Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Doing Something Different in Bed



Yup. We’re doing something different in bed. I’m not the one who initiated the change, either. Just like a man, isn’t it? Just when you get used to something, start really liking it, they go and change it. And frankly, it’s not the first time he’s altered his bedroom/bedtime habits. The first time was about five years ago. Just like most stories involving my hubby, it all goes back to his basic male-driven instinct. You know the instinct I mean, right?

I’m talking about the male dominated instinct to protect and care for his family. And by “care”, I mean his financial protectiveness. Basically, I mean his inability to let go of a dollar bill. His frugalness . . . that is also called, cheapness. Or as some might refer to it, his penny-pinching, Scot-inherited approach to all things involving the almighty dollar—including coins. So how does the “something different in bed” come into all this? I’m getting there. Be patient.

First, let me say, I appreciate my hubby’s ability to save money and for the most part, I don’t blink when he sets out to purchase the lower ticketed item, as in: store brands of cereal, cell phones that don’t take pictures, scratched and dented refrigerators without ice makers, or the washing machine that makes enough noise and movement that the neighbors think hubby and I are doing kinky things to each other every time I use the large-load cycle. But there is and always has been one thing that I refused to scrimp on. I, Christie Craig, will have a good, top-of-the-line, 600 or above cotton thread, Egyptian preferred, sheets, blankets, and at least four freshly down-stuffed pillows. Why four? It’s simple. I need two for my head, one to hug, and one for between my knees. I’m a side sleeper. Don’t all side sleepers use four pillows?

Now, hubby says, I keep so many pillows around me at night, that if the mood strikes, he has to get over my barricade to find me. I do apologize about that, but then I point out that due to the rule—the one he set early on in our relationship—the one that demands upon his-and-her blankets, I’m never really what you would call “easy access” anyhow. Not that pillows or blanket seriously get in the way, but in the beginning I thought the two blanket rule was a tad over the top. Not for hubby. He insisted that having his own blanket prevented the tug-of-war battles and arguments so common in marriages.

Shortly after we married I learned it was good thing. And it's not for the reason you might think. Hubby's intestinal track is fine. There was no way I was going to share his cheap, canvas-feeling, skin-abrasive $9.99 clearance comforter. Nope. Nor was I gonna use the buck ninety-nine foam-filled pain-in-the-neck pillows. So I did what all smart wives do. I bought my own preferred bedding and never once told him how much I paid. Believe me, the man would have freaked if he’d known I spent more for my bedding than he did for my cheap-ass washing machine.

Then it happened. I’m referring to the first altercation that occurred about five years ago. I went out of town for a conference and while I’d remembered to put away my blanket, I had neglected to put away my pillows. And he did it. He pulled one over and while he still won’t admit it, I know he felt as if he’d died and went to bed heaven. How do I know? Because when I came back and cuddled up in bed, I found my knee pillow was lumpy foam. He’d even switched cases. Confronted with the issue, hubby said, “But it’s just your knee pillow. Do you really need down feathers for your knees?” Then he put on that poor-me pout and claimed his neck had been bothering him and he really needed the better pillow for just a few days.

Days led to weeks and I eventually went out and bought me another knee pillow. That should have been the end of it. But it wasn’t. One night I got into bed and discovered he was using my hug pillow as his second head pillow. When confronted he put on his pout again and I waited for the sore-neck excuse again. But nope. “Go buy yourself another one,” he said instead. “Just don’t tell me what you paid for it.” Smart man!

I did. Hence, hubby became a believer in the good-pillow way of life.

Then came the most recent change in his sleeping habits. To be honest, I should have seen it coming when he switched the comforter off my extra bedroom for his every-night blanket. When I asked him about this, he replied that for some unknown reason his comforter had started feeling funny.

Right! The truth was, the comforter in my extra bedroom was twice the quality of the one he’d picked up for himself on the clearance table at the dollar store. Not that it was near the quality of my blanket, but still. Nevertheless, I went out and bought a new extra-bedroom comforter. I tried giving my hubby’s blanket to the dog next door, but even he refused the dang thing. Then it happened. It was the first cold spell this winter. Hubby moved a tad closer to my side of the bed and draped my 299 dollar blanket over him, I was stunned.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

He sent me that look, the one he knows I find irresistible, and said, “I thought we’d try something romantic and . . . share.”

I didn’t buy it, but I decided to let it slide . . . for one night. (Hey, he’s really cute when he puts on that look.) But the next night, he was . . . “cold.”

“Then get your blanket,” I suggested.

“But I like being close to you.”

I wasn't born yesterday. “Admit it buddy, it’s not me you want. It’s my blanket.”

His answer was sly. “Is it wrong of me to love both you and your blanket?”

So . . . there you have it. After twenty-five years of marriage, hubby and I are sharing a blanket. And just like he said, it’s happening. He’ll roll over and yank the covers off of me. I’ll wake up and yank back. And most nights there’s at least one game of tug of war going on.

It’s a tad frustrating, but darn it, I kind of like how it feels to spoon with him without the layers of blankets between us, so I’m gonna tolerate it.

So here’s what I want to hear from you. Are any of you out there a bedding connoisseur as I am? Do any of you use the two-blanket rule? What type of pillows do you use? How many do you sleep with? Do you have knee pillow? And do you sleep on your back, side, tummy? Come on, let’s talk about what happens in bed.

20 comments:

Kristi said...

I'm a side sleeper. I have two pillows under my head and a full size body pillow for between my knees and to hug at the same time.

My husband says it's like having an extra person in the bed with us, but I don't care as long as I can sleep.

I use memory foam pillows because I'm allergic to down and they're just as soft and squishy.

catslady said...

I was never too fussy. But we switched to a waterbed which I really loved. When it sprung a leak we got a new one but they had changed and I wasn't thrilled with the new one. The best thing we ever did was get a tempurpedic - I love that bed. We scrimped on the real pillows but my daughter gave them to us as gifts and now I love them too. Once again it's hard to sleep on anything or anywhere else. I have to say the old waterbed was extremely romantic - if you turned over you would roll into your mate - now that we're older I like that you can't tell when he's tossing and turning. Now if I could just take care of his snoring as easily!!!!

Wendy Roberts said...

Loved your post! I used many pillows when I was pregnant but now I've got two favorites. I recently purchased a new blankets and I gotta say quality makes such a difference :)

Brandy said...

Hubs and I do not share blankets. He's 6 ft and a big man and he tends to steal covers. I have 6 pillows on our bed. He sleeps with three behind him. I toss one on the floor at bedtime and use one down alternative (I'm allergic to down.) to cuddle into. I'm a stomach sleeper and the second pillow is to keep my hand from hitting the wall through our iron headboard. *G* Of course our bedding is the nice egyptian cotton and we have a silk filled duvet (hypoallergenic and warmer than down) to make things even more comfortable. *G*

Linda C said...

The best thing we ever got was one of the "Sleep number" beds. I tend to want to change the hardness or softness of the bed every couple of weeks. Drove my husband crazy. Right now I have to sleep on top of the covers as I am nursing a broken ankle, cast and all. I have to support it with two pillows and one under my knee. Then I throw a couple of blankets on top.

Hubby says he can't wait till I get it off (March 18th, yeah!!!) as he misses cuddling. What a great guy

Linda

Anonymous said...

Hubby and I start the night with 2 pillows each but for some reason come morning I have none and he is wrapped around all 4. He is a pillow hog but since I do seem to sleep through the night I guess I'll keep him. ... Mo

Christie Craig said...

Kristi,
Ahh, nothing like soft squishy pillow. I've tried a memory pillow, I think I could get used it. But I'll stick with down for now.

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Catslady,

Too funny girl. My mom is believer in the water bed. She loves hers and can't sleep when leaves home.

I've tried the tempurpedic and I think I love it, but when we bought our latest mattress, they were still too expensive.

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Wendy,

Yup, quality is a must. I'll drive a cheap car, but I will not sleep on cheap bedding.

Thanks for stopping by.

CC

Refhater said...

I'm a stomach sleeper and go with the middle of the road range with my sheets and pillows.

Must have at least 2 pillows at all times and soft flannel sheets. Plain cotton sheets make me break out in hives for some odd reason.

You're going to laugh, but I've got to admit to currently having 7 blankets on my bed right now. Michigan winters are cold, and I'm trying to save $ by keeping my heat set at 65.

Perhaps when I finally find Mr. Right. I won't need so many blankets to keep me warm at night...

Christie Craig said...

Brandy,

Hmm, that silk filled duvet sounds wonderful. My hubby is six foot as well and because I'm short he thinks he gets more bed and blanket.


Sounds like you are sleeping like an angel.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Linda C.

He does sound like a real sweetie. Any man who wants to cuddle is a keeper.

Agg, a broken ankle is no fun! Stay warm and keep the foot up. March 18th will be here before you know it.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Mo,

So he's a pillow thief! Ahh, but sometimes even they are keepers!!

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Refhater,

Seven??? Wow, that's a record. I do like it chilly at night, I set my heat on 65. My one down cover keeps me nice and toasty.

And yes, you need to find someone and then you can lose a blanket or two. LOL.

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

Anonymous said...

I use four--some times five--and my husband uses two. But we use separate blankets. I double a new fleece blanket over me and double his favorite old comforter over his side of the bed. He gets colder than I do, so he kept pulling the blanket up and covering me. Then I'd get hot, couldn't sleep, and I'd turn on the TV which would wake him up. After all these years we have separate blankets and the TV on all night.

Unknown said...

I am a side sleeper myself so I use a ISO Cool pillow for the head and a small knee pillow! We just sleep under a quilt that I made every night.

Christie Craig said...

Anonymous,

So you to have the two-blanket rule. Now, the TV? I can fall asleep watching it, but I will always wake up and cut it off. And when I wake up, I can't go back to sleep if it's on. It's crazy, but true.

Thanks for sharing.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Virgina,

I love quilts, too. My neighbor is a quilter and they are so beautiful. She gave me a small quilt that I use as a throw. It's beautiful.

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

Anonymous said...

I started the 2 blanket thing in our house because I can't sleep under tucked in stuff ... my feet get too hot. (Weird.) We still cuddled until he had shoulder surgery & started sleeping with a pillow to prop up his arm. His shoulder is all healed but the pillow remains.

I want a sleep number bed or something like it. He likes a harder bed than I do. Actually, I'd like a water bed, but he gets seasick when I talk about it.

Our biggest issue?
Him: "Come to bed."
Me: "I'm not sleepy yet."
Him: "I can't sleep if you aren't in bed."

I come to bed and read.

Him: "Turn out the light."
Me: "I'm not sleepy yet."
Him: "I can't sleep with the light on."
Me: "I'll go read in the other room."
Him: "I can't SLEEP if you aren't IN BED."
Me: "AGGGHHHH!"

Compromise: I now play games on my telephone or watch stuff on the iPod until I get sleepy.

Sigh.

Shawn

Christie Craig said...

Shawn,

Too funny. I love it. Hubby can't sleep with his the sheet tucked in. I like being snuggled.

Thanks for sharing.

CC