Blogging with Cheryl

Packaged Sterno stove and fuel cans

Canned Heat Stoves

Canned heat (generally referred to as “Sterno”), and the stoves to use it, can be purchased in large sporting goods stores, discount stores, or online. A folding Sterno stove costs between $8 and $14, is very compact, and will hold…

Collage of indoor emergency cooking methods

Indoor Emergency Cooking

There are many ways to cook when the power is out, but most need to be used outdoors. So what do you do when you don’t have a wood burning stove or wood fireplace and it’s dark or raining, snowing,…

Shelf stable foods for an emergency food pack for a senior citizen

Emergency Food Packs for Seniors

Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (IMGH) has a yearly project (Operation IMpact) that provides Emergency Food Packs to over 4000 home bound senior citizens in their Meals on Wheels program. The goal is to help these people survive a natural…

Illustration of a family practicing a fire drill

Physical Muscle Memory

Some time ago, I was made aware of the transcript of a FEMA podcast about preparing better for disasters. It specifically addressed some stories about the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra, Indonesia. The speaker included some advice on physical preparation. He…

A collapsed disposable vomit bag

Road Trip Bags

It’s that time of year when families make road trips. Most families have at least one member (either adult or child) that has a problem with motion sickness. Add to that, eating the wrong thing (or too much of a…

Collage of 4 photos - grocery ads, home canned chickpeas, homemade bread, a raised garden bed of green bean plants

The Self-Reliance Skill of Frugality

Several years ago, I read a newspaper article on how much the food stamp program, SNAP, was helping people unemployed or underemployed by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am glad there was some help for them. I am glad there were…