Nancy Gardner

Nancy -you are spot on with getting used to things prior to emergencies - and how you train will become how you respond very quickly with practice. I am a Ham operator plus GMRS as well. I have a couple repeaters and help people whenever I can with radio. I will never claim to be an expert, but I do work a lot of events - for practice, and I just worked a 200 mile dogsled race - that was the most awesome thing I have ever done!
I might be able to answer some radio questions - and I am sure there are others, but it is a field I am pretty strong in.
also, land is fairly cheap still where I am going - maybe a pm if you are interested. if you don't like high desert and sagebrush, might not be "the Place"

Thanks for the offer. I need to program my radio. I messed up when ordering it and got a spare battery that doesn’t fit the radio.  Since I bought it last summer I can’t return it.  Lesson learned. I have the cable to plug into my computer to program it.  I just need to schedule time.   I have a book on getting my license and about using the radio.   I have two friend who live within two miles.  We hope to learn together so if the phones stop working we can still communicate plus we can listen to find out what is going on.  

I live in southeastern Michigan. Was looking to move out of the state as cost of living here is high.  I have been to the southwest.  It is beautiful.  I don’t know what it takes to live in that environment except the need to trap as much of the rain as possible on the land to encourage vegetation growth.  I am debating on where to live.  How close to town.  Etc

I have been looking for a place. Real estate prices went crazy so I am waiting to see what happens.  Hopefully I will find someone needing to sell a part of their land.
I live in a small city that has its own power and water.  I store about 300 gallons of water in barrels, have a sun oven, a laundry station,  a solar generator and started raising quail.   Last year I made the decision to start getting use to using these things.  It was a good decision.  Found I lacked a cable that went to the solar panels to recharge the generator.  Also figured I needed to get a few more panels for my energy needs.  
I just got a radio for communications and am learning how to use it as well as networking with others to practice using them.  
Using what I have when it’s not an emergency has taught me where I need to improve.

I make a hair rinse with rosemary, lavender, rose petals, nasturtiums flowers and other herbs.  I fill a half gallon jar about one third with the herbs and add half a cup of cane sugar.  I use filtered water and stir it each day.  I cover the jar with cheese cloth.  It takes about 30 days for it to become vinegar. I test it with ph strips and end up with ph of 3-4.

I have also made fruit vinegars but use only a quarter cup of sugar.

Great to have you here Michelle Avis, Rob Avis, and Takota Coen. Looking forward to your book.

Found out it was my browser.  I use Firefox.  Had to go to Chrome to register.

There is no place to register. It states to enter your email address, but there is no place to enter it.

I use ginger grated black pepper corns in water simmer for about 10 minutes I add black tea black tea add a little milk and honey to make it more palatable.  Got this from an Indian friend.  Sip it all day long when I start feeling my throat starts getting sore. Cuts whatever is trying to grow out of the throat. I also use echinacea root tincture when I first start feeling sick. I used this in February when I began to get sick. Usually this regimen makes the cold only last 4 to 5 days and make the symptoms much better. This last cold was the worst I ever had. I was sick for 8 days with fever. Sore throat, cough,  headache, body aches and lethargy.  I don't know if this was the Corona virus. There was no testing at the time I was I'll or if it was something else. I have had the blood serum test for antibodies and it was negative.