Getting used to living here

Some of quirks of living here are interesting. I have been taken very good care of at the flat and I have two sources of back up electricity which it a rarity rather than the norm. I would estimate that the actual mains electricity is on for around 5 hours a day. When the electricity does go off so does the water, no electricity = no pump but I do get light and some plugs so I’m not going to complain. As I seem to have around 100 switches in the flat I have just about fathomed which switches and plugs work when the backup is on, mains electricity and generator usually means they all work but tend to dim a little if you plug too many things in! The generator also powers to water pump so it’s not all bad. One thing is for certain, do not plug in irons or dangerous hot water heater thingys when the backup is on, it doesn’t appreciate it and switches everything off which means you’re plunged into darkness and inevitably in the room furthest away to go and reset it. I have learnt two valuable lessons – leave candles with matches next to them in all of the rooms and don’t leave things on the floor, you will eventually break your neck if you do. Unfortunately I still have a bump on my leg from when I walked into my bed. I’m still clumsy at heart and I can usually find the furniture or door frames by walking into them!

I have had to adjust my cooking style as I have a two ring gas hob to cook on that is connected to a gas bottle. For the first two weeks I thought I was going mad as I could hear from neighbouring houses what I thought was spraying. Now I realise they are the joyous cooking devices known as pressure cookers, which I now own. They are spectacular when they ‘go off’. What is meant by ‘go off’ is the steam being released from the top of the pot and length of cooking time is determined by the number of times is does this. As I am a complete wimp I refused to use one until Derek was with me to hold my hand and assure me that it wasn’t going to blow up. I am now a bona fide pressure cooker cook, rice, dal, curries take mere moments – it’s great. Although I still stand as far away from it as possible in the kitchen cringing just in case something does go wrong. There are two flaws to the plan, cringing isn’t going to save me and as far away as possible is a metre. I’m happy however that my neighbours aren’t obsessed with killing insects (because that’s my job) or spraying deodorant!

Washing clothes takes some getting used to as it has to be done by hand and when you first start hand washing clothes it can be a lengthy process. I have also learnt that I am pretty much allergic to most of the washing powders apart from Ariel round here so I am loathed to send them to be washed as the itching/rashes aren’t pleasant! I have managed to stretch pretty much everything that I own. A full length cardigan that I brought out here is now so long that it collects things such as burrs, dust and any unwitting children that are in the way when I walk down the street. It is safe to say that I don’t think many items of clothing with return with me.

All in all though I’m enjoying getting used to living here I realise how lucky I am in the flat as I have it much better than most. I can still say that living here does take some getting used to but at least I’m getting there.