Here it is 3:30am and I can't sleep because it is too cold! My primary source of heat is a wood cook stove in the living room. Unfortunately my bedroom is way on the other end of the house. You could hang meat in there! What did people do before central heating to keep semi warm? I have a couple of comforters on the bed(and a nice big guy to cuddle up to). Seems like my feet just stay frozen. During the day it doesn't bother me because I am up doing stuff. I've considered heating up bricks and putting them at my feet but I don't have any bricks. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Brrrrrrr.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 18, 2000

Answers

Brrr cold? When we lived in the big city, years ago, we'd heat up flag stones on the wood brning stove, cover them with a towel and put them in the foot of the kid's beds. Piled on the ocvers. They never complained about being cold and when everyone else was getting colds/flu we didn't. Ice skaters put hot peppers in their skates, don't know if that would work unless you're on your feet. Eat more hot pepppers:-)I know people that sleep with their windows open all year round. I've never been bother much by the cold, but the last 2 days, I've been shivering. Layers of clothes instead of just one big heavy shirt/sweather/gown etc. We always piled on the covers and went light on the jamies. I remember when it was 20 below, I had 11 blankets on. If you keep your feet warm, I think you'll be warmer all over. Is it possible to move you mattress close to the stove? Seal up all the drafts in the house and put plastic or blankets up to the windows and doors. We do that here. Think toasty warm thoughts.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), December 18, 2000.

This isn't old fashioned, but we have 2 big sleeping bags on the bed, opened and on the top. And a real down comfortor instead of top sheet. Tuck the bottom of the bed in good. My bedroom is chilly too with these temps but the sleeping bags work good. And no jamies. No socks. Snow and 27 today here.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), December 18, 2000.

Hi Amanda, When we have the woodstove going in the kitchen it gets very hot in there, so we bought a fan and positioned it to face down the hallway. It actually worked and blew the excess heat down the hall to the bedroom. We have a small house so I'm not sure if this would work for you, but figured you might want to give it a try. The bedroom heated up just enough to be cozy. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!! Carla

-- Carla Hoy (hoycarla@hotmail.com), December 18, 2000.

Flannel sheets and our dogs are what we use.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 18, 2000.

Well-When ole jeep and I were pups mom would take bricks and lay ontop of the wood stoves. Heat'm up rite smart and then wrapp'm in an old towl. That would go at the foot of the bed. Nother thing was long handles. Boy, I sure hated those things. Wore'm from but Sept till May--well not the same pair--they HAD to be washed some, ya no. Work was also a good way to stay warm too. Wood burnin stoves and at times pap had coal to burn too. It sure put out the heat. I remember one particular winter when I even slept with my winter cap on it was so cold! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), December 18, 2000.

It's 7am and I'm still up(boy am I gonna be cranky). I am definately going to get a shovel and dig through the ice/snow today and see if I can find some good shaped rocks! I think I will go buy some sleeping bags too. One of my problems is I brought my blankets up from Texas...they were fine there but I think they are too light for up here. Guess I need a bigger dog too. My 3# 4oz poodle just isn't cuttin the mustard!

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 18, 2000.

In the drafty cabin of my first homestead, 35 years ago we used Soap Stone which was what they were for, they had a wire handle and we heated them on the wood stove, wrapped them in towels and put them at the foot of the bead. Soap stone hold and releases the heat slowly, that is why they make stoves sheathed with soap stone. Wood cook stoves were not made for heating but for cooking,fast and hot but not for long fires, parlor stoves we used to heat houses and feather beds to keep you warm at night.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweg.netm), December 18, 2000.

In the drafty cabin of my first homestead, 35 years ago we used Soap Stone which was what they were for, they had a wire handle and we heated them on the wood stove, wrapped them in towels and put them at the foot of the bead. Soap stone hold and releases the heat slowly, that is why they make stoves sheathed with soap stone. Wood cook stoves were not made for heating but for cooking,fast and hot but not for long fires, parlor stoves we used to heat houses and feather beds to keep you warm at night. There is always places that are warmer, like Tahiti!

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweg.netm), December 18, 2000.

Hoot mentioned wearing his cap. That's a good idea, we loose lots of body heat through the top of our heads, so a flannel nightcap would really help, like the men would wear with their nightshirts or like the women wore with their flannel gowns round with elastic.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), December 18, 2000.

If your feet are cold,put on a hat.

I'm serious.Most of your heat escapes out your head & chest,so if you keep them covered up,preferably in layers,the rest of you wouldn't feel so cold. Remember "Ma in her kerchief and me in my cap had just settled down for a long winter's nap"?

I used to backpack in winter;you'd wake up and the snow would have turned into ice under you. Grand fun! I'm not kidding.Good sleeping bags a must.

I've been in quarters where water would freeze on the floor overnight.Polypropolene underwear gotten on clearance at kmart or some such place,fleese over that,and good sleeping bags.

Would come down and stay here by myself for two weeks at a time when it was still pretty primitive.Found a sleeping bag below you and one on you worked out good.

Now,I have my 'big blue bear rug' I live in all winter. Blue fleece bathrobe,makes me look like a big blue bear,which is pretty close to my winter personna-grouchy, blue,and in hibernation.I don't care for the cold any more,turns me into a pretzel.

Lived and worked in Erie Co. PA with the lake effect snows and winds whipping across the lake.You'd come in from working outside with frost on your mustache,if you had one.I did not!

Winter survival key-make snow & cold your friend.

Yeah,I mean it.Like take up ice fishing, or x country skiing, or snow shoeing,or sledding,or long walks in new fallen snow, where the quiet & solitude is thick enough to taste.Out in the woods with a foot or two of snow,with no intrusion of the human world but you. Yeah,that's the ticket.

Enjoy, while I sit here hunkered down in old big blue.At least,I'm being loyal to my State's basketball team. Go Big Blue!

It's 16 degrees outside but we were spared.It was supposed to be a low of nine degrees. Farmer's son came by this AM to rabbit hunt.Told him we didn't think that dog would hunt! Might even bite 'im, for driving him over in a cage,in this weather.Ah,yes...I think I can still recall the simplicity of youth.

Bearly there, in Kentucky

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 18, 2000.

Try knee-length, thick wool socks.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 18, 2000.

My grandmother used to bake potatoes or sweet potatoes until they were still hard but very hot--she would wrap them in feedsacks and put a couple in each bed. The next day, she finished cooking them and served them as potato salad, mashed or you get them message. She also had a metal "pan" with a lid, on a long handle that she put coals in and used them to warm the bed before they went to bed. You might find one at an antique store but I don't know how safe they would be.

Keep those feet warm. And do lots of cuddling.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), December 18, 2000.

Amanda, my Mother was a pro at keeping us warm in an old drafty farm house!!! She would use sad irons & heat them(you can still find them at autcions & antique stores for not a lot of money)when she got them hot---wrapp them in news paper then in foil & then a towel & the heat will stay longier! Of coarse you can use a brick or nice rock the same way!!!!!!! Another thing was she heated shelled corn in a double sack tied shut---you could move the corn around and find another warm spot in that corn as it stayed warm for a long time!!!!

I agree wear a fleese hat on your head & same on your feet!Dress in layers or nice fleese pjs! You can also use a plastic drop cloth/or cheap tarp over your bedding/ keeps the heat in!

At some of the shops sell those foil blankets in a survival pack / they are cheap insulated foil----try one of those on top of your bed maybe one under your sheet also!! (I found them after the y2k supply sale- for a dollar a foil blanket/ put them in our car emergency kit)

I have a heating pad(I found at a garage sale) & an extention cord/ I keep my feet warm with until hubby gets home from work!(of coarse if you are off the grid that doesn't help a lot-but a small heating pad doesn't take a lot of juice or cost much).

My Daddy use to tell us, to think warm thoughts----he would say, think you are working in the hay field in August/ And want to find a shade tree!! And your feet are sooo hot you want to go wadeing in the creek to cool off!! It always helped me!!! Best wishes! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), December 18, 2000.

Since we had snow in north Bama yesterday (after Saturday's horrible day of tornadoes!) and the wind chill factor was below zero AND we're expecting more snow tonight...we are also working at staying warm!

Pile more quilts and blankets on your bed!!! Do wear a knit cap or flannel hat while you're slipping! Also sleep in socks!

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), December 18, 2000.

Amanda,

For my money it would be better to live in a warm room than to live in a cold house, at least until spring. So move the bed into the room where the stove is, and use the cold room for cold storage.

In the spring you can decide what other changes need to be made to the house.

I sleep with a stocking cap on about all winter, and it helps a lot. Another thing that I sometimes do is to put a sweater (100% wool) on over the long johns that I am sleeping in. It seems that I have several wool sweaters that have some moth damage and are not too suitable for ordinary wear, but they are fine for sleeping in once in a while.

You might want to check and see what kind of wood that you are burning. Some hardwoods are a lot better than some of the soft woods. Sometimes wood is a little green and will not heat like we would like. Be sure your wood supply is dry and hard.

One thing that I did this year was to get some bales of spoiled hay and place them around the foundation of the house. I got the hay free for the hauling. Now I really did not think that I needed to do this, didn't think that it would help any. But it did help.

We also started using old blankets as window covers. I took a piece of wood about 1 inch square and 3 feet long, and folded the end of an old worn out blanket over the stick. Measuring the long side so that it was long enough to cover the entire window (about 6 feet on some of my old windows). Then I stapled the blanket to the stick. I put a nail on each side of the window and above the top of the window itself. I then laid the stick across the top of the two nails that were just started and not driven in all the way. The stick now lays across the nails and holds the blanket over the window glass. This helps a lot and can be easily removed to let in senlight, etc.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), December 18, 2000.

Looks like you've got a lot of good answers, but I'll put my two cents in as long as I'm here. Seal off as much of the house as you can, that you're not in most of the time. Usually seal off everything except the kitchen and room where the stove is. Tack clear placstic over the windows that you want to get light through, blankets over the rest. Roll up a towel the log way and put it against the door that seals off the cold part of the house.

When you make your bed,(or couch), put down several blankets, then a sleeping bag, zipped up most of the way, and then more blankets.Tuck all the blankets in except at the top. Wear at least one pair of socks and long underwear, two pairs of each if you need to. oh, I see now that you are sharing the bed; in that case you will need two sleeping bags zipped up together, and that might make it harder to move into the living room, too! Well, I hope that you will find something that works for you and get a pleasant night's sleep.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 18, 2000.

Just one addition to sleeping in a room with a wood stove.Get a carbon monoxide detector.it will wake you if something goes wrong.

A whole cabinfull of teens died of carbon monoxide poisoning back home,a few years back, while sleeping in a hunting cabin with a bad wood heater.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 18, 2000.

The old-fashioned way was to heat a brick or rock or to put coals in a bed warmer (the pan on the long handle), and then run it through the bedclothes. Plus of course, they usually had feather beds (like a big mattress-sized pillow) and down comforters.

Modern ways: Polar fleece, including socks. Flannel sheets (they just don't feel as cold as smooth percale even when you first get in bed). I use a rubber hot water bottle sometimes. I often start out cold, but rather than wear a cap, I pull an edge or corner of the covers up over my head to keep the heat in, tossing it off later. The mylar film "space blankets" can be put under your mattress. Got any extra pillows? You can pack those around you where you are coldest. I sleep with a pillow between my knees -- my chiropracter recommended it for my back, and for anyone else as well. Keeps the knees spaced the same as the hips, which he said is good for all of us. Guess what? The pillow also keeps me warmer. It does take some getting used to.

The body gives off a lot of moisture while asleep. It is a wise idea to air out your bedding, including the mattress, in the morning before making up the bed. They used to hang out the feather beds and comforters to "air". It's also important to put on different clothing when you go to bed. The clothes we wear all day also collect moisture from our bodies.

You can make bags filled with rice (and various herbs to help sleep if you wish, such as lavender, chamomile, and hops), and heat them before bed. You could use a microwave, or a conventional oven, or your woodstove, although in that case, I think I'd be very cautious experimenting with heating, making sure that you aren't overheating it. You could get burned if you heat the rice TOO hot or burn up the fabric bag. 100% cotton works best, and flannel is nice and cozy. I think you can use buckwheat as well.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 18, 2000.

Thanks for all the great ideas! Several things I need to go to town and get to implement them. Only problem is I can't get to town! We haven't been able to get out for a week now. I tried to get to town and we didn't make it past the 2nd hill. The only people getting out of our road have a 4wheel drive and a wench....believe me they are using the wench too! The weather predictions change from hour to hour (always seems to be changed to colder too)so ya'll help me pray for a thaw. Thanks again, Amanda

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 18, 2000.

Wow, I guess I'm very lucky and didn't know it. I have two big dogs under the blankets, and since their normal body temp. is higher than mine, I ROAST!! I turn the furnace off at bedtime, and Daisy and Jasmine dive under the covers, and several cats pile on, and it's too warm for me. It's 10 degrees out and windy, windy, and I'm sleeping with one or two toes peeking out from under the blankets! I'll count my blessings tonight instead of grumbling!

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), December 18, 2000.

Try a hot water bottle. Heated rocks sound great, however, be cautious. Some rocks that have moisture in them can overheat and then explode. This has happened around campfires for many! That is why bricks and sad irons were used so often.

A hat is great, cheap and easy.

You can get cheap (under $20) 100% wool blankets on-line at places like Cheaperthandirt.com or at your local military surplus store. They are great investments in comfort. Flannel sheets too. Good quality comforters are also worth it. I stayed in a place in Idaho (coooold!) one winter...the towels we used froze over night. If we could get the room with the woodstove in it up to 45 degrees we were happy. Upsatirs under the flannel sheets, with the one really good comforter and we were snug as a bug.

A good hot bath before bed can start you off right if you go straight under the covers.

Keep us posted. We have had below temp here. I just got back from Vermont where it was blowing in some real weather. Always feel blessed that I have such a comfortable home.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), December 18, 2000.

If you get rocks make sure they are completly dry before heating them. If there is moisture in the rocks they can and will explode when they get hot. I know lots of folks hate them but what about a small kerosene heater? My brother uses one to heat his woodshop and it works great. Just open a window a little to allow for ventilation.

What part of Mo are you in. If your close enough I may be able to help with a woodstove..... Let me know

Jim

-- Jim T (Tanner_jim@hotmail.com), December 18, 2000.

When you get to town, have your thyroid checked. Hypothyroidism is common and causes you to be cold, especially the feet that just won't get warm! alma

-- alma miller (almamiller@webtv.net), December 18, 2000.

Why do you think families used to have eighteen or twenty kids? There's one surefire way to get warm on a cold night...

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), December 19, 2000.

The solution involving the rice bags should work. I use them for back massages. Either sew up a square (like a pillow) and fill about 3/4 full of rice or cut the end off of a pillowcase and sew it up. Heat in microwave works well - just roll it around between your hands until you get the right temp (remember microwaved items keep heating after you take them out) You can also add dried lavender (it will help you sleep). You can use it over and over.

-- Linda Al-Sangar (alsangal@brentwood-tn.org), December 19, 2000.

You might consider eating something hot and nourishing before you go to bed. Something like soup. That will help you warm up. Of course, if that precipitates a later sleepy trip to an outhouse, maybe not such a good idea!

I wrap my hair around my neck (it's long) before I go to sleep. AND I make sure that my feet are warm BEFORE I get under the covers, otherwise they will never warm up. Sleeping on my stomach feels warmer than sleeping on my back, too, if I get really cold. We have resolved most of our sleeping in the cold issues by getting a really thick down comforter and flannel sheets. (And insulating the house to the max..., etc.)

Best temporary idea is to sleep in the room with the heat. I did that for a few cold months one time, on a mattress next to a creaky old Franklin fireplace that was just next to worthless. Good luck!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 19, 2000.

Here is my best Ideas for staying warm on a budget. First, Hot drinks and food are wonderful. On most woodburners it is niceto keep a pot of water simmering for tea on the stove. This provides moistureto your house and it also means thatyou can geta quick warm drink anytime. When we had a wood stove I also kept a pot of beans or stew simmering everyday in winter. This was a wonderful way to get warm in a hurry and also cut down on meal preparation time. Next is socks and shoes. Black socks are wonderful for keeping your feet warm, and they also don't show the stains from this little trick. When your feet just won't get warm sprinkle a little chili powder in them and then put the socks on for awhile. This will get your feet toasty fast, by increasing your circulation. You should also make sure you have a good pair of boots to wear. Keep them on right up until you hop into bed, so that your feet are warm before you get into bed. Then you can also warm your bed ahead of time like my elderly neighbors did in California. They filled two two litre soda bottles with Hot water and stuck them at the foot of their bed under the covers 1/2 hour before they went to sleep. This mad the foot of their bed warm before they got into it. Also wear layers. My favorite way to dress for daytime is a long skirt with knitted pants underneath, a long sleeve knit shirt, a sweater over that and socks and shoes. I also wear a cape when I go outside which keeps me warmer than a coat, and keeps my hands warm to. For nighttime you can't beat those old flannel nightgowns(my husband hates them} for warmth. Also wear your socks to bed. Finally, it may be hard to find one now, but I buy old wool blankets at the thrift store and then I put a quilt top and bottom over them and under them and tie them together, adding a binding. This will keep you warm when nothing else will and it is much nicer than having a scratchy wool blanket up against your skin. I have one my bed and even on the coldest nights we sometimes have to take it off because we're too hot.

Hope this helps.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), December 19, 2000.

My great Aunt used to use a bedwarmer. Metal contraption with hot coals in it. Later she switched to the hot water bottle at the foot.

Now as to how we stay warm. We have a home made quilt that covers the foot of the bed. Since our normal house temp is 60 degrees year round were not that easy to freeze. My wife takes a ceramic disc heater and sets it at the foot of the bed, runs it about 30 minutes before bedtime. Helps considerably to have a warm "foot" area.

My 6-year old has 3 sleeping bags on her bed and often a cat.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), December 19, 2000.

Amanda,if you can afford it buy a good quality down filled quilt.I thought I had a good quilt when we moved from the south to the north, but there is a difference. You won't need any blankets at all if you buy a good winter quilt.

Carol

-- Carol Koller (ckoller@eznet.net), December 19, 2000.

Just wanted to second some of the suggestions...Heated rice in an old sock or cloth bag...soda bottle filled with hot water to warm the bed first but then take it out because after it has cooled it will drain heat from you....warm your feet in a pan of water/bathroom sink/tub before getting in bed and wear socks....and get a down comforter.

We got a full/queen size down comforter from Sam's club last winter for $99. I made a cover for it from 2 flat sheets. That and flannel sheets, a hubby, and a sweat suit keeps me warm and toasty here in Maryland. Temps been below 20 and wind chill below 0 this week. We also turn the heat off at night. Our house is 150+ years old and drafty. We like some draft for fresh air. (If you can't beat it join it?)

You'll find something that works for you.

-- Heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), December 20, 2000.

A big woman and a bottle of Absolute.

-- hillbilly (internethillbilly@hotmail.com), December 21, 2000.

Amanda, you've got some very good suggestions here. Now I'll tell you our very happy and warm secret. We have an electric mattress pad that we turn on before bedtime then turn off so it's not on longer than about 30 minutes. It warms the whole bed so no matter how cold we may be we warm up quickly. It's the wimpy way, I'll admit, but we wouldn't give it up now for anything short of a global disaster! It sounds as though you do need some more blankets but my preference wouldn't be down. They're too hard to clean.

-- Peg (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), December 21, 2000.

Amanda,

Just wanted to say that the person who suggested heating soapstone is

correct. They even sell soapstone boot warmers for when you come in

from the outside with damp boots or before going out into the cold to

warm them up. Soapstone at the bottom of your bed along with a wool

blanket or two would work great. By the way, the last time I saw the

boot warmers they were on sale for $8.00 a pair (2 years ago). But

even at full price it's cheaper than $99.00 for a quick fix. I, too,

want a down comforter and feather bed ,but there are other things to

get and do first. Good luck and stay warm. By the by, I think the boot

warmers were from Woodstock Soapstone Co., Inc.(www.woodstove.com)

-- Pam Pitts,PA (msjanedoe@hotmail.com), December 23, 2000.

Well, our bedroom is the only room that the woodstove heat doesn't get to well. The first year we lived here, I'd wake up in the morning and it'd be frigid. Fortunately it faces south, so we painted the outside wall black and built a small 4x6' greenhouse out of scrap windows over it, so our bedroom window opens into a greenhouse. The morning sun warms it to really nice temps, and our bedroom with it, and the heat really does last all day. And we can sprout seedsin there too. Of course we have to cover it with white plastic in the summer or we'll die.

Raven

-- Raven Kaldera (cauldronfarm@hotmail.com), December 24, 2000.

This isn't exactly old fashioned, but we also have one of those egg- crate mattresses on top of our bed mattress (the kind that's foam), tucked under our flannel sheets and cotton pad. It REALLY helps keep us warm! To make it "old fashioned", I guess you could construct one of sorts out of wool (carded batts, or fleeces?), and use it as a mattress. Of course, for real luxury, a feather bed would do the trick nicely!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 24, 2000.

ok, here is my 2cents for all that it is worth. My parents have always heated with wood, so I can simpathize with you.

I would whine like crazy that I was cold when lived on what used to be my grandpa's farm. And my folks used to call me a baby, until one nite my mom had to sleep alone 'cause dad was out of town. She never called me a babie after they realized that it WAS snowing in my windowes AND it is very cold sleeping by your self.

After that (and my catching Pnemonia) they let me sleep on the living room couch. First put down a WOOL blanket, then flennel sheets( or as I called them "Sheep blankets", I didn't realize mom was Sheet Blankets")then as manny quilts and blankets as need be to keep warm.

Also when I first was out on my own I lived in a basement apartment that was cold. I would complane to the ladelady but she said that there was nothing that could be done. I spent a lot of time huddeling in bed. found out if you don't have enough covers put extra clothes between top covers. I only stoud that place for a year then got married. LOL

You learn from your mistakes and hopefully don't repeat them again.LOL redhen

-- redhen (redhen@fiberia.com), December 24, 2000.

BTW DH has now taken to wearing thermal underwear and insolated coverall around the house on the weekends... inside. He figures he can be coumphy while lounging around...LOL I threatened to get him apair of footed jammies to wear around the house, but is happy w/ his "hunter orange" coveralls!!!

-- redhen (redhen@fiberia.com), December 24, 2000.

Well, here's another thought. I haven't tried it, but I have certainly considered it while camping: put the largest size trash bag inside a sleeping bag and then get into it. I guess the plastic helps keep you warmer, but I imagine you will awake pretty sweaty in the a.m. Nevertheless, it may be useful in an extreme situation. If anyone has tried it, I would like to hear your experience! (again not really old-fashioned!)

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 24, 2000.

You have already received some good answers - just want to re-inforce the good ones I saw. Wear loose socks, sweats, tunics, long johns, tight clothes will shut down your ciruclation and trap moisture next to your skin. Wear a cap or hat to keep body heat in. Extra covers on top are good - but also try extra blankets under the bottom sheet. Sometimes cold air penetrates throught the mattress if it's old or thin. Cover any doors you aren't using. I lived in a mobile home one winder and ended up covering the back door with a hanging blanket to stop drafts. Don't get too air-tight. Air that does not circulate holds moisture and moisture makes it that much colder. My sister and I used to share a bed in an old farm house where snow blew in between the boards - we often woke with snow on the top quilt. We kept hot bricks in the bed and so many quilts that it was a effort to turn over once you were in the bed. We also let the cats sleep under the covers with us. A good warm cat is a mightly comfort.

-- Maggies' Farm (elemon@peacehealth.orgq), December 24, 2000.

I am wondering where you can buy soapstone for warming and bringing to bed. Does anyone know?

-- e.bergdoll (peontoo@yahoo.com), December 24, 2000.

You have had great suggestions .This is are third winter in the far North .We spent the first 2 with inly 1 wood stove ,it was cold .This year we put in a furnace .I would not trade it for the world , it is a horrible thing to be cold .We just spent a nice toasty holiday .I hope you find a good solution for you .

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), December 25, 2000.

If I'm going to bed cold, I wear a stocking cap, but I also fill one or more (up to three) quart jars with hot water, wrap them in towels so they don't burn me, and take them to bed with me. One goes at my feet, one or two at my stomach. They are often still slightly warm in the morning when I get up. The large soda bottles someone mentioned above might be better, because you wouldn't have to worry about them breaking if one fell out of bed during the night. I do also have a rubber hot water bottle that I sometimes use, and a large cat who will often very conveniently position herself at the top of my head. On cold nights I wear socks to bed (preferably clean dry ones). Of course, dh is a great heater for my cold feet -- LOL!!! Sometimes I'll take a hot shower right before heading for bed -- if I can get in before I chill again, I'm fine. I've noticed that, since I started working late, I don't go to bed cold anymore, unless I sit at the computer for a while (as I'm doing now!). It seems that the heat from the active work I do, plus from the car heater on the way home, lasts long enough for me to make it to bed still warm! So I think the problem of going to bed cold is primarily because we tend to do sedentary things prior to bedtime (reading, watch TV [not us -- we don't have one!], computer, sewing, etc.). Someone told me that elderly people don't actually get cold any more easily than anyone else, they just aren't active enough to keep themselves warm, and that applies to all of us. If we are active (and properly dressed) we can stay warm even in very cold weather. If it gets nasty cold and you just can't stay warm in that back bedroom, forget conventions and move the bed into the room where the stove is for the rest of the winter.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), December 26, 2000.

Caps tend to rub off my head as I turn in my sleep, so I have a towel laid over my pillow which I slip my head under so only my nose and mouth are exposed. The terrycloth has good traction so it doesn't creep off, and it provides plenty of insulation to keep in my heat and keep off the cold air falling down from the window.

-- snoozy (allen@oz.net), December 26, 2000.

Corn bags are the perfect solution! I make and sell them here in Washington. You can get some material and make a pillow out of it and fill with field corn. Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes and put at the foot of your bed. The bag will stay warm for hours, and so will your feet :). I sell 9"x 12' and 6"x 22" for neck and shoulders.

-- Tina in WA (TMari28@aol.com), January 30, 2001.

Socks can make your feet colder if they are too snug and interfere with circulation. You can still buy rubber hot water bottles at the drug store. Fill one with boiling water, tighten down the cap and wrap in a thin towel. It will heat up the foot of the bed and stay warm for a couple of hours. After that your feet should stay warm on their own.

I remember my grandmother's house. It was an old style two story house with cellar. The coal/wood furnace was in the cellar. The wood cookstove on the main floor and bedrooms upstairs. The main floor had a two foot square grate directly over the furnace for heat to rise up through. The cook stove was next to that grate (next to the common chimney too). Above that was another grate into the upstairs hallway. The house was as tall as it was wide. Heat distribution was mostly UP.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), January 30, 2001.

I make Fleece Lined socks. My site will be up by April 3 2001. What they are is accual sheeps fleece knitted right into the socks. The heat of your body hits all the air pocks and warms your feet up. woolywarmers.com is the web site. The best part is they never get cold.

-- Anne McLachlan (woolywarmers@look.ca), March 26, 2001.

I can't beleive that someone is worried about staying warm in a house!! I have camped out all my life and have stayed perfectly warm in minus 30 degree temps. Common sense is the best advice a person can give in this situation. Good luck staying warm. And I mean that with a kind, giving heart. Not as a slap in the face. Take care, Steve

-- Deb (borgia@northernnet.com), November 25, 2001.