Nov 27, 2022·edited Nov 27, 2022Liked by Graham Seibert
I'm in Arkansas, USA and we keep our heater at 54 degrees. We like the cold house, we just wear warmer pajamas and have nice quilts on our beds.
The lack of electricity would get to me at some point, but we don't rely on it for our water either. I primitive camp a month each year ,during our harshest winter weather in Arkansas (which is normally lows in the teens and highs in the mid 30's fahrenheit. Just like summer, my family conditions our bodies to our weather temps. Our home AC never goes below 85 degrees.
Anyway, we aren't dealing with rockets, good luck to ya
We built this house without AC on purpose. Growing up without it did me no harm. I consider it the rankest hypocrisy to virtue signal about your garbage recycling or electric car and keep the house exactly at 70 winter and summer.
There is a working hand pump on community property about five minutes from here. We have a wheelbarrow and 6 liter bottles. We are of course keeping quite a bit of water in tubs and basins.
We have a pond across the street, tools to break the ice - never more than about six inches - and bleach to kill the bugs. Four drops per liter.
The main thing is that Ukraine has been very resourceful so far in restoring power. I cannot believe that Russia has held much back at this point. We may go a week altogether without power, and after that a few hours per day. We'll survive. We have not yet resorted to sleeping together to stay warm or to using our stash of charcoal.
Good advice on the computer. It doesn't charge at all.
Fortunately labor is cheap here. I have a good computer guy who will probably charge about $20 to fix whatever is wrong. I like doing business with people like Michael. It ties me to the community.
We moderns are such wimps. Our ancestors overwintered here in mammoth bone huts. They didn't have the warm clothes, good insulation, butane cookstoves and such that we have.
Here's an irony. My father-in-law, a skinny guy with one leg, is doing just fine with a single thin blanket. He grew up on Sakhalin Island and is used to cold. The kids aren't complaining at all. My room, facing north with two windows, is the coldest in the house. 59 degrees as I write, and I'm not complaining.
The folks in apartments have it worse than we do. No elevators or water when the electricity is out. I'm not even thinking about it until they leave in a mass exodus.
I suspect that the government is encouraging the media to exaggerate our situation. One reason would be to keep people from returning - fewer bodies to heat, and fewer potential victims. Another would be placing continued emphasis on Putin's villainy. He certainly does wish us evil.
Graham, you may want to consider evacuating while there is still time to get Oksana & the children out. Not that much good awaits in Europe, but at least not bombs & invasions. It seems likely to get much, much worse for Ukraine this winter. Assuming you have a car, at least keep your gas tank full & if you do try to get out, do it before below zero temps kill the car battery. Many city mayors are encouraging residents to get out of cities into country.
If you don't leave, make sure you have a bucket & supply of sand or sawdust for going to bathroom. & Pkenty of canned & dried food on hand.
I live in Maine, with similar winter temps. I have closed off most of my house, using backup propane heat only, for 3 rooms. Temps indoors here range from 62 in family room by heater to 55 in kitchen next door, to 40 in living room. That is with outdoor temps at worst in low 20s overnight & propane heat running almost continuously.
This won't hold up once temps are in teens, never mind single digits & below zero F, when I will turn on oil heat.
US/NATO lacks sufficient manufacturing to keep up arms donations -- msm is openly admitting this. Furthermore, we are 5-7 years behind Russia in weapons design & outsourced most of our manufacturing. Worse in Europe. Politicians have openly admitted they will "support Ukraine to the last Ukrainian." It seems not only possible, but likely, that they mean this literally, not metaphorically.
From Nato/Wef perspective this looks like a depopulation program. Anti-semites say to "clear cut" Ukraine so zionists can move in.
From Russia's perspective, this is an existential fight against US/NATO, who intend to use Ukr to weaken Russia & put nukes within striking distance of Moscow.
I recently learned that back under W Bush, the neocons replaced MAD with "nuclear decapitation strike on Moscow" as official US policy. This was advanced under Obama, along with capability. They stupidly believed Russia would then immediately surrender. Instead, on learning of this, Russia established a dead man switch. Believe it or not, Russia is trying very hard to prevent a nuclear holocaust. The US neocons have repeatedly pushed for "limited nuclear strikes".
Obviously, Russia cannot allow this to stand. After 2 decades of bring "blown off" by US, Russia is no longer open to negotiation. They are cutting transportation to trap Ukr military in place without logistical support. Krivy Rog railway is out as of this morning. Eventually they may cut all electricity to lock Ukr forces in place.
Independent analysts say they are massing huge forces on the border. They have defense agreement with Belarus, with joint training & more buildup on their border. They've completed their 300,000 mobilization, & continue to build up #s with volunteers enlisting. Analysts expect a major move once the ground deep freezes.
I think you're probably better off where you are now than being a refugee. A refugee is not a good thing to be. That said, go ahead and think through when leaving will be the smart or necessary thing to do. Keep the vehicle full of gas and know who and what you'll need (and be able to) take with you.
On the Dell computer, that's a lithium-ion battery, most likely. If they are run too flat, the built-in battery management module can't power up and the battery refuses to charge. The next time the power is on, plug it into its charger and see if it will charge. If it won't, and you're game, you can get some juice into it using a 12v power source, like a car battery. There are videos on YouTube. I've done it and salvaged a couple of power tool batteries.
Thanks for giving your anxious readers an update on your situation!
About your water situation when the electricity is out, since you have your own well, have you considered installing a hand pump? They were common in houses on ranches and farms (in the US) before rural electrification and many still used them for years after that. Bisonpumps.com makes high quality ones that we use on our ranch line shacks and outbuildings, but I'm sure there are many other manufacturers.
The line shacks are heated with wood cookstoves or kerosene heaters and lighted with kerosene lamps and have kerosene refrigerators. We used to get ours from servelrefrigerators.com but I see they don't carry them anymore, but do offer many other non-electric necessities. I read that Servel is now produced in Sweden by Dometic but they no longer export to the US. I don't know if any of this information is of use to you or is not something you already know but.... Anyway, as long as you can get food, you should be able to manage.
The Marines are trained to improvise, adapt and overcome. We can all do that when we have to. I'm sure you will make it through these bad times. God bless and keep you and your family, Graham!
I'm in Arkansas, USA and we keep our heater at 54 degrees. We like the cold house, we just wear warmer pajamas and have nice quilts on our beds.
The lack of electricity would get to me at some point, but we don't rely on it for our water either. I primitive camp a month each year ,during our harshest winter weather in Arkansas (which is normally lows in the teens and highs in the mid 30's fahrenheit. Just like summer, my family conditions our bodies to our weather temps. Our home AC never goes below 85 degrees.
Anyway, we aren't dealing with rockets, good luck to ya
We built this house without AC on purpose. Growing up without it did me no harm. I consider it the rankest hypocrisy to virtue signal about your garbage recycling or electric car and keep the house exactly at 70 winter and summer.
Thanks Wanda -
There is a working hand pump on community property about five minutes from here. We have a wheelbarrow and 6 liter bottles. We are of course keeping quite a bit of water in tubs and basins.
We have a pond across the street, tools to break the ice - never more than about six inches - and bleach to kill the bugs. Four drops per liter.
The main thing is that Ukraine has been very resourceful so far in restoring power. I cannot believe that Russia has held much back at this point. We may go a week altogether without power, and after that a few hours per day. We'll survive. We have not yet resorted to sleeping together to stay warm or to using our stash of charcoal.
Thanks for thinking of us!
Good advice on the computer. It doesn't charge at all.
Fortunately labor is cheap here. I have a good computer guy who will probably charge about $20 to fix whatever is wrong. I like doing business with people like Michael. It ties me to the community.
We moderns are such wimps. Our ancestors overwintered here in mammoth bone huts. They didn't have the warm clothes, good insulation, butane cookstoves and such that we have.
Here's an irony. My father-in-law, a skinny guy with one leg, is doing just fine with a single thin blanket. He grew up on Sakhalin Island and is used to cold. The kids aren't complaining at all. My room, facing north with two windows, is the coldest in the house. 59 degrees as I write, and I'm not complaining.
The folks in apartments have it worse than we do. No elevators or water when the electricity is out. I'm not even thinking about it until they leave in a mass exodus.
I suspect that the government is encouraging the media to exaggerate our situation. One reason would be to keep people from returning - fewer bodies to heat, and fewer potential victims. Another would be placing continued emphasis on Putin's villainy. He certainly does wish us evil.
Graham, you may want to consider evacuating while there is still time to get Oksana & the children out. Not that much good awaits in Europe, but at least not bombs & invasions. It seems likely to get much, much worse for Ukraine this winter. Assuming you have a car, at least keep your gas tank full & if you do try to get out, do it before below zero temps kill the car battery. Many city mayors are encouraging residents to get out of cities into country.
If you don't leave, make sure you have a bucket & supply of sand or sawdust for going to bathroom. & Pkenty of canned & dried food on hand.
I live in Maine, with similar winter temps. I have closed off most of my house, using backup propane heat only, for 3 rooms. Temps indoors here range from 62 in family room by heater to 55 in kitchen next door, to 40 in living room. That is with outdoor temps at worst in low 20s overnight & propane heat running almost continuously.
This won't hold up once temps are in teens, never mind single digits & below zero F, when I will turn on oil heat.
US/NATO lacks sufficient manufacturing to keep up arms donations -- msm is openly admitting this. Furthermore, we are 5-7 years behind Russia in weapons design & outsourced most of our manufacturing. Worse in Europe. Politicians have openly admitted they will "support Ukraine to the last Ukrainian." It seems not only possible, but likely, that they mean this literally, not metaphorically.
From Nato/Wef perspective this looks like a depopulation program. Anti-semites say to "clear cut" Ukraine so zionists can move in.
From Russia's perspective, this is an existential fight against US/NATO, who intend to use Ukr to weaken Russia & put nukes within striking distance of Moscow.
I recently learned that back under W Bush, the neocons replaced MAD with "nuclear decapitation strike on Moscow" as official US policy. This was advanced under Obama, along with capability. They stupidly believed Russia would then immediately surrender. Instead, on learning of this, Russia established a dead man switch. Believe it or not, Russia is trying very hard to prevent a nuclear holocaust. The US neocons have repeatedly pushed for "limited nuclear strikes".
Obviously, Russia cannot allow this to stand. After 2 decades of bring "blown off" by US, Russia is no longer open to negotiation. They are cutting transportation to trap Ukr military in place without logistical support. Krivy Rog railway is out as of this morning. Eventually they may cut all electricity to lock Ukr forces in place.
Independent analysts say they are massing huge forces on the border. They have defense agreement with Belarus, with joint training & more buildup on their border. They've completed their 300,000 mobilization, & continue to build up #s with volunteers enlisting. Analysts expect a major move once the ground deep freezes.
I think you're probably better off where you are now than being a refugee. A refugee is not a good thing to be. That said, go ahead and think through when leaving will be the smart or necessary thing to do. Keep the vehicle full of gas and know who and what you'll need (and be able to) take with you.
On the Dell computer, that's a lithium-ion battery, most likely. If they are run too flat, the built-in battery management module can't power up and the battery refuses to charge. The next time the power is on, plug it into its charger and see if it will charge. If it won't, and you're game, you can get some juice into it using a 12v power source, like a car battery. There are videos on YouTube. I've done it and salvaged a couple of power tool batteries.
Graham, if you still can, get out now. There’s no honor in staying and freezing especially with small children to think about. Wishing you the best.
That was quite the real post, Graham. Thank you for sharing your experiences and insight. Lots of people are listening to you.
Thanks for giving your anxious readers an update on your situation!
About your water situation when the electricity is out, since you have your own well, have you considered installing a hand pump? They were common in houses on ranches and farms (in the US) before rural electrification and many still used them for years after that. Bisonpumps.com makes high quality ones that we use on our ranch line shacks and outbuildings, but I'm sure there are many other manufacturers.
The line shacks are heated with wood cookstoves or kerosene heaters and lighted with kerosene lamps and have kerosene refrigerators. We used to get ours from servelrefrigerators.com but I see they don't carry them anymore, but do offer many other non-electric necessities. I read that Servel is now produced in Sweden by Dometic but they no longer export to the US. I don't know if any of this information is of use to you or is not something you already know but.... Anyway, as long as you can get food, you should be able to manage.
The Marines are trained to improvise, adapt and overcome. We can all do that when we have to. I'm sure you will make it through these bad times. God bless and keep you and your family, Graham!