The temperature outside this morning was 6º, the coldest yet. Hubby put the heating on for fifteen minutes to take the chill off the boat, then went up to have a shower, leaving Maggie and I in bed.
Photo:
Basin 2 February 2015
I found myself thinking back to my childhood, in the days when we didn’t have central heating and getting up on a weekday was a chore.
The council house in which I was born 60 odd years ago had an open fire in the lounge, but no other heating. Hot water was by means of an immersion heater on the water tank in the airing cupboard in my parent’s bedroom, so if we wanted a bath, that had to put on for longer, something as I kid I took for granted.
In the winter, we would have flannelette sheets, blankets, eiderdowns and quilts (no such thing as a duvet in our house), and so the weight on the bed was comforting as well as warm.
On really cold nights, we’d wrap our nighties in hot water bottles half an hour before bedtime and drink our hot ovaltine whilst waiting for them to warm up.
Next day, I’d wake up thinking if I got out of bed carefully and quickly made it, then the warmth would still be waiting for me at night. It never happened (well, I was very young).
We didn’t have an electric fire in our bedroom as kids, so once out of bed and duly washed, it didn’t take us long to get dressed and downstairs for breakfast.
Thick creamy porridge was nearly always on the go in a big saucepan, after which we’d be bundled up in woolly hats, mittens, scarves and winter coats for the walk to school.
Things were so different for kids then, my Mum didn’t drive (then or now), and my Dad had long since left for work, so for kids with little legs, it seemed miles. I’ve been back since and it was a surprising mile long walk from our house to the school gates.
I suppose that’s one of the reasons why life here on the boat wasn’t too much of a culture shock when we arrived two years ago. We were already living frugally on a limited budget, so that definitely helped from a financial point of view, but manual heating controls, hot water preparation and conservation came as second nature with relative ease.
It is rumoured that this winter is going to be extremely long and cold.
We have a winter king size duvet (15 tog) on the bed, but also extra blankets and of course my crocheted bedspreads are easily accessible should we need additional layers.
Our two oil filled radiators will be adequate most of the time provided the electricity doesn’t fail and our central heating is economical to run if we need to ‘top up’ on boat heat.
We are well insulated, and once we get the windows filmed, that will help keep the condensation at bay. Rather than double-sided tape, it would appear our velcro on the houdini hatch is a winner.
Guess what we’re likely to be doing tomorrow?
Note:
This is my 2000th post! Yes, number two thousand. Crikey!!
Memories of coal fires with a back boiler for water heat. Our radiators were all downstairs “because heat rises”!!! Memories lowering oneself very slowly onto a cold toilet seat! 🙂
We didn’t have a back boiler, but when we moved in 1965 to the house that Dad had built for us, we did and central heating rads in all rooms. What bliss. As for cold toilet seats, well yes, I remember those too for my delicate little bottom. However, an aunt had a heated seat, and that was definitely an ‘experience’ on a cold morning!
Courageous lady…I start bit…complaining when it hits 60 degrees F here.
I have to admit since losing this weight, I am feeling the cold more………. loss of padding!
how did you do it…pray tell!
I’ve been documenting my progress under the tag Weight Programme since being eligible for a free 12 week course with Slimming World. I signed up for a second course, and to date have lost 30 pounds in 18 weeks. Still got a way to go mind, but it’s working for me.
…. and she has been getting loads of phenomenal support from her Blog Followers!
Thanks Colin. 🙂
Is that a gym type work out thing or an online thing? Congrats on the progress, that’s super.
No, it’s like Weight Watchers, where you go to a class for a weekly weigh in and discussions in a group about food, tips and support. The diet plan is good insomuch as you can eat more or less anything but in moderation, with emphasis on fruit and vegetables. There’s no calorie counting as such, and certain things are best weighed/measured, but you get a booklet, there’s a monthly magazine should you wish to buy it full of ideas, recipes and success stories, and they also have a website. It helps that I exercise by walking the dog. It’s very popular over here, and I’m really pleased with my progress.
Thanks for the info, I will look further into that, the holidays are coming up, that’s another five pounds,lol.
Good luck!