Page 6 of 6 FirstFirst ... 456
Results 51 to 56 of 56

Thread: Stepping Back: What are the Consequences?

  1. #51
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    2,843
    We spend far too much time between 90-105 to go without A/C. I started working in the OR at age 19 at 68F or under. Then when perimenopause hot flashes started I couldn't stand the house even at 78 degrees anymore. We live at 74 and even cooler at night or this girl doesn't sleep. 57 and still have those night sweats I am grateful we can afford to cool the house (power is cheap in Idaho.)

  2. #52
    Senior Member KayLR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    SW Washington State
    Posts
    2,756
    We just had visitors (DIL and her 2 kids) here from Ohio, her first time out here in the Pac NW. She told us the thing she found most interesting here was that there were so few swimming pools in peoples' yards. She said where she lives that's the status symbol, but here everyone has vegetable gardens and that's what people talk about. Ha!

    Like Jane, we haven't had record temps down here, but the unusually long extended dry period is the concern. Such a fire hazard. We have AC in our house, but I hate it. DH cranks it up to where I'm wearing a sweater indoors in the evening. I sometimes go outside and read on the porch instead.

    Feel badly our yard is so brown. I do keep my small flowerbeds and my new tree watered, though.
    My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already!

  3. #53
    Senior Member Polliwog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    244
    Catherine,
    If anyone thinks you are quirky based upon your housing, etc., I would rather be quirky than plain vanilla! It is much more interesting. And you must get past the idea that people are judging you. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. Who cares? To each her own. I currently live in a 720 sq ft apartment and it has everything I need, except more windows. I can live small but I need lots of light. My previous home that I owned was just under 1300 sq ft and it had huge windows everywhere. Unfortunately, I had to sell my beautiful townhouse because of a serious lung disease. But I recovered and I am so grateful. I lost a lot of my savings also. I'm retired and at 74 years I will not be owning another house. I have had to adjust to this chain of events and it has humbled me. People may be judging me for the way I live now, but I have learned to disregard those thoughts. I concentrate on gratitude - the best antidote for negative thoughts. Just my thoughts. Sorry if I got off topic.
    Linda (in SoCal)

  4. #54
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    7,451
    Quote Originally Posted by Polliwog View Post
    Catherine,
    If anyone thinks you are quirky based upon your housing, etc., I would rather be quirky than plain vanilla! It is much more interesting. And you must get past the idea that people are judging you. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. Who cares? To each her own. I currently live in a 720 sq ft apartment and it has everything I need, except more windows. I can live small but I need lots of light. My previous home that I owned was just under 1300 sq ft and it had huge windows everywhere. Unfortunately, I had to sell my beautiful townhouse because of a serious lung disease. But I recovered and I am so grateful. I lost a lot of my savings also. I'm retired and at 74 years I will not be owning another house. I have had to adjust to this chain of events and it has humbled me. People may be judging me for the way I live now, but I have learned to disregard those thoughts. I concentrate on gratitude - the best antidote for negative thoughts. Just my thoughts. Sorry if I got off topic.
    Linda (in SoCal)
    Hey Linda, glad you are feeling better and making a great recovery!

  5. #55
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Nevada
    Posts
    12,889
    Linda, I am glad you are well. I am sorry you had financial issues but health is more important than things. I never value myself by where I live. If I have a clean safe place I am good.

  6. #56
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,635
    Thanks for all the encouragement.

    Linda, thanks so much for the support--I am so glad things have worked out for you health wise. I'm sorry you were forced to downsize.. but it sounds like it is working for you. I, too, won't have a heck of a lot to live on going forward, but I'm finding I need very little, and that is a very freeing lesson.


    Catherine, if you're happy with your new house that's all that matters. (and frankly, it sounds lovely!) Worst case scenario some of your friends who come to visit may think you're "quirky" or be baffled by your decision on how to live. But they aren't living there. Or paying the bills. You are.
    Why would you apologize for your choices? This is not something I understand at all. Are YOU uncomfortable with it and your projecting this onto your guests?
    Thanks, jp1 and Gardnr--and to answer your question, Gardnr, of course you are right. I shouldn't apologize at all. Frankly, this is a dream house for me. But I'm doing just what you said, I'm projecting what other people are probably thinking ("What? She hasn't brought in the construction team to turn this old cabin into something modern? What the hell is she waiting for?")

    I'm personally very much at peace with where I am at this moment with it. In fact last night I was thinking that there's no point in doing anything else this year. Next year it is very likely that we will be purging the contents of our house in NJ. There are very few pieces I really want to keep, so rather than buy anything more for this house, I'm going to meld the two houses and then decide what I need.

    Regarding creature comforts, there are two big ones: 1) the "SHATH"--as I mentioned earlier, I don't have any overhead shower, just a hand shower hose and a clawfoot tub, so we have to get in the tub and then spritz off in less than 3 minutes when our 10 gallons of hot water is used up. It can wait until next year. 2) As far as the AC goes, I understand what you guys are saying about some people needing it for health reasons, but I'm not there yet, and I won't buy an AC for guests--at least not yet. I went without AC for 4 years when our central unit in NJ broke down and we managed. Plus there's no aesthetically pleasing place to put it. It truly hasn't been that bad up here. Maybe 2 nights. It helps that we are on the lake.

    So, I guess where I net out is, I am willing to at least work on my insecure knee-jerk reactions that people think I've gone from suburban "housewife of New Jersey" to country hillbilly.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •