Depending on how long you have been following the adventures here on www.urbansurvival.com, you may, or may not, know that we sort of wrote the book on prepping. This dates back to my living on a fully kitted-out 40 foot offshore sailboat for 10 years. Though we never got further south than Mexican waters off San Diego.
That takes us back to the 1997-2001 era – we sailed out from under the Golden Gate October 1, 2001, or thereabouts to work our way south.
When you’re envisioning going around the world there are literally a zillion things you think about; there are no hardware stores 100-miles out. As cold as the Pacific is, even 10 miles out might as well be the far side of the moon.
Spares is the name of the game: Spare water-maker parts, spare engine parts, spare plumbing for the head, spare raw water and diesel filters. It really could fill and book and in reality is filled a decent-sized spreadsheet.
By 2002, though, we had moved to Florida to do a software company turnaround and ramp up. And that went swimmingly well, so by 2003 here we were with this patch of dirt in East Texas.
Again, the prepping instincts are amazing.
We can drill our own wells down to 100 feet and have an operating one at 80-feet.
The tractor has spares including 5-gallon jugs of hydraulic fluid. We’ve actually used from the spare hydraulic lines, too. They’re more delicate than the city kids though when we came out here 13-years ago.
But, in the wake of the eye surgeries (20/30 in the non operative and 20/50 uncorrected in the operative eye with daily small improvements) there are a couple of things we didn’t plan on. In a week, or two, the operative eye will pass the “finish line” – 20/40 which puts me back eligible to fly again. I can legally do it now, but I’ll get to that in a sec.
But in the meantime, the eye job means a change in prepping. For example, I am in the process of “loading up” on contact lenses. Cases of saline, cleaner, conditioning cleaner and more, as well. But the lenses are critical.
The ones from the doctor’s optical shop are fine, but I can buy the same lenses online for $40 a pop instead of $108…so we are rounding up the prescription for that.
But THREE other things when comes to eyes that we didn’t PLAN on but we are sure pleased to have?
A number of good rectangular magnifying glasses.
At least one per person, or even two: Rectangle Magnifying Glass, Black (37708)
Then, last Friday, or so, I got really impatient. I KNOW that my doc didn’t want me to get refracted up for glasses too early. The eye is still drifting around a big, though it’s doing well coming down from all the drops. Down to three drops today, then two a day for a week, then one a day…Hoo-rah, progress.
Except, you see, I’m not a patient kind of fellow. Compulsive researcher.
And then I FOUND IT – OMG these are totally freaking amazing…
OMFG these are totally cool.
The operative eye is perfectly dialed in for reading, but it is focused at a distance of about 12-inches. Seriously built-in near-sighted. The non operative eye is great at distance with a contact (hence the 20/30 and legal to fly) but if WOULD be nice to have both better than 20/40, but without glasses, the operative eye is still “OUT..”
What to do?
I pop on my Adlens glasses and dial up the precise prescription for whatever I happen to be doing.
If I am driving, I can get down into the 20/30 range. And then, when I’m working on the computer (24” distance, a bit more than dime store readers) I can dial in whatever.
By the time the $4.00 overnight arrived Saturday I was in hog heaven.
I did try several other pairs.
The difference is that the Adlens are adjusted with a plastic screw mechanism on the front of the frame. The ads say +6 to –6 diopters, and don’t know if THAT is precisely right, but I can sure dial stuff in.
And, when working on computer gear, fine print, or working on the electronics bench? I have more optics than you can shake a stick at now.
One other useful thing to have around is an Esthology Premium Magnifying Floor Lamp 5 Diopter w/ Rolling Base. It wasn’t much change from $100 bucks, but compared to the clamp-on light with magnifier I had been using previously, this thing is the bees knees.
The reason is there is a limit as to where the clamp on lights can go. As long as you have space left, or right, of you workplace, the roll-round feature will let you put the light and the magnifier exactly where you want it.
When I first opened the box I though “Oh-oh, cheap…” but when I got it assembled it was solid enough for serious use and heavy enough that it doesn’t tip in morning use.
But best of all, it let’s you put the light and magnifier exactly where you need them.
BOTTOM LINE: (after you get your aspirin and coffee going): Imagine a world where there are no overnight glasses shops and no contact lens outfits open.
Only a fool wouldn’t have adjustable glasses as a just in case. And what’s more, it’s one hell of a neat bartering item if you have several. (They look a bit odd when on, because people can’t look into your eyes, but you can see others fine…so no worries there…)
Around the Ranch
Folks down the street were out pumping out high power pistol ammo a good part of Monday afternoon.
Have a not to call ‘em and remind them: If you can’t do one-shot, one-kill, perhaps you should get a .22 for plinking instead of blowing through $50-bucks worth of real ammo.
Or, then again, fools and their gold…
Write when you get rich,
To bad the Adlens glasses don’t do astigmatism. Otherwise I might be tempted to get a pair. I also suffer from PVD (posterior vitreous displacement) and am at risk for retinal separation. Contact sports are a no-no. Though I can’t complain. My 93 yr old father-in-law lives with us as he has both wet and dry macular degeneration. As an Iwo Jima marine and used to being independent the disease has been very tough for him.
James Johnson, Ex-nuke
I have to ask George, what drilling machine do you use? I have a DeepRock machine that I have used to drill two wells, one at 75′ and one at 120′. I bought mine in 1982.
hydra-jet
Up to a point, astigmatism can be lived with, and having a variable correction set of glasses is a great idea. The eyes can change from morning to afternoon, and a simple adjustment can fix that, rather than carrying around a toolkit of glasses.
Ideally, fully corrected contacts handle the load most of the time, and the specs are just for when something else(detail, close work, reading the disclaimers) is needed.
I agree with you about the magnifying lens and will actually think about your idea (I do think about it rolling around on carpet though . . .). I’ve got some needlework that would be a hell of a lot easier with that!
Where oh where is the “news item?”
Have you seen:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ADLENS-INTERFACE-COMPUTER-GLASSES-CRYSTAL-WITH-YELLOW-LENSES-/152102227082?hash=item2369ffcc8a:g:5DUAAOSw2s1UwjuH
Speaking of prepping – I donated to our local food bank today for the first time. About 12 spare summer squash, 5 pound box of pancake mix, two overgrown zucchini and a couple other things. In the age of prepping, we can eat our own food but what about all these folks living in small town apartments who have no land? The food banks around will need to continue to serve a purpose for them as well. I hope to donate many hundreds of pounds of vegetables this year and possibly money and even time. They have dozens of volunteers there working to set up the store for its two day a week food give-aways to the less fortunate.
Whoever reads this – look into donating to your local food banks and food (soup) kitchens. Yes, it is charity for people who cannot do it alone – and that’s the point.
YOU must have a good soul spirit ,yea THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO ,
I remember the days when I could make my own saline. Back in 1976 until around 1980 or so, I just put a salt tablet in a little plastic container with tap water and shook it up and it became saline solution. I used it ALL those years without ONE single problem! But guess what???? It became a business model to eliminate this simple process (outlawed it) and thus the official regulated saline solution business model took over making millions upon millions for the corporations. Personally, if TSHTF, I will go back to tap water and salt, okay, maybe I will filter my tap water, (do not use hot water from the hot water tank) and make my own saline solution again. IF you notice, the saline solutions they sell ALL have an expiration date. The BEST thing to do IF you are a contact lens wearer is to WASH your hands before ever touching your eyes or your contacts. JUST by following that one rule, you could find that you will NEVER have an eye infection. I, too, have stocked up on contact lenses. I can buy a pair for $100.00. They are not overnight lenses, but I have managed to make that one pair last over 3 years, so I do not do disposables, just buy that one simple pair and wear them as long as I like, I just handle them with care. They are NOT the thinnest ones out there that collapse on your finger, these hold their bowl shape and are easy to put in and take out. I would rather spend $100 every 3 years than use the disposable ones. People who still wear hard contacts can probably do all this much cheaper, they can wash their contacts in tap water before insertion and make them last even longer. My .02.
thanks for your WISDOM
AT AMAZON:
Adlens Adjustables Instant Prescription Eyeglasses (Black) $21.70
Adlens Sundials Unisex Variable Focus Eyewear $17.99