Lisa Prepares

Hi! Welcome to my blog! I'm guessing that most of you already know me, for those of you still in the dark... I am Lisa, a "former" Marine and preparedness enthusiast. Long story short my time in the Military Intelligence community, combined with my life experiences has caused me to take a good long look at my life, this country I call home and have sworn to defend.

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Stumbled upon an awesome tree house today! #treehouse #offgrid #prepper

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ED the Head is in Mesquite, TX.... where are you??? Did ya notice his new Marines Watch Cap??? Just $12

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The chickens are living their new home, and I just realized I’ve been posting everything on Facebook, and forgetting to post here!!! I promise to try harder!

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Watching a new episode of #survivorman Les always does a great job of pointing out just how all consuming surviving is on your own.  Build shelter, build fire, find food, move... start the process all over again.  Makes me feel very thankful that I have a husband that has the same mindset!

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How I replaced my starter with PARACORD...

Yes, paracord, no I didn't find a fancy new knot and knit myself a new starter, but I couldn't of replaced it without paracord.

So Here's the story... We left the St. Charles MO show on Sunday, and the RV wouldn't start... to be more specific it wouldn't turn over, the starter engaged when we turned the key. Thanks to a failed solenoid the starter just kept cranking and cranking until finally the battery cable melted off... yep... it melted off.  Quick trip to the auto parts store to get a new terminal... and we finally get back on the road... thankfully we weren't going far.

Next day, start the RV, uh.oh... solenoid stuck again... and we melt the other battery terminal off.  Called a mechanic for some assistance, most likely the solenoid that's mounted to the starter... and they come as an assembly. So December 30th I spent ALL DAY trying to find a starter best estimate of time... 4 days thanks to the New Year... 

I do a little googleing (ok a lot) and find a Cummins part number for our Remy Delco starter, by now it's 4p.m. I call Cummins and they can next day me one!!!  Then I find out this thing weighs 51lbs...  and I needed to lift it about 4 feet, while under the RV to install it.

I don't travel with a mechanics lift... and the starter was arriving on New Years Day, so no mechanic was coming to my rescue...

I decided that since Paracord has a strength rating of 550lbs it shouldn't have and trouble holding the weight, and I just so happened to have it on hand.  So I looped paracord around the front and back of the old starter Michael held the paracord by some loops knotted into the two ends and we removed the bolts, then I ran outside to guide the starter to the ground... through a tangle of wires and engine parts.

Old starter out... we reverse the process with the new starter and use the paracord to hoist it up, then I run back inside and climb under Michael to bolt it on.  Phew...  I have a new appreciation for Paracord, a survival tool I always carried, but until today... never had to use... it just made a nice bracelet.

Since I didn't want to leave Michael standing there holding the starter while I grabbed the camera I don't have any in progress pics... but tomorrow, when the sun comes out I will string up the old starter and show you proof that Paracord really does hold up!

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A picture from last year's ice storm... Stay warm out there... I know you are prepared!

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I’m looking for article ideas!  If you have a survival topic you would like to see as a featured article in our newsletter, let me know! Oh, and you can subscribe to our newsletter here!

[lisaprepares]

I'm looking for article ideas!  If you have a survival topic you would like to see as a featured article in our newsletter, let me know! Oh, and you can subscribe to our newsletter here!

[lisaprepares]

American Blackout

The Discovery Channel has a new take on Disaster... A massive American Blackout caused by a "Cyber Attack", [first thought... why cyber attack... there are so many other ways the grid could go down], but I digress.

I will do my best not to spoil anything...

They keep showing news clips, advising people what to do... who is watching them since they all have no power. HAHAHAHA.  Perhaps their generators could of been put to a better use. 

Next we visit a family who is "Bugging Out" their young son makes the comment that they're gonna have everything, leading into what I see as a future "that's not fair" line.

I think the looting and such has thus far been downplayed, but they are doing a good job pointing out the different mindsets and some of the moronic reactions [one guy's first reaction was that he was going to sue...Really?]

It does a great job pointing out that most are un-prepared, and that they will try to take from those of us who are prepared.  Thus pointing out the need for OPSEC (Operational Security) and Camouflage. What I mean by OPSEC is never letting anyone know what you have and how much there is, and by Camouflage make yourself and your property as poor as possible, as fast as possible [it should look like it's already been looted, so there is no need to stop].

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/american-blackout/

As with all Disaster/Preparedness shows, it will make you asses your preps and your plan so it's defiantly worth a watch!

Lisa

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Well, we are back on home ground (well we're in TN so not home but close enough!)  Can't say the trip was eventful, but the leaves are changing on the east coast, so at least it was Pretty!!!  Fall is coming ...

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Exotic 12ga ammo! Dragons Breath! How Fun!

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Off to Germantown, TN

The BOV is fueled up and we are on the road! Hope to see all of you at the show this weekend at the Agricenter! We've got new exotic 12ga Ammo in stock! To those of you who have asked me to abandon our plans for the Oaks show, due the all the craziness on the east coast... thank you for your concern. We are taking your warnings into consideration for our trip, and have beefed up the BOV to contain more SIP (shelter in place) items as well!

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Naked and Afraid

Okay guys, Michael has been recording these for me to watch, partly because they are about survival, and i think partly because he knows I’m going to yell at the T.V. when they do stupid things. Amazingly though Michael found this show the very week one of you suggested the show to me at a gun show! Crazy right?

So I decided instead of just yelling at the T.V. I would share my rants with all of you! ;-). After all who wants to rant without feedback!

I’ll do my best to include the episode and hopefully a link to at least a clip!

Lisa