SMART: Prepare for life's surprises

I just read two articles that made me think: the couponing story and Mr. Hitchcock's end of the world story.

These are my thoughts: Storing food is a good idea for whatever reason you choose. In today's news you see devastation in Japan affecting people there at varying levels. Some just being lucky to be alive in shelters, others in cities farther away but still affected. Being told to stay in their homes and seal themselves off. Even those who venture out will find grocery shelves bare, with food and water not available, no matter how much money they have on hand.

People finding themselves without jobs for whatever reason has happened for years and years. Those who had some extra food in their homes have found it easier to manage the money they had left for other necessities.

Buying three cans of tuna when it is on sale for 48 cents each, even though you only needed one, is smart. If you can do it for less with a coupon, awesome. (I always seem to leave my coupons at home. The ladies are right: organization must be one of the keys to couponing.) Buying food in No. 10 cans allows you the choice to use it right now because it's winter and you want to bake a strawberry-huckleberry pie. You have the frozen huckleberries you picked last year, but there aren't strawberries available (at a price you can afford anyway) and strawberries can be reconstituted and make a yummy pie. Or you can have them on your shelves for 7 to 19 years and use them any time you may need them.

The same idea goes for a No. 10 can of milk or powdered eggs. You may think, Yuk, and by themselves I'd agree. But use them to bake a cake or add powdered milk to regular milk to extend your food budget. You won't have to buy another half-gallon of milk and it's smart. My family never knew I did that to their food. They still ate it and were full and healthy. Kind of like adding pulverized broccoli to the soup when they won't eat vegetables.

I spoke to a friend who has been out of work for a year and a half. She mentioned that it was scary not to have a jar of peanut butter on her shelf. She told me the food bank had been out of food for two months but were now able to give out food. However, she didn't take it this week because she felt there were others who needed what was available more than she did. She also helps with one of our area's shelters. We hear stories of people in Japan sharing what little food and water they have with others. The same kind of people live right here in our area. You may find it isn't your family that needs stored food someday; it may be your neighbors or extended family.

Buy a package of carrot seeds and three tomato plants this spring; plant them in your yard between the shrubs. You'll have fresh veggies to eat this summer. In fact, you'll probably get sick of all the tomatoes you get and will need to figure out what to do with the extra red or green ones! True, you may need to ask the Kootenai extension office for free advice or it's amazing the information you can find on the Internet to help you learn how. No computer? Try the public library; they have computers and books, with people that would love to help you learn to find the information you need.

There now. I feel better with all those thoughts out of my head and down on paper. My birds thought I was crazy talking to them in the bathroom mirror this morning. But I guess they are used to me. I hope it helped someone today. You don't need to do a lot, you just need to do something to start to be prepared for whatever life hands you. That may be buying three cans of tuna.

JAYNE SHIRLEY

Hayden