Comments on: We're not the Begley's http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/ Come in, sit for a spell and read a memoir of living smaller, happier and greener. New posts Monday, Wednesday and Fridays Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:41:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kerri http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-656 Kerri Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:41:28 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-656 Thanks for the info, Michael! Thanks for the info, Michael!

]]> By: Michael H. http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-651 Michael H. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:42:00 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-651 Testing is really easy and not too expensive. Check with your county or state water department to see if they offer the service. They can also tell you what you may need to test for. In our part of the country arsenic is fairly common in very minute amounts. We test our spring water every couple of years to make sure there is no bacteria contamination and the arsenic and selenium are at acceptable levels. Testing is really easy and not too expensive. Check with your county or state water department to see if they offer the service. They can also tell you what you may need to test for. In our part of the country arsenic is fairly common in very minute amounts. We test our spring water every couple of years to make sure there is no bacteria contamination and the arsenic and selenium are at acceptable levels.

]]> By: Kerri http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Kerri Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:13:21 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-595 Welcome, Pat! Thanks so much for finding the blog. I'm glad you enjoyed the article in MEN. Great suggestion about the index cards. I was thinking the other day, "How can I lose something in a house so small!" and I'm planning a post on it. :) Thanks for the water filter suggestions. I'm definitely researching all of the options presented. Welcome, Pat! Thanks so much for finding the blog. I'm glad you enjoyed the article in MEN.
Great suggestion about the index cards. I was thinking the other day, "How can I lose something in a house so small!" and I'm planning a post on it. :)
Thanks for the water filter suggestions. I'm definitely researching all of the options presented.

]]> By: Pat Meadows http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-594 Pat Meadows Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:47:03 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-594 Hi, We too live in a very small house (570 sf for two people, two good-sized dogs, and one cat. Thankfully, we have an oversized garage for storage as there is essentially no storage space in the house - we bought the house; it's about 60 years old. I agree with a lot of your points about living in such a small place. Neatness is absolutely ESSENTIAL. Plus being clever about where to keep things. Since we need to store things wherever we can, we tended to forget where we had put them. I now have a simple index card file of where things are stored, and find this very helpful indeed. We use a Berkey filter for our (questionable) well water. We use the black filters - the filters are expensive in the short run, but they last a long, long time and are not really expensive in the long run. They are certainly not as expensive as buying bottled water regularly. The filters are cleanable, you brush them under running water about once a month. We bought ours at www.jamesfilter.com . We bought the Berkey Light (plastic model), but now I'm sorry that we did not get the stainless steel filter. I enjoyed your blog and the MEN article too. Cheers, Pat Hi,

We too live in a very small house (570 sf for two people, two good-sized dogs, and one cat. Thankfully, we have an oversized garage for storage as there is essentially no storage space in the house — we bought the house; it's about 60 years old.

I agree with a lot of your points about living in such a small place. Neatness is absolutely ESSENTIAL. Plus being clever about where to keep things. Since we need to store things wherever we can, we tended to forget where we had put them. I now have a simple index card file of where things are stored, and find this very helpful indeed.

We use a Berkey filter for our (questionable) well water. We use the black filters — the filters are expensive in the short run, but they last a long, long time and are not really expensive in the long run. They are certainly not as expensive as buying bottled water regularly.
The filters are cleanable, you brush them under running water about once a month. We bought ours at http://www.jamesfilter.com . We bought the Berkey Light (plastic model), but now I'm sorry that we did not get the stainless steel filter.

I enjoyed your blog and the MEN article too.

Cheers,
Pat

]]> By: Kerri http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-584 Kerri Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:43:25 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-584 Thank you for reading the article and visiting the site, JoAnn. That's wonderful about your little house. I am very motivated now to get the well water tested. Thank you for reading the article and visiting the site, JoAnn. That's wonderful about your little house. I am very motivated now to get the well water tested.

]]> By: JoAnn http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-582 JoAnn Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:47:01 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-582 Just saw your article in MEN. Congrats. We moved into a smaller home (not as small as yours) and it has been wonderful. We have been drinking well water for the last 10 years and have had no problems. We did have it tested and it came back clean. Once you try it and get used to it you will be able to taste all of the chemicals in tap water. Even the bottled water will taste funny. Best of luck in your little home. We feel like we are on vacation 365 days a year. Just saw your article in MEN. Congrats. We moved into a smaller home (not as small as yours) and it has been wonderful. We have been drinking well water for the last 10 years and have had no problems. We did have it tested and it came back clean. Once you try it and get used to it you will be able to taste all of the chemicals in tap water. Even the bottled water will taste funny. Best of luck in your little home. We feel like we are on vacation 365 days a year.

]]> By: Kerri http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-553 Kerri Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:01:10 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-553 Thanks for the suggestions, Kim. I have a lot of research to do thanks to all of you! Thanks for the suggestions, Kim. I have a lot of research to do thanks to all of you!

]]> By: Kerri http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-552 Kerri Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:59:48 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-552 Thank you so much, I will check those out! Thank you so much, I will check those out!

]]> By: webbcarol6 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-547 webbcarol6 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:17:32 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-547 Hi, have you heard of the lifesaver bottle? It would allow you to drink your well water, save money and delete those plastic bottles. There's a great video on youtube. Hi, have you heard of the lifesaver bottle? It would allow you to drink your well water, save money and delete those plastic bottles. There's a great video on youtube.

]]> By: Kim http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/2009/11/were-not-the-begleys/comment-page-1/#comment-543 Kim Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:10:23 +0000 http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com/?p=313#comment-543 I've got two friends who swear by those Berkeys. So there's a second opinion for you. And if you're looking for a water bottle to replace the little bottles, I've read that flylady.net sells the best. (They'll keep water ice cold all day in yoru hot car, for pete's sake.) Don't have one myself yet, but it's on my "someday soon" list. I've got two friends who swear by those Berkeys. So there's a second opinion for you. And if you're looking for a water bottle to replace the little bottles, I've read that flylady.net sells the best. (They'll keep water ice cold all day in yoru hot car, for pete's sake.) Don't have one myself yet, but it's on my "someday soon" list.

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