Note From JWR: We Took a Day Off

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In August we will be celebrating our 15th blogiversary.  In all of those 15 years, I’ve only missed a couple of days of posting. (That lull was just after my first wife passed away.) But generally, I have always posted seven days a week with one feature article per day, along with my regular columns, and quotes.

Once in a long while, Lily and I need to take a full day off. Tuesday was such a day. We traveled from 5 AM to 11 PM (with several stops), to pick up a large set of shelves. We also have an enjoyable afternoon picnic with some old friends. We’ve just returned to the ranch. Sorry that we didn’t have a chance to moderate comments for more than 12 hours.

Since we typically do our editing a day in advance, all that I’ll be posting today (July 15, 2020) is this note and a Quote of the Day. Sorry to disappoint you. Thanks for your patience and understanding. – JWR


52 Comments

  2. JWR, you never have to apologize for taking a day off. Or an extended vacation. Your service to us has been a boon to everyone who reads these pages and we are all grateful that you do this. For your own health, please take more time for yourself and your family. We will survive even if TEOTWAKI happens on your day off, thanks to all the knowledge shared on your blog.

    1. “We will survive even if TEOTWAKI happens on your day off”

      Hey BinWY, for us total SurvivalBlog addicts, this IS TEOTWAWKI!

      The first thing I do in the morning as soon as my feet hit the floor is to check and see what the feature article is on Survival Blog. Then as I’m getting dressed, making coffee, and putting some bagels in the toaster, I get to anticipate the article, savor the thought of reading it and learning something new for the day. Today, my coffee didn’t taste as good as normal and my bagels were rather flat, so I guess I’ll go do some weeding while I ponder what tomorrow’s SurvivalBlog will bring.

      JWR and Lily, I hope you had a great time and thanks for all you do! This is absolutely, positively, no question about it, undeniably, irrefutably, veritably, and most certainly the most awesome blog on the internet. Where else can we learn so much every day of the week? Where else can we enjoy the content without all those miserable pop-up ads? Where else can we read decent comments with out all the ^&%$#@ and the *&^!#&% and the idiotic attacks on other commenters for disagreeing in opinions? Where else can we learn to stock up on Necco Wafers?! Nowhere that I’m aware of. Thanks! 🙂

  4. Good for you two! Hope it was a peaceful drive and beautiful scenery and quality time and great conversations. And that those shelves are just what you need.

    Now then…I agree with the others: you need a REAL day off. We understand that on a ranch some tasks must happen daily, for health and safety of critters etc, but beyond that – get some R&R while you can! Times of rest (not sloth, rest) are Biblical after all 😉

  6. I am sure I am speaking for most of your readers, sometimes a person needs to take that break. I am glad that you two got to spend the time together. I am sure it was a much needed break (even if you were driving most of that time). I am thankful for your safe travels and very greatful for your great blog. Prayers for continued health and safety in travels.

  10. Good morning!
    While SB is one of my first-of-the-morning activities each day, I am more than supportive of not only a day off, but even a full vacation! We so appreciate your service to all of us, but recognize that time off refreshes, renews, and is valuable for everyone.
    God bless you!

  15. I’m approaching seven decades on this particular planet.
    In my short sweet life:
    * I owned a restaurant for ten years.
    * I owned rental properties.
    * I was a Physical Therapist, traveling for short-term contracts.

    In 2003, my Very Significant Other got sick.
    Naturally, we acquired a commercial truck, and in one week, converted it to our concept of an ExpeditionVehicle.
    We did south America, twenty-four months twenty-four thousand miles.
    Alaska, Panama, all over north and central America.
    We boondocked exclusively, usually far from other humans.

    In 2009, my VSO transitioned to The Great Boondock In The Sky.

    What would I do different?
    I would be less focused on a perfect credit score through serving bankers and the government agents.
    I would trust my employees.
    I would delegate.

    1. LargeMarge… You make a very important point about the preciousness of the time we have with one another.

      From your post: “I would be less focused on a perfect credit score through serving bankers and the government agents.” So very, very true.

      Erma Bombeck wrote a wonderful essay on this very subject: “If I had My Life to Live Over”

      https://www.atimetolaugh.org/livinglife.html

  16. The year 2020 has turned into a “Grind”…. I have forwarded your message to several of My People… I have encouraged them to “Take a Day off” every week… We are all walking with 10# of mud stuck to our boots… It’s a well deserved day when we don’t have to put on those “boots”…. Thanks for taking the lead in taking time off.

    Hobo

    1. Hobo Hilton! It’s so true about 2020…

      From your post: “We are all walking with 10# of mud stuck to our boots…”

      Well said and oh-so-true.

  17. JWR and Avalanche Lily! So hoping the day was beautiful in every way, and that you enjoyed this time together. You are so totally dedicated to the cause, and appreciated by all of us more than words can say. Make time for yourselves and one another, and celebrate more of these as you’re able. Your loyal readers and members of the SB community will be here on your return, every time! God bless and keep you, and thank you also for the news that you are safely home again! Congratulations on the 15th blogiversary coming in August!

  18. You have gone beyond Yoeman’s service sir. Though we may gravely miss the usual extended and thorough content you provide, we encourage some down time for you, our dear friends. Please rest, recuperate, and recharge. We shall carry on, and look forward to your future postings with even more enthusiasm. Thank you for all you do for us. You certainly have nothing to apologize for. Please accept this Bravo Zulu for your efforts and considerations.

  19. It’s good to take a break! I’m glad you both got a chance to get away and have some time with each other.

    Thank you for all your dedicated hard work to educate us and motivate us each day. If not for your writings, I might still be trying to figure out what I needed to do. I can never thank you enough! I’m so grateful that my retirement years are being spent in a beautiful small community in the American Redoubt, after a great deal of research and planning. Best move ever! Your books and blog played a huge part in it!

  20. That is the definition of “Dedication”, and dedication to a just cause. This boys and girls is the stuff that America was founded, and built upon…. The founders would be proud Capt. Rawles.

  21. Good on you for the day off!

    You and yours work very hard and are so wonderfully dedicated to all of us undeserving strangers I am amazed each and every day that I check the blog.

    Please, in the future, set aside a time to just relax and “take some time off” on an ongoing basis. Just please let us know it’s a vacation week or we will all worry! I would suggest an annual vacation week or something like that – you will all come back to the workload ( ranch, blog and all ) refreshed and ready for more. Thanks again!

  22. To those it may concern, I’ll no longer be participating and supporting the blog at least for a while as there are too many things to get done. As an American, I see it as my duty to support our cause, yet I must also take care of myself too. Perhaps there will be one last article published, but that will be it. It was written because there was a shortage of articles and the information in it may save a few lives. It would be a shame if they missed out.

    However, when you are on a tight budget, one must do things in unconventional ways as did farmers did in the past, and it takes more time to figure it out. If one is not using their time to make money, then we must use our time to save money. Once the civil war and all that it entails begins in full, people will be forced to improvise for either a lack of money, or because of a lack of availability. For example, today, I’ll attempt to make an ignition module for a Toyota using inexpensive Chevy parts and save $300.00. Because this is an inexpensive ‘hack’, but a hack most would not attempt even if it is only $15.00, versus $300.00, I’ll have several ‘home -ade’ ignition modules in a Faraday cage at a cost of only $30.00, versus $600 if done the conventional way. Although many would not choose the gutter most way of getting it done, the skill developed, and the invention could prove valuable, if not priceless, in time. Those who can adapt can overcome.

    Come the election, life will change rapidly. There is only a few months to prep hard and make some cash to replenish supplies for the long dark winter ahead. If we lack funds to solve a problem, find a way to solve the problem without using money. Just start thinking outside the box. Others may think it impossible, or too unconventional to be of good use, but even if it is considered stupid, yet works, it ain’t stupid. It is a way of life for myself, a way of life most Americans will eventually be force by necessity to rediscover as well. God Bless.

    1. And sad to see you go TR but I understand. You have been my favorite contributor to SB. Invaluable! Im sure many others would agree.

      God bless you,

    3. TR,

      You are one of my favorite contributors on Sblog. I always enjoy reading your articles and comments. Stay safe and I hope to read your words again soon.

    4. TR… I will GREATLY miss your contributions… you possess an enormous amount of wisdom, knowledge, and discernment… you have a heart for sharing and a love for your fellow man… please continue to share as you have and find time… may our gracious and loving Heavenly Father bless you and your efforts…may The Holy Spirit dwell within you and guide you…

    5. Tunnel Rabbit

      Maybe once a month you could just quick let us know you are okay. You are one of my favorite people on here and I want to let you know how much I have appreciated your wisdom these last several months. I myself believe that you have already saved some lives.

      Take care and Rock on
      RKRGRL68

    6. Farewell for now, Tunnel Rabbit. We’ll miss you and we look forward to seeing you again when time permits!
      And yes please, every so often, do let us know you’re okay?

    7. “If one is not using their time to make money, then we must use our time to save money.”

      Hey Tunnel Rabbit, from one hyper-frugal person to another, well said! I’ll be quoting you on that one. 🙂

      And this one: ” If we lack funds to solve a problem, find a way to solve the problem without using money. Just start thinking outside the box. Others may think it impossible, or too unconventional to be of good use, but even if it is considered stupid, yet works, it ain’t stupid.”

      Seriously, where would the fun be just going to the store and buying something instead of inventing our own way? The problem-solving and “unconventional” approach you mention is what keeps me going every day. Last week I needed a brush to reach some algae inside my water bottle. It was just below the neck where the bottle widens so a normal bottle brush wouldn’t reach it. I took an old toothbrush, held a flame right where the bristles end and the handle begins, bent it down 45° and…Perfect! Small challenge but it’s always fun to solve the puzzle without money as you mentioned. As you said, more and more Americans will be forced to take this approach as the economy gets worse so why wait, folks should start thinking out of the box now and have fun doing things as frugally as possible. Make a game of it.

      Don’t stay away too long, we need your experience and wisdom and all that you contribute! 🙂

    8. Tunnel Rabbit! We will so miss you, and trust that you will return to post as time and energy permit. It’s true. There is so much yet to do, and time may be short. Thank you, thank you for everything you have shared with all of us — so many gifts of insight and knowledge. We hope you’ll be able to touch base along the way — just to let us know how you’re coming along, that you are well, and safe.

    9. TR…your post was a confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s nudge today and if i hadn’t already had my meltdown, the double whammy of JWR&AL’s day off and YOUR firmly loosening our daily dependence on your mentoring presence would have had me more than a bit anxious.

      It is a monumental investment of time AND energy to keep this community of information running, so KUDOS to James/Lily for recognizing their need and acting on it! TR, (and all you other very appreciated mentors,) I don’t know how you get everything done you do AND not only read the articles and comments following them but comment and author articles yourselves! i have trouble keeping up with just reading everything! Usually, i am a day or two behind since that facilitates getting to read most comments without going back continually.) TR, I understand your need to make hay while the sun is shining…”come the election, things will change rapidly.” We must work steady to be ready! Many here have commented they are feeling the crush of too much to get done with not enough time. That is very much where i am!

      I have long expected this blessing of community and learning to disappear. Today before reading the blog, that fact was REALLY sinking in. Instead of just pushing through that sadness and upset, i took it to The Father and told Him how scared i was, how i didn’t know if i could do this…pretty much just climbed up in His lap and sobbed in His arms for a while. He’s a good and loving God…He let me cry as long as i needed. Then He used His Word to sooth my heart…how precious is His Word!

      No, everything is not all peachy keen suddenly. But i am at peace as i go to bed. Life is not normal now, maybe won’t ever be like it was. His Word, however, IS rock steady…THAT, i know.

      MIA…missing in action has a whole new meaning as we know you will be super busy TR. Do check in occasionally please.

      We will watch for days off in the future James/Lily! 10# of mud can wear anyone down!

      The cast of characters log continues to grow and the prayers for you ALL are already well underway…

  25. I LOVE shelves. Also, a tip for craigslist etc….: I have picked up four-drawer fireproof filing cabinets (very heavy, you need an appliance dolly and straps etc…) for very little money. They don’t scream ‘I have a bunch of high-value stuff in here’ and they are another stout layer of security for your things.

  27. Thank You everybody for your love, support, and understanding of us taking a day off. We are going to take some more days off in the future to do some family things that we want and need to do. But we will definitely give you all a heads up when we do.

    We had a wonderful time yesterday traveling to see our friends and to pick up the shelves.

    Today has been crazy busy getting the shelf established with much rearrangement of several rooms. A busy, busy morning today was had by all of us and will continue into the afternoon.

    To guys you must see this:

    “It’s Just a Mask”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXUtsft0Z74&feature=youtu.be

    Blessings,

    Lily

    1. Have you ever considered doing something like a sunday “retro” post from your early days? Although i dont watch tv i do listen to radio and on saturday nights they will play an old art bell show and say this is from 1996. I find it interesting to listen to what was popular and being talked about back then even though i lived it.
      It would help give your family a breather and re charge your batteries. God bless.

  28. Glad you could take a day off and are planning several more in the future. While you only ask once a year for funding, I try to send at least something your way every few months and would encourage other readers to do likewise (it’s easy, see “10-cent challenge” section). Your site is so informative, has no pop-ups and little advertising. It’s worth it to me to show my appreciation for that. I know you aren’t doing this blog for the money, you could spend your time more profitably elsewhere. But your almost continuous effort is appreciated by myself and others. Travel together while you can. It might get interesting (even more so) before the year is over. Blessings to you and yours.

  34. JWR, I second (and third, and fourth…) many of these comments. Please never hesitate to take some needed Sabbath! We truly appreciate your work on this blog and your service to your many readers. We are all much better prepared due to your tireless efforts.

  35. Sir, your work on this blog is much appreciated! I’m not sure how you post EVERY DAY anyway….:) I’ve thought for years you should take weekends off. I think we prepped will make it…;)

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