it was a rather chilly weekend: my father-in-law spent saturday fitting a new back door for us, which meant no door until after 10pm (no door=no heating!) sunday was a little cold too: i spent the afternoon varnishing the blasted thing, so i now very much appreciate central heating. in some ways it reminded me of my house growing up: this vast victorian vicarage, with rattling windows, threadbare carpets, and a decrepit central heating system which meant that even if my parents had been able to afford to have it on constantly it would have made little difference.

i have memories of me as a primary school child being sent outside because the oil for our oil fired heating had frozen in the pipes; we'd pour hot water on the pipes to defrost them. baths would be filled with water heated in kettles and on the stove. as i got older we got a new, gas boiler so we were saved from these duties: instead i spent many of the winter months as a teenager sitting against the radiator in my bedroom, wrapped in my quilt attempting to do my homework or read. this isn't a sob story: i enjoyed that time, it was rather cozy. it was also an advantage when i went to university - i was used to a cold house!

i am now, however a complete softy, and so i spent a happy hour in tescos on saturday afternoon - choosing the longest queue at the checkouts.

it also made me rather thankful to God for the blessings that i have, however obvious they are and however often i overlook them.

~ta Lord~

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