Living like it's 1999

A lot has changed in the world of technology.  A long time ago, people didn't have stoves or ovens, nor did they have other common electrics of today like heaters, tumble dryers, toasters, blenders, crockpots.  The first telephones had cords.  Early mobile phones were simple--no email, touch screens, web access.     These are things we take for granted and have made the world more convenient and livable.

Here is my mobile phone:

Medieval times

 It is simple and to the point.  I can text by toggling the buttons.  Needless to say, all of my texts are short.  The first time I had a phone like this was on our last UK sabbatical seven years ago.  At the time, it was the greatest thing ever.  Texting was a new concept to me, and the fact that the Harrogate mums and I could coordinate play dates without calling everyone was quick, efficient, and amazing.  I learned to sign "J+M xx" and all the other appropriate abbreviations of the time. 

Fast forward to 2012, and upon picking up this phone, I tried to scroll the screen with my finger.  No, that's wrong.  Must unlearn that habit.  For the past 3 or 4 years, John and I have loved our iPhones to pieces.  (Literally, we are due for an upgrade.)  Because of a snafu unlocking our phones, we decided to go with the rational, less costly alternative of buying sim cards for old cell phones.  Ugh.  We can still use our iPhones like iPod Touches in Wi-Fi zones.  But neither of us do that.  In an odd way, we've unlearned the codependency.  No email, no web, texts from a handful of people here.  We don't hold our phones while talking to each other or our family.  We rarely look at our phones while walking or waiting.  It's a new normal.

Here is our version of a tumble dryer:

"When will blampie be ready?"

It's simple, eco-friendly and seems to work as long as you have time to plan.  And it doesn't rain.  I am actually obsessed with hanging out the washing.  I love doing it if the weather is half-way decent.  If it looks remotely sunny outside, I actually want to poke the washing in and peg it outside.  I make a game of it-- have strategies for how to hang different clothes, where to hang them on the line, how to maximize the use of a peg, what clothes do or don't get hung outside.  I have to strategize about timing of school uniforms and Anna's blanket drying.  

We have the misfortune of a washing line that is technically in the back of the house but is realistically visible to the front houses of neighbors, and it's how everyone comes into our house.  So underpants never go on the line, for example.  

This was our stove and oven for a while:

It works.

Long story, but we didn't have an oven for 3 weeks and a stove for 1 week.  Improvisation became key.  We didn't eat pizza.  Fish was microwaved or fried (when the stove was available).  You learn to boil a lot of water and use the rice cooker.  The microwave saved us, and this was the cheapest one at Curry's.  

Presenting, our toaster:

"It doesn't even burn the toast, Mommy."

This is in fact a toaster we bought.  It was only £1.97 ($3.20) at Curry's in Ellesmere Port.  John and I debated about whether to invest in a toaster.  We could technically toast bread on the grill pan (until we had to replace our whole hob unit).  It worked but did require monitoring.  I have visions of John running down the hall-- "Excuse me, just have to check that the toast isn't burning!"  And we have toast everyday.  So at Curry's (while buying a printer, iPod player, telephone, microwave), I said, if we find a toaster for a good price, let's buy it.  When you live someplace for a year, you only look at the lowest ticket prices, right?  Well, who would have guessed, a 4 slice toaster for £1.97.  A dream come true.  We wondered if there might be something wrong with it.  But as Anna pointed out a few days later, "it doesn't even burn the toast, mommy."  Good point.  My only real regret is that the slots are too narrow for toasted tea cakes and bagels.  So I usually jam part of a tea cake in the slot, assume half of it will get stuck and burn and the other half will be cold.  Or I do some major trimming and end up with bread.  But hey, we saved like $20.

I mentioned some of those other electrics because we either don't own them and are somehow getting by (blender, crockpot) or we hit a snag and had to live without it for a little while (heater).  

We can't complain.  We have laptops, an iPad, Skype, lots of modern technology.  It's an adventure having lots and having little all at the same time.