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Post by fumobici on Nov 15, 2021 21:04:00 GMT
Washing with just a washcloth is called a " toilette de chat" in French. You don't actually have to lick yourself, though. I've only seen that done in old B&W movies by guys in wife beater tops.
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Post by Kimby on Nov 15, 2021 21:48:16 GMT
Kimby, it is essential that your coffee be ready when you wake up? Can't you wait 10 minutes and prepare it when you are "raring to go"? I never use the auto-brew feature that WOULD have the coffee ready when I got up - IF that time could be predicted. I’m out of bed anytime after 5 am. Too early to be making noise in the kitchen, while poor Mr. Kimby tries to sleep. I should remember to set it up the night before, but since we never throw coffee away, just microwave the leftovers till they’re gone, it isn’t an every day event that coffee needs to be made. Clearly, I am not a coffee connoisseur! Merely a caffeine addict…
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Post by questa on Nov 15, 2021 22:00:04 GMT
OMG !! *Mentally re-writes image I have of Kimby*
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Post by whatagain on Nov 16, 2021 4:50:49 GMT
In the same way that being flailed with whips ornamented with big fish hooks might be, I suppose. A few years back here the same bombola had had a gasket perish while I was away and all the gas (around €500 worth!) had leaked out while I was gone. I was in *desperate* need of a shower after a nightmarish journey, so desperate I took a cold shower just to be clean. I literally still suffer bouts of PTSD just thinking about the tortuous Hell I endured. 🤣🤣 you describe the situation perfecly well ! May i be the one holding the flail next time you run out of gas ?
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Post by tod2 on Nov 16, 2021 7:28:59 GMT
No, but a warmish bird bath beats the alternative. This scenario plays itself out in millions of homes across South Africa - A basin filled with hot water from a wood fire or Primus stove or even if you're lucky, an electric kettle - Then you get naked and stand in the basin washing all the necessary. Only very few who live near or on the outskirts of a city may have a bathroom in the house. As a mention - There was a YouTube video of an enormous hippo size female standing butt-naked in a small basin of water and washing her every nook and cranny in full view of the entire street and buildings in downtown Johannesburg. I wish I could find it for you....
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Post by whatagain on Nov 16, 2021 8:34:18 GMT
Every cloud has a silver line... My wife doesn't likecthe sound of my couch so she sends me to the doc, who is one of my best friends i don't see enough. Anyway i slept nearly ok this night, life looks already brighter.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 16, 2021 8:36:10 GMT
Wives are always right Whatagain - we worry and like to solve a problem with the health of a husband.
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Post by bjd on Nov 16, 2021 8:36:55 GMT
Hmm -- I think that should be "cough", not couch. Glad to hear you feel better.
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Post by whatagain on Nov 16, 2021 8:38:42 GMT
Hihi. I am at an age when cough makes more noise than whatever i do on my couch 😢
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Post by fumobici on Nov 16, 2021 17:40:37 GMT
So... the gaz guy showed up and filled the bombola with sweet Russian gaz this morning while I was at the bank and the lawyer's (€€€€) so I could finally look forward to a hot shower! No, both caldaio units, upstairs and downstairs now won't work (I'm thinking €€€€) but when I get home from the Auto Club Italia office (here ever after ACI) to pay for two car's registration (neither running) for the two years I've been forced away(€€€€) , I out of boredom and desperation begin tapping away at the buttons on one of the heating units and, like a monkey at a typewriter, I somehow after an hour or so of jiggery-pokery hit the magic combination and the unit works again! I try to replicate my random tappings in the same order and the downstairs unit suddenly comes to life! I'd already called for a repairman, but the annual certification still has to be done and if the inspector/repairman is a hardass, I'll have to pay a fine for not having the certification check performed last year(€€€€) while I couldn't be here due to The Plague. Long story short, TL;DR: I can finally take a hot shower!!!
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 16, 2021 18:37:02 GMT
You have too much hot water now. Share some with the rest of us.
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Post by htmb on Nov 16, 2021 20:02:40 GMT
Sounds like you’re having a wild adventure, fumobici!
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Post by questa on Nov 16, 2021 22:25:30 GMT
There was a YouTube video of an enormous hippo size female standing butt-naked in a small basin of water and washing her every nook and cranny in full view of the entire street and buildings in downtown Johannesburg. I wish I could find it for you.... No ! NO ! Don't look for it. I think I would rather be boiled in oil than see it.
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Post by bjd on Nov 17, 2021 7:50:34 GMT
Fumo, wouldn't it be simpler to go all electric? Get rid of the gas containers, the annual certification and just install an electric water heater.
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Post by whatagain on Nov 17, 2021 7:58:06 GMT
Fumo, wouldn't it be simpler to go all electric? Get rid of the gas containers, the annual certification and just install an electric water heater. That is the first thing we did in France. But because we were scared of the gas. Natural gas is called the silent killer here.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 17, 2021 8:44:01 GMT
As we are having major Power-Outs with the electricity all over South Africa, We have just installed a large gas water heater. There are very strict rules and it has to be certified by a qualified gas man. Only copper piping can be used. Only certain areas it may be placed outside. The old system where you had a "pilot light" burning has been replaced by a Duracell battery which triggers a start switch would then lights the gas the moment you turn on the hot tap. We have done this as a back-up to our Solar geyser on the roof. The water pipes are very far from the bathroom, so about 20L of cold water runs out before it becomes hot. This gas geyser has a special valve which switches over to the solar panel heater when the hot water reaches the gas geyser. Very complicated but no more water loss.
I am not sure what gas is used.
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Post by bjd on Nov 17, 2021 8:50:21 GMT
Fumo, wouldn't it be simpler to go all electric? Get rid of the gas containers, the annual certification and just install an electric water heater. That is the first thing we did in France. But because we were scared of the gas. Natural gas is called the silent killer here. I wouldn't worry so much about the gas being a "silent killer" but in a situation where you are not there for long periods of time and if you don't have a whole setup of radiators for winter heating, it seems that converting to only electric is much simpler. Of course, you save on the gas meter montly rental fee if it's a local system too although that doesn't seem to be the case for Fumobici.
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Post by fumobici on Nov 17, 2021 8:55:42 GMT
Fumo, wouldn't it be simpler to go all electric? Get rid of the gas containers, the annual certification and just install an electric water heater. Probably worth considering long-term, but the electric service out here in the sticks isn't the most reliable and I wouldn't be surprised if the amperage of the house service might prove to be insufficient. There's also the sunk costs vs. a retrofit and the fact that it has a floor heating system that was designed to be fed by the gas system in place.
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Post by bjd on Nov 17, 2021 10:09:32 GMT
Okay, if you have a floor-heating system then it becomes really complicated. Unless you don't use it because you aren't there in winter. And indeed, you would have to up the amperage for a water heater and electric radiators.
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Post by questa on Nov 17, 2021 10:35:46 GMT
The Bali restaurant was a delicate thing when it came to electricity. The actual cooking was done with gas from 2 cylinders which were delivered by a lad on a bicycle who came anytime day or night when a cylinder emptied. The electricity was shared with the family compound behind the cafe. The amperage or wattage or whatever it was, could not go past 1100 or we blew all the power for both sites.
The fridge took 600 watts and we turned the Coca cola fridge off altogether. We had an ancient Dutch chandelier hanging in the centre of the ceiling with 3 lights and another 4, one on each corner. Music came from a tape player, and with 2 blenders and a pop-up toaster we ran very close to the wind at times.
If we had an order for blended fruit juice...turn off the music, if they wanted a toasted sandwich, kill the back lights as well. Two blended drinks at once was a slow process so we turned the 4 corner lights off to get more froth in the drink.
Coke fridges are installed free but only Coke products are allowed in them. Ours was used for keeping food as well. One night, with the best of intentions, I put some fish into the fridge, switched it on and sent half the village into blackness.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 17, 2021 16:32:45 GMT
Oh I know the problem.....Not enough battery storage/or and, using above the capacity to support the draw on electricity. Even now I cannot turn on my airfyer and the microwave, and kettle all at the same time if the electric geyser is on. and the tumble dryer is on or the pool filter is running. That is if we are having a power out. Not all my plugs are the one or the other.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 17, 2021 18:14:44 GMT
Actual "toiilettes de chat" are very thorough. Human versions don't usually involve licking one's bottom, except among the kinky. I also fell in the kitchen, but not without reason -I'd stepped on Livia's tail, and she was screaming bloody murder. I earned a rainbow of bruises on one shoulder.
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 17, 2021 18:24:24 GMT
It seems like it is the falling season, not just fall (autumn).
But it's true that a toilette de chat can be very thorough or else nurses would not be doing it to patients in hospitals all over the world.
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 17, 2021 18:42:14 GMT
The kinky and the physically very supple.
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 17, 2021 18:44:51 GMT
We've all heard that easy brain teaser "why do dogs lick their balls?"
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Post by Kimby on Nov 17, 2021 20:25:22 GMT
OMG !! *Mentally re-writes image I have of Kimby* You had envisioned me sipping freshly prepared espresso from tiny cups with a raised pinky finger perhaps? Not likely! Coffee is medicine. Prevents headaches and reduces brain fog.
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Post by questa on Nov 17, 2021 22:01:42 GMT
You had envisioned me sipping freshly prepared espresso from tiny cups with a raised pinky finger perhaps? Not likel Not quite, Kimby. More like hugging a big mug with both hands wrapped around it. Current brand of decent coffee granules sitting on kitchen table. *Raised pinkies are for tea drinkers. Wrap around fingers for coffee
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Post by questa on Nov 17, 2021 22:21:33 GMT
The other hazard was that the power outlets didn't have switches (except where tourists stayed,) so it was a plug in / pull plug out system, and keep your fingers away from the wires. On 3 occasions I got "strum"(electric shock) from the A/C in Lombok. Then I was glad it was low wattage.
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Post by patricklondon on Nov 22, 2021 13:50:10 GMT
Not Pygmalion likely. My petty trauma has been in somehow getting my shallow top kitchen drawer (with most of my cutlery and miscellaneous small gizmos) jammed shut last Saturday. Something inside (I blame a fancy nutcracker thing my brother gave me) had jammed itself up against the batten holding up the worktop. I could only open the drawer an inch or so, and had to flail around with a spatula in the vague hope of dislodging it. Fortunately whatever it was did shift after about 15 minutes, but I didn't half feel a fool. My blog | My photos | My video clips | My Librivox recordings"too literate to be spam"
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Post by kerouac2 on Nov 22, 2021 13:54:29 GMT
Situations like that make me break into a sweat.
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