Fresh country air: there’s nothing quite like it to lift the spirits and inspire one to enjoy life’s bounty. At least, that’s the case when shards of ice aren’t falling from the sky, and a punishing wind hasn’t made off with your beanie. That’s what it was like this weekend, when I foolishly decided to go on a day trip out east, despite warnings of snow. Hey, I thought it would be magical, and I suppose it was, although I can’t say it left me overflowing with get-up-and-go. Frankly, it made me feel ready to retire permanently to a blanket fort.

The air was certainly fresh as far as its temperature was concerned. I suppose it’s good to be exposed to the elements from time to time; it makes you appreciate the extent to which we humans have managed to control the climate of our environments. It’s easy to take heating and cooling systems for granted, or even fail to notice them entirely, when we’re almost constantly ensconced in temperature-controlled boxes. 

Admittedly, here in Bayside, heating is a must. Being right on the coast and all, we’re pretty exposed to Antarctic chills, and most people these days just aren’t adapted to those conditions. I do know one person who’s just been on an expedition to Antarctica; it seems so intrepid and impressive to me. Maybe that’s what compelled me to head out yonder on the one weekend predicted to be the iciest of the year. Sure, it’s no Antarctica, but it’s nothing to be sniffed at either. 

Anyway, like I said, I now have a much deeper appreciation of my home’s heating functionality – so much so that I immediately went and booked in for a central heating system service. Across Melbourne as a whole, there are loads of businesses that do this, so I found myself narrowing it down to the ones that made me feel the most mollycoddled. After being out in the driving sleet all weekend, I guess I was desperate to be comfortably ensconced in a friendly climate.