House in the woods…

I would love a house in the woods…or somewhere in the countryside, a small wooden house…

…surrounded by all the greenery and the delights of nature, away from the hustle and bustle in the town or city where the air is fresh, free from all the pollution and there is peace and quiet all around.

Of course, I would want the basic amenities – water and electricity and wireless internet and mobile phone connections…but no, I don’t watch television so I can do without that. A fan will do fine but of course, I wouldn’t mind an air conditioner, knowing how hot it can get sometimes in this part of  the world. Of course, it is very much cooler in the countryside especially in the early morning when it can get quite cold.

Needless to say, in our very damp and hot tropical weather, I would need to maintain the place very well as the wood would rot and decay…

…unless I use very hard wood like belian, leaving holes for rats and all kinds of pests to make their grand entrances. Yes, I would have to ensure that everything is fixed as soon as I spot anything that needs repairing…

As the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine,” so if I make an effort to see to everything promptly, if not quickly, then my house would be in pretty good shape no matter how long it has been there.

Maintenance is so very crucial, really! That is why I do know of people who would not rent out their houses and would rather leave them empty – we have heard of so many horror stories where some rented out theirs for a few years and when the places were vacated, the landlords had a mammoth task of renovating and repairing on their hands – the tenants never bothered to take good care of the houses and just left them to rot. Some people have this kind of bad attitude – “It’s not ours!!!” they would just say. “Why bother?”

Safety…

…of course, would have to be given top priority and if I am dependent on rain water, the gutters along the roof…

…and the pipes would be of utmost important as well as those would lead the precious water into the huge storage tanks which I would need for that purpose.

Of course, I am no handyman myself, no Home Improvement guy, so I would have to fork out some money to hire somebody to come and see to anything that needs attention. However, I am pretty sure that there would be some things that I would be able to do myself like replacing broken window panes…

…or giving the house a new coat of paint and I would spend my free time doing some cleaning around the house, keeping it spick and span at all times so that it will always look as good as new.

I do believe that anything, be it a house or a car or anything, if well-looked after and properly maintained, it would stay in pretty good shape, even after a long time. We just can’t leave these things to take care of themselves or as the Chinese expression goes, “Oo cho, boh ciak!” (literally translated as, got work, no eat)

I survived 5 years in Kanowit with just a kerosene stove but there, the town was just a stone’s throw away and every morning, I could just walk or cycle to the market to buy whatever I would want to cook for the day. I suppose I could plant my own vegetables – organic, pesticide-free but I don’t think I have green fingers so I probably would not be all that successful in doing that…and even if I could rear my own poultry, I would not be able to slaughter them for meat. Shudderssss!!!! The mere thought of it sends shivers up my spine. That is why I would like it very much if I could have a refrigerator…and a gas cooker as well so I would be able to whip up any dish that I may fancy…

…anytime, any day.

Yes, I do think I would love living in one – a house in the woods!