When we were young

Like many people we are trying to be as economical as we can, especially with fuel use. We do heat water to have showers and do the washing up etc, but we don’t put the central heating on, and only put the gas fire on in the evening if it’s really cold. During the day we put on extra sweaters, and sometimes wear our fleeces, and I have my llama/ alpaca wool poncho, and husband has his oodie. Even so, we still feel somewhat chilly, especially at night despite warm bedclothes, duvet etc. Recently coming upstairs, I’ve noticed there is a sort of cold smell, no doubt because the very fabric of the house is so chilled. So tomorrow, during the evening, we will put on the central heating, and warm the place up. Obviously we hope as the year progresses and spring arrives, things will improve!

We think back to when we were young; no central heating, a coal fire in the sitting room, and in my family there was a paraffin heater in the hall off which were the two bedrooms, loo and bathroom. When I was about eight, our dear old landlady who lived upstairs had central heating put in – this meant radiators in the bedrooms and bathroom, but of course there was the coal fire in the sitting room, and the cooker in the kitchen. The average temperatures were much lower then – frosty mornings were common and snow on the ground not unusual. Milk left on the step by our milkman froze in the glass bottles, expanding and lifting the foil lids up like little silver hats.

I’m not making a particular comment on how we deal with being cold now, compared to then, because life was totally different, we were different. Our calorie intake was different, the amount of activity and exercise we did then was different, walking, biking or catching the bus to travel. But it does make me think how very, very fortunate we are, that our houses are not in ruins from indiscriminate bombing, that shops are full of food, that there are no restrictions or difficulties in obtaining fuel, that hospitals are safe and not overrun, that help is available for those who need it. It does make me think that we have the wherewithal to turn on the heating, to have warm water, to be able to cook meals and heat drinks which many living not far from us will be struggling with.

Yes, we are very fortunate indeed.