A Clean Sweep

Well you know there are folks out there that adopt principles of 'homesteading' for the necessity of when the 'shtf' (sh!t hits the fan). I admit to have come onto the idea of homesteading not long after moving into our current rural home when the threat of Y2K was looming on the horizon. We moved into our ranch home in 1996 and in 1998 everyone was buzzing about the very probable collapse of the economy and all automated networking our society is so reliant on now finacially and market wise when computers wouldn't be able to adjust to the year 2000 roll-over and would automatically assume it was 1900.

Obviously nothing happened when the millenium scooted in. Of course many homesteaders believe that even if it wasn't that, finacial ruin is in our destiny as it has been in nearly every society in history. Especially since we mirror Rome in so many ways, that correllation never fails to come up. Add to that heightened states of terrorism, and ever improving manners of computer espionage and destructive devices like virus' and such and perhaps they're fervent fears aren't too far fetched. It would be egotistical to believe our society in America, or even the world's as a whole since so much is interconnected nationally via computer than could have ever been possible in even the recent past, could never collapse.

The likelihood that a collapse would encompass the greater part of at least the modern world--perhaps 3rd world countries would be spared and consider themselves lucky for once not to be a part of the technological era. For 3rd world counties it would probably be life as usual, but how many of us accustomed to the industrial and technological age would be so uneffected?

Anyway, we do employ much of the homesteader lifestyle while not going to complete extremes of being 'off the grid' (I like electricity and gas just fine thank you). I know that if the SHTF I'd be able to grow and raise enough of our own food stuffs to be self-sufficient. We have meat animals, dairy animals, gardens, and chickens for both meat and eggs too... but what about something as simple as toilet paper.

That discussion came up today on one of the forums I frequent. There are alternatives. One, however not especially 'homesteady' although it might work without power... just not for us because our well-pump that supplies our home with water is powered by electricity--is something I didn't even know they made and sold for everyday homes. The hand-held bidet. I've always thought bidets were cool, but distinctly European and I didn't even know you could get them, much less that they were so reasonably priced, and easy to install... I know what my next purchase is going to be. :)