working and thought they'd come out for a visit.  It may be the first last and only time they make that mistake, but their help was priceless. 

Fred can fix or build just about anything, and considering the Moose and I have never poured a concrete slab before, he and Peggy couldn't have picked a better weekend to head on out to The Compound.  Fred and Peggy work together like a well oiled machine, each an extension of each other. Neither is afraid of hard work.  It was hard work, but being around friends makes a big difference.

We started buy putting together a 6' x 6' frame, approx 4" thick, laid in some metal wire for extra stability, and got busy mixing concrete.  Around 15 bags.  We could have used 1 more to make it perfect, per Fred, but we're not going for beauty, we're going for functionality.  Besides, we didn't have the time to run to the hardware store to pick up that extra bag before everything else started to set.

We didn't have a concrete mixer, so we mixed it by hand, arms, and backs.  One mistake we made was by trying to mix more than 1 bag at a time.  It didn't cut down on the amount of time, it added to it.  Things went much quicker and smoother when we did just one at a time.

Now, we wait for this to cure/dry and get ready for part 2 - building the oven base.

We ended our night with Fred and Peggy thanking them profusely for their help, feeding them typical Mid-Westerner fair - brats cooked on an open fire.  True friends that God sent our way, just when we needed them.  Part 1 of the new outdoor oven is complete.

The Feet are Up, Sort of

If you read yesterday's post, you'll know that I did some fancy dancing at The Compound yesterday, and sprained my foot.  Thought I broke the thing when it happened, but I can put some weight on it.  Hurts like the dickens!

Our home office is on the 2nd floor, I'm relegated to working from the dining room table as steps are impossible.  All of this sitting around, when I'm not hobbling to the kitchen out of boredom to see what's in the fridge, has made me really think about our medical supplies prepping.  The Moose went in to the attic this morning in search of his old crutches.  Guess what?  He's 6', I'm a puny 5'4-1/2".  They won't work for me, unless a miraculous occurrence happens and my torso grows another 6".  Trust me, you can not make crutches that are too tall for you work!  It's impossible, and would likely cause me to hurt something else, and I don't need the added pain.  So it's off to buy a pair that will work for me. 

We have band aids, aspirin, ointments, alcohol, peroxide, ace bandages, etc.  Quite a bit too, but never thought of crutches.  Did this item cross your mind for long term planning? If not crutches, then a cane? Something to help you hobble around may be needed.  Well, now the Moose and I will have matching pairs, as soon as he gets back from the pharmacy.

Getting Things in Order

The Moose and I decided to get some personal things in order recently.  We've talked about it for years, and are finally getting things done.  We are preparing our Living Will, Living Trust and Powers of Attorney.  When mentioning this to D1 and D2, they don't really want to think about losing their parents, and I can relate to that.  But I have a strong push to get our "stuff" in order.

We went with a Living Trust so our girls won't have to face probate court and the costs associated with it.  We don't want any squabbling over whether or not they should take us off life support.  We want the process already in place and understood so when the time does come, they'll know where to go to get the information they need.  Dealing with tragedy is hard enough, without having to try and figure out where everything stands legally.

It's part of prepping in my opinion.  Be prepared with food, water, shelter, safety, and peace of mind.