The Circus Training Really Helped Me Survive the English Winter!
Mel – December 21, 2022
I’ve come to learn that sometimes, no matter the money we accumulate, there are circumstances we just can’t avoid.
Take for instance the recent announcement of possible power blackouts in London this winter due to scarce oil reserves and insane price surges for electricity and gas. Regardless of your bank balance, these blackouts are unavoidable. You might keep switching homes around the country to dodge the blackouts, but that seems like a lot of work. Moreover, the thought of coughing up over £8000 to heat my one-bedroom apartment is pretty baffling. It’s like paying my rent all over again in a month.
Thankfully, the government is intervening to cap gas prices at £4000 per household. Yet, it’s still unclear how this cap applies, especially to large old houses subdivided into multiple flats. And even with the cap, the costs are still remarkably high.
With the uncertainties, I find myself reflecting on my experience living in an RV in New York City in the notably freezing winter of 2017. Faced with a rocketing propane cost, we had to resort to creative, makeshift heater systems. Piles of blankets, carefully positioned heaters, and thick slippers were must-haves. Water supply wasn’t always guaranteed, as keeping the outside hoses from freezing required some power too. Braving the public showers, I often enjoyed the warming relief of unlimited hot water, while the pie car provided the much-needed warmth while eating.
Fast forward to today in my English apartment, the lessons from my RV life prove handy. Despite dismay from my boyfriend, I prefer putting up with high electric costs over paying the ludicrous gas fees. My little electric heaters, reminiscent of my RV days, are currently placed in the bedroom and the living room, leaving the kitchen and the bathroom quite chilly.
I pick roomy slippers over cold floor tiles and strategically control the rooms’ temperatures to suit my day-night routine. The aim is to keep pneumonia at bay while also being cost-effective.
I’ve been eyeing dance booties as a potential upgrade for my slippers, and while home for the holidays, I aim to retrieve my exceptionally warm circus clothing. You never win against weather, but you stand a chance with good clothes, hence fleece lined attire for the winter.
Even though the daily downhill walk to school cuts a chunk off my personal heating, it might be something I have to embrace given the circumstances. As for the dreaded midnight blackouts, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a warm enough room, prior, would help me sleep through them and wake only when power’s back uninterrupted.
While I’ve often found America and England strikingly similar, this experience paints a different picture. I’ll continue to update you about my frosty escapades throughout the winter. Till then, stay warm and stay tuned!