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Friday 10 February 2023

It comes to something

When I was a kid we used to heat the livingroom with either an electric or coal fire. The rest of the house was like a fridge and going to the loo was something I put off until the last minute.
The toilet window was always open allowing the house to breathe and the damp not collect but it meant going there and sitting on that toilet seat was akin to sitting outside on the doorstep; somewhat of a shock as well as 🥶
My clothes for school would go under the blankets on my bed so they remained warm enough to put on in the morning and at the weekend I would get semi dressed so I could sit up in bed and stay warm bringing my homework, books and everything else I wanted so I had things to do.
It was cold and some days I remember stepping outside only to find it warmer than in parts of the house.
These days, with fuel prices going through the roof, I am remembering those days only too well. 
My storage radiators have been off most of the time, only running one in a small room at the front of the house. I have my hot water on an immersion heater so most of my costs go there (I need hot water for spinal relief each day otherwise I seize up). Like many families, prices are too high to warrant much more.
My livingroom windows face north east and only get sunlight in August so the temperature in there has ranged between 8°C and 10°C, too cold to feel comfortable in. The kitchen averages 11°C because it gets some sun at the end of the day, leaving one small room at the front of the house which is where I tend to spend my days.
Today this room has reached the dizzy heights of 18°C, the warmest it's been all winter. I call it my dorm room; like university it has a computer, a chair, a desk and of course, a bed. 
Seems many of us older ones have gone full circle. Our childhood homes were cold in winter and we wore coats, hats and sometimes gloves in doors.
I wonder how many others in my age group will be back to doing that again?