Reflections of katlupe: 2024

Monday, March 25, 2024

I Love Lighting and Lamps In My Apartment!

My Office

When I lived on my homestead with my husband I had to endure living in the dark. Most of the time we used kerosene lamps. They were nice but they were not bright. The only way I could stand the evenings after he turned our inverter off for the day was to read on my kindle. I carried a flashlight constantly. I still have the same flashlight which is charged by sunshine. I remember spending time reading magazines at the kitchen table with two big kerosene lamps. Kerosene lamps were a lot of work. Plus the fact that they smelled. I got used to it but odors and smoke really bother me. So it took some time.

Living Room Area

In my home now which is a small studio apartment, I rarely think about not having enough light. I have four lamps and two overhead lights in the main part of the apartment. The kitchen has one big overhead light and one smaller one over the sink and one on the stove hood. The bathroom has one overhead light and a second one that is not very bright. Of course, the one over the mirror and sink is very bright and good for putting on make-up.

My Kindle

If you have never lived with limited lighting you don't really think about it. It is not something I would want to do again. Or not having running water, but that is another story. For one thing I don't think it is good for your eyes to be in the dark all the time. Trying to do different tasks in the dark was hard for me. I read books aloud in the evening to pass the time until bedtime but I had to use a flashlight. After I got the Kindle I was able to read without the flashlight.

My Roommate!

In the morning I usually have two lamps on and the overhead light while sitting here at my computer. Since I have no reason to struggle without electric lights any longer I don't. My computer is well lit but I like the extra lights. Once the sun comes up my apartment is flooded with light. The sun not only lights my apartment but heats it as well (whether I want it or not). Since I suffer with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) not having to deal with kerosene lamps, wood stoves or batteries charging has been a big improvement for me. Back then I didn't know it was an actual condition. Now I can deal with it since I have learned much about it.

Fairy lights above the cupboards along the vase collection

As you age, lighting is really an important element of safety in a home. So called "experts" say it is good for you to sleep in the dark with no lights of any kind. Not for me! I have two strings of fairy lights here. One is in the kitchen on top of my cupboards. They are always on and I consider them my night light. I can get up during the night and see where I am going. I feel safer having some kind of lights on during the night. Knock on wood, but I have never fallen. It is my biggest fear especially how I would manage to get up off the floor. The emergency squad is always coming here to my apartment building to help someone who has fallen. It is a common occurrence at a senior living residence. Better to be safe than sorry later.

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Precautions For Staying Safe

Aging in place is the trend now for us older adults. And why shouldn't it be? Getting to a certain age and then being told you have to do this or do that is not something to look forward to. Thankfully, I have an apartment I can do that in. I was not able to do that in my previous home. It was impossible. Even though back then I could walk better than I can now. A house can be set up for aging if you get to work on it before you need it. In my opinion, all houses should be built that way no matter what the owner's age is. The last few years of living in my house I had to sleep downstairs in the living room. First on a couch and then finally when I could afford it, I bought a single bed. I hated sleeping in the living room because I had no privacy.

I feel safe here even though it is downtown and there are homeless people, druggie people and bullies here as well. No matter where you live they will always be present as well. I take safety precautions constantly and am always aware of my surroundings. It may sound like I am not friendly but I discourage strangers coming up to me when I am out. One guy who hangs out at the grocery store would come up to me when I am in my mobility chair and grab my hand. I do not like that and I have avoided him and if I do run into him I do not talk to him or respond to him. Now he leaves me alone. He may very well be harmless but I do not like strangers touch me even if it is just my hand. Who knows where that hand has been? Or who else he has touched? Spreading germs from person to person.

I do not carry a purse when I go out on my mobility chair or walker. I don't carry cash unless it is just a few dollars. Normally I carry a debit card and use that for any purchases I am making. I recently changed from a large wallet to one that is small enough to fit in my hand. I conceal it in the seat of my walker which is safer than having it on me unless my walker is stolen. In all my time living here, I have never had a problem with anyone. In fact nobody has ever approached me to ask for money. There are many different products I found on Amazon that are made for protecting yourself when you are out. A senior or disabled citizen is an easy target for someone to rob you. I always study any person near me so that I am aware of what they are doing. Especially if they seem interested in me or what I am dong.

Keeping my apartment locked even if I am just going downstairs to get my mail or going across the hall to speak to a neighbor. A stranger can get into our building by visiting someone they know who lives here. That is always a possibility. The best thing I can do is to always be aware of others on my hall or in one of the public areas. Public areas are always watched by the video cameras through out our building. Another thing I do is to limit who I let into my apartment. A number of them have wanted to come in to see "Rabbit" but I still limit that until I know them better. I don't mean to sound paranoid but I lived a long time with barely any interaction with others. After moving here, I was cautious and remain so today.

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Appreciation For Nature Is Close To My Heart

Forest Path

Is it in a human's nature to not love the natural look of things? That they have a need to change it? For instance, yards, trees, wild plants, flowers, rocks and wild critters? To cut down trees, remove the rocks, kill the wild plants and critters? Make it into a lawn then complain about cutting the grass all season. Having to fix or repair the lawn mower or buy a bigger one and pollute your area with noise and fumes? They seem to have the need to build a garage to house all their equipment for keeping nature from taking over. They really get excited about the mower or the garage or work shed but not about the first dandelion showing up on their lawn.

Cutting Grass

Now I understand the need for cutting the grass because fleas and ticks live in that uncut grass. So if you have cats or dogs you need to protect them by cutting the grass. It does not have to be done by the latest or most powerful lawnmower you can buy. I worked for a man once who blacktopped his whole front yard in a city house. It was so ugly! I admit lawns look nice but do they really need to be so large? An area of wild plants and flowers is actually prettier to me.

One More Tree Down.........

Does every single tree need to be removed from the yard? Especially if a house is in the middle of the forest? If you do not like trees do not choose to live in the forest. Instead people will buy a house in the forest and then spend their life trying to make it look like a city house. Why spend time working in the yard for years, trying to change the natural beauty of the forest around the house, so it loses its connection to the forest?

Roads through out the forest

I am a woman who loves the forest and the wild plants that grow naturally. Not planted by anyone. Others will see a dandelion and think it is a weed. I see a dandelion and see it in its beauty an edible medicinal plant. There is a reason that wild plants will resist pests that kill garden plants. They will resist the strongest weed killers. Yet those same chemicals could kill you in the end. I prided myself on not using chemicals of any kind in my garden beds. I could eat a vegetable right in the garden. No need to worry about the chemicals like you do when buying from the store.

One of my favorites........dandelions!

Now of course, I live downtown in a small city. No forest but I do have trees around me. I am within walking distance of four city parks. Most of the time I am the only person in the park. I sit out there and just watch the birds and squirrels and the occasional person walking through the park. I enjoy it but I do miss being in the forest. I have my memories though and lots of photos. I look at them and remember the times being out in the forest.

Monday, February 12, 2024

Appreciating Quiet Even When Living Downtown

Living in downtown apartments are not always quiet

I hate the sound of loud noises. Wondering if it has anything to do with my age. I will be 72 in a few months though I don't believe I have any hearing issues. My apartment is very quiet and I appreciate the silence. Music I do not consider noise. I listen to music daily but not loud blaring music. Sometimes I think people like to play it loud so everyone can hear it. Even the people who do not like it. In fact, I find I appreciate it more at the level I listen to. I always pause it when someone comes to my door or calls me on the phone. I don't want to miss my songs!

Intercom in my apartment

In my apartment building we have an intercom system. The doors at the entrance opening into the lobby are locked at all times. To enter there is an intercom on the wall and you have to buzz the apartment you are visiting. It will buzz in that apartment and the resident will push a button to ask who it is. Then they push a button to listen to your answer. Once they are satisfied that it is someone they are expecting or know, they push the button to unlock the door and you can enter the building. It is a very good system and I like it. But......when the intercom buzzes in the apartment..........it is VERY loud! Rabbit and I jump every time. Even when I know someone is coming here.

Across the street from my apartment

Quietness was one of the things I treasured when living at Peaceful Forest, my former home. Especially in winter. It was very quiet all year long. That is unless a chainsaw was buzzing a tree down or the generator was running when there was not much sun. I remember listening to my horses chewing their hay and that was the only sound I could hear. Or the chickadees and blue jays during the winter which were welcome sounds to me. You quickly acclimate to your environment and grow accustom to the sounds of daily life. Even though I badly missed the sounds of the birds in the forest I had to move on. To my new life and sounds. The only birds I hear now in a downtown location are crows. Every now and then other birds will show up but they do not sound as happy as the birds in the forest.

Downtown

City life is full of noises. Trucks backing up to loading docks in early morning hours. Garbage trucks pulling up to the dumpster at my building. I get up early so it doesn't really bother me so much. Sirens at any time of the day or night. Fire trucks, emergency vehicles and police. Bars. The back of the bars on South Broad Street, the main street of my city, face my apartment building. So when they have loud music playing, especially live bands or musicians I can hear it in my apartment. I don't mind that either because it is usually good music. My building also has a theater in it and many times I can feel the beat of the music since it is right here. That doesn't bother me one bit because I love having a theater in the same building I live in. It is not a movie theater. It is a theater for live shows and concerts among other forms of entertainment.

Looking out the door of my apartment

I got used to it. Even though I do prefer quiet, there are times when the sounds of others reassures me that I am not alone. At times I will walk out of my apartment and go to different floors and not see one other person. Then on other days I hear people talking in the hall outside my door as they wait for the elevator. Doors slamming, people laughing, a dog barking, a mobility scooter horn beeping, etc. I go downstairs to get my mail and a group of people are sitting in the lobby talking and laughing. It is nice to have friends in person which I didn't before moving here. I feel I am living alone but am not alone. Anytime I need time with friends I have many to choose from.

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