Quote Originally Posted by Bugbear View Post
I was very thankful for the lump of coal I received for my Christmas gift; though I outwardly grumbled about it. I worked very hard at expressing my inner, larval curmudgeon all year.
A lump of coal would be most welcome around these parts. Japanese homes are essentially made of wood and paper, do NOT have insulation, or double-paned windows, or central heating and oil/kerosene space heaters are the only way to heat the rooms inside at a semi-reasonable price (and with the global price of oil, that ain't cheap either)... It's not unusual for our hallways and bathroom to be at a constant 6C (43F) all winter long. When I'm in the kitchen making my morning coffee, I can see my breath. (Like this morning).