Around The Blogs With Chuckles

We all enjoy snooping and lurking on other people's blogs right? Why not share those entertaining things you found with other readers and bloggers too! Welcome to Around the Blogs with Chuckles, where I take time out to show you some of my favourite blog posts from the previous seven days and link you up so you can check them out. 

This week!

1) Book Review-And I Darken by Kiersten White 

Danielle looks at a popular YA book

https://booksvertigoandtea.com/2018/01/30/and-i-darken-by-kiersten-white/ 

2) Book Review: The Extinction Trials by SM Wilson

Greg is already itching for the sequel...

http://gregsbookhaven.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/the-extinction-trials.html 

3) Book Review: Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey 
AJ looks at a novel about dementia
http://ajsterkel.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/review-elizabeth-is-missing-emma-healey.html 

4) Book Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
Verushka looks at something contemporary and timely
http://editingeverything.com/blog/2018/01/31/anatomy-scandal-delicious-writing-characterisation-coupled-timely-release/ 

5) Book Review: Into the Black Nowhere by Meg Gardiner
Barb goes all disturbing...
http://bookertsfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/hmmmso-thats-why-its-called-into-black.html 

6) Book Review: The Gone World by Thomas Sweterlitsch 
Mogsy goes Science fiction this week.
https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/02/01/audiobook-review-the-gone-world-by-thomas-sweterlitsch/ 

7) Bug Out Bag 
What you need in BOB
https://survivehive.com/gear/bug-out-bag 

8) Common Dog Health Emergencies
How to treat your dog until you can get vet help and book to buy
https://www.tngun.com/guest-post-5-common-dog-health-emergencies-tips-combat/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guest-post-5-common-dog-health-emergencies-tips-combat 

Can You Help Chuckles With Weight Loss #2 Soups

Hi again!
I'm looking for some more help on my weight loss adventure. I'll tell you right now, I don't like vegetables. The exception is the onion which I love in various forms. Red onion, white onion, spring onion, pickled onion, I'm all over it. If there is a bit of salad on a plate beside a steak or a toastie I can eat it as I paid for it but I just am not a fan, which makes healthy eating difficult.

But if I blend it up into a soup then I can eat most veg. I used to get this homemade soup pack in Aldi for a corn chowder soup where you blend the ingrediants and I loved it despite hating corn. Pity is doesn't seem to be available there now. They do a decent potato and leek which I grab sometimes. I make my own pea and ham soup, and a cheese carrot and onion concoction that I love. I'm still trying to recreate the carrot and lentil soup with ham that my mum used to make but I can't get it right yet. Soup is good! It gets some healthy food into me without me turning up my nose at the individual veg.

My one requirement is that pretty much all of the veg except the onion has to be blended. I'm ok with grated carrot though if need be or very small bits but not great chunks of veg. I like those nice thick soups that warm your bones but as long as the soup is smooth and tastes good I'm fine with something thinner. So what I'm looking for are tasty soup recipes if you have any. Anyone got a good corn chowder recipe? Anything lentil or tomato based? Hints for good spices to use to change a flavour? Good soups I can make with beef stock? Seafood chowders and lobster bisques? Your favourite seasonal soups? I HATE peppers and strong chilli flavours so the soup has to taste mild.

Please feel free to leave as many comments as you want if you have a few different recipes or you can email me at chucklestheprotea@googlemail.com.

Prepping With Chuckles #5 OPSEC

This week I'm going to look at OPSEC or 'operational security'. I know that this sounds like a recon mission for the SAS or Navy Seals or something but it is actually all about common sense really. The message about OPSEC is don't tell the whole world that you're a prepper, and keep your prepping as quiet as possible, except for those you totally trust ie family.

WHY?
The simple truth is that you have decided to become a prepper to take care of your loved ones in case a disaster happens and you are without government help. This can be temporary after a hurricane if you lose power and streets are flooded or a more long term issue such as an EMP or solar flare event. There will be more about that stuff in later posts. You may also have decided to prep because you are concerned about the nuclear situation with North Korea or even fear a total economic collapse in your country. Whatever the reasons, you have decided to act to look after those you love. The information about the dangers is out there and easy to find and you have taken precautions.

What would happen if you told your friends at work or your neighbours about your prepping?

1) Ridicule
It is possible that they might think you are one of the 'crazies' on TV who builds a fallout shelter in the back yard or has a zombie proof tank to drive around in. This can be the image of a prepper to a lot of people, who don't realise that prepping is about taking precautions just in case the worst happens, as you do when you take out insurance on your property or holiday or health. You don't want the worst to happen but you are ready if it does. Prepping basically IS a form of insurance.

2) Nosy Neighbours
When the word gets around the street that you are a prepper, you might find that neighbours take more of an interest in what you are doing, seeing what new 'project' you are working on or gossiping about you at the water cooler at work. It could make you feel a bit awkward and draw unwanted attention on you and your prepping. 

3) Feeding the 5000
Some of us might not be greatly bothered about those two points and not care what people think of us on a day to day basis. But lets imagine that the power goes off for three months or more and you are the only known prepper in the street. It's not going to be long before one person comes to your house saying they have no food to feed their family and that as a prepper you must have spare to feed them. You might feel reluctant to say no, even if you hate this neighbour and he hates you, and give them a couple of days supply. Three days later he is back for more and so are the other neighbours that the first man told about where he got the food. Before you know it, everyone in the street could be there asking for things and your supplies will soon run out. They might well get somewhat irate if you start saying no, they might want more than you are willing to give and in extreme circumstances, they might try to take what you have from you.

It might be deemed neighbourly to help others out but there is a difference between lending them a garden tool and deciding to look after their entire families, and that is what you could be committing yourself to. You need to think of your family first, then others if circumstances allow. It might sound hard hearted but the whole point in prepping is to be ready to look after your loved ones with the supplies you bought and stored. If those supplies run out, what will you do to get more? Are you ready to give your precious supplies to those who were laughing at you prior to the disaster? Maybe you would if you knew that things would return to normal before you run out of stuff but what if you don't know? Are you going to risk being emotionally blackmailed into feeding the neighbourhood? Is that your responsibility and should it be? Should you be looking after people who chose not to prepare and buy new gadgets instead of ensuring an emergency supply of food and water? That is a difficult decision for each individual and it is not a good choice to have to make.

The easiest way to avoid that difficult scenario is to maintain OPSEC while you gather supplies. Then if a disaster does come, you have the chance to offer practical advice to neighbours to help them survive instead of just dishing out your supplies to all who ask. Whatever you choose to do then is in your hands, not being forced on you. 

So who do you tell? If you have family, of course you want to tell them and even if they aren't convinced at first, if they agree to tell nobody then that is fine. Let them know to travel to you if something happens and ensure they have essentials to do so even if you need to supply them. If you all live in the same area, you might already have a plan in place for everyone to meet at one house, or you might all choose to stay in your individual homes. If one of you lives on a farm or has a summer home somewhere rural maybe you have decided to all bug out to that place. The main issue you might have is persuading them that prepping isn't for nuclear war fans and that it can be part of everyday life. If you can get them storing the basics like food, water, batteries etc enough for a few months, even if it's just to please you, count that a success. 

What about the friends and neighbours? This is harder. If you have friends you are particularly close to, you could carefully bring certain topics up in conversation about the state of the economy, solar flares, Trump etc or mention the prepper apocalypse book about an EMP that you found scary and just see the reaction you get. You might be able to convince them with reasoned arguements. It's hard to offer advice as you know your friends better than I do! If you can get a few friends on the same wavelength you can pool resources and look out for each other if a disaster comes along. Older couples who are self sufficient or former military people could also be preppers and not willing to say so but might reveal themselves if they know you are like minded. It's all about taking care to raise the subject.

OPSEC is really about being careful that only those you choose to inform know what you are doing or storing. It is up to you who you tell and how you go about it.

Good luck! Important links to check out:

Top Ten Ways to Blow Your Operational Security
https://www.mdcreekmore.com/preppers-operational-security/

https://graywolfsurvival.com/3318/basic-opsec-training-examples-achieving-balance/ 

http://readynutrition.com/resources/mums-the-word-using-opsec-with-preps_21032010/

https://preparednessadvice.com/operational-secrecy/opsec-its-not-just-about-loose-lips/#.V9nmvTMrLC0 

https://modernsurvivalblog.com/security/what-is-opsec/

http://theapproachingdayprepper.com/breaking-opsec/ 

http://www.prep-blog.com/2016/02/23/suggestions-for-opsec-when-the-shtf/

Chuckles Cover Love #62

If there is one thing that makes a great book even better, it is when it has a cover that we love! The cover design is what catches the eye as we browse through a bookstore shelf or check out the Amazon or Goodreads recommendations. The right cover makes me look closer at a book, to read the blurb and maybe make a purchase. A poor cover might mean I never look at the blurb at all.

NB: I don't follow or leave comments on blogs run by Google Plus, or DISQUS as I refuse to join something just to leave comments, and I won't allow them to follow new people, update my profile or post tweets 'on my behalf'. I won't comment on any blog that makes me sign in using another account.   

This Week...James Wesley Rawles 

I'm really keen to read this series and I like this kind of action scene cover but I have an issue with the lack of matching covers! The book title and author names keep moving, the font changes...that's annoying!

 

 

Chuckles Weekend Roundup

Welcome to my new feature Chuckles Weekend Roundup where I will be looking at what books I've received, anything interesting I've done or bought or watched and other random stuff. I'll be taking a look back at what happened in my blogging world too, sort of like The Sunday Post that some of you do! 

Please note that I'll be visiting your STS/SP as normal, but I don't follow or leave comments on blogs run by Google Plus, or DISQUS as I refuse to join something just to leave comments, and I won't allow DISQUS to follow new people, update my profile or post tweets 'on my behalf'. I am the only one who does that on my social media! I won't comment on any blog that makes me sign in using another account. Sometimes, I have problems leaving messages on blogs hosted by Wordpress-they try to block me because I deleted my account with them but I will persevere as it only happens the odd time!

****************

Another week goes by. January turned out to be a very good month for reading, getting 25 books finished and DNF/DNS another 5. Getting all of these off the TBR is a good thing and I'm happy with that. I also managed to do something for each challenge so I can't complain-see my January roundup post for details. February seems to be starting well for reading with two novellas completed yesterday and a novel finishing sometime today. I bought a few books that are the next in a series and I'm just waiting on Amazon to deliver. I still have a pile of bargain ebooks I bought that I haven't added to my TBR yet-I can't totally depress myself this early in the year-but boy do they look good!

I'll be asking your advice this week on food recipes and things. I've already posted today about proteins and weight loss supplements so please try and stop by that post if you can, but during the week I'll be asking for recipes on different things as well. I know little about cooking but I can follow a recipe! (hopefully) I was a bit slack on the blog this week, falling back to posts I'd prepared in advance but I hope for better this week. Oh and anyone who hasn't had a visit from me this week, don't worry as bloglovin has started unfollowing people again and I'm having to work out who is missing which is taking time. I hope to be back to normal service this week sometime. 

DOWNLOADS:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30185535-butcher-road
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35393004-the-social-media-murders
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29748191-mr-snuff 

Chuckles Blogging World
 I'm still sorting the bloglovin issue where a few people got unfollowed without me choosing to do it. It's very frustrating and I hope to sort it today as soon as I finish up here. 

Book Reviews

Victor Marbury-Lights Out In America's Dairyland
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/book-review-lights-out-in-americas.html

Aaron Smith-Chicago Fell First
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/book-review-chicago-fell-first-by-aaron.html 

Jon Athan-Cannibal Creek
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/book-review-cannibal-creek-by-jon-athan.html

Regular Posts
 I didn't read any samples this week as I was trying to get the maximum amount of books read before January ended. I went Around The Blogs, while Cover Love was about S Jae Jones. Top Ten Tuesday was Inspired By and Can't Wait Wednesday was Mark Wandrey.

Chuckles Cover Love
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/chuckles-cover-love-61.html

Around The Blogs With Chuckles
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/around-blogs-with-chuckles_29.html

Top Ten Tuesday
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/top-ten-tuesday-inspired-by.html 

Can't Wait Wednesday
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/cant-wait-wednesday-mark-wandrey.html 

Discussion Posts
Chuckles Chat looked at the 3 star reviews, Game of Thrones Gossip was all about Sansa Stark and I'm looking for tips about weight loss in a new feature. Prepping With Chuckles was about Winter Car Journeys

Chuckles Chat
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/chuckles-chat-54-3-star-ratings.html

Game of Thrones Gossip
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/game-of-thrones-gossip-53-sansa-stark.html

Can You Help Chuckles With Weight Loss?
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/can-you-help-chuckles-with-weight-loss.html

Prepping With Chuckles
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/prepping-with-chuckles-4-winter-car.html

Film Reviews
none this week

Special Posts
none this week

 Book Tags/Blog Awards
none this week

Book Challenge Updates 

My Goodreads Challenge-27/200

TBR Books I own but haven't read-840

Chuckles Challenge Update-January
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/chuckles-challenge-update-january.html 

Puppy Love Challenge Sign Up
http://chucklesbookcave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/puppy-love-challenge.html 

Currently Reading/Up Next 
Yesterday I finished the two Oberon adventures by Kevin Hearne and I hope to finish Besieged this afternoon to get me up to date on the series before the final book comes out. Next up will be the next Kitty Norville book and the final two books in the Zompoc trilogy.

Next Week on the blog... 
Not sure if I'll have time for samples this week but I'll be checking out your blogs and sharing the love as usual! Cover Love is James Wesley Rawles, Prepping With Chuckles looks at OPSEC, Top Ten Tuesday is On TBR the longest, Can't Wait Wednesday is Kill Creek, Chuckles Chat looks at TBR and Wishlist, Game of Thrones Gossip is about Cersei Lannister and I'll be looking for recipes in a couple of special posts! 

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