I'm not a big eater at Thanksgiving. I don't consider this virtue or vice; I can only reasonably eat so much at a time. It has to do with being full. Once there, I'm done. Can't help it. However, I love to cook, and I do so with gusto, happily preparing enough food to feed an awful lot of people, or a few people an awful lot. Thanksgiving is a great day to cook to my heart's content, and I'm glad to carry on the tradition this year with family and friends.
I couldn't help but think about food prices - I was buying food, after all (!) for this year's bonanza, and paying more this year than last, but what the hell, it's a holiday, right? So, I bought, and I will cook, and enjoy it, and hopefully so will the people who end up eating what I bring to the table.
What about next year? I've already told you about food inflation, fuel inflation, etc. What will we be eating next year?
Things you should be buying right now: wheat flour, rice, corn products, raisins, frozen vegetables, frozen fruits. You should also be buying things with which you may well be able to barter next year: honey, sugar, syrup, soda, beer and/or booze. If it costs money to make it or ship it to you, buy it. I don't eat white sugar, but plenty of people do. I'm not a big fan of soda, but I know people who can't get through a day without it. Same thing with coffee, although I AM a fan of that. Peanut butter. Equal. Vegetable and olive oils. Yeast blocks and packets. Salt. Rice - brown and/or white.
Do you use heating oil, Natural Gas, or Propane in your home? Top off the tanks. Even if you don't need it "right now", and even if it hurts the wallet. In six months, you can thank me. Or not, you'll have saved a bunch of much-needed dollars if you use that money while prices aren't spiking. I'm currently carrying 3-80 gallon tanks of propane on property. 1 is empty, and I'll refill it within 30 days. Note that 1 tank of propane lasts 6 months; I wish I had 5 more on hand; I'd fill those too.
Have you done anything yet about storing water? Get on it; in times of shortage and near-shortage, prices spike before the wells run dry. Google "water buffalo" - you can store water safely without a huge investment. And we all know you need water, no matter where you are.
Thanksgiving: yes, I'm grateful. I'm grateful for my health, my home, my loved ones, my friends, my pets, and beautiful weather (there's just nothing like going for a swim in November; I never get used to it). I'm grateful to live in a republic that still allows me to publish and express my opinions, even if they're not party line. I'm grateful to be able to stockpile provisions when I see bad things coming. I'm grateful that the "worst" is not yet here.
I'd be especially grateful if I were wrong about all of it. Obviously, I don't think I am, but how cool would that be?
I've been paying a lot of attention to Ireland, Portugal, and Spain this week. I understand, from my friends at ZeroHedge.com, that the "emergency fund" originally set up to protect EU member governments in time of crisis, will not be able to fund the bailouts needed by the three countries above. Not even with substantial help from the IMF.
I'm also watching the slow train-wreck that is the passing of "austerity" measures on the populations of these countries. You literally "ain't seen nothin' yet", as far as public unrest and civilian casualties. This is what happens when governments reward the elites that brought down this house of cards, and punish the people who saved them.
So, I guess, in the end, I'm grateful that "austerity" measures haven't taken hold here, yet. Don't take it for granted, though; somehow we 'Mericans voted in a bunch of the cronies and lap-dogs of the Wall Street interests. This will bring the "belt tightening" to the forefront of discussion, and don't think for a minute that you/we (the working class) will be exempt. On the contrary, they're looking to squeeze every last gasp of hope we had up the ladder to the top 1%.
So, eat, drink, hug the people you love. And stock up on staples for Black Friday, instead of cheap Chinese crap.
Then, maybe next year, you can be Thankful again.
Brutal Truth
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