It's always fun to discover your interests and hobbies didn't just spring fully formed from your forehead... I've known for months and months that my dad is going to retire in a month or so. What I've discovered recently is what he plans to do for a month at a time, several times a year.
He started renewing his camping supplies with some beefier items, found a boat and trailer, nice little woodstove and a 14x14 foot tent, and is going to bugger off back 'home' (he grew up in northern canada) and live off the grid in the deep woods. Each expedition is going to be a month or so at a time, and he'll obviously move back down here for the winters (as he puts it, he likes camping but he's not a masochist)
His plans have lead to some interesting discussions about prepping and survivalist knowledge and literature, including his very low opinion of some of the books out there. I showed him a recipe I found for soap from scratch, and when he was done laughing, he pointed out that sure, you could probably make it gel, but what I had wouldn't get you clean and dug into his late mother's old papers, and handed me a card from her recipe box. Sure enough, it was her recipe for soap, which he remembered her making when they ran out before the supply train reached the town when he was a kid.
As I told my partner, who's generally bemused and indulgent of my prepping hobby I was vindicated! It ran in the family. To which he replied 'yes dear' and went back to making the stovepipe adapter dad had requested for his new tent. 😈
Aphrael
Oh sweetheart, I don't have to run faster than the bear...
😆 Good post!
Russell Coight....outback legend
Way to go dad. How much fun is that...going around the province (or country) setting up wilderness camps!
my mom passed about a year ago now and I know that she had a big stash of recipes, after reading this I think this weekend i will be going and raiding them and keeping them for myself... I am sure that most of her recipes came from my grandmother. when i think about how i store food, and try to justify why... I just think back to being a kid and seeing my grandmother or mother even and how the canned all the time and stored food and never thought twice about it. Now your considered odd to do the same it seems.
I'm sorry for your loss mason.
Russell Coight....outback legend
well, Dad is off at the end of the week for his first foray back home. The month has turned into a planned six week trip, and it's far enough north that the reports he's getting from old buddies is the ice has JUST moved off the shores, although there's still ice in the middle of the lakes. I wish him all the best with his baths in that (shudder). Sis and I have plans to go visiting in about 3-4 weeks, and we've promised him a car full of fresh veggies and a stack of unread books.
Aphrael
Oh sweetheart, I don't have to run faster than the bear...
It doesn't run in the family.
It's simply the way everyone used to live before we were brainwashed by Liberal government, corporations and consumerism.
In the old days people simply looked after themselves as a way of life. People had pride in their independence and "get what I can" didn't factor in. Welfare and relief were dirty words.
In short, we've been socially engineered to be dependent. Thanks Trudeau.
I'm always amazed at what older people know - and will share freely if anyone has the time to sit and talk with them. One of the things I'm trying to teach my daughters is that old ways may not be new and shiney...but they are tried and tested and work and should be practiced if possible. The wealth of knowledge being ignored and lost is really really sad and tragic to me.
Runs with Scissors
Runs With Scissors