An experiment in being off grid, that was fun, once it was over

I realize its been awhile. I have lots of reasons, but none are all that exciting. Sorry. Ive been debating whether or not to keep this going. I wonder how many people see this little blog. But, I really do like writing about this stuff so I might keep on and see how it goes.
So lets make up for some lost time, shall we?

So... Winter. Its everywhere, even where it shouldnt be right now. We lost power a few days ago for a couple of hours. Luckily it was in the afternoon. Apparently a transformer blew and knocked out power to our whole county and parts of a couple others. Also, we were very fortunate that the temps were in the low 30's. For the previous 3 days it had been hovering, and dipping below 0. Our house did get a little colder for those 2 or 3 hours as the furnace didn't work. We don't have a wood stove, or any other way to heat the house except for a portable propane heater.

Here's what I did to prepare for what could have been a long, dark, cold evening and night...

1. Gathered all the oil lanterns and our 1 oil lamp. Filled them all with oil and set them out on the kitchen table. ( I didn't realize how bad lamp oil smells!)

2. Added extra blankets on all the kids beds topped with a sleeping bag. Also laid out a couple layers of warm pjs for each of the kids.

3. Set out stuff for dinner ( a bag of store bought soup) and set the Sterno Stove and some matches so we could have a warm dinner, even if it was on the small side. I bought two of these stoves online for just such purposes. Always a good idea to have a backup plan for cooking food. We could have grilled out or used out cast iron pans on the grill or fire pit, if it were lighter out, and warmer.

Even in a couple of hours, I learned a few things about being in that kind of situation.

- I need more lamp oil. And probably more wicks. And definitely more glass chimneys. I read somewhere that the number of chimneys you need is directly proportionate to the number of small children you have.(good advice!)

- It would be way more convenient to have flashlights that all used the same kind of batteries.

- Having food that doesn't require cooking is nice. Having an alternative way to cook food is even nicer. I have been looking into getting a Volcano Stove for awhile. You can get a hood that lets you use it as a convection oven so you can bake!


Also,the day before the electricity went out,  with the weather being so cold, our washing machine was not working.In fact, all our hot water pipes were frozen. Of course I had to be washing diapers when the thing stopped, full of dirty water. Since it was hot, I let them soak for awhile, then pulled out all the covers ( found here, if you are interested) and washed them by hand with a little dishsoap, then hung them up to dry. I always hang them because they will wear out in the dryer. They dry super fast.
Then, I fished out the prefolds and homemade wipes with a hanger a few at a time. Threw them in a canner full of water and a teensy amount of soap and plunged them good with my handy Mobile Washer that I originally got for camping, but it works just as well anywhere. Once they were nice and sudsy and clean, I let them soak in a different bucket with water and vinegar. Then I rinsed them out in a sink full of cold water. And threw them in the dryer. Fun times.

What I learned from that experience:

- Its good to have a bit of water stored in case there is a water line break, your pipes freeze up, (or your water gets contaminated by a massive chemical spill). That way you can drink clean water, do your laundry, give the kids a bath ( thinking about getting one of these only bigger, for just such an occasion)

- Get some rubber dish gloves.

- It doesnt take a lot of soap to wash something in a canner. A little dab will do ya.

- If I didnt have my Mobile Washer, a (clean) plunger with some holes cut in the rubber would have worked the same.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

There are fewer things I feel better about making for my home than laundry soap. I love that I can produce something that will last a long time and that actually does a really good job of getting our clothes clean. I use it for everything- even cloth diapers. It takes some work, but it really is worth it to be able to keep from literally pouring your money "down the drain."
While store-bought soaps can smell very nice and sometimes you might be able to get a good deal, I like having the ingredients on hand for loads (no pun intended) of laundry soap that is very cheap to make and isnt mostly glycerin, water, and fragrance. If I ever need more, I just make more. Its something the kids like to help with and it gives me a happy feeling inside of providing for the needs of my family.
I use the same recipe the Duggar family uses for liquid laundry soap, only I take it one step further. After the soap has cooled in the bucket overnight, I carefully put it through my blender so I end up with a nice, rich, consistant soap that easily pours into the waiting soap bottles.And it is easier to pour into the little cups when I am ready for it.

Duggar Family Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap:

4 cups water
1 bar of Fels Naptha soap, grated
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
*I also add about a 1/2 cup of oxyclean to the bucket to help with stains, etc
*glycerin

heat water in saucepan and melt grated bar soap- watch it as it can bubble up and run over if you arent careful.

fill a 5 gallon bucket half way with warm water, add melted soap, soda, borax, and oxyclean(if using) . Add more water until bucket is full. Adding  a few teaspoons of glycerin helps with the consistency.

cover and leave overnight until soap is gel-like on top. At the bottom it will still be watery. Break up the soap and mix with paintstick, etc. Carefully pour into blender cup if necessary, then into empty laundry containers or whatever you want to keep your soap in.