1. Bucket water filter
Cheikh built this. It’s made from two buckets, two lids, a faucet fixture, three candle filters and some nuts and bolts. We run all our drinking water through it. It’s super nasty to see how brown and dirty the candles get in just a couple days. That’s for another post, another time.
2. Iron security door
The door was made by a welder friend of Cheikh’s. He also made a door stop out of iron pieces and an old flip-flop sole.
3. Reserve water
Absolute necessity since we’re still having daily water cuts. On days like today, it’s more accurate to say we have daily water availability! It’s been off most of the last 24 hours. So we store up water when we can.
4. Gas bottles for the stove
Really brighten up the kitchen, don’t they?
5. Indoor/outdoor laundry room
This is just off the kitchen. There’s a big double sink, tiled floors and walls, our washing machine and our lines for drying. So much easier than hiking up to the roof or walking down four flights of stairs to hang laundry.
Note: Anyone who think sun-dried clothes are soft and/or smell good has never dried their clothes on a line.
6. Extra ‘outlets’
Hole in the wall + extension cord. Problem solved.
7. Voltage regulators/surge protectors
These little boxes are also a must. They protect our appliances from power surges that fry expensive things up in an instant.
8. Bidet
Of course, if you’re reading this from Europe, you might have a bidet. But it’s a safe bet that people in the US do not. Also a safe bet that your husbands did not request they be installed…like mine did. But they do make excellent foot-washers, stained-clothes-soakers and baby baths.
9. Glass slat windows
We actually only have one of these. The others have all been replaced.
10. A fuse box that looks like this.
Like this:
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I like this post! It reminds me so much of Brazil! My mum had cute little “dresses” covering our gas bottles matching the kitchen tiles (oh boy!).. When we got more modern, the bottles were moved outside and we made a hole in the wall in order to connect the gas pipe to the stove.. (let’s not even think about the security issues on that one)
Keep strong and thanks for the updates! Lots of love, Rebeca.
I love this post, Khady! I 100% identify with the comment about line-dried clothes. In Ukraine, mine would get so stiff that my jeans could almost stand on their own. I also had a water reserve, housed on one of my balconies. My friends called it the water balcony. Came in handy when I needed water to cook or, you know, flush the toilet…Great post!
Amen to the line dried clothes. Crunchy stiff undies are not fun for anyone.
A bidet would be perfect for a baby bath! I love it!!
Also, your fuse box scares me. A lot.
nope, we have nary a one of those things–and I have to say I’m glad!
blessings on your heads!
AMEN to number 5! My gas bottle in my house (in Ghana) was in my pantry which was directly behind my stove. So the gas bottle was only visible if you went in the pantry. It was very handy. Also, how did he make that filter? I might need those directions soon!
Mom would always hang out our clothes (for family of 9) to dry. If there was no breeze, the clothes would always dry stiffly. Once when our cousins came over, one of them asked why my mom put starch in her towels.
A bidet is also great as a water bowl for a medium sized dog! right his height!!
I remember the glass slat windows and iron door from living in Zambia! Everything else is different!
We have 4 of the 10.
Reminds me of some of the things we had growing up. Not surge protector but we have them here after a power surge fried 3 tv’s one computer, and garage door opener. Lighting did the damage. Water filter =water softner. Do have water all the time, country government stability even though elections are a hoot .