When I heard The Mamas and The Papas California Dreamin’ on the radio recently, I was reminded of winters at home when I was at primary school. I’d dread getting up in the mornings as the house didn’t have a lot of heating (incidentally, it still doesn’t. And the little heating it has is barely ever on. Dad doesn’t feel the cold or even own a jumper while poor Mum can be found dressed in a cardigan, three jumpers, thermal vest etc as soon as autumn approaches).
I’d often come down the stairs shivering madly (I’m probably exaggerating, but there was ice on the inside of the windows) and go into the dining room. It was one of the few rooms with heating and Mum always used to turn the gas fire on and warm my school clothes up for me on the back of the chair (when I was very little anyway). Dad would then come in, mopping his ever sweating brow and turn the radio on while we had breakfast. I was only young, but for some reason when I heard California Dreamin’ it struck a chord with me as I sat there in the glowing warmth of the dining room (not quite the same as L.A., but perhaps that’s where my mind was taking me) before I ventured off out into the freezing winter’s day.
Esther Chilton 
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