The Babylonians are at the door

     I had a conversation with an acquaintance who preps for hurricanes in June then laughs when he isn't hit hard and he uses all his supplies before Christmas. He doesn't have a med kit on hand, a bug out bag or any year round supplies. Just like anyone, he could lose his job and have nothing to eat nor any hidden cash for gas or anything.  He also said he heard from another neighbor that I have a little something set aside. But, still, who was this guy, after all?  He has lived across the street from me for maybe seven years and I had never had a conversation more than a head nod before.  He wanted me to tell him about disaster prepping. I told him, I wish I could afford to have all the things rumors can buy.  I can barely afford the electric bill and the roof needs fixing. I got him off topic over the roof.

     There is a story in the Bible of the king of Judah, Hezekiah, once visited by envoys from Babylon.  He showed them all that he possessed.  He showed his store houses of gold, silver, food stores and all in his land.  The prophet Isaiah warned him of the coming days when all his sons would be eunuchs in the house of the king of Babylon.  OOOPS!  That was closing the barn door after the horses were out!  But it shows that since biblical times, showing strangers your valuables is an invitation to attack.  

     I can not offer you advice to hole up, wrap your house in barbed wire, electrify it and set the booby traps as you drive off to work!  I can tell you, Keep your mouth shut.  Quit telling your neighbors what you are up to.  Don't leave your gear out for the anyone to see.

     I work cleaning a house in a nice neighborhood where you just know they all own the latest electronic gadgets.  I found out that the house across the cul-de-sac was looted.  After the investigation was complete and the arrests were made, it turns out, the son of the homeowner told his friend he couldn't come over to play on Saturday because the entire family was going on a trip.  The friend later pestered his brother who had a friend over for the day.  He was told go to the kid's house and play.  He told his brother he couldn't because they were away for the three day weekend.  The brother's friend told his brother and that's the guy who made the sandwich in the kitchen after he and HIS friend packed up the valuables to haul off and pawn!

Keep your mouth shut!

     If you are leaving town, make sure those solar lights are on at dusk and put the television on a timer to go on and off in the evening.  Leave a radio tuned to all talk radio at a low level so it sounds like some guy talking on the phone.  Have someone you trust come visit the house.  Leave no sign of absence, no newspapers, milk, or mail on the doorstep.  Stop being so friendly and so gullible.  Don't make a waving parade as you leave the driveway to let your neighbors know you are going.  You are not the Queen.  Get in the car and go as if you will be back in a few minutes.

      As far as your prep goods go, I have given tips for storing things in the home out of sight of family friends and neighbors and everyone they know, and everyone they know.  Set prep goods in the back of closets, the front of closets are for the things you use everyday and for camouflage.  The reason they call a hideaway bed a hide away is because it's supposed to be hidden.  Stop pointing it out to people.
  
     Stop pointing out to your neighbors that you have enough batteries to keep yourself well lit for days.  Stop bragging.  Just do what you do.  Prep, store, and squirrel away the things you need for YOU and YOURS.    Again, you are not the Queen.  You don't need a crowd of neighbors or their ne'er do well associates plotting to get your stuff when you are not home, or worse, when you are.  

     One of my sons is growing a garden.  He has a few chickens.  One of his neighbors asked him about the volume of food he had growing, you know you could hole up in your house and survive a disaster with what you have on the ground, D.  That sort of thing.  He just laughed it off and said he was going organic and it cost too much at the store, he might even go vegetarian but he didn't have enough yet to support his plans to get healthy.  
     
     I suggested if he does have veg to can or dehydrate that he give a portion of the fresh fruit to a soup kitchen so he could always say he gave it to charity if he is ever asked what's in the root cellar ( that no one knows he has).  
Have several stories ready for the nosy neighbor.  Make sure those stories are rooted in the truth.  Give away some vegetables to the needy.  Take fresh eggs to the senior neighbors.  Offer the extra fruit from the lemon tree to the church or, call the local food bank to pick the avocado tree after you have picked your tree.  
     Gleaning was once a matter of honor.  The land lord would allow the single women with children, the widows and the elderly who had no fields to come after the harvest and pick up the excess unpicked or that which was dropped.  A landowner who refused the poor and needy was known as greedy and selfish.