Dear LPG, 

We have all been warned about the cost of electricity and its dramatic rise and I am sure that we oldies are going to feel a fair proportion of the fall out. Forearmed is forewarned, and although there is still only a relatively small nip in the morning air at the time of writing, we all know it is going to get colder.

Exercise has always been thought of as one way of keeping warm and warm food is another fundamental, so now that we can get out and about again, a trip to a day centre or a friend’s house is one way of keeping warm.  The walk will do you good and when you get there, two (or even more) people will be sharing one space and being away from home it will be a good reason for another room or two to have the heating turned off for a while. 

This is also a valid point if you can share dinner with a neighbour. It can be really good exercise.  No matter how well you cook, it must be said that, when you are the host, a couple of extra portions makes little difference to your gas bill and having someone to talk your way through a meal with is not a bad way forward either.  Did you know that smiling and chewing are forms of exercise too, and you are likely to do a bit more of both if you are not eating alone? 

For the host, preparation is exercise in itself while making the effort to shut the front door, face the cold and take a walk down the road a bit also requires effort. If you are like me, the worry of getting the meal right will help you to expend lots of mental exercise and my method of using far too many pots and pans which need to be washed up again, gives me a good excuse to use hot water to warm up my hands while I do a little more exercise washing up after they are gone.

If your day centre is still closed and you can rustle up the odd signature dish or ready meal, you could even try your own version of ‘Come dine with me’, like the Channel 4 programme on the telly, but be a little kinder.  There is no need for three or four courses or fine dining.  A good solid meal will do and repeats are allowed.  There is no need for dressing up and kind scoring is mandatory (although I draw the line at having my visitors go through my bedroom drawers).  

KE, Deptford

For those who have never seen it LPG has found an episode of come dine with me

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