Day 88 Final Thoughts

In two days our family will have gone 90 days without at major trip to the grocery store. We failed at making it all the way without any trips to the grocery store due to a shortage of formula and some deodorant. Nevertheless, we have gained valuable experience and friends along the way for which I am grateful. In one of my searches I encountered the idea that the best way to prepare for calamity if you live in Montana is to carry a gun or know a Mormon; Mormons have food stored in preparation for Armageddon. I chuckled, it is good advice. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, as they prefer to be called, does know a lot about storing food. They have been so counseled for over a 100 years. If one has the desire to learn and there are Mormons around, make friends. If there are readers of this blog who are LDS, make friends with the neighbors. God is no respecter of persons in times of plenty or of want. I am most grateful for my Hindi neighbors who taught me how to savor Indian dishes. The curried potatoes and okra was the best dish we tried. I am grateful for the Mexican, Japanese, and German dishes that added versatility to our menu. Beyond preparing food, one is in great company when sharing cultural beliefs, traditions and values that encourage stepping out of the world. I gained a valuable ally when I read the thoughts of a Jewish father sharing his gratitude for Kosher Dietary Law which helps his children internalize the need to set themselves apart from the selfish, narcissistic, entitlement mentality of pop culture.

The failure to have faith on oneself to do hard things (including cooking from scratch) is a curse. The failure to believe in others is a greater affliction. Government policies that provide goods and services requiring nothing in exchange destroy the individual, families and nations. The living standards of the Native American Nation on reservations is evidence of this plague of the dole. Building self esteem by building self reliance to live off food stored at home is perhaps the most effective way to combat this evil. Quickly faith in oneself translates to a belief that others too can provide for themselves without government intervention. The curse of laziness is lifted.

This nation is at pivotal crossroads. Storing supplies in ones home goes far beyond protecting against natural disasters, unemployment, pandemics, and world financial collapse. I have a far greater hope for America. No other nation on the Earth has embraced a democratic republic form of government encouraging a capitalistic economy. This form of government works great as long as people govern themselves with moral courage to defeat greed and selfishness. The great number of little league sports teams that are sponsored by private business is a single indicator to me of the generosity of the human heart if given a chance to succeed. The great Universities in our state, Hospitals, and the Museums of Art have resulted and are maintained because of the philanthropy of individuals. Certainly the incidence of giving far exceeds greed. As a nation we can protect the American dream if we can keep ourselves from crawling to governments for aid. When we ran out of formula, I felt that pinch. Would I go to a government agency to get nourishment for my baby? The alternatives weren't working. Hunger will drive people to compromise principles. Power hungry rulers induce hunger by increasing dependence. Let's preempt evil, power and greed starting with feeding our families providently.

Beyond national economics, let's protect ourselves with a diet that diminishes risk of Cancer, Heart disease, and Attention Deficit Disorder to name a few. Let's invest in relationships. Some of the best moments we have shared the last three months were rolling out bread sticks, flavoring the tomato sauce and tasting our cooking experiments together. Physical and emotional health benefits are innumerable when eating a diet that is based on whole foods.

Of all the food on our shelves, I was most grateful for basics of wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, and legumes. Topping my wish list is to increase the variety of those grains - quinoa, buckwheat, couscous, more brown rice, and others. These basics are part of our normal diet and ensure that I always have something to cook. Next, it is comforting to have bottled, dried or frozen vegetables on hand. For us tomatoes are a staple. With tomatoes and grains we can eat pizza, spaghetti, tomato soups, lasagnas, and macaroni dishes in any number of forms: calzones, empanadas, miniature or grande, salad combos and hot entrees. Having meat is a luxury and I want to have meat. I am freezing and bottling meat. All the other items from butter and chocolate chips to spices I will continue to purchase when the price is right according to our preferences. It is entirely feasible to live off one's shelves for months without missing the grocery store.

Breakfast: Whole wheat cinnamon rolls with cheese melted on top

Lunch: Tuna sandwiches and tuna salad

Dinner: Dirty Rice with taco meat, tomatoes, onions, leftover rice, spiced with extra cumin, salt, and chili powder. We topped it with mozzarella and green onions. Delicious.