Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Domesticus

Another interesting factor in moving out is the move towards complete self-sufficiency. At home, although I was a paying board, eating 95% my own purchased food, cooking that food, washed dishes, paid internet and phone etc. I often didn't do some of the housework such as washing tidying etc. Now that I have moved it gives me a direct ownership over doing things and also making some things 'my own'.

I have always enjoyed washing dishes; the process-based, meditative aspect of it is really pleasant. I have never been bored doing such tasks and now I have so many more routines such as taking care of the lettuce and tomatoes we have growing, collecting condensation, weeding, making various food (gourmet porridge, dosa, hummus, attempted chapattis, squeezed orange juice, spirulina, soaking beans for evening meals, sprouting alfalfa and fenugreek etc.), doing the washing, tidying, tending the worm farm and the list goes on. In other words, I'm thoroughly domesticated. I could be the ideal house-husband!

And then there are domestic projects abound for the future: Making tofu, Essene bread, bread bread, going into the ceiling, fixing the phone, finally tidying the house properly, selling off or donating all unnecessary spacetakers etc. etc.

Ah! Such freedom to do interesting things.

3 comments:

James said...

The regular household chores felt like work when I was living with my parents. But, after I moved out, they just felt like the things you do when you're living independently. I had become indifferent to them.

How do you collect condensation? Why are you going to go into the ceiling?

Crypticity said...

You can collect condensation with a cloth. And I want to go into the ceiling to check out whether there are leaks into the ceiling cavity (the 'attic'). At one time last year there was mold/mildew tracing out the lines of unseen rafters in the ceiling. I want to see if that is because of leakage into the ceiling or whether it is just some sort of other reason. It is possible that rafters make areas of the ceiling colder in a pattern and hence moisture in the house condenses more where the rafters would be. Or something like that. At my mum's flat, the landlord got an expert into the ceiling to look for signs of that pinpointed the tiles that were leaking and fixed them. I was considering that but my sis said trademen have a backlog, costly and if one is not sure that there is a problem, it is best not to call them in. So I thought I'd give it a try (and have an adventure). Regrettably the only ladder we have leaves me a little too... er... short to get into the ceiling safely so the mystery remains.

James said...

And then you'll have a damp cloth. I think I misunderstood you - I thought you wanted the condensation for something. Heh.