You know it is cold when the resident house mouse crawls up the chair leg on to the table and burrows into a woollen scarf.

There’s no nest there, mind you, the little guy is just cold. He’s luckier than some people.

The mice plague experts assured us a couple of months ago that a cold snap would be the under doing of the rodents, seen around Dubbo in increasing numbers. But I have another theory; they’ve just moved inside by the heater. There are plenty of mice on the roads - plenty inside too.

There have been three major cold fronts come through the state in the last month, including the one that dumped a once-in-a-decade show of snow around Orange, Bathurst and Lithgow.

With the La Nina weather phenomenon coming to an end, the winter should start reasonably wet, but then dry out as the season progresses.

It is also a timely reminder that the Smith Family’s Winter Appeal and the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal still need all the help they can get. Some people struggling to pay power bills just rug up, or stay in bed for warmth, and do all they can to avoid using more over the cold months.

Even with a wood fire, the colder months can bring a chill to the bone when the cost of wood is added up.

Stay warm, if you can.