Tag Archive | unplug

I might be different

Jan29

Have you ever heard a news story or seen a product advertised and think, “I might be different than everyone else.” First of all I didn’t see a product advertised, a hear it on the radio. I dont watch TV so that might be the first clue that I am different. The product I heard about was a smart toilet and other smart bathroom fixtures that link to your cell phone. I am so dumbfounded that I cant even wrap my brain around it.

Where we live, we loose power more than we would like. We have a well, so water becomes a problem sometimes when we dont have power. We have learned to adjust. We have drinking and cooking water always on hand and we keep flushing water available for when we need to flush to toilet. Now, add the complexity of a smart toilet. I would have to have power, water and my cell phone to flush the toilet? Really? How is this easier? I think I just might be different.

We are having our kitchen stove converted to propane. One, because of the power problem and two I like cooking with gas better. While everything is getting hooked up and inspected we do not have a kitchen stove. Our solution:

We are heating water for coffee and cooking eggs on the wood stove. No power and no kitchen stove needed. However, there are electric kitchen gadgets that would make this easier. A coffee maker for example. I prefer the french press. I’m high maintenance and different.

There is also something called an breakfast maker. It will cook the eggs, toppings and toast for a breakfast sandwich. Again, sounds cool for two seconds, till I dont have power or I have to try and clean this gadget. A cast iron skillet and make a breakfast sandwich too, all in one pan. I am different.

Now dont get me wrong, there are some electric gadgets that I love and really save me time and sanity. I love my instapot. However, I do own a stove top pressure cooker for when we dont have power. Being gluten free, we also use a rice cooker, a lot. But, I can use my pan. These things are great in the summer when we dont want to heat up the house. Or it I want to set it up and forget about it on a busy day. I also use these devices when we travel and have to cook gluten free meals in the hotel. We even have an electric ice cream maker. When you make everything from scratch you need some help sometimes. That was a gift after spending several summers with a really big left arm from cranking the ice cream churn. We do still use the churn for large batches. However, we do not have a cake pop maker, a tortilla heater, a hot dog warmer, George Forman grill, electric bread maker, espresso machine, panini maker, etc. The list goes on and on.

Part of simplifying our house was eliminating a lot of our one use items. Especially in the kitchen. If a skillet can do the job just as well, I dont need something I have to plug in. We are simplifying and unplugging. Again, I think I am different!

Unplugging

Jul17

In the last couple of weeks we have had our vacuum cleaner and clothes dryer break. At first I did not think I could move on. Is the another way to get the dirt off the floor?  I have realized how much I rely on that little plug in the wall.  So many things that we do everyday require us to plug them in, including the computer I am writing this on.  But have you every stopped to think about what you could “unplug” and “do things the old fashion way”? So in the last two weeks I have unplugged my clothes dryer, my coffee maker and my vacuum cleaner.  It has taken a while to get used to it, but I think I like it better this way.  I make my coffee every morning using a tea pot and a coffee press.  The coffee has amazing flavor and I can reuse the grounds for afternoon ice coffee.  I do not miss my coffee maker at all and I do not think that I am going to go back anytime soon, if ever again.

The next thing I changed was I stopped vacuuming.  This has been difficult.  We have 4 cats and 2 dogs…hair is a major part of my life…it is everywhere.  The good thing is I have hardwood floors and I am able to sweep up most of the hair.  My challenges have been area rugs, furniture and dusting.  I never realized how much I “dust” with the vacuum cleaner.  So I have gone back to using a duster, and beating my rugs and pillows outside.  I am still looking for ways to get the hair and sand out of the couch if you have any suggestions, but all and all, I am getting along fine without the vacuum.

Last thing that I unplugged was my dryer.  Well, it kind of unplugged itself.  It stopped drying, my husband can fix it but the parts cost as much as another used dryer.  I decided to try and go the rest of the summer without it.  To help support me, my wonderful husband built me a clothes line out of pallet parts.  It is wonderful! It is almost 200 feet of drying area, I love the location in the yard and my sheets feel and smell great. We also have a small stand style clothes rack in the basement for the things I don’t want to air dry in-front of the neighborhood.   Between the two I feel that all of my clothes drying needs are met. My husband calculated that we will save $30 a month by not using the dryer…I am excited about that! I am going to use that money to support a child through World Vision.

So far I am enjoying unplugging things.  I challenge you, what could you do “the old fashion way”?  What could you unplug?