The current trend to grow your own veg, knit, sew, bake is taking us all to days before convenience foods and fast fashion clothes that had been worn once and binned.
Cooking from scratch for those who are been around long enough will remember it used to be called plain old cooking. Growing vegetables was dependant on having access to a patch of land, allotment or back garden. Even if it was only some herbs or one crop many had something they could grow, even in a clay pot on the windowsill, it was always and still is possible.
Clothes had been expensive, fast fashion with cheap nylon fabrics and sweat shops imports have artificially changed the landscape. A decent pair of trousers that would last years and cost a few days wages now cost a couple hours of wages and last a few months before fading, snagging or losing its shape.
On the plus side there is a growing trend for things that served us well for many years and now finding new younger users. Thankfully the good old fashion hot water bottle is one of the survivors in this modern digital age. We all know just how comforting they are to use but it’s often forgotten just how economical and green they are. Rather than switching the central heating boiler on a day when there is just a chill it makes more sense to have a hot water bottle on your lap or take one to bed and keep the boiler off saving energy.
Back to basics is a good way to reconnect with the things that actually work and work well, it’s why the humble hot water bottle is still here today. Those that tried electric blankets in the 70’s and 80’s will know just how stifling they can be, the heat is from top to toe, many swelter in an artificial tropical climate under the sheets, what we really need is just our feet kept warm or a warm bottles to snuggle up to. It’s why the market today is growing in choice, there is the new long hot water bottle, latex allergy free hot water bottle, foot warmer hot water bottle, (yes it actually have a bottle inside), neck warmer hot water bottle and of course we all love our rubber hot water bottle.
So many ways to keep warm in winter.
This latest COVID-19 epidemic has amplified and accelerated the back-to-basics journey, with shopping trips off the cards and less places to visit we are turning our homes into a sanctuary. Home comforts, cooking from scratch, sewing, gardening if you can and making our home right for us to live well.
