Pantry Challenge December and January!

 I couldn't come up with a clever name for the pantry challenge so I tried to punch it up with an exclamation point.  My writing is not good today.

Anywho...I have a butt ton of food.  Lots of protein and carbs, some veg and fruit (especially dried fruit), a giant dark chocolate bar that I can dress up by melting in some nuts and maybe even coffee beans.  Enough coffee and tea to get me through the next apocalypse.

Hence...a pantry challenge.

I do need to take one person out for a holiday meal because that is what works for us.  Aside from that and when people randomly hand me stuff, like the lovely neighbor who dropped off turkey, potatoes and gravy Sunday afternoon, I shall eat from the pantry and the eggs the hens may or may not produce.   

A few of my go-to recipes, like banana eggs for breakfast, will run out, which will make me come up with some other options.  Always good.

I think making the coffee last will also motivate me to get back to tea rather than a 2nd cup of coffee.  (...ok, 3rd and 4th cups of coffee) (don't judge me).

Pantry challenges always improve my meals, cooking and health (like limiting sodium).  The only thing I might not have plenty of is peppercorns.  How incredibly bougie is that??  

I never did a total pantry inventory so maybe this will motivate me to do that.  Or not.  

I may well have enough TP to get through January if  I am clean but judicious with the use.

We'll see how it goes!  At least I should waste less food!  I'm already thinking of how to ration the squash and onions and carrots (the "Fresh") and when to start sprouting seeds for greens.  

Power Outage...but NOT at my place

 So I'm driving home, as one does when work is over AND the power keeps going on and off at the office.

The power was back on in the town where I work, but then, everything was dark.  A car was off the road and a tree or two down.  Of course, it's 5pm and pitch dark because we are having a wind storm with a bit of rain.  Clouds.  No moon or stars.  Then I notice, also only like one lighted window per house along the road, the occassional porch light, probably solar.

It took me a bit, but then I figured out the power was out.  Possibly due to the downed trees or car jammed against a power pole (brand new power pole....busted in half).

At my house, the solar panels are still up (knocking on wood now) and I have as much power as I ever do after a cloudy day.

My life didn't change. 

This makes me smirk.   All the preppers with crap in their giant a$$ freezers are now finding a bit crap in their pants.  I keep shelf stable things that can freeze and thaw a few times (dry beans, dry yeast, flour, pasta in jars).  With the wind there won't be a fire in my stove tonight, but it's still 50 degs outside so it's not a problem.  Sometimes it gets down to freezing in here on a windy night, but still, I might need to take a couple of frozen eggs and make pancakes instead of scrambled eggs.

Those with frozen meat and fridges are hoping that the massive power outage is over soon, or it freezes hard (well, those who realize they can put things outside if it's cold enough want it to freeze.  Those with pellet stoves or electric heat are not that much for it),

Yesterday it was windy, but also sunny enough that I ran a little space heater most of the day when I was inside so my toes were warm.  I didn't really need it, but, why not?  The batteries were full and everything past that isn't stored up anyway.

So, there you go.  Solar wins again.

What if I Stretched This Slow Fashion Thing a Bit Further?

 Like, I'm thinking I could NOT buy any clothes in 2022.   I've started looking at my clothing stock and what tends to come in to it regularly.

I have shortsleeve t shirts coming out my ears.  And I get some free now and then.

Could use a long sleeved t or two.  Easy to get at thrift I think.

Sweatshirts, enough, not too many but enough.

Enough undies for now, but aging.  3 new pairs kept in back stock should sort it out.

A good supply of warm sox, need to check into the summer weight sox stock.

Bras...could probably make it a year if I had 1 new good bra and kept it out of full rotation until needed.

Jeans/pants:  Numbers wise I have enough, but some are thin summer pants that I tear up fast so actually...1-2 decent pairs of all cotton jeans in backstock would get me through a year easily, especially if I do better at changing in to work pants before doing chores.

Sweaters....plenty.  I am actually wearing a really nice Dale of Norway sweater with pewter buttons as jammies.   I put a long sleeve t or hoodie over it, and a t-shirt under it.  Toasty.

Longjohns.  Supply is probably just enough to make it.  1 pair totally worn out, 3 pairs OK (1 is jammies).

Coats...don't get me started!

Rainpants...actually need a pair of these.   The ones I have are too big and in tatters.  Maybe 50% effective.

Workpants: I'm ok on these.  They don't all fit but who cares when you are shoveling sh*t?

Hats: I'm OK.

Gloves...hmmm...if I don't lose them I kind of have enough for warmth, but work gloves I should have 2 more pairs.   They get wet/bloody and I need a dry pair available when that happens.

Boots: peachy!  Tall rubber boots, insulated muck boots, and hiking boots (2 of 3 pairs bought by work), crappy old boots for hazmat work, 1 pair of steel toes, and....well, there are more.  Might need some repaired but not replaced.

Shoes: 3 old pairs but they will be fine.

Button down shirts...plenty.  I would like to wear a few out actually.

Undershirts/shells:  I could use a blue and a grey tank top.  

No formal wear to speak of but that almost never comes up and I can probably borrow a garment if I really need it.

I can work with this and come up with a list of things and double check backstock.   Get it all sorted by the time Jan 1 comes around and try for a no-clothes-buy 2022 if I feel like it.