We just finished unpacking our last items in our new apartment across the hall. As we unpacked our belongings, it occurred to me all the items –particularly electronic items- that we are living without.We live in one of the most modern and technologically advanced cities in Asia, but ironically the VanNoords have turned into neo-luddites. This past year, we’ve reverted to doing things the way grandpa and grandma used to did them.
We drip-dry most of our clothes. Whenever she bakes cookies, Julie has to mix all the ingredients by hand; we do not have an electric mixer. She has to chop all her vegetables by hand. We actually have to open our cans by hand. Julie doesn’t have her curling iron.
Surprisingly, we do own a dishwasher. Actually we have two. They are named Annika and Elise. They girls take turns doing the dinner dishes everynight.
Recently, I spent 45 minutes backing out eight screws with a screwdriver because we have no electric drill. After a decade of shaving with an electric razor, I am back to using cream and a blade.
We bought an area rug for our living room. But once a week one of us has to get down on our hands and knees and brush it with a small whisk broom because we don’t own a vacuum cleaner.
-Jack
Picture: our new view from our new apartment on the other side of the building.
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