Getting colder

We're fitting comfortably back into our quiet, simple life here.  Washing on the line (it does come in cold but at least it's had a good flap around in the fresh air), knitting (another pair of fingerless gloves), cooking (salmon cakes with chips, all homemade and very delicious) and two or three DIY jobs and general sorting out and tidying up tasks tackled to boot.  Every little job done has a purpose in the bigger picture, and gives us a feeling of satisfaction - that we have been able to do these things ourselves, and that it brings a little more order.  There are many things we have little or no control over, and often we just have to go with the flow and see where we end up, but we are happy to take responsibility for as much as we can.

It was certainly cold today.  N is really struggling with the colder temperatures this year and it seems to be aggravating his asthma, which is a little worrying.  Consequently we are using our heating sensibly and wisely.  If we are cold, the heating will go on.  We don't run it all day, not do we have the thermostat set too high (being in an over-warm house is just as uncomfortable as being cold).  We read the meters so we have a good idea of our consumption.  This is the first winter in this house and we are learning what is needed to make it comfortable in the colder months.  The property was empty for several months before we bought it and there were one or two signs of damp.  Added to that the fact that we had a lot of plastering done during the renovation, and it is likely that there is still some residual dampness in the fabric.  The heating will help tackle this but we will keep an eye on things as we don't want damp to become a problem.  

Whilst we were in Manchester, we were treated to a private wildlife show from the lounge window.  A grey squirrel burying nuts in the back lawn:

Compared to our little red squirrels here on the Island, these greys seem so much bigger

and a family of jays also visiting for nuts and seeds.  We don't get to see these lovely birds very often as they are quite elusive so it was quite a treat to see them so close.

 We also spotted a bullfinch and a nuthatch, too brief for a photo but a pleasure to see nevertheless.