Sharing Housing Has Many Benefits

By Annamarie Pluhar

Community and belonging. This is what we all need.

Why do people assume that when their home becomes an empty nest and their spouse dies that they should adapt to their new circumstances by living alone? Why not choose something different? Living alone is the number one cause of social isolation and its negative emotional and physical health consequences. Then, too, we have a critical housing shortage. When people choose to share housing, it frees up housing for others.

As many in Dummerston know, I’ve been working on encouraging shared housing for quite a while. My passion for this project comes from my own experience that in our modern society it is very difficult to have a spontaneous human connection. Where do you go to “fix” being lonely? We don’t have many commonly accepted places to simply hang out. Few of us drop in on others. Sharing a roof with others offers the opportunity for spontaneous social interaction. Of course, you have to like and respect one’s housemates and you have to be compatible enough in how you live in a home for everyone to be comfortable.

I founded the nonprofit organization Sharing Housing, Inc. to advocate for shared housing and to show people how to select someone who fits the bill without making mistakes in the process. We now have a program called SHIFT™—Shared Housing Incentives for Taking Action—for Windham and Windsor County homeowners. You can read all about it on our webpage https://sharinghousing.com/ shift/ and register for the program.

When done right there are so many advantages to home share. I made a little online course called 5 Key Benefits of Shared Housing. (https://sharinghousing.com/5-keybenefits-of-shared-housing/) It’s free. It can be watched in a half-hour. Take a look.

A home with others is a community where you belong. Simple. Important.

Donations, Participation and Welcome

The Dummerston Historical Society always welcomes donations of historical interest to Dummerston, and we encourage you to join us in 2023 as a member, a volunteer, a participant in our programs, or as a viewer of our exhibits. Find more information and videos of recent programs at www.dummerstonhistoricalsociety. org. (Please note that you do not need to be a member of the Historical Society to attend any of our functions.) Our Schoolhouse is handicapped accessible. You are always welcome.

A Bit of Nostaligia from the Kitchens of 1940

In April of 1940 the Dummerston Women’s Association published a cookbook, entitled The Cook Book of theDummerston Women’s Association. It was compiled and edited by Mrs. Harold Bousfield and Miss Ruth Knapp. The book includes this introductory poem. “Yes, let us make a cook book!”, said the Women’s Association. “And include old family recipes, And those of our creation. And a score of Quick and Easy ones, And others oft requested, From many sources we’ll collect Each signed by whom it’s tested.” We, here, submit our book to you. We’re good cooks, if not famous, And you, who find here nothing new, You lucky ones won’t blame us.

Below is a sample recipe as submitted by Mrs. A. L. Brown. Let us know if you try it!

Feather Bed Rolls : 1 pt. milk, scalded, 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 10 tablespoons melted shortening. Cool until luke warm. 1 yeast cake, 1 quart bread flour. Sponge at 9 A.M. Stir down at 11 A.M., again at 2 P.M. and at 4 P.M. put in muffin pans and let rise, and bake 25 minutes in hot oven, for 6 o’clock dinner