Day 26 Strength of Survival Team
There could be three or four different teams.
First – just us. An 80- and 70-year old. There is no medical experience or knowledge between us. That is the biggest problem.
However, he is an accomplished shot, built a former home, and we both know nature and garden. Plus, I preserve and know just a bit about the plants around us, I am an old fashioned housewife and mom with all of the sewing, knitting, etc., skills. DH would have no hesitation to protect us by any means. He sleeps little and needs constant action. I can be too compliant and not firm enough. I can see too many options, but I will make a decision and stick to it.
Second – Add our immediate neighbors. Farm kids with two very small ones of their own. He has a BobCat and knows how to use it. Accomplished hunter (arrow and bullets) and fisher-people, he has a small arsenal but knows how to handle it and keep it discrete. He knows how to build nearly anything and does – ice fishing house, block wall, rebuild a boat or a bathroom. Downside here – typical youngsters. General college degrees between them, but small town thinkers and the opposite political party. We do not discuss politics; but, besides that we work well together.
Third and Fourth – one or both of our children and their families.
First – my daughter, her husband and three teenage sons. She may have one or more international students with her. One is graduating from dental school and will be a huge asset. Her three sons- 18, 16, 14 are just learning about hard work. No real life experiences there, just BSA and camping; but very smart. They will, however, see the reality of the situation and pitch in, especially if given a choice of what to do. Daughter will soon be a licensed psychologist. She is good at dealing with the emotions and stress that people have. She is sometimes too flippant with me, but she is usually right. She is a good manager. Her husband on the other hand, will be a challenge. He is a computer geek, programmer. Does nothing around the house. If we have a discussion he seems to take the opposite point of view and cannot reach a decision on his own. I would have the most trouble with him. He will question every decision we make thinking it is a democracy. On the other hand, he will work, and work hard when he sees what needs to be done.
Second – DH’s son, his wife, their son and daughter. He is another craftsman and is very creative. Although she has a very small one, she likes to vegetable garden and will be an asset there and in the kitchen. 15-year old granddaughter and 13-year old grandson are city kids with ballet and ski-boarding. No skills other than their usual house chores. DIL has said if anything happens they will come here. No doubts. I am happy that they are comfortable with me, after 16-years of being married to his father, that she especially knows they are respected and we will get along. They would be good workers.
There is another son – DH’s oldest, but we do not talk to him. Dad and son do not get along and we do not understand why. If they showed up we would turn them away. He is lazy and she is a (non-)know-it-all who questions everything and seems to have a general lack of respect. However, if their only child showed up, we would take him in. We have not seen him in five years, but he knows he is welcome and I would hope that he would fit in since he is just 21 and still malleable.
One other possibility – my ex-husband. Although he was a pilot and that skill does not translate to a SHTF situation, he is logical, level headed, a manager, willing and capable of doing almost anything we need done – except hunting. Plus, we ALL get along great as a team. He is sort of a mini-prepper with buying things on sale, but not for any specific SHTF future purpose.
We have hunters, gatherers, preservers, security, managers, chefs, willing hands, and mostly open minds to train.
But, if something happens to me we would be in trouble. I have the gardening and preserving knowledge for the immediate use. Plus, we need a medic.