To say ‘put a bloody jumper on’?

[Bookishnerd]

We have a wood burner, and twice this week I’ve come into the living room to find my DH has started a fire… but he’s wearing boxers or shorts or ‘summer clothes’.

We have quite a warm house and it gets roasting upstairs. We bought extra logs this winter to heat the downstairs only, as it doesn’t take much for heat to rise and it to get too hot.

It’s been chilly the last few days, and I’m not a miser - if he’s cold, put the fire on, no problem.

But put a jumper on first?! Get dressed?! Don’t waste energy and money?

When I mentioned it to him, he brushed me off with a shrug and a ‘meh’.

Yep bonkers.
I’d love to hear how they think jumpers/coats work

I think when you get very cold then putting on extra clothes doesn’t help, at least not straight away. You really need to kickstart your body into making heat by doing some exercise or drinking something. Then the jumpers/ blankets etc work to keep the warmth trapped by in by your skin.

And that is exactly why the planet is fucked and people have astronomical heating bills.

bonkers that folk would rather pay £500 quid a month than wear a jumper

Must admit I’m not a wrap-up-inside kind of gal either. Jumpers etc are for going outside. My house is pretty warm though and I’m menopausal so glow in the dark anyway!

You took the words right out of my mouth ...

Yes, definitely. It’s a shame as it was a lovely house in a very naice and very expensive town in the Home Counties. The people I lived with were very reluctant to spend money on anything. There was definitely a damp/condensation problem as there’d be water dripping from the ceilings in some rooms. Nothing was maintained well either (didn’t want to spend the cash).

With you all the way - I was brought up with no central heating and you just put layers on, especially when scraping the ice off the inside of the bedroom window!

In the depths of winter I have leggings, then jeans, long-sleeved vest, long-sleeved polo neck and a fleece. Why would you not when you are at home?

Does he not also want the ambiance of a fire, DH is currently building ours. We likely have to take our hoodies off once it's going but really fancy a fire

But it doesn't keep my hands and head (and possibly neck) warm. Sure I can dress up in a jumper, hat, scarf and gloves but don't expect me to do anything practical like cooking!!

The autism is clearly on your DH’s side anyway with all that anxiety!

How do you think coats work?

Clearly the wrong thread but do tell us more?

@FurAndFeathers can't agree more. Sometimes when I read about the OP's DH I think the cost of energy needs to quintuple before some people will change their behaviour. It should be completely socially unacceptable to sit around in your pants in the winter with the heating cranked up to the max. Layer up, put the heat on moderately, save money, save the planet, what's not to like!

I Understand your perspectives op

YANBU!!

I had to come off MN for a while because the amount of MNers moaning about how they’re going to afford their energy bills but point blank refused to wear a jumper in the house or wearing a dressing gown too early looks common etc was so frustrating.

I’m fortunate that I don’t have anyone around me in RL.
I feel sorry for you having to put up with this.

A jumper/other extra layer only works if the air around you is already warm. It won’t magically heat you up.

So if I go to Antarctica then I should just leave my jumper at home and walk around in a t-shirt?

I think you’re a bit confused.

People are free to use as much or as little heating as they choose but I get annoyed if they then complain about their bills if they aren't wearing a minimum of long trousers, a light jumper and socks plus slippers! We've had words in this house this week when there was moaning about having the heat on ... the air temperature where I'm sitting is 21 degrees, put on a hoodie if you feel cold!

YANBU! I prefer saving my thick knitted stuff for outdoors, but indoors will at least wear a long sleeved top/sweatshirt, thicker trousers, socks and slippers!

I was absolutely frozen yesterday. The house was 17°C, which is below room temperature by any definition. I could not get warm, and I had TWO jumpers on. And an extra pair of woolly socks. It is not unreasonable to expect to be able to wear indoor clothes indoors. By that I mean a warm trousers and socks, long sleeved top, a jumper and maybe an extra wool layer, like a gilet or something. It is unreasonable to expect people to wear so many layers they can’t move, or outdoor clothing like coats, hats, boots or more than three indoor layers in my opinion. I had to go to bed with my own heat pad to warm up, and then cooked dinner with treacle pudding and custard. (Then I discovered I’d left a window open in the spare room when I put laundry to dry in there a couple of days ago. Bollocks!). It’s 18° today, and fine if you’re moving around or have a blanket.

However, it is also not unreasonable to expect someone to use free heat before paid heat, and to wear appropriate winter clothes. A jumper (singular) is appropriate indoor dress in winter. Two isn’t. The relationship between men and fire has, in my experience, very little to do with practicality.

DD keeps putting her electric blanket on. I insist she has winter pjs and socks on first, because we are strapped for cash. I haven’t bothered about it in the past, because I didn’t need to, but I wouldn’t heat the house to accommodate her unless she was appropriately dressed either.

I take it you don't bother with a jumper or coat outside in winter then?

My mum is like this, she'll moan it's cold and wants the heating on whilst sitting on the sofa practically naked, how I wish I was exaggerating on that. I'd wear as many layers as I could and grab a blanket before considering putting the heating on or lighting the fire

I’m with you, OP! I’m one of those people who wears short sleeves until the temperature goes below 18 degrees Celsius. At work in the winter I’m usually in despair because the office is set to around 25 degrees Celsius and I can’t discard any more layers of my normal indoor winter attire.
I’m hoping the fuel cost crisis will force my Company to reduce the temperature this year, and that the people who want to wear sleeveless blouses in December will have to resort to adding jumpers, while I can wear my lovely knitted dresses without sweating like a pig in the office!

Um the air is warmed by the heat from your body….. :s

I was absolutely frozen yesterday. The house was 17°C

How do you cope outside in winter when it really is freezing?

Tell him to have a hot drink and put clothes on.