I never realized that room temperature was actually, well, a defined temperature. Answers.com defines it as "An indoor temperature from 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F)."Our rooms, my friend, are not room temperature. They are more appropriately defined as frigid, gelid, or arctic in nature. I understand that old houses are often drafty and colder, and this is a price we pay for having high ceilings and hardwood floors from 1918. But here's the problem: because we're renting there's not a thing we can do about it.
We put that sheet plastic on the windows in the bedroom, which helped a smidge. But it's not like we're going to be replacing windows or getting a better heat system or anything that would make a signficant difference. And the drafty windows are just the tip of the iceberg. (Sorry, really couldn't resist.) When I am in the kitchen, which is happening much more often now that I'm house-spouse, my feet get frozen through my socks because the linoleum floor is so cold. The floor. Whoever heard of such a thing? I get tempted to turn on the oven while I'm using the stove so I can let the warmth seep out. Yesterday I stood on the rug letting the heat vent under the sink put some feeling back in my frozen toes. I had to lean sideways, if you can picture it, to cut vegetables on the counter while I stood at the sink. But it was worth it.
I know that the problem is partly that I tend to be cold. All ten digits turn to blocks of ice starting in mid-November or so; I've just accepted this as inevitable. But having a floor so cold my entire foot gets frostbite? Feeling the need to wear a scarf I'm currently knitting around my neck as I work? That's just plain crazy.
This morning, as I was getting water for the Christmas tree (feet relatively guarded from the linoleum tundra by my shoes), I reminded myself that it should be room temperature, according to the tag's instructions. And then I began to wonder exactly what that meant, which is how we ended up here. Would I need to let the water sit for a few minutes, and then heat it up because our rooms are not room temperature? Is the poor tree's base as cold as my toes are? If it dies by December 24, I think we will be responsible for arboreal murder by hypothermia.
When friends and family visit, they bundle up. Maybe my knitting project for this winter should be scarfs, hats, and shawls to keep in a box by the door. Like posh places that keep umbrellas for their customers' convenience, except these items will be for use when people are coming rather than going.
So we can't afford to keep the heat going 24/7, nor are we going to put in carpet or get new windows or better heating. The only answer I've come up with so far is to drink a lot more wine. If it's red, though, I'll have to warm it to room temperature.
