Alright, here we go again.
Here is the Red Cross link:
www.redcross.org/…
In my poll two weeks ago, I listed, “tools,” and it got a lot of votes. I did not realize the Red Cross list said, “multi-purpose tool.” Those are usually clumsy, and hard to open. I have a generic set of tools, similar to the picture I posted, but less fancy. I have a cordless drill, and lots of bits. Actual bits for drilling holes, and fifty or more driver bits, of various kinds, mostly Phillips, but many other kinds of bits, as well.
To illustrate my situation, I will tell you about the latest time I used my tools.
I have no car, so, no car repair story, but I needed to alter a chair. For more than five years, I have been using an office chair, very basic, that has me sitting up very straight. I developed a severe muscle cramp, in my neck, a few weeks ago, and I theorized that the muscle cramp may have been caused by my sitting up so straight, for too many hours a day, here at my computer keyboard. So, aside from going to a chiropractor, and following his advice, using an ice pack, 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, for three cycles, (which got me past the worst of it), I decided to quit using that chair, and start using my recliner.
My recliner is a small swivel recliner, not a bulky Lazy Boy. I feel better, slightly reclined, rather than that old sit up straight chair. However, the recliner came with a solid ring at the bottom. It was designed to swivel around, 360 degrees, but it had no wheels. So, each time I wanted to get up out of the recliner, I had to scoot it back, away from my desk, and it was very hard to do.
So, I ordered a box of 24 casters, at Walmart dot com. I already have lots of wood screws, and tools. So, when the casters arrived, my first chore, was to remove the plastic ring, from the wooden ring base. The ring was mounted on six plastic slugs. Each slug had a hex key bolt, 4 mm. I looked carefully, and found that in all my fifty bits, I had no metric hex heads. But, I have a multi tool type set of Allen wrenches, that all fold out, with 7 metric sizes, including 4 mm. So, I removed the bolts. Then, I had to use a claw hammer, to actually remove the plastic slugs, from the wooden ring. Then, I got out my jar of wood screws (Phillips head) that looked like the right size, and, for each caster, I started the four screws with my hand held tool, tightened them with the power tool, then checked them with my hand held tool. I only twisted off the head, of one screw. Not bad. I installed ten casters, in that way. I was so proud of my work, I took a picture, and sent it with a text, to my family. (I have not yet learned how to post my pictures here at Daily Kos.)
To summarize:
My tools, that I use the most are:
- channel lock pliers
- manual and power screwdrivers, with many bits
- manual Allen wrenches, since I don’t have metric bits
- claw hammer
- box cutter
- magic marker, if you call that a tool
- scissors. lots of scissors
- tweezers
- fire extinguishers
- step ladder
- duck tape
- packing tape
These are just the tools I recall using, in recent months. Feel free to add tools that you feel are truly essential. I just bought the step ladder, about a month ago and, in that month, I had to change three light bulbs, in my apartment, the most recent one, only a few hours before I typed these words. Truly important, to avoid falls. Before that, I was standing on a tool box, to change light bulbs. Not smart.
I use scissors, many times a day, on some days, mainly in cooking, to open various packages of food. For example, just a few hours ago, I used scissors to open three packages of corn muffin mix, and powdered milk, and powdered eggs. All that, in a bowl, with one bottle of water, made a corn muffin batter, that I dolloped on top of my butter and veggie stew, in a cake pan, and baked it up, to make a kind of tamale pie, as some call it.
You didn’t know you would get a recipe, along with prepping, did you? Gotta eat.
Oh, I almost forgot. Inspired by commentators, from two weeks ago, I decided to try a different method, for setting aside a month or so supply of water, for me, in my little apartment. Just a few hours ago, I ordered, a Life Straw pitcher, and extra filters, and some extra half gallon mason jars. I already have a few jars on hand. Mostly quart size, and a few smaller, and a few half gallon. I have a big stack of bottled water at the moment, about a 30 day supply, so, I have time, to gradually change over. I am changing my ways, because, some of you, in the comments, stated that you hated the whole idea, of buying water in all those little plastic bottles, then filling up the landfills, with those bottles, or trying to recycle the bottles. I agree. But, MY biggest problem is, the cases of water that give me the best deal, are the cases of 40 bottles, from Walmart. However, that sore neck that came on so suddenly? Maybe it was partly caused by me trying to lift that water, from my sister-in-law’s minivan, on to my back porch, then, carrying them inside. I can walk the short block to the Dollar General, and buy the smaller cases, but that is still a lot of work, with my wagon, and lifting, and carrying. I am 67 years old, and not a super tough guy. So, if I can stay in my apartment, (aside from taking lots of nice walks), and filter the Wichita city tap water, through the Life Straw filter, (supposing it is better than Brita or Pur), and then pour the filtered water into the glass jars, maybe that will work out, well enough. The two questions are: will the water be pure enough, (no germs accidentally introduced), to keep, in the jars, for a month, safely? And, will it taste good enough? When I think of the taste, I need to maintain a positive mood, since my wife died, on the 10th of March, 2022. Eating and drinking very tasty foods and drinks, helps me avoid depression. Of course, I can put a little lemon juice in my water, to mask any taste that might make me feel depressed. Or, just get used to it. I am eager to see how it tastes.
Okay, give me your ideas, on water, your recipes for food, and your favorite tools, all in the comments.
Hugs!