2006

[sisterpine]

Normally at this time of year I am actively planning for stuff I want to get done during the next summer. Like new buildings on the stead, more animals etc. But this year "it" just feels funny. When thinking of plans for the next year the only thing that came to mind way "I wonder how little I can get by on". That is very odd for me! While I am not the shopper some women are and while I dont wear fancy clothes etc I do like to build stuff so new tools are always welcome. Maybe I am worried cause I dont have a job yet since finishing school this month- or maybe my intuition is telling me to hold on tight cause it is gonna be quite the year. Should be interesting to watch in any case, what with all the new laws etc. Anyone else getting strange forboding feelings about 2006?

[HilltopDaisy]

Yes ma'am, I am feeling the same way! I'm viewing 2006 as a year of self-deprivation, and I'm not sure why, exactly. I've stocked up on food and I'm trying to take a cold hard look around me, at what I have and what I'll be needing to do without this year. There's nothing in me that says "Oh, yer bein' silly". On a bright note, I love the beginning of a brand new year. And I love a challenge.

[MaineFarmMom]

When we first started homesteading we needed a lot. Finally having the basic necessities was an odd feeling. Then we decided we wanted to move from homesteading into farming so that I could have a new income source. Once again there were needs. Now all I really need is a tractor and a building for a small farm store. The odd feeling has set in. I don't need much so now what's next? I want a new building for the ducks and turkeys but they're ok where they are.

There's also the unknown things like what's going to happen with the war? The cost of oil? We're organic so our fertilizer costs on the farm aren't going up. Our product prices won't have to go up much to cover that so our organic food will probably be less expensive than industrial grown food at the grocery. What will that do to our sales? It's an odd feeling all around for us too.

[Jaclynne]

We have already been talking about this at our house. Our plan is to live on 1/2 dh's pay next year and sock the rest away. We will be moving in Feb and have all our bills payed off except small mortage (185.00) and the newest truck that will be payed off in August. It just feels like we need to rework most of our long term plans. My thinking was to get used to the reduced income since retirement is 8 years away for dh. We are cutting out some of the animals, just enough for our food and to pay for feed when sold. There are still some projects planned (shop & greenhouse) but we will wait till his mother's estate is settled for those things.

Halo

[Kris in MI]

Yes, I have a similar feeling. Dh didn't get a cost of living raise this year, and I ended up needing to pick up a part-time job this fall just to cover our 'regular' expenses. We know he won't be getting cost-of-living next year either, but now they are talking about mandatory pay cuts! That is scary. We have lived 'bare bones' for so many years just to be able to get our house and land and build the barn the thought of having even less money to spend on our basic needs is really unsettling.

[outofmire]

No, I have a great feeling about this year. Ya'll stop jinxing it!

[whodunit]

Financially speaking, things are looking good here.

I got a COLA in October and I just got a raise a few days ago. The bad news is that I am topped out as far as salary, so unless the powers that be authroize pay increases across the board, it's COLAs only from here on out. Those can be iffy though; we didn't get one last year.

I also have the possibility of getting a new job at the start of the year. If that happens, it will mean much more pay and much, much, much better benefits. Not to mention, the opportunity for advancement and training, which is severely lacking in my current position.

We will also be getting back a good tax return which we will use to reduce some debt.

As far as the rest of life, who knows. Oil prices have come down and stayed down. We have limited food supplies, but have plans to put in a huge garden this spring.

[SquashNut]

My husbands business is doing well, My garden is going into it's 4rth year. And we found a few places to get groceries whole sale. if some thing happens we will be OK. We have always put some monies away , and don't have credit cards. Life is not half bad really.
I almost have my years supply of groceries, Now if i can get past this period of learning to cook from scratch, with out poisining either one of us we'll be OK.

[reluctantpatriot]

I have an uneasy feeling about 2006 and beyond, not just because of the national and international news and events we've had so far and will have, legislation-wise, but because of what is going on where I live at the county and state levels. The local municipal and county governments are focused on endless economic development from both current and future businesses and industries. The local chambers of commerce are focused on increased tourism and more tourism dollars and endless tourism focused developments (condominiums, resort complexes, more boat and personal water craft sales and more lodging/food dollars spent).

On the other side, increases in layoffs, drops in business volume, plant closings, spikes in energy and food prices and localized shortages of both food and fuel and other related items all the way up here in Missouri after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, along with an unusual drought have given me a reason for pause.

I don't know what the future will bring, but I am concerned.

[2A]

Financially things look great here. As such I am paying stuff off like mad because I sense things are reaching a climax of some sort. Maybe it'll be good, maybe bad, but whichever, something is heading our way...

[cherig22]

I got a small bonus in some retroactive back pay, and we all got a raise. DD changed departments and jumped about 3 per hour, so she and fiance are blessed there.

Land is paid for, got most of the necessities, now just got to start downsizing... And paying the credit cards down.

I am so looking forward to starting on our homestead next year!

Cheri

[shellbug]

feeling weird here too....lots of thoughts about "supplies"

having dreams of chaos and shtf type scenarios

also - there are lots of jobs being cut in the clinic where i work due to merging with a larger medical group - i don't really know what the near future holds

i want a BIG garden this year

i dunno

[Kazahleenah]

Not so much a 'forboding' feeling here... but definatly a need to be prepared feeling. Last year was a good one for me, but I have an unquenchable need to be as ready as I can be for anything this comming year.

Kaza

[jnap31]

I do feel uneasy but not from any one specific event well actually NAIS makes me uneasy I will not be subject to it and I will have to start over in south america somewhere probably.This coming year will be great for me $ wise as I am earning more than I ever dreamed I would It's hard being away from the family though.When this is over I will have the 35k house and 2 acres paid off.With $ in the bank.When I was home on leave last month I bought 10 cases of sweetpotatoes and filled up a 55 gallon drum ful of brown rice.I am taking my next leave april 1st -15 so I can replant a really big garden.My plan now is to get back and work at any job hard for a year or two and save up enoughf to be able to flee to a more free country. I am looking at ecuador.I will also be putting bees in the large investment of hives I made.And my garden will be my priority.before the job.I bet there will be the usual wars famines and tidal waves,droughts e.c.t. in 2006.It seems they have been getting far worse and occuring more the last few years,actually it is fact in the case of eath quakes I read it on the US geologic web site they have a cool graph.I feel more uneasy about 2009 after full blown NAIS.

[Jan Doling]

Naw...2006 has to be a better year! This year I was cut from the department I had been in for over 16 years, had a jurricane rip off the laundry room door, I was bitten by a raccoon and had to have the rabies series, then bitten on vacation by a spider or scorpion and almost lost my foot and wrecked my car (had to have my head stapled). No, next year will definitely be an improvement!

[NJ Rich]

I had a concerns before I started reading many of the posts on Homesteading Today. I feel we need to be better prepared for emergencies. No I am not going to buy a generator or anything like that. If there is a "big emergency" you won't be able to get gas and when your reserves run out you're in the same boat as everyone else.

We all know nature can do allot and I cannot do anything about that except prepare ourselves. The same preparedness covers most of whatever happens in respect to any terrorists activites. Did you see the History Channel Program: The Next Plague? It was about the bird flu and how it could cripple the whole world economy. If you did you would have some additional concerns today. Look for it to be re-run.

My feelings were and are we should Do Something. 2006 maybe the best year ever, but it may not be. I will now start stocking items in earnest.

This next year will be "interesting"? I think if we prepare for some bad times we'll be better off and have one less worry. I hope all is well and everyone has a banner year.

[Aintlifegrand]

I actually didn't have any concerns, only excitement for the New Year. However, some of these comments have made me rethink this up coming year. I am concerned about the economy, fuel prices, war, and natural diasters as always, but when I think about it...the concern has more intensity than in years past. Still, we will be moving to our homestead in March. We have been building our home for three years by ourselves on weekends and vacations and paying cash as we go so there is no mortgage on the house or the land which we paid cash for. One thing my DH and family have been talking about is the speed of time...we ALL feel like days, weeks and months are moving at a faster pace since August. Anyone else notice?

[jnap31]

[QUOTE= One thing my DH and family have been talking about is the speed of time...we ALL feel like days, weeks and months are moving at a faster pace since August. Anyone else notice?[/QUOTE]

I just read an article about 2012 and the mayan calander a few days ago how now there are really only 16 hours in a day so your fears are valid(Wait one while I adjust my tin foil hat)Really though I think as we get older time just seem to go by faster, I am sure I have read a theory about it I am sure arborethic could help me remember.Also there are so many things happening in the world and with technology the way it is we hear/see so much maybe that is part of it.
(Disclaimer I have not watched TV in years but I do read a lot

[MelissaW]

The change of the calander is just a man-made measurement, and one that hasn't been around very long, historically speaking. Jan. 1 always feels like a non-event to me. The season isn't changing. In the northeast it is a relatively non-productive time. Hopefully those feelings of dread so many of us have this time of year are more related to the short days and light deprivation, and spring will have us all feeling hopeful again!