Apartment living

I was thinking about the apartment in downtown Ottawa that I lived in for 15 years before I moved to my house.

I walk by there often and I look up at the windows which were in my apartment. It was a one bedroom and it was convenient to St. John’s and taking a bus to work and to the barn.

I was looking at my first lease which I kept. I was paying $165 a month. The lease also stated - Electric refrigerators must be defrosted once a week; garbage is to be wrapped in paper; tenants, their families, guests, visitors and servants must not make any improper noise. I never had a servant!!

I had some friends in the building. One in particular across the hall became a very good friend. Another person I see from time to time and I am reminded about times past.

It was noisy though with people in the building coming and going and playing music etc. It was also on a fairly busy downtown street. Where I live now is much quieter - definitely inside my house and even outside.

I had a sofa that was also a bed - which I am now sleeping on in my cool basement. My mom and my sister have used it many times.

I kept my riding clothes in a large cardboard box. I think plastic storage bins were not so common them. Now I keep them in a basement cupboard and I have several large plastic storage bins.

I had to keep my out of season clothing in large garbage bags - there was not enough cupboard space. That meant for a lot of ironing when the seasons changed.