When do you put the central heating on?

I think it is safe to say that the Summer is now over and that Autumn is here. Whilst the skies are still blue the temperature is well, shall we say, crisp. The temperature has dropped quite noticeably even in the day time now.

Last night I was on the sofa watching telly wrapped up in a blanket. Jon said "you can put the heating on you know". This led to a discussion as to the eco properties of doing so coupled with the admitting that it is 'no longer summer' effect.

At the moment it is only just nippy so I am happy to close the windows and doors and pop a jumper on or cover myself with a blanket but what I want to know is when is it acceptable to pop the heating on? Is September too early? Have other people turned it on yet? Am I just getting old and feeling the cold now?

It's funny as I grew up in a house with coal fires whereby you only made a fire in the depths of winter as it was so messy and such a faff to do so, therefore I am more used to wearing a jumper than just turning the central heating switch. It has however, become very convenient to do just that. At what point do you stop making life hard for yourself and flick that switch?

Maybe little animals have it right with hibernating - all that energy they save.

I do love the Autumn and Winter though - long walks in woods and coming home to a homemade soup - bliss"

Image credit: http://middlechildcomplex.tumblr.com/post/16467408759