It’s so cold in my Queenslander I sleep with a beanie on

Queenslanders are perfectly designed for summer, but come winter - it’s colder inside than out, Phil Brown believes.

Living in a Queenslander that was built in 1928 is charming and all but it’s bloody freezing in winter.

My wife was out walking the dog the other morning and she ran into a neighbour who lives in a similarly historic home and she said the same thing. She said she was now wearing her beanie inside the house.

Phil Brown, trying to keep warm. Picture: AAP/ Ric Frearson

Most old Queenslander homes don’t have central heating but there are a couple of months of the year when we actually need it.

When we have visited my brother in Canada in autumn it’s been freezing outside but so toasty inside that everyone walks around in shorts and T-shirts.

When I spent ten days in Moscow in midwinter a couple of years ago I was warmer inside the Metropol Hotel than inside my house in Brisbane. It was minus 13 outside but inside it was like summer in Brizzie and as soon as you got indoors you would peel off the layers and lounge around like you were in Bali.

It’s so cold in our house lately though that I have taken to wearing up to four layers of clothing including some thermal undershirts.

I do have some thermal long johns too and I might have to break them out soon.

I have even slept in my tartan woollen dressing gown which sounds like overkill I know but it kept me snug as a bug in a rug.

Tartan helps in the colder months. Picture: Ric Frearson

That reminded me of my uni days in Toowoomba when we lived in a draughty and dilapidated old mansion on James Street.

Many’s the night there when I slept fully clothed and wearing my army surplus great coat with a beanie pulled right down over my face. I guess made it a balaclava.

I met an Irish lady some years ago who had moved to Brisbane and was surprised by how cold it was in winter and how houses here weren’t made for cold weather.

“In Ireland you put your coat on to go outside.” she said.

“Here we put on our coats to go inside.”

I know it will be spring soon but we till have a couple of chilly months ahead. Not sure how I’m going to cope.

I purchased a warm sheepskin hat in Moscow with flaps that cover the ears and I may have to break that out soon to wear at home.

And I think I might wear a beanie under it.

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