More Fun With Shopping

We have two sets of sheets at our house: summer and winter. That's about as high maintenance as I get.

When I do the big switch I usually take the whole bed apart and wash the mattress pad. I shake out the comforter and wash and carefully fold the stuff I'm putting away.

I've been wanting to buy us a new comforter for several years and I usually think about it in the fall. But since I hate shopping I always put it off thinking it will be easier to do next weekend. Then I next weekend it until the holidays. Who wants to deal with buying new bedding during the holidays? Then I'd plan to do it during the after holiday sales and I'd keep putting it off until next weekend. And so on until the holiday sales were over and why not just wait until fall?

For some reason I felt very determined about doing it this year and we're long overdue to switch to winter sheets so I made myself do it today. Shortly before the economy went to hell a ginormous (aside: I can't believe spellcheck doesn't recognize "ginormous") strip mall of big box stores opened near our house and I've been to the Target but nothing else.



I've never seen more than 5 cars in front of the bedding store and today was no different. The store had no customers besides me and an old lady who looked like she might be part zombie who at one point had to be in the precise aisle I was trying to be in.

I decided on a comforter and then looked for a cover. I want flannel. Summer is cotton. Winter is flannel. That's how I do it. I have no interest in changing. What's the point of enduring all this aging crap if you can't be rigid and uncompromising in your ways?

They have no flannel covers. This is a store you could park a 747 in. It is filled floor to ceiling with tons and tons of crap related to beds, baths and beyond. You know what they told me? "They don't make them anymore."

I drove across the parking lot to this other store I've never set foot in. Their selection was even more grim but they didn't have "bed" in giant letters on the outside of the building so I'll cut them some slack.



As soon as I got home I jumped online and I found a few things but nothing I loved. The Company Store has a huge selection but I've always been afraid to order from them because I don't think you can ever get off the mailing list. Even if you die. But then I thought what the hell, I want a new flannel comforter cover.

They have an amazing selection except you know what? I don't want to sleep under something with: penguins, horses, elephants, butterflies, cats, dogs or polar bears on it. These must be very popular choices especially the penguins because there were two different kinds. I tried to think if there was ever a time in my life where I would have wanted to sleep with elephants on my comforter. No. Maybe when I'm even older and crankier? I doubt it.

They only had one that I liked and I realized it looks almost exactly like what I already have. (I have other requirements which include: dark colors, not too girly.) So I said: Screw It! I will just use the old one.