cont-house in USA

11th July,2013

My Dear Kush,

Last time , I was telling you about the houses in Boston which are same in other places of USA. I have checked if there is any work of bricks which is so common in our place. I could see from the basement, fireplace with chimney- this is all made of bricks and it leads to outer side for passing smokes ; now a days no one uses this system but I could see this chimney in all the houses- perhaps a way of preserving their old history.

I could see a small platform , made of bricks in the backyard garden of the house. In between the bricks they are not cemented resulting in growing of some grass as well as absorption of rain water.

 

Accessories :

The first accessory is electricity without which we can not survive. I surprised that the electric pillars , on the road, from where their connection is coming , is not of iron but a large wooden trunk. The electric wires are not underground but are not hanging in bad manner. Inside the house, there is no tube-light and all where you will see electric bulbs. The switch for individual bulb is in reverse fashion-you will make it upward or side way to on the bulb. In the rooms ,there are four bulbs which are operated simultaneously by a single switch which is different -its sliding- when you slide it upwards ,all four bulbs will illuminate; and there is an indicator to facilitate its operation in night.

If you wish to operate electric fan etc there are plugs but with only two holes -there is no third opening as is made for earthling in India; likewise the plugs are without switch.  

 

Central heating/cooling system :

First, here temperature is recorded and telecast in F and not in centigrade..You may need cooling in summer- as happening in these days and heat in winter when temperature reaches to minus . You need not to do much to operate the system; There is a small devise at the entry of the house which is depicting temperature and time . It has been adjusted by your mausi and we have to simply slide the know to on towards cool and whole cooling system will be operational . There are splitted holes of  two types in the rooms -one for entry of cool air and other from removing the air from the room. Needless to say, it will work in winter in reverse direction by changing the system to heat. In the basement of the house , there is a large system which enables such operations. 

Water system :

If you visit their bathrooms, which are three in the house, you will not  see tapes from where you fill up your buckets for taking bath. Here, bath rooms have three places- one is commod which is western-type with no system like water jet ;there are only tissue papers for use. However, Indians have made arrangement in any one bathroom to have hand water jet for cleaning.

The other part is wash basin which is used for mouth wash etc. There is only one outlet but knobs on both sides-one for hot water and other for cold or normal water. There is no tape like that of our country which operates by rotation on right or left but only knob like structures which releases water by pulling towards you and vice versa.
water bath or shower :
It is a luxury in India to have a water bath but we are not accustomed to use this water bath .Hence your nanee uses a bucket and Patta in this water bath to take her bath. While I uses other bathroom which is fitted with a But unlike to our places, this shower is constructed in a closed glass chamber; again there is only one knob which provides both cold and hot water by putting it upwards.
The floor of bathrooms are made of tiles while the rooms are either having thick carpets or finished nicely with wooden work. Though the house is made of wooden, the door frame or "Chhokhatt" is not made of totally of wood but of vinyl material. The doors appear made of ply as they are light .
So you may appreciate the differences we are having in our houses. Though the climate does not permit many insects or termites to develop but these houses are pre-treated heavily to make them termite proof .
I have told you that by comparison from India, the living standards are high and you may call it a luxury life. But here you have to do all work with yourself .There is no domestic servant for your help. Therefore, if you have left the bedsheet unfolded, it will remain so till you do not work. I think this system makes you smart enough to carry over the work yourself .Moreover, it makes you more courageous as Ruhan remains all alone in his room or go to the basement without any help.
I will write you my experiences gained during pre-independence day -3rd July,2013.
With lot of love and affection,.