Today’s blog post is about the cold.

This month has been freezing. Baltic. Icy. I mean electric blanket at night sort of freezing. Scarf and gloves and extra socks during the day freezing. I don’t care how silly I look in that bobbly tassel hat with Amsterdam knitted on it as long as it keeps my ears warm.

Spare a thought for the homeless – how can anyone live outdoors in this weather? It’s unbearable. They need shelter and hot food.  And even more donations are needed for food banks. I always give a spare warm coat to a charity shop at this time of year – I’m lucky to own more than one. It’s good if we can all help a bit.

My house is cold though, and I’m hungry all the time. Carbs hungry. Crumpets and toast and rice and potatoes. Anything that will keep the cold out. Hot drinks every ten minutes.

I’m lucky. We have a log fire in two rooms and some heating. At nights, I lie in the hearth like Cinderella and toast myself until the fire is so hot I’m feeling normal again. I can see my breath when I go upstairs.

My thoughts go to older people and people with families, those who can’t afford to put the heating on, who are going round the house shivering, wearing coats and boots. I remember as a kid – I know many of you do too – when we had icicles inside the windows and we slept under a heap of thin blankets. Unbelievably, it’s still going on, fuel poverty and inadequate housing.

We all know that financial and food poverty are linked to mental health and to wellness. Let’s all do what we can.

I’m here typing in fingerless gloves, but at least I’m here, and typing.

The cold weather affects blood pressure and increases the chance of strokes and heart disease. Rising fuel prices are a real factor and cause the less well-off to suffer in so many ways.

I love the cold weather – don’t get me wrong. I long for snow and when it comes, I run out hooting like a kid and play in it, make snow people, throw balls of it. I enjoy walks in the cold weather, all the romantic stuff, crunching frost underfoot, bright cheeks, healthy hikes in the woodlands. But I have the luxury of a fire at home and hot food. That’s so important.

I remember walking on the moors a few years ago in the biting cold, wearing a thin coat and no hat, thinking I was cool. I managed to get a chill on my chest and sore ears that took a week to recover from. And more than once I’ve been trapped in a car in the snow, not able to drive away. Both times I was rescued by someone I didn’t know, who I’ll be grateful to forever.

Last year I was on the Isle of Skye and was snowed in. The car was useless in that situation. Just a heap of metal. What really counted was hot nourishing food, a cosy fire, blankets, good friends.

Priorities change in cold weather. It’s dangerous if you’re not equipped for it, and this country isn’t Canada.

Even the animals are affected. My cats complain; they’realways hungry, seeking out the warm spots in the house, annoyed to be left outside any longer than it takes them to pee. Bird food seems to disappear as soon as it’s been put out. I even feed the pheasants in the field. They look cold. The new lambs hug up to the ewes; despite their sheepskin, they feel it.

So I’m sending love and best wishes to all of you out there. Stay warm. Stay safe. And if you know of anyone who’s not fortunate enough to be wrapped up and cosy, please buy them a warm drink and a sandwich.

When the sun comes out, we can all emerge again. Meanwhile, I’ll plug in the electric fleecy blanket and work on a new novel. It’ll keep me warm.