October 24, 2003

Calm

Nice night. It was a clean sheets night, which always makes for specially good sleep, I find. I have wonderful pure cotton sheets that make me feel cossetted, and the cold outside was just palpable, so I'd wake up with a cold nose like a healthy dog and snuggle deeper into the duvet. Lovely stuff.

Then I woke up at 7.00 to the early morning light and the setback thermostat had done its thing, and the house was warm. To me, that thermostat is simply magical. I remember waking in the mornings in our coal-heated house in London in the 1950s to layers of frost on the inside of the windows (made great pictures of leaves and ferns); to air in the house so cold you could see your breath; to the frozen bathroom sink that needed boiling water poured down it to dissolve the ice before it would drain. This little device that allows me to sleep cool and wake warm is pure delight.

Curious how at times like this the mind wanders backwards in time. I've been more in touch with my parents and grandparents and my childhood this past three weeks than for many years.

Small pleasures await, and they're precious. A regressive cup of tea -- a rediscovered comfort; a banana smoothie -- easy and nutritious alternative to the Dreaded Egg; a cappuccino from a good friend's homeroasted coffee.

Life ain't so bad.

Posted by maddy at October 24, 2003 08:34 AM
Comments

We also had a coal furnace and whoever got up first had to "stoke" the fire and shovel in coal. In my house the coal furnace was still there when I left for university in 1965 (a mere child-I graduated young? oh well....)

See you soon
Ruthie

Posted by: Ruthie at October 25, 2003 09:25 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?