Wednesday 29 October 2008

Cold

Last night was cold. Really cold. Outside the tent that is, not inside. Inside we were snug as could be, though I must confess we both slept in sleeping bags underneath a duvet with a fire going. The few other hardy souls who are camping at the moment were dusted with snow when I went out to turn on the heater in the car and there was ice on the dogs bowl.

The dog is not a cunning creature. Before bed last night TLB and I swaddled him in several layers of fleece blankets as we knew it was going to be cold. He has a good layer of fur but I am sure that is not sufficient to keep the little blighter warm in these most unseasonal conditions. In the middle of the night he decided to do a quick patrol of the inside of the tent and shed his insulation and was upon us in no time, shivering and asking to be re-swaddled. I have always thought that people who buy coats for their dogs are the worst sort of people but I am coming around to their way of thinking.

I think I have taken the fun out of these cold mornings for my colleagues in the office, they come in complaining about the cold and then see me, bright and breezy at my desk, realise that they have nothing to complain about and then get their heads down after enquiring as to whether I was ready to gracefully retire from my quest. They seem quite disappointed when I tell them that I was shedding blankets half way through the night to prevent perspiration. I think they now realise that I am quite serious about seeing this through till next summer.

The lowest recorded temperature in the area I am living in was a shade below -33C, but that was some 30 years ago. It is a little scary to consider that we have had no snow in October since 1976 so time will tell how cold it will actually get. I may be deeply unlucky and have starting my camping escapades just around the dawn of a mini ice age but I know that we can very comfortably cope with -4C.

It remains to be seen how much colder it will get. In a perverse way I am quite keen to find out at what temperature things start to get unbearable, though I am sure that TLB does not share my enthusiasm for extremes of temperature. Luckily the local Woolworths are selling big thick fleece blankets for £8 a pop so I think I may be making an investment, despite my pledge of frugality. Needs must.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Managed to purloin your maps. Will drop them off on Saturday evening if you are in, and maybe stay the night. If not, let me have the address of Mr P and I will post them. Glad you are still cosy. XX

Anonymous said...

hi mate, sounds like you are still having fun despite freezing conditions, I was bloody cold in the house last night! Can't believe you didn't win "best enviro-measures to combat the wastefulness of the office" competiton. Am finding your blog amusing and fair play to you for making me laff whilst living in a tent. Still can't getover th efact you live in a tent and drive a lexus!
cheers

Nigel

Unknown said...

Having seen a link to this on STW I have read a number of posts. As a fellow camper (only on week nights) I wondered how you coped last night. I have no stove so was a little chilly! Glad it's going well.

Anonymous said...

haha! Give it a couple of weeks when we have another cold snap and then you will be moaning about it in the morning and requesting shelter on my lovely new sofa!

Anonymous said...

Hello Sir - You are a star in your own right, I think you should consider transferring your writing skills to TV... a sort of River Cottage, but well, y'know with a tent.

Anywhoo, stick to it, you are doing the right thing - Here's a little validation for you;

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279

And if that bores you to tears, try this;

http://idler.co.uk/books/idler-41/

All the best,

Your tax-exempt American friend...

Anonymous said...

What do you do with your dog all day while you are at work?

Anonymous said...

when I am at work he spends his time walking with TLB and chasing rabbits, chickens and other assorted wildlife, playing with his girly dog buddy and generally getting spoilt. He has possibly the best life of any dog in the world. Have I managed to avert a lecture?

 
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