Small Things #4 - Airing Out The House.

Winter is a fabulous season. There are nights snuggling on the lounge under a blanket. Being able to play with different layers of clothing. If your lucky enough there are electric blankets. Roaring fires. Red wine. And hot chocolate. In fact the only thing that isn't fabulous about winter, is the cold.

Unfortunately the cold is the defining thing about winter. Freezing mornings so cold you don't want to get out of bed. Or the shower. Or the house. You batten down the hatches. Close all the windows. Cover all the cracks with an odd assortment of draught snakes, towels and duct tape.

You blast the heater as high as it will go but then someone needs to go out and all of your hard earned heat goes flying out the door.  For days and weeks your house is shut as tight as possible.

Over this period a light funk develops throughout the house. You can smell the mustiness, the dogs, the boys shoes and last weeks dinner.

Then one unexpected day it is warmer than usual. In fact by midday you have shed most of your layers (leaving just a long sleeved shirt and light cardy). The air outside smells sweet. Like spring is coming. But its June.

You rush inside flinging open every door, ripping off your carefully placed duct tape and opening every window. You feel the dense musty air leave and the crisp yet warm sweet air rush into the house.

By late afternoon the house is lovely and fresh again.  All the lock downs smells have dissipated.  And you know you'll have to do it all again. But for today, its a fresh start.