“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it.”
The weather is just as they predicted: hot and humid. It is one time I’d wish they’d have gotten it wrong. Today, though, will be the worst of it because, by the end of the weekend, the nights will be in the high 50’s for a couple of days. I’m all for that!
It’s so much easier living without when you have no idea what you’re missing. Fans were what kept us cool. I’d stand in front of the one in our living room until my sister or my brother complained I was taking all the cold. At night, I’d fall asleep despite the heat. A day of bike riding or walking the tracks or playing softball in the hot afternoon was enough to exhaust me for the night. I don’t remember which store was the first to be air-conditioned, but I’m betting, like in many towns, it was the movie theater. In my town in Ghana, it was a bar. The whole town called it the cold room. It was in the Hotel d’Bull, just about the only place to stay while in Bolga in those days. Crowds would so fill the bar that you could barely feel the air-conditioning. Inside the bar wasn’t a frequent spot for me. I didn’t drink beer or gin or scotch, the only alcoholic offerings. I drank coke. My Ghanaian friends loved to go to that bar so I’d meet them for a bit and hope to find a seat near the air conditioner. I seldom did.
My house is wonderfully cool right now. The two times I went outside I gasped in the heat. Gracie was out for a couple of minutes then came right back inside-nothing dumb about that dog.
My electric can opener broke, and I didn’t replace it because many cans are tabbed now, and my old hand can opener works just fine on the ones that aren’t. It was strange at first to wind the old opener as it worked its way around the top of the can. The lid almost always fell into the food in the can, and I was ever careful taking it out so I didn’t cut myself, but I have now become quite adept at opening the can without the lid falling, and I have yet to cut myself.
That got me to wondering what I could live without. Obviously the electric can opener is one, but I’m hard -pressed to come up with much more. My pencil sharpener is an old one with blades, but that hardly counts. I do use use my broom to sweep the floors as the vacuum cleaner is down the cellar and is now too heavy for me to haul upstairs. I guess that counts.
I can’t come up with anymore. My creature conveniences are far too ingrained. I’m going to have to give this some thought.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: airconditioning, Can opener, conveniences
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
July 22, 2011 at 11:54 am
Hi Kat,
I sure couldn’t do without A/C today. It was 89F at 8:30AM. I didn’t succumb to AC in the house or my car until 7 years ago. Before that I was able to stand the heat. Not any more, though. And the electricity just went off as I write. Ah, well. I guess I will take the dog in the car and go for a loooong ride in air-conditioned comfort. Benson’s Ice Cream, here we come.
Have a great day!
July 22, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Hi Caryn,
I didn’t get my house air-conditioned until last year. The summer, especially August, was so hot I couldn’t stand it and spent most of my time with Gracie in my bedroom, the only room with an air-conditioner. I decided enough was enough. Now I’m sitting in cool comfort while Gracie snores on the couch. We’re both pretty spoiled. I’m about to finish here and get to my book. I’m even thinking a nap later. Why should Gracie be the only one?
Enjoy that ice cream!
Stay cool!!!
July 22, 2011 at 12:53 pm
Cool and nice here now, but it has rained some times during the day. I´m a bit distracted right now because a huge bomb (or several) has exploded in Oslo and at the same time people dressed as policemen has shot people at an island not far from Oslo. People has died in Oslo and several is injured. The bomb exploded in the government area.
It is the governing party´s youth sections summer camp that was targeted. I´m looking at Norwegian tv (sent over swedish television) all the time right now. It is chaos in Oslo so we don´t know much about what happened on that summer camp. Right now an Islamic group (that no one seems to know anything about) takes responsibility for these things but no one knows if it´s true. Nutters do love to take responsibility when things like this happens
Security is raised here in Sweden as well now. We were lucky last time when only the suicide bomber died, we might not be that lucky next time.
Take care in the heat!
Christer
July 22, 2011 at 12:54 pm
I see that I wrote a bit confusing. The youth section was on the island where people got shot and the bomb (s) exploded in the government area.
Christer.
July 22, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Latest news is that the one killing kids has a nordic look, so if it is a combined action with that in Oslo ( and they think it is) my guess is that this is a extreme right action. Bt we will know more tomorrow.
Christer.
July 22, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Christer,
I just saw all the pictures on the news. It was one of the headlines here as well. Earlier, after I read your comments, I went on line and read articles and saw a couple of videos.
Nowhere is safe any more it seems.
July 22, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I can’t remember who sent me an email explaining that after his wife died he sold the big house and sized down to a ranch style home; then again to a condo; then to a one bedroom. He wants me to use it as a piece for my Sunday Morning slot on Cat and I might. It’s not poetry but interesting that his entire points are that he learned to live with only what, in the end, his last move, he needed. But it took years for him to get there, selling or giving to charity what he realized he never used anymore. Your post reminded me to hit the Cat file for Sunday and see if it’s worth posting.
About the weather across the U.S. and up your way . . . funny but we are in the high 70’s for some reason and the wind is blowing from the Atlantic 10 mph. It hasn’t been like this in July since I lived in Florida.
July 22, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Z&Me,
I live alone with a house full. Many of them are pieces I brought home from Ghana or bought elsewhere on my travels. I also have a few collections which are mostly in this room, my messy den.
It hit 103° in Boston today; the hottest day since 1926. It was even in the 90’s here, and I didn’t leave the AC. The few times I went outside, I died from the heat and humidity. Even Boston was drier than here.
July 22, 2011 at 6:50 pm
seems like we are all suffering from the heat this week,
so sorry to hear of your news Christer, i am sure we will learn more soon, our thoughts are with you and the citizens of your country today!
Kat, you’ve brought up a very important question in my life at the moment…i am seriously downsizing in my life, i feel adrift in a home full of stuff i no longer want, need or can manage anymore.
After trading up for years i find myself with far too many books, movies and music in several formats,it all seems ridiculous considering i can go to the library and get anyone of these things that i desire in a few days time, sans ownership.
i would like to have a fun sale tho, perhaps everything’s a dollar ? i would donate everything left over after wards. Maybe a lil fun is just the motivation i need to get rid of all these ‘treasures”.
keep cool
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
July 22, 2011 at 9:08 pm
splendid,
The weather claims we’ll have one more day of this horrid heat then the change will come, and we’ll drop down to the 70’s. I can hardly wait.
I find myself buying less with the exception of stuff for my trip. Something has to be unique and original before I’d consider buying it. I love old stuff, and that’s all I’ll give any consideration.
July 22, 2011 at 8:38 pm
If it gets much hotter here, we may hit a stifling 70F; oh, for a proper breeze then.
Cheers
July 22, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Minicapt,
You poor guy!
July 22, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Today, here in New Jersey, the temperature hit 100 degrees or more. Newark hit 106. When we moved to Texas in 1953 most people didn’t have central air conditioning. The houses and apartments were built with attic fans and people added window air conditioners. The summer of 1954 was also a scorcher and central air became very popular in higher priced homes. Besides indoor plumbing air conditioning would be the next technology I would not want to do without.
July 23, 2011 at 10:10 am
Bob,
I didn’t have AC throughout the house until last year; it was only in my bedroom. Last summer was so stifling, though, I just had to have it. Now I can’t imagine living without it, especially on days like yesterday. Boston hit 103 but we weren’t so far behind.
Central air was much later coming this way, but our summers aren’t even close to what you have to endure.
July 23, 2011 at 10:10 am
Hey Kat!
Trust me, my recent experiences living out of a suitcase have taught me a lesson about traveling light. I moved into my new digs last week (remember the Mom, 3 kids, and the dog? Yeah – – THOSE digs 🙂
Anyway, I am making three lists at the moment – – What to Pull Out of Storage, Stuff I Need to Purchase, and (the most important, probably) List of Foodstuffs I Need to Purchase For My Side of the Fridge and Pantry.
Every time I look at it it seems to grow….darn it.
I am SERIOUSLY toying with the idea of going to the storage unit and chucking at least a third of it. If I did not use it in the past year, how important was it? Except for the baseball memorabilia and the autographed stuff I have. And my cd’s. And some of my clothes. And a rocking chair. And a recliner (virtually new).
Honestly, I sometimes feel as if I want to get RID of this stuff. This heat is making me grumpy ( tho’ some of my friends say I am like this no matter what the wather. 🙂 )
Waving from Jersey in the heat – –
Coleen
July 23, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Coleen,
I keep telling myself that this is the last place I’ll ever live so my sisters will be stuck with the weaning. My mother used to tell us we would go crazy after she’d toed up given the stuff she saved, and she was right. We found valentine’s from when we were little and just about every card we’d sent, and that’s just a start.
Lists always grow. That is a maxim as true as any.
Sell it on e-Bay, at least make some money from what you’d chuck.
The heat makes us all grumpy so just ignore your friends!
Waving from my very cool house!!
July 28, 2011 at 2:05 am
Electrical or electronic things you can do without in your life:
– electric toothbrush
– electric clock
– AC powered telephone base & battery portable handsets
– MP3 music player
– battery watch
– LED flashlight
– scented air deodorizer
– night lights
– microwave oven
– rice cooker
– bread maker
– waffle iron
– electric can opener
– electric kitchen mixer
– electric hair dryer
– electric blanket
– cell phone
– electric grass mower
– electric edger
– electric chain saw
– electric dish washer
– electric garbage disposal
– door bell
– digital thermometer
– digital fever thermometer
– electric kitchen timer
– digital home scales
– electric garage door opener
– blender
and maybe
– tv
– radio
– clothes iron
– smoke alarm
– burglar alarm
– electronic car lock remote
– hearing aid
– LED jewelry
– basement sump pump
– outside bug zapper
– electronic dog leash/fence (keeps dog in yard by collar)
– garden pond water pump
– electric clothes dryer
– electric trash compactor
– hair curling iron
– toaster
– toaster oven
See what you think of my list, Kat.
Rick OzTown
August 3, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Rick,
This ended up in spam, and I didn’t find it until today so I apologize for the delay. I never do think to check my spam in WordPress. I read every bit of your list and there are a few things I’d keep as I’ve grown far too accustomed to let them go: MP3 music player as I love the sound in my ears as I do chores. It makes everything go faster as I sing along and sway to the music. My TV, nope-you can take away the programs, but I need to see movies on something. I like the safety of the smoke alarm, and if I ever go deaf, I want a hearing aid. I never want to hang out my clothes in the winter and see them stiff on the lines as if rigor mortis has set in. I would surly miss a toaster, but I suppose I could always use the stove. Radio? What would I listen to in the car to pass the miles?