Warmth In Winter Is Not Always A Given.

The first cold front before Winter is giving us a hint of what might come...

Bob and I usually wait until icicles form on our noses before we put our oven to use. No, not quite as bad as that, but also not like a lot of our friends here. Gosh, anything below 15 degrees will have them rush to start their heaters.

As you know, we came from South Africa, a place where it does get freezing in Winter but for only a few times during a 3 month segment, so hardly anyone has an oven. Getting an oven for a few occasions per year was silly. We improvised with loads of blankets, socks, jerseys and what one would call Passion Killers but these did the trick. In fact, it was rather romantic and dare I say cozy.

Well, fast forward to Burgenland, and there are a few things I have noticed:

1. The ovens get fired up long before it hits freezing.
2. People run around in t-shirts and shorts in their homes which they heat constantly...
3. In fact during Winter I put on a lot of layers, because I know when I visit somewhere it will be hot as blazes and it is necessary to de-robe. In fact, sometimes I sweat because it is so hot. ( Stuffy too as nobody wants to let the heat out.. )

Here is a thought...put on socks and a jersey inside your home and you will cut your heating costs a bit. Anyway, each to his own. Yesterday it was bitterly cold and the wind was howling non stop. Yuckie indeed but again rather romantic. Tim Burton could have used our area as a perfect setting for one of his interesting stories.

As we have had a leak in the roof, we both decided to put on the oven to help dry out that spot a bit. Gosh, I must say that it felt rather nice to be warm and cozy. Don't worry, we do heat throughout the cold season but we do it more carefully to save a buck and help the environment.

Driving home yesterday afternoon, they mentioned on the news that the conflict in Syria was entering its 4th year and that a huge amount of people are basically homeless. Imagine, not having a home and only if you are lucky, sleeping in a tent. Being out in the cold without extra layers of clothing or bedding is just plain awful. This shouldn't be happening in our times.

Our village and so far most other villages that I have seen in Burgenland as well, have a big container where we can donate our old clothing or blankets. What is collected gets put to good use and might help keep a few more people warm in winter.

Just about everyone of us has stuff in our cupboards that we never wear, use or look at. Let's take that and donate it to someone. They will be ever so grateful and warm.

Biggi