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Keeping the house warm on a winters day.

It's a common problem in the winter in our area it happens around 3pm. The day has been lovely in that bright winter sunshine kind of way. The weather is calm, the sky is blue and outside the wind is brisk, but not painful. You've already done all the outside things for the day, and now inside the children are colouring or watching something educational on TV (or rubbish if they can get away with it!) the other half is playing a computer game, and you are pottering around, cleaning and putting away washing and so forth.

Then the children tell you it's cold. The other half asks for a coffee because he's got cold. The temperature is checked, and yep, it's got cold. In our house, this is when the heating does not go up. The extra fuel is too dear, the environmental cost is too much, and besides, the children don't need to grow up thinking that pouring more heat into the situation is the way forward. They need to learn coping strategies! The children put on jumpers, the other half may or not put on a jumper, (he's a big boy now so he can choose!) but in our house, this is when the curtains are closed and we start doing.

Baking is a good way to warm the house up, entertain the children and provide tasty things for the other half's lunch box for the week. There are always good recipes, whether it is biscuits and cookies, or something warm for tea, like a casserole or a shepherds pie. The smell in the house makes the house feel warmer, more homely, more loving. Make a cup of tea, snuggle up with the little ones whilst the house becomes more like a home again. Feed the children with a banana, a biscuit or a slice of bread and honey home made and fresh, there is nothing like it to warm them through with some hot milk, or even cocoa. Just because hot chocolate is traditionally for evenings is no reason why we should not break with that and warm up that way any day!

Sometimes we build dens in the front room, of duvets and blankets, and snuggle inside them, watching tv together or telling stories, or pretending we are going to strange planets in a massive spaceship the confined space and thick coverings soon warm up with the body heat of children, and they are entertained as well. The dark can make them sleepy though, when added to the warmth!

The tumble drier goes on at this time, also warming the house, and also doing a job. The children race to their rooms, gathering the washing, turning down the beds, closing their curtains and putting

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