House Buying VA, Prepping, Herbs, Blackout, SHTF

I live in Virginia now. It’s WAY different in the East than it is in the West. Everything is different, except for the language. Unless, of course, you get around some with a deep southern drawl. Then all bets are out the window.

I have learned some things I’d like to share in my house hunt. As well as other things I have to share. All pertaining to these days.

Check to see if the area the house you are looking at is close to a superfund site. It’s a big deal. There are a LOT out here in Virginia.

Check out broadbandnow to see if there is the type of internet connection you are comfortable with.

Find out when the septic was last pumped. For those in the West, a septic is a tank in the ground that holds blackwater. Sewage. It needs to be pumped every 3-5 years.

Find out about the water coming into the house. It’s usually a well here. Some water has lime in it. That dissolves bones, don’t drink it. Take a bottle with you when you go to a house you really like, to take a sample of the water. Why? Because they can dump chlorine in it and it will show no bacteria, until 2 weeks later, when it grows back.

Find out how long the commute is. Back here, 1 hour may turn into 2 with traffic. That’s a lot of wear and tear on the vehicle, gas costs and stress on the driver. Like, who hasn’t heard about the snow in I-95 and people were stranded there for 19 HOURS in Jan 2022?

As an aside, back here, there’s a ‘winter storm advisory’. It’s like FIVE measly inches of snow and people go CRAZY! I come from living around snow. Tahoe, Truckee, Siskiyou mountains. Gosh, I’m not kidding, people go nuts. However this last storm they went nuts on, mid January 2022, I get it now. What happens is it snows. Then it rains, then it freezes and it’s all ice. In California, snow glitters, like sparkles on the snow. Minute points of shine. Here, frozen snow shines in sheets. Like large slabs of shiny mica. Quite pretty. Quite harmful if sliding on it.

The water in Prince William County has bacteria in it. They tell you that on the water site. It makes a pink ring in the toilet.

There’s a lot of mold here. One home owner told me he uses equal parts white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in a bottle and sprays the basement/cellar area of his home to avoid mold. I currently use straight hydrogen peroxide.

On to the prepping.

There will be a blackout at some point in our future. The grid will go down. Make sure you have:

• Candles. Dollar [and a quarter] Tree has them.
• Small heaters that use a candle or sterno
• Plenty of sterno!
•  Batteries for the flashlights and portable lights
• Battery operated candles and small lights. Some call them fairy lights, they’re those tiny lights
• Matches, lighters, long handles and small Bic lighters. [Scripto, whatever]
• Generator
• Gas for said generator
• Propane tanks for cooking on the Coleman or other propane stove you have.
• Heater packets for heating food
• I will also get some of those hand-held heater packets
• Warm blankets and clothes. Even in the summer it cools off at night. Unless you’re in Phoenix. When it’s 115F during the day, it ‘cools off’ to 96 at 2 a.m.
• Get extra reading glasses
• Extra supplements that you take
• And don’t forget the things that make you feel good, as if things aren’t SO bad. Whatever they are: Lotion, lip balm, perfume [ we might all need this if getting clean poses problems] {Sorry guys, no clue what makes you feel pampered}
• Tin foil. While I am against using it normally, it works really well as a container, EMF blocker, antenna, [rabbit ears anyone?], light blocker, etc.

Think about it. Turn your lights off, don’t use ANYTHING electric for 24 hours. See what you need. If you were camping, what would you need?

Now on to first aid herbal stuff. I’m an herbalist. For about 42 years now. I used to own an herbal skin care business. I closed it and retired in 2019.

Of course, your growing zone tells you what you can and cannot grow. However, if you have a ‘green thumb’, that means you have an anointing from the Lord, to grow things. If you do not, you can still grow things. Just remember to water it and give it sun. It’s just a matter of remembering.

Herbals To Grow:

• Sage, good for headaches and stuffing.
• Comfrey, good for ointments, bone healing tea in small amounts and healing skin issues
• Basil, headaches, immune system booster, sauces, flavoring anything
• Calendula, strong tea [decoction] made with flowers, strained and used as eyewash for pinkeye. Infused [let sit in] oil for a min of 2 weeks to 6 weeks. Excellent for healing itching, rashes, cuts, scrapes, abrasions. Absolutely the best healing herb around. Lots of uses, research it
• Spicy peppers. Cayenne is a catalyst for a lot of herbal things. Meaning, it is what gives the other herbs the kick to work better. Helps clear sinuses, boost immune system
• Cayenne, I might as well throw in some dry herbs here too. Cayenne is great to stop bleeding and heal mucous membranes. It’s not hot on mucous membranes as it is in your mouth
• Yarrow, white. This is iffy. Wild yarrow is a LOT more healing than cultivated. Most herbs are. White is the best of the yarrows to use for healing
• Lemon balm, super useful to calm the nervous system, no matter whether its in a flower essence, a tea, the dogs water. Great immune booster
• Lemon thyme. I mean, have you ever smelled this stuff? Awesome in scrambled eggs
• Rosemary, brings alertness to the mind when smelled. Helps memory, infused in oil stimulates circulation and helps with pain. Great herb for food
• Thyme, disinfecting, cough, blood pressure
• Garlic, lowers blood pressure, boosts immune system, clears up yeast issues.
• Oregano. Full of carvacrol, this and thyme are excellent for healing all kinds of health issues. Boosting immunity, disinfection, antimicrobial, antiseptic. Just grow it

Make sure you have a book on common herbs and learn how to use them. When you need them is NOT when to have to look in the book.

All the books I have are years old, so I’ll not recommend them because I don’t know if they’re still in print. However the ones that are really good are anything by:

• James Duke
• David Winston
• Michael Moore
• James Green has a really good book for men’s health, “The Male Herbal”
• Rosemary Gladstar
• Matthew Wood
• Charles Kane has written some great ones. I think most are out of print, but
• David Hoffman

There’s more, but these will get you started.

Other Common Sense Advice:

1. Don’t drink the koolaid and ingest essential oils.
2. Stop using sugar, ask me about Healthy Sweet™, expensive but well worth it. Used 1:1 in cooking, coffee. Does not spike blood sugar, safe for diabetics. Erythritol, trehalose and bitterness free monk fruit. A company made it for me when I had my business. I’ve kept up the business relationship. 🙂
3. Use flower essences found on this website for emotional issues
4. Take the love Jesus wants to give you. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins/wrong doings and to take over in your life. Pursue Him. It won’t do much good if you don’t mean it.
5. Get excess weight off. Stretch. Get muscle strong & limber. Get activity in at least every other day
6. Get rid of excess possessions and junk
7. Give to others. Tithe thru your church and give offerings elsewhere. No church? Find a charity to give it to. Doors To Joy is a good one.
8. Buy extra socks, shoe inserts, clips for hair, toothbrushes, toothpaste and a pillow.
9. Buy a Mock Mill to grind your wheat berries from Palouse Brand. Palouse grows the wheat. I bought my Mock Mill 200 from Breadtopia for $370 on sale at Christmas. Find one under $400, they are out there.

Above all, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength and love your neighbor as YOURSELF. If you don’t love yourself, stick around, Doors To Joy helps with that too.

Remember, The Lord is on YOUR side. YOU are a treasure.