[jambutty]

Like most people of my age (old getting on for ancient) we were lucky if we had just a coal fire downstairs that helped to keep the birds warm as they clustered around the chimney but didn’t do a great deal for the house apart from the room that the fire was in - if you could get close to it. So we grew up going to bed with frost on the bedroom windows – on the inside, with only a shared hot water bottle to battle the cold with. However it did encourage us not to linger whilst going to bed and getting up.

I used to use an electric over blanket until a few years ago when I gave it up. Why? Because my two rooms centrally heated flat decreed that it was unnecessary. Today’s winters are nowhere near as cold as they were 60 years ago nor do they last as long but my bedroom is never cold today. Not even on the coldest days/nights.

I do have a hot water bottle but I have never used it in bed. Just occasionally it will be placed behind my back when I’m sat watching TV. The warmth seems to alleviate the aches and pains in my back and kidney.