My toes–tiddely pom…
We awake to the heaviest frost of the year.
The burgeoning green of an early Spring was covered in a hoary white.
I had gone to bed feeling foolish–wearing an extra warming layer of long-sleeved t-shirt–because the heating tank was EMPTY–the radiators resolutely cold. No hot water either!
I took my eye off the gauge!
The gods were laughing–it was Friday afternoon–NO delivery over the weekend.
Our plan for the evening had been to see I, Tonya—the new biopic about the American figure skater, Tonya Harding, first American woman to land a triple axel in competition (1991):
She’s not only remembered for that, however.
Anyway we stuck to our plan–warm cinema and–post film, a welcoming bistro. We snuggled down in the cosy fug of Salle 4.
The irony–ha ha–was we’d come to see a film largely played out on ICE.
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The real Tonya Harding with the actress who portrays her, Australian Margot Robbie.
It was a good watch–but a constant reminder of what we’d be returning home to–an icy cold house.
Back in the fifties, in leafy Hampstead Garden Suburb, I grew up in an icy cold house–no central heating.
Coke boiler in the kitchen, a coal fire in the living room–and keep the doors closed and stay close to the hearth.
Electric heaters upstairs–but careful with them–they are expensive! Better just one bar.
When it turned FREEZING–which seemed often back then–every possible layer went onto the bed.
I remember tensing my whole body as I climbed between the covers, gradually relaxing, as the human hot-water bottle heated up the ice cold sheets.
Che–ooooh!
Meredith grew up near Chicago–a city famous for its wind chill and snow. BUT–and it’s a big BUT–with central heating.
However, no …upmanship–last night we both stiffened the lip, filled the hot water bottles and piled on the layers.
This morning we get our reward–the first baby daffodils and crocus are showing their faces to a brisk but sunny world.
Fluffernut (aka Midnight) doesn’t seem too sure it will last.
The Oil Man Cometh tomorrow–we trust!
The more it snows (Tiddely pom),
The more it goes (Tiddely pom),
The more it goes (Tiddely pom),
On snowing.
And nobody knows (Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes (Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes (Tiddely pom),
Are growing.
from the little song originally created by AA Milne in the book The House at Pooh Corner
