The voice of reason is one I left so far behind.*
January 16, 2007I'm sorry, but there’s nothing in my head today. No ideas, no original thoughts, just a dim buzzing and, inexplicably, “Head Over Heels” by the Go-Gos. (I hope I didn’t just put that song in your head. I hope you’re too young or old or too not-a-thirteen-year-old-girl-in-1982 to know it. If so, here it is! NOW the song’s in your head.) (I'm sorry.) (Belinda, your shirt’s falling off! Better fix that!)
*Come on! Guess where that came from!
Although I am but an empty vessel, I will soldier on. This weekend Henry went to the in-laws. If you have parents nearby who are willing to take your child away from you for days or even hours, I highly recommend it. You might think you can’t bear the separation from your beloved child for even a minute, but I’ll tell you, after the first 30 or so times you’re left weeping at Grand Central as your baby toddles away, his chubby little hand in Grandma’s, you start to feel pretty casual about it. And once your baby is four and let’s face it, not getting any younger, you might find yourself peeling out of the grandparents’ driveway, shouting, “So long, suckers!” as you take off for a weekend of sweet, sweet freedom. All weekend I found myself wondering aloud that I wasn’t pining for my baby. Of course, I also spent much of that time sharing adorable anecdotes about him to anyone who would listen. Hey, dry cleaner, want to hear about how my sweater got yogurt all over it? There’s a cute story in it! You sit down and you LISTEN.
Now he’s back, at school, while I’m in my house, swaddled in multiple sweaters. Here’s a funny story: once there was an adorable, if old, house in the suburbs. When it got cold, the wind whistled through the window frames and the door frames and the walls and probably also through the furniture. Sometimes it seemed as if it were colder inside the house than out! Fortunately, the winter was warm and sultry, thanks to pre-apocalyptic freaky weather changes, so it was only cold inside, instead of toe-losingly frigid. Then the gas bill came! And wow! The owners of the house sure didn’t know heating could cost that much! And once again, they questioned their decision to move to this god-forsaken land, this JERSEY.
Speaking of which, at some point I do intend to write about our adjustment to the new place. Because I know you’ve been aching for more information on our suburban ennui or lack thereof. Or is that sensation from all the granola you just ate?
Reader Comments (40)
Does your house have insulation? If not, you can get it blown into the insides of your walls, which is what the previous owners of our house had done just before we moved in. True, any gap between any piece of the wall-related structure had fluffy gray stuff coming out of it for the first five years but now it's settled out nicely and we don't notice this. We've also plugged up any errant holes. And although our heating bill is scary during the really cold weather, this year it's been so balmy I am pleased with what we're being charged. PSE&G man came today to check the meter; it will be interesting to see what happens for this month now that it's getting a bit chillier.
Best of luck, hope you are settled in to Jersey and enjoying it now...
WHY DID WE MOVE HERE?
(And I'm too young for Flock of Seagulls, but too old for Nirvana).
I so needed that little taste of Go-Go's, thank you, Alice!
You build up a tolerance. We turned our heat up to 55 degrees the other night and it felt so balmy. Better, your kid gets used to a cold house which will save you quite a lot in the years to come. Of which there aren't many as you reminded me in your New Year's post (it still haunts me), but you know. Saving money's still good even without that future thing.
I'm generally swathed in several layers of wool and/or silk when I am at home, for lo, I too have an old house (though mine is in inner Kansas City) and in order to be able to afford to eat, the thermostat stays just high enough to keep the pipes from freezing.
I feel your pain.
Still, $5 secondhand merino, cashmere, and silk sweaters from the Junior League thriftshop, and a butt-ton of SmartWool socks have made a positive difference.
Oh, good tights to wear under jeans or khakis. I like UnderArmour, but they are awfully pricey. The "wicking" workout tights from Target are a good second. The polyester ones are the best. Cotton tends to retain too much sweat and feel clammy. Eeeww!
We also bought lots of fleece blankets, thick slippers and flannel sheets. Oh, and a wonderful Cuddledown comforter.
If you have a working wood fireplace, consider installing a blower and buy a couple cords of firewood. The blower will help circulate the warm air throughout the house, and wood is a cheaper than running the heat all winter.
Cheers.