Personal Notes and an Observation

Personal Note #1

An uncle of mine (my Mother's older brother) has been fighting a losing battle with cancer. I drove my Mother to South Carolina to see him several times over the last couple of months. We will be making one last trip tomorrow to attend his funeral. He was a good man and will be missed.

Personal Note #2, with an observation

I have been doing a great deal of permaculture work in my spare time during May and June. Among other things, I've been installing lasagna-style gardening beds and planting edible landscaping for several people in my area, as well as helping them do upgrades on their homes for energy-efficiency. It has been a good hands-on experience for me. One interesting aspect of the work is that I have done it all by hand - no tillers, tractors, chain saws or power tools of any kind.

One observation I do want to share with everyone is that if some of the worst-case scenarios do come true, or even close to becoming reality, and we do end up having to live and provide for ourselves without the benefits of much in the way of electricity or gasoline, health and physical fitness is going to play an even greater role in our survival than I previously thought.

I am not in great shape, but I did consider myself to be in fairly good shape. Frankly, I am more physically fit than the average modern Westerner. But I have become painfully aware (literally) that I am not in adequate shape for what may be to come. I have wakened many mornings to sore and quivering muscles in my arms, shoulders, legs, buttocks and back. There have been times that the muscles in my arms have felt so exhausted that it took and act of sheer will power to lift them over my head.

I have always recommended taking care of your health and getting into shape as part of your preparations for the future. Now I am increasing my recommendation, especially for those of you who think that the worst-case scenarios are likely. You need to double or triple your efforts to improve your health and increase your fitness level.

Of course, any physical activity you do will be a step in the right direction. But based on my recent experiences, it is going to take more than just taking some after-dinner strolls around the neighborhood, or even working out in a comfortable, air-conditioned gym a few times a week. I highly recommend that you "work" yourself in shape by actually doing things such as digging garden beds, chopping wood, planting trees and berry bushes, mowing the lawn with a push reel mower (those mowers powered by you, not gasoline or electricity) and so forth.

I am convinced that a lack of health and physical fitness is going to play a much greater role in future survival than most people currently expect. Take heed and start preparing now.