Living the Pantry Lifestyle - What are you waiting for?

I wish I had started the process last Fall when my insurance would cover an eye doctor, new glasses, and the retinal specialist exam.  There were so many things going on and it took time to find a new doctor since mine had moved from town.  There are not all that many that my insurance will cover.  So I... waited.  It wasn't urgent.

By the time I finally had an exam by the new eye doctor and then saw my retinal specialist, test photos showed a lot of swelling in the back of both eyes.  No wonder my vision hasn't been great, especially when reading.  So on Monday, the first of three procedures where medicine is injected into each eye was performed.  I will receive two more sets of injections, one in August and the other in September, then we wait three months and more tests will be taken to see if it worked.

I was shocked to find it had been four years since I had last seen the retinal specialist.  Of course, most of those years were due to lack of insurance coverage but still... how could it be four years?  Time goes so fast.

It got me thinking of other things we put off because "life happens".  So often it is just easier to continue with our days as they are rather than put anything new in the schedule equation, even if it is important.  We wait until what is important becomes what is urgent.

I have been revisiting the Procrastination List.  Most are little projects to be completed like updating iTunes on my husband's computer so he can use his Father's Day gift card.  I plan to have my medical doctor put me in contact with the podiatrist I saw years ago.  He had told me I should see him annually.  Since I have insurance, let's do it!

While all of this was going on, I was reading a couple "prepper blogs" where each blogger was saying the same thing... this world is still in a position where chaos could break out at any time.  If North Korea actually managed to send a bomb anywhere... it doesn't have to be in a  heavily populated area... people around the world would panic.

What if social unrest broke out in a city close to you?  With no warning? I don't live all that far away from Chicago and we all have read what a firebox it has become. Chicago is a beautiful city.  My daughter's design classes regularly scheduled trips there to see the architecture.  I have gazed upon the downtown area and the last time I was there, wondered what would happen if violence erupted inside the places tourists love to visit.

I personally felt the tension in Detroit when we lived in a suburb. Since my husband traveled continually, my son and I did not leave the house after dark.  We were accidentally out when the sun was setting one evening and we ran home to safety.  We had been warned that it was pretty safe where we lived in the daytime but... do not go out walking alone after dark.

Then the unthinkable happened.  One morning, my husband left to take a flight to the East Coast so my son and I followed our "when Dad leaves" ritual of walking to a nearby diner and having breakfast there.  They have a television where everyone can view the morning news and that was where we saw it.  The first plane.  The second plane.  The day was September 11, 2001.  The day the world changed.

In making a threat assessment, it was felt that Detroit had a high risk of terrorist attack for various reasons so citizens were asked to stay at home if they didn't have to go anywhere.  Thankfully, we not only had our usual pantry food put back but knowing the car would be parked at the airport for nearly a week, I had stocked up on everyday essentials.

Have you begun an emergency pantry?  Is that an area of procrastination? I totally understand the whole extra cost stopping you.  It slows me down.  My pantry is not very deep at all these past few years.  However, it is a priority and I usually use extra funds coming in to restock essentials.  It was a lifesaver during two long term unemployment seasons. 

Both of those layoffs came out of the blue.  It helped on 9/11 when everyone else was standing in long lines at grocery stores, not knowing if Detroit would be a terrorist target.  We looked out the window as military helicopters continuously flew overhead.  We were only miles (as the crow flies) from the entrance into Canada.  Extra security.  It was really happening. We could stay inside.

Even the calmest of experts tell us it is not a question of if but when there will be another terrorist attack.  It doesn't have to be near you to empty grocery stores.  Actually, you can bet on that happening if you live in hurricane areas or... like me... where we have winter storm warnings.  But at least those come with a warning.  What if... there once again is no warning?

I hope as you decide to stop putting off important things and adding them to your more immediate To Do list, you will begin an emergency pantry or add to it each week.  You'd be amazed what a little at a time will produce.  If you add emergency lighting and perhaps a way to heat up food and water (such as an outside grill), everything helps. 

Whatever you can do to prepare for the unexpected, it helps you not to be dependent on outside help and perhaps it will allow you to be in a position to help others.  I understand we can't prepare for everything.  We do not have a fireplace should we lose power in the winter (although we are melting in heat and humidity today).  However, we have extra blankets.

In the meantime, my eyesight does seem a little clearer and I'm praying the next two injections help even more.  I just wish I hadn't procrastinated until it became urgent.

NOTE:  If you notice more typos here and there, it is because my vision is just a little blurry.  Especially when reading on the computer. So some typos have not been caught in the past few months.  Such is life.