Cold and Heating economies

I have had a cold which has progressed along predictable lines.

Day 1: Tickle in throat

Day 2: Sore throat and cough

Day 3: Runny nose

Day 4: Sneezing all day

Day 5: (Today) Runny nose again with occasional sneezes.

Remedies taken: Lots of clementines plus Vitamin C tablets; Echinacea; Cough linctus and aspirin. Vaseline on sore lips.

Needless to say, as a result of this, I have not done anything at all in the last few days. Fortunately, I did my Sainsbury's trip before the sneezing stage, and since then, haven't left the house. It's been so cold, I haven't wanted to. Irene asked me whether M (heating engineer) thought it better to leave the heating on overnight, so that it didn't have to work so hard the next day. M is very definite about immersion heaters in this context. Since there is always heat loss, it is never practical from a financial point of view to leave it on night and day. The heat loss when it is on is never balanced by it having to work less hard, or whatever, on the following day. When it comes to heating, it is a slightly different question and on a par with should one have double glazed windows. When we were first married, we rejected double glazing from the point of view that it has to be in many years before the initial costs are repaid by savings in heating usage. Later, when we were in a better position, financially, we installed it anyway. The reason - because the rooms were less inclined to be draughty and we therefore had greater comfort.

The heating argument is similar. In the last few freezing days, we have had our heating on from approximately 7.00 a.m. till about midnight. We don't have it on overnight, and we set the boiler up high during the day to achieve a comfortable temperature. We reduce it if necessary during the day. We would not benefit financially by having it on overnight. As darkness falls, it gets colder, and there would be greater heat loss. Fast asleep, we would be unaware of any heat benefits. However, the temperature has been around zero, falling to -3 or -5 at night. Say it were to fall to - 20. We might then be tempted to leave the heating on overnight, not to save money, but to increase our comfort. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, though.

As it is, I have been trying to conserve heat by drawing curtains at dusk, pulling down all window blinds and wearing an extra tee-shirt under the other layers. Today, it's been milder, but because my personal thermostat is not working properly, I still feel cold. I don't feel capable of being creative, or of being efficient. Not even in the mood to read - and I have about six books queuing for attention. Still I was pleased to see my letter to Writers' News published at the head of the column this month - on a subject of concern to me and which I've touched on before - loaning books to all the relations. (Friends abroad, this doesn't apply to you - I realise that the postage costs push up the cost of the book.)