We’re now entering that awkward stage of the year where no one’s quite sure whether it’s socially acceptable to put the heater on just yet. Currently it’s not yet freezing like it is in Sydney in the middle of July, but it’s certainly a lot colder than it was a month ago. It’s a weird time of year because we still have some really warm days, which means we’re hit ten times harder when it gets cold at night. I’ll change out of my shorts into tracksuit pants and still feel the lingering effects of the cold wrapped around my body. It’s just not pleasant and it makes me really want to turn the ducted gas heating. Sydney residents are odd when it comes to heating though, and people tend to judge if you turn your heater on too early. It’s kind of like “…wait so you can’t survive without the heater? You’ve got a big storm coming in winter then…”, and that’s just not the type of negativity I need in my life.
I live with two housemates, so figuring out when to turn the heater on is genuinely hard. We try not to turn it on until mid-May at the very earliest to save on expenses. What they don’t know is that when they’re not home I often turn it on, just because I’m a very cold person and I need help warming up. I have to make sure I turn the heater off with enough time to spare that they won’t notice how toasty warm our house has gotten, or I would get in quite a bit of trouble.
Last Friday night when it was particularly chilly, I suggested to my housemates that we turn the heater on just for an hour or so to heat up the house so that we could fall asleep. They both looked pretty sheepish about it, and reluctantly agreed that the heating could be on for an hour.
It was great watching them thaw out physically and mentally. Maybe next time I ask they’ll be more likely to say yes.